Kellen Saves the Day!!! and Easter Thought

About five years ago, Dan and I went to float the river at Lava Hot Springs with my mom and dad, and my little brother. My little brother was only 17 at the time, but he had already grown to his adult height, making him a full foot taller than me.

For some reason, the river was high that day and the water was flowing fast. We rented tubes and went over and put them in the water. At first, the ride was really exhilarating. We were floating quickly, bumping and turning. It was really lots of fun!

Until we got to a wider, more shallow spot in the river where the rapids were more pronounced and much stronger. I came around a bend very quick, and toppled over. The water was only about a foot and a half deep, but as I was caught in the current, bouncing around on the rocky river bottom, I could not get my feet under me. The one or two times I managed to get upright, the current took me right back down again. At this point, I was starting to cry, and panic was setting in. Dan had been ahead of me, so he was already quite a ways down the river, and I didn't think I was going to be able to get out.

But then, a strong hand grabbed me and pulled me out of the water. It was my little brother! Compared to my short legs, one foot of water only came up to the middle of his calf. He walked around in what was impossible for me to withstand like it was a child's wading pool. He picked me up and took me to the side and set me safely down.

I calmed down a bit and he and I started to walk down to the end of the river where we knew our family would be waiting. But, as I tried to walk on the grass with bare feet, I found that it was covered with spiky burrs. It was so painful to try to walk - it wasn't going to kill me, but I wasn't sure I could make it all the way to the end.

Again, my little brother was able to save me. He happened to have worn water shoes that day, so was walking with no problem. He picked me up and threw me on his back and quickly got us both to our destination.

We love to joke about the time that I almost drowned in a foot of water, but I think that this story has some great parallels to our lives, especially now around Easter time.

Sometimes, life is like floating in Lava Hot Springs River. Sometimes, we face things that we can't possible overcome by ourselves, including the most certain part of life: death. Our Big Brother, our Savior, is the only one with legs strong enough, a spirit brave enough, and a life perfect enough to rescue us from that condition. Because of Him, we will live again - and as families in the presence of our Heavenly Father because of the Atonement He suffered.

Sometimes, we face terribly painful events in our lives, that may not kill us, but that feel impossible to endure alone. Again, our Big Brother, like my little brother at the river, is the only one who is equipped to help us through those times. Only He, our Savior, has suffered the pains and trials that we will go through, and can send comfort and hope in our darkest times.

He is our Savior, and I know He lives!

" My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his LOVE, even unto the consuming of my flesh. (2 Nephi 4:20)