A LIttle Story About Furniture

I heard a great story when we were going through the Beehive house while we were in UT.

The Mormons in Nauvoo were being driven out, and they made the decision to head west.  The prophet (at the time, Brigham Young) told them to only take the necessities.  Farming equipment, seeds, food to get through the trip. Of course, the Mormons had done very well for themselves in Nauvoo and had lovely furnishings, etc.  Women weren’t happy at the thought of leaving it all behind.  The prophet went to the Lord and felt so much pressure from these women who rightly loved the things in their home.  The Lord told Brigham Young that if they were righteous and only took the necessities that he would bless them with fine furniture in Utah.

Of course, they got there and it was a barren wilderness…  All is lost.  Woe is them…

However, the soil was really fertile in the valley and through their irrigation techniques they were able to produce an abundance of food. Fast forward, but who’s coming through the valley with all their fine furnishings, but no food… why, the gold rush folk… who were starving.

Death, or fine furniture.

They chose to barter furniture for food, and those Mormon women got some lovely furnishings, just like the Lord said they would.

I learn so many things from this story:
1.  God cares so much about all of us, even with our petty needs.
2.  God knows everything.  He’s on our side and he knows the beginning and the end. Also, if we listen to him, he keeps his promises.
3.  The prophet only tells us truth.  I’m sure it was hard for Brigham Young to tell everyone to leave their precious things, but that’s what he needed to say.  I’m sure no one was happier then him to see those starving furniture-filled wagons!

I’ve had a hard time with the whole prop 8 thing lately.  Truth be told I’m not sure why we campaigned so strongly against it (I know the basic reasons why… but now that it’s overturned anyway… but I digress).  BUT, my prophet told me to do it.  I know God knows the beginning and the end, and I know our prophet only speaks truth when asking the church to do something.  I also know as bugged as I am by it, he’s probably even more bugged by it.

Either way, I can just have hope in my heart, as well as love.  I know it’s a hard issue for people on both sides.  I love people on both sides and I know in the end, we will all get what we need.