Bucket list

To accomplish one of your “bucket list” items is a noteworthy event. To do three in one week on the same trip is a bit of a miracle. That happened to me this week.

Kanarraville Falls

Kanarra Creek Trail – commonly referred to as Kanarraville Falls – is a very rewarding hike that takes you up a canyon just east of the town of Kanarraville, UT. This is a water hike and cannot be completed without getting wet. The trail crosses Kanarra Creek many times and eventually enters a slot canyon where you have no choice but to enter the 3-8 inches of water so you can see the falls. The trail is lush with trees, plants, reeds – lots of green. Not really suitable for small children unless you plan to carry them a lot of the way. And there were plenty of people who did just that. Beautiful hike – definitely a great place to get out of the St George heat in the summer time!

Toquerville Falls

We attempted this previously, but the vehicle we were driving was not prepared for the exciting little climb. Experienced 4x4 drivers would laugh at that report, but for our rear-wheel-drive van, the courage needed to finish this challenge was more than it could muster.

This time around, we were better prepared. Toquerville Falls is an oasis in the desert that is best found by truck, SUV, or ATV. The road is rough, but well worth the trip.  The views are spectacular on the drive, and the waterfalls are beautiful and great to play in. The area is clean and great for families. There is no hike required. You can drive right to the falls, but the road is ‘extremely rough’ (words from our brochure). Because of the popularity of the location, a good number of people make the necessary arrangements. It took us two attempts over the course of a couple years.

You won’t be sorry you made the trip!

Angels Landing

I’m not sure I was mentally prepared for this hike. Though Angels Landing doesn’t make the cut for the TOP 5 OVERNIGHT BACKPACKING TRAILS IN UTAH, it is one of the most majestic treks of my life. The hike is a mere 5 miles round trip, but the rating is “Strenuous; steep with exposure to long drop-offs.” And that’s no lie.

There's no view more dramatic than what you see from 1,400-feet up, while hanging onto a chain bolted into a cliff.

Angels Landing is one of the world's most renowned hikes and is an unforgettable short adventure hike worthy of all bucket lists. The views of Zion Canyon's 270 million-year-old rock layers will time travel you back to the Triassic period when this section of the Colorado Plateau was a flat basin at sea level. The literature reports that anyone in an average physical condition can make this heavenward trek, but it’s a good workout and can be mentally challenging as well with its steep switchbacks and sheer drop-offs. Endurance is key. Thankfully, there are chains bolted into the cliff to provide secure handholds. People who have a severe fear of heights should not attempt the final stretch but can enjoy the trail all the way to Scout Lookout.

Now this is a five-mile round trip with an elevation change of 1,488 feet, so the trail is steep…at times very steep. Part way up, we met a man descending the trail in a wheelchair. His friends had made the necessary arrangements to make this possible, and he had the guts to do it. Amazing. For a first timer, I thought we were almost there, but the most challenging feat was yet to come during the final ascent. I was grateful for Emily’s help and patience. She walked ahead of us and waited periodically for us to catch up. On the Hogsback, she made sure I was safe and didn’t fall. It was much better with her help.

The trail begins across the river from the Grotto Picnic Area. It travels over pretty level terrain until you hit the switchbacks that take you up to Refrigerator Canyon.

Refrigerator Canyon is always shady and cool, with a comfortable breeze that can enchant hikers in the sweltering heat of daytime.

Walter's Wiggles is a series of 21 switchbacks that quickly rises to the top of the ridge at Scout Lookout. From here you can preview the last half mile of the hike and is a common turn around point for those who consider it too difficult.

From Scout Lookout, you cross the Saddle and then climb the ridiculously steep and narrow Hogsback, using the chains that are bolted into the stone to keep from sliding over the edge of the cliff.

Once you've conquered the Hogsback, you are ready to mount the Angels Landing Summit. Hardy trees have made their homes clinging to the steep slopes of the Landing, offering shelter to birds, foraging chipmunks, and exhausted hikers.

As I climbed, I thought how much this experience is like life. We all journey along trying to follow the path as we proceed. At times, you think it is too much to handle. Exhaustion, fear, endurance, and grit are all part of the experience. I was glad I didn’t do it alone. Encouragement, help, and patience were valuable and welcome guests. I tried to remember how helpful these gestures were and reciprocate in kind when my turn was at hand. But when the going got really rough, the chain was my focus and the companion that I needed in that moment. As long as I held fast to the chain, I was safe.

Especially with drop-offs of more than a thousand feet on both sides of me, holding fast to the chain was comforting, wise, and safe. I couldn’t help but think of Lehi’s dream and the similarities between this experience and his description of our trek through life. I was living it. And so are you.

We are encouraged to hold fast to the iron rod, keep on the straight and narrow, and push forward amid dangerous and difficult circumstances. Continually holding fast to the rod of iron and enduring to the end is our security amid the dangers and difficulties of life.

Nevertheless, Lehi forewarns us that even some who made it to the tree and partook of the fruit failed to continue holding fast to the word of God. He explains it this way:

28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

The 8^th chapter of 1 Nephi tells us much more about the circumstances surrounding Lehi’s dream and the events that happened then. But we also see the fulfillment of his dream in our day and in our lives. He talks about those who did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree and remained faithful.

“And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent that they would hearken to his words.”

Who of us haven’t felt these very same sentiments for our children? We all have. Amid tough times and difficult circumstances, we hold fast to our faith in Jesus Christ, because we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Yet with that said, some of my life’s choicest opportunities came in the form of great challenges.

