Editor’s note: In March 2026, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released 10 brief discussion videos in Gospel Library for women, featuring the 10 members of the Relief Society general advisory council.
The council members wrote about the videos’ five topics for the Church News. This is the first of five articles and is about the topic “Finding strength and relief in Jesus Christ.” Read part two about managing competing priorities here; part three here about building emotional resilience; part four here about staying committed when facing offense, hurt or trials; and part five here about discovering the divine design of the family here.
Remembering God and His hand
Sister Dana Earl: Years ago, I began writing down personal experiences from my life — moments when I had felt the influence of the Holy Ghost and found strength and relief in Jesus Christ. My intention was simple and heartfelt: to gather these stories as a Christmas gift for my family. But as often happens, real life interrupted that “really good idea,” and 10 years later, I am still working on it. Perhaps 2026 will finally be the year it is completed.
Even though I didn’t finish the book, something meaningful happened when I began writing. I started to remember. As I revisited those experiences, I began to see clear evidence of what God had done for me. I recognized that He lives, that He knows me personally and that He is just as willing to help me now as He was in the past.
This principle is beautifully illustrated in Alma 29:12–13, where Alma reflects on God’s faithfulness: He remembers how the same God who delivered his fathers also delivered him and called him to do His work. That phrase — “that same God” — has become deeply significant to me. My own experiences have become reminders that God is consistent. He does not change. The help He has given before is evidence of the help He will continue to give.
Remembering these moments has strengthened my faith. It has helped me feel the Savior’s love more deeply and trust that He will bring the peace and relief I need. As Deuteronomy 4:9 teaches, we must “keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen.” Forgetting can come so easily, especially during difficult times.
‘The Lord was aware of me’
Sister Hannah Miller: There are seasons in life when remembering feels especially hard — when prayers seem unanswered and heaven feels silent. I experienced this during a challenging period at work. I loved my job and felt I was growing, but sudden changes left me feeling uncertain and afraid that my progress would be lost.
Seeking guidance, I went to the temple, hoping for clear direction — perhaps even a solution that would restore things to the way they were. Instead, I received something unexpected but far better. As I sat quietly in the celestial room, I felt a gentle impression: “Just sit with Me for a little while.”
So I did. In that stillness, I felt the Savior’s compassion and patience. When I left the temple, my circumstances had not changed. The challenges were still there. But I was different. I felt less afraid because I knew the Lord was aware of me. Over time, I realized that rather than removing my trial, He was strengthening me to face it.
Soon after, I found comfort in Words of Mormon 1:7: “I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come.” That truth brought peace. I didn’t need to understand everything — God already did. And like King Benjamin, who found strength with the help of others to establish peace in his land, I came to see that I was not alone. The Lord had placed people in my life — friends and family — who helped me face challenges I once thought impossible.
Lighter burdens
Sister Earl: I also witnessed the Lord’s sustaining power during a deeply difficult time in my life. My father was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and then my mother had a massive stroke. For a time, we cared for them at home, but eventually we needed additional help. The day we drove them to St. George, Utah, was heavy with emotion. Eventually we drove them to a neighboring town where my sister lived with a care center to receive more help.
As we traveled, I felt overwhelmed — physically and emotionally. At one point, I looked out the window and felt a clear impression: “I will ease the burdens that are put upon your backs.”
In that moment, everything changed. My circumstances did not improve immediately — in fact, they became more demanding — but I felt calm. The burden was lighter because I was not carrying it alone. We completed the drive with peace and faith.
This experience helped me understand what is meant by “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). The Savior’s peace does not always remove our trials, but it strengthens us to endure them.
As President Dallin H. Oaks has taught, healing comes in different ways. Sometimes burdens are lifted, but other times we are healed by being given strength, patience and understanding to carry them.
An invitation to remember
Sister Earl and Sister Miller: As we began discussing these experiences together, we found ourselves recalling more and more moments when the Lord had strengthened us. One memory led to another until we were surrounded by evidences of His love — some simple, others sacred and profound.
This is the invitation we extend: remember. Write down your experiences. Share them with someone you trust. Ask the Lord to help you recall them. As promised in John 14:26, the Holy Ghost can “bring all things to your remembrance.”
When you take time to remember, you will begin to recognize what the Lord’s strength feels like in your life. And when new challenges come — as they inevitably will — you will be able to call upon that memory with faith, knowing it is “that same God” who helped you before.
He knows you. He loves you. And He will strengthen you again.
— Sister Dana Earl and Sister Hannah Miller are members of the Relief Society general advisory council.
