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.”

Tested, Proved and Polished

President Henry B. Eyring always been one of my favourite apostles that given speech during General Conference, because I can always easily feel the Spirit during his talk. Honestly, it was quite a challenge to listen once only when I would like to get a better view of how was his talk.

Tested, Proved and Polished

by President Henry B. Eyring

President Eyring started his talk with his childhood experience of pulling weeds with his mother in his family’s backyard garden. His mother taught him that life is supposed to be hard, because it is a test.

“… God’s purpose in the Creation of this world…. was to give His children the opportunity to prove themselves able and willing to choose the right when it is hard. In so doing, their natures would be changed and they could become more like Him. He knew that would require unshakable faith in Him.”

We “accepted the invitation to be tested and to prove that we would choose to keep the commandments of God when we would no longer be in the presence of our Heavenly Father.”

One third of Heavenly Father’s children did not accept the invitation.

“Those of us who accepted the plan did so because of our faith in Jesus Christ, who offered to become our Savior and Redeemer. We must have believed then that whatever mortal weaknesses we would have and whatever evil forces would be against us, the forces of good would be overwhelmingly greater.”

Sometimes it is indeed hard for me to go through all those trials alone and wonder why it is so hard?

“God has the power to make our way easier… You might reasonably wonder why a loving and all-powerful God allows our mortal test to be so hard. It is because He knows that we must grow in spiritual cleanliness and stature to be able to live in His presence in families forever.”

“The Father’s plan of happiness has at its center our becoming ever more like His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. In all things, the Savior’s example is our best guide. He was not exempt from the need to prove Himself.”

“When you wonder how much pain you can endure well, remember Him.”

“You are being nourished and comforted by a loving Savior, who knows how to succor you in whatever tests you face.”

“We can receive succor from Jesus Christ as we always remember Him and come unto Him by feast upon His words, to exercise faith unto repentance, to choose to be baptized and confirmed by His authorized servant, and then to keep your covenants with God. He sends the Holy Ghost to be your companion, comforter, and guide.”

“As you live worthy of the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Lord can direct you to safety even when you cannot see the way.”

“The greatest blessing that will come when we prove ourselves faithful to our covenants during our trials will be a change in our natures. By our choosing to keep our covenants, the power of Jesus Christ and the blessings of His Atonement can work in us. Our hearts can be softened to love, to forgive, and to invite others to come unto the Savior. Our confidence in the Lord increases. Our fears decrease.”

“In addition, we must notice the tribulation of others and try to help. That will be especially hard when we are being sorely tested ourselves. But we will discover as we lift another’s burden, even a little, that our backs are strengthened and we sense a light in the darkness.”

All those above are the quotes that I love in this talk. President Eyring reminds me that I still have a loving Heavenly Father and the Savior to look up to, whenever I think of my challenges. I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

“Yet the Prophet Joseph Smith, one of the greatest of His prophets, suffered in prison and was taught the lesson we all profit from and need in our recurring tests of faith: “And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.”⁴”

The Healing Power of Jesus Christ

I personally like Sister Cristina B. Franco use the piano metaphor to describe the brokenness.

The Healing Power of Jesus Christ

by Sister Cristina B. Franco

Unlike the piano, we have plenty to repent of and to change through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. However, there is a lot of our brokenness that stems from things beyond our control: the genes that we inherited, the culture that we were raised in, and the actions of others are a few examples. It doesn’t matter why we are broken!

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, has the ability to heal it all in a way that will make us better than when we started! Our job is to learn of Christ and meekly follow Him. As we do so, we will be healed, even if the things He asks us to do, do not seem to relate to the problem.

“… aren’t we all like this piano, a little broken, cracked, and damaged, feeling like we will never be the same again? However, as we come unto Jesus Christ by exercising faith in Him, repenting, and making and keeping covenants, our brokenness—whatever its cause—can be healed. This process, which invites the Savior’s healing power into our lives, does not just restore us to what we were before but makes us better than we ever were. I know that through our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can all be mended, made whole, and fulfil our purpose, just like a beautiful-sounding, brand-new piano.”

I also like when Sister Franco’s husband asked the manager to just fix the piano and bring it over, surprisingly the manager said, “The wood is broken, and once the wood is broken, it can never sound the same. You will get a new piano.”

