Joseph and Liberty

Life is hard. I don't think that anyone could  deny the simple fact that there are times in life that are lonely, stressful, and full of heartache. These times are hopefully short and the majority of life is wonderful but everyone has to go through trials at some point in time. These times of struggle affect everyone differently. Some choose to wallow in their suffering and become bitter and closed off, some choose to remain optimistic, learn from their trials, and become better from them. Many others fall somewhere in the middle, simply enduring their trials and trying to move on afterwards. 

If anyone endured a time of trial it was Joseph Smith during his time at Liberty Jail. During this four and a half month long incarceration  Joseph faced horrible living conditions-little to eat, only dirty straw to sleep on, little protection from the bitter cold, and so little room that he could not even stand erect. Even worse, Joseph was taken away from his wife and family and church as they were being persecuted and in desperate need of help. 

During this time of suffering Joseph is naturally disheartened. He asks the Lord why he has been forsaken and why he and his people are enduring such harsh trials and how much longer they must continue. These types of questions are natural for us as individuals-we seek reassurance that the Lord is listening and that he is aware of our situation and  cares about us. Heavenly Father responds to Joseph just as he has promised to respond to all of his. He answers his heart-felt questions and lets him know that his suffering is only for a small moment. This had to be a welcome message of hope to Joseph-reassurance that brighter times would come and that the pain he was enduring would not last forever. 

The Lord also let him know that he has not yet suffered as much as Christ, or Job for that matter, and that they endured their trials well. This wider perspective had to of have a sobering and humbling effect on Joseph. So much of the time we foolishly convince ourselves that no one understands our problems and that the lot life has given us is so much harder than everyone else's. We fail to see the opportunity that we have to become humble and learn from our trials, just as the prophet Joseph did. During his incarceration at Liberty Jail, Joseph received so much revelation that it has often been referred to as a "temple-prison". From his time of tribulation, not only was Joseph blessed but the entire church was as well. 

Liberty Jail was a catalyst that forever changed Joseph Smith. Not only did it teach him valuable lessons, but it also made him a powerful speaker. Before his imprisonment he relied on spokesman, but after his release he became the preacher of the church. The following revelations recording in Nauvoo were in actuality Joseph's teachings and sermons. Though it was tough, his trial made him better and stronger. I pray that I can react to my own personal "Liberty Jail"s in a similar matter and through them grow closer to Christ and my Father in heaven.

 

Section 137

The word gospel, as many know, literally means good news. There could not be a more fitting meaning for the gospel and teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Throughout my life as a member of this church there have been countless times where possessing the knowledge and testimony the gospel has given me hope, comfort and joy. But the joy the gospel gives does not just apply to me, it is rather a gospel of universal good news. It is a source of hope for every man, woman, and child who has ever lived on the earth.

I believe that Section 137 of the Doctrine and Covenants is one of the most hopeful and comforting revelations in all doctrine. In this revelation, the prophet Joseph Smith has a vision of the Celestial Kingdom. In this vision of heaven he sees his mother and father, who were both alive at the time, and to his great surprise he also sees his older brother Alvin in the Celestial Kingdom. Joseph was not surprised because Alvin was not a good person, because he certainly was. Joseph was shocked because Alvin passed away at a fairly young age and had never been baptized. Everything that Joseph had learned in his previous religious education had suggested that in order to be saved, baptism was an absolute necessity. Without it, Christians simply believed that a soul was damned. 

In this marvelous vision, however, Joseph learns an entirely new concept-that it is possible for those who have died without being baptized to still receive salvation. He further learns that if a child dies before reaching the age of accountability, that they will be exalted as well, even though they were not formally baptized. Both of these ideas were completely novel to religion during the time period of this revelation.

I absolutely love section 137 and the revelations it holds. Not only do I love them, but they make perfect sense to me! One thing that I have learned to be an absolute truth during my life and experiences is that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me, knows me and wants me to return to live with him again. I also know, however that he loves every one of his children just as much as he loves me, even those who were not as lucky as I was to be born into his true church or to accept the gospel during their lives. Because of this great love he possesses, of course he provided an opportunity for every single one of them to be receive eternal life, nothing else would be fitting!  This glorious fact should most certainly be a piece of "good news" to every child of god, but it should also install a deep sense of responsibility into those privileged enough to have heard it. That profound and responsibility is to do the necessary work so that the dead will indeed have that joyful opportunity.

Special Collections

This week I had the opportunity to visit the Special Collections in the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University. It was a truly amazing chance to see many pieces of ancient and extremely valuable literature from all around the world. It was also fascinating to hear about how the methods of recording and publishing have changed over the centuries. I was able to see a wide variety of examples of the different techniques  that were used such as carvings in clay and turtle shells, meticulous recording by hand on papyrus and vellum and finally the type of Guttenberg's modern printing press on paper. 

One of the things that left a huge impression on me was how much time and energy individuals placed into recording things that they believed to be of great importance. Their entire life's work could often be viewed as a few pages in a book. These men and women, primarily in monasteries and convents, poured countless hours into making a perfect copy and record of religious writings so that they could be preserved for future generations. But they did not just stop with the flawless writing. They adorned these texts with beautiful adornments, illustrations, and borders. This elaborate artwork added to the text showed just how much value these texts possessed and how much respect they showed it.

Seeing the herculean effort that was put into recording this religious literature made me realize how much I take the books I have for granted. As a student, I flip through the pages of various books everyday without giving a second thought to how amazing it is that I have all this literature at my disposal. More importantly, as I study my scriptures every night I unfortunately rarely think of the immense sacrifices many people made so that I could hold that book in my hands. People through the centuries have endured countless trials and many even gave their lives to preserve the word of God for future generations. Because of their sacrifice I am able to profit and learn from these amazing works of literature. It also reminded me of the sacrifice that Joseph Smith made to bring another piece of ancient literature containing the words of God into the hands of people all over the world. Though he was recording revelations through a scribe on paper instead of on a turtle shell, publishing these revelations was a huge part of his life's work and he made enormous sacrifices to have it published. My visit to the special collections heightened my gratitude for the efforts that people around the world have made to conserve important pieces of literature and made me realize just how blessed I am to have access to them today.

Suffering

In today's world we seem to be completely surrounded by human suffering. From watching the current tragic images of torn apart families in Haiti on the news, to watching a close friend deal with the death of her young mother, and witnessing friends and their families trying to overcome destructive addictions, I seem to see heartache at every turn. Many people see this suffering in the world and say that there surely cannot be a God, because no God would allow his children to go through this kind of pain." I, on the other hand, beg to differ. For me, trials serve as a solid piece of evidence that there is indeed a God and that he loves his children.

Helen Keller once said, "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved." This statement is powerful in and of itself, but it is especially poignant coming from a woman who was both deaf and blind and had a life full of suffering. And while I myself am neither deaf of blind, I can attest that her statement is true, that through trials our characters are developed and that our souls are strengthened. Most importantly however, during times of suffering we are brought closer to our Heavenly Father. 

I have seen this happen in my own life many times. Looking back, while the periods of my life when I was enduring trials were painful and certainly not fun, I would not give them up for anything. That is because during these trials and suffering I was humbled and came to rely on my Heavenly Father as a pillar of support. My relationship with him and my Savior were strengthened as I drew near to them when I felt I had no one else to turn to. I developed a testimony that my father in Heaven knew me and that he was aware of me and my problems. I also was taught the value and importance of service as I was able to escape my problems and find joy in easing the burdens of others.

The Doctrine and Covenants is full of experiences where trials helped strengthen character and bring the saints closer to God. The experience of Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail in particularly comes to mind. For four and a half months in the bitter cold of winter he was held in a cramped, dark, and freezing jail cell with little food. While suffering these conditions would most certainly be categorized as suffered, the things that Joseph learned there were so sacred and important that the place is now commonly referred to as a "temple-prison." 

Suffering is inevitable in our lives. It can come from natural calamities, as a result of a  choice made by yourself or another, or simply from the fact that we need to be humbled and our Heavenly Father is trying to teach us something and help us grow. And while no one looks forward to this suffering, if we choose to "suffer our trials well" I have a firm testimony that we can learn from them, develop our character, and grow closer to our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ.