I told Lou that the night before I had a similar conversation with my sisters-in-law. Eight of us had gotten together for a girls night and the topic of the presidential election came up: We all wondered and marveled together how America got to the place that it's in. We discussed the possible changes we would face; the economy, religious freedom, parental rights, the persecutions that might come, the struggles and the hardships. But the tone of the conversation shifted from the "terrible" and turned to the "great". Soon, we began testifying of the miracles we would witness and have already witnessed, we began talking about the amazing youth who make daily deliberate choices to be true to the faith in the face of so much opposition. We shared examples in the scriptures and personal testimony.
I put my arm around my friend and said, "Lou, your children will experience great things! Joel said that it will be a 'great and terrible day'. Sometimes, I think we forget the part that it will be great." First Nephi 22:17 says that "the righteous need not fear". I then shared with Lou the story from 2Kings chapter 16 about Elisha and the young servant completely encompassed by the Syrian army. Lou had forgotten that story in the scriptures and he listened intently. (It's not that he's never read it but that his memory is not well and sometimes he forgets me too.) I told him about the servant who was with Elisha when the Syrian army sought their lives... the young man opened the tent door and saw that they were surrounded on every side by their enemies and it filled him with terror. I told him how Elisha prayed that the young servant's eyes would be open. When he looked out again, the veil was lifted from him and he saw hosts of angels (much more numerous than their enemy) standing in readiness to defend and protect Elisha and the young man.
I stopped and turned to Lou, placing my hand reassuringly on his shoulder, "I know that the darker the night gets, the brighter the stars shine. We are going to see amazing things. We are constantly, everyday, surrounded by angels. We don't see them but they go before us and they have our back. I know this!" He was quiet and I could see tears well up in my friend's eyes, "Oh, thank you... I needed that. Thank you for sharing that with me." I hugged my friend and wished him a good night as he walked inside his home still thanking me, "Really, that makes me feel so much better. Oh, how I needed that. Thank you again."
This morning in my scripture studies I was reminded of my walk with Lou and his concern for our country when I read, "We can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity." (Ether 2:9)
I recalled Mormon chapter 9 just a few pages earlier. I love that chapter... because out of all the books of scriptures, out of all the numerous chapters written by ancient prophets, Mormon 9 is the one that mentions the word, "miracle" more than any other. (14 times to be exact)
I love to hear Moroni's testimony. If anyone knew what it was like to watch a nation fall apart, it was him. But Moroni kept the faith and held fast in his testimony... even when he stood alone. Really, we have everything to hope for and look forward to.
"Behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles" - Moroni
Terror, Triumph, and a Wedding Feast
2 comments:
Awesome
I had an impression in my book of Mormon studies that "the past, present and future" can be seen in the pattern of Lehi & Nephi's dream. Your friend Lu could very easily be Lehi, his children, those who live righteously could be Nephi In those dreams, the potential for two very different "past, present & future" are detailed. They run along aside each other, separated by the river of filthy water, which water is a metaphor for worldly knowledge, protocol, behavior etc. The spacious building is where literally all bad things live, go and breed. Wars happen in the spacious building, bad presidents are elected in that building. But the pattern of the path to the tree of life, is also very present. The Lord is a very present help in our time of need. As we walk the path of righteousness, we approach the tree daily, we drink of the waters from the pure stream. And we use our agency to continue on the path, not going back and starting over. Our future is our present. It is amazing that a description of the Savior is one who has no beginning or no end. Jesus lives and manifests in an ongoing, progressive state of present. Everything happens in the present, in the now. That's why he encourages us not to fear the unknown, because through him it becomes known. The spacious building vies for our attention and allegiance, but the activity in that building changes, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. This is why we are so encouraged to "Wake up" now.We must work the works of the one who sent us, while it is yet day.
Love you Alicia, you are a wise woman, a great comfort to your friends and family
You, Ramona, are a wise woman! I love these thoughts!
Wow, I've never thought of a war going on inside that great and spacious building but it makes sense. That would be a building so thick with selfishness, self-centeredness, conceit, and pride: Contention and wars would naturally follow like a horrid disease.
I like the imagery you've helped to create for me in seeing all of these things occurring at once. "Our future is our present" reminds me of the scripture in Joshua that says, "Choose you this day, whom ye will serve." It's in that daily choice we discover where exactly in the vision we are standing. Each choice shapes our future. We will reap what we sow. For some, that will bring terrible things, for others it will bring the most desirable fruit, marvelous and beautiful.
Thank you for taking time to comment. I always love what you have to share. :)
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