~by Michelle

Exodus 14 is one of my favorite chapters in the Old Testament. Besides containing the amazing miracle of the parting of the Red Sea, I also appreciate the commentary on human nature contained in these verses. It’s easy to look at the children of Israel and roll our eyes, but to me, they represent the human nature in all of us that can tend toward complaint, fear, pain avoidance, and false narratives (which, ironically, cause us more pain). Life isn’t easy, and barriers come along the way that can leave us feeling a lot like they did.

There are also some amazing life mantras from Moses in this chapter, such as “fear ye not, stand still” and “hold your peace.”

But God had something to add to Moses’ words to the people. It was, “Go forward.”

I sometimes imagine the children of Israel looking at the sea of water in front of them and thinking, “Um, Moses, we are being chased and there’s this thing called the Red Sea in our way. We are trapped! We have plenty of things to be afraid of here! Could you get real and take us back to where things were predictable?” [Sometimes even misery can be preferred to the unknown, simply because it’s known.]

Moses knew that things would be okay. How? Because he was listening to the Lord, and he was ready to follow the instructions he had received.

What’s fascinating to me is that the instructions he received were relatively simple. He was told to speak and to hold up his staff.

In The Church of Jesus Christ, we have additional books of scripture that shed more light on the story of Moses and the children of Israel. One such scripture is found in Doctrine and Covenants 8:-2-3.

Here Jesus Christ (the same God — known as Jehovah in the Old Testament — who guided and helped Moses in the deliverance of the children of Israel) is talking through the prophet Joseph Smith to Oliver Cowdery. Oliver was helping as a scribe when Joseph was translating the plates on which the ancient scripture found in The Book of Mormon were written.

In this chapter, the Lord teaches about how divine guidance from Him works.

2 [B]ehold, I will ^atell you in your mind and in your ^bheart, by the ^cHoly Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.

3 Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation…

These verses describe how any of us can receive answers and guidance from the Lord, through the Holy Ghost.

But the second part of verse 3 is stunning to me:

…behold, this is the spirit by which Moses ^abrought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.

How did Moses part the Red Sea? He simply received and followed revelation. He acted in faith on the relatively simple instructions he received. He responded and trusted.

And then the Lord parted the sea.

And Moses stretched out his hand over the ^asea; and the Lord ^bcaused the ^csea to ^dgo back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea ^edry land, and the ^fwaters were ^gdivided. (Exodus 14:21)

Sometimes it can feel like we are facing an impossible Red Sea in our lives. The Lord’s teaching through Joseph Smith about the parting of the Red Sea gives me hope for such times. All we have to do is get guidance for our relatively simple part (our “next right thing(s)”) and then watch to see how the Lord will help clear the way forward.

Other miracles in the Bible share a similar message. Just go wash in the Jordan. Just make this cake first. Just look at the serpent on the pole (see how this and other stories abotu Moses and the children of Israel get some wonderful attention in the Book of Mormon). Just let those carrying the ark of the covenant put their toes into the water. Take a step into (or onto) the water. Just wash this spittle off your eyes. Just draw some water from that well.

Just “Follow me.”

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, our prophet today points us to Jesus. He says, “Hear Him.” We can hear Him through a living prophet (like a Moses in our day) . And if we seek the Lord’s guidance in our lives, He’ll keep giving us personal guidance as well that can allow even more of His power and peace to flow.

What’s your next right step that the Lord is inviting you to do? Don’t focus on the sea in front of you, focus on Him, and let Him part the sea in His time and way.

Just Hear Him...”in your mind and in your heart…by the Holy Ghost…which…is the spirit of revelation.”

This post is edited from the original.

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As I sat in our Sunday School class last week, I was struck again by what a treasure the Doctrine and Covenants is to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But I was also struck as we read the Introduction by how the Doctrine and Covenants could help those not of our faith understand more about Mormon beliefs and doctrine. I thought of our readers here at Mormon Women who are curious about Mormonism, and so I would like to introduce you to the Doctrine and Covenants as a resource to understand more about Mormon beliefs, Church organization, Church history, and, most importantly, our belief in Jesus Christ.

The Doctrine and Covenants is a compilation of revelations, most of which were received through Joseph Smith. The voice speaking in all but a couple of the sections is Jesus Christ — a latter-day record of His dealings and His words and His teachings. That fact alone teaches much about what Mormons believe — we believe that just as God spoke through prophets and apostles in ancient times, He has spoken in more recent times as well. We believe He continues to speak to us through living prophets, which is why our General Conferences are so important to us.

