Encompassed About

"I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me" (2 Nephi 4:18). The word encompass comes from the word compass. Imagine that our sins and temptations are like little compasses pointing us off in exciting and enticing new directions. With so many compasses pointing in so many different directions, it can become very hard to know which way we should go. But the pointers of a compass can be induced to point in a new direction when in the presence of a strong magnetic field. Nephi and his father Lehi saw in a vision a rod of iron and it was revealed to Nephi that this was a representation of the word of God. The iron rod generates a strong magnetic field, and the more time and the closer we get to the iron rod, the more will all of the pointers of all of the compasses of our sins and temptations realign to point us in the direction of the strait and narrow path that runs alongside the iron rod. As we study more deeply and more often and hold more and more fast to the word of God and the iron rod, the power of the word will bend all of our natural inclinations and our doubts and fears towards our Savior and His gospel path. All of our compasses will point us in one direction and we will no longer be torn apart trying to follow all of these different directions. President Boyd K Packer said, "The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. Preoccupation with unworthy behavior can lead to unworthy behavior. That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986). I know that if we hold fast to our study of the Gospel, even and especially when we are encompassed about by temptations and sins, we will overcome our weakness not because we have killed off our desires and our passions but because we have realigned them through the magnetic influence of the word of God, and then, where once we were weak because our desires and passions were pulling us in a million different directions, now will we be strong with all of them united and pushing and pulling us with one accord to our Savior and Redeemer.