Close Call!



Makoshika State Park Frisbee Golf Course



Recently some  fellow missionaries and I were frisbee golfing in Glendive, Montana. The course was in the badlands and was surprisingly beautiful. Although the weather was very hot we were having a great time hurling the disks as far as we could across the badlands. Then we almost took a trip to the Doctor as I approached a disk that I'd thrown into the tall weeds.

We were all in a hurry so we all ran to get our disks. As I approached mine at a good pace and started to reach down, I heard a rattle go off... I looked to the sound and noticed a rattlesnake, ready to strike right behind my disk. I must have jumped pretty high when I saw it! I was within five feet of the snake, but stopped and backed away. Luckily I heard the rattle in time to avoid any problems. It was a close call!

Going along with the snake theme let's think about the story of the Children of Israel found in the Old Testament. In Numbers 21 we read that the Children of Israel started to complain so they were chastened. Snakes pursued them and killed anyone that was bitten, but the Lord provided a way out. The Children of Israel had to look to Mose's brass serpent that he'd fastened to the end of a pole. If they did this they would live.

Have you ever thought about where the health care logo found on ambulances with the two snakes climbing up the pole comes from? It comes from the story of the children of Israel in the wilderness.
 The following excerpts are from Alma 33:18-22. These excerpts are found in the Book of Mormon and give us a great perspective on the story found in Numbers 21.

...and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live...

... But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them.

 ...cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.

I love these excerpts because of the great lesson that they teach. Just as the Children of Israel looked to Moses to be healed when they were dieing, we need to look to the Son of God, Jesus Christ. We all get 'bit' in life and His teachings are always there to help us to heal and to be happy.

-Thanks for Reading

Don't Get Hooked

Isn't this an awesome video clip? It gives me the chills. It's so true. Watch out for Life's Artificial Lures and focus on where true happiness comes from, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.


-Thanks for Reading

The Book of Mormon Play

 The following article sums up some of the feelings that I've had concerning the Book of Mormon Play.

 This article was published in the Standard-Examiner on Monday, June 13.

Trey Parker's broadway play fulfills Smith's prophecy - Standard-Examiner
(UNEDITED) "The Book of Mormon" Broadway play received 9 Tony Awards Sunday evening, including the prize for the best musical. In receiving the award, Trey Parker held up the award and exclaimed, "You did it Joseph! You got the Tony." The national exposure and attention given the Book of Mormon, sacred to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, reached, perhaps its pinnacle with Parker's declaration. Interesting to note that Joseph himself states that he was told by the Angel Moroni that his, Joseph's, "name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of by all people." This was told to an obscure, 17 year old boy in 1823, and recorded in the L.D.S. book of the Pearl of Great Price, p.52, written in 1838.
I saw, a few years ago, a picture in the "National Geographic" magazine, of a pile of swept up articles from the floor of a deserted science lab building located at the South Pole. In the pile, very obvious to see, was a phamplet with a portrait and name of Joseph Smith Jr. on the front cover. I could not help but exclaim, "certainly this prophecy of Joseph's name, written nearly two centuries ago, has been fulfilled." Trey Parker and his cohorts little realize their profane play about the Mormons only further fulfills prophecy, and gives more evidence of the truthfulness of Joseph Smith's declarations. Has there ever been such a celebrated play desecrating the sincere beliefs of specific religious leaders of other faiths? I do not know of any.

I ask all readers to consider the words of the L.D.S. hymn, "Praise to the Man," speaking of Joseph Smith: "traitors and tyrants, now fight him in vain...death cannot conquer the hero again." How unfortunate for those who seek for riches and fame, that they are willing to use whatever profanity they can find to obtain such. They are now full of themselves, but I believe they will forever regret their part in calling that which is good evil, and that which is evil, good.
Darrel Thompson

You don't go to a Ford Dealership to learn about a Chevy and the same is true about religion.The Book of Mormon Play was not an accurate portrayal of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you truly want to grasp an accurate understanding of it and an accurate understanding of who exactly Jospeph Smith was click of these links.  
http://mormon.org/book-of-mormon/
http://mormon.org/joseph-smith/

Read the Book of Mormon for yourself and ponder the message it contains. It will change your life.
-Thanks for Reading

Grilled Cheeses and Sea Shell Soup

If someone were to ask you what your favorite meal was what would you say? Steak and pasta? Lobster? Pop tarts mixed with Top Ramen and Chef Boy R D?   (I once served with someone who loved this combination)
My favorite food is Grilled Cheeses and sea shell soup (tomato soup). Pretty simple right? It's good and it's cheap. My mom used to make it often on the weekends back at home.


There is a quote that says something like this: 
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is Beautifully Simple and Simply Beautiful.
 
"We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." and enduring to the end, if I might add.

Sometimes we make things too complicated.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is simple. Let's not complicate it too much. In the Book of Mormon a prophet explains it's the gospel's simplicity much better than I ever could. The Scripture is in 2 Nephi 31. Here is the link to read it online.
http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/31?lang=eng


 Let's keep it simple because that's how it should be. The way to peace and happiness is through the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I know this didn't have anything to do with rivers or water, but Thanks for reading!