A FISH TALE

 

       A   FISH   TALE

When I was about 11 years old, my family went on a camping and fishing trip to the Madison River, just west of Yellowstone Park.

We spent most of our fishing time just drowning worms. One evening as the sun was setting and it was time to call it quits, I decided to make one last cast.  I put a new fat, juicy worm on my #2 hook and cast as far as I could out into the deep rapids. As my bait started floating down river, I felt my line tighten with a jerk, so I jerked back and set the hook. I had a fish on the line, and it felt like a big one! For at least 30 minutes it was a battle between boy and fish. I had to be patient and wear the fish down. Not wanting the line to snap, I slowly wound him in. When I finally got him close to shore, my uncle scooped him up in his net. I had landed a beautiful, fat, five-pound german brown trout! By my standards I had caught a huge trophy fish. By the world’s standards, not so much. I was so proud of that fish that my parents had it stuffed and mounted. My trophy fish proudly hung on our fireplace wall for several years!

One day my mother was burning a lot of old papers in our fireplace when to her horror, the flames leaped up the brick fireplace wall and started my trophy fish on fire. By the time she could calm the flame, my fish had been ruined, destroyed beyond repair!

When I learned of my trophy fish's fate, I was devastated! What was left had to be discarded and with the passage of time, my trophy fish became just a distant memory.

Can you imagine how thousands of families felt to have their entire homes with ALL their belongings totally destroyed in the recent Southern California fires? I had only lost a fish- they have lost everything!

We know that in this world, bad things can and do happen to good people. Alma chapter 14 in the Book of Mormon gives an account of righteous people being cast into a fire, along with their scriptures, because they would not deny their testimonies.  These martyrs were received by the Lord in glory but what a terrible thing to have to suffer!

Regardless of what type of “fiery trials” we must endure in this life, we have reason for hope through Jesus Christ. King Benjamin reminded us in Mosiah 2:41; “ …I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.”

We hope that you never experience a devastating fire, like all those good people in Southern California, or any other type of devastating tragedy. You no doubt will have your share of trials. No matter what type of “fiery trial” you face in life, we hope that you will always remember the happiness that surely will also come to those who repent and endure in faith.

 

Much Love- The Grandparent Chronicles