The Progression of Reality

The Progression of Reality

I felt prompted today to write of and experience I had in the Rexburg, Idaho temple sometime in the fall of 2015.

As I usually try to do, I had been preparing myself throughout the day prior to attending, so as to invite the Spirit prayerfully into my heart and be open to learn and be instructed during my time in the temple.  I also arrived early before the session, so I could have time to sit in the chapel area and pray and prepare myself before the session started.

As myself and the other patrons were eventually led by the officiators into the first room, representing the world in which we now live, I found myself seated next to a young man who appeared to be in his early to mid-20s, most likely a college student from BYU-Idaho.  He was trim, with blond hair and glasses, but I noticed almost immediately that he was chewing some bubble gum.  As the lights dimmed and the movie presentation began, he began to chew on his gum more vigorously, and also began quietly, but consistently blowing small bubbles of gum, then pull the bubble of gum back into his mouth with a muffled “pop” and then begin earnestly chewing and repeating the process over again.  As the session progressed, he also began to nervously bounce his foot up and down, first one leg, then another.

I have to admit, that I was quite distracted throughout the session, and as our time in the first room progressed, I found myself getting annoyed, frustrated and focused upon him rather than paying attention to what was being taught.  But I didn’t say anything, not wanting to add to any of the distraction for the other patrons, but in my heart I was passing judgment on his behaviors as being inappropriate for the environment of the temple.  After all, his behaviors were detracting and preventing me from having the temple experience I was personally seeking after.

As the ordinance progressed the time approached for us to move to the next room, and while walking into the brighter and lighter space, I determined that I was going to try to quit paying attention to the young man, and instead try to more fully focus on the ordinance itself.  After all, I had been preparing myself all day to come to the temple, not only to do some ordinance work for one of my ancestors, but to also be instructed by the Lord with what He wanted me to learn that day.  The young man sat next to me, and his behaviors still continued, but I was more successful in feeling the Spirit as I blocked out much of the distraction and focused on the sacredness of the experience and looking forward to progressing towards what was still to come.

Later, once in the Celestial room, representative of passing into Heaven, I breathed a sigh of relief and finally put all of my previous thoughts and frustrations aside and spent a few moments in prayer, asking the Lord to open my eyes and help me be open to anything He might want to teach me.  After a few moments I felt prompted to open my eyes.

As I looked up, I almost instantly noticed the fidgeting young man seated a short way across the room.  His eyes were closed, his feet planted on the floor evenly in front of him, his back upright but his head bowed.  His hands were placed out on top of his thighs but struggled to stay still as they grasped and then released the fabric of his pants.  But it was the agony on his face that struck me the most.  His features were contorted in frustration, and as my eyes and heart were suddenly opened by the Spirit, I realized how hard he was fighting just to try to stay still and pray… but his body would not let him do so.

My heart instantly became changed as I realized for the first time, that this young man must suffer from some type of disorder that made it almost impossible for him to hold still.  I considered that with such a condition, what a monumental effort of faith it must take to have to force yourself to sit in one place for nearly two hours of an endowment session.  Now, having endured through it all, he simply wanted to find a few moments of relief in the Celestial room, and be able to pray in peace and stillness to his Heavenly Father… but it was a bitter fight against his fidgeting flesh to do so.

My heart reach out towards this young man and up towards heaven in his behalf.  Now, rather than judgement, I had a glimpse of understanding and my soul welled up instead with compassion and pleading for him that he could find a least a few moments of the stillness and peace he so desperately sought after in this holy place.

Looking around the room, I quickly noticed other patrons in prayer and contemplation.  One man sat off in the corner, bent forward with his elbows upon his knees and his hands clasped earnestly together.  His brow was knit with concern and his mouth silently opened and closed in a fervent and heartfelt prayer that only Heaven could hear.  I pondered over who he might be praying for with such energy and conviction, perhaps a wayward prodigal child?  Or maybe a loved one suffering from a significant health condition?  Perhaps a wife who was struggling with her testimony?  I did not know, but it was evident that his emotions were of such depth that certainly a loving Heavenly Father could not help but hear and understand the feelings of this man’s soul.

With my eyes opened in such a manner, I realized that all the patrons in the room were quietly facing their own personal situations, seeking for answers, peace and comfort that could not be found in the world outside.  But in faith, they were all here with me.  I closed my eyes and the nature of my prayer changed, not to seeking that the Lord would answer my own selfish, personal prayers and petitions, but that He would accept some small measure of my faith and instead grant the struggling souls of those around me with the desires that they were righteously seeking for.

