We live in a very interesting time in the history of the world. All of the previous generations of the world
have looked to our time with great anticipation and excitement. They know that there would be amazing
miracles occurring and that the opportunities to share and teach the Gospel would be a lot greater than
what they currently faced. They also knew that while there would be great advances in the Kingdom,
the opposition from the adversary would also increase. A prophet-historian that lived in the American
continent named Mormon wrote for the future generations. He shared with us the way that we need to live
our life so that we would be able to overcome the trials and temptations that the adversary would use to
detour us from the path leading to eternal life.

The first lesson that Mormon shares with us is the importance of loving our Heavenly father and keeping the commandments that He has given us. He teaches us about the people who lived just after the Savior visited the American continent. They were a very righteous people and lived for nearly 300 years in peace. The reason that they were able to be so righteous is because they first loved God and as a result they treated each other with respect and dignity. They were more concerned with serving and helping others that they didn’t focus on themselves. We can improve our lives the majority of the time by starting to forget about ourselves and starting to serve our Heavenly Father and our fellow man.

The second lesson that Mormon teaches us is the importance of praying with real intent. He shares a
personal experience of when his prayers start to lose their meaning because he is starting to pray without
faith. He had been fighting in wars for a majority of his life and had spent a lot of time teaching the people
that they needed to repent or they would be destroyed. As a result he also spent a lot of time praying for
the people and hoping that they would change. He says that over time his prayers changed to where he
was praying without faith. I think that we also have the same thing happen to us today when we spend a
lot of time praying for things that we want to happen, but often we don’t expect them to be answered.
My hope and prayer is that we can start to show that we love God by serving others and that we also
have faith that our prayers will be answered. By doing these things we will be able to be the people our
Heavenly Father wants us to be.

In my Book of Mormon class this week, we discussed the book of Ether and how it provides a second witness of the Book of Mormon; showing us another nation and its destruction through pride and wickedness. I always feel sad at the end of this book, thinking about the literally millions who died because of their failure to repent and accept God.

Once Jared and Akish start their secret combinations in chapter 8, it’s the signal that things are about to officially go downhill with few righteous generations in between. I’ve always thought it was depressing, reading about the destruction of these people. However, I really saw the purpose of this in chapter 8, verses 25 and 26. Moroni says about secret combinations;

“whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries;and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil […] wherefore, I, Moroni,am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men”.

The Book of Mormon teaches principles that bring blessings and happiness.

We talked in class about how Moroni and Mormon included all of these things for our benefit and for our day so that we may learn and help bring to pass the time where evil is nonexistent and Satan has no power. Unfortunately our world is full of secret combinations and evil people who seek to take away our liberty. This is a continuation of the war in heaven where Satan tried desperately to remove our agency.

Now that we are here on earth, he has many more opportunities to tempt us and the things that take away our freedom and happiness are paramount in his plan of destruction. Luckily we have the examples of the Nephites, Jaredites and many others in history. It is up to us to remember the past and learn from it; doing all we can to protect liberty. Satan will tempt us with short term pleasures that seem appealing but in the long run take away our freedom and agency.

We must fight every day to remember that although we go through trials and difficulties, our eternal reward is waiting for us as long as we remain faithful and repent when we fall. Take advantage of the Atonement and let its healing power change your life for the better. Protect your agency with all your might and reject things that take away your freedom and peace of mind.

I was recently terminated from my employment—where I had worked for thirteen years—and consequently suffered from bouts of loss, embarrassment, heartache, discouragement, anger, resentment, fear, and worry for my future. At times these feelings were overwhelming and paralyzing.

Reading the scriptures, particularly Psalms and the Book of Mormon, has given me the direction, solace, and courage I have hoped for.

Two years ago I set a goal for myself to read the Old Testament in the Bible. The same month that I lost my job, I had progressed through the book of Job and had started reading the book of Psalms.  I thought this was more than coincidental, because I felt comfort while reading words that reflected my feelings about my current situation, such as “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress” (Psalm 4:1), “Fearlfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. . . . As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me” (Psalm 55:5, 16), “In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast” (Psalm 57:1), and “Hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily” (Psalm 69:17). I prayed to Heavenly Father in my own words of pleading for his help to find a new job that met my family’s needs. Sometimes, however, I felt helpless, hopeless, and inadequate to accomplish this.

Latter-day Saints also turn to the Book of Mormon for guidance and insight. “The Book of Mormon is more than just a history book. It is a book of healing and comfort—of guidance and direction that leads us to Jesus Christ—it is literally the word of God.” (See the article “Answers for life.”)

After finishing the book of Psalms, I began reading a personal meditation on the book of Psalms.1 While reading the author’s thoughts on Psalm 94:18, I was reminded of a favorite scripture from the Book of Mormon. In the history, a man named Alma, and his followers, have been conquered and forced to be subjects to a new king. Alma and his people were given “heavy burdens upon their backs” and physically abused. (See Mosiah 21.) They were not allowed to pray for God’s help and were threatened with death if they attempted it. They did not pray vocally, but they “poured out their hearts” to God asking for relief from their afflictions (see Mosiah 24:10–12). God heard their prayers and answered that he would “ease the burdens” placed on them by strengthening them so that they can “bear up their burdens with ease” (Mosiah 24:13–15).

Reading this passage in the Book of Mormon was like running into an dear old friend. I have read the Book of Mormon virtually every year of my adult life and I have experienced many occasions when I felt the weight of the challenges I was facing. During almost every adversity that I have experienced, I have found that Heavenly Father helped me get through the challenge rather than get out of the challenge. In other words, I have felt strengthened or enabled to endure, learn, and grow from my hardships.

Through prayer during my difficulties, I have felt closer to Heavenly Father and have understood that he is interested in me and what is important to me.

At this moment, I have not found a new job; but I am not worried. Through my prayers to Heavenly Father, and by reading accounts in the Bible and the Book of Mormon about his tender care of his children, my feelings of loss, embarrassment, heartache, discouragement, anger, resentment, fear, and worry for my future don’t afflict me much. Like the people of Alma, I feel able to “submit cheerfully, and with patience” to the will of the Lord (Mosiah 24:5). Eventually, God provided a way for Alma and his people to escape their difficult circumstances (see Mosiah 24:16–25). I start each day with hope and confidence that I will find a job that will provide me and my family with what we need.

This article was written by Paula Hicken,  a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Paula Hicken was an editor with the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship from 2000 to 2013. She earned her BA degree in English from Brigham Young University. She edited Insights, the Maxwell Institute newsletter, and was the production editor for Faith, Philosophy, Scripture, Hebrew Law in Biblical Times (2nd ed.), Third Nephi: An Incomparable Scripture, and was one of the copy editors for Analysis of the Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon. She also helped manage the Maxwell Institute intellectual property and oversaw rights and permissions. She has published in the Ensign, the Liahona, the LDS Church News, and the FARMS Review.

References:

1.  Jeffrey R. Holland, For Times of Trouble: Spiritual Solace from the Psalms (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2012).

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