I chatted with a friend recently about how it’s been difficult for her to try to explain the past nine months of the world to her older daughter.
And I realized how grateful I am that I haven’t had to deal with that.
With a two-year-old and a baby, I haven’t needed to explain to them how the world is different right now.
I haven’t needed to explain why things are cancelled or changed.
I haven’t had to deal with any fear or anxiety on their parts.
But, I know that as they grow up, there are going to plenty of tumultuous and horrifying events that will rock their worlds.
And I’ll have to address all of these conversations I’m being spared right now.
As the Jaredites crossed the ocean, they were buried in the depths of the water.
“When they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish”. (Ether 6:7)
They couldn’t be harmed by the water, because their vessel was tight.
Imagine that sense of security – knowing that the thing you are in is so impenetrable that it doesn’t matter if you encounter a giant whale, a huge wave, or anything else.
You know you’ll be safe because nothing can get in.
And so I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how I want my family environment to be tight like a dish.
To immerse our family in so much prayer, scripture study, service, family fun, temple work, church activities…
That there is no room for the adversary’s storms to enter.
I want to show my kids that while we absolutely cannot control what goes on around us, there is no reason to feel fear.
Of course, we are mortal, and valid anxiety and emotions will seep through from the heavy weight of the water.
But we can continue making our vessel as tight as possible.
We can create and feel security that will carry us emotionally through the tumultuous waves outside.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
10 Responses
Such a great analogy for studying this while living in 2020. Thank you Cali
You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for this reinforcement. I really needed to read this.
I’m glad it was helpful to you.
This will remain one of my favorites. The meme is great too. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
That really was a great analogy–so much so that I had to come back a few days later and read it again. Enjoy those times of security while you can, because even in this quarantined world, Satan is raging to pull away youth and even adults who have become complacent. I’m trying to picture that tightly protected ‘like a dish’ in my mind!!
Thank you! Keeping our “dishes tight” is a monumental effort in these days, but we can’t give up!
It’s funny because when I read this passage I wrote this question by “tight like unto a dish:”
“What could this represent in my life?”
And you have done such a fantastic job of answering that question—thank you!
I always love your insights into the scriptures.
One question though—did you mean to write mortal in this sentence instead of immoral?
“Of course, we are immortal, and valid anxiety and emotions will seep through from the heavy weight of the water.”
Thanks again for all the time and effort you put into helping me understand the scriptures ????
I’m glad you enjoyed the analogy. And thanks for pointing out “mortal” vs “immortal”. I’ve corrected it now.