“Chapter 9: Facing the Storms of Adversity with Faith,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Thomas S. Monson (2020)

“Chapter 9,” Teachings: Thomas S. Monson

Chapter 9

Facing the Storms of Adversity with Faith

“Were it not for challenges to overcome and problems to solve, we would remain much as we are, with little or no progress toward our goal of eternal life.”

From the Life of Thomas S. Monson

In 1968, President Thomas S. Monson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, was assigned to oversee the Church’s missions in Europe. That November he went to visit the Saints in the German Democratic Republic, which was under communist rule. He described the time as one of fear, oppression, and deprivation. Despite these trials, Church members were persevering with faith. “I found the dullness of despair on the faces of many passersby but a bright and beautiful expression of love emanating from our members,” he said.

President Monson’s first meeting with these Saints was in an old warehouse in Görlitz. The building was still “shell-pocked from the war,” he recalled, “but the interior reflected the tender care of our leaders in bringing brightness and cleanliness to an otherwise shabby and grimy structure.”

During the meeting, President Monson was moved as the members sang the following hymn of hope in their time of hardship:

If the way be full of trial, Weary not!
If it’s one of sore denial, Weary not!
If it now be one of weeping,
There will come a joyous greeting,
When the harvest we are reaping—Weary not!

Do not weary by the way,
Whatever be thy lot;
There awaits a brighter day
To all, to all who weary not!
[“If the Way Be Full of Trial, Weary Not,” Deseret Sunday School Songs (1909), no. 158]

President Monson later said: “[I] had never heard such singing. … I have met with few congregations which have demonstrated a greater love for the gospel.”¹ The devotion of these Saints who were enduring such great adversity humbled him: “They had so little. My heart filled with sorrow because they had no patriarch. They had no wards or stakes—just branches. They could not receive temple blessings—neither endowment nor sealing. No official visitor had come from Church headquarters in a long time. The members were forbidden to leave the country. Yet they trusted in the Lord with all their hearts.”²

As the meeting progressed, President Monson stood to speak. Relating this experience some years later, he said: “With tear-filled eyes and a voice choked with emotion, I made a promise to the people: ‘If you will remain true and faithful to the commandments of God, every blessing any member of the Church enjoys in any other country will be yours.’ Then I realized what I had said.”³

That night, as President Monson considered the full impact of what would be required for this promise to be fulfilled, he knelt in prayer and pleaded: “Heavenly Father, I’m on Thy errand; this is Thy church. I have spoken words that came not from me, but from Thee and Thy Son. Wilt Thou, therefore, fulfill the promise in the lives of this noble people.” In answer to his prayer, the words of a psalm came into his mind: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

Gradually, over the span of about 20 years, the promise was fulfilled, including what President Monson considered to be the greatest miracle: the building of a temple in Freiberg in 1985, finally making temple blessings available to these faithful Saints.

Next, in 1988, “approval was granted for full-time missionaries to enter the nation and for local youth to serve elsewhere in the world. Then [in 1989], like the wall of Jericho, the Berlin Wall crumbled, and freedom, with its attendant responsibilities, returned.”⁴

President Monson traveled to the German Democratic Republic many times to minister to the Saints there. Together they faced trials with courage, faith, and reliance on God. And together they experienced miracles. Although the way was long and often “one of weeping,” they wearied not. Eventually they were blessed with a “brighter day” as prophetic promises were realized. (See pages 23–28 for a more detailed account.)

Teachings of Thomas S. Monson

In suffering and tribulation, our ultimate comfort is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Life is a school of experience, a time of probation. We learn as we bear our afflictions and live through our heartaches. …

It may safely be assumed that no person has ever lived entirely free of suffering and tribulation, nor has there ever been a period in human history that did not have its full share of turmoil, ruin, and misery.

When the pathway of life takes a cruel turn, there is the temptation to ask the question “Why me?” Self-incrimination is a common practice, even when we may have had no control over our difficulty. At times there appears to be no light at the tunnel’s end, no dawn to break the night’s darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts, the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea “Is there no balm in Gilead?” [Jeremiah 8:22]. …

To all who so despair, may I offer the assurance found in the psalm: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” [Psalm 30:5].

Whenever we are inclined to feel burdened down with the blows of life, let us remember that others have passed the same way, have endured, and then have overcome.

There seems to be an unending supply of trouble for one and all. Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required.

Do any of the following challenges sound familiar to you?

