Sunday, February 15, 2009

Prison

The first devotional this year was given by Jeffery R. Holland and centered on Joseph Smith's experience in Liberty Jail. A few days ago in class we were still focusing on Sections 121, 122, and 123 and I was impressed by the instructive power that both temples and the trying times provide. When I listened to Elder Holland's devotional this year he promised that "those six pages [sections 121, 122, and 123] will touch your heart with beauty and truth."

I thought a lot about how the innate wish of most everyone is to have beauty and truth, to know what they are, and to see them work in their lives. I've found that what Elder Holland said was true, that those six pages indeed touch your heart and shed light on what beauty and truth are.

Everyone will be called upon to face trying times. As individuals, families, communities and nations we will have to ask why we face such sorrows. We will be tempted to cry as Jesus did, "why has thou forsaken me?" However, when these trying times persist, we must continue to remember that God is right there with us, where he has always been. We must know that God hears our prayers and knows our distresses. It is out of these "stony griefs...so by my sorrow to be nearer my God to thee," that through these instructive temple prison times, we may come closer to God and hear more clearly his voice.

These sections remind me again and again that God is close. And we are cherished children.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey you you,

"I thought a lot about how the innate wish of most everyone is to have beauty and truth, to know what they are, and to see them work in their lives."

This is an excellent observation. It is meaningful too because, I think the need for beauty ultimately represents a need for a Savior.

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