Our last Teaching For our Times lesson from the April 2016 Conference was on Elder Dallin H. Oaks talk entitled, Opposition in All Things. Elder Oaks explains to us from the Family Proclamation to the World the purpose of mortal life...."to provide experiences needed to 'progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life.'" We progress as we make choices. We are tested, and in order to be tested we must have agency to choose between alternatives. In order to have alternatives, there must be opposition. In 2 Nephi 2:11 and 15 the prophet Lehi tells us, "It must needs be, that there in an opposition in all things. If not so,. . . . . . righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad."
In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve were in a state of stagnation. They were in a state of innocence, "doing no good, for they knew no sin" (2 Nephi 2:23). Opposition was necessary in the Garden of Eden. Agency and opposition were the key ingredients to our Father's plan. Satan wanted to fulfull our Father's plan without agency, choice, or opposition. "There would be no test, no failure, and no success. There would be no growth to attain the purpose the Father desired for His children." Satan wanted to gain the glory, honor and power for himself. Because of this he was cast down and 1/3 of the hosts of heaven followed him. Elder Oaks teaches us: "So it is that the evil one, who opposed and sought to destroy the Father's plan, actually facilitated it, because it is opposition that enables choice and it is the opportunity of making right choices that leads to the growth that is the purpose of the Father's plan."
Opposition is also the way that we experience growth in mortality. Lehi teaches us in 2 Nephi 2:24-25, "Behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are that they might have joy."
It is difficult to understand opposition, especially when it comes even when we are not sinning. None of us can escape opposition in this life. It is what permits us to grow toward what our Heavenly Father would have us become. Pres. Monson has explained, "We are all acquainted with other kinds of mortal opposition not caused by our personal sins, including illness, disability, and death. Some of you at times have cried out in your suffering, wondering why our Heavenly Father would allow you to go through whatever trials you are facing . . . Our mortal life, however, was never meant to be easy or consistently pleasant. Our Heavenly Father . . . . knows that we learn and grow and become refined through hard challenges, heartbreaking sorrows, and difficult choices. Each one of us experiences dark days when our loved ones pass away, painful times when our health is lost, feelings of being forsaken when those we love seem to have abandoned us. These and other trials present us with the real test of our ability to endure."
Elder Oaks illustrates to us the opposition of temptation by using the scriptures, the Book of Mormon to be exact. In 2 Nephi 28:20-24 it describes three methods the devil will use in the last days, the days we are living in now. "First, he will 'rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good. Second, he will 'pacify, and lull [members] away into carnal security,' saying 'Zion prospereth, all is well'. Third, he will tell us 'there is no hell; and. . . . I am no devil, for there is none' and therefore there is no right and wrong. Because of this opposition, we are warned not to be 'at ease in Zion!'"
When we are feeling the heavy influence of opposition in our life, we need to remember our Savior, His atonement, and the promise of the Plan of Salvation if we stay true to the covenants we have made. Elder Oaks concludes his message by saying, "God rarely infringes on the agency of any of His children by intervening against some for the relief of others. But He does ease the burdens of our afflictions and strengthen us to bear them."
