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9 - 15 Mar - Learn With Joy and Not With Sorrow - Jacob 1 - 4

Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome.  Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4).   This priority was not only reflecte...
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3 Nephi 22 - I Will Lay Thy Stones with Fair Colors


As He spoke to the Nephites, Christ quoted the words of Isaiah word for word. 3 Nephi chapter 22 is nearly identical to Isaiah chapter 54. These words of blessing and comfort offer assurance to the righteous that their sorrow and suffering will all be made whole through the atoning power of Jesus Christ. 

 My Kindness Shall Not Depart from Thee
I love the poetic language of this text, especially as set to music in the song My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee by Rob Gardner. The music enhances the testimony of Isaiah, that although we may feel lost and abandoned at times, Christ is always with us and will right every wrong. He assures that "for a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee" (3 Nephi 22:7).

 Because of the recent complications we have experienced with this pregnancy, we have had conversations with friends who have lost children or experienced multiple miscarriages. These tender and inspiring conversations have filled me with hope and compassion. I asked one of our friends what they did during the climax of their trial to cope with the trauma of fear and grief. She responded that she wished she would have allowed herself to be happy. This is not the response I expected, but she explained that the fear and grief came effortlessly, but could have been counterbalanced by equally deliberate joy. In her attempt to mute the pain, she tried not to get her hopes up and would silence any surge of excitement. She would not indulge in the small joys of expecting--no baby clothes, no baby names, no nursery decorations--for fear that it would increase her eventual disappointment. In her opinion, it would have been better to amplify her emotions, both good and bad, than try to numb pain by avoiding it.

 Her story had a joyful ending, but even if things had not gone as hoped, she saw a missed opportunity to find happiness in her trial. It never feels this way in the moment, but our suffering, sorrow, and discomfort is always brief. At least that's what I've been telling myself this week as I obsess with worry for the baby. In the context of eternity, even an entire lifetime of intense suffering is a "small moment," and because of the mercies of the Lord, all the pain we experience will be compensated and be for our good. Christ lovingly reminds us that his peace transcends our temporary world, "for the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee" (3 Nephi 22:10). 

 I Will Lay Thy Stones with Fair Colors
Christ went on to offer the downtrodden a poetic promise: "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted! Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles (i.e. red gemstones), and all thy borders of pleasant stones" (3 Nephi 22:11-12). 

 Reading this passage I instantly pictured ornate Islamic mosaics like the one above. Sapphires, agates, carbuncles, and pleasant stones await those who patiently endure trials. What stands out to me is how decorative and superfluous these gemstones would be in the construction of a building. God is not saying He will simply build a modest, structurally sound dwelling. He promises all the ornate, excessive, and exquisite detail that we may have missed while enduring trials in this world.

 The most salient example for me right now is the possibility of not getting to raise our young child in the womb. Everything could turn out fine, and yet I mourn the uncertainty that I may never hear this baby laugh or talk. I may not get to hold this baby's hand at bedtime, or see his or her mischievous smile dash across a playground. But even if don't ever cry at his or her graduation, or drop him or her off at a college dorm, I have been promised the joy of every precious detail of raising him or her after this life.

And in the meantime, I have today. I have the fluttering of a heartbeat on a sonogram. I have the excited chatter of my other children about the new baby. I have a new tenderness when I stroke their hair and kiss them goodnight. I have the staggering sense of love and gratitude I feel for the army of friends who have mobilized to help care for us. That is the depth of joy I choose to let myself feel because I know my anxiety doesn't need any help.

The purpose of life is to be tried and tested to our limits, and we will not always be comforted in our afflictions. God will not prevent bad things from happening to good people.  Instead, His promise is to prepare a mansion above for those who humbly seek Him. 
Application Questions

 What trial are you coping with in your life? How does a belief in God's mercy make it more manageable?

 How can you choose to feel joy, even if you worry it will intensify your disappointment later?
Image Credit: Unknown 

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