Wilderness Survival

This week I’ve been thinking about wildernesses. Part of this is probably because I’ve been thinking a Marine student soon to be deployed to Afghanistan—I’ve been trying to imagine what it’s going to be like for him. From whatever I’ve seen, it sure looks barren—a wilderness. However, for members of the church, a wilderness doesn’t mean that it is God-forsaken. Think of the wilderness experiences in the scriptures and church history. Of course, there’s Moses and the children of Israel, Lehi and his family, Zion’s Camp, the Mormon Battalion, Joseph’s Liberty Jail, and the Saints exodus from Nauvoo. In all cases, the wilderness experience becomes a spiritual training/proving ground that results in glorious blessings—a promised land. Think specifically of Lehi’s family and the Prophet Joseph. Look at all of Nephi’s learned lessons: the Brass plates, the Tree of Life, the broken bow, the sweetened uncooked meat, the ship building, the sea crossing, the great division and separation of the family—all of these take place in the wilderness. Yes, these are incredibly difficult experiences, but also notice that Lehi’s family is led by angels, the Holy Ghost in the form of a man, visions of the Savior, the Liahona giving directions and counsel. I wonder if those wonderful blessings would have happened had they not been in the wilderness.

Think of the Prophet Joseph in Liberty Jail. This weekend, I reread D&C 121-123 which are his letters from Liberty Jail. Those sections, particularly, D&C 121 include some of the most sublime language, pleading, and assurance in all of scripture. Elder Neal A. Maxwell has called this Joseph’s Liberty Temple experience—a temple in a wilderness.

President James E. Faust has said, “In the agonies of life, we seem to listen better to the faint, godly whisperings of the Divine Shepherd.” And President Spencer W. Kimball has said, “We can . . . tell that we are making progress by the attention we get from the adversary. . . . This has been the lot of the Lord’s people from the beginning, and it will be no different in our time.”

How often in the scriptures do we get the Lord’s promise that He will “lead thee by the hand, and give the answers to thy prayers” (D&C 112:10), “thy God shall stand by thee forever and ever” (D&C 122:4), “know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7), “fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever” (D&C 122:9), and one of my favorites, “Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed” (D&C 123:17).

I know we have had wilderness experiences before in our lives, and we’re still in the wilderness, but know “[our[ prayers are acceptable before [Him]” (D&C 124:2), and He is with us, guiding us, comforting us, blessing us. We are His, and we are being led and more importantly being prepared for glorious blessings that will only come because of our faith in Him as we journey through this seemingly endless wilderness.