In the Book of Mormon, we find a group of young, inexperienced young men who had their world turned upside down. They went to war against an occupying foe that greatly outnumbered their small force. In their first battle, they were used as bait and had to run as fast as they can because they knew they would be killed if they slowed down or turned to the right or the left. In that and other battles, they saw many thousands killed, including friends and beloved leaders and they had to fight and kill despite being raised by families who had buried their weapons. They likely had very little experience using weapons before this time.
In between battles, they spent months isolated in fortressed cities, uncertain of what the future would bring, eating whatever provisions were sent to them and hoping for greater numbers of soldiers to be sent their way. They endured disappointment and feared the war would be lost when those additional soldiers did not arrive. They endured a few months of starvation where they almost perished. They worried about the state of their government, the state of their country, and the outcome of the war they were engaged in. They were away from their families for at least three years and probably more. They definitely didn’t get to gather with their families for Thanksgiving! And yet, despite it all, they showed their faith, courage, and gratitude. They rose to the challenge that faced them, put their faith in the promises of the Lord, and experienced miracles large and small.
In D&C 57, Helman recounts one of their battles:
24 And it came to pass that after the Lamanites had fled, I immediately gave orders that my men who had been wounded should be taken from among the dead, and caused that their wounds should be dressed.
25 And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds.
26 And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power.
27 Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually. . .
Later, he says,
35 And behold, we are again delivered out of the hands of our enemies. And blessed is the name of our God; for behold, it is he that has delivered us; yea, that has done this great thing for us.
These young men experienced a lot of afflictions, but they also saw the hand of the Lord in their lives and they were grateful.
This year has been a challenging one for all of us. Most of us have faced tragedies, illness, grief, loneliness, and other deeply harrowing trials in the past, but this year has been a bit different, as the pandemic has affected all of us to one degree or another. Some, like my parents, have been in virtual house arrest. Others, like some of my good friends, have lost loved ones to the pandemic or experienced debilitating illness. All of us have likely experienced disappointment, uncertainty, impatience, loss of opportunities, canceled events, the disruption of worship service, and the loss of the joy that comes from gathering together without worry. Our lives now look different than many of us expected a year ago. I never expected my son to spend two months of his mission confined to his apartment except for a few hours of exercise a day. I never expected my daughter to have to give up an internship she was excited for. I never expected to have to tell my kids they couldn’t see their friends or go to birthday parties. And I never expected to homeschool three of my kids.
And yet, like the sons of Helaman, we have also seen miracles large and small.
Because we have 12 people in our home, the number of our contacts even for necessary things like work and school is high. We are at a much higher risk of catching or spreading the virus, so we’ve had to take more precautions than some to reduce our risks. It’s been hard, and yet we have also been richly blessed. Though I didn’t ever plan on homeschooling, I’m becoming a better mother because of my experiences in teaching my children more directly. My kids have shown incredible resilience and adaptability.
President Nelson’s address on Friday was wonderful. In it, he reminds us,
“Jesus Christ frequently expressed gratitude. Before raising Lazarus from the dead, before miraculously multiplying loaves and fishes, and before passing the cup to His disciples at the Last Supper, the Savior prayed and gave thanks to God. No wonder the Apostle Paul later declared, “In every thing give thanks.”5
Over my nine and a half decades of life, I have concluded that counting our blessings is far better than recounting our problems. No matter our situation, showing gratitude for our privileges is a fast-acting and long-lasting spiritual prescription.
Does gratitude spare us from sorrow, sadness, grief, and pain? No, but it does soothe our feelings. It provides us with a greater perspective on the very purpose and joy of life.”
Elder Gary E. Stevenson talked about the pandemic in his October General Conference talk, saying,
Even while we’ve all experienced trials, we are also ALL highly favored of the Lord. We are blessed to have the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are blessed to know that death is not the end and that we will be with our departed loved ones again. We are blessed to have the Holy Ghost with us to comfort us and to provide needed guidance in times of uncertainty, when we don’t know what is going to happen or what we should do.
I am incredibly grateful for Jesus Christ. Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to download and print the music and then to watch the sing-a-long to The Lamb of God oratorio with my daughter Sarah. That time was powerful, as it reminded me of my love for the Savior and how much He has done for us. A week before His life ended, He raised Lazarus from the dead. He had power over death, yet He allowed Himself to be taken and killed. He knows our sorrows and pains. He set the perfect example for us. He loved His enemies and His friends, and He loves us.
Elder Andersen said in the conclusion of his talk,
“Brothers and sisters, I believe that one day, each of you will look back at the canceled events, the sadness, the disappointments, and the loneliness attendant to the challenging times we are passing through to see them overshadowed by choice blessings and increased faith and testimonies. I believe that in this life, and in the life to come, your afflictions, your Ammonihah, your Liberty Jail, will be consecrated for your gain.15 I pray that, along with Nephi, we can acknowledge the afflictions in the course of our days while at the same time recognizing that we are highly favored of the Lord.”
I encourage all of you to watch the beautiful prophetic message given by President Nelson and to show more gratitude during these crazy times. I’m grateful for all that I’ve learned this year and I’m grateful that it is almost over – though I want to read the fine print before I agree to 2021! I’m grateful for my Savior and for the gospel.
In between battles, they spent months isolated in fortressed cities, uncertain of what the future would bring, eating whatever provisions were sent to them and hoping for greater numbers of soldiers to be sent their way. They endured disappointment and feared the war would be lost when those additional soldiers did not arrive. They endured a few months of starvation where they almost perished. They worried about the state of their government, the state of their country, and the outcome of the war they were engaged in. They were away from their families for at least three years and probably more. They definitely didn’t get to gather with their families for Thanksgiving! And yet, despite it all, they showed their faith, courage, and gratitude. They rose to the challenge that faced them, put their faith in the promises of the Lord, and experienced miracles large and small.
