The questions of the soul posed in Emma Lou Thayne’s stirring hymn “Where Can I Turn for Peace?“ are the same questions that many are asking today. As we live through what feels like a science-fiction movie come to life, with freedom-restricting “social distancing” rules dominating much of our activity, with the stress of isolation — both physical and emotional — constantly rearing its ugly head, how can we navigate through and find the peace and solace that we seek? 

Where can we turn for peace? The answer is simple. We can turn to Jesus Christ, the source of peace.

In Matthew 11:28-30 we read:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

That invitation is still open and in force today. 

But so many are feeling “heavy laden” right now. Single parents with children are working from home and trying to take care of themselves and their children at the same time. Working couples with school-age children are now working from home with all the children at home too. How do they cope? How do we cope and find the balance between working effectively, having family time, and making sure we get personal self-care? How do we keep from totally stressing out and going crazy?

Where, when my aching grows,
Where, when I languish,
Where, in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.

Turn to Him. In the words of the Father, as we have been reminded so eloquently by our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him.”

But how do we hear Him? That is a question we have been invited to ponder deeply by President Nelson. We can take the time to think about the restoration and the multitude of ways the Savior has communicated with us since then, including scriptures and the sweet spirit that comes as we bear our testimony of the Savior. We can hear Him through prayer and feel His words in our hearts and minds. What are the other ways in which we can hear Him? 

He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.
Constant he is and kind,
Love without end.

He does answer privately. He reaches our reaching. In our personal Gethsemane, He is there as our Savior and Friend. He alone can give us His peace which surpasses all understanding. He is constant and always kind. His love is eternal!

As we pass through trials, it is well to remember the Lord’s words to Joseph Smith as he languished in Liberty Jail as found in Doctrine & Covenants 121:5-8:

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If thou art called to pass through tribulation; if thou art in perils among false brethren; if thou art in perils among robbers; if thou art in perils by land or by sea;

 

If thou art accused with all manner of false accusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee from the society of thy father and mother and brethren and sisters; and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can’t you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you? and if then he shall be thrust from thee by the sword, and thou be dragged to prison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like wolves for the blood of the lamb;

 

And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

 

The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

Because He descended below all things, Christ knows how to succor us in our time of need, as described in Alma 7:11-12:

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

 

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

We may be passing through trials right now, but this too shall pass. Jesus Christ is in charge and He know how to help us navigate through uncharted waters. He is aware of us and aware of what is happening in the world. As we turn to Him, as we seek to hear Him and put our trust in Him, it is my testimony that, come what may, we will be safe and prosperous in Him.

Randall McNeely

Randall McNeely is a husband, father of five, and author. He is also a singer/songwriter and has written several patriotic songs, children’s songs, and multiple religious hymns. The best known is ‘Oh Jesus, Savior of Mankind’, which won a Special Recognition award in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 2008 Music Submission contest. He and two of his daughters have also recorded and released the children’s song Everybody Speaks Smile!

Randy has a firm testimony of Jesus Christ. He is the light and the life of the world. It is said and written of Him that “He went about doing good.” In doing so, He weaved light into the hearts and souls of all with whom He came in contact, both in word and deed. Randy’s desire is to have the same said of him. He wants to have the words and lyrics he writes uplift, inspire, and bless others. To read more articles by Randy visit his Pure Testimony website at www.puretestimony.org.

I turned my phone on and checked my LinkedIn app and came across a beautiful post shared by my wonderful friend Lorena Acosta. Her post carried such a powerful message and marvelous accompanying video that I was stirred my heart to write this article rather than going back to bed.

In her post, Lorena stated the following:

“We want to assert our ‘rights’ to decide whether or not to let someone else live and now we realize that we cannot even decide for our [own] LIFE [on] a planet that decided that GOD does not exist without having sought it.”

It is that last phrase, “a planet that decided GOD does not exist without having sought it,” that stirred me and prompted me to write this article.

Many in this world have embraced the idea that God is either dead or that He doesn’t care about what is going on in our lives. They’ve projected the image of a deadbeat dad onto God and in doing so attempted to justify their reasoning for ignoring Him or turning away altogether. “He doesn’t care about me, so why should I care about Him?”

I cannot speak for others, only for myself.

I do not know the dead God so many in the world have accepted. I do not know the deadbeat God that far too many have projected and decidedly turned away from.

In the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the God I know “is not dead nor doth He sleep.” The God I know is fully awake and fully aware of us. He is our loving Father and He wants us to be happy and prosper. He does everything He does with that objective in mind.

Why Does God Allow So Much Suffering?

If that is the case, many may question, “Where is God in the current coronavirus crisis? How could He allow this to happen? How could He allow so much suffering to occur?”

Because God loves us, He has given us the amazing ability to choose. He had to do so in order for us to grow and be happy. He had to do so that we might know the bitter in order to truly prize the sweet. Just as our muscles have to have the opposition of exercise in order to grow stronger, so too we must have the ability to choose, which allows us to face the opposition that stretches our souls so that we can grow stronger spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.

With that ability to choose, we have the freedom to choose to do whatever we want. However, a key thing to remember is that while we have the ability to choose what we do, we do not have the ability to choose the consequences of our choices.

How then do we know what to choose so that we might have the best possible outcomes?

To help us, God has given us our conscience, or the light of Christ that is within each of us, that helps know the difference between good and evil, right and wrong.

Most importantly, just as loving parents on earth set specific rules and boundaries for the safety and well-being of their children, God has given us boundaries in which to live (i.e., commandments) and promised that He will bless and prosper us as long as we stay within those boundaries.

We read in the scriptures that Christ taught only those things that He had heard from the Father. Christ taught, “If ye love me keep my commandments.”

The apostle Paul taught, as we read in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “…Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

Unfortunately, we live in a time when more and more people are embracing the idea that God’s commandments are too restrictive, tie us down, and keep us from experiencing the true “freedom” that we desire and deserve. Many have even embraced the brazen lie that God’s commandments are cruel because they are set and unchanging and don’t make allowances for letting us to do whatever we want to do whenever we want to do it.

Commandments Are Like Kite Strings…

In fact, the complete opposite is true. While it is true that God’s commandments tie us down, it is not in a restrictive manner, but rather in a way that keeps us on solid ground. Just as a kite string keeps a kite steady and allows the kite to soar up into the sky and stay flying, so too God’s commandments keep us tied to solid, unshifting ground and, when we keep them, enable us to soar in ways we never thought possible because we are partnering with God.

However, what happens if the kite string gets severed? We know what happens. It may fly higher for a time, giving the illusion of greater freedom, but then it comes crashing down hard, with the possibility that it might be damaged beyond repair.

