Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — The newest apostle for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles sees the pain in the world, but they are optimistic about the future.
"They understand the plan, God's plan for us ... that his son, our Savior, has taken care of everything for us. So everything that they see, even the worst things around the world, they see in that context. And that brings an extraordinary stability ... to their deliberations," Elder Patrick Kearon said.
He said optimism is contagious. Elder Kearon said contextualizing the disasters in the world within God's plan helps with the optimism.
"We're children of God, daughters of God's, sons of God," he said. "We're here to learn. Well, that's enormously comforting, and we know that we get to go home and get a welcome that we can't even imagine."
Elder Kearon was called to the post on Dec. 7, to fill the vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles left by President M. Russell Ballard, who passed away less than a month earlier. At 62, Elder Kearon is the youngest apostle in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
He spoke with members of the media Tuesday about his new position in the church.
An overwhelming call
"I don't know that there are words that can describe how overwhelming, just utterly overwhelming, that was," Elder Kearon said, regarding his recent call to be an apostle.
He said getting that call and heading to Hawaii to speak at a Brigham Young University-Hawaii graduation was dizzying, but being with students "felt healing."
The overwhelming feeling, he said, has somewhat subsided, but there's still a long way to go. As he deals with daunting feelings, Elder Kearon said he has learned, again, that thinking of others and their needs — rather than how overwhelmed he feels — helps him feel better.
"I've discovered that as the antidote to my consuming sense of lack and so I want to do more of that, and look out more and be better, be more considerate of others," he said.
Before receiving the appointment, Elder Kearon said he and his wife were discussing whether they would return to England or stay in Utah after his release from the Seventy, from which members get released at the age of 70. Now that decision is made, since a position in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a lifelong calling. They will live in Utah and travel throughout the world, he said.
As I spoke with media this morning about my recent call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I felt great peace as I shared feelings of gratitude for our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ.
— Patrick Kearon (@PatrickKearon) January 24, 2024
My hope is that each of us… pic.twitter.com/9ZQz9Oynd5
An example of compassion
Elder Kearon said he wishes the gospel taught in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints could be taken everywhere in the world. He said starting with "love thy neighbor as thy self" could make a big difference in current issues.
"Imagine the peace that would follow, the calm that would ensue. The healing that would be brought, and the joy beyond that," he said. "That would be my wish. But, oh my goodness ... that's a big ask. But we're all going to keep trying.
"As I think of turmoil around the world, and there's certainly turmoil around the world, I wish that the gospel that we believe in, the teachings of Jesus Christ, could be taken to the whole world and adhered to, and followed."
Elder Kearon said he has seen how compassion can change lives and the people around him. He said the Savior is the "ultimate example" of compassion — Jesus Christ is an example of building bridges, and members should follow that example as well.
Compassion "is born of our experiences," Elder Kearon said, noting he has gained more compassion from things he has been exposed to, and he hopes those experiences give him insight into the lives of others who face even greater loss.
"It's hard for us to have a complete understanding of things that we haven't experienced. So we have to work at understanding those things," he said.
Future of the church
Elder Kearon said there is a phenomenon of people leaving churches and not desiring organized religion, and the job of church members is to help people in that position understand who they are.
"Our job is probably to connect them, help them find the stepping stones that connect them with their Father in Heaven and Savior," he said, adding that members are the source of peace and comfort, and connecting people with God can help them get over mistrust of religious institutions.
"Of course there are more coming back all the time, and more coming for the first time as well. But we can get more of them coming back, and more of them coming for the first time," Elder Kearon said.
For anyone struggling with the church's history, he said there are more resources than ever before and more people working to understand the context of historical events. He said the Joseph Smith Papers are one example.
However, Elder Kearon said there will still likely be unanswered questions.
"If we return to faith, do our best with history, but return to faith ... the peace that our core belief in Jesus Christ, in his Father, our loving Father in Heaven, and, yes the Restoration, too, well, I can attest that there are blessings in that, and they've blessed me," he said.
Elder Kearon said the church is also putting more resources in helping missionaries deal with mental health, including more service mission options available, which can help those unprepared to serve a proselyting mission. He said fewer missionaries are coming home due to emotional issues.
