I Am The Law, And The Light

Building the city of Nauvoo was not the first time the Saints had to begin again, but it was the first time they could start new from the ground up. As the saints gathered from Missouri to build this new city, many were sick and still reeling from the harsh persecution they had suffered. The Prophet Joseph administered to the saints, healing them both physically and spiritually. Through His Prophet, the Lord promised the saints that, “If ye labor with all your might, I will consecrate that spot that it shall be made holy” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:44)

Have you ever had a powerful spiritual experience and felt the joy of God’s love, only to feel down again when normal life resumes? Or an hour where your children were seemingly perfect and kind to one another, but the rest of the day was awful? This might have been how the early saints felt by the end of the year following the dedication of the Kirtland Temple. Life itself didn’t get easier with the temple’s completion. Financial troubles and increased persecution made enduring to the end difficult for many saints. Yet those who persevered were blessed not only with strength but also with direction on how they could be a blessing to God’s children even amidst their own trials. The Lord’s comforting words to them are extended to us today as we also can help others feel loved during our own struggles: “Let thy heart be of good cheer before my face… for I, the Lord, have a great work for thee to do” (D&C 112:4,6).