What's in a name?

I am so blessed to have my parents visiting for a few days.  My Mom and Dad are both from this area, so we've spent some great quality time together, going for drives and visiting some spots that hold a lot of sentimental value to them.

We drove up to Tony Grove to find "Dad's Rock".  When he was young, he was hiking around the lake when he found a rock with a fossil in it.  He loved this fossil and thought that it would be fun to take it home with him.  The rock, however, was way too big for him to be able to just pick up and carry away.  I'm not sure whether he had these tools with him or if he went back home to retrieve them, but he took a ball-pein hammer and a railroad spike and started chipping away at the rock, hoping to be able to claim the fossil as his own.  After some time, he realized that this was a much more difficult undertaking than he'd imagined, and he left empty-handed.  The evidence of his efforts are still visible on this rock some forty-plus years later.  He had shown it to me when I was younger, but when I have taken my kids there, I've been unable to find it for them.  I remembered the general area that it was in, but no matter how hard I looked, I could never find it.  I was so excited to take Dad back up there, so that I could finally show it to my kids.  After only a few minutes of searching, Dad spotted it.  The lighting wasn't great, what with the hail and everything, but here's "Dad's Rock":

We also drove by Dad's childhood home.  The goal was just to take some photos of the outside of the house, but as we drove up, the homeowners were standing on the porch.  Thinking that it would probably be appropriate to ask their permission, Dad walked up to the porch.  Sitting in the car, I could only guess what the tone of the conversation was.  To my mom and I, it looked like the homeowners were uncomfortable with him taking pictures, so we were a little surprised when Dad motioned for us to pull in to the driveway.  Here's Dad's side of the story, from his Flickr Photostream:

I grew up in a small town in northern Utah--Wellsville. There were 8 of us kids plus mom and dad living in a very small, but happy home. Much of the time my bedroom was in a small, unfinished basement near the coal furnace. One of my jobs was to shovel the coal into that furnace in the winter. The coal was stored in a small coal room, just off my bedroom.

I am now visiting the old stomping grounds in Utah and drove by the old house. The owners were sitting out on the porch. I decided to approach them and talk about the house. I introduced myself. "Darrell Wyatt? Your name is on the wall in the basement!" I couldn't believe it. I remembered scratching my name in the concrete wall of the coal room over 45 years ago. I was amazed that it was still there. I asked if I could see it and they graciously led me to the basement. There it was, along with the peace sign and "LOVE and PEACE" (It was the 60's ;-) 

Wow, the memories that it brought back. Funny how we all seek "immortality" in our own way.

After King Benjamin finished his speech, he was very pleased that his people wanted to covenant with God "to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things" (Mosiah 5:5)  He told them that, because they were willing to make this covenant, he would confer upon them the name of Christ.

And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free.  There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into this covenant with God that ye should be obedient to the end of your lives. (Mosiah 5:8)

When I was baptized, I made this same covenant with God - that I would take upon myself the name of Christ.  Every Sunday, as I take the Sacrament, I renew this covenant.  I promise that I will be obedient to the end of my life.  I also covenant that I will always remember Him.

For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart? (Mosiah 5:13)

Part of taking upon myself the name of Christ is serving Him and always keeping him in my thoughts and my heart.  I must "do good continually".  

 And I would that ye should remember also, that this is the name that I said I should give unto you that never should be blotted out, except it be through transgression; therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted out of your hearts. (Mosiah 5:11)

Just as my dad etched his name on the coal room wall, by covenanting with the Lord to always be obedient I have had the name of Christ etched on my heart - never to be removed, except through transgression.  I must not take this name lightly. 

Click here to read what I read today!

Slow and Steady

Speaking of General Conference, as much as I love it and can't wait for it, I have a tendency to get overwhelmed.  I am reminded every six months of those things that I need to improve upon.  I need to be better at having Family Home Evening.  I need to get to work on my food storage and have family prayer and go to the temple more often.  I need to be more patient with my kids.  I should have a better relationship with my daughter and serve more and worry about less active members.  I need to be better at spreading the gospel and reading my scriptures.  I have to stop judging. 