In the case of the piano, this is a bad thing. Perhaps parts of the piano could be salvaged, but the piano as it was has been ruined and cannot be satisfactorily be repaired. In our case, deepen our conversion and commitment to the Savior will make us better and better — and that is why we will never be the same again, and we will become anew.

“To heal brokenness by coming unto Him, we need to have faith in Jesus Christ. “Having faith in Jesus Christ means relying completely on Him—trusting in His infinite power … and love. It includes believing His teachings. It means believing that even though we do not understand all things, He does. Because He has experienced all our pains, afflictions, and infirmities, He knows how to help us rise above our daily difficulties.”²

“As we come unto Him, “we can be filled with joy, peace, and consolation. All that is [hard and challenging] about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”³ He has counselled us, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:36).”

I am grateful for His healing power whenever I feel so down and despair because of my challenges, He is always there and help me feel as He is always there, no matter how broken I was.

I feel differently whenever after I walked out from that brokenness because of all those trials and challenges that taught me something new. It is just like the old Japanese art of Kintsugi. It is the golden repair or joinery that repair the pottery.

Jesus Christ is just like the master of Kintsugi. He makes the most of what we already are, highlights the beauty of what we have, flaws and all, rather than leaving us eternally grasping for more, different, other, better.

After all, our cracks are what give us experience and shaped our characters. And, Jesus Christ heal us and make us whole and shine like the polished gold on those pottery.

Promptings to Minister?

Yesterday during I was driving out to buy lunch as I did not cook for Sunday after the virtual sacrament meeting. I received a WhatsApp message from Sister Joyce.

Sister Joyce was mentioning that she can’t help but notice that one of the sisters whom previously at Subang Jaya branch but lives at Shah Alam was not in the ministering list. She asked if she has overlooked.

I just texted her back that particular sister’s name is listed in the District 2 list. Then she replied to me that she managed to see her name in that list.

After I came into the office this morning, my mind was thinking of this particular sister. Sister Luisa birthday is today and so many members that wished her in the WhatsApp chat group.

I checked the birthday calendar, and so co-incidentally that sister’s birthday shared the same day as Sister Luisa today. Thus, I think it is an opportunity for me to wish her happy birthday and starts a conversation with her. I just get her hand phone number and start to WhatsApp her.

I wished her happy birthday and introduced myself as the Relief Society President from Puchong branch. Surprisingly she replied me. I asked her permission for me to add her contacts into the both Puchong Branch chat group and Puchong Relief Society chat group. Briefly introduced to her that there are the group which we will post any branch activities and Relief Society activities. She gave me the permission to add her in our chat group.

I continued to brief her that, we are conducting our Sunday School through Zoom every 1st and 3rd Sunday after sacrament meeting. And Relief Society classes every 2nd and 4th Sunday after sacrament meeting. There is a Mandarin gospel class on Zoom every Sunday which joined by the Mandarin speaking members from different cities in Malaysia. She was quite happy to know that.

I suggested that I would send the Mandarin zoom link to her if she would like to try it out so that she can decide for herself if she is feels good about the class, then she can join the Mandarin class chat group. I invited her to join for this coming Saturday Relief Society Ministering Workshop Online Activity too if she has time.

I am glad that I finally acted upon the thoughts or promptings that came to my mind this morning, and Sister Joyce’s messages yesterday. Her name has been came to my mind for quite sometime, and I kept on delaying the promptings of contacting her. It was like Sister Joyce reminds me on the promptings that I need to reach out to this sister.

I texted to Sister Joyce and thanks her for reminding me of that particular sister. I mentioned to Sister Joyce that I thought that particular sister does not want to join our Puchong branch chat group, because previously all the sisters had been added in but without her. Moreover that particular sister’s name was in the less active sisters list.

I shared with Sister Joyce my thoughts and feelings as it was quite surprised to me that, that particular sister replied my messages and she is willing to join our branch chat group. I learned my lesson here today that I need to follow the prompting to act.

Sister Joyce shared with me that the sister became less active because she had misunderstand with the sisters in the branch before, but after Brother Felix and she fellowship and encourage her, then they manage to ask Presidency to add her name back to their branch chat group and the sister was fine with it, as earlier on the sister just leave the group.

