In Every Time of Trouble

I think often about these words of the Lord to the people of Alma who were in bondage in the land of Helam: “And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions” (Mosiah 24:14). The Lord promised them that He would help His people in their afflictions, and He asked that they would be witnesses for Him when He did. He indeed helped this people to escape from the Lamanites to whom they were in bondage with this miracle: “And in the morning the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon the Lamanites, yea, and all their task-masters were in a profound sleep. And Alma and his people departed into the wilderness.” And I think we see that they were indeed witnesses for Him thereafter. Not only did they immediately thank Him—"Yea, and in the valley of Alma they poured out their thanks to God because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their burdens, and had delivered them out of bondage”—but they also told the people of Zarahemla about their experience (Mosiah 24:19-21). Though we don’t have their exact words, we have the reaction of the people there to hearing their story: “And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and of bondage, they did raise their voices and give thanks to God” (Mosiah 25:10). They did exactly what the Lord had wanted them to do when He came to their aid: they bore witness to others so they too could rejoice in the Lord’s power and deliverance and put their trust in Him. So complete was their testimony that it was still being talked about many years later. Alma’s son Alma questioned his people, “And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers? Yea, and have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards them?” (Alma 5:6)

                So one of the lessons from this story is that in our own lives we need to express thanks to the Lord when He helps us and bear witness to others when He comes to our aid. Yesterday I found myself struggling with an exam I was taking for an online course, and I sought the source of help that has never failed me. I prayed for inspiration to figure out how to solve the specific problems I was struggling with, and by the end of the day I had solved them all. As I thought about the experience in gratitude and the original struggle feeling like I was up against a wall looking for answers, the Spriit brought to my mind these words of the Savior: “Why are ye so fearful?” I couldn’t remember when He said this, but I looked it up and this is when they were on the ship in a storm and He calmed the waters. The previous verse was this: “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” He also questioned them, “How is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:39-40) These men were naturally terrified in a terrible storm that they were going to die, and yet He was with them the whole time, even if He was asleep. We may feel at times that He is sleeping while we are perishing in the storms, but if we seek Him and His help He always comes to our aid. I know that was the case for myself yesterday and it has been my whole life. He does not perhaps always fix our problems in the way that we want, but these words should be written on our hearts from Him: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). I bear witness that He does help and strengthen and uphold us when we strive to come unto Him and seek His aid. We need not be fearful in whatever storm we are in because, as was the case for these disciples, He is there with us. I love these words He gave to the Prophet Joseph after the loss of the 116 pages, “He would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:8). The Savior will be with us in every time of trouble if we will but have faith in Him.