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Mosiah 21-22

As I sat at my desk this morning listen to the sound of the rain falling and reflecting over the Governor's announcement  yesterday that the "soft closure" of school would continue through the remainder of the school year my heart just ached.  It ached in a lot of selfish ways, like I was going to miss out on experiences with my students, the fun events of the end of school, and how was I ever going to keep balancing work and school teaching responsibilities for my kids for 7 more weeks. It also ached in a lot of unselfish ways, it ached for the tears shed by my son Tanner for missing field day, friends, and his teacher Mrs. Swenson.  It ached for my son Sam and Luke and them missing some of the amazing reading techniques taught at their school, the teachers, the friends, and the Spring Program.  It also ached for all my students missing Prom, spring sports, graduation, senior sunset, the spring play, and final choir/band performances. There is just a lot of heartache right now in the world, lost jobs, furloughed, economic uncertainty, sickness, death, etc.



I then proceeded to open my scriptures to this morning to today's block of study, Mosiah 21-22.  I don't think it was any coincidence that this is what we were scheduled to read today.  And to paraphrase Elder Bednar, coincidences are really signs that God's hand is in our life.  In Mosiah 21 we find King Limhi's people deep in physical bondage and in the process of overcoming their spiritual bondage. 

In Mosiah 21:14-16 reads:
"And they did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of their afflictions.

"And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage.

"And it came to pass that they began to prosper by degrees in the land, and began to raise grain more abundantly, and flocks, and herds, that they did not suffer with hunger."



I honestly feel just like the people of Limhi.  I am tired, I am heartbroken to see friends, family members, and my own dad furloughed or unemployed.  I miss church and the temple.  I miss my ability to share the gospel daily with my teenage students who feel like my own kids.  And with all of that I have felt I have pleaded with Heavenly Father to help and help me know what I can do to help during this time.  I even know that God can deliver me and us but why not right now? Why not before more people are hurt? Why wait?  But the answer is right there in verse 16, "they began to prosper by degrees in the land." Would their faith have continued to grow as steadily as it did if this was all taken away so quickly? Despite current conditions are there ways I am prospering by degrees (small ways)? 

 The question I leave for you is How might we each apply Mosiah 21 in our own lives today? 

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