Elder Isaac K. Morrison of the Seventy said in October 2022 general conference:
During the Savior’s earthly ministry, He noticed a man who was blind. Jesus’s disciples asked, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” The Savior’s firm, loving, and sincere answer reassures us that He is mindful of our struggles: “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”1
While some challenges may come because of willful disobedience, we know that many of life’s challenges come because of other reasons. Whatever the source of our challenges, they can be a golden opportunity to grow.
. . . . My wife felt repeated impressions that something might be wrong. She asked me to check on the children while we were washing the dishes. I felt they were safe since we could hear their voices of excitement from their play. When we both finally went to check on our sons, to our dismay we found little 18-month-old Kenneth helpless in a bucket of water, unseen by his brothers. We rushed him to the hospital, but all attempts to revive him proved futile.
We were devastated that we would not have the opportunity to raise our precious child during this mortal life. Though we knew Kenneth would be part of our family eternally, I found myself questioning why God would let this tragedy happen to me when I was doing all I could to magnify my calling. I had just come home from fulfilling one of my duties in ministering to the Saints. Why couldn’t God look upon my service and save our son and our family from this tragedy? The more I thought about it, the more bitter I became.
My wife never blamed me for not responding to her promptings, but I learned a life-changing lesson and made two rules, never to be broken: Rule 1: Listen to and heed the promptings of your wife. Rule 2: If you are not sure for any reason, refer to rule number 1.
Though the experience was shattering and we continue to grieve, our overwhelming burden was eventually eased.3 My wife and I learned specific lessons from our loss. We came to feel united and bound by our temple covenants; we know we can claim Kenneth as ours in the next world because he was born in the covenant. We also gained experience necessary to minister to others and empathize with their pain. I testify that our bitterness has since dispersed as we exercised faith in the Lord. Our experience continues to be hard, but we have learned with the Apostle Paul that we “can do all things through Christ which [strengthens us]” if we focus on Him.4
President Russell M. Nelson taught, “When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation … and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives.” He further said, “Joy comes from and because of Him.”5
We can be of good cheer and be filled with peace in our tough times. The love we feel because of the Savior and His Atonement becomes a powerful resource to us in our trying moments. “All that is unfair [and difficult] about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”6 He commanded, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”7 He can help us endure whatever pain, sickness, and trials we face in mortality. ~ For Elder Isaac K. Morrison’s complete remarks, click We Can Do Hard Things Through Him.
