The Earth was Created for Us

The Earth was Created for Heavenly Father's Children

Talk by Clayton Smith

February 24, 2013

The Earth was Created for Heavenly Father’s Children. Abraham 3:24 says, “We will make an earth whereon these may dwell; and we will provide them herewith to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord, their God shall command them.”

I am going to read something I wrote about an experience I had climbing the mountain behind my grandparent’s house in Utah: 

"I remember the sight from the top of the mountain clearly.  We had marched through the aspen trees that run along the brook behind my grandparent’s cabin into the wide open hillside of sagebrush. We had hiked up through the twisted and turning maze of scrub oak trees that seemed to knot their branches into walls of living wood.  Once we found our way through all that, we hiked across a mile-long rockslide of unstable stones.  It was difficult to get across, but finally we made to the pine trees, which only grow at the tops of each peak.  From there, the view was spectacular.   

Standing in the shade of the pine trees I could see the whole valley spread below.  I saw my grandparent’s house, like a brown gingerbread house, nestled in a group of trees.  I could see our car parked in the drive way, looking smaller than a toy car.  I never knew I had hiked this far up the mountain.

I thought about what it took to get here.  I thought about the beautiful aspens at the beginning of hike that were so peaceful they seemed to beg us to stay.  But then we hiked through the sage brush which was hot and tiresome and seemed to be warning us of the dangers ahead on the mountain.  It was difficult to weave our way through the twisted scrub oak and the unstable river of rocks and boulders. But reaching the pine trees at the top made it all worth it.

Life is like this, in a way.  It is sometimes easier to not follow the commandments, just like it would have been easier to just stay back in the aspens.  We have been warned to get prepared for trials to come in our lives.  When the trials come, with the right preparations we can overcome them, just like I was able to make it up through the scrub oak and the rock slide.  It was hard climbing.  But it was worth it. After all the trials you get to the well-earned pine trees.  The earth was made for us to prepare and experience trials as well as joy so that we can make our own choices and have everlasting happiness." 
 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.