Great are the Words of Isaiah

Today as I was reading in my personal study time I read 3 Nephi 22 and 23. Chapter 22 is Christ quoting Isaiah chapter 54 and in Chapter 23 he gives us a commandment. To 'search these words' for 'great are the words of Isaiah.' Having just read Chapter 22 I was in complete compliance and agreement! I think that the words that Christ is quoting from Isaiah are some of the most beautiful verses in scripture and contain amazing promises.

What hit me most as I was reading was verses 10-17, especially verse 11. "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted!" That line struck me. How often have we felt this way? I know that many times throughout my life I have felt like this. I believe most (if not everybody) feels like this at some point. Even Joseph Smith in a time of his great suffering called out "O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?" In a letter my Grandpa wrote recently he taught me about how we all have to go through hard things. During hard times we learn and grow the most, and in the following verses it talks about the blessings that are a "Heritage of the servants of the Lord". The list is quite remarkable. He will,

• Lay our stones with fair colors
• our foundations with saphires
• windows of agates
• gates of carbuncles
• thy borders of pleasant stones
• thy children shall be taught of the Lord
• great shall be the peace of thy children
• In righteousness shalt thou be established
• Thou shalt be far from oppression
• whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake
• No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper
• every tongue that shall revile against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn

We all go through challenges and hard times. We often feel without peace. My plea is don't give up. There are great promises for those who remain righteous and faithful! Keep praying. Keep reading. When you are going through a hard time, read this chapter. I know you won't regret it, after all, Great are the Words of Isaiah.