And Happy Easter. In church today, we had wonderful speakers. My favorite remarks today were from Lori Coats. She read a quote from a fireside talk entitled "Come Unto Me" given by Jeffrey R. Holland in March of 1997. Well worth a read, but for my purposes I will share the point on my mind lately. Speaking of how the scriptures are replete with messages of love and encouragement from our Heavenly Father, Elder Holland says:
"The Lord has probably spoken enough such "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 the world has ever known or ever will know, he 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 should feel his or her interest were 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."The Lord in his infinite mercy and goodness is asking us to trust in Him, knowing He has already overcome all things for us. Yet trusting in Him is the struggle of life. To allow Him to lead us along, without resisting or worrying about where He is taking our lives. We need to aspire as Mother Teresa once said, to be a pencil in the hand of God. We don't claim anything for ourselves. Our lives are God's work. He does the thinking and the writing, the pencil has nothing to do with it.
So this Easter I am renewing my pledge to let go of my fears and doubts about life and allow the Savior's ultimate gift to work in my life. To not let my heart be afraid and to follow His way, allowing my soul to trust in His peace. His peace is sure, and He must be the foundation in our lives if we wish to find true happiness. I know He lives. I leave you with this Easter treat. A song to help inspire courage and help with my Easter resolution to trust in His atonement a little more fully. It is an oldie, but a goodie.
