God is Sometimes a Fourth-Watch God

Christ walking on the sea, by Amédée Varin

Someone approached me one day while I was going through my heaviest trial, and said, "God is sometimes a 4th watch God". 

It made me deeply ponder and wonder and then research what she meant that.  

In the New Testament there is that beautiful story of the Savior appearing in the night, walking on water, after his disciples "toiled in rowing" for most of the night. We can all relate to that exhausting symbolism of moments and times in our own lives of toiling in rowing. Here are some insights I 've  learned from this story. 

The Hebrew nights were roughly divided into 4 watches:

• 6:00 PM-9:00PM = 1st watch
• 9:00 PM- Midnight= 2nd watch
•  Midnight-3:00 AM= 3rd watch
• 3:00 AM-Sunrise= 4th watch

The idea of God sometimes being a 4th watch God comes from the concept that God does deliver His people. It is in our times of trial,  toiling, exhausting every idea, and turning over every rock  that He comes to deliver us. It's the 4th watch when we think the time is past, and delivery is a vanished, that He comes.

1.  In the days of Abraham and Sarah of the Old Testament, God watched Abraham and Sarah very carefully thru their faith-filled lives.  Abraham was 99 years old, and Sarah 89 years old, when God made the Abrahamic Covenant with them that they would have an increase of seed without end.  Sarah was 90 when she gave birth to Isaac, a time in a woman's life when it is way past the child bearing years. Sarah delivered her first-born child and became a mother. Isaac was later also saved from death when Abraham was commanded to sacrifice Isaac in what would appear to us to be the last minute, and the fourth watch.  (Genesis 21)

 2. In another time on the Sea of Galilee we see the disciples on the water.

The term "fourth watch" comes from an account in Mark in the New Testament when the Savior came to them in what was the literal "fourth watch" of the night. After the Savior fed the 5,000 he sent His Apostles away down to the Sea of Galilee. During the night,  a storm comes up. It was a vicious storm in John's account  and the Apostles row for the equivalent of approximately 75 football fields against the wind. They are exhausted, weary, broken down and their hope is starting to grow thin. Sound familiar?

Mark 6:48

And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. 

This is such a perfect phrase, the wind was contrary to them, and that they toiled in rowing. There they were over-fatigued, fighting and pushing against the demanding waves and storm. We've all been there.  We want it to be over, but it's not yet, so we have to keep enduring until relief comes.

John 6:19

  So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus  walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. 

Thirty furlongs is the equivalent of 75 football field in length against the wind. That literally exhausts me thinking of that, but we've all been there before in that type of struggle through a trial or hardship.

The Savior saw them in their struggle on the sea and He sees us.  He's watching us toil in our rowing in contrary winds, and He's waiting only for the time to come for His delivery.

3. Then in the 4th watch of the night, He came unto them walking on the water. 

Oh I How I wish God was a first watch God. Sometimes He is! I have countless experiences, as I'm sure you all do, of  God hearing and answering a prayer or a pleading immediately. He is there constant and straight-way.  But sometimes, that is not His will. Sometimes the Lord's will is for us to experience some struggle and for things NOT to go the way we expect. If the Lord was there to answer  our prayer RIGHT when we wanted, and exactly how we wanted,  there would be no growth.  Our roots would not dig down deep, and when storms came, we would not have the faith to with stand the winds. I know it is in the 2nd and 3rd watch that I am really tested and really grow to become who God needs me to be. He comes in the 4th watch when it really matters, and He. does. come. 

Understanding Christ's "Unconditional Love" For Us

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Interesting fact:  the term "unconditional love" appears no where in scripture. Did you know that?  It's not even an actual scriptural term.

 Instead, you will find words like great, wonderful, perfect, redeeming, and everlasting to describe the kind of love that Christ has for us.

The word unconditional is an adjective meaning; not subject to any conditions.    That does not coincide with what I understand about God, His laws, principles.  His love is everlasting and great, and He will always love us, but God does not tolerate any and all behavior. No good parent does.

There is a mistaken impression in the world today that God tolerates and excuses anything we do because His love is "unconditional" or that God makes no demands upon us because His love is "unconditional" or we are ALL saved because His love is "unconditional".