Later I just shared with Sister Joyce that I had assigned 3 sisters to minister to her, as part of our efforts in ministering to the less active sisters. Sister Joyce shared that it would be a good idea as this sister also need new friends too.

I thanked Sister Joyce again for reminding me, if not I surely will miss her out. It is because the fears of rejection and feelings of shyness, inadequacy, or being an inconvenience keep on came to my mind that hinder me from following the prompting to minister.

I am grateful to the promptings and the patience that the Lord has for me as I am so slow and sometimes ignorance the promptings from the Spirit.

Hearts Knit in Righteousness and Unity

“Righteousness and unity are profoundly significant.¹ When people love God with all their hearts and righteously strive to become like Him, there is less strife and contention in society. There is more unity.”

Hearts Knit in Righteousness and Unity

by Elder Quentin L. Cook

Basically what I learned from Elder Quentin L. Cook’s talk that righteousness and unity work together. When we choose to be righteous, we become unified with one another. and the most important thing is when we love God with all our heart, we will love our neighbor as ourselves.

When we follow this, there is an increase in unity in our homes, church, and in our society. Another thing I learned is that:

“With our all-inclusive doctrine, we can be an oasis of unity and celebrate diversity. Unity and diversity are not opposites. We can achieve greater unity as we foster an atmosphere of inclusion and respect for diversity.”

Elder Cook shared about his experiences during he was served in the San Francisco California Stake Presidency. This reminds me of my first experience during when I joined the Church Christmas party long go before I became the member of the Church.

I was quite surprised that all those ‘white people’ were so friendly, even we look different from each other and I was not treated like a foreigner or an outsider. I can feel the love, righteousness and unity among the members.

This type of feeling continue during when our family were baptized into the Church, and even we attended sacrament meeting in the different country such as in Philippines and Vietnam.

I feel grateful as my children able to grow up in this harmonious environment, and both of them have been live in even our small branch composed of people from many racial and cultural backgrounds.

It is actually not new to us as we are Malaysia and we comes from different races such as Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kardazans and other minor ethics. Instead, we find comfort from each other on how to cope up with different cultures.

Another thing that strike my eyes is the Oneness.

“[Jesus Christ] prayed for His disciples and for those who would believe in Christ: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us.”²⁹

“Oneness is what Christ prayed for prior to His betrayal and Crucifixion.”

One by One

It was about nearly 8.00pm, I received a WhatsApp message from Sister Sally. She need my help to choose for Frank, her son a Chinese character names from 2 different source: one is from Frank’s kindergarten teacher and the other one is from Frank’s primary teacher.

After which during our text and voice messages, I got to know her family name and she would like to put her family name into Frank’s Chinese character name. I seek her approval for me to share it with Sister Vivian, as she is a sister from Taiwan and her Mandarin should be better than me.

After discussed with Sister Vivian then both of us agreed that we choose what we think is the better one. Then I called Sister Sally and shared with her about our thoughts on Frank’s Chinese character name.

After checking with her how is Frank’s first online school day today, then I only got to know that she and Frank had been quarantined in the home for few days already. It was due to her brother had been diagnosed with COVID-19 positive.

Sister Sally shared with me how she and her brother were trying their best in overcome this challenges and she was not able to go to work and all these days were unpaid leaves. But she sounds very positive facing all that had happened. She reassured that she and Frank are in good conditions as they do not have the COVID-19 symptoms.

It was indeed feeling great to hear her nice and beautiful voice that transpired through the hand phone sounds so happy and joy during this period of time. I did ask her please do not feel shy to reach out to us if she needs anything or our assistance. She promised that she would. We wish take care and stay safe to each other before we ended our tele-conversation.

After put down my hand phone, there is an impression come into my mind – One by One. That was and is how the Savior do His ministering work. This had reaffirmed to me that what the Spirit is trying to teach me.

As what Elder Ming-Shun Kuan of the Seventy taught,

“Ministering one by one is the way of the Savior… as we follow His example, learn of His ways, and minister to those family members, friends, and brothers and sisters around us. When we do this, we will feel and experience the meekness and lowliness in heart of the Savior and find rest unto our souls.⁵”

And, I am grateful that the Lord reveals to me that I should Ministering One by One. One at a Time.

