Opposition
Daily Gems - 20 November 2009
Weathering Storms with Optimism
“There are cycles of good and bad times, ups and downs, periods of joy and sadness, and times of plenty as well as scarcity. When our lives turn in an unanticipated and undesirable direction, sometimes we experience stress and anxiety. One of the challenges of this mortal experience is to not allow the stresses and strains of life to get the better of us—to endure the varied seasons of life while remaining positive, even optimistic. Perhaps when difficulties and challenges strike, we should have these hopeful words of Robert Browning etched in our minds: 'The best is yet to be' ("Rabbi Ben Ezra," in Charles W. Eliot, ed., The Harvard Classics, 50 vols. [1909–10], 42:1103).”
Topics: Adversity, Opposition
Youth Gems - 12 November 2009
Meeting Your Goliath
“The battle for our souls is no less important that the battle fought by David. The enemy is no less formidable, the help of Almighty God no farther away. What will our action be? Like David of old, ‘our cause is just.’ We have been placed upon earth not to fail or fall victim to temptation’s snare, but rather to succeed. Our giant, our Goliath, must be conquered.”
Topics: Courage, Opposition, Adversity
Church History Gems - 23 October 2009
Outlast Every Critic
"Those who mock Joseph Smith fulfill the prophecy of the Lord Himself. In the misery of Liberty Jail in March of 1839, Joseph cried out, 'O God, where art thou?' Among the words that came in answer are these: 'The ends of the earth shall inquire after thy name, and fools shall have thee in derision, and hell shall rage against thee;
" 'While the pure in heart, and the wise, and the noble, and the virtuous, shall seek counsel, and authority, and blessings constantly from under thy hand.
" 'And thy people shall never be turned against thee by the testimony of traitors.' (D&C 122:1–3.)
". . . I can promise that if you will make your decisions according to the standards of the gospel and the teachings of the Church, and if you will keep the faith, your lives will bear fruit of great good and you will know much of happiness and accomplishment.
"This Church is true. It will weather every storm that beats against it. It will outlast every critic who rises to mock it. It was established by God our Eternal Father for the blessing of His sons and daughters of all generations. It carries the name of Him who stands as its head, even the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. It is governed and moves by the power of the priesthood. It sends forth to the world another witness of the divinity of the Lord. Be faithful, my friends. Be true. Be loyal to the great things of God which have been revealed in this dispensation."
Topics: Opposition, Faith
Daily Gems - 6 October 2009
Overcoming Fear with Faith
“Faith and fear cannot coexist. One gives way to the other. The simple fact is we all need to constantly build faith and overcome sources of destructive disbelief. The Savior’s teaching comparing faith to a grain of mustard seed recognizes this reality (see Matthew 13:31–32). Consider it this way: our net usable faith is what we have left to exercise after we subtract our sources of doubt and disbelief. . . . If your faith exceeds your doubt and disbelief, the answer is likely positive. If you allow doubt and disbelief to control you, the answer might be negative.”
Topics: Opposition, Choice and Accountability
Daily Gems - 3 August 2009
Responding to Criticism
"One sister asked, 'Why doesn’t the Church defend itself more actively when accusations are made against it? ' . . .
"In such moments, we may want to respond aggressively—to 'put up our dukes.' But these are important opportunities to step back, pray, and follow the Savior’s example. Remember that Jesus Himself was despised and rejected by the world. And in Lehi's dream, those coming to the Savior also endured 'mocking and pointing . . . fingers' (1 Nephi 8:27). . . . When we respond to our accusers as the Savior did, we not only become more Christlike, we invite others to feel His love and follow Him as well."
Topics: Opposition
Church History Gems - 3 July 2009
Prepared to Overcome All Things
"There is meaning and purpose in our earthly challenges. Consider the Prophet Joseph Smith: throughout his life he faced daunting opposition—illness, accident, poverty, misunderstanding, false accusation, and even persecution. One might be tempted to ask, 'Why didn't the Lord protect His prophet from such obstacles, provide him with unlimited resources, and stop up the mouths of his accusers?' The answer is, Each of us must go through certain experiences to become more like our Savior. In the school of mortality, the tutor is often pain and tribulation, but the lessons are meant to refine and bless us and strengthen us, not to destroy us. Said the Lord to faithful Joseph:
" 'My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment' (D&C 121:7).
