Wonder and Awe

There's a lovely, poignant poem written over a century ago by a poet named Elizabeth Allen titled "Rock Me to Sleep" (read whole poem) that begins:

"Backward, turn backward, O Time, in your flight,
Make me a child again just for to-night!"

I feel that kind of emotion at this season. Christmas has so many blessings to enjoy, including the wonderful music and decorations and foods and traditions. But there's a special joy in observing the eyes of a child gazing on a Christmas tree, or a display of lights, or opening presents, or even better, watching them share a reenactment of the sacred story of this season. Much of the wonder and joy of Christmas for me has always been to feel the simple happiness of children and be blessed by it.

I'm now in that awkward season of life when my own children are too old to fill that role, and I don't yet have grandchildren to bless my life. So I am seeking in new ways to claim the wonder and awe of the season.

"Wonder and awe" – I love those words. In one of our familiar carols, we sing of the "wondering awe" that wise men must have felt to see the prophesied signs in the heavens. The scriptures don't actually tell us the wise men felt that – only that they saw the sign and came to inquire. We can imagine how it must have touched their hearts. When the star led them to the manger, they "rejoiced with exceeding great joy" (Matt 2:10). Certainly the shepherds in the fields felt strong emotion; at first, they were "sore afraid" (which is not the same as wonder and awe) but as they heard and understood the message of the heavenly choir, I think their feelings turned quickly to "wonder and awe" and they eagerly ran to seek the baby in Bethlehem.

Diligently

In a recent study session, I considered the word “diligently” in D&C 88. I was a bit surprised to notice that there are four different applications of the word within that single revelation:

• v. 63 - “seek me diligently”
• v. 78 - “teach ye diligently”
• v. 84- “labor diligently”
• v. 118 - “seek ye diligently”

I looked up the word “diligent” in an online dictionary via my Treo phone (lookwayup.com) and found this definition:

Quietly and steadily persevering especially in detail or exactness

As I applied that interesting definition to each of those four instances, in their context, I was amazed at the breadth of counsel and challenge being provided by the Lord! I’ve learned to appreciate the subtle power of words and how the meanings and definitions of the words chosen by the Lord can truly bless and help.

The smallest part which I feel

Early in the Book of Mormon, Nephi expressed frustration with the challenge of putting his thoughts into writing. He was more comfortable with speaking, noting that "when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men" (2 Ne 33:1). I've never quite understood why Nephi seemed to believe that the power of the Holy Ghost couldn't perform the same service for written words; I have very many times felt that it has for me.

Communication is a fascinating concept. We start with a thought or a feeling or a belief. In order to convey one of those abstract items to another person, we usually formulate it into words, either written or spoken. Then we hope the recipient can "decode" those words into a thought or belief similar to ours.

Some thoughts are relatively easy to translate into words: my name is David, this is a car, today is cloudy. We're pretty sure the meaning of those statements is being received by a listener. But other things, perhaps the more abstract and complicated ones, are not so easy to communicate.

There are at least two challenges in the process of communication: the originator's ability to put his thoughts into words, and the recipient's ability to receive and translate the words into the proper mental images or understanding. We often assume as the originator that the message "gets through," when that's often not the case — as someone once quipped, “I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant” (attributed to Robert McCloskey).

Hence Nephi's hesitance about putting thoughts into writing. He apparently felt that the immediate feedback of a direct spoken conversation instead of a written record helped give the assurance of proper communication. And perhaps more importantly, the presence of the Holy Ghost as a communication aid gave a better chance of success in the process.