Lessons from Liberty Jail | Jeffrey R. Holland

You can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experience with the Lord in any situation you are in-just as Joseph received beautiful, comforting revelation in the "prison-temple" of Liberty Jail.
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Read more about Jeffrey R. Holland here:
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Read more on overcoming adversity here:
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Jeffrey R. Holland was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this CES fireside address was given on 7 September 2008.
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"Now then, three lessons from Liberty Jail: May I suggest that the first of these is inherent in what I’ve already said-that everyone, including (and perhaps especially) the righteous, will be called upon to face trying times. When that happens we can sometimes fear God has abandoned us, and we might be left, at least for a time, to wonder when our troubles will ever end. As individuals, as families, as communities, and as nations, probably everyone has had or will have an occasion to feel as Joseph Smith felt when he asked why such sorrow had to come and how long its darkness and damage would remain. We identify with him when he cries from the depth and discouragement of his confinement:
O God, where art thou? . . .
How long shall thy hand be stayed . . . ?
Yea, O Lord, how long shall [thy people] suffer . . . before . . . thy bowels be moved with compassion toward them? [D&C 121:1-3]
That is a painful, personal cry-a cry from the heart, a spiritual loneliness we may all have occasion to feel at some time in our lives.
Perhaps you have had such moments already in your young lives. If so, I hope you have not had too many. But whenever these moments of our extremity come, we must not succumb to the fear that God has abandoned us or that He does not hear our prayers. He does hear us. He does see us. He does love us. When we are in dire circumstances and want to cry “Where art Thou?” it is imperative that we remember He is right there with us-where He has always been! We must continue to believe, continue to have faith, continue to pray and plead with heaven, even if we feel for a time our prayers are not heard and that God has somehow gone away. He is there. Our prayers are heard. And when we weep He and the angels of heaven weep with us.
When lonely, cold, hard times come, we have to endure, we have to continue, we have to persist. That was the Savior’s message in the parable of the importuning widow (see Luke 18:1-8; see also Luke 11:5-10). Keep knocking on that door. Keep pleading. In the meantime, know that God hears your cries and knows your distress. He is your Father, and you are His child.
When what has to be has been and when what lessons to be learned have been learned, it will be for us as it was for the Prophet Joseph. Just at the time he felt most alone and distant from heaven’s ear was the very time he received the wonderful ministration of the Spirit and wonderful, glorious answers that came from his Father in Heaven. Into this dismal dungeon and this depressing time, the voice of God came, saying:
My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. [D&C 121:7-8]
Even though seemingly unjust circumstances may be heaped upon us and even though unkind and unmerited things may be done to us-perhaps by those we consider enemies but also, in some cases, by those whom we thought were friends-nevertheless, through it all, God is with us. That is why we had our marvelous choir sing tonight Sarah Adams’ traditional, old Christian hymn “Nearer, My God, to Thee” with that seldom-sung fourth verse, which they sang so beautifully:
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to thee.12
We are not alone in our little prisons here. When suffering, we may in fact be nearer to God than we’ve ever been in our entire lives. That knowledge can turn every such situation into a would-be temple.
Regarding our earthly journey, the Lord has promised:
I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up. [D&C 84:88]
That is an everlasting declaration of God’s love and care for us, including-and perhaps especially-in times of trouble." - Jeffrey R. Holland

[@f.m.r.1437]

A wise friend told me years ago that he was told that if you have trial after trial, you either deserve it or you need it.

[@revans5283]

And I very well believe we each accepted certain trials we would be going through here as part of our pre-mortal preparation of earthly life. This is absolutely one of the BEST talks ever given.

[@jojolly1154]

Probably Both 😢❤

[@RobbinRivera-kg8hr]

How grateful I feel for the prophet Joseph Smith & to those who endured Liberty jail. That we can read the prophets counsel in our day. Also, that Pres Holland can expound upon the writings & increase the comfort & counsel we receive from Joseph Smith’s words.

[@weswalsman]

One of my favorite talks of all time! Elder Holland is a true modern apostle of God!

[@ourisanthailife9358]

One of my favorite talks helping me understand what my great grandfather went through with his brother Joseph and lessons for myself.

[@happiness1956]

He has offered the blessing now we must pray to receive it

[@jessgrowhodges9863]

This is the exact message I needed to hear as I go forward to hold fast in righteousness in all things, all places and all times

[@leswalker2639]

Thank you Elder Holland for that great message.

[@nancycook6355]

amazing like always thanks so much for this beautiful inspiration ❤️❤️❤️Brother Holland

[@crystalayers2933]

Great talk. I learned a lot. This will inspire me during hard times.

[@AnaliliB]

Thank you for keeping the hymn. ❤

[@amandastakeonit7402]

I love listening to Elder Holland!!

[@leonardreynolds2268]

Thank you!

[@annaleebunch]

WOW!!!

[@leonardreynolds2268]

Best talk ever!!!

[@blukens95]

New favorite video!!!

[@omiolo]

Happiness is the object and design of our existence.

[@susansunda8755]

So true❤️

[@PaultheCanadian]

Talk recommended in sacrament today. This must be a good one. I will listen to it.

[@janethofmann1401]

Love. Love. Love.

[@paradisemasikat7515]

❤❤❤❤

[@timothyhudson7999]

Excellent talk same as all the others Elder Holland gives. Is it just me or is the audio turned way down on this talk? I can barely hear him.

[@CML95018]

🙏❣️

[@quietboy4575]

💚

[@moynster10]

ha do you guys have this speech in spanish???

[@byuspeeches]

Hi there! Due to limited resources, our speeches are unfortunately only available in English. Users are welcome to translate speeches for personal use, but public distribution of any translation must be authorized by the speaker.

[@moynster10]

@@byuspeeches I wish my family could understand it

[@moynster10]

=(

[@solangeguerrero7090]

@@moynster10 But you can use the option 'traducción automática' on settings (subtitles). Some videos can be translated; others cannot. But you can try.

[@happiness1956]

One thing I am shocked by is all the other liberties that were stripped from them and yet they were still allowed to write letters how interesting

[@kathrynhays7794]

Does anyone know the name of the hymn at the end?

[@emilynmorin888]

It's called "My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee". The tabernacle choir at temple square has done a lovely version of it too!

[@amandastakeonit7402]