Not long ago, my wife and I decided
that we should more fully experience
the beauty of an area close to our home in northwest Montana.
We determined to take our bicycles to the Hiawatha
Trail, a converted rail line that
crosses the beautiful Rocky Mountains between Montana
and Idaho.
We anticipated a fun day with good friends,
enjoying the natural beauty of the area.
We knew our ride along the magnificent 15-mile
(24-kilometer) trail would include trestles stretching
over deep canyons and long tunnels penetrating rugged
mountains.
So we prepared ourselves with lights strapped
to our helmets and bicycles.
Those who had gone before warned us that the tunnels were dark
and that we needed really strong lights.
As we gathered in front of the massive stone
opening of the Taft Tunnel, a caretaker
explained some of the dangers of the trail,
including deep ditches along the edges, rough walls,
and complete darkness.
Impatiently, we pushed forward into the tunnel.
After we had ridden only a few minutes,
the predicted darkness engulfed us.
The lights I brought proved inadequate,
and the darkness soon overwhelmed them.
Suddenly, I began to feel anxious, confused,
and disoriented.
I was embarrassed to admit my anxieties to my friends
and family.
Although an experienced cyclist, I now
felt as though I had never ridden a bicycle.
I struggled to stay upright as my confusion increased.
Finally, after I did express my discomfort to those around me,
I was able to draw closer to the more powerful light
of a friend.
In fact, everyone in the group began
to form a tight circle around him.
By staying close to him and relying for a time on his light
and the collective light of the group,
we pushed deeper into the darkness of the tunnel.
After what seemed like hours, I saw a pinpoint of light.
Almost immediately, I began to feel reassured
that all would be well.
I continued to press forward, relying
on both the light of my friends and the growing
pinpoint of light.
My confidence gradually returned as the light
grew in size and intensity.
Long before reaching the end of the tunnel,
I no longer needed the assistance of my friends.
All anxiety disappeared as we pedaled quickly
toward the light.
I felt calm and reassured even before we
rode into the morning full of warmth and splendor.
We live in a world in which we will experience challenges
to our faith.
We may feel confident that we are
ready to face these challenges, only
to find that our preparations have been insufficient.
And just as my friend had warned me about the darkness,
we are warned today.
Apostolic voices urge us to prepare ourselves
with the powerful light of spiritual strength.
Likewise, we might feel embarrassed, uncomfortable,
or confused spiritually when we encounter
a challenge to our faith.
Generally, the intensity and duration of these feelings
will depend upon our reaction to them.
If we do nothing, doubt, pride, and eventually apostasy
may drive us from the light.
I learned some important lessons from my experience
in the tunnel.
I'll share just a few of them.
First, no matter how intense the darkness of doubt,
we choose how long and to what extent
we allow it to influence us.
We must remember how much our Heavenly Father and His Son
love us.
They will neither abandon us, nor will They
allow us to be overcome if we seek Their help.
Remember Peter's experience in the hostile waves
of the Sea of Galilee.
As Peter felt the cold darkness close around him,
he recognized his dilemma immediately
and chose in that very moment to call out for help.
He did not question the Savior's power to save him;
he simply called out, "Lord, save me."
In our lives, the extended hand of the Savior
may take the form of help from a trusted friend, leader,
or a loving parent.
While we are struggling in the darkness,
there is nothing wrong with relying temporarily
upon the light of those who love us and have
our best interests at heart.
When we consider thoughtfully, why
would we listen to the faceless, cynical voices of those
in the great and spacious buildings of our time
and ignore the pleas of those who genuinely love us?
These ever-present naysayers prefer
to tear down rather than elevate and to ridicule
rather than uplift.
Their mocking words can burrow into our lives,
often through split-second bursts
of electronic distortions carefully and deliberately
composed to destroy our faith.
Is it wise to place our eternal well-being
in the hands of strangers?
Is it wise to claim enlightenment from those
who have no light to give or who may have private agendas hidden
from us?
These anonymous individuals, if presented to us honestly,
would never be given a moment of our time,
but because they exploit social media, hidden from scrutiny,
they receive undeserved credibility.
Our choice to heed those who mock sacred things
will distance us from the saving and life-giving
light of the Savior.
John recorded: "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."
Remember, those who truly love us can help us build our faith.
Just as I was embarrassed in the tunnel,
we might feel too embarrassed to ask for help when we doubt.
Perhaps we are one to whom others
have looked for strength, and now we need help.
When we realize that the light and comfort the Savior can
extend to us is far too precious to lose to pride,
then inspired Church leaders, parents, and trusted friends
can help.
They stand ready to assist us in gaining
spiritual assurances that will fortify us
against challenges of faith.
Second, we must trust in the Lord
in order to develop spiritual strength within ourselves.
We cannot rely upon the light of others forever.
I knew that the darkness in the tunnel
would not last if I kept pedaling beside my friend
and within the safety of the group.
But my expectation was to be able to proceed on my own
once I could see the light.
The Lord teaches us, "Draw near unto
me and I will draw near unto you; seek me
diligently and ye shall find me; ask,
and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
We must act, expecting that the Lord will fulfill His promise
to lift us from the darkness if we draw near unto Him.
The adversary, however, will try to convince us
that we have never felt the influence of the Spirit
and that it will be easier just to stop trying.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf counsels
us to "doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."
In my home ward, a young man recently said,
"There are things I have felt that cannot be explained in any
other way except that they are of God."
This is spiritual integrity.
When faced with questions or tempted to doubt,
we should remember the spiritual blessings and feelings that
have penetrated our hearts and lives in the past
and place our faith in Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus
Christ.
I am reminded of the counsel given
in a familiar hymn: "Doubt not the Lord nor his goodness [for]
we've proved him in days that are past."
To ignore and discount past spiritual experiences
will distance us from God.
Our quest for light will be enhanced by our willingness
to recognize when it shines in our lives.
Modern scripture defines light and gives a promise
to those who accept it: "That which is of God is light;
and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God,
receiveth more light; and that light
groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day."
Just as when we kept pedaling toward the light,
the more we persist, the brighter His influence
becomes in our lives.
Like the light at the end of the tunnel,
His influence will bring us confidence, determination,
comfort, and most importantly, the power
to know that He lives.
Third, there is no darkness so dense, so menacing,
or so difficult that it cannot be overcome by light.
Elder Neil L. Andersen recently taught:
"As evil increases in the world, there
is a compensatory spiritual power for the righteous.
As the world slides from its spiritual moorings,
the Lord prepares the way for those
who seek Him, offering them greater assurance, greater
confirmation, and greater confidence
in the spiritual direction they are traveling.
The gift of the Holy Ghost becomes a brighter light
in the emerging twilight."
Brothers and sisters, we have not
been left alone to be influenced by every whim
and change in the world's attitude,
but we have the power to choose belief over doubt.
In order to access the promised compensatory spiritual power,
we must choose to heed prophetic counsel,
recognize and act upon spiritual promptings,
be obedient to God's commandments,
and seek personal revelation.
We must choose.
May we choose the light of the Savior.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.