How the Gospel Protects Me

Today at church in our new ward, JB and I were asked to speak in sacrament meeting. What follows below is the text of my talk.

My topic today is: “How living the gospel of Jesus Christ protects my family.”

I think many of the most powerful sermons are taught in the Primary songs. I love the messages they convey. They are simple, direct, and powerful.

In the Primary song (and in Hymn no. 303), we sing:

“Keep the commandments; keep the commandments!

In this there is safety; in this there is peace.

He will send blessings; He will send blessings.

Words of a prophet: Keep the commandments.

In this there is safety and peace.”

There is protection in keeping the commandments. When we keep the commandments, our Heavenly Father sends the blessings we can claim by no other means than by choosing to obey Him. It teaches us to be truly happy, because “wickedness never was happiness” (Alma 41:10). The adversary would have us choose poorly and even become addicted to things that would take away our free agency and will make us miserable.

When we make mistakes and break a commandment, however, there is protection in repentance through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. When we come to our Heavenly Father in humility and prayer, how long does it take for the Atonement to take effect in our lives? Alma answers this question in Alma 34:

“Now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you” (Alma 34:31; emphasis added).

The Atonement will begin to work in our lives just as soon as we ask for it! Immediately the Savior’s healing process begins.

In another Primary song, we sing: “The wise man built his house upon the rock” (Children’s Songbook, no. 281).

In Helaman chapter 5, Helaman teaches us about this rock:

“Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”

Christ will help us to weather the storms of this life. Sometimes, the storm can be quite literally an actual storm. When I was 13 years old, I lived with my family on the island of Puerto Rico. When I first learned that Hurricane Hugo was headed our way, I was terrified. I’d never been through anything like this before. But we were prepared. The prophets had long taught (and are still teaching) us to prepare for calamities with food storage, including also a first aid kit, clean water, clothing, batteries, etc. As the storm approached, the store shelves became emptied and bare as others panicked and rushed to buy what they would need to get them through the next days and weeks. But we never had to worry about that. All around us there was destruction, but we were OK. Our community and our island rebuilt. Home teachers ensured we were doing well and had everything we needed.

In yet another Primary song, we sing: “Mine is a home where every hour is blessed by the strength of priesthood pow’r” (Children’s Songbook, no. 190). The priesthood can bless not only our homes but every aspect of our lives. Through priesthood ordinances, we make covenants with our Heavenly Father that will protect us as we journey through life.

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taught:

“By making and keeping temple covenants, we learn more about the Lord’s purposes and receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost. We receive direction for our lives. We mature in our discipleship so that we do not remain perpetual, unknowing children. Rather, we live with an eternal perspective and are more motivated to serve God and others. We receive increased capacity to fulfill our purposes in mortality. We are protected from evil, and we gain greater power to resist temptation and to repent when we stumble. When we falter, the memory of our covenants with God helps us return to the path. … Ultimately, our destinies are changed because the covenant path leads to exaltation and eternal life.

“Keeping covenants made in baptismal fonts and in temples also provides us with strength to withstand mortality’s trials and heartaches” (“Accessing God’s Power through Covenants,” April 2023 general conference).

The gift of the Holy Ghost is indeed one of our Father in Heaven’s greatest blessings and a source of protection. He warns us of danger and reminds us of what is good and true. The Comforter has accompanied me when I have experienced the loss of loved ones, including most recently my dear mother, who passed away this past November. In the days and weeks that followed her death, I became reacquainted with the Comforter in ways I never expected. I love her and will always miss her, but I am at peace because of His comfort. I testify that He is real.

The gospel of Jesus Christ protects us in so many other ways, both temporally as well as spiritually. The Word of Wisdom, for example, protects us from many avoidable illnesses, including freedom from addiction to harmful substances. The law of chastity helps us to avoid unnecessary pain and suffering and things that would poison our minds and spirits. Tithing and fast offerings help us learn to be less selfish while also bringing with them specific blessings of a financial nature. In my previous calling in our last ward, I had the privilege to see up close on a weekly basis how our bishop used fast offering funds to help people in our ward in numerous ways. It never ceased to amaze me what good could be done.

I love how devoted the Church is to helping us succeed in every aspect of our lives. From self-reliance, job training, and money management classes to LDS Social Services, including mental health and addiction recovery counseling, to its welfare and humanitarian projects, the Church helps us to make of ourselves the best disciples we can be.