The same is true with God’s commandments. When we sever those ties and go with the flow of doing whatever we think or feel is right at the moment, we may experience the illusion of freedom for a time, but then we come crashing down hard and can be severely damaged — physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Have we reached that state as a world? I believe we have. Many crises we experience very well be a result of God allowing us to reap the consequences of our choices with the hope that as we come crashing down, we will again turn to Him and seek the help that He so desperately wants to give us.

Just as a kite that has crashed needs our intervention to repair it if it is ever to fly again, so we need God’s intervention to repair us if we are to fly again and soar as He desires us to soar.

Now, back to the question, “Where is God in this coronavirus crisis?”

He is there, He is aware, and He wants to help us. He’s always been there and has never moved.

Rather, it is we who have moved ourselves away from Him.

It is up to us to turn back to God and seek His help. He is waiting patiently for us to do so, for He will force no man to turn to Him.

A vital thing to remember, though, is this — just as we can’t expect to lose weight overnight when we’ve mistreated our bodies for years, neither can we expect to repair a damaged relationship with God overnight. If we’ve been turned away from God for a long time when things have seemingly been good and we felt like we didn’t “need Him,” can we expect to turn to Him now, in a time of crisis, and have our relationship with Him instantly repaired? No, it will take time. He will hear us and bless us as we exercise great deal of humility, along with sincere repentance for those things which we have done which damaged the relationship in the first place — but it will take time. He will need to know that our desires and our actions are truly sincere, not just “pie crust” promises made in times of desperation.

To read more of Randall’s articles, click here.

Because of Christ and His sacrifice for us, we can repent. We can rest assured that as we do so with all sincerity, with the intent to bring our lives back into harmony with Christ’s and God’s commandments, God’s tender mercies will be extended towards us. He will comfort us, sustain us, lift us and enable us, through His grace, to lift and bless others.

In partnership with Him, we can rest assured that we will make it through any crisis and come out better and stronger than we were before for having passed through it.

For myself, I know these things to be true.

Randall McNeely

Randall McNeely is a husband, father of five, and author. He is also a singer/songwriter and has written several patriotic songs, children’s songs, and multiple religious hymns. The best known is ‘Oh Jesus, Savior of Mankind’, which won a Special Recognition award in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 2008 Music Submission contest. He and two of his daughters have also recorded and released the children’s song Everybody Speaks Smile!

Randy has a firm testimony of Jesus Christ. He is the light and the life of the world. It is said and written of Him that “He went about doing good.” In doing so, He weaved light into the hearts and souls of all with whom He came in contact, both in word and deed. Randy’s desire is to have the same said of him. He wants to have the words and lyrics he writes uplift, inspire, and bless others. To read more articles by Randy visit his Pure Testimony website at www.puretestimony.org.

1. More holiness give me,

More strivings within,

More patience in suff’ring,

More sorrow for sin,

More faith in my Savior,

More sense of his care,

More joy in his service,

More purpose in prayer.

2. More gratitude give me,

More trust in the Lord,

More pride in his glory,

More hope in his word,

More tears for his sorrows,

More pain at his grief,

More meekness in trial,

More praise for relief.

3. More purity give me,

More strength to o’ercome,

More freedom from earth-stains,

More longing for home.

More fit for the kingdom,

More used would I be,

More blessed and holy—

More, Savior, like thee.

Why is it one of my favorites? I love it because it helps me understand what I can do in this life to work towards the eternal goals the Savior has laid out for us — to become even as He is (see 3 Nephi 27:27), which, in other words, means to be perfect like He and the Father are perfect (see 3 Nephi 12:48).

We know that none of us will be just like the Savior in this life and attain perfection. The Lord knew that, too. They are eternal goals precisely because the Lord knew it would take more time than we have in this life to reach them. Some might say that seems ridiculous, but the Lord, who loves us, is all about goals and striving towards reaching them. He expects us, as President Nelson has so aptly explained, to “do better and be better” every day. 

“More Holiness Give Me” helps me understand how to do that. For me, it sets a pattern for my prayers. Here’s what I think about as I read it and sing it.

More holiness give me: “Help me, dear Father, to be more like Thee and Christ. Help me to do better and be better every day.”

More strivings within: Please fill me with the fire of desire to keep Thy commandments, keep my covenants, and walk uprightly before Thee.

More patience in suffering: Help me, loving Father, to have greater patience in my trials. Help me to put off the natural man, to be humble, and to become “as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which [Thou seest] fit to inflict upon [me]” (See Mosiah 3:19).

More sorrow for sin: O kind Father, help me to feel sincere, heartfelt, godly sorrow for those things which I do that are wrong in thy sight. Help me to feel sorrow that I have offended Thee and Thy Spirit and to have a mighty change of heart, that I might have no more desire or disposition to do evil (see Mosiah 5:2).

More faith in my Savior: “Dear Father, I believe in Jesus Christ. Please help me to believe Christ! Help me to believe that He truly is the Christ, that He knows me personally, and that He truly is mighty to save!”

More sense of His care: “Father, help me to recognize the gentle caresses of Thy and the Savior’s love for me, especially when I’m going through personal challenges. Help me to remember and know that I’m not alone!”

More joy in His service: “Help me, Father, to love my family and everyone around me and to show that love through service. Help me to find true joy in serving my fellowman and to remember that when I serve them, I’m serving Thee.”

More purpose in prayer: “Father, forgive me for all the times when I’m praying and I let my mind start to wander. Please help me to stay focused and pray with real intent.”

That is just working through the first verse, but you get the picture. By reviewing the words and pondering them in my heart, the song truly becomes a prayer for me and helps me in my efforts to draw closer to my Heavenly Father.

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That is how this and so many other beautiful hymns help me. They help me to feel closer to God. They inspire me when I feel discouraged. They lift my mind to higher places and higher thoughts when the adversary of all souls tries to move in with his minions, and they give me the power to drive him out. 

How do hymns help you? How do you use them to bless you? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

If you’re not as familiar with the hymns as you ought to be or want to be, there is no time like the present to become more familiar. If you choose to do so, I can promise you that you’ll be glad you did.

Randall McNeely

Randall McNeely is a husband, father of five, and author. He is also a singer/songwriter and has written several patriotic songs, children’s songs, and multiple religious hymns. The best known is ‘Oh Jesus, Savior of Mankind’, which won a Special Recognition award in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 2008 Music Submission contest. He and two of his daughters have also recorded and released the children’s song Everybody Speaks Smile!

