Humble, Submissive, and Gentle - Ponderize - Week 17

My nephew, Bryson, is currently serving a mission in Mexico.  In yesterday's letter he bore witness of the validity of personal revelation, of going to the Lord in fervent prayer and then turning to the scriptures for answers.  I greatly appreciated his testimony.  This is the method I have used through my life again and again.  I cannot even begin to number how many times I have had "custom-fit" verses jump off the pages at me.... just too many coincidences to be a coincidence.

My nephew's testimony came at a good time because I've spent a lot of moments reflecting recently on my own personal revelations.  I wonder if any of the men or women in the scriptures ever felt lonely with the answers they received.  

Did Mary ponder in her heart because she knew no one would believe her or maybe because she had a hard time even believing herself?  

How much did Abraham share with Sariah or even Isaac about the revelations he received?  

After Joseph Smith shared his experiences, people said he was crazy.

Were things so unbelievable that they had moments themselves where they too questioned their own sanity?

Joseph Smith learned to trust his initial revelations enough to move ahead even if he wasn't sure exactly what that looked like for him in the future: "to continue as [he] was until further directed. [He] had found the testimony of James to be true—that a man who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain, and not be upbraided." - JSH 1:26

Alma had been given a very specific mission in his life.  He followed that instruction knowing "that the Lord God hath power to do all things which are according to his word."(Alma 7:8)

 Yet Alma was painfully and sorely rejected in ways I cannot imagine.  In fact it was so difficult that he said, "I was about to set my back towards this land forever"  but he didn't give up, why? Because he understood revelation and knew without a doubt it was from God.  He testified, " I have been commanded that I should turn again and prophesy unto this people." - Alma 8:24,25

I like what Joseph said, "to continue as I was until further directed."  

I feel that way sometimes.  

I don't have all the answers.  I only have been given instruction up to this point and it doesn't go any further into the distant steps.  I will trust that it will be unfolded "line upon line,... here a little and there a little"

I share some of the answers I've been given here but ponder most of it in my heart because it is the only safe place to keep them.  I know the Lord searches there. It is between Him and me for now.

My scripture to ponderize for the week is this:

"And now [Alicia] I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of god at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive." - Alma 7:23

-Alicia