Heritage of Faith

"Today the Church stands at the summit of a century and a half of progress. The terrain over which we have traveled is a grim reminder that struggle, persecution, and sorrow have been the lot of our forebears. Kirtland, Jackson County, Clay County, Haun's Mill, and Nauvoo seem synonymous with suffering—a part of the tribulation the Lord promised that his people would have to endure (see D&C 58:3). "As we look back in retrospect, we see that it was because of the opposition encountered in our early history that our progress today has been made possible. Out of that caldron of persecution and heartache, the Lord answered the soul-cry of the Prophet Joseph Smith in these words:" 'Thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; " 'And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high' (D&C 121:7–8). " 'If thou art called to pass through tribulation, . . . know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good' (D&C 122:5, 7). "By the tribulation well endured by numerous of our progenitors, a desert blossomed as a rose (see Isa. 35:1), a tried and persecuted people provided a heritage of faith, and Zion put on her beautiful garments for all to see (see D&C 82:14)."
Howard W. Hunter, "God Will Have a Tried People," Ensign, May 1980, 25

Topics: Faith, Opposition