Suddenly, the Spirit shifted my focus from the others back to myself, and I realized that what I had come seeking in my own journey to the temple had been provided and answered all along.  I had come to seek for the further light and understanding that the Lord wanted me to know… and it had been granted.

In the Telestial environment, representative of the world in which we live, I had been easily distracted by the things around me, and was quick to pass judgement and lose focus on the things of greater importance.  My eyes and understanding were veiled to some degree and with my attention diverted away from the Lord, I had passed through much of the experience missing what was being taught by ordinance itself.  I was too concerned and judgmental about others, who seemed to be interfering with what I thought should be happening for my own benefit.

As I shifting my focus more towards the Lord and less on the temporal distractions around me, I was led into a room of more light and taught about a higher degree of consecration and commitment to do God’s will, and those things which had bothered me before were of far less importance to what I was experiencing previously.

Finally, advancing to a Celestial environment, my eyes were finally opened and I was allowed to see things more as they really are.  My attention was shifted not away from those around me, but instead I was directed to look back upon them, but with eyes that now saw and understood more from God’s perspective.  Rather than judgement, I was moved with compassion and sought for their welfare rather than my own selfish desires… and by having that shift in focus, I finally received and was taught through the Spirit, the great and profound lesson the Lord wanted to teach me, and what I needed to come and find that day for myself.

I realize from this experience, that the goal in life, and part of the purpose of the temple, is to not only teach us about the great blessings which are waiting to be claimed after we pass through the veil of mortality and into the heavens beyond, but is instead to teach us how to see with progressively more light.  In that revealing light we can focus more intently upon the Lord, become less distracted and frustrated by those around us, and  be able to see things… right here and right now in our present living situation… from a more heavenly vantage point.  In doing so, we are able to see others and life around us more in the way the Savior sees them, and shift our focus away from our own personal desires, instead to doing the will of the Father and lifting, praying for and helping those around us through their own struggles and challenges.

With this higher form of living and seeing and serving, I believe we don’t have to wait to pass through the veil to the other side, but instead will invite more of Heaven into our own hearts each and every day along the way.

As C.S. Lewis wrote: “Earth, I think, will not be found by anyone to be in the end a very distinct place. I think earth, if chosen instead of Heaven, will turn out to have been, all along, only a region in hell:  and earth, if put second to Heaven, to have been from the beginning a part of Heaven itself.”

SPROUTING WINGS

I remember once when I was a young boy of about 5-6 years old, I had an extremely vivid dream during which I found myself able to fly around like Superman.  In this dream I was flying above the town in which I lived, buzzing over my house and around my neighborhood, while all the neighbor kids were jealously looking up and cheering at me.

It was such a feeling of complete joy and exhilaration to be able to swoop and soar at will with complete control over the laws and effects of gravity and the world below me, that when I eventually awoke from this dream and came to the sad realization that I couldn’t really fly… I sobbed into my pillow for quite some time.

I also remember going to Sunday school as a young boy and being surprised when my teacher told me that the angels mentioned in the scriptures don’t really have wings.  I was baffled wondering “how would they be able to fly around, protect us and do what God wanted them to do if they don’t have wings?”

While this was confusing to me as a child, I later learned about how the Lord uses symbolism to teach certain principles or doctrines, and that sometimes things are figurative in their meaning.  I have also discovered that when the Lord speaks in the scriptures, the meaning of what He says is usually masterfully layered, so that over time and depending on the Spirit with which we read them, the same words or verses can open up to new and different levels of understanding.

Just this past week, as I happened to be studying in Isaiah I came across verse 2 of chapter 6, in which it mentions that Isaiah saw seraphim, “each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.”

This once again caused me to ponder over the possible meaning of these “wings”, so I did a little looking and came to find out that the original Hebrew word for wings is “kenapayim” which can also be translated as "veil" or “refuge.”  Some scholars suggest this may refer to a "protective field" or form of energy field which allows God’s angels to move about with power and also conceal or manifest themselves at will.

This got me thinking of how the Lord, in several instances, describes himself “as a hen gathereth her chicks under her wings" (in a protective, veiling and concealing manner) "but ye would not".

In this world of fluctuating moral standards, shifting political landscapes, uncertain economic futures, and general unpredictability, we probably all find ourselves at times, running around like a scared Chicken Little, wondering when the sky is going to fall on our heads.

If we could only allow ourselves to more fully trust in and come unto Him, instead of running about like a bunch of scared chicks trying to do things in our own feeble way, we could be enveloped in His protective “wings” (power, energy and refuge) and be thus more empowered to move about in our lives with the ability to do His will (like his angels) as well as be veiled and protected from the influence of the world and the adversary.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Lord, give us "wings" so that we might fly!

