Christ is the Answer

By Lauren Madsen

Being a bishop’s wife is a unique experience—I get to participate in things as a ward member and then hear about them again as a spouse. The Sunday after Christmas there was a change of plan with our sacrament meeting program. My daughters were asked to sing a duet, but came down with the flu that week, so we sang a congregational hymn instead. Rather than singing a Christmas hymn, our music coordinator chose a primary song. As the organist began playing the familiar intro to the song Families Can Be Together Forever, I took a deep breath and swallowed down the lump in my throat. Growing up, singing that song as a child of divorced parents was always painful for me. Even after all these years and a family of my own, my body still reacts when I hear those first notes. I wondered as I held back the tears if anyone else in the congregation had similar feelings.

Another change of plan to the meeting happened after the concluding speaker. My husband’s counselor stood and announced that my husband would say a few words and then we would have the closing hymn and prayer. I don’t remember what my husband/bishop said word for word, but he talked about the sense he had during the congregational hymn that there were many people around the room that were feeling things, such as worry, concern, and sadness about their family members, a lack of a spouse, or how they fit in to the principles of the song. His message to us was brief and echoed the teaching of President Nelson: The answer is always Jesus Christ.

Back at home my husband shared more with me about how evident it was that Families Can Be Together Forever evoked some difficult emotions for some. He could see it in the eyes of individuals. He knew he needed to acknowledge what he saw and sensed. While he knows of many of their situations as bishop, he can’t tell each person exactly how things will work out for them and their loved ones. Still, he wanted to encourage developing a deeper trust with our Savior. He is the way things are eventually made right. I thought back to President Nelson’s words: “I plead with you to come unto Him so that He can heal you! He will heal you from sin as you repent. He will heal you from sadness and fear. He will heal you from the wounds of this world. Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about His Atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine, and His restored gospel of healing and progression. Turn to Him! Follow Him!”

Since that conversation with my husband, I have been thinking about how a person can come to Christ for this healing. If I was talking with someone who worried over their family situation and wanted to act on President Nelson’s words, what would I suggest? It would be the simple answers we speak about so often. Study the scriptures. Read the words of modern prophets. Pray to the Father in Christ’s name. Go to the temple as often as possible. Keep the covenants you have made. Believe that He keeps His promises. Trust that He is “mighty to save” (Alma 7:14). He is mighty to save from sin. Mighty to save from doubt and discouragement. Mighty to save relationships. Believe that He is truly “mighty to save” each of us in all things, in every way. It may be hard to envision what it will all look like, but rely on this promise from Elder Renlund: “For those who come unto Him, a crown of beauty will replace the ashes of mourning; joy and gladness will replace grief and sorrow; appreciation and celebration will replace discouragement and despair. Your faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will be rewarded more than you can imagine.”