This blogpost features a half-sheet activity page to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for September 8-14, which includes Doctrine and Covenants 98-101. Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.
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FINDING PEACE IN CHRIST
"Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God." D&C 101:16
One of the things I love to do is hike. Because we lived at sea level for so many years, though, we sometimes get a little intimidated by hiking in the mountains. One day we were trying a new trail that had a pretty significant incline early on in the hike. I was ready to turn around and find a flatter trail, when we came across a group coming down the mountain. I stopped and asked one of them if it was worth the effort to continue on, and his answer surprised me. Instead of a yes or no, he simply said, “You can hear the sounds of peace.”
To be honest, at that point in the hike, the only sound I could hear was my own heavy breathing and I certainly wasn’t feeling very peaceful! But something about that comment inspired us to keep going.
Although the trail didn’t get easier for a while, I noticed that when I shifted my focus from thinking “this is so hard” to listening for the “sounds of peace,” my entire experience changed.
Later, I reflected on that moment and realized it taught me something profound about peace. I used to think peace was just something that fell upon you in quiet, perfect moments. And while that can happen, the more life experiences I have, the more I’ve come to believe that peace is most often something we must actively seek and choose, especially in hard times.
I want to explore that idea a little more.
Elder Waddell (source) taught us in a general conference talk several years ago that, “Peace of mind, peace of conscience, and peace of heart are not determined by our ability to avoid trials, sorrow, or heartache. Despite our sincere pleas, not every storm will change course, not every infirmity will be healed, and we may not fully understand every doctrine, principle, or practice taught by prophets, seers, and revelators. Nevertheless, we have been promised peace–but with a condition....The peace we all seek requires more than {just} a desire. It requires us to act—by learning of Him, by listening to His words, and by walking with Him. We may not have the ability to control all that happens around us, but we can control how we apply the pattern for peace that the Lord has provided—a pattern that makes it easy to think often about Jesus.”
When I look back at different times in my life when I desperately needed peace, I see how different those situations looked on the surface.
There were times when I was making big decisions, or caught in conflict, or facing a huge trial. Other times it was more internal—moments of doubt, guilt, anxiety, or just feeling overwhelmed by life.
In the New Testament, Jesus says:
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
I love that verse—but I’ll be honest: not letting my heart be troubled is easier said than done!
So what is this pattern for peace, and how do we live it and apply it in all the different situations?
Elder Waddell quotes the Savior directly:
“Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.” D&C 19:23
Learn. Listen. Walk. A simple pattern—with a powerful promise.
As part of my reflections on peace while preparing this, I decided to look back at a couple of experiences in my life where I sought for and received peace and see how that pattern came into play.
One of the biggest experiences was when several years ago my husband and I were preparing talks on the topic of the “Worth of Souls” to share in sacrament meeting. It was a busy season in our lives with 5 young kids at home, so taking time to dive into a gospel topic took a very deliberate effort on our parts. I had a couple hours while everyone was at their various activities, so I turned off my phone and ended up having one of the most memorable spiritual experiences of my life when I read these words from Elder Uchtdorf:
“The most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love. God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him.”
President Dieter Uchtdorf, “You Matter to Him,” General Conference, October 2011
I had read them before, but this time the words hit me differently and I became overwhelmed with an immeasurable peace and reassurance that I was a child of God and that the worth of my soul was indeed great. I was overcome with an unmistakable feeling that God was keenly aware of me personally, as well as my family. My heart was touched and I packed up my talk that day with a deep sense of calm and gratitude for God’s love in my life.
Although it was meant to be preparation for a talk, in reality that experience instead became a much needed spiritual preparation for the storm that was about to befall our family. Within a few hours of that powerful, yet very personal spiritual experience, we received the news that our sixteen-year-old son, Spencer, didn’t have mono like we thought, but actually had leukemia. Further tests showed that his leukemia was aggressive and would require many months of fully in-hospital treatment. A few days after our son’s diagnosis, my husband was very unexpectedly laid off from his job.
In a matter of days, our world was turned upside down. But somehow, amid the chaos, we still felt peace—because of that quiet experience I’d had just before the storm hit. I knew deep down inside that whatever happened-- it would be okay. Not that we wouldn’t experience fear, or that we’d enjoy every moment along the way, but that whether our son lived or died or whether my husband found a job soon or not, that God was in the details and that in the end it would be alright. And it was. I had learned of Christ, I had listened, and when it came time to walk with Him, we found those sounds of peace throughout that journey.
Our son is now 30 years old, and that experience still reminds me that peace is not about circumstances—it’s about Christ.
Thankfully, not all my experiences with seeking peace have been that dramatic. More often than not, my need for peace comes in the middle of everyday chaos—when there’s too much to do and not enough time, or when I feel inadequate or stretched thin.
But the pattern still applies in those moments. Learn. Listen. Walk.
Sometimes it can feel like too much. Like how can I take the time to learn, listen, and walk when I already feel too stretched? How can I possibly fit in one more thing? It’s those times in life when I feel like Christ has invited me to think outside the box. Why not do scripture study in the car? Or during my morning workout? Why not pray in the shower when my phone is put away and no one bothers me? Those are things I’m doing anyway and changing the focus from just me to me and Christ can absolutely change the trajectory of my day.
And while sometimes that may feel like “checking a box,” it’s better than not doing it at all. And I’ve learned that He honors even small efforts.
In my personal experience, I think the listening part of the pattern is the hardest. It requires me to quiet my mind, put down my phone, and push past the noise of life and self-doubt—so I can hear those sounds of peace. The temple is a great place to do that. So is being out in nature. But, even in those quiet places, it takes effort. If I’m not deliberately trying to quiet my mind to listen, the noise in my brain can easily drown out the sounds of peace.
In the Old Testament, Isaiah calls Christ the Prince of Peace. And it is through Him that we find the peace our souls long for.
Just like that steep mountain trail, peace often requires us to keep climbing—but if we stay the course, we’ll hear the sounds of peace. Not just in stillness, but in the midst of the struggle.
And those sounds—His peace—can carry us through anything.
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PEACE IN CHRIST MUSIC VIDEO
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ORIGINAL ACTIVITY PAGE
These
activity sheets are designed to print double-sided and cut in half.
They're perfect for reviewing or introducing the content found in the
Come, Follow Me reading each week and would be great used in a classroom
or home setting. I have no children at home, nor do I have a calling
working with youth, so I copy these to be handed out with the sacrament
programs each week. Kids, teens, and adults enjoy them...especially when it's a word search!
THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITY SHEET LINK (in case it's not showing below)
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Be sure to come back every week for a new Come, Follow Me activity page and other resources.
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