"Have Ye Inquired of the Lord?"

Sometimes the principles of the gospel are so simple that we overlook them. It's like when Nephi's brothers couldn't understand what their father had taught them about the Olive tree and the Gentiles. (1Nephi 9:8) Nephi simply asks them, "Have ye inquired of the Lord?" It seems to me the Lord is eager to bless us with knowledge and answers but we have to ask. In fact that's just what Nephi tells his brothers in verse 11 " The Lord saith ...If ye will harden not your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you." The Lord will answer, but there are three conditions:

1. Faith

2. Believing that we shall receive

3. Keep the commandments

Let me just share two occasions in my life where I was faced with a major question and asked of the Lord and received an answer.

I remember clearly after Sally and I had been dating for a number of weeks and both feeling a strong attraction and bond, both of us were wondering if our relationship should lead to marriage. We kneeled together to pray about it and each felt a warm, somewhat overpowering, undeniable feeling that we should get married. We had asked and the Lord and He answered. (Those of you who have heard the story will know that because of my hesitation to make such a huge commitment, I wavered and it was another year and a half before we got engaged, but I could never deny the feeling I had in answer to that prayer. In fact, in asking again before getting engaged the answer was kind of like the Lord said to Oliver Cowdery in D&C section 6 "If you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?") I agree with my Dad who always said that meeting and marrying Sally was the best things that ever happened to me.

I also remember inquiring of the Lord back in 1984 if our family should move from Fort Wayne to Idaho Falls. It was not a great move career-wise. Even though I would be news director, as well as anchor, Idaho Falls was a smaller TV market - not the direction someone climbing the career ladder in TV news would normally go. I had prayed about it and not received an answer at first, but this time it came as I was driving the car. I remember vividly driving on Sherman right where it curves around Franke Park on my way to work and getting a calm, peaceful feeling that we should make the move. I'm glad I did because if we hadn't moved to Idaho I probably wouldn't have the wonderful son and daughters-in-law and beautiful grandchildren I have now. It's kind of like when Allison mentioned how she and Riley felt good about moving to the job in Boise, and later realized why that decision was a blessing.

All these blessings for me and for Larsens came from "inquiring of he Lord."