In today's reading, King Benjamin was continuing his address to his people.  He talked about service and the coming of Christ.

And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent. (Mosiah 3:17) 

He reminded them of the attributes necessary to qualify for salvation:

...becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [you], even as a child doth submit to his father. (Mosiah 3:19)

He talked of repentance and faith and prayer and humility.  He talked of parenting:

And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another...But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another. (Mosiah 4:14-15)

He talked much of caring for the poor and needy:

And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish. (Mosiah 16)

The next verses really gave me pause:

Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer for his punishments are just -

But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.

For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? (Mosiah 4:17-19)

How often have I passed a panhandler and thought to myself, "Go get a job already!  Stop standing here asking for things to be handed to you!"?  Too many times, I'm afraid.  In fact I don't know that there is a homeless person or panhandler that I haven't judged.  I'm not saying that I should give money to every one of them, but I definitely need to stop being so judgmental.  I must remember that "there but for the grace of God, go I".  

I can imagine that the multitude listening to King Benjamin were more than a little overwhelmed with all that he was telling them.  I'm a little overwhelmed just reading it.  In every area that King Benjamin addressed, I have much room for improvement.

King Benjamin, in his wisdom, realized that the people were feeling some anxiety about everything that he was telling them that they must be and do and know.  

And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.  And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order. (Mosiah 4:27)

What a perceptive man, King Benjamin, to understand the nature of people.  To know that they would feel the importance of everything that he taught them and that they would try to implement everything at once and feel utterly overwhelmed.  

This is a lot how I feel after General Conference sometimes.  I soak in everything that my leaders are telling me.  I reflect on which areas of my life need improvement, and then I try to change those areas - all at once.  Without patience.  Without giving myself any latitude for error.  Because of this, after a few weeks of trying to be a perfect mother, a perfect wife, a perfect member of the church, a perfect person, I crash.  And then the guilt returns.  I need to remember that Heavenly Father is not expecting immediate perfection.  He wants me to be steadily working diligently toward the prize - returning to Him. 

General Conference is not meant to be a guilt trip, but rather a road map - marking the route by which we can "win the prize".  We are not meant to complete that route all in one day or one week or even one month.  It may take a lifetime - or longer - to perfect any one area.  I have to realize that "all things must be done in order".  Now, I'm not saying that I can relax - because there is no relaxing in the Gospel.  I'm saying that I need to not be so hard on myself when I experience small failures.  I need to move forward, slowly and steadily, toward my ultimate goal.  

©Darrell Wyatt

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 3

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 4 

The Tower

I remember, as a kid, piling into the old station wagon and driving thirty miles to the Stake Center to watch General Conference.  No matter the prodding from mom to hurry and get ready, we never got there early enough to be able to sit in the soft pews.  Rather, we were always destined for the hard, metal folding chairs way back in the overflow gym area.  We would bring crayons and coloring books and, as we got older, journals to write in, but the darkness necessary to be able to see Conference on the pull-down projector screen made it impossible to do much else but watch Conference.

Contrast that to the General Conference that we'll be watching in just over three weeks.  After breakfast, my family will walk the fourteen steps down to the basement family room, where we will plop on the couch (probably in our pajamas for the morning session) and turn on the television.  The kids will curl up in their blankets and get out their "Conference Bingo" games - if I remembered to get the M&Ms they use as markers - and listen eagerly for key words that match the little pictures on their cards.  After the first session is over, we'll walk back upstairs and make lunch.  And two hours later, we'll make the trek back downstairs - hopefully dressed this time, but maybe not.  The biggest part of my preparation for General Conference is to scour the internet for Conference Activities for the kids.  I don't have to get the them up early to shower and dress in their Sunday best (although it would probably be appropriate for me to do so).  And if, for some reason, I cannot watch the Saturday Session, I can listen on the radio or on the internet.  I can be watching a kid's football game and listening to Conference at the same time.  Really, all my "I can't watch Conference" excuses have been taken away, thanks to modern technology.

