Responding to Persecution with Faith and Courage

Relief Society lesson title above: I usually make a synopsis of the lesson and present it along with my testimony before hand. That way, if time runs out I have already given my testimony and feelings which is addressed early on. I call it my "editorial."

Here it is--

We live in the 21st century. The Church has had many current day persecutions tha are so common in our daily lives. How has the Chruch been successful to counter some of this opposition?

I mention here a few of those that are apparent in view of the recent political blackmail that prevails in an effort to legalize the abominations God has warned us about.

Who has not suffered some kind of discrimination/persecution individually or collectively? What do we learn from the example of Joseph Smith of how to bear the burdens that are placed upon us, and heavily upon others?

Who has suffered forth sake of our own testimony of truth or been challenged in the work place, our neighborhoods. . . or have we not arrived in the latter-days where good is claimed to be evil and evil to be good.

What can we do to help our children to learn how to be strong, steadfast and immovable when peer pressures about? What can we do as parents, grandparents, teachers, or ward members to face the opposition?

What would our Savior have us do? Joseph and Emma were a couple who faced so many trials of their faith and courage to be faithful, abounding in the love of Jesus Christ to sustain them in all their persecutions for his sake. The early Saints also with them were literally driven from their homes, their comforts or sacrificing everything they owned or possessed leaving behind a newly built temple.

They made sacred covenants and looked for the blessings promised to the faithful. We likewise in our day are challenged perhaps not to the same degree as them, but we look to the Savior and bask in the arms of his love and self sacrifice to have the Gospel restored in the latter-days as a result through Joseph Smith.