I told the students today about my trial on Saturday. How frustrated I was, burdened, upset. I drove down to Slaughter Beach and started putting stones in my pockets.
98 stones.
And how I received an answer to my prayer. How the Holy Ghost reminded me that prayer helps strengthen me. How I am supposed to cast my burdens on the Lord, and not let them weigh down my pockets.
I didn't tell them this, but how beautiful the rocks look when wet. Tears or salt water from the ocean.
I did tell them they are my treasure. How I thought of them as I picked up the rocks, thinking of their uniqueness, beauty, their testimonies, questions, enthusiasm.
And how I didn't want to be a stumbling block to them. I didn't want to fail and fall apart and lose faith because I know they are watching me.
And I know people are watching them. Challenged them to be a stepping stone for others, a way into the Church. A pathway to Christ, through their actions and example and testimony.
Fingernail polish makes the rocks permanently shiny. Permanet marker sealed with a second layer of polish preserves the message: Stepping Stone and Stumbling Block, sometimes shortened to "step" and "stumble" on the other side of the rock.
