Can't Judge a Book by Its Length

The book of Enos in the Book of Mormon is a short book, but it contains some great stuff. I have to admit, in the past I would glace over this book reading it real quick because it was short and I didn't consider it important because of its length. The phase, "You can't judge a book by its cover," may not necessarily fit here, but modifying it a bit may: You can't judge a book by its length. Having said that, I am going to concentrate on the first four verses.

Enos starts out telling us that he father was a "just man" that taught him their language along with the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This tells me that he loved his father. He wanted EVERYONE to know that his father was a "just man" and why. This gives me something in common with Enos. I love my dad as well. He taught me the gospel and made sure that I got an education when I was a kid (teaching me his language).

Enos goes on to let us know that he struggled with sin and sought out to "(receive) a remission for (his) sins." (Enos 1:2) He did this while he was out hunting for food. Alone in the wilderness, he though of his father's teachings of the gospel. Verse 4 says: "And my soul hungered; and I knelt down before my maker, and cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens."

I like the use of the word "hungered" in this verse. I relates a physical feeling to a spiritual need. We all know what it is like to feel hungry physically. By eating, we fulfill a need. By praying to our Heavenly Father, Enos was fulfilling more than just the want to pray and wasn't doing so because he was told to pray. He was fulfilling a need to pray. He felt such a great need to pray that he prayed all day and all night. 

The result of this great faith was a great reward. Verse 5 says, "And there came a voice unto me saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt e blessed." He got to HEAR the Lord! How amazing is that?

If we have faith and pray with everything we have in us, we can receive a reward as well. The September 2006 Friend has an article titled "The Enos Experiment." This tells the story of a little girl who learned about Enos in primary. She went home with the desire to really pray to Heavenly father and tell Him all of her thoughts and feeling. That night she knelt down and prayed. She gave thanks, asked for forgiveness, and really talked to Heavenly Father about her feelings until she had "shared everything that was in (her) heart." When she was done she "felt a calm warmth fill (her) soul and knew Heavenly Father had listened."

I hope to have this kind of faith. I have learned that I need to make my prayers more sincere. I have a list of things that I feel I need to pray for and want to pray for, but these scriptures and this talk got me thinking about my own prayers. I do have faith in prayer. I have had a few times where I have reached out to Heavenly Father an poured out my heart. I hope to remember these experiences and pray with everything I have in me more often. I love this gospel. I love that we always have the opportunity to improve ourselves and grow closer to our Lord and Savior though honest and sincere prayer!