Adversity

1. “My purpose today is to assure tou that our Heavenly Father and the Savior live and that They love 

     all humanity. The very opportunity for us to face adversity and affliction is part of the evidence of *
     Their infinite love.”  
     (Henry B. Eyring, Adversity, April 2009, http://www.lds.org/)

2. In times of distress, let your covenants be paramount and let your obedience be exact.
    (D. Todd Christofferson, The Power of Covenants, April 2009, http://www.lds.org/)

3. “Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may 
     consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but 
     that ye will serve the true and living God.” (Morm. 9:28.)

4. No matter the burdens we face in life as a consequence of natural conditions, the misconduct of 
    others, or our own mistakes and shortcomings, we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father, who 
    sent us to earth as part of His eternal plan for our growth and progress. 
    (Dieter F. Uchtdorf,, "Two Principles for Any Economy," Ensign, Nov. 2009)

5. Our unique individual experiences can help us prepare to return to Him. Theadversity and afflictions 

    that are ours, however difficult to bear, last, from heaven’s perspective, for “but a small moment; 
    and then, if [we] endure it well, God shall exalt [us] on high.” 1 We must do everything we can to 
    bear our burdens “well” for however long our “small moment” carrying them lasts.
    (L. Whitney Clayton, That Your Burdens May Be Light, October 2009, http://www.lds.org/)

6. Burdens provide opportunities to practice virtues that contribute to eventual perfection. They invite 
    us to yield “to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and [put] off the natural man and [become] a saint 
    through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and [become] as a child, submissive, meek, humble, 
    patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us], even 
    as a child doth submit to his father.” 2Thus burdens become blessings, though often such blessings 
    are well disguised and may require time, effort, and faith to accept and understand. 
    (L. Whitney Clayton, That Your Burdens May Be Light, October 2009, http://www.lds.org/)

7. Through it all, the Savior offers us sustaining strength and support, and in His own time and way, He  
    offers deliverance. 
    (L. Whitney Clayton, That Your Burdens May Be Light, October 2009, http://www.lds.org/)

8. “The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and 

     make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable” , 
     (Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, Come what may Come What May and love it, October 2008, 
     http://www.lds.org/)

9. Laughter and a good sense of humor can soften the bumps along life’s journey. 
   (Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, Come what may Come What May and love it, October 2008, 
     http://www.lds.org/)

10. How do we deal with such unexpected setbacks in life’s journey? The answer is the same. By 
      listening to the prophets, keeping an eternal perspective, having faith, and being of good cheer, we 
      can face life’s unexpected challenges and “get on with our lives.” 
     (Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, Come what may Come What May and love it, October 2008, 

     http://www.lds.org/)

11. Hold on thy way” (D&C 122:9); giving up is not an option. And, without delay, turn to the Lord. 
      Exercise all of the faith you have in Him. Let Him share your burden. Allow His grace to lighten 
      your load. We are promised that we will “suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed 
      up in the joy of Christ” (Alma 31:38). Never let an earthly circumstance disable you spiritually.
      (Donald L. Hallstrom, Turn to the Lord, April 2010, http://www.lds.org/)

12. His most exemplary act, the Atonement, required Jesus to descend “below all things” (D&C 88:6) 
      and suffer “the pains of all men” (2 Nephi 9:21). Thus we understand the Atonement has broader 
      purpose than providing a means to overcome sin. This greatest of all earthly accomplishments gives 
      the Savior the power to fulfill this promise: “If ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, 
      and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence … , if ye do this, he will … deliver you 
      out of bondage” (Mosiah 7:33). 
     (Donald L. Hallstrom, Turn to the Lord, April 2010, http://www.lds.org/)

13. As you and I go to the holy houses of God, as we remember the covenants we make within, we will 

     be more able to bear every trial and to overcome each temptation. In this sacred sanctuary we will 
     find peace; we will be renewed and fortified: 
    (Thomas S. Monson,  The Holy Temple- a Beacon to the World, April 2011, http://www.lds.org/)

14.  With that knowledge, our faith becomes unbounded, having the assurance that God will in due time 
       turn every affliction to our gain. 

      (D. Todd Christofferson, The Power of Covenants, April 2009, http://www.lds.org/)