Highly Favored of the Lord

Even in the most captive of situations, the Lord is able to protect his servants.

Notice how the Lord prepared church members for the adjustments that would be needed during the pandemic BEFORE the pandemic even occurred.

In recent months I have reflected upon this experience (missing a historic meeting with the prophet during his mission because he was too far away to be allowed to travel to the meeting) as I have observed others face deep disappointment and sorrow—far greater and deeper than mine ever was as a young missionary—brought on by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this year, as the pandemic accelerated, the First Presidency pledged that “the Church and its members will faithfully exhibit our commitment to being good citizens and good neighbors” and will “use an abundance of caution.” Thus, we experienced the suspension of Church gatherings worldwide, the return of more than half the Church’s missionary force to their home nations, and the closure of all temples throughout the Church. Thousands of you were preparing to enter the temple for living ordinances—including temple sealings. Others of you have completed your service as missionaries early or have been temporarily released and reassigned.

During this time, government and educational leaders closed schools—which consequently altered graduations and forced the cancellation of sporting, social, cultural, and educational events and activities. Many of you prepared for events that were not attended, performances that were not heard, and athletic seasons that were not played.

Even more poignant are thoughts of families who have lost loved ones during this time; most could not hold funerals or other tender gatherings as they had hoped.

In short, many, many of you have dealt with heartbreaking disappointment, sorrow, and discouragement. So how do we heal, endure, and move forward when things seem so broken?

Some of those things might not seem like a big deal to some people but we need to recognize how profoundly those losses were felt by others.

We too can draw parallels as individual members and as a church in the way in which we have been highly favored of the Lord during the challenging times we have encountered the past several months. As I cite these examples, let them also strengthen your testimony of the seership of our living prophet, who prepared us with adjustments before any hint of a pandemic, enabling us to endure the challenges that have come.

First, becoming more home centered and Church supported.

A second example of being highly favored of the Lord is the revelation regarding ministering in a higher and holier way.

A final example of being blessed during adversity is finding heightened joy in the return of temple ordinances.

I can’t wait to go back to the temple whenever Savannah gets her endowment scheduled for her mission.

As I close, please listen to the encouraging, enthusiastic, uplifting words of the Prophet Joseph Smith. One would never guess he penned them in affliction and isolation, constrained and restricted at a home in Nauvoo, hiding from those who were seeking to illegally apprehend him:

“Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy. …

“… Shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, … and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing.”

I’ve appreciated those words of joy and gladness but never realized the dark context in which they were written.