Jon M. Huntsman Sr. speaks of the need to be optimistic and of how following the gospel of Jesus Christ will lead us to happiness.
Jon M. Huntsman, Sr., was a businessman, philanthropist, and Area Seventy in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was given on 10 November 2009.
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"Many of us here today are either going through one of the valleys of life or will someday experience one of these challenges or moments of adversity. Remember that adversity determines our character. During times of trial and tribulation, I often think of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the many adversities that afflicted his life. The Lord brought peace unto his heart during one of these times when He stated, “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment” (D&C 121:7).
It is always interesting to observe how people react during times of crisis. Indeed, our very own character is formed by the lessons of trial and challenge. Character, in turn, emerges within each of us in our hearts and minds to establish our own personal set of standards-or, as the outside world would refer to it, our personal integrity. Integrity is critical to our lives-and to our dreams of achievement. We must remember that without integrity nothing else matters and that with integrity nothing else matters. Thus personal integrity, shaped and fashioned and molded to a great extent by adversity and personal trials, determines the person or individual we represent to others.
Again, we must each remember that God did not put us on this earth to fail. We are His children. We are here to succeed. The obstacles placed before us will be many, and in certain cases we may falter or even fail. I love the scripture that states, “He who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more” (D&C 58:42).
I often recall the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The Atonement, of course, is the entire purpose for the restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It provides a means for eternal life. But there is another purpose as well. The Savior’s suffering and struggles in the Garden of Gethsemane and His ultimate Atonement allows each of us to heal from the sins or afflictions of which I spoke earlier. Through the Lord Jesus Christ we don’t have to carry guilt over our shoulders as if it were a 50-pound bag of rocks. We can and should repent and move on. The Lord has provided the way for us to heal and then use our adversities to great advantage in the future. Shakespeare said it best when he simply stated, “Sweet are the uses of adversity.”4 As we overcome many imposed limitations or challenges, the door is open for us to do anything in life that is honorable and good. We can follow our dreams and reach the stars and make a big difference in the lives of many.
When I started our company 40 years ago, I had no money. I had worked diligently as a young man to help my family make it through life financially. Although a scholarship had been awarded to me to attend one of America’s most prestigious universities, I worked through college to pay for those extra costs that scholarships don’t cover. Then for several years after graduation I worked for a small company to gain experience and wisdom. I went to graduate school at night and received a master of business administration while having young children at home and serving in a bishopric. Thus, after much preparation, when I decided to form my own company and asked the banks for a loan but was rejected, I said to myself, “No is only the beginning of the conversation.” Filled with confidence, I returned many times to the banker and finally wore him down. He granted me a meager loan, and I began a small business. Step-by-step and acquisition-by-acquisition we grew and expanded. On many occasions, as we built the business, various bankers, attorneys, and accountants would tell me it was impossible to proceed, but I forged ahead because I genuinely believed in myself and was adamant that no one else was going to determine my own personal destiny. And no one else but you will determine your personal destiny." -Jon M. Huntsman Sr.
2 июл 2012
