Making Mountains Into Molehills
Reading great stories can provide us with hours, days, months, and years of escape, reflection, and entertainment. Scripture contains many of the greatest stories ever told. The narrative of sacred literature is massive in its scope. The extremes described in the events of the people in these works make our lives seem mundane by comparison. Indeed, the story of Jesus is the archetype for all human existence. It demonstrates the uttermost examples of irony, love, suffering, sacrifice, and triumph, not to mention the war between good and evil. Indeed, scripture is the foundation of our way of life. Whether we are religious or not, the roots of all ethical and moral behavior start in the pages of the holy writings.
What can we do with these fantastical tales, seeing that they are so big and we are so small? The trick is to make mountains into molehills. What I mean is that we have to find ways to break down these extreme meta-narratives into simple ideas that can be applied to everyday living. None of us will be driven to the banks of the Red Sea by an army of one of the most powerful men on earth, only to be saved by the most unlikely of miracles, as water does something water just does not do. God will ask no father in our age to sacrifice his son. None of us will have to build an ark to save ourselves and our livestock from a great flood. Or will we?
I believe all of us will have to deal with as much hardship as we can handle. We will all be pushed to our limits. We will be tried by fire. That is the only way we can be purified and sanctified. We can choose to be teachable and humble, or our own bad choices will compel us. God does not give us more than we can handle. We are responsible for many of the trials we face by our actions. Other challenges come because we fall prey to the ravages of disease and pain associated with mortality. Still, other problems come as a result of the actions of others. But not all is lost, as we know from the greatest stories ever written.
This year, we will be studying the Book of Mormon. If there is anyone who has been reading my Sunday Thoughts who is not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I invite you to follow along. My intent is not to convert anyone to my faith. I do not view faith in terms of a particular religion; it is an intensely personal thing. However, I consider the doctrines and practices of the church to be the ultimate Christian experience.
The book is available for free in both print and digital formats. Joseph Smith said, “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” I promise you that that is a true statement. He also said, “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.” These are bold statements. The veracity of scripture is only limited by the ability of the authors and translators to convey spiritual experiences and impressions into language that is inadequate for such purposes. Indeed, the proper interpretation of scripture can only happen when the words are translated back into personal spiritual experiences and impressions.
Okay, let’s get back on track. The first book of Nephi starts with an experience Lehi (Nephi’s father) had as a result of a heavenly vision. I will not provide the details here, but I will give a broad overview. Because Lehi was told to warn the people of Jerusalem of an impending invasion and subsequent destruction of the great city, he was forced to uproot his family and flee into the wilderness. The family’s faith was tried, and each member reacted differently; some demonstrated faith, and others complained. Their way of life was not just altered; they had to change almost everything just to survive. They had to do things they had never done before and rely entirely on God for direction.
This story describes a mountain that had to be conquered by faith. Chances are we will never have to do something so drastic. However, we can use the same strategies Lehi and his family used for dealing with our molehills as they did with their mountains.
When we are prompted to make significant changes in our lives, we can either react with faith and head into an unknown wilderness or perish by remaining in our perceived comfort. Sometimes, we must do things we would not normally do to ensure our spiritual foundation. The key is to follow the spirit. If we are not accustomed to feeling promptings because we have forgotten how or become too confident in our abilities and resources.
As we dive into the Book of Mormon this year, I hope we will look for ways to apply the lessons we learn there to the large and small challenges we face. I particularly look forward to gaining more spiritual understanding and developing more faith in the face of adversity.
One more side note. I don’t think it is a coincidence that we study the Book of Mormon in the years that we have presidential elections. I hope we can use the political intrigue described in these scriptures to reveal the intent of parties and politicians this year. I do not believe it will guide us to one party or another. It was written for our time, and while the tactics and methods used in the conflicts described in the Book Of Mormon are different than in our day, they are no less consequential. We can use the teachings and doctrines of Christ to navigate through these troubling times.