I’m sure that once we are able to gain those kind of wings, it will be much more exhilarating and fulfilling than the fleeting flight of my childish dreams.

Night Terrors – Why God lets us find our way to the Light

I am generally a pretty good sleeper.  In fact, the problem usually comes in the waking up department.  But as time has gone on and the years have accumulated, my bladder seems to be helping me wake up at a decent hour whether I am ready or not.  But getting a good, consistent, restful night sleep hasn’t always been the case.

            Back when I was a graduate student, our second son who was between 2-3 years old at the time, suffered from what came to be known as “night terrors.”  For some unknown reason, about 3 to 4 nights a week, he would wake up screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night.  At first this was extremely disturbing, as his cries were literally blood-curdling, as if he was being tortured, or subjected to the worst horrors imaginable.

            My wife and I would be jolted out of a sound slumber, which after a long day of graduate studies was a prized possession, to what sounded like the boogie man had come out from under our son’s bed or closet to torment him.  During those first few episodes, my heart would suddenly be pounding as my parental instincts kicked in, and the adrenaline began pumping, and I would jump out of bed ready to fight to the death with whoever or whatever was in our apartment attacking my son.

We would get him out of bed, inspect him for signs of trauma, wondering if he had been bitten by some spider or something, but never finding anything.  His eyes would be open, completely wide-eyed, but glazed over as if he were lost in another terrifying dimension.  We would hold him, hug him, speak soothing words to him and try to get him to calm down as he thrashed around like a wild-man.  As a father, I have never felt so helpless as during those moments, when it seemed that there was nothing I could do to help ease what fictitious events were going on his mind.  There was no enemy to defend him from, and our efforts to calm him would allow him to drift back off to fitful sleep, only to awaken both him and us 20-30 minutes later to the same terrified cries once again.  When we would awaken exhausted the next morning after little sleep, our son would be happy and fine, and have absolutely no recollection of any bad dreams or being up with us at all.

We took him to doctors, who examined and tested him, and diagnosed him with what they called, “Night Terrors”, which they explained were not extremely uncommon among children and even in more rare cases among some adults.  It is a condition similar to a nightmare, but magnified with great intensity and depth, and often accompanied with physical thrashing and/or sleep walking.  The doctors were sympathetic, but pretty much told us to just deal with it and eventually he would “probably” grow out of it.

As the sleepless night accumulated over time, they began to take their toll, as all of our efforts to try and make him wake up and come out of his trance-like states, only led to prolonged and repeated episodes throughout those particular nights.  I can only imagine what our neighbors through the apartment walls must have thought we were doing to our children, and looking back, am surprised we weren’t turned in to child protective services to be investigated for abuse, as I’m sure it sounded like we were conducting pagan rituals on our children.

One night, as another episode drug my wife and I wearily out of bed, I carried him down the stairs of our townhouse apartment and feeling too tired to try to hold and deal with his thrashings, just laid him down on the carpet in the middle of the living room, sat next to my wife on the couch and decided to just let him deal with it.  He went through his normal twisting contortions and ear-splitting screams for several minutes, and even got up and staggered around, all the time with his eyes wide open and filled with that terrified, glazed over, haunted look.

But then something happened…. All of the sudden he quit walking and thrashing around, stopped where he was standing in the middle of the floor, his eyes focused on my wife and I, he looked around as if he was thinking, ‘what are you  doing up in the middle of the night?’ and he said, “I’m tired and want to go to bed.”  My wife and I looked at each other in surprise, got him a drink of water and he walked himself back up the stairs to his bedroom and then he fell quickly back asleep, and slept well through the remainder of the evening without another episode.

These episodes still occurred randomly over the next year or so, but mercifully gradually tapered off in their intensity and frequency.  All of our initial attempts, although done out of care and loving concern, had been focused on physically trying to comfort him and forcefully wake him up from his delusional states, only to have him experience the horrible episodes over and over again throughout the night. What we realized was, that if we just kept our distance and made sure he didn’t severely injury himself, he would eventually come to his senses, wake up and realize that he wanted to be back in his bed where it was more comfortable and he could rest.

Somehow, we all survived those many long nights, and eventually (Hallelujah!!!) he quit having the night terrors all together.  Today, as something sparked those memories in my brain, I also had a realization of how those experiences mirror much about how our loving Heavenly Father reacts to our troubles in life.

In the scriptures, the apostle Paul taught that in this life, “We see through a glass darkly” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Much like our young son, we often walk about with glazed eyes, clouded over by our worldly cares and concerns which haunt our thoughts and distort our perception of the reality and true purpose of why we are experiencing the things we are going through.

