Gordon Hinckley - Lessons I Learned as a Boy

President Gordon B. Hinckley recalls a story of an older boy and his young companion as they find an old coat and a badly worn pair of shoes by the roadside.

The Tyranny of Tolerance

More excerpts from Sherri Dews interview with Elder David Bednar. The full interview can be heard here

Sherri Dew: There are so many issues that are affecting families everywhere... and there have been recent pieces of legislation centered around the very definition of marriage and some of these pieces of legislation have aroused a lot of emotion. What counsel would you have for those who feel deeply about the importance of protecting marriage between a man and a woman and yet do not wish to criticize or judge those who feel differently?

Elder Bednar: Standing for truth and righteousness in and of itself is not somehow an inappropriate judgment of other people. We live in a time when we will need to stand for truth and righteousness. I will describe what I call the tyranny of tolerance. The tyranny of tolerance suggests that we have to be accepting of someone else's point of view, but that they don't have to have any tolerance for our point of view. So, tolerance goes both ways. The fact that we take a position and respectfully and thoughtfully articulate that position is not a judgement, it is just standing for what we believe to be true.

Elder David A. Bednar - Parenting

If you have not heard the entire premier episode of 'Conversations' on the new Mormon Channel with Elder and Sister Bednar I invite you to do so. The following is a transcription I made from Elder Bednars comments on parenting which take place between the 37:00 and 39:50 minute marks in the interview. The full interview can be heard here


"If I were to say anything at all about parenting it is that we put way too much importance on what we say. We think that by telling people things that that will somehow connect and get inside. My observation is that the role of a parent includes talking and telling but it extends beyond that to inviting a child to act in accordance with truth. And only when the child acts in accordance with the truth that has been explained or taught can the child come to know for himself or herself the truthfulness of what they have heard and what they are doing. "For ye receive no witness, until after the trial of your faith."

I am going to describe an episode with one of our sons that will sound terribly disrespectful, but given the closeness and the love it wasn't disrespectful. One of our sons did something and I was going off on him. He very appropriately said, 'Dad. I've heard this speech a lot of times, and you have about twelve of them. All three of us (boys) know all twelve of your speeches. And we know what to do for you to give us one of the speeches. So lets just make a deal, we'll number them one through twelve, and we promise that if we do something wrong instead of you taking the time to do the speech - just say 'seven' because we know what speech number seven is and we promise that we will give it to ourselves because we know it as well as you do. It saves you time, it saves us time and it gets the same result.'

Now that sounds so disrespectful, but they were right. Parents think that if I... give them this lecture its gonna do some good. It really doesn't. Its only when in that process of communicating love and working with a child that you help them act in accordance with truth that they get it for themselves. It moves from their head to their heart."

Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time

"This life is not always easy, nor was it meant to be; it is a time of testing and proving. At times when we may feel to say, Hope you know, I had a hard time, we can be assured that Jesus Christ is there and we are safe in His loving arms.

Think of the Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane during the Atonement process, suffering agony so great that He bled from every pore.²⁷ His cry to His Father included the word Abba.²⁸ This might be interpreted as the cry of a son who is in distress to his father: “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”²⁹ I testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ covers all of the trials and hardships that any of us will encounter in this life. At times when we may feel to say, “Hope you know, I had a hard time,” we can be assured that He is there and we are safe in His loving arms.

When our beloved prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, was asked on his birthday this past August what would be the ideal gift that members worldwide could give him, he said without a moment’s hesitation, “Find someone who is having a hard time, . . . and do something for them.”³⁰

I, with you, am eternally grateful to Jesus Christ, the rescuer of mankind. I bear witness that He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Elder Quentin L. Cook - October 2008 General Conference - "Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time

Finding the One

In the first edition of Conversations on LDS Radio Sherri Dew interviewed Elder and Sister Bednar and asked them several questions about their background as well as their current work. Early in the interview Sister Dew asks Elder Bednar what he has learned since he has been called to the Quorom of the Twelve that he perhaps did not know before. His answer provides some great insight to the true mission of an apostle of Jesus Christ.

