While growing up in Canada on our family farm, I spent a lot of my time driving a tractor and in our shop. Some of my first memories are being in the shop and doing laps on my tricycle, occasionally trying to help my parents by handing them tools and holding a work light as I took a break from my tricycle laps. I gradually switched from the tricycle to playing basketball or hockey between tool requests and time holding the light. Eventually, I developed the knowledge and ability to be the one doing some of the work. It wasn’t until I was doing the work myself that I truly understood how the light worked. If the focus of the light wasn't on what I was working on or I wasn’t in a position to see what the light was focused on, I didn’t benefit from the light. As I have looked back on these times, I have realized the importance of the source of light in my life and what influence I can have on others as I hold a light for them. In John 8:12 it says, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
From this, we know our Savior is the source of light we should try to align ourselves with. In order to align ourselves with this light, we first need to find it for ourselves. The process each of us will go through is unique. Some of us may have only recently found out about the gospel and gained a testimony of the Savior. Some of us may have gained a testimony as we attended Primary. Some of us may still be searching for the light and our own testimony. Wherever you may be in this process, I hope you gain the same knowledge Nephi shared about the tree of life in 1 Nephi 11:22, “It is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.”
Once you find the light, I hope you have the desire to internalize it like Lehi did when he partook of the fruit in his dream: “As I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy.”1
When I have been around others who are filled with this type of joy, it radiates from them like a light. In the scriptures, light is often referred to as a lamp or candle. Both have fire as the source of their light. To ignite and maintain a fire, the material we want to burn must be close enough to a source of heat to allow that heat to transfer to that material. When enough heat has been transferred, that material begins to burn on its own. As more fuel is added to the flame, it can be built into a stable fire that will benefit those around it. Elder Gerrit W. Gong describes the hope these flames can bring: “As we face the light and warmth of a campfire, we leave the darkness and uncertainty behind us.”2
For anyone who has gathered around a campfire on a summer night, it is very easy to understand how the warmth and light draw you in and maintain your attention.
For each of us to initially gain our own testimony we must draw close enough to the Savior to allow the Holy Ghost to transfer that spark to us. Once the spark has been transferred, we then need to develop the spark into a flame. Most of us start out relying on others while we build that spark into a sustainable flame. Typically, they are a combination of friends, family, church leaders, and the Lord. My experience working on a farm has helped me better understand how we can turn to others when we need that help.
I don’t like to admit this, but there were many times I found myself in a situation where I was stuck. It happened while driving tractors, trucks, motorbikes, and even while I was walking. When I found myself in this situation, I would call out to my father and say, “Dad, I’m stuck.” No matter what he may have been doing at that time, he would come and help me get unstuck. I knew I could always ask for and get help from my father when I needed it. The same is true for our Father in Heaven. We can always turn to Him to help us build and maintain our burning testimonies. We are taught in Doctrine and Covenants 33:17 other ways to help maintain that flame: “Be faithful, praying always, having your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you, that you may be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom.”
As we faithfully keep the commandments, study the scriptures, serve those around us, and pray always, we can keep our lamps trimmed and build up a reserve of oil for the challenges and trials we will each face. These challenges and trials will come in many ways. Sometimes they are part of the developmental process of our mortal experience here on earth. Other times the trials may feel more like the storms and tempests of the adversary that can be very intense but will always pass. Occasionally these trials are results of us letting go of the iron rod from Lehi’s dream to wander through the mists of darkness or possibly to dip our toe in the river of filthiness. Hopefully, very few of these trials are a result of us wallowing in the mud on the banks of the river of filthiness. Usually in that moment we do not realize how far into the mud we truly are and what it will take to get out and cleaned off. My daughters experienced this firsthand when this picture was taken. The smiles on their faces and enjoyment they had playing in the mud quickly left when it was time to rinse clean.
