Glorious Views

I have hiked more literal mountains in 2020 than any other year. I hiked a few smaller peaks. I finally hiked Timp. And I hiked to the top of Lone Peak, the hardest peak I’ve climbed so far. Four years ago, when I wrote my first post and had to name my blog, a scripture from the Book of Mormon kept coming to mind. When Lehi spoke of Nephi, he said that Nephi’s views had been glorious (2 Nephi 1:24). I love the idea of “glorious views” and what that can mean in each of our lives. I think a big way that we discover these glorious views is through “climbing mountains”. I think mountains are a powerful symbol, and even wear a ring of a mountain range. It reminds me of the trials I’ve gone through and the things I have learned and “seen” because of them. Although this metaphor is not uncommon, I want to share with you some of the lessons I’ve learned as I’ve climbed mountains and obtained glorious views in my life.

The Mountains We Climb

The mountains of our lives are as diverse as the mountains around us. Some are smooth and gradual, others steep and rugged. Each personalized for our growth and development, each bringing new challenges and new views. Some mountains simply come with the territory of living a life on earth. I’ve climbed mountains of broken hearts, broken trust, abuse, grief, injury. These mountains were placed in my path. But I truly wouldn’t take any of them away, because it’s in climbing mountains that I’ve best come to know my Savior. I find it empowering and humbling in these trials to know that God trusts me enough to allow me to go somewhere I have never been before.

Other mountains are placed in front of us because of our choices, and that’s okay, because these mountains are part of life too. I’ve climbed mountains of regret, loss friendships, poor choices, judgment, jealousy, selfishness, pride. In climbing these mountains, I have also come to know Christ better. He is just as much there for us in these trials as He is in the former. Sometimes I’ve had to return to these mountains again and again. I’m so grateful for second chances and the forgiveness and unconditional love that Christ and my Heavenly Father offer continuously and endlessly. And that even at my lowest, I have been given the opportunity to reach new heights and come to know Them better.

                               

 

The Company Makes All the Difference

If you need help climbing any of your mountains, I’m here for you. I’m no expert, but I do know that mountains are easier to climb when you have good company. My company has saved me and lifted me and encouraged me so much throughout my life. And the really beautiful thing is that in the struggle, you draw closer to people. Spend a day hiking a mountain with someone, and you will feel closer to them at the end. There is something about someone else wanting to spend their entire day doing something hard with you that creates a special bond. And I always love the way hiking takes away distractions and allows you to reflect and have deep conversations with people.

When we hiked to Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National Park, we met a guy at the start who was traveling by himself and he asked if he could join us because it’s safer to travel with a group in bear country. It was such a neat experience to get to know this stranger throughout the day. I’m a firm believer that you’re never too old to make a new good friend.

The group I hiked Timp with made all the difference in that hike. The group had an excited and positive energy that made the hike so much fun and one of my favorite memories of 2020. Surround yourself with these kinds of people. Climb with people who make your life better. Spend time with the people who see life in a way that you admire and strive to be like. And don’t forget to include Christ. He will be your best companion of all. He wants to be with you on your journey. No one can climb these mountains for you, but you don’t have to climb any of them alone.

   

Be this kind of support for the people in your life. What kind of energy are you bringing to your circle of influence? Be the type of friend that carries extra snacks so that you can share with everyone when you take a break. Be the type of hiker that doesn’t avoid eye contact as you pass a group of strangers, but the type that smiles and says, “Have a great hike”. Be the type of person that isn’t comparing your mountains to everyone else’s. Be the type of hiker who follows the hiking etiquette of yielding to those coming uphill, recognizing that it will be harder for them to stop and regain momentum. Be the type of friend that sticks with the person in your group that can’t keep the same pace as everyone else. I heard a quote once and now I can’t find it, so I don’t know who to give the credit to, but it said something like, “When you help someone up a mountain, you’ll find you are closer to the peak too.” In helping others, we find ourselves growing and seeing more too.

 

How to See

So what exactly do I mean by glorious views? And how can we discover them? God’s perspective and lessons for us are glorious views, and I think the key to finding them is taking the time to let God show us. We need to be looking and seeking for them and we can do that by pondering on our experiences, praying for understanding and continually preparing our minds. When Christ visited the people in the Americas, He directed them to ponder, pray and prepare (3 Nephi 17:3).

