Favored of the Lord in All My Days

Understanding the Savior's Compassion and Empathy

Elder Villanueva discusses the Savior's perfect compassion for us, especially when we experience the pain of losing loved ones. He mentions the Savior's empathy for Mary at the death of her brother, Lazarus, and assures us that the Savior understands our sadness and suffering.

I am amazed by the Savior’s compassion and empathy for Mary; He understood the indescribable pain that Mary felt at the death of her brother, Lazarus.

The Savior has perfect compassion for us. He doesn’t fault us for our shortsightedness nor for being limited in visualizing our eternal journey. Rather, He has compassion for our sadness and suffering.

• How does the Savior's compassion and empathy for Mary at the death of Lazarus illustrate His understanding of our pain and suffering?
• What does it mean that the Savior doesn't fault us for our shortsightedness or limitations in visualizing our eternal journey?
• How has the Savior's compassion and empathy helped you in times of loss or suffering?
• What can you do to deepen your understanding of the Savior's compassion and empathy for you in your trials?

Finding Joy in the Focus of our Lives

Elder Villanueva highlights the importance of focusing on God's plan of salvation to find joy in our lives, regardless of our circumstances. He cites President Russell M. Nelson's teaching that our joy is more about the focus of our lives than our life circumstances.

Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, want us to have joy. President Russell M. Nelson has taught: "The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation, … we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives."

• What does President Nelson mean when he says that the joy we feel has little to do with our life circumstances?
• How does focusing on God's plan of salvation help us feel joy?
• How have you experienced joy in your life by focusing on God's plan of salvation?
• What can you do to better focus on God's plan of salvation in your daily life?

Remaining Faithful and Thankful in Trials

Drawing from the experiences of Nephi in the Book of Mormon and a fellow missionary, Elder Villanueva discusses the importance of remaining faithful and thankful in trials, focusing more on our blessings than our problems.

My dear brothers and sisters, how do we react to our afflictions? Do we murmur before the Lord because of them? Or, like Nephi and my former missionary friend, do we feel thankful in word, thought, and deed because we are more focused on our blessings than on our problems?

• What is the significance of Nephi's statement that he was "highly favored of the Lord" despite his many afflictions?
• How does the example of Elder Villanueva's missionary friend illustrate the principle of remaining faithful and thankful in trials?
• How have you experienced the Lord's favor in your life despite your trials?
• What can you do to focus more on your blessings than your problems in times of difficulty?

Serving Others in Times of Difficulty

Elder Villanueva emphasizes the importance of serving others in times of difficulty, citing the example of the Savior ministering to the multitudes after learning of John the Baptist's death. He also quotes President Gordon B. Hinckley's teaching about work, service, and helping others as antidotes for worry, despair, and weariness.

In moments of difficulty and trial, there are few things that bring us greater peace and satisfaction than serving our fellow man.

Jesus Christ showed us that during times of trial and adversity, we can recognize the difficulties of others. Moved with compassion, we can reach out and lift them. And as we do so, we are also lifted by our Christlike service.

President Gordon B. Hinckley stated: "The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best medicine for despair is service. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired."

• How did the Savior demonstrate the importance of serving others in times of difficulty?
• What does President Hinckley's teaching about work, service, and helping others suggest about how we can find peace and satisfaction in our trials?
• How have you experienced peace and satisfaction through serving others in times of difficulty?
• What can you do to better follow the Savior's example of service and ministry in your own trials?

Experiencing God's Love and Comfort in Dark Days

Elder Villanueva testifies of God's love and comfort during his dark days. He emphasizes that our Savior understands our pains and afflictions and wants to ease our burdens and comfort us. He encourages us to follow the Savior's example by serving and ministering to those with greater burdens than our own.

I unite my testimony with those of many other Saints that God is our loving Heavenly Father. I have felt His infinite love during my dark days. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, understands our pains and our afflictions. He wants to ease our burdens and comfort us. We must follow His example by serving and ministering to those with even greater burdens than our own.

• How does Elder Villanueva describe his experience of God's love and comfort in his dark days?
• What does it mean that the Savior wants to ease our burdens and comfort us?
• How have you experienced God's love and comfort in your own dark days?
• What can you do to follow the Savior's example by serving and ministering to those with greater burdens than your own?