Basic beliefs and principles , Perseverance
4 min read
Nature has always been a powerful way for me to connect with the Spirit. When I was six, my family emigrated from Mexico to the United States. Heber, Utah, has become a place we gladly call home.
Every time I see the Wasatch Mountains, I feel joy and nostalgia because I made valuable friendships at the young women's camp, marveled at nature, and even had my first date with a handsome boy named Andrew who later proposed to me.
In the October 2023 General Conference, Sister Amy A. Wright used the example of Mount Carmel in her talk entitled Enduring the Day in Christ ”:
“Mount Carmel remains green all year round, due in large part to the small amounts of dew… As with “the dew of Carmel,” by seeking to nourish our souls “with things pertaining to righteousness,” “small and simple things,” our witness and the witness of our children will live on!”
Like the dew on Mount Carmel, we need to accumulate the dew of the Gospel in our hearts to survive the trials of spiritually dry seasons and environments.
Last year I went to Mount Timpanogos with my brother and some friends. We wanted to reach the summit to see the sunrise. The route was over 4,500 meters above sea level, so it was very windy and cold, and we had to hike to stay warm.
Just as keeping moving was vital to reaching the top on this hike, we must strive to build a “ positive spiritual momentum” as we navigate this earthly experience.
To get the most out of our spiritual efforts and “ endure the day ,” Sister Wright suggests that “we must simplify, focus our efforts, and catch the light of Jesus Christ.”
We need to be simpler
Climbing to the top of a mountain requires thousands of small steps. Similarly, we cannot complete a hike with just a few giant strides. We must gradually nurture our witness with small, simple things.
Likewise, we must filter the information that catches our attention so we can focus more on doing good, such as through prayer. I had a wonderful experience with prayer at a women's camp; I received a beautiful sense of peace.
I shared that experience in a chapel and saw how my words resonated on the face of each of the girls. At the end of my message, the Young Women president gave me a framed quote:
“There is no beauty that shines brighter than a good heart.”
Thanks to that sister's simple gesture, I accumulated more dew in my heart because I felt her love and gratitude.
We must focus
My husband and I moved to California. I started working remotely and was alone at home most of the day. With all the changes, I forgot to focus on what's most important: the Light of Christ.
So I remembered that Sister Wright taught me that even though everything around me may be changing, and I may not know what will come next, what will last forever can be the Savior. I just need to remember that He is part of my new habits.
One of the ways I've been able to focus on Christ has been by attending my new ward to gather and uplift one another on Sundays. Sharing and listening to each other's feelings helps me through the week's challenges, and their examples strengthen me.
We need to meet
Gathering the light of Christ means gathering the best of myself to share with others. It is through the light we carry within that we can share God's love, because we all share the light of Christ.
Gathering dew in our hearts, like the example of Mount Carmel, will carry us through the nights when we cannot always see our next correct step.
When we simplify, focus, and come together, we can strengthen our discipleship, grow in spiritual light, and keep moving forward.
This same light, metaphorically reflected by the dewdrops, will lead us through the darkest of nights until the sun rises and the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, returns.
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