" 'If thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; . . . know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good' (D&C 122:7).
"In our day, the steadying arm of the Lord reaches us through the ordinances of His holy temples. Said the Prophet Joseph to the early Saints in Nauvoo, 'You need an endowment, brethren, in order that you may be prepared and able to overcome all things' (History of the Church, 2:309). How right he was! Being blessed with the temple covenants and endowed with power made it possible for the Latter-day Saints to endure tribulation with faith."
Topics: Opposition
Daily Gems - 24 June 2009
Joy and Sadness for All
"Every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don't sing and bells don't ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result."
Topics: Opposition, Adversity
Daily Gems - 16 June 2009
Finding Our Spiritual Footing
"Our spiritual journey is the process of a lifetime. We do not know everything in the beginning or even along the way. Our conversion comes step-by-step, line upon line. We first build a foundation of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We treasure the principles and ordinances of repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We include a continuing commitment to prayer, a willingness to be obedient, and an ongoing witness of the Book of Mormon."
Topics: Opposition, Exaltation
Daily Gems - 12 June 2009
Weathering Storms with Optimism
"We can't predict all the struggles and storms in life, not even the ones just around the next corner, but as persons of faith and hope, we know beyond the shadow of any doubt that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and the best is yet to come."
Topics: Opposition
Church History Gems - 20 May 2009
Faith, Commitment, and Growth
"Today the Church stands at the summit of a century and a half of progress. The terrain over which we have traveled is a grim reminder that struggle, persecution, and sorrow have been the lot of our forebears. Kirtland, Jackson County, Clay County, Haun's Mill, and Nauvoo seem synonymous with suffering—a part of the tribulation the Lord promised that his people would have to endure (see D&C 58:3).
"As we look back in retrospect, we see that it was because of the opposition encountered in our early history that our progress today has been made possible. Out of that caldron of persecution and heartache, the Lord answered the soul-cry of the Prophet Joseph Smith in these words: 'Thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
" 'And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high' (D&C 121:7–8).
" 'If thou art called to pass through tribulation, . . . know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good' (D&C 122:5, 7).
"By the tribulation well endured by numerous of our progenitors, a desert blossomed as a rose (see Isa. 35:1), a tried and persecuted people provided a heritage of faith, and Zion put on her beautiful garments for all to see (see D&C 82:14).
"One hundred fifty years of Church history provide us with a lesson that when resistance and opposition are greatest, our faith, commitment, and growth have the greatest opportunity for advancement; when opposition is least, the tendency is to be complacent and lose faith."
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Topics: Opposition
Daily Gems - 8 May 2009
Feeling Overwhelmed
"In His kindness and in great trust, Heavenly Father, with the Savior, allowed a selected few of His sons on earth to hold the priesthood. We have the authority and the power to act in God's name, to offer the true gospel of Jesus Christ and its ordinances to as many of Heavenly Father's children as we can. So you can sense the magnitude of our trust from God. And you can sense its supreme importance and the opposition we face.
"It is not surprising that we feel from time to time nearly overwhelmed. Your thought that 'I'm not sure I can do this' is evidence that you are understanding what it means to hold the priesthood of God. The fact is that you can't do it by yourself. The responsibility is too difficult and too important for your mortal powers and for mine. Recognizing that is at the foundation of great priesthood service.
"When those feelings of inadequacy strike us, it is the time to remember the Savior. He assures us that we don't do this work alone. There are scriptures to put on your mirror and to remember in the moments when you are doubting your capacity."
Topics: Gospel of Jesus Christ, Opposition
Daily Gems - 24 April 2009
Miracles Do Come
"I delight in the Lord's mercies and miracles (see "Bless Our Fast, We Pray," Hymns, no. 138). I know that His tender mercies and His miracles, large and small, are real. They come in His way and on His timetable. Sometimes it is not until we have reached our extremity. Jesus's disciples on the Sea of Galilee had to toil in rowing against a contrary wind all through the night before Jesus finally came to their aid. He did not come until the "fourth watch," meaning near dawn. Yet He did come. (See Mark 6:45-51.) My testimony is that miracles do come, though sometimes not until the fourth watch."
