The Road not Taken

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and
I took the one less traveled by,


And that has made all the difference.

This poem by Robert Frost is one of my personal favorites because it is something we as disciples of Christ have to live.  There are two roads and one is a lot more travelled.  One is a lot more popular.  One is a lot more convenient.  Which one of these are we going to travel? 

This cartoon demonstrates the worlds point of view.  They make fun of the idea, but that is not a new concept to us.  For Lehi and Nephi saw a vision where the exact same thing occurred.  Lets be steadfast and immovable and take the road less travelled for that truly will make all of the difference for us and our families.

What is the road less travelled?

It is the straight and narrow path.  Some of us cringe at the thought and sight of this path, but in reality it should be the opposite.  Elder Maxwell says this, "There is a real risk that members of the Church—particularly the young—may perceive the concept of the straight and narrow way too narrowly. Variations of the concept of the straight and narrow path appear many times in the scriptures, but it is really a description of a clearly marked corridor to salvation and exaltation—a path of high adventure for the brave, not the intolerant; it is not an ecclesiastical “country club” situated on a narrow theological terrace. The way is as wide as infinity in terms of its requirements of love and truth; it confines us only in marking those peril points along the path of life.

How very grateful I am for the straight and narrow path.  Sadly it is often the one less travelled, but we have our own agency to decide which path we will take.  Let us take the one which will line us up for eternal rewards and happiness. 

Why is life so hard?

Why is life so hard? A question which many have asked often many times in their life. Think about it; "Why is life so hard?"

In today’s world we as people to often shy away from something because it is hard. Maybe we need to re-consider the correlation we have made between something being hard, and it not being worth our time.

Steve Pavlina is one of the world’s well known bloggers. He has over 2 million views on his blogs a month. Seth Godin is a well-known writer and speaker. Both of these amazing people have written many books, spoken to many people and started many one show companies. They accomplish more in a couple months then some accomplish in a year. They are great examples of work. Steve says this about hard work in a post which he titled "Hard Work“:

"Hard work pays off. When someone tells you otherwise, beware the sales pitch for something “fast and easy” that’s about to come next. The greater your capacity for hard work, the more rewards fall within your grasp. The deeper you can dig, the more treasure you can potentially find…Your life will reach a whole new level when you stop avoiding and fearing hard work and simply surrender to it. Make it your ally instead of your enemy. It’s a potent tool to have on your side."

Seth said this in a post called "Labor Day“

"Hard work is about risk. It begins when you deal with the things that you’d rather not deal with: fear of failure, fear of standing out, fear of rejection. Hard work is about training yourself to leap over this barrier, tunnel under that barrier, drive through the other barrier. And, after you’ve done that, to do it again the next day."

These two leaders have discovered and fed the love of work.

Even during Christ's life some of his disciples left him partly because it was going to be hard. After Christ feeds five thousand with food, him and his disciples leave. Christ leaves to be alone, and his disciples get in a ship to go to the other side of the sea. While Christ’s apostles are on the water a storm comes. Christ walks to them on the water and calms the storms. When they come to the other side some people came up to Christ and ask to be fed because they had heard about Christ feeding all of those people. Christ explains to them how he is the bread of life and testifies of his divinity. "Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard."

Christ’s asks for our all. Work is an amazing sifter of those things which we do need and what we do not. I love to trail run and go hiking in the mountains. When one does this they take the least amount with them as possible to reduce the weight. Work fulfills the same purpose. When one really works they drop, discard, and strip away everything that is access.

God said, "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." "This is my work." If we want to help the Lord out with his work and glory we must not shy away from hard work but run to it and embrace it. One will never accomplish a dream without work.  When we put our mind to it and allow the Lord to help; together we accomplish a lot more then we could ever do on our own. 

