Carry on!

3 Nephi 10 -  After silence for many hours, the people hear the voice of Christ. He repeats three times his promise to gather his people as a hen gathers its chickens. It is the more righteous of the people who survived the upheaval of the land.

How would I have felt to be one of those remaining? Where were those who were taken? What were the people told to do by the voice of the Savior? Did they know who was speaking to them at this time? What is the reader (me) supposed to do with this information?

I find it interesting that the people so quickly went from mourning their losses to praising their Savior. What changed for them? They heard the voice of the Savior. When I mourn the loss of something, how can I hear the voice of my Savior? Through the scriptures. In verse 14, we're told to search the scriptures. This is good advice – insurance against the time that I might feel to mourn or lament a loss. Why search the scriptures? Because we are told over and over there is a plan for us. We are to fulfill that plan. With that in mind, how would I feel to be left remaining? I would know it was part of the plan, just as I know that when the world is in a state of constant upheaval and wickedness, etc., that it was prophesied to be so and that I must avoid at all costs getting swept up in the wickedness so that I will be “left remaining” some day.

Where were those not remaining taken? Modern scriptures tell us they were taken to spirit prison. A topic for another day.

The Savior told them to repent. Even though they were spared, there were still areas where they needed to repent. We will never be as good as we will be with the Savior's help. There will always be room for improvement. This is a good thing. We won't ever run out of things we can do better.

So what am I supposed to do with this information? Repent and study the scriptures and the words of the prophets. Carry on!