Discussing Suffering-aka Adversity

 I searched adversity online.  I broke it down into roots and here is what I’ve come up with.  Ad means to place near or towards something.  Vers meas convertible or reverse.  ity means the state of.  The meaning I gather from this is that one who experiences adversity is in a state that is convertible or reverse In Elder Dallan H. Oaks, a member of the quorum of the twelve apostles of the LDS church, a body of elders that guide and teach members of the church and serve as representatives of Jesus Christ himself on the earth, gave a forum address at Brigham Young University and he discussed adversity. One of my favorite things he said was actually a quote from President Ezra Taft Benson “it is not on the pinnacle of success and ease where men and women grow most.  It is often down in the valley of heartache and disappointment and reverses where men and women grow into strong characters.  every reversal can be turned to our benefit and blessing and make us more strong, more courageous and more godlike”.  By definition a reversal is an unfortunate happening.  This word also means the opposite state. I think we have the power to reverse our reverses.

In D&C 121: 7-8 we read “and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes”   I sometimes want to say “prove it” but he has proven it, over and over agin in the scriptures.

  We often think of those in poverty as suffering.  My mother always says, money just makes you more of what you already are.  Can it be said that adversity makes you more of what you already are? I think it does.  One who relies on the lord will choose to do that more so in their affliction and be strengthened accordingly to become an even more faithful individual.

  Lets talk about the language of responsibility.  Using this language is about taking responsibility for all that happens to us and recognizing that things don’t usually just happen.  We don’t say, I didn’t have time to read my scriptures tonight.  If we use the language of responsibility we instead say, I didn’t make time to read the scriptures tonight because I chose other things above my scripture study.  Bottom line, we have the choice in almost everything that happens to us and granted, hard circumstances will come our way but we must choose to grow from them rather than wallow in our misery. 

In school, Im studying exercise science.  I learn in my major about the principles of weight training and spotting.  The thought came to me, Christ is our spotter.  He lifts our burdens so that we can use the rest of our force and strength to carry what we can.  Then the next time we are stronger and can carry more of our own burden.

 People often ask me what I fear most in this world.  Be it death, loss of loved ones, physical impairments, falling into sin, or scores of other trials.  I say I have no need to fear for the Lord has promised that if you are prepared and faithful, “ye shall not fear”.