In the popular song sung by Carrie Underwood she tells the story of a girl who's driving and looses control on an icy road. In desperation she throws her arms up in the air along with a prayer.
Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel
While this is a touching story of a woman and her baby who are saved from getting into a horrible car crash the lyrics have caused me to reflect would God really want us to just let go of the steering wheel as we offer up a prayer?
James 2:17-"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."
I do believe God will help us if we pray, but we also need to put forth some of our own effort. There are times, like the story in this song, that He will help us fully and completely, but other times we need to be willing to do our part as well.
Matthew 7:21-Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
So the next time you find yourself in a tough spot, or driving down an icy road of sin, don't just say Lord, Lord and throw your hands in the air hoping He'll save you. Instead say a prayer, grab the wheel, and take control of the situation as God helps and guides you to safety. In the end this will prove to be way more effective.
All of us are traveling down a road called life. It can be a joy ride, a thrill ride, or a car wreck depending on how we handle the up hills, down hills, sharp turns, bumps, and pot holes of life.
Sometimes we feel like we can drive anywhere we want and have freedom and success. Other times we think we're driving solo with no co-pilot by our side and we feel nervous or frightened about what lies ahead. But as we continue to make it through those sharps turns and speed bumps we then look back through the rear view mirror and realize God and Christ have been there all along guiding us through a route that we may have never taken without their quite encouragement and guidance through the Spirit. So how do we make it so that instead of looking back through the rear view mirror and finding them we look forward through the windshield with faith and follow the road less traveled?
We all would like to think we have enough faith in our driving until we hit a snow storm and that windshield starts to become blurred. I think back to this last winter and being an Arizona boy it was my first time driving in the snow. When you drive in a snow storm your personal vision is reduced drastically. Because of this you have to be very tentative, slow down, and use your windshield wipers to keep the snow from building up on your windshield. These three steps and a prayer will help you keep the faith to press forward and make it home safely.
In life we hit storms of temptation, sin, laziness, or whatever Satan can throw in our path to reduce our vision and cloud up our windshields. If we will become aware of the distractions, slow down before we act, pray, and wipe away those temptations we will have a clear path to follow the guidance God and Christ give us. The more we can follow their guidance during the drive and have faith instead of looking back to the past and realizing they were there the whole time easier our road to travel will be. So have faith, travel smart, and enjoy the ride.
NBA opening week! Ahhh! Professional hoops back again Time for the holiday season! The excitement has been building for big marquee match-ups like Kobe vs. Lebron, Celtics vs. Heat, and to top it all off the debut of the college basketball player of the year, Jimmer Fredette! So quick turn on your TV, grab a soda, and maybe even your thundersticks because it's time for some NBA Basketball!.....
(chirp).....(chirp)......(chirp)....oh wait.....the nba is in a lockout.
Due to recent labor desputes between players, owners, and league officials the NBA season has been halted, stopped, and put on hold until the parties can come to an agreement over revenue sharing and the structure of the salary cap. The owners and league have their agenda and will let the players resume play once the players can agree to the terms of a contract.
Sometimes a similar lockout occurs. God has allowed men to be players in helping him in his eternal work. Using his authority and priesthood power through them, here on the earth, these players are able to baptize, confir the Holy Ghost, administer the sacrement, give blessings of healing to the sick, and perform other ordinances in the temple.
In the Doctrine and Covenants section 121 we read these words from God about this Priesthood. He states"That therightsof the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot becontrollednor handled only upon theprinciplesof righteousness.
That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake tocoveroursins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control ordominionor compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavenswithdrawthemselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man."
So we see that if a holder of the Priesthood of God tries to use it in any other way then God would have him use it or if he tries to use it without being worthy just like the NBA that players priesthood is put into a lockout. Well then how does one receive that Priesthood authority again in his life? Through repentance hopefully he will bring his life back into harmony with the terms of his contract with God to hold and use that Priesthood again. Just like hopefully the NBA players can come to an agreement and take the court sooner then later.
One thing I look forward to every summer is watching the X-games. Though I don't participate in skateboarding, BMX biking, or dirt bike riding myself it was always amazing to watch the things these xtreme athletes could do. One event that always blew my mind was the "Big Air" skateboarding competition. The Big Air competition takes place on a giant mega ramp. A mega ramp is a ramp that has a 30-foot drop in, a 25-foot gap and an 18-foot quarterpipe.
