Conspired Against

For, I would say, the past 8 or so years, I have turned to these verses, for comfort. I feel very drawn to this Section of the Doctrine and Covenants. They speak to me. These verses speak, what my heart feels, and what I may have thought about in my mind as I've pondered my circumstances. I think I like reading these verses because, it almost lists every horrible thing man can experience, yet in the end there is a profound sense of hope. When I am down, these words lift me, even but a little.

I like hope, I need hope!

For added affect, in verse 7, I change the word "son" to "daughter", and it really brings it home for me.

Section 122

The word of the Lord to Joseph Smith the Prophet, while he was a prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri, March 1839 (see History of the Church, 3:300–301).

5 If thou art called to pass through ^atribulation; if thou art in perils among false brethren; if thou art in ^bperils among robbers; if thou art in perils by land or by sea;

6 If thou art ^aaccused with all manner of false accusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee from the society of thy father and mother and brethren and sisters; and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can’t you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you? and if then he shall be thrust from thee by the sword, and thou be dragged to ^bprison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like ^cwolves for the blood of the lamb;

7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the ^apit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the ^bdeep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to ^chedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of ^dhell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee ^eexperience, and shall be for thy good.

8 The ^aSon of Man hath ^bdescended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

9 Therefore, ^ahold on thy way, and the priesthood shall ^bremain with thee; for their ^cbounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy ^ddays are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, ^efear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.

Joseph Smith experienced the lowest of the low in my opinion. There were some that thought terrible things about him and his purposes. Yet, he was still a GREAT Man, a WONDERFUL Prophet of God, a LOVING Husband, Father, Son and Brother. If he measured himself off of what the mobs were saying about him, the Work would not have moved forward like it had. It is simply amazing that He was able to rise above it all, and keep going. And here I am, when one person says something about me that may or may not be completely true, I am down in the dumps and doubt rears it's ugly head. I can gain a lot of strength from Joseph Smith's example of Grace under fire. I must avoid succumbing to the sophistries of men, but it is so hard, when their voices are so loud. I have been blessed with the power to overcome any of the efforts of the adversary in my life, I need to lean on that, and not allow Satan to win!!!!! I must not fear what man can do!