COURAGE Pt. 2

This week I learned some more about courage. As I was in a lesson at church yesterday, a certain passage in the Book of Mormon struck me. It was especially meaningful to me because I have so often wondered how to have courage when I feel so inadequate and fearful and when it seems as though the world (or the things that I will be called to do/bear) is so difficult. But these verses taught me what I can do to have and gain courage. They tell of 2,000 young warriors--probably teenagers to young adults--who were fighting to defend their families back home. Their fathers had entered into a promise to never fight or shed blood again, and so these young boys had never fought before. But when facing the challenge of war, they responded in an incredibly Christlike and courageous way.

The Book of Mormon says:

'Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it."

[Alma 56:47-48]

Something I love about this passage is that is explains a bit of they why and how they had courage. It says that their mothers taught them that God would be on their side. When I think about how I came to know Christ, almost every memory of the things I learned about Christ are a result of what my mother and father did to teach me of Him. They brought me to church, taught me to read the scriptures, lived their testimonies by example, shared personal experiences of faith and learning and struggle and growth, read my stories and showed me videos about Jesus, and were incredible example of doing the right. Even today when I have questions about and uncertainties about the Gospel, I take comfort because I cannot "doubt [my mother knows] it."

I absolutely love the part of verse 47 that says "they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives." I think that we can gain courage by thinking about our eternal families and the effects that our decisions have on them. Our ancestors made choices that blessed our lives or made them more difficult. We have a responsibility to carry on the positive legacies that they left us. I also find peace and eternal perspective when I think about my ancestors. They faced some really scary, really hard, and really painful trials in life. But they trusted in God and they made it through. When I think of them, I feel less afraid of life and the trials that may come. Likewise, when I think about the posterity and children that I will someday have, I desire to have courage because I want to do what I can to leave a positive legacy for them. I hope that i can teach them just like my parents taught me. I hope that I can gain courage from their examples--I believe that they will be incredibly strong and amazing people who will live in an increasingly dark world.

Finally, I love how the young 2,000 warriors had never fought before, yet they weren't afraid of death. In this life, we are going to face a lot of new experiences that will stretch us in ways that are difficult or uncomfortable. And the future is often so unknown. But that doesn't matter--because like these young men, we do not have to be afraid of the unknown or the new. God knows all things, and if we are on His side, He can lead us to safety and peace and help us to be successful in His way and timing. \

This life is in many ways a war--both a daily battle to balance good, better, and best as well as a battle of evil. vs. good. But we know that God will win in the end. We can have faith like these 2,000 young men and trust in Him. As we do so, we can feel peace, gain courage, and not feel so afraid in the battles of daily life.

I love you all!

I will pray for you to have the courage that you need daily.

Know that God is rooting for you, and that He has great things in store for you. He knows the battle that you are facing, and He can help you through it.

He knows where you are right now.

Love,

Abby