Peace In Troubled Times

September 11, 2000 as most of you know, one of the greatest tragedies occurred on the mainland of the United States. Thousands of lives was lost, and thousands were injured. The most important counsel that we can receive this morning, I believe, is three-fold.The first is that there is no reason for us to fear for our lives or the lives of our loved ones if they were not in those towers or the Pentagon. With the exception again of the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, we believe there are no other areas of danger. Second, it is very important that we be respectful of all people. Our Articles of Faith states that we should respect other people’s belief or religion. Islam is not at all related to terrorism. Although few of its members interpret some of its teachings the other way around. Let us be careful in speaking and always be kind in treating people in their beliefs.

Third, the best news of all is the good news. It's the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even though we live in troubled times--and prophets have told us that there will be turmoil in the last days--it is still possible for each of us to obtain peace - to have the peace of the gospel in our lives. We know that this is the most important message we have for the world. We are part of the greatest peaceful mission this earth has ever known. The 60,000 missionaries and 12 million members of the Church has the only message that gives hope for peace. And peace will not come in the lives of people until they have accepted the message of the Lord.

Let us turn to the words of the Savior. At the Last Supper, after finishing the meal, the Savior and his disciples sang the Hallel. The words of the Hallel are from Psalms 113 to 118. Chapters 113 through 116 are sung before the meal, in which they thank God for their deliverance from Egypt; chapters 117 and 118 are sung after the Passover meal. I invite you today to read those chapters in Psalms. Those chapters talk about being saved from death. They talking about the Atonement. And there Jesus is--now with 11 disciples, Judas having left and Jesus knowing where he was going--singing about his own death. He then went on to talk to them about the most precious gift he had to give them. And that gift was the gift of the Holy Ghost. These are his words: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26).And then he said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you" (John 14:27). He knows where he is going, and there is peace in his heart. He knows he is going to the garden, and he is going to the cross. He's telling them he's leaving them his peace."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" (John 14:27).

This is our message this morning. Even when death comes to those we love, we know what lies ahead. We know they're fine. It's those of us who are left behind who are sad. And we know we will see them again. We know we will be with them. When death comes to someone who has the peace of the Holy Ghost inside, it can be sweet, not bitter. Do you understand why you hold the power of peace for the world in your hands? The world depends on you. Many of us have returned from missions; many of our young people will go next year. The world's peace is on our shoulders because you have the only message that gives hope for eternal peace.