Divide and conquer is a motto that my family lives by. I mean we are going so many places in all different directions that it seems to be the only way to get things done. Mondays we have soccer practice, volleyball practice, another volleyball practice, a 3rd volleyball practice, tumbling and football practice. Thursdays we have volleyball games x 3, football game, and volleyball practice. My husband and I can’t make it to everything together but when we tag team, and when we split up, we can usually make it all work. However, there is always, and I repeat, always time when we are all together and we are much stronger in those moments. Today I want to talk about something that has been on my mind since about March. It is all about the divide and conquer except totally opposite of the way we use it.
You see we look at the divide and conquer as a way to use each other to team up ( even if we are on different playing fields) to accomplish everything on our to-do lists. The way I have been seeing divide and conquer in 2020 Covid style is not meant to meet the needs of the group but to divide each group so that Satan can conquer in the battle we are fighting daily. Since the beginning of this coronavirus stuff, I have felt very strongly that we are at war, like big time war. I know some of you may not share my faith or my way of seeing what is happening in the world today and that is ok. However, anyone who reads this should be able to agree that we are stronger when we are together. My husband and I make better parents when we are doing it together. My family is stronger when we stand up for each other, when we pray together, when we pray for each other. My spiritual side is lifted up and stable when I am allowed to worship with others. A sports team is stronger when everyone is there working toward the same goal.
What I see today, is a lot of divide the people and fear will conquer. Make people feel alone and afraid, and Satan can get ahead. When we cover smiles and don’t allow people to embrace or lock arms we are asking people to fight the battle alone. It worries me. People need people. People need love. People need support and strength. There is strength in numbers, it’s not just a saying, it’s truth.
So this week as my family read in book of Mormon in 3 Nephi 3 verses 13 and 25, I couldn’t help but think of how much we need each other in today’s world. “Yea, he sent a proclamation among all the people, that they should gather together……”, “And they did fortify themselves against their enemies; and they did dwell in one land, and in one body, and they did fear the words which had been spoken…insomuch that they did repent of all their sins; and they did put up their prayers unto the Lord their God, that He would deliver them in the time that their enemies should come down against them to battle.”. The battle was coming. They knew it, many of us know it. If you have watched the news at all you know it. These ancient people didn’t hid away from it, the gathered, they grew strong together. They prayed and they prepared.
It seems like daily as our family reads, I can see a repeat in history or a lesson that I should be learning. I went for years not really being able to say that I knew the scriptures were for our day. I have heard that over and over in my life but it wasn’t until the blessing of the year 2020, that I could really feel like these stories and this history was written so that I could try to avoid some of the mistakes of people that have come way before me. Now it is lesson after lesson and this one JUMPED out at me. We can not let the world divide us. We must gather and gain strength with each other, this is not a battle to fight alone.
This weekend as I sat in a rodeo arena waiting for my son to compete, I listened to the announcer welcome in our beautiful American Flag. I watched people stand and not kneel. I listened to the whole crowd, good and bad singers, do their very best to be respectful as they all sang our national anthem. I got choked up as the announcer offered a prayer on the athletes, both human and animal. I saw a group of people who were gathered as friends, and family. I saw athlete after athlete cheer on and help other competitors. I witnessed friends who have had their ups and downs supporting each other. My heart melted as I saw brothers holding up brothers. I didn’t know most people there but I knew enough and everyone felt like family. The next day I saw a very friendly older man who waived at every little child who walked by, who said “hello” to my little one. My daughter turned to him as if they were long time friends and waived and said “hi” with a huge smile as she rushed off as kids do, but the smile on that mans face was one I wont forget. The weekend before that, I went to local farmers market and felt the warmth of our small town. After leaving my town I traveled to another small town and went to a “Cornfest” where vendors and patrons visited and gathered with warm greetings. You could feel the love. These events were not military training but the gathering of good people filled my soul with strength I needed so much.
Maybe this is a wake up call just for me, maybe it’s for all of us. Maybe I need to focus more on being spread less thin so that we don’t need to divide and conquer as often and we can join forces more. Whatever I do, I know that I will be more aware of, and grateful for, the blessing of getting together with my community whether that be my family, my friends, my religious group, my neighbors or strangers who need a listening ear.
