“Finding Personal Peace”

Last updated on August 21st, 2023 at 10:19 pm

General Conference Applied

S1 E4 – Sunday, August 20, 2023 | “Finding Personal Peace” by President Henry B. Eyring; April 2023 General Conference

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Introduction

In each episode of General Conference Applied, we are attempting to answer two questions:

1. What is the speaker asking me to do?
2. What am I going to do about it?

President Eyring seemingly made the answer to the first question pretty easy – after all, the title of his talk was “Finding Personal Peace.” However, as I read and re-read his talk, it became more clear that the “peace” President Eyring was talking about wasn’t what we might think (and what I initially thought).

• Here is the dictionary definition of “peace”:
  • “A state of tranquility or quiet”
  • “Freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions”
  • “Harmony in personal relations”
  • “A state or period of mutual concord between governments”
• Here is President Eyring’s definition of “peace,” straight from passages in his talk:
  • “The gift of peace is given after we have the faith to keep His commandments.”
  • “Those who do not love [God] do not keep His commandments. And so they will not have the gift of peace in this life and in the world to come.”
  • “The Savior’s invitation to come to Him is an offer of peace.”
  • “I pray that you may find peace, help many others to find it, and pass it along.”

As I reviewed President Eyring’s talk, I found myself calling the world’s definition of peace “Terrestrial Kingdom Peace,” while I called President Eyring’s definition of peace “Celestial Kingdom Peace.” “Terrestrial Kingdom Peace” is better than the Telestial World in which we live, but “Celestial Kingdom Peace” is best. Here is a possible definition of personal peace that President Eyring is inviting us to find:

“Personal Peace is the tranquility, quiet, and harmony we feel when we align our will with our Heavenly Father’s will, remain firmly anchored on the covenant path, strive each day to become more like our Savior Jesus Christ, and gather Israel.”

Mitch Peterson

Here is an additional insight. In the October 2017 General Conference, President Eyring delivered an address entitled “Fear Not to Do Good.” This talk had such a profound impact on me that, nearly 6 years later, I can still remember where I was sitting when I watched President Eyring deliver the address. Though I didn’t remember which Conference the talk was given, I knew the talk was delivered during the Sunday morning session of General Conference, because my memory of this talk was in my in-laws’ living room at their previous residence (i.e., we watch the Sunday morning session of each General Conference in my in-laws’ home). From that talk, President Eyring said:

• “Last April, President Thomas S. Monson gave a message that stirred hearts across the world, including mine. He spoke of the power of the Book of Mormon. He urged us to study, ponder, and apply its teachings. He promised that if we dedicated time each day to studying and pondering and kept the commandments the Book of Mormon contains, we would have a vital testimony of its truth, and the resultant testimony of the living Christ would see us through to safety in times of trouble. Like many of you, I heard the prophet’s words as the voice of the Lord to me. And, also like many of you, I decided to obey those words. Now, since I was a young boy, I have felt the witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that the Father and the Son appeared and spoke with Joseph Smith, and that ancient Apostles came to the Prophet Joseph to restore priesthood keys to the Lord’s Church. With that testimony, I have read the Book of Mormon every day for more than 50 years. So perhaps I could have reasonably thought that President Monson’s words were for someone else. Yet, like many of you, I felt the prophet’s encouragement and his promise invite me to make a greater effort. Many of you have done what I did: prayed with increased intent, pondered scripture more intently, and tried harder to serve the Lord and others for Him. The happy result for me, and for many of you, has been what the prophet promised. Those of us who took his inspired counsel to heart have heard the Spirit more distinctly. We have found a greater power to resist temptation and have felt greater faith in a resurrected Jesus Christ, in His gospel, and in His living Church. In a season of increasing tumult in the world, those increases in testimony have driven out doubt and fear and have brought us feelings of peace.”

