Serious Storms

Yesterday President Nelson spoke to a large group of Latter-day Saints in Texas, and a news article summarized his message this way, "Life’s tragic storms find everyone at some point. But exercise faith in God and trust in his divine plan. Shelter can be found from even the most powerful tempests. That was President Russell M. Nelson’s anchoring message Sunday at a meeting for guests and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attended by more than 23,000 people at the Alamodome in San Antonio....  But the Lord has promised strength for those who remain faithful despite their weaknesses. 'That eternal perspective makes a huge difference in our comprehension of things that don’t seem fair in this life,' he said. Expect to experience 'serious storms' and perhaps even tragedy during one’s life."  That is a sobering message for all of us—we should expect serious storms and tragedy to hit us at some time in our lives.  We should not let these troubles or trials cause us to question our faith in a loving Heavenly Father, but we should hold fast to His eternal plan.  President Nelson continued, "But with faith in a loving God and trust in his divine plan, the pain of such a tragedy can be endured. And if we truly understand who we are and why we are here, we can face the future with faith in God and his eternal plan of happiness. Our understanding is broadened when we realize there truly will be another life after death."

           It seems that this message is similar to several teachings in the scriptures about the struggles that faithful disciples will face.  Even those who are seeking to keep the commandments of God should not expect to get out pain-free in the challenges ahead; rather, great tribulations should be a sign to us that the scriptural prophecies were true.  For example, the Savior warned His disciples before His death about what would happen to them: “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service…. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them” (John 16:2-4).  They were to remember that when persecution came, the Savior had already warned them of it.  Similarly, in the prophecy about terrible calamities to come in the Olivet Discourse, the Savior said, “Behold, I speak these things unto you for the elect’s sake; and you also shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled, for all I have told you must come to pass; but the end is not yet” (JSM 1:23).  In other words, He warned in particular the elect to not falter when the difficulties of the last days came because we know those difficulties are coming.  In our dispensation the Savior warned of “the time will come that war will be poured out upon all nations” and when “with the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God.”  Knowing that this would come, He also encouraged us, “Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come” (Doctrine and Covenants 87:2, 6, 8).  With our righteousness we cannot change the terrible events that may unfold, but we can prepare and through our faith in Him stand in holy place and be not moved.   

Paul similarly wanted to make sure we knew in advance that we would have great trials in these times. He wrote to Timothy, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”  After describing those difficulties in detail, he said, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:1-15).  Paul, like President Nelson, sought to warn us of perilous times that we would face but encouraged us to rest assured in what we do know and in our faith in Jesus Christ.  Dante wrote, “The arrow seen before, cometh less rudely.”  These messages of the scriptures and the prophets are helping us to see the arrows coming beforehand so we can prepare in our faith and understanding of the eternal plan to see us through.