Today’s Reading: 1 Nephi 10:1-17
1 Nephi 10:8
8 Yea, even [John the Baptist] should go forth and cry in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing.
My youngest was only two years old when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints first began producing the Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos. The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist caught her attention immediately and for the next several months we sat and often watched the 2:55 seconds of John the Baptist doing for the Savior what He could not do for himself.
When I think of Lehi’s prophecy of the premortal calling of John the Baptist, I can’t help but wonder what work I was foreordained to do in heavenly counsels. When I feel inadequate and overwhelmed at the role Christ has asked me to play in his atonement for others, as a mother, neighbor, and covenant keeper, I sometimes sink in despair and pray, like John the Baptist,
“I am not even worthy to untie your shoe laces yet you come to me and ask me to help you with your work?” [see i, ii]
If I wait…
patiently…
a sweet assurance from the Spirit reminds me that His work is my work, and His hands are my hands. Just as he sought out John the Baptist, He seeks out me. He reminds me of my premortal calling each week I partake of the sacrament because the only way for Him “to fulfill all righteousness” is if HE includes ME. [iii]
This week in Howard W. Hunter: #2 My Peace I Give Unto You
I was born and raised in Alberta, Canada and California and promised every childhood friend I would never raise my family in Utah…until I fell in love with the most amazing fourth generation Orem boy. Now we are raising our kids in the house he grew up in and we love it. I am an estate planning attorney and marriage educator but I really want to be better at those half-baked talents like speaking Spanish, playing the piano, and making dinner every night! Read more about me at mormon.org