Elder Neil L. Andersen on being a peacemaker

Elder Neil L. Andersen (1951- ) served as a Seventy beginning in 1993, and was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2009.

"The Sermon on the Mount is a message for all but was specifically given to the Savior’s disciples, those who had chosen to follow Him.

"The Lord taught how to live, then and now, in a contemptuous world. 'Blessed are the peacemakers,' He declared, 'for they shall be called the children of God.' (Matthew 5:9)

"By the shield of our faith in Jesus Christ, we become peacemakers, quenching—meaning to calm, cool, or extinguish—all the fiery darts of the adversary.

"As we do our part, His promise is that we will be called the 'children of God.' Every person on earth is the 'offspring' of God, but to be called the 'children of God' means much, much more. As we come unto Jesus Christ and make covenants with Him, we become 'his seed' and 'heirs of the kingdom,' 'children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters.'

"How does a peacemaker calm and cool the fiery darts? Certainly not by shrinking before those who disparage us. Rather, we remain confident in our faith, sharing our beliefs with conviction but always void of anger or malice."

- Neil L. Andersen, "Following Jesus: Being a Peacemaker," General Conference April 2022, Saturday morning

Click here to read or listen to the full discourse

 

Elder Andersen began has talk by observing how confrontational and antagonistic our world has become, and how those emotions are magnified by social media. It's a very real concern, one that many of us confront regularly. How does one accept the Savior's invitation to become a "peacemaker" in this troubled world?

The Gospel is a plan for happiness, and confrontation drives happiness away. Satan delights in causing disputes, bitterness, anger, and jealousy. As we carefully and faithfully live Gospel principles, we will be prepared to "quench" those "fiery darts" that are directed at us. And the blessings that will follow include the promise of being "children of God" in very rich and meaningful ways.

 

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2022)