Have you ever caught yourself thinking that the ancient Scriptures about people who lived more than two thousand years before you have no relevance to your modern life? Have you ever thought that things are not as simple anymore? Sometimes I have trouble relating to the people in the scriptures, but when I do manage to relate, I get the deepest and most important insights. The Scriptures were truly written for our time.
By reading the scriptures we learn about the Gospel
I am a student at Brigham Young University and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as “Mormons.” I have the opportunity to take advantage of religion classes offered here at BYU. This semester I am studying the Book of Mormon, the scriptures written by ancient American prophets who came to Americas from Jerusalem around 600 B.C. Before they could cross the great waters to get here they travelled through the deserts of modern Saudi Arabia for several years. One of the reasons they could not reach the shore earlier was that they were not ready. God’s prophet Lehi led his family into the wilderness because God commanded him to do so, God showed him that Jerusalem will be destroyed, as we know happened in 587 B.C, and that Lehi and his family should leave the city and so they could be lead to the promised land. Not all of his sons, however, were content with the course they had taken. His two oldest ones–Laman and Lemuel–were often complaining, murmuring and even willing to kill their father and their obedient brother Nephi.
I have always judged those two brothers for being so ungrateful. They whined and did not believe, even after the angel of God appeared to them. It is easier to understand them if I think of them as real people; they were out in the dessert, not at a comfortable home with warm food and soft bed, and their father kept having these “revelations” and “dreams” which, from a world’s perspective, would qualify as insanity and lack of intelligence. It is not hard to see that their conditions were hard and that I would not have had to look far to find reasons to complain.
However, that’s all they ever did while at the same time they have a brother going through exactly the same trials, but who was able to turn that into an opportunity for immense spiritual growth. When I read the verse in 1 Nephi 16:36 “And thus they did murmur against my father, and also against me; and they were desirous to return again to Jerusalem,” I just had a click in my head and I realized – I simply have to choose to be happy. Here I was, reading about bad Laman and Lemuel, judging them but doing exactly the same thing. I will always have things that might seem hard for me. Just last week I had three exams in three days and I did not feel ready to take them. I could chose to be depressed about it or be positive and do my best. It did not change the conditions, but it changed the way I felt. I was able to feel the Spirit, able to see God’s hand in my life and be grateful; I was able to receive His help.
We can be grateful and happy or complain and be miserable
I had been judging Laman and Lemuel for so long I totally missed out on the message the scripture meant for me. I should not judge and murmur; happiness is a personal choice. I have the power to choose and do something about it. I can’t express in words the powerful realization I had (it might seem like common sense to other people) but it was a profound experience for me. I probably won’t remember these tests in five years. I will, however, remember my college years as being happy and full of blessings if I learn how to recognize them. Life is wonderful, I have been greatly blessed, and being grateful for the things that I recognize Heavenly Father has given me only brings more blessings into my life. My happiness does not depend on the external circumstances. It only depends on me. How wonderful is it to realize you can be happy today no matter the situation, no matter your social status or private life. God is aware of every one of his children and He wants us to be happy; we just have to want it ourselves.
By Kristine S.
Additional Resources:
Learn about the Plan of Happiness on an official website of the LDS Church
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