 

Kronk

In The Emperors New Groove Kronk is faced with a decision to either let the terrible ruler Cusko live or die by throwing him over a waterfall.  Two shoulder angels pop up and start this conversation with him, "You're not just gonna let him die like that, are you?
Kronk: My Shoulder Angel.
Kronk's Shoulder Devil: Don't listen to that guy! He's trying to lead you down the "path of righteousness". I'm gonna lead you down the path that rocks!
Kronk's Shoulder Angel: Ah, come off it!

Kronk's Shoulder Devil: You come off it!

Kronk's Shoulder Angel: You!

Kronk's Shoulder Devil: You!

Kronk's Shoulder Angel: You!

Kronk's Shoulder Devil:  You infinity.

Kronk's Shoulder Devil:  Listen up, big guy. I got three good reasons why you should just walk away. Number one:  Look at that guy! He's got that sissy, stringy, music thing.

Kronk's Shoulder Angel: We've been through this. It's a harp, and you know it.

Kronk's Shoulder Devil: All right. So, that's a harp... and that's a dress!

Kronk's Shoulder Angel: Robe!

Kronk's Shoulder Devil: Reason number two:  Look what I can do!

Kronk: But, uh, what does that have to do with anything?

Kronk's Shoulder Angel: No, no, he's got a point.

Kronk: Listen, you guys. You're starting to confuse me, so, uh, "be gone!" Or, uh, you know, however I get rid of you guys.

Kronk's Shoulder Angel and Devil: That'll work

Kronk has a very important decision to make.  Let Cusko die and with it Yzma becomes the ruler or allow Cuzco to live and be out of a job.  We are blessed with such choices as this.  Stop or go, left or right, sin or righteousness, optimism or pessimism.

President Faust said, "Tomorrow’s blessings and opportunities depend on the choices we make today."  Oh how very true this simple and eternal principle is.  There are consequences for actions.  Let's be like Kronk and not throw Cusko over the edge of the waterfall, but make decisions that prepare us for success now and set the future up for triumphs.

Impossible! I think Not!`

Let me share two examples in the which two groups of people were placed in circumstances where their dreams looked impossible.  They did not however allow that to slow them down or stop them, and because of that they accomplished their dreams. 

First, have you ever heard of Panyee?  Me neather until I watched this movie about some boys on their small floating village who had a dream.  Circumstance tried to destroy their dream before it even began, but dreams are not made when circumstances are perfect. 

Second, Carl Joseph was a boy that did not let his circumstances limit his dreams. He was born with one leg into a single parent household and in poverty. He was the fourth of ten children. He grew up on a tabacoo farm in Florida. Carl with these circumstances could have thrown away his dreams of playing sports, but he would not allow himself to. Carl played basketball, football, and track. He excelled in all of them. In basketball he could dunk the ball even thou he was only 6'1" tall. He was known for swatting the opponenets ball into the stands. In football he was the team captian and a starter. While playing nose tackle he would hop to make tackles.  In his greatest game he made over 11 tackles and blocked a punt. He went on to play college football at Bethune Cookman College.   In track Carl jumped 5'10" in the high jump. Carl still made honor role with all of these activities.

Carl accomplished all of this on 1 leg.

Former NFL star Dan Dieford said this in reference to Carl, "the most amazing athlete I’ve ever seen.” Here is a video of Carl playing football.

The only one that makes something impossible is ourselves.

Finish or Bust

3,000 meter steeplechase is one of the most physically demanding events one can do on a track. It involves seven laps around the track. Spread around the track are four dry hurdles and one hurdle with water on the far side. By the end of the race each runner has jumped 28 dry hurdles, seven water traps, and ran a little under two miles. This sport originated in the British Isles where runners would run from steeple to steeple. While running from steeple to steeple the runner would have to jump obstacles such as rock walls. Slowly this race evolved from 3,200 (2 miles) meters to 3,000 meters and from rough terrain to flat. The race was then added to the Olympics. This race is one of the most grueling races because of the distance, pace, and obstacles one must jump while going around the track.

At the beginning of such a hard race the task may seem daunting. As one slowly completes jumps after jump and lap after lap their muscles get tired and fatigued. Often the athlete have to just focus on clearing the next hurdle or running the next 100 meters.

