Fam,
When I was a young man living down in Castle Valley, I had the opportunity to do some rock climbing with a good friend of mine. To me, it was all pretty new, but we were young and energetic and excited about trying out this new experience. Rock climbing has always been popular down in Moab and throughout Canyonlands generally. But in recent years, the sport seems to have taken on new interest and a fascination of its own. Bouldering, free climbing, rope soloing, even indoor climbing, and many other types of rock climbing are popular activities.
Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing competitions have objectives of completing the route in the quickest possible time or the farthest along an ever increasingly harder route.
However, you're safe because you're on belay. The belay anchor system is the crux of climbing. It allows falls with impunity - almost. The person running the rope does so to protect the climber. Belaying has brought Alan Czenkusch [leader of Whistepig Climbing School of Del Norte, Colorado] his best and worst moments in climbing. Czenkusch once fell from a high precipice, yanking out three mechanical supports and pulling his belayer off a ledge. He was stopped upside down 10 feet from the ground when his spread-eagled belayer arrested the fall with the strength of his outstretched arms. " Don saved my life," says Czenkusch. "How do you respond to a guy like that? Give him a used climbing rope for a Christmas present? No, you remember him. You always remember him."
To me, that reference has special significance when I consider our reliance on the Savior Jesus Christ for our welfare, safety, and utlimately our salvation. Because despite our best efforts in this life, we will fall. And often the consequences are severe in nature and recovery can be very difficult. But we are not alone. He has provided for us a way.
President Packer states "...there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is the promise of the Atonement of Christ. …
“… Do not give up if at first you fail. … Do not give up. That brilliant morning will come.”
Love is a necessary precursor to being able to forgive oneself. As we develop an overpowering love of and gratitude for Jesus for His willingness to forgive us, we earnestly desire to come unto Him—to study His life and teachings and act upon them so that we become more like Him. As we do that, our own capacity to love grows to the point that we can indeed love and forgive ourselves and others."
When we fall, with the Lord's help we can climb back up.
It starts with always remembering Him.
I love you, dad
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Turn to the Lord for comfort
Dear Family,
I am thinking today about an interesting phenomena which we have all experienced. It happens when you are driving down the road at 80 miles an hour for an extended period of time. After a while, it seems like you are barely crawling along. We can all remember a time we were driving on the highway down near Las Vegas. Soon the long, straight stretches of road appear to barely pass beneath the wheels of the car as we get adjusted to the speed. Before long it doesn't seem like we are going fast at all.
Well that phenomena manifests itself in other ways as well. The day Steven got home from his mission will forever be etched in my memory. After spending two years with the good people of Argentina who had so little in comparison with the bounty afforded us, he walked into our home shaking his head in amazement with our blessings of a large home and abundance that the Lord has granted us. And we all see it regularly when we walk into Costco or Walmart or the mall and see food, supplies, and clothing from floor to ceiling. Incredibly, we begin to take this bounty of blessings for granted because abundance is so common for many of us in our day.
Today's generation is blessed with so much that our expectations even in hard times exceed the wildest dreams of others in previous generations and those in many locations around the world even today.
Our cupboards are filled with food.
Our driveways are covered with cars.
Our home are littered with luxuries.
And still the Lord offers us more, if we will but follow Him.
So how do these things all apply to this phenomena? Today, we have such wealth in the gospel and among Church members that it is easy to forget that it wasn't always this way. I believe that is one reason the brethren tell us to seek out our ancestors, so by seeing their hardship and sacrifice, we can come to appreciate the bounty we have been given.
That knowledge helps us be more appreciative of what we have today in our homes, families, communities, both in this country and around the world.
Opposition is a good thing. And recognizing the plethora of gifts the Lord has given us helps us get through life's challenges, which will certainly come.
We are not alone. Heavenly Father blesses us in our time of need. The greatest help we will have is to know and follow the doctrines of the Savior, Jesus Christ and rely on him to help us.
"The grave hath no victory and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ." Mosiah 16:8
That's the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
I love you, dad
I am thinking today about an interesting phenomena which we have all experienced. It happens when you are driving down the road at 80 miles an hour for an extended period of time. After a while, it seems like you are barely crawling along. We can all remember a time we were driving on the highway down near Las Vegas. Soon the long, straight stretches of road appear to barely pass beneath the wheels of the car as we get adjusted to the speed. Before long it doesn't seem like we are going fast at all.
Well that phenomena manifests itself in other ways as well. The day Steven got home from his mission will forever be etched in my memory. After spending two years with the good people of Argentina who had so little in comparison with the bounty afforded us, he walked into our home shaking his head in amazement with our blessings of a large home and abundance that the Lord has granted us. And we all see it regularly when we walk into Costco or Walmart or the mall and see food, supplies, and clothing from floor to ceiling. Incredibly, we begin to take this bounty of blessings for granted because abundance is so common for many of us in our day.
