Brooke’s Testimony of Christ, and Humming Bird Story Shared in Sacrament Meeting
September 23, 2012 (17 years old)
You are never alone. Through your pain, through your heartache, through your losses, through your tears, there is always someone there, holding your hand, trying to buoy you up if you will only let Him. Jesus Christ is there. He will comfort you, He will help you, and He will rescue you from the dark abyss of anguish and endless pain. I don’t just believe this, but I KNOW this, and I know because I have experienced it. When you think no one else knows what you’re going through, when you think that you are completely lost and alone, when you feel there is no escape, you’re wrong. Your Savior is right beside you, you just need to open your eyes and see it. One of my favorite quotes states, “We talk in great generalities about the sins of all humankind, about the suffering of the entire human family, but we don’t experience pain in generalities, we experience it individually.” - Sister Chieko Okazaki
There is nothing (you) have experienced that He does not also know and recognize. On a profound level, he understands (all you go through). His last recorded words to his disciples were, “And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matt 28:20) He’s not waiting for us to be perfect. Perfect people don’t need a savior. He came to save His people in their imperfections. He’s not embarrassed by us, angry at us, or shocked. He wants us in our brokenness, in our unhappiness, in our guilt and our grief. We need Him, and He is ready to come to us, if we’ll open the door and let Him in.
One of the greatest things that we can come to realize and know in our earth life is that He suffered the Atonement for us. Often people just refer to the Atonement as Him suffering for our sins, but I know it to be more than that. I know the Atonement to be a time when our brother, Jesus Christ, experienced all we will experience, which means not only our mistakes but if we experience sadness, loneliness, broken-heartedness, or extreme pain, He knows that, often better than anyone else around you. Jeffery R. Holland says “Considering the incomprehensible cost of the crucifixion and the Atonement, I promise you He is not going to turn His back on us now. When he says to the poor in spirit, ‘Come unto me’, He means He knows the way out and He knows the way up. He knows it because He has walked it. He knows the way because He IS the way.” Not only does He know it, but because He knows it He will help us with anything and everything we go through. He will send His love and His comfort.
For those who were at Girls camp, you have heard this testimony of mine before. The events I am about to share have helped me come to know my Savior and His love for me and for all His children. I can’t help but let this congregation and even this world hear what I know to be true, and what all of us can and should know to be true as well. Most of you know that I left for a couple of months before summer break. I was, in fact, in Utah and was placed into a wilderness program there. For the next two months I would be backpacking, rock-climbing, hiking, mountain biking, and rappelling. Many times, during those 2 months I felt lost, alone, and afraid. I couldn’t talk to my family except through letters, I was in a group of total strangers, and I was the only LDS girl there. I felt that no one could come to know or understand the pain and anguish I was going through, yet I was wrong. Jesus Christ was there for me every step of the way, and I felt him buoy me up on many occasions. Signs of His love and support for me were all around. So many miracles occurred. One of the most prominent signs of him being there for me were the hummingbirds. The first day I was there a beautiful hummingbird flew by me, and as I saw it I closed my eyes and said a prayer in my heart, the hummingbird was now a sign that He was there for me, watching out for me, and that every time I saw one I could feel comforted and know that it would all be okay. Every day for the next 2 months I saw a hummingbird and felt the love and comfort of my Savior without fail. And some days when nighttime started to fall upon me and I hadn’t seen one yet, I would feel sad and discouraged, and just as these thoughts entered my mind, one would fly by. Some days I saw multiple hummingbirds, other days only one, but they were always there, and always coming in times of need.
I would like to end by bearing my testimony that I know our Savior is always aware of us, that He knows what we’re going through, and that He loves you and will comfort you. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Quote on first page of the talk- “We sometimes pray for miracles but really, we should be praying for a greater faith, for courage, for strength, and for comfort and support. Because although miracles will not always come, the Holy Ghost will always come to comfort us and buoy us up.” President Hinckley (?)
Quote at the end of the talk- “If life gets too hard to Stand, Kneel” President Hinckley