Loving Christ, coming unto Him, and letting our will be swallowed up in His enables us to reach our full potential as children of God, to eventually, become as He is.

•  This means we have to accept needed correction at times, 
• Submit to His will
• Love and serve others
• Ask "What Lack I Yet?" 
• Know that just being a good person, isn't enough. We have to be willing to make needed changes in ourselves. 
• Faith plus action is key

Christ's love for us is such a redeeming love, meaning He wants to make us BETTER, higher, stronger, and greater than even we see ourselves as being.  

See Elder D. Todd Christofferson's talk Abide in My Love

Church History Tour- Which Plate Am I ?

Church History Tour: Brigham Young's Home

The Kitchen table in the Brigham Young home in Nauvoo
(Photo taken by Richard Rust, with permission)

B-A-C-K to the Church History Tour!  One of my favorite places of the whole tour was of coarse, Nauvoo.  I love that city and love visiting there.  It had been about 13 years since I was there last, so it was exciting to be back again.

While we were there we heard from various people and missionaries, "go see the Brigham Young house!"

We went inside and it was quaint and cute like all the other restored homes, smelling a little dusty, testifying to me that yes this place is old, and very authentic. 

[Update: The Atonement plates are in the Brigham Young home, but no longer used as a lesson for visitors coming in. They stopped teaching it because these plates were found on site before renovations, but they can’t prove they were Brigham Young’s. I decided to keep my post because the lesson remains powerful regardless of the ownership of the plates.]

At first I didn't quite see how it was "the best house in Nauvoo" or was any different than the other homes. I loved them all as there is some lesson or principle to learn in each house.

In the Brigham Young home the principle that they taught was the Atonement.  Just thinking about it now, I am taken back to the moment we stood in front of this table and were taught about plates and the Atonement.

The story: As they were beginning to restore the Brigham Young home, they found out by the cellar/or maybe in the cellar,  a dishes set, that was badly broken.  A Senior missionary serving in Nauvoo on a mission, knew about restoring plates like this and went about making these plates look as if they were  new and had never been broken. The process is interesting and remarkable how they can make something that is so badly broken and unusable, new again without even a mark or scar to be seen.

The missionaries compared these plates to the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  They explained how our Savior takes each one of us in a broken plate state, and through His mercy, grace, and the great power of His Atonement, redeems us, and makes us new again. 

I loved this lesson, and contemplated for days... Where  am I at in the cleansing process of the Atonement? Am I letting the Savior change me and redeem me? Which plate am I?

*All photos of the plates were taken in the in the Brigham Young home in Nauvoo
 by Richard Rust, with permission

Seeking Jesus

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For many years before Christ’s birth man anxiously awaited the  prophecies that He would come. Then came that night of nights when the angel of the Lord came upon shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock, and the pronouncement, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

The shepherd were personally invited to search for Jesus. Did they wait or procrastinate their search for Jesus? The record affirms that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem. … And they came with haste” (Luke 2:15–16).

Wise men also seeking Jesus journeyed from the East to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. …

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“And when … they saw the young child with Mary his mother, [they] fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (Matt. 2:2, 10–11).

Moroni said,

“And … I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written” (Ether 12:38, 41).

The message from the Savior has always been the same “Come Follow me”

President Monson has said,

“How do we follow Jesus if first, we don’t find him?

 And how shall we find him if first we don’t seek him?

Where and how should we begin this search for Jesus?"

"The formula for finding Jesus has always been and ever will be the same—the earnest and sincere prayer of a humble and pure heart. The prophet Jeremiah counseled, “Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13)."

"Before we can successfully undertake a personal search for Jesus, we must first prepare time for him in our lives and room for him in our hearts. In these busy days there are many who have time for golf, time for shopping, time for work, time for play—but no time for Christ."
 

"Many a lovely home provides rooms for eating, rooms for sleeping, rooms for family gatherings and activities, but no room for Christ."

 

Is our conscience pricked as we recall his own words: “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Matt. 8:20). Or does it cause us embarrassment to remember, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). No room. No room. No room. Ever has it been."