The Doctrine and Covenants is part of the scriptural canon for Mormons, along with the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Pearl of Great Price. In the revelations of the Doctrine and Covenants,

the doctrines of the gospel are set forth with explanations about such fundamental matters as the nature of the Godhead, the origin of man, the reality of Satan, the purpose of mortality, the necessity for obedience, the need for repentance, the workings of the Holy Spirit, the ordinances and performances that pertain to salvation, the destiny of the earth, the future conditions of man after the Resurrection and the Judgment, the eternity of the marriage relationship, and the eternal nature of the family. Likewise, the gradual unfolding of the administrative structure of the Church is shown with the calling of bishops, the First Presidency, the Council of the Twelve, and the Seventy and the establishment of other presiding offices and quorums. Finally, the testimony that is given of Jesus Christ—his divinity, his majesty, his perfection, his love, and his redeeming power—makes this book of great value to the human family and of more worth than the riches of the whole earth.

We know as Mormons that we are often known for talking a lot about The Book of Mormon (and how that book compliments the Bible as another testament of Jesus Christ and His dealings with ancient people living on the American continent). But I’m not sure many people know as much about the Doctrine and Covenants, and it’s another book that can help people understand our faith.

Many of the revelations serve a sort of double purpose — they were addressed to individuals who played a role in early Church history, but they also often contain teachings and messages for us. As always when engaging scripture, we are encouraged to understand both the historical context but also the personal application of principles that may be taught. And, as always, we are encouraged to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance in knowing what God would have us learn and ponder.

We invite those who may be interested in our faith to peruse the Doctrine and Covenants as part of your search for more information about our doctrine and beliefs. And if you are interested in understanding more of some basic church history, read along with us in Our Heritage: A Brief History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is also being used as part of the Sunday School curriculum this year.

The study guide for our Sunday School course this year can be found here: Doctrine and Covenants and Church History

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My missionary companion and I were talking to someone when we heard a voice calling to us. Shocked, we turned to see Roberto running toward us. We hadn’t seen him for several weeks; we had given him a Book of Mormon and tried to teach him more about the Church, but at first, it didn’t seem like he was very interested, and we didn’t want to push him if he wasn’t ready to hear more.

But on this day, he was bursting with excitement. He explained that he had been on the bus, had seen us on the street, and felt an impulse to get off the bus to talk to us.

What had changed?

He had read The Book of Mormon. Nephi [a Book of Mormon prophet] had become his hero. Reading that book opened his heart, and changed his life. Over the course of the next few weeks and months, he continued to learn more. Two and a half weeks before I left the country, he was baptized. He gave up his dream of being in the military in his country, and served a mission himself.

Nephi has become one of my heroes as well. During a particularly difficult time last year, I read The Book of Mormon with a very specific purpose in mind. I needed guidance and answers about the challenges I was facing. I was amazed to find insights on nearly every page. With a fine pencil, I made notes about the things I learned. I still benefit from those notes, and feel a great sense of wonder that words written so long ago could have such deep significance for me.

And how many times that has happened! So often, I go to scriptures I have read repeatedly throughout my life, and yet, I see and feel something new. The scriptures are a marvel to me.

Nephi says,

[F]east upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

One way this has been true in my life is not simply because of what the words on the page say, but also because of how feasting on — earnestly studying, pondering, and praying about — the word of God helps bring the Lord’s Spirit into my life. The more I make time for and open my heart to the word of God, the more I feel His love and personal guidance. The more I understand how to face the challenges of life. The more I understand the Savior and His atonement, and what I need to do to draw closer to Him and to Heavenly Father.

Elder Robert D. Hales, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve apostles, said this:

What a glorious blessing! For when we want to speak to God, we pray. And when we want Him to speak to us, we search the scriptures; for His words are spoken through His prophets. He will then teach us as we listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Several years ago, I wanted to learn more about the temple. One night, I spent over an hour studying in the Bible Dictionary and in the Old Testament. And I had a significant a-ha experience that helped me understand more about the ancient roots of temple worship. God answered the desires of my heart through the power of the scriptures. Over the course of the next several weeks, I studied more and came to love the temple more through the power of the scriptures and the words of living prophets.

Today, I lay on my bed listening to talks from men whom we sustain to be living prophets and apostles. They speak to us twice a year in our General Conferences. As is often the case, I was listening to their counsel with specific questions and needs in mind. And I received specific guidance, anchors for the challenges I am currently facing. I simply can’t make it alone. I need God and His word to help me!

The examples of legion, from my life and from the lives of hundreds of people I know. I cannot adequately express the gratitude I have for the word of God. I know the scriptures are true. I know God speaks through prophets in our day as well. The words of prophets, both ancient and modern, are my lifeline. The power in their teachings is real. As I seek to follow their teachings, I find peace and perspective.

Once again, I share from Elder Hales:

If you have not heard His voice speaking to you lately, return with new eyes and new ears to the scriptures….
As with voices from the dust, the prophets of the Lord cry out to us on earth today: take hold of the scriptures! Cling to them, walk by them, live by them, rejoice in them, feast on them. Don’t nibble. They are “the power of God unto salvation” that lead us back to our Savior Jesus Christ.

And this, so that we may someday return to live with our Father in Heaven again.

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