Potholes the Size of the Grand Canyon? Indeed.

Potholes. I very much dislike them. On the roads in Montana, there are numerous potholes. Of all sizes. They are no fun, especially when they are about the size of the Grand Canyon! Yikes! The thing I hate most about them is that they are always so much bigger than they seem. And whenever you try to swerve and miss them, you end up hitting another one instead that sends you flying. They make it a bumpy ride. So what do you do? You can't really do much besides to endure until the time comes when they finally fix them. They fill in the pothole and the road is almost like new. But you can still tell where the pothole was. There's a mark.

Hate to tell you, but our lives are full of potholes! They're called trials. Some are bigger than others. Sometimes they are a lot bigger than they seem. Some slow you down. Sometimes we try to avoid them and end up hitting another trial. Sometimes there isn't anything we can do to fix them. We have to endure. Trials are a part of life here on earth. They help us become better.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, "Rather than simply passing through trials, we must allow trials to pass through us in ways that sanctify us." We can improve our lives because of the trials we face. In the Book of Mormon, a prophet named Moroni, said, "...dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." (Ether 12:6).

artwork by Greg Olsen

We can overcome those potholes in our lives. Even when they are fixed, we may still have a mark or a scar, but it becomes a part of who we are. It can change our lives, and bring us closer to Jesus Christ. He has been through every trial that we have faced and more. He knows what we are feeling and He can help us overcome anything.

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions of every kind...he will take upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people...he will take upon him their infirmities...that he may know...how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:11-12). To succor means to run to. Christ knows how to help us. He will run to our aid through difficult times. He can fix our potholes. He will fix our potholes. Let Him help you. I know that He will, because He has helped me. I've gone through many trials in my life and I know that it is because of Jesus Christ that I have been able to overcome them. He is my Savior and Redeemer, and He is yours too.

Strumming through Life

Something you may not know about me: I can play the guitar. Well, kind of (I haven't played in awhile so I'm pretty rusty). But, I had the opportunity, nay, the privilege of picking up and plucking at a VERY nice guitar. A couple three weeks ago, we had dinner with the owner of this very nice guitar. He collects guitars. And this very nice guitar, he said, is worth about $45,000. I know right? He trusted me with it! I don't know what he was thinking. Anywho, this guitar is hand carved. It is beautiful. Not only does it look beautiful, it sounds beautiful! I love it, and I want one. But that probably won't happen anytime soon...



Isn't it pretty? (I mean the guitar, not me)

I was thinking how I haven't played the guitar in ages, it seems, and now I'm no good at it. It's like, what's the point in having an instrument if you aren't going to play it. What's the point in having something so valuable if you aren't going to put it to good use.

It reminds me of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is worth much more than a guitar though. Yeah, yeah it is... But in the same way, it doesn't do us any good if we don't apply it to our lives, if we don't use it. Just as you would practice the guitar to get better, we must live the gospel to become a better person. I am nowhere near perfect. Got a long ways to go, in fact. I am so flawed, so weak, so small. But it's through my Savior, Jesus Christ, that I am trying everyday to be a better person. To turn my weaknesses into strengths. The Lord tells us in the Book of Mormon, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27)

So go play your guitar, practice the Gospel, live the Gospel. It will, if it hasn't already, change your life. It's changing mine. Constantly.

A Book with a Promise

Do you know of any book that has a significant promise at the end? I do. And you can too. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, is indeed, as the title suggests, another testament of Jesus Christ. It has a remarkable promise at the end. "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truthof it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Moroni 10:4-5).

This is a testimony of the Book of Mormon, of a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, Craig C. Christensen. 

I know that the Book of Mormon is true. It does contain the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, it's how we can be converted to Christ. I know because I have done what the prophet Moroni suggests. I have read it and prayed about it. I still do read and pray about it. And when I ask Heavenly Father to confirm my knowledge that the Book of Mormon is true, a still soft voice has come into my head, "Of course it is." I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. The Bible and the Book of Mormon work together. These two witnesses of Christ complete and compliment each other. I, along with the prophet Moroni, encourage you to find out for yourself if the Book of Mormon is true. Give it a chance. I promise that as you pray to know, God will confirm the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon by the power of the Holy Ghost. It happened for me, and it will happen for you.

Jandals

I want you to take a close look at this picture and see if you can point out what's wrong with it.

Did you find it yet?

Keep looking.

and looking...

Found it?

Yes. I wore my flip flops out proselyting. Oops.

Here's how the story goes. We wear flip flops around in the house we live, because there are a lot of dogs that live there. Well, after lunch, a member came and picked us up to take us to an area about 10 miles or so out of town. When we got there, I climbed out of the car, looked at my feet, and realized I forgot to change my shoes. I felt a little ridiculous, but my companion and I had a really good laugh! After a stressful week, it felt good to just laugh. My feet hurt after walking around in them, but it was still funny.

Sometimes, I think we all get caught up in the things we have to do. We get stressed to the point where we think we cannot go on. But if we take the time to enjoy life, to laugh at the little things, life can be so much more exciting! President Gordon B. Hinckley said, "Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." It's okay to have fun and to find joy. It's a wonderful part of life. Life would be boring if we couldn't laugh, if we couldn't enjoy it.

There is a missionary in the Book of Mormon named Alma. He tells us how much joy he finds in being an instrument in the Lord's hands to bring his fellow brothers and sisters into the gospel. He is happy when others are successful, he finds joy when he is teaching others about Jesus Christ. And there is nothing that brings him greater happiness than living the gospel. (Alma 29)

The way that we can have everlasting joy, is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In a talk by President Thomas S. Monson, entitled Finding Joy in the Journey, he says, "Let us follow [Jesus Christ]. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His word. By so doing, we give to Him the divine gift of gratitude." He also says, "Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One day each of us will run out of tomorrows." We can find joy, in the here and now. We don't have to "wait" for something better.

I know that it's through the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we can be eternally happy, and we can find that happiness now.