April 14th Lesson

Faithfulness in Times of Trial:
"From the Shadows into the Glorious Sunshine"
We had a great lesson this week that came from the Teachings of Lorenzo Snow chapter 7.

We started the lesson off with an analogy of being camping and needing to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. We don't know what scary things might be out in the darkness, and a lot of the time all we have is a dim flashlight. The darkness represents our trials, and the flashlight represents our faith.

2 Nephi 2:11 speaks of opposition in all things. Even though our trials will be hard they will help us improve. pages 110 and 111 in the book speak of how we are made perfect through our suffering, and that even our Savior had to suffer trials.

I love a passage from page 113 we read. It says: "If a stormy cloud sweep over the horizon...; if the cup of bitter suffering be offered, and you compelled to partake; Satan let loose to go among you, with all his seductive powers of persecution lifted against you;-then, in that hour, lift up your heads and rejoice that you are accounted worthy to suffer thus with Jesus, the saints, and holy prophets; and know that the period of your redemption has approached."

Though we might not see our blessing in the midst of trials, we can receive much through our suffering.
We can gain knowledge
Our faith and hope grow and our light will increase. Just like a brighter flashlight in the night will illuminate a few more feet ahead, through exercised faith we will be able to see a litter farther and increase in knowledge.
Peace will come
Like in the quote above, the time will come when we can rest from our suffering. There is light, and it will come.
We can help others
The light we gain from our trials will enable us to help others through their trials. We can share our light through visiting teaching, being a good friend, even acts of kindness as simple as a smile.

No matter what trials we are called to face, the Lord will be there for us. He will not turn away from us, so run to Him!