"Ive gained a much greater appreciation for how individual the Lords love for each of us is. Now, I knew that before but I've experienced it in a consistent and remarkable way in my service in the Quorum of the Twelve. Every place that we travel we have assignments that take us to various parts of the world, but its never the assignment, its never the function that's really the issue. Its to find individuals that the Lord wants to bless... This past weekend I presided at a Stake Conference in the United States. We reorganized the Stake Presidency, and that would seem to be the primary reason I was there for that assignment - it wasn't. There was a young woman, 18 years of age, that needed to visit with a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. So we accomplished that, oh and by the way we reorganized the Stake Presidency."

The entire audio version of this interview is found here.

Mormon Radio Launches

SALT LAKE CITY 18 May 2009 Mormon Channel, a new radio service of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, launches 18 May and can be accessed via the Internet or HD radio affiliates. The newly created 24-hour, 7-days a-week format is available live online at http://radio.lds.org, but content may also be downloaded.

Broadcasts originate at Temple Square in Salt Lake City and feature a vast and varied array of programming, according to Chris Twitty, director of digital media for the Church.

“We have the responsibility to extend the messages of the Church in yet another way with the new station,” Twitty added. “We have access to all the resources of the Church in creating program content. Though it seems a daunting task to fill the airtime, we have a wealth of information that will be of interest to listeners — much of it new and never before heard or seen.”

Personal interviews with Church leaders are included in a program titled Conversations . In the initial episode, Deseret Book head, Sheri Dew, interviews Elder David A. Bednar and his wife, Susan.

Other program content includes informational packages about the ministry and teachings of Jesus Christ and the doctrines, history and news of the Church. Several planned segments focus directly on young children and teenagers.

A unique program, Into All the World , spotlights the lives of Church members in many parts of the world. “The first interview, for example, invited the stake president in Rome, Italy, to profile the members of his stake and to document their responses to the announcement that a temple will be constructed in their city,”

Additional content includes Music and the Spoken Word, the weekly radio broadcast featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, as well as other choir concerts and events. Further input comes from Brigham Young University, LDS Business College, the University of Utah institute of religion, the Deseret News and Bonneville Productions.

“We’re deeply pleased,” said Bob Johnson, Bonneville International executive vice president and Salt Lake market manager, “to offer Bonneville’s broadcasting resources and industry reputation to further extend the reach and impact of Mormon Channel, a high-quality, values-oriented new product. Through our 29 radio stations in eight major markets coast to coast, we look forward to utilizing the unequalled qualities and capabilities inherent in HD radio technology to share the unique Mormon Channel content with our ever-expanding listening audiences.”

Things as They Really Are

The adversary attempts to influence us both to misuse our physical bodies and to minimize the importance of our bodies. These two methods of attack are important for us to recognize and to repel.

When any of Heavenly Father’s children misuse their physical tabernacles by violating the law of chastity, by using drugs and addictive substances, by disfiguring or defacing themselves, or by worshipping the false idol of body image, whether their own or that of others, Satan is delighted. To those of us who know and understand the plan of salvation, any defiling of the body is rebellion (see Mosiah 2:36–37; D&C 64:34–35) and a denial of our true identity as sons and daughters of God.

Now brothers and sisters, I cannot tell you all the ways whereby you may misuse your bodies, “for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them” (Mosiah 4:29). You know what is right and what is wrong, and you have the individual responsibility to learn for yourself “by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118) the things you should and should not do and the doctrinal reasons why you should and should not do those things. I testify that as you desire to so learn, as you “watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives” (Mosiah 4:30), you will be spiritually enlightened and protected. And according to your faithfulness and diligence, you will have the power to discern the deception and repel the attacks of the adversary as he tempts you to misuse your physical body.

Satan also strives to entice the sons and daughters of God to minimize the importance of their physical bodies. This particular type of attack is most subtle and diabolical. I want to provide several examples of how the adversary can pacify and lull us away into a sense of carnal security (see 2 Nephi 28:21) and encourage us to put at risk the earthly learning experiences that caused us to shout for joy (see Job 38:7) in the premortal existence.

