NOM

I'm teaching lesson 28, "Oh God where Art Thou?" This lesson covers JS getting thrown in Liberty Jail, writing a letter to God asking his why he is getting persecuted so bad, and then God telling him to stop whining.
So, looking for help on how got "NOM" up this lesson. Any ideas?

Actually, I love it when we have lessons like these. The church places far, far too much emphasis on the idea that a person is suffering because they sinned. They only need to repent and their pain will cease. For awhile when I was a younger and more fiery NOM, I'd raise my hand and ask precisely what kind of repenting a three year-old being molested by her father needs to do. This stuns the room for a short bit. It alters the conversation for a few minutes, but before long, they're back at the gleeful proclamations that all the people who have sucky lives just need to repent.

I get down on my knees and thank whatever gods are in heaven that they have actual lessons on adversity. There was one year, I was really struggling and people would not get off the repentance train to hear that people can have adversity they didn't invite. If I had heard some lessons about uninvited adversity and how to heal from it, during that year, I'd probably have a testimony, today.

Joseph Smith is just the story behind this and I can't help that. History aside, what is being taught about pulling through adversity is a beautiful concept. You may hate me, but to do this lesson and have it be as beautiful and uplifting as it can be, de-emphasize the history and emphasize the Savior. Calling on a deity who is the embodiment of love can be very healing in and of itself. That's it. Joseph was hurting. He prayed. He got comfort to see him through tough times.

Life is rough enough, I'd open this up to the class to discuss. I'm sure there are plenty of stories.

Job in the Bible is a story with a similar message.

Finally, remember. It's only forty minutes of your life.

I'm with GIT on this one.

Just try to forget it's about JS. Us this as an opportunity to teach that adversity can come because other people choose to use their agency to hurt us. Heavenly Father cannot override or take away their agency. But when other people do hurt us, we can turn to Him for help.

I feel like there is a tendency for TBMs to want other peoples bad behavior to somehow be justified. Like: "HF let that person do that horrible thing because they had to grow or the person they were doing that thing to needed to learn x, y, or z." And that is such a f@#$ed up way to think. For example: I read an article about Elizabeth Smart. It was a really good article about how she is fighting the way the church teaches about chastity etc. It was great. Then I made the mistake of reading the comments. Some idiot said something like "oh the Lord let her go through this so she could grow spiritually." What the actual f%#@? She went through want she went through because a f#@%ing deranged, evil psychopath chose to do those things to her.

I guess I would try to NOM it up like this: We are living in a fallen world where every has agency. HF can't override or take that agency away from us. We should never use our agency to hurt other people. When we see others how have been hurt, we should reach out with love and offer what help and healing we can.

If you want to NOM this. Building on the fact this is one of the most healing lessons that could be taught, here goes.

During his mortal ministry, with whom did Jesus spend his time? The sinners, yes, but also the poor, the downtrodden, the marginalized. In the Book of Mormon, before Chrsit visits the Nephites, the earth is cleansed of the sinners, the poor, the downtrodden, the marginalized. Because the Book of Mormon view is Christ is so emphasized, we members have the default view that being spotless, pure and perfect is the only way someone will be allowed to enjoy the Savior's presence. When, in fact, the people in His mortal ministry were loved just as much as the people in His post-mortal ministry. The Atonement applied to them, just as it did to those who had been more righteous.

The Savior chose to be born in the poorest and meanest of circumstances. The circumstances surrounding his conception were suspicious to the mortal mind. There were probably still whispers as He matured in Nazareth and among His family. He spent his earliest years in exile from Herod. The Savior of the human race, the earthly embodiment of love chose to descend below all things from the start of his life so He may truly understand our suffering and what it is to be oppressed. Do you think you can pray (or write) to your Savior and He, in His infinite wisdom, and His ability to literally be able to relate to your innocent suffering will be the one who walks by your side so you don't have to carry the load alone? You bet your green Jell-O salad you can!

If someone had said that second paragraph to me during that critical year, I'd have a testimony, today. Ironically, I had to have the scales drop from my eyes in order to see that interpretation.