When? and What?

Honestly this picture doesn't have anything to do with this post, but there is not any good art for the verses I wanted to write about, so I thought I'd include a beautiful picture of the moment just before Mitchell Jurgens caught the game winning touchdown last night with 45 seconds left against Boise State.  It's not often that you win two games in a row with rather dramatic and desperate throws towards the end zone on 4th down from a true freshman quarterback.  And yes, I managed to lose my voice again last night.  I should probably stop doing that, as I'm fairly certain that it isn't good for my vocal cords.  But in the moment it seems entirely worth it.  And, to be honest, my voice was gone by the end of the first quarter last night anyway.  Anyhow...

Recently I've become more and more impressed by the questions that people ask in the scriptures.  Asking questions is one of the vital habits of growth in time and in eternity.  But asking questions is also a skill that must be mastered.  Although we frequently say that there is "no such thing as a bad question," anyone who has ever taught in any capacity knows that this well-meaning saying couldn't be further from the truth.  There are good questions and there are bad questions in the classrooms of schools and universities.  These questions distract from, rather than contribute to, the atmosphere of learning and generally serve little purpose.  More importantly there are good questions and there are bad questions in the classroom of mortality.  And the questions that we ask determine our capacity to learn and grow in our understanding of the gospel.

While teaching his son Corianton, Alma began teaching his wandering son about the Resurrection, having perceived that Corianton's "mind [was] worried concerning the resurrection of the dead" (Alma 40:1).  Justifying these questions and sympathizing with Corianton's worries about the issue, Alma explained that he had also wondered about that important doctrine and had "inquired diligently of God that [he] might know--that is concerning the resurrection" (Alma 40:3).  From Alma's words to his son, we find that Alma had asked at least two questions about the resurrection.

Alma's first question revolved around the timing of the resurrection.  He knew there was "a time appointed that all shall come forth from the dead," but it seems to have been made clear to him that "when this time cometh no one knows."  He went on to explain that "whether there shall be one time, or a second time, or a third time, that men shall come forth from the dead; it mattereth not."  In other words, the Lord declined to give his prophet an answer in regards to the question, "When?"  But Alma then twice reassured his son that "God knoweth the time which is appointed" and "God knoweth all these things; and it sufficeth me to know that this is the case--that there is a time appointed that all shall rise from the dead" (Alma 40:4-5).

Alma's second question revolved around "what becometh of the souls of men from this time of death to the time appointed for the resurrection" (Alma 40:7). This question of "what?" that consumed Alma's thoughts  far more deeply than the question of "when?"  In response to this question, the Lord was far more forthcoming, revealing that "the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.  And then it shall come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care and sorrow" (Alma 40:11-12).

As I pondered these familiar verses, I was intrigued by the two questions and the two responses.  The question of "What?" had yielded a powerful revelation, pregnant with doctrinal insight and spiritual comfort.  The question of "When?" had resulted in a relatively brief answer and an invitation for Alma to continue to exercise faith in God's knowledge and God's timing.

In our lives, all of us has occasion to ask "what?" and "when?" questions, and in many regards I believe that the Lord's answers to those questions will almost always follow the pattern that we see in Alma 40.  "When?" is not necessarily a bad question.  As we can see through Alma, the question of "when?" yielded a significant opportunity for this prophet to develop faith and trust in God.  But in our moments of spiritual impatience, it is easy for us to disregard the Lord's answer to our questions of "when?"  When that occurs, this formerly good question can become unproductive and perhaps even destructive.  If the Lord has answered your question of "when?" with an invitation to trust Him and His plan, then it is time to let that question alone for a season.  On the other hand, the Lord seems to be almost eternally willing to answer our questions of "what?," particularly when phrased "What am I to learn from this experience?"  Alma's "what?" question became a means of providing comfort to those who were mourning and understanding to those who were struggling.  As we covenant to consecrate God's answers about what we are to learn in a way that builds and blesses those around us, we will find that the windows of revelation will open to us and our minds will be enlightened with an understanding of our own challenges and trials.  Then, in the reaching out towards and blessing of others, we will discover the true purpose of the tempests of life.  In the end, "what?" will simply matter more than "when?"

Brett