Recently, to support her homeschooling curriculum, my wife procured a telescope that has a companion mobile app. The telescope had to be calibrated, and the process brought with it an unexpected parable.

My wife downloaded the app and followed the instructions, which directed her to point the telescope at an object at least 100 meters away. Our backyard is much too small for that to work; across the street is a short slope leading to a field and a manmade stream, but nothing out there is large enough to focus on. With the telescope standing on its tripod in our driveway, my wife saw the perfect object to use.

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Eva took the car keys from her dad with a shaking hand, causing them to jingle a little. Anxiety felt like a stone in her stomach at the same time as her chest fluttered with excitement.

“Are you ready?” Dad asked.

She almost said she wasn’t sure, but she’d been looking forward to this for a long time. No sense in putting it off. So she nodded.

They took their seats in Dad’s car, Eva behind the steering wheel and Dad riding shotgun. Eva slipped the key into the ignition and turned it. The engine awoke, and Eva gripped the wheel hard. The car seemed much bigger when she was the one sitting in the driver’s seat.

This was for real.

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In April 2015, Elder L. Whitney Clayton, now an emeritus Seventy, told the story of Sailor, a girl who survived a plane crash. Her story provides a true-to-life representation of the journey and challenges we face during our mortal lives and the best way to get through them. I encourage you to read Elder Clayton’s entire message using the following link:

“Choose to Believe”

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Apollonia had moved to a new country a couple of years ago to pursue her education. Since that time, she had come to know a man by the name of Gerard. The nature of their relationship proceeded from mere acquaintance to friendship, and from there to dating. Finally, they became engaged.

As the big day of their wedding approached, Apollonia became increasingly excited. As an organized person, she felt she had all of the preparations well in hand. But then her anticipation became dampened when a friend asked her if she had started the paperwork to have her name legally changed.

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Two buddies, Mitch and Zach, embarked on a day hike in a gulch lined with red cliffs. Each wore a backpack carrying his lunch, snacks, and water. Mitch was smaller and not as strong as Zach, but this wasn’t his first hike, and he kept up with his taller, stronger companion. Mitch knew that if he started to flag, Zach would offer and even insist on carrying both packs. So Mitch committed to himself that he would keep up.

The day passed without incident as they enjoyed the scenery. A creek that snaked through the gulch required multiple crossings, but its shallow bed was no obstacle. And then the end of the hike came—with the climb out of the gulch.

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