Apply the following quote from Elder Amos to anti-racism: “Well, there we have it. The simple secret for happy living is to just follow God’s recipe as detailed in the scriptures. I call it the “Good News Recipe.” What do you do if something goes wrong when following the recipe? Well, embedded in the Good News Recipe is the “secret ingredient” to ensure you always get it right in the end. The answer is always Jesus Christ. I think we all have moments when we feel our ingredients are not good enough, or we struggle to follow the directions, or perhaps we do something out of order, or something happens that is out of our control, and so on. What’s the remedy? It’s simply to add more of what invites…
“It is in the nature of a fallen world—where the devil rages and where everyone is imperfect—that there will be disappointments and offenses, suffering and sorrow, failure and loss, persecution and injustice. It is only by looking to God that individuals, families, and even nations can flourish. President Russell M. Nelson taught, “Because the Savior, through His infinite Atonement, redeemed each of us from weakness, mistakes, and sin, and because He experienced every pain, worry, and burden you have ever had [see Alma 7:11–13], then as you truly repent and seek His help, you can rise above this present precarious world.”
“My friends, there have been moments in my life when I too have felt unimportant, alone, discouraged, and unseen. I have felt as if I did not belong. I was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when I was 19 years old. One year later, I accepted the call to serve as a full-time missionary, but there was much I had not yet learned about Church history. Early in my missionary service, I learned that there was a period when those of Black African descent were not allowed to enjoy all of the blessings of worshipping in the house of the Lord. Learning this for the first time brought feelings of anger, confusion, doubt, and fear. These feelings were so intense that…
“Oftentimes, the world exalts behaviors born of aggressiveness, arrogance, impatience, and excessiveness, often justifying such attitudes by the pressures of daily life and the inclination toward validation and popularity. When we turn our gaze away from the virtue of temperance and ignore the gentle and moderating influence of the Holy Spirit in our way of acting and speaking, we easily fall into the enemy’s trap, which inevitably leads us to utter words and adopt attitudes we will deeply regret, whether in our social, family, or even ecclesiastical relationships. The gospel of Jesus Christ invites us to exercise this virtue especially in times of challenge, for it is precisely on these occasions that the true character of an individual is revealed. As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate measure…
“Everywhere people are moving. The United Nations reports 281 million international migrants. This is 128 million more individuals than in 1990 and more than three times 1970 estimates. Everywhere, record numbers of converts are finding The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Every Sabbath, members and friends from 195 birth countries and territories gather in 31,916 Church congregations. We speak 125 languages. …Today those invited to the supper of the Lord come from every place and culture. Old and young, rich and poor, local and global, we make our Church congregations look like our communities. As chief Apostle, Peter saw heaven open a vision of “a great sheet knit at the four corners, … In the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus invites us to come to each other…
“We are agents, and agents are responsible for something. In this case, we are responsible for the choices we make based on the knowledge we have and the gifts we are given. We cannot make a choice without being responsible for the consequences. Why do we have agency? -To choose good. -To choose Christ. -To choose eternal life—again and again. …A testimony should not have an expiration date. It should not weaken or diminish because something in my life has changed or something in the world has changed. It should get stronger because, like the servant’s talents in the parable of the talents, my personal testimony is a gift to be multiplied—not buried. Looking back on those difficult days of testing and persecution that I went through as a child…
“What can we do when we see or experience racial prejudice in our congregations? Despite our efforts to live God’s standards, racism may still occur among Church members. Elder Fred A. “Tony” Parker, who served as an Area Seventy, shared his experience: “When I’ve been a victim of racism, I’ve found success in meeting it head-on, forgiving the individual and addressing the issue. If someone says something to hurt my feelings, I need to find a way to help him understand why that hurt. It is an opportunity not only to forgive but to build a relationship so that the person doesn’t just look at Tony Parker as an African-American but as a child of God. Jesus taught forgiveness, and He taught us when we have been offended to take it…
“As we journey through mortality, we are at times beset by trials: the severe pain of the loss of loved ones, the arduous fight against illness, the sting of injustice, the harrowing experiences of harassment or abuse, the shadow of unemployment, familial tribulations, the silent cry of loneliness, or the heartrending consequences of armed conflicts. In such moments, our souls yearn for refuge. We seek earnestly to know: Where may we find the balm of peace? In whom can we place our trust to help us with the confidence and strength to surmount these challenges?Who possesses the patience, the encompassing love, and the omnipotent hand to uplift and sustain us? …By placing Christ at the core of our thoughts and deeds, we align ourselves with His outlook and strength.This adjustment does not discount…
Question posed to Sister Browning: “I’ve had lots of friends lately just talk to me about how hurt they are by even family members that have different opinions and it’s so sad. It’s been heartbreaking for them, you know, just around several different issues. I just wanted to know from your perspective and experience how can we give each other grace in this world that we’re living in where people have such different opinions that cause this contention even with our families.” Answer from Sister Browning: “I want to acknowledge the conversations that are happening in the homes and then in online spaces or wherever these conversations are happening. They’re important but we want to acknowledge that they can be difficult and that’s OK. It’s OK for them to be…
“I think what’s been disheartening to me during this time is what I’m seeing out in the world is a reaction to a trial and a struggle. The civil unrest that is happening right now is a reality and it’s a sad reality and I’m so grateful for our leaders who will be very forward and very clear and un-equivocating, condemning things that are just not in alignment with what our Savior would have us do in our communities, and in our lives and to each other, and how we treat each other. So I’m grateful for that counsel. You know, the thing that I realize is I think that we are starting to believe that the divisions that come from these challenges are a natural consequence of unrest, and…
