I was in a small
airplane, and all of a sudden the engine
on the wing caught fire. It exploded, and burning oil was
poured all over the right side of the airplane. And we started to
dive toward the earth. We were spinning
down to our death. Oh, this woman across the aisle,
I just was so sorry for her. She was just absolutely,
uncontrollably hysterical. And I was calm. I was totally calm
even though I knew I was going down to my death. I was ready to meet my Maker. We didn't crash. We didn't die. The spiral dive
extinguished the flame. The pilot got control and
started the other engine up. We made an emergency
landing out in a field. But I thought, through
that experience, if you've got faith, you
can handle difficulties, knowing that with an eternal
perspective, all will be well. In Luke 21, the earth
shall be in distress, "nations, with perplexity; the
[seas] and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing
them for fear." What we're seeing
is a prediction that in these latter days,
people will be afraid. Men's hearts are failing,
and that includes women, because they forget their
identity and their purpose. The heartaches will come. I've lived through
the death of a wife and the death of a daughter.
I've seen the troubles
that divorce brings.
Children or
grandchildren go astray. Disability, illness, injuries.
To the individual who
is weak in the heart, fearful in the heart: Be
patient with yourself. Perfection comes not in this
life but in the next life.
Don't demand things
that are unreasonable, but demand of
yourself improvement. As you let the Lord
help you through that, He will make the difference.
I'm so grateful for the
gospel of Jesus Christ that allows me that kind of strength
in these tumultuous times.