Dear brother of Jared...

Dear brother of Jared,

You are an amazing example of being a "doer." Things in your life were not easy. Language was confounded, people relied on you to steer them in a direction to find hope. You had a lot to get done and not a lot of time to complain about it. I admire your courage.

I hope I can raise my sons and daughters to have unfaltering faith just like you.

Today, my postst is intended to be some of the important things I have learned in the last 18 months.

I do this in the hopes that when the future brings discouragment and trials, I can remember where I have been, and be, "as a whale in the midst of the sea."
(Book of Mormon, Ether2:24)

The last 18 months, I have gained a deeper respect for what this scripture means to me.

Brother of Jared:

The Lord commanded the brother of Jared, "Go to work..." and build barges so that his people could cross the water safely.
The brother of Jared got to work.
He was obedient.
And yet, his barges were dark.

The brother of Jared continued in obedience, and when he had nothing else he could do, he pleaded with the Lord, saying:

"O Lord, behold I have done even as thou hast commanded me; and I have prepared the vessels for my people, and behold there is no light in them. Behold, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water in darkness?"

(Ether 2:22)

Dear brother of Jared,

I feel for you. I really do.
My situation is different, but I am beginning to understand your pleadings.

The Lord has commanded me to "multiply and replenish."

I "got to work"

I was obedient

And, yet, after all I could do, I still felt the darkness of infertility.

A dark womb.

I have pleaded with the Lord:

"Lord, I have done even as thou commanded me; and I have prepared a home worthy of more children. I have magnified my calling, supported my husband, loved our son. O, Lord, wilt thou suffer that I should not be blessed with any more children?"

Dear brother of Jared,

You had been so obedient, and yet the Lord still needed you to do a little more. He wanted you to continue in the faith. I wonder it there were times of despair. How did you feel when the Lord said:

"What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels? For behold, ye cannot have windows, for they will be dashed in pieces; neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not go by the light of fire. "

(Ether 2: 23)

Now, the Lord knew exactly what would happen if the vessel wasn't made completely to His instruction. He knew it would be dashed in pieces if windows were added, and fire wouldn't work.

Now, I don't know if windows and fire were your ideas. And, to be honest, if they were, good for you for being a problem solver and trying your best to do what you were supposed to do.

It seems though, that the Lord, as always knew what would happen.

What did you feel? frustration? despair? Did you hope that the Lord would just tell you what to do?

Hmmm...I have felt those things. Yet, the Lord knows what I need better than I do.

He has always been right.

He has guided me.

Day by Day.

Yes.

He listens with each decision that I have taken to Him.

Dear brother of Jared,

Thanks for writing down this next part.
It's my favorite part when the Lord said:

"And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come..."

(Ether 2:25)

I really believe that the Lord knew that my diabetic body wasn't ready to sustain another pregnancy when I thought it should. I never would have been able to cross the great deep, if the Lord hadn't prepared me first. The ideas I brought to the Lord--my windows and fires-- would have dashed my body, and ultimately wouldn't have worked.

But, again, the Lord knew that.

He knew what would and would not work for the brother of Jared,

And He knew the same for me.

So he prepared another way for me to make it through the waves, the winds, and the floods.

He has allowed me to do all I could do, and then He has shown me the way.

Dear brother of Jared,

Thanks for your story.

It has changed my life.

It has allowed me to find light in the darkness.

With Respect and admiration,

Brandi