Ether 7-11

What a story this is! The first time I've read this book (Ether) I thought it was fiction. I could not believe that such a trauma could be true. I felt more like it was a soap opera!

Then I read the book "The World of the Jaredites" by Hugh Nibley.  His chapter called "Early Asiatic and Jaredite Civilizations" describes the civilizations that ruled the Asian steppe where he says, "It is rather, and always has been, a shrewd game of chess played by men of boundless ambition and formidable intellect with mighty armies at their disposal."

He doesn't suggest any proof for the Jaredite civilization but rather shows us that the Jaredite story is consistent with the histories of this part of the world.

"It was after cheating his brother of the throne that Attila hoped to subdue the entire world and after his death two descendants went out into the wilderness and there gathered about them armies of outcasts each hoping to win back the world empire for himself."

"Genghis Khan lived for years as an outcast and a bandit as he gathered around him the forces that were to conquer all his rivals and those forces were actually drawn off from the armies of the rivals themselves."

As I read through the pages of Ether chapters 7 - 11 I was taken by the following phrases

• rebelled against his father
• his cutting words
• exceedingly sorrowful because of the loss of his kingdom
• his heart was set upon the kingdom
• drew away the more part of the people after them
• also sought power

It is all about power. It is all too easy to get caught up in the struggle for fame and power. We saw it with the disciples and the Savior instructed them:

"He that his greatest among you shall be your servant period and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."

In our day, the Lord reminded us with these words:

No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by longsuffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned.

by kindness, and pure knowledge which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile.

President Trumps unwillingness to accept defeat in the 2020 election is very much a Jaredite type drama play out before us  "His heart is set upon the kingdom."

Power is addicting. It is hard to let go.