This is the lesson I gave in Relief Society today. This blog is also my journal, and so, I'd like to post this. Please feel free to share any thoughts or feelings you may have. I wish I could have recorded all of the wonderful things that the sisters shared during the lesson. (Some of this is rough, as it is my notes for my lesson.)
Give background for Ether chapter 6.
Ether 6:4 And it came to pass that when they had prepared all manner of food, that thereby they might subsist upon the water, and also food for their flocks and herds, and whatsoever beast or animal or fowl that they should carry with them—and it came to pass that when they had done all these things they got aboard of their vessels or barges, and set forth into the sea, commending themselves unto the Lord their God.
Note three actions here: 1) Prepare, 2) Commit, 3) Commend: to entrust for care or preservation.
5 And it came to pass that the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind.
6 And it came to pass that they were many times buried in the depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused by the fierceness of the wind.
I don’t know about you, but I would be wondering what I had done to merit such hardship. “furious wind”, “tossed upon the waves . . . before the wind”, “buried … [by] the mountain waves … which were caused by the fierceness of the wind.” This doesn’t sound fun. And it doesn’t sound fair! Hadn’t they done as they were instructed? Hadn’t they prepared well?
There is a key to our understanding in verse 5: “the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow … towards the promised land”. The Lord uses the wind to get the people where they need to be in His time.
Nephi teaches us to liken the scriptures to ourselves. So, what could the “wind” represent in our lives?
Trials. Challenges. Adversity.
“Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Prov. 3:11–12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain.” Richard G. Scott, “Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995
What could the “sea” or “waters” represent?
Earth life? Earthly responsibilities/concerns?
James said: The waters stand between us and our Promised Land. We must traverse them. They hold and are a source of life, but we don’t want to be swallowed up in them. There are dangers that threaten to overwhelm; must be managed with care and prayer.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught, “Most of us have more things expected of us than we can possibly do. As breadwinners, as parents, as Church workers and members, we face many choices on what we will do with our time and other resources.
We should begin by recognizing the reality that just because something is good is not a sufficient reason for doing it. The number of good things we can do far exceeds the time available to accomplish them. Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority attention in our lives.
Jesus taught this principle in the home of Martha. While she was "cumbered about much serving" (Luke 10:40), her sister, Mary, "sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word" (v. 39). When Martha complained that her sister had left her to serve alone, Jesus commended Martha for what she was doing (v. 41) but taught her that "one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (v. 42). It was praiseworthy for Martha to be "careful and troubled about many things" (v. 41), but learning the gospel from the Master Teacher was more "needful.”
How do we choose where to spend our limited time, energy, and focus?
Elder Donald L. Hallstrom has taught, “Leading a balanced life can be difficult for any of us. There is not an exact pattern that works for everyone, and even our own blueprint may change during different phases of life. However, seeking balance—giving adequate time and effort to each of those things that really matter—is vital to success in our mortal probation. There are certain fundamental responsibilities we cannot neglect without serious consequence.”
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President Gordon B. Hinckley has taught:
“I think … all of us in this Church … have a fourfold responsibility. One, [members and leaders] have a responsibility to their families, to see that their families have a measure of their time. … None of us can evade that. … That is basic and fundamental.
“If we are employed, we have a responsibility to our employer. We are not at liberty to short-change him. …
“We have a responsibility to the Lord, of course, to do that which is expected of us as a servant in His house.
“And … we have a responsibility to ourselves to take some time to do a little meditating, to do a little exercise. …"
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In an Ensign article entitled, “The Stresses of Life,” Lili De Hoyos Anderson wrote “Mosiah 4:27 tells us: “See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.” With regard to worldly stress, this means: Simplify!
My mother-in-law once told me that when she feels overwhelmed, she gauges the things that are stressing her by the statement: “A man running for his life would never notice something like this.”
At times we may all need to apply this kind of philosophy liberally to our own temporal concerns. No one knows better than you the things that cause you worldly stress. Make a list. Then get out the red pencil and (this is the tricky part) be ruthless! Cross out the items that don’t pass the running-for-your-life test.
Of course, most of those items are on your list in the first place because you, or someone important to you, cares about them. But if we cannot learn to let go of worldly things, the eternal results may be disastrous.” (Lili De Hoyos Anderson “The Stresses of Life,” Ensign, Feb 1994, 47)
7 And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.
Have any of you ever felt “encompassed about by many waters?” Or “buried in the deep?”
All the water in the world,
However hard it tried,
Could never sink the smallest ship
Unless it [gets] inside.
And all the evil in the world,
The blackest kind of sin,
Can never hurt you the least bit
Unless you let it in.
Richard G. Scott has taught, “Don’t let the workings of adversity totally absorb your life. Try to understand what you can. Act where you are able; then let the matter rest with the Lord for a period while you give to others in worthy ways before you take on appropriate concern again.”
Jeffrey R. Holland has taught, “Christ knows better than all others that the trials of life can be very deep and we are not shallow people if we struggle with them. But even as the Lord avoids sugary rhetoric, He rebukes faithlessness and He deplores pessimism. He expects us to believe!”
When we feel overwhelmed or discouraged, we can pray, and the Lord will bring us UP.
8 And it came to pass that the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and thus they were driven forth before the wind.
It never ends, but if we’re right with the Lord, at least the wind is taking us in the right direction!
9 And they did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord.
What are some ways that you have found helpful for maintaining, or re-gaining, a spirit of gratitude during your journey?
10 And thus they were driven forth; and no monster of the sea could break them, neither whale that could mar them; and they did have light continually, whether it was above the water or under the water.
There are many things that threaten us and our families in this world, but if we do what we can, in wisdom, to prepare, commit, and commend, we have the promise of His light, whether we are above the water or under the water.
As I have pondered what the barges could represent -- what is it that carries us safely across our Earthly responsibilities and keeps us safe from adversity and trials -- I finally realized that the barges represent our covenants. For me, this added a whole other dimension to the analogy.
Richard G. Scott: True enduring happiness with the accompanying strength, courage, and capacity to overcome the most challenging difficulties comes from a life centered in Jesus Christ. Obedience to His teachings provides a sure foundation upon which to build. That takes effort. There is no guarantee of overnight results, but there is absolute assurance that, in the Lord’s time, solutions will come, peace will prevail, and emptiness will be filled.
11 And thus they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and four days upon the water.
Our days are known, and will not be numbered less. D&C 122:9
12 And they did land upon the shore of the promised land. And when they had set their feet upon the shores of the promised land they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them.
As long as we STAY IN THE BOAT, we, too, will set our feet upon the shores of our Promised Land, and shed tears of joy before the Lord because of the multitude of His tender mercies over Us.
What is our Promised Land? Eternal life.
