NOTE: Below is the text a talk given by Josh in Sacrament Meeting on 29 August 2010.

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Imagine that you are a piece of coal: black, sooty, filthy, and generally not worth much when considering one piece.

Now imagine that you are buried deep in the ground, under a mountain. Can you feel it? You literally have the weight of the world bearing down upon you and the pressure is intense. And relentless. In fact, you’ve been there for so long that it feels like forever since you’ve felt a cool, refreshing breeze, or the warmth of the sunlight on your face — and what is worse: there is no end in sight. You feel like you are slowly being crushed and that’s becasue… you are!

Yet because of this immense pressure you slowly change. The change is not superficial, nor is it temporary. Gradually, over time, you become something better than you once were, something clearer, something brighter, something stronger. You become a diamond, and not only are you worth a lot more than before, but you are now one of the most indomitable materials known to man.

And as an added perk, at least according to millions of newly engaged women, you are a lot more beautiful than a lump of coal as well.

Today, my topic is adversity.

The great philosopher, Jordan Jones, once said that it is cliche’ to use the dictionary in a talk. Taking his advice, the BIBLE diction defines adversity as:

“Experience in life that can lead to spiritual growth and eternal progress by turning to the Lord.”

Meaning that we may spiritually flourish if we turn to the Lord for help and guidance like it says in Alma 37:37.

“Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good….”

This also means we must put our trust and faith in the Lord because just like it says in Alma 36:3:

“Whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.”

With so much trouble and pain going on in the world we may sometimes wish adversity had never existed. Yet to be honest we need it. First of all to improve and develop ourselves but additionally as it says in 2 Nephi 2:11.

“For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so … rightousness 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…”

Furthermore, in Moses 6:55 it says:

“And the Lord spake unto Adam, saying: Inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin, even so when they begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good.”

This means that we get the bitter so we may know the sweetness of good works, and a confirmation that they are indeed good.

In the darkest hours of our lives we may ask the question that the Prophet Joseph asked in one of his darkest times:

“[My] God, where art thou?”

To which the Lord replied,

“Peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high” (DC 121)

The good news is that our adversity and afflictions shall be a small moment. The bad news is that an entire lifetime, when compared to the eternities, is but a small moment, relatively speaking.

I know that sounds awful, but listen to the words of Jeffry R. Holland:

“[God and Jesus] sustain us in our hour of need — and always will — even if we cannot recognize that intervention. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.”

Although we may want those blessings now, we must realize that God knows what will do the most good for us, and when it will do the most good for us, but we must also endure them well.

On page 9 of the book True to the Faith, which is published by the Church, it says,

“Your success and happiness, both now and in the eternities, depends largely on your responses to the difficulties of life.”

Francis Webster was sitting in a Sunday school class silently listening to a class discussion about the Saints crossing the plains. As a former member of the Martin Handcart company, Brother Webster listened as class members criticized the Martin and Willie and cart companies and Church leaders, then stood and,

“In substance said, ‘I ask you to stop this criticism. You are discussing a matter you know nothing about. Cold historic facts mean nothing here, for they give no proper interpretation of the questions involved.

Mistake to send the handcart company out so late in the season? Yes, but I was in that company and my wife was in it, and Sister Nellie Unthank whom you have cited was there too.

We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism?

I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it. I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one.

I knew then that angels of God were there.

Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No! Neither then nor any minute of my life since.

The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay. and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company.’”

Again in True to the Faith we read,

“When some people face adversity, they complain and become bitter. They ask questions like, ‘Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this now? What have I done to deserve this?’ But these questions have the power to dominate their thoughts. Such questions can overtake their vision, absorb their energy, and deprive them of the experiences the Lord wants them to receive. Rather than responding in this way, people should consider asking qestions such as, ‘What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial?’” (8-11).

In Elder Joseph B. Wirthline’s talk, “Come what may and love it,” he suggests four things to help us deal well with adversity:

1. Learn to Laugh – It fills your life and the lives of those around you with more happiness.
2. Seek for the Eternal – Remember the words the Lord gave to the prophet Joseph, “Thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment.”
3. Remember the principle of Compensation – We will be rewarded for every loss if we are faithful. If it does not come now, maybe later, or maybe you may have to wait until heaven.
4. Trust the Father and the Son – Get down on your knees and pray. Have a prayer in your heart. Do your best, then leave the rest to Him.

[Bear testimony]