Apostle teaches BYU-Idaho students how to deal with trials

Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints addressed Brigham Young University-Idaho students in a February 20 devotional, giving them four principles that will improve their education and help fulfill the mission of BYU-Idaho. He also taught how these principles would help students overcome trials in their lives.

Elder Hales began by citing the BYU-Idaho mission statement and emphasizing that the students' education should make them better people. "The result of your educational experience should prepare you to be disciples of Jesus Christ, leaders, and role models-first and foremost in your families, then in the Church and in the world in the coming years," he said.

To help students achieve that goal, Elder Hales taught four ways students can improve themselves. He also said these principles would help students overcome trials by helping them understand their purpose in life. The first element for improving the students' education is to know that all people are children of God and that everyone came to earth to learn through trials.

"...You are in mortality to be tried and tested," he said. "The first important thing is to know who we are so that when things become difficult in the world, we will have the faith to hold on to the treasured knowledge that we really are God's children. If we understand and hold on to this knowledge, we can endure to the end."

The second principle is to understand the gifts of the Spirit and the talents each person possesses. Elder Hales taught that by using these gifts to help other people, the students would improve themselves in the process.

"I would like to give you encouragement to be able to share your gifts and talents...so that after you leave this institution you will willingly give to others by lifting them and strengthening them. I give you a promise that if you will live your life in such a manner, you will find that both the giver and the receiver will be better off for their intersection," he said.

Elder Hales' third principle was obedience to ordinances and covenants. He said those who did not keep their covenants were "unstable as water."

"When water gets hot, it evaporates. When it gets cold, water freezes. When water is uncontrolled, it brings great damage in floods, erosion, mudslides, etc," he said.  He then emphasized that obedience brings stability to life, though it does not mean students will never have trials. Like the Savior, he said, sometimes God gives us trials even when we are faithful.

"The scriptures tell us that if life is too easy we may not be accomplishing what we were sent to earth to learn and develop spiritually," Elder Hales said. "Sometimes there is a feeling that if I live a good life I won't have any trials and tribulations, or if I get married in the temple I will have a happy life with a perfect family. Remember, Job was a perfect man."

He also said that sometimes the trials do not come from God; they come from disobedience. "When tests and trials come into our lives, we can ask ourselves if the test is coming from God or if it is coming because of our own conduct," he said.

Elder Hales' fourth way to improve education for life and overcome trials is "always expressing gratitude for blessings which have been given unto you and be willing to share your testimony and spirit of love and caring with those around you."

Elder Hales illustrated this idea through the story of the ten lepers in the Bible. He said gratitude will help us keep perspective on the things that are most important. "...It has been my experience in life that the natural man dwells upon his greatest losses and most valued possessions. He does not realize that the most valued possession he has is that of knowing who he is: a child of God with a Father in Heaven."

Elder Hales concluded by encouraging students to apply these four principles in their lives. He promised that, by doing so, students would better overcome trials and endure to the end. 

"Being a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, carries with it an obligation to faithfully endure to the end through all our trials and tribulations," he said. "Don't spend your life on the things of the world. We cannot take them with us when we die. But the things that are of real value to us are our faith in God, our testimony, and our love for our fellow men. That is how we will be judged after we have endured to the end in mortality."

Next week's devotional speaker will be Amy LaBaugh, General Advising Supervisor for BYU-Idaho.  Devotionals are held every Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. in the Hart Auditorium with additional seating in the Hinckley Chapel, Taylor Chapel and Kirkham Auditorium.  Devotionals are broadcast on KBYI-FM 100.5 at 2:00 p.m. and rebroadcast Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday at 5:00 p.m.