"...willing to...comfort those that stand in need of comfort..." (Mosiah 18:9)

Just a few thoughts on "comfort":

When we get baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we make the covenant to be "willing to...comfort those that stand in need of comfort..." (Mosiah 18:9). I feel it's worth asking what does it mean to comfort someone? The definition from Merriam/Webster says, "Comfort: 1) give strength and hope; cheer. 2) to ease the grief or trouble of; console" (comfort).

How are you comforted or what brings you comfort, hope, strength, cheer, or eases your grief or troubles? Frequently I seek comfort and cheer in food, chocolate, and/or sugar. But that is very short-lived because I eat it too fast, but boy it tastes good! I experience comfort in feeling safe and secure, in feeling loved and cared for- I find this comfort at home with my family, with friends, and spending time with my loved ones. I also find great comfort in studying and pondering the words of Christ in the scriptures. In doing so, I hear Him (Mark9:7; 3 Nephi 11:7; Joseph Smith History 1:17; see also Hear Him) and I often feel comforted even when my challenges do not dissipate. I ask "what brings you comfort" because when we can identify what brings us comfort, it is often the same ways in which others find or will experience comfort. Thus, you can find simple ways to "comfort, offering strength, cheer, ease the grief or trouble, or console" another simply by sharing what you know will bring you comfort. 

I love the plea of Alma the younger to the Lord for comfort:

"O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people. O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success, and also my fellow laborers who are with me-...yea, even all these wilt thou comfort, O Lord. Yea, wilt thou comfort their souls in Christ" (Alma 31:31-32 italics added).

He is pleading that his soul may be comforted in Christ. I believe Alma is expressing what will bring him comfort, which is strength, and to "suffer with patience" his afflictions. Think about what it means to you to have your soul comforted in Christ. How does Christ comfort your soul? I find great comfort in the promises of peace and rest that Christ offers us again and again (see Matthew 11:28-30; John 14:27; John 16:33; D&C 19:23; Alma 58:11; see also Peace of God).

Another verse that touched my heart was when Alma (the father of Alma the younger), receives a reply from the Lord after pleading for the welfare of his people.

"The voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage" (Mosiah 24:13 italics added). 

Good comfort...I believe when I trust the Lord and trust my covenants, I receive "good comfort". God keeps His covenants, and He will help us keep ours. The truth that I can repent again and again, that I get to keep trying over and over brings me good comfort. Another "good comfort" is the plan of happiness also called the plan of salvation, the plan of redemption, the merciful plan, or the plan of God (you can search all of those here.)  

 

Please notice, Alma and his people do not receive an immediate release from captivity, but the Lord does "ease the burdens which are put upon [their] shoulders, that even [they] cannot feel them upon [their] backs, even while [they] are in bondage..." (Mosiah 24:14). Think about the comfort that comes as we are given the strength to endure the challenges of life. The comfort of the Holy Ghost, which is called, The Comforter (John 14:26-27). The ability to endure the challenges of life is good comfort!

Our Father in Heaven does the same for each of us when we are in "bondage" or suffering. He is the "God of all comfort" (2 Corinthians 1:3). He comforts us by giving us the strength to endure the things we cannot carry on our own (see Job 12:13,16,21). He comforts us by giving us hope when there seems to be little to no hope (see Psalm 130:5,7). He comforts as we exercise faith in Him as He said, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (see John 16:33).

I know God blesses us and helps us as we comfort those that stand in need of comfort. As Elder Eyring said, we "Lighten the loads of those best by helping the Lord strengthen them" (The Comforter). I have found that when I strengthen and comfort others I am also strengthened and receive comfort. I know He will help us as we serve and care for one another, even cheer, and comfort by small and simple acts of kindness and love. 

I receive comfort when I spend time with loved ones

I receive comfort when I spend time in nature

Remember, You are SO loved!

"...he trieth their patience and their faith." (Mosiah 23:21)

I need to just share a quick thought about this one verse- (please forgive me for my mistakes and/or misspellings, it is very late but needs to be done). "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith" (Mosiah 23:21). The fact that the Lord deems it appropriate to try our faith and our patience at the same time says a lot about us and our development. When we exercise faith in Jesus Christ we are not only saying that we believe He knows what we need to learn and develop, but also the when. 

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, "...patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because or our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can- working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude (courage in pain or adversity), even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!" (Continue in Patience).

I know we all have challenges that keep us from getting what we want in the timing we want. It's not easy being patient. So, I have had to ask myself what keeps me from being patient? When I take a step back I often find it is simply pride and selfishness. Pride because I think I know exactly what I "need" and that I believe it is good for me. And selfishness because I can't wait calmly and with dignity. Rather, I want to make everyone either aware of how miserable I am or make everyone as miserable as I am. That's pretty dang selfish.

Gratefully, God is aware of this "natural man" part of us (see Mosiah 3:19) and He helps us even when we are weak. He makes our burdens lighter, He makes them bearable. He says, "I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage". Why does He do this? He continues: "and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions" (Mosiah 24:14). When we are patient, He eases our burdens, which in turn increases our faith in Him. And then makes us able to "bear up [our] burdens with ease" (Mosiah 24:15), giving us more patience, and leading us again to increase our faith. In all of this cycle, He visits us and helps us carry our burdens (see Matt. 11:30)

I know that God has His reasons for trying our faith and our patience. I also know He gives us the strength to endure well- submitting "cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord" (Mosiah 24:15; see also Mosiah 3:19). You can do this! This is I testify.

I get to "hangout" with my mom a couple of times a week as she is on hospice.

I am so grateful for her example of faith and patience.