GCBC - Elder Cook

General Conference Book Club
Elder Quentin L. Cook
"The Songs They Could Not Sing"

The talk is here. The online book club is here.  My favorite quote from the talk was his answer to the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"


While we do not know all the answers, we do know important principles that allow us to face tragedies with faith and confidence that there is a bright future planned for each of us. Some of the most important principles are:


First, we have a Father in Heaven, who knows and loves us personally and understands our suffering perfectly.


Second, His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and Redeemer, whose Atonement not only provides for salvation and exaltation but also will compensate for all the unfairness of life.


Third, the Father’s plan of happiness for His children includes not only a premortal and mortal life but also an eternal life as well, including a great and glorious reunion with those we have lost. All wrongs will be righted, and we will see with perfect clarity and faultless perspective and understanding.

I was thumbing through the "thoughts" section of my planner and noticed that I have a lot of quotes relating to the topic of dealing with adversity.  I guess it's something I struggle with as well!  And these quotes provide great comfort to me.  Here are a few of them:

Carlos E. Agüero: “The price for good things is paid in advance by our patience, humility, and obedience, especially during trials. If you don’t give up during your trials or let frustration and discouragement overcome you, trials will refine you spiritually and prepare you for better things. You will see the fulfillment of beautiful miracles in your life.” (New Era January 2006)

Henry B. Eyring: “So, the great test of life is to see whether we will hearken to and obey God’s commands in the midst of the storms of life. It is not to endure storms, but to choose the right while they rage. And the tragedy of life is to fail in that test and so fail to qualify to return in glory to our heavenly home.” (October 2005 general conference)

Henry B. Eyring: “But the test a loving God has set before us is not to see if we can endure difficulty. It is to see if we can endure it well. We pass the test by showing that we remembered Him and the commandments He gave us. And to endure well is to keep those commandments whatever the opposition, whatever the temptation, and whatever the tumult around us.” (April 2004 general conference)

Robert D. Hales: “Unless you are fully engaged in living the gospel—living it with all of your ‘heart, might, mind and strength’ - you cannot generate enough spiritual light to push back the darkness.” (April 2002 general conference)

Finally, one of the ways I deal with the fact that sometimes there are "songs they cannot sing" is to sing (or listen to) the ones that have been written.  Music is a great way to bring peace into our lives.  Go to my guest post here to find one of my favorite hymns for helping me cope with the trials of life.  And don't forget to listen to general conference this weekend!  We're sure to be given many more tools to help us not only cope but triumph.