LIFE
AND TRIALS – PART 1
My calling as a Bishop was a special calling. Presiding over the temporal and spiritual
affairs of my Ward members, placed me personally in the battle trenches to
assist as they either endured or overcame their trials. As their Bishop, I knew the struggles of many
of my Ward members. I remember often looking
into their faces during sacrament service and realizing every single person
there in some way was struggling with trials, opposition and adversity.
Missionaries here are no different. All of you have trials. Granted, you have thankfully not been called
on to give your life as Christ, Prophets and many of the early saints and
pioneers did, but you still face trials, opposition and adversity. I segregate trials into 3 Classes.
Class 1Trials are operational problems such as achieving
daily goals or overcoming challenges that you routinely struggle to solve. Resolving these trials makes life better for
yourself. I have noticed in my life that
most of my Class 1 Trials are problems that I created myself. I am a strong believer that you are completely
accountable for your situation and through agency you can make new choices, if
needed, to resolve these trials and thereby create a better situation for
yourself. I believe God expects you to
use your agency and initiative to achieve or remove Class 1 Trials.
Class 2 Trials are suffering that comes upon you as
consequence to your disobedience or lack of wisdom. Breaking God’s law or any natural law always
brings consequences. These trials cause
you to humble yourself, to correct your ways and be obedient. I suppose, Class 2 Trials must be endured and
in some cases they might be removed.
20 Behold, I stand at
the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the
door, I will come in
to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him
that overcometh will
I grant to sit with
me in my throne,
even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Rev. 3:19-21)
Class 3 Trials come to you because God has in his design to
refine you and make you pure through trials.
Such trials may be the result of acts of others or simply the result of
living in this world with opposition in all things. Class 3 Trials must be endured because the
trials are just the way the nature of the thing is. On a mission, Class 3 Trials might be dealing
with emotional or mental issues, the cold and the dark, feelings of separation
from family, troubles at home, spiritual struggles or physical
limitations. The nature of our work is
trying. People reject, ridicule and
disrespect us. We sometimes: face long hours and days of finding with no
prospects to teach, have (or are) problem companions, must learn and use the
language, find it difficult to getting along with members, find it difficult to
help investigators see the truth and the list goes on. These difficulties are just the nature of
missionary work.
I have learned that it really does not matter what the trial
is and it does not matter if it is a Class 1, 2, or 3 Trial, the act of
overcoming or enduring is the important thing.
Consider the following quotations from Brigham Young, John Taylor and
Marion G. Romney
“Joseph could not have been
perfected, though he had lived a thousand years, if he had received no
persecution….You may calculate when people are called to go through scenes of
affliction and suffering…the Almighty is rolling on his work with greater
rapidity.” (Brigham Young, DBY p. 351)
“It is necessary that we pass through
certain ordeals in order that we may be purified. People sometimes do not comprehend these
things…I never look at these things in any other light than trials for the
purpose of purifying the Saints of God…”
(John Taylor)
“If we can bear our afflictions
with the understanding, faith, and courage, and in the spirit in which they
[who went before] bore theirs, we shall be strengthened and comforted in many
ways.” (Marion G. Romney, CR Oct 1969)
There would be no growth of character without trials and adversity. Much good comes from struggling due to
adversity. You would be no wiser and no
stronger; you would be less compassionate and less grateful, if Satan’s plan
had been followed and we were denied the blessing of agency and adversity.
I have frequently wondered why missionary work has to be so difficult. Theoretically, the Lord wants his church to
grow, so why not get on with it. He
could lead us to those interested and he could convince them of the truth
through his spirit. We would all have a
full teaching pool and enjoy the wonderful experience of bringing people into
the church with no problems. The new
members would be happier and start progressing toward eternal life instead of
languishing in unbelief. What is wrong
with that picture?
I am convinced it is not easy because you and your
investigators become what God has designed you to become only by being purified
through trials, especially Class 3 Trials for missionaries. Purifying through trials is a metaphor in the
scriptures to the refiner’s fire. Gold
becomes gold by passing through fire. God
“… shall sit as a refiner and purifier... and shall purge…” (Mal 3:2-3)
Even with the wonderful blessings that come from adversity,
too often we try to avoid it or deflect it. We quickly pray for the Lord to
remove the obstacle. If all such prayers
were answered, there would never be any adversity or even death. Someone would pray that so and so remain alive. Even Christ would have been delivered off the
cross in answer to someone’s prayer. He
would not have had to suffer. Job did
not immediately jump down on his knees and beg the Lord to remove his
difficulty. He determine that he would
get from the burdens all that God wanted him to obtain.
11 My foot hath held his
steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
12 Neither have I gone back
from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more
than my necessary food.
13 But he is in
one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth,
even that he doeth.
14 For he performeth the
thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with
him. (Job 23: 6, 10-14)
Elder van Komen coined the phrase, “Pressure is a
privilege.” I would likewise say, “Enduring
trials is a privilege.” When facing
trials, especially Class 3 Trials, instead of praying to remove the trial, quitting,
slacking off or finding the easy way, you will be blessed if you pray to:
overcome, endure, be strong, learn the lessons, continue the good path,
sacrifice willingly, and keep the faith.
There is great power in it and our weakness will become strengths. (Eth 12:27)
Christ set our example as he faced his trials. Can you face your trials with the same resolve?
9 … they scourge him, and
he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it.
Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving
kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men. (1 Nephi 19:9)
President Robinson
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