I have had two promises made to me at various points in my life that have had a major influence on me.

The first one was made almost exactly eleven years ago by a teacher I had in the MTC. I don’t give much stock these days to run-of-the-mill priesthood blessings, but once in a great while you hear something that you believe has to have come from beyond the blessing-giver. You can’t explain why, but it conveys such meaning and depth that you believe it to be eternally significant. This was one such blessing.

The words of the first promise are simple, and I remember them as clearly as the day I first heard them:

As long as you continue to learn by the Spirit, then by the time you leave this life there will be little left for you to learn.

As I explained in a previous post, I am one who is driven by the desire to know. This blessing has been a guiding star to me that my goal is possible and achievable.

The second promise is much more recent and a bit egotistical at first glance, but it speaks to that same desire:

Just as the stone is scared of the chisel, or the wood of the knife, or the ore of the fire, all these things have purpose in the hands of the artist. If you allow me, I will be the artist of your soul and will fashion you into a blazing jewel that will be unique among the stars. The process is not an easy one, but I will be with you through all of it. I will guide you and shape you and form you into a being that has no comparison.

These two promises fill me with hope, when almost all else feels like despair.