Learn In Thy Youth

In the 37th Chapter of Alma the message of the atonement is once again emphasized. Heleman is apparently still quite young, though old enough to be serving a mission of some sort. Age and youth, I have discovered, are relative. As I was preparing to take the bar exam in Washington, I rented a motel room near the testing center as we were advised not to take the chance of an accident or, as was more likely in my case, that the car would break down. Watching TV that evening, I saw an interview with John Wayne wherein he said that as a young man of 50, he did his best work. At the time, I was surprised that he thought of 50 as being young. A similar thing happened some years later when my father-in-law stated that 50 - 60 was the best time to be alive because you could get so much done.

So when Heleman is advised to remember and learn wisdom in his youth and to learn in his youth to keep the commandments of God, the counsel applies to everyone who still has breath, and who has felt the promptings to stop procrastinating for whatever reason, in my opinion. I am well beyond youth and still have need to heed his counsel.

Once again, we are told to cry unto the Lord for our sustenance, but this time we are counseled to rely on the Lord for direction wherever we may go. Apparently, we are to rely on the promptings of the Spirit in everything including what we do from day to day. We are often counseled to follow our passions in order to become successful. In this scripture, we are counseled to let our thoughts be directed unto the Lord and to "...let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever." (v. 36) Follow our passions, but allow for the Spirit to direct them. You will likely find passions you didn't know were in you.

In other words, verses 36-37 counsel us not to compartmentalize our lives. We work or study or do whatever we need and want to during the day, then get religious at prayer time and when we read our scriptures. Here we are counseled to pray with the intent to ask for and follow direction, then we can expect the Lord to direct us. At night he will protect us.

In all things we are to be grateful and constantly give thanks to God.

In my experience, we do not sit and wait for God to tell us what to do or where to go, but we are constantly open to opportunities to serve, to change direction or to improve. We must be prepared to follow the promptings when moved even if it is seemingly illogical. A life filled with the experiences this brings is a life truly explored and lived. This kind of fullness in life is not only possible, it is promised. We must, however, be prepared for it. The chapter goes on to compare the scriptures to the Liahona. They will be our guide, only if we pick them up and read them with the intent to follow their direction. Imagine looking at the pointers in the Liahona and thinking, "that's interesting," then going a different direction. In Alma's words, "...take care of sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live." It is the only fulfilling life in the end.