“A Saint Through the Atonement of Christ the Lord” | Jeffrey R. Holland | January 2022
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- čas přidán 17. 01. 2022
- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explains how, throughout life’s adversities, we can keep the faith and become “a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord.”
Trigger Warning: The speech discusses the death of a child.
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In general conference of October 2016, I told the story of my friends Troy and Deedra Russell of the Dutchman Pass Ward in Henderson, Nevada. No one will remember the talk, but it dealt with their experience when Troy pulled his pickup truck out of the garage on his way to donate goods to the local Deseret Industries. As he did so, he felt his back tire roll over a bump. Thinking some item had fallen off the truck, he got out only to find his precious nine-year-old son, Austen, lying face down on the pavement. The screams, the priesthood blessing, the paramedic crew, the hospital staff-all, in due course, were engaged in trying to save this beautiful boy’s life, but to no avail. Austen was gone.
Over time, Troy and Deedra found peace in their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in the comforting presence of the Holy Ghost, and in the scores of loving friends and neighbors who helped them, especially their then “home teacher” John Manning.1
My purpose today is not to repeat that message but to tell you in your university years that some of life’s lessons will be difficult, and you may be asked to face more than you think you can-and certainly more than you want.
In Brother and Sister Russell’s case, one might think that losing a child in the nightmarish way that they lost Austen would be enough of a parental test for any young couple to face. But there is language in the very heart of one of the greatest of all Book of Mormon sermons that implies trials and tests may come to us often in life. In his farewell address, King Benjamin taught that a fundamental purpose of mortal life-perhaps the fundamental purpose-is to become “a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord,” which will require us to become “as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”2
What does that mean for us? It means that struggle and strife, heartbreak and loss, are not experiences that come only somewhere else to someone else. It means that moments in which faith feels frightfully difficult to hold on to are not reserved for our bygone days of persecution and martyrdom. No, the times when becoming a saint through Christ the Lord seems almost-almost-too much to achieve are still with us. And so it will be until God has proven His people for their eternal reward. We will be asked to submit, to obey, and to be childlike. For some of us that is difficult now, and it will be difficult then.
My plea today, in this university that I love with all my heart, is that we practice now and be strong now for those times of affliction and refinement that surely will come. For some of us they come now, in university years. That is when faith in God, faith in Christ, and faith in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will really count. That is when faith must be unwavering, because it will be examined in the refiner’s fire to see if it is more than “sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”3 For some, the severity of the test might seem like a marathon-length final exam in Mortal Life 101. It is then, sailing in what Hamlet called “a sea of troubles,”4 that it may take all the faith you have just to keep your little craft afloat.
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I’m sitting here listening to this talk as I get ready for bed. I’m sick with COVID for the second time now and discouraged by the pandemic and all the challenges that come with it. Today was a tough day for me, filled with a lot of worry. Yet, when I heard this talk I was reminded that my problems really aren’t too significant in the grand scheme of things. Even so, with my relatively humble challenges, God doesn’t think I’m weak for struggling with them. He loves me and is cheering me on. I know He does that for all of us, giving us breadcrumbs of encouragement to keep us going and to keep our heads up.
I feel that Jeffrey R. Holland is an Apostle of Jesus Christ, one who knows our loving and perfect Heavenly Father.
The timing of this for me is nothing short of a miracle.
We lost our 14 year old son to suicide in January of 2020. I was talking to my oldest brother and he said something very profound. I cry for our boy, I ache for him. I still cry so hard four years later. He said this....Faith Needs a Place. Now you think about that. Faith Needs a Place. Hang on.
💥“Faith isn’t really faith if you have anything else to hang on to.” - Sister Holland 💥
Miracles still happen. I’ve survived many sorrows in my 78 years . I’ve made it through with my Heavenly Father’s & Jesus Christ’s help 🙏♥️🙏
I could hardly breath through this talk. What an emotional feast of learning
God bless the Russell family and God bless Elder Holland
To know what now-President Holland was about to experience in the two years following this talk is an almost unimaginable testimony of the truth of his words. All of us must go through the sanctification of fire eventually and, without the Savior, none of us would survive it. Hold on and keep your eyes on His. He won't let you down and, in the end of all things, it will have been worth every agony.
How uplifting this is. It was few days ago when my hope to keep going seemed to run dry. This is a balm of Gilead. I am ready to face another day of challenges and growth to become more like the Savior. So grateful for Jesus' apostle, Elder Holland. ❤❤❤❤
I have lost my husband and a daughter but not my faith.
Just as know that the church is true . When Elder Holland speaks I know that I have listened to an apostle of God. I feel so privileged to have him. May God bless the Russel family and the young man who found his way back .
I am also praying ever so deeply for the person who caused the accident. ♥️ May God bless this person and their family with love and comfort through the atonement of Christ.
Oh, how I love Elder Holland! He always speaks with such humility, strength and authority. His testimony and strength are gifts to our time. ❤️
I love the gentle and loving way that Elder Holland shares lessons and his wisdom. His voice is like all the Brethren, very much needed in these difficult times. ❤️
Probably one of the BEST MESSAGES From Jeffrey R Holland has ever given. 😇❤️🙏🥰
If CZcams had a love button, I would have pressed it for this message. Thank you Elder Holland.
On another occasion Elder Holland taught, "I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of devine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ Atonement shines," Add this to the thought he made here that "Christ was lifted up on the cross so that we could be lifted up to eternal life" and we have the ESSENCE of our existence.
This wonderful talk reminded me that because of His obedience, I can be forgiven of my disobedience.
"If you love me, keep my commandments."