This mortal journey is fraught with countless experiences which cause us grief, heartache, sorrow, and unfortunately sometimes even encounters with true wickedness and evil which inflict their terrors upon us.  Our wise Heavenly Father, although He cares for us with an unending love and compassion, realizes that if He were to immediately step in and try to forcefully fix every trauma that came our way, we would likely not come to a realization of our situation for ourselves, (and much like our son re-living his terrors over and over) we would very likely end up repeating the same mistakes and heartache over and over again… much like a bad nightmare.

Instead, He knows that if he watches over us from a distance, and provides enough support to make sure we don’t inure ourselves too badly, that eventually we will “awake” from our situation, and realize that we don’t really like where things have taken us.  Once we come to an awareness of things as they really are, and can shed the irrationality of our earthly concerns and worries, we are able to choose, by our own volition, to walk to higher spiritual ground where His peace and rest await us.

Too often in life, we want to cry out towards the Heavens, through our glazed over spiritual eyes, and wonder why, if Heavenly Father love us, does He seem to stand back and let us struggle and thrash around without providing a means of deliverance for us from the unpleasantness of our situations.  But in reality, He knows from vast and perfect experience, that the only way we can truly find the comfort and lasting peace He has to offer us, is through allowing us to come to our senses and choose to take ourselves out of those feelings and situations.  Once we use our agency and come to terms with those realities around us, then He can truly change us into what He knows we have the potential to become.

As I mentioned, our son was able to eventually grow out of those horrible childhood night terrors, and has gone on to live a normal, successful and wonderful life and has even married and become a father of his own children.

Much in the same way, if we can awaken from our spiritual slumbers, we can choose to grow out of our own self-imposed “night terrors” and with the Lord’s divine guidance, walk along His path to something better… even progressing to become like Him!

“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” – (1 Corinthians 13:11)

The Triumph of Defeat

The Triumph of Defeat

A few mornings ago, actually while I was in the midst of my morning prayers, I had a memory come into my mind from nearly 32 years ago.  It was from the fall of 1984 during a football practice on the Monday of the week leading up to the first game of my senior year of High School football.

I had worked extremely hard during the off season to come into fall camp in the best shape of my life, with the hopes that I would be the starting Center of the offensive line as the Madison High School Bobcat football team began its season.

The football team had just won two consecutive undefeated state titles the previous two years, and expectations were high as an experienced group of seniors led another talented team onto the fall gridiron.

We were led by a wonderful coach, Preston Haley, who somehow knew how to turn boys into men, pull every ounce of talent out of a bunch of scrappy farm boys, and then somehow even get a little bit more beyond that.

After two weeks of fall camp I was feeling comfortable in the starting spot at the center position… or so I thought.

We had 6 experienced senior offensive lineman, but only 5 starting spots.

Me in the back left corner

The biggest battle was raging between the two guys at the left tackle position, Darren Klingler and Dean Struhs. As we entered the final week of practice before our first game of the season, Dean had fallen into the 2^nd spot behind Darren at that position going into the first game.  Determined to play, Dean talked to the coach and decided to challenge me for my spot at center.

It was announced before practice that day, and Coach Haley set up a series of physical skills against each other, culminating in a one on one blocking drill to see who could best the other and win the starting spot. Such a challenge could be issued on the Monday of any week, but only on that Monday, so the starters could practice together during the remainder of the team drills leading up to the game each Friday night.

I had one small problem going against me… Dean was bigger than I was.

(Me center, Dean on the upper right)

As the battle raged on I was determined to not lose the position I had worked so long and hard to win during the entire off season.  After a lengthy, grueling series of gladiator-like battles, both of us were beginning to fatigue.  Suddenly, one of my feet slipped, and I went down… and in an instant, Dean Struhs moved into the starting center spot going into the first game at the end of the week.

I was devastated, crushed, and needless to say, pretty upset at Dean for taking the spot I thought I had rightfully earned through so much effort leading up to that point.  Relegated to practicing with the second string that day, a searing anger began to burn within me, and I told Dean he better not get comfortable there, because I was going to win that spot back from him the following week.  But in my broken heart, I had doubt if I could do it.

Sensing the situation, and realizing that the hard feelings could be detrimental to our team effort that year, a wise Coach Haley and one of our senior team Captains, Stuart Cardon asked me to come into the office after practice that day.  Stuart was the smallest of our lineman and played at the left guard position, between center and tackle.  He was a tough kid and in addition to being the starting left guard that year, he was also the starting middle linebacker on the defensive side of the ball.  They suggested that for the betterment of the team, that Stuart would like to give up his left guard position to me, so that he could save his energy more for the defensive side of the ball, and that since I had good mobility for a lineman, that I would be able to fit the pulling guard spot better than Dean could.

