They Did Submit Cheerfully

 Mosiah 24:15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

I've had some pretty hard burdens at times, and I suspect that the Lord strengthened me to bear those burdens.  But I don't remember staying cheerful.  I know I pushed forward and got through it, but how cheerful was I?

I like this quote: 

Elaine Cannon

"Life is like that. When we can't change a circumstance, we can either grit our teeth and hang on with clenched jaws, or we can submit cheerfully until change occurs. And with God's help we can learn some important lessons. We can feel peace." (Adversity, p. 61)

I'm not quite sure how to do this.  I'm afraid I'm more of a "grit our teeth and hang on with clenched jaws" kind of person.  I know I'm not going to give up, but I'm not very joyous about it.  I think it's tied to gratitude.  When things are tough, we need to look for the blessings, to watch for the beautiful sunsets, for joyous music, for babies' faces, for the strength of friends, for love of family.  If we can see those things despite our pain, we can rejoice in our blessings that are always present whatever the trials.  Yes, it may be a Pollyanna kind of attitude, but that's better than being gloomy and making everyone around you feel the same.

Nevertheless the Lord Seeth Fit to Chasten His People

Mosiah 23:21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to ^achasten his people; yea, he trieth their ^bpatience and their faith.

We don't usually think of being chastened and tried as blessings, but if they're coming from the Lord, they must be.  Of course, the real problem is that we have such a narrow definition of "blessings".  We assume that if it makes us happy, it's a blessing.  If our life is fun and pleasurable, we're being blessed.  

Neal A. Maxwell said:  "Faith ... includes faith in God's developmental purposes, for 'the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.' (Mosiah 23:21.) Still, some of us have trouble when God's tutoring is applied to us! We plead for exemption more than we do for sanctification." (Ensign, May 1991, p. 90.)

And a quote from President Howard W. Hunter:

"Mormon surely knew that no pain we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God." (Ensign, Nov. 1987, p. 60 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 316)

The Lord has many different ways of blessing us.  He gives us things to make us happy, he gives us commandments to teach us how to follow Him, and He gives us suffering and trials to help us to learn how to be more like Him.

It's very hard to be grateful when things aren't being fun, when our hearts are aching, and when things aren't going as we hoped they would.  Especially when we know we're being obedient and faithful.  This story about Alma and his people is one of the best examples of how the Lord gives us adversity and then helps us through it.  Sometimes He lets us suffer a bit for our own growth, sometimes He leaves the trial on our shoulders, but lightens the load.  And sometimes He removes the test from us.  He heals the sick, He takes away the problem.  But not always.

Sometimes the disease isn't cured, but remains part of our world for the rest of our lives.  Sometimes our darling child isn't healed with a priesthood blessing, and she dies.  At times like these, we are comforted by the faith that the Lord knows what is best for everyone; that He can see the end from the beginning; that He loves us and will ALWAYS bless us in whatever way is best for us.

They Became the Children of God

Isn't that a great phrase of Mormon's?  He's describing how the people of Alma were taught by the priests he had ordained.  It's found in Mosiah 18, verses 18-30.

We need to remember that these people lived in the world of King Benjamin, a world of revelry and immorality and drunkenness.  We don't know exactly how long it had been since King Zeniff had died, but it was about 10 years before Abinadi appeared the first time, and then he hid for a couple of years before he came back to testify before his death.  So these people were probably pretty immersed in this wicked culture.  They may not have been partaking in it, but just lying low.  We do know that when Alma started preaching secretly, they responded and joined him eagerly.

Now they were carefully gathering to be taught.  They had clapped their hands for joy when he explained the baptismal covenants to them and they had been baptized.  ". . .and were filled with the grace of God".

Now Alma ordained priests to teach them and guide them.  I think his instructions to the new priests are notable:

• They should teach and preach unto them concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
• They should only teach the things he had taught, and also the teachings of the prophets.
• They should teach only repentance and faith on the Lord.
• There should be no contention among them.  They should have unity of belief in one faith and one baptism, "having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another."

 It's at this point that Mormon tells us that they became the children of God.  Then he tells more of Alma's instructions:

• They should observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
• Every day they should give thanks to their Lord.
• The priests should support themselves by their own labors.
• They should try to meet together one day a week to worship and teach.
• The people should share their substance with one another and see to the temporal and spiritual needs of one another, of their free will.

