"Invincible Summer"

I doubt that the French philosopher, Albert Camus was referring to the consistently hot temperatures one deals with when living in a country close to the equator when he made this statement I have come to love:

"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer."

Yes, it is hot here. It's too hot to wear jewelry. Even my watch and rings make me feel overdressed. It's so hot that a package of chewing gum in my purse liquified. Thankfully, here in Salvador there is usually a nice ocean breeze that helps to mitigate the year-round swelter.

In some ways it has been good for me to live in a place that doesn't have the distinction of 4 separate seasons even though I have missed them very much. It has made me less apt to get homesick not having all the evocative seasonal stimuli that come in those countries positioned farther away from the equator than we are. During the last three years that we have been here life has gone on as this good earth of ours has continued to make it's faithful revolutions around the steadfast sun. But because we don't feel much change at all in the seasons I don't really feel like I've been gone for almost three years. It feels more like it's been one very long summer!

I guess you could say that a life closer to the equator is less moody. Less prone to nostalgia. I mean, let's face it, there's nothing more nostalgic than the smell of burning leaves in Autumn or the taste of a mouthful of frosty cold air on a snowy winter morning. We have had neither of those here because we have an "invincible summer."

But I think Albert Camus was thinking of a different kind of summer. For me, the kind of indomitable brilliance that he referred to is what increases as one dwells in closer proximation to the spiritual equator. This meridian point is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I've heard that following the teachings of our Savior can be compared to living closer to the equator. The closer we dwell to Him the more light, truth, and warmth we will have in our lives. The Son, therefore becomes The Sun in terms of our spiritual geography.

Here are examples of two people who have made their way to a brighter spiritual latitude by having the courage to come unto Christ and have their lives perfected in Him.

In the above photo you can see Ednilson, one of our recent converts. The missionaries met him when he was homeless and living on the streets. He listened to their message and gained a testimony of Christ and His Restored Gospel. He was baptized and confirmed and his life is now reflecting the greater light and truth he has chosen to live by. He now has a job and a place to live, and he has hope. He that was in darkness now dwells in light.

In this next picture you can see the elder to David's right next to a woman who was just baptized.This elder is serving as one of our Assistants. He is an American whose birth mother was not married and she was too young to care for him when he was born so she prayed for God to lead her to where to place him up for adoption. Although she was not a member of our Church she was impressed to put her baby up for adoption though LDS Church services. Her son was placed in the home of a faithful LDS family in Pennsylvania. He grew up in a home filled with the light of the Restored Gospel. He has a powerful testimony and has been an extraordinary missionary. He hopes that at some future day he may be able to teach the Gospel to his birth mother and father. His life is full of light and truth because both his birth mother and his adoptive parents chose to position themselves in a place where they could receive the influence, guidance, and light of the Lord in their lives.

We are all subject to periods of bleak cold winter in our lives. Sometimes the frost can be biting and bitter. But I believe in that indomitable Light of Christ within each of us and that if we follow it we will be lead to discover hidden treasures of strength in ourselves and in one another. I have witnessed that "invincible summer" as I have seen people overcome great obstacles through their faith in Jesus Christ. I have seen it in so many of you. My ongoing desire is to continue striving to dwell closer to the Son of God so that my life may be a greater reflection of His light and truth, and love. I know there is nothing more invincible than that.

"That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day." (Doctrine & Covenants 50:24)

Until then, onward, ever onward.