Check your powder.

As the rain began to fall, I sat in the midst of a small group of trees. Hunting season had just opened up the day before and I was awaiting the big buck. As I continually thought about the events of the day I remembered my dad and older brother helping to get me ready for this moment. My dad helped place me where I would be able to to get a deer, and my brother had loaded the black powered gun for me while my dad talked to me. As the rain began to come down more a little group of bucks came out into the field. once they got wit in yards of me, I got in position, took aim, and fired. Nothing! So I replaced the primer, fired again, and nothing once more. I was a little frustrated. Once the sun had set and it was time to go back to the truck we checked the gun. We noticed that we had loaded the pellets in backwards and the fast igniting side was not able to be light.

This experience taught me an interesting lesson, we must make sure we are the one doing the work. We can not trust in other people to get us to heaven. Just like in the parable of the ten virgins. They had all gotten dressed and ready, they had even brought lamps. But only five of them had brought extra oil. We need to understand that today is the day to prepare to put our house in order. We can not wait until the "deer" is in your sights and about to pull the trigger to remember, oh I should probably check my things. As it says in the Book of Mormon in Alma Chapter 34: 32 "today is the time to prepare to meet God." I know that as we check our lives and make sure we are as ready as we can be that great blessings will come. Such blessings of having comfort and directions in our lives. As we study the scriptures and follow modern day prophets the Lord will make sure we are ready for all things.

Well I Did It Isn't That Enough?

As a young boy, I learned a very important lesson that has impacted my life a great deal. I learned that "it's not enough to just do something, you must do it right the first time." My dad told me this many times growing up. This principle was illustrated to me by the trips my dad and I would take during my summers growing up. When we would go bug collecting we would pack a few things; a white sheet, a generator, and light bulbs. We would then go to our predetermined canyon and find an isolated place. Once we were at our destination, we would string the sheet between two trees and hook up the lights. We used two different types of lights, multi-vapor lights and black lights. Depending on what type of moth we were trying to catch, determined what lights or watts were needed to pull them in. After setting everything up, the real work would begin. We would have to keep checking the sheet at different times to see if anything new was on it. My dad would check it about every two or three hours. More times then not there would be something new on the sheet. This may seem like a lot of work to do for some moths, but I learned a great lesson in doing this. I learned that if something is worth it to you, then you must do everything you can to get it. It's not enough to pack up all the gear and not go out. Just like it's not enough to pack up all the gear, go out, and not set it up. We must put everything we have into it.

It is the same as we grow in our own lives. We need to decide how bad we want to come close to Christ. We need to decide if we will be like the man in Matthew Chapter 19, where a rich man came to Christ and asked how to receive eternal life (Matt 19:16). Christ tells him to "keep the commandments". And the man replied I have since my youth. Then Christ extended this invitation. "Then sell all thou hast...and come follow me." (Matt 19:21). At that time the man went away sorrowful. (Matt19:22) What type of man will we be? We must make the choice today. We can not follow Christ only 50%, or even only 90% of the way; we must go all the way. As a missionary, I have seen many people that will meet with us and even pray. However, they are not willing to read continually or go to church. We must be willing to give all of ourselves to know God better and to strengthen our testimonies. Which in turn answer some of the bigger questions such as; is God really there, does He love me, is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints the church of God today, does the priesthood have authority from God to act in His name, and is it lead by a prophet of God today? If we want to know these things, we must be willing to do all that we can. Think about it, when Christ was paying for your sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, did he say, "oh wait, the game is on today I can't do it," Or "sorry everyone, it is cutting in to my free time, maybe later." He has given you everything and wants you to be more happy in this life and to be closer to Him. All He asks is for you to pray two times a day (morning and night), read at least 5-10 minutes a day, and to go to church weekly. Can't we give Him our all? For without Him we would be eternally lost! Let us give Him just a little of our time.

Flying Into Danger We May Not See

As my dad came I from the garage h told me to come and see his newest project. I walked out and asked what is that? He said that is a bucket trap. I just chuckled. It was a five gallon bucket with a funnel and plexiglass veins coming off of a black-light. (as seen here) 

 

I thought the trap would not work until I was able to see it in action. What would happen is the bugs would be attracted to he light they would fly towards it and then hit the plexiglass. Once they fell down the funnel would take them down to inside he bucket where the fumes from some chemicals would take the Bugs out. (that is a basic explanation).

Since being out n my mission I have see how Satan does the same things to catch us. He will set something that is pleasing to our eye in front of us. But he will put it just passed our reach. So we will have to leave out safe hold. Once we are on our way to JUST check out the “greener pasture” we fall into his trap and lose out lives to him. The things Satan uses are such things as worldly entertainment, our wants, and our lusts. And as we leave out safe holds, JUST to see it for a second,that is when we are trapped by Satan. We don’t see the danger in the situation and we talk towards it. And once Satan catches us he poisons us by degree (Alma 47:18) until we can not tell anything has happened. We need to remember we can either act on our righteous desires or be acted upon by Satan it is up to us.(2 Nephi 2:14)

This short video shows this principle very well, How we can not leave out strong holds for even a second.

I am thankful for those around me who have shown me the path to walk. So I can stay safe from Satan's power. Satan will always be there, but God is there too, and his servants the prophets. Who give us guidance for this life to stay away from the temptations of Satan.

It's only one time.

Growing up in life I'm sure we all have heard It's only one time. But in all reality only once can change the rest of your life, for me this is true. One choice I made changed the rest of my life and I can never look back on in. But this choice was a blessing n my life. The Choice to serve the Lord on a mission. I made that choice to leave my family for two years so others could find the truth and be with there families forever. There have been VERY hard times on my mission but the I have never been alone for one second. I have never been alone for the choice of our Savior Jesus Christ made. Just one time He made the choice to drink that bitter cup so that He could be there for me. I am so blessed for that.