A Leap of Faith No Doubt! (Click to view full size)
As the skateboarder takes off down the 30 foot drop in he starts to fly down the ramp quickly gaining speed. He then approaches the first ramp where he is launched off over the gap and into the air. At this point the skateboarder pulls of a sick first trick. As gravity starts to take hold on his body he is quickly headed back down to earth. At the point that most humans would worry more about which bones they're going to break the skateboarder lands the trick and then quickly heads into quarterpipe where he hopes to seal the deal with one more gnarly trick, all while riding a thin peice of wood screwed down to four small wheels. All of this will either amount to a skateboard ride of glory or a ride in an ambulance.
I've thought about this event and have tried to fathom the skills, determination, guts, and potentially lack of brain cells it must take the cause some one to even attempt a big air mega ramp. Then again I think about some of the things I do in my life. Some would call it crazy to believe in and follow the words and commands of what some would label a so called God. There are those out there who would rather place their trust in themselves then someone they can't see. But for me it's simply faith. Just like the skateboarder, it started out as a leap of faith. I had to pray. I had to read the scriptures. I had to go to church. I had to put God, in a sense, to the test. I never really doubted, which crazy enough is how most skateboarders that attempt the mega ramp feel, but I wanted to see that he was truly there for me. And as I prayed, and as I read, and as I went to church I felt something. It wasn't the sense of victory or accomplishment a skateboarder must feel, though that must feel pretty cool. It was the Spirit, The Holy Ghost, that confirmed to me that there is a God who watches over me. And as I continue to go throughout life I find other times when I feel like I'm flying down a spiritual mega ramp on my skateboard. And when that happens I know I can trust in God and he will help me to a safe landing.
The 181st semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is this weekend. This is like the Super Bowl of the church! You've got to watch it! We're talking Apostles and Prophets delivering messages to us from our Heavenly Father. General Conference has something for everyone. So watch with an open heart and willing mind and the Holy Ghost will impress upon the things that you need to take from the talks and messages you hear. I love General Conference. I love the chance to hear from these great men of God and I know you will too.
Check it out. Sat. Oct. 1 at 10am and 2pm and Oct. 2 again at 10am and 2pm.
Don't Ride The Christian Bandwagon, Be Loyal: After this past weekend's BYU vs. Utah football game which resulted in, what I've been told, was a dismal, one-sided, loss for my fellow Cougars it's been interesting to see what's since transpired. It started with stories I heard about people from other wards complaining about BYU. One speaker even said, "How can I speak about faith after BYU's performance?"
Then the Elders I serve around on preparation day telling me how BYU will never be any good and will never amount to anything and on, and on, and on! I then get on Facebook to do my online proselyting and am bombarded with comments all over my Facebook news feed from individuals saying they are no longer going to watch BYU football, and how they aren't going to cheer for them any more. By the time I had witnessed all of this my true blue heart was just feeling crushed. This caused me to reflect on some lessons I've learned on my mission about loyalty.
As a missionary we come in contact with a wide variety of people. Something I've noticed is that the world today lacks true loyalty. We, as missionaries, talk to many people who say they are Christian. As we continue to talk to them we find out that their actions are not so Christian, and then they complain that they aren't seeing His hand in their life. To use a sports term maybe you could call them bandwagon Christians. When they feel life is going good this is when they praise God and say how great He is, but when the losing streaks of life hit they're down in the dumps cursing Him. Similar to what we're seeing with what I'd call the "Sunday to Sunday BYU fan". The Sunday after BYU wins they are their biggest fans at church and the Sunday after a loss their fan-hood disappears. To use another sports term they have a "what have you done for me lately" kind of fan-hood. Sadly many of the worlds so called sports fans, and Christians, fall into these categories.
Christ, the most loyal fan of all.
If we look at God and Christ they are the exact opposite. No matter what we do, good or bad, they will always be there for us. They are not band-wagoners, they are loyal fans of all of their children. They want to see us improve and succeed. Don't get me wrong when we play bad, in terms of obeying their commandments, they are disappointed, but that disappointment will never lead to dis-fellowshipment. They will allow us to go through the rough times and losing streaks of life though because they know it will strengthen us(see Ether 12:27) and make us better. In order for us to gain their help during these rough times we need to show our loyalty to them, and by praying for help and striving to keep their commandments. Whether we feel we're currently winning, or losing, in the end our loyalty will make us true winners. So stop riding the pine of the Christian bandwagon and loyaly strap yourself to the rock of Christ with faith, and actions, solid in Him.
