(03) - Student Choice #3: Jospeh Endured His Trials

• Jacob's 12 sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin

• I believe Joseph's brothers were envious of him because he was Jacob's favorite and Jacob made him a coat of many colors.  Joseph also had a dream that he was going to reign over all his brothers.  He proceeded to tell them about his dream which made his brothers upset that he thought he could be over them.  They were envious of all the attention Joseph seemed to always get and that he was supposedly going to eventually reign over them.  Joseph's brothers did not believe him and were angry with him.

• Joseph faced many challenges in his early life.  He was refused by his family when he tried to tell his brothers of revelation he had had in a dream, made fun of by his brothers, and thrown into a pit.  He was then sold as a slave to Potiphar in Egypt.  His brothers told their family and everyone they knew that Joseph was dead.  I'm not quite sure about how Joseph felt about his trials.  I do believe, however, that by the time he got to Egypt, Joseph understood why he was having his trials.  Once he started interpreting dreams in Egypt, I really think he began to understand his purpose and why he had to go through these trials.  Joseph's trials are similar to today's in the fact that not being accepted is really hard.  It's difficult to try and fit in at school or at work.  I think that we can definitely relate to Joseph in that aspect of trials.

•  A common phrase in section 39 is "the Lord was with Joseph."  For the Lord to continue to be with Joseph all throughout that section, Joseph refused to lie with Potiphar's wife.  I believe Joseph made the decision to be morally clean when he was a young boy because he was so quick to refuse and knew exactly what he was supposed to be doing and what the Lord would have him do.  The Lord also remained with Joseph throughout the rest of his trials.  He was with him when he interpreted the baker's and butler's dreams.  Even more so, the Lord was with Joseph when he interpreted Pharaoh's dream.  Because Joseph was able to do that for Pharaoh, he was made a leader in Egypt.

What I have learned from Joseph's life is that life may be really hard, but there is always a reason we are enduring a certain trial.  It is for our own growth and there is a lesson to be learned from every hard time in life.  Joseph was rewarded for his faithfulness and constant trust in the Lord.  That just reminds me that there is no reason that I can't be faithful and trusting.  If Joseph was able to endure everything he did and still rely on God, then I can definitely do that during my trials too.

Looking at the positive in our difficult and darkest times may be what pulls us out of those difficulties.  I really believe that Joseph never gave up hope in his life and was always a constant example of living in a way Heavenly Father would want us to live.  He turned the worst of circumstances into the best through his simple faith and trust.  That is an attribute I want to continue to strive for and live with for the rest of my life.