All Things that Lie in Our Power

In his opening remarks in the most recent general conference, President Nelson spoke of what he had learned from the past year. He said this: “For example, I know for sure that the Lord directs the affairs of His Church. He said, ‘I will show [you] that I am able to do mine own work.’ Often, my counselors and I have watched through tear-brimmed eyes as He has interceded in extremely challenging circumstances after we had done our best and could do no more. We do indeed stand all amazed.” This statement reminds me of Nephi’s teaching: “We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23). The Lord expects us to do all we can to try to solve the problems we face, and as we do His grace will attend us to help us through. As President Nelson put it on another occasion, “I learned that the Lord likes effort.… He blesses our best efforts.” It is I believe instructive for us that even the First Presidency has to work extremely hard and put forth their very best efforts to face their own challenges—the Lord expects us all to do what we can in our own circumstances to solve our problems and move forth His work. Joseph Smith put it this way: “Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed” (Doctrine and Covenants 123:17). As we do all things in our power, we can stand still and see the arm of the Lord revealed to bless and help us.

               In the same chapter that President Nelson quoted, Nephi gave us these words of the Lord: “For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith” (2 Nephi 27:23). As we show forth true faith, evidenced both by our strong belief and diligent efforts, the Lord can work miracles among us. President Nelson put it this way in his talk on faith: “Through your faith, Jesus Christ will increase your ability to move the mountains in your life, even though your personal challenges may loom as large as Mount Everest. Your mountains may be loneliness, doubt, illness, or other personal problems. Your mountains will vary, and yet the answer to each of your challenges is to increase your faith. That takes work.”  When I was on my mission one of our leaders described how we move mountains this way: you grab a shovel and you start moving the dirt with all your might, and you keep moving it until you find that the mountain has indeed been moved. In other words, we start working with all our might to move the mountain even when the task seems impossible, and eventually we will find that the Lord has miraculously helped us to move the whole thing. But if we never even pick up the shovel, if we don’t show forth our faith with our best efforts, the mountain will not be moved. No matter what the seemingly insurmountable challenges we face are, if we give it our all to solve them and trust in the Lord with all our hearts, He will reveal His arm to intercede and see us through.