FOCUS

 

Whenever I read Section 25 of the Doctrine and Covenants, I am always intrigued by the instruction that Emma Smith was given to ‘lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better’ (v 10).

What followed was an assignment to organize the first hymnal of the Church because the Saviour’s soul ‘delights in the song of the heart’ (v 12) . In other words, regardless of all the turmoil that was around her as Joseph’s wife, it was asked of Emma to focus on Christ.

Five chapters later we read of a reprimand that came through revelation to David Whitmer: “….your mind has been on the things of the earth more than on the things of me, your Maker” (D&C 30:2).

I am amazed when I think of the sacrifices the early Church members made regardless of the trying time of the then young Church. Consider the following story and see how difficult it would have been to have the right focus amid such hardship:

In 1831, Oliver Cowdery headed the first mission to the American Indians “travelling on foot 300 miles over prairies, without shelter and fire, living on frozen corn, bread and raw pork. At length they reached Independence, Mo., on the extreme western frontier of the State.

They had traveled four months and suffered untold hardships; they had preached to two Indian nations and to thousands of white people, and organized several strong branches of the Church.

“After having rested a little at Independence, three of the brethren crossed the frontier and visited the Shawnee Indians. Then they went among the Delawares. These manifested a great deal of interest in the Book of Mormon.

Therefore, the jealousy of ministers was aroused and these prevailed upon the Indian agents to expel the missionaries from the Indian country.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p 144, D&C Student Manual p 59)

Imagine preaching and organizing branches amidst the hardship as experienced by these early saints. How easy would it have been for them to lose their focus with the very survival they had to contend with.

Remember Peter who eagerly walked towards Christ on water but the waves beat upon him and he lost his focus? He took his eyes off the Saviour and he started to sink.

Our challenges might be different to those of the early Saints but in our day and age, I feel, we are walking on water and the waves of evil of our day are beating upon us. The world is in terrible commotion with wars, calamities, crime, and worst of all hatred…..something I hear expressed even in the Church about political leaders.

The Saviour wants us to look past all that and to look to Him, to focus on things of a better. Keeping our eternal perspective is the path to our survival. We are to come to Him and not allow the waves of worry, fear and hatred to beat us down. We are not of the world, we are of Christ…..or we should be.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Come by David Bowman)