Randy has a firm testimony of Jesus Christ. He is the light and the life of the world. It is said and written of Him that “He went about doing good.” In doing so, He weaved light into the hearts and souls of all with whom He came in contact, both in word and deed. Randy’s desire is to have the same said of him. He wants to have the words and lyrics he writes uplift, inspire, and bless others. To read more articles by Randy visit his Pure Testimony website at www.puretestimony.org.

Princess Julia, as I call her, our household joy spreader, made it and placed it on the wall as a reminder for our family to give love continually give and show love to each other.

When I see that sweet message, I cannot help but think of our Savior Jesus Christ, who, of course, was the epitome of love. He is love! Everything He did was because of love. And because of all He did, because He first loved us, we cannot help loving Him in return. Likewise, we cannot help feeling the same way about the Lord’s servants. I’ve been blessed to meet a few of the apostles, but don’t have a direct personal relationship with any of them. Yet, I love them as if they were family. Why? Because I know they love me! I know them by their words and their works. As I listen to and apply their words, I feel the Holy Ghost, who is the testifier of truth and the bearer of love.

So, what can we — me, you, and everyone — do to be more like the Savior and His Servants? The answer is simple: We can do as they do. We can go about doing good and giving love away through acts of kindness every day. We can be “kindness givers.”

What We Can Learn From Bees

In his marvelous October 2012 General Conference address entitled “Be Anxiously Engaged,” Elder M. Russell Ballard (now President M. Russell Ballard) spoke of the amazing honeybees and how collectively they fly thousands of miles and visit thousands of flowers gathering nectar to condense into honey. He explained that for all their effort, a single honeybee only produces one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey, yet their individual contributions are vital to the survival of the hive. By working collaboratively, “a single hive can produce anywhere from 60 to 100 pounds of honey every year.”

In his talk, Elder Ballard described how “Brigham Young chose the beehive as a symbol to encourage and inspire the cooperative energy necessary among the pioneers to transform the barren desert wasteland surrounding the Great Salt Lake into the fertile valleys we have today.” He explained that the beehive symbol is found on many of our temples and adorns the pulpit in the conference center from which general authorities speak. Elder Ballard then made this powerful statement:

All of this symbolism attests to one fact: great things are brought about and burdens are lightened through the efforts of many hands “anxiously engaged in a good cause” (See D&C 58:27). Imagine what the millions of Latter-day Saints could accomplish in the world if we functioned like a beehive in our focused, concentrated commitment to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He continued by reminding us of the two great commandments, to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves, after which he said the following:

We are to love God and to love and care for our neighbors as ourselves. Imagine what good we can do in the world if we all join together, united as followers of Christ, anxiously and busily responding to the needs of others and serving those around us—our families, our friends, our neighbors, our fellow citizens.

Finally, Elder Ballard asked this question and followed up with an answer:

What would be the cumulative effect of millions of small, compassionate acts performed daily by us because of our heartfelt Christian love for others? Over time this would have a transformative effect upon all of our Heavenly Father’s children through the extension of His love to them through us. Our troubled world needs this love of Christ today more than ever, and it will need it even more in the years ahead” (emphasis added).

Elder Ballard, was, of course, prophetic in his teachings and his statement. Now, seven years later, there never was a time in the history of the world when the sweet nectar of love was needed more than it is now. Unless you’re living in a cave with no access to TV or Internet (and have been for several years), it is impossible to escape noticing the rapid escalation of vitriol and hate, not only in politics, but in nearly all areas of our lives.

Making a Difference

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So, what can you and I do to make a difference? What can we do to stem the tide of vitriol and hate that is constantly flowing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year via television, radio, and social media? How can we take action to answer Elder Ballard’s question? I am bold enough to make the promise that if we will do the following five things every day, we will not only answer Elder Ballard’s question, but in the process we will transform our own lives, families, neighborhoods, communities, nations, and yes—transform the world.

1. Determine every day to follow Christ’s example and be kindness givers who give love away through simple acts.
2. Think about simple acts of kindness you can perform.
3. Pray for the Lord’s help to look for and recognize simple acts of kindness you can do.
4. Perform simple acts of kindness.
5. Encourage others to do the same.

That’s it. That’s the simple, effective, actionable formula. It may seem overly simplistic, but it works.

Elder Ballard promised:

There is power in our love for God and for His children, and when that love is tangibly manifest in millions of acts of Christian kindness, it will sweeten and nourish the world with the life-sustaining nectar of faith, hope, and charity… Like the little honeybee’s one-twelfth teaspoon of honey provided to the hive, if we multiply our efforts by tens of thousands, even millions of prayerful efforts to share God’s love for His children through Christian service, there will be a compounding effect of good that will bring the Light of Christ to this ever-darkening world. Bound together, we will bring love and compassion to our own family and to the lonely, the poor, the broken, and to those of our Heavenly Father’s children who are searching for truth and peace.

We’ve been given the charge to help gather Israel by sharing the gospel. What better way to win the hearts of our fellow human beings than by serving them, even as Ammon won the hearts of King Lamoni’s servants through his service? What better way to do our part, to make a difference for good, to lose ourselves, and find ourselves than through serving our Heavenly Father by serving our fellow man? What better cause to be involved in than the cause of giving love away, or, in other words, than the cause of giving Christ away, for Christ is love?

We can all be kindness givers if we are willing. May the Lord bless us in our efforts.

Randall McNeely

Randall McNeely is a husband, father of five, and author. He is also a singer/songwriter and has written several patriotic songs, children’s songs, and multiple religious hymns. The best known is ‘Oh Jesus, Savior of Mankind’, which won a Special Recognition award in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 2008 Music Submission contest. He and two of his daughters have also recorded and released the children’s song Everybody Speaks Smile!

Randy has a firm testimony of Jesus Christ. He is the light and the life of the world. It is said and written of Him that “He went about doing good.” In doing so, He weaved light into the hearts and souls of all with whom He came in contact, both in word and deed. Randy’s desire is to have the same said of him. He wants to have the words and lyrics he writes uplift, inspire, and bless others. To read more articles by Randy visit his Pure Testimony website at www.puretestimony.org.

She lived a good life and was faithful to her gospel covenants. Because of her faithfulness, I have no doubt that foremost in those anxiously waiting for her return were her Heavenly Parents and her oldest Brother, even Jesus Christ. Even as I write this, I can almost hear in my mind the words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Welcome home. Come now and see the place we have prepared for you!”

How is it that I can write that I have “no doubt” about anything? It is on that blessing that I wish to focus this article.

