RS Lesson

Hear Him

by President Russell M. Nelson

 

Nina Hodge - North Relief Society

Toward the beginning of this year, before the pandemic, President Nelson began encouraging church members to think about how we hear the Savior’s voice. In a special invitation presented in February, he invited us “… to think deeply and often about … how … you hear Him?  I also invite you to take steps to hear Him better and more often.”  

As I’ve thought about this invitation to hear the voice of the Savior better and more often, 3 Nephi 11 first came to mind. At this point in the Book of Mormon, the Nephites had just spent several days enduring storms, earthquakes, and thick darkness. This particular chapter begins with the people expressing wonder at the dramatic changes to the land as a result of the previous days’ events and the signs of the Savior’s death. While they were talking together, they heard a voice. Three times they heard the voice, but they did not understand or recognize the voice the first two times they heard it.

It was verse five that first came to my mind as I listened to President Nelson’s invitation to hear the Savior’s voice:  “And again the third time they did hear the voice, and they did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence it came.”

There is work involved in accomplishing anything. In this example, the Nephites demonstrated the work necessary to hear and understand the voice they heard from the heavens by opening their ears, turning their eyes toward the sound, and looking steadfastly toward the heavens. Then, the message they received was the Savior.  

President Nelson referenced this chapter of the Book of Mormon in his talk, in addition to a few other similar scriptural examples of invitations from the Father to the people to hear His Son. President Nelson offered, by way of explanation, that “[our] Father knows that when we are surrounded by uncertainty and fear, what will help us the very most is to hear His Son. Because when we seek to hear – truly hear – His Son, we will be guided to know what to do in any circumstance.”

Like the Nephites in this example, we are also surrounded by upheaval and uncertainty. The pandemic and resulting social distancing have been very hard on some, and many have felt the financial strain of closed businesses and smaller salaries. Remembering and re-reading this part of 3 Nephi 11, I was struck this time that the voice didn’t just speak once and retreat when no one understood. It came again a second and third time. The voice of our Heavenly Father continued trying to reach the Nephites until they did the work necessary to hear and understand. I believe with all my heart He does the same with us today.

For me, prayer is one form of work that helps me focus more on hearing the Savior’s voice. One of the questions I find myself asking a lot these days is, “What lesson am I not understanding? What do I need to learn that I just haven’t heard yet?” This question helps me focus more on Him – hearing Him and ultimately trying to become more like Him. It takes the focus off of what I think I need or what I want for myself. As I focus on Him, I do find greater peace. That peace is not an absence of hard things or the sudden removal of pain. Those hard things still exist, and pain will always be part of this mortal experience. However, they do not remain the focus. It is as if focusing on the Savior and hearing His voice push the pain and disappointment and struggle of life into the background, and it becomes easier to breathe and relax and find my way back to Him.

President Nelson once again “pled for [us] to do whatever it takes to increase [our spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation.” He promised that “Doing so will help you know how to move ahead with your life, what to do during times of crisis, and how to discern and avoid the temptations and the deceptions of the adversary.” These are likely things we will continue to struggle with throughout the rest of our time in mortality. It brings me comfort to know I can find the direction I need to move forward and handle the challenges that are still ahead. I don’t need to do it all myself. Hearing the Savior’s voice and focusing on Him means I have access to greater strength than I will ever possess on my own; it means I can find peace when nothing around me is peaceful; and it means I can feel His love when I am the most alone.