6. Developing Spiritual Resilience

Sometimes missionaries react to excessive stress by questioning the truthfulness of the gospel. Missionaries often react this way because they lack the resources to deal with excessive stress. If you feel this way, try the suggestions below. Select those that seem right for you. Refer to the section “1. Developing Resilience under Stress” for additional ideas.

A. Strengthening Your Testimony

• Realize that questions are healthy. The Prophet Joseph Smith received many revelations in response to his honest questions. It is healthy for you to have questions about the gospel. As you strive to find answers, remember that scriptures, prophets, teachers, and your own ability to reason can help. But only the Spirit can confirm the truth. The Spirit tells us that Jesus is the Christ and that the Church is true.

• Understand what faith is. To have faith is to trust God’s perfect goodness, love, wisdom, and fairness. It is to trust even when we do not perfectly understand. Alma taught that “faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21). You do not need “perfect knowledge” to have faith. Study Alma 32 for help in building your faith.

• Have faith when things seem out of control. You may feel worried about certain circumstances or outcomes. When this happens, practice being still and focused on the present (see “1. Developing Resilience under Stress”). Notice the emotions that you have when you feel out of control. Even though these feelings can be uncomfortable, they can’t harm you. Over time, you’ll learn to have greater and greater faith. You can have faith in the face of uncertainty and challenge.

“Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.”

Doctrine and Covenants 90:24

• Keep the commandments. We gain trust in the Lord when we learn the value of His teachings. To gain this trust, we must do His will. “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17).

• Be patient. Time and experience will help you make sense of some things that are confusing now. Remember Nephi’s teaching: “I know that [God] loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things” (1 Nephi 11:17). Build on what you know by the Spirit to be true about God.

B. Learning to Repent

Repentance involves aligning your will with the Savior’s. The following principles will help you as you strive to repent.

• Be honest with your stake president. If you have serious sins you have not dealt with, talk to your stake president. Be open and honest. He will help you make these things right.

• Forgive yourself after repentance. Sometimes people still feel guilt and shame after repenting. Remember that we all regret past sins and mistakes. Trust that Christ’s Atonement is sufficient, even for you. Remember that repentance is not just the backup plan. Repentance is the plan of happiness for every person.

• Focus on the things that really matter. Do your best to repent each day. Then make sure that the things you worry about are things that really matter. An example might be serving with love. Don’t worry about matters of personal pride, such as what others think of you.

• Understand the role of confession. You do not need to confess less-serious sins or repeatedly confess the same sin. Priesthood leaders will tell you when your confession is sufficient. Continuing to feel regret and sadness about past sins is normal. But it does not mean you need to confess over and over again for the same thing. Distract yourself from such thoughts with other activities. Make the deliberate choice to believe in the Lord’s forgiveness. Ignore the temptation to become anxious or ashamed.

• Talk to your stake president or bishop if you continue to struggle.

Detail from Christ and the Rich Young Ruler, by Heinrich Hofmann

“Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake to guide the future as he has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake; all now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know his voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.”

“Be Still, My Soul” (Hymns, no. 124)

C. Learning to Pray with Real Intent

• Try praying out loud, even if only in a whisper. Try preparing for prayer by writing your questions or concerns. Visualize God nearby. Ask Him what you can do for Him today. Then act on ideas that come to mind. On occasion, use your prayer only to thank God. Thank Him for the many good things He has given you.

  

D. Learning to Love the Scriptures

• Pray specifically for help in understanding and enjoying the scriptures. Use some of your study time to write your feelings about the scriptures and your reactions to them. Write what you learn or spiritual impressions you receive.

E. Learning to Rely on the Spirit

• Practice with patience. Learning to recognize the voice of the Spirit is much like learning a language. It takes practice, patience, and humility. Strive to learn from mistakes without giving up.

• Learn from general conferences. For ideas on how you can receive personal revelation, study general conference addresses on this topic.

Scripture Resources

Study the following scripture passages. They will strengthen your faith that God will provide you with comfort and help. Feel free to add your own favorite scripture passages as well. As you remember the Savior, you “may have his Spirit to be with [you]” (Doctrine and Covenants 20:79).

• Isaiah 41:10: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

• John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

• 1 Nephi 1:20: “The tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.”

• Jacob 3:1: “He will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause.”

• Jacob 4:7: “The Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.”

• Mosiah 4:27: “And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.”

• Mosiah 24:14: “I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.”

• Alma 7:12: “He will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.”

• Alma 26:27: “When our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: … bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.”

• Alma 38:5: “As much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions.”

• Ether 12:27: “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

• Doctrine and Covenants 6:32, 34–36: “Even so am I in the midst of you. … Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. Behold, I do not condemn you. … Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”

• Doctrine and Covenants 58:2–4: “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, 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.”

• Doctrine and Covenants 84:88: “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”

• Doctrine and Covenants 122:7–9: “All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. … Therefore, hold on thy way.”

• Other scripture passages: