Where will you stop?

My parents recently went to Hoover Dam.  As I read their e-mail and they described this elaborate structure I was amazed.  As I thought about this it made me question how many elaborate "dams" I have built in my own life.  This dam stops water from being able to go where it would typically go.  It holds this water back.  I know that the Lord has made us with great potential.  Sometimes it may not take us exactly where we want, in fact, usually it takes me in a different direction than I had ever anticipated.  Many times as we discover where this path will take us it is scary.  We may even think that our "resources" could be used in a better way if we were to go a different route.  So, humans spent tons of money, time, and even lives building this dam.  How many have we built in our own lives that will block our potential?  Heavenly Father knows each of us better than we know ourselves and he knows what he needs us to do and to become.  He has a "mission" for each of us to fulfill and a misison that only we can fulfill.  I would encourage each of us to take a look at our life and where we are "dam"ming our own lives.  Then, the trick is to take down this elaborate dam that we've built and go where Heavenly Father wants us to go.  Are you up for the challenge?

Man Overboard

 

Have you ever felt like this man?  I know I was scared that I was going to be this man.  I was right behind him on the rafting trip and a huge wave caught us.  I was able to withstand the wave and stay in the boat, but the guy in front of me was not so lucky.  These were huge waves and he wasn't much of a swimmer.  Thankfully he had his life jacket on, but I know he was still scared!  If he wasn't, his wife was scared enough for them both.  He was paniced for a minute, because the water was moving so fast and we couldn't just stop and get him.  We just left him behind it appeared to us and his wife.  What we didn't realize, but our guide did, was that there was a raft right behind us that was able to get him and pull him on board.  He was fine, a little shook-up, but fine.  How easily this can relate back to life-  Sometimes big waves come!  We may be able to hang onto the raft and be fine, but sometimes we fall out of the boat.  If we are wearing our life jacket it's much less tragic than if we are not.  What could a life jacket relate back to in real life?  How about the commandments, if we are following the commandments when the big wave knocks us out of the boat we will be much better off than if we are not following the commandments.  The beautiful thing about this analogy is that we each have a personal tour guide, well two of them, we have Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to guide us.  We may not be able to see what's behind us as we struggle with the current of the fast moving water, but they do.  They know everything, Jesus Christ even understands everything we are feeling.  How wonderful it is to know that they will never leave us abandoned, but they will always make sure that we are taken care of.  Never fear for the Lord is with us.  We are not alone in the water!

A Clouded Mind?

As I have started reading the Book of Mormon again recently a lot has had a different meaning this time than any of the other times I've read the Book of Mormon.  I truly believe this is what makes the Book of Mormon the best book ever, you can read it repeatedly back-to-back and continue to get something else out of it.  The Book of Mormon definitely has the answers to our questions and concerns.  The Book of Mormon begins with a family.  The father's name is Lehi.  He has four sons (oldest to youngest):  Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi.  In chapter 8 of 1 Nephi (page 14 of the Book of Mormon) Lehi has a vision.  He sees many things, but he tells of a river of water in this chapter, 1 Nephi 8: 26.  Nephi (Lehi's youngest son) desires to know about the vision his father saw, so he prays about it.  The spirit comes and he has a vision about the things his father has seen.  After Nephi has his vision his older brothers complain that they don't understand.  Part of the reason they can't understand is because they didn't turn to the Lord for answers.  Nephi interprets some of the "dream" to them.  A particular verse caught my attention.  It is 1 Nephi 15:27,  It says:  And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was filthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things that he beheld not the filthiness of the water. As I have pondered on this scripture I have had some thoughts.  One of them was, "How could Lehi not have noticed the filth?"  It doesn't seem hard to notice if water is clean or filthy.  Maybe if it said dirty I wouldn't have thought that, but filth I would think he should notice.  After this thought came to my mind our lives today.  Sometimes we don't notice how "filthy" the things of the world are today.  We have so many things that society feels are okay, that just aren't.  These will not bring us into the purity of the atonement, but drag us down into the dredges of Satan.  Avoid all things that are filthy.  Notice the things we are doing and stay in the clear water.  No one wants to swim in the filthy water!  Sin can cloud our minds and we don't notice the filth of the water.  Evaluate the water (or choices) you are near and be wise.  Avoid the filthy water of Lehi's vision!