The Prompting To Audible In Life: The Indianapolis Colts recently lost their first game of the NFL season. This, more than likely, was due to them being without their star quarterback Peyton Manning, who recently had neck surgery. Manning is very valuable to the Colts for many reasons but what sets him apart from any other QB is his amazing ability to audible, or change a play before the ball is snapped.
As Manning leaves a huddle with his team and heads to the line of scrimmage he immediately starts to dissect the opposing teams defense. In his mind he's asking himself what type of defensive formation they are getting into. 4-3? 3-4? Nickle? or Dime? Are there any signs of blitzing linebackers or safeties? Are the cornerbacks playing tight or loose coverage? The answer to all of these questions will determine if the Colts run the play they originally selected or if they audible.
After looking over all of his options and deciding to audible Manning's magic begins. Manning will then start to orchestrate his offense around to give them the best chance to be successful. He'll start to yell out signals and commands and point in different directions and give hand signals. "Green 18 left Omaha stack strong !!!"As the running back, receivers, and tight ends are moved around and change into position, and before the play clock expires, hike is called, the ball is snapped, and the play is underway.
In our lives we find decisions to be made all of the time. Some are big while others are little. Others are important and can weigh heavily on our lives while some are trivial and have no impact. As we step up to the line where we have to make a big decision often times we've already made a choice in our mind of what we desire to do. Similar to Peyton Manning stepping to the line of scrimmage having already chosen a play.
This next part is key though. Just as Manning diagnoses the situation very thoroughly we too need to look over the decision we are facing. Is this what God would have me do? What consequences could come from this decision? Are they good or bad? As we do this the Holy Ghost has the chance to whisper to us, in his still small voice, the "play" we should run. Sometimes, like Manning, we will need to audible or change our course from our original plan. Following the spirit and following through on a potential audible will bring great blessings. We may not recognize it at first but over time these good decisions, prompted by the spirit, will lead us to a "touchdown" of eternal life in the "endzone" with God.
Click Here to watch a Mormon Message about the voice of the spirit.
To read more about the Spirit and how to receive prompting from it Click Here.
All of us remember where we were September 11, 2001. It is a day that will live on in our minds forever as we rewind and play back the memories of that awful day. Even I, at the age of 10, remember watching history unfold in front of me on my family's television screen. From the initial plane crash, thought to be an accident, to the second plane crash, to the Pentagon, to Pennsylvania, all of these images of terrorism flashed by leading up to the ultimate horror of so many lives being lost as those two iconic towers, along with a country and its people, had their world turned upside down, and came crashing down. America, the land of the free, the home of the brave, was now left in the dark, and in fear that September day. As the country mourned the loss of those, at the time, known and unknown there was only one place people could turn to find solace. "In God We Trust" was something Americans had always heard before but now it was time to start living it. The Book of Mormon prophesies of America and its freedom by saying "Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ." September 11th was a brutal awakening for all. In order for us, as Americans, to remain free and find the peace through our struggles, caused by these horrible events, we needed to serve and trust in God once again, just as our forefathers had done.
As the nation turned to prayer, church, and singing anthems of praise such as "God Bless America" something amazing happened. Despite the hurt, despite the pain, despite the fears and tears, America became knit together in unity and in love one towards another through God.(Mosiah 18:21)
Now here we are 10 years later. Where do we stand today as a country? Do we still trust in God, or have we allowed our faith to slip once again? I often wonder if we, as a country, as a nation, need an awakening yet again. Let us hope and pray that it doesn't take a similar series of unfortunate events to refocus our attention on the true ruler of this nation. Instead let this 10 year anniversary of September 11th cause us to reflect on that dark day. Let us take the glowing embers of the fire, the lessons learned, and leave the ashes behind. Let us reflect on our relationship and faith in and with God. The words and counsel from the third verse of our nations national anthem should be our guiding star.
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
Let us fear not. God is with us. He will give us aid and be our guide if we will come and put our trust in him once more. This is my promise, this is my prayer. God Bless America! Let us never forget September 11th. In the name our our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Watch this video below to see how one man's September 11th experience changed his life for the better. Also Click Here to learn more about viewing The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 9/11: Rising Above concert.
The Flip Turn of Repentance: In the summer of 2004 the summer Olympics were being held in Athens, Greece. Being a big fan of athletics I ate up the weeks of competition as I enjoyed every event. The ideas of your country vs. the world concept really gets me pumped up every four years! This particular year I really fell in love with swimming. I'm not sure if this was because I had just moved to Arizona and now swimming was a daily occurrence in my life, or if it was because of the hype surrounding swimmer Michael Phelps. Phelps was seeking to break Mark Spitz's record for the most gold medals in an Olympic games by a swimmer and this excited me every night as I watched him chase after this feat. I quickly became hooked to the sport and a few months later as I entered high school I decided to give competitive swimming a try.
