In Lehi's dream, many people were able to navigate through the "mist of darkness" and arrive safely at the tree of life. Their journey began when they "caught hold of the end of the rod of iron," which represents the word of God. (See 1 Nephi 8:24, 30, 1 Nephi 11:25, 1 Nephi 15, 23-24.)
As Alma lay immobilized by agony, "racked by torment" after being rebuked by an angel of God, his turning point came when he remembered his father's words about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. "As my mind caught hold upon this thought," he later said, "I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me" (Alma 36:18, italics added).
Immediately, his pain disappeared and was replaced by joy.
Elder Neil L. Andersen discussed the imagery in Alma's choice of words:
Alma "caught hold upon" the truth of Jesus Christ. If we were using the words "caught hold upon" in a physical sense, we might say, "He caught hold upon the guardrail just as he was falling," meaning he reached out suddenly and tightly seized something solidly cemented to a secure foundation.
In Alma's case, it was his mind that reached out and secured this powerful truth of Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice. Acting in faith on that truth, and by the power and grace of God, he was rescued from despair and filled with hope.
While our experiences may not be as dramatic as Alma's, they are nonetheless as eternally significant. Our minds have also "caught hold upon this thought" of Jesus Christ and His merciful sacrifice, and our souls have felt the light and joy that follow.
"My Mind Caught Hold upon This Thought of Jesus Christ," General Conference, April 2023
Today, I will allow my mind to "catch hold" of the Savior's grace and mercy. I will figuratively reach out and secure this powerful truth in my mind as I navigate uncertainty and seek for the assistance that only God can provide.
