Hinckley Challenge

Well, I decided to dive into this challenge to read the Book of Mormon in 97 days. The idea being that President Gordon B. Hinckley lived 97 years and to honor him, we could join in and read the Book of Mormon in 97 days. I have pushed myself to do it by reading and when traveling or working to listening to the Book of Mormon. Going fast through the whole book is not my style. I like to soak things in and look at it. Plus, I'm not the best reader anyway, so I read slowly to start with.

Well, I have found that some things have jumped out at me while I was reading this time because I was going quickly.

1) Did you ever really listen to the very beginning of the "Lord's Prayer" as the Savior teaches how the order and attitude of prayer should be? Check this out: "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (3 Nephi 13:9-10)http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/13
God our Father's will is done in heaven. He is in charge. The Lord, His Son, is acknowledging this in such a simple way. Jesus is also, in one simple phrase, asking for the purest order of things to happen on earth as it does in heaven. If God's will were to be done on earth at all times, what would this life and existence be like? Can you imagine?! And if the Savior is asking that this wonderful way of life exist on earth, and this is the example of prayer for us, how can we chose to live to make it happen?

2) Alma 48:17 "Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men."
So if Moroni is described like this, what were the key characteristics that we read about him in Alma? He doesn't like to fight in war but he sure will if it means that he will be defending the rights and freedoms of his people to live and worship as they desire. He would ask the prophet about their enemies' actions in the field of battle, knowing in faith, that the prophet was a seer and could help as long as their cause was a righteous one. He would honor the oaths even of his enemies. He served the people. He knew the scriptures and the gospel and taught many of this to the people as he lead them and encouraged them.
Now, as I have over time read and reread the stories of Moroni, I have felt the power of his righteousness. Notice that there is a purity in that power. He was only 25 when he started to lead so he must have been wise early on. Now I also don't think that he's the only and best leader and that his ways are out of touch for us to reach. On the contrary, I believe that we have his example to show that it is important to actually follow the Savior and live his gospel. And if it means that we have to fight to defend our country and our freedoms, then that is a righteous thing.
The next two verses help us to see that others are seen to be equal in righteousness and the power of it : "Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah, yea and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his sons, for they were all men of God.
Now behold, Helaman and his brethren were no less serviceable unto the people than was Moroni; for they did preach the word of God, and they did baptize unto repentance all men whosoever would hearken unto their words." (Alma 48:18-19)http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/48
3) "And thus they went forth, and the people did humble themselves because of their words, insomuch that they were highly favored of the Lord, and thus they were free from wars and contentions among themselves, yea, even for the space of four years." (Alma 48:20)
Notice the next thing that is mentioned here and is all throughout the Book of Mormon that I think we miss on many occasions. It's right after the descriptions of Moroni and the other very righteous leaders, all of whom have different talents that are used at the same time for the blessing of the people.
Helaman and his brethren teach the gospel and help others come to the point that they are willing to make covenants with the Lord and thus there is peace. There is peace because there is righteousness. Again, there is peace BECAUSE there is righteousness. If you ever need a good reason in your life to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, this should be a great catalyst. Don't we all want peace? Don't we all want safe neighborhoods? Well, there we have it. This has been so prominent in my mind this time around in my reading.

There are other things that have really jumped out at me but these are some of the more recent thoughts. Interesting how they all seem to address my own personal desire for peace and joy in this life. I don't just want to wait for it later. It would be nice to enjoy it here, now with my loved ones, friends, and neighbors.

It looks like it can be done.

I'd better work on me and see how things go.

Alone

About ten years ago I found myself "serving" in a church position which lasted for almost 3 years. It entailed leading a group of women in order to take care of their families, their spiritual development, their temporal needs and social needs. We had activities to oversee, talks to give, lessons to teach, hungry families to feed, dysfunctional homes to try to heal, etc. I found this to be a very challenging time in my personal life because there was so much that needed to be confidential in what I did or why I made the decisions to do the things that I would do for those in need. I felt very alone. I could only share with my husband the surface stuff. I couldn't really talk to family because they wouldn't know the culture and/or circumstances that I was dealing with. I could ultimately turn to the Lord and find sure answers in prayer, scripture reading and fasting. I know that I was criticized and mocked at times. I know that my family was treated differently and sometimes maliciously by the few who were arrogant and jealous. And we had a relatively young family.We had only been married for 10 years and had 4 very young children.

One day while I was trying for a quiet moment to think about by family and my calling and the things of that day and week, I opened a new book by a favorite author of mine, Robert L. Millet, and read about Joseph Smith. These are the words I read and found great comfort in:

"Like his Master, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith was called upon to endure a life of loneliness. It was a life characterized not only by persecution and suspicion but also by an isolation known only to those who walk in the glorious light of noonday sun, who know with an absolute certainty and yet must minister among others who seem content to walk and talk in the fading rays of dusk, those who struggle with faith, those who doubt, and even those who dare not believe. The farm boy who grew to become a prophet's prophet was also, to some degree at least, "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Mosiah 14:3), one who knew firsthand the costs of Christian discipleship. "God is my friend," he wrote to his wife, Emma, at a difficult time. "In him I shall find comfort. I have given my life into his hands. I am prepared to go at his call. I desire to be with Christ. I count not my life dear to me, only to do his will." (The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, p. 239; punctuation modernized.) Such expressions enable us to discern the soul of Joseph Smith, to discover the underlying secret of his success, his humility. But he was the prophet of the Almighty; God knew it, and he knew it."

There wasn't an answer in this to my specific questions. But the comfort I received seeing that a great man who faced severe challenges just as the prophets of old who is well known and often held very high in our church also faced the feeling of aloneness and seclusion that I was facing albeit on a smaller scale.

Who else in their life has had life experiences and more than likely, like myself, more than one where they have their own personal knowledge of the truth or validity of their decisions and no one but God can really know it, too?

". . . God knew it, and he knew it."

Who would have thought that the rebuilding of a trailer for a destitute dysfunctional family would only serve to help them to sell it and make a better life in another place? Who would have thought that a young mother would be given the chance to start over and after great sacrifices by others, would chose to go back to drugs? Who would think that working for a year in a boutique in the heart of Las Vegas, that a young mother would influence a beautiful young woman to leave a life of degradation to go to a full productive joy filled life?

Who do we judge in their day to day and bigger life decisions? Who do we in an arrogant, self-serving moments decide to "counsel"? As my mother often said, "Who do you think you are?" Who do we think we are when we harshly challenge difficult choices of another? We are the grave cause of another's aloneness and pain if we find ourselves doing these things. We add to the trial of another's faith. We add to the darkness.

Sadly, I know both sides. But now I see some things that, for me, are strengthening.

I hope that in the spirit of wisdom that I continue to remember that my life is my life and I am responsible for it. I am responsible for having the kind of relationship with my Savior that entails the blessing of an all-knowing friend as my guide. And in this working for a personal relationship, I hope that I will find that although I might not be understood, supported, or appreciated that I will always remember that I have a Savior who loves me and works with me so that my life is what it is meant to be.

Yes, I still have very alone times when I know that the only one that understands is Jesus Christ. I think instead of feeling sorry for myself, I will bask in His love. He surely understands.

Side note: It is a rare time that I feel so alone.

I have a loving husband and children to share this life with.

I have wonderful parents and siblings and their spouses and children

in great numbers

whom I love spending time with and can turn too, also.

I am very blessed.

My Cup Runneth Over

Small Things

"But behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise." (Almas 37:6)