Incredible Gift

The topic I'm studying for one of my classes today is "The Family Crucibles of Illness, Disability, Death, and Other Losses." A crucible is something that is used to purify and refine, and it undergoes extreme conditions in the process. Hard things in our lives can be used as crucibles to purify and refine us. If we have the correct perspective, we can experience great growth and happiness through our trials.

Elder Merrill J. Bateman said: "The Savior's atonement in the garden and on the cross is intimate as well as infinite. Infinite in that it spans the eternities. Intimate in that the Savior felt each person's pains, sufferings, and sicknesses. Consequently, He knows how to carry our sorrows and relieve our burdens that we might be healed from within, made whole persons, and receive everlasting joy in His kingdom."

Elder Richard G. Scott said: "It is important to understand that [the Lord's] healing can mean being cured, or having your burdens eased, or even coming to realize that it is worth it to endure to the end patiently, for God needs brave sons and daughters who are willing to be polished when in His wisdom that is His will."

Both of those quotes were taken from the textbook,
Strengthening our Families: An In-Depth Look at the Proclamation on the Family,
Edited by David C. Dollahite, p 289.