Highly Favored of the Lord

“Together we considered individuals in the New Testament, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants whom the Lord blessed to accomplish greatness in adversity. All were defined more by what they were able to do with the Lord’s help than by what they could not do as a result of their confinement and restriction.”

Elder Gary E. Stevenson began his talk with his young missionary experiences that related to the disappointments and sorrows that we might be face at this pandemic time.

Then he shared how the prophets such as Nephi, or Paul and Silas, or Nephi and Lehi the the sons of Helaman, or Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah and lastly Joseph Smith.

“Each of them understood what Nephi knew: that although they had seen many afflictions in the course of their days, they were highly favored of the Lord.”

Elder Stevenson focused his talk on the ways the Lord has favored us with preparation and resources to guide us during the trials and hardships that we are currently facing. Specifically, he mentions:

• Becoming more home centred and Church supported
• Ministering in a higher and holier way
• Finding heightened joy in the return of temple ordinances.

What resonated with me were all of the examples he gave of people, ancient and modern, who have used struggles and afflictions to come closer to Christ and receive his guidance, relieve suffering, share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, make a difference in their corner of the world.

Despite of all the challenges and trials that I had been through, I should be like the ancient and modern prophets to come closer to our Savior and learn how to receive my personal revelation and gain greater faith to trust in Him, because all of us including me are highly favored of the Lord. It is because we are Heavenly Father’s children.

Highly Favored of the Lord

by Elder Gary E. Stevenson

This message came so just in time as I have studied the Doctrines and Covenants, the feeling that I had is hope and grateful for the Lord. There was one question: What evidence of the Lord’s wisdom and foreknowledge have you seen in your life?

There were so many evidence of the Lord’s wisdom and foreknowledge I have seen in my life: My marriage broken and get divorced, the process of how I was broke down alone with the children and I started to look for God’s help and allow Him to direct me to bring up both my children, the process of how I prayed to Heavenly Father in Jesus’s name that I would enter to His Church one day together with my own family but in my heart I wondered which one is His Church, the process of how I started to search for a better place for the children and how I able to purchase the house in a property auction with the amount that just what I had in the pocket to close the deal in which we live in now, the process of how Alvin and I got back together with the children, the process of started to go back to find a Church that suitable for our family, the process of coming to know His Church, getting baptized into His Church together as family, the process of going to the temple and sealed our family for all time and eternity, but it is not end just here after our temple sealing. Now and then, there were challenges that my family encounter such as the pandemic COVID-19 now and both children are blessed with the online studies and started to self-discipline in their studies. And there were and are more to come.

Elder Stevenson said,

“Times of affliction and disappointment do not change the watchful eye of the Lord as He favorably looks upon us, blessing us.”

I am blessed and I know that I just trying my best to do the promptings that comes to me and keep my commandments, my family and I will be in His good hands. We are truly highly favored of the Lord, if we sit down quietly and counting our blessings one by one.

Elder Stevenson also promised,

“… I believe that one day, each of you will look back at the cancelled events, the sadness, the disappointments, and the loneliness attendant to the challenging times we are passing through to see them overshadowed by choice blessings and increased faith and testimonies. I believe that in this life, and in the life to come, your afflictions, your Ammonihah, your Liberty Jail, will be consecrated for your gain.¹⁵I pray that, along with Nephi, we can acknowledge the afflictions in the course of our days while at the same time recognizing that we are highly favored of the Lord.”