Mountains to Climb, Storms to Conquer

“If we do not have a deep foundation of faith and a solid testimony of truth, we may have difficulty withstanding the harsh storms and icy winds of adversity which inevitably come to each of us.

“Mortality is a period of testing, a time to prove ourselves worthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. In order for us to be tested, we must face challenges and difficulties. These can break us, and the surface of our souls may crack and crumble—that is, if our foundations of faith, our testimonies of truth are not deeply embedded within us.”  ^{Thomas S. Monson}

The First Epistle General ofPeter

Chapter 1

The trial of our faith precedes salvation—Christ was foreordained to be the Redeemer.

 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the ^astrangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

 2 ^aElect according to the ^bforeknowledge of God the Father, through ^csanctification of the Spirit, unto ^dobedience and^esprinkling of the ^fblood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant ^amercy hath ^bbegotten us again unto a^clively ^dhope by the resurrection of ^eJesus Christ from the dead,

 4 To an ^ainheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

 5 Who are kept by the ^apower of God through ^bfaith unto salvation ^cready to be revealed in the last time.

 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a ^aseason, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold ^btemptations:

 7 That the ^atrial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the ^bappearing of Jesus Christ:

 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye seehim not, yet ^abelieving, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

 9 Receiving the ^aend of your ^bfaith, even the ^csalvation of yoursouls.

 10 Of which ^asalvation the ^bprophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it ^atestified beforehand the^bsufferings of Christ, and the ^cglory that should follow.

 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have ^apreached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the ^bangelsdesire to look into.

 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be ^asober, and hope^bto the end for the ^cgrace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former ^alusts in your ^bignorance:

 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye ^aholy in all manner of ^bconversation;

 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am ^aholy.

 17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s ^awork, pass the time of your sojourning here in ^bfear:

 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not ^aredeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your ^bvain conversation received by ^ctradition from your fathers;

 19 But with the precious ^ablood of Christ, as of a ^blamb without^cblemish and without spot:

 20 ^aWho verily was ^bforeordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him ^aglory; that your ^bfaith and ^chope might be in God.

 22 Seeing ye have ^apurified your ^bsouls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned ^clove of the brethren, see that ye ^dlove one another with a pure heart fervently:

 23 Being ^aborn again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and ^babideth for ever.

 24 For all ^aflesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

 25 But the ^aword of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.