An Example of Strength...

Do you ever have mood swings? or am I the only one?

Some days I seem to spend the whole day in front of my computer screen, and others I just don't want to even sit down. I've had a lot of the latter type days lately.

I've been going to the chiropractor every Saturday for quite a while. He kinda groans when he adjusts my back, and tells me I'm really tight. Every week the same thing. I don't try to be tense, but with all the junk life keeps throwing at me, I guess it is expected. My appointments have also been early in the morning, early like 7:45am. I've had to borrow Tiffany's car and early was the only way I could be sure I could get there. Being so early means I am still stiff from the night.

Today I did something different. I went to my appointment 20 minutes early. I was able to walk around the block a few times and get my muscles loosened up. It made a difference. I wasn't as stiff. I also completed my walk after the adjustment before I got in the car to go home. I have found that walking after an adjustment helps it to stay put longer.

I've spent the week alone in my apartment. At least alone at night. I used to think I would love to be alone, when I had all those kids running around and making so much noise I couldn't hear myself think. But now that it is quiet, I am lonely. Not so much lonely for the constant crying and fighting of kids, but for someone to just be there.

I was talking with Bridgette about this the other day when we went to the temple. The temple is such a peaceful place, so close to God. I mentioned to her how I have been thinking of Moroni a lot lately. Of how he spent years all by himself after his people were all dead. I wonder how he did it. The loneliness must have been so difficult for him. Yet he continued on and finished the work the Lord asked him to do.

For those who are not familiar with who Moroni was, he was the final writer of the Book of Mormon. There were actually two men named Moroni. The first was a righteous young man who became captain of the Nephite army about 74BC. This was Captain Moroni. The second was alive about 400AD, and as I said, was the final writer. He was the son of Mormon, another great leader and prophet. He spent the last 20 or so years alone, obeying the commandment to finish the work and seal up the book to the Lord to be brought forth when the Lord saw fit.

There were two main factions of the early American people, who later became known as American Indians or Native Americans. The factions were known as Nephites and Lamanites. They all came from the same family, the father being Lehi, who was led out of Jerusalem about 600BC, right before it fell. The two oldest sons were not that righteous and they split off and named themselves after the eldest son, Laman. Lehi also had a son named Nephi, who was very righteous, and the people who stayed true to God named themselves after him.

So, over the thousand years the Book of Mormon covers, these people, the Nephites and the Lamanites, were almost always fighting. The reason is pretty similar to the fighting between the Jews and the Arabs. Land inheritance and birthright. Sometimes the loyalty to God switched sides though. Sometimes the Nephites were the wicked ones and the Lamanites were the more righteous.

Near the end of the book, about 400BC, both sides were wicked. Both sides had forgotten God, except a few. Mormon was a righteous man and prophet. He tried to warn the people, to get them to change, but they would not listen. He began the work of abridging the records kept by the prophets and leaders. There were a lot of records to be condensed down into what we now have. His son, Moroni, finished it. By the time Moroni took over, his father and all his people were gone. Killed in a last great battle. The people were fallen because they refused to hear the word of the Lord. They would not repent, they doomed themselves.

I think about Moroni and it gives me strength to go on. I am only alone inside my apartment. He was alone in the world. He had to hide himself from his enemies or he would have been killed too. He had to finish the Lord's work, even though the price was terrible loneliness. He was faithful despite the hardship. He is one of my examples of strength to look to. He is a hero to me.

As I read the stories of the wickedness and resulting battles, I look at the world today. How close are we, as a people, to the final days as well? There is so much wickedness in the world, so many have forgotten God and all He has done for us. How much longer will he stay His mighty hand? Where will I find myself when His hand finally falls?

I pray I will continue to remember my heroes. I will continue to follow the examples of the faithful ones and be able to be numbered with them. I also pray that those I know and love will do the same.