Why Do We Have Adversity?

Get this week's lesson here.

In writing, there always has to be conflict, or you have no story.  When a reader is reading a book, they want to help the main character solve their problems and watch them grow through their struggles.  Can you imagine how boring Lord of the Rings would have been if Frodo had no adversity?  What would be the point of the story?

In our lives, there must be opposition in all things.  We can not experience happiness without misery (2 Nephi 2:11).  When Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, they were glad and felt joy that their eyes were opened because of their transgression (Moses 5:10-11).

If we never got sick we'd never appreciate being healthy
When we exercise, without the pain of sore muscles we'd never get stronger
If we didn't have bad days we wouldn't recognize the good days

The idea of adversity and enduring trials in my life brings the lingering thoughts of a few painful memories, but with that, the completeness of a beautiful understanding of why it is necessary in our lives.

WRAPPED TIGHTLY IN ITS COCOON, THE DEVELOPING CHRYSALIS MUST STRUGGLE WITH ALL ITS MIGHT TO BREAK ITS CONFINEMENT.  THE BUTTERFLY MIGHT THINK, WHY MUST I SUFFER SO?  … SUCH THOUGHTS WOULD BE CONTRARY TO THE CREATORS DESIGN.  THE STRUGGLE TO BREAK OUT OF THE COCOON DEVELOPS THE BUTTERFLY SO IT CAN FLY.  WITHOUT THAT ADVERSITY, THE BUTTERFLY WOULD NEVER HAVE THE STRENGTH TO ACHIEVE ITS DESTINY.

-JOSEPH B. WIRTHLIN

When Joseph Smith struggled in Carthage Jail he was told 

"All these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good.

The Son of man hath descended below them all.  Art thou greater than he?"

(D&C 122:7-8)

We will all experience trials.  When you reflect on the song THE WISE MAN AND THE FOOLISH MAN did you ever stop and noticed the rains came down on BOTH of them?  Not just the foolish man who was making poor choices?  Everyone in this life will have to experience challenges.

I love President Monson's talk HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION:

At the time I met him, President Tanner was president of the vast Trans-Canada Pipelines, Ltd., and president of the Canada Calgary Stake. He was known as “Mr. Integrity” in Canada. During that first meeting, we discussed, among other subjects, the cold Canadian winters, where storms rage, temperatures can linger well below freezing for weeks at a time, and where icy winds lower those temperatures even further. I asked President Tanner why the roads and highways in western Canada basically remained intact during such winters, showing little or no signs of cracking or breaking, while the road surfaces in many areas where winters are less cold and less severe developed cracks and breaks and potholes.

Said he, “The answer is in the depth of the base of the paving materials. In order for them to remain strong and unbroken, it is necessary to go very deep with the foundation layers. When the foundations are not deep enough, the surfaces cannot withstand the extremes of weather.”

Over the years I have thought often of this conversation and of President Tanner’s explanation, for I recognize in his words a profound application for our lives. Stated simply, if we do not have a deep foundation of faith and a solid testimony of truth, we may have difficulty withstanding the harsh storms and icy winds of adversity which inevitably come to each of us.

When I did track in high school, I remember practicing my high jump approaches over and over.  My coach used to say, "I want you to learn your approach so well that you'd be able to jump with your eyes closed!"

Can you imagine blindly springing as fast as you can towards heavy standards and a bar that could clothesline you, jumping high into the air and landing on your back on what hopefully should be a cushioned mat if you approached correctly?

I practiced and practiced and practiced until I had every step and every turn perfectly memorized.  I still looked at where I was landing, but I remember thinking, if someone ever wrapped a blindfold around my head, I've totally got this.

Then one spring day... in Central Oregon.... it began to snow.  And it snowed HARD.  It was during a track meet and they called my name to jump.  I had already practiced and taped my marks on the ground and knew where to start my approach.  I looked up at the high jump bar, and the snow falling was so thick that I couldn't see the pit.  I just saw white.  I felt like I was blind!

Looking back on it, the wise choice would have probably been to wait for the snow to pass to avoid a major injury.  But in my mind, I heard my coach's words, "Learn your approach so you can jump with your eyes closed."  I felt confident from all my earlier practices and I ran.  I sprinted into nothingness.  I turned and planted and when I jumped, it felt like I was flying through the clouds.  I stretched through the air having faith that the mat would catch me, even though I couldn't see it.

And it did.  And I cleared the height!

When we build a strong foundation of faith and a testimony of truth, we won't panic when adversity comes our way.  We just need to keep doing what we were doing before and rely on the Lord.  Know that He is in control, fall into His arms and trust that He's there to catch us.

D&C 121:7–8

 7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;

 8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.

What does endurance mean?  If you were racing, is it being like BOLT from the Olympics and sprinting 100 meters or is it like the long distance runners that run around the track over and over and OVER again and have to go for MILES before crossing the finish line?

I always thought long distance running was so much harder because it's not only testing you physically, but mentally as well.  You're constantly telling yourself, "My body hurts so bad.  I hate this.  I want to quit.  No, don't stop!  Let go of the pain.  I hate this."

My favorite quote from the book UNBROKEN was during Louie Zamperini's race when he said:

"A LIFETIME OF GLORY IS WORTH A MOMENT OF PAIN"

Although it may hurt now, our afflictions will be but a small moment.  Through the atonement we can be comforted during our challenges and sorrows.  Our trials are there to perfect us.  And if we develop a strong foundation, our faith will be there to strengthen us when the rains come tumbling down.

LAST THING
I PICKED A FEW OF MY FAVORITE SCRIPTURES EXPLAINING WHY WE HAVE ADVERSITY AND MADE A WORKSHEET FOR THE GIRLS TO FILL OUT.