Mr. Jewels' Message for April

We have been blessed this last weekend to hear from our Prophet. We were further blessed with words from the other great leaders of our Church. I am grateful for the Spirit that I felt and the urgency He put into my soul for improving myself. There were many awesome discourses and wonderful truths shared. But, for some reason, the message that resonated most with me was a line from one of the hymns. I have always liked the hymn and have always enjoyed this particular line. But, again, it really hit home with me this time. So, I feel impressed to share it with you: "and [I will] cause thee to stand..." (How Firm a Foundation, Hymn #85)

The leaders of the church repeatedly reminded us throughout the Conference of the difficult times we are facing. I feel for those that are experiencing hard times and my heart truly goes out to you. I know that for some the trials of this life can knock you off your feet. I know that sometimes you just want to let the lashings envelop you and submit yourself to defeat.

You all knew it was coming eventually. Here it is. I liken these difficulties that we call life to a workout. There are times during the workout when you have 40 more reps of a heavy dead lift or 1 more mile to run. You are completely out of breath, your lungs are on fire, your legs are shaking, and you want to sit or kneel down and never get up again. Every ounce of your concentration is put into just keeping yourself upright.

This is what is called "hitting the wall". It is a crucial part of the workout and of our lives. We can make a choice to sit down and give up or we can stay standing. The reason this choice is so crucial is the feet. Once your feet are removed from a planted position on the ground, you have to invest a lot of energy to get them back. (One of the reasons, I feel, that we pray while kneeling - a sign of humility to the Lord.) And, in my workouts, every second counts. So, stay on your feet!

So it is with our lives. We have so much depending on us - although some of us may not immediately see what it is: family, friends, coworkers, colleagues. These people look to us and love us and depend on our faith as we do theirs. To make things worse, the amount of love and appreciation we have for these good people is directly proportional to the load being placed on our backs. But, don't give up the faith.

In that moment of despair, when you can no longer move forward, or lift anymore, or get out of bed in the morning, or write another report, when you are about to let the darkness consume you, the Lord steps in and "causes thee to stand." Does this mean that it's over? Does this mean that it will all be resolved automatically? No. But, as least you're still on your feet. You can continue forward and finish the task at hand.

The miracles of the Atonement are infinite. The crown jewel of them is the Resurrection. We will all one day see our Father in Heaven again. Without the Resurrection, this would not be possible. The Resurrection of the Savior allows us to "stand" in his presence one day. But, first we must "stand" in this life and not give up. In spite of your trials and hard times, I know the Lord loves and is aware of you and will evermore "cause thee to stand."