It's All About Coming Home

For an Arizona boy like me March means two things, NCAA March Madness and MLB Spring Training baseball! As the sun comes out, the weather gets warm, and school takes a break for two weeks there is no better place to spend an afternoon then at the ballpark watching your favorite team get ready for another exciting baseball season as you chow down on a hot dog and peanuts. This time of year, now on a mission, can be a little tough as I think back to those good ol' days. But as these feelings come back to me and as the itch of spring fever has hit, just as the snow also hits here in Dillon uh!, I think about how America's past time compares to our lives.
   As a player in the game of life we all started at home with our Heavenly Father, just as a baseball player starts his journey at home plate.  We look forward to the future and the hopes that we might have the chance to hit a "home run" in life. As we stand there anxiously waiting we wonder what life will throw at us. Whether the fast balls or curve balls of life that come our way will result in good, a base hit, or bad, a strike out. As we have our first successes of life, or hit, we make it to first base. Now our whole goal is focused on making smart choices on the base paths, earth, to make it home. We have other people, batters, and obstacles, great pitching or fielding by the opponent, that will get in our way at times and try to keep us from making it to our final destination. But as we continue to work our hardest, rely on our coaches and team mates, family, friends, and our Savior and as we make an effort to run fast, never look back, and endure to the end, we can make it back home to where we started. We will score a run, eternal life, as we step on home plate and hear the umpire, Heavenly Father, yell "SAFE!" This will be the ultimate reward for our hard work and our team's support.
    “In my beginning is my end…Home is where one starts from…In my end is my beginning.”-T. S. Eliot

Our Pre-Earth Life Commitment to God's Team

I recently became aware that today is National Signing Day. Many of you may not know but this is the day that all high school football athletes determine which college they want to attend and play football for. They sign what's called a letter of intent stating that they are committing to play for the school of their choice. For big college football fans and programs this is an exciting day. As fans and as a program you get the opportunity to see the future of your team and the potential stars of tomorrow. There are often times a lot of hype surrounds certain players who have been rated by scouts to be the "cream of the crop". There are also a lot of names that don't receive much attention too. Either way it’s interesting to see what becomes of these players over the next four to five years. As these players enter new environments and challenges they can often meet expectations, rise higher than expected, or become just another player.

    These players, once out on their own away from home, can really take off or get bogged down by the college life. Some may excel in their schooling while others struggle. Some may find a great group of friends who help them make good choices on and off of the field while others fall into a different crowd and soon find themselves involved in the things of the world. Some may work hard to improve their athletic and intellectual skills while others are just there to have fun. Some may listen to their coach’s advice while others think their way is better. It may not be a quick change but over time coaches and fans realize that top prospects and highly ranked players may not have put in the effort to make the cut. They are now sitting on the sidelines watching those who have studied and worked hard get all the playing time and all the glory. This happens all the time in college football.

    So many of you may be wondering how or why this applies to anything to do with the Gospel of Jesus Christ but let me show you the connection. We all once lived with our Heavenly Father before we came to this earth. We had so much potential and we shouted for joy when we "committed" to play on the Lord's team and have the chance to come to this earth to gain a body and knowledge through our experiences. We knew it would be tough but that it would be worth it.

     We now have left our Heavenly Father and are on our own and just like the star football player entering the college ranks we can either meet the expectations or fall short. The decisions we make on a daily basis determine whether or not we gain happiness in this life or the life to come. There may be things in our lives, like the football player, that are more fun at times than practice, or in other words scripture study, prayer, and church. But when we can put the necessary time into our practice, follow our coaches, or Prophet, parents, and church leaders, we can be a better player at the game of life. We will be rewarded with more playing time, blessings, and more happiness. We can become the stars our Heavenly Father wants us to be playing for his team and not Satan's, if we will just focus in on what is most important in our lives. I know we can do it and someday score the greatest touchdown of all, eternal life.