Post # 233 -- Finding Refuge from the Storms
of Life -- By Elder Ricardo P. Giméne Of the Seventy
Dear Family and Friends
I pray that each one of you is doing well and are
healthy as well. I know that this change in our lives is
hard to get used to. Are you getting used to wearing
your mask yet? I still struggle, especially when I
need to wear it for long periods of time. I wanted to
share with you another talk from the April General
Conference.
This talk reminds us all of the following statement
from Elder Ricardo P. Giméne of the Seventy. “Jesus
Christ and His Atonement are the refuge that we all need,
regardless of the storms that are battering our lives.” so
during times of our trials we have a refuge to go to
regardless of what storms are raging all around us.
We need only to turn our hearts and minds to Jesus
Christ and HIs Atonement for our refuge from the
storms. The talk that I have chosen is ‘Finding
Refuge from the Storms of Life”. Do you know where
to turn for refuge when the storms of life are raging
about you? Do you know about the Atonement of
Jesus Christ and how it is a refuge for you?
Back in the mid-’90s, during my college years, I was part of the
Fourth Company of the Santiago Fire Department in Chile.
While serving there, I lived at the fire station as part of the night
guard. Toward the end of the year, I was told that I had to be at
the fire station on New Year’s Eve because on that day there
was almost always some emergency. Surprised, I replied, “Really?”
Well, I remember waiting with my associates when, at midnight,
fireworks began shooting off in downtown Santiago.
We started hugging each other with well wishes for the new
year. Suddenly the bells at the fire station began ringing,
indicating that there was an emergency. We got our
equipment and jumped on the fire engine. On our way to
the emergency, as we passed crowds of people celebrating
the new year, I noticed that they were largely unconcerned
and carefree. They were relaxed and enjoying the warm
summer night. Yet somewhere nearby, the people we were
hurrying to help were in serious trouble.
This experience helped me realize that although our lives may at
times be relatively smooth, the time will come for each of us
when we will face unexpected challenges and storms that will
push the limits of our ability to endure. Physical, mental, family,
and employment challenges; natural disasters; and other matters
of life or death are but some of the examples of the storms that
we will face in this life.
When faced with these storms, we often experience feelings of
despair or fear. President Russell M. Nelson said, “Faith is the
antidote for fear”—faith in our Lord Jesus Christ
I have seen the storms that affect people’s lives, I have concluded
that no matter what kind of storm is battering us—regardless of
whether there is a solution to it or whether there is an end in
sight—there is only one refuge, and it is the same for all types of
storms. This single refuge provided by our Heavenly Father is
our Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
None of us are exempt from facing these storms. Helaman, a Book
of Mormon prophet, taught us as follows: “Remember that it is upon
the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must
build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty
winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his
mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to
drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the
rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation
Elder Robert D. Hales, who had his own experiences with
enduring storms, said: “Suffering is universal; how we react to
suffering is individual. Suffering can take us one of two ways.
It can be a strengthening and purifying experience combined
with faith, or it can be a destructive force in our lives if we do
not have the faith in the Lord’s atoning sacrifice”
In order to enjoy the refuge that Jesus Christ and His Atonement
offer, we must have faith in Him—a faith that will allow us to
rise above all the pains of a limited, earthly perspective. He has
promised that He will make our burdens light if we come
unto Him in all that we do.
“Come unto me,” He said, “all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and
lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
It is said that “to one who has faith, no explanation is necessary.
To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” (This statement
has been attributed to Thomas Aquinas but is most likely a loose
paraphrase of things he taught.) However, we have limited
understanding of the things that happen here on earth, and often
we do not have answers to the question of why. Why is this
happening? Why is this happening to me? What am I supposed
to learn? When answers evade us, that is when the words
expressed by our Savior to the Prophet Joseph Smith in Liberty
Jail are completely applicable:
“My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine
afflictions shall be but a small moment;
“And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high”
Although many people indeed believe in Jesus Christ, the key
question is whether we believe Him and whether we believe the
things that He teaches us and asks us to do. Perhaps someone
might think, “What does Jesus Christ know about what is
happening to me? How does He know what I need to be happy?”
Truly, it was our Redeemer and Intercessor to whom the prophet
Isaiah was referring when he said:
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows,
and acquainted with grief. …
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. …
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for
our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and
The Apostle Peter also taught us about the Savior, saying, “Who
his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we,
being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose
So by the Suffering of Jesus Christ or through the
Atonement of Jesus Christ we are healed, forgiven,
consoled, comforted, , given peace, and more so much
more, we are enabled with strength and power to do
all we need to do! I am sure that there is really so
much more involved with the Atonement that i have
yet to learn about.
