The New Truck!

Do you know a stubborn person? Do they think they know everything? Is that person you?

 I know I am, at times, all three of these people. While driving I thought of how I could change that and the spirit taught me in an analogy. The analogy was entitled "The New Truck!" I was driving one of my dads trucks that we have had for years. Earlier that day I asked how you extend the mirrors out so that I could see around the huge trailer I was pulling. He had replied "I don't remember it's been so long since I have done it and they don't work, they're broken." However he went to the truck with me to attempt the widening of the mirrors with me. He fiddled around for a little and finally remembered how to do it. As he moved the switch the driver mirror moved out, he tried the passenger side and as he remembered it didn't move, but I learned something that morning, and didn't realize it until 3 hrs after the experience when I was driving. I thought to my self how nice of a truck it was and all the different things it could do. I thought this has so many things and I don't know how to do it all maybe I should pull out the Manual and read the highlights and learn something. As I thought more and more about the truck and gadgets the spirit spoke to me and said what good would this truck be if you didn't know how to run the mirrors or the radio or the seats? And I thought about that more and then the thought came about a man who goes to the dealership, talks with the salesman tells him what he wants. He wants mirrors that extend, he wants the newest radio, with serius/xm radio, a fifth wheel hitch, four wheel drive, and so on. The car salesman gave him what he wanted and showed him how to operate the different devices the man had asked for and told him to look at the manual often so he could remember how to do those things. The man paid for the truck and drove off happily. He never pulled out the owners manual to learn how to run the different devices. He left the radio on the station the sales man had it on and didn't care to change it. He left his seat right where the sales man left it. The fifth wheel hitch down etc. The man loved his truck and over the years forgot what the salesman taught him. While the man knew the essentials he didn't use all the extra things he paid for and had saved his whole life for. 

As I thought about this the spirit made a connection between this story and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Think about us being the truck buyer, Heavenly Father as the salesman and our life as the truck, and the owners manual as the scriptures! We were with our Heavenly Father before coming to this earth. He taught us how we should "drive our truck"  or live our life. He told us to use our "owners manual" often. If we don't use our owners manual we can still "drive the truck" or go through life but how much better would it be if we read the owners manual so that we knew how to opperate the truck or our life! We will be able to change the radio or use the fifth wheel hitch, use the four wheel drive when needed and extend the mirrors to see around obstacles, and see the fuel mileage or our spiritual wellness, and what ever else we want to do. 

I know if we will just read the scriptures that we will remember the things that our Heavenly Father taught us before we came here! I have come to realize that by going to the owners manual often I learn little things about my truck, or life, that I had never realized. I promise that though life is not easy, the way to God is simple! 

Unlikely or Impossible?

Imagine for a second that your playing a sport, and the coach calls you by name and says it is time for you to play! But it will be rough; the score of the other team is nearly 7 billion, and our score is almost 2 billion.

 What would you think? How would you play? Would you play harder or would you just give up? 

Guess what!?!? That is the estimated number of Christians, (2 billion) and Non-christians (7 billion). In Matthew 28:19-20 it tells us, "19 ¶Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." 

We are supposed to teach all nations and help them see the blessings of the gospel, and when they understand it, we are to help them be baptized by proper priesthood authority. 

So that is where we are; our "score" is 2 billion, theirs is 7 billion. This can seem impossible to mankind, but the Lord has declared his help! "....for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." (D&C 84:88)

To be able to have his help to the fullest extent he asks us to do a few things. He asks us to have an eye single to the glory of God. What does that mean and how can we do that? That means to try to walk as Jesus would and only do, say, and act as he would. Now God knows we are not perfect but as we have "a broken heart and a contrite spirit;" the Lord promises it is possible because "he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered." (2 Nephi 2:7)

We as believers in Christ should share what we know with those around us, even if everyone around you is a believer too. We all have struggles in life and I promise something in which you say will always benefit the one you shared it with as well as yourself! It might not be in that moment but it will happen! Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ love us and want us to succeed! They promise us their help and guidance!