Strength in opposition

While we were in Germany, we had the blessing of  hearing from and feeling the influence and spirit of two powerhouse couples, Henry and Brita Kosak and Manfred and Greta Schultz.  All 4 had been faithful members of the church in East Germany.  All had been born into the church.  They told us that before WWII there were more LDS members in Germany than anywhere besides Utah.
Brother Schultz, we guess is in his mid 70s has been a mission president, temple president, temple sealer, area authority and patriarch.  Most of the people in the group from Russia had received their patriarchal blessings under the hands of Bro. Schultz.

Pres. Kosak, about 50,  had been based in Moscow as CES East Europe area director (Sergei was his assistant).  So all of these Russian  coordinators had worked for him prior to his call as mission president in Germany.  He is also very funny (he loved putting Dicks head in a hammerlock, "Why you not come to my mission?").
Both of these men and their wives are much loved by these people. As we heard their powerful testimonies and observed their shining countenances, we knew we were in the presence of  celestial beings.  All 4 radiate goodness.
During  questioning after the fireside, they were asked how the East German saints were able to maintain their strength and testimony for so many decades with little church contact.  They almost said together, "Opposition!"  They had to remain strong and close to the gospel.
I thought about the joy we find as we embrace and tackle hard things.  When things are tough, we have the opportunity to dig deeper. I read a great quote by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, speaking to  gospel teachers.  "When crises come in our lives-and they will-the philosophies of men interlaced with a few scriptures just won't do.   Are we really nurturing our students 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 them "fried froth", the kind of thing you could eat all day and yet finish feeling totally unsatisfied."  

Doing hard things can change us and help us find truth as we find new courage.