During times of uncertainty — including the current COVID-19 pandemic — Latter-day Saints can receive guidance from the Holy Ghost “that comes with certainty,” said Elder Dale G. Renlund.
“God knows that all of us need personal revelation for our own circumstances,” said the member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Speaking to the Church News as governments across the globe began easing restrictions brought on by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, Elder Renlund said personal revelation enables Latter-day Saints to move forward without fear.
The virus that causes COVID-19 is indiscriminate, he explained. “It is protein and ribonucleic acid. It has no soul, it has no temperament, it has no personality.”
It affects people differently, though often exploiting individual weaknesses such as compromised health conditions and even unknown underlying illnesses.
Because of this, “it is an incomparable blessing that God has blessed us with the opportunity to receive personal revelation so that we, in our different circumstances, can be inspired.”
‘No fear’
While the pandemic has halted economic productivity and social connectivity, the work of the kingdom continues to move forward. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles “are not idle, not sidelined” by the pandemic, he emphasized.
Revelation has been received for the Church through the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, who then acted in unity to protect Latter-day Saints not only in the present pandemic but also to help the Church and its members well into the future.
Because of revelation, the senior leaders of the Church have never expressed fear as the COVID-19 pandemic has affected world populations, said Elder Renlund.
“There is not a hint of fear. Instead, we are asking: ‘How can we do things better? How can we improve? How can we bless our people?’
“There is no fear.”
He said it has been amazing to see the leaders of the Church, “packed with full confidence that the Savior will get us through this. And the only concern is, ‘Are we going to learn what we need to learn?’”
Learn to listen
A former cardiologist who dedicated his medical career to treating the human heart, Elder Renlund compares listening to the Holy Ghost to using a stethoscope.
As a doctor, Elder Renlund had to learn how to use a stethoscope to listen to the heart. Medical mentors taught him to eliminate distractions and ensure the room was quiet, following thorough and consistent patterns. “They put in the work and tuned their ears,” he said.
Members who really want to hear the Holy Ghost also “need to practice hearing,” Elder Renlund explained.
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