Daily Archives: July 9, 2018

In world news lately we have learned of a group of boys, who with their leader, are trapped in a cave in Thailand, and they have been trapped there for over two weeks.  When they entered the cave to explore it, it wasn’t raining but when it started to rain it sent water flooding into the cave trapping the group inside.  In Thailand it is the rainy season and logic would tell you that this cave floods during this time yearly and that poor planning and decision making were involved in deciding to take this group to explore this cave at this time of year.  Yet despite this, the world is reaching out to help this group.  They have sent in food and other supplies for them and are trying to figure out the best way to help free them from the trap they are in, and they have been able to free 4 of the boys.  They have not said “you used poor judgement and got yourself in a serious bind so we are not going to help you.”  In spite of poor planning there are many working to help this group, and one had died in attempting to rescue them.  In thinking about this there are many gospel parallels that come to mind. Often the troubles we find ourselves in are of our own making.  They come from situations in which we used poor judgment or ignored the potential consequences or sometimes didn’t care about what could happen until it did.  Despite this there are many who stand ready to help us out of the traps we have created for ourselves.  Christ, our ultimate rescuer, has not said, “Well, you caused your own problems and used poor judgement so I’m not going to help you.”  Instead, we are taught in the scriptures that “His hand is stretched out still.”  He is waiting to rescue us when we need help and turn to Him, and even those trapped in that cave have to want to be rescued. And didn’t He give His life that we might be fully rescued?   Despite our pride, our disobedience, our blatant disregard for His teachings, all we need to do is reach out and take hold of His proffered hand, and we have to want to be rescued, be willing to work hard to change, and recognize that He is the Great Rescuer.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/10/the-atonement-can-clean-reclaim-and-sanctify-our-lives?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/he-will-place-you-on-his-shoulders-and-carry-you-home?lang=eng