Walking on Water

I decided that I wanted to study the New Testament and focus more on the Savior and His life.  A story that I have heard many times struck me and has made me think about how soon I turn to my Savior to help me.  The story is found in Matthew 14: 24- 33.  The story goes that the apostles were out on a ship at night and the wind and the waves were terrible.  The apostles were scared and then they looked out and saw something walking on the water.  Naturally, they were more scared at this point.  They thought it was an evil spirit or a ghost.  Jesus called out to them not to be afraid and that it was Him.  Peter says to Jesus that if it truly is Him he should bid Peter to walk out to Him on the water.  Jesus tells Peter that he can get out of the boat and walk to Him.  I cannot imagine the faith that Peter shows by stepping out of the boat and into the water truly believing that he can walk on the water.  I am pretty sure that my faith would not have been that strong.
But, Peter is in the water, or should I say on the water at this point.  He is doing it! He is walking on the water!  Then he notices the wind and how HUGE the waves are.  He looses sight of the Savior and focuses on the water for a split second and he begins to sink. The part that stood out to me was the next verse:  30, But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.  And the very next words are And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, ...  How often in our life do we lose sight of our Savior and rather than immediately cry out for His help we wait until we're nearly "drowning"? I know that our Savior is always there for us and that He will immediately stretch forth His hand to help us.  Jesus loves us and is waiting for us to turn to him.  We don't need to wait until we can barely breath to turn to him and to cry out for help.  He loves you and wants to help!

Disneyland vs. Gospel Truths



It wasn't too long ago that I was graduating from college and taking a trip to California!  My roommates and I decided that we wanted to go to the happiest place on earth to celebrate.  Where did we decide to go to celebrate my graduation from college?  We decided to go to DISNEYLAND!!!  What makes Disneyland such a happy place?  I think it's the fact that it's a wholesome place to be.   There are fun rides, the yummiest churros you'll ever eat, and you take people you care about.  I would say that Disneyland is one of the happiest places I have ever been on earth.  While we were there we saw Mickey Mouse and rode Splash Mountain.  We ate good food and had a lot of fun.  But, let me ask a question:  Does the happiness last after you get back from the happiest place on earth?  Sure it does, you have lots of good memories of the people you were with and the laughs you had.  I know I think of our trip to Disneyland often, but is it Disneyland I think of or is it the people I took with me?  I would have to say that the happiness from Disneyland fades and goes away with time.  I know a joy that can last forever.  Are you curious?

It's not a certain place, but something more than that.  It's something that won't change with time.  It's something that is eternal in nature.  It's something that will bring us happiness forever.  Have you figured it out yet?  It has to do with Jesus Christ.  If you're thinking, "It's his gospel!" You're right!  The gospel of Jesus Christ will bring us lasting joy in this life and beyond.  Christ tells the woman at the well, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:14)  We are promised that we will never thirst again, but that he will continually provide for us.  I know this to be true.  Life isn't easy when we have the gospel, but we have the tools we need to be able to accomplish the task at hand.  The gospel truly brings us happiness that is everlasting.  Unlike Disneyland that is fun, but doesn't last forever, the gospel truly will bring you happiness forever.  Jesus Christ promises us that it will last us forever.  I have seen the gospel in action in my life and I know these things to be true.  Put this promise to the test.  See if you partake of the living water and if you thirst again!  I dare you!

Spilt Water

I had an experience the other week at church that has really had me thinking the last little while.  We were at church in Ronan, MT and it was time for the sacrament to be passed.  The bread came and the water came, but something happened when the water came... I picked up the cup and then immediately dropped it.  Water of course went spilling all over me.  I felt foolish at first and thought that only a two year old would do something like that, but as I've thought about this embarrassing experience it has had much greater meaning than simply doing something and feeling dumb.  What does the water represent?  It represents our Savior's blood he freely spilt for us.  Exactly the point that has hit me:  He gave his blood for me and I can either use the Atonement and make his suffering worth it, or I can ignore his gift to me and simply spill the water cup.  I know that what I did was an innocent mistake and I thankfully took another water glass, and was able to partake of the sacrament.  I know that our Savior was willing and ready to perform the act of the Atonement for each one of us.  He loves us that much!  He wanted to make it possible for each of us to return to live with our Heavenly Father.  None of us has ever done anything too bad to use the Atonement and be forgiven of our mistakes!  Through the Atonement we can be completely forgiven of our sins and be pure and clean!  It is never too late!  Our Savior is there waiting for us with open arms, he is waiting to welcome us back to the fold!  The choice is ours-  We can spill the water cup or we can partake and be cleansed!  I, for one, would much rather partake of the Atonement and allow him to cleanse me.