It's summer time and what says "summer" more than camping and sitting around the campfire. I have so many memories of sitting around the campfire with my family and telling stories, jokes, singing, and most of all just having good conversation. The conversations are what I treasure most. Lately I have been reading and listening to talks instead of other things, because lets face it, most of what is out there right now doesn't really bring me peace or happiness. This week I saw a video based on a talk by Elder Gong from the October 2018 conference, titled "Campfires of Faith", I also read some articles (here, here and here) and all of them had one central theme-faith through the hard times. In the video, he talks about painting with Elder Richard G. Scott and a specific painting titled Campfire at Sunset that Elder Scott had painted. It's beautiful and evokes a lot of emotion and thought. 
Elder Gong said, "As we painted, we talked about faith—how as we face the light and warmth of a campfire, we leave the darkness and uncertainty behind us—how on sometimes long, lonely nights, our campfire of faith can give hope and assurance."
The other thing that came to mind is how in the dark the campfire seems to draw everyone to it. Like the campfire, our faith can draw people to us if it is burning bright enough and strong enough. People may not realize that is why they are drawn to us but they know there is something there that gives them peace.
I think my favorite part about campfires is that moment when for whatever reason everyone stops talking and just sits there in comfortable silence alone with their thoughts. It almost always seem to be closely followed up by those meaningful conversations that I so treasure. So it too seems with life that when we are really struggling with something, if we can find that moment of peace and silent reflection, wherever it may be, we can find ourselves in a meaningful conversation with our Heavenly Father.
My ward was able to meet together for the first time today and the theme of the talks was hope. It went so well with all the things I have been feeling and reading lately that I felt compelled to share with all of you. I hope that as you enjoy your family campfires this summer you will find new meaning in them and try to keep your faith campfire burning bright not only for yourself but for all those around you. I also truly hope that you will still be able to find those special times to have meaningful conversations with your Heavenly Father because more now than ever he has many special tasks for us that we need to be open to hearing.
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