D&C 136

As the Lord revealed His will to Brigham Young at Winter Quarters in preparation to their westward journey, He restated a principle that had been revealed many times previously -

"My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 136:31)

This is not a principle that many of us look forward to, but nonetheless, essential and true. Moroni wrote -

"...I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." (Book of Mormon Ether 12:6)

The Lord said of the saints in Zion -

"...they must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son.
5 For all those who will not endure chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 101:4 - 5)

"Tried in all things" must then be essential in our purifying or sanctification. It is even written of the Savior -

"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made perfect..." (New Testament Hebrews 5:8 - 9)

President Harold B. Lee said -

"Some of us have been tried and have been tested until our very heart strings would seem to break. I have heard of persons dying with a broken heart, and I thought that was just a sort of a poetic expression, but I learned that it could be a very real experience. I came near to that thing; but when I began to think of my own troubles, I thought of what the apostle Paul said of the Master, ‘Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.’ (Hebrews 5:8, 9.)

Don’t be afraid of the testing and trials of life. Sometimes when you are going through the most severe tests, you will be nearer to God than you have any idea, for like the experience of the Master himself in the temptation on the mount, in the Garden of Gethsemane, and on the cross at Calvary, the scriptures record, ‘And, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.’ (Matthew 4:11.) Sometimes that may happen to you in the midst of your trials." (In Conference Report, Munich Germany Area Conference 1973, p. 114.)