scripture

One of my favorite stories from the Book of Mormon tells how the brother of Jared and his people crossed an ocean in small barges. These barges were "tight like a dish" the scriptures say, with a hole at the top and bottom to let in air. But if the holes needed to be closed to keep out the water, the people in the boats would be left in darkness. Wondering how to solve this problem, the brother of Jared prayed to God, who didn't give him a solution. But using his intelligence, the brother of Jared gathered clear stones and then with quite a lot of faith, he asked the Lord touch them, causing them to shine. These stones lit the insides of the barges as the people spent nearly a year crossing the ocean. The barges were at the mercy of the ocean currents and the winds, but the currents and the winds were at the mercy of the Lord and so they made it to the promised land in safety. There is a lot that I can learn from this story, even though I am not required to spend a year crossing an ocean in a small barge. I feel that way about all of the scriptures. Through diligent study, I can liken the scriptures to my own life, and learn many important things. From the brother of Jared, I learn that if I do all that I can and have faith, I can see miracles (or in the very least, blessings). I learn that if I feel like I am struggling in the depths of the sea (or under the burdens of life), I can cry to God and He will bring me back up to the surface, and that He is guiding my winds. I learn that through my trials, I can give gratitude to Him for the things that He is teaching me.

I am thankful for the scriptures. The small amount of time I spend studying them each day is one of the best things I do for myself. It makes me a better mother, a better wife, and a better neighbor.


You can read the story of the brother of Jared here (the book of Ether, chapters 1-3, 6).