Ministering Assignments

It took us quite sometime to put up the new ministering list, and I had decided to post the detailed ministering list in the Relief Society WhatsApp group chat.

The purposes of which letting the sisters check the information as stated in the Church record is the latest information of theirs and their family, such as the hand phone contacts, home address and email address.

And at the same time, can let the sisters know who is who’s ministering sisters. I did this before in the group chat, but this is the first time I did after we have joined by more sisters into Puchong branch.

After a while, I received a message from Sister Annie that one of the sisters was not comfortable as her home address was shown in the public. Immediately after that the sister personally message me if is it possible that the addresses can be removed from the list and kept private. Thus, I deleted the detailed ministering list and replaced with the proposed ministering assignment list, which without information but just the names of the sisters.

Later I just checked with the sister would want her information to keep private from her companion sister too, and I apologized to her for putting up the list that had made her feel uncomfortable.

The sister shared with me that she is ok sharing her information with her companion sister and all the sisters whom are ministering to her and she is ministering to. She was not comfortable with having that information being made public and she is staying alone, so she just wanted to be safe than sorry.

After which I apologize to her again as I being not sensitive enough and I will forward the ministering list separately then. She asked me not to be worried about it, thanks and appreciate for having the trouble to send the ministering list separately to the sisters.

This incident have given me some thoughts that I never experience before when I serve my calling. I guess all these while I am not sensitive enough to the needs of the sisters. This is quite an embarrassing experience as I am like in the spotlight and being watching by all the sisters in the group chat.

After the text communications with the sister, I feel more easy and comfortable. But I am grateful that it gives me a chance to sort of get to know the sister and knows about her concerns.

The first thought that came to my mind is the Lord is teaching me to minister His sheep one by one. Ministering one by one is how the Savior does.

I have been struggled with ministering for quite sometime even before I received my current calling as Relief Society President. I think my calling came as a result of my prayer to the Lord seeking for help to improve in my ministering. Not knowing before hand, this small prayer of mine had caught me red handed and such a weight just landed on my shoulders.

For the first year of my calling, I have tried and juggling between my work, serve in the Church, my family responsibilities. I had already wanted to give up especially after came back from Kuching which we celebrated Chinese New Year there.

I had been lectured much from my sister in-law as my roles as a mother to monitor and cultivate both my children’s interest and attentions into their studies. Well it is a good wake up call for myself, and at that moment I was feeling not up to standard of being a ‘Mother’.

Last year after I talked to the branch president, then the MCO lockdown occurred in our country. While during at home busy preparing meals and household chores, both of my counsellors came up to me and reminded me that we should strengthen each sisters so that they would be spiritual uplifted during this pandemic.

Even though I thought that I would be released soon but I still need to continue to fulfil my calling till the day I will be released. Sisters were happy when we did our video calling them. And that was how I learned more about sweetness of the fruits of ministering. Seeing the beautiful faces of the sisters and how firm their foundation are strengthen me.

After our country started to go for the recovery order, my life again with the work, daily chores, everyday errant and I kind of lacking in my service while the Church from last March 2020 till now is unable to open again due to the spike of Covid-19 cases again.

Due to Puchong branch Relief Society members became larger after the ex Subang Jaya Relief Society sisters joined in, we need to adjust the new ministering list.

I feel as it is quite difficult for me alone to do the assignment list. I have been hearing about that I can get the revelation I needed to do it because I the Lord will inspire me to do so.

I am not sure if the list which I came out is good enough for all the sisters, but I hope that everyone of us the sisters can able to try to do that little part of this caring about a sister life and becoming part of her life.

And today I know that, the Lord is further to teach me to minister one by one as He did, which I am grateful for – that I still able to recognize this impression that came.

I thanked for the continuous teaching that He willingly to pour unto me, even though sometime I have become numb to that still, small yet powerful voice that is always ready to guide me daily.

I know that He is there to give me experience that He knows that I lack of. I am grateful for that I did not miss the opportunity that He gives me to truly hear and connect with that sister and getting to know her better.