We live in a world where the monster waves of death, physical and mental illness, and trials and afflictions of every kind break upon us. Yet, through faith in Jesus Christ and choosing to trust in Him, we too can have light continually, whether above the water or under the water. We can have the assurance that God never does cease to blow us toward our heavenly home.
Elder L. Todd Budge, "Consistent and Resilient Trust", General Conference, October 2019
Elder Budge talked about the story of the Jaredites. We can definitely apply that voyage to our mortal voyage through life that we are now on.
A couple of points to notice with this story :
1. The Brother of Jared was faithful in building the barges, but there were concerns. He was concerned that they would have to travel in the dark. And...they would have to travel not being able to breathe. Those are legitimate and otherwise frightening concerns.
So, the Lord asked the Brother of Jared what He should do for them. Of course we know the story, the Lord touched stones to illuminate their journey. He also explained that they should provide openings for air. The Brother of Jared then trusted the Lord that there would be light and air. He trusted the Lord by getting in and holding on.
As we travel through life, we, too, are concerned. We don't know the end, we can't see it. So we have questions. We have doubts. But, the Lord will provide light, He is providing light, as we travel through life. We just need to perform the work so that the Lord provides that light. We aren't meant to journey in the dark. Sometimes, the light we see is bright, sometimes not so bright. Depends on each of us. The light is available and bright.
Point is, we need to trust that the Lord is watching over our barges as we journey. We just need to get in and hold on. He is providing the light and air as long as we do the work.
Notice also that many times they were buried in the depths of the sea. We, too, will be buried by heavy seas and waves. But, we always float to the surface.
2. Notice that the wind never did cease to blow them towards the promised land. In life, the storms throughout our journey are fierce, they are unforgiving, they are intense. However, that is how we move to our ultimate promised land...eternal life. If it were calm, if there were no storms or wind, we wouldn't go anywhere. We wouldn't make progress.
Elder Budge continues:
If we are faithful in keeping our covenants, we too will one day arrive safely home and will bow before the Lord and shed tears of joy for the multitude of His tender mercies in our lives, including the sorrows that made space for more joy.