Brother and Sisters, we are super excited that so many of our stake members are engaged in reading the Book of Mormon. If you are just getting started, keep at it! If you've fallen behind, don't fret! The promises are real: "Such simple acts of faith as studying the scriptures daily... shores up our weaknesses, increases our joys..." (Elder L Whitney Clayton, April 2017).
I'd like to share some thoughts and feelings from studying 2 Nephi 2:11, 12 and 25. In this chapter Lehi is preaching and instructing his children regarding the plan of salvation and the need for opposition and agency.
Sometimes we get frustrated in life when our own unrighteous use of agency and others' unrighteous use of agency causes pain; we might even shortsightedly exclaim, "if only we didn't have to deal with these choices!" Remember, that there was a plan that included no pain, no misery, no choice and everyone saved regardless...that was the adversary's plan and he asked for all the glory. Rather, we elected Jehovah's plan, that we might all be able to choose right from wrong, to learn from our experiences and rely on Him (our Savior) to overcome our limitations...and all the glory to our Father in Heaven. It is only through the Savior's plan/our Heavenly Father's plan that the requisite experiences and training needed for eternal progression and exaltation are given...freely but according to the principles of mercy and justice.
We can often feel frustrated, overwhelmed, under-qualified. But that's part of the learning curve, the requisite experiences if carefully navigated that will indeed bring eternal joy. That is our Heavenly Father's goal...and that was/is our goal when we sided with Christ in the pre-mortal existence. Joy is not possible without opposition and agency.
Members of the Hunters Creek Stake...BE BRAVE! Have faith and rely on the Lord. Trust that as you follow gospel principles, that your weaknesses will be shored up and that your joy will be increased. We love you!
-Stake Presidency
11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.