As I continued to swim and be coached I learned one of the key components to getting faster and improving my race times was having a good flip turn. As a swimmer you are swimming as fast as you can headed straight for the wall. In order to maintain your speed into the next lap as you come into the wall you flip end-over-end causing your feet to flip up and over and into place to push off the wall and start your next lap. Those who can master this can really improve their race times because they are no longer wasting precious seconds starting the next lap.
In a way we are swimming down the swim lane of life. There are times we will make a mistake in life contrary to what God has commanded us to do. This is called sin and can be compared to the wall in a swim lane because it stops our progression. As we continue to head for this wall we have two options, crash into the wall of sin and get hurt spiritually, and often physically, or use the gift of flip turn of repentance. It is up to us to chose our course but God has given us a Savior, Jesus Christ, to help us get past that wall of sin and onto the next part of the race of life.
Ezekiel 18:30 says we need to "(flip) turn ourselves from all our transgressions" In the Book of Mormon Ammon teaches us "if ye will (flip) turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage." Also Alma teaches us to "(flip) turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and strength" As we use the flip turn of repentance with all our mind, might, and strength we won't crash into the wall of sin. We will be able to quickly overcome it, push off of it, away from it, and move back down the swim lane of life. I know this is a key part of swimming and our lives. It's my prayer that we will use the Atonement of Jesus Christ and repent to become a true gold medalist in the sight of God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
To learn more about repentance visit http://mormon.org/jesus-christ/#repentance
Yoke Up With Christ-As the Mormon Pioneers made their treacherous journey for a home of religious freedom and refuge they had two main modes of transporting their goods and moving down the unmarked trail. The most effective and convenient ways of the two was to travel in a covered wagon. A covered wagon allowed someone to be able to carry heavier loads because of the two oxen that pull the wagon. The two oxen are attached to the wagon by what is called a yoke. The yoke not only attaches them to the wagon but attaches the oxen to each other to ensure they move as one pulling the load equally down the same course together.
There were times that because of the grueling travel an ox might get so exhausted and sick it might die right on the trail leaving all the work of pulling the wagon to one ox. This made travels even tougher because the single ox doing all the pulling would get worn out and exhausted faster because of his partner not being there to share the load and burden.
Don't try to take the load upon yourself
In our lives we too have a load to bear. It is not an easy one especially as we make our way down the path of life. We too, in a way, have that yoke upon us. At times we feel like that lone ox, like no one is helping us. This however is a false idea. We will always have a partner to share the load if we will come unto Him.
Jesus Christ said in Matt. 11:28-30 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Our yoke can be made easy, our burden can be made light through Jesus Christ. He is there to hitch up and yoke up to us to help us through our everyday struggles. There are times we may feel like He is not helping, not pulling his share of the load, but that's when we need realize He's pulling more than His fair share. He performed the Atonement for us to help us pull our way down the trail. With our diligence and patience, and His efforts of the Atonement, if we will be yoked up with Him we will be able to continue down that trail. Our burdens will become easier to bear, and we will be able to make it down the bumpy trail to our Heavenly Father a little bit easier.
Trust Not in the Arm of Flesh, Or In MJ's Secret Stuff: In one of my favorite movies "Space Jam" The Nerdlucks, and their boss, Swackhammer, had been seeking a new attraction for their extraterrestrial theme park and came to earth to capture the Looney Toons. In an attempt to save themselves from having to become prisoners of Swackhammer the Looney Toons challenge the Nerdlucks to a basketball game. The Nerdlucks, in order to have a chance to compete, steal the talent of NBA superstars and become "The Monstars". Bugs Bunny and the Looney Toon gang, desperate for some help, turn to Michael Jordan, who at this point had retired, for some help. This leads to an epic battle on the court!
The Toon Squad, finding themselves down not only on the scoreboard but on themselves, at half time turn to Bugs Bunny for some help. Bugs rallies the team with what he claims is "Michael's Secret Stuff" which he claims will give them special basketball powers if they will drink it. Every member of the team takes a swig and feels as if it is really working. They run their way back onto the court with a renewed sense of happiness and determination that they feel this secret drink has given them.
