Faith and Fortitude

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday afternoon session of the April 2012 General Conference.

Mortal life is hard. It is supposed to be, and no one gets through it without challenges. Several speakers in this session spoke to this theme. 

Elder David S. Baxter specifically spoke to single parents.

Although you may at times have asked, why me? it is through the hardships of life that we grow toward godhood as our character is shaped in the crucible of affliction, as the events of life take place while God respects the agency of man.

I have to ask myself if my trials and hardships are hardening me or softening me. Am I more cynical? More jaded? Less patient with others?  Or am I becoming more compassionate? More charitable? More Christlike? Progress isn't a straight line for me, unfortunately; it's more jagged with ups and downs. Hopefully my ups are higher and my downs are too as I climb toward the goal of completeness in Christ.

Elder Quentin L. Cook said, "Please understand that having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and keeping His commandments are and always will be the defining test of mortality." Will I be obedient no matter what hardships befall me? Will I continue faithfully enduring to the end? That is my goal. I want to make it to the promised land.

Elder Richard G. Scott gave this comfort, "Our Heavenly Father did not put us on earth to fail but to succeed gloriously." I have found Him to be endlessly patient with me; endlessly loving and forgiving. He seems to know what my breaking point is and provides relief just before I reach it, allowing me to be stretched and refined just a bit more through this trial or that.

I have many more rough spots to polish off before I'm ready to return home. I'm so grateful for my Savior providing a way to be forgiven and cleansed, comforted and restored through the trials of life.

 

The Songs They Could Not Sing

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday afternoon session of the October 2011 conference.

Elder Quentin L. Cook's talk in this session touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes. About a year ago I was pouring out my heart to God and pleading for understanding about what I should do, why I felt like such a failure in life, and just generally wanted some relief from the sorrows I felt. Into my mind came a thought, "Give yourself some grace, you've had a hard life."  That had never occurred to me before. That I'd been given a hard life. I knew that moments have been difficult, but I chalked it up mostly to my own choices. I never thought that Heavenly Father was giving me challenges, but it makes sense overall.

Elder Cook says, "While we do not know all the answers, we do know important principles that allow us to face tragedies with faith and confidence that there is a bright future planned for each of us."

That is so comforting! 

Elder Cook outlines three of the important principles that can help us navigate life.

First, we have a Father in Heaven who knows and loves us personally and understands our suffering perfectly.

Second, His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and Redeemer, whose Atonement not only provides for salvation and exaltation but also will compensate for all the unfairness of life.

Third, the Father's plan of happiness for His children includes not only a premortal and mortal life, but also an eternal life as well, including a great and glorious reunion with those we have lost. All wrongs will be righted, and we will see with perfect clarity and faultless perspective and understanding.

At the final interview with my mission president I expressed that I felt somewhat of a failure because all of the people I taught who chose to be baptized were in the first half of my mission. What happened to my success? Why no baptisms in the second half? He lovingly explained that there are more ways to measure success than just the number of baptisms. He told me that he had given me companions who wanted to go home, but I helped them stay and be successful. (I thought I was the one who wanted to go home!) It was rather eye-opening to me. Perhaps that is what it will be like when we are with Our Father in Heaven and we finally understand all that we went through.

Elder Cook said, We are unaware of hosts of blessings that we receive from day to day. It is extremely important that we have a spirit of gratitude in our hearts. 

The challenges we face in life give us a chance to prove to ourselves and God that we will be faithful no matter what. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thes. 5:18) EVERYTHING! Not just the good times, the obvious blessings, but when we are being buffeted and challenged, when we can't see clearly the outcome, or when there is no end in sight. That's not easy to do. But Paul also wrote to the Corinthians "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Cor. 2:9)

I await the day when I'll be reunited with our son who left too soon, and didn't finish his songs. Yep, life is hard, but that's the nature of learning and being tested. I want to pass this test!

Elder Cook ended with, "The Savior said, 'Therefore, let your hearts be comforted. . . . Be still and know that I am God.' We have His promise that we with our children will sing 'songs of everlasting joy.'"

