The Light of Life

Contrary to the beautiful skies and fair wind I had that morning, thick darkness surrounded me, which seemed to hang in the air around my head. I looked up and try to orient myself using the heavens, yet the familiar guiding lights above were no where to be found. The ship began to pitch and yaw as the waves heaved against the side. With the fog creeping above the water line onto the vessel, my heart began to race. Visibility was low, and in the moment of my greatest need I felt alone. Trusted orientation tools were rendered useless due to the present conditions, so I cast them aside. I felt like my bearings up to that point had been correct, and  should be headed exactly where I need to be, but the sting of doubt was nagging at my mind. 'Was my last calculation really correct? Did I correctly changed my latitude to account for the distance traveled?'  A voice in the back of my head told me that conditions ahead are worse, not better, yet there was no possible way to turn around. Supplies were completely gone after the already long and strenuous journey, but safe harbor was just ahead. Courageously, I pressed forward, tentatively trusting in my past judgement. Somewhere off in the distance I could hear violent crashing noises as the waves slammed against the jagged rock face of the shore. The rocks were close, and with no way to guide the ship the result could have been devastating. With the given conditions and dangers present,  I realized hope of relying upon my own skills was gone, and without guidance I would be lost to the world.

Discouragement set in. Sweaty palms clasped tightly together, I sunk down to my knees and offered a prayer high to the heavens. In my moment of greatest despair, I raised my voice to the Lord pleading for help. Just as I let out my last desperate cry for relief, a light appeared. Immediately bursting through the darkness, the beam shined brightly over top of me. Ecstatic I rose up, realizing that immediate reorientation was necessary to make it to the pier safely. Frantically I reached out for my instruments that previously were cast aside, knowing that there was still time to change my course. Dispelling the darkness that was gathered so tightly around, the lighthouse beam allowed me to guide my way away from the eminent danger of the cliffs safely into harbor. Expelling a sigh of relief from my chest, I reached up and wiped the sweat off my brow. Thanks to the light that broke through the darkness, I was able to make it out all right.

fictional metaphor used to illustrate a point... I was in a weirdly creative mood.

We have all had to tread through dark paths. We have all felt the despair that comes when sometimes near the completion of a long journey, life's dangers close in. More often then not, our journey starts out with blue skies and smiles. In my experience however, we will at some point have to pass through a moment of despair and travail. Life will not always be easy; it wasn't meant to be. We are not built to weather the storms all by ourselves, nor were we meant to. For this sometimes difficult journey of life, navigation tools have been prepared. Within all our natures, we can look to the proverbial sky for the guiding lights of our conscious, the Light of Christ, to show us which way is correct. Sometimes however, the skies can gather blackness, and those lights can be hard to find and define. To further help us, those who have gone before have carefully constructed maps and almanacs. Their guidance has been inspired and carefully recorded in scripture to help us most efficiently.  Most importantly, in our times of weakness and despair, a light has been given, to lead and guide us safely home, away from the dangers that threaten the safety of all men. The light that I speak of is Jesus Christ.  He himself said,

 "I am the ^alight of the world: he that followeth me shall not ^bwalk in ^cdarkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)

I promise you, as His servant, that He will guide you safely into a God's rest. No matter what trial we are going through, no matter what answers we are looking for, He will shed light. He will show us what we need to do, where we need to go. We must hold onto our faith. We must listen to Nephi's wise counsel when he says,

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope." (2 Nephi 31:20)

All we have to do is turn to Him and trust. Nephi earlier explained that we must "feast upon the words of Christ" and that "the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 31:3) It is my testimony that as you do that, you will be happier. He will be your light! You will start to see His hand, leading you exactly where you need to go to be most happy, to reach your own safe harbor. He loves us, and wants whats best. It is my prayer that we will listen to the counsel given in the classic primary song, I am a child of God.

"Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, Help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do. To live with him someday."