Safe Harbors

Joseph B. Wirthlin, in a talk given in General Conference in April 2000, told about serving a mission in Austria and Switzerland. At the end of his mission he sailed home across the Atlantic Ocean, during the war. He told about seeing the beacon of freedom and democracy, the Statue of Liberty and the relief he felt being once again in a safe harbor. He compared his feelings that day to how the disciples of Jesus felt on that day when they were with the Savior. They set sail upon the Sea of Galilee. The scriptures tell us that Jesus was weary, and He went to the back of the ship and fell asleep on a pillow. Soon the skies darkened, and "there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves." The storm raged. The disciples panicked. It seemed as though the boat would capsize, yet the Savior still slept. At last, they could wait no longer and they awakened Jesus. You can almost hear the anguish and despair in their voices as they pled with their Master, "Carest thou not that we perish?"

Today there are those among us that may feel the ships of their lives could capsize or sink. There are those whose hearts are breaking, who are worried or afraid, who bear grief or the burdens of sin, who feel no one is listening to their cries, whose hearts are pleading, "Master, carest thou not that I perish?"

We can be assured that there is a safe harbor, it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can find peace amidst the storm. Our Heavenly Father, who knows when even a sparrow falls, knows of your heartache and suffering. He loves you and wants the best for you. Never doubt this.

Elder Wirthlin said: "Brothers and sisters, you are not alone. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today, millions of people stand beside you. Those who follow the teachings and example of the Savior are "willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; year, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort."

Many of us are called to serve as visiting teachers. It is our privilege to go into the homes of our sisters and love and teach them. It is our privilege to help them weather the storms of life. Not only are we to be a blessing to them, they will also be a blessing in our lives. We need to be by their side to help them weather the storms of life.

Our "call to arms" is to help bring our sisters to the safe harbor of the Gospel. The Savior's teachings and the Church constitute our best safe harbor, our most secure "refuge from the storm."

This video is a beautiful "call to arms". Please watch, feel and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx68QrrIhqc