2020 has been an interesting year worldwide. However there have been many blessings that have come from the necessity to stay home. Here in Utah we’ve had the pandemic, earthquakes, rioting in downtown Salt Lake City – something I don’t ever recall happening at this level of violence, wind storms, and one of the most controversial elections in US history!

Through all this, we have been greatly blessed. Thankfully we survived the toilet paper scarcity. Normally I keep a couple extra packages from Costco on hand. But the pandemic caught us off guard and we only had one and a half of those big packages. I knew we would be fine even for two or three months, however when the hoarding went on for weeks, I began to get concerned. I even ordered some in bulk online, not realizing it was coming from China!!! Luckily it never arrived, and Amazon refunded my $85. Since that time, we have gone through our food and necessity storage and responsibly bought the things we need to last more than two or three months. If there were only a few items left on the grocery store shelf, I took one and left the other for someone else.

Each time I tried to panic, I felt nothing but peace.

Panic for the pandemic = Peace

Panic for the earthquakes = Peace

Panic for the riots = Peace

Panic for the wind storms = Peace

Panic for the elections = Peace

I then wondered why? Why have I been blessed with Peace during such turbulent times? Because we were pretty much prepared to hunker down, we didn’t have to panic. We had the necessities needed to weather the storms, and what a blessing it has been!

One of my favorite quotes is from Harold B. Lee:

“America Will Not Fail: Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail. This is the cradle of humanity, where life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of the New Jerusalem. This is the place that the Lord said is favored above all other nations in all the world. This is the place where the Savior will come to His temple. This is the favored land in all the world. Yes, I repeat, men may fail, but this nation won’t fail. I have faith in America; you and I must have faith in America, if we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are living in a day when we must pay heed to these challenges. “I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. This is the favored land. This is the land of our forefathers. It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through. President Harold B. Lee, 1974 Ye are the Light of the World, pp. 350-351

So as I began to think about Christmas, and neighbor gifts, I wanted to give the gift of Peace. In so doing, this will be a different gift from any other we’ve ever given. Two rolls of Costco toilet paper, a packet of cleaning wipes, and a bottle of hand sanitizer! All wrapped up as cute as I could make it!

May we all think of ways to “Give Light” and share Peace this 2020 Christmas Season!!!

Love,

Les

Life