Lessons I learned from Inmates

Before my mission I went to college. While at college I participated in a travelling show choir. One of our shows was at a local prison. There we did two shows with a variety of music from patriotic, to spiritual, to Broadway, and don't forget to throw The Beach Boys in there. I was excited about this opportunity. A group of us arrived early to set up the key boards and sound equipment. We rolled in all of the equipment,  it was checked, and then we passed through some security doors. The music equipment was quickly set up and before we knew it the rest of the choir and inmates were coming through the doors for the performance. Both performances went very well, but there are a couple of moments which I will never forget.

First, we sang an Acapella version of America the Beautiful. As we sang I looked around and saw these tough men crying. They were crying in gratitude for the country which they lived in. I would have thought they would have been a little frustrated, but they were not. They realized the great country that we live in.

Second, I remember the spirit that was present. We sang spiritual songs about Christ's Atoning sacrifice, leaving a good example for our posterity, and forgiveness. Out of all of the performances that we did that year this was the one that will stick in my mind the longest because of what the spirit taught me after.

After the performances we packed up and left. It was a spiritual feast where I saw men cry, pray, and give thanks to God while we sang about their Savior and Redeemer. As I was thinking about the experience after the spirit taught me why the spirit was so strong there. It was because the Atonement was in use. These inmates were actively repenting, changing, and pouring their lives through the strainer of the Atonement and allowing Christ to remove the impurities. We went into a building with bars, walls, and security cameras ,but while we were performing all of those things went away. We all felt free and close to our Savior. The Savior has figuratively spent many long, sleepless nights there with some of those inmates helping them through whatever they were going through. Christ never left them. Neither will he leave us.  Bars nor high security buildings will keep him out.  Only a closed and hardened heart.

I hope that I will actively use the Atonement always like those inmates were. They showed heroic faith in their relationship with which they had with their Savior. Christ is there ready to help us on condition that we let him. I pray and hope that we do, and in the process the chains of the adversary are shattered

The Lord Always Knows Best

One day Elder Trout and myself felt inspired to go and vist a couple of less active members.  As we tried each house we would find no one home. After this happening a couple of times we ended up with an individual whom we were lacking the house number on their address. We walked to a members home to find out the specific home for this less active.  We knocked on the members door and no one answered.  In frustration we decided to knock all of the doors on the street to find whom we were looking for.  The first house told us to come back.  A little ways down we knocked on another house to which a young mother and her daughter answered the door.  They were excitted to learn more about Christ's message about families.  We taught them a little and set up a return appointment.  By the time we were done talking to them we did not have time to try the other doors on the other side of the street to find the initial person whom we were looking for.  On the way to our next appointment we talked to a man in his garage who had just lost a son.  We were able to direct him to Christ and resources which could help him understand why and give him comfort.

The Lord taught me alot through this experience.  He did not want us to go over there because of that less active member whom we were looking for.  He had others in mind , so from now on when something does not go the way that I thought it would or should I am going to strive to have faith to allow the Lord to accomplish what he had in mind for everything happens for a reason.  We all have the opportunity to allow Heavenly Father to use us to help others around us.  How grateful I am for that.  There are numberless blessings waiting in the wings of our lives just waiting to come on stage.  It is our job to give the stage to them by our faith produced actions.

Hidden Blessings

The other day Elder Trout and myself were walking down a street.  We saw a rough looking man with a beard, long hair, and his leather on out in his front yard clipping his bushes.  We decided to go over and talk to him.  When he saw us coming he rolled his eyes.  We still went up and talked to him.  After a little while of talking to him a lady from an upstairs apartment came out on the balcony and started to tell us that she had a really old Book of Mormon.  The second we started talking to this women the man went inside.  We continued to talk about this Book of Mormon that she had, and at the end she said we could come back. 

I was taught a lot through this experience.  By opening up our mouths to this man the lord guided us to someone else who was ready to hear the gospel.  That is sometimes how it works.  Once we are obedient the Lord then proceeds to bless us in the best way possible.

Nephi was asked by God to go with his brothers back to the city Jerusalem and some how get some records from a man named Laban. When Nephi was told this commandment he said, "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

I love how Nephi writes this before he goes to get the brass plates.  He did not write it after the miracle and trial of his faith.

The Lord does provide a way that everything he commands us will happen if we have faith.  The Lord only asks that which will help us to become a more joyful  son or daughter of him.

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.