2018
Be Not Troubled (excerpts)
November 2018


“Be Not Troubled (excerpts),” New Era, Nov. 2018, 20–21.

Be Not Troubled (excerpts)

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Be Not Troubled

Some years ago, one of our young married daughters and her husband asked Sister Rasband and me a very important, life-influencing question: “Is it still safe and wise to bring children into this seemingly wicked and frightening world we live in?” …

Fear is not new. The disciples of Jesus Christ, out on the Sea of Galilee, feared the “wind, and the waves” in the dark of the night [Mark 4:37]. As His disciples today, we too have fears. …

We may or may not have chariots of fire sent to dispel our fears and conquer our demons, but the lesson is clear. The Lord is with us, mindful of us and blessing us in ways only He can do. Prayer can call down the strength and the revelation that we need to center our thoughts on Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. …

Our desire to “always have his Spirit” [Doctrine and Covenants 20:77] with us will push fear aside for a more eternal view of our mortal lives. President Nelson has cautioned, “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost” [“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Apr. 2018 general conference]. …

Stand in holy places—be not troubled—and promises shall be fulfilled. …

… If we actively trust in the Lord and His ways, if we are engaged in His work, we will not fear the trends of the world or be troubled by them. I plead with you to set aside worldly influences and pressures and seek spirituality in your daily life. Love what the Lord loves—which includes His commandments, His holy houses, our sacred covenants with Him, the sacrament each Sabbath day, our communication through prayer—and you will not be troubled. …

To receive personal revelation, we must place priority on living the gospel and encouraging faithfulness and spirituality in others as well as ourselves. …

Take heart, brothers and sisters. Yes, we live in perilous times, but as we stay on the covenant path, we need not fear.