Elder Neil L. Andersen - In the crucible of earthly trials, patiently move forward, and the Savior’s healing power will bring you light, understanding, peace, and hope. - www.lds.org/ge... October 2018 General Conference.
From Elder Von G. Keetch of the seventy: the barriers established by the Lord create for us a safe harbor from evil and destructive influences. Another common theme in Mormonism is the following: Blessed and Happy are those who keep the commandment of God. It seems that I'm experiencing a "have your cake and eat it too" type of dilemma from what LDS leaders are preaching. The LDS church promises, or better yet God promises in his scirptures, that inasmuch as ye keep my commandments ye shall prosper, and be happy, and experience joy. Yet, this very talk goes on to prove something very different. I remember very well that it was ingrained in my inner-most core that the more I prayed, fasted, payed tithing, followed commandments, etc...I would be protected against evil and suffering. Zooming out 2000 miles and seeing the LDS community as a whole these scriptures and promises appear to have no truth content whatsoever. Mormons I would venture to say suffer death, depression, anxiety, suicide, familial hardships, trials, at the same rate as other non-Mormons. Being Mormon and following the commandments appears to do nothing from preventing evil, or suffering, or death. I remember the family of 5 who were worthy active Mormons on their way to drop off their son off at the MTC. Traveling in a car headed to Provo all 5 were killed in a car accident. What did it profit them to serve in callings, pray, pay tithing, and do all of the things instructed by scripture only so they could be killed in a car accident on the way to the MTC? Why didn't the scriptures hold to be true? Of course, post hoc rationalizations are abundant and ubiquitous in Mormonism. God's ways are higher, he called them home early, god needed them as missionaries on the other side of the veil, it was their time to go....blah blah blah. Then why does god give us scripture that contradict his very own plan? Don't give me a holy book that says: follow my commandments and ye shall prosper when I do just this and I live in poverty with hardly the means to feed my family. Don't give promises that say "blessed and happy are they who keep the commandments" when I do so and experience immense amounts of suffering even up to the point of family suicide. Mormonism offers no shelter unique from any other worldview from this harsh thing we call reality. They are stories, fables, and myths we tell ourselves in an attempt to help cope with the harsh reality we live in. They are comforting stories that bare no accurate representation of how the world really works. The fact is, tomorrow you or I could go tits up and it has nothing to do with how we're living our life, whether we're worthy or not, or whether we pay our tithing or do our home-teaching. Mormons, you can't have it both ways. No matter how worthy or active in the church you are you are just as vulnerable to the shit storm that can reach us at any second during any day. I encourage any truth seeker to read "the evidental problem of evil, or Theodicy", or the problem of gratuitous suffering. Quite living with the cognitive dissonance of how to reconcile your belief in an omniscient, omnibenevolent, and omnipotent god who allows children to starve and die by the millions yearly. Look elsewhere than to mormon recommended books.
*keep my commandments ye shall prosper, and be happy, and experience joy. Yet, this very talk goes on to prove something very different--Life is eternal friend, we may not experience these things in mortality, but mortality is the blink of an eye in the eternal sense. *Being Mormon and following the commandments appears to do nothing from preventing evil, or suffering, or death.--No one ever said it would; these experiences are part of mortality. However, if you are worthy to have the spirit to guide you, you can rely on him to lead you on the best path, the one the Lord would have you follow so that you can be the best version of yourself. *Mormonism offers no shelter unique from any other worldview from this harsh thing we call reality. They are stories, fables, and myths we tell ourselves in an attempt to help cope with the harsh reality we live in. They are comforting stories that bare no accurate representation of how the world really works.--This is an opinion, not based in fact. The standard works are facts and will lead all that seek to the truth. The Lord Jesus Christ, creator of Heaven and earth knows how the world really works because he created it and all things that in them are. *Look elsewhere than to mormon recommended books.--A man can draw closer to God by prayerfully reading the Book of Mormon than other. You are an anti-Mormon Troll, I get that. You don't believe in God, I understand. Please, listen to the talk again, ask yourself...since you don't believe in God and wouldn't ask him, is this truth that is being spoken by Elder Andersen? Really listen; really focus on the message, let your heart and soul guide you to the truth. May the Lord bless you with the knowledge and peace you are seeking. Remember, it is called the plan of happiness for a reason. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.
I can’t remember where, but in the Book of Mormon during a time of peace and prosperity there were still people getting old and dying. As wickedness and sorrow came against the righteous in the Book of Mormon, there was still joy. Job was righteous and his whole family died. Jesus healed the man born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him. Garrit Gong’s Live Right Now highlights gospel principles of there is a time and a season for everything. The rain falls on both the righteous and the wicked. There is no true and lasting happiness outside of the plan of happiness. These are all things I consider when life gets hard. I hope they help you. I know the Book of Mormon is true and that Jesus Christ is the rock to lean on when whirlwinds and rains come.
You can't go through this mortal life without experiencing _some_ difficulty. That's how things work. Living righteously doesn't promise you a life without trial, but in my experience, it makes those trials easier to bear. Some of the worst moments in my life have been the moments when I have felt closest to God. In those moments more than in any other I know with absolute surety that He knows what I'm going through. In the darkest parts of my life, He has always been there to help and to guide me. This life is imperfect. You can't expect it to be anything else. But it can be made easier by relying upon the Lord to carry you when you are hurting. That is the message Elder Andersen is trying to convey.
Elder Neil L. Anderson never said we are immuned to the storms of life, all he or the gospel is trying to teach us is that we can endure that well if we have a hope of the life hereafter. And where are tell ourselves lies or not, I would ask you DOES IT OR DOES IT NOT GIVE US MUCH COMFORT? Yes i testify that it does give us much comfort and peace than the one who has no hope of the eternities and of a loving Father in Heaven. Yes people die and I ask you can you stop that? Mormonism never said it averts death or resurrects the dead, it simply said you'll be comforted. I prefer to keep the commandments and have other natural challenges than to purposely do evil and to suffer for that. Please Re-read the Book of Mormon and pray sincerely for Heavenly Father to help you underatand these things. Myself I do not claim to understand why things happen that way but I believe God is at the helm of affairs and someday we will know better. Are you saying the books you've recommended teaches a better way to deal with this?
