An Extraordinary Year

I was struck by something that President Nelson said in general conference as I reread his opening message yesterday. As he concluded he stated, “My dear brothers and sisters, this conference will be magnificent. This year will be extraordinary as we focus intently on the Savior and His restored gospel.” For the world in general, the year is certainly not being described as extraordinary (assuming that we imply something very positive by the word, which President Nelson clearly did). With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting just about every aspect of our life, it is a year that most people are longing to be done with. In addition to the countless people affected by the sickness directly, with hundreds of thousands who have died because of it and many others seriously ill, the side effects of the efforts to prevent it have been devastating to so many financially, emotionally, and logistically. The stress level of many has reached an all-time high as all sense of normalcy has disappeared and so much about the future is uncertain. In addition to this, the social unrest here in the United States has escalated to record levels and the natural disasters from fires to hurricanes which threaten lives right now have added one more reason for people to simply wish that 2020 would just go away! But, for those of us who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must believe the words of our prophet: if we focus on the Savior and his gospel, this year should be for us extraordinary in the best sense of the word. We must not let the events of this year ruin our rejoicing over the 200^th anniversary of the First Vision when God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to the boy Joseph Smith and ushered in the Restoration.

               Oddly enough, as I pondered this, I though of the story of the Grinch. The Grinch did everything he could do destroy Christmas by taking away their things, stealing trees and presents and food from the Whos in Whoville. Though he as successfully in removing all material items related to Christmas from the people, he failed in interrupting their rejoicing over the holiday: “He stared down at Whoville! The Grinch popped his eyes! Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise! Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small, Was singing! Without any presents at all! He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same! And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow, Stood puzzling and puzzling: ‘How could it be so? It came with out ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags!’” I feel that that should be our attitude as disciples of Christ in a year when we may feel like COVID-19 and other events have taken everything from us. Though our lives have been drastically disrupted by all that is happening in the world, it need not stop our rejoicing over the Savior, His Gospel, and this bicentennial year where we thank the Lord for the Restoration.  

This reminds me of this powerful statement from President Nelson: “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.” He continued in the same talk, “When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation… and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy. We feel it at Christmastime when we sing, ‘Joy to the world, the Lord is come.’ And we can feel it all year round. For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy!” So for us, in these tumultuous times, we must learn to focus not on what has changed or what we are suffering but rather on the Savior Himself. That was President Nelson’s promise: this year will be extraordinary for us if “we focus intently on the Savior and His restored gospel.” We can say as Job, who lost so much of material possessions during his trials: “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed by the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Indeed, blessed be the name of our God for the marvelous gift of His Son and the Restoration of the gospel in these latter days to guide us through whatever trials we may face. Though there is indeed much “sorrow because of death and destruction among men,” we can instead focus on our “joy because of the light of Christ unto life” (Alma 28:14).