Spiritual Rocky Ridge Road

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday afternoon session of the October 2010 conference.

Elder Neil L. Andersen said, "The road of discipleship is not for the spiritually faint of heart." And I wholeheartedly concur. 

The test of mortal life is a grueling one. The only thing that makes it doable is that it is not a closed book, go it alone kind of test. We have access to the answers and guidance we need to get through. That doesn't make it easier or more fun, just more doable.

Perfection does not come in this life, but we exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and keep our covenants. . . . We push our spiritual roots deep, feasting daily on the words of Christ in the scriptures. We trust in the words of living prophets, placed before us to show us the way. We pray and pray and listen to the quiet voice of the Holy Ghost that leads us along and speaks peace to our soul. Whatever challenges arise, we never, never leave Him.

 

 

  

The Basics

This post is part of the General Conference Odessey. This week covers the Sunday afternoon session of the October 1997 conference.

President Nelson has several times admonished us to feel the joy of daily repentance so it was wonderful to come upon this sentence in Elder Duane B. Gerrard's talk:

The repentance process should become a frequent normal procedure to teach us to deal with the infrequent abnormal occurrences of life--oh, the difference between nearly right and exactly right!

He was a commercial airline pilot and shared the analogy of the three specific areas of procedures and checklists used by pilots: normal procedures, abnormal procedures, and emergency procedures.

This talk resonated with me because for years I have talked about and taught that we should establish in our lives the habits of righteousness, as I call them. Daily prayer, scripture study, weekly Family Home Evening and church attendance, and participation in semi-annual stake and general conferences. Those are the bare minimums for a Latter-day Saint. Being temple worthy with all that entails, holding callings and being a ministering brother or sister move us further along the path to becoming who the Lord wants us to be.

Elder Wayne M. Hancock also spoke of faithfulness. He described the stalwart Swiss sisters he had known while serving there. He described them:

The lack of a car for transportation, or a husband for love and protection, or a supportive family, or a special understanding friend does not dampen their enthusiasm for the gospel of Jesus Christ or their participation in Church meetings and related activities.

No ones life is perfect; we all face challenges of one kind or another, but staying faithful despite our trials is exactly why we came to earth. This life is a test! "And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them." (Abraham 3:25)

It is easier to stay faithful through challenges when our habits of righteousness are in place and automatic.  When we can go through the motions even when we don't feel like doing so, we will eventually break through our fog and be able to feel the spirit again.

Listening to and reading at least one general conference talk each day has helped me tremendously to remember the things that are important and to keep putting one foot in front of the other along the strait and narrow path. 

 

After General Conference

It's been a week now since General Conference. The glow and delicious peace is beginning to fade as the realities of life continue.

I'm attempting to make this year different by studying each talk and writing quotes in a journal dedicated to recording the answers to my conference questions.

My thinking is that by writing down the answers I'll see what actions I need to take to change. For the better, I mean!

The first talk I studied was President Henry B. Eyring's Saturday morning address. I felt so grateful (and got real teary) that I am not alone in my feelings of loss of joy. His counsel was timely and welcome.

"Where and when we feel the closeness of the Savior depend on each of us."

"All us of have had our faith tested by . . . selfish interests that reduced our efforts to cultivate and soften the spiritual depths of our hearts."

". . . make the choices that will create in your heart a more fertile ground for the good word of God to grow and be fruitful."

 ". . . pray with full purpose of heart . . ."

I next chose Elder Steven E. Snow, of the Seventy, whose talk is titled Be Thou Humble.

"Humility is essential to gain the blessings of the gospel."

Towards the end of his address he quotes President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985, President 1973-1985).

"How does one get humble? To me, one must constantly be reminded of his dependence. On whom dependent? On the Lord. How remind one's self? By real, constant, worshipful, grateful prayer."

I want to improve! I want to feel joy. I know change is not easy, but I can't reach my goals without it. Following the counsel from leaders gives me a good place to begin.