I find it inspiring that President Eyring, a tremendous disciple of Jesus Christ, but also a very busy man, would heed the counsel of the Lord’s Prophet and take action. So, what does this have to do with the current talk (“Finding Personal Peace”) that we are discussing? Do you remember President Russell M. Nelson’s October 2022 General Conference address (i.e., this was the General Conference immediately preceding the April 2023 General Conference)? It was entitled “Overcome the World and Find Rest.” And in that talk, President Nelson stated:

• “Because the Savior, through His infinite Atonement, redeemed each of us from weakness, mistakes, and sin, and because He experienced every pain, worry, and burden you have ever had, then as you truly repent and seek His help, you can rise above this present precarious world. You can overcome the spiritually and emotionally exhausting plagues of the world, including arrogance, pride, anger, immorality, hatred, greed, jealousy, and fear. Despite the distractions and distortions that swirl around us, you can find true rest—meaning relief and peace—even amid your most vexing problems.”

Did you catch it? President Nelson’s definition of “rest” was “relief and peace.” So, just like I used to do in algebra, I substituted variables, and renamed President Nelson’s October 2022 General Conference address as follows: “Overcome the World and Find Relief and Peace.” That sure is similar to “Finding Personal Peace.” In fact, President Eyring’s definitions of “peace” that I shared earlier tie right in to President Nelson’s message. Thus, it is my personal belief that, once again, President Eyring took action on the prophet’s counsel. What a fantastic example for each of us! And, what an excellent companion guide to our study of “Finding Personal Peace.”

Finally, why, of all things, did President Eyring feel inspired to talk about personal peace? Well, because millions of people are desperately searching for peace and happiness. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland reported: “Dr. Laurie Santos, a professor at Yale University, recently created a class titled Psychology and the Good Life. “The first year the class was offered, nearly [one-quarter] of the [entire] undergraduate student body enrolled.” Over 64 million people then visited her podcast. Writing about this phenomenon, one journalist noted how painful it is to see so many bright, young students—and adults—desperately “looking for something they’ve lost” or, worse yet, longing for something they never had. My plea today to our youth, and to you parents and adults who advise them, is to begin your search for happiness by embracing the bounty we have already received from the giver of every good gift. At precisely the moment many in the world are asking deep questions of the soul, we ought to be answering with the “good news” of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which holds aloft the mission and message of the Savior of the world, offers the most eternally significant way to both find good and do good at such a needful time.” (“Fear Not: Believe Only!“; April 2022 General Conference)

Most Important Quote

“There is an enemy of your soul who does not want you and those you love to find peace. He cannot enjoy it. He works to prevent you from even wanting to find the peace the Savior and our Heavenly Father desire you to have.”

• Why doesn’t the natural man want to seek for peace? Because it’s work.
• I think each of us has an idea of how to achieve “Terrestrial Kingdom Peace.” There is no shortage of information about the powerful effects of silencing notifications, meditation, and adequate sleep, among other topics. These options are better than what the Telestial World has to offer. But, as we established previously, President Eyring is not talking about “Terrestrial Kingdom Peace.” He is talking about “Celestial Kingdom Peace.”
• In “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” President Nelson stated:
  • “Dear brothers and sisters, I grieve for those who leave the Church because they feel membership requires too much of them. They have not yet discovered that making and keeping covenants actually makes life easier! Each person who makes covenants in baptismal fonts and in temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ. Please ponder that stunning truth! The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power—power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way. Those who live the higher laws of Jesus Christ have access to His higher power. Thus, covenant keepers are entitled to a special kind of rest [i.e., relief and peace] that comes to them through their covenantal relationship with God.”
• President Eyring stated: “The gift of peace is given after we have the faith to keep His commandments.” That might be a tough pill to swallow. Why isn’t the path easier? Why does life have to be so hard? Why can’t we just go to our cabin in the mountains or some other exotic locale and live out our life in peace? In early 2010, Elder and Sister Holland visited my mission (Brazil Fortaleza). In that Conference, Elder Holland answered the question – ‘Why is missionary work so difficult?’ His response: ‘Because our Savior’s Atonement was not a cheap experience.’ I think that’s an adequate explanation for why the path is so hard.
• Consider the term “peacemaker” and the Savior’s choice to remain with a people who ended up crucifying Him. Each of us can rest assured that there is One whose path was harder than ours will ever be.
• Finally, let me share three quotes about the importance of resistance and struggle:
  • President Theodore Roosevelt stated: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
  • Author Seth Godin stated: “The Resistance is a symptom that you’re on the right track. The Resistance is not something to be avoided, it’s something to seek out.”
  • Sister Linda S. Reeves taught: “I do not know why we have the many trials that we have, but it is my personal feeling that the reward is so great, so eternal and everlasting, so joyful and beyond our understanding that in that day of reward, we may feel to say to our merciful, loving Father, “Was that all that was required?” I believe that if we could daily remember and recognize the depth of that love our Heavenly Father and our Savior have for us, we would be willing to do anything to be back in Their presence again, surrounded by Their love eternally. What will it matter … what we suffered here if, in the end, those trials are the very things which qualify us for eternal life and exaltation in the kingdom of God with our Father and Savior?” (“Worthy of Our Promised Blessings“; October 2015 General Conference)