Handicapped children
The passing of a loved one
Employment downsizing
Obsolescence of one’s skills
A wayward son or daughter
Mental and emotional illness
Accidents
Divorce
Abuse
Excessive debt

The list is endless. In the world of today there is at times a tendency to feel detached—even isolated—from the Giver of every good gift. We worry that we walk alone. You ask, “How can we cope?” What brings to us ultimate comfort is the gospel.

From the bed of pain, from the pillow wet with tears, we are lifted heavenward by that divine assurance and precious promise “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” [Joshua 1:5].⁵

Fortifying our foundations of faith will sustain us in times of trial.

In 1959, not long after I began my service as president of the Canadian Mission, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, I met N. Eldon Tanner, a prominent Canadian who just months later would be called as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, then to the Quorum of the Twelve, and then as a counselor to four Presidents of the Church.

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.

Mortality is a period of testing, a time to prove ourselves worthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. In order for us to be tested, we must face challenges and difficulties. These can break us, and the surface of our souls may crack and crumble—that is, if our foundations of faith, our testimonies of truth are not deeply embedded within us.

We can rely on the faith and testimony of others only so long. Eventually we must have our own strong and deeply placed foundation, or we will be unable to withstand the storms of life, which will come. Such storms come in a variety of forms. We may be faced with the sorrow and heartbreak of a wayward child who chooses to turn from the pathway leading to eternal truth and rather travel the slippery slopes of error and disillusionment. Sickness may strike us or a loved one, bringing suffering and sometimes death. Accidents may leave their cruel marks of remembrance or may snuff out life. Death comes to the aged as they walk on faltering feet. Its summons is heard by those who have scarcely reached midway in life’s journey, and often it hushes the laughter of little children. …

How can we build a foundation strong enough to withstand such vicissitudes of life? How can we maintain the faith and testimony which will be required, that we might experience the joy promised to the faithful? Constant, steady effort is necessary. Most of us have experienced inspiration so strong that it brings tears to our eyes and a determination to ever remain faithful. I have heard the statement, “If I could just keep these feelings with me always, I would never have trouble doing what I should.” Such feelings, however, can be fleeting. The inspiration we feel [today] may diminish and fade as Monday comes and we face the routines of work, of school, of managing our homes and families. Such can easily take our minds from the holy to the mundane, from that which uplifts to that which, if we allow it, will chip away at our testimonies, our strong foundations.

Of course we do not live in a world where we experience nothing but the spiritual, but we can fortify our foundations of faith, our testimonies of truth, so that we will not falter, we will not fail.⁶

Prayer, scripture study, and service will help us build a strong foundation of faith.

How, you may ask, can we most effectively gain and maintain the foundation needed to survive spiritually in the world in which we live? May I offer three guidelines to help us in our quest.

First, fortify your foundation through prayer. “Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, uttered or unexpressed” (“Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire,” Hymns, no. 145).

As we pray, let us really communicate with our Father in Heaven. It is easy to let our prayers become repetitious, expressing words with little or no thought behind them. When we remember that each of us is literally a spirit son or daughter of God, we will not find it difficult to approach Him in prayer. He knows us; He loves us; He wants what is best for us. Let us pray with sincerity and meaning, offering our thanks and asking for those things we feel we need. Let us listen for His answers, that we may recognize them when they come. As we do, we will be strengthened and blessed. We will come to know Him and His desires for our lives. By knowing Him, by trusting His will, our foundations of faith will be strengthened. If any one of us has been slow to hearken to the counsel to pray always, there is no finer hour to begin than now. …

My second guideline: Let us study the scriptures and “meditate therein day and night,” as counseled by the Lord in the book of Joshua (1:8). …

Spending time each day in scripture study will, without doubt, strengthen our foundations of faith and our testimonies of truth.

Recall with me the joy Alma experienced as he was journeying from the land of Gideon southward to the land of Manti and met the sons of Mosiah. Alma had not seen them for some time, and he was overjoyed to discover that they were “still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God” (see Alma 17:1–2).

“Spending time each day in scripture study will … strengthen our foundations of faith and our testimonies of truth.”

May we also know the word of God and conduct our lives accordingly.

My third guideline for building a strong foundation of faith and testimony involves service.

While driving to the office one morning, I passed a dry-cleaning establishment which had a sign in the window. It read, “It’s the Service That Counts.” The sign’s message simply would not leave my mind. Suddenly I realized why. In actual fact it is the service that counts—the Lord’s service.