Whatever the circumstances we find ourselves in when we experience trials, we will be able to handle them much better if we can turn our focus to the everlasting light. “Jesus Christ is the everlasting light that ‘shineth in darkness.’ There is no darkness that can ever suppress, extinguish, overpower, or defeat that light. Our Heavenly Father freely offers that light to you. You are never alone.”3
Knowing I was not alone when I got a tractor stuck was always comforting. There were a few other lessons I learned while getting stuck that I would like to share. As I think back to the first time I was driving a tractor and got stuck, I was overly confident in the tractor’s power, unaware of the warning signs that are apparent if you know what to look for, and I truly didn’t
understand the consequences of being stuck. Unfortunately, even though I had learned from the first experience, I still got stuck more than once in my life. Even though I had learned what to watch for, if I wasn’t steadfast in my duties, I would find myself at a point where I was stuck. Once you are stuck, I have learned a few different ways to aid in the process of getting out. The first thing that needs to be done is to unhook from what is holding you there. In the example of the tractor, I would need to unhook from the implement or machine I was dragging behind me. Once that weight had been removed and the tractor was no longer attached to that burden it would very often be able to get unstuck under its own power.
This would be even easier if I were paying attention to the warning signs and was able to turn away from or stop before going further into a situation where I would become stuck. In our mortal journey, if we are paying attention to the warnings or promptings we may receive along the way, we should be able to know when to turn away, unhook the implement, or just stop moving in that direction. If I did not stop or turn away from the problem area soon enough, there were times that the tractor was unable to get unstuck under its own power, even if the implement was no longer attached and holding it back. At these times, I would need someone or something else to help me get unstuck. In similar situations in our spiritual life, these are times we should turn to our friends, family, and especially our ecclesiastical leaders for the extra help to escape what is bogging us down and keeping us from progressing. As good as these mortal beings may be at helping us, we need to remember the Savior is always there for us no matter where we may feel we are in our eternal progression. I take reassurance in the story of Alma the Younger who “was going about rebelling against God,”4 ultimately stuck in iniquity. Even in those circumstances, he was able to unhook from his past sins and with the assistance of his friends, family, and the Savior, eventually became liberated from “a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his power over [him].”5 Alma himself tells us it was not easy: “Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulation . . . My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God.”6
There were times when I was working on the farm at night that I would be away from the tractor lights. If something wasn’t working properly, I would have to leave the comfort of the tractor and walk out into the darkness to identify and fix the problem, or at the end of a workday, I would turn off the tractor lights and then walk in the darkness to another vehicle. Almost every time, no matter how long I had to spend in the darkness, fear of the unseen and unknown would drift into my mind. This fear would remain until I was able to get back into the light. In the Come Follow Me resources this week, it refers to an address in the April 2019 general conference given by Sister Sharon Eubank. She shares the importance of aligning with the light:
One of the fundamental needs we have in order to grow is to stay connected to our source of light—Jesus Christ. He is the source of our power, the Light and Life of the World. Without a strong connection to Him, we begin to spiritually die. Knowing that, Satan tries to exploit the worldly pressures we all face. He works to dim our light, short-circuit the connection, cut off the power supply, leaving us alone in the dark. These pressures are common conditions in mortality, but Satan works hard to isolate us and tell us we are the only one experiencing them.7
From this week’s devotional discussion board, there were a couple comments stating we came from a place of light and that the world we live in is becoming darker. It is evident that the tactics of the adversary mentioned by Sister Eubank are all around us.
As we deal with our own journey in this darkened world we need to focus on the everlasting source of light and power. As we do so, we will be able to rekindle our testimony, even if it is flickering, sputtering, or even if it may have gone out due to the winds and waves the adversary has raging around us. Even if we have been in the darkness for a while, we need to remember it is the adversary that wants us to feel like we can’t return to the light.
As I picture Lehi’s dream in my mind, I have always placed the tree of life on a hill so that it was above all the other places described in the dream and visible from all directions. This is similar to how a lighthouse is positioned to be visible to the passing ships on the waters. One of my favorite hymns is “Brightly Beams Our Father’s Mercy.” In this hymn, the bright source of light which is our Heavenly Father’s mercy is referred to as the lighthouse. This source of light gives hope, comfort, and direction to the ships on the waters. This hope and comfort will only be replaced with safety and relief when they have reached the harbor. To safely enter the harbor in darkness, the ships must align their course with the lighthouse and the lower lights. These lower lights identify the safe passage through the dangers of the channel. We are given a charge to maintain the lower lights.
