Why is That Bad News

       "There is this man who was the most well known man in the village because of his stud horse. The village people would always compliment him on his horse. One day the horse ran away,  the people gave the old man their apologies. The man then said 'why is this bad news?'

      "A week later the horse came back fallowed by 15 mares he found in the canyon. The people congratulated the man for his possessions. The man says 'why is this good news?' The people now think this man is crazy. Why would he not be happy about these mares?

       "The fallowing day the man's son decides that these mares are still wild. So he jumps on one of them and gets thrown off. He brakes his back and is paralyzed. The people come to give their condolences to the man, 'Why is this bad news?' The people just leave because they think the man has gone mad.

       "The fallowing month the Governor comes to town and calls all the able young men to war. All but the old man's son goes. After the war the town receives news that all have died. The only young man left is the old man's crippled son." (unknown author)
   
 



 I was born and raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My family was blessed more than I even knew. Many of my friends would mention to me how great my family is. When I was in high school my little brother was paralyzed in a football game. Many of his and my friends told me they were sorry to hear that. But... "Why is that bad news?".

      An hour after the accident he was given a priesthood blessing from my Bishop. Three days later he walked out of the hospital. That is when I gained my testimony of this Gospel (even though I was raised in it). My church member friends would tell me how great it was that I now have faith and understand what Heavenly Father has done for me.... "Why is that good news?"

       A year after that I turned 19. The eligible age for serving a mission. I had to leave my family, schooling, friends, and a great job. My buddies tried to get me to stay because of all that I would be missing.... "Why is that bad news?"

       Being on my mission I have gained new friends and new family members (they cant replace my original ones) more learning than I would've at any school, and a job that I love. My family tells me how proud of me they are and how much help I have been to the people out here.... "Why is that good news?"

      Now I'm coming to the end, I have to finish up what I have started in not enough time at all. I have to get things in order to move on, say my goodbyes and get ready for the trials I will face when I get home. I pray and ask for more time, to help out with what my family and friends are going through. I plead for help and encouragement.... Then I heard Him say "Why is that bad news?"

       Don't judge the situation, but acknowledge the blessings!

     

The Coke Machine with Legs, Running down the Sidelines or up the Middle

   


      There is not much we can do when a coke machine with legs is two feet away at full speed, exept maybe call your our mom.

      In football there are so many different ways to get the ball from one end to the other. That is the main task. With different coaches come different plays. All leading to the end zone. The coaches have played the game and are working with the team to help them learn from his mistakes to get them to state.

      Now picture yourself as a running back. We have 5 lineman and a tight end to defend us from the oncoming defence of line. We have the quarter back and another running back with us. As well as two wide receivers. The coach calls the play, the ball will be pitched to us. He calls it to run up the middle next to the left guard and the center.

       As the ball is hiked we look at the defense and think that it would be so much easier to just run a sweep down the sideline. That way we can just get away from that coke machine with legs linebacker.

      The ball is pitched to us and we change our play to fit what we think is best for us. As we take off for the sideline, the defense catches us. our blockers aren't there because we aren't running the play the coach has set up for us. But we know we can do it on our own, we have been playing ball all our life.

     We hit the sideline and take off toward the endzone, no one ahead of us and we think we have it set. But little do we know that sneaky little safety caught us and blind sides us. he pushes us out of bounds. That little safety who is like 5 foot nothin knocks us out of bounds. Now the whole game is stopped and the paramedics are called in.
 

      The next play the coach calls us to run down the hole he asked us to before. Some of us choose to experience not listening to him to understand that he does know what he is talking about. we we decide to see if he is right. The ball is pitched to us, our blockers get the hole open and we are off. We have the other running back ahead of us to take out the linebacker, the receivers cross in and knock out the safety and another linebacker. Now the field is open...ish.

      That coke machine with legs gets up and comes at us. Because we ran down the middle of the field, we have enough room all around us to stiff-arm, spin, stumble, jump, or whatever. As that coke machine hits us, we have put enough room between us and the boundary line to make some mistakes. We stumble a bit but our blockers are right there to take him out and allow us to continue to run down to the end zone.

                                                            TOUCH DOWN!!!

     In the Book of Mormon, Lehi talks about the Iron Rod and the "straight and narrow path" which leads to eternal life or Heaven. Some say that it is to narrow to follow, some find it easy to follow. Next time you have a chance, watch a football game. Count how many times someone steps over the line. The field is 50 yards wide. That is not narrow at all. And yet people still constantly try to push their limit and run down the sideline.

      As we try to run down the sideline of the Iron Rod, we will get pushed by something as small as the little safety or maybe attending something we know we shouldn't justify ourselves in doing it. Our coach (Jesus Christ) has called the play, the commandments. He has provided us with our team mates and blockers (our family and church family). They know the plays and know what each one of us is to do.

      Some of the plays we may not agree with or understand, but it is the trust that we put in our Coach and team mates that will get us through it. The Coach has called the plays, our blockers are set, now its up to us to follow it and be guarded. Or run outside and take the risk of getting taken out 

I know that Christ Died for me, But what Exactly did he Suffer for Me

      Yes, Christ died for me but just what exactly did he suffer for ME? We have been told to "liken" the scriptures to ourselves, and this is why...

