A year ago, on assignment in the state of California,
I went with a stake president to visit
with Clark and Holly Fales and their family in their home.
I was told they recently had experienced a miracle.
Upon our arrival, Clark struggled to stand and greet us
as he was wearing a back brace, a neck brace, and braces
on his arms.
Just over two months prior, Clark, his son Ty,
and about 30 other young men and leaders set out on a stake
high-adventure activity, hiking to the 14,180-foot summit
of Mount Shasta, one of the highest peaks in California.
On the second day of the arduous hike,
most of the climbers reached the summit--a thrilling
accomplishment made possible because of months
of preparation.
One of the first people to the top that day was Clark.
After a brief rest near the edge of the summit,
he stood and began to walk.
As he did, he tripped and fell backward
over the edge of a cliff, suffering
a free fall of about 40 feet and then an out-of-control tumble
down the icy slope for another 300 feet.
Remarkably, Clark survived, but he was severely injured
and unable to move.
The miracles Clark experienced during this traumatic event
were just beginning.
Some of the first to reach him "happened"
to be a group of hikers that included
mountain rescue guides and emergency
medical professionals.
They immediately treated Clark for shock
and provided gear to keep him warm.
This group also "happened" to be testing a new communication
device and sent an emergency request for help from an area
where cell phones could not get a signal.
A small helicopter was immediately
dispatched to Mount Shasta from an hour away.
After two dangerous but unsuccessful
attempts to land at an altitude that
pushed the limits of the aircraft,
and struggling with treacherous wind conditions,
the pilot began a third and final try.
As the helicopter approached from a different angle,
the winds "happened" to change and the aircraft
landed just long enough for the group
to quickly and painfully squeeze Clark
into the small compartment behind the pilot's seat.
When Clark was evaluated at a trauma center,
tests revealed that he had sustained multiple fractures
in his neck, back, ribs, and wrists;
a punctured lung; and a multitude of cuts
and abrasions.
A renowned neurotrauma surgeon "happened" to be on duty
that day; he is at this hospital only a few times a year.
This doctor later stated that he had never
seen anyone sustain so much damage to the spinal cord
and carotid arteries and live.
Clark was not only expected to live but to return
to full function.
Describing himself as agnostic, the surgeon
said Clark's case went against all his scientific learning
about neurological injuries and could only
be described as a miracle.
As Clark and Holly finished relating this intense account,
I found it difficult to speak.
It was not simply because of the obvious miracles,
but because of a greater one.
I had a profound impression--a spiritual witness--that Holly
and each of the five beautiful children who sat in the living
room around their parents have such faith that they could have
accepted whatever the outcome might have been that day
and they still would have spiritually prospered.
Clark and Holly and their two oldest children, Ty and Porter,
are with us today in the Conference Center.
In pondering the experience of the Fales family,
I have thought much about the circumstances
of so many others.
What about the innumerable faith-filled,
priesthood-blessing-receiving, unendingly-prayed-for,
covenant-keeping, full-of-hope Latter-day Saints whose miracle
never comes?
At least in the way they understand a miracle.
At least in the way that others appear to receive miracles.
What about those who suffer from profound
afflictions--physically, mentally,
emotionally--for years or for decades or for their entire
mortal life?
What about those who die so very young?
Just two months ago, two temple-recommend-holding
married couples, with three full-time missionary children
and five other children between them,
took off in a small airplane for a short flight.
I am confident they prayed for safety before the flight
and prayed fervently when their aircraft encountered
serious mechanical problems before crashing.
None survived.
What about them?
Do good people and their loved ones
have reason to ask the question posed by Mormon: "Has
the day of miracles ceased?"
My limited knowledge cannot explain why sometimes there is
divine intervention and other times there is not.
But perhaps we lack an understanding
of what constitutes a miracle.
Often we describe a miracle as being
healed without a full explanation by medical science
or as avoiding catastrophic danger
by heeding a clear prompting.
However, defining a miracle as "a beneficial event brought
about through divine power that mortals do not understand"
gives an expanded perspective into matters more eternal
in nature.
This definition also allows us to contemplate
the vital role of faith in the receipt of a miracle.
Moroni taught, "Neither at any time
hath any wrought miracles until after their faith."
Ammon proclaimed, "God has provided a means
that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles."
The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith, "For I am God, ...
and I will show miracles ... unto all those who believe
on my name."
King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-nego worship the golden image he set up as a god,
threatening, "If ye worship not, ye shall be cast ...
into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
Then he taunted them with "Who is
that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?"
These three devout disciples said: "If it be so,
our God whom we serve is able to deliver us
from the burning fiery furnace.
...
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that
we will not serve thy gods."
They possessed full confidence that God could save them,
"but if not," they had complete faith in His plan.
Similarly, Elder David A. Bednar once asked
a young man who had requested a priesthood blessing,
"If it is the will of our Heavenly Father
that you are transferred by death in your youth
to the spirit world to continue your ministry,
do you have the faith to submit to His will and not be healed?"
Do we have the faith "not [to] be
healed" from our earthly afflictions
so we might be healed eternally?
A critical question to ponder is "Where do we place our faith?"
Is our faith focused on simply wanting to be relieved of pain
and suffering, or is it firmly centered
on God the Father and His holy plan
and in Jesus the Christ and His Atonement?
Faith in the Father and the Son allows
us to understand and accept Their will
as we prepare for eternity.
Today I testify of miracles.
Being a child of God is a miracle.
Receiving a body in His image and likeness is a miracle.
The gift of a Savior is a miracle.
The Atonement of Jesus Christ is a miracle.
The potential for eternal life is a miracle.
While it is good to pray for and work for physical protection
and healing during our mortal existence,
our supreme focus should be on the spiritual miracles
that are available to all of God's children.
No matter our ethnicity, no matter our nationality,
no matter what we have done if we repent,
no matter what may have been done to us--all of us have
equal access to these miracles.
We are living a miracle, and further miracles lie ahead.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.