The Love of Others

   Once a week as a missionary I get to email my wonderful family and friends back home and express my love to them. I really look forward to this time in the week because I also get to hear from them. Although I can not write them letters during the week, they can write me. I love receiving these letters throughout the week! They are a little boost of love and care that help me to keep going. I was able to get one such letter a few weeks ago.
   This letter was from a dear friend of mine. We have continued to help each other over the last year through the writing of letters. It is a little tradition between us to put a inspiring, funny, or sentimental quote as the P.S. at the end of every letter. Once I put:

"As gold more brilliant than the first appears,
 May our friendship brighten by the lengthening years."

On the next letter she put:

"God doesn't add another day to your life because you need it,
 He adds another day because somebody out there needs you."

 I love this quote! It hit me hard, especially as a missionary. This applied to me in a large amount of ways.
   I quickly memorized the quote and soon we ran across someone that was struggling. This quote came to my mind as I was trying to comfort them. I recited it to them and there was a pause in the conversation afterward. It was needed at that time for that persons benefit. They cheered up and the lesson continued. I was amazed that I was able to help that individual because someone else was helping me.
   A few nights ago, as I was pondering this quote yet again and these lines came to my mind:

"Find a purpose beyond your own,
 Help those who are struggling and feel alone,
 Seek to help those you see around,
 Help those who feel beaten to the ground,

 In this you see a purpose found,
 Kindness and love without a bound,
 The laughter is felt in the air,
 Peace will follow and life without a care."
  
   I jumped out of bed and wrote them down. I was inspired by this quote that a dear friend of mine had put and because of that friend a lot of good was brought to pass. I know that God works through small and simple ways! Because God loves us he gives us things that to some may be small, but to you will make all the difference in the world. I know that God is always there, helping us and guiding us. I am so thankful for my friend who has always been there for me. I know that Jesus Christ is my redeemer and my Savior. I testify in a very personal way that Christ died for me, so that I can become. Through Him and His Atonement everyday is a day of growth and a day of becoming.

When Stuck, Just Listen!!

   I was at a scouting high adventure camp a couple of summers ago. In this particular camp there was a infamous rock face about 100 ft. tall. No one could climb it. I was standing in line to give it a shot. Boy after boy would get strapped in and ready to go, just to come back in a couple minutes scratched, bleeding, and defeated. Not a single one had made it.
   Now it was my turn. I was nervous but up to the challenge. I got all hooked up and ready to go. I checked with the person the was on the other side of the rope to make sure he was ready. My life was in his hands. As  I took a step back to look at where to go, I noticed there were two routes most commonly taken. One was just a strait shot all the way to the top, this was the harder and less traveled one. The other was easier but would take you off to one side. Being that far over was a risk, if you fell, you would swing back to the middle getting battered and bruised in the process. I figured that I could take the easy route and then cross to the middle and reach the top from there.
   I set off. It was easy at first but every foot I went up, I got further from the middle putting myself in greater risk. The only comfort I had was knowing that I was strapped in. I knew that if I fell I would get cut up and would be hurt, but I would still have my life. The person on the other side of the rope would catch me. At least I was praying that he would. I finally got to the point where I wanted to cut across. My arms were burning! There wasn't as many had holds as I had assumed. Fear was seeping in and I couldn't help but begin shaking. I was on a edge about 60 ft. up, trying to hold on for dear life. Now my dad was at the bottom talking me through it. He could see all that I couldn't. He would tell me where to put my hands so that I could make it safety to the center. I really had to trust him. There were some times that I thought I'd know better. As I would go on and not listen, I would find myself in a tricky situation that my dad would have to work me out of it. I did as he directed. Even with his help there were times that I wanted to give up. It isn't worth it I would tell myself. My dad was far below, but I could hear his comforting voice assuring me that I could make it. It was hard but I made it to the center and finished the climb from there with his guidance. None of the other boys had the help from below.
   When I got back to the bottom, my dad hugged me. He told me how proud he was of me and congratulated me on my endurance. I still remember the look in his eyes; so loving and so proud. He was glowing with pride. I felt his love so strong.
   The person that was currently working there said that so many boys would get close and give up, not knowing how close they really were. They couldn't see the end and neither could I. It was only through the help of my dad that I made it.
   In our lives, we can't expect to make it with out our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. Just as I had faith that the person on the other end of the rope would catch me, we need to have faith that Jesus can catch us through his Atonement. Heavenly Father is there. Always guiding us and helping us to take the right steps. If we don't trust Him, we can slip and get hurt but we will still have our lives. Jesus will catch us and then we can try again. No matter how many times we slip Jesus will be there to catch us if we fall.

Living a Balanced Life

   When I was a Senior in high school, the cheerleaders convinced me to join cheer. It took them 6 years but they finally got me. It wasn't nearly as easy as I was expecting. After the first day, my legs were so sore from partner stunting, I couldn't even get out of my desk! I loved it! I made some good friends and I learned a lot about myself.
   When I was cheering, I was in a position called the back spot. I held the flyer's ankles and helped to hold her steady. There were two other cheerleaders in the stunt group called bases, each of them would support a foot. We all had to work together in order to keep the flyer up. The bases were the foundation and it was my job to keep the flyer from falling. It took practice but eventually we were all able to find the balance that worked best for us.
   After we learned to keep the balance as a group, we would begin to work on more difficult skills. We would fall time and time again, but we would never give up. Every time the flyer would fall I would catch her (if I wasn't there the flyer would hit the ground and most likely get hurt very bad).  Then we would reset as a group, get better grips, figure out what we did wrong, and throw her back up to try again. If we couldn't get it, we would need to change out one of the bases and try again. Once we got it, we'd move on to a bigger and better skill. Always improving and always becoming better.
   All of us have principles on which we base our lives. The principles can vary widely; family, faith, love, friends, work, etc. These are our bases. Jesus Christ is our back spot. Every time we fall, he is there to catch us, help us figure out what we did wrong and then to get back up.
    The bases in our lives are more important than we could ever know. Most of the time we don't even realize that we are off balance and have the wrong base. Sometimes we don't have the right balance between our bases. It is then that we switch out a base and try again, maybe trading out work for family.We don't always get it on the first try, or the second, or the third. That is the joy of life. We can always improve and be better.
   We all fall. I for one am very happy when I have Christ to catch me. If I didn't have Jesus Christ to catch me, I would get hurt and I might not be able to get up for quite a while. When I fall, He is right there to catch me and tell me what I could do better. In Isa. 41:14 it says, "I will help thee, saith thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel" He helps me pick the bases I should be using and then sends me right back up to try again. When I find the right balance, I can move on to bigger and better things in life. I had a balance after high school, so I went on a mission. Missionaries have a balance when they get back from their mission, so they get married. Married couples find a balance and then decide to start a family.
   I am so grateful for the bases that my life is founded on! I know that Christ is there in all of our lives to catch us if we let him. If we don't, we fall hard. That is the difference between someone with Christ and someone without Christ. I invite you to check and see what your bases are and, if necessary, change some of them. If you do you will feel the strength and balance that Christ gives!