In D&C 57, Helman recounts one of their battles:
24 And it came to pass that after the Lamanites had fled, I immediately gave orders that my men who had been wounded should be taken from among the dead, and caused that their wounds should be dressed.
25 And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds.
26 And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power.
27 Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually. . .
Later, he says,
35 And behold, we are again delivered out of the hands of our enemies. And blessed is the name of our God; for behold, it is he that has delivered us; yea, that has done this great thing for us.
These young men experienced a lot of afflictions, but they also saw the hand of the Lord in their lives and they were grateful.
This year has been a challenging one for all of us. Most of us have faced tragedies, illness, grief, loneliness, and other deeply harrowing trials in the past, but this year has been a bit different, as the pandemic has affected all of us to one degree or another. Some, like my parents, have been in virtual house arrest. Others, like some of my good friends, have lost loved ones to the pandemic or experienced debilitating illness. All of us have likely experienced disappointment, uncertainty, impatience, loss of opportunities, canceled events, the disruption of worship service, and the loss of the joy that comes from gathering together without worry. Our lives now look different than many of us expected a year ago. I never expected my son to spend two months of his mission confined to his apartment except for a few hours of exercise a day. I never expected my daughter to have to give up an internship she was excited for. I never expected to have to tell my kids they couldn’t see their friends or go to birthday parties. And I never expected to homeschool three of my kids.
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| Covid-Safe Field Trips in the Mountains are one perk of homeschooling these three |
And yet, like the sons of Helaman, we have also seen miracles large and small.
Because we have 12 people in our home, the number of our contacts even for necessary things like work and school is high. We are at a much higher risk of catching or spreading the virus, so we’ve had to take more precautions than some to reduce our risks. It’s been hard, and yet we have also been richly blessed. Though I didn’t ever plan on homeschooling, I’m becoming a better mother because of my experiences in teaching my children more directly. My kids have shown incredible resilience and adaptability.
President Nelson’s address on Friday was wonderful. In it, he reminds us,
“Jesus Christ frequently expressed gratitude. Before raising Lazarus from the dead, before miraculously multiplying loaves and fishes, and before passing the cup to His disciples at the Last Supper, the Savior prayed and gave thanks to God. No wonder the Apostle Paul later declared, “In every thing give thanks.”5
Over my nine and a half decades of life, I have concluded that counting our blessings is far better than recounting our problems. No matter our situation, showing gratitude for our privileges is a fast-acting and long-lasting spiritual prescription.
Does gratitude spare us from sorrow, sadness, grief, and pain? No, but it does soothe our feelings. It provides us with a greater perspective on the very purpose and joy of life.”
Elder Gary E. Stevenson talked about the pandemic in his October General Conference talk, saying,
During this time, government and educational leaders closed schools—which consequently altered graduations and forced the cancellation of sporting, social, cultural, and educational events and activities. Many of you prepared for events that were not attended, performances that were not heard, and athletic seasons that were not played.
Even more poignant are thoughts of families who have lost loved ones during this time; most could not hold funerals or other tender gatherings as they had hoped.
In short, many, many of you have dealt with heartbreaking disappointment, sorrow, and discouragement. So how do we heal, endure, and move forward when things seem so broken?
The prophet Nephi began engraving the small plates when he was a grown man. As he looked back on his life and ministry, he offered an important reflection in the very first verse of the Book of Mormon. This verse frames an important principle for us to consider in our time. Following his familiar words, “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents … ,” he writes, “and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days.”3
As students of the Book of Mormon, we are familiar with the many afflictions to which Nephi refers. Yet following acknowledgment of his afflictions in the course of his days, Nephi gives his gospel perspective of being highly favored of the Lord in all his days. Times of affliction and disappointment do not change the watchful eye of the Lord as He favorably looks upon us, blessing us.
Even while we’ve all experienced trials, we are also ALL highly favored of the Lord. We are blessed to have the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are blessed to know that death is not the end and that we will be with our departed loved ones again. We are blessed to have the Holy Ghost with us to comfort us and to provide needed guidance in times of uncertainty, when we don’t know what is going to happen or what we should do.
I am incredibly grateful for Jesus Christ. Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to download and print the music and then to watch the sing-a-long to The Lamb of God oratorio with my daughter Sarah. That time was powerful, as it reminded me of my love for the Savior and how much He has done for us. A week before His life ended, He raised Lazarus from the dead. He had power over death, yet He allowed Himself to be taken and killed. He knows our sorrows and pains. He set the perfect example for us. He loved His enemies and His friends, and He loves us.
Elder Andersen said in the conclusion of his talk,
“Brothers and sisters, I believe that one day, each of you will look back at the canceled events, the sadness, the disappointments, and the loneliness attendant to the challenging times we are passing through to see them overshadowed by choice blessings and increased faith and testimonies. I believe that in this life, and in the life to come, your afflictions, your Ammonihah, your Liberty Jail, will be consecrated for your gain.15 I pray that, along with Nephi, we can acknowledge the afflictions in the course of our days while at the same time recognizing that we are highly favored of the Lord.”
I encourage all of you to watch the beautiful prophetic message given by President Nelson and to show more gratitude during these crazy times. I’m grateful for all that I’ve learned this year and I’m grateful that it is almost over – though I want to read the fine print before I agree to 2021! I’m grateful for my Savior and for the gospel.
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