As Church members choose not to be offended or ashamed, they will feel their Savior's love and approval, said Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Saturday afternoon.
"Will we understand everything? Of course not. We will put some issues on the shelf to be understood at a later time.
"Will everything be fair? It will not. We will accept some things we cannot fix, and forgive others when it hurts.
"Will we feel separated on occasion from those around us? Absolutely.
"Will we be astonished at times to see the anger a few feel toward the Lord's Church, and their efforts to steal the struggling faith of the weak? Yes. But this will not deter the growth or destiny of the Church, nor need it impede the spiritual progress of each of us as disciples of the Lord, Jesus Christ."
Elder Andersen said no one is immune from the influences of the world.
"As we follow the Savior, without question there will be challenges that confront us," he said. "Approached with faith, these refining experiences bring a deeper conversion of the Savior's reality. Approached in a worldly way, these same experiences cloud our view and weaken our resolve. Some we love and admire slip from the straight and narrow path, and 'walk no more with Him.'"
Elder Andersen asked the worldwide congregation how they can remain true to the Savior, His gospel and the ordinances of His priesthood.
"We need the believing heart of a chid," he said. "Through the power of His Atonement, we are to become 'as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon us, even as a child doth submit to his father' (Mosiah 3:19). This is the mighty change of heart."
Elder Andersen said two words signal danger for Church members: offended and ashamed.
"Offense," he said, "comes in many costumes and continually finds its way on stage. People we believe in disappoint us. We have unanticipated difficulties. Our life doesn't turn out exactly the way we were expecting. We make mistakes, feel unworthy, and worry about being forgiven. We wonder about a doctrinal issue. We learn of something spoken from a Church pulpit 150 years ago that bothers us. Our children are treated unfairly. We are ignored or underappreciated. It could be a hundred things, each very real to us at the time."
Elder Anderson said, in weakened moments, the adversary seeks to steal the spiritual promises of Church members. "If we are not watchful, our injured spirit will retreat back into the cold, dark crust of our former bloated ego, leaving behind the warm, healing light of the Savior."
And, Elder Anderson continued, "offended has a corrosive companion called ashamed."
"As disciples of Christ, we stand apart from the world. There may be times we feel uncomfortable as the fingers of scorn mock and dismiss what is sacred to us. President [Thomas S.] Monson warned, 'Unless the roots of your testimony are firmly planted, it will be difficult for you to withstand the ridicule of those who challenge your faith.'"
Elder Anderson said Church members should exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and keep their covenants. "We push our spiritual roots deep, feasting daily on the words of Christ in the scriptures. We trust in the words of living prophets. We pray and pray, and listen to the quiet voice of the Holy Ghost that leads us along and speaks to our soul. Whatever challenges arise, we never, never leave Him."