One final thought before I close:  Though the gospel protects us from many things, we may not always be “protected,” at least not in the way we might think, from the difficult, gut-wrenching trials of life. The gospel can help us to protect ourselves against unwanted consequences, yet adversity comes to us all.

For example, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were protected from burning to death in the fiery furnace, while Abinadi was not. John Taylor was shot and survived assassins’ bullets, while Joseph and Hyrum Smith did not. The 2,060 stripling warriors were saved from death in battle, while other righteous warriors weren’t. Some are healed from devastating illness, and some are not. Some struggle with money problems and job loss, and others don’t. Some missionaries serve with no significant health problems, yet others must return home early and even some contract illnesses, injuries, or challenges that remain with them for the rest of their mortal lives. And so forth.

In my experience, it is not good to dwell on the why or the how of these kinds of things. It doesn’t do any good to speculate when Heavenly Father has not provided a reason. “(We) cannot behold with (our) natural eyes, for the present time, the design of (our) God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that (we) shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand” (D&C 58:3-4).

What we can do, however, is to decide how we will respond to life’s difficulties and what we will make of the talents that have been given to us. (See Matthew 25:14-30.)

Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught: “The great challenge is to refuse to let the bad things that happen to us do bad things to us. That is the crucial difference between adversity and tragedy” (“But for a Small Moment,” address delivered at Brigham Young University, September 1, 1974). Our free agency is the only gift we really have that is ours to offer our Savior, and His greatest and everlasting blessings are reserved for those who do so.

Elder Dennis E. Simmons of the Seventy spoke on this point in the April 2004 general conference, in one of the best general conference talks I’ve ever heard. I may be a bit biased, as I was sitting in the choir seats behind Elder Simmons for this talk. (Elder Maxwell also spoke in that session; it was his last conference talk before he passed away.)

He said: “When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refused to bow down and worship a golden image set up by the king, a furious Nebuchadnezzar told them that if they would not worship as commanded, they would immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. ‘And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?’

“The three young men quickly and confidently responded, ‘If it be so [if you cast us into the furnace], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand.’ … But then they demonstrated that they fully understood what faith is. They continued, ‘But if not, … we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.’ That is a statement of true faith. …

“Our God will deliver us from ridicule and persecution, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from sickness and disease, but if not. … He will deliver us from loneliness, depression, or fear, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from threats, accusations, and insecurity, but if not. … He will deliver us from death or impairment of loved ones, but if not, … we will trust in the Lord.

“Our God will see that we receive justice and fairness, but if not. … He will make sure that we are loved and recognized, but if not. … We will receive a perfect companion and righteous and obedient children, but if not, … we will have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that if we do all we can do, we will, in His time and in His way, be delivered and receive all that He has” (“But If Not …,” April 2004 general conference).

I testify that our Heavenly Father loves us, so much so that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to take our pains, sicknesses, and sins upon Him so that we may return to Them, safe and sound. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Luke's Farewell

Our not-so-little-anymore nephew Luke is all grown up now, somehow, something that occurred at some point, right before our eyes. And he's leaving on a mission. On Sunday, he delivered his farewell address at his ward's sacrament meeting in Woods Cross. JB and I were there, along with several family members on both sides of Elder Plowman's family.

By Sunday, Luke had actually already been set apart and serving his mission for a week, doing the MTC from home. This week, he heads to the actual MTC in Provo before moving on to the field in Michigan—right near where Mike and I were born, actually. We're confident he will have many wonderful experiences (and will grow up some more) in the years to come.

Olivia's & Caleb's Wedding

Last week, our niece Olivia was sealed to her husband, Caleb, in the beautiful Taylorsville temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Of course, you know that Fun Aunt and Uncle were there for the occasion and for the festivities that followed.

It was a beautiful ceremony on a beautiful summer day in a beautiful place. Both bride and groom looked so happy all day long.

The reception was held later that evening at the Bountiful Central Stake pavilion, adjacent to Bountiful High School. We were greeted by a railing lined with photos and other memorabilia charting the happy couple's relationship over the years.

There was also this quilt, which attendees were invited to write an entry on. JB, whom I'll admit has much better handwriting, wrote something for the both of us. Presumably, this quilt would then be made into an actual quilt and given to the newlyweds.

There was also an ice cream bar—the perfect recipe for one of the many hot Utah summer days we've been passing through.

