The Power of Prayer

"Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance." (Alma 8:10)

I find this verse fascinating. Here is a man who is well versed in prayer. Yet even he -- with his familiarity with this form of communication -- in this situation must wrestle in "mighty prayer" for the people of Ammonihah. What is it about wickedness that requires so much effort in prayer to overcome it?

We read later in that same chapter not only were the Ammonihahites very hard hearted (eventually burning women and children), but at that very time they were plotting to take down the liberty of God's people.

In the Bible Dictionary, we can read the following definition of Prayer: "Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."

One might say that Alma failed to receive what he'd asked for. After all, he was imprisoned, the righteous men were cast out of the city, and women and children were burned. But then again, did he fail?

Here is what Alma responded, speaking of the martyrs:

"The Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and...the judgments which he shall exercise upon [the wicked] in his wrath [will] be just;...the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against [the wicked], yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day." (Alma 14:11)

But I still ponder on why it is some situations require so much labor in prayer. Yet when I think of scriptures such as D&C 38:13-15, 28-29...

"And now I show unto you a mystery, a thing which is had in secret chambers, to bring to pass even your destruction in process of time, and ye knew it not;

"But now I tell it unto you, and ye are blessed, not because of your iniquity, neither your hearts of unbelief; for verily some of you are guilty before me, but I will be merciful unto your weakness.

"Therefore, be ye strong from henceforth; fear not, for the kingdom is yours....

"And again, I say unto you that the enemy in the secret chambers seeketh your lives.

"Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of men in your own land." (D&C 38:13-15, 28-29)

...I think on the importance of prayer for us today. We may not be able to direct exact outcomes, but the Lord has given us the answers we need for our safety. Very few are asked to be martyrs. Therefore, as we pray, we are also to heed this:

"That ye might escape the power of the enemy, and be gathered unto me a righteous people, without spot and blameless--

"...I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high;

"And from thence, whosoever I will shall go forth among all nations, and it shall be told them what they shall do; for I have a great work laid up in store, for Israel shall be saved, and I will lead them whithersoever I will, and no power shall stay my hand." (D&C 38:31, 33)

I'm grateful not to be an ancient citizen of Ammonihah. I'm grateful to be living during a different time period of the earth, where we've been promised the gospel will never be taken again from the earth.

But I'm also mindful there are destructive forces present on the earth now, as told to the prophet Joseph Smith and such as Elder Oaks' urgent speech this month, warning us that our constitutional liberties are being threatened.

The Lord has shown us what to do: gather as a righteous people, without spot and blameless and go forth unto the nations, sharing the good news of His good gospel. Jesus Christ has shown the way to peace, happiness and liberty through his apostles and prophets...if we will but just listen.

P.S. Here is the link to D&C 38, an amazing and most comforting chapter.

The Heart's Hidden Wedge

There is a story told of a farmer's boy who found a wedge while out on the homestead. Intending later to bring it home, he placed it between supple young branches of a walnut tree. Later never came.

Decades later, the wedge was forgotten. It had been consumed by the tree's growth and rested hidden near the heart of the tree. But when a vicious ice storm blew through those woods, guess which tree fell? That's right--the now gnarled walnut tree, split open by its heavy burden of an old iron wedge.

I thought about that story today as I was reading in Mosiah 19. War is upon the Nephites, coming in a flash attack by their enemies, the Lamanites.

King Noah is fleeing, rather than protect his people. He urges the men, the Nephites own warriors, to leave behind defenseless women and children. Just picture it! He's shouting orders to men--men sworn to protect the land--to join him in saving their own lives.

It is precisely in these flash moments, the ice storms of our lives, that hidden wedges split a heart wide open. These flash moments expose the inner workings of a life far better than modern personality tests, aptitude assessments, or even professed expressions.

Some of King Noah's men fled with him. Some could not. In seeing the faces of their own wives and children, they chose to "stay and perish with them."

The story is a riveting one for me. It is one that causes me to ponder long and hard: why is it in the blink of an eye (there is a book called Blink that explores these decisions), some choose to surrender themselves in order to protect another...and others choose purely self-protective means?

Personally, I believe it comes down to tiny, mounting, daily choices, the ones that seem not to matter. You know the kind, the little things like, "Do I give the bigger piece of cake to myself or to my child?" Those kinds of moments that appear easily not to matter. Or do they? And what about the weightier matters, the ones we'd rather not deal with...today.

I don't know. But I do know that just as that farmer's boy -- so long ago -- placed a heavy wedge in the young tree's branches, I know that it is all too easy to set aside something heavy and think we'll deal with it later. Later often never comes.

And when the ice storms flash into our lives, what then?

This is why I love the scriptures. They help me see the need I have to analyze my own life, my own heavy wedges, my own personal choices. Where are those choices taking me? Am I headed in the right direction? What can I do today if I'm not? It's kind of like house-cleaning a little at a time, rather than all in two days right before company comes (yep, I've had those kind of moments).

This one thing I do know. I love the Savior and I'm grateful He helps me remove heavy wedges...even after they've been there so long the tree-growth in my life may have swallowed up the weight. He can help me remove anything that does not belong in my life. And I find Him daily in the pages of my scriptures, waiting to do just that! So grateful for that and for His patience with me.

P.S. Here's the link to the cool story about the farmer's boy and here's the link to the Book of Mormon story of the fleeing fathers.