In our lives we have the choice everyday to make that once choice yes or no. These choices can be, should I read my scriptures, should I pray today, should I help that person. These choices are not going to effect us right this moment, but in time they will. The Choice to follow Christ is not a one stop choice, everyday we can do His will or not. In the Book of Mormon in Helaman Chpt 5:12 it says “upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation..” It is the little choices everyday, of prayer, scripture study, going to church loving those around us, and so on and so forth. We will never be perfect at it, but all he ask is for us to try our best. But one night of not saying your prayer, and one day of not reading the scriptures could be the start of the rest of your live. But let us be strong in our faith and not even do it once.

Don't look down

While growing up in Utah I was very active in scouting. We did a lot of outdoor things as you would think. One of the things I loved to do was rock climbing. I wasn’t very good but I loved the feeling you would get after a climb. To see a big challenge like a mountain in front of you and to over come it was a thrill I loved. There are two main trips that stick out in my mind. My first time going out and then my last time. They help me see a very important lesson on trusting in the Lord.

As I was sitting on the the edge as a 12 year old boy, I looked over the edge. Trying to get enough strength to get over the edge. I kept telling myself, “Come on you can do it, everyone else is doing it.” I went up five times and five times I came down the other way. For some reason I could climb up but the repelling off part was a whole other story. This was my first trip with out my brother and I was scared for sure. I would try and pass off the blame by saying “If your brother was here then you would do it.” But on the way home the thoughts of the day was replaying in my mind. This thought came to mind, just because someone wasn’t there to push you along doesn't make it there responsibility. That hit me and so I decided from that moment that I would never back down from repelling again. It is your choice to go big or go home. Some years later we went again. And while standing over looking the edge all the same feelings came rushing back. But the memory of my first trip was firmly in my mind. I knew that I would not back down this time. As I got all the stuff on and set up and began to walk to the edge and turn around I the doubts came flooding back more then ever! But I stopped them and said no I must do this. So I just told myself here we go and I made that jump. The freedom that came as I felt the fear and shame melt away as I knew now that I had nothing that held me down anymore. As I did my first trip down that day I then turned to the younger scouts and help them down. And as I say the fear in there eye leave them was so worth it.

This lesson is the same with Christ. We can’t say oh that trial or that challenge is to hard or I’m not feeling that today. We need to accept our challenges in our lives and face them head on. Yes we will always be scared(2 Timothy 1:7), but we can not let that control us. Then when once we go though those trials we nee to turn around and help those around us. Chris is there and he is the one holding the other end of the rope for us. And if we fall he will be there to catch us. We need to take that leap of faith because he will never let us fall. Trust in him, he is there for you.

Bridge Building

HE BRIDGE BUILDER

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim-
That sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned, when he reached the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,
"You are wasting strength in building here.
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way.
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head.
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

 -WILL ALLEN DROMGOOLE

 

As we all have seen at one point in our lives we think that we are having to do this life all on our own. But we need to remember that Christ has already built us the path and the Bridge to help us though any trial or hardship we have. But Christ is there for us all we need to do is to turn to him in prayer and act on the our faith. Always remember that no matter how hard it is or what we are going though, He has been though it all.
He will lift our burdens, It may not always be how we want it, but he does promise that if we do our part He sill lift our burdens. There is nothing to small or too big for him to help help us with. He went though it all for you!! He loves you!! Turn to him. 

 

The Chase of a Life

There it is!! Run!! Jumping over sage brush, Oh there its goes to the left! Look out here it comes to the left of you!!! swing you got it!!!

This is some of the conversations that would happen to me when I was growing up when I would go on bug collecting tips with my dad. I bet when you think of bug catching you think of a little kid or girl skipping though the woods. This is far from what it really is. you’re running jumping, falling and getting cuts.

One of the bugs I loves to collect are day flying moths, called Hemileuca.  The reason I love to collect them is because they are a day flying moth. Which means they have a little more strength and agility then the normal butterfly, so the chase for them is more rewarding intense. These Moths would take me on a course of jumping over sage brush, leaping over ditches and ending up anywhere and everywhere. As I remember these chases it reminds me the chase God puts on us, the chase for a testimony.

This chase is never easy, but is always worth it in the end. As Christ says in Matt 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you;seek, and ye shall find;knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

three things, and all action words. Just as we seek in the 

scriptures and study them it’s never just read once and we’re done. But continually feasting on them, then we shall find. Asking is prayer. It is a scary thing for some people to ask God for something. But as we see in the scripture James 1:5 and in Moroni 10:3-5, we are told time and time again to ask him. Also we must knock. This is where it really turns to action. We must go to church, we must meet with missionaries, we must physically get up and do. We must open the door to Christ. as we see in this picture there is not door handle door handle for Christ, we must open the door for him. We must get up from our lazy boy (the comforts of the world) and go to him. 

I had to do the same things growing up to get my testimony. I couldn’t trust my parent’s testimony anymore. I needed to know for myself. So I did all the same steps, prayer, study the scriptures, and going to church. I did this course for 3-5 months. Finally it hit me as I was mowing a lawn, It’s true and you know it. When that thought came to me a warm peaceful happy feeling came over me. These feelings were the same fruits of the spirit which are talked about in Galatians 5: 22-23.

The road is often times long, the battle is hard. But when you catch that testimony it is always worth it. This testimony can change you for the rest of your life. It brings you closer to God, your relationship with him is more personal and you know he loves you. I am so thankful for this gospel and that Christ is truly at the head of it and gives modern day guidance though a prophet of God. Just like he has always done it in the bible.