Powerful Stories

“Once, I simply asked someone I met on a trip, “Would you tell me a little about your family?” The conversation led me to ask to see a picture of her adult daughter, who she said was struggling. I was struck with the goodness in the face of that girl in the picture. I felt impressed to ask if I could have her email address. The daughter was at that moment lost and wondering if God had any message for her. He did. It was this: “The Lord loves you. He always has. The Lord wants you to come back. Your promised blessings are still in place.”” <Not shared in the podcast episode>

• As discussed, the “peace” President Eyring is talking about in his address is aligning our will with our Heavenly Father’s will and qualifying for a place in the Celestial Kingdom. President Nelson has stated that: “The Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today.” And: “Anytime we do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—to make and keep their covenants with God, we are helping to gather Israel.”

The Best Footnote

Footnote 5: Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” <Not shared in the podcast episode>

Questions for Reflection Asked by the Speaker

None

Action Items

“That which is measured improves. That which is measured and reported improves exponentially.”

Karl Pearson, an early 20th-century British mathematician

“Those who measure their progress improve. Those who measure and report their progress improve exponentially.”

Dan Sullivan, founder and president of The Strategic Coach Inc.

1: “If those who rear [children] and serve them have worked to receive the gift of peace from the Savior, they will, by personal example and effort, encourage the faith of the child to qualify for the supernal gift of peace… It will require the one charged with the child’s care and nurturing to be worthy of the gift of peace.”

2: “[The Lord] is encouraging everyone to help others have opportunities to come unto Him and qualify for that same peace themselves. They, in turn, will choose to seek inspiration to know how they can pass that gift along to others.”

3: “I pray that you may find peace, help many others to find it, and pass it along.”

I have shared what I think the speaker is asking us to do, and I’ll also give some ideas for taking action. It’s then up to you to decide how to take action. Will you enlist the help of an accountability partner this week?

Here are ten ideas for taking action on President Eyring’s invitations:

