Sabbath Devotional :: One Decision at a Time

In early October, I found myself driving my family through the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Georgia. We live in Alabama, and our stake had been tasked with running a “command center” for hurricane relief in Valdosta. As we drove towards the church building, I wove through massive piles of downed trees that had been cut and moved off the roads. I drove over dozens of downed power lines. Seeing the devastation firsthand, knowing it was exponentially worse in other areas, and having just heard that another deadly hurricane was forming, I thought about the account in the Book of Mormon of the destruction at Christ’s death, and the prophecies of His second coming.

As a child, I was afraid of the Second Coming. It sounded terrifying. As a teenager, I literally prayed that I would not be single when it happened. As an adult, I have a greater understanding of it and the joy it will bring, but as I drove through the destruction I thought, “When will the time come? We are definitely living through the signs.” My anxiety kicked up a notch as I looked at my children in the back seat. My thoughts turned to the prophet. I had recently taught that prophets always warn their people. It’s part of their purpose. “I can listen to the prophet,” I reassured myself. “He will prepare us.”

We spent the next two days “camping” in the church building. My husband fielded calls for help, and organized and distributed work orders to relief teams that had traveled there from 15 different stakes. My ten year-old handed out work gloves and yellow t-shirts to the teams as they drove through picking up chainsaws, wheelbarrows, tarps, water, and other supplies. My seven year-old and I were on the kitchen crew, feeding the command center team and cleaning up debris on the church grounds in our free time.

If you ever need to feel a rush of gratitude for your own circumstances, or want to gain a testimony of how the church provides relief, I recommend participating in these efforts. It was incredibly faith-affirming. The church starts coordinating supplies before the storms hit. They are delivered by trucks soon thereafter and members show up in pre-organized teams to use them. Volunteers do heavy manual labor all day and then camp in designated areas, fully self-sufficient. They get up the next morning and do it again. The people receiving assistance are astounded that it is offered freely, with nothing expected in return. Those who have very little, and then watch it blow away, or a giant tree fall on it, truly feel like those yellow shirts are angels showing up to minister to them. God’s unconditional love for His children is palpable.

On Sunday, when we got home, I listened to the talk President Nelson had just given in General Conference. I heard him explain that the Lord is hastening His work, gathering Israel on both sides of the veil. Then he said, “These blessings also help to prepare a people who will help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord!” I was immediately alert. He said, “Brothers and sisters, now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority.” Now is the time. Now.

His words struck my heart. President Nelson referenced the coming of the Lord seven times in that talk. Now is the time. He instructed us to seek help in the temple. He urged us to spend time increasing our understanding of the Atonement, to rededicate ourselves to Christ. He promised us that Christ will be with us, that He will come in all His glory and that the day will be joyful. I wanted to follow his counsel, but I immediately felt overwhelmed. I already felt I was falling short on all fronts — as wife, mother, friend, professional, disciple — and was experiencing anxiety because of it. Is my discipleship my highest priority? Certainly not all the time. Am I focused on Christ? Not nearly as much as I could be. My chest tightened. I prayed. I thought about how I could adjust my priorities and keep all my boats afloat. Soon, a thought came. “One decision at a time. Erika, you can choose to grow closer to Christ one decision at a time.” I took a breath and felt a little hope.

The next morning, my mind raced when I awoke. I had a massive to-do list, as I was leaving the next day for a work trip. I took my kids to school, came home and prepared to exercise. I usually distract myself from the pain of a workout with a mindless TV show. The thought came again — one decision at a time. Instead of TV, I turned on a session of General Conference that I had missed and started lifting weights. The words filled my heart, calmed my mind, and inspired me. I felt like Wonder Woman for the rest of the day as I worked through my list. I had an energy and lightness in my heart that I had not felt in months. I was filled with relief and gratitude for Christ and His patience with me.

Have I made all the right decisions in the last month? No, I have not. Do I still feel overwhelmed or that I am falling short sometimes? Absolutely. But each time I have consciously made a choice that led me towards Christ instead of away, I felt the difference. I have been empowered as a disciple and daughter of God. I have felt the love of my Savior and my Father in Heaven. You can too. One decision at a time. They truly are cheering us on as we prepare ourselves, our families, and our world for the joyous day of His return.