1. D O Y E B ELIEVE ? Kevinhinckley.com

2. Dear Madam: Due to your husband’s increasingly disruptive behavior, we are forced to ban both of you from our store for the time being. While this is an unusual step, our store manager has documented the following disturbing behaviors: Aug 1 st Went to service desk and tried to put a bag of M&M’s on layaway Aug 4 th Set all the alarm clocks in housewares to go off at 5 minute intervals Aug 6 th Set up a tent in the camping department and told other shoppers the s’mores would be ready in an hour Aug 10 th When the manager asked him if he needed assistance, he started to cry and asked, “Why can’t you just leave me alone!” Aug 11 th While in the gun department, asked the clerk where the antidepressants were… Aug 13 th Darted around the store suspiciously humming the theme from “Mission Impossible”. Aug 20 th Hid in the women’s clothing rack and when people were browsing, yelled “Pick Me! Pick Me!” Aug 22 nd When any announcement came over the loud speaker, he got into a fetal position and yelled, “No, No, it’s the voices again! Mrs. Hinckley, tell Kevin the Cowboys are winning again and to please leave us alone. Please, please, please. D ISTURBING L ETTER FROM W AL -M ART

3. E LDER N EAL A. M AXWELL Fundamental…was Laman and Lemuel's not understanding that a tutoring God may require difficult things of His children. The role of adversity is noted in this stern but inspired insight: "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith" (Mosiah 23:21). Their sad expectation of ease was evident in their bristling over getting the plates from Laban, enduring the harsh wilderness, building a ship, and crossing a vast ocean (see 1 Ne. 3 4). Dulled and desensitized, Laman and Lemuel simply didn't share Nephi's confidence that the Lord would never command His children to do difficult things, except the Lord first prepares the way (see 1 Ne. 3:7).

4. Q UESTION How ‘easy’ is it for Latter Day Saints to get caught up in an expectation of ease? How ‘easy’ it is for parents to teach their children to expect it?

5. E LDER H OLLAND When crisis comes in [their] lives—and they will—the philosophies of men interlaced with a few scriptures and poems just won’t do. Are we really nurturing [those we teach] in a way that will sustain them when the stresses of life appear? Or are we giving them a kind of theological Twinkie—spiritually empty calories? President John Taylor called such teaching ‘fried froth,’ the kind of thing you could eat all day and yet finish feeling totally unsatisfied. (“A Teacher Come from God,” Ensign, May 1998, 27)

6. M URMURING 101 O UR PERCEPTIONS CREATE OUR REALITIES Nephi 17 And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings. And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them… Laman and Lemuel …and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things…. Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy.

7. T RIALS AND D IVINE I NTERVENTIONS Crisis Death of Ishmael 1 Nephi 16:33-35 L&L Response Try to kill Nephi Lord’s Intervention 1 Nephi 16:39 Voice of the Lord

8. T RIALS AND D IVINE I NTERVENTIONS Crisis Death of Ishmael Building the Boat 1 Nephi 17:23-45 L&L Response Try to kill Nephi Lord’s Intervention 1 Nephi 16:39 Voice of the Lord 1 Nephi 17:48, 53,54 Shock and Awe President Boyd K. Packer "We do not have the words (even the scriptures do not have words) which perfectly describe the Spirit. The scriptures usually use the word voice, which does not exactly fit. These delicate, refined spiritual communications are not seen with our eyes nor heard with our ears. It is a voice that one feels more than one hears. (New Mission President Seminar, 1991)

9. T RIALS AND D IVINE I NTERVENTIONS Crisis Death of Ishmael Building the Boat Prosperity at Sea Death of Lehi L&L Response Try to kill Nephi Rebellion Try to kill Nephi Rebellion Try to kill Nephi Lord’s Intervention 1 Nephi 16:39 Voice of the Lord 1 Nephi 17:48, 53,54 Shock and Awe 1 Nephi 18:13-21 Natural Calamities Righteous also suffer 2 Nephi 5:1-5 Righteous are separated out Increasing SinIncreasing Anger Against the Prophets

10. P ERSONAL Q UESTIONS : How do you personally respond to life’s trials? How do you respond to trials of your own making (both sins and stupids)?