Sole Survivor

If you haven't heard, the Provo Tabernacle caught fire last weekend. It wasn't a malicious act, but was probably an electrical shortage somewhere that caused the fire. The inside of the tabernacle is a total loss. "They" are still determining if the outer shell is sound enough to rebuild around. The Provo Tabernacle holds a special place in my heart because it was on those grounds that I made many important decisions during my short stay in Provo, at BYU. BYU wasn't the place for me - I had a horrid experience. I'm among the very few for this to be the case, but I somehow found peace and solace on the tabernacle grounds.

There is only one sole survivor from the fire. A picture. But not the entire picture, only the center portion, where Christ is. The fire burnt the entire picture, except the Savior, who stands in the middle. The charred canvas creates a perfect circle, somehow illuminating Christ.

(Source: Meridian Magazine)

How surreal this is - for we all have fires in our personal lives. When the smoke, flames, and destruction of life ensues us, sometimes the only survivor is Christ. We can still see Him amongst the crumbling blocks of life, and it seems as if everything is burned except for Him. I have had experiences where days were dark, gloomy, depressing, and I felt nothing. I didn't feel happiness, I didn't feel sadness...I just didn't feel anything. The only thing I had to hold on to was hope, my testimony, and our Redeemer. He survived, so I survived. And then I started to feel again, and then I flourished. I am sure I will feel the flames again, as we all do. But next time, this image will be in my mind.