Rescue

By Elder Kwok Yuen Tai

of the Seventy

(Adapted from an April 1993 conference address. See Ensign, May 1993, page 86.)

Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord (Ex. 14:13).

In my early childhood, I lost both my parents. Aunt Gu Ma, an unmarried sister of my father, brought up my brother and me in the little Chinese farming village where she grew vegetables for a living. She was a wonderful person. Although she had no formal education, she instilled in us correct principles, including self-reliance and the value of hard work. We are grateful for her love and sacrifice for us.

I especially remember the time my brother and I were returning from school after a severe tropical storm. The trail that we usually followed had been covered by a mud slide. On a nearby steep hillside, high above the rocky ground, was a drainage pipe. If we were to get to our village, we would need to walk along that pipe.

The pipe was suspended over a stream, which, although normally small, had turned into a rushing torrent of mud and water. Carrying our school bags, we went up the hill and began cautiously treading along the narrow, slippery pipe. As I approached the other side, I looked back to see how my brother was doing.

He had stopped halfway. Being older and wiser, he had realized what a precarious perch we were on and had frozen in his tracks. It was a terrifying moment for us as we realized the danger he was in.

Then I heard the loudest scream for help I have ever heard. My brother’s bellow echoed through the hills and valleys. Luckily Aunt Gu Ma was working in the fields below and heard us. She came quickly to his rescue, lovingly guided him along, and led us both home to safety.

Often we become fearful about things in our lives. We feel overwhelmed and helpless. If we ask for help with humility and faith, Heavenly Father will provide a way to lovingly help us through.

Illustrated by Robert T. Barrett