I was still upset, and had been determined in my mind to want to stay at center, but as they talked to me, it just felt right… and I really wanted to start in that first game of my senior season, so I agreed.

Switching to left guard was the best decision I could have ever made.  I found that I loved the blocking assignments of that position so much better than at the center spot.  There was nothing better than pulling down the line on a trap play and plowing into an unsuspecting opponent to clear the hole for one of our talented running backs, or to pull around the end on a sweep play and come up against a much smaller defensive back that I could physically dominate to clear the way for a speedy tailback to sprint towards the end zone.

Our team went on that year to win our 3^rd straight state championship title.

That year was the best of my football career, and I played alongside Dean as a trusted teammate instead of a bitter or defeated rival.  After the season I even received a scholarship offer to play for Snow College, a Junior college in Utah.

Life took me on different path to a church mission, and I fell in love with my wonderful wife, and I never ended up playing another down of competitive football again after our state championship game of that fall in 1984.

Looking back now, instead of the bitterness and defeat I felt when I lost my starting spot, I am now grateful to Dean for his challenge to me that day.  It taught me several valuable and important lessons that have helped me through my life.

I learned that sometimes, despite our best efforts, things don’t always work out the way WE want them to.  I learned that you should never get too comfortable, take anything for granted or feel entitled to what you think you may have earned, because it can be taken away in an instant.  I learned that sometimes when things don’t work out the way you expected, and a door seems to close in your face, that another and sometimes much better pathway opens up far greater than what you had planned on.  I also learned that when life gets tough, the Lord has often placed wise and caring people around us, like a Coach Haley and a Stuart Cardon, to show us kindness and offer to help us see our way through those difficulties.  That experience also taught me how to realize that our lives are full of different seasons, that things like football eventually come to an end, and other seasons like marriage, parenthood, and other rewarding endeavors can take their place, and that we should always enjoy each season of our life while it lasts.

These are just a few of the valuable life lessons I learned from the football gridiron throughout those early years of my life.  And I am grateful for Dean and what his challenge taught me.

Sadly, Dean passed away several years ago from a sudden heart attack, leaving behind a wife and family.  One of his sons Mitch now plays football for Arizona State, fulfilling both his and his father’s dream of playing competitive football.

I don’t really know Mitch or his family, but during my prayer that morning, when this memory was jolted into my mind, I felt I should reach out and share this story with him, so that he might come to know how Dean, his father, had a lasting impact on my life in positive ways.  And that perhaps it might inspire and help Mitch somehow in his own life and struggles on the gridiron.

And from this experience, I also learned how a wise and loving Heavenly Father sometimes brings things full circle, taking a hard experience for me, turning it into a way for me to grow in many ways, and later allowing that experience to come back around to Dean's family for their betterment as well.

Life is such a wonderful experience!  May we cherish the moments, both good and bad, and be grateful for the meaning behind all that we do!

Eric

Tantalizing Traps

Tantalizing Traps

          After nearly two weeks of recent sub-zero temperatures my wife and I decided that this past weekend we would take advantage of the slightly warmer weather and sunshine, bust out of our hibernation and take our dogs out along the river for a snowshoeing adventure.  I’ve written some about my dogs and their personalities in a previous POST, and this remains true when we are out snowshoeing as well as when I take them for a run.

          Everything started out great and we were all having a wonderful time enjoying the fresh air, “partially warm” sunshine, and the beautiful scenery along the river where we had decided to spend the afternoon.  After the Holidays and all of the excess sweets and goodies which had been consumed, the activity and exertion of trudging through the path of deep snow was just what my body needed.

          With the snow covering the path and making it somewhat more difficult to discern, along with the fact that I felt out of shape and needed to catch my breath, we paused periodically to take in the view and make sure we were on the heading the right direction.  The path meandered along the river on one side, with trees and fallen logs strewn along the other.

 

           Our dogs were enjoying themselves, with our energetic Abby tending to bound ahead, forging her own trail, which zig-zagged back and forth from the icy river bottoms to out in the trees and obstacles on either side of the trail.  While our floppy Bassett hound Missy, whose short legs tended to make snow-breaking difficult, tended to hang pretty close to us and follow in the tracks our snow shoes left behind for easier travel.

