In His Strength

So today I got a test score back for a very, very hard class that I was stressing about. And guess what?? I aced the test!! I was (well, am) so excited!! I told my family, some of my roommates, my dog--heck, I even think my Einstein bobble head is excited.

But as excited as I was about this score, telling my friends and family is not the first thing I did. As soon as I saw that score, I went to my knees and offered a prayer of gratitude to my Lord. I know that it was through Him that I was able to do so well on this test.

This scripture came to mind when I was thinking about this:

In the Book of Mormon, Ammon says this to his brother Aaron. Ammon is rejoicing in how they were able to bring so many of their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of their God, but then Aaron says, "Ammon, I fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting" (Alma 26:10). Ammon says yes, he is rejoicing and boasting, but he is not boasting in himself, but in his God. He knows where his strength comes from.

My Savior has blessed my in so many ways. He is so willing to help us if we only turn to Him. If we do our very best--in my case, study as hard as I can--and have faith in Him, keep the covenants we have made with him, and put Him first in our lives, His grace WILL be sufficient for us.

"Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will depend and believe on his name.

"Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land.

"Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen."

(Alma 26:35-37)