D&C 59:23: But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come. In D&C 14:7 the Lord states that eternal life is the greatest of all gifts of God. While a never-ending life of the quality lived by our Heavenly Father certainly excels above all other gifts, yet we live now, in the turmoil of this world, surrounded by selfishness, immorality, greed, envy, pain, corruption and war, and we think of rewards like financial security, health, friends, recognition and other worldly achievements. While we are grateful for these, the fact is, that all these may fail. The stock market may crash, our financial reserves may become worthless, we may suddenly discover that we have cancer, our friends may be offended by some misunderstanding and never talk to us again. No worldly rewards carry a guarantee of permanence.
On the other hand, the Love of our Father in Heaven endures, and if our life- style is such that we can be aware of that love, the peace which results exceeds all understanding. Even when in the hospital, after an automobile crash with a drunken driver, the pain seems unbearable, His peace will assure you of His Love. In John 16:33 Christ states: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Elder Maxwell expressed gratitude for the atoning Sacrifice of the Savior as he responded to his call as an Assistant to the Twelve: “...gratitude, that included in the awesome arithmetic of that atonement are my sins...“. In addition to our sins that sacrifice extends far beyond that: “Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). In Him we shall have peace, because He has overcome the world, and if we trust in Him, through Him, so will we.
Two examples of very personal experiences. Around the turn of the Century, I had quadruple bypass surgery. During the surgery my lungs collapsed, and they had to be reinflated. In addition, much liquid had accumulated in my abdomen, and that had to be drained. As I came out of surgery, I had wires and tubes coming out of my body everywhere, and the only way I was able to be reasonably painless was not to move anything. The only thing moving was my brain. I began to think about members of my family and friends who had influenced my life. It was a wonderful trip through choice memories, and as I thought of those many people, on by one, and thanked my Heavenly Father for their influence on my life, I felt such a sweet, warm feeling in my heart.
The second experience relates to my time in the military. My father had served in the German Army. During basic training the officers had noticed innate leadership abilities, undoubtedly the result of leadership opportunities in Church service. They urged him to apply for officer training school. Shortly after their marriage in 1931, mother and dad had attended several Nazi Party rallies before Hitler came to power, and they had decided that the NSDAP program simply was not compatible with the Gospel. So, Dad, while willing to serve his country, did not want to serve in a leading capacity for a government opposed to gospel principles. He therefor declined the invitation and requested a transfer to the medical corps.
Our family prayed consistently for his safety, but when he was with us on leave, I do not remember him praying for protection, rather, he prayed to be kept from having to kill. With that background, it should be obvious that I was not comfortable in the atmosphere of learning to kill prevalent in my basic training.
While teaching us bayonet techniques, the drill sergeant would shout: “What’s the Spirit of the Bayonet?”, we were expected to answer: “to kill”, the sergeant would follow up with: “and what are you?” with our reply: “killers”. On one occasion, during a night firing demonstration, I was near the first on the firing line, and then moved far into the woods nearby. I took off my helmet and my back pack, and the , leaning on my rifle, I knelt and opened my heart to my Heavenly Father. I will never forget the sweet peace which filled my heart as my Father assured me of his love confirming that I was a son of Heavenly Parents.
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