The Iron Rod

My mom is so cool.  For those of you that know her you already knew this, but for those who don't I'm just giving you a heads up.  As a missionary we are able to e-mail home to our family once a week.  My mom has faithfully written me each week of my mission.  This was part of the e-mail I received this week:

"Been thinking today about the iron rod (in Lehi's dream found in the Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 8 pg 14-16) - why iron?  why not any old rod?  Iron is so strong, unbendable and very durable.  Withstands a lot of forces like wind, fire, etc....   It can hold us when we cling to it with everything we have.  It is unbendable because the word of god does not change to "fit our fancy".  It is smooth and easy to grasp on to at times (but we can slip if we aren't mindful of things).  I imagine a bridge held up by rope that sways back and forth, etc... but an iron rod doesn't let us sway like a rope and it will take us directly back to God.  Decided a long time ago the words in the scripture are not by accident - it is iron because that is what he saw and it was suppose to be iron - not a rope, a reed, a path with no hand-rail - it is iron for a reason." 

I know that the scriptures are specific for a reason.  I know that the gospel doesn't change and it's not bendable.  The iron rod represents the word of God and it is strong, it will withstand time and trial.  Cling continually to the rod and be happy!  I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the many messages that we can learn from it.

Rappelling through Life



This is me at Morning Glory Natural Bridge.

 So I've been thinking back a lot to about a year ago when I went to Moab.  My family took an awesome vacation before I headed out to Montana and Wyoming.  While we were in Moab we did quite a lot, but the scariest thing for me was rappelling.  It was also my favorite thing that we did. It was scary for me, because I knew there was a big drop off and I had to make myself go over the edge.  Once I got going though I loved rappelling.  I have thought about this experience and what really happened.  We certainly didn't just go rappelling by ourselves with no equipment.  We hired someone who knew what he was doing to help us.  He brought along all the equipment that we needed to help us be successful and make it through our trip safely.  My parents wouldn't have allowed all of us to go on a trip without having the right supplies and someone to help us make it through the journey.  Our Heavenly Father loves us just as our parents here on earth love us.  He has provided that equipment to help us make it back safely and he has provided many tour guides.  He gives us a manual to teach us how make it back safely.  This manual is the Book of Mormon.  He gives us gear to help us make it back safely.  For rappelling you need:  ropes, anchor materials, rappel device,  harness, sling and locking carabiner, gloves (optional), and a daisy chain.  I didn't know all this (and to be honest I just googled it to see exactly what you needed).  My guide took care of this.  He carried it and set it all up.  He made sure that when I got all ready that I was going to be safe when I stepped off the edge and put all my weight on the rope.  That's why we need our guide.  To help us know what we need to do and how to do it.  Isn't is great that we have a modern day prophet to be our guide?  He gets the "gear" that we need and then helps us operate in the correct way.  We have so many more tour guides that are more experienced and know the gear and how to set it up and work it properly.  We have parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmas, grandpas, and so many more people to help us with the things we need to do.  Our Heavenly Father who loves us has given us everything we need to make it back safely.  Not to say we won't be sore at times and wonder, but he has.  I was very sore after rappelling, but I used the gear and I made it down safely.  I know that we have everything we need to return back to our Heavenly Father safely.  If you have questions about the "gear" we've been given there are answers.  You can ask me or you can go to mormon.org and look at the answers there.