Elder Ballard's Message

Yesterday there was a University Fireside where Elder M. Russell Ballard and two members of the quorum of the seventy spoke. It was an amazing and uplifting fireside. Elder Ballard spoke about the World and its slow decline. He said that we need to be solidly anchored in the Gospel of Christ so that whatever is around the corner won't have the power to shake us. We must be strong and hold our ground. The talk was wonderful and I would encourage all to read it. Elder Ballard concluded with a poem that I really loved and summarizes much of what he spoke about.

The Oak Tree
by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr

A mighty wind blew night and day
It stole the oak tree's leaves away
Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark
Until the oak was tired and stark

But still the oak tree held its ground
While other trees fell all around
The weary wind gave up and spoke.
How can you still be standing Oak?

The oak tree said, I know that you
Can break each branch of mine in two
Carry every leaf away
Shake my limbs, and make me sway

But I have roots stretched in the earth
Growing stronger since my birth
You'll never touch them, for you see
They are the deepest part of me

Until today, I wasn't sure
Of just how much I could endure
But now I've found, with thanks to you
I'm stronger than I ever knew

I think we have all felt like this oak tree at times in our life. There have been times when we've thought that there is no possible way we could survive because the wind just beats and beats against us. But when it's all over we realize that we do have the strength. I think sometimes we underestimate ourselves. But the Lord knows how strong we are. He knows what we can handle. He has faith in us so we should have faith in ourselves. So stand strong and tall. We're much stronger than we know.