For example, all of us can find enjoyment in a wide range of wholesome, entertaining, and engaging activities. But we diminish the importance of our bodies and jeopardize our physical well-being by going to unusual and dangerous extremes searching for an ever greater and more exhilarating adrenaline “rush.” We may rationalize that surely nothing is wrong with such seemingly innocent exploits and adventures. However, putting at risk the very instrument God has given us to receive the learning experiences of mortality—merely to pursue a thrill or some supposed fun, to bolster ego, or to gain acceptance—truly minimizes the importance of our physical bodies.

Sadly, some young men and women in the Church today ignore “things as they really are” and neglect eternal relationships for digital distractions, diversions, and detours that have no lasting value. My heart aches when a young couple—sealed together in the house of the Lord for time and for all eternity by the power of the holy priesthood—experiences marital difficulties because of the addicting effect of excessive video gaming or online socializing. A young man or woman may waste countless hours, postpone or forfeit vocational or academic achievement, and ultimately sacrifice cherished human relationships because of mind- and spirit-numbing video and online games. As the Lord declared, “Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment … : Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known” (D&C 60:13).

You may now be asking yourself, “But Brother Bednar, you began today by talking about the importance of a physical body in our eternal progression. Are you suggesting that video gaming and various types of computer-mediated communication can play a role in minimizing the importance of our physical bodies?” That is precisely what I am declaring. Let me explain.

We live at a time when technology can be used to replicate reality, to augment reality, and to create virtual reality. For example, a medical doctor can use software simulation to gain valuable experience performing a complicated surgical operation without ever putting a human patient at risk. A pilot in a flight simulator repeatedly can practice emergency landing procedures that could save many lives. And architects and engineers can use innovative technologies to model sophisticated design and construction methods that decrease the loss of human life and damage to buildings caused by earthquakes and other natural disasters.

In each of these examples, a high degree of fidelity in the simulation or model contributes to the effectiveness of the experience. The term fidelity denotes the similarity between reality and a representation of reality. Such a simulation can be constructive if the fidelity is high and the purposes are good—for example, providing experience that saves lives or improves the quality of life.

Today I raise an apostolic voice of warning about the potentially stifling, suffocating, suppressing, and constraining impact of some kinds of cyberspace interactions and experiences upon our souls. The concerns I raise are not new; they apply equally to other types of media, such as television, movies, and music. But in a cyber world, these challenges are more pervasive and intense. I plead with you to beware of the sense-dulling and spiritually destructive influence of cyberspace technologies that are used to produce high fidelity and that promote degrading and evil purposes.

If the adversary cannot entice us to misuse our physical bodies, then one of his most potent tactics is to beguile you and me as embodied spirits to disconnect gradually and physically from things as they really are. In essence, he encourages us to think and act as if we were in our premortal, unembodied state. And, if we let him, he can cunningly employ some aspects of modern technology to accomplish his purposes. Please be careful of becoming so immersed and engrossed in pixels, texting, ear buds, twittering, online social networking, and potentially addictive uses of media and the Internet that you fail to recognize the importance of your physical body and miss the richness of person-to-person communication. Beware of digital displays and data in many forms of computer-mediated interaction that can displace the full range of physical capacity and experience.

Brothers and sisters, please understand. I am not suggesting all technology is inherently bad; it is not. Nor am I saying we should not use its many capabilities in appropriate ways to learn, to communicate, to lift and brighten lives, and to build and strengthen the Church; of course we should. But I am raising a warning voice that we should not squander and damage authentic relationships by obsessing over contrived ones. “Nearly 40% of men and 53% of women who play online games said their virtual friends were equal to or better than their real-life friends, according to a survey of 30,000 gamers conducted by … a recent Ph.D. graduate from Stanford University. More than a quarter of gamers [who responded indicated that] the emotional highlight of the past week occurred in a computer world.”⁵

How important, how enduring, and how timely is the Lord’s definition of truth— “things as they really are.” The prophet Alma asked, “O then, is not this real?” (Alma 32:35). He was speaking of light and good so discernible they can be tasted. Indeed, “they who dwell in [the Father’s] presence … see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace” (D&C 76:94).

