One day my father assigned me to varnish a wooden floor.
I made the choice to begin at the door
and work my way into the room.
When I was almost finished, I realized
I had left myself no way to get out.
There was no window, no door on the other side.
I had literally painted myself into a corner.
I had no place to go.
I was stuck.
I came home from my mission, and I
felt like my testimony was still very strong.
Pretty soon after, I started hanging out
with a lot of old friends from high school that had
gotten into drugs and alcohol.
I decided to partake a little bit in the drugs
that they were using.
I wanted to fit in.
And I just woke up the next morning feeling so alone
and I felt so guilty, so stupid.
And it just got progressively worse--fighting with
my parents, decided to run away from home,
and got into harder drugs.
I became homeless, stolen, and robbed,
just sleeping on the streets.
It was only lies.
Thrown in jail, I felt like I couldn't stop--almost starving
to death with absolutely no hope, no direction.
Whenever we disobey, we spiritually paint ourselves
into a corner and are captive to our choices.
I wasn't sure if I would be able to function in society again.
I put myself in a corner that I could not get out
of unless I asked for help.
So I spent two months at a rehab facility
and learned how to be clean and how
to say no to drugs and alcohol, and I
felt like my heart was being softened to come home.
Though we are spiritually stuck, there is always a way back.
Like repentance, turning around and walking
across a newly varnished floor means more work, yes.
A lot of re-sanding and refinishing.
Returning to the Lord isn't easy, but it is worth it.
Through studying the scriptures, attending church,
I realized that I wanted to make it back to the temple
and become temple worthy again.
Because of our Savior Jesus Christ, I know that I am OK
and that things are going to be OK.
Trust that through the Atonement of Christ,
all mankind, including you and me,
may be saved by the obedience to laws and ordinances
of the gospel.
[MUSIC PLAYING]