The “fondest desire” of Sunday School General President Mark L. Pace’s heart is that Latter-day Saints will increasingly come unto Christ through scripture study.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do so, the Holy Ghost will speak to them, both through feelings of peace and comfort and through inspired thoughts that come into their minds.

“It has been a delight, and we’re grateful for that experience every time we read the scriptures,” President Pace said.

His promises came during a BYU–Pathway Worldwide devotional broadcast on Tuesday, March 28.

He was joined by his wife, Sister Anne Marie Pace, and three current BYU-Pathway students identified as Jon, Lyla and Indee. Together, they studied Matthew 14, which includes the beheading of John the Baptist, Jesus feeding the 5,000 and the people healed by touching Jesus’ clothing.

Sister Pace noted that Jesus was probably grieving the death of His cousin John the Baptist, and when He went to a “place apart,” He might have been seeking a quiet place to be alone.

Despite this, when the multitudes followed Him, “He’s moved with compassion,” Sister Pace said. “Even though He’s tired and had other plans, He stops and heals them.” Later, Jesus tells the crowd they don’t have to leave, and He feeds them with only five loaves and two fishes.

Jon said these stories make him think about how service can become a source of healing throughout trials.

“And somehow … the miracle right there is that, even though we are thinking about other people, it’s still helping us,” Jon said. “We are healing in that process as well.”

President Pace added that the miracle of Jesus feeding the multitudes shows how “we give what we have, and He makes it enough and more — 12 baskets more.”

Sunday General President Mark L. Pace speaks during a BYU–Pathway Worldwide devotional broadcast on Tuesday, March 28, 2023.

Screenshot, byupathway.org

The group next read the story of Jesus and Peter walking on water. Sister Pace highlighted how Peter had an “energy” and “excitement” to join Jesus on the water, but as soon as he took his eyes off the Savior, he began sinking.

“He notices the boisterous wind and the waves. And I think that happens a lot to me in life, to a lot of us,” Sister Pace said. “If we take our focus off the Savior, we see what’s happening in the world around us.”

President Pace said Jesus came to His disciples in the fourth watch, during the darkest part of the night — after His disciples had been toiling and struggling for hours, and perhaps thought He wasn’t coming.

But He came, President Pace emphasized.

“I think when we are dealing with challenges in our families or in our individual lives, we can remember that Jesus is the God of the fourth watch,” he said. “And He comes. He comes.”

President Pace concluded the group’s study by sharing an impression that had never occurred to him before: all of the miracles in Matthew 14 happened because people sought the Savior.

“The miracle of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice in our lives continues to bless us, and it blesses us as we seek Him,” he said.