My beloved brothers and sisters, beware! To the extent personal fidelity decreases in computer-mediated communications and the purposes of such communications are distorted, perverted, and wicked, the potential for spiritual disaster is dangerously high. I implore you to turn away immediately and permanently from such places and activities (see 2 Timothy 3:5).

For your happiness and protection, I invite you to study more diligently the doctrine of the plan of salvation—and to prayerfully ponder the truths we have reviewed. I offer two questions for consideration in your personal pondering and prayerful studying:

1. Does the use of various technologies and media invite or impede the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life?

2. Does the time you spend using various technologies and media enlarge or restrict your capacity to live, to love, and to serve in meaningful ways?

You will receive answers, inspiration, and instruction from the Holy Ghost suited to your individual circumstances and needs. I repeat and affirm the teaching of the Prophet Joseph: “All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not. The devil has no power over us only as we permit him.”⁶

These eternal truths about the importance of our physical bodies will fortify you against the deception and the attacks of the adversary. One of my deepest desires for you is an ever-increasing testimony of and appreciation for the Resurrection—even your own resurrection with a celestial, exalted body “because of your faith in [the Lord Jesus Christ] according to the promise” (Moroni 7:41).

Elder David A. Bednar - Things as They Really Are - CES Fireside for Young Adults • May 3, 2009 • Brigham Young University–Idaho

Full Video of Talk / QuickTime video

The Ambulence Down in the Valley

'Twas a dangerous cliff, as they freely confessed,
Though to walk near its crest was so pleasant;
But over its terrible edge there had slipped
A duke and full many a peasant.
So the people said something would have to be done,
But their projects did not at all tally;
Some said, "Put a fence 'round the edge of the cliff,"
Some, "An ambulance down in the valley."

But the cry for the ambulance carried the day,
For it spread through the neighboring city;
A fence may be useful or not, it is true,
But each heart became full of pity
For those who slipped over the dangerous cliff;
And the dwellers in highway and alley
Gave pounds and gave pence, not to put up a fence,
But an ambulance down in the valley.

"For the cliff is all right, if you're careful," they said,
"And, if folks even slip and are dropping,
It isn't the slipping that hurts them so much
As the shock down below when they're stopping."
So day after day, as these mishaps occurred,
Quick forth would those rescuers sally
To pick up the victims who fell off the cliff,
With their ambulance down in the valley.

Then an old sage remarked: "It's a marvel to me
That people give far more attention
To repairing results than to stopping the cause,
When they'd much better aim at prevention.
Let us stop at its source all this mischief," cried he,
"Come, neighbors and friends, let us rally;
If the cliff we will fence, we might almost dispense
With the ambulance down in the valley."

"Oh he's a fanatic," the others rejoined,
"Dispense with the ambulance? Never!
He'd dispense with all charities, too, if he could;
No! No! We'll support them forever.
Aren't we picking up folks just as fast as they fall?
And shall this man dictate to us? Shall he?
Why should people of sense stop to put up a fence,
While the ambulance works in the valley?"

But the sensible few, who are practical too,
Will not bear with such nonsense much longer;
They believe that prevention is better than cure,
And their party will soon be the stronger.
Encourage them then, with your purse, voice, and pen,
And while other philanthropists dally,
They will scorn all pretense, and put up a stout fence
On the cliff that hangs over the valley.

Better guide well the young than reclaim them when old,
For the voice of true wisdom is calling.
"To rescue the fallen is good, but 'tis best
To prevent other people from falling."
Better close up the source of temptation and crime
Than deliver from dungeon or galley;
Better put a strong fence 'round the top of the cliff
Than an ambulance down in the valley.

-- Joseph Malins (1895)

You Always Remember Him

The following quotation has been used a few times by LDS authors and speakers over the last few years comparing the emotion of gratitude rock climber Alan Czenkusch felt towards the man who saved his life to the gratitude we should have towards the Savior who saved ours.

