A history book for the fictophile

Shortly after I moved to DC, because of my move in many ways, I acquired a bit of debt. When it took a little longer to find any kind of work, even temp work which I'd heard would be easier, I really got to worrying about my financial status. One of those nights or days as I was thinking about it, I happened upon D&C 111 where the Lord promises Joseph Smith to help him get out of debt. But as with all promises, there were of course stipulations. He also tells him to get to know the men in the area as he's directed. As I believe the scriptures are supposed to do, I felt very strongly that the message of this section was directed to me at that time. And indeed, when I did get a job, I quickly got out of that initial debt, and felt very blessed.

A few years later, I had to have surgery. Since I was only a government contractor, technically I was the employer and the employee and therefore even though I had health insurance (which gratefully I did), I did end up paying a little more than I could afford and got into debt again. Then, just as I was nearing the end of those payments, I lost my job, which both slowed down the paying off of my final bill and because of my school attendance and therefore inability to be working, added some additional debt (aside even from the financial aid).

Truth is that the work situation has been pretty discouraging, and as I've thought back upon that section, I've wondered if I'm not doing my part.

Because I read straight through, for the most part (though not as daily as I perhaps should), I did happen up on it again recently, which got me to thinking. With this read, it seemed there could be many interpretations to how getting to know the people in the area would apply to me now. It seemed that even my temp work, which is somewhat the cause of the financial discouragement and somewhat the blessing. It was actually comforting to think that I was doing something right in this regard.

But I was also reminded of my first impressions, when I read this section a few years ago, when i first moved out here. For some reason, it seemed to me that I needed to get to know the founders of the area, and as follows for this area, the country. As I closed the book that night, I had an impression of needing to read "that book about George Washington."

I was in a kind of a half-way dream way of thinking I guess. I didn't know what "that book" was, and I imagine there are hundreds of books about George Washington. And yet it seemed there was one I needed to read. Well, a week or so later, maybe longer? I don't remember really, with that confusion still somewhere in the back of my head about trying to find some history books about George Washington, I went to dinner at some friends.' Lo and behold, while we were talking, they brought out a book about George Washington and offered to either me or my roommate (who was also there)--whoever wanted it. What? Amazing. I took a look at it and it seemed indeed, this was probably the book I was supposed to read. Because of a few other circumstances, which I won't ellaborate on here, my roommate will actually keep the book, but in the meantime, I'm reading it. How amazing is that?

The truth is that if I hadn't felt like I needed to read it, I probably wouldn't keep going. Not because it's really bad or anything--one of the main reasons I'll stop reading some fiction books-- but because it's a little tedious and it doesn't have the plot elements I like in fiction. It's more of a stalk of celery than a stick of candy. But otherwise, it's actually very educational and I appreciate that I have the opportunity to read it.

I'm going to step in with a kind of aside because it occurs to me that it might seem as if I'm thinking there's some magic in this book that I'm "supposed" to read, like voodoo or something, and I feel I need to clarify that I don't feel that way at all. I actually wonder if it's not a snare. :) Actually, I think it's just that I have a hard time making decisions when there are too many choices, like 100s of books about George Washington, so the Lord was helping me out a bit. Also, I do feel there's a need to study history. I haven't thought it strange or other-worldly to feel a need to learn something about the founders of the country because that's also one of the commandments in the Doctrine and Covenants. It's always good to keep on learning, even if it sometimes tastes like celery. Right?

I suppose that's why we're given commandments, isn't it? Because sometimes we've got to do things that we might not like too much, like eating our vegetables. Hm. Washington was a farmer, and he grew vegetables. Did he ever eat candy? Maybe I'll learn what sweet things he ate (or read--the words are actually kind of synomous with me) while I'm reading--a little sugar to help the medicine go down.