I’m not 100% sure how it happened, but I spontaneously agreed to take my boys to Topaz Mountian to hunt for Topaz crystals today, on Labor Day. We spent the weekend mapping out where we would go. We were on a hunt for:
- Topaz (Success)
- Garnets – Didn’t Find
- Agates (Success)
- Opalite – Didn’t Find
- Apache Tears (Success)
- Red Jasper – Didn’t Find
- Fuorite – Skipped
- Fluorspar – Skipped
- Joy Agates – Skipped
We thought we had everything we needed for the trip packed in the car, but as we approached our first destination, I asked my son, “Can I look at the map?” He didn’t bring it. The map had more detailed locations. The book that went along with the map had the directions explained by an expert and photos of what we were looking for. So, we made the best of what we had… which was my memory combined with some photos of where we were going that I sent to my wife in case we didn’t make it home.
We had four sites marked where we could search for Topaz. We ended up only searching the first. We skipped two. The last one was hard to get to. The last site required a 30-minute drive over a washboard and rocky road, and a mile-long hike afterward because my little Kia Soul was not going to make it to the site. It was way too rugged.
I’m going to come back to the Topaz. It’s the story I wanted to talk about.
We had three sites where we could hunt for Garnet. We realized quickly, that without the book and the instruction of an expert, we were lost. I had a vague idea where the site was, but I was torn between two possible locations. When we arrived they looked like they had similar rock formations, but we could not see any Garnet and didn’t know how to look. The rock was very hard, looked porus but not in a way that it looked searched by people. When we searched for Topaz the first time a few years back there was someone gracious enough to show us what to do and what to look for so we could find the Topaz. There wasn’t a soul for miles around the Garnet location, only us and Mother Nature. We gave up pretty easily.
I was excited to search for the Opalite. It was a translucent milky-white rock that was supposed to be lying on the ground. Again, no book and I couldn’t remember the exact explanation as to where to look. I walked around where I thought I remembered reading the rocks would be and nothing. Later after returning home and reading the instructions, I realized I was on the wrong side of the road.
The Apache Tears we found were cool. Not as polished as I hoped, but way cool.
So, back to the Topaz. We arrived and set out searching. I’m not sure if you have read any of my other posts, but one of my sons has struggled with some mental health issues. It didn’t take long for him to lose his interest in the area and desire to attempt another location. The site felt baron and looking felt too hard. At the point he started losing interest, all of a sudden I saw one, then another, but we were done. The two I found in the rock were awesome and beautiful, but our time had passed. To control the atmosphere we were on to the next location.
As we were walking to the car with our two little Topaz crystals, walking along the road, it was still morning maybe 10 AM. We were walking east’ish down a dirt road in the FREE to Rockhound area and a sparkle on the road caught my eye. As we continued to walk another sparkle caught my eye, then another. I tried to focus on the spot, then reach down to see what it was. It was a piece of Topaz bigger than the one we had found in the rock. We started to collect them. There were dozens if not hundreds. Within 5 minutes walking to the car we picked up 50 or more Topaz crystals.
Honestly, it was almost like a miracle had taken place. My son’s attitude completely flip-flopped.
I couldn’t help but think of how the Lord looks out for us. There was no need for the Lord to bless us, let alone bless us with precious gems. But he did. So a young man might have joy. I couldn’t help but think of Isaiah’s words…
Isaiah 54:11-13 or 3 Nephi 22:11-13
11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
Isaiah 54 (churchofjesuschrist.org)
Thank you Heavenly Father. Thank you for these blessings and thank you for helping us get home safe.