Mosiah 24

A few years ago while still in Blackfoot, Elder Bednar attended our Stake Conference. At the time he was still an area authority and president of BYU-Idaho. He spoke in this stake conference about Mosiah 24:13-15 and gave a really powerful sermon on the enabling power of the Lord in our lives.

So when we came to this chapter in our lessons I felt so impressed to discuss these verses in more detail. I knew of some struggles going on with a couple of the kids in my class and felt so impressed that the Lord wanted them to know this principle. In this chapter Alma's people are in bondage and being persecuted but because of their faith, obedience and patience the Lord strengthens them so that they can "bear up their burdens with ease and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."

We talked about how this strengthening happens and the "Enabling Power" that the Lord grants unto us as we are faithful, obedience and patient.

Then I read them this thought by Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as he encourages us to cheerfully rely on the Lord when we face the challenges of mortality:

"Problems or trials in our lives need to be viewed in the perspective of scriptural doctrine. Otherwise they can easily overtake our vision, absorb our energy, and deprive us of the joy and beauty the Lord intends us to receive here on earth. Some people are like rocks thrown into a sea of problems. They are drowned by them. Be a cork. When submerged in a problem, fight to be free to bob up to serve again with happiness...

"The Lord is intent on your personal growth and development. That progress is accelerated when you willingly allow Him to lead you through every growth experience you encounter, whether initially it be to your individual liking or not. When you trust in the Lord, when you are willing to let your heart and your mind be centered in His will, when you ask to be led by the Spirit to do His will, you are assured of the greatest happiness along the way and the most fulfilling attainment from this mortal experience. If you question everything you are asked to do, or dig in your heels at every unpleasant challenge, you make it harder for the Lord to bless you." (Ensign, May 1996, 24-25)

My object lesson was a jar of water. I first dropped a rock into it and of course it sunk. Then I dropped in a cork and of course it floated. We talked about the choice being ours whether we will be the rock or the cork. If we are the cork then the Lord can bless us and give us the enabling power spoken of in Mosiah 24. If we are the cork then we BECOME what the Lord needs us to become.

This poster hangs in our room...