Ether 5-6

Ether 5

Moroni prophesies there will be “three witnesses” who get to see these plates as they “assist to bring forth this work” in translating them. When Joseph Smith was translating the Book of Mormon in 1829, he was allowed by God to show the plates to 3 witnesses. Actually, an angel showed them to the witnesses. You can read their witness statement at the beginning of the Book of Mormon:

TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES  

All three of these men stayed true to this account, even though some did not stay with the church. I wish there was time/space to tell you more stories about the translation of the Book of Mormon and the Three Witnesses. Church history is very, very cool and full of miracles.

Ether 6

I’ve been thinking about this chapter all week and the improved perspective it has given me on my personal challenges.  

The Jaredites' journey begins as they load up their barges and set sail into the open ocean. God was their only navigator, and he caused that “there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind (vs. 5).”

So the wind is good, because it’s whole purpose is to get them to where they are trying to go. But it isn’t pleasant. “They were many times buried in the depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused by the fierceness of the wind (vs. 6).” And get this: “the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters (vs. 8).” I don’t know about you, but this sounds like torture to me. They are being blown and rocked and dunked across the entire ocean, non-stop. Makes you sea-sick and claustrophobic just reading about it!

Why was the fierce wind necessary? Well, it says by the time they get to the promised land that they’ve been on the ocean for almost a YEAR! If God didn’t send the fierce winds, they probably would have been stuck and sea sick in these cramped, semi-lit, dish-like boxes for double the time.

I think the Jaredites must have known and remembered that the obnoxious wind was actually a blessing from God because it this was their attitude during the journey:

9 And they did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord.

Wow! What a beautiful, constant attitude of gratitude they had in a really uncomfortable (and frightening!) circumstance. I’m really touched by this, and this week whenever something frustrating or difficult has occurred, I’ve tried to remember the wind. I’m on a journey, trying to become the person God wants me to be and make the life He wants me to make, and the winds are blowing me in the right direction. So rather than resenting the winds, I want to let them move me!