Retail Therapy

Author: Megan Licious | |

I had to take an emergency shopping trip to Kohl’s to soothe myself today.

Waiting to leave for my Church History Tour last night (our flight was due to leave at 11:59 pm), I heard the phone ring and checked the caller ID. I saw that it was the Seminary teacher who was due to take us and I thought “Oh, how nice of him to check up on us!” (the phone had already been picked up).

A couple of minutes later I saw the “Extension in Use” light on the phone base still blinking and thought, “Hmm, what an unusually long phone call.” I would soon find out that our flight had been cancelled and the trip was off.

The trip hadn’t been the most convenient event for me this summer, but prompted to go, my mom and I signed up. As I sat listening to my dad report what the phone call had been, the thought immediately popped into my head: Zion’s Camp.

Having gone down in Mormon history as one of the most extraordinary moments for Joseph Smith and his men—rightly so—the trip had taken them across states simply to find failure and a return home. It is often used in lessons to teach the idea that the Lord will sometimes ask us to do things simply to see if we will do them.

So we had signed up for this trip, even though it didn’t make sense, and found not a returning trip but no trip at all. After praying over whether I should go later on the trip in July or not, my answer was that I was supposed to stay home. So now my next trip will be the one down to BYU.

I had been looking at this trip as a way to learn from my ancestors—who served in Nauvoo—and all of the early Saints. The spirit’s assured me, though, that I’ve been taught the things I was supposed to learn from them for now.

One thing I pondered a lot in preparation for my trip was my relation to Emer Harris, brother to Martin Harris. He is my great-great-great-great-great grandfather. I’ve known for a number of years of my relation to both of them (thank you grandma), and after hearing numerous times the (dis)obedience lesson on Martin Harris, I’ve often wondered: “What does my relation to this infamous man mean, and how is it supposed to affect me?” It took this almost-trip to ripen the moment for me to learn the answer.

My nightly scripture study is currently in Jacob, but last week I was prompted to read elsewhere. I opened the Doctrine and Covenants. I started reading D&C 1, pondering the purpose of the lives of the early saints, and found these words:

“…Man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh— But...every man [should] speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world; That faith also might increase in the earth; That mine everlasting covenant might be established; That the fullness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers. Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding. And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known. And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed; And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent; And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time.”

I’m glad that my great-great-great-great-great-uncle’s mistakes were made known, as intended by the Lord, in a greater plan, so that I could partake of the priesthood and covenants therein, and be a part of missionary work. Though he was a “weak thing,” as so many of us are, it was only fitting that the witness he gave, even of the Book of Mormon, was so much more remarkable and important.

I can’t wait to see what I’ll be able to learn when I actually go on the tour.