Today's generation is blessed with so much that our expectations even in hard times exceed the wildest dreams of others in previous generations and those in many locations around the world even today.
Our cupboards are filled with food.
Our driveways are covered with cars.
Our home are littered with luxuries.
And still the Lord offers us more, if we will but follow Him.
So how do these things all apply to this phenomena? Today, we have such wealth in the gospel and among Church members that it is easy to forget that it wasn't always this way. I believe that is one reason the brethren tell us to seek out our ancestors, so by seeing their hardship and sacrifice, we can come to appreciate the bounty we have been given.
That knowledge helps us be more appreciative of what we have today in our homes, families, communities, both in this country and around the world.
Opposition is a good thing. And recognizing the plethora of gifts the Lord has given us helps us get through life's challenges, which will certainly come.
We are not alone. Heavenly Father blesses us in our time of need. The greatest help we will have is to know and follow the doctrines of the Savior, Jesus Christ and rely on him to help us.
"The grave hath no victory and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ." Mosiah 16:8
That's the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
I love you, dad
Saturday, February 18, 2012
An Instrument in His Hands
Fam,
I attended a Leadership Training event recently that was wonderful. You can watch various segments of the meeting or see the entire thing here. Watch it all. You'll be glad you did.
Many brethren and sisters spoke, and I took pages of notes. But I can only share a few of my observations here. Russell M. Nelson gave a remarkable presentation wherein he said that we stress family, home, and marriage because they are central to our deliverance. Homes must be our sanctuaries. Marriage is ordained of God. Sealing ordinances of the temple are essential to our salvation.
Home is central to our edification as Church members. Children bring along and strengthen their parents. We are commanded to minister unto and pray for them that struggle. And through our service, the Lord promises to heal those that are willing and bring salvation unto them.
Toward the end of the meeting, a story was told that out of love, a 13-year-old boy in Arizona pushed himself to the limit so that his friend, who has cerebral palsy, could participate with him in a triathlon. "I found out that I can do hard things," he concluded.
It was inspirational to me, and I thought you too would enjoy it.
I love you, dad
I attended a Leadership Training event recently that was wonderful. You can watch various segments of the meeting or see the entire thing here. Watch it all. You'll be glad you did.
Many brethren and sisters spoke, and I took pages of notes. But I can only share a few of my observations here. Russell M. Nelson gave a remarkable presentation wherein he said that we stress family, home, and marriage because they are central to our deliverance. Homes must be our sanctuaries. Marriage is ordained of God. Sealing ordinances of the temple are essential to our salvation.
Home is central to our edification as Church members. Children bring along and strengthen their parents. We are commanded to minister unto and pray for them that struggle. And through our service, the Lord promises to heal those that are willing and bring salvation unto them.
Toward the end of the meeting, a story was told that out of love, a 13-year-old boy in Arizona pushed himself to the limit so that his friend, who has cerebral palsy, could participate with him in a triathlon. "I found out that I can do hard things," he concluded.
It was inspirational to me, and I thought you too would enjoy it.
I love you, dad
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Destiny
Fam,
It's almost Valentines Day. Though I'm not totally moved by fairy tales and chick flicks can get passé (we have enough of them in our video library), a good love story that edifies, inspires, encourages, and motivates can really be enticing. And referring to an actual, real-life incident makes it even better. That's where I want to go today.
Do you remember the story of Rachel? She is first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 29 when Jacob happens upon her as she is watering her lamb. He had traveled a great distance and is overcome by her beauty.
During Jacob's stay, he fell in love with Rachel and agreed to work seven years for Laban in return for her hand in marriage. And the scriptures state that "Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had (for) her." How romantic is that? Well the story gets even better.
On the night of the wedding, the bride was veiled and Jacob did not notice that Leah, Rachel's older sister, had been substituted for Rachel. Later Jacob confronted Laban, who excused his own deception by insisting that the older sister should marry first. He assured Jacob that he could take Rachel as wife, as well, if he worked another seven years as payment for her. I'm sure Jacob continued to tell Rachel that those fourteen years were in retrospect but a moment.
Well, I can imagine in my mind's eye another conversation that may have taken place in the pre-existence... Dad, I want to be your daughter. I want to be part of this family, but I am going to have some real problems in my life. I will struggle with things other girls don't have to deal with. My challenges will be enourmous when compared with others. And I won't always respond with patience, kindness, or love, but that's when I need you most. Do you still want me?
With a resounding YES, I respond:
Yes, dear, with all our heart, we want you just as you are. We love who you are and know in due time what you can become. We will help and encourage you as you face hardship, overcome obstacles, and achieve your potential. We have high expectations for you because we know something of your character. You are already tremendous and your worth is more than that of rubies. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of your life. Thank you for gracing our home with your presence. We all have hardships that we must face. It's a privilege to be able to be part of helping you overcome challenges and realize your destiny. You, my dear, are a daughter of God.