All told, it was a wonderful day spent with a wonderful couple and many of our family members and friends.

William Clark

Our newest nephew (and nibling #24!), William Clark, was born on April 4 to Nicole and Spencer. Only a couple of months old now, the kid already has a full head of hair—much more than some of his uncles. Including me.

On Sunday, JB and I ventured out to Grantsville for little William's baby blessing in his LDS ward. His father, Spencer, performed the blessing.

After sacrament meeting, we adjourned to JB's parents' home along with family on both sides and close friends. We were treated to a lovely brunch consisting of Texas French toast, orange rolls, eggs, fresh fruit, and other edible foods (a family inside joke; don't ask me to explain).

Luke's Mission Call

We are excited for our 18-year-old soon-to-be-high school-graduate nephew Luke, who opened his LDS mission call on Tuesday, May 7. He has been assigned to serve in the Michigan Detroit Mission, speaking English.

This area of the country has direct connection to our family. Dad lived near Detroit, in the city of Ypsilanti, and worked for Ford Motor Company when he was still a single man. At this time, as he would often remind us, he had season tickets to the Detroit Lions football games and when the Detroit Tigers won the World Series in 1968. Dad was living in Michigan when he began dating and married Mom.

Mom and Dad continued to live in the area as newlyweds when Mike and I were born. They served a stake mission together, during which they taught and helped baptize people who remained their dear friends for the rest of their earthly lives. Mom finished her college degree at the University of Eastern Michigan. Dad also ended up serving for a period of time as president of the University of Michigan student branch in Ann Arbor.

After the great news about Luke's mission assignment, we're rather certain there was an angel celebrating to the tune of the U. of Michigan fight song.

Graham's Baptism

Our eight-year-old nephew Graham was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday in Centerville. His dad (my brother Ben) performed the baptismal ordinance, as well as the subsequent confirmation (bestowal of the gift of the Holy Ghost).

Graham asked various family members, including his young cousins, to take part in the service. Nine-year-old cousin Katy gave a talk on baptism; 10-year-old brother, Christian, spoke on the gift of the Holy Ghost; and eight-year-old cousin Danny offered the closing prayer. Graham also sang a Primary song along with his parents and Christian. Jessica played the piano for the Primary songs we sang as a congregation. Everyone did a great job!

We (Fun Aunt and Uncle) just showed up ... which was all we really needed to do.

Afterward, most of those who attended, including our Sanders cousins, gathered for breakfast (brunch?) at Black Bear Diner, one of our favorite local hotspots.

Jenna's & Max's Wedding

Our niece Jenna was sealed to Max on Saturday, April 13, in the Draper temple. It was a beautiful spring day with beautiful weather, and the popcorn was definitely popping on the trees.

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a family friend of the Woodburys (he was Jenna's grandparents' mission president in San Diego), performed the sealing. He gave some very wise words of counsel along with the ordinance. But he was also not the only General Authority in the room. Kristin Yee, second counselor in the general Relief Society presidency, was also there. (She had previously served as one of Jenna's Young Women leaders.)

So, we basically had all of the famous people there. We also had this whole group of folks:

The sealing was only the beginning of our long day! We then congregated in the cultural hall at Dave's and Jessica's meetinghouse in Woods Cross for a wedding luncheon. We were served a delicious meal, catered by Cafe Zupas.

The day was capped off with a wedding reception at the lovely Eldredge Manor in West Bountiful, where Biz and Jeff's reception was held nearly 16 years ago! Way back then, Jenna was a five-year-old bridesmaid (seen here on the right, with five-year-old Kenna and nine-year-old Madison):

The refreshments at Eldredge consisted of a wonderful waffle and crepe bar. (We were basically spoiled all day long.)

JB worked very hard on the baking the wedding cake, which turned out like this:

Of course, a family wedding wouldn't be complete without our getting to take a picture along with the bride and groom:

The evening concluded with a lot of dancing, after which the bride and groom hustled off on a plane ride to Hawaii.

We are happy for Jenna and are also grateful to have Max as a new member of the family. The future is bright for these two.

Mom's Funeral

How do you measure the life and love of a wonderful mother? I have no idea. I won't even try. (I posted the tribute I gave at her funeral in my previous post, if you'd like to read what I shared.)

