"I began to pray unto the Lord"

Hello Sisters—

I am back in the saddle!  I so enjoyed seeing many of you at church yesterday.  Your smiles lift me!  I felt like the talks and lessons were all so good.  What a blessing you are in my life!

How is your Book of Mormon challenge coming?  Are you reading every day? (It is NEVER too late!  Start now!)  I would love to hear about anything you are learning—please share.  I love to hear your feedback! 

May I share something that hit me during my reading last week in 1 Nephi  8:5-10.  As you read these five verses about Lehi’s vision, imagine that you are Lehi.  You have found the Lord and you want to follow him….

 5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.

 6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.

 7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.

 8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

 9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.

 10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.

As I read those versed, I thought about how frightening it must have been for Lehi, who was just trying to follow the Lord, but got lost along the way, in the “dark and dreary waste” for “many hours”.  Sometimes I feel like that; I am just trying to do good things and I know what is right, yet I get discouraged or stuck in a particular trial for what seems like “many hours”.  I love Lehi’s example though; instead of despairing, he prayed really hard, and begged for mercy and help.  It is significant to note that the Lord did not swoop down and pull Lehi right out of the darkness; rather, he “turned on a small light” by showing him a field, and then the tree of life in the distance.  It was then that Lehi had to move himself toward the tree, but now he knew the way.

In those moments when we are wandering in darkness, I urge each of us to follow Lehi’s wonderful example, and pray for mercy.  I testify that the Lord will help!  Whatever you are struggling with probably won’t disappear right away, but the spirit will speak to your mind and heart, and show you how to get through your struggles.  This thought really helped me this last week, and I know the Lord is just waiting to show us the way, if we will just ask him.  Don’t travel in the darkness longer than you need to.

 

Sisters, I love you very much!  Please take on our challenge to read the Book of Mormon before Chrstimas this year, and to read EVERY DAY!  I know you will learn so much!  I hope you have a wonderful week, and I look forward to seeing you at our fun Relief Society activity this Wednesday.

Sincerely,

Lydia