If we could all do those things as wards and branches and neighbors, I think we would feel that we are becoming the children of God.  Really, as I rub shoulders with those wonderful people at church meetings, I feel that I'm privileged to associate with children of God already.

Abinadi Preaches of Christ

I've undervalued Abinadi in the past.  I think I got so wrapped up in the wicked priests and King Noah and the horror of the burning, I didn't appreciate the beauty and the clarity of Abinadi's teachings on Christ.

He quotes some of our favorite scriptures from Isaiah from chapter 53, many of the ones we sing during the Messiah.  Then he says this in Mosiah 15:7-9

Yea, even so he shall be led, ^acrucified, and slain, the ^bflesh becoming subject even unto death, the ^cwill of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.

 8 And thus God breaketh the ^abands of death, having gained the ^bvictory over death; giving the Son power to make ^cintercession for the children of men—

 9 Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon ^ahimself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and ^bsatisfied the demands of justice.

The concept of our Savior offering Himself as a sacrifice for us is so powerful!  He didn't just ALLOW the crucifixion to happen, he MADE it happen.  And He walked into that garden, and voluntarily TOOK upon Himself our sins and sufferings and sorrows.  Why?  Because of his bowels of mercy.  Because He was filled with compassion towards all of us.  He knew we couldn't return to His presence on our own merit.  Even the best of us, the most perfect, would be consigned to Hell forever, our bodies crumbling in the grave.  And those of us who are so far less than perfect that we cringe at the mention of the word - well, we might as well give up before we begin.

But He loves us!  Not as some entertaining plaything like many churches teach, but so much that He would endure unimaginable agony!  He broke the bands of death and satisfied the demands of justice.

Who wouldn't want to worship such a Being?  Who wouldn't want to fall at His feet?  I stand all amazed.  Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me.

Consecration Enhances Individuality

Abinadi is preaching to the wicked priests of King Noah, attempting to teach them that our will can submit to the will of the Father without losing ourselves.  It's a hard concept to learn.

In Mosiah 15:7, he says, "the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father."
Here are some quotes on the subject:


Neal A. Maxwell

"It was all made possible by the Savior's splendid submissiveness. He did voluntarily what He was not forced to do; it was something no other child of God could do! 'There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin' (Hymns no. 194). 'Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father' (Mosiah 15:7). The imagery and theology of this verse tell us that Jesus was totally, perfectly, and fully consecrated.

"Being 'swallowed up' means being totally enveloped-without question, protest, reservation, or resentment. It is 'all the way,' not halfway. Choosing such spiritual submission is the highest act of deliberate, individual will: 'And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt' (Mark 14:36; emphasis added).

"Though Jesus' will was thus 'swallowed up,' we certainly don't notice any diminution of Jesus' individuality after the Atonement, do we? In fact, not only was He resplendent, but after the Resurrection, amid some of His sheep, He declared that His joy was now 'full' (3 Nephi 17:20). Consecration enhances individuality. Furthermore, when we are 'swallowed up' in His will we will also know what it is like to be 'swallowed up in the joy of Christ' (Alma 31:38)." (That Ye May Believe, pp. 2-3)

Henry B. Eyring

"In considering consecration, it is well to remember . . . that nothing is held back-whether turf, attitude, or hobbies. One's will is to be swallowed up in the will of God - just as occurred with Jesus...the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father...Most forms of holding back are rooted in pride or are prompted by the mistaken notion that somehow we are diminished by submission to God. Actually, the greater the submission, the greater the expansion!" (Henry B. Eyring, On Becoming a Disciple Scholar, pp. 61-2)

In our lives, some people are very reluctant to submit their will to the will of the Father.  They really fear that they will lose something of themselves.  These two great men have just taught that the opposite is true.  When we fight to maintain our individuality we show pride and stubbornness.  We need to give our will to the Father, as Maxwell taught so many times.

At Last We Meet Abinadi

In Mosiah 11 and 12 we meet Abinadi.  I like to picture him as younger, not like the pictures of him as an old man with a long gray beard.  It's obvious that he knows he's not going home again after this because he pulls out all stops in talking to the wicked priests and Noah.