          Dogs sometimes have a problem, that when their nose starts working, their brain shuts off.  I remember as I saw them run down to the partially frozen over and still flowing river, that I commented to my wife that I hoped they didn’t fall through the fragile ice, which was full of the game tracks left behind by some lighter birds or smaller animals which had scurried about its surface sometime before.  I wasn’t only worried about the dogs slipping in and getting cold or swept downstream, but also about the possibility that if they did, I might have to leave the safety of the trail and plunge in to get them out, which would pretty much ruin an otherwise wonderful day.

          Focusing along the enticing sights and magnificence of the river on one side, I had failed pay attention so much to the trees and fallen logs along the other side of the trail.  As I stopped to take out my phone for a few pictures, as a pair of Bald Eagles soared over our heads, the air was suddenly pierced by the agonizing and terrified howls of pain of our dog Abby, who had run off into the trees outside the path.

          I could hear her thrashing about behind some fallen logs, and immediately became concerned she had become entangled in a fight with some slumbering badger or other wild creature which was obviously getting the better of her, as her cries were that of helplessness and terror.  My wife was ahead of me and ran ahead screaming in fright, as I was trying to grab my walking poles as a means of defense if I had to fight off some wild creature.

          By the time I looked up, my wife was also rolling around on the ground behind the logs and screaming for help, I my heart pounded in fright as I ran to try to protect them!

          As I came upon the scene, I realized that our dog, in her bounding search for excitement off the edges of the path, had stepped in a wild game trap, which had been placed by some trapper.  This steel trap was secured to one of the fallen logs by a thick steel chain.

My wife was trying to hold her still, and in the confusion and pain, and not understanding that she was trying to help, our dog had bitten her on the hand.  As I instructed my wife to hold our dog as still as possible, I was able to brush away the loose snow and find the release levers for the trap, and with some effort, push them down to release the spring and allow our dogs foot to finally come free.

Slightly bloodied, sore and subdued, our dog hunkered down alongside us on the path, licking her wounds as my wife comforted her, assessed her own bruised and bitten hand, and our hearts all tried to regain a normal rhythm.  In nervousness I began to look around, suddenly alert and apprehensive, and quickly discovered that at least two more traps were set nearby, cleverly and expertly hidden along both sides of the path beneath a slight covering of snow, but with the menacing steel teeth of their jaws visible in their concealed position.

Worried that our dogs might accidentally step into the closest one to where we were standing I used a stick to trigger the trap, and despite knowing what would happen, still jumped as the metal jaws snapped tight and held fast to the stick so securely that I could not pull it free.  My wife then wisely advised me, that rather that searching about and trying to remove the threat of any other unseen traps and risking getting caught unawares in one ourselves, that it would be best to stay on the path we already knew was safe, and retrace our steps back towards home.

In the end, our dog was luckily alright, with only a bruised and slightly bloodied paw, which she is now walking around on without any limp.  And my wife, who was luckily wearing a glove, had only some bruising and soreness from being accidentally bitten in the confusion of the moment.

I couldn’t’ help but come away from the adventure with a sense of pondering about the lessons that could be learned from the experience.

(Now I want to make sure, and have it clearly understood, that I am in no way condemning the trapper who laid those snares along the river way.  I support anyone’s legal right to hunt, fish or trap as they please – but am just using the true story to prove a point.)

Much like is described in the Book of Mormon, Lehi’s vision describes a safe path which leads to a “Tree of Life”, which is beset by distractions, a river on one side, mists of darkness which lead to pitfalls and snares of wickedness.  The only way to safely arrive at the desired destination is to hold fast to a rod of iron which runs along the pathway.

Such is true for both our snowshoe hike and our daily walk through life.  There is a safe path which is designated for us to travel through life.  It is contained in the Commandments, Holy Scriptures teachings of the prophets, and the guidance of the Holy Ghost, all of which are there to help us see more clearly the path which leads safely through the traps and snares of the adversary.

Often times, because we are mortal, and easily distracted by the enticements of life and what is constantly before us outside the safety of the path, we wander in “exploration” and find, after it is too late, that we or someone we love is caught in a trap from which we cannot free ourselves.  We have all likely personally experienced or at least know someone who has suffered from the effects of drug addiction, pornography, alcoholism, smoking, or a countless list of other destructive behaviors.

If we have loved ones going through such difficulties, or are experiencing them ourselves, we must realize that there are those around us who love us, and like my wife will reach out with steadying and supportive arms to try and keep us from harm.  Without knowing, those ensnared may react defensively, not realizing they are trying to help.  But those who love us will always be there.