These lower lights help our fellow brothers and sisters who are struggling and eagerly looking for refuge from the angry billows and tempests of this mortal journey. To take up the charge and maintain the lower lights, we need to do as Christ commanded: “Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations.”8
There have been times in my life that I have hidden my light under a bushel. When I was in high school, I played on the basketball team which was made up primarily of members of the Church. I remember overhearing a couple of teammates trying to recall the name of someone mentioned in the scriptures. They began to ask other teammates for help. They eventually asked me, and a comment was made that I would know the answer because my dad was a bishop. At that moment, the name popped into my mind but before I could give them the answer, the thought that knowing the answer would make me seem uncool overwhelmed me,
so I hid my light and claimed I didn’t know the name. I know my teammates wouldn’t have judged me that way, but Satan was able to make me feel ashamed in that moment. Shortly after that experience, I was preparing to serve a mission and I wondered if I would be able to rise to the occasion as a full-time representative of the Lord. As I was studying the scriptures, I read Doctrine and Covenants 50:24, “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light growth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”
Through this scripture, I received an answer from the Lord to one of my questions. If I continued to follow God, I would receive more and more light which would strengthen my testimony and resolve to be a witness and servant of the Lord.
While on my mission, my companion and I were knocking on doors and we came to a house that had a sign that said something about “no salesman, no solicitors, no evangelists, no religion.” Then under the list in a larger font it said, “This means you! If anything changes, we will call you.” After we read the sign, we debated whether we should knock on the door or not. Ultimately, we decided that everyone deserved an opportunity to hear the message we were sharing. My companion stepped forward and hesitatingly knocked on the door. When the door opened, we were instantly berated because we did not read the sign, followed by insults and questions about our ability to read and follow simple instructions. Because my companion knocked on the door, he was in front of me and was the focus of the homeowner's tirade. At that moment I wasn’t ashamed of what I was doing and who I was there representing. I stepped up to the homeowner and boldly told him the only reason we knocked on the door was to make sure he had our phone number, that way when he wanted to know more, he could call us. That wasn’t a response he was expecting; we could tell by the look on his face. He stepped back and simply said they weren’t interested at this time and closed the door. I was tempted to leave our phone number on a card right next to the sign, but I didn’t.
Within a few months, because of the time I spent studying the scriptures, praying, and serving others, my ability to be a lower light to others went from a small flickering flame that I could easily hide from my friends to a radiant beam that quickly defused a contentious situation.
I appreciate what Brother Mike Whitworth shared in his devotional last week. “The gospel is simple, not easy. We learn by doing, facing challenges, overcoming them, and becoming who we can be.”9 To become who we can be, we need to align ourselves with the Savior and maintain our position as a lower light. This will allow the light to shine through us and glorify our Father in Heaven. As we do this, we can be a vessel that the Lord is able to use to help others.
A few weeks after our son was born, my wife and I were invited to meet with a campus stake president. As we met with him, he asked me a question and as I started to give the response, I
instantly knew the answer I was giving was not coming from me, but through me. I quickly confirmed this fact when I saw the look on my wife’s face. I remember the feeling I had at that moment. I was able to be an instrument which the Spirit was able to shine through. This was the beginning of a great opportunity as we were both extended a call to serve in one of the YSA wards on campus. Serving in the YSA ward helped me trim my lamp and add oil to my reserves. Along with the blessings I received, I also witnessed how the Lord helps those who are stuck and not progressing become freed from the burdens that are holding them back. Please take the opportunity to be a light for others and help them when they are feeling stuck. Your light— no matter how great or small—can have an eternal effect on somebody else.
It is my testimony that as we partake of the fruit that is freely offered to us, we can develop a burning testimony of our own. As we align ourselves with the light of the Savior through daily prayer, scripture study, and service to others, we can be a lower light that will shine in the darkness. As we do so, we can be an instrument in the Lord’s work to guide others around the mud and help them when they feel stuck. I know the Lord lives and loves each one of us. He has helped me out of the mud and will always be there when I need Him. I know He will always be there for you as well. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
1 1 Nephi 8:12.
2 Gerrit W. Gong, “Our Campfire of Faith,” Ensign, Nov. 2018.
3 Timothy J. Dyches, “Light Cleaveth unto Light,” Ensign, May 2021.
4 Mosiah 27:11.
5 Mosiah 27:9.
6 Mosiah 27:28–29.
7 Sharon Eubank, “Christ: The Light That Shines in Darkness,” Ensign, May 2019.
8 Doctrine and Covenants 115:5.
9 Mike Whitworth, “Simplicity, the Act of Doing,” BYUI devotional, Aug. 3, 2021.