Smelling the Roses

One of the fondest memories I have with my mother was the walks we used to take together. They started when I was a little boy and continued throughout my life until she was no longer physically able take walks. I loved those walks with Mom. One thing that stands out from all of them was that as we walked, especially when I was little, she would point out the various flowers in neighborhood flower beds: petunias, zinnias, daisies, tulips, and—my favorite— roses! Whenever we came to roses, she made sure we always, always stopped and smelled them. Through that experience, she taught me to always take the time for the important things in life. For that lesson, I will be forever grateful.

Smelling the Eternal Roses

As powerful as that lesson is, the more powerful lessons came into my life because Mom taught me how to smell the eternal roses by teaching me the gospel of Jesus Christ and helping me to know how to grasp those things that are most important from an eternal perspective.

As soon as I could speak, she taught me how to pray. She helped me to know and understand that I am God’s child, and that He, as my loving Father, wants to hear from me. She also taught me about Jesus, that He is my Savior and friend. She reinforced her teachings through music by helping me learn beloved primary songs such as “I Am a Child of God,” “Teach Me to Walk in the Light,” “Tell me the Stories of Jesus,” “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam,” “Jesus Said Love Everyone,” and so many others. She had a beautiful soprano voice through which the Spirit carried those messages to my heart.

image via workingmother.com

I felt love and peace when I was with my mother, which engendered great trust in her teachings. She helped me to recognize and know that those feelings of love and peace come from the Holy Ghost who teaches us the truth of all things. Through that power, as a little boy, I had sweet experiences with God and Christ and knew and tasted of their goodness.

Mom also helped me to learn to love the scriptures and through them I came to know and love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I still have vivid memories of her telling me the stories of Jesus from the New Testament, as well as stories from the Old Testament about Joseph, David, Daniel, and others. Perhaps most vividly, I remember sitting on her lap and turning the pages from one of the volumes in our Illustrated Stories from the Book of Mormon set. When I was too young to read the stories myself, she read or told them to me. When I learned to read, I would spend time reading them myself. How I loved the stories of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin, Mosiah and his sons, Alma, and especially Captain Moroni! All of these good men, along with Mormon, Helaman, the other Nephis, the prophet Moroni, and many others helped me grow in my understanding and love of Jesus Christ and my appreciation for Him and His marvelous Atonement.

From all of these stories, I learned about faith, courage, the importance of service, obedience, perseverance, giving love, and many other gospel principles. I also learned of the attendant promises that come along with them.

I could go on for a long time about Mom’s eternal-rose-smelling lessons. I could speak of her effort to ensure we read the scriptures as a family and had family home evening, often in the face of opposition from my dad, who, though a good man, wasn’t super supportive if it was football season. I could speak of Mom’s example of serving in the Church and serving others, of paying tithes and fast offerings, of sacrifice and putting others first. I could speak of her example of courage following divorce and her example of faith and determination as she went back to school to earn a degree in Special Education. I could speak of her example of faithfulness to temple covenants and trust in the Lord as she struggled through years of loneliness. I could speak of her example of humility and gratitude for the multitude of tender mercies God extended toward her in blessing her to meet my wonderful stepfather. I could speak of her faithful endurance to the end through years of illness that left her mostly bed-ridden.

Eternal Roses

So, how can say I know something without a doubt? I can say it because Mom helped me smell the eternal roses by teaching me that:

• I am a Child of God
• Jesus is the Christ
• The scriptures, including the Holy Bible, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine & Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price are the word of God
• Service is a blessing and as we serve others, we serve God
• Obedience to God’s commandments and perseverance in trials bring happiness and joy in this life and eternal happiness in the life to come
• Gratitude and humility bring great joy
• By and through the Holy Ghost, we can know the truth of all things

As I have striven to put my mother’s teachings into practice—as I’ve planted those teachings and nourished them—I have come to know by the power of the Holy Ghost that what she taught me is true. I know that for myself, for not only has the Holy Ghost touched my heart when I listened to my mother, but He has carried the truthfulness of her teachings into my heart as I’ve applied them in my life and seen and experienced for myself the blessings that have come.

To read more of Randall’s articles, click here.

I’ve also seen the joy and happiness that those same teachings have brought into the lives of my children and others within my sphere of influence as I’ve passed Mom’s teachings along and they have applied them in their lives.

I know God lives and loves us. May He bless each of us with the ability to see and smell the eternal roses in our lives. May He grant that as we find the joy and happiness that smelling the eternal roses brings into our own lives, we will be filled with desire to share them with our families and those around us.

Randall McNeely

Randall McNeely is a husband, father of five, and author. He is also a singer/songwriter and has written several patriotic songs, children’s songs, and multiple religious hymns. The best known is ‘Oh Jesus, Savior of Mankind’, which won a Special Recognition award in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 2008 Music Submission contest. He and two of his daughters have also recorded and released the children’s song Everybody Speaks Smile!

Randy has a firm testimony of Jesus Christ. He is the light and the life of the world. It is said and written of Him that “He went about doing good.” In doing so, He weaved light into the hearts and souls of all with whom He came in contact, both in word and deed. Randy’s desire is to have the same said of him. He wants to have the words and lyrics he writes uplift, inspire, and bless others. To read more articles by Randy visit his Pure Testimony website at www.puretestimony.org.

This morning I’ve been reading in 1 Nephi 3 when Lehi tells Nephi that the Lord wants him and his brothers to go back to Jerusalem and get the brass plates. When speaking to Nephi, Lehi mentions that Laman and Lemuel complained, saying “it [was] a hard thing” that he was requiring of them. Then Lehi explains that it wasn’t a requirement from him, but from the Lord.

As I read this, a question popped immediately into my mind: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” As I read Nephi’s response to his father, Lehi, the answer “No” came to my mind just as quickly.

“I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know he giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (1 Nephi 3:7).

When obtaining the brass plates seemed impossible, and Laman and Lamuel wanted to abandon their efforts, Nephi and Sam exercised faith. As commanded, Nephi went forward—and because of his faith, the Lord opened the way for him to get the brass plates.

The Lord opened up the way for Lehi and his family many more times as they journeyed to the promised land. To give them direction through the wilderness and lead them to the more fertile parts of the land where they could find food and water, the Lord prepared the Liahona. This miraculous tool led Lehi’s family to where they needed to go to hunt for food. Later, when they needed to cross the ocean, the Lord instructed Nephi on how to build a ship.

How to Accomplish Hard Things

However, there is a key in all these things: as with the obtaining of the brass plates, faith proceeded the miracle. The Liahona only worked as the Nephites were faithful. When they allowed themselves to complain or turn from the Lord in any way, they were delayed in their journey, unable to obtain food, and tossed back and forth on the waves of the sea. As soon as they humbled themselves, however, they were once again blessed with guidance and direction and progressed forward in their journey.

