...With the Little Things

I loved this talk and I love this video! I've found that it's the little things that make all the difference. When we go around looking for large blessings, or to feel the spirit in large, moving ways, we'll come back disappointed. It's only when we find the value in the small things that we begin to treasure life.

Back in March I decided to keep a daily record in my journal of at least five things I was grateful for each day. Some days I sit down and stare at the blank page. What could I write about? It was a horrible day! There is nothing to be grateful for! But as I seriously reflect on my day I remember one small thing that I truly appreciated, and then one more, and then one more, and suddenly I realized how blessed I really was that day. Life isn't as bad as I thought! It has really changed my attitude. I find that as I go through the day now I'm continually keeping an eye out for things I can write in my journal to be grateful for that night.

I've found great treasures of happiness, fleck by fleck as I've looked diligently for them, just as the man in the video gained treasure after hard searching and many flecks.

...With a Cheese Grater

In my last blog I issued myself a challenge to relate any object back to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Since then I have only received one object: a cheese grater. Hopefully this analogy satisfies the challenger:

We all go through the cheese grater of life. Our lives are those blocks of cheese, shaped just the way we want them. We are satisfied with our block, but sometimes the Lord finds it needful to send us through the cheese grater. Piece by piece we feel our life is getting shredded, but those trials, the cheese grater, shapes us into some one completely different. Through those challenges the Lord changes us so that we can be instruments in His hands in another cause, just as important, but different than before.

...With Symbols of Christ

I'm a firm believer that everything points back to Christ. When I was about the age of fourteen I had a Sunday School teacher who challenged us to choose one thing that week and see how it pointed back to Christ. Her object was to show that everything we receive is to help us grow closer to Christ.

I remember wandering down the hallway at school looking at the lockers, the tiles, the backpacks, trying to understand how each item could relate back to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I struggled to see how it was possible. How could everything  point to Christ? Then, as I was sitting on the swing at the park the challenge presented itself in my mind again. I looked at a tree and noticed how the branches pointed upward -- towards Christ. A tree grew up towards God! I understood. Excited, I began to ponder about the swing I sat on and how that pointed to Christ. I swung higher and higher -- towards the heavens! I understood.

Later in life I had a friend who had served a mission. He told me of a game he and his companions used to play as they walked: relate any object back to the gospel of Jesus Christ. He showed me some examples: the posts of a fence being those who support one another and keep that "fence" of the gospel up and a light pole being a beacon in the darkness like the gospel is for us through trying times.

Now, a missionary myself, I have fun playing the same sort of game. I love looking around me and seeing evidence that there is a God and that all things point to him. I love a challenge, so leave a comment; ask me to relate a particular object back to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let's see Christ in everyone and in everything!

 

....With Scripture

Do we remember the great blessing it is to have the scriptures? The blood of so many people was shed so that we could have the scriptures to guide and direct us. The least we could do is open them and read from them each day.

I have suffered from anxiety before. I feel sick to my stomach with nerves and stress. But there is a time in the day that all that pain dissipates: it's when I read the scriptures. There is a calming strength that comes from the scriptures. It doesn't make every day a perfect day, but we're given the support and strength we need to get through any day. It's such a simple task, yet it often goes neglected. I've been guilty of the same charge. But I know that there is power in the scriptures.  Take advantage of the marvelous blessing of having the word of God at your finer tips. Take time, even just a minute or two, to open up the scriptures today.

...With a Burden

I was recently reading through old things I've written and came across a small comment I made years ago: When you carry a load you need to keep your head bowed and your knees bent. What an interesting correlation between physical and spiritual burdens! Look at this man carrying a load of sticks on his back, you'll notice that indeed, the only way it is possible is because his head is bowed, and his knees are bent.




Now think of your own challenges in life. Sometimes the problems get heaped on your back one stick at a time. Sometimes they seem impossible to carry. But it IS possible! Just keep your head bowed and your knees bent. God is our relief. When you turn to him he will "ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs" (Mosiah 24:14) How incredible! All we need to do is turn to God in constant prayer. Keep our knees bent, our heads bowed.

