In his address at the October 1992 general conference, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve said that many people feel helpless to deal with the chaos that seems to prevail in the world. Others, he noted, anguish over family members carried by a "raging current of weakening values and declining moral standards." Some, he observed, have decided to quit trying to make the world a better place in which they and their families can live.
Elder Ballard said, "To all who have harbored feelings of despair and an absence of hope, I offer the words of the Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith: Fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. . . . Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not' (D&C 6:34, 36),even so am I in the midst of you.' " (D&C 6:32.)Elder Ballard told the congregation: "My message . . . is simply this: the Lord is in control. He knows the end from the beginning. He has given us adequate instruction that, if followed, will see us safely through any crisis. His purposes will be fulfilled, and someday we will understand the eternal reasons for all of these events. Therefore, today we must be careful to not overreact, nor should we be caught up in extreme preparations, but what we must do is keep the commandments of God and never lose hope!"
