RS Lesson Sept 2009

Adversity by Elder Henry B. Eyring, Faith and The Power of Covenants by Elder D. Todd Cristofferson
taught by Alison Jaehne

For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments…and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven. Ye cannot behold you’re your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation [adversity]. For after much tribulations come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; (D&C 58:1-4) Therefore, be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy. (D&C 98:14) Adversity proves our faithfulness in keeping our covenants. Adversity can increase our faith or adversity will increase our doubt; it is our choice.

Faith is- Assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
Trust, which is- assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone
Allegiance to duty
Fidelity to promises
Sincerity
Loyalty
Confidence, which is- a firm belief in the integrity, ability, effectiveness or genuineness of someone

Doubt is- the thought that one does not know the truth, or the trustworthiness of someone; doubt is the opposite of trust, confidence and faith

To be able to exercise faith in God, three things are necessary to know:
1. that He actually exists. It is difficult to place confidence in someone who does not even exist.
2. that He is perfect in His character and in His attributes. Trust is a firm belief in the integrity, ability, effectiveness or genuineness of someone. It would be difficult to have faith in someone who is not capable of saving us, and hard to trust our salvation in someone who does not posses necessary saving attributes like knowledge, justice, mercy, truth and power (described in 2Ne 9)
3. that the course of life which one is pursuing is according to His will. This knowledge helps us to endure the trials to our faith and the ups and downs in life which might dampen our courage, cause doubts and weaken our faith. The idea that it is possible to pursue a course in life that is agreeable to God’s will, gives a person the strength and desire to sacrifice all for God. Only those who are willing to sacrifice everything are worthy to live with God. This knowledge of pursuing the right course of life is how the early saints were able to endure the loss of everything they went through. (from the Lectures on Faith quoted by Elder D. Todd Cristofferson )
Elder Cristofferson also teaches:
How can we know we are pursuing a course of life that is pleasing to God's will? We make and keep covenants with Him. How can we access God’s power to help us in our trials? We access God’s power through our covenants. Those who make and keep covenants with God find peace and strength and joy even during their trials. Covenants we make- baptismal, temple, oath and covenant of the priesthood, new and everlasting covenant, from the dictionary definition of Testament- Late Latin testamentum means covenant with God. God has made a covenant, He has given us the scriptures, we have an obligation in that covenant to search, learn from and obey them. Mosiah 18: 9, 27-29. We covenant to comfort and mourn with those who need it. We are to give to the poor, even if we are poor as Elder Eyring teaches us from Alma 34. We are to help others in their suffering, even if we ourselves are suffering. Elder Eyring gives great examples of needy saints who helped others.

Example of Job- When Joseph Smith was suffering in Liberty Jail, he asked the Lord where is thy pavilion and how long will the saints have to suffer? The Lord answered, “My son, 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; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. Thy friends do stand by thee…Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgression, as they did Job.” (D&C 121:1-7)

Let’s compare Job with the 3 things necessary to know to exercise faith.
1. Job knew that God exists: I know that my redeemer liveth (Job 19:25)
2. Job knew of God’s perfect character and power and Job never questioned God’s intentions or reasoning: The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21)
3. Job knew that his course of life was pleasing to God because he made and kept covenants with God: Before he lost everything, he was extremely wealthy and respected by all. Job sought out and gave to the poor. Job sought out those he could comfort and bless just like we covenant to do in Mosiah 18:9.

Conclusion- As we seek to serve and comfort others, we do the Lord’s work and carry out the mission of Jesus Christ. As we serve others with a pure heart, we learn more about the character of Jesus and Heavenly Father. As we learn more about their perfect character and their love for us, we have greater faith. Greater faith can lift us above our trials. Through making and keeping our covenants, we qualify for help and special blessings, even miracles. Like Alma (36:3) told his son Helaman, I do know that whoever will put their trust in God will be supported in their trials and their troubles and their afflictions. Heavenly Father has supported me and helped me thousands of times as I try to fulfill my responsibilities as a mother, a wife, a friend, a missionary, in my callings and with every little problem I take to Him in prayer. I know He cares and wants us to succeed in our righteous pursuits. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.