Two Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke to thousands across the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sunday, May 24, via a special broadcast from Hyde Park Chapel in London, England.
Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Clark G. Gilbert, both of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, invited listeners to strengthen faith in Jesus Christ to find peace in an uncertain world, the Church’s United Kingdom Newsroom reported.
Elder Cook was accompanied by his wife, Sister Mary Cook. She testified of Heavenly Father’s awareness of His children and encouraged members to draw closer to Christ through faithful service and daily discipleship.
Elder Cook also left listeners with an apostolic blessing of personal peace, spiritual strength and greater confidence in the Savior.
“In a world where there is no peace, I invoke a blessing upon you, that you will have personal peace because of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world,” Elder Cook said.
Building Zion, being a light
During his remarks, Elder Cook spoke warmly of his missionary service in England as a young man and expressed his deep appreciation for the people of the U.K. and Ireland.
He also made special reference to his mother, whose appreciation for early Church history in Britain instilled in him a lifelong affection for the U.K. and profoundly impacted his faith in Jesus Christ.
Elder Cook acknowledged the uncertainty, division and unrest in today’s world. He shared counsel he once received from the late President Harold B. Lee, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, to “build Zion” by creating homes that are sanctuaries of faith centered in Christ and to be a “light on the hill” by staying anchored in Christ’s teachings.
Prayer, scripture study, kindness and devotion to the gospel create spiritual refuge amid turmoil and confusion, Elder Cook said, adding that temple worship and covenant living provide spiritual strength, eternal perspective and peace in an uncertain world.
“Do what you can do to build faith in Jesus Christ. If you want to know Him, the one thing I hope you … talk about in your homes is: How do we build faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?” Elder Cook said.
A witness of Jesus Christ
In his remarks, Elder Gilbert shared his witness of Christ and reflected on the Apostles’ sacred responsibility to testify of the Savior.
He described the profound spiritual impressions he received in the days leading up to his call to the apostleship, including increased testimony of prophetic revelation and of the Lord’s guidance of His Church.
“The one unique calling of an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ is to be a witness to the name of Jesus Christ in all the world,” Elder Gilbert said.
Elder Gilbert also testified of the Savior’s divine mission and living reality. Referencing “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles,” he listed several of the Savior’s titles, including “the Lamb of God” and “the King of kings.”
But of all the Savior’s names, Elder Gilbert said the most important for him is found in the document’s title itself: “The Living Christ.”
“Jesus Christ lives,” Elder Gilbert testified. “He leads this Church today. He is our Savior. He is active in the lives of all of us.”
Through Christ, Elder Gilbert continued, all can be forgiven of their sins; and when life is difficult or not fair, “He will come to comfort us.”
Listeners react
From the Hyde Park Chapel to individual homes across the U.K. and Ireland, members and friends of the Church reflected on the Apostles’ counsel.
Bethany Couper, who watched the broadcast from her home in Glasgow, Scotland, said she felt Elder Cook’s and Elder Gilbert’s love for the Savior and for Church members. Their messages left her feeling that “the Savior and His Atonement can become our anchor in times of turmoil and uncertainty,” she said.
Madison Saville, a young adult in London, said Elder Cook’s invitation to “build Zion” resonates with her during this time in which she lives far from family. “It’s important to cultivate the Spirit in our homes in a time and world that is often challenging,” she said.
And Ray Gunapala in Dublin, Ireland, said Elder Gilbert’s testimony of Jesus Christ was “deeply powerful, reassuring and comforting.” He also appreciated Elder Cook’s invitation to be a “light on the hill” in a troubled world.
“I came away feeling that, amidst all the uncertainty and noise in the world, faith in Jesus Christ brings both peace and purpose,” Gunapala said. “Even simple acts of goodness, kindness and quiet example can become a light to others.”
