I remember going out to knock doors that night and talking to a college student who wondered how there could be a God when such unimaginable tragedies were allowed to happen.

I’m sure that there are many people wondering that same question this week following the heartbreaking floods in Texas that have, at the point of this writing, killed at least 120 with more than 170 reported missing. Among the perished are at least 27 campers and counselors at the renowned Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp.

While I am at a loss to explain why certain trials are required, I take comfort in the following words by Lorenzo Snow, fifth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

“I daresay that in the [premortal] spirit world, when it was proposed to us to come into this probation, and pass through the experience that we are now receiving, it was not altogether pleasant and agreeable; the prospects were not so delightful in all respects as might have been desired. Yet there is no doubt that we saw and understood clearly there that, in order to accomplish our exaltation and glory, this was a necessary experience; and however disagreeable it might have appeared to us, we were willing to conform to the will of God, and consequently we are here.”

Ryan Comer, Standard-Examiner

He added:

“If we succeed in passing through the approaching fiery ordeals with our fidelity and integrity unimpeached, we may expect at the close of our trials a great and mighty outpouring of the Spirit and power of God–a great endowment upon all who shall have remained true to their covenants. …”

The lyrics of a Latter-day Saint hymn, Come, Come, Ye Saints, come to mind:

“Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard?

‘Tis not so; all is right.

Why should we think to earn a great reward

If we now shun the fight?

Gird up your loins; fresh courage take.

Our God will never us forsake;

And soon we’ll have this tale to tell–

All is well! All is well!”

The hymn is connected to the Latter-day Saint pioneers who journeyed on foot to Salt Lake City.

“Considered the anthem of the Latter-day Saint pioneers, ‘Come, Come, Ye Saints’ was penned by William Clayton on April 15, 1846,” wrote Hanna Seariac in a Deseret News article. “He wrote the hymn while toiling, westward-bound, with the pioneers through the mud 103 miles away from Nauvoo, Illinois. Clayton was part of the first pioneer company to enter the Salt Lake Valley.

“While camped out near Locust Creek in Iowa, Clayton awaited news of his wife, Diantha, who remained in Nauvoo while expecting their first child. On April 15, William Clayton received the joyous news that his son was born in good health, but he also heard that his wife was suffering from illness.

“After hearing this news, Clayton recorded in his journal, ‘This morning I composed a new song — ‘All Is Well.’ I feel to thank my heavenly father for my boy and pray that he will spare and preserve his life and that of his mother and so order it so that we may soon meet again.'”

The thought of an eternal reward, spoken of by President Snow and highlighted by Clayton in “Come, Come, Ye Saints,” is all possible because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Jesus wasn’t just a man who came to earth, taught some good lessons, showed exemplary character and love for others and then died a tragic death. He came to make exaltation possible, and he succeeded. Without him, neither sin nor death could be overcome, and we would never be able to return to live with Heavenly Father.

Though painful and difficult to understand, trials help us take advantage of Christ’s Atonement to achieve all that Heavenly Father wants us to. And because of Christ’s Atonement, we don’t have to be left on our own as we face these trials.

John Taylor, third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said:

“It was necessary, when the Savior was upon the earth, that he should be tempted in all points, like unto us, and ‘be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,’ (Hebrews 4:15) to comprehend the weaknesses and strength, the perfections and imperfections of poor fallen human nature. And having accomplished the thing he came into the world to do; having had to grapple with the hypocrisy, corruption, weakness, and imbecility of man; having met with temptation and trial in all its various forms, and overcome; he has become a ‘faithful high priest’ (Hebrews 2:17) to intercede for us in the everlasting kingdom of his Father.

“He knows how to estimate and put a proper value upon human nature, for he, having been placed in the same position as we are, knows how to bear with our weaknesses and infirmities, and can fully comprehend the depth, power, and strength of the afflictions and trials that men have to cope with in this world. And thus understandingly and by experience, he can bear with them.”

I found myself pondering all of this after listening to an address by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the April general conference of the church.

Elder Cook discusses Christ’s Atonement

“In a world of great beauty, there are also enormous challenges,” he said. “As we turn to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, He rescues us from the storms of life through His Atonement in accordance with the Father’s plan.”

Elder Cook spoke of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in the context of Latter-day Saint pioneers who suffered and died on their journey to the Salt Lake valley

“The combined number of pioneers in the Willie and Martin handcart companies was approximately 1,100. Some 200 of these precious Saints died along the trail,” he said.

Speaking more of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Elder Cook later added:

“In His eternity-shaping Atonement and Resurrection, the Savior broke ‘the bands of death, having gained the victory over death’ for everyone. For those who have repented of sins, He has ‘taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.’

“Without the Atonement, we cannot save ourselves from sin and death. While sin can play a significant role in our trials, life’s adversities are compounded by mistakes, bad decisions, evil actions by others, and many things outside of our control.

“Preach My Gospel teaches: ‘As we rely on Jesus Christ and His Atonement, He can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and pain. We can be filled with joy, peace, and consolation. All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.’

