At the end of the summer, my family and I traveled to many of the Church history sites in New York, Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri.
On our first day, we visited the Smith farm and walked through the Sacred Grove. It wasn’t hard to imagine a magnificent event happening in those peaceful, light-speckled woods. It really did feel like a place where someone would see God.
But as we continued our trip and learned more about the early Saints’ experiences, I couldn’t shake a feeling of sadness and confusion. The sheer number of deaths, tragedies, and betrayals they faced was frankly overwhelming.
I knew that the early Church members lived hard lives, but I hadn’t realized the unrelenting nature of their trials. The unfairness felt extreme.
I wondered why such bad things happened to the very people restoring the gospel. And then I wondered at all the tragic unfairness in the world.
I may not have the full answers to why these things happen—but I found an important piece while visiting Carthage Jail.
A Realization at Carthage Jail
During our tour of Carthage Jail, the sister missionaries at the site recounted Joseph’s and Hyrum’s sobering last moments. We saw the bullet hole in the door and the window Joseph fell from upon being shot. There was a palpable sense of grief in the room.
After the tour ended, we walked back outside—and into a totally different atmosphere. In front of the jail, a young family played on the lawn, and a statue of Joseph and Hyrum stood among beautiful flower beds. A nearby plaque featured profound words from Joseph:
“He that holds out faithful to the end shall in no wise lose his reward. A good man will endure all things to honor Christ, and even dispose of the whole world, and all in it, to save His soul.”
Despite the tragedy that happened here almost 200 years ago, this place was now one of peace and happiness. The contrast pressed two truths into my heart:
- Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, sorrow and hardship can be transformed into beauty.
- Because of this, everything will be OK in the end.
Yes, Joseph died young, but he faithfully fulfilled his calling on earth, and he stayed faithful to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The Church did not fail because of His death, and God’s work was not frustrated.
As Rachel Cope wrote in her book The Slow Work of God, “God’s work of grace—intimate as well as infinite—has no bounds.”
Visiting Carthage Jail helped me understand that, regardless of our unfair mortal experiences, everything can ultimately be made right through Jesus Christ. His Atonement can transcend anything.
For Now, God Is in the Details
By today’s standards, the early Saints had little material wealth or security, and because of this, I didn’t view them as a blessed people.
But after our trip, I was suddenly hit with the obvious—what about the Doctrine and Covenants and the Book of Mormon? What about the visions, the ministering of angels, and the miracles of healing and direction the Saints received?
In the absence of material wealth, the early Saints were rich with spiritual wealth. God did not abandon them in the name of a greater work. He spiritually blessed them as He worked through them.
Here are just a few examples:
- Joseph Smith healing Elsa Johnson’s arm
- The ice parting on Lake Erie after Lucy Mack Smith’s prayer
- Joseph healing Saints sick with malaria in Nauvoo
- The Kirtland Ohio Temple dedication, where several Saints saw angels
- Amanda Barnes Smith miraculously healing her son’s hip that had been gravely injured during the Hawn’s Mill massacre
God respects the agency of all His children, which means that horrible things can happen to good people. In truth, we will each experience our own metaphorical Carthage Jail and have to endure things that feel senseless or unfair.
But Jesus Christ is always with those who are faithful to Him. Through fatigue, terror, displacement, and injury, His infinite Atonement can bless us and sustain us. Not even death is an end.
More articles for you:
▶ The true meaning of ‘prosper in the land’ is better than you think
▶ This music video will help you face your trials with more faith
▶ Pres. Holland’s comforting advice for staying calm in the last days