In the Book of Mormon we read of noble King Benjamin. In the true humility of an inspired leader, he recounted his desire to serve his people and lead them in paths of righteousness. He then declared to them:

“Because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

“And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:16–17).

This is the service that counts, the service to which all of us have been called: the service of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Along your pathway of life you will observe that you are not the only traveler. There are others who need your help. There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save. …

As we establish a firm foundation for our lives, let us each one remember His precious promise:

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
(“How Firm a Foundation,” Hymns, no. 85)7

As we seek our Heavenly Father through fervent, sincere prayer and earnest, dedicated scripture study, our testimonies will become strong and deeply rooted. We will know of God’s love for us. We will understand that we do not ever walk alone. I promise you that you will one day stand aside and look at your difficult times, and you will realize that He was always there beside you.⁸

As we turn to Heavenly Father in times of trial, He will sustain us and help us learn and grow.

We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. If you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our Heavenly Father in faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face.⁹

[The Lord] will help us in time of need. Difficulties come into our lives, problems we do not anticipate and which we would never choose. None of us is immune. The purpose of mortality is to learn and to grow to be more like our Father, and it is often during the difficult times that we learn the most, as painful as the lessons may be. Our lives can also be filled with joy as we follow the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.¹⁰

Our Heavenly Father, who gives us so much to delight in, also knows that we learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass. We know that there are times when we will experience heartbreaking sorrow, when we will grieve, and when we may be tested to our limits. However, such difficulties allow us to change for the better, to rebuild our lives in the way our Heavenly Father teaches us, and to become something different from what we were—better than we were, more understanding than we were, more empathetic than we were, with stronger testimonies than we had before.

This should be our purpose—to persevere and endure, yes, but also to become more spiritually refined as we make our way through sunshine and sorrow. Were it not for challenges to overcome and problems to solve, we would remain much as we are, with little or no progress toward our goal of eternal life. The poet expressed much the same thought in these words:

Good timber does not grow with ease,
The stronger wind, the stronger trees.
The further sky, the greater length.
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow. 
[Douglas Malloch, “Good Timber,” in Sterling W. Sill, Making the Most of Yourself (1971), 23]

Only the Master knows the depths of our trials, our pain, and our suffering. He alone offers us eternal peace in times of adversity. He alone touches our tortured souls with His comforting words:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” [Matthew 11:28–30].

Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, He is with us. He has promised that this will never change.

“Only the Master knows the depths of our trials, our pain, and our suffering. He alone offers us eternal peace in times of adversity.”

My brothers and sisters, may we have a commitment to our Heavenly Father that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. We should not need to experience difficulties for us to remember Him, and we should not be driven to humility before giving Him our faith and trust.

May we ever strive to be close to our Heavenly Father. To do so, we must pray to Him and listen to Him every day. We truly need Him every hour, whether they be hours of sunshine or of rain. May His promise ever be our watchword: “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” [Joshua 1:5].

With all the strength of my soul, I testify that God lives and loves us, that His Only Begotten Son lived and died for us, and that the gospel of Jesus Christ is that penetrating light which shines through the darkness of our lives. May it ever be so, I pray.¹¹

Suggestions for Study and Teaching

Questions

President Monson taught that the gospel brings us comfort in times of suffering and tribulation (see section 1). How has the gospel brought you comfort and strength during a difficult time? How can we feel the love of Heavenly Father and our Savior in times of trial?
Review President Monson’s story about President N. Eldon Tanner in section 2. Why is constant, steady effort needed to fortify our foundations of faith? Why are challenges and difficulties a necessary part of mortality?
Review President Monson’s three guidelines for building a strong foundation of faith (see section 3). How has prayer strengthened your faith? How has scripture study strengthened your testimony? How has serving others strengthened your foundation?
As you read section 4, what teachings give you hope and strength for the trials you’re experiencing? How has the Lord helped you during difficult times? What must we do to receive the comfort and strength the Lord offers? How have you become more “spiritually refined” from times of trial?

Related Scriptures

James 2:14–26; Revelation 21:1–4; 2 Nephi 31:19–20; Mosiah 23:21–22; Alma 32:21, 26–43; Doctrine and Covenants 121:7–9; 122:5–9

Teaching Help

“Encourage [family or class members] to record the impressions they receive from the Holy Ghost as they study the gospel. … Sometimes the Spirit will teach them things … that are never spoken aloud” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way [2016], 30).