"As we undertake our personal search for Jesus, aided and guided by the principle of prayer, it is fundamental that we have a clear concept of him whom we seek. The shepherds of old sought Jesus the child. But we seek Jesus the Christ, our older brother, our mediator with the Father, our Redeemer, the Author of our salvation; he who was in the beginning with the Father; he who took upon himself the sins of the world and so willingly died that we might forever live. This is the Jesus whom we seek."

lds.org

 Excerpts from an article The Search for Jesus, [President Monson, Liahona June 1991]

Church History Tour-Kirtland A Sacred Place

Kirtland - was one of the most spiritual times and places since the resurrection of Christ and the early days of the ancient Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

 Not only was it a place a hardship for the early saints, but it was a time and place for great spiritual manifestations which included several visitations of the Father and the Son as well as many other heavenly messengers. 

 Many "felt the power and felt the glory" of our Savior's visitations, [knew He was in the room with them], but did not see Him.

 One of the principles that separates the beliefs of the restored Church of Jesus  Christ from other religions is the belief in a living God.

"We believe in God the Eternal Father and in His Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost" [Article of Faith 1]

"These three beings make up the Godhead. They preside over this world and all other creations of our Father in Heaven.

The true doctrine of the Godhead was lost during the apostasy that followed the Savior's mortal ministry and the death of His Apostles. This doctrine began to be restored when 14-year-old Joseph Smith received his First Vision (see Joseph Smith—History 1:17). From the Prophet's account of the First Vision and from his other teachings, we know that the members of the Godhead are three separate beings. The Father and the Son have tangible bodies of flesh and bones, and the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit (see D and C 130:22). [ True to the Faith ]

Zebedee Coltrin related that  while in the school of the Prophets, he saw the Savior, following which he saw God the Father:

"He was surrounded as with a flame of fire, which was so brilliant that I could not  discover anything else but his person. I saw His hands, His legs, His feet, His eyes, nose, mouth, head and body in the shape and form of a perfect man...This appearance was so grand and overwhelming that is seemed I should melt down in His presence, and the sensation was so powerful that it thrilled through my whole system and I felt it in the marrow of my bones." [Salt Lake School of the Prophets, pg. 54] 

This was really not an isolated event. During the Kirtland era, the heavens were very open much like they were open to the early Apostles after the resurrection of the Savior.  The Kirtland Saints:

• Saw visions
• The gift of tongues fell on many
• Saw the angels of heaven
• Were blessed with visitations from angelic beings
• Saw a heavenly messenger who Joseph Smith identified as the Apostle Peter
• Heard heavenly music coming from the roof of the temple at the dedication
• Saw angels hovering over the temple at night, others saw them in broad daylight
• The Savior, Moses, Elias, Elijah accepting the temple
• And much much more



On our tour we were able to spend 2 wonderful hours in the Kirtland Temple in the early morning hours. Although this temple is owned by another religion, it is still a holy hallowed place, one of the most sacred places on earth.   We really felt that while we were there.

Our whole Church History Tour was....the best, and most amazing, and most spiritual week I have felt. I can't adequately put into words what was felt and experienced. I came away with a strong witness that it is true. All of it.

 [sources: History of Joseph Smith, Who's Who in the Doctrine and Covenants by Susan Easton Black, Karl Anderson books: Joseph Smith's Kirtland, and The Savior in Kirtland - Personal Accounts of Divine Manifestation] Karl Anderson was our tour guide in Kirtland and spoke to us for 2 days while we were there. 



Being Free from Addiction

As I am approaching my 45th Birthday....I can't help but think back over my life...and all those experiences that have had long lasting affects upon me.  A few stand out.

One in particular comes to mind...with a lesson attached to it.

When I was nine years old, we lived in Bemidji, Minnesota.

If you are unfamiliar with where this is...this is in northern Minnesota . COLD country!  The Land of 10,000 Lakes, 10,000 mosquitoes and the best childhood you could ask for.

 We had a Paul Bunyan Amusement Park in our hometown...everyday!  We were a short distance from Lake Itasca State Park, the place where the Mississippi River begins.

Our lives revolved around the lakes that literally dot  that area.  In each town you will find many lakes, some right in your back-yard. We floated down canals, fished, swam in the lakes, skied, ice-skated, and ice-fished.

