Idleness, Prayer, Agency

Three principles I feel very strongly about. Today as I was reading from Mosiah 23-25, some my own notes struck me.

Mosiah 23:5

Idleness: I think we fail to realize the importance of this word. My mom would often say “an idle mind is the Devil’s workshop”. The older I get, the easier it is to see that this is what is ruining our world, our nation and even our children and grandchildren. I believe it is the need to survive that will eventually turn this around and our people will begin to put in the work necessary to survive—and not at the expense of someone else’s hard work. Work (and Jesus) will bring order into the world again. Today, there is madness all around us. This is due, in part, to not having to be concerned about food or a roof over their heads. Somebody will fix it. That somebody will be Jesus, but it has been made clear how that is to happen. Prayer and learning how to pray can be its own kind of “work”, but brings miraculous results as we humble ourselves and look for the Lord’s hands in our lives. 

Prayer: (Mosiah 24:22)

Maybe I even mentioned yesterday a little about the importance of prayer. It is such a big thing to me and becomes more so as I age. I watch this principle of faith in prayer being watered down and it grieves me. Family prayer is powerful and wonderful and I fully endorse it, but at an early age, (even before those little knees are able to bend on their own), I believe children need to be taught to kneel down at their parent’s knee and utter their own simple prayer. When they’re tiny, it might be nothing more than “blah, blah, blah, Jesus.” Or “blah, blah, blah Mom and Dad” or whatever. It is crucial to their ability to survive as they navigate their way in this world. Pres. Nelson has told us as much in his pleadings that we teach our families. Without learning to pray for God’s presence in our lives, we’re not going to make it through these last days. And as I type this, I think on my own family. Maybe I need to put Agency as a tag line in this missive. Oh, we didn’t do everything right—that is evident. But we did pray as a family and teach our children to pray. More of our children walked away from that principle of truth than embraced it. Yes, Agency is a big deal. Jesus died to give it to us. The Spirit just chastised me a little.

Mosiah 25:10 — It is so important that we look for the hands of God in the details of our lives and remember to thank Him for His kindness. Rescue is miraculous. It doesn’t have to be a big rescue like I read about in Mosiah this morning, either. Sometimes it is as simple as having a neighbor ask you for help and give you the opportunity to be the Lord’s hands in their lives.

Mosiah 23:21-22 — And Just because we're doing it right doesn't mean only good is going to come into our lives. We are on this earth to develop the character of Jesus. Patience is of one of those traits. We need to see the trials as blessings in disguise as well. Ugh! Much easier to type than it is to do. Nonetheless, it is critical to our becoming like little children so that we can be in the Lord’s presence someday.