Topics: Opposition, Mercy, Adversity
Daily Gems - 20 April 2009
Testing Our Limits
"[The] testing of our limits in priesthood service is made necessary by God's plan to qualify His children to live with Him again forever. Heavenly Father loves His children. He offered us eternal life, to live with Him again in families and in glory forever. To qualify us to receive that gift, He gave us a mortal body, the opportunity to be tempted to sin, and a way to be cleansed from that sin and to rise in the First Resurrection. He gave us His Beloved Son, Jehovah, as our Savior to make that possible. The Savior was born in mortal life, was tempted but never sinned, and then in Gethsemane and on Golgotha paid the price of our sins so that we could be cleansed. The purifying can come only to those who have faith enough in Jesus Christ to repent of sin, be cleansed through the ordinance of baptism, and make and keep covenants to obey all His commandments. And there was to be a fierce enemy of our souls, Lucifer, who would with his legions relentlessly try to capture every child of God to keep him or her from having the joy of eternal life."
Topics: Atonement, Purpose of Mortality, Opposition
Daily Gems - 8 April 2009
Prayer Is a Privilege
"Prayer is a privilege and the soul's sincere desire. We can move beyond routine and 'checklist' prayers and engage in meaningful prayer as we appropriately ask in faith and act, as we patiently persevere through the trial of our faith, and as we humbly acknowledge and accept 'not my will, but Thine, be done.'
"I witness the reality and divinity of our Eternal Father, of His Only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Ghost. I testify that our Father hears and answers our prayers. May each of us strive with greater resolve to ask in faith and thereby make our prayers truly meaningful."
Topics: Opposition, Prayer, Faith
Daily Gems - 25 March 2009
Peace during Times of Distress
"We know that sometimes it can be difficult to keep our heads above water. In fact, in our world of change, challenges, and checklists, sometimes it can seem nearly impossible to avoid feeling overwhelmed by emotions of suffering and sorrow.
"I am not suggesting that we can simply flip a switch and stop the negative feelings that distress us. This isn't a pep talk or an attempt to encourage those sinking in quicksand to imagine instead they are relaxing on a beach. I recognize that in all of our lives there are real concerns. I know there are hearts here today that harbor deep sorrows. Others wrestle with fears that trouble the soul. For some, loneliness is their secret trial.
"These things are not insignificant.
"However, [there are] two principles that may help you find a path to peace, hope, and joy—even during times of trial and distress. I want to speak about God's happiness and how each one of us can taste of it in spite of the burdens that beset us."
Topics: Hope, Opposition, Joy
Daily Gems - 6 March 2009
Hope Overcomes Despair
"The scriptures say that there must be 'an opposition in all things' (2 Nephi 2:11). So it is with faith, hope, and charity. Doubt, despair, and failure to care for our fellowmen lead us into temptation, which can cause us to forfeit choice and precious blessings.
"The adversary uses despair to bind hearts and minds in suffocating darkness. Despair drains from us all that is vibrant and joyful and leaves behind the empty remnants of what life was meant to be. Despair kills ambition, advances sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart. Despair can seem like a staircase that leads only and forever downward.
"Hope, on the other hand, is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion, and of fear."
Topics: Hope, Opposition, Adversity
Church History Gems - 9 January 2009
Great Refining Process
"There is an interesting story in the history of the Church. It concerns a man who was great and then fell because he became somewhat arrogant. Concerning him, President Wilford Woodruff said, 'I have seen Oliver Cowdery when it seemed as though the earth trembled under his feet. I never heard a man bear a stronger testimony than he did when under the influence of the Spirit. But the moment he left the kingdom of God, that moment his power fell like lightning from heaven. He was shorn of his strength like Samson in the lap of Delilah. He lost the power and the testimony which he had enjoyed, and he never recovered it again in its fulness while in the flesh, although he died in the Church.' (As quoted by Stanley R. Gunn, Oliver Cowdery: Second Elder and Scribe, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1962, p. 73.)
