Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We live in a wonderful time where we are seeing many miracles and trials. We hope and pray that you and your family have felt the love that our Heavenly Father has for you. We know some of you have gone through many trials, and for some, life has been more difficult, but we pray that even amid these trials, you have also felt Heaven’s love in your lives.
In this week’s “Come, Follow Me” lesson, we learned about the important role that many played in the restoration of the church. In this lesson, we learned how integral Emma Smith was in restoring the gospel of Jesus Christ. Like with many of us, her life was filled with joy and sorrow. We learned that she was a special woman who was sustained in her trials by angels. Emma endured the loss of children and her husband, persecution, and poverty while also being a key personage in the restoration of the gospel in this dispensation.
Dear sisters and brothers, now I would like to invite you to ponder “what is your role in the restoration of the Church?” Why were you born in this time in existence? Each of us have come to this world at this time to fulfill our role in the restoration. One way that our Heavenly Father helps us do our part in the restoration is through callings in the church. Church callings helps us understand and focus our efforts on the assignment given to us. Church callings are more than taking on a responsibility—by doing your calling, you are making sure that you are doing your part in sustaining the restoration of the gospel.
This last week, we had the opportunity to go on a family trip. While at the airport, I was observing all that it takes to run an airport, and make sure that planes are coming and going on time. It is an operational symphony. Everyone has a part to ensure that the goal of getting passengers from point A to point B are met. It doesn’t matter what the job is. That job must be done if an airport is going to function properly. And even though there are airports spread throughout the world, they are all linked and dependent on each other doing their jobs. If one airport fails to send a flight out on time, the effects of that could be felt through the entire network of airports.
Much like the airport network, the church is linked across wards and stakes throughout the globe. Each ward and stake are linked together with the mission “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life...” to all. When every member in our wards and stakes perform their assigned roles, the symphony of the gospel is played. As we fulfill our callings to minister to one another, we are stepping closer to meeting our goal as a global Church. As we fulfill our callings and assignments, we are working together in the global network of the restored gospel. For instance, as you fulfill your callings in the Primary and youth organizations, you are preparing future missionaries who will someday bless the lives of many around the world. As we work together to serve and strengthen our local wards and stakes, we are strengthening the church throughout the world.
In Emma Smith’s situation, her patriarchal blessing had many guiding points on how she was to participate in the restoration of the gospel. I invite you to read your patriarchal blessing and focus on those things that are needed from you, specifically you, as you fulfill your role in the restoration of the Church. My patriarchal blessing tells me that I am to bear witness of my Savior in all times and in all places.
Dear brothers and sisters, we live in a great time to do the work of the Lord. We have more resources today than ever before. The opportunities are endless. Please take on every opportunity to help build the kingdom of God here in this part of His vineyard. This will be a great blessing to you and to your family. As you fulfill your role in the restoration of the gospel, your life will be filled with joy. The joy that President Nelson repeatedly talks about. By lifting where we stand, we will be helping lift the church throughout the world, and we will be fulfilling our mission in this life.
We love you,
Washington Utah Stake Presidency
President Emerson Carnavale
take President
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