Like Lehi and his family, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we too are called upon to do hard things. Each week when we partake of the sacrament, we witness to God that we are willing to take Christ’s name upon us, to always remember Him, and to keep His commandments. In doing so, we accept His invitation to take His yoke upon us. Elder Neal A. Maxwell, in speaking to BYU students in October 1986, gave the following explanation of what that means for “serious disciples”:

Serious disciples are not only urged to do good but also to avoid growing weary of doing good (see Galatians 6:9 and Helaman 10:5).

 

They are not only urged to speak the truth but also to speak the truth in love (see Ephesians 4:15).

 

They are not only urged to endure all things but also to endure them well (see D&C 121:8).

 

They are not only urged to be devoted to God’s cause but also to be prepared to sacrifice all things, giving, if necessary, the last full measure of devotion (see Lectures on Faith 6:7).

 

They are not only to do many things of worth but are also to focus on the weightier matters, the things of most worth (see Matthew 23:23).

 

They are not only urged to forgive but also to forgive seventy times seven (see Matthew 18:21–22).

 

They are not only to be engaged in good causes, but also, they are to be “anxiously engaged” (see D&C 58:27).

 

They are not only to do right but also to do right for the right reasons.

 

They are told to get on the strait and narrow path, but then are told that this is only the beginning, not the end (see 2 Nephi 31:19–20).

 

They are not only to endure enemies but also to pray for them and to love them (see Matthew 5:44).

 

They are urged not only to worship God but, astoundingly, they are instructed to strive to become like him! (See Matthew 5:48; 3 Nephi 12:48, 27:27.)

 

In the midst of all these things,” they are given a Sabbath day for rest, during which they do the sweetest but often the hardest work of all.

 

(Neal A. Maxwell, “Meek and Lowly,” Brigham Young University Devotional, October 21, 1986.)

Looking at this list and contemplating what it implies may seem overwhelming, even daunting. Yet, like Nephi, we can know that the Lord never gives us any commandment, or sets any expectation for us, without preparing a way for our success. He always provides a way for us to be successful in completing any set task He requires of us.

The formula for success is straightforward. Nephi showed us the way.

First, receive the Lord’s direction as given by living prophets and apostles, the scriptures, and through direct revelation from the Holy Ghost—just as Nephi did.

Second, make the best plans we can with the understanding we have—just as Nephi did.

Third, move forward in faith, trusting in God to open the way before us—just as Nephi did.

That list may seem simple and trite, yet it is applicable to each of the experiences laid out above. It is not meant to trivialize the challenges and difficulties we can and will face in our efforts to apply it. Just like Nephi, we may have to travel through our own wilderness for a while and experience tremendous challenges which greatly try our faith. But like Nephi, as we persevere and trust in God, we can know the way will always open before us. It can take time—the Lord’s time—but the way will always open up.

The Lord Always Opens the Way For Us

I know from personal experience that this is true. I grew up in a home where the gospel was taught. However, my father, though he taught the gospel in word, did not live it in deed. He was very abusive verbally and in other ways that not only affected me and my siblings, but others outside my family. He made some very serious mistakes that finally led to his being tried and going to prison for a time.

I was a teenager at the time. As you might imagine, it was a very difficult challenge to deal with. My father’s issues were on the nightly news and in the local newspaper. I suffered from soul-deep feelings of embarrassment and shame. I constantly worried about what my friends were thinking—and I felt all-the-way-to-the-core anger toward my father.

Fortunately for me, my friends rallied around me and buoyed me up rather than rejecting me as they could have. Good teachers and kind leaders helped me carry on. Most importantly, however, the Lord carried me as I strove to move forward with faith.

To read more of Randall’s articles, click here.

With the Lord’s help, I made it through that time, but the anger toward my father festered inside of me for years. I knew I needed to forgive him and let it go. But I couldn’t do it on my own.

Finally, I followed Nephi’s formula. I accepted the direction to forgive. I then moved forward with faith, trusting that the Lord could open the way. I humbled myself, sought counseling, and fasted and prayed over several months with all my heart and soul. At last, after what for me was one of the greatest struggles of my life, through the grace of Jesus Christ, I was able to forgive past mistakes and let the anger go. For the first time in many years, that immense weight was lifted—I was free.

The Lord loves us. Because He loves us, He allows us (and even expects us) to do hard things, for, as He said to the prophet Joseph Smith, “all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7).

Randall McNeely

Randall McNeely is a husband, father of five, and author. He is also a singer/songwriter and has written several patriotic songs, children’s songs, and multiple religious hymns. The best known is ‘Oh Jesus, Savior of Mankind’, which won a Special Recognition award in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 2008 Music Submission contest. He and two of his daughters have also recorded and released the children’s song Everybody Speaks Smile!

Randy has a firm testimony of Jesus Christ. He is the light and the life of the world. It is said and written of Him that “He went about doing good.” In doing so, He weaved light into the hearts and souls of all with whom He came in contact, both in word and deed. Randy’s desire is to have the same said of him. He wants to have the words and lyrics he writes uplift, inspire, and bless others. To read more articles by Randy visit his Pure Testimony website at www.puretestimony.org.

I was reading the verses depicted in this image and couldn’t help but ask myself again, “What does Christ mean by ‘treasures in heaven’?” and “What am I doing each day to lay them up?”

Those are profound questions that can’t be answered in one or two sentences. Why? For me the reason has to do with the fact that the actions required by the answers are lifelong, not something we do in an hour or a day and then are done.

What Does Christ Mean By “Treasures in Heaven”?

Part of the answer to this question is found directly in Matthew 25:34-40:

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

 

35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

 

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

 

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

 

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

 

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

 

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Those who serve Christ will look for ways to bless the lives of others not only when they are hungry or thirsty, but also when they are tired, poor, naked, ill, or in prison—not just physical prison, but spiritual prison induced by poor choices. We will forget ourselves and go to work, ever striving to give a hand to anyone we can within our sphere of influence.

Are there other ways to lay up treasures in heaven? What about taking the time to listen? How about taking the time to play with a child, calling a friend and say hi, or welcoming a new neighbor to the area? All of these actions are acts of service that can lift and encourage the souls around us. How do these things help us lay up treasure? An ancient prophet and king, known in the Book of Mormon as King Benjamin, gives us the answer. It is found in Mosiah 2:17:

17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

When we serve our fellow beings, we serve God. When we serve God, we lay up treasures in heaven through our actions which are recorded by the angels in heaven.