Our angel mother passed away on Sunday, November 19, at age 80. We held her public viewing a week later at Russon Brothers Mortuary in Bountiful on Sunday, November 26. Before the public arrived, there was a brief message about death and dying that one of the staff shared with our nieces and nephews, and he did very well with such a difficult topic.

I especially love the above pic of Kira consoling her younger cousin Katy.

Extended family members and good friends and neighbors poured in by the dozens to pay their respects, share their memories, and give hugs upon more hugs. This number included some of Dad's childhood friends, people we've known since we moved to Bountiful in the late 1970s, and even some dear friends from our Puerto Rico years who now live in Utah.

The well wishers on this evening included our (JB's) nephew Spencer, who is now laboring as a service missionary for the Church.

The next morning, on Monday, November 27, a second viewing was held at the West Bountiful 5th Ward building in West Bountiful. (This is the ward Mom belonged to before moving to the care center, and they graciously agreed to host.)

Once again, several extended family and friends were there to mourn with us. Something you're reminded of at times like these is that they really help you know who your true friends are. Gratefully, our family has been blessed with the very best friends, neighbors, and ward families (past and present) that I could possibly imagine.

Our Sanders cousins Shellie and Denny, Jamie and Julie, Scott and Claudia and a number of their kids, and Sherrie and Aaliyah made the trip (from California and Utah County, respectively) to be there with us.

Following a family prayer offered by my sister, the funeral service in the chapel came next. All six of Mom's kids spoke, too—and we actually spoke in the same order we previously spoke in for Dad's funeral in April 2017. Bishop David Wood, Jeff's brother, presided and was the concluding speaker.

Admittedly, it was the musical number, the Primary favorite "I'm Trying to Be like Jesus," performed by our nieces and nephews and accompanied by Summer on the piano, that made me tear up the most.

As one of the pallbearers, I accompanied Mom's coffin, along with my fellow pallbearers (my brothers and three oldest nephews), out to the waiting hearse at the conclusion of the service. Our family friend and neighbor Lance Lindsay stood outside to play "Scotland the Brave," "Amazing Grace," and other folk tunes on the bagpipes as we left. A Brit by birth, Mom absolutely adored the bagpipes, and she and Dad would have savored this precious moment.

(After that, watching the end of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan will never be the same for me.)

After being provided with sack lunches by the amazing Relief Society of the West Bountiful 5th Ward, we carpooled up to the Smithfield City Cemetery to lay Mom to rest beside our Dad. It was a chilly November afternoon (about 30° F), yet the sky was clear, and the sun still shone upon us.

Since my oldest brother, Mike, had previously dedicated Dad's grave, my siblings decided that I, as second oldest, should be the one to dedicate Mom's grave. This was perhaps the most humbling moment of my life. (I learned a lot about the ordinance by studying the Church's handbook of instructions, just in case you were wondering what a graveside dedication consists of.) I did the best knew how to do with such a significant responsibility.

After that, someone had the brilliant idea to pass out magic markers so that everyone could write one final message to Mom on her coffin. I think that this activity was most therapeutic for the niblings, because it gave them something tangible to do to convey their tender feelings.

No trip up to Smithfield is complete without a visit to Gossner's Dairy in Logan, so we stopped there for squeaky cheese and egg nog for the trip home. We had never tried their egg nog before, as we are usually in Cache Valley either around Memorial Day or in the summer on our way to/from Bear Lake. It was great!

Finally, to cap off the day, we gathered at Joy Luck Chinese restaurant back in Bountiful for dinner together with our cousins. One of Mom's favorite places to eat, where the owner has known her and most of us by name for many years, they provided us with another delicious meal.

You can't spell the word funeral without the word fun, per se, but there's not much about the experience that you'd hope to take part in frequently. Nevertheless, I'm grateful for eternal families, and I'm glad that we did it together.

Danny's Baptism

On Saturday, our eight-year-old nephew Danny was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His father, Steve, performed the ordinance and also after that confirmed Danny a member of the Church.

It was a lovely service, held at Steve's and Summer's stake center in North Salt Lake. Danny's a great kid, and we are proud of his decision to take the plunge ... so to speak.

Janae's & Jeff's Wedding

A few weeks ago, we had the blessing of attending Jana's friend Janae's temple sealing to her new husband, Jeff. It was our first opportunity to attend a sealing for the living since our own 5+ years ago, and it happened to take place at the same temple (Bountiful).

An added bonus was that the sealer for this ordinance was my dad's friend, Lonnie Gleed, whom I had not seen for a number of years.

