For Times of Trouble

Make each day count
And avoid self doubt
Evil is there
When e'er there’s despair

It will work, it will grow, it will spread,
It will fill our lives with more dread
As a germ it is fed. It is bred

Wake up late, climbing through the sand
We’re open for sin, we just can’t win
One poor thought, with no strength we’re caught

It can erode
Charity, faith and hope
We turn inward-
And then look downward

We’ll feel shame and pity, woe is me
It will fill our lives with more need
With increase- it will be a disease

And again we will surely be
It is troublesome and burdensome-
And it builds, as it yields blind fields

A panic bold-
Soon fear takes a hold
An evil twin
Grips and sweats within

No more breath, no more depth, feels like death
It will fill our lives till we’re deaf
Fear and self doubt have met and they fret

Panic and despair lead us nowhere
The times of trouble now are double
Where one stops one begins and hops

It will attract
It seeks to distract
With misery-
You don’t think clearly

Don’t give up, don’t give in, you can change
All thought patterns will rearrange
Free of filth, free of mange, there’s more range

We must confess- our sins address
Make restitution, make ablution
And we feel cleansing that’s real

Preparation
Acts as prevention
From self defeat-
The three cannot meet

We will work, we will grow, we will spread
And, yes we’ll use our head, to where led
We’re ahead; it’s our bread, now we’re fed

Preparation is our cure for this
Being more aware coupled with prayer
The prepared are not impaired

Carry the calm-
With focus the balm
Composed to fight
Attack goals with might

We will work, watch the time, thoughts are seen-
And we’ll burst at the seam
When we’re keen, how we dream and we beam!

Having a vision, for our mission
And, we’ll work out a plan- one that we can
With each step we will holler, yep!

Off to the school
With the golden rule
We’re on our own-
From home we’ve flown

Off we go, it’s a test, on our breast
We will wear the BYU crest
To do our best, and with zest we’ll not rest

In each class we’ll pray. Always we’ll say-
We’re so thankful with hearts so full,
For this chance- for minds to enhance

to a tune similar to
the caissons go rolling along
And may BYU remain strong!

6, Jan 1982, Jeffrey R. Holland,
“For Times of Trouble, ” Tambuli