Area Presidency Message
Hearing the Voice of Jesus Christ Helps Us During Times of Uncertainty, Pain or Fear
“My mother sought to learn from God why her father died when he was young and had a family that needed him so much during a time of great economic difficulty. The answer she received did not come quickly, but it did come.”
In 1938, during the middle of the Great Depression in the United States, my mother had just turned nineteen years old. She was the oldest of six children, with her youngest sibling having recently turned five. Her father, Leslie, was a sheepherder in the deserts of eastern Utah. The weather was hot and dry. One summer day in June, while Leslie was out tending the sheep, he became dehydrated and suffered from heat stroke. At age 41, he died suddenly, leaving his wife and six children with no husband and father and very little financial means. My mother did not understand why God would take her father when she felt the family needed him so desperately. She prayed and asked God why her father would die at that particular time.
Have you ever had questions of why unexpected challenges happen to you or to those whom you love? In times of uncertainty, pain, or fear, what helps us most is to hear Jesus Christ.
Our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, has recently invited us “to hear the words of the Lord, hearken to them, and heed what He has told us.”1 He then gave the following promises if we hear, hearken and heed the Savior’s words:
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“I promise that you will be blessed with additional power to deal with temptation, struggles, and weakness.
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I promise miracles in your marriage, family relationships, and daily work.
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And I promise that your capacity to feel joy will increase even if turbulence increases in your life.”2
What are the ways we can hear Jesus Christ?
Sometimes we may hear Him directly, as did Joseph Smith. We can also hear Him through dreams and visions. “We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth” (Articles of Faith 7). Another way we can hear Him is through the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost testifies of God the Father and of His Son Jesus Christ. He can bring thoughts to our minds which God wants us to receive (See John 14:26).
President Nelson has emphasized that we can hear Him as we read the scriptures, worship in the temple, and listen to living prophets and apostles. He taught, “Ordained Apostles of Jesus Christ always testify of Him. They point the way as we make our way through the heart-wrenching maze of our mortal experiences.”3
To hear means so much more than simply to register sound waves in our ears. To hear also means to learn, to remember, and to adjust our lives to be in harmony with what is said. When the Lord invites us to hearken and to heed His words, He is expecting us to learn and to change our lives to be more consistent with His teachings. He wants to lift and to guide us, to provide answers to our questions, and to comfort our souls.
In October 2020 we will have the privilege of hearing again from living apostles and prophets during general conference. The Savior taught that the words that will be spoken will be directed by Him, for when ordained servants speak by the direction of the Holy Ghost, “whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation” (Doctrine and Covenants 68:4). Moreover, the Lord has said regarding the words of the ordained leaders of the Church, “whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:38).
My mother sought to learn from God why her father died when he was young and had a family that needed him so much during a time of great economic difficulty. The answer she received did not come quickly, but it did come. After studying the scriptures and praying for many days, her answer came in a dream. The answer was clear and brought peace and understanding to her soul.
I witness that Jesus Christ lives. He is the all-powerful Son of God. He knows us personally. He can guide and comfort us during times of uncertainty, pain, or fear if we listen to His words and seek to hearken and to heed what He tells us to do. I also witness that Jesus Christ directs His ordained servants and speaks through them. I have personally felt His clear direction in preparing messages for general conference.
As we listen to the messages during general conference—and seek to hearken and heed the words of Jesus Christ—He will speak to our hearts. He can and will help us to deal with temptation, struggles, and weakness. We can experience miracles in our marriages, family relationships, and daily work. Jesus Christ seeks to help us feel increased joy even if turbulence surrounds us. May we turn to Him and hearken and heed His words.
Matthew L. Carpenter was named a General Authority Seventy in March 2018. He is married to Michelle (Shelly) Kay Brown. They are the parents of five children.