It was mandatory for every child to take swimming lessons.  I had  swimming lessons all year long. In the summer we were taught in the lakes, and in the winter as part of our PE coarse we were taught in pool which was a part of our Jr. High. When we weren't in swimming lessons we were just in the water.  I didn't dance, play soccer, or play any sport whatsoever. We swam, and swam, and swam. We didn't have time for all the other extra-curricular activities. We were having too much fun just swimming and being in the water.

When I was nine years old I did something really dumb.  I know, hard to believe.

It was in the late fall, and my younger brother and I were checking to see if the lake behind our house was frozen enough to walk on.  We did this by just looking, but also by walking a certain distance to see how far we could go. 

We were in full Minnesota gear, which was a necessity due to to the cold Minnesota weather.  The average Minnesota day can be 30 below.  Minnesota gear was a full snowmobile suit and boots designed for the temperatures. I remember them being warm, but clunky and heavy.

 As we were walking near the shore of the lake, a neighbor came out, and noticed our precarious activity. He specifically warned us to not walk on the lake because it wasn't frozen yet. {note to nine year old self:  great advice!  Wished I would have listened.} 

You know how WISE  a nine year old can be. They aren't always known for having the best ideas or using the best judgement. They are also beginning to think they know what they are doing and can take or leave certain advice. That would be me that day.


We left the view of the neighbor and walked closer to our home. Being the oldest, I walked out on  the ice the furthest, precariously stepping and getting lucky. 

My luck suddenly wore out. You know where this story is leading... I fell  through the 'not frozen yet lake', into the icy waters.

There was the initial shock of cold icy waters consuming me.

The waters were only chest high, but an overwhelming heighth for a frozen nine year old who is just learning to swim. 

Could I reach the ground?  I remember the tippy-toes of my boots barely being able to touch the bottom of the lake. I was far enough away that that wasn't a leverage I could count on.

So I grasped, splashed, and thrashed for a good amount of time trying to save myself. This was highly unsuccessful.  Each time I tried to get up on the ice around me, it was just break making the area I was in bigger and bigger.

The water seemed very deep and completely overwhelmed me.. The Minnesota gear I was wearing was completely saturated, very heavy, and difficult to move in. My boots were like a dead weight on each foot, pulling me down further and further.

I could see my brother on the shore, and longed to be where he was, safe and sound on solid ground.  Because of the precariousness of the icy lake, he couldn't get close enough to help me.  I can still see him standing on the shore screaming my name.

I honestly don't know how long I was in the water.  It probably wasn't as long as I remember it being. I do remember this: the last thought I had while I was stuck in my predicament- "well, I guess this is how I am going to die"  Very dramatic, but nonetheless, my last thought.

Then, suddenly out of no where, I  miraculously pulled  myself up onto the frozen ice around me.  How I did that, I dont' know. But it was very timely and I was so grateful. 


Why do I tell you this story? What is this all about?

This story has many lessons and has been an experience I have learned countless principles from. Mainly about the Atonement, and how the Savior saves.

Today, this leads me to think about addictions and how consuming and overwhelming they can be to those who struggle to free themselves.  We all know someone or of someone 'stuck' in an addiction. 

It doesn't have to be pornography, although that is destroying a lot of families right now. It could be perscription drugs, food, games, TV, computer time, sugar, or what ever has taken over your ability to stop the behavior and choose for yourself.

There is a feeling of hopelessness, of despair, of I cannot get out, of giving up. 

If you'll allow me to be symbolic for a moment:  in my nine year old story, I  got myself into a terrible situation through my own foolishness.  I got there on my own doing, but now I was stuck somewhere I didn't want to be. And I could not get out by myself.

Try as I might, I could not save myself.  The circumstances were too much. The water was too icy,  my Minnesota gear-too heavy, and I was too inexperienced to know what to do.

Like in an addiction, our options become very narrow, and actually narrow down to only one source: The Savior.

In my situation that is who ultimately saved me, and continues to save me time and time again.

Through the  Atonement of Jesus Christ  we can be freed from the addictions we find ourselves in.

If you are in an addiction, turn to the Lord.  Call upon His name, who is mighty to save. And have patience as this is a long process.

