If Thou Endure it Well

Church is wonderful. I really enjoy the meetings. Today, for instance, we had a tremendous lesson in Elders Quorum. A counselor in the EQ Presidency spoke about adversity. He was well prepared and used some good talks as references. For instance, he quoted a talk Elder Ballard gave in 1995 that said, "one of the toughest questions we can ask begin with why." That's very true. Why did this have to happen? That's a tough question to answer and understand. Often it's the difficult things in life that cause us to truly ponder deeply about what we do and don't know, and it pushes us to come to answers.

Someone also commented on 2 Nephi 2:11 which says, "11For it must needs be, that there is an ^aopposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

His comment was roughly, "Wickedness couldn't be brought to pass without opposition because opposition is the crucible that pushes us to either choose righteousness or wickedness. It pushes us to believe more or believe less." It was a great comment.

The brother teaching commented on how opposition can be good for us and smooth us and make us better and then shared that 2 years ago their son mentioned he had something in his nose. It was a nasal polyp (looked like a grape). They took him in and he saw various doctors over the next month before it was determined that he had cystic fibrosis. Also, b/c this is a genetic disease, the other family members (there are 4 kids) were tested. Their other son also has it. (For those who don't know, it's a disease that affects the lungs; the average life-span is 37.4 years for children born with the disease in the U.S. in 2008). Clearly, this is adversity. The brother taught us that adversity has its place in life, and he did so powerfully by sharing his own life experience. Plus, seeing him live so well while going through this is very powerful to me. I was so happy he shared his experience. It teaches a lot of lessons.

Luckily very few people read this, so I'll share the email I just wrote him.

I really wanted to thank you for the lesson you gave today. It was one of the best ones I've been to in my life. I particularly appreciate you sharing about your two sons.

Before this lesson, I just knew that you're a guy that comes to church and was great to help us out with our move and didn't mind too much that I called you the wrong name. Now I also know that you've had some true adversity and are very faithful and happy despite it.

Elder Maxwell related that he was told by the Lord that he had cancer so that he could speak with authenticity (as you may know, Elder Maxwell had written two books called, "If thou Endure it well," and "All these things shall give thee experience" about the trials of life being valuable). With cancer, he could testify in a new way. I'm not saying that your boys should have cystic fibrosis, but I am saying that your ability to teach and testify about adversity is very powerful. Thank you.

In addition, Elder Maxwell also wrote that we need more examples of people living the gospel not just so that others know it's possible but also that it's worth doing. I think you're an example of this.

Thanks again for preparing the lesson and sharing your personal experience. I really appreciate it.

We look forward to knowing you better as time goes on.

We have a great church. I'm so happy that we instruct one another as I mentioned yesterday, referring to this scripture.

8And now, behold, I give unto you a ^acommandment, that when ye are ^bassembled together ye shall ^cinstruct and ^dedify each other, that ye may know ^ehow to act and direct my church, how to act upon the points of my law and commandments, which I have given.

LaDon