Doctrine and Covenants 109

(December 3, 2015)

                Its funny how the Lord prepares, and then teaches, us.  Yesterday I read about how the Nephites prayed for an extended time for the Holy Ghost to be given to them and I couldn’t in my mind imagine how that was done.  How did they not repeat themselves?  What could they have prayed about?

                Then, just a day later (and a mind prepared by wondering about the issue), I read this Section which answered many of those questions.  We have Joseph, not multiplying words and with a prayer guided by revelation, asking for the Holy Ghost.  I was able to read how the Lord taught Joseph to pray, and several times as I read I was struck by thoughts of the way that I should pray and returned to my knees to pray.

                In addition to what I learned about prayer, though, there was also something that I learned about mercy.  Joseph prayed for those who were horribly oppressing them (after noting that the Lord certainly knew of those who were being oppressed by the wicked), and his prayer was that the wicked who hurt the Saints would be shown mercy by being empowered to repent.

                I thought that was a fantastic way to look at those who hurt us.  I have those people in my life right now who strive to hurt me whenever the opportunity presents itself to them.  I have prayed for relief from their actions, but I realize that it would be better for me to pray that they will get relief from their actions – that they will be moved upon to repent and return to the Lord.