Comfort from the Holy Ghost

Elder Matthew J. Eyring told about a friend who got very sad news. His grown-up son had died suddenly. Elder Eyring’s friend had one thought: “I can’t fix this.” That was the same thing Sister Runia said earlier that day.

We learn when we are young to solve problems and do hard things by ourselves. But everyone, sooner or later, has something too heavy to carry alone.

Elder Eyring and his wife once went to dinner with a young mom and dad. One of their twin babies had died before being born. A long time ago, the same thing happened to Elder Eyring and his wife. So they could understand. They talked together about being parents, feeling sad, and finding hope and healing. In the Book of Mormon, we promise to mourn with those that mourn, or be sad with people who are sad, and to comfort them.

Elder Eyring said everyone has hard things. Some families worry about having enough food. Some people are sick. Some people are sad because someone they love has stopped following Jesus. Some people have a bad habit that is hard to stop.

Jesus suffered for us, so He knows exactly how we feel. When we turn to Him, He comforts us. Jesus promised to send another Comforter. That is the Holy Ghost. Prophets have said we need the Holy Ghost with us all the time.

Elder Eyring said there is hope in Jesus. Because of Jesus, everyone will be resurrected. Our bodies and spirits will come back together, and we can live again with people we love. Death is not the end.

After the dinner, Elder Eyring gave the sad dad a priesthood blessing. In the blessing, the dad was promised peace. When the mom and dad left, their faces were shining with light.

Elder Eyring said we should try hard to live so the Holy Ghost can always be with us. Jesus promised, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

A scripture for this talk: John 14:16–17. Jesus promised to send the Holy Ghost to comfort us.

Elder Matthew J. Eyring told of a friend whose wife called to say their young married son had suddenly died. One thought came to his friend’s mind: “I can’t fix this.” Elder Eyring noted it was the same thought Sister Runia shared this morning.

We are trained from a young age to solve problems and be independent and resilient. He said, “But our apparent self-reliance masks a deeper reality: All of us, regardless of experience, talent, or willpower, will sooner or later encounter burdens we cannot possibly carry ourselves.”

Another time, he and his wife had dinner with a young couple who had just lost one of their twins right before birth, in their first pregnancy. Many years before, the Eyrings had gone through a similar loss when one of their twins died before birth. At dinner, they were grateful “to mourn with those that mourn … and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.” They talked about parenthood, loss, and the path to healing and hope.

Our mortal journey is designed to try our faith, and challenges differ. Some worry about enough food for their families. Some face illness. Some mourn when loved ones stray from the gospel, or have been hurt by someone they love, or have hurt someone. Some feel misunderstood or keep struggling with a bad habit. Elder Eyring said it’s important not to let our challenges weaken our faith.

The Savior suffered for us and knows exactly how we feel. He promises, “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you.” He will comfort us and give answers on His timetable, sometimes through tools, resources, and other people. Jesus promised, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” Prophets have warned that we won’t survive spiritually without the constant influence of the Holy Ghost. Without comfort we risk losing hope, and without hope we can lose faith.

But there is hope in Jesus Christ. President Dallin H. Oaks said the belief in a literal, universal resurrection changes the whole perspective of our mortal life. It means our limitations are temporary and gives courage to face death. Jesus saves us from the only two permanent tragedies: separation from our bodies and separation from God because of sin. Jacob exclaimed, “O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit.” Someday we will see that suffering that brought us closer to the Savior was preparing us for blessings that Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard.

In the hospital, the young mother had received a priesthood blessing, but the father had not. After dinner, Elder Eyring blessed the grieving father, who was promised peace which passeth all understanding. As the couple left, their countenances shone with the light of the Savior.

Elder Eyring taught that the Savior’s peace comes through the Holy Ghost, and that comfort helps us when we can’t fix things on our own. “Living worthy of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost should be one of our highest priorities.” He testified of Jesus’s promise: “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

Scripture to look up: John 14:16–17. Jesus promised another Comforter, the Spirit of truth, to be with us when we face what we cannot fix.

Elder Matthew J. Eyring, a General Authority Seventy, opened with a friend who received a call from his wife: their young married son had unexpectedly passed away. One thought came to him: “I can’t fix this,” the same thought, Elder Eyring noted, that Sister Runia had shared that morning. We are trained from a young age to solve problems, to be independent, to have perseverance and resilience. But our apparent self-reliance masks a deeper reality. All of us, regardless of experience, talent, or willpower, will sooner or later encounter burdens we cannot possibly carry ourselves.

He and his wife once had dinner with a young couple who had recently lost one of their twins right before birth, in their first pregnancy. Years earlier, the Eyrings had experienced the same thing when one of their twins died before delivery. Sharing empathy gained through our own experience, they were grateful “to mourn with those that mourn … and comfort those that stand in need of comfort” (Mosiah 18:9), and they spoke together of parenthood, loss, and the path to healing and hope.

“Our mortal journey is designed to try our faith,” and trials differ by circumstance and even by where we live. He named many: worrying about enough food each day; limitations of physical or emotional health, our own or a loved one’s; mourning “We mourn when those close to us stray from the gospel path”; being hurt by someone we love, or hurt by the pain we have caused someone we love; feeling misunderstood; a bad habit we’ve tried repeatedly to overcome without success. Whatever the burden, “It is important to not allow our challenges to negatively impact our faith.”

The Savior suffered for us and “He knows exactly how we feel, especially in our darkest and most trying times.” As we humbly cast our burdens on Him, we have His promise: “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you” (D&C 88:63). He will provide comfort and answers on his timetable, sometimes as tools, resources, and help from others. He promised, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” (John 14:16). Prophets have repeatedly warned that we will not survive spiritually without the constant influence of the Holy Ghost, partly because in a turbulent world true sources of comfort will become scarcer. “Without divine comfort, we risk losing hope; and without hope, we can lose our faith and stop trying.”

“There is hope in Jesus Christ.” He quoted President Dallin H. Oaks: “I wonder if we fully appreciate the enormous significance of this belief in a literal, universal resurrection. The conviction that death is not the conclusion of our identity changes the whole perspective of our mortal life.” It shapes how we view physical challenges, gives strength to endure, “It signifies that mortal deficiencies are only temporary!” and gives courage to face death, even deaths we might call premature.

Elder Eyring asked, “Do we truly appreciate all the Lord has done for us?” He spares us from the only two things that can bring permanent separation: from our bodies, and from God because of sin. “Even as He comforts us through temporary times of challenge and pain, He has prepared our rescue from permanent tragedy.” Jacob exclaimed, “O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit” (2 Nephi 9:10). One day we will more fully realize how generous the Lord has been, appreciate the depth of the Savior’s sacrifice, and see that the Father and Son are truly givers of good gifts. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” “We will realize that all the suffering that brought us closer to the Savior was preparing us for greater blessings.”

He returned to the young couple. In the hospital, the mother had received a priesthood blessing, but the father had not. After dinner, Elder Eyring gave the grieving father a blessing, and through the whisperings of the Spirit, he was promised peace which passeth all understanding (Philippians 4:7). As the couple left, their countenances shone with the light of the one in whom we must all put our complete trust.

“The Savior’s peace is made manifest through the comforting power of the Holy Ghost,” and that comfort helps when we can’t fix things on our own. His conclusion: “Living worthy of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost should be one of our highest priorities.” He bore witness of Jesus Christ and His promise: “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:18).