| Response |
Thank you for the question. It seems that more and more questions are about
response to the troubles in the world and in our lives. I recently answered
a similar question and I am going to copy some of it here as it applies to
your question. Everyone sooner or later suffers some major sorrow or
difficulty in their lives and all are affected one way or the other by world
conditions and events. Some feel picked upon and become bitter or depressed
about the problems they face. Others see these as part of life,
in fact as opportunities to exercise faith, persist, serve and grow. I
honestly believe that the latter is the kind of response that the Lord hopes
will occur. Like it says in Romans 5:3 "...we glory in tribulations also:
knowing that tribulation worketh patience;" And in Acts 14:22, "...we must
through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Recently, one of the twelve apostles of our Church, Henry B. Eyring, gave a
talk on the trials that come to us in this life. He, himself has recently
suffered near death through the most severe ravages of leukemia with chemo and radiation. Here is some of what he had to say, "We have trials to
face because our Heavenly Father loves us. His purpose is to help us qualify
for the blessing of living with Him and His Son, Jesus Christ, forever in
glory.... To qualify for that gift we had to receive a mortal body. With
that mortality we understood that we would be tested by temptations and by
difficulties.... But the test a loving God has set before us is not to see
if we can endure difficulty. It is to see if we can endure it well. We pass
the test by showing that we remembered Him and the commandments He gave us.
And to endure well is to keep those commandments whatever the opposition,
whatever the temptation, and whatever the tumult around us....
We need strength beyond ourselves to keep the commandments in whatever
circumstance life brings to us. For some it may be poverty, but for others
it may be prosperity. It may be the ravages of age or the exuberance of
youth. The combination of trials and their duration are as varied as are the
children of our Heavenly Father. No two are alike. But what is being tested
is the same, at all times in our lives and for every person: will we do
whatsoever the Lord our God will command us? Knowing why we are tested and
what the test is tells us how to get help. We have to go to God. He gives us
the commandments. And we will need more than our own strength to keep them."
Apostle Eyring goes on to advise that to receive God's help, we must pray to
him sincerely, study the scriptures, go to church and keep the commandments
of the Lord.
I sincerely hope you can find the courage and strength to make decisions to
follow the best courses in your life and that as a result you will find the
peace and happiness you seek.
Sincerely,
Donny Osmond
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