1. Repent. Have you ever lied to, or tried to hide something from, someone? I have – and it’s not a pleasant feeling. If you have an unresolved sin in your life, I would invite you to schedule a meeting with your Bishop this week. In psychology, the term “cognitive dissonance” is used when an individual acts inconsistently with their values and beliefs. When you don’t do what you know you should do, it invites turmoil in your life, not peace! As President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” (“We Can Do Better and Be Better“; April 2019 General Conference)
2. Feast upon the words of Christ in the scriptures and the General Conference addresses. The prophet Nephi taught: “Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” (2 Nephi 32:3) Our Savior’s mission is our Heavenly Father’s mission – “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39) Rather than turning to social media or other entertainment this week, create a gospel study plan and begin feasting upon the words of Christ everyday.
3. Get in shape. My Stake President is a remarkable man. Early in his service as a Stake President, he lost 50 pounds. Shortly after losing this weight, he told me he was more able to feel the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Our physical bodies are a tremendous gift from our Heavenly Father. When we treat our body with respect, the Lord is pleased with us, and we can feel peace in our lives. What’s stopping you from starting this week to get in shape?
4. Start a gratitude journal this week. What a great way to invite peace, by recognizing how much God is doing for you. Dr. Brené Brown has said: “The relationship between joy and gratitude was one of the important things I found in my research. I wasn’t expecting it. In my 12 years of research on 11,000 pieces of data, I did not interview one person who had described themselves as joyful, who also did not actively practice gratitude. For me it was very counterintuitive because I went into the research thinking that the relationship between joy and gratitude was: if you are joyful, you should be grateful. But it wasn’t that way at all. Instead, practicing gratitude invites joy into our lives.” (I believe it invites peace into our lives as well).
5. Celebrate small wins by writing down at least 3 wins each day (utilize the WinStreak app). Dr. Benjamin Hardy stated: “Writing what you’re grateful for is very powerful. But perhaps even more powerful is writing down specific “wins” you had that day. Writing three wins from the day not only boosts your gratitude but simultaneously boosts your confidence.” When we recognize that the Lord is on our side, then no matter the trials we face in life, we can be at peace.
6. To be “worthy of the gift of peace,” focus more on honoring the covenants you have made with God and aligning your actions with those covenants. Elder Dale G. Renlund taught: “By making and keeping temple covenants, we learn more about the Lord’s purposes and receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost. We receive direction for our lives. We mature in our discipleship so that we do not remain perpetual, unknowing children. Rather, we live with an eternal perspective and are more motivated to serve God and others. We receive increased capacity to fulfill our purposes in mortality. We are protected from evil, and we gain greater power to resist temptation and to repent when we stumble. When we falter, the memory of our covenants with God helps us return to the path… The doctrine associated with these covenants eases our way and provides hope, comfort, and peace.” (“Accessing God’s Power through Covenants“; April 2023 General Conference) As the early lockdowns of the Covid-19 pandemic began to lift and temples began to open back up, my Stake President invited the members of our Stake to always have a temple appointment on our calendars. My life has been richly blessed as I’ve obeyed that counsel. If your recommends have expired, I invite you this week to meet with a member of your Bishopric to renew your recommend. I also invite you to schedule an appointment at the temple this week.
7. To “seek inspiration to know how they can pass that gift along to others,” become an idea machine and come up with 10 ways you can better share the gospel. Then move forward with one of those ways this week. This may not just be sharing the gospel with strangers… Consider how you might better share the gospel as a parent or a sibling, or as a teacher (Primary, youth, or adults). Do those in your jurisdiction understand the peace that gospel living brings into your life? If not, find a way this week to better communicate that peace to them.
8. Get help straight from the source. This week in your gospel study, focus on the topic of “peace” in the scriptures until you feel that you can explain the peace President Eyring is teaching about to a young child. Share how you would explain peace to a young child with your accountability partner.
9. Develop identity-based habits. Author James Clear wrote: “It is a simple two-step process: 1. Decide the type of person you want to be. 2. Prove it to yourself with small wins… Once you have a handle on the type of person you want to be, you can begin taking small steps to reinforce your desired identity. I have a friend who lost over 100 pounds by asking herself, “What would a healthy person do?” All day long, she would use this question as a guide. Would a healthy person walk or take a cab? Would a healthy person order a burrito or a salad? She figured if she acted like a healthy person long enough, eventually she would become that person. She was right.” This week, write in your journal the type of person you want to be, as well as what actions that person would take, and then start doing this yourself immediately. Every day is a new beginning, there’s no reason to delay.
10. Share the gospel. Elder Marcus B. Nash shared: “Joy. Hope. Sustaining power from God. Protection from temptation. Healing. All of these—and more (including forgiveness of sins)—distill upon us from heaven as we share the gospel.” (“Hold Up Your Light“; October 2021 General Conference) This week, develop a plan for sharing the gospel in a more deliberate way. In this digital age, there are countless ways to share the gospel in normal and natural ways. What will sharing the gospel look like for you? *I will take action on this idea this week. I am sharing the gospel in this podcast, but I can do a better job of publicizing this podcast on social media. This week, I will create a social media schedule for General Conference Applied, and I will report back at the start of next week’s episode to let you know how I did.

Be Accountable

If you are married or dating, might I suggest asking your significant other to be your accountability partner? Why? You may recall that exercise where the teacher draws a triangle with the husband, the wife, and the Lord, and as the husband and wife draw nearer to one another, they draw nearer to the Savior. Invitations from General Conference speakers are designed to draw us nearer to Jesus Christ. Thus, it makes sense to me that a husband and wife, or a boyfriend and girlfriend, could take action together and hold each other accountable.

If you aren’t married or dating right now, or if your significant other is not currently interested in being your accountability partner, that’s not a problem! Ask a roommate, a friend, a family member, or you can even ask me to be your accountability partner! I promise I’ll be kind, but I’ll definitely hold you accountable.

Do something, do anything! But to start, just do ONE thing.

Mitch Peterson