"Life is not meant to be easy. Trials must be borne and grief endured along the way. As you remember that 'with God nothing shall be impossible' (Luke 1:37), know that He is your Father. You are a son or daughter created in His image, entitled through your worthiness to receive revelation to help with your righteous endeavors. You may take upon you the holy name of the Lord. You can qualify to speak in the sacred name of God (see D&C 1:20). It matters not that giants of tribulation torment you. Your prayerful access to help is just as real as when David battled his Goliath (see 1 Samuel 17)" (Russell M. Nelson, "With God Nothing Shall Be Impossible," Ensign, May 1988, 35).

"Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earthquake cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they somehow will be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion.

"The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel, through His servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times. Have we heeded His counsel?" (Ezra Taft Benson, "Prepare for the Days of Tribulation," Ensign, Nov. 1980, 34).

"Into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful. The thorns that prick, that stick in the flesh, that hurt, often change lives which seem robbed of significance and hope. This change comes about through a refining process which often seems cruel and hard. In this way the soul can become like soft clay in the hands of the Master in building lives of faith, usefulness, beauty, and strength. For some, the refiner's fire causes a loss of belief and faith in God, but those with eternal perspective understand that such refining is part of the perfection process. . . . Trials and adversity can be preparatory to becoming born anew" (James E. Faust, "The Refiner's Fire," Ensign, May 1979, 53-54).

"I stand before the Church this day and raise a warning voice . . . calling upon the Lord's people to prepare for the troubles and desolations which are about to be poured out upon the world without measure. . . . Take heed, prepare, watch and be ready" (Bruce R. McConkie, "Stand Independent above All Other Creatures," Ensign, May 1979, 92-93).

"Do not presume, because the way is at times difficult and challenging, that our Heavenly Father is not mindful of you. He is rubbing off the rough edges and sensitizing you for your great responsibilities ahead" (James E. Faust, "The Blessings of Adversity," in 1978 Devotional Speeches of the Year [1979], 32).

"We're living in the latter days. We're living in the days the prophets have told about from the time of Enoch to the present day. We are living in the era just preceding the second advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are told to so prepare and live that we can be, as was referred to or intimated by one of the speakers here today, independent of every other creature beneath the celestial kingdom. That is what we are to do" (Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, Apr. 1975, 165).

"We all knew when we elected to come into mortality, that we would here be proved in the crucible of adversity and affliction. . . .

"I have sought the Lord in my own extremities and learned for myself that my soul has made its greatest growth as I have been driven to knees by adversity and affliction" (Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, Oct. 1969, 57, 60).

"There is no development of character without resistance; there is no growth of spirituality without overcoming" (David O. McKay, in Conference Report, Oct. 1945, 133).

"There can be no clouds so dark, so gloomy or so heavy, but God will roll them away in His own time and will bring good out of threatening evil" (Joseph F. Smith, in Conference Report, Apr. 1899, 41).

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