“During this Easter season, our focus is on the Savior and His atoning sacrifice. The Atonement provides hope and light at a time that for many seems dark and dreary. President Gordon B. Hinckley declared, ‘When all of history is examined, … [there is] nothing … so wonderful, so majestic, so tremendous as this act of grace.'”

Some doubt God’s love for us because of trials, but for me, trials are actually evidence that God does love us. If trials are meant to refine and prepare us, then God must really care about our progression by allowing us to have them. If he didn’t love us, he wouldn’t bother requiring us to endure them. And he certainly wouldn’t want us to have “joy, peace and consolation” even despite our “trials, sicknesses and pain,” which is possible because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which is part of Heavenly Father’s ultimate plan of salvation.

Elder Cook went on to provide three recommendations as part of his counsel.

Rescuing others

“First, do not underestimate the importance of doing what we can to rescue others from physical and especially spiritual challenges,” he said.

There was a great example of this from Elder Cook’s talk. As he was discussing the pioneers’ journey west, he mentioned that President Brigham Young called for help to be sent to rescue the Willie and Martin handcart companies.

“He asked the bishops to provide 60 mule teams, 12 or more wagons, and 12 tons (10,886 kg) of flour and proclaimed, ‘Go and bring in those people now on the plains,'” Elder Cook said.

Elder Cook later described the reaction when the rescuers met up with the handcart companies.

“Describing the arrival scene, Mary Hurren said: ‘Tears streamed down the cheeks of the men, and the children danced for joy. As soon as the people could control their feelings, they all knelt down in the snow and gave thanks to God,'” Elder Cook said.

“Two days later, the Willie company had to travel the most difficult part of the trail, going over Rocky Ridge, in a freezing storm. The last of them didn’t reach camp until 5:00 the next morning. Thirteen people died and were buried in a common grave.

“On November 7, the Willie company was nearing the Salt Lake Valley, but that morning there were still three deaths. Two days later, the Willie company finally reached Salt Lake, where they had a marvelous greeting and were welcomed into the homes of the Saints.

“That same day, the Martin company was still 325 miles (523 km) back on the trail, continuing to suffer from cold and inadequate food. A few days earlier, they had crossed the Sweetwater River to reach what is now called Martin’s Cove, where they hoped to find protection from the elements. One of the pioneers said, ‘It was the worst river crossing of the expedition.’ Some of the rescuers–like my great-grandfather David Patten Kimball, who was just 17 years old, along with his young friends ‘George W. Grant, Allen Huntington, Stephen Taylor, and Ira Nebeker–spent hours in the frigid water,’ heroically helping the company make the Sweetwater crossing.”

We may not be asked to do what these rescuers were asked by President Young to do, but we will all have opportunities to help people who are going through physical and/or spiritual challenges. The best people I have known are the people who were able to realize something needed to be done for someone else and then did it. It’s like they didn’t even think about whether or not it was even going to have an impact or any potential inconvenience to them. They just knew something needed to be done, they knew what they were capable of doing and they did it. Imagine a world full of those types of people.

Two other recommendations

Elder Cook continued:

“Second, gratefully accept the Savior’s Atonement. We all should strive to exhibit joy and happiness even as we face the challenges of life. Our goal should be to live optimistically on the sunny side of the street. I have observed my precious companion, Mary, do this her entire life. I have appreciated her sparkling, uplifting approach even as we have faced problems throughout the years.

“My third counsel is to set aside consistent time to faithfully contemplate the Savior’s Atonement. There are many ways to do this in our personal religious observance. However, attending sacrament meeting and partaking of the sacrament are especially significant.

“Equally important is regular attendance in a temple where possible. The temple provides a continuing remembrance of the Savior’s Atonement and what it overcomes. And, even more important, temple attendance allows us to provide a spiritual rescue for our deceased loved ones and more distant ancestors.

“President Russell M. Nelson, at our last conference, emphasized this principle and added, ‘[Temple] blessings … help to prepare a people who will help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord!'”

A Second Coming connection

This was not a talk about the Second Coming, but I love how Elder Cook found a way to tie his message to it. Contemplating the Atonement of Jesus Christ deepens my love for him and inspires me to more fully commit to obeying his commandments. Thoughts of all that seems unfair about life are diminished and I feel joy. As I align myself more with God’s will, I feel more prepared for the Second Coming. We don’t know when the Second Coming will happen, which is why we must not procrastinate our preparation for it.

The temple helps with all of this because it is a place where we are reminded of the Savior’s Atonement. Simply put, if I want to spend more time contemplating the Atonement of Jesus Christ and realize the blessings that come from that, including being prepared for the Second Coming, I need to be in the temple more often.

Conclusion

As he closed his talk, Elder Cook said simply but perfectly:

“I testify that the key to the Father’s plan of happiness is the Atonement wrought by our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Contact Ryan Comer at rcomer@standard.net.