Climbing is a unique sport, presenting mental and physical stress that you learn to overcome by operating close to your limits. Sometimes your limits are higher than you realize. "Of course, you recognize your limits in climbing by falling off the rock," says Alan Czenkusch [leader of Whistepig Climbing School of Del Norte, Colorado]. "However, you're safe because you're on belay." The belay anchor system is the crux of climbing. It allows falls with impunity - almost. The person running the rope does so to protect the climber. There is a great responsibility and obligation to this concept and Czenkusch explains it solemnly. The belayer protects himself by the use of pitons and other devices which give him fail-safe redundant protection. When the belayer calls out to the climber below "On Belay" it means he is set up correctly and has assumed a serious duty and would even give up his own life to protect the climber. Such dedication should allow the person below to ascent with no fear of falling. The mutual trust which allows belaying is part of the camaraderie, the intimacy, the mystique of mountaineering. Belaying has brought Czenkusch his best and worst moments in climbing. Czenkusch once fell from a high precipice, yanking out three mechanical supports and pulling his belayer off a ledge. He was stopped upside down 10 feet from the ground when his spread-eagled belayer arrested the fall with the strength of his outstretched arms. "Don saved my life," says Czenkusch. "How do you respond to a guy like that? Give him a used climbing rope for a Christmas present? No, you remember him. You always remember him."

“The Vertical Wilderness," Private Practice, Nov. 1979, p. 21.

D&C 20: 77, 79

77 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this ^abread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and ^bwitness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his ^ccommandments which he has given them; that they may always have his ^dSpirit to be with them. Amen.

C.S. Lewis - Temptation

"No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means—the only complete realist."

- C.S. Lewis 'Mere Christianity'

Blessings of the Priesthood

Today we as Priesthood brethren mark 180 years since the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood (15 May 1829). The church came out with a wonderful video using a talk Elder Robert D. Hales gave on the Blessings of the Priesthood.

Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything (The Ultimate Answer) - John Bytheway

The Ultimate Answer

You may have noticed the title of this article, “Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything.”

Ultimately, it is not the scriptures that help get us through things, but the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the scriptures testify. He is the one who will help us get through anything and everything. Because of Jesus Christ, we can remove the word “almost.” Jesus didn’t almost conquer death and hell; He conquered it. Jesus didn’t almost accomplish the infinite and eternal Atonement; He accomplished it. The language of the scriptures is absolute when it comes to power of the Savior. (See the list on the next page.)

Finally (and most important for our discussion), in the midst of our trials and adversity, He promises us the power to overcome all things with no almost: “By giving heed and doing these things which ye have received, and which ye shall hereafter receive—and the kingdom is given you of the Father, and power to overcome all things” (D&C 50:35, emphasis added).

While we may not have all the answers in this life, the Lord does, and we can trust Him more than anyone or anything in this world. He will help us get through everything.

So what do we know for sure, from sources whose answers don’t change? We know that God loves His children. We know that part of His plan is to allow evil to exist in the world. We know that if we’re still alive, we have a work to accomplish. We know that the Savior suffered not only for our sins, but also for our pains and afflictions, and we know that one day He will conquer the evil one, answer all our questions, and bless us with a fulness of joy.

The Lord Is Over All

Ultimately, it is the Lord Jesus Christ who will help us get through everything. The language of the scriptures is absolute when it comes to His power. Notice the absence of the word almost in the following verses:

• D&C 88:6—Jesus descended below all things.

• Alma 7:11—He suffered temptations of every kind.

• Hebrews 4:15—He was tempted in all points as we are, yet He is without sin.

• D&C 58:22—He subdued all enemies under His feet.

• D&C 50:41—He overcame the world.

• John 1:3—All things were made by Him.

• D&C 50:27—All things are subject unto Him.

• 2 Nephi 9:20—He knoweth all things.

• D&C 88:41—He comprehendeth all things.

• D&C 101:16—All flesh is in His hands.

• John 14:26—Through the Holy Ghost He will bring all things to our remembrance.

• Matthew 19:26—He taught that with God all things are possible.

• Romans 8:28—Because of Him, all things that we experience will work together for our good.

John Bytheway, “Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything,” New Era, Sep 2008, 26–31

Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything (Scripture 5) - John Bytheway

Scripture Five: One Day, the Lord Will Reveal All Things (D&C 101:32–36)

We may never have all the answers in this life. The newspapers, the cable news networks, and the politicians will be debating the causes and solutions to our modern problems for years. The faithful will look for answers in the scriptures, where the answers don’t change. And one day, the Lord will return and answer all our questions:

“Yea, verily I say unto you, in that day when the Lord shall come, he shall reveal all things—

“Things which have passed, and hidden things which no man knew, things of the earth, by which it was made, and the purpose and the end thereof” (D&C 101:32–33).

Think of the perplexing questions regarding the creation of the universe, the origin of the dinosaurs, and the age of the earth. This scripture assures us that one day, the Lord will reveal “things of the earth, by which it was made, and the purpose and the end thereof.” But that’s not all! The list continues:

“Things most precious, things that are above, and things that are beneath, things that are in the earth, and upon the earth, and in heaven.

“And all they who suffer persecution for my name, and endure in faith, though they are called to lay down their lives for my sake yet shall they partake of all this glory.

“Wherefore, fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full” (D&C 101:34–36).

John Bytheway, “Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything,” New Era, Sep 2008, 26–31

Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything (Scripture Four) - John Bytheway

Scripture Four: The Atonement Is Not Just for Sinners (Alma 7:11–12)

This scripture teaches us that Jesus not only suffered for the things we do that are wrong, but He also suffered for the things which happen to us—things over which we have no control. Alma taught:

“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

“And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people” (Alma 7:11–12).

The words “sin” or “sins” do not appear anywhere in those two verses. But notice the other words—things in addition to sins that Jesus took upon him: pains, afflictions, temptations, sicknesses, and infirmities. Alma and Amulek must have relied on the Atonement of Christ to get them through the sadness, the nightmares, and the emotional trauma of the tragedy in Ammonihah. We must rely on the Atonement to help us through our personal tragedies as well.

John Bytheway, “Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything,” New Era, Sep 2008, 26–31

Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything (Scripture 3) - John Bytheway

Scripture Three: Our Work Is Not Finished! (Alma 14:13)

Sometimes people need to look to someone else who relied on Christ’s Atonement and was able to make it through a terrible tragedy.

As you recall, Alma and Amulek taught the people of Ammonihah. Some of them were so wicked that they responded to the message by building a bonfire and throwing the believing women and children into the flames. They forced Alma and Amulek to watch the horrible suffering.

“How can we witness this awful scene?” Amulek asks.

Alma answers: “The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory.”

Those who believed in God were received unto Him in glory! They died, but they were going to a glorious place.

Amulek says, “Perhaps they will burn us also.”

Alma replies, “Be it according to the will of the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not” (Alma 14:10–13, emphasis added).

In other words, don’t let this tragedy define your life! You still have your own mission. Like Alma and Amulek, perhaps you were spared because your work is not finished!

After making such a statement, the obvious question becomes, what about those who die in such tragedies? Does that mean their work is finished? Perhaps their work on earth is finished, but apparently there is more work to do in the spirit world.

Death is just another milepost in the plan of salvation. One mission president noted the sadness experienced by families who send a missionary out into the field. He also observed the great joy experienced by the mission president and his wife as they welcome a new missionary into their area. The very same event brings different feelings to different people depending on where they are. Similarly, those who are left behind feel sadness at the passing of their loved one, but there is great joy in the spirit world as the departed spirit enters into the next phase of his or her eternal existence.

The best way to prepare for death is to live life at its fullest. I believe the Lord will hold us accountable for what we did with our lives whether we have trials or not, whether we marry or not, and whether our life is easy or not.

Needless to say, Alma and Amulek witnessed an awful scene. I wonder if they were ever able to forget what they saw. How did they survive? The answer lies in Scripture Four.

Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything (Scripture 2) - John Bythway

Scripture Two: We Know That God Allows Evil to Exist in the World (Moses 7:26–33)

Sometimes our trials are a direct result of someone using their agency to do evil. Often when tragedy strikes, someone will say, “Well, it must have been God’s will.” What exactly is “God’s will”? It seems to me that God’s will is that we choose righteousness over wickedness! However, He also desires that we have a choice in the matter.

In the Pearl of Great Price, Enoch sees a frightening vision. “And he beheld Satan; and he had a great chain in his hand, and it veiled the whole face of the earth with darkness; and he looked up and laughed, and his angels rejoiced” (Moses 7:26).

