Climb Ev'ry Mountain!

We have a bunch of people with whom we are working who are getting ready to be baptized.  That's basically the most exciting thing in the whole world for a missionary--our job is to help people feel ready for baptism, and to make that agreement with God.  But seldom is there a person who gets baptized who doesn't overcome some pretty big obstacles.  For example, two of the people we're teaching are making the very big decision to get married so they can live one of God's greatest laws, the law of chastity.  That's HUGE!  By doing that they're basically telling God that no matter what comes in their way, they know that building their foundation as a family on Jesus Christ is the best way to ensure their happiness and success.  It's so cool.

Other people have different struggles: they have to overcome addictions of various kinds, or tell skeptical family members or friends just how much this decision means to them.  Some deal with doubts, others with feelings of inadequacy or guilt from past transgressions.  There are so many things that try to thwart somebody's baptism, it isn't even funny.  I've talked a lot about building our foundations on Christ so we can't be blown off course or knocked off--that's not really what I want to focus on today.  The fact of the matter is following God's path is never easy.  We face mountains that stand in the way or gulches we can't see that we can fall into and lose our way.  But baptism, following the example of Jesus Christ and being "born again" is worth so much that we should not fear the obstacles.  Jesus said this:

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We don't have to fear or think we aren't good enough.  We don't have to worry about what the outside world thinks.  I love what the Book of Mormon prophet Alma said about baptism:

Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism. 

And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God from thenceforth... he shall have eternal life...

Come and fear not.  That's the invitation.  Eternal life is the promise.  What on Earth could ever matter more?

Climb Ev'ry Mountain!

Much Love,

Elder Spendlove

Never a Truer Friend

Well, the Christmas season is wrapping up (or unwrapping, seen differently).  The gifts have pretty much all been exchanged; the parties are becoming fewer and fewer; the lights have perhaps lost a bit of that magical twinkle the get before Christmas; but the gift of God, our Savior Jesus Christ, still lives on!  His influence in our lives will still continue, undimmed by calendar days. 

I have been thinking recently about this gift to us.  I have blogged previously about how we can be "snatched" out of our misery, how we should pump up by living the commandments and focusing on Christ.  Today I wanted to talk about another aspect of Christ's gift to us (for truly the facets are limitless)--His ability to carry us when we can go no farther.  I often think about J.R.R Tolkein's masterpiece trilogy, The Lord of the Rings as it relates to our everyday struggles.  Now I'm not suggesting you have to bat away stray nazguls from your sedan before you go to work or fight off a horde of Uruk'hai (cat's out of the bag--I'm a geek...I do know these things) before you check out at the supermarket.  I am saying, however, that we all face perils and our roads are fraught with dangers that we often can't see.

I love the last scene in the movie The Return of the King where Frodo and Sam are trying to make it up the slope of Mt. Doom to cast the accursed ring into the pit.  At one point, Frodo is about to give up--the volcano is erupting, the burden on his soul is crushing down, and all seems lost.  He turns to Sam and expresses his disappointment and dejection at his seeming failure to accomplish his task.  Ever vigilant, a true friend to the bitter end, Samwise Gamgee looks Frodo straight in the eye, and declares, voice buckling with emotion, "I can't carry the ring, Mr. Frodo...but I can carry you!"  He musters his last ounces of strength and hoists Frodo up the mountain to the ultimate fulfillment of their quest.