I am the kind of guy who enjoys to ramble (You'll hopefully notice that the word 'ramble' is cleverly hidden in the web address of this here blog). Get me started on a subject I love to talk about, and I'll ramble for hours. A prime example of that: Biking. I am an avid fan and supporter of pedal-biking, and find it very enjoyable...well, for the most part. I'm kind of a picky bike rider - there are certain types of terrain that I don't care for, i.e. hills. Anything that starts to incline upward usually starts fermenting an enormous amount of dread within me that often pools in the recesses of my heart. Hills=Yucky. No bueno. No thank you. Pass. Ext-nay on the ills-hay. Moving on. Why-am-I-still-talking-abut-them-like-this????
Once upon a time, me and my dad decided to go on a bike ride. The purpose behind the bike ride was to help me pass off a requirement for my Biking merit badge in Scouts. But both me and my dad enjoy looking at the beautiful mountains that surround my home valley, and so - in order to get credit for Scouts and also to enjoy the grand vistas that surrounded us - we decided to take the 'scenic' biking route.
Unfortunately, this particular decision would require us to bike up several hills in the area...Oh goodie.
I vividly remember one such hill. Along our route we were following a road that cut through the river bottoms. This means that we had the chance to zip down one hill and coast along the road as it leveled out, crossing the river. However, as soon as we'd passed over the river, another hill climbed upwards - and up this hill the road went on. We would have to bike up that hill in order to continue along our journey.
My heart sank.
"Um, Dad...I...uh...I..."
"C'mon; we can rest once we get to the top!" my dad insisted, pedaling even faster.
Oh boy.
My dad and I sped down the declining slope, and continued pedaling hard as the road leveled out. The incline loomed before us - I did not want to try to bike up it, but I also distinctly remembering muttering under my breath to myself: "Okay, Sam, you can do this...you can do this...it's not that high...you can do this..."
There was a wind blowing directly in our face; whenever I find myself in a situation like this my eyes automatically start to water (this is not my way of subtly saying I was crying; my eyes really do water when my face gets pummeled by the wind!). I could barely see my dad biking ahead of me, making substantial progress up the hill.
"You can do this, Sam...you can do this..."
My legs burned, and I ached from the physical exertion that was being required of me. There were brief moments when I was tempted to get off of my bike and walk it up the hill. Had I done so, though, I doubtless would have earned nothing but Dad's disapproval, which was something that I didn't want. If anything, I wanted to make him proud, but I also wanted desperately to focus on nothing but the pain that I felt. However, I decided to continue murmuring "You can do this!" to myself, in addition to focusing on the idea of how wonderful it would be to take a little rest once we reached the crest of the hill.
That was not an easy bike ride...but once we reached the top of that hill, and stopped for a quick water/granola bar break, resting in the shade of a few large trees growing near the road - well, let's just say that it was worth it, whether or not I recognized that at the time.
With that in mind, I'd like to share 3 Nephi 10:10 with you:
"And the earth did cleave together again, that it stood; and the mourning, and the weeping, and the wailing of the people who were spared alive did cease; and their mourning was turned into joy, and their lamentations into the praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer."
The context of the above passage needs a little explanation: We are taught by the Book of Mormon that during the time of Christ's crucifixion, whilst He suffered on the cross, tremendous storms and natural disasters in conjunction with the suffering and death of the Son of God were taking place throughout the ancient Americas. Terrifying weather and earthquakes (and, some LDS scholars suggest, at least one volcanic eruption) took place all throughout the land, deforming its features and killing hundreds and thousands.
Following the calamities that occurred, a dreadful, tangible darkness (scholars suggest that this 'darkness' could have been volcanic ash) descended over the land, obscuring the light of the sun and extinguishing any fire, flame, or candle that the people tried to light.
For three days this darkness endured, but in the morning the darkness dispersed, and, as read in the above verse, the people's "mourning was turned into joy" and "the earth did cleave together again".
I am completely unaware of the trials, struggles, and heartaches that you are going through at this time. I don't know the complexities of life that beset you, or the sorrows, fears, and doubts that harm you. I do not know if you are LDS, or of another Christian denomination, or if you are of a completely different religious orientation. I do not know if you are old or young, male or female, rich or poor.
