A few weeks ago, in a ward youth meeting the youth were asked what is a Carin. One of the youth, Austin, answered they are blessings. He said, “They don’t change the difficulty of the path, but we are blessed to know we are on the right path”.
I felt and have thought deeply about his answer, as I have had many experience with Carins growing up. I grew up in Utah and every year my family would go to Moab for Easter. When I was 15 I was left in Arches National Park 28 miles from the nearest ranger station. I learned a few lessons that day.
A little back story…that year my older brother and his young family came with us. We drove two cars to an area in Arches called Devils Garden. All 13 of us jumped out of the cars and since we knew the place extremely well off we went to catch lizards, find arrow heads, case rabbits and explore. This is an amazing place with beautiful arches and sandstone. I have often say to my kids, if I helped form the earth I think I helped in southern Utah because the red rock desert touches my heart in so many ways.
When we went to Devils Garden that day, I wanted to hike to Dark Angel. On the way to this magnificent pillar you pass several amazing and inspiring arches. The further you hike from the parking lot the path becomes more primitive and more difficult.
I had learned to follow the Carins that mark the path - these are a formation of rocks stacked on top of each other.
I have followed these Carins for hours and explored many fun and a bit hairy locations.
That day my parents thought I went with my older brother and my older brother expected me to ride with my parents. Both left the area and when I finally returned long past dark to the parking lot I found myself alone. There wasn’t a car in the lot and I realized I had a long walk back to the ranger station at the parks entrance.
Beyond learning to not wondering off on your own and to communicate with others were you are going and when you will return and so they don’t leave you, I find great comfort in Austin statement, that Carins truly are blessings; There is great comfort knowing you are on the right path.
An example of knowing you’re on the right path comes from the life of Joseph Millet. Joseph Millett had a larger family and was suffering through a very, very difficult time. In his journal he wrote: “One of my children came in and said that Brother Newton Hall’s folks was out of bread, had none that day.
“I divided our flour in a sack to send up to Brother Hall. Just then Brother Hall came.
“Says I, ‘Brother Hall, are you out of flour?’
“‘Brother Millett, we have none.’
“‘Well, Brother Hall, there is some in that sack. I have divided and was going to send it to you. Your children told mine that you was out.’
“Brother Hall began to cry. He said he had tried others, but could not get any. He went to the [woods] and prayed to the Lord, and the Lord told him to go to Joseph Millett.
“‘Well Brother Hall, you needn’t bring this back. If the Lord sent you for it you don’t owe me for it.’”
That night Joseph Millett recorded a remarkable sentence in his journal: “You can’t tell me how good it made me feel to know that the Lord knew there was such a person as Joseph Millett”
This experience, this Carin, help Brother Millet know he was on the right path.
In the Sermon on the Mount the Savior taught about the wise man who built his house upon a rock and how after the storm came the house was able to remain standing. The storm still came and the house still stood.
Christ said, “do not your alms before men”, “when thou prayest… pray to the Father … in secret and [He] shall reward thy openly”, He taught us how to pray, to forgive others, to be meek, merciful, to be the Salt of the earth and Light of the world.
Jesus certainly walked the path of disappointment. He walked the path of temptation and He walked the path of service.
His teachings and example are Carins for us to follow. When we act as He would act, say what He would say and do what He would do we are following Him. We are blest to know we are on the right path.
The Lord knew Joseph Millett. The Lord knows you! He has marked the path and lead the way. My hope is we will gratefully follow the Carins He has blessed us with and when we find ourselves by one, we can remember that we are on the right path. If we can not see one, we need to find one!
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