Kate's Baptism

Our niece Kate just turned eight years old, and in the LDS Church, that means a baptism is imminent. Which happened this past Saturday, April 8, at her stake center in West Bountiful.

It was a lovely service. I was asked to participate as one of the witnesses, and I was grateful for the invitation. Sadly, Grandma Plowman was not able to attend in person due to a brief hospital stay (she's home and is doing much better now, thanks for asking). JB unselfishly volunteered to go be with Mom during the service to ensure that her electronic devices were working and they could both hear and see the proceedings, while I used FaceTime to send broadcast it to them. (Isn't technology great?!)

Following the meeting, we gathered at Biz's and Jeff's home in West Bountiful for socializing and snacks. JB caught up with us there and got to spend some quality time with now seven-month-old Sam:

For Hairstyle of the Day, the Oscar goes to 15-year-old Jackson, whose hair his sisters apparently had a little too much fun curling.

Whenever we get together, we have fun times. This was no exception.

Olivia's Farewell

On Sunday, our niece Olivia delivered her farewell talk. Before we know it, she will be on her way to her service in the New Zealand Hamilton mission for the Church. We enjoyed our time attending her ward's sacrament meeting in Centerville along with family and friends.

I had to skedaddle out of their for some meetings in our ward, but then JB and I got to spend more time with her Tuesday night for dinner. We met up at Fat Fish for sushi, which is, I'll admit, growing on me that more I try it.

The food was good, and the company was even better.

Heavy Hands

I was asked to speak in my ward's sacrament meeting today. Below is the text of my talk.

Good afternoon, brothers and sisters. I am grateful for this opportunity to share a few thoughts with you today. I am also grateful for your sustaining vote a month ago when we were called to serve together as a bishopric.

To be honest, I’m still not quite sure how I got here. Serving in this calling wasn’t remotely in my plans, ever. Some of you already know that I perform improv on the weekends, and in improv theater, you are trained to react and respond to the unexpected. But nothing could possibly have prepared me for this.

 

It was President J. Reuben Clark Jr. who taught: “In the service of the Lord, it is not where you serve but how. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one takes the place to which one is duly called, which place one neither seeks nor declines” (in Conference Report, April 1951, p. 154).

 

Since it is our course of study this year in Sunday School, I’ve been reading the Old Testament. I was reading the book of Exodus recently when I came across the following passage in Chapter 17. At this point in time, the house of Israel have just escaped Egypt, and they come up against their first foe in their journey to the promised land.

 

“Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

“And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

“So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

“And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

“But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

“And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”

 (Exodus 17:8-13)

Joshua not only “fit the battle of Jericho” but this one, too! I find the symbolism here very powerful. Moses’ hands were “heavy.” I wonder if they were heavy for him not only in the physical but also the spiritual sense. Aaron and Hur were there to “stay up his hands,” or to hold them up when Moses could no longer do so on his own power. In many ways, I see this as the role of a counselor in Church service.

As a Church, we have a prophet whose hands are “stayed up” by two counselors, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and other auxiliary leaders. Our stake president, likewise, has counselors and secretaries. At the ward level, the bishop, as well as elders quorum, Relief Society, Sunday School, Primary, and other presidents all have counselors and secretaries to sustain them in their service. It’s a wonderful structure.

Returning to Exodus, we read more about Moses and his prophetic duties in Chapter 18:

“And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

“And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

“And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God:

“When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
“And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

“Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

“Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

“And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

“Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

“And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

“If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

“So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

“And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

“And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.”

(Exodus 18:13-26)

Once again, Moses is weary, and the burden is “heavy.” He has to deal with the children of Israel and their frequent complaining and rebellion for 40 years as they wander in the wilderness. He feels this burden deeply because he has been doing it alone. Then, his father-in-law Jethro comes up with this idea to delegate some of his responsibilities to people he can trust.

The organization of the Church today is not too different from this plan. Our Moses is, of course, President Russell M. Nelson. As rulers over thousands, we have our stake presidency. A bishop serves as a ruler over hundreds. As rulers over 50, there are elders quorum and Relief Society presidencies. For rulers over tens, all the way down to and including families of three, two, or one, we have ministering assignments so that we may assist our ward, stake, and Church in the work of perfecting the Saints.

