Adversity

ADVERSITY Sep. 1, 2009 Adversity is a condition in which events go against us including loss of health, suffering, death of a loved one; loss of economic well-being; or loss of relationships. Adam when he was cast out of the Garden of Eden was told, “Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee . . . ; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground” (Gen. 3:17-19). Yet Elder Eyring at General Conference assured us that “our Heavenly Father and the Savior live and that they love all humanity.” He continued, “The very opportunity for us to face adversity and affliction is part of the evidence of their infinite love.” Years ago when I had young children, I wondered why life seemed hard. My answer was that it is because of what we are to become, our eternal possibilities. President Eyring expressed the idea as follows: “God gave us the gift of living in mortality so that we could be prepared to receive the greatest of all the gifts of God, which is eternal life.” Although adversity is part of our lives, we should use our agency to avoid unnecessary adversity. Spiritually we need to live the commandments including being honest and being morally clean. Economically we can get an education and gain job skills, we can be hard workers, we can pay a full tithing, we can save for a rainy day, and we can help others. Health wise we can obey the Word of Wisdom and avoid alcohol, tobacco, and drugs and take care of our bodies. These actions reduce, but, because of our mortality, they do not completely eliminate problems. When we are faced with an adverse situation, it is important that we keep our priorities straight. Elder Christofferson told of a family who had lost all their belongings in an earthquake in Peru. Yet the mother said, “I have prayed and I am at peace. We have all we need. We have each other, we have our children, we are sealed in the temple, we have this marvelous Church, and we have the Lord. We can build again with the Lord’s help.” Our faith is centered in our Savior Jesus Christ who has the power to comfort us. Our “faith in [his] power will give us patience as we pray and work and wait for help” (Elder Eyring). The Savior when he came to his disciples who were in the midst of a storm at sea did not

come to them until they were in the 4th watch (Matt. 14 and Mark 6). He won't let us sink, but for our sake he will let us toil. In Mosiah 24 vs 12-16 Alma and his people poured out their hearts to God. God eased their burdens that they were made light. They did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of God until they were delivered from bondage. According to the apostle Paul, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). There are many scriptures that tell us no matter what our trials, if we love God, all things will work together for our good. DC 90:24 reads, “Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.” Faith is the flip side of adversity. With adversity we have the choice to murmur and turn away from God or to turn towards God in faith. In the July Liahona in Latter-day Saint Voices, there is a story of a woman who had faithfully paid her tithing, but was having financial difficulties. She came to realize she would rather lose the water source to her house than lose the Living Water offered by the Savior. She would rather have no food on her table than be without the Bread of Life. She would prefer to endure the darkness and discomfort of no electricity than to forfeit the Light of Christ. She would rather abide with her children in a tent than relinquish her privilege of entering the House of the Lord. Her faith increased through her obedience to the law of tithing. Elder Christofferson said, “We need strong Christians who can persevere against hardship, who can sustain hope through tragedy, who can lift others by their example and their compassion, and who can consistently overcome temptations. We need strong Christians who can make important things happen by their faith and who can defend the truth of Jesus Christ.” The Lord in a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith said: 1 VERILY I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks; 3 . . . he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name's glory, saith the Lord (DC 98:1-3).

May we faithfully carry on and serve God with courage despite the trials we may encounter in life.