Today I read about what was probably the first General Conference in Christ's Church.  King Benjamin had much to say to his people before he conferred the kingdom upon Mosiah, so he ordered that they all be gathered together.

And it came to pass that when they came up to the temple, they pitched their tents round about, every man according to his family...And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which King Benjamin should speak unto them. (Mosiah 2:5-6)

He built a tower from which to to speak so that the multitudes of people would be able to hear him.  The internet, the radio and the television are not unlike a modern day tower.  People from all the ends of the earth are able to hear or see our prophet and his apostles and other leaders and teachers speak.  

©Darrell Wyatt

And it came to pass that he began to speak to his people from the tower; and they could not all hear his words because of the the greatness of the multitude; therefore he caused that the words which he spake should be written and sent forth among those that were not under the sound of his voice, that they might also receive his words. (Mosiah 2:8)

Just as not everyone was able to hear King Benjamin, there are some people today who do not have access to General Conference through technological means.  For this reason, every Conference talk is printed and compiled into a special issue of The Ensign.  Even those of us who have had the opportunity to watch or listen to Conference benefit much from the printed talks.  They are modern day scripture.  Reading them has, many times for me, reinforced the message that the speaker wished to get across.  There have been times that I have read the talks months later and found them very helpful in a trial I was facing.

I so look forward to Conference every six months.  I love listening to the Lord speak through his servants.  I love knowing that there really is modern revelation and that the Lord knows what we need to hear, and when we need to hear it.  He truly knows each one of us.  All we have to do is "pitch our tents round about the temple" and open the door - He will do the rest.

Click here to read what I read today!

Were It Not For These Things

I've never been much of a genealogist.  I've always said that "it's not my season".  I have too many other things going on to sit down and research my ancestry, and besides - that's what grandmas are for, right?  The real truth is, I just have never really had the desire to do it.  Until today.

My sons, I would that ye should remember that were it not for these plates, which contain these records and these commandments, we must have suffered in ignorance...for it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates;...(Mosiah 1:3-4)

King Benjamin was reminding his sons of the importance of the family records that had been passed down from generation to generation until their time.  Not only the records of their ancestry, but the records of revelations and prophecies given their ancestors by the Lord.

I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief...(Mosiah 1:5)

I'm sure I've been told stories of how my ancestors became members of the church, but I don't remember any of them.  As I was trying to think of how I could find out this information without spending the whole day on the phone, I remembered a book that had been given to my husband.  It was a coincidence, really, (or was it?) that he happened to be called to the home of my grandmother's cousin for work.  This cousin had very recently moved into our town and wanted some work done on his new home.  My husband is probably the most outgoing and friendly person I've ever met.  He will strike up a conversation with every person he comes into contact with.  He's very rarely intimidated by first impressions.  Because of this, while conversing with the homeowner, they discovered his relationship to my grandma and he gave my husband a book that had been written by my Great Great Grandfather.  I have flipped through the pages of the book a couple of times before, mostly just enough to see the names of my grandmother's siblings and mine and my siblings' names.  This morning, however, I read from the author's words:

My father and mother...were married October 25, 1855.  At about that time, and for several years later, there was a great religious revival in the northern part of Norway.  Many people left the Lutheran Church, which was the dominant, or State Church, and formed a society called Dissenters.  At one of the meetings which my father attended, the preacher took for his text the fourth chapter of Ephesians, dealing with the organization of the Church of Christ.  My father was not satisfied with the interpretation put on that scripture, and wondered why there were not apostles, prophets, etc., in the Church as there were in the primitive Church.  After returning home he went to bed, and, falling asleep, dreamed that a personage appeared to him and said, "In four years from now you shall understand the meaning of that scripture."  Precisely four years from then the first Mormon missionary came to Kasfjord and obtained a house to hold meetings in.  After the first opening exercises, he took his Bible and turned to the fourth chapter of Ephesians, read and explained the same scripture, stating that the Church of Jesus Christ was now established on the earth with apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, etc.  Father was converted to Mormonism that first evening.(Utah Pioneering, an Autobiography of Andrew M. Israelsen, pgs 5-6)

He goes on to say that my Great Great Great Grandfather was the fifth man beyond the Arctic Circle to be baptized, and a year later my Great Great Great Grandmother would become the third woman baptized.  They emigrated to the United States a couple years later, in a company of nine people - his mother and father, himself and three siblings and three other Mormon emigrants.  

