His Story

I remember an elementary school teacher teaching us that the word history is made up of two words: HIS + STORY. That teacher said that history is, in fact, his story or the story of mankind. I have heard of feminists suggesting that it should be herstory. But, the more I study history, the more convinced I am that they are missing the point. History isn't her story. History isn't the story of men. History isn't the story of mankind.

History is His story. God's story.

I think it is interesting how often the scriptures tell us to study history. I had never noticed it until someone pointed it out to me. Once he did, I saw it everywhere. The Lord told Moses,

"And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the Lord."          -Exodus 10:2

We study history to remember who He is.  We study history to remember what He has done.

In the Book of Mormon, we read,

"And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my father, Lehi, took the records which were engraved upon the plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning."       -1 Nephi 5:10

Lehi was a studier of history.

Also,

"And there were no more wars in the days of Shule; and he remembered the great things that the Lord had done for his fathers in bringing them across the great deep into the promised land; wherefore he did execute judgement in righteousness."         -Ether 7:27

Shule's study of history reminded him to be just and good.

Nephi tells us:

"And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people of the Lord; and then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him; wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved."        -1 Nephi 15:14

So, God wants us to know who we are, who He is, what He has done for our ancestors, and what we can expect from Him. I love how Nephi uses history to teach his brothers in this way. Laman and Lemuel were angry that Nephi asked them to help him to build a ship. They thought he was crazy and told him so. Nephi responded by recounting the story of Moses and all that the Lord had done for the children of Israel. He reminded them that the Lord had freed them from slavery, let them across the Red Sea on dry ground, fed them manna, led them through the wilderness, and guided them to the promised land. Obviously, the Lord could and would do the same for them. But, then Nephi reminded them that the Israelites turned their backs on God, even after all He had done. He compared Laman and Lemuel to those Israelites. They should have studied their history and learned from the Israelites' mistakes. Nephi had obviously thought about this. He recognized the Lord's patterns and knew what that meant for him and for his family. He had learned that the Lord is a promise keeper. He is involved in the lives of His children. Nephi knew it, and he expected it.

I have had more than a few people confide in me that they have taken strength from the story of the Lord commanding Nephi to build a ship. Because I homeschool my children, I also have many friends who homeschool. Many of them have told me that the idea of homeschooling was scary to them until they remembered the story of Nephi building the ship. Nephi says,

"Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.

"And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things." -1 Nephi 18:2-3

After studying some history, they realized that the Lord is perfectly willing to teach us to do things His way, not "after the manner of men." And so, they trusted that He would help them, as well. They trusted that if they turned to Him in prayer and attended the temple, if possible, He would show them "great things." And He has.

One of my favorite stories from American history is the story of Henry Knox. When George Washington was sent to take command of the army in Boston in 1775, he and Henry Knox quickly became friends. The patriots were short on militiamen and artillery. Henry Knox knew that there were cannons and other artillery at Fort Ticonderoga, which had recently been taken for the patriots by Ethan Allen. Knox offered to take some men and go get them. Washington agreed. Knox left Boston on November 17, 1775. He arrived at Fort Ticonderoga and began organizing the weaponry for transport. He moved 60 tons of cannons across poor roads, two semi-frozen rivers, and through all sorts of difficult terrain. He even lost one cannon to the river. He refused to leave it and dragged it from the bottom of the icy river. The whole ordeal was quite an adventure as Mother Nature threw

him several curve balls. Nevertheless, on January 27, 1776, the artillery train arrived in Boston. During the time that Knox was gone, Washington was distraught. He was in a difficult situation. The patriots positioned themselves in Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston. The British regulars held every other high ground and strategic location. However, a man by the name of Rufus Putnam had a brilliant idea. The patriot army quietly moved Knox's cannons to Dorchester Heights during the night of March 4, 1776. When the British woke the next morning (which, coincidentally, was the 5th anniversary of the Boston Massacre), they saw Dorchester Heights completely fortified and armed. At first, the British were shocked. When they recovered, they wanted to attack, but after several significant storms delayed their attacks, they finally gave up and sent a letter to Washington informing him that if he would let them leave, they would not burn Boston to the ground. He let them leave. It was one of many miracles of the American Revolution.

I often think about General Washington and the weight that must have been on his shoulders. He had not sought this position. He most likely did not want it. He really just wanted to be home at Mt. Vernon with his wife Martha. He really just wanted to be a farmer. But there he was in Boston, far from home, from his family. He was praying for a miracle and none seemed to come. Little did he know, that as he fretted and failed and prayed and pled, that the Lord was working with Henry Knox, bringing him to his aid. I wonder, when I am fretting and failing and praying and pleading, is God working in my behalf, arranging blessings for me that I can not see? Are the storms in my life that feel so violent and rough, actually working for my benefit, designed to protect me from evil? Do I give up too easily, when the Lord is ready to help me pull a cannon from a river, if I will just try?

I learn so much about God as I study history. I see His hand everywhere. I spent several months studying WWII last year. It is arguably the darkest time in world history. Yet, even in that darkness, His hand is visible. I have yet to study a time period in which I could not see it. Why does it matter? Because it strengthens my faith. It reminds me to be patient. It helps me to trust in God, His timing, and His plans. It reminds me that God keeps His promises and expects me to keep mine. When I think of Washington and his men in Valley Forge, I think of how God uses trials to refine us and I try to focus on that when I am in my own Valley Forge. Abraham Lincoln went through his own refining fire. It prepared him for what he had to do to preserve our nation and free the enslaved. And I remember that my refining fires are preparing me for what God wants me to do and who He wants me to become.

I know that God hears my prayers. I know that He lives. I know that He loves His children. I know that he is a covenant maker and a covenant keeper. I know that He is a miracle worker. I know that He is omniscient and omnipotent. How do I know? Because I've read His story.