Heavenly Father Provides Us with Mountains to Climb So We Can Become Like Him
Acquiring and growing a testimony is like climbing a mountain. As we ascend the mountain we can turn and view the vista behind us, and feel a sense of accomplishment at how far we’ve come.
As we continue the climb we will arrive at the top and feel a rush of accomplishment and growth. However, as we look into the distance we soon become aware that there are towering peaks before us that need to be climbed. We know if we leave theses unclimbed we’ll be missing out on experience, experience that we need and should not put off.
Not all who climb continue, it is difficult and many chose to ignore the invitation of the inviting peaks beckoning them. It is so easy to plateau in our journey, especially when everything is going well.
This is when we can begin to forget the Lord and take side paths instead of climbing towards the peaks. These side paths have many destinations but none of them offer the rewards of climbing towards the peaks.
The peaks represent the things the Lord knows we are in most need of. The side paths represent the struggles we allow ourselves to wander into because we’re not staying focused on moving steadily towards the peaks.
We need to keep our eyes riveted on the purposes of church membership—receiving the gift Holy Ghost, a remission of sins, and then maintaining a remission of sins.
When trials come on us, we can be seduced by the evil one to take side paths and busy ourselves in things like idling away our time, or learning, but never coming to a knowledge of the truth, or indulging in the things of the flesh that create chains of bondage.
The Savior climbed the mountains the Father required of Him—resulting in the atonement. This provides you and me with the gifts of repentance, grace, and the promise of His support in all our trials, troubles, and afflictions. As we climb to the peaks we need to conquer the Savior will be there watching over us.
The Savior’s lament is, “my blood shall not cleanse them if they hear me not”. We need to hear the Savior and chart a course and trek towards the mountain peaks the Father is inviting us to conquer.
The scriptures are our map and compass. The church is our outfitter, and the living prophets our guides. We have everything we need to gain “eternal life; which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.”
Let’s climb together as followers of Christ and take up Brigham Young’s motto—The Kingdom or God or Nothing.