3-15-26 Payson 1oth Ward Missionaries

Good morning my dear brothers and sisters. With all the turmmoil happening in the world today, I felt an impression to remind each of us. It is through the trials we have that we become stronger, as long as we continue to seek help from our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He will always help us rise out of the depths of despair if we continue to seek his help no matter how dark our days might be. Joseph of Egypt was such a great example of this.

Following is a quote from President Holland: The Lord has probably spoken enough...comforting words to supply the whole universe, it would seem, and yet we see all around us unhappy Latter-day Saints, worried Latter-day Saints, and gloomy Latter-day Saints into whose troubled hearts not one of these innumerable consoling words seems to be allowed to enter. In fact, I think some of us must have that remnant of Puritan heritage still with us that says it is somehow wrong to be comforted or helped, that we are supposed to be miserable about something. Consider, for example, the Savior's benediction upon his disciples even as he moved toward the pain and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary. On that very night, the night of the greatest suffering that has ever taken place in the world or that ever will take place, the Savior said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you...Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27). I submit to you, that may be one of the Savior's commandments that is, even in the hearts of otherwise faithful Latter-day Saints, almost universally disobeyed; and yet I wonder whether our resistance to this invitation could be any more grievous to the Lord's merciful heart. I can tell you this as a parent: as concerned as I would be if somewhere in their lives one of my children were seriously troubled or unhappy or disobedient, nevertheless I would be infinitely more devastated if I felt that at such a time that child could not trust me to help or thought his or her interest was unimportant to me or unsafe in my care. In that same spirit, I am convinced that none of us can appreciate how deeply it wounds the loving heart of the Savior of the world when he finds that his people do not feel confident in his care or secure in his hands or trust in his commandments. Just because God is God, just because Christ is Christ, they cannot do other than care for us and bless us and help us if we will but come unto them, approaching their throne of grace in meekness and lowliness of heart. They can't help but bless us. They have to. It is their nature...There is not a single loophole or curveball or open trench to fall into for the man or woman who walks the path that Christ walks. When he says, "Come, follow me," he means that he knows where the quicksand is and where the thorns are and the best way to handle the slippery slope near the summit of our personal mountains. He knows it all, and he knows the way. He is the way (Jeffrey R. Holland, "'Come unto Me'," Ensign, Apr 1998, 19).

As you go about your daily lives, as you try to fulfill your callings as Ward Missionaries. Be aware that your Heavenly Father and the Savior Jesus Christ are well aware of the troubles, the heart aches the turmoil that you have in your lives. HE is there to help you get through it. When you have climbed so hard to reach a "peak" in your life. I testify that as you descend into another trough it is not because you are being punished. It is the wonderful opportunity that we are given to be strengthened as we strive for excellence and climb to our next peak in our life.

I invite each of you to reach out ot your families. Let them know that they are remembered. That they are loved. As you do it will help you reach those peaks that you are always seeking.

I witness to you that Jesus is the Christ! He is Risen! He is the way, the only Way!

I will close with a hymn that can truly bring peace and courage. I invite you to thoughtfully and prayerfully listen to all 7 verses. I Love each of you. Your Heavenly Father and his most beloved Son Jesus Christ love each of you. They love each and every person on the face of the earth.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.