15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.
To be patient is not just to submit to uncomfortable experiences but to submit cheerfully. Laman and Lemuel endured the same hardships the rest of their family did. Their lack of patience didn’t spare them the trials, but it did impede their spiritual growth. They made the same investment but didn’t realize the same return.
In the passage above, we read about the people of Alma, who were being persecuted and abused by an oppressive leader named Amulon. They prayed “mightily” for deliverance (Mosiah 24:10). In response, Amulon decreed that anyone who prayed would be put to death. Recognizing that this trial wasn’t going to end soon, the scripture tells us that “they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.” Mormon credits their subsequent deliverance to their great patience and faith.
Today, I will follow the example of these faithful Nephites. I will be cheerful and diligent even in uncomfortable circumstances. I will deliberately and intentionally submit to whatever circumstance the Lord sees fit to place me in.
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