...With Building Faith

As I was reading in the Book of Mormon I came across this verse:

"For the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, Remove—and it was removed. And if he had not had faith it would not have moved; wherefore thou workest after men have faith." (Ether 12:30)

I thought that was pretty cool: the brother of Jared moved a mountain! I'd aspire to move as much as an ant hill! Can you imagine how much faith it would take to create such a miracle? I doubt there are many people out there that have that much faith. So, how did the brother of Jared do it?

Earlier in the book we read about the family of the brother of Jared. As the Lord confounded the languages at the tower of Babel, the brother of Jared prayed that his family would be kept safe. God led them to a beautiful area, rich in the resources they needed. His family was there for four years when the Lord came again and "for the space of three hours did the Lord talk with the brother of Jared, and chastened him because he remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord." (Ether 2:14)

The brother of Jared, a prophet of God, had a time of weakness. For four years he didn't trust in God or turn to Him for direction. But, rather than fall back into making that same mistake, he corrected his wrong and worked hard to build his strength in God. Then, after what I'm sure took a lot of work and time, the brother of Jared eventually built enough faith that he saw Jesus Christ in the flesh and even had enough faith to move a mountain! What an incredible example of making "weak things become strong." (Ether 12:27)

...With the Bottom of the Bucket

I was recently in a church meeting and had the opportunity to learn from a great man. I'd like to share his story and its important moral with you:

"When I was a young man of about twelve years, I bought my first milk cow. I named her Sue, after a Johnny Cash song. Sue brought me pride: I milked her every night and morning, faithfully bringing the milk to the house without fail, careful not to let anything get in the bucket.

After a few months, Sue started to dry up. Before long there was no milk. This was not pleasing to my mother, who was trying to feed four growing boys and my sister. When we ran short on fresh milk she would sometimes substitute powdered milk, although I insisted it tasted like ground chalk, and when given to calves would immediately give them the scours.

One day my mother developed a new idea. She came to me and asked, 'Bill, don't you have a cow that just calved?' I didn't really own this cow, it had just wandered into the yard one morning. Evidently this cow was  so wild no one wanted to claim her. My mother insisted, 'tomorrow morning you will start milking it and bring the milk to the house.'

The next morning I struggled with the cow, but was finally able to get her into the barn. I roped her back legs together, pulled over my stool, and began to milk. I thought 'this isn't so bad. Evidently you can turn any cow into a milk cow.' I still remember as she turned her head back, looking right at me, a plot in her mind. Just then she started to buck and the rope came loose on her legs. I tried fervently to balance myself on the one legged stool and keep the milk bucket upright. When it all came to a stop the cow had one foot inside the milk bucket. I weighed my options: carefully spill the milk and face the wrath of my mother and chalky milk, or hold on until the old cow takes her foot out of the bucket. Wanting to live a long life, I chose the later.

After the cow finally lifted her hoof out of the milk I stuck my hand in there and dredged out some of the straw and other filth that was at the bottom of the bucket. I hauled it back to the house and strained it the best I could into the gallon jug.

The next morning as I came into the kitchen I saw my younger brothers eating some cereal which mom had bought at the local store. In the middle of the table was the milk jug. I noted about four inches of sludge, from the previous mornings rodeo, had settled to the bottom. My brothers offered me some cereal and were confused when I told them I was feeling a little lactose intolerant that morning.

I've learned that life is like a bucket of barnyard milk: you can stay up on top with the Lord's cream, or you can drink at the bottom with the devil's dredges. Happiness and joy are at the top with the Lord, misery and discomfort are at the bottom. Don't go into the dark; do what is right. The challenge of life is to stay close to the Lord by obeying his commandments. All of us sometimes fall short of perfection and sin. Thank goodness there is hope through repentance. This is the journey  our lives. Be true to yourself. Be valiant and Christ-like. Don't drink from the bottom of the bucket."