Are You A Few Degrees Off?

President Uchtdorf in the April 2008 conference related the following story:"In 1979 a large passenger jet with 257 people on board left New Zealand for a sightseeing flight to Antarctica and back. Unknown to the pilots, however, someone had modified the flight coordinates by a mere two degrees. This error placed the aircraft 28 miles (45 km) to the east of where the pilots assumed they were. As they approached Antarctica, the pilots descended to a lower altitude to give the passengers a better look at the landscape. Although both were experienced pilots, neither had made this particular flight before, and they had no way of knowing that the incorrect coordinates had placed them directly in the path of Mount Erebus, an active volcano that rises from the frozen landscape to a height of more than 12,000 feet (3,700 m).

As the pilots flew onward, the white of the snow and ice covering the volcano blended with the white of the clouds above, making it appear as though they were flying over flat ground. By the time the instruments sounded the warning that the ground was rising fast toward them, it was too late. The airplane crashed into the side of the volcano, killing everyone on board.

A few degrees can be the difference in a spiritual flight or spiritual crash

It was a terrible tragedy brought on by a minor error—a matter of only a few degrees. 

Through years of serving the Lord and in countless interviews, I have learned that the difference between happiness and misery in individuals, in marriages, and families often comes down to an error of only a few degrees." 

       In life we make decisions every day big, and small. These decisions can keep us safely on the flight path of Christ's Gospel or lead us unsafely towards a volcano of sin and spiritual death. So the question is how do we know where our flight path is leading us and if we are deviating off course?  

    My mission President, President Gardner always says" If you're doing good, you'll feel good and if you're doing wrong, you'll feel wrong. What is that feeling? That feeling is the spirit. The spirit will guide us and help us to determine if we are a few degrees off. Just like a pilot needs to watch their instruments and gauges we too need to watch our thoughts, words, and deeds(Mosiah 4:30) As we consistently examine ourselves and continually work at staying on our Heavenly Father's path we will find the blessings of safely and happiness in this life and the life to come. This is my prayer and my promise in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

   To read President Uchtdorf's full talk Click Here.   Click Here  to follow the best compass of all Jesus Christ.

President Uchtdorf, Pilot Me Mini Series

In 2004 Dieter F. Uchtdorf was called to be a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Later, in 2008, he was called to serve as the Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church. But before his time of church leadership President Uchtdorf was a man of flight.
   In 1959 he joined the German Air Force and received his pilot wings in Big Spring, Texas, and fighter pilot training in Phoenix, Arizona. Later he joined Lufthansa German Airlines as a pilot. He worked as an airline captain from 1970 to 1996 holding many executive positions including senior vice president of flight operations and chief pilot of Lufthansa German Airlines.
    Because of his countless hours of flight, and his dedication and love for aviation and God, President Uchtdorf has many stories, and analogies, that he has used in many different LDS General Conference talks, to help us learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because of this Davis' Daily Bread is taking you soaring through the clouds on the wings of President Uchtdorf and his stories in a mini series titled "President Uchtdorf, Pilot me."
   Check back frequently over the next few weeks to read some of these stories and learn from the wise counsel of Pilot President Uchtdorf.

Click here  to learn more about President Uchtdorf.

General Conference: The Super Bowl of the Church

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.