I am not an expert in this area, and don't have the answers except to turn to the Lord...He Will Save You.

As we walked back home, frozen, and me wet, we sang the song from the Alka-seltzer commercial of that day: "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz"  We tried to tell our mother of the experience we just had...but how do you describe to your mother an experience so frightening, you came desparetly close to not coming home at all.


After taking off my wet gear, I climbed into  bed with a warm electric blanket covering me. Nothing has ever felt so good.   Like the sweet feelings and power of the Atonement that covers each one of us,  that day, I was delivered and saved.

 _________________________________
Other posts I have written on the Atonement:

The Atonement is Like a Blanket
In the Strength of the Lord

Symbolism of the Sacrament

The Atonement of Jesus Christ

I once taught this as a young woman's lesson and made a sacrament card for each of them, to put in their scriptures and pull out during the sacrament to remind them of how sacred and  important this ordinance really is. 

Sunday best- The sacrament is the most important part of our Sacrament Meeting.  It is why we meet, to remember our covenants we made at baptism and to make new ones.  What we wear matters.  Those who are administering and passing the Sacrament wear white shirts representing  purity as they administer the Holy Emblems of the Sacrament.  It is symbolic and similar to the white we wear when we are baptized and the white we wear in the temple.  As young women and women it is our privilege to wear our very best while partaking and participating in the Lord's Holy Sacrament.

The table-The bread and water trays are arranged on the table.  A cloth is carefully placed over the trays.  Christ's body was also covered with a cloth in the tomb.  As we look at the table, we are reminded of the actual burial of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Water is poured-Water which symbolizes the blood Christ spilled for us, is poured into cups.  The Savior's greatest suffering occurred while in Gethsemane where it is recorded that He bled from every pore.

Bread is torn-As the Sacrament begins, we sing a hymn about Christ and the bread is literally torn.  Read the words to Hymn #181 ..."bruised, broken, and torn for us on Calvary's Hill"  We are watching the symbolism of His body being torn for us.

Sacrament prayers-Jesus Christ instituted His holy sacrament while He was on earth.  It is of such importance, it must be offered exactly, word for word, as written, offered as many times as it takes to get it right.  Isn't that like us?  We each struggle with our own weaknesses. The Lord, who has immense patience with us, allows us to keep trying, repenting, and trying again-as many times as it takes to get it right.  That is what the Atonement is all about.

Our covenant hand-Our right hand is our covenant hand, and therefore the hand we reach to take the bread and water.  We are literally partaking of the Atonement.  We are letting it enter us both physically and spiritually.

Covenants made-"That they may witness unto thee-to always remember him"  As we partake of the Sacrament, we are reminded of what the Savior did for us personally.  We promise to live as he would live, to say what He would say, to be as He would be.  We are saying that we are willing to testify of Christ.  We are saying, "if you want to know what a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint believes, watch me!"  When I'm with my friends, watch me!  It is not enough to say His name.  It is not enough to learn about Him.  We must come to KNOW Him.  This is standing as witnesses of God at all times, and in all things, and in all places.

The True Source: Jesus Christ

{Source}

Today during Stake Conference, President White, our 2nd counselor in our Stake Presidency,was sharing 2 Nephi 25:26 in his talk:

 "And we ^atalk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we ^bprophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our ^cchildren may know to what source they may look for a ^dremission of their sins."

 My mind kind of stopped on the reference  of "source" and how Jesus Christ is our source for a remission of our sins and everything else.


 Then in my mind's eye I saw a photo from one of my blog posts with the word "SOURCE" underneath to identify where that picture originated from and who it's true author was. See the example above.

Out of my own curiosity I looked up the synonyms for "source" to help me understand more about how Jesus Christ is our true source .  I was amazed at how much meaning and depth it brought to the scripture by just understanding all the different meanings of that word.  I didn't know it meant so many things.

These were some that I found: author, authorship, begetter,expert, fount, father, informant, parent, specialist, starting point, wellspring...

Each one of those words applies to Christ and who He is and can be in our lives, if we look to Him.

I am a very visual learner, so I put together some pictures to help illustrate how the Savior is our true source. [Make sure you click on source.]

