Enduring the Trials: Mortal Life as a Trek

Recently, I went on a trek with our quorum members to the infamous Gantam Dora Trek Path in the Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary. The trek was three kilometers long. At the beginning, everything was smooth; I was ahead of everyone. But after climbing for only about five hundred meters, my heart rate spiked. I was feeling breathless, dizzy, and nauseous. I regretted having climbed this far and was seriously thinking about quitting.

But then, I remembered hearing about the breathtaking view—a panorama concealed from all who never put in the effort. After taking a few minutes to rest and hydrating my tongue with a few drops of water, I resumed the ascent with the help of my friend, Raj Bangaram. And there it was, after another kilometer of effort: a beautiful, stunning vista. Every struggle we endured seemed instantly worth it. We had a wonderful time trekking, and once I got down, I could not help but compare the incident with the trials we face in life.

The trials we face are overwhelming, but they are essential for our growth and help us in becoming more like our Heavenly Father, inspiring hope in our journey. Our goal as a church is to lead individuals to an understanding of Christ, thereby minimizing unnecessary pain. Nonetheless, it is true that everyone who embraces and adheres to Christ’s teachings will continue to encounter challenges and hardships.

As noted by the Prophet Joseph Smith: “Men have to suffer that they may come upon Mount Zion and be exalted above the heavens” (History of the Church 5:556).

The purpose of mortality itself is tied to this experience. Before God created the earth, Abraham records these words spoken by Him:

“We will go down, . . . and . . . make an earth whereon these may dwell; And we will prove them . . . to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abr. 3:24, 25).

God created the earth so each one of us could experience mortality, and this must include experiencing trials, because we will not be able to grow without them.

Even Jesus Christ, the most holy and righteous man, endured a lot of sufferings, even after enduring all, he always knows how to comfort us, offers us reassurance and this deepens our trust in His love. It is through trials that we are perfected. People who endure trials learn a lot. They empathize with others in their sufferings and have desire to assure others as they overcome obstacles and grow beyond their reach.

President Brigham Young quoted as observing that the Prophet Joseph Smith:”. . . was more perfect in thirty-eight years, with the severe tribulation through which he passed, than he would have been in a thousand years without it.” (Truman G. Madsen, Eternal Man, p. 61).

The Lord has spoken clearly about the blessings reserved for those who endure well:

“He that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven. Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time [he said], the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings” (D&C 58:2-4).

“Just as the toughest final kilometer of my trek led to a glorious view, just as that our trials—when endured faithfully—lead to eternal glory.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell beautifully taught how trials teach and refine us:

“Certain forms of suffering, endured well, can actually be ennobling. . .. Part of enduring well consists of being meek enough, amid our suffering, to learn from our relevant experiences . . . in ways which sanctify us.”

When we feel breathless, dizzy, and ready to quit on our mortal trek, let us remember the eternal view that awaits. Let us reach out to help our friends, hydrate with the living waters of the Gospel, and most importantly, lean on the strength of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who knows suffering better than all. By enduring our trials with faith and meekness, they will become the very means by which we are sanctified and prepared for exaltation. ■