Different Trials

These are some thoughts I had around the 24th of July, when there is always a lot of talking about pioneers.

Some say that our trials pale in comparison to those of past generations.  They reference the difficult lives and trials of pioneers and others who lived in less technologically advanced times.  Indeed, everyday life was difficult for them.  When we need food, we go to the grocery store.  They grew their food.  When we want a house, we pick one and get a mortgage.  They built one.  Every summer we drive an air-conditioned car across smooth roads for a few days to get to a beautiful valley.  They walked across the plains through summer heat and winter blizzard to a dry valley they had to call home.  They had it pretty rough.  We have it pretty easy.  Right?

I disagree.

Their physical trials certainly exceeded ours.  We worry very little about our day-to-day needs.  Our food, homes, and our safety are provided for us with little effort on our part.  Does that mean our lives are easier?  Not at all.  Our trials are simply different than theirs.  Theirs were largely physical--comparatively, not exclusively--ours are largely social.  But your victories when you overcome temptation and trial are just as great as theirs were when they overcame their own.

President Uchtdorf, in his "All is Well" talk that I wrote about recently*, said that, just as we are unlikely to want the pioneers' trials, they would be unlikely to want our trials.  Each of us has a set of trials we face, and I think that we would all hesitate to switch our set of trials with anyone else's.  Our lives are personalized to our needs.  The Lord helps us shore up our weaknesses through the difficulties we experience.  So never feel inferior to past generations!  Feel inspired to fare equally well against your own trials.

*Y'all really ought to read that talk.