Chains often symbolize bondage in the scriptures, and Enoch sees Satan looking up and laughing at the world in chains. Enoch also sees the Lord, who looks down on the sinful world and weeps. Enoch asks:

“How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?” (Moses 7:29).

The Lord answers in what I think is one of the saddest passages of scripture:

“Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency;

“And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood” (Moses 7:32–33).

Clearly, what the Lord desires is that we love one another and choose to obey Him. But some do not. They are “without affection.” Everyone on earth has agency, and sometimes those who misuse it have an impact on many innocent people. This scripture provides evidence that the Lord notices the tragedies on the earth and that He is affected by them.

Many of the bad things that happen are contrary to God’s will. But remember that man’s will is temporary, and ultimately God’s will is what will be done.

There are other questions in all of this, too. How many acts of premeditated evil has God prevented? How many of these tragedies could have been much worse? There is no way we could know. Sometimes we see things on the news and ask, “How could God allow this to happen?” Could it be that one day we’ll discover that God prevented much more than He allowed?

How many times has someone prayed that “we might get home in safety,” and we actually did? How many traffic accidents has He helped you avoid? How many times has He inspired you to do something that saved someone from injury? We will never know in this life.

The plan of happiness allows for agency, and therefore it also allows for evil. There is no flaw in the plan.

Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything (Scripture One) - John Bytheway

Why do bad things happen, even to good people? Thanks to modern revelation, we have a few answers.

The past few years have produced a lot of scary headlines. We’ve seen it all, from large scale to small scale, from international terrorism to the breakdown of individual families. Innocent people, even children, are not spared. Why do these things happen? Philosophers and theologians have wrestled with that question for centuries.

However, as Latter-day Saints, we have something many philosophers and theologians don’t have. We have revelation, both ancient and modern. So, rather than just asking why these things happen, let’s ask a slightly different question: What do we know for sure? Let’s explore five scriptures that will help us find comfort in the things we do know.

Scripture One: We Know That God Loves His Children! (1 Nephi 11:17)

Early in the Book of Mormon, an angel asks Nephi a tough question, “Knowest thou the condescension of God?” Nephi answers, “I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things” (1 Nephi 11:16–17). Nephi’s answer is a perfect statement for us to remember in times of trial. We don’t know the meaning of all things. We don’t have all the answers to explain all the tragedies in the world and in our own neighborhoods. However, we know, we are sure, that God loves His children.

Something wonderful happens when we really know, without a doubt, that God loves us—our questions completely change. Instead of asking, “Why did this happen to me?” or “Why doesn’t God care about me?” we say, “Well, I know God loves me; I know that. So what can I learn from this experience?”

Sometimes we think our trials come because we did something wrong. That’s not always true. Adversity is simply part of earth life. From it we can grow and progress if we choose to. Yes, some trials come because of our own disobedience, but many trials are simply part of life.

The scriptures contain many examples of righteous people who suffered: Abraham, Abinadi, Joseph of Egypt, Joseph Smith, and even Jesus Christ. The fact is, bad things happen to good people. Brother Truman G. Madsen once asked President Hugh B. Brown of the First Presidency (1883–1975) why the Lord would put Abraham through the experience of being asked to sacrifice his own son. Obviously God knew that Abraham would be willing to do anything God commanded, and if that was so, why did the Lord put him through such a test? President Brown answered, “Abraham needed to learn something about Abraham” (Joseph Smith the Prophet [1989], 93).

God already knows what we’re made of, but perhaps He wants us to learn what we’re made of. I think we would all agree that we learn more from our tough times than from our easy times. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. We don’t know the meaning of all things, but we know God loves His children! And because He loves us, He will never desert us.

