My beloved brothers
and sisters, we are living in a remarkable
age when we constantly see the hand of the Lord in
the lives of His children. Our Heavenly Father and
His Son, Jesus Christ, know us, love us, and
are watching over us. Of that we can be certain. At the same time, as
you are well aware, we as a global Church are
facing a unique challenge. COVID-19 and its
resulting illness has affected thousands
of lives and interrupted many regular routines. We pray for those
who are suffering and for those who
have lost loved ones. After prayerful consideration,
and with our deep desire to be part of the solution
to this challenge, we have recently made
many temporary adjustments to the way we worship
and serve the Lord. We are most grateful for
your faith, your prayers, your cooperation,
and understanding. These unique challenges
will pass in due time. I remain optimistic
for the future. I know the great and marvelous
blessings that God has in store for those who
love Him and serve Him. I see evidence of His hand in
this holy work in so many ways. So, during these
uncertain times, be comforted by this
promise from the Savior. He said, "I, the Lord, am
bound when ye do what I say."
I promise you that joy is always
within the reach of everyone who will hear Him
and obey His laws.
Brothers and sisters, please
take good care of yourselves and your loved ones. And look for opportunities
to help those around you near and far. We have the great privilege of
ministering to our neighbors wherever they live. Temporary changes in
our normal routine may allow additional
time to experience how precious home-centered
gospel study can be. Don't hesitate to
use the new Book of Mormon videos
and other technology to study the gospel
of Jesus Christ. We are all looking forward
to general conference. Then we will focus
on the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus
Christ in its fullness. That gospel provides
certain hope and help to a troubled world. I love you. I pray for you. And I promise that you will
receive comfort and peace as you continue to hear Him.