A strenuous hike and a chain fastened to the stone taught me that lesson even more clearly.

The Miracle

I wouldn’t really call myself a handyman. Sure, I change the furnace filter and fix the occasional plumbing problems around the house, but my know-how and expertise in the area of home repairs is somewhat limited. Yet, on occasion there comes along a job that has to be done. Such was the case recently.

The faucet in our upstairs bathroom was dripping. My wife brought this to my attention, and I went to work. Somewhat surprisingly, I found the necessary items and fixed it in no time, or so I thought. It turns out, however, that the leak continued. It was now down in the cupboard with more serious side effects. I didn’t know what to do, so I sought the help from a local plumbing supply store. They knew the questions to ask and were experienced with my situation. So the advice they gave was direct and simple, including one cartridge and a couple springs with caps. In just a few minutes miraculously the problem was solved, and the stress and anxiety I was feeling because I was unable to complete this job dissipated. So I learned again how much help a little knowledge from someone who really knows can be.

Farm life was like that. We were new at ranching and caring for farm animals. We encountered problems regularly that were beyond our ability to resolve, but we learned the people we could depend on for good answers—mentors if you will—and that made all the difference.

And so it is in life. We encounter situations for which we are unprepared and possibly overwhelmed. Do you ever feel that way? We need to defer to someone who knows the answers and will give us the guidance and direction that we need.

I felt a lot like that as a new father. It was not uncommon to face things I never imagined and for which I was totally unprepared. And I know those feelings are not necessarily unique to me.

How does one deal with a wayward child, or an untimely death in the family, or a tragic circumstance or overwhelming obstacle? Good questions and very important answers indeed, because navigating the hardships of life can be challenging. Though we don’t know all the answers, we all know Someone who does.

And I am not just trying to make it through life by the skin-of-my-teeth. My goal for both me and my loved ones is Exaltation. I want the very best for my family in this life and the next. So I have for my mentor the Savior Jesus Christ. With his help and the gospel he restored, overwhelming obstacles and hazardous hardships are manageable. Ecstasy and happiness are assured. My goal is attainable and not only possible but certain if I am faithful. All things become new as we are reconciled unto God.

That is the miracle of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

My wife came to me the other day and asked me a question as part of her preparation for a lesson she taught. She asked “Can you give me an example of how you implement the atonement in your everyday life?”

Perhaps the obvious answer is that I repent every day, because I am fallible and weak. But she was looking for a different answer. She wanted to know how the atonement influences my life daily. So to answer that question, I referred to a metaphor. How do you hold on to the rod of iron every day? Holding fast to the iron rod, as taught by Nephi, means that we learn, commit to live and obey the commandments. When we apply the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives, it affects every decision we make and everything we do. And we are able to think about and ponder and utilize and apply the power of the atonement in every choice and with every obstacle that we face.

My father explained it this way:

We are not achieving our most important goal until we have established in the hearts of our children and the saints, an even greater love and appreciation for Jesus Christ.

“Friends may betray us, spouses may leave us, health may fail, and our possessions burn up. But, Christ, His promises, understanding, and love will never fail us. With some trials and most tragedies, only this can get us through.

“When we can take a thankless, demanding calling; give up something we wanted greatly so that we can pay our tithing; or help out someone who has badly hurt us and say, ‘I wouldn’t do this for anyone else, but I will do it for Christ!’ then the power for good he can have in our lives is becoming a reality. He must be the foundation of our lives.”

Many have asked the question about how to apply the atonement in our lives every day. With the renewed emphasis on the Atonement of Jesus Christ in recent years, I think we can all appreciate the need to apply this great blessing in our lives daily. As part of my study for this article, I deferred to someone much wiser than myself to whom I could receive direction and clarification. In this particular case, it was Neal A Maxwell to whom I gave way. His witness of greater spiritual refinement through the Atonement of Jesus Christ is orchestrated into a beautiful symphony of testimony—not  with notes but with words; not with stanzas but with commitment; and finally, not with a choir of voices but with a pledge and a promise. This excerpt is striking.

The hope we have in Jesus Christ gives us strength and sustenance in the face of the challenges of our day. Elder J. Devn Cornish has testified “If you will really try and will not rationalize or rebel—repenting often and pleading for grace—you positively are going to be ‘good enough.’”

These words from October conference last year are still encouraging and comforting me today. His whole talk is edifying and inspiring. I provide a further excerpt below:

Let me be direct and clear. The answers to the questions “Am I good enough?” and “Will I make it?” are “Yes! You are going to be good enough” and “Yes, you are going to make it as long as you keep repenting and do not rationalize or rebel.” The God of heaven is not a heartless referee looking for any excuse to throw us out of the game. He is our perfectly loving Father, who yearns more than anything else to have all of His children come back home and live with Him as families forever. He truly gave His Only Begotten Son that we might not perish but have everlasting life! Please believe, and please take hope and comfort from this eternal truth. Our Heavenly Father intends for us to make it! That is His work and His glory.

This message of hope is not beyond our ability to achieve, no matter what our present circumstances may be. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said:

“However many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made … , I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.”

President Uchtdorf speaks of the application of the Atonement of Jesus Christ through the lessons we can learn from Alma and Amulek.

There is no situation that we encounter for which our Mentor is unprepared. He understands when we feel overwhelmed. Because of him, your success and happiness is assured, if you accept his gift and follow him.

Yes. The miracle of the Atonement of Jesus Christ blesses us every single day of our lives.