The Heavenly Power of Peace

“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 that comes to them through their covenantal relationship with God.” Overcome the World and Find Rest, President Russell M. Nelson, October 2022.

I was born in the Covenant. My parents, Jeff and Leesa Jensen, were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on September 7, 1972, and I was born in August 1975.  I was the second born of seven children. To say that our home was a circus growing up is unkind to the good people who work in the circus. From an early age, my parents taught me the gospel of Jesus Christ and instilled in me, by their words and their examples, the importance in doing my part to build up the Kingdom of God on earth.

As a young man, I served a mission in St. Petersburg, Russia. In the early spring of 1995, I received an evening phone call from my mission president.  Such a call was very unusual. My mission president called to tell me that he had just talked to my parents.  He had bad news for me.  He told me that my father, then age 42, had cancer and that he was undergoing radiation treatments and that my parents and the mission president thought I should know. I did not sleep that night. Worry clouded my mind for several fitful days and more sleepless nights.

My dad and I, MTC

After the torturous couple of days, I was doing my morning scripture study and turned to John chapter 14 verse 27 and I read, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” The words of John gave me unspeakable peace. I knew that my loving Heavenly Father had heard my prayers, that He knew my need, and had blessed me with peace and comfort. My father continued his cancer treatments and survived! I was so happy.

As my mission concluded, I returned home. Shortly after returning home, my dad let us know that he had been to the doctor for a cancer check up and that his cancer had returned. His cancer treatments this time were much more extensive. He was treated with chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant and after about a year, he was pronounced cancer free, again. He had survived. What a huge relief.

My life continued on. I was married to my dear wife, Tami Jensen, in January 1999 and I graduated from Brigham Young University in December 1999.  We then moved to attend law school in Madison, Wisconsin in August 2000.

On April 19, 2002, I received another phone call. This time my mom was calling. She called to tell me that my dad was unconscious with an infection in his heart and that he was in the hospital. She tearfully told me that the doctors and nurses insisted that any family members who wanted to say their goodbyes should come immediately.   We booked a flight that night and arrived in Utah the morning of Saturday April 20, 2002.  Not a good day. We spent the entire day at the hospital at my dad’s bedside, who was still unconscious. At 4 a.m. on Sunday April 21, 2002, the hospital called to tell us that my dad’s vitals had crashed and we rushed to his bedside to say our final goodbyes. He died that day at age 49.

My range of emotions included sadness, anger, deep grief, and a feeling of unfairness. Mixed in with those emotions, and more powerful than all of them, surprisingly, was PEACE!  The words of John came back to me in a rush, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27.

The reward given to me by God for my parents’ temple sealing and for the temple covenants that I had made was the heavenly power of peace. That power was there immediately in my moment of urgent need. That power has continued with me. President Henry B. Eyring has said, “It is through the sealing covenants in the temple that we can receive the assurance of loving family connections that will continue after death and last for eternity.” All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants, April 2024.

I miss my father often.  I miss him when we go to a football game or watch a funny movie. I miss him when one of my children graduates from high school, goes on a mission, or gets married. I miss him when I need advice. Though the feeling of loss continues after all of these years, the power of peace pierces the pain and replaces the loss with my sure witness that my father is a ministering angel to me and my family and that through our temple covenants and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I will see my father again!