The paradoxical name of Liberty
Jail is well known to many Latter-day Saints, especially those in America. This
was a place that would forever change the ministry of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
I was told in my Pearl of Great
Price class at BYU-I by Br. Gardner that if we are wanting celestial glory to
be ours then it would only make sense and can only come by enduring celestial trials
and tribulations. He then went on and drew a series of peaks and troughs on the
board. The deeper the trough, the higher the peak.
Liberty Jail was Joseph Smith’s
celestial trial. Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, “Yet, as with all true disciples,
Joseph went through a process of proving, reproving,
and improving, while simultaneously
serving as the human conduit through whom God chose to give his word to this
generation.” (A Choice Seer, August Ensign 1986) Elder B.H. Roberts called
Liberty Jail the Prophet’s “prison temple.” (B. H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church, 1:526.)
The Prophet Joseph Smith said of
himself: “I never told you I was perfect, but there is no error in the revelations
which I have taught you.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1972, p. 368.) This is important to remember. It also makes his vulnerability
made known in his works that much more significant.
In section 121 of the Doctrine
and Covenants he wrote:
2 How long shall thy hand be
stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the
wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with
their cries?
3 Yea, O Lord, how long shall
they suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions, before thine heart shall be
softened toward them, and thy bowels be moved with compassion toward them?
4 O Lord God Almighty, maker
of heaven, earth, and seas, and of all things that in them are, and who
controllest and subjectest the devil, and the dark and benighted dominion of
Sheol—stretch forth thy hand; let thine eye pierce; let thy pavilion be taken
up; let thy hiding place no longer be covered; let thine ear be inclined; let
thine heart be softened, and thy bowels moved with compassion toward us.
5 Let thine anger be kindled
against our enemies; and, in the fury of thine heart, with thy sword avenge us
of our wrongs.
6 Remember thy suffering
saints, O our God; and thy servants will rejoice in thy name forever.
This portion of the section is
very reminiscent of the Psalms of David. But it speaks truth and volumes of how
he was feeling in Liberty Jail. There have been many times in my own life where
I have felt, not really abandoned, but unheeded or unheard of the Lord. I would
plead for days and weeks, sometimes months with petitions. Some of them having
to deal with my same gender attraction, but other things, that I may have some
sort of direction or anything in my life to grow closer to my Heavenly Father
who sent me to this earth at this time. I am not trying to compare my life to
that of Joseph Smith’s, but I do go through my own trials day by day and some
seem too hard to bear.
But the answer which the Lord
gives him has brought comfort to many:
7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine
afflictions shall be but a small moment;
8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on
high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.
9 Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee
again with warm hearts and friendly hands.
10 Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend
against thee, neither charge thee with transgression, as they did Job.
There are multiple things in here
that bring me comfort.
“Peace be unto thy soul.” God
wants us to have peace. He wishes it, and I bet He even prays for it. He cares
about us and wants only the best for us. We just have to turn to Him and choose
His path. We have to prove, reprove, and improve to find peace.
“Thine afflictions shall be but
for a small moment.” These things won’t be with us for always. Another scripture
that comes to mind is, “There hath no temptation taken you but
such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to
escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) God is ever
mindful of us and our situations. Of this I am sure.
“And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on
high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.” We’ve got this! And the blessings
that will come for doing so will be innumerable. This is, of course, all in the
Lord’s timing.
“Thy friends do stand by thee.” I have often felt lonely
recently. But I have found out that as I humble myself and reach out that there
is a huge support system out there for me. My friends do stand by me and love
me and want only the best for me. They want me to improve, and for the most
part are willing to help me improve!
“Thou are not as Job.” Things aren’t that bad yet. They
could always be worse! Always look on the bright side of life.
God Bless! Until Next Time!
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