Whatever struggles you face, you needn't tackle them alone. We are here for you!
And so is your Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Revelations 3: 20
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY
I love you, dad
It's almost Valentines Day. Though I'm not totally moved by fairy tales and chick flicks can get passé (we have enough of them in our video library), a good love story that edifies, inspires, encourages, and motivates can really be enticing. And referring to an actual, real-life incident makes it even better. That's where I want to go today.
Do you remember the story of Rachel? She is first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 29 when Jacob happens upon her as she is watering her lamb. He had traveled a great distance and is overcome by her beauty.
During Jacob's stay, he fell in love with Rachel and agreed to work seven years for Laban in return for her hand in marriage. And the scriptures state that "Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had (for) her." How romantic is that? Well the story gets even better.
On the night of the wedding, the bride was veiled and Jacob did not notice that Leah, Rachel's older sister, had been substituted for Rachel. Later Jacob confronted Laban, who excused his own deception by insisting that the older sister should marry first. He assured Jacob that he could take Rachel as wife, as well, if he worked another seven years as payment for her. I'm sure Jacob continued to tell Rachel that those fourteen years were in retrospect but a moment.
Well, I can imagine in my mind's eye another conversation that may have taken place in the pre-existence... Dad, I want to be your daughter. I want to be part of this family, but I am going to have some real problems in my life. I will struggle with things other girls don't have to deal with. My challenges will be enourmous when compared with others. And I won't always respond with patience, kindness, or love, but that's when I need you most. Do you still want me?
With a resounding YES, I respond:
Yes, dear, with all our heart, we want you just as you are. We love who you are and know in due time what you can become. We will help and encourage you as you face hardship, overcome obstacles, and achieve your potential. We have high expectations for you because we know something of your character. You are already tremendous and your worth is more than that of rubies. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of your life. Thank you for gracing our home with your presence. We all have hardships that we must face. It's a privilege to be able to be part of helping you overcome challenges and realize your destiny. You, my dear, are a daughter of God.
Whatever struggles you face, you needn't tackle them alone. We are here for you!
And so is your Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Revelations 3: 20
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY
I love you, dad
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Pilot me
Say you wanted to communicate a most important message, would you put it at the beginning of your talk or at the end? If you wanted the most people to hear it, read it, and apply it--would you put it at the front of the book, in the middle, or at the conclusion? Journalists use a prose called news style which is where the most important structural element of a story is the lead. Who? What? Where? Why? and When?
These are rhetorical questions. But I offer them to help stimulate the reasoning that the most important messages are often found at the beginning.
The point is that the most critical information may be presented at the outset. If we apply that philosophy to the Book of Mormon, what do we find? Here are a few things:
These are rhetorical questions. But I offer them to help stimulate the reasoning that the most important messages are often found at the beginning.
The point is that the most critical information may be presented at the outset. If we apply that philosophy to the Book of Mormon, what do we find? Here are a few things:
- Accomplishing the impossible with God's help (Nephi builds a ship)
- Navigating difficulty (Lehi and his family face challenges in the wilderness)
- Tools to face life's trials, hardship (Lehi's dream, the rod of iron, the tree of life)
- Hope to conquer obstacles in life (Nephi retrieves the brass plates)
Many of you don't remember President Kimball. He was prophet and president of the Church many years ago, but that was during my growing up years. He faced many challenges in life. President Kimball had a beautiful voice as a young man and was an accomplished piano player. In his later years, he developed throat cancer and the resulting operation changed his singing voice for the remainder of life on earth. Loss of loved ones, disease, financial difficulty, and physical hardship plagued him--yet he kept a positive attitude and incredible resilience. One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from him. I think it is relevant to this message so I have shared it below:
"It is easy to get discouraged. It is easy to quit, but you must not fail. You remember how Nephi went into an impossible situation and couldn’t get the plates. His brothers couldn’t. They couldn’t buy them. They couldn’t bribe them out of the hands of Laban. They couldn’t force their way in, and their lives were hanging on a thread. In spite of all that, here comes one boy, unarmed, who walks into a city through a wall that was closed to him, through gates that couldn’t be opened, into a garden that was impenetrable, into a vault that was locked, among soldiers that couldn’t be bypassed, and comes out with his arms full of records to keep his posterity and others from perishing in unbelief."
Life is hard enough. Without the divine help we receive by obedience to gospel principles, it's often more than we can tackle alone. But in the face of apparent tragedy we must put our trust in God, knowing that despite our limited view His purposes will not fail. With all its troubles, life offers us the tremendous privilege to grow in knowledge, wisdom, faith, and works as we prepare to return and share God’s glory.
Read more here: Tragedy or Destiny?
I love you, dad
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