Adversity

I had an epiphany a few weeks ago. I was watching Band of Brothers on the History Channel. If you have never seen Band of Brothers it is a mini series that follows the story of an American Army unit in the 82 Airborne called Easy Company. It starts with their training and goes through the entire campaign in Europe. In between segments they have actual interviews from the guys that were really there. The characters names and the stories are all based on the real events. It is by far one of the best produced military movies I have ever seen. It makes Saving Private Ryan look like amature hour but doesn't splatter gallons of blood on the camera lens. Aside from Saints and Soldiers, it is the best WWII movie out there.

But back to my point. As I watched the struggles the soldiers endured, physical, mental and spiritual, I was amazed at how they pushed on. The soldier's story throughout history can be inspiring. Another soldier's story that has often inspired me is that of the last Nephite, Moroni. Moroni was forced to spend his last days watching what was left of his nation be destroyed while hiding for his life. He was alone and hunted by his enemies without rest. His words came forth in the latter days through the translation of his writings by Joseph Smith.

Another group that faced adversity was the pioneers who came out of Illinois. They were driven out because of their religion. Many died on route. I've heard that if you evenly spaced out the graves between Nauvoo, Ill. and Salt Lake City Utah that you would always be in sight of a grave on the entire route. They also suffered extremes of temperature, sickness, physical pain, and hardship but they did not falter.

In comparison, my troubles seem trivial. Shortly before having this epiphany, I had received a letter from a government agency. Seems a former, disgruntled employee had made several claims about our business. None of them were true but in the modern age, we are all guilty until proven innocent. I was upset about the false charges but particularly upset about the hours of work I would have to put in and all the evidence of our innocence that I would have to gather to send them to prove that the disgruntled employee was wrong. I was feeling sorry for myself and moaning about how I was being picked on. After my Band of Brothers epiphany though, I realized that my immediate trial was pretty trivial and would be worked out in the next week or so. It put the whole situation back into perspective.

As I faced other challenges later that week, that normally would have upset me quite a bit, I remembered the men of Easy Company in the forests of the Ardene, struggling in the cold of winter for our freedoms. I thought of the pioneers who fought to carve out a land where they could truly have religious freedom. Amazingly, my problems melted away and were replaced by resolve and determination to not submit, but to fight on as those who came before us did. Suddenly, a new day has dawned.