They have brought him before them to question him, but he immediately takes over and proceeds to question them.  What starts him off is the question asked by one of the priests.  I'm convinced that this priest was Alma, who must have been studying the words of Isaiah and was ripe for conversion.  Alma asks him to explain a verse (Isaiah 52:7) concerning those who teach the Gospel, specifically the Savior, but also prophets, teachers, and missionaries.

Abinadi was prepared for this meeting.  I'm sure he had been fasting and praying, and now he takes over the meeting and teaches and admonishes and calls to repentance.  Although part of his purpose was to remove any excuse from the wicked priests, I think his main purpose was to teach Alma and prepare him to repent and become the great prophet he was destined to be.  So I approach the rest of Abinadi's teachings as directed mainly at Alma.

March Fourth

I gave the spiritual thought in our devotional at the FS center yesterday.  This is what I said:

I was actually excited to give a thought today because of the date.  Today's date is more of a commandment than a date:  March Fourth!  It says we need to proceed and move forward and progress.

The scripture in 2 Nephi 31:20 comes to mind.   Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

 Elder David A. Bednar gave a CES devotional on the University of Texas at Arlington campus.  He said:

"As individuals confront trials and tribulations they must not shrink, retreat or recoil.  Many of the lessons we are to learn in mortality can only be received through the things we experience and sometimes suffer.  And God expects and trusts us to face temporary mortal adversity with His help so we can learn what we need to learn and ultimately become what we are to become in eternity."

Elder Bednar shared an experience he had while president of BYU-Idaho, when he and his wife, Susan, hosted Elder Neal A. Maxwell and his wife as they visited the university's campus. Earlier in that same year, Elder Maxwell had gone through debilitating chemotherapy for leukemia, causing his physical strength and stamina to be limited during the visit.

"During the course of our conversations that day, I asked Elder Maxwell what lessons he had learned through his illness," Elder Bednar said. "I will remember always the precise and penetrating answer he gave. 'Dave,' he said, 'I have learned that not shrinking is more important than surviving.'"

It is often during difficult experiences — sometimes filled with pain and trial — that individuals are able to build character, purify their heart and expand their soul as they gain the education they came to earth to acquire.

"The Savior did not shrink in Gethsemane or Golgotha.  Elder Maxwell also did not shrink. This mighty apostle pressed forward steadfastly and was blessed with additional time in mortality to love, to serve, to teach and to testify. Those concluding years of his life were an emphatic exclamation point to his example of devoted discipleship — through both his words and his deeds."

Just as Elder Maxwell faced tribulations with an understanding of God's plan of happiness, grace and dignity, so can all valiant Latter-day Saints around the world, Elder Bednar said.
Elder Bednar shared a story of a young couple who, only three weeks after getting married, the husband was diagnosed with bone cancer. Through their experience they have learned spiritually vital lessons about not shrinking, and about allowing their individual will to be swallowed up in the will of the Father.

Elder Bednar told of an experience that happened as he visited them in the hospital where he was prompted to ask the young man if he had the faith not to be healed. Surprised by the questions he asked, Elder Bednar felt that as he counseled with the couple an understanding came and that if God's will were for the good of the young man to be healed, then that blessing could only be received if the valiant couple first had the faith not to be healed.

"In other words, [they] needed to overcome, through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, the 'natural man' tendency in all of us to demand impatiently and insist incessantly on the blessings we want and believe we deserve," he said. "We recognized a principle that applies to every devoted disciple: strong faith in the Savior is submissively accepting of His will and timing in our lives — even if the outcome is not what we hoped for or wanted," he said.

It is through allowing faith in Jesus Christ and a complete submission to His will that individuals are able to find greater comfort and peace, he said. Righteousness and faith are instrumental in moving mountains — if moving mountains accomplishes God's purposes and is in accordance with His will.

"Even with strong faith, many mountains will not be moved," he said. "And not all of the sick and infirmed will be healed. If all opposition were curtailed, if all maladies were removed, then the primary purposes of the Father's plan would be frustrated."

I didn't actually use all of that, but decided to paste it here because it's so good.  But I concluded with the idea that just as Elder Bednar taught, we need to move forward in faith.  We all have trials and adversity and we must not shrink but press forward, press on, march forth.