Team Work

I attended a training opportunity in St. Louis, Missouri. It was a week long course and the training was done in a team-oriented environment. Each day I was teamed with five other people where we would discuss the various topics that were given to us. It was a valuable opportunity where I learned a great deal about myself and about others. I like to think of the grand possibilities that can come when we work as a team. I was a member of a intramural flag football team, back in Junior High School. We played at lunch time. I was very small but I could run pretty fast. I will never forget the team that I was assigned to. Nobody was big and we were not 'stacked' with the most football talent. A coach told us that we ought to find our strengths and then go to work on creating the right combinations so that we would be competitive. I must admit that I was apprehensive about our chances to be anywhere near being competitive. We had a girl on our team who had some vision on our possibilities. We began to work together and form some 'plays' that would bring out the best in the talent that we had. We played our first game and we handled the team quite easily. The second, third, fourth. We beat them all. Within a couple of weeks we saw our team play competitively. It was a fun time and a lesson was taught to me personally. Do your very best with what you have and everything will be okay. I believe that even today.

The Picture

Our family went and visited my grandparents while my mom and dad were in town. My grandparents are elderly people. I am amazed at the flow of genetics that runs so deep in who we are.
My dad took a picture with me next to my grandpa. I got a lot of my physical appearance from his gene pool. As I looked at his old body and his once very large and physically strong hands I realized that they are now feeble looking and the strength has minimized. It is hard to imagine that just a short season ago I wondered if my grandpa and grandma would ever get old. They were both very active. Age has caught up to them and now they are slowed by the many activities in the years that are passed.
I am grateful for the gift of time and the opportunities for learning and growth. There is in each of us a similar gene pool that will be carried from us to one of our family members. Time races by swiftly and the only thing we have control of is today. Make today the very best that it can be. Make a difference! Somebody needs you and what you have to offer them will make all the difference.

What Club Should I Use?

I went golfing with my dad and a cousin. We had a great time and, as usual, I played 'all' of the course. Golf is a humbling game but one that I enjoyed a great deal. I set up for a shot and I had just over 100 yards to the flag. I told my cousin Scott that I figured I would pull out my 10 iron. I have to do that at least one time during the round. I normally hit with that club when I'm no further than 80 yards out. I thought that I could 'muscle' the shot a little. I hit it nicely but in the air I could see that it was going to come up short of the green.
You are wondering what this game of golf has to do with my blog? There are hundreds of different possibilities in the game of golf. From shot to shot there are various angles and a lot of thought that must be considered to come up with what you hope will be the perfect shot. Life is very similiar to golf. There are many right ways to do things and there are some bad ways too. It is up to us to study things out, make a solid decision, and then carry out the decision that we made. With consistency, good decision-making, and proper execution, life seems to play out in a relatively good way. That doesn't mean that a 'bunker' isn't somewhere on the course but even then there are ways to get out of the sand of life. From one shot to the next take a good look at your club selection. The shots that you make will have bearing on how you feel your life is going. I'm grateful for my life and the shots that I face each and every day.

Prepare. Listen. Obey.

Specific promptings come to each one of us from time to time.  We need to be prepared to listen and to obey.  I think that it is appropriate to share a part of a message written by a modern-day prophet in our time.

 

"I have a friend who prays every day to meet someone who is prepared to receive the gospel. He carries with him a copy of the Book of Mormon. The night before a short trip, he decided not to take a copy with him but instead to carry a pass-along card. But as he got ready to leave, a spiritual impression came to him: “Take a Book of Mormon with you.” He put one in his bag.

When a woman he knew sat next to him on the trip, he wondered, “Is this the one?” She rode with him again on the return trip. He thought, “How should I bring up the gospel?”

Instead, she said to him, “You pay tithing to your church, don’t you?” He said he did. She said she was supposed to pay tithing to her church but didn’t. Then she asked, “What can you tell me about the Book of Mormon?”

He explained that the book is scripture, another witness of Jesus Christ, translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith. She seemed interested, so he reached into his bag and said, “I was impressed to bring this book with me. I think it is for you.”

She began to read it. As they parted, she said, “You and I are going to have more conversations about this.”

What my friend could not know—but what God did know—was that she was looking for a church. God knew she had watched my friend and wondered why his church made him so happy. God knew she would ask about the Book of Mormon and that she would be willing to be taught by the missionaries. She was prepared. So was my friend. You and I can also be prepared.

The preparation we need is in our mind and our heart. The woman had heard and remembered words about the Book of Mormon, the Lord’s restored Church, and the commandment to pay tithes to God. And she had felt the beginning of the witness of truth in her heart.

The Lord has said He will reveal truth to our mind and our heart by the Holy Ghost.  Most of the people you will meet have had the beginning of that preparation. They have heard or read of God and His word. If their hearts are soft enough, they have felt, however faintly, a confirmation of truth.

The woman was prepared. So was my friend, the Latter-day Saint who had studied the Book of Mormon. He had felt a witness that it is true, and he recognized the direction from the Spirit to take a copy with him. He was prepared in his mind and his heart.

God is preparing people to receive your testimony of restored truth. He requires your faith and then your action to share fearlessly what has become so precious to you and to those you love.

Prepare to share by filling your mind every day with the truths of the gospel. As you keep the commandments and honor your covenants, you will feel the testimony of the Spirit and more of the Savior’s love for you and for those you meet.

If you do your part, you will increasingly have the sweet experience of meeting people who are prepared to hear your testimony of the truth—offered from heart to heart, yours to theirs."  (Henry B. Eyring.)

 

Our job is to be prepared and then listen to the instruction we will receive in our daily lives.  We all have some experience in this arena.  There are people who pray, every day, that somebody will come to their aid.  I hope that I will always be ready to help.

I Learned From My Mom

Do you remember the time that you learned how to tie your shoes for the first time?  It is quite clear in my mind although it was many years ago. 
One end of the shoelace on top of the other.  Then form one loop and wrapping the other end around the loop and through the hole.  Grab hold of both loops made and pull it tight.  It seemed so hard at first but with some practice it has become second nature. 
My mom's patience was unwavering.  She knew that I would get it one day and she stood by my side with confidence in my ability.
So many other lessons have been learned from her. 
I have learned that through hard work and endurance I can learn anything, from a good teacher.  Thanks to my mom!  I love you for all that you do to teach me and help me.

You Can Find It Here

I was looking over something on the computer.  It was a PowerPoint presentation that somebody else had created.  I was attempting to make a change to the background but couldn't figure out how to do it.
"Let me show you how to do it."  I heard those words in my mind because our eight year old son Danny says them all the time.  These kids are very smart and I think the reality is that they are not afraid to press an unknown button and wait to see what happens.
It is a true blessing to have the computer in our day and time.  The blessings of the Internet are incredible too. 
I am thankful for the time that I live.  It is an exciting time filled with great opportunities.

Reach Your Potential

I have been learning about reaching your potential.  That is a difficult thing to do.  In fact, for each of us to reach that pinnacle we must first face the challenges that hold us back.
I recently met a man who struggles when speaking in front of an audience.  He told me that it is the single fear that he has in his life--he would rather do anything else.  I watched his hands tremble as he was asked to speak in front of a group.  He did it with courage and strength.  We all must face the fears that trouble us. 


On May 25, 2001, Erik Weihenmayer became the only blind man in history to reach the summit of the world's highest peak - Mount Everest.


Sometimes we need to step out of the shadows of our 'comfort zone' and stretch ourselves out.  It is hard but the struggles we have seem to make us that much better.