Some people get “wrought up” about things.  As I started another reading of the Book of Mormon several days ago, I noticed a related phrase I’d never tuned into before, (never mind that I’ve read it a hundred times ).

The phrase was “wrought upon.”  The 12th verse of the 13th chapter of 1st Nephi very obviously talks of Christopher Columbus.  It says that he was “wrought upon” by the Spirit of God which sent him forth across the great waters.

The next verse says, “And it came to pass that ... the Spirit of God ... wrought upon other Gentiles, and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters.”  (1 Ne. 13:13).

Those other Gentiles included many of my ancestors, most of whom felt compelled to leave their homes, their friends and families, their native land, and even sometimes their native language to go to a fresh land where they could be free to worship God in a manner that they were not allowed to do where they came from.  These ancestors, and Columbus, felt compelled to do what they did.  “Wrought upon” is a wonderful term to use, and a wonderful description of the urge that took possession of their thinking.

Columbus knew the source of the compelling urge that sent him forth.  He later stated:

“With a hand that could be felt, the Lord opened my mind to the fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies ... This was a fire that burned within me.  Who can doubt that this fire was not merely mine, but also of the Holy Spirit.”

My freedom-seeking, religious ancestors might have perhaps also been able to identify the Holy Spirit as the source of their compulsion, but most often people in like situations probably don’t.

I asked myself, “When have I been wrought upon?  Who else has been wrought upon without knowing it?”  I suspect that nearly every invention and discovery, large or small, has been the result of the Holy Ghost implanting an idea in someone’s mind.

I was certainly wrought upon when I first began reading the Book of Mormon.  I could literally feel light flowing into my mind.  Because of the light, and because of the intense and peaceful feelings that it brought, all that I wanted to do was to read that book.  I was wrought upon to make a dramatic course correction in my life.  I was baptized, received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and have been wrought upon ever since.

I asked Marjorie to tell me about instances when she had been wrought upon by the Holy Ghost.  I thought that she would relate the times when she had become unaccountably anxious about her children and had sent me, or had gone herself, to see what was wrong.  I can think of several dramatic saves that such anxieties brought about which were caused by her being wrought upon.

Instead, she told of feeling driven to learn to play the piano.  She recalled a time when she asked her mother if she could go to a Brownie Scout activity at the park.  Her mother suggested that the time would be better spent practicing the piano.  Marjorie wasn’t convinced of that, and made a protest.

The next day her father took her aside and told her that if she wanted to quit piano lessons she could do so.  She said, “The thought of quitting was appalling!  I remember later feeling driven to learn the choir music that I was to accompany.”

She went on to say that “we all have things we should accomplish, and the Spirit nudges us in the right direction.  The thing we were to accomplish was to have 10 children and to raise them like we did.”

When I was set to graduate from college we were faced with the decision of what to do next.  I recall having five choices.  I listed them on paper, and then fasted and prayed to know which was right.  I have often half-heartedly wished that I’d decided to pursue a master’s degree (one of the options on the list); but when I recall the intensity with which my answer came, and when I look back at the results, I know without a doubt that the proper choice was made.

I was inspired to return to Haines, and to ultimately buy our farm.  I was so excited about the propriety of the decision that I couldn’t sleep that night.  I was being wrought upon.

Marjorie points out that this was the decision that enabled us to raise the remarkable family that we did.  Our children had room to roam and work to do, were sheltered from the world, had no TV, and were free to use and develop their imaginations.

I recall being witness to another person being wrought upon by the Spirit.  I had only been a member of the Church for three months when I was sent by the U.S. Navy to the Defense Language Institute at Monterey, California.  I arrived there having just spent a short leave at home following boot camp.  While at home I was given the Aaronic Priesthood, and was ordained a Teacher.  That put me in the classification which was then called “Adult Aaronic.”  My Adult Aaronic adviser was Carlton Darnell.  He and his wife, Ruth, took me under their wing.  Ruth was a counselor to the ward Primary president, Shirley Pielstick.

One day after church Ruth, with purpose aforethought, introduced me to Sister Pielstick.  We were standing at the double doors as I prepared to exit the meetinghouse.  My impression was that Sister Pielstick was the oddest person I’d ever met.  She extended her hand to take mine, but didn’t look at me.  She was looking beyond me.  A strange light was in her eye.  Without acknowledging me in any way she suddenly released her grip and ran down the hall, nearly knocking people over as she went.

The next Sunday I found myself being called to be the Guide Patrol leader in Primary.  That meant that I was to be the Primary teacher of seven 11-year-old boys, and that I would prepare them to receive the Priesthood and to become Boy Scouts at age 12.  It was the first calling I’d ever received.  It was scary.  I’d never taught before.  I didn’t know if I even could.  I knew nothing about the scouting program, and this was a group of rowdy boys who had been through a rapid succession of teachers.

But I was willing to give it a shot.  The boys and I became great friends.  It was a very emotional parting nine months later as I was leaving for my next duty station.

It was only much later, after I’d had more experience in the Church and with the Holy Spirit, that I suddenly understood why Sister Pielstick had acted so strangely when we met.  The Holy Ghost had said to her, “Here is your Guide Patrol teacher.”  It was that simple.  She was wrought upon.  Here was the answer to her prayers and to her problem class.  She didn’t waste time being proper and polite; she simply turned and ran to find the bishop.  I thank her for being able to hear the Spirit and for being inspired to have me called to be Guide Patrol leader in the Pacific Grove Ward.  I gained invaluable experience and learned things about myself that I’d never known or imagined.

This little experience is a tiny one, but not a bit different than the excitement Columbus felt when he first realized that he could reach the Indies by sailing west.  It was no different than the excitement Johannes Gutenberg felt when the idea came to him to try to build a printing press.  Perhaps he, too, knew from whence the inspiration came, and that is why the Holy Bible was the first book he printed.  It was no different than the excitement 14-year-old Philo Farnsworth must have felt as an LDS farm boy observing the straight lines of a plowed field in southeast Idaho when the idea came into his mind that would enable him to make the first TV.

Surely these were “wrought upon by the Holy Spirit” moments.

Much work to bring the ideas to fruition follows such “wrought upon” moments.  I’m sure the Spirit gives them to people who are likely to put forth the effort to carry them out.

Such “wrought upon moments” are time-sensitive.

So when we feel excited about something—wrought upon—it would be well to ask ourselves if the Holy Spirit is trying to tell us something.  If so, then we would be wise to immediately set about doing the work necessary—even if the effort should take a lifetime—to bring the idea to fulfillment.

The Lord will be pleased.