The voyage over the Atlantic took eleven weeks.  It was a very hard journey, resulting in much sickness and many deaths.  I was among those who were stricken.  For some time it seemed impossible that I would be able to live.  I was pronounced dead by the ship's doctor, and was ordered thrown overboard, where all had to go who died on the ocean.  [Father] plead with them not to throw me overboard for a while.  His pleadings and prayers prevailed, and soon after I began to show signs of life.  Now, in this year, 1930, I am the only one of that company of nine who is still alive.(Utah Pioneering, an Autobiography of Andrew M. Israelsen, pg 7)

What a blessing that my Great Great Grandfather chose to record his story for his posterity.  What a blessing that I can know how and why I was born a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Had my Great Great Great Grandfather not chosen to become a member of this "unpopular" church, there is a very real possibility that I would not be a member either.

O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true, and also that these records are true...and we can know of their surety because we have them before our eyes. (Mosiah 1:6)

Because I have a written record of Andrew M. Israelsen's life story, I can know of a surety that the stories are true.  They are written by his own hand, and not stories that have been simply passed down from generation to generation to be changed or embellished. This has given me a sense of urgency in writing my own life story, so that someday, when my great great granddaughter has questions about where she came from, she will have a way to find the answers.  That she will not have to "suffer in ignorance".   Thank you, Great Great Grandpa Israelsen!

Click here to read what I read today: Words of Mormon

Click here to read what I read today: Mosiah Chapter 1

Click here to get started on your own family history!

Change is Hard.

Change is hard.  For some people, it is much harder than for others.

The Church has done some restructuring in our area to better serve the Young Single Adult population.  As a result, our ward has been assigned to a different building than the one that has forever been the 5th Ward building.  It was built as the 5th Ward building.  Most of the youth in our ward were blessed there as babies.  There is a lot of history in that building, and it is no longer the 5th Ward building.  This hasn't sat well with some of the congregation.  Change is hard.

I read the book of Omni today.  It's quite an interesting little book.  It's only 30 verses long, yet it has four authors.  All but the last of the four, Amaleki, only wrote a few verses each - mostly bearing witness that the previous author had written with his own hand and that there wasn't much more to write.  Amaleki, however, wrote of Mosiah., who was warned by the Lord to flee the land of Nephi.  He took as many people as would "also hearken unto the voice of the Lord".

I was wondering, as I read this, if the people murmured much when they were asked to leave.  I was also thinking about our ward changing buildings.  There were some people that were quite upset about the move.  The funny thing is, the new building is less than half a block away from the old building.  What if we had been told to go to a building in a different town?  What if, like Mosiah, we had to flee into the wilderness?  Would there be people who would stay behind because change is too hard?

The Old and the New

After Mosiah and his people had traveled for some time, they came across a group of people in the land called Zarahemla.  Amaleki doesn't talk about the feelings of Mosiah and his people when they came across this group.  Were they worried that the people of Zarahemla were hostile?  They had faced much hostility to this point - how would they know if these people were friendly?  He only recorded that "there was great rejoicing among the people of Zarahemla...because the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass which contained the record of the Jews."(Omni 1:14)

When the bishop announced the change in Sacrament Meeting last week, one of my little girls was very worried.  "Will the people be nice?"  She didn't quite understand that all the people would be the same.  She was nervous, even yesterday morning, after we had explained what was really happening.  Change is hard.  During testimony meeting, there was much talk of the new building.  Some were excited for change, and some were not very excited at all.  It was announced that one of the young men in our ward had received his mission call, and one of the members wisely noted, "And so it begins.  The history of the Providence 5th Ward in our new building."