John Bytheway, “Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything,” New Era, Sep 2008, 26–31

Mormons are Christian

Now, to anyone within the sound of my voice who has wondered regarding our Christianity, I bear this witness. I testify that Jesus Christ is the literal, living Son of our literal, living God. This Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer who, under the guidance of the Father, was the Creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are. I bear witness that He was born of a virgin mother, that in His lifetime He performed mighty miracles observed by legions of His disciples and by His enemies as well. I testify that He had power over death because He was divine but that He willingly subjected Himself to death for our sake because for a period of time He was also mortal. I declare that in His willing submission to death He took upon Himself the sins of the world, paying an infinite price for every sorrow and sickness, every heartache and unhappiness from Adam to the end of the world. In doing so He conquered both the grave physically and hell spiritually and set the human family free. I bear witness that He was literally resurrected from the tomb and, after ascending to His Father to complete the process of that Resurrection, He appeared, repeatedly, to hundreds of disciples in the Old World and in the New. I know He is the Holy One of Israel, the Messiah who will one day come again in final glory, to reign on earth as Lord of lords and King of kings. I know that there is no other name given under heaven whereby a man can be saved and that only by relying wholly upon His merits, mercy, and everlasting grace19 can we gain eternal life

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland "The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent" Ensign November 2007

Prayers for Missionary Work

"We properly pray for the safety and success of the full-time missionaries throughout the world. And a common element in many of our prayers is a request that the missionaries will be led to individuals and families who are prepared to receive the message of the Restoration. But ultimately it is my responsibility and your responsibility to find people for the missionaries to teach. Missionaries are full-time teachers; you and I are full-time finders. And you and I as lifelong missionaries should not be praying for the full-time missionaries to do our work!"

David A. Bednar, “Ask in Faith,” Ensign, May 2008, 94–97

You Know Enough

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 then remain steady and patient as we progress through mortality. At times, the Lords answer will be, You don't know everything, but you know enough—enough to keep the commandments and to do what is right.

-Elder Neil L. Andersen

Prophetic Promises for Reading the Book of Mormon

"We studied the Book of Mormon in Sunday School this past year. Nonetheless I offer a challenge to members of the Church throughout the world and to our friends everywhere to read or reread the Book of Mormon. If you will read a bit more than one and one-half chapters a day, you will be able to finish the book before the end of this year. Very near the end of its 239 chapters, you will find a challenge issued by the prophet Moroni as he completed his record nearly 16 centuries ago. Said he:

“And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust? …

“And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true” (Moro. 10:27, 29).

Without reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program, regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God."

Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Testimony Vibrant and True,” Ensign, Aug 2005, 2–6

The Following are additional promises given by prophets and apostles associated with reading the Book of Mormon.


The Lords Promise to You

1. There will come into your hearts an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord.

2. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments.

3. There will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God.

What You Must Do

Prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it.

Reference

President Gordon B. Hinckley
"The Power of the Book of Mormon" June 1988 Ensign, p. 6

The Lords Promise to You

1. A power will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book.

2. Greater power to resist temptation.

3. Power to avoid deception.

4. Power to stay on the strait and narrow path.

5. You will find life in greater and greater abundance.

What You Must Do

Begin a serious study of the book. Hunger and thirst after those words (the words of life).

Reference

President Ezra Taft Benson
"The Book of Mormon-Keystone of our Religion" October 1986 General Conference



The Lords Promise to You

1. The spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein.

2. The spirit of reverence will increase.

3. Mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow.

4. The spirit of contention will depart.

5. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom.

6. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents.

7. Righteousness will increase.

8. Faith, hope, and charity--the pure love of Christ--will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness.

What You Must Do

If in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly both by themselves and with their children.

Reference

President Marion G. Romney "The Book of MormonApril 1980 General Conference"

In closing I would add two additional declaration from the Doctrine and Covenants:

D&C 1:38
What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my ^aword shall not pass away, but shall all be ^bfulfilled, whether by mine own ^cvoice or by the ^dvoice of my ^eservants, it is the ^fsame.

D&C 82:10
I, the Lord, am ^abound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no ^bpromise.

D&C 130: 20-21

There is a ^alaw, irrevocably decreed in ^bheaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all ^cblessings are predicated—

And when we obtain any ^ablessing from God, it is by ^bobedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

I have found that one way to obtain blessings in my life is to learn the law associated with the blessing I seek. There are many "if / then" statements made in scriptures and if we listen closely to the words of our living prophets we can obtain the promised blessings such as those listed above for reading the Book of Mormon.