Saturday, September 8, 2018

Elder Quentin L. Cook on seeking safety in a troubled world

Elder Quentin L. Cook (b. 1940) was called as a Seventy in 1996, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2007.
"As we met with the families in Samoa [following a devastating tsunami that occurred there in September 2009], the significance of spiritually going to the higher ground, living a better life, and clinging to saving ordinances was abundantly clear. The Savior’s example and life teach us to spiritually avoid the low pathway, where the things of this world dominate. As I shook hands with the members after our meeting, one sister told me her family had not been to the temple and they had lost a daughter. She tearfully said their goal now was to prepare themselves for the sacred ordinances of the temple so they can be together eternally.
"As I have pondered what this sister said and the current condition of the world, I have felt an urgency to counsel each of us to seek the higher ground—the refuge and eternal protection of the temple."
- Quentin L. Cook, "We Follow Jesus Christ," General Conference April 2010
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

In times of trial and difficulty, particularly when we lose those who are close to us in the midst of a disaster, accident, or even the normal course of life—those are times when the vision of eternity and the understanding of Gospel promises can have a powerful impact in our lives. Elder Cook experienced that as he interacted with many of the Saints who had gone through profound challenges. He summarized the perspective of what he learned in these words:


With that urgent counsel from an apostle of the Lord, we should be seeking "the refuge and eternal protection of the temple" in every opportunity we can. Our lives will certainly be blessed as we spend time in quiet contemplation, away from the world's cares, and especially as we ponder the perspective provided through sacred ordinances and through the teachings of the Lord's House.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

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