Opposition

For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born 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.
      2 Nephi 2:11

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.
     D&C 122:7

So, so true.  Much as we do not like it, we must face difficult things and difficult times.  Without experience with misery, evil,, pain, and death, and other bad things, we would not grow.  Without opposition and difficult times, we could not appreciate the good things in life.  I have faced bad times and opposition in my life (like the miserable cold that I have right now), but over-all my life has been good.  I may not have reached every goal on my bucket list, but I have had good opportunities and experiences, and have sampled enough of the difficult to appreciate the good that I do have.  I have a pretty darn good life.  I am grateful for my family, my home, my friends and neighbors, my country, and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Probably what gives me the greatest pain and sorrow at this point in my life is seeing the opposition that others around me are facing.  Family members, friends and acquaintances all around me are facing illness, pain, loss of loved ones, loneliness, infertility, financial problems, challenges in finding work, stressful work and school situations, difficulty in their social lives, heartache, sorrow, problems with drugs and alcohol, emotional problems, mental illness, struggles with faith and testimony, depression and sadness.  I know there are even greater problems worldwide:  war, poverty, famine, epidemics, abuse, natural disasters, and on and on and on.   It is discouraging.  What can I do to help?  Often there isn't much.  Lend a listening ear.  Pray.  Smile, encourage, and comfort.  Keep getting up and going to work.    Share my faith.  Share what little material blessings that I can.  And carry on with the faith that everything will work out.  Good will overcome evil.  Opposition and experience will bring happiness and growth.   It will all work out.  Carry on.  It will all work out.