Dear Sisters,

I hope that you and your families are all doing well. I want you to know that we as your Relief Society Presidency pray for you and love you. We are here for you. I am grateful for the opportunity to share a message with you today. 

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about light. Specifically the light of the gospel and the light of Jesus Christ. The chaos and uncertainty that we are seeing in the world today is overwhelming. I know we have all felt worried, unsure of what is next, things even may have felt  heavy and dark sometimes. 

Elder Cook said “As Latter Day Saints, we need to do our best to preserve light and protect our families and communities from this assault on morality and religious freedom.” He talked about our responsibility to be “in the world but not of the world.”  I would like to focus on what Elder Cook shared about protecting our families and our communities. It’s funny to me how important it is that we should always just stick to the basic principles of the Gospel when life gets crazy. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is our foundation and keeps us on the right path as we navigate life’s challenges. As families we can seek for light and truth, blocking out what destroys our spiritual development and growth. We have many distractions. If we can simply make time for the things that matter most, we can make our homes holy places that shelter us from evil. Family prayer, scripture study, family history, service, spending time together through FHE and other activities can be powerful sources of strength and protection.

In Matthew 5:16 it reads, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”. We can be a source of light for those around us every day. Elder Cook illustrates how we can protect our communities through two basic principles… Honesty and treating all of God’s children as brothers and sisters. 

Being honest plays a significant role in establishing light and truth and improving our society. He shared how important it is for all voices to be heard. The moral foundation of our doctrine can be a beacon of light to the world and can be a unifying force for both morality and faith in Jesus Christ. Working together with all people of goodwill will help us to preserve light, hope, and morality in our communities.

When we do these simple things, we will be strengthened and be able to face the difficulties that come our way. I’m so grateful for the Savior and the light that He is to the world. I’m thankful for you sisters for sharing your light and love to those around you. It is so important. I pray that you and your families will be blessed as you continue to follow the Savior. May you have peace and comfort in your hearts and in your homes. You are loved! We are always here for you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there is anything that we might be able to do to support you. 

Love, 

Suzy West