Give Me This Mountain

In a recent podcast, Sister Camille Fronk Olson spoke about the story of Caleb. He was one of the two, along with Joshua, who had given a good report of the promised land when Moses sent the 12 spies into the land of Canaan.   She highlighted the Lord’s fulfilment of His promises to Caleb in Joshua 14 and summarized, “Joshua is assigning the territory for the tribe of Judah and the sons of the faithful man in the wilderness who had died that would inherit in their father’s name. Caleb is one of those who didn’t die that actually gets to come in himself, he and Joshua. He tells us in verse seven that he was 40 years old when Moses sent him to go spy out the land with Joshua and the other 10. Now, verse 10, it is 45 years later. You can see that by this time, probably at least five years or more have passed since they crossed over the Jordan River and they’re conquering. He is now end of verse 10, 85 years old. I am this day four score and five years old. He has been in this area that’s given to Judah is where these Anakim. Verse 12, you can see them there, the giants. Remember those giants that people were so afraid of?... The people that are living in that area, Joshua is ready to give to Caleb and it’s in that context. But Caleb, age 85, says, hmm. Verse 11, As yet, I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me.” Despite his old age, Caleb said this to Joshua with great faith: “Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said” (v12). He had total faith that the Lord would deliver these giants—the same ones the ten had originally been afraid of: “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight” (Numbers 13:33). Caleb was now 85 and he still wasn’t afraid of the giants of Anak. He believed that the Lord could still give him this mountain where the giants roamed despite the incredible enemy that he faced.  

Sister Olson highlighted that this scripture was used by President Kimball in a general conference address in 1979. After summarizing this story, President Kimball said, “From Caleb’s example we learn very important lessons. Just as Caleb had to struggle and remain true and faithful to gain his inheritance, so we must remember that, while the Lord has promised us a place in his kingdom, we must ever strive constantly and faithfully so as to be worthy to receive the reward. Caleb concluded his moving declaration with a request and a challenge with which my heart finds full sympathy. The Anakims, the giants, were still inhabiting the promised land, and they had to be overcome. Said Caleb, now at 85 years, ‘Give me this mountain’ (Josh. 14:12).” President Kimball then made this incredible statement: “This is my feeling for the work at this moment. There are great challenges ahead of us, giant opportunities to be met. I welcome that exciting prospect and feel to say to the Lord, humbly, ‘Give me this mountain,’ give me these challenges. Humbly, I give this pledge to the Lord and to you, my beloved brothers and sisters, fellow workers in this sacred cause of Christ: I will go forward, with faith in the God of Israel, knowing that he will guide and direct us, and lead us, finally, to the accomplishment of his purposes and to our promised land and our promised blessings.” President Kimball was certainly a man of faith like that of Caleb and Joshua, and he believed in the promises of the Lord and was willing to do whatever the Lord required of him.

                This reminded me that President Eyring had once spoke in general conference about this talk from President Kimball. He related, “I heard President Spencer W. Kimball, in a session of conference, ask that God would give him mountains to climb. He said: ‘There are great challenges ahead of us, giant opportunities to be met. I welcome that exciting prospect and feel to say to the Lord, humbly, “Give me this mountain,” give me these challenges.’” President Eyring related what he did after being inspired by this declaration from President Kimball: “My heart was stirred, knowing, as I did, some of the challenges and adversity he had already faced. I felt a desire to be more like him, a valiant servant of God. So one night I prayed for a test to prove my courage. I can remember it vividly. In the evening I knelt in my bedroom with a faith that seemed almost to fill my heart to bursting. Within a day or two my prayer was answered. The hardest trial of my life surprised and humbled me. It provided me a twofold lesson. First, I had clear proof that God heard and answered my prayer of faith. But second, I began a tutorial that still goes on to learn about why I felt with such confidence that night that a great blessing could come from adversity to more than compensate for any cost.” I’m not sure if I have the faith of President Kimball or President Eyring to ask for those mountains to climb in my own life, but surely for each of us whether we ask or not, there will be mountains put before us. And if we can exercise faith in Jesus Christ like Caleb did, He will strengthen us to accomplish and endure all that we need to. We can try to say with Joshua, whatever the trial before us, “We are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30).