![]() He once declared, “Deep water is what I am wont to swim in. ![]() A quick review of his struggles reveals that Joseph had more trials than most individuals will ever face. In fact, for most individuals, such “warnings” would cause extreme stress and worry. ![]() Such declarations would not bring peace to the soul of a fair-weather follower of Christ. In addition, the Lord told Joseph, “Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many” (D&C 24:8 emphasis added). Shortly after the Church was organized, the Lord counseled Joseph to “be firm in keeping the commandments wherewith I have commanded you and if you do this, behold I grant unto you eternal life, even if you should be slain” (D&C 5:22 emphasis added). Without the perspective of the gospel of Jesus Christ, life could be overwhelming and devastating to most individuals.Įven though the Prophet Joseph Smith was born over two hundred years ago, he too faced many of life’s stresses, trials, heartaches, and difficulties. We live in a day in which the love of many has waxed cold (see Matthew 24:12) and men’s hearts are failing them due to fear (see Luke 21:26). Consequently, a host of individuals in our society suffer from anxiety, depression, and stress. Today, there are many who seek for peace but cannot find it. Ĭertainly, such news does not give us much to cheer about these days in fact, it would be rather easy to become a professional pessimist. The evidence of the decline in moral values is readily available as we see the continued rise of pornography, the rampant use of illegal drugs, cohabitating outside of marriage, and every other degenerate practice known to man. Perhaps most alarming is a retreat toward a godless society as more people are moving away from faith in Deity and the establishment of basic moral values that have become the basis of a righteous life and are challenging our religious beliefs and our lifestyle. ![]() Homes are foreclosing at an alarming rate, unusually high energy costs are affecting all of us, and so forth. The unemployment rate has risen from the comfortable levels we enjoyed in the past. The stock market, a rather reliable index of public sentiment, has had distressing declines in value. We face challenges both economically and spiritually. And today we certainly live in a time of great pessimism and concern. We live in a world today of isms-agnosticism, secularism, atheism, pessimism, and other isms. That is enough to ruin anyone’s day, and by then it’s only 6:30 in the morning.” More recently, Bishop Richard C. Holland jested, “I watch an early morning news broadcast while I shave, and then read a daily newspaper. Moreover, on an individual level, many contemporary households deal with disease, divorce, financial distress, unemployment, and a host of other critical issues. Collectively, we are surrounded by economic turmoil, terrorism, wars, gangs, sexual perversion, pollution, hunger, famine, poverty, and the disintegration of the family. ![]() The Church History Museum believes it was done by David Rogers. This painting in the past has been attributed to Sutcliffe Maudsley. If anyone ever had legitimate reasons to be discouraged, it was Joseph Smith. Joseph modeled how to be cheerful regardless of persecution, personal sorrow, or extreme trials. Ogletree ( ) was an associate professor of Church history and doctrine at BYU when this article was published. “However, despite all the good news, still great effort needs to be put on the piracy problem that still exists.Mark D. “I think 2013 is probably a safe bet,” he told an IFPI briefing in London. Has the industry turned a corner? I’m definitely more positive now than I’ve ever been,” said Rob Wells, president of global digital business at Universal Music Group, the world’s biggest label. Record label bosses were cautiously optimistic that music revenues would finally return to growth in 2013, a view not shared by everyone in the business. The good news was that the 2011 decline of around three percent was smaller than the eight percent drop in 2010, and there were signs that the industry was finally beginning to get on top of the rampant online piracy it blames for its woes. REUTERS/Tim Chongįigures released on Monday by record industry body the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) confirmed expectations that a downward trend which began in the late 1990s continued last year. Rob Wells, Senior Vice President, Digital, at Universal Music Group International, answers a question from the media during the launch of Singtel's AMPed music service in Singapore June 14, 2009. ![]()
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