Words from our Stake President
There is no doubt that we are living in troubled times. These are unprecedented events in our generation, and we are trying our best to cope with it. As we go through these trials, it is important that we remain calm and trust in God and in each other. Please follow the advice of health entities and professionals as we move through these uncharted waters full of faith and hope.
As we were studying the Come, Follow Me lessons for this week, I had an impression as we were reading the book of Jarom. In there, we hear the promise quoted many times in the Book of Mormon: “if ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land.” This to me, in the past, has meant that the Lord will give me some trials, but not too many, and those trials will be minimal. After all, that is how I understood the promise of prosperity.
However, upon further reflection on this promise, I realized the following:
Even in times of prosperity, when the Nephites were being blessed for their obedience, they still faced challenges. Many times, there was “peace” in the land but the Nephite lived with the constant threat that their enemies could attack at any moment. They were always preparing for war. The Lord did not prevent the wars, and the many pains and aches that came from them, but he did lift His people and blessed them in their trials.
The Lord did keep his promises to the Nephites, and anyone who keeps His commandments. He did that then, and He continues today.
We are to learn from these trials. I read recently that “you cannot live a life full of faith and empty of trials.” In other words, a tree can’t become strong without the constant resistance of the wind.
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