There are moments in life when words spoken at the pulpit feel less like speeches and more like echoes of divine truth, piercing through the noise of daily struggles and settling deep into the heart.
Yesterday’s Sacrament Meeting was one of those moments. The messages from our bishopric were not only powerful but beautifully in sync, as if woven together by the Spirit to remind us of the foundation upon which we must stand.
One resounding truth stood out to me and that is that the greatest attribute of any priesthood leader is humility.
Each of these three men, Bishop Quim and his counselors, Lester and Jadon spoke with humility, conviction, and a deep love for the Savior.
Their talks flowed seamlessly, reinforcing one another as if the Lord Himself had orchestrated their words.
Brother Lester beautifully illustrated this truth by sharing about trusting the Gardener. There are times when the Lord, the Master Gardener, sees fit to cut us down, not to destroy us, but to help us grow. Just as a gardener prunes a plant so it can flourish, the Lord allows trials in our lives to refine us. The process is painful, but it is purposeful. The Gardener knows what He is doing.
My loving husband, Jadon then followed and creatively told a story about a lobster, drawing a profound parallel between its growth and our own spiritual journey. A lobster does not grow without discomfort when its shell becomes too tight, it sheds it and forms a new one and this is how we grow.
He then continued that trials are not meant to make us give up, they are meant to make us evolve. If a lobster refused to leave the safety of its old shell, it would never become what it was meant to be.
Bishop Quim concluded expressing his admiration for his counselors, recognizing how essential their support and unity are in their service.
He reminded us that an unstable foundation leads to destruction, and how, despite all our careful calculations in life, we sometimes still fall short.
We live in a world full of trials, but these trials are not meant to break us they are meant to shape us, refine us, and help us evolve if we allow it.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are not promised a life free of trials, but we are called to remain steadfast in faith.
Matthew 7:25 teaches us that if Christ is our Rock, we will not fall. Elder Holland once said that “some blessings come soon, some come later, and some don’t come until heavenbut for those who keep the commandments of the Lord, they come.”
This is a promise that requires faith, patience, and trust in the Lord’s perfect timing.
And as Prophet Nelson put it, “In these last days, survival is impossible without the guiding and comforting voice of the Holy Ghost. We were reminded to seek the Lord in prayer, listen for the promptings of the Holy Ghost and act in faith, even when the path is unclear.
Satan’s greatest tactic is to make us forget our covenants, to make us lose sight of who we are and the divine potential within us.
But President Monson’s words offer us hope: “The future is as bright as your faith.” Choosing faith over fear is a daily decision, but it is one that brings peace even in uncertainty.
We are children of God. That alone is a powerful truth, but even more so is the realization that because we are His, we have the potential to become like Him.
As I sat in that meeting, I felt the Spirit testify that this is what it means to live life to the fullest, not in the way the world defines it, but in the way God intended, by anchoring ourselves in Christ, embracing our divine nature, and pressing forward with unwavering faith.
I am grateful for priesthood leaders who teach with humility and hearts full of love for the Savior. And I am even more grateful for a gospel that reminds us, time and time again, that no matter how difficult the journey, we are never alone.
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Author’s email: LujanaHerrenauw7@gmail.com
