Laman and Lemuel Perspective

Last week, we had a special visitor at our Stake Conference, Elder Kevin J. Worthen. Elder Worthen grew up in Price, UT and it was a special blessing to learn from him. In the adult session on Saturday night, Elder Worthen shared some thoughts about the Book of Mormon. He said, "One time I read the BOM and had a different perspective on Laman and Lemuel. I realized I was more like them than I wanted to admit."

He went on to give examples of Laman and Lemuel's obedience:

• Lehi had the vision and moved his family from Jerusalem. Laman and Lemuel went
• They were asked to go get the plates. They went.
• They were asked to go get Ishmael's family. They went...a little more willing this time.
• They were asked to help Nephi build a boat- eventually they helped.
• They were asked to get on the boat...not knowing if it would float. They went.

One word to describe Laman and Lemuel would be: murmur.

We learn two things about murmuring:

1. Other people don't like it.

2. It hurts you spiritually even more than others.

In 1 Nephi 2:4 we are given more information of why Laman and Lemule murmured. It states Laman and Lemuel murmer because "the Lord maketh known no such things unto them."

Elder Worthen challenged us to step back and look at the big picture when we find ourselves murmuring about our circumstances. The whole purpose of our lives is to make us more like Jesus Christ through our tests and trials. When we forget this we tend to murmur. 

At this point in his talk, I realized I am like Laman and Lemuel: I try to be as obedient as I can to what the Lord has asked of me, but there is one thing I am constantly murmuring about: My marriage. In 2015 I found out that my husband has suffered silently for years with Same Sex Attraction (SSA) along with pornography. Many times I have been carried by Christ and felt peace, but other times I would murmur to Him about how my life wasn't playing out how I planned it should be. How were we supposed to have a "normal" marriage when he, my husband, struggled with these things? There was always a thought that someone tricked me into this. 

When my husband and I were dating, I had an unmistakable feeling that this was right! And in the adult session that night, Heavenly Father blessed me with the reassurance that what I am going though is all part of His eternal plan for me! It was always apart of my plan...and EVERYTHING- including my marriage and family- will be okay!

The following story was shared by a lady earlier in the meeting and Elder Worthen referred back to it. The story gives a beautiful image of what our lives are really like and how merciful, kind, and loving our Heavenly Father is to us, His children. Nothing that happens in our lives is ever a surprise to Him. He sees all and is working on a beautiful picture for us if we will but be patient and trust in Him.

"When I was a little boy, my mother used to embroider a great deal. I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was doing. She informed me that she was embroidering. I told her that it looked like a mess from where I was. As from the underside I watched her work within the boundaries of the little round hoop that she held in her hand, I complained to her that it sure looked messy from where I sat. She would smile at me, look down and gently say, “My son, you go about your playing for a while, and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put you on my knee and let you see it from my side.”
I would wonder why she was using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed so jumbled from my view. A few minutes would pass and then I would hear Mother’s voice say, “Son, come and sit on my knee.”
This I did only to be surprised and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or a sunset. I could not believe it, because from underneath it looked so messy.
Then Mother would say to me, “My son, from underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a pre-drawn plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it. Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing.”
Many times through the years I have looked up to my Heavenly Father and said, “Father, what are You doing?” He has answered, “I am embroidering your life.” I say, “But it looks like a mess to me. It seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can’t they all be bright?”
The Father seems to tell me, “My child, you go about your business of doing My business, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on My knee and you will see the plan from My side.”
Author Unknown"

I want to finish with my testimony of a loving Father in Heaven and our only true Friend, Jesus Christ. I know Jesus Christ lives! I know He loves me and He loves you. I know He is in the details of my life and your life. The Holy Ghost can bring incomprehensible peace during times of trial and testing. I know that Jesus Christ is the only One who can hush our fears because He knows what we truly need. Because of what we know, have, and are, "There really is no cause for murmuring." Elder Kevin J. Worthen

Together in the fight—

Anonymous Warrior Mom

For more study on this, you can read a talk given by President of BYU Kevin J Worthen given in September 8, 2015 Titled, "Building Character" https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/kevin-j-worthen_building-character/