Serving in the Stake Primary has been such a blessing. Of the many blessings, serving with these women is certainly one.
Another blessing is being able to fill my speaking assignments as a female representative of Stake Leadership:
August 21, 2022 – PL 1
Letting God Prevail
Resources: Trust God and Let Him Prevail - Elder Renlund - Liahona August 2022
Let God Prevail - President Nelson October 2020
Good Morning Brothers and Sisters,
My name is Shantel Peaden and I am the Stake Primary President. It has been a pleasure for me to get to know your primary presidency. I love them and love your primary children. I am grateful for each one of you who serve in your primary and for the impact you are making. I remember sitting in your ward almost one full year ago watching your primary children sing during your primary program and feeling such an incredibly strong feeling of how much the Lord loves this primary and these primary children. I am so happy to be here with you today.
I have been thinking a lot about an experience I had with my son this summer. We were attending my parents ward in northern Utah and somehow my 7 year old son, Austin, and I ended up sitting on a row by ourselves in the overflow seats at the back. The young men were bringing the sacrament around and I was enjoying the peace and quiet of the sacrament that comes from sitting with only one child at a time. The bread was passed to the row in front of us, but instead of moving back to our row, the young man took the tray and started walking back to the front of the chapel. My son turned to me with worried eyes and whispered, “They forgot us!” Those words pricked at my heart as I turned my attention to what was happening. After feeling a flash of concern myself, I realized that they had not forgotten us, they had just gone to trade their empty tray with a full one. Moments later, the young man was back with a tray full of bread and Austin and I were able to partake of this sacred emblem of our Savior.
“They forgot us!” I couldn’t stop thinking about the worry in my sons eyes, his sincere concern that among the hundreds of other people sitting in that chapel that day, the two of us had been overlooked.
And how often has that statement been made, or at least felt, not of the sacrament – but a real and heartfelt question, “Has the Lord forgotten me?” Among all the others that he must love, does he remember me?
The answer is YES, Brothers and Sisters. Just as my son and I experienced momentary doubt about whether we had been forgotten but came to see that the faithful priesthood holder was actively working to ensure we had the blessing of the sacrament, the Lord DOES remember you and he is actively working on your behalf., even when you might not see him right there in front of you.
We may feel forgotten, we may feel an anxious confusion about things we don’t understand, we may feel adrift on the path ahead of us. Although none of those things are comfortable, I would dare say all of those things are normal things to experience at times throughout our lives. The challenge is to choose to live our lives trusting God and His plan, no matter what.
The story of Job in our Come Follow Me lesson brought further depth to my pondering as I thought about how lost and forgotten Job must have felt. Job learned that trusting God and not relying on his own understanding is the way to approach difficulties in life.
I recently was wrestling with something difficult, a situation that brought tears to my eyes and pain to my heart with the unfairness of it. I knelt on my knees and prayed – not really asking for help, mostly complaining that I didn’t understand why. But as I laid in my bed in my dark room, I felt a peace and was reminded of three words “But If Not”.
Centuries ago, Daniel and his young associates were suddenly thrust from security into the world—a world foreign and intimidating. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refused to bow down and worship a golden image set up by the king, a furious Nebuchadnezzar told them that if they would not worship as commanded, they would immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. “And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”2
The three young men quickly and confidently responded, “If it be so [if you cast us into the furnace], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand.”
But then they demonstrated that they fully understood what faith is. They continued, “But if not, … we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”3 That is a statement of true faith.
They knew that they could trust God—even if things didn’t turn out the way they hoped.4 They knew that faith is more than mental assent, more than an acknowledgment that God lives. Faith is total trust in Him.(Elder Simmons, 2004)
Like Job, I believe in a God who blesses us for following Him. But if not, if I do not receive the blessings I hoped for or if I don’t see the blessings at all – I still trust God and will follow Him.
I believe that the Lord will guide and direct my path, But if not, if I am left not knowing what the best choice is or unsure of the right choices – I make the best choice that I can and trust that He is still there.
I believe that God can help me navigate tricky relationships if I pray and ask for his help, But if not, if I still managed to make those relationships worse and did not feel guided or helped – I still believe that God loves me and the other person.
This concept of “But if not” is one way that I choose to Let God Prevail in my life.
Elder Renlund said: “Like Job, we need to trust in our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and remain faithful in all circumstances. The more real they are in our lives, the more we trust them. The more we do so, the more we focus on Heavenly Fathers Plan of Salvation and exaltation. The more that eternal perspective remains in focus, the easier it is to let God prevail and the less the circumstances in our lives matter.
When my daughter, then a baby, was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition affecting the pigment in her skin and eyes we were told that her eyesight would be affected and that she wouldn’t be able to see normally. There is a huge range that she could fall in but were told that it would be a miracle for her to improve very from where she was right then, and that she would possibly be blind. We immediately went home and started praying for a miracle. However, we felt the most overwhelming feeling NOT to pray for this trial to be taken from her or for her to be completely healed. We felt the Lord telling us “This is exactly what she needs in order for her to learn what she needs to learn to come back to me. This is exactly what YOUR FAMILY needs to learn. Have faith and build trust that this is the right path.” Our prayers on her behalf remain as faithful and heartfelt for her best possible vision within the eternal path that the Lord has planned for her.
I have faith that the power of Jesus Christ could heal my daughter (and I have seen miracles in her life too powerful to deny), BUT IF NOT, if that is not the path that He wants for her. I have faith that he will be with her and with me through her life.
We may not always understand church policy, personal trials, or why things happen the way they do. We may feel forgotten, lonely, or hurt. However, understanding is not a prerequisite to faith. Jesus Christ overcame the world. Because of Him, we can have peace in this world and “be of good cheer” .
Jesus Christ loves to restore what we cannot restore, heal wounds we cannot heal, fix what is irreparably broken, and compensate for any unfairness we have endured. In fact, if we let Him, He will consecrate our suffering for our gain and sanctify to us our deepest distress. He will not just console us and restore what was lost but He will use our trials for our benefit.
I share my testimony that you are not forgotten, you are loved. I believe in Jesus Christ, that He is. That He loves you deeper than you can imagine and that as you exercise faith in him, even amid trial or a lack of understanding you will be able to feel that love. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
