"All of us live in a world where Satan's war against truth and against our personal happiness is becoming more intense. The world and your life can seem to you to be in increasing commotion. My reassurance is this: the loving God who allowed these tests for you also designed a sure way to pass through them. Heavenly Father so loved the world that He sent his Beloved Son to help us." (Try, Try, Try, by Henry B. Eyring).
President Eyring is certainly not the first or the last to offer such reassurances. They build upon the words of Alma the Younger to his son Helaman 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."
Remember, Alma wanted to teach this to everyone he knew with all of his heart because he once preached against his father's words. He was very lucky that his father prayed for him, that because of his father's great faith, an angel came to visit him, and that he listened. There were others before him, like Laman and Lemuel, who were too hard-hearted to listen to an angel of God.
As Alma the Younger recounts his history to Helaman, he shares what his life has been like since that moment when the angel reprimanded him, and when he realized he had been preaching against truth.
"Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." - Alma 36:24
We need God in our lives more than ever. We need to be reminded that our afflictions are but for a small moment and that if we endure it well, we shall triumph over all of our foes (Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-9).
We also read in Alma 37:30 of prophets of the Lord who were murdered for crying repentance to the people. We know that the Lord sent these prophets because it hurts him to see a single soul turn away from him. He gave people every opportunity to repent and turn to him, and in doing so, some of his most beloved followers died for him. Our adversity here on earth isn't simple and the ending isn't always as we might wish, but in Alma 37:46 Alma says: "... The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever."
Alma then talks to his son Shiblon, and this is one of my favorite, most quoted passage of scriptures, the entire chapter of Alma 38. Alma praises Shiblon for being steadfast and faithful in God but explains that this steadfast didn't happen when it was easy to be steadfast, but under trying times.
"I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of they faithfulness and they diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people of the Zoramites.
"For I know that thou was in bonds; yea, and I also know that wast stoned for the word's sake; and thou didst bear all these things with patience because the Lord was with thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.
"And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day." (Alma 38: 3-5)
One of the most impactful talks I have heard in my entire life, that resonated deeply within me, is this talk, "Truly Good and without Guile," given in April 2015, Elder Michael T. Ringwood. I quote it often so if you've ever heard me speak, you've probably heard me talk about Shiblon, the son of Alma the Younger, in the past. You should go back and read the whole talk. I felt then that if we would heed his words, many of the problems we face would melt away. Too often, we let pride stand between us and turning to God. Pride is not always a bad thing but when it takes the shape of self-righteousness, it can do a lot of damage. I don't ever want to be wracked with the grief that Alma the Younger faced for his past mis-deeds when he fully repented.
Elder Ringwood states of Shiblon:
"It appears that Shiblon was a son who wanted to please his father and went about doing what was right for right's sake rather than for praise, position, power, accolades, or authority."
"Shiblon was truly good and without guile. He was a person who sacrified his time, talents, and effort to help and lift others because of a love for God and his fellowmen. ... In a world where praise, position, power, accolades, and authority are sought on every side, I honor those wonderful and blessed souls who are truly good and without guile, those who are motivated by a love of God and their neighbors, those great women and men who are 'more anxious to serve than to have dominion.'"
Elder Ringwood goes on to share a story about a young missionary who misjudged by others his age that should have known better, who thought he wasn't as good or diligent of a missionary because he had was not skillful at learning a new language. When his new missionary companion (the much younger Elder Ringwood) discovered this, and wanted to correct the misperception, his wise mission president reminded him that Heavenly Father already knew. Says Elder Ringwood,
"This wise mission president taught me what was important in service, and it wasn't praise, position, power, honor, or authority. This was a great lesson for a young missionary who was too focused on titles."
It is so easy to get caught up in the world, after all, we live in it. However, as I read these ancient scriptures, I am reminded, over and over again, that history repeats itself. The prideful enjoyed small moments of pleasure but ultimately fell. The humble were persecuted and suffered many afflictions but were ultimately blessed. The scriptures were diligently recorded and passed on from generation to generation so that we could learn from our ancestors, and from men who spoke to God. Through the scriptures, we can remember, remember (Alma 37:13), and we can know that by "small and simple things are great things brought to pass." (Alma 37:6). We can look to the Lord for exceedingly great joy as we work on the small acts of faith, the simple acts of service, and turning our hearts to Him.
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