“All Will Be Well”: My Personal Promise of Peace
I was hoping for a message that would pierce through my cloud of worries.
All things considered, my life has been pretty good.
I mean, I wouldn’t say it’s been a breeze. I deal with trials, insecurities, and setbacks, just like anyone else. But if some all-knowing mathematician were to total up my life events and average out all my blessings and trials, they (and I) would conclude that I’ve been pretty fortunate so far.
And yet—like so many people of my generation, I deal with a lot of underlying anxiety. Every time I scroll through the news, I find myself worrying about climate change, the political landscape, the job market, and natural disasters, just to name a few. Even if my own life is looking OK, I feel like I have a front-row seat to everything that could possibly go wrong.
And there are a lot of things that could go wrong.
Looking for a Message of Peace
As general conference approached, I was indulging my wow-the-future-is-so-scary anxieties—but on a more personal level. My husband just got into medical school, an incredible accomplishment he’s been working toward for many years, and I can’t express how excited I am for him. But along with that excitement comes the realization that the happy life we’ve been building together for the last couple of years is about to change—a lot.
Medical school tuition is no joke. I already know I’m going to miss my husband while he’s so busy. And many of the household responsibilities will fall to me, on top of my full-time job that will be our only income, as he enters this time of rigorous medical training.
So, instead of bringing coherent questions and hoping to find clear answers, I was just looking for a reminder of peace this conference. I knew, logically, that Heavenly Father has always come through for me in my life—every single time I’ve needed Him. But I was hoping for a message that would pierce through my cloud of worries and carry that knowledge straight to my heart.
I found that message in these words: “‘Whatever the outcome, all will be well because of the temple.’”1
All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants
When President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, spoke those words, I felt them in my heart. I felt the Spirit confirm that while life is unpredictable and uncertain, the promises that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have made to us are not.
As I listened to President Eyring speak, I had the thought that making covenants in the temple is like skipping to the end of a novel—you get to know the ending of your story. And knowing that ending can fortify you for the inevitable conflict and struggle that comes in the middle of every worthwhile story.
By making covenants with the Lord and with my husband, I don’t have any guarantee that my husband and I will sail through the next four years without any difficulty (in fact, I’m pretty certain we won’t). And the scary things happening in the world aren’t going to suddenly cease. But whenever the daily anxieties of living threaten to overwhelm me, I can turn to the temple and to my Savior and remember that my happy ending is guaranteed when I honor my covenants.
If you’re feeling fear in this uncertain world—worrying about your finances, wondering if you’ll ever find your eternal companion, suffering the effects of a devastating natural disaster, or feeling despair as those around you falter in their faith—President Eyring has a promise for you:
“‘No matter the outcome, all will be well because of temple covenants.’”2