As they start the second half their play increases and they find themselves back in the game. But soon enough "Michael's Secret Stuff" is all gone and they find themselves once again frustrated. This is when Michael Jordan reveals to them that Bugs had tricked them and that the "Secret Stuff" was really just water and that if they will reach deep inside of them they can find the true talent and skills they have and need to defeat The Monstars. As they now work together as a team they are able to with real confidence in themselves now they find themselves in the game all the way down to the wire. Down by one, it is up to MJ to score the final point for his team, which he does with a long stretched arm, for the victory! The Looney Toons are saved, the NBA players get their talent back, and Michael Jordan's basketball career is revamped bringing him back into the NBA.
In life there are times when we rely on what the world, and Satan, calls "Secret Stuff". Satan uses this "Secret Stuff", which to the world is no secret, to carefully lead us astray. We, for a moment, feel as if we are invincible, just like the Toon Squad felt, but eventually we feel the lasting negative effects of these decision. The scriptures would call this putting our trust in the arm of flesh. 2 Nephi 4:34 Lehi councils about this by saying "O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm." Let us put our trust in the good things of God that will not only bring us happiness now but happiness in the long run. Things like scripture study, prayer, and church are three things that we can trust in to help us find our true potential. Those three things will also help us to make good decision when Satan tried to persuade us with his "Secret Stuff". It is my hope that we will all trust in the Lord and not in the arm of flesh. If we do this we will truly be blessed and be able to find our true talent and happiness that God has to offer and we can win the game of life!
The NBA Draft is tonight. For a young college basketball player this is the night dreams can come true. This is the night a player not only finds out if they are going to get to play in the NBA, but to which team they will be adding their skills to. What a nerve-racking experience it must be for one to wait to hear his name called. Likewise, this is a long and nerve-racking night for NBA team owners, GM's, scouts, and coaches because this night, and the events that take place, could determine the success of their team for the next five to ten years. This is especially tough for them because often those who do really well and get picked really high in the draft don't always end up being the superstars in a very talented and tough league to play in.
There are many examples in the history of the NBA draft of this happening. The most famous case of this came in 1984 when Sam Bowie(Who?) was drafted number two by the Portland Trailblazers while the Chicago Bulls drafted Michael Jordan with their number three overall pick, and the rest is history. Michael Jordan went on to change the sports of basketball by winning multiple championship titles filled with many MVP trophies while Sam Bowie had an average NBA career.
There are times in our lives when we are faced with a draft of our own. We need to truly scout out our options of what is going to be best for us in our lives, and our team. For some they choose to draft a player who, to the world, looks appealing at times but in the end will destroy a franchise. This player is Satan and anything he supports. Never practicing(no church attendance), a ball hog(selfishness), and contention are just a few of his attributes. We need to avoid this temptation and draft a true superstar. We need to draft Jesus Christ onto our team!
"With the 1st pick in the draft of life(insert name) selects...Jesus Christ!"
When we make that draft choice we need to make Christ our top pick and the "Center" of our team. He, unlike Satan, will always step it up in crunch time and be there for us. Whether it be to make a big shot, to rebound our missed shots, or assist us, He is a very reliable team-mate. He is one that can change not only our team, lives, but the whole league, world.
"Choose you this day whom ye will draft, but as for me and my team we will draft the Lord!" This is the only guaranteed successful draft pick, for our team, in our lives. This is one I can guarantee you because I've seen the impact He's made on my team, and it's something no one else could offer. I know if you will draft Him, though the game will not be easy, you will come out on the winning end. You will see the blessings that come to you, and your team, and you will never want to trade Him. Instead you'll sign a life long contract to Him, which will be the greatest decision you will ever make. This is what will lead you to become a true Champion!
God Will Never Fire Us, The Coach-In today's sports world, teams are always looking to make it to the top as soon as possible. They seek after the glory, fame, popularity, and riches of being the best; of being a Champion! The more teams seek after this, the more they try to pick out their team's flaws to make a change. It used to be that a team would pick out those flaws, or weaknesses, over time. This was known as the rebuilding stage of a team, program, or franchise. Once upon a time this was the way to work your way up to stardom and championship status. Times, however, have changed.
As sports leagues get more and more competitive teams are looking for a quicker fix. Is it the defense they need to change? The offense? The pitching or the hitting? Often times as the head honchos, owners and GM's, look over their organization they decide to go straight to what they believe is the root of their team's problems, and they fire the head coach. More than ever we are seeing what's been coined as the "coaching carousel" take its effect. A team looking for a quick fix will look at their head coach with a "what have you done for me lately?" attitude. Despite the previous success of this coach and his team, or the steady improvement, the coach is canned, or fired, for often times a younger, trendier coach with new playbooks, schemes, and training methods. This all done with the hope that his new ideas and coaching will bring over-night success. While this quick fix sometimes works, see Jon Gruden and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Often times though the problems linger, players still under perform, and before you know it that coach has been let go also, and a new coach is brought in. That's why it's called the "coaching carousel".
