Episode 182: The Harder the Better

Does devotion require always require walking uphill? What’s the difference between good-hard and bad-hard? Do some Church members see the difficulty of a thing as a measure of the righteousness it requires? Has “more suffering and sacrifice” somehow come to mean “higher and holier” in the LDS narrative? In Episode 182, Valerie Hamaker of Latter-day Struggles podcast joins Susan and Cynthia to discuss these questions and more as they unpack the notion that harder is better when it comes to living our faith.

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Notes & Quotes:

Find more info about Latter-day Struggles and connect with Valerie here
The Cost—and Blessings—of Discipleship, by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, April 2014
Do We Trust Him? Hard is Good, by Elder Stanley G. Ellis, October 2017
Sacrifice
The Law of Sacrifice, by Elder Russell M. Ballard, March 2002
No Cure for Being Human: And Other Truths I Need to Hear, by Kate Bowler

“…. it is a characteristic of our age that if people want any gods at all, they want them to be gods who do not demand much, comfortable gods, smooth gods who not only don’t rock the boat but don’t even row it, gods who pat us on the head, make us giggle, then tell us to run along and pick marigolds.” —Elder Holland

“Hard makes us stronger, humbles us, and gives us a chance to prove ourselves. Our beloved handcart pioneers came to know God in their extremities. […] Hard is part of the gospel plan. One of the purposes of this life is for us to be proven.” —Elder Ellis

“In ancient days, sacrifice meant to make something or someone holy. It has now come to mean to give up or suffer the loss of worldly things for the Lord and His kingdom. Members of the Lord’s Church should be willing to sacrifice all things for the Lord. Joseph Smith taught that “a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.” In the eternal perspective, the blessings obtained by sacrifice are greater than anything that is given up.” —Sacrifice, Church website

“If I have a fear, it is that the principle of sacrifice may be slipping away from us. This principle is a law of God. We are obliged to understand it and practice it. If being a member of this Church becomes too easy, testimonies will become shallow, and the roots of testimony will not go down into the soil of faith as they did with our pioneer forefathers.” —Elder Ballard

“One of the best ways to be sure we are keeping the first great commandment is to keep the second great commandment. […] The degree of our love for the Lord and for our fellowman can be measured by what we are willing to sacrifice for them. Sacrifice is a demonstration of pure love.” —Elder Ballard

“This will be a hard journey….Is there anything you can set down?” ―Kate Bowler

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