Take Courage

1 Nephi 4:35(page 9): "And it came to pass that Zoram did take courage at the words which I spake. Now Zoram was the name of the servant; and he promised that he would go down into the wilderness unto our father. Yea, and he also made an oath unto us that he would tarry with us from that time forth."

For any who may be unfamiliar with the Book of Mormon, Nephi, the person who wrote the first part of the Book of Mormon, has convinced Zoram to leave Jerusalem, travel across the wilderness with Nephi's family and eventually cross the ocean to the land of promise. As I have thought about this verse, I have wondered what it means to take courage.

There are several great verses in the scriptures about courage. One of my favorites is Deuteronomy 31:6 which states: "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." There is a story in the Book of Mormon, a favorite among Latter-Day Saints, about two thousand stripling warriors with great courage. In Alma 53:20 (page 343-344) it describes them saying, "And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all-they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted." Other verses, Alma 56:47-48 (page 350-351) also describe these warriors saying, "Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it."

There are many things that we can learn from these scriptures, but as I pondered them, I realized that to take courage is to take faith. A seminary teacher in high school shared an example of faith that really influenced me and has helped me to better understand the principle of faith. It comes from the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. At the end of this movie, Indiana must face three challenges before he can reach the chamber that is home to the Holy Grail. The third and final challenge is "the path of God". In this challenge, Indiana Jones must cross a giant chasm that is too far to jump across and appears to be bottomless. He is fearful of the abyss, knowing he must cross it, but not completely understanding how it can be possible. Exclaiming, "it's a leap of faith," Indiana Jones must decide what he believes. Standing tall, he lifts his leg into the air and crosses, appearing to walk on air. At what point does Indiana Jones exercise faith? Is it when he has his leg high in the air, preparing for the step? No. It isn't until he shifts his weight and begins to fall forward. It is at this moment that he has reached a point of no return. He has taken all of his courage, acting upon faith and putting his life into the hands of the Lord. What relief must have come as his foot touched upon the invisible walkway there before him.

Sometimes the Lord requires us to "walk into the dark" in order to "find the light." We may find ourselves on unchartered waters, confused, lost, and scared, but there is hope. Moroni 7:41 (page 524) states: "And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of the resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him, according to the promise." As we make our way through life, the Lord has given us all that we need to find happiness and joy in this life and the life here after. We must swallow our fear with faith as we make decisions to keep the commandments of the Lord. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I have hope in His atonement, knowing that He has made it possible for me to return to live with my Father in Heaven. The world may cause us to question these beliefs, but if we act upon the Spirit of the Lord and take that first step, mustering our courage and faith, we can find the truth and peace that our soul may seek. That first step is the hardest. Once we know that there is that invisible walkway, like in Indiana Jones, it is easier to take the second step and continue forward. I hope that you will have faith and take courage as you tackle the challenges that come your way. This I share in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.