Ether 1

(December 17, 2015)

                I know, as we look at the world around us, it can sometimes be disheartening to think of the inevitable slide that seems to be happening.  There are many who I talk to who, seeing the same things I am, draw the conclusion that the world is (metaphorically, or even sometimes literally) ending, and take a very dark view of their future and their children’s future.

                I am not so pessimistic, even though I see the same things that they each do.  While I think it safe to say that society at large will continue to move further and further away from God (with the resulting inevitable unhappiness that such a move will bring), it does not need to affect us and those we love.

                Historically, we can look at the continued progress experienced by those living in the monastic orders during the Dark Ages.  While society around them came apart at the seams (leading to tremendous misery and deprivation), those who held closest to the Lord were often able to avoid the slide and frequently advance their lives despite what was happening.

                We see the same thing in this chapter.  Because of wickedness, the whole world was coming apart at the seams.  The destruction of their culture and society was clearly visible to them (or else, why would they pray?).  And yet they were spared the consequences and even blessed by fleeing from wickedness and trusting in the Lord.  I think that is something that we can each imitate in our own lives and the lives of our families in the difficult times ahead of us.