When facing problems, remember spiritual things cannot be forced
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
"Young people, you are going to be leading this Church tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that. We are organized to bring you as fully as possible into Church activities and administration," Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve said at the October 1979 general conference.
"Already you have been taught to pray. You need to know how to get answers."It is good to learn when you are young that spiritual things cannot be forced.
"Sometimes you may struggle with a problem and not get an answer. What could be wrong?
"It may be that you are not doing anything wrong. It may be that you have not done the right things long enough. Remember, you cannot force spiritual things.
"Sometimes we are confused simply because we won't take no for an answer.
"On several occasions when a member has insisted that something be done his way, I have remembered that great lesson from Church history. I have said to myself in my mind:
" `All right, Joseph, give the manuscript to Martin Harris.
See D&C 3:12-13.T Do it your own way, and see where you get. Then when you're confounded and confused, come back and we'll get you set on the course that you might have taken earlier if you had been submissive and responsive.' "
Elder Packer said further: "Put difficult questions in the back of your minds and go about your lives. Ponder and pray quietly and persistently about them. The answer may not come as a lightning bolt. It may come as a little inspiration here and a little there, `line upon line, precept upon precept.' " (D&C 98:12).
He said that no message is repeated more times in scripture than the simple thought: "Ask, and ye shall receive." (D&C 4:7).
