Gratitude for Trials

This week we have studied the Alma 43-63 – Also known as the “War Chapters” these are some of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon.  They remind me of so many important things.  Captain Mormoni covering his army with armor “the Armor of God” is the lesson we learn from this and how each piece of armor has a doctrinal meaning or link.  The Stripling Warriors, how they were so pure in purpose and heart that not one of them fell in battle.  Helaman and his great love and service for his people.  But through all of this we see huge life changing or taking trails that they each had to overcome.  So it has really made me think about how important our trials are to our growth in this life and in our eternal growth. 

President Monson, talked about trails in his October 2013 conference address titled: “I Will Not Fail Thee, Nor Forsake Thee”.  He begins by talking about the loss of his dear sweet wife.  Then he relates it to all the difficulties we face in life.  He says that we are tempted to ask “Why me?” He says that “At times there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel, no sunrise to end the night’s darkness. We feel encompassed by the disappointment of shattered dreams and the despair of vanished hopes.”  When this happens we often cannot see the growth we are gaining or the love of our Heavenly Father, we feel abandoned and broken and alone.  So do we give up or press forward? 

President Monson goes on to say, “Whenever we are inclined to feel burdened down with the blows of life, let us remember that others have passed the same way, have endured, and then have overcome.”

When I am struggling with some of these feelings, it helps me to remember that the scriptures are filled with the stories of those who have endured so much.  I often reflect on the life that Jesus Christ lived and the atonement that he made for each of us.  When I think of the atonement, I am reminded that I am never alone and there is someone who completely understands what I am going through at that very moment.   In also helps, to get on my knees and talk with Heavenly Father, during these times I know that I really "pour my heart out" to him but I am also really working on remembering to thank Him for all that he has done for and given me.

Close to the end of his talk President Monson give this counsel, “Our Heavenly Father, who gives us so much to delight in, also knows that we learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass. We know that there are times when we will experience heartbreaking sorrow, when we will grieve, and when we may be tested to our limits. However, such difficulties allow us to change for the better, to rebuild our lives in the way our Heavenly Father teaches us, and to become something different from what we were—better than we were, more understanding than we were, more empathetic than we were, with stronger testimonies than we had before.”

I love this statement! It is some much of what I have been feeling this week. We all have trails and at times we do not see how we will make it through them, but (and here is how this ties in with faith) if we put our faith in our Heavenly Father and put one foot in front of the other, doing what must be done and knowing that he will carry us through this, we will make it through whatever we have to, we will become stronger in faith, in knowledge, in spirit and we will be better for it! And yes, most of all we will be grateful for the opportunity to grow and become better!

Three Christ-like Attributes - First Faith

This semester in my Book of Mormon class we get to choose three Christ-like attributes to work on.  One attribute every four weeks.  This first four weeks I have chosen to work on Faith.  Since this week’s reading was Alma 30 – 35 there were many examples of faith and also those that tried to lead the people away from their faith. 

There are two that really stand out to me.

First, there was Korihor in Alma chapter 31.  Korihor was very prideful, vain and conceited and Satan had great influence on him.  He taught that each person should lean on their own understanding, that there was no God, there was no penalty for sin and there was no Christ.  He taught the people that they were servants to a God that did not exist. When Alma testifies that Christ will come and that all things are of God, Korihor demands a sign that God is real, Alma tells him that is not what faith is, if we had proof we wouldn’t need to have faith.  Korihor is struck dumb because he refuses to acknowledge God and it is better that he should be silent so that he cannot continue to lead more people astray.  Satan deserts him (because Satan does not support his children) and he becomes a beggar and is soon killed. 

In April 1997 General Conference, President Eyring said: "Korihor was arguing, as men and women have falsely argued from the beginning of time, that to take counsel from the servants of God is to surrender God-given rights of independence  But the argument is false because it misrepresents reality.  When we reject the counsel which come from God, we do not choose to be independent of outside influence. We reject the protection of a perfectly loving, all powerful, all-knowing Father in Heaven, whose whole purpose, as that of His Beloved Son, is to give us eternal life, to give us all that He has, and to bring us home again in families to the arms of His love."  In other words if we do not serve God we are serving Satan.

Second, is Alma’s teaching on faith.  In Alma 32, Alma teaches us about how to gain and grow our faith.  He teaches that we must plant a seed within our hearts and do so willingly.  Then we must understand that faith is not a perfect knowledge of things; but a hope for things that we cannot see, but are true.  In President Uchtdorf’s talk “What is Truth” he tells us the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the truth.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

President Uchtdorf also says we will know the truth by the Holy Ghost who will testify to us of truth, if we are worthy of his companionship.  Alma goes on to teach that we must exercise our faith and work to gain it.  He says that we will then see that the seed is good because we have nourished it with good.  If we continue to have faith and act upon it our faith continues to grow.  Alma teaches that our faith is light and because of our diligence and faith and patience the Word of God is nourishing our seed and it will take root and grow into a true that will produce fruit that is white and sweet and pure above all other fruits and we will be filled and not hunger or thirst.

So what do these two teaching have to do with each other and my attribute of faith?  The first shows to me how easily people can be lead astray.  How when we let the things of the world influence us we hurt and start to destroy our seeds of faith.  The world is full of hate and unkindness and it is easy to fall for the things we hear every day.  When a Presidential hopeful singles out a group of people who are mostly peace loving, kind people, but because of a few among them who have chosen a different way, they are shunned.  I really wonder what our world is coming to.  I try each day to teach my children correct gospel principles to combat the things of the world.  Often it seems like an uphill battle but Alma’s teachings give me hope.  I know the seeds are planted and taking root.  I just need to help to keep nourishing them.  And then I need to exercise faith and know that Heavenly Father has a plan and his plan is perfect!