Jaredite Stories

Esther was a beautiful Jaredite woman with fair skin, light brown hair, and green eyes. Esther married young and bore 5 children, all of whom grew to adulthood and blessed her with many grandchildren. She lived during the time of Isaac (Isaac the Warrior Part 1) and Shim. Her husband fought and was severely injured in the battle when Shim took over the government. As a powerful healer, Esther helped many warriors heal from their wounds, including her husband and the king.

Shim, also wounded from the battle, heard of Esther’s healing abilities and sent for her. Esther was angry at him for causing so much bloodshed and death and the captivity of thousands of her people—and feared for her safety knowing Shim’s penchant for beautiful women. Although she did not want to go to Shim and definitely did not want to heal him—she was given a blessing of protection from the king and the prophet. She did go to Shim, used herbs, energy, and the power of God to heal his wounds and the wounds of many of his warriors.

During the time Esther lived in captivity, life was hard. Shim and his people took at least half of their flocks, herds, and crops for themselves, not leaving them much to live on. However, because of their faithfulness and obedience, the Lord strengthened them and blessed their lives so their afflictions seemed light, easy to bear. The people, their crops, herds, and flocks were multiplied with Heaven’s help. They did not require as much food to obtain the nutrition that they needed. They were strong and healthy. They were flooded with new revelations and new technologies to be used when it was time to reclaim their freedom.

After holding them in captivity for just a few months, Shim decided that he did not want to try control and manage the thousands of people he held in captivity, even though he obtained food and clothing from them; he wanted them gone, dead. He did not want to give them a chance of ever coming together to defeat him and remove him from his throne. He sent his guards to poison their only source of water. The captive Jaredites lived in a barren place, so their only water supply was vital to their survival.

Thankfully, only a few people actually drank the poisonous water; once a few of the people saw the effects of those who drank the water, no one else was allowed to drink or even touch the water. The prophet immediately learned what happened and began to pray in his heart and mind for those affected by the poison. Word spread fast and soon all in captivity prayed in their hearts and minds for the survival of their friends and for their water.

Esther and another healer were immediately called to help those who were dying from the poison. Shim’s guards attempted to prevent Esther from using her herbs initially. Miraculously, they changed their minds and allowed her to administer the herbs to those affected by the poison; they thought there was no way they would survive the effects of the poison. Because of Esther’s knowledge of herbs, energy, and the prayers of the faithful, she reversed the effects of the poison causing it to become beneficial for those who were affected. Unbelievably, those inflicted with the poison enjoyed better health and lived longer and healthier than most of the other Jaredites.

Once Shim discovered what happened, he was livid. He sent guards to capture Esther; however one of her daughters, a dreamer, was warned in a vivid dream that they were coming to take her mom. She woke Esther and her husband and told her that she needed to leave. Esther’s initial reaction was fear since Shim’s guards were everywhere, even at night. Her daughter told her that in her dream, all the guards were asleep. Esther, filled with faith, quickly left the village under the cloak of a dark, moonless night, and hid in a known, well-concealed cave. This cave was only known to a few people and had been purposely set up as a hiding place. It was well-stocked with food, water and weapons.

Sadly, the guards took their anger out on her family and others in the village; many were beaten and whipped that day. Esther felt the beatings from her hiding place in the cave, especially the beatings and abuses of her family. It tore her heart apart, knowing it happened because of her, because she left. She desperately wanted to go back to the village and turn herself over to Shim, knowing the atrocities that would happen to her; she just wanted the beatings and abuses to stop and she wanted to protect her family.

As Esther was about to leave the cave, Jesus came to her in a vision and told her that it was Him that sent her to the cave and He wanted her to stay in the protection of the cave until it was time to go back. Jesus told her that He would help her heal her family and all those who were injured from the beatings. He also gave her instructions how to heal the water supply, even from a distance, so the people would have all the water they needed. Jesus also told her that she would be needed for future events and that was why He preserved her life. It was a very sweet experience for Esther as she saw Jesus Christ and felt his love for her, her family, and her people.

Esther remained in the cave for about one week, when her husband secretly came to her and told her it was safe to come back.

Esther was also a beautiful weaver. She wove beautiful fabric to clothe the people. Her fabric was always sought after by many Jaredites. Even Shim and his associates came to her to acquire fabric. Of course, she didn’t receive compensation from them, they simply demanded the fabric; but she was blessed in other ways. She and her family always had their needs taken care of.

One day, the daughter of one of Shim’s closest advisors was suddenly taken very ill; almost on the verge of dying. Shim’s advisor and his wife were grief-stricken and were trying everything they knew to help her. They summoned their healer, but he was unable to help their daughter. One of the guards reminded the advisor about Esther and her healing powers. However, Shim would not allow them to seek Esther or take the girl to her. The parents, out of desperation, disobeyed Shim’s orders and took their daughter to Esther, knowing there could be severe consequences. Using the gift of her healing hands and herbs, Esther healed the girl within minutes. The parents were astonished and very grateful.

As the family traveled back to their home, they were met by Shim and his guards and told they were no longer welcome in their village. As far as Shim was concerned, the advisor was a traitor and was cast out of his court and their village. They went back to Esther and the people in captivity and were welcomed with open arms. They felt love and acceptance, a greater love and acceptance than they had felt since Shim took control of the government. They lived joyfully in captivity with the righteous Jaredites until the time of their deliverance.

The faith the Jaredites expressed in captivity was astonishing! Because of their faith, they were richly blessed. Shim and his followers abused these people by trying to prevent them from praying, worshipping together, and paying tithing, among other things to show their reverence to God, but this group of people prayed in their hearts, discretely worshipped as families, built each other up when they saw each other while working out in the fields, tending the flocks, or working on the other trades that they did.

While Esther and her husband enjoyed their children and the beginning of grandchildren while in captivity, her husband quietly passed away. Although Esther was a healer, she was not able to save her husband, as his time on earth was complete and he was needed in the spirit world. Esther deeply missed her husband, but gratefully continued her mission of helping others, and helping others heal.