      In the Book of Mormon there is a man who talks about what Christ's Atonement is. Alma 7:11-13 says this:

 11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and ^aafflictions and ^btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ^ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

 12 And he will take upon him ^adeath, that he may ^bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to ^csuccor his people according to their infirmities.

 13 Now the Spirit ^aknoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the ^bflesh that he might ^ctake upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

      Now we can change this a bit to make it personal to us.
11. And he shall go forth, suffering MY pains which are .... and MY afflictions which are... and My temptations which are...; and this that the word might be fulfulled which saith he will take upon him MY pains and MY sicknesses.

12. And he will take upon him death/fear, that he may loose the bands of death/ fear which hold me down; and he will take upon him my imperfections, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to how it is that I feel, that he may know by my way of thinking how to succor (bring) me unto him according to my imperfections.

13. Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to exactly what I am going through. this, so that he will know how to take upon him my sins, that he might blot our my transgressins according to his deliverance. and now this is the testimony (the things I know to be true) which is in me.

      Go back through this and fill in the blanks with what we are going through. Then we will understand what it is that He exactly went through for each on of us.

"Tell Jesus I said Hi...If you look, you can see Him"

       "This little boy saw his mother getting ready to go to the temple. He asked her to tell Jesus hi for him. His mother said 'I doubt I will see Him.' The little boy responded, 'If you look hard enough, you can.'"

        In Matthew 18:4 (in the Bible) and in Mosiah 3:19 (Book of Mormon) it speaks of becomming like little children. The purpose of this is for us to be willing to learn. Believing in everyone around us. Not knowing doubt, fear, bitterness, and so on.

       The little boy in the story knew that Jesus was at the temple. That is what he has been taught. He doesn't care about the things of the world. All he cares about is that his message to his Savior gets to Him.

       Now reread this story. Who is the one being taught? The little innocent boy, or the all wise parent?

       Look for Christ in all we do. Teach our children for they are the ones that will be teaching us someday. Set the example for them to fallow. For our Father and our Brother have done that for us already. But its up to us to be as a little child and look up to our great Father and loving Brother.

Breaking a Horse isn't Breaking at all, Its Building up

       When breaking a horse we don't correct him, when he does something wrong, to torture him. But rather we correct him to show him how to become better. Those who have ridden a well "broke" horse knows how calm and peacfull they are. We can trust them with our children or another inexperienced rider and not have to worry about them falling off and getting hurt.
  
       A wild horse, fresh to the ranch,  will not ever learn how to work or get along well with the other horses without getting correction, be it from the cowboy or the stud horse. It takes a a great horseman to tame a wild horse. But depending on the horse, if they are willing to learn, then even a young child could teach it a thing or two. It takes equall work on the horses' part and on the horseman's part to be able to give and recieve correction. Sometimes even the horseman messes up and has to take some breaking/correction from the horse. This is why they both need to be open-minded.

       If we put this into our own lives, whether it be us as the horseman or even the horse, we need to learn to take the correction that is given with an open heart. This way we can be that 'horse' that everyone can trust with those they love. For without that trust, we might just end up in the NFR Bronc Ridding events.

How can I relate The Atonement to myself better than just "He Died and Suffered for Me"

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When asked about the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, so many of us just say:

"Well he died for me and he suffered for me..." 

     Which, yes, He did die for us and He did suffer for us. But do we really understand what ALL He went through? Just like when you tell a sad story about a loved one, we get emotional and tend to feel what they felt at that time. So, if we really do understand what all Christ went through, then we would feel as He did when asked that question.

     Imagine that you are standing outside your house and you see a large crowd down the street. your trying to stand on your toes so that you can see what is going on. But there are so many people around that you can't. So you kinda feel left out. 
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     As the crowd gets closer to you, you notice a man in the middle of the crowd. You look at him and see blood dripping off his body. You see him panting for air. He is so thirsty that his mouth is bone dry. On top of that he is holding on his back a huge board like a railroad tie. Your trying to see if there is anyone helping him but no one is even trying to. So you try to get out there but the crowd is so packed that you cant get to him. You think that he doesn't even know that you want to help.
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     As you are struggling with trying to understand what is going on, he finally makes it by you. He falls to his face because of the weight of the baord on his shoulders and the beatings that he has taken. He then gets wipped to stand back up and keeps going. He see's you watching, lifts his head, looks you in the eye and says, "This is for you!" Then stands back up and puts that board on his shoulders again and takes another step. He keeps looking at you as he continues down that road.
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    He finally makes it to the hill where the crowd has him place the board on the ground and then nails his hands and feet to it. He is then lifted in the air for all to see. As the blood from off his wounded body falls to the earth he thinks of those that he is doing this for. Your name is first.

     Christ remembers each one of us. He knows what we are going through. As we read the scriptures we get to learn of the things that he has done for us. Now it is our turn to not let all of that pain that he went through to go to waste. He died for us, we need to live for Him. Now share with someone else what The Atonement of Jesus Christ has done for you. I can promise you that you will gain a much stronger relationship with Him as you do so. I know that He suffered for me. I know that He called out my name when he was on that cross. I know that He thought of me when He fell to the earth and had to stand back up. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.