May 5, 2024

Christ Visits the New World by Walter Rane

Each of us faces trials that can feel overwhelming and at times too heavy to bear. But with the Lord’s strength, we can accomplish anything He needs us to. This week in Come, Follow Me, we learn that Zeniff and his people fought “in the strength of the Lord” (Mosiah 9:17). On the other hand, the Lamanites “knew nothing concerning the Lord” and “depended upon their own strength” (Mosiah 10:11).

Like the Lamanites, how often do we miss out on blessings from the Lord because we depend on our own strength instead of on His? Pride or simple forgetfulness have often stopped me from turning to the Lord in my times of need. 

Luckily, the Lord still stands with open arms, ready to receive us as we turn to Him. In 1884, President Wilford Woodruff inspired the Saints to trust in the Lord. He said, “Therefore I say to the Saints, fear not. Trust in God. Let not your hearts be faint. Let your prayers ascend to the ears of the Lord of Sabbath day and night. Ask what you want. When you do that, the Lord will answer your prayers, if you ask what is right. There is where our strength lies. It is in God.”

Just as President Woodruff taught, I have received strength from the Lord as I have prayed. Although my prayers typically aren’t answered in the way I expect, God always has ways of reminding me He is right by my side. I know He is aware of us and wants us to be happy and have joy as we draw upon His strength! 

Sister Camille Johnson shared her insights about how we can be strengthened and find relief through the Savior. I echo her statement: “Brothers and sisters, I can’t go at it alone, and I don’t need to, and I won’t. Choosing to be bound to my Savior, Jesus Christ, through the covenants I have made with God, ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me’ ” (Philippians 4:13).

Kamryn Maughan is studying Family Life at Brigham Young University. She joined the Wilford Woodruff Papers and was drawn to its mission to deepen and strengthen faith through President Woodruff’s documents and history. Kamryn has a big, loving family who she recently reunited with after serving in Oklahoma as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loves hiking, playing card games, and watching movies with her family and friends.