The North Star
Besides spending time with my family, one of my favorite parts about camping is to look at the sky at night and find the North Star. Every time I do, I am reminded of who I am, why I am here, where I am going, and who I am striving to become. I also think about Alma’s testimony to Korihor in The Book of Mormon:
The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.
Alma 30:44
One night we were camping, a storm blew through our campground. The wind quickly woke me up and I remembered some loose ends I forgot to tie and items that didn’t get put away properly. I quickly went to make sure we weren’t losing any belongings. Thankfully, everything was fine. When I knew everything was okay, I took another moment to admire the beautiful dark sky with so many stars shining down on us. What amazed me was how much the planets and constellations shifted from where I last saw them… but the North Star remained constant.
In that moment, I felt the Holy Ghost teach and testify to me through the Spirit that the North Star is just like Jesus Christ. Our Savior is always there. He will never leave us. Even though we may not be able to see Him, He can always see us. He knows exactly how we feel. He knows exactly what is going on and what needs we have before we even pray for help.
I have learned that when I feel abandoned and alone, it’s because I took my eyes off of Him. I also have learned that one of Satan’s best tools is distraction. If he can’t get us to sin, the very next best thing he can do is to get us to not invest our time well. He does not want us focusing on Jesus Christ, our North Star. He would rather have us spend our time worrying about trivial and material things. Things that don’t bring eternal blessings and value.
Next time you are spending time outside, take a moment to find the North Star. I testify that when you take time to pause, be still, and admire God’s creations… Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will remind and testify to you through the Spirit and by the power of the Holy Ghost that you are a child of God.