Are we Alone?

How can we face challenges?  How can we find peace in a world of war?  How can we rise above addictions that have a strong grip?  How can we live when all seems lost?  How is it possible?  Perhaps it isn't on our own.  To be honest, we can't on our own.  Then how is it done?

Elisha, a Prophet in the Old Testament, had a very big obstacle to face.  It was a army of soldiers, horses, and chariots.  He was surrounded, outnumbered, and yet, not afraid.  What did Elisha know, when facing a Syrian army, that we need to know?

2 Kings 6: 14-17 reads: "Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.  And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?  And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.  And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."

Elisha knew something the young man didn't.  Something we may forget.  Elisha knew that God was there, he was not alone!  If we were to recognize this, would we handle things differently?  Mark 10: 27 reads: "And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible."
We have two questions to ask ourselves.  First, do we have God with us?  Second, do we recognize His help?
First, do we have God with us?  We can tell if we have His Spirit with us by the way we feel.  The Holy Ghost manifests Himself differently to different people, but we can know we have Him with us by the way we feel.  Galatians 5: 22-23 tells us how the Spirit feels: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."  If we feel good, we know that the Spirit is with us.  We must also remember that the Spirit doesn't dwell with us when we are unworthy.  "And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should be made white through the blood of the Lamb." (Alma 34: 36).

Second, do we recognize His help?  We must learn how to recognize the promptings he gives us.  Modern day revelation from God given through Joseph Smith to Oliver Cowdery in Doctrine and Covenants 9: 8-9 teaches us how we can recognize answers from God.  "But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.  But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me."

I know that God will help us through the challenges of this life.  I know that He loves us because we are His children.  I know that because of our Savior's atonement, we can all repent and make it back to live with Them again.

Pictures taken from:
http://www.sugardoodle.net/sdclipart/?p=1615
http://www.sugardoodle.net/sdclipart/?p=6429