What Am I Doing Each Day to Lay Up “Treasures in Heaven”?

This is a very personal question, and one that we must each answer for ourselves.

What do I do? I pray for God to show me what I can do or to lead me to someone whose life I can bless. I look first to those closest to me, meaning my dear wife, children, and wonderful mother-in-law. What can I do to help them today? How can I serve them? What can I do to bless and uplift them?

To read more of Randall’s articles, click here.

Then I look out from there. Is there a neighbor, either near or far (with today’s technology someone can be halfway around the world and still be a neighbor!), that I can help? We have neighbors next door that we’ve adopted as surrogate grandparents. We get their mail for them. We take the trash out for them. We visit them, talk with them, and listen to them. We shovel the snow for them when needed. These are simple things that bless their lives and for which we receive multitudes of blessings in return.

The list of things we can do to bless others is endless. It is important to remember not to run faster than we have strength. Look for something to do each day, but keep it simple.

One final thought: it is important to remember that there is a key that unlocks the door to heaven’s treasury, where our treasures can be laid. We must always be sure that our motivation for doing what we do is done out of selfless love, just like Christ. Only then will our actions turn the key and open the door. Christ is the keeper of that door and He knows the thoughts, intents, and desires of our hearts.

May each one of us live to hear the Savior say, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).

Randall McNeely

Randall McNeely is a husband, father of five, and author. He is also a singer/songwriter and has written several patriotic songs, children’s songs, and multiple religious hymns. The best known is ‘Oh Jesus, Savior of Mankind’, which won a Special Recognition award in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 2008 Music Submission contest. He and two of his daughters have also recorded and released the children’s song Everybody Speaks Smile!

Randy has a firm testimony of Jesus Christ. He is the light and the life of the world. It is said and written of Him that “He went about doing good.” In doing so, He weaved light into the hearts and souls of all with whom He came in contact, both in word and deed. Randy’s desire is to have the same said of him. He wants to have the words and lyrics he writes uplift, inspire, and bless others. To read more articles by Randy visit his Pure Testimony website at www.puretestimony.org.

Today I started reading again in the Book of Mosiah. Chapter One speaks of King Benjamin, a righteous king who has worked diligently with many prophets to preach and teach the word of God among his people and thereby establish peace throughout all the land.

I’ve read this chapter many times and was struck yet again by the formula for happiness and prosperity that King Benjamin taught his sons as shared in verses 2-7 of Mosiah 1. What is that formula and how does it apply today?

Step 1: Learn to Read So We Can Get an Education

The first step in the formula is to learn to read and have a solid command of our native language, whatever it may be. Why? So that we might become men and women of understanding, particularly spiritual understanding. Reading ability unlocks the door to temporal and spiritual education. To be able to study and learn from written religious documents, especially the scriptures, we have to be able to read, study, and ponder. Only then can we begin, as King Benjamin taught his sons, to know of the prophecies given by the Lord to His holy prophets and also come to understand that those prophecies come by the spirit of revelation.

Step 2: Value the Scriptures and Come to Know They Are True

The second step in the formula is to learn to appreciate the value of the scriptures and know they are true. King Benjamin gives a solemn reminder to his sons that were it not for the brass plates, their father Lehi could never have remembered all of the revelations and teachings of the holy prophets. They were invaluable in helping the Nephites to teach their children the word of God so that they might become men and women strong in the faith of God.

Through the scriptures, the Nephites learned to understand the mysteries of God and His holy commandments so that they might keep them and teach their children to do the same. The Nephites knew that by doing so, they and their children could avoid the horrible state of unbelief and apostasy found among the Lamanites at that time. King Benjamin then testifies that the scriptures are true and that the Nephites can know the truthfulness of them because they have them before their eyes.

As King Benjamin taught his sons, we too must come to appreciate and value the scriptures and know of their truthfulness. We must come to prize their holy words, study them, and teach them to our own children. It was important then and, given the times we live in, it is absolutely vital now. May we ever remember Alma 31:5:

And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

How can we preach and teach the word of God if we don’t value and treasure it? In our day, the Lord spoke to us through the prophet Joseph Smith to give us the following counsel recorded in Doctrine and Covenants (D&C) 84:85:

…treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.

If we desire to help our children as King Benjamin and the Nephites helped their children, we must appreciate what we have, and become men and women of sound understanding ourselves. We can and must do so as we search the scriptures diligently and pray for the Lord to help us to understand them and know they are true. Through our faith, we can, as Moroni promised, know the truth of all things by the power of the Holy Ghost. We can then teach our children the truth and truly bless and protect the lives of our beloved posterity.

Step 3: Keep the Commandments to Prosper in the Land

The third step in the formula is to keep the commandments of God as found in the scriptures and through the words of the holy prophets. King Benjamin urged his sons to search the scriptures diligently that they might profit thereby. How would they profit? They would come to know and understand God’s commandments that they might keep them and, through doing so, prosper in the land.

If we want to bless our children in the same way, we must follow King Benjamin’s example. We must urge them to search the scriptures diligently and to keep the commandments that they might prosper.

To read more of Randall’s articles, click here.

As we learn to read and get an education, come to value and know the truth of the scriptures, and keep the commandments, we will prosper in the land. What does it mean to prosper? It means to be blessed both temporally and spiritually in all that we do. It means to have peace of mind, despite the challenges we face, which will be considerable given the times we live in. It means having strength to endure well through any trials that come our way. It means to have faith, hope and courage. It means to have the resources necessary to take care of ourselves and our families. It means having the Holy Ghost to guide us in wisdom’s paths.

How blessed we are to have the marvelous scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon with the multitude of applicable life lessons it contains. How marvelous it is that we have the opportunity to live in this land where we have great educational opportunities, both spiritually and temporally, that empower us to follow King Benjamin’s formula, if we will. That we may all be wise enough to do so is my humble prayer.

Randall McNeely

Randall McNeely is a husband, father of five, and author. He is also a singer/songwriter and has written several patriotic songs, children’s songs, and multiple religious hymns. The best known is ‘Oh Jesus, Savior of Mankind’, which won a Special Recognition award in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 2008 Music Submission contest. He and two of his daughters have also recorded and released the children’s song Everybody Speaks Smile!

Randy has a firm testimony of Jesus Christ. He is the light and the life of the world. It is said and written of Him that “He went about doing good.” In doing so, He weaved light into the hearts and souls of all with whom He came in contact, both in word and deed. Randy’s desire is to have the same said of him. He wants to have the words and lyrics he writes uplift, inspire, and bless others. To read more articles by Randy visit his Pure Testimony website at www.puretestimony.org.

“Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:63).

This is the final article in a series of four. This article addresses the answer to the final question in the following list:

1. How do we draw near unto Him?
2. Where and how do we diligently seek Him?
3. What should we ask Him?
4. What does it mean to knock and how do we go about it?

Knock?

If you’re anything like me, you’ve looked at the phrase “knock and it shall be opened unto you” and wondered, “What does that really mean? What am I knocking on, and what is ‘it’ that will be opened?” When I think of knocking, I automatically turn to the picture of the Savior knocking on the door and waiting for us to answer.

However, in this case, we are the ones knocking, not the other way around. The ‘it’ in this case, at least to me, is, figuratively, the door of Heaven. Obviously, we can’t physically just walk up, knock on the door and call to someone inside, hoping they’ll hear and let us in. So, what do you and I do?

I pondered on this a lot and prayed for guidance to know what to write. I looked up the topic “knock” on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ website and, not surprisingly, didn’t find any articles that focused specifically on knocking.

Then one morning as I was walking to get some exercise, I listened to a talk by Elder Robert D. Hales entitled “Finding Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ” from October 2004. In that wonderful talk, Elder Hales introduced what I call “the Enos formula.”

The Enos Formula

I know you’re asking, “So, what on earth is The Enos Formula?” It is simply this:

Enos prays to God.

Enos heard God’s word as taught by His servant, Jacob (who was also Enos’ father). Enos let the words of God — taught to him by his father — sink deep into his soul. He soul hungered for righteousness. He then knelt in mighty prayer and supplication for his own soul, the souls of the Nephites, and also their enemies, the Lamanites. After receiving a remission of his own sins and receiving promises on behalf of both the Nephites and Lamanites, Enos was obedient for the rest of his life and spent his life’s strength in teaching the Nephites and doing everything he could, along with many other prophets, to rescue the Lamanites.

Do you recognize the formula?

• Listen to the words of God given through his servants
• Let those words sink deep into your hearts
• Hunger and thirst in your souls for righteousness
• Call upon God in mighty prayer
• Be obedient to all of God’s commandments

As the pattern above shows, in reality the Enos formula encompasses all the admonitions of the Lord given in Doctrine and Covenants 88:63.

Through this amazing pattern, Enos sought God diligently, asked for His guidance and direction, and, through his obedience, he continually knocked on the doors of Heaven and had them open to him. Such a pattern of living enabled him to teach with power and authority among his own people, and gave him the courage and strength to do all in his power to rescue the wayward Lamanites. Because of his faithfulness, as he neared the end of his life, Enos was able to state with confidence:

And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen. (Enos 1:27)

We Can Each Apply This Formula

Like Enos, Joseph Smith followed the same formula. He studied the words of prophets in the Bible. When Joseph read James 1:5, the words sank deep into his heart and he pondered them again and again. He hungered and thirsted after righteousness, desiring to be obedient to God by seeking out His church and joining it. He sought our Father in mighty prayer and received an answer. He was obedient and faithful to God’s commandments and was able to knock continually on Heaven’s doors and have them readily open.

Like Joseph Smith, you and I can follow the same pattern. I know for myself it works. I’ve had many experiences with in which the Lord has blessed me or family members as we’ve followed it. One example will suffice. I’ve shared this experience in much greater detail in a previous article, The Rest of the Story. I will share only an abbreviated version here.

After traveling with my sick boy for nine hours from Manchester England to Chicago, my wife sat cradling him in her arms. In the rush through customs, she’d forgotten to pull out his inhaler. There she sat and poured out her heart to God for help as she didn’t know what to do.

Miraculously, a kind woman next to her asked her how she could help. After explaining the situation, the lady spoke up and said, “I have an inhaler, take a look and see if it is the same kind.” It was. However, my boy was too small and needed a spacer that attached to the inhaler and had a little mask that covered his nose and mouth allowing him to breath in the medicine. My wife explained that and a man next to her then spoke.

“I’m a doctor,” he said. “I know what to do. Does anyone have a plastic cup?”

A woman across the aisle had a cup. They were able to cut a hole, put the inhaler through it, and use the cup as a spacer.

My wife was a faithful covenant keeper who followed the counsel of prophets and apostles. She’d been taught and knew well the power of prayer.  She sought the Lord in righteousness and faith, hungering for Heaven’s blessings as she poured out her soul and knocked mightily on Heaven’s doors. The Lord provided an answer and prepared the way for the people around her to be in the right place at the right time to give her the help both she and my boy so desperately needed.

But the miracle didn’t end there. After my boy’s breathing started to regulate, my sweetheart still felt the strong need for him to receive a priesthood blessing. She knew the chances of finding a priesthood holder in the middle of such a huge airport were slim. She also, knew, however, that if there was one near, God could lead them to her.

To read more of Randall’s articles, click here.

Again, she bowed her head and prayed that God would send missionaries wearing name tags to walk by where she sat so she could recognize them. As soon as she looked up from her prayer, there, walking in the hallway past her gate, was a young Elder with his father. Coincidence? No. Miraculous answer to prayer? Yes!

I know that God lives. He loves us, and greatly desires to bless us. As we follow the Enos formula in our lives, we will always be able to knock on Heaven’s doors and have them open to us, in the Lord’s time, and in a way that will best bless our lives. May God bless us all with the faith and determination to do so.

Randall McNeely

Randall McNeely is a husband, father of five, and author. He is also a singer/songwriter and has written several patriotic songs, children’s songs, and multiple religious hymns. The best known is ‘Oh Jesus, Savior of Mankind’, which won a Special Recognition award in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 2008 Music Submission contest. He and two of his daughters have also recorded and released the children’s song Everybody Speaks Smile!

Randy has a firm testimony of Jesus Christ. He is the light and the life of the world. It is said and written of Him that “He went about doing good.” In doing so, He weaved light into the hearts and souls of all with whom He came in contact, both in word and deed. Randy’s desire is to have the same said of him. He wants to have the words and lyrics he writes uplift, inspire, and bless others. To read more articles by Randy visit his Pure Testimony website at www.puretestimony.org.

This is the third in a series of four articles. This article addresses the answer to the third question in the following list:

1. How do we draw near unto Him?
2. Where and how do we diligently seek Him?
3. What should we ask Him?
4. What does it mean to knock and how do we go about it?

You can find my articles addressing the first and second questions here and here.

