Overcoming Weaknesses

Weaknesses cannot stop us from succeeding. Throughout my life I have sometimes been painfully reminded that I have various weaknesses. For this reason I have found comfort in the words of the Lord to Moroni concerning Moroni's weaknesses, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27) I have often been comforted by the fact that if I am sufficiently humble that I may be able to overcome my weaknesses.

As I have grown I have found this verse fulfilled in my life in two different ways. The first way is that the Lord will help me to overcome a weakness so that my weakness no longer exists. President Monson provided an example of a young man whose weakness was at least temporarily done away with:

"Fifty years ago, I knew a young man—even a priest—who held the authority of the Aaronic Priesthood. As the bishop, I was his quorum president. Robert stuttered and stammered, void of control. Self-conscious, shy, fearful of himself and all others, this impediment was devastating to him. Never did he fulfill an assignment; never would he look another in the eye; always he would gaze downward. Then one day, through a set of unusual circumstances, he accepted an assignment to perform the priestly responsibility to baptize another.

I sat next to Robert in the baptistry of the Salt Lake Tabernacle. He was dressed in immaculate white, prepared for the ordinance he was to perform. I leaned over and asked him how he felt. He gazed at the floor and stuttered almost uncontrollably that he felt terrible, terrible.

We both prayed fervently that he would be made equal to his task. Suddenly the clerk said, “Nancy Ann McArthur will now be baptized by Robert Williams, a priest.”

Robert left my side, stepped into the font, took little Nancy by the hand and helped her into that water which cleanses human lives and provides a spiritual rebirth. He spoke the words, “Nancy Ann McArthur, having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” Not once did he stutter! Not once did he falter! A modern miracle had been witnessed. Robert then performed the baptismal ordinance for two or three other children in the same fashion.

In the dressing room, as I congratulated Robert, I expected to hear this same uninterrupted flow of speech. I was wrong. He gazed downward and stammered his reply of gratitude." (The Call to Serve)

In my own life I have found that my weaknesses have been overcome as I am sufficiently humble and submit to the will of the Father. As we humble ourselves we can be further perfected in overcoming our weaknesses.

The second way that I have seen this scripture fulfilled is that the weakness is not removed but that it instead works as an blessing to us. Paul experienced this when he had a "thorn in the flesh". He stated that he sought to have it removed by the Lord. However, the Lord did not remove the infirmity. Concerning this Paul stated, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Cor 12:9) Here, Paul's infirmity was not removed.

In my life I had a period on my mission where I was struggling with the mission language and was becoming frustrated. I felt that I would never get to the level with the language that I wanted to. One day I was teaching a lesson to a less-active member of the ward where I was assigned when I realized that my struggling with the language was forcing the members to pay closer attention in order to understand what I was saying. This struggle also forced me to be humble and to rely more on the Lord as I taught people. I did eventually learn the language, but the lesson that what we see as weaknesses may serve as blessings to us stayed with me. 

I know that the Lord is there and that he is aware of us. I know that he loves us and is willing to help us. As we humble ourselves have faith in Him he will help us to succeed in mortality.