From the book “Peace, Essays of Hope and Encouragement” (multiple authors), Jeffrey R. Holland wrote:
Ultimately it is Christ who is beautiful upon the mountain. And it is His merciful promise of “peace in this world,” His good tidings of “eternal life in the world to come” (Doctrine & Covenants 59:23) that make us fall at his feet and call His name blessed and give thanks for the restoration of His true and living Church.
This search for peace is one of ultimate quests of the human soul. We have highs and lows, but such times come and they usually always go. Kind neighbors assist. Beautiful sunshine brings encouragement. A good night’s sleep always works wonders. But there are times in all of our lives when deep sorrow or suffering or fear or loneliness make us cry out for the peace which only God Himself can bring. These are times of piercing spiritual hunger when even the dearest of friends cannot fully come to our aid.
Perhaps you know people in your local ward or your stake—or in your own home—courageous people who are carrying heavy burdens and feeling private pain, who are walking through the dark valleys of this world’s tribulation. Some may be desperately worried about a wife or a husband or a child, worried about their health or their happiness or their faithfulness in keeping the commandments. Some are living with physical pain or emotional pain or disabilities that come with age. Some are troubled as to how to make ends meet financially—and some ache with the private loneliness of a house or an empty room or simply empty arms.
These beloved people seek the Lord and His word with particular urgency, often revealing their true emotions only when the scripture are opened or the hymns are sung or prayers are offered. Sometimes only then do the rest of us realize they feel near the end of their strength—they are tired in brain and body and heart, they wonder if they can get through another week or another day or sometime just another hour. They are desperate for the Lord’s help and know that in such times of extremity nothing else will do.
Well, at least one of the purposes of the teachings of the prophets down through the ages is to declare to these very people that the Lord is equally fervent in trying to reach them, that when there is trouble His hopes, and His striving and His efforts greatly exceed our own and it never ceases.
We have been promised, “He that keepeth [us] will not slumber . . . nor [will he] sleep.” (Psalms 121:3-4.)
~Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught the following under the title “Peace—The Peaceable Things of the Kingdom” (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book 1998) p. 22-23
