The Dews of Carmel

In the most recent general conference, Sister Amy Wright taught, “Located in northwestern Israel is a beautiful mountain range often referred to as the ‘evergreen mountain.’ Mount Carmel stays green year-round due largely in part to tiny amounts of dew. Nourishment happens daily. Like ‘the dews of Carmel,’ as we seek to nourish our souls ‘with things pertaining to righteousness,’ ‘small and simple things,’ our testimonies and the testimonies of our children will live!” I love the idea that the nourishment that the plants on this mountain receive is largely from the dew that appears each morning. Dew doesn’t come dramatically or all at once like a rushing river or thunderstorm; rather, a very small amount of water comes day after day. She referenced a verse from the Prophet Joseph Smith who said, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion: Behold, thy God reigneth! As the dews of Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God descend upon them!” (doctrine and Covenants 128:19). Again, the knowledge of the Lord doesn’t come to us all in one go like a flood, but it comes continually in small amounts like the dews of Carmel. We need to seek the Lord daily in fervent prayer and study of the scriptures so that the knowledge of the Lord can gradually come upon us.

                Sister Wright acknowledged that despite the promises of the Lord, we still have very real challenges and struggle in our families. She quoted questions from the scriptures that might express some of the feelings of our hearts, such as, “Master, carest thou not that [my family] perish?” or “What shall [I] do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing [me]?” After citing some of these scriptural questions, she said this, “And then ever so sweetly come the answers: ‘Believest thou in the power of Christ unto salvation?’ ‘Hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness?’ ‘Believe ye that [He is] able to do this?’ ‘Believest thou the prophets?’ ‘Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you?’ ‘Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’” I was a bit puzzled as I thought about these “answers” because they are, in fact, all questions! But these questions that she quoted here lead us to two conclusions: first, that we did indeed have individual faith in Christ and His goodness and power to help us. Second, they encourage us to remember that He does have all power and is able to do right and come to our aid. If we can truly believe those things, we will say with Lamoni, “I know, in the strength of the Lord thou canst do all things” (Alma 20:4). But that knowledge and trust in the Lord will only come to us gradually as we indeed take in His word each day and fill our lamps with oil through our consistent discipleship. I love the scripture that Sister Wright quoted at the end of her address. This little-known passage from Jeremiah reads, “Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, … and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border” (Jeremiah 31:16-17). We need not weep, and there is hope in the end, because of our faith in Him strengthened day after day like the dews of Carmel.