7 And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.
(Ether 6:7)
Two things helped the Jaredites endure the “furious wind” and “mountain waves” which they experienced during their journey to the promised land (Ether 6:5-6):
- They were prepared. Moroni tells us that their barges were “tight like unto a dish.” As a result, “there was no water that could harm them.” They had built this kind of vessel before, to cross smaller bodies of water, so they had experience and knew how to make them secure. (See Ether 2:6, 16.)
- They exercised faith in God. In spite of their preparations, they still faced situations which were frightening, including being “many times buried in the depths of the sea.” When this happened, and when they wondered how they would survive in spite of their preparations, “they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.”
Today, I will follow the example of these Jaredites. I will prepare for the storms I will inevitably face by taking care of my physical, spiritual, and emotional health, investing in key relationships, and creating effective plans. When I am in the middle of a trial, I will pray for deliverance. I will have confidence that my preparations will enable me to endure the storm safely until the Lord brings me again “upon the top of the waters.”