During April 2022 general conference weekend, headlines stretching across global news websites all seemed to repeat the same dark cluster of words: Conflict. Violence. Fighting.
Several general conference speakers acknowledged the day’s troubles — but they also accentuated a hopeful message: Peace, they declared, is found in Jesus Christ and His gospel.
Across five general conference sessions, Church leaders assured that the Savior’s followers can lift their hearts. There is reason to rejoice. They can find rest from fears and find peace.
In his Sunday morning address, President Russell M. Nelson pleaded with his listeners “to do all you can to end personal conflicts that are currently raging in your hearts and your lives.”
Peace and “positive spiritual momentum,” he added, can be built by following five actions:
- 1. Get on the covenant path and stay there.
- 2. Discover the joy of daily repentance.
- 3. Learn about God and how He works.
- 4. Seek and expect miracles.
- 5. End conflict in your personal life.
President Nelson also invited each listener to prepare for Easter by seeking to end a personal conflict with another. “Could there be a more fitting act of gratitude to Jesus Christ for His Atonement? If forgiveness presently seems impossible, plead for power through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ to help you. As you do so, I promise a personal peace and a burst of spiritual momentum.”
Read more: President Nelson pleads for conflict to end, positive spiritual momentum to increase
Becoming “like a child” by emulating the Savior fosters peace-defining personal change, said President Henry B. Eying, second counselor in the First Presidency, during Saturday morning’s session.
Faith in Christ leads to repentance — qualifying one for the gifts of the Holy Ghost such as guidance and comfort. “The Savior knows the storms and the places of safety on the way home to Him and to our Heavenly Father,” assured President Eyring.
The Lord can ease afflictions such as physical challenges, emotional challenges and isolation, testified Sister Reyna I. Aburto, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency.
“As the peaceable followers of Christ, we are striving to become of ’one heart and one mind’ and to be humble, submissive, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of patience and long-suffering, temperate in all things, diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times, full of faith, hope, and charity and abounding in good works,” she said.
Through Christ, one becomes a peacemaker — quenching all the fiery darts of the adversary, taught Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in his general conference talk.
A peacemaker sometimes keeps quiet instead of reacting impulsively. Other times, actions are needed. But actions need not be antagonistic.
“Peacemakers are not passive,” said Elder Andersen. “They are persuasive in the Savior’s way.”
In his Saturday morning talk, Elder Eduardo Gavarret, a General Authority Seventy, promised that turning to the Savior and allowing a “mighty change of heart” can bring feelings of freedom, trust and, yes, peace.
“This change of heart is not an event,” he said. “It takes faith, repentance and constant spiritual work to happen. It begins when we desire to submit our will to the Lord, and it materializes when we enter into and keep covenants with Him.”
In tender remarks directed to any unsettled by depression or despair, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles promised that peace awaits those who accept the “good news” of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
And to any considering taking their own life, Elder Holland did not spare his words: “Help is available, from others and especially from God. You are loved and valued and needed. We need you!”
Hope and peace are also available to any victimized by abuse, violence or oppression, said Elder Patrick Kearon of the Presidency of the Seventy in a Saturday afternoon talk.
“You can survive. You have, in fact, already been rescued. You have already been saved.”
“Jesus has overcome the abuses of this world to give you power to not only survive, but one day, through Him, to overcome and even conquer.”
Sister Amy A. Wright, second counselor in the Primary general presidency, noted that many individuals are enduring lives absent of peace because of broken relations with God, others or oneself.
But spiritual harmony and repair await all who seek the Savior. “There is nothing in your life that is broken that is beyond the curative, redeeming and enabling power of Jesus Christ,” she said.
Elder Jörg Klebingat, a General Authority Seventy, utilized his Sunday afternoon message to promise courage and peace to all who follow Christ.
“With the Savior at the helm and living prophets to lead and guide us, who can be against us?” he asked. “Let us be confident, not apologetic; valiant, not timid; faithful, not fearful as we hold up the Lord’s light in these last days.”