As I look around this room and also think of those who may be watching us today on YouTube, I try to empathize with the heavy burdens you face. Your challenges are many. These challenges are physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. There are those who are frustrated, depressed, those who are weighed down and who grieve. There are those who have not been physically present with us for months or years because of illness or age or even doubts about what they truly believe. There is a place for each of you in the Church but also, more specifically, here in our ward.

The question I find myself wondering lately is, “How can we better sustain you?” There are other hands that need to be raised up, and they are “the hands which hang down” (Hebrews 12:12; D&C 81:5), as we read in the scriptures. After all, we raise our hands to sustain new memberships as they are read into the ward. This is not a one-time action. We must continually be vigilant for those around us who may be in need of our help.

President Henry B. Eyring said:

“Many years ago, I was first counselor to a district president in the eastern United States. More than once, as we were driving to our little branches, he said to me, ‘Hal, when you meet someone, treat them as if they were in serious trouble, and you will be right more than half the time.’ Not only was he right, but I have learned over the years that he was too low in his estimate” (“Try, Try, Try,” October 2018 general conference).

We recently studied the prophet Elijah in Come, Follow Me. He is one of my favorite prophets of the Bible. Following his confrontation with the priests of Baal, when he called down fire from heaven, Jezebel the queen was furious and sought to have Elijah killed. It is at this point that we read about the tremendous toll this had taken on this man of God:

“(Elijah) went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

“And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

“And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

“And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

“And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights.”

 (1 Kings 19:4-8)

From this story, I learn two things. First of all, a nap and a snack can lighten your mood! But seriously, and more importantly, I was stunned to learn that even a great man such as Elijah, one of the most prominent prophets in the scriptures, had been depressed to the point of just wanting to die. But he recovered. An angel intervened to save his life.

While our Heavenly Father indeed still sends angels to the Earth, I feel that most of the time we are the ones who are meant to act in the stead of angels to serve those around us.

Ministering may look like different things to different people. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. We can minister with a short visit, or dropping off a treat or a note, or even a simple text message, depending on the needs of those we minister to. As we minister, we not only bless others but are ourselves blessed through our efforts.

President Lorenzo Snow said, “When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everything seems illuminated” (in Conference Report, April 1899, pp. 2-3).

Camilla Kimball, the wife of President Spencer W. Kimball, said, “Never suppress a generous thought.” My wife, Jana, and I love this motto and have tried to employ it as we seek inspiration to serve those around us. Jana has been a great example to me of following this counsel. Just last week, she baked several loaves of banana bread; then I drove while she delivered them to numerous neighbors. I’ve also seen numerous good examples of generosity and service in this ward, particularly during the pandemic when we weren’t able to meet face to face for a long time.

Personally, I’ve been blessed countless times by people who have ministered unselfishly. I was 42 years old when Jana and I married; her age at the time is still unknown. Prior to that, I spent the majority of my adult life as a single member of the Church, including many years in which I feel like I stood out like a sore thumb in family wards. Fortunately, two bishops in two of my wards in particular took an active interest in me, befriended me, and regularly checked in with me during difficult health challenges and other trials. One of my home teachers took me out to lunch each month for his visits. I remember a very cold, 10-degree day when he answered a distress call from me and showed up to change a flat tire on my car when I had injured my shoulder and couldn’t do it myself. These people truly ministered to me, as did others.

I want you to know that in the month I’ve been able to work with Bishop LeVitre and Brother Padilla that their hearts are pure. They genuinely care about each of you and wish to help relieve your burdens, and we pray for you by name. Their callings are truly inspired, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve with him. I am anxious to get to know more of you, to listen to and learn from you, and to serve you in any way I can.

I know that our Heavenly Father loves us perfectly, and that is why He sent His Beloved Son, who likewise has loved us perfectly through His Atonement. I know that Russell M. Nelson is a prophet of God. Though the world is in commotion, he looks optimistically to the future. I also know that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God, that he saw the Father and the Son, as he testified. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Jenna's Farewell

Our 19-year-old niece Jenna is now serving a mission for the Church! She's the first Sister Plowman to serve (in my lifetime, anyway).

On Sunday, she gave her farewell address in her ward's sacrament meeting in Woods Cross. We attended, along with several members on both sides of the family. She was later set apart, and as of Monday, she's doing home MTC study before flying out to Texas.

We are very proud of her and are looking forward to reading about the many wonderful experiences Jenna will have over the course of the next 18 months.