We have to take time to ponder and consider the events of our lives. Elder David A. Bednar said,  

“Each of us should look for the lessons and warnings found in the simple events of everyday life. As we seek for a mind and heart open to receive heavenly direction by the power of the Holy Ghost, then some of the greatest instructions that we can receive and many of the most powerful warnings that can safeguard us will originate in our own ordinary experiences.”

 It might seem intimidating to try to make time for this. I find running a great time to ponder. I also find driving alone a good time for this. One of my favorite things about hiking big mountains is being disconnected from the normal distractions of technology for a day. Sometimes when I really need to focus on something, I put my phone in the other room. This pondering time can look different for everyone.

I’m working on having more meaningful, less rushed and less routine prayers. Making sacred your time for true, meaningful and unrestricted prayer will invite the Spirit to teach you. God wants us to ask Him what it is He wants us to learn and to see. Nephi is a great example of this. He said, “And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things” (1 Nephi 18:3).

There are several stories in the scriptures of people going into the mount to commune with God. The brother of Jared went unto the mount Shelem to molten stones and then carried them to the top of the mount and cried to the Lord that He would touch them and make them light (Ether 3: 1-4). I think sometimes our prayer in trials is that God will make our stones or burdens light, in the sense that they will weigh less upon our backs. But, maybe the prayer we need is that God will make our burdens LIGHT, in the sense that we can SEE what it is that He is trying to teach us through them. Like the brother of Jared, we can ask God to make our stones light, that we may not “go forth across this raging deep in darkness” (Ether 3:3). With Christ’s touch, we can understand and see our growth in the challenges with new eyes. We gain a perspective that helps us learn and become more like God. His touch can illuminate the lessons we’re learning and the ways that we can grow.

We can prepare by “staying hydrated”. I always love hiking with a Camelbak because it allows me to stay constantly fueled and hydrated, making it easier for my body to accomplish the task at hand and get the most out of the experience. We stay hydrated and prepared by making conscious efforts to hear Him. We can do this by listening to His words through His prophets. King Benjamin said to his people, “I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your mind that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view” (Mosiah 2:9).

                                                         

We can also prepare by keeping the commandments and serving our fellow men and families. When Lehi described Nephi’s views as glorious, he also said of Nephi, “and who hath kept the commandments from the time that we left Jerusalem; and who hath been an instrument in the hands of God, in bringing us forth into the land of promise; for were it not for him, we must have perished with hunger in the wilderness” (2 Nephi 1:24). Nephi kept the commandments continuously, even when the journey from Jerusalem was long and hard. He was an instrument in God’s hands to bring them to the promised land by continuously receiving direction from God, building a boat and hunting for food.

As I read The Book of Mormon throughout 2020, one of the themes that I decided to mark was deliverance. When I chose this topic, I was imagining all the times that God delivered people from their enemies. What surprised me was that God doesn’t always just deliver people from things, but often delivers things to people to help them too. God works in deliverances and deliveries. It talks many times about God delivering His word and the plates to different prophets and people. When we ponder, pray and prepare, we open the door for God’s deliveries that will surely make our lives better and expand our views.  

 

A New Perspective

I saw a quote once that really resonated with me. Rene Daumal said,

“You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.”

I love the idea that we can live differently in the valley because of what we have seen and experienced at the top and in our journey getting there. How have your views changed because of the mountains you have climbed? How do you live differently because of what you have seen? Choosing to climb is choosing to gain a new perspective.

                  

There’s not really a feeling that compares to the one you get at the summit, but it’s important to remember that there are glorious views at every stage of the journey, not just at the top.

When we hiked Mt. Nebo in 2019, it started hailing on us on the way back. It was coming down hard and stung as it cut horizontally into my legs. We started picking up our pace and even running some. As we ran through the trees, Rob pointed out how bright and pretty the flowers were against all of the wet, green grass. I remember thinking, “We are in the middle of a hail storm, yet Rob is pointing out the beauty of the flowers.”

                                           

It’s also important to stop and recognize how far you’ve come along the way. Give yourself grace and encouragement for the progress you’ve made, even if you aren’t at the top yet.

When I was playing high school volleyball, I remember my coach passing out pieces of paper and asking all of us to write down whatever was bothering us and what we would change if we were in charge. I can’t remember the details, but there had been some drama going on with the team and this was her way of getting it all out. We all wrote a list of complaints and things on our minds. Later, one of the coaches mentioned that a girl on my team had only written, “I just want to play ball” on her paper. That has stuck with me ever since. I think it is so easy to get caught up in drama and to spend valuable energy complaining and analyzing and contributing to things that really don’t matter. Whenever I find myself getting pulled into something, I try to remember that “I just want to play ball”. What is my purpose and am I achieving it? I’d like to be a more positive influence to those in my life. Getting out of the valley and higher to a new perspective helps me achieve this. We don’t always get to choose the mountains, but we can choose how we climb them.

