Those are the words of President Monson, describing our world today. In the face of such adversity, what can we do? In a world that brings us pain and sorrow, how do we continue?
The answer, as always, comes to us from the Lord, who said "Be strong, and of a good courage." This, brothers and sisters, is both my topic and my invitation today.
When we think of courage, what probably first comes to mind is someone, possibly a knight or a prince, who is fighting a physical battle. Courage, however, comes in all forms and touches many, many areas of our lives.
It takes courage to be kind. Some time ago, I did something that hurt someone that I cared about. It was something thoughtless and unintentional, but it still hurt her terribly. I could see the pain I had caused, but I didn't know how to make it right. I was afraid that because of my mistake, I had lost her friendship and possibly even her respect forever. Instead of choosing hurt or anger-feelings that would have been entirely justified-this woman chose to follow Christ's path. She choose love and charity. The next time that we met, instead of expressing her anger, she chose to show me love. To me, that was a great act of courage. It takes courage to look past ourselves and to be kind, even when others do not deserve it.
It takes courage to endure. There are days when it seems like you're already beaten down and then a new load of cares is delivered right to your doorstep. How easy would it be to sink down, and to stop where we are and to give up. But be of a good courage, do not despair. There will always be hands outstretched to help you, including those of the Savior who has graven you upon the palms of his hands and who will never forget nor forsake you. So be of a good courage, keep going, and move forward.
It also takes courage to be cheerful. Being cheerful isn't easy. Even when it's a habit, there are many fears and annoyances that can insinuate themselves and affect our mood. But be of good cheer! God lives the Gospel is true, and all that the Lord promises will come to pass. Be of good cheer and remember that the Lord loves you. He will provide a way. It may not be an easy one, or even a way you can see at first, but it will be there.
It takes courage to follow the promptings of the Spirit. Sometimes they seem difficult or maybe even insignificant, but God is willing to bless us immeasurably for a small act of faith. We learn "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little." Learning to follow even the smallest promptings of the Spirit helps us to learn and blesses our lives. Having the courage to follow our promptings will bless not only our lives, but the lives of others and will enable us to be better tools in the Lord's hands.
Be of good courage, for the Lord thy God is with thee, and who can stand against Him? Having courage, the kind of courage that will help you to weather any storm and endure any hardship, requires faith. Courage comes when we trust in the Lord and trust His plans over ours. Having the courage to go where the Spirit directs and to do what the Lord asks of us means that we must have faith in Christ. I'm sure that that is not news to everyone, but since faith produces courage, and courage prompts us to increase our faith, our courage and our faith are always growing when we put our trust in God. Elder Holland has said, “If for a while the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who ever lived" (The Inconvenient Messiah, BYU Speeches, Feb 15, 1982).
Having courage does not mean that you rely entirely on your own strength. We're simply not strong enough. In the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord says that the fullness of His gospel will "be proclaimed by the weak and simple unto the ends of the world, before kings and rulers." This may not initially seem like much of a comfort. We've just been called weak! But to me, this scripture speaks peace to my soul to know that I am not alone. I am weak, but God is strong. When I rely on Him, I have His strength to do His work. The Lord does not expect us to work alone. We have been commanded to pray and to ask for guidance and when we do, we can do far more than we ever could on our own.
This life is not easy, but God is far more interested in molding you into who you need to be than in you having an easy life. Amidst all our trials and cares, the courage that comes from an abiding, living testimony and faith in Jesus Christ is what will sustain us. None of us are intended to fail. Take heart in knowing that God is on your side, and if you let Him, He will direct your path.
As many of you know, I have been called on a mission an I leave in a week for the Minnesota Minneapolis Mission. It has taken a lot of courage to prepare for this, but I can already see the Lord blessing me and those around me. Better than I know anything else, I know that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ is His son, that He died for us, and that He was resurrected. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true and living church of God on the Earth. I know without a doubt that Joseph Smith was a prophet, called of God to restore the Gospel in the latter days and that Thomas S. Monson is the living prophet of a living God. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, as is the Bible. I know that the temple is the House of the Lord and that we will be strengthened and comforted when we take the time to attend. Be strong, and of a good courage, brothers and sisters. The Lord lives and He loves each and every one of you. I bear my testimony of this and say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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