Brothers and sisters – I would like to apologize for my selfishness. When we speak in the different wards, we usually take return missionaries with us. When not enough are available, we assign auxiliary leaders from the stake. Ashley is the YSA rep for our stake. Since she is being married next month it was the last change I had to speak with her and I jumped at the chance.
She has spent some time speaking about one of my hero’s – what took place is the Liberty Jail and the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith isn’t only amazing but inspirational for all of us as recipients of His service.
A week and a half ago was the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in New York City, I think all of us would agree that the world in many ways has changed since that dreadful day. It doesn’t take much research to see that there are many problems and challenges facing society, politically, economically and in many cases the basic deterioration of the core values God has given us. On occasions it’s easy for many of us find ourselves participating in a self inflicted pity party. Not that our trails or hardships are not real or seemingly overwhelming at times, the pity comes from our inability to handle or deal with those challenges. The past few years, for a number of reasons, have probably been the most challenging of my life. Despite that, in many ways the Lord has given me more opportunities and continues to bless me more than I deserve.
The late - Elder Neal A. Maxwell -
Trying to comprehend the trials and meaning of this life without understanding Heavenly Father’s marvelously encompassing plan of salvation is like trying to understand a three-act play while seeing only the second act. Fortunately, our knowledge of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement helps us to endure our trials and to see purpose in suffering and to trust God for what we cannot comprehend.
Brothers and Sisters – I won’t attempt to compare my trails to those of our Savior or millions of others faithful saints throughout history. Indeed we are a blessed generation. There are many examples from the scriptures that can help us better understand our trails and find the strength to weather them.
One such example is Joseph whom was sold into Egypt – If anyone had the right to throw a pity party it was him. What had he done wrong to deserve the trails he endured? Sold as a slave by his brothers, falsely accused by his master’s wife, thrown into prison, he endured years of suffering and affection. Despite these things he rose to the highest possible stations he could in each circumstance – finally becoming the second most powerful man in the greatest nation in the world at that time.
Never did he curse God or fail to remain faithful. Then because of his situation the Lord used him to save his family and raise a promised people.
Job suffered the lost of all that he owned, his family was destroyed, he was forsaken by his friends, but he remained faithful and continued to praise God.
As we understand our Heavenly Fathers eternal will - not only does it help us get through our trails, but we know that they are part of the plan.
Elder Maxwell -
So often in life a deserved blessing is quickly followed by a needed stretching. Spiritual exhilaration may be quickly followed by a vexation or temptation. Were it otherwise, extended spiritual … immunities from adversity might induce in us a regrettable forgetfulness of others in deep need. The sharp, side-by-side contrast of the sweet and the bitter is essential until the very end of this brief, mortal experience. Meanwhile, even routine, daily life provides sufficient sandpaper to smooth our crustiness and polish our rough edges, if we are meek.
I love Elder Maxwell’s analogies – sandpaper to smooth our crustiness and polish our rough edges. Heaven knows I have my crustiness and rough edges. Our challenge is to use the Saviors sandpaper with all our might to accomplish the end results.
The last verse of Joseph Smith revelation in the Liberty Jail states -
Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.
I like the phrase cheerfully – do all things that lie in our power. The Lord used the phrase cheerfully in the midst of perhaps the Prophet Joseph Smith darkest moment. Do we cheerfully embrace our trials as a blessing to qualify us for exaltation?
Then do we have the faith or assurance to stand still and see the salvation of God.
President Brigham Young said –
“Why should we imagine for one moment that we can be prepared to enter into the kingdom of rest with (Jesus) and the Father, without passing through similar ordeals?”
The degree of our suffering will never match or come close to that of the Savior Jesus Christ, but our testing must be sufficient to exalt. We also know that if we don’t repent that suffering will be eternal and more severe.
The Apostle Paul noted how this process produces a framework for those who have known the “fellowship of [Christ’s] sufferings” (Philip. 3:10). These are they who will have the greatest capacity for endless service, joy, and happiness. Without such we will be unable to become like Christ and our Eternal Father.
I know that on occasions I don’t understand this concept – that in reality my experiences and suffering can increase my capacity to serve, and achieve greater degrees of joy and happiness. Don’t get me wrong, this fact isn’t reason enough for me to pray for more challenges and hardship in my life. Even the Savior himself – during his atoning sacrifice, prayed for relief –Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
The key is our willingness to do the will of the Father no matter how hard the circumstances maybe. This then can give us understanding and the capacity to strengthen others.
The Savior understands all that each of us will ever be required to endure. One of the questions for a member of the Church to attend the temple is: Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ? It’s been my experience that those with the strongest testimonies of this are those that have taken the greatest advantage of its redeeming power.
Jesus’ perfect empathy was ensured when, along with His Atonement for our sins, He took upon Himself much more –
Alma 7:11–12
11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
He took upon Him all our pain, sickness, disappointment – why? That he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people. Simply stated he understands, He descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things”
Another tidbit of that can give us great peace is declared by Isaiah and quoted by Abinadi before King Noah -
And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed?
While he paid the price for each of us – he was able to see those with whom, that sacrifice would be used. Who shall be His seed? He comprehends all things, He understands all things, and He willingly suffered all things. There is nothing we can tell Him about depression that He doesn’t already know – there is nothing of heartache, disappointment, despair, lack of self-confidence or pain that he hasn’t felt to a larger degree than we will ever be required to bare.