Unlike Mosiah and his people, our move was not to a foreign place with foreign people.  The building may have been different, but the people were the same.  The most comforting and wonderful thing about the gospel, to me, is that no matter where you go - whether it be down the street or to a far off land - the organization of the church is the same.  There will still be Sacrament Meeting and Relief Society, Primary and Sunday School.  The rooms may look different, but no matter where we are, we are all being taught the same things.

Change may be hard, but it can also bring incredible blessings.  Blessings to us and those around us, if we are willing to adapt.  There can be "great rejoicing" among us, if we remember that.

Click here to read what I read today!

My (miserable, wonderful, hard, rewarding) Job

Behold, it is expedient that much should be done among this people, because of the hardness of their hearts, and the deafness of their ears, and the blindness of their minds, and the stiffness of their necks; nevertheless, God is exceedingly merciful unto them, and has not as yet swept them off from the face of the land. (Jarom 1:3)

The last time I read the Book of Mormon, I remember reading this verse on a particularly hard mom-of-a-teenage-daughter day.  I had really had enough of the deafness of her ears and the blindness of her mind.  I was ready to get out my broom and sweep her off the face of the land.  She didn't think it was as funny as I did.  

Today, as I was reading, the teenager comparison was still in my mind (maybe because I had written "teenagers" and a little smiley face in the margin the last time I read), but as I continued to read, I could look at it a little more from my daughter's point of view. "And the laws of the land were exceedingly strict" (Jarom 1:5).  I do have some strict rules for my kids.  Nothing outrageous or harsh, but I am much more strict than some of their friends' parents.  They have a curfew.  They have dating rules ("so lame").  They have certain jobs around the house.  There are limits to cell phone use and video game use.  They have a bedtime (this doesn't seem crazy to me, but believe it or not, they have friends with no set bedtime).  I have to know where they are and who they're with and what they're doing as much as it is possible for me to do so.  I expect respect, not only for me but for other adults and, most importantly, I demand that they respect themselves.  Right now, they certainly are of the opinion that "the laws of the land are exceedingly strict".  

These days, in the world, there is much discussion on parental behavior.  It seems that the general consensus is that we must be our kids' friends.  We must not hinder their growth with things like rules and chores.  We must let them discover who they are by giving them the freedom to explore.  While I agree that kids need some room to explore and to make mistakes, I also firmly believe that without boundaries, it's actually much tougher for them to figure out who they really are.  There is so much coming at them from all directions.  There is no room for inner reflection - only the world telling them what they should wear and what entertainment they should like and ultimately who they should be.

Much like the Lamanites and Nephites were at constant battle with each other, my kids walk out the door every morning to face a battle of their own.  They have to make so many choices!  Who to be with, who to listen to.  They (especially the older kids) battle with me at least a few times a week because they feel that I'm being unreasonable.  Just yesterday, I was "forcing" my daughter to do something that she didn't want to do.  We had made a deal earlier in the day that if she completed this task, she would be able to make some plans for last night.  At the time, she didn't have any specific plans, but I knew that something would inevitably come up, it being a Saturday night and all.  I reminded her many times throughout the day that she'd better get started.  There was always a reason why she would start "in a minute".  Finally, I forced her to begin.  In the middle of the task, a friend invited her to a concert, for which she would be leaving any minute.  My daughter begged and pleaded with me to let her go, even though the job wasn't done.  I wouldn't budge.  Because I was standing my ground, I was dubbed "ridiculous" and "lame" and I believe a "stupid" or two was thrown in there.  I didn't flinch.  Now don't think that I never flinch, because sometimes do I not only flinch, I explode.  But last night, I didn't flinch.  I helped her finish the job, and we got it done just in time for her to still be able to go to the concert with her friend.  Suddenly, I was the best mom ever.  Only in fairytales and motherhood can one be a wicked witch, a superhero and a princess - all in the same day.

