July's Presidency Message

Sisters,

There are moments in our lives when certain areas of our testimony are challenged. We live in a day when the adversary could easily take control and slowly lure us in. If we allow this it can cause, as Elder Dale G. Renlund states, “our spiritual hearts can become diseased and hardened, making us subject to spiritual death and separation from our Heavenly Father.

I know that each of us, at some point, has a compelling experience we can recall, one that leads us to unyielding faith in our Heavenly Father’s plan. It helped us choose to follow strict obedience in everything He asks of us. A scripture that relates this is Mosiah 5:2 “…because of the Spirit of Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us…to do good continually”. I hope you can recall your moment. I am thankful for mine. It lifts me up and I hold onto it during my challenging moments. Another way we can evaluate is to ask ourselves a question which comes from Alma the Younger in Alma 5:26: “If ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can you feel it now?” Whether you can or cannot feel it, I ask that you follow the steps of Ammon and his brethren: help and serve others (and in some cases allow others to serve you), hold onto covenants firmly, teach our children the gospel and distance ourselves from temptations (these temptations can be subtle and unobvious at first).

I know these steps will strengthen us in our challenging times. I hope that each of us will continually find ways to keep our hearts strong and true to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the “easy” path to eternal happiness.

Love,
Andrea