I love all of the Apostles, I sustain them with full integrity. I appreciate their service, love, and their messages. However, there has been one that has resonated with me over the years, Jeffery R. Holland.
His testimony and messages over the years have spoken to my soul. His way of speaking, for me, has always had the perfect balance of compassion and admonishment.
In times of struggle and sometimes desperation, his words have inspired me to keep going.
Don’t give up. Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead… It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.
— “An High Priest of Good Things to Come,” Oct. 1999 General Conference
However many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made … I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love.
— “The Laborers in the Vineyard,” Apr. 2012 General Conference
God knows what we do not know and sees what we do not see. If we will be patient and faithful, we can trust that He will give us what we need at the time we need it.
— “Waiting on the Lord,” Oct. 2020 General Conference
Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever.
— “Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders among You,” Apr. 2016 General Conference
In times when I could neither feel Heavenly Father’s love nor even believe in myself, the words of Jeffery R. Holland would often come to my mind, reminding me that the thoughts I was having and the emotions I felt were not true. He taught me that I am better than what I believed in the moment.
He taught me that we are blessed for our desire to be good, even while we are imperfect and still striving to overcome our imperfections. The Lord rewards our desires and multiplies our efforts as we actively try to keep His commandments.
For a time, it seemed to me that Heavenly Father only loved me when I reached some threshold of righteousness that I had placed on myself. If I couldn’t reach that, then I felt Heavenly Father didn’t love me. I would get mad at myself every time I had to repent of something that I had done previously. I couldn’t seem to overcome it and I felt ashamed having to keep going back in prayer and ask for forgiveness. Elder Holland taught me otherwise. He taught me that Heavenly Father loves us unconditionally. There is NOTHING we can ever do to lose that love.
The first great commandment of all eternity is to love God with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength—that’s the first great commandment. But the first great truth of all eternity is that God loves us with all of His heart, might, mind, and strength. – “Tomorrow the Lord Will do Wonders among You”
As near as I can tell, Christ never once withheld His love from anyone, but He also never once said to anyone, ‘Because I love you, you are exempt from keeping my commandments.’ – Speech at BYU Faculty Meeting.
He taught me that the Heavens are cheering me on in all my righteous desires. He taught me that there is help available to all those who make the effort to keep the commandments.
In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil, and you must never forget that. When disappointment and discouragement strike—and they will—you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham’s seed. – “For Times of Trouble”
I am so grateful for his dedication to the Gospel. I’m grateful for the words of Christ spoken through His servant. His words have given me courage and inspiration at times when I desperately needed it to keep going. Thank you, Elder Holland, for helping me.
