Turn And Look

In Helaman chapter 5 the brothers Nephi and Lehi are thrown into prison and a mob of three hundred Lamanites and Nephite dissenters enter the prison to murder them. They find the two missionaries surrounded by a pillar of fire and then the whole mob is plunged into impenetrable darkness. The prison begins to shake and three times the mob of unbelievers is called on to repent, with each time the earthquakes getting more and more severe. Finally, one Nephite dissenter turns to look and is given the power to see through the darkness to the shining faces of Nephi and Lehi. I believe that this man was turning to look not just with his physical eyes but with his heart and his spiritual eyes as well. One by one the mob turns to look with not just their physical eyes but their spiritual eyes and the cloud of darkness is lifted from their souls. There are many examples where the process of repentance begins with the simple act of turning and looking. The children of Israel had but to turn and look at the brazen serpent to be saved. The original Nephi and Lehi had to turn and look at the Liahona. Peter had to turn and look to the Savior when he was about to drown after walking on water. Even the prodigal son had to turn and look back to the father he had abandoned. Turning and looking is such a simple act, but it is not a trivial part of the repentance process nor is it often the easiest part. It takes real humility and courage to admit that we can change ourselves and the world around us for the better and that looking to the Savior can have a powerful effect on making those changes happen. As we keep our eye single to the glory of God, as we turn and look with all of the energy of our soul, we will be given the power to see through the mists of darkness and we will be given the knowledge and the enabling grace and power of the Atonement to repent and change ourselves and the world around us for the better.