Faith | When adversity or challenges arise, we can choose joy

Several years ago, my husband was serving as ecclesiastical leader of our congregation.

It was Christmastime and we felt especially concerned about the widows in our congregation.

On Christmas morning we awoke to a surprising amount of snow. Seeing the snow, we became worried about two widows in our congregation whose families lived on farms many miles away.

We worried that the snowy roads would keep their families from visiting and they would be alone on Christmas Day.

We finished up our family Christmas and quickly drove to the assisted living center where they both lived.

We knocked on the door of the first widow and she greeted us with the longest face.

She said, “This is just awful! Why does this always happen to me? Now what am I going to do?”

She tearfully explained that her daughter would be unable to pick her up due to the weather, and now she would be all alone.

We invited her to our home, but she declined and decided to stay alone in her room. We told her we cared about her and hoped she would have a good day.

Next, we went to the second widow’s room and knocked on her door. The door sprang open and there stood a 104-year-old bright woman with a happy smile.

Before we could get a word out, she exclaimed how beautiful it looked outside and how grateful she was for the snow which made everything look so festive.

She then said, “What a beautiful gift our Heavenly Father has given us on this day.”

We asked if she would be able to be with her family and she said, “Heavens no. I told them not to brave the roads to get me. I will be well taken care of here.”

What an incredible lesson of “being of good cheer.”

As the years have passed, when adversity or challenges arise, I am reminded of these two women. The difference in their attitudes was so dramatic even though they were in similar situations.

They taught me a life changing lesson to “be of good cheer”.

Following the Last Supper, Jesus shared his thoughts and desires with his disciples. They were sorrowful knowing that his mortal ministry was ending.

He said to them, “And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:22,33)

A hymn we frequently sing in our congregation entitled “Rejoice, the Lord Is King!”, ends with these words, “Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say rejoice!”

The source of true joy and cheer comes from an understanding of Christ’s divine mission, his atonement and resurrection.

An ecclesiastical leader, Quentin L. Cook says, “Joy comes when we have the Spirit in our lives. When we have the Spirit, we rejoice in what the Savior has done for us.”

Let us rejoice and be of good cheer in the promise that is ours through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)