Peace Like A River

"Oh that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments-then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea."

1 Nephi 20:18

 Our mission over this past month or so has been focusing so much on concentration and fully consecrating our efforts to the Lord. At church on Sunday the Stake President spoke about obedience to the commandments. He talked about how sometimes we have these little sins, or acts of disobedience, that would keep us from totally freeing ourselves and living in such a way that the spirit can more fully be with us. He related these little sins to small stones that we keep in our pockets. Every so often we pull them out and shine them up a bit then put them back not being totally willing to let go of them in order to feel the fullness of Gods love and his blessings. So often though with these we feel happy and don't see any immediate effects of our actions, but we wont know just how much we are missing out on until we let go of them.

IN a missionary meeting on Wednesday some missionaries talked about this topic again and invited us to look into our lives and our missionary work and eliminate those small stones that may be keeping us from receiving all the blessings the Lord has in store for us. As I took this to heart I made a commitment to myself that I would not walk past anyone without offering something to them. Easier said than done! That evening my companion and I were out contacting people. It was very dark outside as we were walking back to our car when we noticed a man in his garage with his back to us. A thousand thoughts went through our heads, "Its too dark, you could startle him," "He could be very angry with you and call the cops." Needless to say we walked past him but before we got to our car the words to the scripture above came to mind. I had made a commitment to my Heavenly Father to talk to everyone and I was going back on this commitment. We went back and talked to him. After we got done and were walking back to our car I felt the peace that the Lord promises in the scripture. I had been obedient to Gods commandments through out my mission but last night I learned a valuable lesson about obedience to Gods commandments. I learned that he keeps his promises and that we will never know that until we are obedient to his commandments. Obedience to commandments does more for us than for the Lord. The Lord tells us that we receive no witness until after the trial of our faith. Sometimes that trial will be a lot longer than we think it will be but when we get the witness we will never go back!  For me the trial of my faith of obedience took 16 months but the witness that God absolutely keeps his promises will last forever! I would hope that we would each take some time to evaluate the rocks that we keep in our pockets that may be keeping us from gaining the witness.  If you cant think of anything, pray about it. The Lord will let you know! Then be willing to act on that prompting to drop the rock, then shall" [your] peace be like a river, and [your] righteousness as the waves of the sea." I know that God does keep his promises! May we be obedient to the commandments of the Lord and have full access to his blessings and love! 

He will Answer

 

"And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear it to the center, insomuch that there was not part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn."

 

-3 Nephi 11:3-

I love the example from the scriptures when Christ comes to the people in the Americas. It is following a time of great destruction and confusion. they had just been in darkness for three days and were probably beginning to clean up from the ruble that had followed the destruction. Then there is a voice...they say so quiet that they couldn't understand what it said. They all paused to listen and try to understand. It is repeated again and they all strain to hear the voice and then the third time, after they had "opened their ears"  they hear the words, "Behold this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name-hear ye him." (3 Nephi 11:7) How often do we close our ears to not hear the answers that the Lord gives to us? I know for me it happens more than I care to admit. Although how can we learn to open our ears to the promptings of the spirit? I feel like it begins by studying the word of God to know what the Spirit sounds like. People for centuries have asked questions and the answers to their questions are recorded in the scriptures. God has promised that he will answer our questions but it takes effort on our part. It requires that we have real intent. I feel like that is an important component to getting answers to our questions and feeling the promptings of the spirit. Answers come in the Lords timing, which so often isn't our timing. That is something  I know to be true more than ever. But the Lords timing is always right! As we have real intent to act on the answer we get we will be patient in getting our answers because we will understand that the Lord knows what is going to be best for us. So often when it takes time to get an answer to a question we feel that if we don't get the answer then the answer is no. The Lord has promised that he will answer any honest seeker of truth so when the answer doesn't come when we feel it should, don't give up hope. The Lord may be allowing you to continue to study more fully and gain a greater understanding before receiving a witness that it is true. But we must not close our ears and give up trying when it seems long.

I remember towards to beginning of my mission we spent so much time studying from Preach My Gospel to know what to teach. I had always known the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith as a prophet, or so I thought. I remember a few weeks into my mission we ran into a man who questioned every bit of our testimony  and every thing we believed. I remember wondering if I really did believe these things and if I really knew that they were true. I remember hitting my knees that night and praying for a witness and understanding and really feeling nothing in particular, but I remember feeling that I needed to study from the Book of Mormon. So that's what I did, I studied it every morning for almost a year and prayed to receive a witness. My answer was to continue to study. I was grateful for outstanding companions that I had who continued to help me to find the answer for myself. I believed it, but I needed to know it! Then the time came when we were in a lesson teaching about the Book of Mormon. We had finished testifying on the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the sister we were teaching asked us if we really believed all that we had just taught her. In that moment my mouth was opened and I was able to testify with every part of my feeling that I knew it was true! I had gained that witness for myself and I can say today that with out a shadow of a doubt that I know the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God! Whatever you have a question about take the time to study and pray then wait in patience. The witness will come and it will come sure and steady. But don't give up!! It is on the Lords timing! Don't close your ears to the voice of the Spirit that is still and small!! He will answer that is a promise that we can be sure of! It requires faith on our part to continue to act until the answer will come! But I can testify that it will come! God answers prayers and he will answer yours what ever it may be! He will show the truth of all things!