Neither Penn State or God
has given up on
Joe Paterno who at the age
of 84 and in his 61st year
of coaching is still going strong.
How grateful I am that God, our Heavenly Father, does not operate this way. He will never give up on us! Despite the constant mistakes we make He will always be there to lift us up. As we make slow and steady progress to gain faith, repent, and come unto Christ, we can be champions someday with Him in His kingdom. He is right there next to us. We don't have to feel like we're in "the coaching hot seat". If we will strive to put our best effort forward he'll be there to say fear not. It is my hope and prayer that all of us will put forth our best "coaching" effort to be able to return to Him. By studying the playbook, scriptures, the game film, words of the prophet and apostles, and attend practice, church, we can become our best. And in the end giving our very best is all that He asks of us to be a true champion!
Anyone who has ever played video games before knows that there are times in the game when you have to complete a level or a task. As we try to conquer a villain or beat the other team in a game we quickly realize that we're getting beat and that our player is about to die or our team is about to lose. This almost always leads to frustration and anger to the point of yelling at the TV or maybe even throwing the controller across the room (Don't deny it gamers, this really does happen). As this anger builds up we start to spiral down the path to GAME OVER! but No! We won't let that happen! As we realize that maybe those awesome video game skills aren't so awesome we get prideful. Before we could ever accept that we lost we take the cheap way out....we hit the reset button.
I'll admit it I've done it before. Playing my favorite game, NCAA Football, there was no way I was going to let my BYU Cougars lose a game! Now that I've matured and so have my virtual football playing skills I'm less likely to take the cheap way out and reset a game. But when I get down early or am about to lose late in the game that temptation is always there to hit the reset button.
Some would say unfortunately we are not living in a video game world. This is the real deal. There is no reset button in life that takes us back to birth to try again before our game over. As we travel through this level we will encounter many obstacles. Some will be easy to overcome, others will be very difficult. As we continue on though we can't let ourselves get caught up or bogged down in life. We can't get angry or upset with the difficulties of this level to the point where we want a restart because there is no restart to life like there is in a video game. However Christ has provided a type of restart.
Alma 34:32-33 says that this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witness, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end" If we want a restart to life we need to take part in the atonement of Jesus Christ by repenting. Through repentance we can become clean. Our minds, bodies, and spirits become clear of all anger, sorrow, guilt, and pain. We are given a clean slate thanks to Christ and a new start of life. As we go about preparing to meet God we will continue to learn and grow and improve our skills. We will be able to defeat this level and return to live with God where there are no Game Overs because of the reset Christ offers and not that of a video game.
To learn more about the "Reset Button" of life Click Here
Learn To Trust Others Around You, Even If They're A Donkey-
As the children of Israel were journeying through the wilderness they came to a resting spot near the land of Moab. The king of Moab, Balak, was afraid of the children of Israel so he sent princes out to persuade the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites and protect the land of Moab. As Balaam contemplated what he should do he sought God for guidance through prayer. God told him "Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed."(Num. 22:12) When Balaam woke in the morning he told the princes that the Lord had warned him not to go with them. The princes returnd to Balak and told him what Balaam had said. Despite this Balak was persistent and sent more honorable princes to convince Balaam to journey with them to Moab and to curse the Israelites. They also offered him great riches for doing so. Balaam prayed once again to God to know what to do. The Lord again told him not to go, but this time Balaam did not listen.
Balaam and his donkey
As he awoke in the morning he saddled up his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. God was upset with Balaam and his actions so He placed an angel in the way of the path to Moab. When Balaam and his donkey came to the angel the donkey saw the angel and turned and ran into a field. Balaam, not being able to see the angel, rebuked the donkey. Again they headed down the path and the angel was on the path again and the donkey, seeing the angel again, ran off again. Now a third time they journeyed down the path and the donkey saw the angel and fell down. Balaam, being very frustrated and angry, began to beat the donkey and the Lord caused the donkey's mouth to be open and the donkey spoke to Balaam saying, "Am not I thine donkey, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day?" And Balaam's eyes were opened and he saw the angel. The angel said if it was not for your donkey who had seen me and stopped your journey to Moab I would have had to kill you. Balaam was grateful to the donkey and God for sparing his life. Balaam prayed to the Lord for forgiveness and asked what he should do. God directed him as to what he should do and say in Moab instead of following Balak's command and he and the children of Israel were blessed for following God.
