What a broken ankle, a broken wrist and a mountain trail taught me about strength.
After spending so much time in the car, I was grateful for the chance to stretch my legs and enjoy some fresh air at Big Sky Ski Resort. We took the tram to the highest peak, hiked along the ridges and made our way back down. Even though wildfire smoke hung in the distance, the scenery was still breathtaking. When the opportunity came to ride the tram up another ski hill and hike down that side as well, I eagerly agreed.
I was soaking in the beauty around me, the mountains, the quiet, and the company, when everything changed in an instant.
On a steep section of the trail, I slipped. My leg caught on a rock and I felt my ankle snap. As I looked down and saw my foot pointing in the wrong direction, I immediately knew there was no way I was getting myself down that mountain.
A little while later, five men carried me more than a mile down the trail in a tarp before transferring me to an ATV. As they carried me down a path I had fully intended to walk on my own, I had no choice but to trust the people helping me.
At the time, I thought the lesson was about accepting help in a moment of crisis. What I didn't realize was that the lesson was only beginning.
The very next day, while learning to manage crutches I fell and I broke my wrist. Suddenly, even the simplest tasks became difficult. Things I normally did without a second thought now required help from someone else. I had no idea how much I would need to rely on family, friends, and loved ones in the days, weeks and months that followed.
I've always valued being independent, so accepting help has been humbling. At times, it has been frustrating. I wanted to do things for myself. I wanted to maintain some sense of control. But through this experience, I've come to realize that humility is not weakness. It is recognizing our dependence on Heavenly Father and gratefully accepting the help He sends.
One scripture that has taken on new meaning for me is Ether 12:27:
“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness; ... then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”
My plans certainly didn't include a broken ankle and a broken wrist, but this experience has taught me that the Lord often teaches us through circumstances we would never choose for ourselves. As I've relied on Him and accepted the help of others, I've begun to see how He can turn weakness into strength.
During this recovery, I've become more aware of the goodness of people. I've seen the Lord's love through family members who served without hesitation, friends who checked in and offered help, medical professionals who cared for me and even strangers who stepped in when I needed them most.
As I reflect on being carried down that mountain, I can't help but think about how often we all face mountains we cannot descend alone. Sometimes those mountains are physical. Sometimes they are emotional, spiritual, or personal struggles that feel too steep to navigate on our own.
We often admire self-reliance and independence, but I don't think we were ever meant to journey through life completely alone. Heavenly Father has designed us to need one another. He places people in our path to encourage us, strengthen us, and sometimes quite literally carry us when we don't have the strength to continue on our own.
For me, that mountain became a powerful reminder that needing help is not a sign of failure. It's part of being human. There are seasons when we are the ones carrying and there are seasons when we are the ones being carried. Both are important parts of discipleship.
This experience has taught me that true strength is not found in doing everything on our own. True strength is found in trusting the Savior, accepting the help He sends, and allowing others to walk beside us when the path becomes too difficult.
Being carried down that mountain changed more than my plans, it changed my perspective. What I once saw as an unfortunate accident has become a sacred reminder that Heavenly Father is aware of us in our moments of weakness. He doesn't always remove the mountain, but He never expects us to face it alone.
Whether our mountains are physical, emotional, or spiritual, the Savior invites us to come unto Him and accept the help He provides. Sometimes that help comes through miracles, but more often it comes through people. Looking back, I can see His hand in every person who helped carry me on the mountain and all those who are helping through my recovery.
My prayer is that I will remember this lesson long after my bones have healed: to have the humility to accept help when I need it and the willingness to help carry others when their path becomes too steep. After all, that is how the Savior ministers to us one person carrying another.
Perhaps one of the greatest blessings of life's mountains is that they remind us that none of us were ever meant to climb them or descend them alone.
XOXO
Tiffanee
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