The first morning I came into the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, I was met with a family who had just arrived. Their young toddler was just diagnosed with a brain tumor called a craniopharyngioma. It originally had started as just vomiting in the morning to seeing double and then through MRI and ophthalmology it was realized that she had this benign growing mass in her head. This young patient was a vibrant little girl that had a love for life and you could tell lived it to the fullest. Several times throughout the discussion the mother of the daughter said, "I still don't believe this, she's such an active little girl that loves life and this shouldn't be happening to her." It truly broke my heart to see this family that you could really see and feel the love they shared in their family, and this new trial that had come into their life. They had not expected this in the least. Their life had just taken a detour they had not expected. This child not only was now in an intensive care unit, but would have brain surgery in two days, and thereafter would have to have her hormones regulated for the rest of her life.
As I pondered upon this situation, I realized that this type of situation occurs more often than one would realize. How often have we found ourselves rocking along in life and something hits us and drops us to the ground. This occurs every day, someone had an unexpected stroke and is left as a hemiplegic, a car accident occurs and takes loved ones out of our lives, natural disasters occur and take everything from our lives. More and more we are seeing these things occur. Is it fair? Why does it happen?
There was a time in the life of Joseph Smith when he was taken from his family and his home and unjustly accused of breaking the law and sent to Liberty Jail in Liberty Missouri. He was held there for five months to await a trial that was never given a date. He and several other church leaders were placed in the dungeon of the building measuring 14x14 feet and only 6 feet tall. There were only two small windows in the dungeon and they were exposed to the inhumane conditions of exposure to the winter weather, hunger, thirst, filth, sometimes poisoned food, and sleeping on the hard, cold stone floor. Since Joseph Smith was just over six feet tall, he was never able to stand upright during this five month period. During this same time period, the governor of Missouri had sent an extermination order demanding the Mormons leave the state. This was a severe trial for the prophet Joseph Smith and the saints. It was during this time that the prophet received a revelation about the importance of trials in our life and their purpose. In Doctrine and Covenants 122:7-8 we read about God's response to this intense trial:
"If thou art called to pass through tribulation...if thou art accused with all manner of false accusations...and if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? Therefore, hold on thy way...Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever."
This answers a great deal of questions regarding the trials we encounter in life. First, it tells us that no matter what trial we are called to go through, Jesus Christ has suffered more. The purpose of saying, "The Son of Man hath descended below them all" is to help us understand that through His suffering, we can receive help from Him. He understands what we are going through and thus can truly help us through any difficult trial we face. In turning to Him, only then are we able to truly find someone who is able to help us. Second of all, it states, "...all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." In other words, there may be a purpose to this trial. Maybe after a certain trial, we are able to help others going through similar situations, maybe it is just to help us learn to trust in God. Whatever the reason, God knows what we are called to go through, and as he states in verse 9, "thy days shall not be numbered less." The trials we go through are known to Heavenly Father and He will help us overcome them if we turn to Him for help. In this manner, we are able to grow closer to God through our trials if we will turn to Him.
So how do we deal with the trials we go through? Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated, "We live in a time of turmoil. Earthquakes and tsunamis wreak devastation, governments collapse, economic stresses are severe, the family is under attack, and divorce rates are rising. We have great cause for concern. But we do not need to let our fears displace our faith. We can combat those fears by strengthening our faith...How you deal with life's trials is part of the development of your faith. Strength comes when you remember that you have a divine nature, an inheritance of infinite worth. The Lord has reminded you, your children, and your grandchildren that you are lawful heirs, that you have been reserved in heaven for your specific time and place to be born, to grow...As you walk in the Lord's path of righteousness, you will be blessed to continue in His goodness and be a light and a savior unto His people."
As we build our faith and trust in the Lord, strength will come; as the strength comes, our faith gets stronger. The little girl and her family about whom this post is about has just such an opportunity. They were given a trial they had not expected, yet in knowing that the Lord understands and will help them can be just the assurance they need to get through this. If they will but trust in Him, and have faith that all things are done according to His purposes, this can be an opportunity to increase their faith in the Lord and help their family grow together. All things happen for a reason, whether they be fair or not I leave to God to judge. However, knowing that trials give us an opportunity to grow closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ sheds a whole new light on their meaning and hopefully, more strength to face them.
2. Doctrine & Covenants 122: 5-9
