President Russell M. Nelson’s message of hope during the coronavirus outbreak went viral on YouTube after its release on March 14, and on Sunday evening was the #1 trending video on YouTube.
According to the Deseret News, as of March 15, the video received 2.7 million views across several platforms.
Today, the video has approximately 1.5 million views on Facebook, 1.2 million views on YouTube, 394,000 views on the prophet’s Instagram account, and over 290,000 views on the Church’s Instagram account.
In his message, President Nelson shared that he is praying for those who have been affected by the coronavirus and that he is certain Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ, are watching over all of us. He also encouraged Latter-day Saints to obey God’s laws.
"I remain optimistic for the future. I know the great and marvelous blessings that God has in store for those who love Him and serve Him. I see evidence of His hand in this holy work in so many ways. So, during these uncertain times, be comforted by this promise from the Savior. He said, 'I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say' (D&C 82:10). I promise you that joy is always within the reach of everyone who will hear Him and obey His laws.”
Nelson’s message impacted both members and nonmembers alike, his voice one of calm and assurance during a time of uncertainty. Here are a few favorite responses from those viewers on YouTube. Responses have been edited for clarity.
Nancy Pluim: Thank you for your words of encouragement at this hard time in our world. When you said the 3 little words, “I LOVE YOU,“ I felt the truthfulness in those words. You meant it from your soul to ours, and I felt it ever so much. Thank you, Mr. Nelson, from the depths of my heart. Blessings to you. Words to live by as we need them right now.
Yeetus Deleteus: I’m very religious, however I’m Baptist, but this is a very heartwarming message that is very powerful and comforting in a time like this.
Pererau: He is 95 years old—clearly the target age for the new disease—and HE is praying for ME. I hope to be half the man he is one day.
Ihardage89: I haven’t been to sacrament in a while. I needed this message. I'm coming back, Lord.
A Stranger Here: I haven't been active LDS or very religious at all for many years but I gotta say this is one occasion when I can't help but feel this man is inspired.
TheVideoKid782: Never thought a church would be #1 on trending, but this is amazing.
Ninjaxorgmail: I haven't been in the depths of despair while facing this situation, but I have had a little anxiety/uneasiness with it all. Watching this gave me much needed clarity and confidence to seek inspiration and do as the Lord directs!
Minh Sen: You're cool. I am not Mormon, but your message is sincere. God bless you.
Alan Vargas: I'm atheist, but I like his optimism.
Missed the Band Wagon: Both my parents are older, and I have an auto-immune disease, so I greatly appreciated this message of hope from our Prophet.
Paige 1996: I’m a Christian but not a Mormon, but this is a message I feel helps many feel less anxious and more safe.
Asif Talpur: I'm a Muslim. Thank you for this. May God bless you all.
Phage ling: My daughter says, “I like that you are praying for people even if it could happen to you. I’ll pray for you.” It’s amazing that these hard times are what bring us to God!
Leilani Hyten: His voice calms me, and when he told us he loves [us] at the end of the video I knew everything is going to be alright.
OcculiMortis: That is so awesome. I left the Church many years ago, but to hear the church prophet deliver a message like this in a time of strife, way cool.
Sosvenezuela: This was a beautiful message. I’m a devout Catholic but I resonate completely with the message of hope and love that was shared. Many blessings to all and stay safe 🙏🏻🙏🏻
The Clark Channel: I'm Jewish, and I hope it's okay I took comfort in this video. Exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you, may you stay healthy.❤️ Thank you for bringing some light in this world.
Nassir Notta: I am not Christian, but this was a good message spreading hope to everyone during this time. Thank you, brother.
Read more responses from viewers on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' YouTube channel.