Although the time of own martyrdom was approaching, his
words are not filled with fear or pessimism; rather, he taught the\
Saints to “rejoice,” even though they were “in heaviness
through manifold temptations.” Peter counseled us to
remember that “the trial of [our] faith, … though it be tried
with fire,” would lead to “praise and honour and glory at the
So Paul’s counsel to each one of us is for us to be
happy even though we may be in the middle of our
trials. The reason he gives for this is that even
though we will go through troubles and trials in our
lives I believe Paul is saying that whatever we go
through God will make it for our good and His glory.
Peter continued:
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is
to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings;
that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with
Paul continues by telling us not to think it strange that
we are facing trials in our lives. Because everyone has
their own trials. It doesn't only happen to you alone.
We should rejoice as we have the Atonement of
Jesus Christ that we can have in our lives to help us
to get through all the trials that come our way. As
we put our focus on Christ and what He has made
available to us through His Atonement we are able
to be happy when our trials come and we are able
to learn from them rather that allow them to
bring us down.
President Russell M. Nelson taught that “Saints can be happy
under every circumstance. … When the focus of our lives is
on God’s plan of salvation … and Jesus Christ and His gospel,
we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not
happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him.
Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 82).
I guess i got a few things not quite right but our
Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson has clarified
for me and for you just how we can be happy under
any circumstance that we happen to find ourselves
in. if we, but remember that Christ is the source
of all joy.
Of course, it is easier to say these things when we are not in the
midst of a storm than to live and apply them during the storm.
But as your brother, I hope you can feel that I sincerely want to
share with you how valuable it is to know that Jesus Christ and
His Atonement are the refuge that we all need, regardless of the
storms that are battering our lives.
I know that we are all children of God, that He loves us, and
that we are not alone. I invite you to come and see that He
can lighten your burdens and be the refuge you are seeking.
Come and help others find the refuge that they so yearn for.
\Come and stay with us in this refuge, which will help you
\resist the storms of life. There is no doubt in my heart that
\if you come, you will see, you will help, and you will stay.
The prophet Alma testified the following to his son Helaman:
“I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall
be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their
The Savior Himself said:
“Let your hearts be comforted … ; for all flesh is in mine
hands; be still and know that I am God. …
“Wherefore, fear not even unto death; for in this world
your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full”
The hymn “Be Still, My Soul,” which has touched
my heart on many occasions, has a message of
comfort for our souls. The lyrics read as follows:
Be still, my soul: The hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
(Hymns, no. 124)
As we face the storms of life, I know that if we make our
best effort and rely upon Jesus Christ and His Atonement
as our refuge, we will be blessed with the relief, comfort,
strength, temperance, and peace that we are seeking, with
certainty in our hearts that at the end of our time here on
earth, we will hear the words of the Master: “Well done,
thou good and faithful servant: … enter thou into the joy
Jesus Christ, amen.
I feel like i have been spiritually fed here today, just
as i was when i heard this talk during our general
conference in April 2020. You know as we are all going
through this COVID 19 together in some way shape or
form of it. and how it has all but completely crippled
our nation and varying parts of the world.
It most definitely has been a struggle for most of
us. I know it has been quite different from my
normal, that is for sure. No one knows just how long
it will take for this virus to reach its peak or
whatever you call it and then to run its course so
\that it is out of everyone's systems and the
threat of it is completely gone.
But we must continue on with our lives and be happy
all together but separately. We must remember
where we need to put and keep our focus through
this trial and any others which will come our way.
When we put Christ first in our life all other things
\will either fall into place or fall out of our lives.
Please FROGaHS-- Fully Rely On God, and His Son,
Please remember this counsel and do your best to
make the changes in your lives that will allow a
habit to form of you FROGaHS every day for the
rest of your lives and if you get off track, for your
own sake as well as that of your posterity, get
back on track through repentance..
I know that it is so much easier to form the bad
habits that the good ones but you must continue
to repent and try again. Remember your
Heavenly Father never said it would be easy to
make the journey back to Him. He only said that
it would be worth it! I think i heard this
statement from my mother.
Remembering who you really are is another important
thing to help you to not only realize your worth but
also to help you keep your focus on your Savior.
Remember Jesus Christ as he suffered there in
the Garden of Gethsemane and everything that
happened to Him after that point up until and
through His crucifixion upon the cross.
As you remember these things it also helps you to
realize that He went through so much more that
you or I could ever even imagine. And He did it for
you, and me, and every other person who has ever
lived or who will ever live upon this earth. He did
it to make the bridge for us to return safely back
to our heavenly home.
I guess i am through with my ramblings for this post,
but i wont promise that i am don't rambling for ever:)
as i said before, please remember who you are!!! You
are a child of God! Remember to say your prayers
both morning and evening. Remember your Heavenly
Father is always only a prayer away!!!
Please continue to study the Book of Mormon with
me and our cyberspace friends. I know from my own
personal experiences that when you read from the
Book of Mormon each day your day will go better
and when things happen you are better able to
handle it. I will leaved you for now so until my next
post, please continue to be safe and joyful.
No comments:
Post a Comment