I have been anti-news for years. With all that is happening in the world, I have recently found myself drawn to it. As I have been paying more attention to the news my entire being has began to fill with uncertainty and fear. I have let my feelings lean towards disappointment and dread towards the world we live in. At a glance, the universe seems to be in complete disarray!!!

What are some of the issues that have caused me to feel this way....

Last week my favorite self-help and marriage coaches announced they are getting divorced. I don't typically put too much thought into the circumstances people I don't actually know find themselves in. I, however, feel heartbroken for the Hollis couple and their adorable family. They have blessed the lives of thousands and, in my opinion, have let the desire to be famous get in the way of using their own valuable advice. Right after my son Riley came home from his mission, JD and I were arguing about something. Riley is usually pretty quiet but he walked up to us and said,"do you know what your problem is, it is pride. The downfall of every story that we read in the Book of Mormon started with pride." I did not believe that the problem I was having at the moment was pride. JD not seeing things my way was the problem LOL. The following week, in one of my classes we were asked to read a talk, Beware of Pride. With each word I read, I knew my issue was pride. The Hollis family does not know me and they will never spend a single day thinking about me. Nevertheless, I, like countless others, have come to love and admire them. Over the last few years my life has been blessed by their advice and goodness. I am a better person and live a better life because of the facade they portrayed and the guidance they provided. I wish with all my heart that they would put pride and fame aside and focus on saving their beautiful family. It is clear they know what the steps are to having a successful life and marriage. It is too bad that they became too busy/distracted supporting the rest of the world that they couldn't find the time to use the counsel they lovingly, freely and willingly shared for themselves!

Author Rachel Hollis announces she and her husband are ending their marriage

I am sad for all the police who go to work every day and fight to protect our rights and freedom, and yet have entire communities hating them. A month ago the police officers were looked at as essentials and heroes we revered during the coronavirus, and now they fear for their lives when they walk out the door to work.

Following the George Floyd killing, numerous communities have erupted into turmoil and they are being destroyed. I believe black lives matter, the same as I believe that all lives matter.

I may be naive, but I feel that when I am not watching the news and media the racial problem no longer exists. One of my daughters' best friends has a black father. I stood in line at the drivers license bureau the other day and people of all ethnicities were in line talking and communicating with one another as if they were lifelong friends. I needed help at the store the other day, and an African-American kid came up and helped me as if he had known me for years, I was thankful for his kindness.

When I am participating in normal day-to-day living, the world seems like a safe and happy place to live. The moment I turn on the news, I worry if it possible to say enough prayers to make a difference; with all the pain and suffering that is happening from this crazy experience we all call human existence. As I contemplated this question this morning, I remembered our family discussion from Come Follow Me, Alma 8-12. As we look at chapter 9 we come across the word REMEMBER over and over. God's goodness and His ability to save is being pointed out ubiquitously. As we read the story of Alma and Amulek, we find many facets of the story that are disturbing. The city is full of chaos and disarray. Yet if we look between the verses of this story, we find God's grace in the details.

Daxon pointed out during our discussion that we often point out that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. He stated how important it is that we keep our focus on Christ as we study and learn. The story is great, but we must continually find Christ in the WHY. He pointed out that President Nelson has often emphasised the importance of keeping our focus on the Savior over the last few years, starting with our name change from Mormon, to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Daxon said, "when we build an arch, it really does not matter which part we remove, it will collapse inward. The other parts of our arch can be our covenants, faith, testimony of the Atonement, priesthood, prayer, church attendance, etc. Christ is in the middle and when one part falls, Christ is in the middle to rebuild/lift it. He is the center, He must be our focus."

I love the talk given by Elder Bednar, Seek Learning by Faith. In it he comments, "the faith of a true disciple is focused upon, and rooted in, the Savior and Redeemer, even the Lord Jesus Christ." It is so easy for me to have faith when life is easy and all is well. It is when life tosses me a curveball that I have to check myself and do the things necessary to feel the guidance of the Spirit. I have learned from experience that difficult times are made worse without the influence of the Spirit.

Elder Bednar also tells us that, "A disciple recognizes that faith in the Savior is a spiritual gift and appropriately seeks for that gift in his or her life." This gift has been a blessing to me many times throughout my life. There are times when I have felt fear from living in these "troubled and turbulent times." (Bednar) Without fail, I have found that as I turn to the Lord in prayer, my soul is filled with an added measure of faith. It is a strength beyond my own, and it sustains me. I recognize this as a gift from my Father in Heaven and I thank Him for the many times He has brought peace to my life. I am thankful for the gift of faith and I pray that I can REMEMBER, in those moments when I start to feel fear, that Christ is in the details of our lives and the world around us.