All I know is that, many times throughout this life, it feels as if we are biking uphill. It feels like the winds of life smash against our face, blinding our eyes and making our vision cloudy; the exertion of pushing upward against life's steep inclines aches, tears our muscles, weakens our resolves, and hurts our hearts. We just can't see a way to continue onward; we are numb and tired and ready for rest.
I am no stranger to this feeling. Why, I have even felt it just previous to my writing this post! I was watching a clip of the good ole YouTube that brought back very vivid and heartwarming memories of my brother. I struggled to watch the video as I felt tears begin streaming down my face. At one point I broke down into uncontrollable sobbing for only a few seconds - but it was enough to remind me of the heartache that still permeates my life and the lives of my family members.
And yet: The truths contained within 3 Nephi 10:10 are as real and vivid as the sorrow that each and every one of us faces throughout our lives. This particular verse has become even more poignant and meaningful for me. How? It was a verse that was used in the last talk my brother gave in Church.
It was back during Thanksgiving time; our family had been asked to give talks for the meeting that day. My brother gave a beautiful talk that involved Charlie Brown analogies and 3 Nephi 10:10. In his own set of scriptures (which I now use), he has the latter half of that verse marked in bright red pencil.
My brother faced his own trials, challenges, and sorrows, and he marked that verse to help him carry on through his personal 'biking uphill' moments...but now, during a moment when I was going through one of those similar moments, this verse has brought great comfort and peace to my soul. This verse, that my brother marked with his own hand in his own scriptures, has reminded me of that adage: "The night is darkest just before the dawn."
This world is one of telestial nature - in other words, it is imperfect, flawed, corruptible, and is meant to try and test us to our very limits. Our muscles are meant to ache, our eyes are meant to water, and our road is meant to, at times, go uphill.
And yet we find, all throughout the scriptures (particularly in Christ's teachings in the Four Gospels), the command to "Be of good cheer". How? How can we when life is uphill, when we have been hurt or are hurting still? How do we remain happy when the going gets tough?
Well, what did the people who survived the natural disasters of 3 Nephi 10:10 do? They turned "their mourning...into joy, and their lamentations into the praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer."
Perhaps you are not of Christian beliefs; if not, then I invite you to continue reading. I wish to bear testimony to the fact that throughout the darkness and trials and turbulence of life I have been supported by a higher Power, by Deity. You may not know that love and light as Jesus Christ, but I invite you to come to know Him. There have been times when I have turned from Him, and there have been times when I have turned to Him. Always it has been the latter motion that has blessed and benefited my life, and helped me to continue biking uphill.
The good news of the Savior's Gospel provides us all with hope that, even though we may now be floundering in the midnight of remorse, regret, and ruin, we will shortly come to the morning of rejoicing, repentance, renewal, and rebirth. We will be of good cheer, and we still can be through the uphills of life. The darkness need not be permanent: We can embrace that light. Yes, we have to give our best effort in biking up that hill; sometimes we will dismount and walk, sometimes we will fall or crash; but always we can bike upwards, till at last we come to rest beneath the shade of His loving arms, ready to embrace us - including ALL of our weaknesses, frailties, fears, and sorrows. We can maintain our good cheer, no matter the tribulations that flock to us.
Biking uphill and enduring the hardships and trials of this world that fill us with "mourning" and "weeping" and "wailing" and "lamentations" can and will be overcome by the JOY that God has in store for us. When we bike uphill we are forced to rip and tear what muscles we already have - but this gives them the chance to grow bigger, better, and stronger from the experience and ultimately strengthen and improve us as individuals, communities, and nations.
Biking uphill is a challenge and a hardship, but it is always worth that rest in the shade, that "mourning...turned into joy...and lamentations into the praise and thanksgiving...[of] Jesus Christ, [our] Redeemer."
Continuing biking, my friends! Things do get better! They always do! They always will! It may hurt, but press forward! Be of good cheer!
May God be with you till we meet again, my friends.
Sam
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