“Our Only Chance,” Friend, Nov. 1999, inside front cover
Our Only Chance
(Adapted from an April 1999 general conference address. See Ensign, May 1999, page 66–67.)
I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
As a young BYU student, I learned a little something about staying on course when heading home. One Christmas Eve, my brother and I were driving home to Kansas, when we learned that a huge snowstorm was coming our way. We pulled out a map, found a detour, and headed into parts unknown. We ran right into the blizzard!
To make matters worse, late that night as we were creeping along an obscure highway in blinding snow, our old car quit. We were stranded. And we had absolutely no idea where we were.
Eventually we caught a ride to the nearest town, where we found that we were still hours from home and marooned in Last Chance, Colorado. There was only one thing to do. We called home for help, and our father left in the middle of the night to rescue us. By the next afternoon we were all safely home. Our father had done for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Each of us is on the path toward our eternal home. And for various reasons, we all need rescue—rescue from loneliness, heartache, despair, and sin. Where do we turn for help? “In the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way” (Ether 12:11). The Savior isn’t our last chance; He is our only chance. Our only chance to repent and have our sins washed clean. Our only chance to find peace and happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.
May we recommit to seek after this Jesus of whom the prophets have testified. He will show us the way because He is the way.
Illustrated by Pat Gerber