The Comforter

"My message to you tonight is that you can and must be an important part of His giving comfort to those who need comfort.  You can play your part best if you know more of how He answers those prayers for help.

Many are praying to Heavenly Father for relief, for help in carrying their burdens of grief, loneliness, and fear.  Heavenly Father hears those prayers and understands their needs.  He and His Beloved Son, the resurrected Jesus Christ, have promised help.

'And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety and I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.'

I have seen that miracle time and time again.  We lighten the loads of others best by helping the Lord strengthen them.  That is why the Lord included in our charge to comfort others the command to be witnesses at all times and in all places.

That is part of the great plan of happiness the Father gave us.  He allowed His Son to provide, by His atoning sacrifice, the hope that comforts us no matter how hard the way home to Him may be.

Only God know hearts, and so only He can say, in truth, "I know how you feel."

I can know only partially how much He feels joy each time you, as His disciple, help Him bring a moment of peace and joy to a child of our Heavenly Father.

I bear my witness that the Lord has asked each of us, His disciples, to help bear one another's burdens.  We have promised to do it.  I bear my testimony that the Lord, through His Atonement and Resurrection, has broken the power of death.  I give my witness that the living Christ sends the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, to those we are pledged to help Him comfort.

His love never fails, and we never will cease to feel in our hearts the urge "to mourn with those that mourn...and comfort those that stand in need of comfort." Nor will the peace He promises ever leave us as we serve other for Him."

By President Henry B. Eyring

First Counselor in the First Presidency

General Women's Meeting