Dear brothers and sisters,
I’ve been thinking a lot about the why of this whole pandemic experience. Some of life’s trials, some of life’s experiences may be random chance, but others, I believe, are part of the Lord’s plan from the beginning. This disease didn’t surprise the Lord. It was a testament to me, as we went into shutdown, of the inspired prophets who lead our church. I couldn’t deny how we, as a church, have been prepared for home-centered gospel study and worship, supported by the church, and how timely the change has been. What follows is from the Church News article about Elder Renlund’s thoughts regarding the pandemic:
Because of revelation, the senior leaders of the Church have never expressed fear as the COVID-19 pandemic has affected world populations, said Elder Renlund. “There is not a hint of fear. Instead, we are asking: ‘How can we do things better? How can we improve? How can we bless our people?’ “There is no fear.” He said it has been amazing to see the leaders of the Church, “packed with full confidence that the Savior will get us through this. And the only concern is, ‘Are we going to learn what we need to learn?’”
There is so much that I love about what he said. I love that there is no fear among the leadership of the church. If only my faith were as perfect. I also love the last part, where Elder Renlund conveys the church leaders’ concern: “Are we going to learn what we need to learn.”
It reminds me of a statement by Orson F Whitney:
“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God… and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven.”
– Orson F. Whitney, Conference Report April 1929, p. 110; quoted in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle (1972), p. 98
I think of various “character-building” experiences I’ve gone through in my life: injuries, strife in relationships, trials of faith and endurance, challenges overcome, fears conquered, and what I learned along the way, and I am inclined at times, to “glory in tribulations” as the apostle Paul put it, because I can see how I’ve grown, and I wouldn’t go back and remove these experiences from my history.
I truly believe that I personally, we as a ward, as a community, as a church, as a nation, as a world, can and should be better, and stronger, because of this pandemic, and the sufferings being experienced. I’m not saying I wish this disease on any of us, but it is here, and how we handle ourselves, how we work to overcome – this will determine whether we learn from this the lessons the Lord intends. This is more than natural consequences that follow our choices, whether it be limiting our exposure, wearing the mask, etc. – consequences which can and do extend far beyond the one making the choice whether to follow counsel. This is also a time for personal introspection, examination of our relationship with God and our fellow man, and asking ourselves the question, “what lack I yet?”
Questions that come to mind, from recent scripture study in Alma chapter 5, include these:
14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?
15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you?
19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?
26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?
27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?
28 Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.
29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless.
30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?
The questions I am trying to answer for myself are these: What does the Lord want me, personally, to learn from this pandemic? Am I learning what he wants, or am I wasting what should be a character-building experience and missing out on what the Lord has for me? And what can I be doing to help my family, my ward, my community also grow?
The answers to these questions are personal, and individual, and come through prayer and faith. Like I said, I’m not so perfect in my faith that I have no fear. There are days when the path through seems dark and foreboding, but when I center my thoughts on the Savior, and remember that this is all part of the Lord’s plan, and that he has our best interests in mind, I can find peace in Christ. I can find that assurance that I’m on the right track, and that it will all be OK. Better than OK. This is the Lord’s work that we are engaged in, and it will be amazing. That we may all find more humility, more faith, more peace in Christ is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Riverdale 7th Ward 
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