Through this story of Balaam we learn that the Lord uses others in our path, or around us, to guide us. The Lord knows that we can't learn on our own so he places good parents, grandparents, Bishops, church leaders, teachers, coaches, and friends to help us. How many of us have had questions that we've asked God about and he's given us an answer through someone else. Many of these people around us and in our lives have experienced similar situations that we're going through. Instead of treating them like a donkey we need to open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts to the help they are offering us. As we do so we will see that the Lord is guiding others to help us. As we walk down the path of life we are not alone. God is with us, our friends and our family are with us. The sooner we can accept their help down the path of life the better off we will be.
Behind Enemy Lines: The Sons of Mosiah- When we hear of someone going behind enemy lines we think of the brave men and women of the the armed forces risking their lives to go into enemy territory to carry out a dangerous mission to protect their family, friends, and their country. Though the mission will be tough they know it is necessary to preserve freedom, even if it means their lives. While I commend these mighty men and women for their courage I want to tell you about another group of men willing to risk it all to save their brothers, even if it meant going behind enemy lines.
The sons of a Nephite king, Mosiah, came to their father, after being converted (Mosiah 27), to tell him the desire of their hearts was to go among their relatives, the Lamanites, to bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God and stop the contention among the two groups of people (Mosiah 28:2).
The Lamanites were known as a hardened, ferocious people who delighted in murdering, robbing, and plundering. They were a covetous people and idol worshipers who's hearts were set on anything but God.(Alma 17:14-15) Despite this "the cause for which the sons of Mosiah had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the plan of redemption." (Alma 17:16) As they departed they took courage to go forth unto the Lamanites to declare these things unto them with the Lord's help.(Alma 17:12) They didn't go without their challenges and struggles though.
Ammon, upon arrival to the land of Ishmael, was captured and put into prison (Alma 17:20). Aaron, while teaching in a synagogue had many try to contend with him and eventually in Middoni was thrown into prison where he suffered many trials (Alma 21). Despite this "the Lord began to bless them, insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, they did convince many of their sins, and of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct." (Alma 21:17)
Ammon through service to a Lamanite king, King Lamoni, was able to teach about who God was. He was also able to teach and testify to him about the creation and the plan of redemption. Eventually the king granted Ammon the right to teach all in the land and many were baptized and they became a righteous people. (Alma ch.17-19)
Aaron, after being freed from prison with the help of Ammon, went on to teach King Lamoni's father. By answering his questions about God and how to obtain eternal life he was able to bring knowledge to the king's whole household and they were all converted. The king then granted religious freedom to all the land. In total the sons of Mosiah were responsible in converting seven Lamanite lands, and brought thousands to the knowledge of God. "For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren." (Alma 23:7)
Thus we see that the Lord is willing to help us accomplish great things no matter how dangerous, as long as we will trust in and follow His ways. Through the courage and dedication of the sons of Mosiah they were able to soften the hearts of many hardened lamanites and help them find joy in Christ. Let us all press on and follow the example in being diligent in whatever the Lord calls us to do even if it requires going behind enemy lines. Let Us All Press On
Guest Blogger: Elder Holbrook author of the blog "The Field is White. Are You Ready?" is guest blogging on Davis' Daily Bread today. To check more of Elder Holbrook's blog Click here.
The (Super)Power of the Priesthood
A pretty common origin story for superheroes/villains is the "altering substance" story. Captain America is injected with superhuman serum, same with Bane; Bruce Banner is exposed to Gamma rays, in a like manner as the Fantastic Four; Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider; Doctor Connors and Norman Osbourn willingly use DNA enhancing chemicals; even rats and turtles in the New York sewers. It's see all throughout. It's a very simple way to explain how these supers got the way they were (another good way would be just "they're born with it" a la X-Men). Regular everyday people with regular everyday problems just like the ones you and I face are, because of these magical potions, turned into extraordinary people with powers to help them save the world. We can relate to their alter egos, and are enthralled by their secret identities. And all because of a little radiation? I could see that happening to me! (Disclaimer: The author of this blog in no way supports or encourages readers to expose themselves to radiation in any way, shape, or form for any reason, even to gain superpowers.) Run-of-the-mill folks, gaining amazing powers just through chance, running into something strange. Too bad it could never happen to us....
Or could it?