"As the years pass, each of us faces challenges within ourselves, generally in areas where we need development and refinement. Questions may arise in our minds concerning the Church, its history, its doctrine, its practices. I want to give you my testimony concerning this work. I have been heavily involved in it for more than a half a century. I have worked with the presidents of the Church from President Heber J. Grant onward. I have known in a very personal way President Grant, President George Albert Smith, President David O. McKay, President Joseph Fielding Smith, President Harold B. Lee, and President Spencer W. Kimball. I have known the counselors of all of these men, and I have known the Council of the Twelve during the years of the administrations of these Presidents. All of these men have been human. They have had human traits and perhaps some human weaknesses. But over and above all of that, there has been in the life of every one of them an overpowering manifestation of the inspiration of God. Those who have been Presidents have been prophets in a very real way. I have intimately witnessed the spirit of revelation upon them. Each man came to the Presidency after many years of experience as a member of the Council of the Twelve and in other capacities. The Lord refined and polished each one, let him know discouragement and failure, let him experience illness and in some cases deep sorrow. All of this became part of a great refining process, and the effect of that process became beautifully evident in their lives."
Topics: Opposition, Prophets
Church History Gems - 31 December 2008
Saints Moved South
"The wicked spirit, which had inspired Governor Boggs of Missouri to issue the order to exterminate the Saints and broods forever and always over the work of the Lord, had followed them west.
"President Young had said when they entered the Valley: 'If they let us alone ten years we would ask no odds of them' (Journal of Discourses, 5:226; 14:108). Ten years to the day a messenger arrived with word that Johnston's army was marching west with orders to 'settle the Mormon question.'
"President Young told the Saints: '[We] have been driven from place to place; . . . we have been scattered and peeled. . . .
" 'We have transgressed no law, . . . neither do we intend to; but as for any nation's coming to destroy this people, God Almighty being my helper, they cannot come here.'
"The settlements were evacuated, and the Saints moved south. Every stone was cleared away from Temple Square. The foundation, which after seven years' work was nearing ground level, was covered over and the block was plowed.
"Later, when the foundation was uncovered, they found a few cracks. It was torn out and replaced.
"Sixteen large, inverted granite arches were built into the new foundation. There is no record as to why they did that. That manner of construction was unknown in this country then. If someday perchance there be a massive force wanting to lift the temple from beneath, then we shall know why they are there.
"Construction inched upward. A young married couple might have visited the construction site and returned with teenage grandchildren to the yet unfinished temple."
Topics: Opposition
Church History Gems - 28 November 2008
Joseph Smith's Perseverance
"What course will we set in the future? What will be our compass in the midst of the storms of life? What will be our anchor to keep us from drifting off the course that will lead us to eternal life?
"I turn for answers to these questions to the lives of the Prophet Joseph Smith; his mother, Lucy Mack Smith; and other valiant men and women who laid the foundation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"Joseph Smith's name is very dear to all faithful Latter-day Saints. His name is especially dear to me and my family because we are blessed to claim his older brother Hyrum as our forefather.
". . . As we face our own trials in future years, we must always remember Joseph Smith's perseverance in the face of incredible hardships and opposition to bring forth the restored Church of Jesus Christ."
Topics: Faith, Opposition
Family Gems - 31 December 2007
Our Vigilance against Evil Cannot Be Relaxed
"Parents and children should realize that strong opposition will always come against the work and will of the Lord. Because the work (and glory) of God is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life as a family, it logically follows that the work of the adversary will strike directly at the heart of the home—the family. Relentlessly Lucifer attacks the sanctity of life and the joy of parenthood.
"Because the evil one is ever at work, our vigilance cannot be relaxed—not even for a moment. A small and seemingly innocent invitation can turn into a tall temptation which can lead to tragic transgression. Night and day, at home or away, we must shun sin and 'hold fast that which is good.' "
Topics: Family, Temptation, Opposition
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