But despite all of that, there is one thing that is absolutely necessary to truly become free from the trappings of life – someone who knows how to truly understand the situation, and has the ability and power to release the trap and fully set us free.  And for that, there is literally only ONE being who can do that for us – our Savior Jesus Christ.

He will not violate our agency, and will let us experience life, but he has set a straight and narrow path before us that is safe and free from danger, as long as we stay on the trail.  He knows that there are traps about us, which are dressed up and may look more exciting than the consistency of the path, and that is why He came and atoned for our sins and mistakes, so that he knows how to release the traps in which we become helplessly entangled, if we will but call out to Him sincerely for His divine help and assistance.

I should also make it clear, that just stopping sinful behavior doesn’t free us from the trapping of sin. My dog could have sat still in the same place indefinitely, without any further wandering into unsafe areas, but she still would have been caught by the trap until I set her free.  The same is true for us and our sins.  We cannot simply stop the behavior and expect to be free.  We must turn to the Lord who recognized where the trappings of our lives lie, and fully release us from them to be free once again.

This world is so very troubled and confused, with morals and ethics which are as unstable as shifting sand.  Thank God for his stable and sure footed pathway, which can lead us safely through, and for our divine Deliverer, who is able to set us free and return us to solid and safe ground once again when we have gone astray!

The Plague of Unbelief

The Plague of Unbelief

For any of you who have read some of my previous blogs, you may soon recognize that this one is not only much more serious in its tone, but also much more important as to the content of its message.  And that’s because I feel prompted to hopefully raise some awareness concerning a PLAGUE of which almost every single person on the planet is suffering.

“A plague?!” you ask.

Yes.  Absolutely.  Now let me explain what kind of plague I am talking about and why it is so important to our welfare both during this mortal journey and throughout the eternities to come after we eventually die.

The definition of the word “Plague” refers to something that is “an epidemic, widespread, something that causes continual trouble or distress to, afflict, torment, trouble,” and so forth.

The plague of which I speak, is the Plague of Unbelief.

They say that the first and most important step in overcoming a problem, is to first recognize and admit that you actually have a problem that needs to be addressed.  And therefore, as part of my own personal attempt to overcome my UNBELIEF, I will be the first one to admit that it afflicts me likely as much as it does anyone else who suffers because of it.

What I am focusing on here DOESN’T have anything to do with science, the philosophies of men, political schemes or secular notions and social programs.  What I am talking about is the epidemic of Unbelief which afflicts all things spiritually in our lives and strips us of the ability to fully receive of God’s promised blessings.

Let me give a few examples of what I am talking about: (and I will preface these examples by saying that they come from my perspective and beliefs as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).  We read and believe in the stories from the Scriptures and accept them as reality, but fail to believe that the same rules apply to us in our own personal lives.

For example, we read the account in 1 Kings 17 of when the prophet Elijah went to the widow during a time of severe famine, and asked her to exert her faith and belief by preparing the last bit of her food, which she was about to prepare for her and her son as their last meal before they died.  He said to her, “Fear not; go and do… and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and thy son.  For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.”  We know that the scriptures then tell us the outcome that, ‘and the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which He spake by Elijah.”

What we see in this example is how the Lord can take something small that in and of itself isn’t very much, and multiply and bless it to become something of far greater and more lasting worth.  We read that story in the scriptures and believe and rejoice in the simple truth of the account, BUT when many are asked by the Lord’s servants to pay our Tithing as commanded in the Scriptures, they struggle to believe that doing so will bless them more than if they selfishly keep the 10% for themselves. The Lord has promised us that if we will pay and honest tithe, he will “open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).  We may struggle to pay tithes because although we have faith in what the scriptures say, we fail to believe that those same promises apply to us personally.

Another example we read and readily believe is the account of Moses (in the book of Numbers), when the Israelites were afflicted and being bitten by fiery serpents, Moses, following the commandment of the Lord, made a brass serpent and fastened it to the end of a pole and instructed the people who were bitten, to look upon the brass serpent on the pole and they would be healed. Yet, “because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished” (1 Nephi 17:41).  We read such a story and quickly proclaim how foolish they were to not perform something simple act which could have saved them, BUT when our personal trials and afflictions and life are bringing us down, how often do we quickly turn to internet distractions, secular philosophies and scientific cures rather than the simple act of turning to look to Christ who can heal us from all of our infirmities. “And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto life which is eternal.” (Helaman 8:15).

