Something I Want to Remember

A week ago Friday evening, we were in the car, traveling that familiar route to Brad's parents. The kids were all settled in & happily watching a movie, Ben was asleep, and all was quiet (a bit of a miracle with 4 kids in the car!) I could not wait to pick up Snowflower & the Secret Fan to begin reading it. My book club was on Tuesday evening & I had yet to read the book. I was within inches of my book when Brad reached up & handed me a thin leather book that looked & felt an awful lot like scriptures and said, "why don't you read me a little of my book before it gets dark." The book was his leather bound edition of The Infinite Atonement (by Tad Callister). I will admit that inside, I was thinking, "I don't really want to read that right now. It's Friday night! Can't I do something fun on Friday night? It sounds kind of boring & my book sounds much more exciting."

Even though those were my thoughts (which I am certainly not proud of), I obliged and read to Brad. After all, he hardly ever asks me to do anything, so how could I say no? At first my reading was purely obligatory, but as I read from the section on "overcoming weaknesses, inadequacies, and shortcomings", I came to realize this was a something I really needed to read. The words that seemed difficult & awkward to read aloud at first, became interesting and personal to me. Though I've heard similar messages before, the words I read spoke directly to me. I want to record a few excerpts from the book that meant so much to me so that I can easily reference them when I need them. Here they are -

"Regardless of the depth or multiplicity of our individual weaknesses, the Atonement is always there. Therein lies the beauty and genius - it is never beyond our grasp. The Savior is always standing by, anxiously longing to endow us with those powers that will convert our every weakness to a strength. The LDS Bible Dictionary puts every man's need for this power in perspective: 'Divine grace is needed by every soul in consequence of the fall of Adam and also because of man's weaknesses and shortcomings.'"

From the Book of Mormon - "Moroni, as he abridged the plates of Ether lamented to the Lord that the Gentiles would mock his writing . . . In response to Moroni's fears, the Lord gave this magnificent promise: 'I give men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them' (Ether 12:27). What power in that promise! The Lord promised much more than overcoming of our weaknesses - he proclaimed they could become strengths in our lives. What a difference in perspective! What a difference in consequence!"

"The power to convert a weakness to a strength is possible through the grace of Christ, but the Lord has imposed two prerequisites, humility and faith. If these requirements are satisfied, the grace of Christ becomes like a booster rocket that powers and lifts us above our weaknesses. That is what James taught: 'God . . . giveth grace unto the humble . . . Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.' (James 4:6, 10; see also 1 Peter 5:5). Isaiah likewise wrote of this lifting, soaring power: 'He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength . . . They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles' (Isaiah 40:29, 31).

The author then compares & contrasts the experiences of 2 prophets - Moses & Enoch - who both told the Lord they were "slow of speech" when they were asked to do something that required a great speaking talent. These prophets handled their situations in very different ways - Moses asked for a spokesperson - which he got, but nothing more - where Enoch turned his weakness into an amazing strength. I just love the prospect of taking some weakness I possess & turning it into a strength. That would be such a miracle. I don't know about you, but I would really like to "mount up with wings as eagles". Hmmmm - I wonder where I should start . . . . how about not having a bad attitude about reading a "church" book on a Friday night!