PROVO, Utah — Before the Tuesday night, July 25, devotional with Primary General President Susan H. Porter at the Provo Missionary Training Center, Sister Erin Gunn from Santa Clara, Utah, was talking with her companion about how to overcome opposition to faith.
Then they heard President Porter relate a story of when she was all alone one night at a dark airport in Kyiv, Ukraine. She found a single streetlight and stood under it until the mission leaders came for her.
“I never want to leave the light that emanates from the Savior,” President Porter said. “I want to be firm and immovable, sure and steadfast, in my testimony of and devotion to Him and to my Heavenly Father. In times of trouble or distress or spiritual darkness, may we all find a place where the light and influence of the Savior can be felt, and stay there until help comes.”
Sister Gunn — who is assigned to the Peru Lima West Mission — was inspired. “When you recognize when you’ve been in darkness, and then when you come back to His presence, you just feel that tether.”
Opposition comes. But President Porter read what Jacob said in the Book of Mormon when facing Sherem.
“And [Sherem] had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken” (Jacob 7:5).
Like Jacob, people can say, “I could not be shaken” through these four ways in that verse:
- Revelation
- “Things which I had seen.”
- Angels
- “Heard the voice of the Lord.”
Revelation
President Porter showed a video where Elder Edward Dube, General Authority Seventy, related how on his mission he faced opposition that greatly disturbed his faith.
But his companion reminded him that the Church is a Church of revelation. That night, the discouragement lifted, and he felt at peace.
Sister Eva Chenn from Highland, Utah, who is going to the Spain Madrid Mission, felt the truth of that message. “There’s a lot of opposition right now, and it’s really easy to get caught up in little things,” she said.
Her companion, Sister Savannah Gay from Millcreek, Utah, who is going to the Spain Madrid South Mission, added: “Eventually all will be revealed to us. We have to have faith.”
‘Things which I had seen’
In another video, President Porter’s son Chris Porter shared a time when his prayer for help was answered at the post office.
“When we have one or two of those experiences, we could write it off as a coincidence. But when we have many of those experiences, ... it becomes a witness,” he said.
President Porter said these experiences can be “a great cloud of witnesses to help you stay strong and steadfast.”
That inspired Elder Hunter Clare, from San Tan Valley, Arizona, who is assigned to the Mexico Tijuana Mission.
“Remember the experiences you have — that’s a powerful message, especially starting my mission,” he said. ”I’m going to treasure that.”
Angels
President Porter recounted the story of a young man named Matt whose father died suddenly before his mission. During a discouraging day on his mission, Matt felt a presence, and he knew it was his father walking with him.
She told the missionaries that their relatives who have died are on the other side of the veil. “I bear my witness that they are helping you. You may not see them, you may not even feel them, but you can be sure they are doing what they can to help and strengthen you.”
‘Heard the voice of the Lord’
President Porter’s husband, the late Elder Bruce D. Porter, had the privilege of setting apart their oldest son, David, to be a missionary. In the blessing he felt prompted to promise David that if he was obedient and faithful, he would not have to miss a day of serving.
Then David Porter was injured in Russia — and the doctor recommended he leave for further medical treatment. But David felt his father had spoken the words of the Lord in his blessing. David stayed on his mission and recovered.
“It was a testimony to him of the power of hearing and heeding the voice of the Lord,” President Porter said.
‘I have kept the faith’
In conclusion, President Porter testified that God lives and loves His children.
“May we stay steadfast and immovable in our testimonies of the Lord Jesus Christ, to say with the apostle Paul … ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith’” (2 Timothy 4:7).
That resonated with Elder Tyler Dransfield, from Satellite Beach, Florida, who is assigned to the Mexico Saltillo Mission. He has a favorite phrase in Spanish — “Guarda la fe,” which means “keep the faith.”
“After trials and opposition, what do I want to say at the end of my mission? I have kept the faith,” Elder Dransfield said.
