Mighty To Save

Here is a little fact about me. I love to run. Whether it's long distance or short, on a track or on a dirt trail, I'd run it. I think this love began in middle school when my dad would wake me up early in the morning in the summer to go out and run with him. It was always the high-light of my day.

When I was a Sophomore in High School my parents encouraged me to sign up for the track team. I was a little intimidated due to the fact that the only running I had ever done up to this point were jogs with my dad (and he'd always go easy on me!) but despite my fears I signed up. I ended up doing very well... so well in-fact I made it to state and ran the 800 on the BYU blue track. That was a great day. I felt so victorious as I drove home with my dad that afternoon, knowing that I had done the seemingly impossible... and had done it well. From that moment on I dreamed of the next year's season and what it would hold.

When my junior year came around and track was about to begin, in preperation I received a father's blessing. In it I was counciled to run fast and to not give up when times became hard. I was promised that this experience would be a source of strength the rest of my life and that I would be a great example to my fellow team mates. Most important I was promised that God would give me the strength, talent, and skill that I needed to do this.

Despite my high hopes of accomplishment and being a champion, I found in the first couple of practices it was a lot harder than I remember it being. I couldn't seem to run as fast as I had the previous year, and I started to become discouraged. As the days went on my discouragement became stronger and when I ran my first race I sprinted to the very end in last place. I remember walking off the track and deciding then and there I was going to quit. I convinced myself that my father's blessing was wrong and that running wasn't want I needed to do. Like it says in Matt 25:25, "I was afraid and went and hid my talent in the earth." I ended up dropping out of track regardless of what my parents counseled me to do.

This experience has stuck with me. Especially at the beginning of my mission. In a way, it has haunted me. As I would look back, I felt like a person who just gives up. I feared for months that I would give up on my mission when it became hard, because that is what I did in track. But now, I look back at my track experience and it motivates me. Why? Because I have experienced a change. I realized what I was missing back then and that is; trust in Jesus Christ and as Nephi has said, "Relying wholly upon the merits of Him who is MIGHTY TO SAVE."

President Uchtdorf gave a wonderful talk last General Conference in the priesthood session. It's one that I read often. It's titled, "You Can Do It Now" He said, "We can often feel burdened by our failures and short comings that we begin to think we will never be able to succeed. We might even assume that because we have fallen before, falling is our destiny." I am sure that many of us have felt that way in our life. President Uchtdorf goes on to say, "We all want to be respected and esteemed. We want to be champions. But we mortals do not become champions without effort and discipline or without making mistakes."

I wish I could go back and tell 16 year old Rebekah that it was ok that she got last place. Falling and making mistakes is part of the processes. What really mattered was getting back up and moving forward. "Our destiny is not determined by the number of times we stumble but by the number of times we rise up, dust ourselves off, and move forward."

Since I've been out on my mission I am proud to say; that no matter how difficult it has become, or discouraging, or how alone I have felt, I have not given up. Because Jesus Christ truly is mighty to save.

I want to end with a powerful promise that President Uchtdorf gave, "We acknowledge that your path will at times be difficult. But I give you this promise in the name of the Lord: rise up and follow the footsteps of our Redeemer and Savior, and one day you will look back and be filled with eternal gratitude that you chose to trust the Atonement and it's power to lift you up and give you strength."

I know that is true. How grateful I am that I have put my trust in Jesus Christ.