For a remission of our sins

Source

In our faith growing and being sustained

source

In Prayer

source

In being directed and guided,
He is our light

source


 In our joy

source

In our marriages

source

In our Families

source

In the food we eat and depend on daily

source

In the beauty of His creations

source

In our daily spiritual feasting of the scriptures

source

In the saving ordinances and covenants

 available in Holy Temples that will allow us

 to return to live with Him again someday

source

Feasting Upon the Scriptures

2 Nephi 9:51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.

If you think about feasting, you probably have visions of a great Thanksgiving-type meal with everything you love to eat before you.  You don't just take a nibbling of food and be done. NO-you feast!


 Most of us probably eat too much at these holiday meals.  We fill up on turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, salads, veggie trays ,sweet potatoes, rolls etc.  As we are feasting, we are having this wonderful experience with the food on our plate.  It tastes so good! Our taste-buds are dancing with delight. There is a part of us that doesn't want it to end.  We'll ask Aunt Helen "how did you make these delicious rolls?  They are so soft and buttery!"  We go on and on fully engaged and partaking of this feast before us.  

After a while, we then fill up on the fatness mentioned in the scripture above.  And oh how we love that part of the holidays!  We love the pies and desserts. 

This is feasting.  This feels good to the soul to be able to indulge like this physically every so often.

After we physically feast on food, our stomachs eventually empty, and we want it all over again. Although the meal is momentarily satisfying, it is not eternally lasting.

The Lord says, "...come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not"

We are reminded that a true feast, is a spiritual one.

John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the ^abread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never ^bthirst.

Interesting that the Lord uses the word FEAST when talking about reading and studying the scriptures. He could have said read, glance over,flip through, skim, apprehend, or learn. Instead he used the word FEAST, which conjures up all kinds of emotions, visuals, and meaning inside us.   Being mortal, we love to eat.

As we were discussing this verse in Sunday School, it really made me ponder..

Where is my scripture reading at?
Do I feast?

In the Strength of the Lord

In the Strength of the Lord

This whole concept of grace is fairly new to me.

For years I have heard the word "grace"in church and while reading my scriptures,  and had no idea what it meant. I am not totally embarrassed to admit that because we all learn line upon line, precept upon precept. We all seem to hear, see, and understand what we are ready to and we all do it at our own pace.

What a powerful principle this is.  I know I have not used "this divine means of help and strength, this enabling power,"  like I should have, because I didn't even understand what it was.

I think we may get confused and think the Atonement is for sins only, and do not understand it is for good people trying to be better. It also covers all of our emotional pain--all of it. The Lord never intended for us to do it all ourselves and to try to get through life through sheer grit, will power, discipline, and with our many limitations.  

The power of the Atonement is there for all of us to use, and I think because we don't fully understand certain principles of it, we do not have access to it's full power in our lives.

Elder Bednar uses the example of Nephi from I Nephi 7 and how he understood and used the enabling power of the Savior.  In this story Laman and Lemuel, have bound Nephi with cords and left him to die in the wilderness.  In verse 17 it says:

 "17 But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound."

Elder Bednar also points out that Nephi did not pray to have his circumstances changed (get me out of this mess), but instead he prayed for "the power to change his circumstances"   He did this because he understood and had experienced the enabling power of the Atonement (grace) in his life.

"I do not personally believe that the bands magically loosened.  Rather I believe he was blessed with both persistence and personal strength, beyond his natural capacity that in the strength of the Lord he was ultimately enabled to break the bands" -Elder Bednar

Isn't that how the Lord works in our lives as well?

Now, that I know what grace is: that it enables us, strengthens us, gives us the power to change our circumstances if need be; it is like a brand new best friend, and it is written in the front pages of my scriptures, highlighted and underlined.  I see it everywhere and notice, how much I need this enabling  power in my life on a daily basis.

I love grace and am grateful for the blessings of the Atonement.

Mothers Who Know

Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to have been one of the mothers of the 2,000 Stripling Warriors described in the Book of Mormon, Alma Chapter 56.

Like Queen Esther, they were the right mothers, at the right time in history, with the right preparation to do what the Lord needed them to do.

The Book of Mormon Testifies of Christ

"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all things which the Lord can comprehend.

Mosiah 4:9