Saturday, August 20, 2016

Why Suffer? 1 Nephi 18:11

Why Suffer?1 Nephi 18:11
Why Suffer?

What
 11 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and abind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had bspoken concerning the wicked.

Why
Nephi was being proven and Laman and Lemuel were in a position where it would take great measures to convince them. They had agency to choose and also suffer consequences.

Pattern
1 Nephi 7:1611Ne. 7:16 (16–20)
16  And it came to pass that when I, Nephi, had spoken these words unto my brethren, they were angry with me. And it came to pass that they did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.
[so this is not the first time that the brothers bound Nephi- they did it after they received their wives and wanted to go back to Jerusalem and Nephi's cords were miraculously loosed and after pleading from his mother and others, they repented for a time.)

Joseph Smith suffered and received counsel in D& C 122:5,7

Christ
March 2016 Ensign-by Elder D. Todd Christofferson-
Finding Your Life
The more I think about it, the more amazed I am at how consistently Jesus gave His life to the Father, how perfectly He lost His life in the will of the Father—in life and in death. This is precisely the opposite of Satan’s attitude and approach, which have been widely adopted in today’s self-centered world.
In the premortal council, in volunteering to fill the role of Savior in the Father’s divine plan, Jesus said, “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever” 

Conference- April 2016, Elder Dallin Oaks
Opposition In All Things
To illustrate the opposition of temptation, the Book of Mormon describes three methods the devil will use in the last days. First, he will “rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good” (2 Nephi 28:20). Second, he will “pacify, and lull [members] away into carnal security,” saying “Zion prospereth, all is well” (verse 21). Third, he will tell us “there is no hell; and … I am no devil, for there is none” (verse 22), and therefore there is no right and wrong. Because of this opposition, we are warned not to be “at ease in Zion!” (verse 24). ...
God rarely infringes on the agency of any of His children by intervening against some for the relief of others. But He does ease the burdens of our afflictions and strengthen us to bear them, as He did for Alma’s people in the land of Helam (see Mosiah 24:13–15). He does not prevent all disasters, but He does answer our prayers to turn them aside, as He did with the uniquely powerful cyclone that threatened to prevent the dedication of the temple in Fiji;6 or He does blunt their effects, as He did with the terrorist bombing that took so many lives in the Brussels airport but only injured our four missionaries.
Through all mortal opposition, we have God’s assurance that He will “consecrate [our] afflictions for [our] gain” (2 Nephi 2:2). We have also been taught to understand our mortal experiences and His commandments in the context of His great plan of salvation, which tells us the purpose of life and gives us the assurance of a Savior, in whose name I testify of the truth of these things. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Apply
April 1975 Ensign-Kenneth H. Beesley
What seems to be a tragedy (and a cause for suffering) may from an eternal perspective be a blessing and a cause for rejoicing. Sufferings have the potential of blessing man. They may strengthen us for future tasks. They can make us sensitive to the pains of others and more willing to sacrifice for others. (Christ suggests that one must lose his life to find it.) They may help us appreciate Christ’s atonement; they may help to purge our imperfections and to purify us.
Suffering may be a “school” of experience, and present impediments may ultimately be seen as a part of our life’s foundation.
Elder Orson F. Whitney wrote: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility. All that we suffer … builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven …” 6

Expect trials and look at them with an eternal perspective. Also, expect blessings and look at them with an eternal perspective realizing the plan of salvation and that we are His sons and daughters. Be grateful and be brave and strive every day to be more Christlike in everything.
I love the following scripture which give courage, faith and believing.



D& C 84:88
 88 And whoso areceiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go bbefore your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my cSpirit shall be in your hearts, and minedangels round about you, to bear you up.

Hymns
183 In Remembrance of His Sufferings
172 In Humility, Our savior

Children
71 to Think About Jesus
D& C. 59
8 Thou shalt offer a asacrifice unto the Lord thy God inbrighteousness, even that of a broken heart and a ccontrite spirit.
 9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyselfaunspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house ofbprayer and offer up thy csacraments upon my dholy day;

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