Alma 17

Not very often does my blog post have to do with current events (if you can call local news current events), however today I saw a direct correlation between what is going on here in Rexburg, Idaho, and what I was reading in the Book of Mormon this week.

Yesterday there was a flash flood in Rexburg, Idaho- worse than any locals had seen for almost 50 years. Water was gushing through the city, and there was damage everywhere, but most notably in downstairs apartments, and on BYU-Idaho campus. This tragedy, which could be seen as something terrible, has given the community the opportunity to show forth their Christian values. Students came together to help one another, and clean up apartments. Students were seen forming lines to remove water from basements (as seen in the second video on the link). This great opportunity to show forth our love of each other, and service through the Lord and His servants, will be seen by many all over the country.

In Alma 17:11 we read "And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls".

We weren't out among the Lamanites here, by any means, but we did go through afflictions, and with those afflictions comes the opportunity to be good examples, and be an instrument in the Lords hands.

Students at BYU-Idaho using buckets to remove flood water