Gratitude

Prior to discussing what we should ask God for in our prayers, it is important to note the need for expressing gratitude before asking for the things we desire. I’ve found it helpful in my own life, before I ask Heavenly Father for anything, to “count [the] many blessings” I’ve received because of His tender mercies. Doing so makes it easy to “confess His hand in all things” and come before Him in greater humility. It also strengthens my faith in Him and reminds me of His boundless love for me and His eternal desire to bless and lift me in my life.

What to Ask

Once we’ve expressed gratitude for all our blessings, the question then is “What do we ask for?” The answer to this question is given multiple times in the scriptures.

The Savior taught His disciples in Jerusalem, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:22). That marvelous promise sounds wonderful and gives our hearts hope. However, taken by itself, it could lead us to believe that if we have enough faith, the Lord will give us anything we ask for, which we know is not the case. The Lord gave the Nephites greater insight when He taught them the same principle. In 3 Nephi 18:20 we read:

“And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.”

This verse gives us the key to receiving what we ask for. We can ask Heavenly Father, in Christ’s name, for many things and exercise faith, and they will be given to us. But the things we ask for have to be the “right” things. In other words, they need to be things that Heavenly Father, in His wisdom, knows are the best things for us or for others for whom we may be praying.

This begs the question, however, “How do we know what the ‘right things’ are?” The Savior taught the following to Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and David Witmer, as recorded in D&C 18:18:

“Ask the Father in my name in faith, believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men.”

In other words, the Holy Ghost can help us know which things “are expedient” for us. To have the Holy Ghost, we must be, as Nephi taught, “keeping [the] commandments” with all diligence.

When we are keeping the Lord’s commandments and seeking the Holy Ghost’s guidance to know what to ask for in prayer, we can approach the throne of God with confidence, knowing that He will hear and answer our prayers according to our faith.

We can confidently follow Amulek’s counsel to the Zoramites in which he encouraged them to ask for mercy, blessings on their families, homes and households, protection from their enemies—especially Satan, blessings on their fields (gardens) and animals, and blessings for the welfare of their own souls and the souls of those around them. We can also follow Alma’s counsel to the people of Gideon and ask for “whatsoever things [we] stand in need, both spiritual and temporal.”

What a magnificent thing it is to know that the Master of the Universe is abundantly generous for those who ask appropriately!

I’ve had multiple personal experiences with asking and receiving, many of which are too sacred to share in this venue. However, a simple one will suffice.

Several years ago, I was a leader for eleven-year-old scouts. Our troop was invited to participate with the older scouts in what is knowns as the “Klondike Derby,” a winter campout which often lives up to the spectacularly frigid image conjured by the word Klondike. The camp was in the mountains of Colorado in February and, as if we were in Alaska’s Klondike, it was ridiculously cold and snowy. However, even in those conditions, it was hard to keep teenagers from finding a way to have fun.

At one point the boys were running around in a field of snow chasing each other and throwing snowballs. In the midst of the frosty chaos, one of the boys lost a set of keys. The loss went unnoticed until a few hours later and then a bit of panic set in. All of the boys and leaders began frantically scouring the area where we had been messing around, looking for the keys—an area at least a hundred yards wide and covered in 18 inches of snow. We searched for well over half an hour to no avail, finally returning to camp having decided that the search was useless under the circumstances.

During the chaotic key hunt, however, we’d forgotten to kneel and pray for the Lord’s help. At that moment I felt strongly impressed to do so. Following that impression, I separated myself a little way away from camp and knelt in prayer. I expressed my gratitude to Heavenly Father for the gift of prayer and for the knowledge I had that He was aware of me, that He could hear me, and that if I asked in faith He would answer me. I then explained the situation, knowing that He, if it was His will, could guide me to find the keys, even in that field of snow.

I closed the prayer, and waited for a few moments, listening for any promptings to come. They did come, and I was guided to go and look in an area at the edge of where we had been looking. After walking about twenty or thirty yards, I knelt down, brushed away the snow, and there were the keys. That experience proved to be a testimony-strengthening experience for both myself and each of the boys who were with us.

Just as I asked in faith and received an answer to my pleadings, so too each of us can have the same experience, in multiple ways, throughout our lives if we will live for it. The Lord’s love for us is eternal and His desire to bless us knows no bounds.

With that knowledge, however, knowing that God will give us what we ask for in faith, as we ask for the things which are expedient for us, we have to remember something: sometimes what is expedient for us when we ask, is for God to answer “No.” We all know, especially when we feel that what we are asking for is of extreme importance, that a “No” from God can be very difficult to accept. Yet if we follow the Savior’s example and exercise the same thy-will-be-done humility, all things will “work together for [our] good,.”

Just as I’ve experienced many “Yes” answers to prayer, so too I’ve had several definite “No” answers, for which, over time, I’ve come to profoundly thank our all-wise Creator. Again, a single example will do for illustration.

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When I was in college, right after serving as a missionary to Argentina, I met a girl that I fell head over heels for (or so I thought). We hit it off and had a lot of fun together. Things got serious enough that I asked her to marry me, and she said yes.

Even so, it was short-lived. Both of us had prayed about it and both of us had what I call “Martin Harris moments.” We got “No” for an answer but weren’t willing to accept it and kept our engagement. Then she finally recognized the “No” and broke things off.

At the time, it really hurt, but later, after meeting my beautiful sweetheart, how I thanked God for His loving answer. Now, after having five beautiful children, and looking through the eyes of eternity at my beautiful wife and kids, words can’t begin to express the gratitude I feel for God’s kindness in saying “No.”

God lives! He hears and answers prayers! He loves us and desires with all His heart to be able to rain down blessings on our heads if we will ask in faith and act in faith so that we can receive all that He wants to give us.

May we have the faith, the humility, the wisdom, and the courage to ask for “whatsoever [we] stand in need,” trusting that an all-wise, kind, and eternally loving Heavenly Father will answer in His own way and time, is my humble prayer.

Randall McNeely

Randall McNeely is a husband, father of five, and author. He is also a singer/songwriter and has written several patriotic songs, children’s songs, and multiple religious hymns. The best known is ‘Oh Jesus, Savior of Mankind’, which won a Special Recognition award in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 2008 Music Submission contest. He and two of his daughters have also recorded and released the children’s song Everybody Speaks Smile!

Randy has a firm testimony of Jesus Christ. He is the light and the life of the world. It is said and written of Him that “He went about doing good.” In doing so, He weaved light into the hearts and souls of all with whom He came in contact, both in word and deed. Randy’s desire is to have the same said of him. He wants to have the words and lyrics he writes uplift, inspire, and bless others. To read more articles by Randy visit his Pure Testimony website at www.puretestimony.org.