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Teaching Message: “Peace, Be Still” President Thomas S. Monson
Peace, Be Still
One day a few years ago, after taking care of matters at the
office, I felt a strong impression to visit an aged widow who was a patient at
a senior care center in Salt Lake City. I drove there directly.
When I went to her room, I found it empty. I asked an attendant
concerning her whereabouts and was directed to a lounge area. There I found
this sweet widow visiting with her sister and another friend. We had a pleasant
conversation together.
As we were talking, a man came to the door of the room to obtain
a can of soda from the vending machine. He glanced at me and said, “Why, you
are Tom Monson.”
“Yes,” I replied. “And you look like a Hemingway.”
He acknowledged that he was Stephen Hemingway, the son of Alfred
Eugene Hemingway, who had served as my counselor when I was a bishop many years
ago and whom I called Gene. Stephen told me that his father was there in the
same facility and was near death. Gene had been calling my name, and the family
had wanted to contact me but had been unable to find a telephone number for me.
I excused myself immediately and went with Stephen up to the
room of my former counselor, where others of his children were also gathered,
his wife having passed away some years previous. The family members regarded my
meeting Stephen in the lounge area as a response by our Heavenly Father to
their great desire that I would see their father before he died and answer his
call. I also felt that this was the case, for if Stephen had not entered the
room in which I was visiting at precisely the time he did, I would not have
known that Gene was even in that facility.
We gave a blessing to him. A spirit of peace prevailed. We had a
lovely visit, after which I left.
The following morning a phone call revealed that Gene Hemingway
had passed away—just 20 minutes after he had received the blessing from his son
and me.
I expressed a silent prayer of thanks to Heavenly Father for His
guiding influence, which had prompted my visit to the care center and led me to
my dear friend Alfred Eugene Hemingway.
I like to think that Gene Hemingway’s thoughts that evening—as
we basked in the Spirit’s glow, participated in humble prayer, and pronounced a
priesthood blessing—echoed the words mentioned in the hymn “Master, the
Tempest Is Raging”:
Linger,
O blessed Redeemer!
Leave
me alone no more,
And
with joy I shall make the blest harbor
And
rest on the blissful shore.
I still love that hymn and testify as to the comfort it offers:
Whether
the wrath of the storm-tossed sea
Or
demons or men or whatever it be,
No
waters can swallow the ship where lies
The
Master of ocean and earth and skies.
They
all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace,
be still.1
Through tears and trials, through fears and sorrows, through the
heartache and loneliness of losing loved ones, there is assurance that life is
everlasting. Our Lord and Savior is the living witness that such is so.2 His words in holy writ are sufficient:
“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). I
testify to this truth.
Teaching from This Message
This message can comfort those who have lost a loved one to
death or those who are struggling with a trial. In addition to President
Monson’s message, consider sharing one of the following scriptures, based on
the needs of those you teach: Job 19:25–26;
1
Corinthians 15:19–22; Mosiah
24:13–15; Doctrine
and Covenants 122:7–9. If prompted, you could testify of the peace the
Savior has given you in your trials.
Youth
Please Heal My Heart
By Kelsey LeDoux
Kelsey LeDoux lives in Minnesota, USA.
10783_000_004
On the anniversary of my brother’s death, I reflected on my time
since he died. I remembered not only the extreme pain I felt but also the
blessings God gave to me.
I never understood how people could say that the death of a
loved one could bring blessings. I couldn’t understand how I could possibly
have joy and gratitude for
something that hurt me so deeply. There was one night, however, that changed my
perspective entirely.
I woke up in the middle of the night with the heaviest heart I’d
ever had. The pain was suffocating me. I fell to my knees and sobbed a prayer
to my Heavenly Father. All my life I had been taught about the Atonement and Jesus Christ’s miraculous healing
power. Now my faith was being tested. Did I really believe? I asked my Father
in Heaven to please heal my heart. The pain was too much for me to deal with
alone.
Then a feeling of peace, comfort, and love swept over my entire
body. I felt as though God had wrapped His arms around me and was protecting me
from the intense pain I had felt. I still missed my brother, but I was able to
see with different eyes. There was so much for me to learn from this
experience.
I know the Lord’s love and peace are available. We need only to
partake.
“To Be Where We Need
to Be”
cji
3/1/13
Amid the noise of
today do we hear
is our Spirit within
ever pure and clear
does our light so
shine life to embrace
feeling the
promptings of what to do;
Can we be counted
upon to listen all
hearing uninterrupted
Father’s call
to go and to be where
we need to be
at all times and
places in our service!
Copyright © 2013 –
cji
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