Parenting is hard.  Parenting done correctly is harder.  It's not easy to enforce rules and expect good behavior.  Kids will be kids.  But, because I love them, I make rules.  I want them to succeed.  Just as the Lord said, "Inasmuch as ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land" (Jarom 1:9), I know that if I make and enforce just and fair rules for my kids, they will prosper by following them.  My parents were strict.  They expected many of the same things of me as I expect of my kids.  At times I did think the rules were unreasonable.  But now, having kids of my own, I can see the wisdom of my parents and the boundaries they set, and I am so grateful for them.

Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence;...

...for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto repentance. (Jarom 1:11-12)    

Labor diligently.  Exhort.  Be long-suffering.  Continually.  Just as the prophets and teachers of old did not give up, I cannot give up.  My job is too important!  It's hard work, and it is worth every ounce of  labor and long-suffering.  I think I'll keep that broom in the closet for a little while longer.

Click here to read what I read today!

And...ACTION!

©Darrell Wyatt

I don't know a lot about Enos.  I know from reading that he was Jacob's son, and I've always been taught that he is one of the greatest examples of how to pray.  But I don't know much about him other than that.  What was he like as a young man? 

Behold, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that he was a just man - for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord - and blessed be the name of my God for it - (Enos 1:1)

He must have been somewhat righteous, in order to recognize that his father brought him up in the ways of the Lord.  He had to have been fairly confident in his relationship with God in order to pray has hard and as long as he did.  Yet, he felt that he had done some things that needed to be resolved.

And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins. (Enos 1:2)

I've always really liked this verse.  The word wrestle just brings out so much emotion.  He must have been having quite the struggle with himself and his actions.  I don't know that I've ever really felt what that's like - to wrestle before God - but I can imagine that Enos felt heavily weighed down by circumstances in his life.  He left to go hunting, and found his mind wandering to the things that his father had taught him about eternal life.  He said these words "sunk deep" into his heart.

And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens. (Enos 1:4)

His soul hungered.  So he fed it by praying.  And oh how he prayed - all day long and into the night.  I think about this sometimes, as I'm saying a quick and probably way too repetitive prayer.  What faith he must have had to stay on his knees for that long.  He had to have had complete faith that he would receive an answer to his prayer, and he stayed until he got it.  

And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed. (Enos 1:5) 

Enos says after this that his "guilt was swept away".  His prayer had been answered.  But he was not finished.  He prayed for his people and for the Lamanites (who had become extremely wicked by this time), and he prayed that the records that he and his descendants were keeping would be preserved.    He wanted the records to someday benefit the Lamanites, that, "perhaps, they might be brought unto salvation".  To me, this is a prime example of one of the teachings of Jesus:

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44)

If there was anyone during this time cursing and hating and persecuting Enos' people, it was the Lamanites.  Yet he prayed for them.  But he didn't stop there.  He put his prayer into action:

And I bear record that the people of Nephi did seek diligently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God. (Enos 1:20)

What an example this is to me.  Sometimes, probably too often, I will pray about someone or something and then expect the Lord to do all the work.  Rarely do I seek diligently and put some action behind my prayers.  I need to remember that my prayers are only as good as my follow-up.  I also learned, however, that even though we may pray for someone else and do everything we can, their free agency remains intact.  The Lamanites did not become righteous as a direct result of Enos' prayer and work.  They chose to remain "wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness".  Not because Enos wasn't faithful enough or didn't work hard enough, but because this is they way they chose to be.  I can't change someone just by praying for them.  They need to have the desire to change.

My favorite verse in Enos is the last one:

And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest.  And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me:  Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. (Enos 1:27)

When I think of meeting my Redeemer face to face, although I feel anticipation and excitement, I also feel a little bit of trepidation.  I worry that I won't have done enough to prepare - that I won't be ready.  I want to rejoice in that day and stand before him and "see his face with pleasure".  I want to have a mansion prepared for me.  Once again, it comes back to action.  Am I earnestly seeking to do what is right?  Am I doing instead of just being?  

I'm so grateful for the opportunity I had this morning to get to know Enos a little bit better.  I learned from him not only how to pray, but also how to put my prayers into action.  

Click here to read what I read today!