Falling From the Sky

 Today, we were going around the raining icy city of Glendive making visits when we started to talk to an older gentleman with a heck of a life story. I have really learned to love talking with those with far more life experience than me, because there are so many lessons that we can learn from them. The lesson we were taught today was about things falling from the sky. The story started with him telling us a little about his early days of joining the army and some of the things he was able to do, which was quite a bit because he spent over 30 years in the service of this great country.

  He was telling us about how one of his jobs was to train the newer members in his group to listen to what is going on around you, which in his case could be very difficult because there were lots of distractions all around. But he was saying at first you can hear bombs or whatever it may have been falling, but it took a little while to figure out which way it was coming from, and which way to go to get away. After talking with him we could tell he must have done a pretty good job at getting out of the way, because he is still here to tell the tell. As he was telling us about his experiences I was thinking, hm... I'm going to blog on that, a phrase that I never would have come to my head that now comes fairly often.

  The reason I wanted to blog about this is because, though we may not be in the military service we still have things falling all around or popping up that are trying to knock us out, distract us, or even to harm us. Those come from the adversary, because he doesn't want us to succeed, he desperately wants us to fail so we cannot enter into the presence of the Father again, but lucky for us is we have signs or clues all around to help us to know when these bad things are coming and ways to keep us from falling into these storms, and the greatest way or thing that we have to protect us, is Jesus Christ.

  I am often taken back when I pause to think about Christ and the perfect life He lived. He was faced with the same temptations that we all are but He came out spotless. I have wondered, well of course He did He is perfect so it was just easier for Him, but I have recently come to realize, that it was easier for Him, He was just able to truly live the way He asks us to live. Jesus followed what the scriptures teach and He must have prayed more than anyone can imagine. I have noticed in my own life, as I strive to keep a prayer in my heart those temptations because easier to withstand. I am not saying that I am no longer faced with them; it’s just far easier with the Lords help. It helps me to get a warning, a “hey heads ups there is going to be some land mines ahead or the hell fire is about to start falling some the sky,” and He light up a path for me to escape safely. Those safe paths are out there for all of us, we just have to listen to the Master teacher and learn how to get away safely. I know that The Lord will teach us how to get away if we are willing to listen. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

My Thought of the Day

  Today I don't have a whole lot of time, but this scripture was brought to my attention recently and I wanted to share it with you all today. It is going to come from the Book of Mormon from Alma 38:2. It reads: "And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he that endureth to the end."

  The reason I like that one, is because the Lord does trust us. It makes me think once again of the story of the 10 talents, that if The Lord can trust us with a few things and we show to Him that we are faithful and work until the end, it will make Him so happy. Remember, we are the children of God and He loves us far mare than we can ever realize, so lets put some trust in Him and keep the commandments, because He will bless us.

Talents

  The other day we were talking about the story of the ten talents and it really had an effect on me, so that is what I decided to blog about today is our talents. I have often wondered what my talents are... What it was that I am good at that sets me apart from other people, as far as what I am better at than most. During these pondering sessions, I haven't been able to think of very many things that I would refer to as a talents, but I think that is one of the things that we are here in mortality for is to find and to develop talents and gain more. The story for the scriptures that I have on my mind is rather long, so I will describe the story in my own words.

    The story is from the Bible, in the Book of Matthew 25 verses 14- 30. It talks of man who is preparing to travel to a far away country and gives talents to his servants. To one he gives 5 to another 2 and to the last he gives one. The first who received these 5 talents he goes out and trades and finds ways to increase these talents so when his master comes back he has something to show for what he was in trusted with. The second servant did the same with what he was in trusted with, but the last servant took the talent and buried it in the earth. After a long time the master comes back to see what they have done with what they were give. The master goes to the first and asks, so what have you done? The servant gladly tells his master I have doubled what you gave me, and the master rejoices and calls him a good and faithful servant because, he was given and little and was faithful to it, so he is told that he will be in trusted with many more things. The master tells the same to the second servant, because he doubled what he was given. Then for not so lucky number three... The master returns looking for what was done with what he was given as to his disappointment he finds that the servant buried what he was in trusted with and the master is really upset. So upset that he calls him a " Thou wicked and slothful servant" for not doing as the others, for fearing failure more than attempting what was difficult.

  What this has to do with me or what I have been wondering about is, I was wondering what my talents are and if I will be like the good servants or the wicked and unprofitable one. What I came to realize the other day was, even though I don't or may not realize what my talents are, as I have been reflecting on where I am in my life now, I realized that I have become so much better at so many of the things that I used to really struggle with. So, in a way I am doubling those talents, I am taking what was once a weakness and turning it into a strength, so I am trading what was of little value for something that is of great worth now. I know that many of of may wonder, well what am I good at? What are my talents? i am doing all that I can to improve them? If you are trying your best to do better and to get better, than I would say yes, you are doing what you are supposed to and if we keep that up then when the Lord returns to see what we have done with our own talents he will say this to us, "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.