by David E Bay, High Councilor

A little while ago, we decided to visit Coleen’s dad and stepmother in Salt Lake City. They live in a gated community, so I took a quick peek at the gate code before leaving. Pulling up to the gate I entered what I knew was the correct code 1234#. Nothing happened. So, I entered the code again 1234#. Still nothing I got a little bit frustrated, but knowing that I knew the number, I entered it again 1234# – still absolutely nothing.

My sweetheart, Coleen opened her directory and looked up the information. She said nicely, “Why don’t you try #1234?” So, I entered #1234. Guess what? … The gate opened. I had it almost right, but not enough to make the machine work.

I started to think about how often I struggle to get things correct enough actually to make things function properly. There are all kinds of gospel analogies that we could use with this. I am going to consider just one.

Making mistakes is part of the growth process. Recent research in the field of cognitive development shows that when people make mistakes and then correct them, they remember better and have stronger memories than if they had gotten it wrong and not corrected it or even if they had gotten it right on the first try.

I thought about my life and those times that I had grown most. Usually, it was a time when I was fixing mistakes that I had made.

Sometimes we think that we want everything in life to go smoothly. No problems, no bumps, no hiccups, with everything going exactly as we planned. If a director made a movie of that kind of life, would you be interested in attending? Probably not. Usually, it’s the dramatic times when things don’t work right and there is struggle and conflict that life becomes memorable.

For instance, in the Book of Mormon, the time from King Benjamin to the visitation of the Savior after His resurrection is 276 pages of the Book of Mormon (nearly half of the book). The time that it takes is about 160 years. There are all kinds of struggles and conflicts. After the Savior leaves and the people live righteously and then extremely wickedly, the record of nearly 300 years is covered in about four pages. We learn best from watching people who are seeking to exercise faith to overcome difficulties.

Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that we need to seek to create conflict and struggle for other people or even ourselves. Living in this mortal world will give us plenty of conflicts and opportunities to grow. As President Nelson explained in the first General Conference after becoming President of the Church, “Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory. But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation.”

Let us prepare to work with our Savior and prepare so that we will have the strength and the ability to overcome the challenges and struggles that will be ours.