VAN NUYS, California — Bringing a message of God’s love, empathy and understanding, President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, told members of two stakes affected by devastating wildfires in Southern California how much he loves them and prays for them.
Though he cannot restore their homes or take away their challenges, he said, “I can come to cry with you and tell you that I love you.”
President Holland said he particularly brought the love of President Russell M. Nelson with him, explaining how the entire First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles pray constantly — pleading to heaven — for those who are suffering around the world.
“We want you to know we cry with you, we pray with you, you are not isolated, you are not forgotten,” President Holland said.
At one point, close to 200,000 people were under evacuation orders as the Palisades and Eaton fires burned in early January. The fires destroyed entire neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades, Altadena and parts of Pasadena and Malibu.
The two wards most affected were the Pacific Palisades and Pasadena wards, in the Los Angeles California and Pasadena California stakes. Members of both gathered in the San Fernando California Stake Center on Saturday, Feb. 22, to hear President Holland’s message.
So many things seem damaged or broken in the world, President Holland said — in this case, whole homes and everything inside are gone.
“But what we have to remember is God loves us,” President Holland said.
When there are questions, challenges or trials; when there are things that happen that seem to have no answer, “we cling tenaciously and never yield on what we do know. And what we do know is God is our Father, God is good, God is merciful, God is kind.”
A blessing on each one
In his remarks before President Holland spoke, Elder Mark A. Bragg, General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s North America West Area, told the congregation that President Holland is the most “relentlessly positive individual I have ever met.”
President Holland’s wife, Sister Patricia T. Holland, died in July 2023, and he spent weeks in the hospital after that in critical condition. He has said about that time that he could have died. And when President Holland had recovered and spoke again in general conference, he said one of the messages he was sent back to teach and to magnify was that “we need to pray more. We as a Church would pray more. We who call ourselves the children of God need to pray more.”
He pointed out that over and over the scriptures say, “Ask, and ye shall receive.”
Ask for patience or long-suffering, and be prepared to receive things that will need those qualities. “It is natural to wish that God had designed for us a less glorious, a less arduous destiny. But if we want that, we are wishing not for more love, but for less,” President Holland said.
The greatest offering anyone can make to God is a broken heart and a contrite spirit. For many in the congregation, and for many around the world, their hearts are broken. Here in California, their homes are broken. President Holland said to put that on the altar as a sacrifice.
“Here is the joy — you get the offering back. You get the gift on the altar returned. Not only as good as your dream was, better than your dream was,” he said.
Offering a blessing upon the hundreds of the people filling the seats to the back of the stake center and in overflow rooms — as if he would lay his hands on each of their heads personally — President Holland said, “I bless you, everyone, with every righteous desire of your heart.”
Drawing closer to Jesus Christ
Elder Bragg said he and his wife, Sister Yvonne Bragg, raised their family in Los Angeles and will always call it home, no matter where they now live in the world.
They have felt the losses of these Latter-day Saints, but also their strength and hope and have seen them take care of each other.
Elder Bragg — who also ministered on the Hawaiian island of Maui after fires in 2023 destroyed much of the town of Lahaina — said there is purpose in the experiences that people have and, for the most part, challenging experiences help people draw closer to Jesus Christ to become like Him and to help others in their times of need.
“It is in times of trial and tribulation we can know Him better as we turn to Him,” Elder Bragg said in his remarks.
Sister Bragg said three words kept coming to her mind — “care,” “concern” and “comfort,” especially when it comes to ministering. The Saints feel overwhelming loss, she said. But as they express care, concern and comfort for themselves and for others, they can lean on their faith and put complete trust in the Lord.
“It is my prayer as you move forward, you will feel God’s care, concern and comfort and you will recognize it, absorb it and share it,” Sister Bragg said.
Paul taught the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
Said Elder Bragg, “I testify that Christ lives; that through His example, as we draw close to Him, we can be an instrument in His hands to go and bless others — just as Christ has done, just as He does, just as He will continue to do until we are safely home.”
‘Heavenly Father is looking out for me’
Pasadena Ward Bishop Darren R. Baker said having an Apostle come speak to them in person helps him understand God’s power in a more tangible way — and that this is not just someone who speaks in general conference twice a year; this is someone who has been called by the Lord to carry out His work.
“There’s something very special about the apostolic power and the authority that comes with that call, and the fact that that can be invoked on our behalf,” he said. “This is a scenario where we get a chance to see that power in action.”
Matthew Garff of the Pacific Palisades Ward said spending time with someone specially called and ordained is a wonderful experience. And his wife, Wendy Garff, agreed: “We feel so blessed to have [President Holland’s] support and the support of everyone. We have felt the prayers of everyone.”
Christina Camiling of the Pasadena Ward offered the opening prayer during the devotional. She lost her home during the Eaton Fire. Having President Holland come to minister to them has felt humbling and poignant, Camiling said. It felt like “Heavenly Father is looking out for me.”
The Sunday after the fires happened, the Pasadena Ward met for an hour of sacrament meeting and then a lunch afterward. Camiling drove an hour from where she had been staying in order to see everyone in her ward and hug them. “I needed it, I was craving it. We couldn’t get enough of each other.” And being together again at the devotional was joyful and hopeful.
Pacific Palisades Ward Bishop Taylor G. Mammen said most members of this ward have lost their homes at this point — either because those homes were destroyed in the fire or are damaged. Many in his ward are living throughout Southern California in temporary situations, such as with family members or in hotels, apartments or rental properties.
The members are anxious and stressed and uncertain about the future. But they want nothing more than to be together as a ward family. They were looking forward to the devotional not just to hear from President Holland but also to be together again in one place.
“Even though we are scattered physically, our hearts are knit closer together than ever before,” Bishop Mammen said.
