Day 287 Facing Challenges: A Stronger Testimony

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus tells his followers that they are the salt of the earth, and in the same sentence offers a warning that savorless salt is good for nothing. Join me in an attempt to be savory salt as I share each day one verse of scripture and one small thought. Perhaps this small daily emphasis can lead to greater savor in your life and ultimately you and I can be savory salt.

Hello, my friends and family, wherever you're listening from. Thank you for joining me and know that I'm cheering for your every success. When in battle, turn to the Lord.

Welcome to day 287 on our 365-day journey through the Book of Mormon together. Today's a rarity. We're going to be reading 3 Nephi chapter 5 and that's it.

It's been a long time since we've done that. We just had a simple single chapter to read, and that's what you're going to do today in 3 Nephi chapter 5. We get a little bit of the back end of the story of the battle between the Gadianton Robbers and the Nephites and Lamanites, and then we get a little bit of kind of a moment with Mormon jumping in and saying, "Hey, just wanted to let you know I'm here and I've got some things to testify about." That's kind of what's happening in 3 Nephi chapter 5.

But I want to go straight to the beginning of our reading here, and our verse for today is 3 Nephi chapter 5. And that's what we're going to be talking about today. And then we have this outcome on the backside of that incredibly terrible challenge.

Verse 1 says, "And now behold, there was not a living soul among all the people of the Nephites who did doubt in the least the words of all the holy prophets who had spoken; for they knew that it must needs be that they must be fulfilled." My friends, look at the powerful testimonies that came on the back end of the challenge that they faced. And look, we talked about facing challenges before. And all of us, every one of you listening to this podcast, is facing a different challenge.

Some of them may be similar in nature, but some of them are—you may feel like you are entirely alone in the battle that you're facing. And I want to tell you something right here, right now: You are not alone. These people that we learned about in 3 Nephi chapter 4, and we watched them come together—you are not alone.

You have others around you you can turn to, and then the number one always to turn to is our Savior Jesus Christ. Our Heavenly Father, when you call upon His name, when you ask Him for help, when you repent and seek for His hand in your life, you will find it in the challenges. When you face challenges, there tends to be two things that happen.

One, we tend to question and say, "Why me?" And it takes us down this path of darkness, which may pull us away from our testimony and ultimately lead us down a path of self-destruction. The other one is to see the challenge coming and say, "Lord, what can I do and how can you help me?" and seek His input. I have seen times in my life as I've trained and worked with businesses and with families.

I've seen times when they've come to me and said, "I wish I'd known these principles in the time of the challenge so that I could use them." My friends, one of the principles you can keep close to you that is true at all times is that you can turn to the Lord in your challenges. He will uplift you, and through those challenges your testimony can actually increase and become stronger because you experience the hand of the Lord in your life. Verse 1 leaves the Nephites and the Lamanites.

They had a terrible time, and it leaves every one of them: there was not one living soul among them who did doubt. Their testimonies were firm, and it's important to remember this piece right here because in just a short time again in the future, when we talk over the next couple of days, you're going to see them forget. My friends, when the challenges come, remember the Lord, keep Him close, and you will find—you will find comfort, peace, and help.

That I promise you. That's all for today, my friends. Remember that "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass." Keep it small, keep it simple, and always seek to be savory salt. I'll be here tomorrow, and I hope you are too.