POEM: Holes

Holes

I had been in that hole for a very long time 

In the dark and the damp, in the cold and the slime 

The shaft was above me, I saw it quite clear 

But there's no way I ever could reach it from here 

I could not remember the world way up there 

So I lost every hope and gave in to despair 

I knew nothing but darkness, the floor and the walls

When from off in the distance I heard someone call 

"Get up, get ready, there's nothing the matter!

Take rocks and take sticks and build up a fine ladder!"

This was a thought that had not crossed my mind,

So I started to stack all the stones I could find

When I ran out of stones, the old sticks were my goal

For one way or another, I'd climb from that hole

I soon had a ladder that stood very tall and I thought, 

"I'll soon leave this place once and for all!"

I climbed up my ladder, a difficult chore

For from lifting those boulders my shoulders were sore

I worked and I climbed but I soon had to stop

For my ladder had stopped short, some ten feet from the top

I climbed back down my ladder and felt all around

But there were no boulders nor sticks to be found

I sat in the darkness and started to cry

For I'd done all I could do and I gave my best try

But in spite of my work, in this hole I must die

And all I could do was sit and think, why?

Was my ladder too short? Or my hole much too deep? 

Then from way up on high came a voice,

"Do not weep."

Suddenly, faith, hope and love entered into my chest

As the voice calmly told me that I'd done my best

He said, "You have worked hard, and your labors been rough

But that ladder you've built is at last tall enough

So do not lose faith, there's reason to hope

Just climb up your ladder, I'll throw down my rope."

I climbed up the ladder, then climbed up the cord

When I reached the top of it, there stood the Lord

I'd never been happier, my struggle was done!

I blinked in the brightness that came from the Son

I fell to the ground and His feet I did kiss

I cried, "Lord, can I ever repay Thee for this?"

He looked all about, there were holes in the ground

They had people inside and were seen all around

There were thousands of holes that were dark, damp and deep

And the Lord looked at me and He said, "Feed my sheep."

Then he went on his way to save other lost souls

So I got right to work calling down to those holes,

"Get up, get ready, there's nothing the matter! 

Take rocks and take sticks and build up a fine ladder!"

It was now my calling to spread the good word

The most glorious message that man ever heard

That there's one who is coming to save one and all

And we must be ready when he gives the call

He'll pull us all out of the holes that we're in

And save all our souls from cold, death and from sin

So do not lose faith, there is reason to hope

Just climb up your ladder, He'll throw down his rope

A poem Evan shared early in his mission and one I heard later from a return missionary in our home ward. So good we needed to document.