Our life is much like a steeplechase. There are many hurdles to jump. There are times in the races when we are relaxed and on a straight away. There are times when we are striving to clear a hurdle. There are times a hurdle seems too big for one to jump. There are times the race ahead seems to daunting to conquer. Let us remember Christ has run the race before us. He knows it perfectly, and as our loving coach He will not lead us astray if we listen to His tender voice.

As we finish it will be well worth the tears, sweat, and strength it took to finish the race.  For we have been changed into a champion in the process.

The Dream

Growing up I dreamed, slept, ate, and bled running. The more the merrier. I created schedules and entered races. I ran track and cross country.

It was my senior year in high school. Region was a week away and then state was two weeks after that. I had just achieved my fasting time. I was excited and pumped for the upcoming race. After school one day we headed out on our daily afternoon run. We headed towards a park behind the high school. I felt great! Today was going to be awesome. The concrete road we were on quickly turned into a dirt path about the same width. The trail slowly slimmed down to produce a single file line of runners. It disappeared into a group of trees on the side of a hill and turned immediately right and then down. As I started running down the hill I found myself alone with no one in sight in front of me or behind me. As I got closer to the bottom of the hill, I picked up speed. I got going faster and faster. At the bottom of the hill I planted my right foot on what I thought was the ground. The second I put all of my weight on that foot the rock, not ground which my foot was resting on, moved and my ankle with it. I felt a tear and pop. I staggered and slowed down. One of my teammates came running up behind me to see me in pain on the side of the trail. He lifted and carried me the mile back to the school. As I took off my shoe my ankle swelled up immediately. Come to find out later my tendons had been damaged and my tibia had shifted down my leg and foot. My dreams of running in Region and State disappeared.

In the following months while I recovered, I thought a lot about what had happened. I experienced frustration as I was limited from certain activities as well as missed out in playing soccer my senior year. I wondered why did this happen? Was this fare? Why now? These are question many of us have asked. As I have gone through this experience and many others, I have been blessed and guided to realize by the spirit that it is not a "bad" thing to go through trials. Good and bad people go through trials. A certain trying experience is not a punishment at all. Often it is a blessing and a complement from our Heavenly Father.

In the Book of John, Christ's apostles ask Christ a question along the lines of, "Is a trial a punishment for sinning?" Here is the story. "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man , or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." (John 9:1-3)

The man was not cursed with blindness because someone had transgressed. The very opportunity of having an experience which tests and try’s us is what we need to change our very being, grow and become better individuals, and ultimately become like our Heavenly Father and Savior. It is painful but necessary to burn away the impurities.

Let us be grateful for those experiences which allow God's greatest work being the Atonement manifests itself in us and by so doing change us.

 

Living on the edge

There was once a young man who went cliff jumping with all of his friends.  As the day wore on the boys got higher and higher with each jump.  As the boys got higher they starting thinking, "I could get hurt!”, but the fear of disappointing the others kept them jumping.  One of the boys climbed up past the rest of them to make the highest jump of the day.  He jumped off but when he landed everyone could hear the smack of skin against the water.  The young man had landed sideways as he hit the water breaking a rib.  Some of the boys who were already at the bottom jumped into the water dragging their friend out. 

These boys new deep down inside if they did not stop that one of them was going to eventually get hurt.  Why did they keep going? 

Fear of disappointing  is something which has tied down many people from reaching their dreams and having experiences, but “perfect love casteth out fear."(1 john 4:18).  How does one obtain this love? 

The prophet Moroni answered this question in the Book of Mormon by saying, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ.” (Moroni 7:48)

The first step is prayer.  Not just talking but pleading with all the energy of our souls.  The gift of love will be blessed upon all those who pray and are true followers of Jesus Christ.  Obedience is what characterizes a true follower of Jesus Christ. I hope and pray that we plead for love, and then have faith in Jesus Christ to be obedient.

Christ lives and loves us.