Winning the Waiting Game

In Section 11 of the Doctrine and Covenants we read a revelation that was given to Hyrum Smith, Joseph Smith's older brother. Hyrum was anxious to be involved in the work so he petitioned Joseph to ask God what he should be doing to help. God answers this question by saying: "I want you to share my gospel but the time is not quite right and so I need you to wait. However, while you're waiting, there are some things you can be doing." (v. 1-16)

Because of the pandemic, I think we all can relate to Hyrum's dilemma of feeling anxious to be involved in the work but instead being told to wait. The pandemic has felt like a period of waiting. So what should we do while we're waiting? The Lord doesn’t expect us to sit passively while we’re waiting for our work to begin again. We can look at what the Lord told Hyrum to do while he was waiting for his work to begin and apply those same principles into our life.

1. Pray (v. 5)
2. Seek/Study my words (v. 7, 16, 21-22)
3. Continue having righteous desires (v. 8, 17, 21, 27)
4. Continue exercising faith (v. 10, 17)
5. Keep the commandments (v. 6, 9, 18, 20)
6. Hold your peace (v 18, 22)
7. Be patient (v. 19)
8. Cleave unto God with all your heart (v. 19)
9. Seek the kingdom of God (v. 23)
10. Build upon my rock (v. 24)

It is comforting to know that there are always things we can actively be doing even when we have been asked to "wait a little longer" (v. 16). There are still ways to continue to lift others and grow spiritually, even if it's not by doing something we're accustomed to. I think one of the blessings of the pandemic is that it has given us opportunities to find new ways to help others and to put more effort into our own personal and family spiritual growth. Being pushed out of our comfort zone really forces us to rely more fully on the guidance of the spirit as we pray to have the spirit "enlighten our mind(s)" (v.13) about how to keep moving forward despite the restrictions in place. 

All of us can look back on our lives and remember times when we've had righteous desires but we've had to wait (or are still waiting) for those righteous desire to come to fruition. The same principles can be applied to those situations as well. And each time we apply the same counsel that was given to Hyrum, the promised blessing from verse 27 is the same for everyone: "to them will I give power to become the sons (and daughters) of God." (v. 30). And that's how we all can win the waiting game😊.

Here’s a quote by Elder Bednar that explains this principle. It was given in February 2020 at a seminaries and institute training meeting...

“Many times what to do is pretty clear but it’s the timing and the when to do that we struggle with,” Elder Bednar said. “. . . We have to wait upon the Lord. He delivers it. We don’t demand it. We have to be aware of and responsive to His timing, not our demands about timing."