 

Christ Has Risen Above All Things

Russel M. Nelson said, “Jesus descended below all things in order to rise above all things. He expects us to follow His example. Yoked with Him, we can rise above all challenges, no matter how difficult they may be” (December 2002). Think about that. Not only has Christ descended below all things, He has also risen above all things. There is no mountain peak He hasn’t experienced. He’s seen every view through each of our eyes. There is comfort in knowing that someone else has already been there and wants to be by your side as you make your trek to the top.

I first went snorkeling a few years ago in Hawaii and I was not really prepared for it. I am not a very confident swimmer and the snorkeling gear I borrowed didn’t really fit. When we got out far enough away from shore and I put my mask in the water, it immediately filled up with water and it panicked me. I was having a hard time adjusting it and staying afloat and felt like the flippers I had were going to fall off, so I was worried about that too. Two ocean lifeguards came over and let me rest on the back of their jetski and made sure I was okay. They helped me adjust my mask and try to make things better. I tried again, but honestly I felt pretty scared and scarred at how helpless I had felt before they came. They told us they had found a sea turtle and asked if we wanted a ride to go see it, so we jumped on the back. When we got out there they let me snorkel so that I would be close to the jetski and have it as a crutch if I needed it. I felt pretty stressed still and was having a hard time even wanting to leave the jetski. It was all really embarrassing and humbling for me.

Finally one of the lifeguards offered to hold my hand and go out in the deep with me so that I could have the experience and see all of the amazing things there were to see. I took him up on the offer. After we were back to shore, I sat on the beach by myself just thinking about all that had just happened. It felt like a whirlwind and I felt really defeated and childlike. As I thought more and more about it though I was taught a powerful lesson. In our lives our Heavenly Father is like the lifeguard who was steering the jetski. He can be with me and guide me to good areas so that I can have good experiences, He can send His Spirit to comfort me and guide me, but He can’t leave the jetski and swim with me. Only Christ can do that. They work together to help me the best they can, but only Christ can hold my hand and go side by side with me through my struggles and fears because He chose to come to earth and experience everything that I would go through.

                                   

                                 

Sometimes it will feel like the uphill climb takes your breath away. Like wow, this is a lot harder and a lot steeper and a lot longer than I imagined or planned for. That’s where the Savior steps in. Keep moving, even if it’s slow. Every step is a step closer to the summit no matter how small. You may experience unexpected trials along the way, like that hail storm that hit us or finding mud and snow near the top. None of this is unexpected for Christ though. He knows and He is there to support, guide and help you. As President Nelson said, if we are yoked with Him, we can rise above all challenges. As we climb with Him, He helps lighten our pack of the things we don’t need to carry anymore. We let go of resentment, shame, ingratitude, selfishness.

When I hike, I almost always pack extra water, just in case someone else runs out. Sometimes I think, do I really want to carry extra water the whole way? Shouldn’t everyone just know to pack enough? I think sadly I take on this attitude in my life sometimes too. I selfishly don’t want to help take on someone else’s burdens and carry extra weight on top of whatever I’m dealing with. But, if I want to be more like Christ, I need to be willing to carry others’ burdens. He took on ALL of mine and continuously offers Himself as the living water that helps me grow day by day. Let Christ be a part of your climb and when you step off the mountain, you will never be the same. After spending time with Him, you might find that your view has a little less judgment, a little more forgiveness. A little more joy for others, and a little less focus on yourself.

The climbs of your life are things that you will never forget. You may not experience the pain of the trial as much anymore, but I see Lone Peak in the distance every day and it reminds me of my strength and accomplishments, of the help I received on the way. It is a symbol of overcoming and becoming. Reflecting on past mountains give me the bravery I need to face new ones and reminds me that I could only get specific views from the exact places I’ve been. I had to get there to see it and experience it and to learn those exact lessons. It reminds me of the times I have come closer to Christ and closer to people. And because of Christ, we can each have great views of all that the future holds. After their change of heart, King Benjamin’s people said, “And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come” (Mosiah 5:3).