Ships are Safe in the Harbor

Good Morning, valiant Missionaries of the Chile Santiago North Mission,

Some of you might not know, but President May is having a birthday tomorrow on Tuesday, Feb. 8th, so I asked if I could write to you dear missionaries, instead and let me share some thoughts with you. You all know that I love President May, and I hope each one of you, in your future, will find an eternal companion with whom you can really feel, is your best friend, and companion from whom you never want to be transferred! He is the best, and I’m blessed to be married and sealed for the eternities with him and our family.

Recently I read again a talk given by Elder Claudio R.M. Costa, then a member of the Presidency of the Seventy, that he gave on 2 Nov 2010 at a BYU Fireside. He entitled it, “Ships are Safe in the Harbor.”

I want to share some of his quotes and thoughts with you. “Years ago, while visiting one of our institute buildings, I saw a beautiful painting on the wall. It was of a 16th-century ship with the sails tied to the mast, anchored safely in the harbor. At the bottom of the painting was the inscription, “A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for…..as you know, ships are not built to stay in the harbor, but that they are meant to navigate the oceans and to experience adventure. I was remembered that it is the same with us.”

He went on to remind us of prosperous Lehi and his family, with all of their possessions and seemingly happy life, comfortable with their comforts on their daily life. But they left it all, and went to a desert that was not comfortable, because the Lord commanded it and they obeyed. Then speaking of ships, they even were able to board a ship, because the Lord commanded Nephi how to build one, even though he had never imagined that he could do that, or even think he should try to build one. Lehi and his family symbolically left their harbor and sailed with faith.
Also, Alma was one of the priest to the King. He had a high social position, but left it all, after he heard Abinadi teach him the gospel, and also became a follower of Christ. He too left his safe harbor.
Then there is Ammon. He received his mission call, but didn’t get called to the best mission in the world, the Chile Santiago North Mission. He was told, ‘don’t go there, the Lamanites hate us, will not accept you, and might even kill you. Ammon decided to leave the harbor and navigate to an extraordinary adventure. But out of his safe harbor he found, as he told his son Helaman, “The Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors.” (Alma 36:25)
“The Garden of Eden was a safe harbor for Adam and Eve, but they would not have known their full potential if they had remained there.” (Genesis 3)
“Noah and his family left their safe harbor to live on the ark while it rained for forty days and forty nights. By the time it was safe for them to leave, they had lived on the ark for one year. (Gen 7:11-13)
“David a shepherd taking care of his flock. He was a young man, not a soldier. He was in a safe harbor of his life, but he left the security of his harbor, and with courage and great faith he accepted the call to fight Goliath.”
Elder Costa told about the travels, moves, changes and adventures of their own family, having children, was like leaving the harbor and navigating oceans in a new and marvelous adventure; bringing more responsibility and also great joy. It had been better than being anchored in the harbor with no progress. I think of President May also having many gifts, opportunities and future choices to make in his basketball career, and then later in his own personal career progress, but that he too left the safe harbor and followed the Savior when he was first call to serve as a full-time missionary in Bolivia, and then later to choose to step away from other career blessings, to see that the only option he wanted to choose was to heed the call to come and serve here in Chile.
Elder Costa reminds us that we will all have choices and then trials. But you dear missionaries are learning how to follow the Savior amidst the challenges. “Even when turbulence caused by the storms of life naturally comes our way in this mortal existence, we can be led by the lighthouse of the gospel and by our testimonies of our Savior Jesus Christ.” The Savior himself left his safe harbor at the right had of his Father to give His life as an atoning sacrifice for all mankind. He knew this would not be a pleasure cruise, but one that while he was in Gethsemane, “he began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy.” He trusted and knew that His Father gave Him the power to accomplish all He needed to do.
A scripture comes to my mind, D&C 123:16-17, “You know brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves. Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.”
We love each one of you missionaries, and hope that you set your course to follow Jesus Christ faithfully.
Sister May
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