If there’s one thing for certain in this life, it’s that we
will be tested and go through trials. The pain from these trying times can at
times feel soul-crushing and incredibly lonely. But there is a light in the
darkness, One who perfectly understands what we are going through.
While the Lord might not always lift our burden immediately,
there is help available if we ask. In Christ, we can find peace and solace from
our pain and sins. Here are some words of wisdom to help lift your heart when
you’re feeling down.
1. "He Loved Them unto the End" - Jeffrey R. Holland, October 1989 General Conference
"Because he must ultimately tread this winepress of redemption unaided,
can he endure the darkest moment of them all, the shock of the greatest pain?
This comes not with thorns and with nails, but with the terror of feeling
utterly alone: 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? … My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me?' Can he bear all of our sins and our fear and
loneliness too? He did and he does and he will.
Life has its share of some fear and some failure. Sometimes things fall short, don’t quite measure up. Sometimes in both personal and public life, we are seemingly left without strength to go on. Sometimes people fail us, or economies and circumstance fail us, and life with its hardship and heartache can leave us feeling very alone.
But when such difficult moments come to us, I testify that there is one thing which will never, ever fail us. One thing alone will stand the test of all time, of all tribulation, all trouble, and all transgression. One thing only never faileth—and that is the pure love of Christ."
2. "You Can Do It Now!" - Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2013 General Conference
“Every person, young and old, has had his own personal
experience with falling. Falling is what we mortals do. But as long as we are
willing to rise up again and continue on the path toward the spiritual goals
God has given us, we can learn something from failure and become better and
happier as a result.
My dear brethren, my dear friends, there will be times when you think you cannot continue on. Trust the Savior and
His love. With faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the power and hope of the
restored gospel, you will be able to walk
tall and continue on.”
3. "Hope in Christ" - Barbara W. Winder, October 1986 General Conference
"Which
of us has not known disappointment, discouragement, and despair? That is one of
the tests for all of us. Consider the Prophet Joseph, as he languished in
Liberty Jail in March of 1839, having been there for months, knowing that his
people had been driven from their homes and were destitute. His cry is
touching: 'O God, where art thou? … How long shall thy hand be stayed?'
And then the soothing answer came from a kind and loving Father: 'Thine
adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; 'And then, if thou
endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy
foes.'
And then, later, tenderly, 'Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee
experience, and shall be for thy good.'”
4. "Shall He Find Faith on the Earth?" - Joseph B. Worthlin, October 2002 General Conference
"Sometimes the world appears dark. Sometimes our faith is tried.
Sometimes we feel that the heavens are closed against us. Yet we should not
despair. We should never abandon our faith. We should not lose hope. Often when the world seems dark, when the heavens seem distant, we seek
to blame everything around us, when the real cause of the darkness may be a
lack of faith within ourselves.
Be of good cheer. Have faith and confidence.
The Lord will not forsake you. The Lord has promised if we 'search diligently,
pray always, and be believing, … all things shall work together for your good,
if ye walk uprightly.'"
5. "Mountains to Climb" - Henry B. Eyring, April 2012 General Conference
“I
wish to encourage those who are in the midst of hard trials, who feel their
faith may be fading under the onslaught of troubles. Trouble itself can be your
way to strengthen and finally gain unshakable faith. Moroni, the son of Mormon
in the Book of Mormon, told us how that blessing
could come to pass. He teaches the simple and sweet truth that acting on even a
twig of faith allows God to grow it:
I
cannot promise an end to your adversity in this life. I cannot assure you that
your trials will seem to you to be only for a moment. One of the
characteristics of trials in life is that they seem to make clocks slow down
and then appear almost to stop.
6. "Our Only Chance" - Sheri L. Dew, April 1999 General Conference
Yes.
The answer is yes because of Jesus Christ, whose Atonement ensures that we need
not bear the burdens of mortality alone. There is nothing this confused world
needs more, nothing that inspires a greater sense of well-being, nothing that
has greater power to strengthen families than the gospel of Jesus Christ.
President Howard W. Hunter said, 'Whatever Jesus lays his hands upon lives. If
Jesus lays his hands upon a marriage, it lives. If he is allowed to lay his
hands on the family, it lives.' The
Savior will do for each of us what
He has promised to do—if we will have faith in Him
and receive His gift."
7. "The Infinite Power of Hope" - Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2008 General Conference
"The
Lord has given us a reassuring message of hope: 'Fear not, little flock.' God
will wait with 'open arms to receive' those who give away their sins and continue in faith, hope, and
charity.
And
to all who suffer—to all who feel discouraged, worried, or lonely—I say with
love and deep concern for you, never give in.
Never
surrender. Never
allow despair to overcome your spirit.
Embrace and rely upon the Hope of Israel, for the love of the Son of God
pierces all darkness, softens all sorrow, and gladdens every heart."
8. "The Atonement Covers All Pain" - Kent F. Richards, April 2011 General Conference
"Opposition
is part of Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness. We all encounter enough to
bring us to an awareness of our Father’s love and of our need for the Savior’s
help.
The
Savior is not a silent observer. He Himself knows personally and infinitely the
pain we face.
'He
suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both
men, women, and children.'
'Let
us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need.'
Sometimes in the depth of pain, we are tempted to ask, 'Is there no balm
in Gilead; is there no physician there?' I testify the
answer is yes, there is a physician. The Atonement of Jesus
Christ covers all these conditions and purposes of mortality."
9. "More Than Conquerors through Him That Loved Us" - Paul V. Johnson, April 2011 General Conference
"Elder Orson F. Whitney said: 'No pain that we suffer, no trial
that we experience is wasted. … All that we suffer and all that we endure,
especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our
hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable. … It is
through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education
that we come here to acquire.'
Sometimes
we want to have growth without challenges and to develop strength without any
struggle. But growth cannot come by taking the easy way. We clearly understand
that an athlete who resists rigorous training will never become a world-class
athlete. We must be careful that we don’t resent the very things that help us
put on the divine nature.
10. "He Heals the Heavy Laden" - Dallin H. Oaks, October 2006 General Conference
"At
times we may despair that our burdens are too great. When it seems that a
tempest is raging in our lives, we may feel abandoned and cry out like the
disciples in the storm, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” At such times
we should remember His reply: 'Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no
faith?'
The healing power of the
Lord Jesus Christ—whether it removes our burdens or
strengthens us to endure and live with them like the Apostle Paul—is available
for every affliction in mortality. 'Come unto me,' the Savior said, 'and ye shall
find rest unto your souls.'
As we struggle with the challenges of mortality, I pray for each
of us, as the prophet Mormon prayed for his son, Moroni: 'May Christ lift thee
up, and may his sufferings and death, … and his mercy and long-suffering, and
the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever.'"
Tracie Snowder is a journalist for KSL.com and mom of two girls. She received her broadcast journalism degree from BYU. She spent the first 18 years of her life in California, the next nine years in Utah and recently called College Station home while her husband attended A&M for grad school. She enjoys reading, writing, yoga, sports, music and loves the beach.
Tracie Snowder is a journalist for KSL.com and mom of two girls. She received her broadcast journalism degree from BYU. She spent the first 18 years of her life in California, the next nine years in Utah and recently called College Station home while her husband attended A&M for grad school. She enjoys reading, writing, yoga, sports, music and loves the beach.