Recently, we've been helping a recent convert as he prepares himself to receive the Aaronic Priesthood. He's so excited to get it, and we're excited for him. It's made me really dwell on the priesthood and what, exactly, it is. I've heard it said before (because people know the best way to relate things to me is either soccer of superheroes) that the Priesthood is like a superpower. Sweet! It allows us to do so many amazing things. The Aaronic Priesthood gives us the authority to baptize and pass the sacrament, and with the Melchizedek Priesthood, we're able to confirm people and give them the Holy Ghost, as well as bless the sacrament, and give priesthood blessings. These things may not seem all that super, but if you consider the eternal significance of them, they truly are! The Priesthood is available to any worthy male member of the church, and brings great blessings to the holder and those around him. I've been blessed to have taken part in many blessings on my mission. It's amazing to feel the Spirit so strongly, or to feel the Lord working through you as you give words of comfort and counsel. The Priesthood comes the same way the Holy Ghost does, by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority. As you receive the Priesthood, you are given greater responsibilities, and people will expect more of you (hmmm... sound familiar?). We may not be able to climb walls, fly, have super strength, or anything like that, but our powers can still save the world!
More more The Field is White. Are You Ready? Click here
God and His Prophet: The Greatest Forecaster Around-Do you find yourself day in and day out watching the weather report to see what weather you can expect and prepare for? Do you constantly find yourself living in the opposite weather than what was forecast and what you had prepared for? Take this week for instance, here in Montana the forecast called for rain showers every day of the week. On Saturday afternoon as my companion and I were walking around doing our missionary work it was 77 degrees, sunny and clear with not a cloud in the sky. It had been beautiful and sunny all week long! We hadn't seen a drop of rain all week! Not quite what the weather forecast had called for now was it?
Along with false weather forecasts we also found ourselves talking to many people this last week about the prediction made by a group claiming that the world would end on May 21st. There had been billboards, signs, and a website dedicated to telling people about this prediction of the end of the world. While the world didn't end, hence why I'm able to write this blog on May 24th, we see that some took this prediction seriously and others not so much. This prediction, like the weather, caught people's attention, including the national news, but didn't come to pass. Now the purpose in me writing this isn't to come down or poke fun of the weather man or even those who predicted the end of the world but to show that the predictions and forecasts of men, and men alone, are never as accurate as the forecasts of God.
All throughout the scriptures God makes his forecast known to us by means of the Prophet. God has said "What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."D&C 1:38 We see that as God gives a forecast that that forecast ALWAYS comes to pass.
The forecast of the Prophet on his own would have no credibility, but when it comes straight from God the truth is brought into the forecast. God told the Prophet Noah to warn the people that the earth would be flooded unless they changed their ways and repented. The people did not listen to Noah's forecast from God. In turn the rains came and the earth was flooded.
How many of us pay attention to the weather forecast and predictions of man more than those from God through His Prophet? We need to pay attention and heed their counsel like we would the weather man's. As we prepare ourselves with a spiritual umbrella we will be better prepared to face the rain storms of life that have been and will be forecast by God.
To learn more about modern day Prophets and Apostles and their forecasts from God Click Here.
A three inch straight white line runs from home plate to the outfield fence 355 feet away. Though this line may not seem overly important it controls a large aspect of the game of baseball. This line is known as the foul line. The foul line determines which hit baseballs are in play, fair, or out of play, foul. Every day before a baseball game a member of the grounds crew, who helps take care of the baseball field, re-chalks the foul line so that it's perfectly straight and bright white. Because this bright white, and straight chalked line runs over the brown dirt and green grass of the baseball field it really sticks out so everyone on the field or in the stands know what is fair and what is foul.
Like the foul line our Savior, Jesus Christ, has set before us a straight path, or line, to follow his teachings and our Heavenly Fathers commandments. Alma 37:44 says "give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss." This straight course, or line, of the word and commandments determines what is good or bad, fair or foul, in this life. This line will determine a large aspect of our lives whether in this "game" or the "game" to come.
Along with that just as the ground crew member keeps the foul line chalked straight and white our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have appointed a Prophet as his crew member to re-chalk and remind us of the teachings and commandments that our Father wants us to follow. Likewise as the white chalked line stands out on the field our Heavenly Father's commandments will stand out above what those of the world are doing. This helps everyone know, as Nephi said in 2 Nephi 33:9, to "walk in the strait path which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation.", or game. As we continue to follow God's commands of what is fair and what is foul we will be able to get a "hit" of eternal life!