How often have we heard and readily believed the scriptural account of Noah building his Ark, while also calling upon the people to repent, so that they would not suffer the calamity of the flood which God was about to pour out upon the earth to cleanse it from wickedness.  Yet when our current living Prophet and Apostles have warned us and called upon us to protect the sanctity of the family in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” many struggle to support and sustain those leaders; Instead, trying to justify the worldly views and trends regarding same-sex marriage, transgender behaviors, and are actively engaged in the destructive habits of pornography, are quick to file for divorce when things in their marriages become difficult, etc…  In this discussion I am not wanting to state anything judgmental against those who suffer from these behaviors, but as we see the world descending into chaos around us, with gang violence, teenagers engaging in Knock-out games, civil rights and entitlement protests, mass shootings, and other endless behaviors which demonstrate our societal decay, far too many people tend to look to political solutions, social programs, entitlement programs, etc.. Rather than looking to the cure for the problem, which lies in establishing and sustaining wholesome family values and relationships.  The prophets even warned us in the above listed Proclamation, much like Noah did as he was building the Ark, “WE WARN that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”

We believe the Lord’s commandment to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,” but fail to believe that our personal worldly behaviors on the Sabbath day will have a spiritual detriment to our well-being.

We proclaim and profess faith that the temples are the "House of the Lord", but our Unbelief causes us to think that other worldly activities are more important than attending and worshiping there regularly.

We have faith in God’s commandments to “Love Him and Love thy neighbor as thy self”, but then fail to keep His commandments, and feel justified in holding onto personal grudges against those who have different religious, political or social viewpoints.  We suffer from the Unbelief that those things apply to us in our circumstances and therefore we are justified in our unrepentant behaviors.

We believe that the widow’s mite was of greater worth than the public donations made by the publicans, yet our Unbelief often leads us into behaviors in attempt to gain the praise of men for our actions, instead of simply giving from our heart to those around us in anonymity.  On the flip side of that equation, when we do give the small amount that we can based on our meager circumstances, we often suffer from the Unbelief that such efforts don’t have merit in the eyes of the Lord, who in reality looks upon the intent of our heart, rather than the size of the offerings we give.

We believe and have faith that Christ can forgive the woman taken in adultery, or forgive and make a righteous servant out of someone wicked like Saul/Paul, and that He even has enough love to forgive those who were crucifying Him, saying “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.”  Yet we are plagued by the Unbelief that He can forgive us of our trespasses if we will but turn to Him and commit to doing His will.

We read of His miraculous healings of blindness, leprosy, crippling infirmities, and even raising people from the dead, yet we often suffer from the Unbelief that such healings can take place in our own lives through His infinite Grace and the authority and power of His priesthood.

We rejoice as He calmed to storm upon the sea, but fail to believe that He can calm to storms of life and the tempests which rage in our own souls.

In a book entitled, “The Triumph of Zion”, John Pontius once wrote:  “Our every act is driven by a belief.  Whether that belief is based upon truth, or upon a misconception, determines whether that act is righteous or evil.  Often, our faith can be profound, while our belief about how that faith applies to us can limit, or even eliminate, our enjoyment of the fruits of our faith.  Such faith opposing belief is called ‘unbelief’ in the scriptures.  It is not necessarily an absence of faith and can coexist with faith quite companionably. But it is nevertheless an effective and often long-lived damnation of our faith…  So it is unbelief, not necessarily a lack of faith, but unbelief that keeps us captive in a state of wickedness.  Does it seem harsh to characterize unbelief as wickedness? What is wickedness if not something that destroys our faith?  False beliefs always send us off in pursuit of some path other than the one that leads to exaltation.  And pursuing a forbidden path is always the result of failure to heed His voice…  Our minds are robbed of the light of our own faith through our inability to believe the truths that surround us.”

49 And the whole world lieth in sin, and groaneth under darkness and under the bondage of sin.

 50 And by this you may know they are under the bondage of sin, because they come not unto me.

 51 For whoso cometh not unto me is under the bondage of sin.

 52 And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me.

 53 And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groaneth under sin and darkness even now.

 54 And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—

 55 Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. (D&C 84: 49-55)

In summary, I will confess again that I myself, along with all of humanity, suffer to one degree or another from the Plague of Unbelief.  My only hope is that we might all cling more firmly to the faith which exists in our hearts, rather than in the unbelief which often exists in our minds.

I hope we can all realize that the source of overcoming Unbelief, is the same source of all peace, happiness and joy that is to be found - in our Savior Jesus Christ.  He literally is the Way, the Truth, and the Light which illuminates our path in the darkness!

When we find ourselves faced with the symptoms of this plague of Unbelief, I hope and pray that we might answer as did the hopeful father, who brought his crippled child unto the Lord, as found in Mark 9:23-24, “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.  And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; HELP THOU MINE UNBELIEF.”