This atoning sacrifice and suffering is the greatest event that has or ever will take place.
This past year our stake had a tragic death of one of our young woman, as a neighbor, friend and priesthood leader there is no way I could honestly tell her family that I understand what they have had to and continue to go through. But, the Savior not only felt that pain but can give us the eternal perspective necessary to understand our losses.
Moroni’s words found in Ether 12:6 – can give their family hope for the future.
“After the trial of [our] faith” we receive certain assurances and blessings.
The natural man can’t understand what assurance or blessings could comfort someone through such a loss – but spiritual eyes can see the eternal perspective, and through faith know that God will take care of the righteous.
In Heb. 12:11 The Apostle Paul spoke from considerable personal experience when stating –
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
You and I are not expected to pretend chastening is pleasant, but we are expected to “endure it well” (D&C 121:8). Only afterward is “the peaceable fruit of righteousness” enjoyed by those who have gone through it.
Taking Jesus’ yoke upon us really does help us learn of Him as we personally experience His love for us (see Matt. 11:29). We also come to appreciate more His meekness and lowliness.
One of Satan’s greatest tools is to convince us that our challenges are too difficult or to question why the Savior would allow such a thing to take place. Like the Savior we should pray for assistance and relief, while exercising faith that there is a larger pitcher and accepting that God will, will eventually be done.
When it seem that the darkest moments are upon us – we have the promise that the light of Christ will guide us through.
1 Nephi 17:13
And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.
What an assurance that he will prepare a way before us, and that we will know it is by Him that we are led. What a great promise that He will be our light in darkness.
This scripture is a principle with a promise – it’s tells us what we need to do and then the result of that action. If we keep the commandments he will be our light.
All throughout history God’s people have made covenants and promises with him. If we do our part, we know that the Lord is bound to do His – He is a God of truth, and canst not lie. We have been told in the scriptures that it is an eternal law that the two are connected. More than not the cure to our spiritual difficulties and to have faith that God will see us through our challenges is simple obedience to the counsel we have received.
Over that past few years we have seen a decrease in the activity of our wonderful stake – less members are fulfilling their duties and strengthening those around them. It’s become a conversation with our Bishops and stake counsels. Perhaps the answer is simpler that we can imagine.
President Ezra Taft Benson said,
"Often we spend great effort in trying to increase the activity levels in our stakes. We work diligently to raise the percentages of those attending sacrament meetings. We labor to get a higher percentage of our young men on missions. We strive to improve the numbers of those marrying in the temple. All of these are commendable efforts and important to the growth of the kingdom. But when individual members and families immerse themselves in the scriptures regularly and consistently, these other areas of activity will automatically come. Testimonies will increase. Commitment will be strengthened. Families will be fortified. Personal revelation will flow."
The majority of us here can improve our study of the word of God – Lehi’s dream called it the Iron Rod and it was essential in bringing us to the Love of God. President Benson stated that it is a key element to reactivate those that are not with us on a regular basis. It invited the Spirit to be with us – making it less likely that we could be offended or be swayed by the wind of doctrine or the temptations of the devil.
This concept was also given by President Marion G Romney
"I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. Faith, hope and charity--the pure love of Christ--will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness.
When a man that we sustain as a Prophet, Seer and Revelator gives us a formula for greater peace, joy and happiness – who wouldn’t logically jump at the opportunity to fulfill our part of the promised blessings. I have said on numerous occasions that having the words of the prophets and the spirit of the Lord and influence of the Holy Ghost as part of our being are like have the answers to a test in school before we take it. It is impossible to fail if we simple use them.
This doesn’t mean that our trials will go away – they will just become easier to bear and we will see the light of Christ at the end of the darkest tunnels. This took place for Alma’s people as they were in bondage to the Lamanites.
Mosiah 24:13-14
And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
What greater assurances do we need – than the Lord promising us that he will not forsake us, that he will visit us in our afflictions? But their part was that they had made covenants and were keeping them. Just a few moments ago we renewed our covenants that we made in the waters of baptism. Did we literally think of the Savior and the Atonement during that process – did we recommit ourselves to do our part no matter what the cost. Temptation and failure our part of our reality. But the Savior has provided the way to repent and be forgiven
C. S. Lewis has said –
Only those who resist temptation really understand the power of temptation. Because Jesus resisted it perfectly, He understood temptation perfectly; hence He can help us.
I heard the analogy once – that if we don’t feel the wind of temptation in our faces, we’re probably are walking in the wrong direction.
Jesus Christ, who suffered the most, has the most compassion—for all of us who suffer so much less. He who suffered the most has no self-pity! Even during His suffering associated with the Atonement, He reached out to others in their need. Consider how, in Gethsemane, after bleeding from every pore, He restored one of his captors severed ears
Consider how Jesus, while hanging upon the cross, instructed the Apostles to care for His mother. Consider as He turned his attention to a common thief by saying, “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” He cared, even in the midst of enormous suffering. He reached outward, when most of us would have turned inward.
Consider how when he was suffering for our sins and infirmities he was able to see His seed – He was able to see each of us that take the Atonement seriously in our lives, that apply it’s redeeming power to repent of our sins.
What difference will our time here today make in our lives?-+6
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