Monday, September 14, 2015

Like Corihor and Shule

I am grateful for all the life contained within the pages of the Book of Mormon.  These are real people making real mistakes.  They repent.  They try again.  Things are good, but not for very long...

Ether 7 is an overview of the kingdoms and wars of the Jaradite people.  In Ether 6, Jared and his brother are growing old and ask of their people if there is anything more they can do for them before they die.  The people ask for a king.  The brother of Jared warns this will lead them to captivity, but they do end up with a king, Orihah, the son of Jared.  He is righteous and so leads the people well, but soon enough trouble is brewing.

Kib is the son of Orihah and becomes king after his father.  Kib's son, Corihor rebels against Kib and draws away many people with him.  He eventually raises and army and takes his father captive.  Kib has a son named Shule while in captivity, and Shule grows up to be a big, strong man who is angry at his brother for holding their father captive.  So Shule raises an army and attacks his brother.  He frees his father and restores him to the throne.  Kib is old and so bestows the kingdom on Shule.  Chapter 7 documents other conflicts after this one, but it is verse 13 that caught my attention.  It reads:
"And Corihor repented of the many evils which he had done; wherefore Shule gave him power in his kingdom."
 Corihor repented.  He must of sought forgiveness of his brother, although I imagine when he saw the error of his ways, he must have felt great shame and sorrow for his actions.  So many times people can't get over that realization that they have done wrong.  They continue to excuse themselves and rationalize, and so they can never repent and move on.  Way to go, Corihor!  Thank you for your example.  Shule is no less amazing.  The son born in captivity forgives his brother--forgives him so completely that he gives him power in his kingdom even though the evil he committed concerned usurping power in the kingdom.  Wow.  I hope I can repent of wrong doings as completely as Corihor, and I hope I can be forgiving like Shule.

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Trip to the Promised Land

The trip to the promised land made by Jared, his brother, and their family and friends sounds like a difficult one.  In Ether 6:5-6 is says:
"...the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind.  And it came to pass that they were many times buried in the depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused by the fierceness of the wind."
What really struck me in this chapter was the humility and gratitude of the people traveling in these difficult conditions.  In Ether 6:11 it tells us that "they were driven forth three hundred and forty and four days upon the water."  Wow.  That is a long time.  For nearly a year they were in that ship, but they made the trip with gratitude in their hearts.  In Ether 6:9 it says:
"And they did sing praises unto the Lord...all day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord." 
 Verse 12 reads:
"And they did land upon the shore of the promised land.  And when they had set their feet upon the shores of the promised land they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them."
It sounds like there was no grumbling about the rough trip, or the length of time they had to endure it.  I can learn a lot from their example.