Notable quotes:
“Even in our deepest trials, we can feel the warm embrace of His love as we trust Him and accept His will. We can experience the joy reserved for His faithful disciples, for Christ is joy.” “As we remain focused on Christ, we will feel peace and see God’s miracles, whatever they may be, in His time and in His way.” “Our ability to help others come unto Christ or return to Christ will largely be determined by the example we set through our own personal commitment to stay on the covenant path.” Summary points:
- Being a disciple of Christ does not mean being immune to difficulties — but Christ will offer the peace, perspective and support needed to endure trials.
- Individuals’ most fervent efforts to invite others to come unto Christ must be focused in their own homes.
- To invite others to come unto Christ, individuals must stay close to Him and continue on the covenant path.
Talk summary:
Both Joseph Smith and Nephi stayed focused on Jesus Christ despite temptations, trials and afflictions. They knew He would keep His promises.
Even amid pain and struggles, followers of Christ can find joy in Him. Elder McCune learned this when he was serving as a mission president in 2014 and his son suffered a longboarding accident that damaged his brain.
The McCune family felt God’s love and peace as they prayed in the hospital, despite not knowing whether their son would survive his injuries. Over his two months in the hospital and many sessions of physical, speech and occupational therapy, the family stayed focused on Christ and recognized miracles that occurred in the Lord’s way and according to His timing.
When it is difficult to have hope in anything, individuals can find hope and peace in Christ. Church leaders desire all people to experience the comfort and joy that come from a relationship with the Savior, and those who have made sacred covenants have the opportunity to participate in the Lord’s work by inviting others to come unto Christ.
The most important efforts to invite others to come unto the Savior must occur within individuals’ own homes, where they can help family and friends to feel His love.
To effectively bring others unto Christ, disciples must choose to stay close to Him, just as Lehi beckoned to his family while staying near the Tree of Life in his vision. Though the adversary would like to convince God’s children that they can remain righteous through their own independent spirituality, Christ’s Church cannot be separated from His doctrine. Being part of a community of Latter-day Saints brings individuals closer to Jesus Christ, helping them to receive His love, joy and peace.
About the speaker:
- Elder John A. McCune was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 6, 2019, at age 55. At the time of his call, he had been serving as an Area Seventy in the Utah South Area.
- Elder McCune served as a young full-time missionary in the Japan Fukuoka Mission and later as president of the Utah Provo Mission.
- In his professional career, he worked as the senior vice president and managing director for Capital Investment Advisors before becoming a donor liaison for principal gifts with Latter-day Saint Philanthropies.
- He married Debbra Ellen Kingsbury in the Salt Lake Temple in 1984. They are the parents of four children.
