Moments That Matter Most

Yesterday I came across this, and it reminded me of my dad. When I was younger, on the many trips to the ranch I would love to just talk and talk. My dad however was often quiet and would turn to me and ask "dont you just like to be quite and think about things." As a little kid my answer was generally no. Since coming on my mission I have had quite a few drives around the state and have been able to just sit there and think. I have really come to enjoy, to just slow life down and ponder on the things that matter. Now I am sure that as time goes on I will have other things in my life that will take my time and energy. I just hope and pray that I can slow down and take the time to realize the Moments That Matter Most.

Thanks for the name DAD!

Being the grand time of the year to honor our fathers. I thought I would write a bit about mine. My dad used to tell the story to me of how he took me on my first hunting trip at six weeks old. It wasn't nothing big or far away. Just a good old evening ride in the truck. All growing up however, similar trips were taken. I don't remember necessarily what they all were. I just remember going with my dad. Whether a four wheeler ride at night. A trip early in the morning to the ranch, or just getting up and working. I loved to go with him. He always taught me by what he did and by sometimes what he didn't do. I remember when I got older. We had a special bond. We could work right along the side of one another and almost accomplish a task with out even having to talk. That did not just happen because I was his son here on earth. It didn't just happen cause I had been recently around him. But it started the day I was born. My dad has always loved me, and in return even in the times when it wasn't so apparent, I have loved him. My dad has always been one that has instilled into us kids, many different traits. One of the earliest that I remember, was just when I was just in kindergarten.
A friend and I thought we were treasure hunters. In the middle of our play ground was a cement planter that had a tree planted in it. Around the tree was concrete. My friend and I had spent a few of our recesses chipping away at that cement. Until we had a hole in the middle, both of us wanting to take home a "treasure" loaded up our back packs with all the rocks from our pile. Upon arriving at home and talking to my dad of how my day was. I told him of my treasures. When he found out where I had taken them from he talked to me about honesty. Even though it was just a few pieces of rock and some chunks of concrete, I had indeed taken them when I had not asked if I could. So the next day, a little embarrassed i took all my "treasures" back to the school and placed them into the hole that we had chipped away. I don't remember my dad yelling at me or being upset. I think it was more the disappointment that I had first of all broke something apart then brought it home.
My dad has taught me many different things that now looking on. have become my real treasures. my dad was always there. no matter what was going on, no matter how busy work was for him. He always found the time. My dad wanted to spend time with us. he would often take us to the store to go and get a drink and just take a drive and talk. he would ask us how we were doing, what we were up to in school, and our live.
When I was in college, I was working quite a bit. but during a break between classes. it just so happened that it was my dads morning break at work. almost every morning we would call each other and talk. even though I lived at home I did not see him that much. I loved those moments when we both could sit and talk. We didn't have to worry what was going on around us. My dad gave me a lot of encouragement, advice and a few time opened up my up my mind. Giving me more opportunities.
So to my dad that has taught me so much. Thank you!

Repentance. Why procrastinate?

This morning I was studying in the book of Helaman, in the Book of Mormon. The Nephites and the Lamanites have been fighting back and forth for years. At one point the Chief judge, of the Nephites had died. He had three sons that fought back and forth over who should be the next ruler. Two of them went about it pretty fairly and trying to keep what the people really wanted. However the other brother fought them for it. He turned to lies and deception. Due to the conflict the Lamanite army saw the weakness in their guards. Causing them to attack the very center of the land. They attacked the most protected, most secured city of all the Nephites. Killing the last brother and taking the land. They then started to work from the inside to the out. (Helaman chapter 1)

Now if we think about this. We can relate it to our own lives. Lets just say that the three brothers are our decisions. The guards around the city are our values and standards that we live our lives by, and the Lamanites are Satan and his followers, trying to get to us. With our own lives it only can take a matter of a few choices to come to the point where Satan is able to enter our lives and begin to take control of the things that we do. It all starts by letting our guards down. I have found that can come by contention. Or perhaps by saying to our selves, "oh this wont hurt me." If we are not careful we can easily allow things into our lives that will hurt us, bring us farther away from our loved ones, and more importantly our Heavenly Father. As we do against our Heavenly Fathers will, we have need to correct and realign our selves with His will.

We do this through repentance. Getting rid of our habits that are wrong and replacing them with wholesome good ones. It often takes time and is not the easiest thing to do. Through prayer we can talk to God and receive comfort and guidance. It is then when we can feel a greater happiness and peace in our lives that makes things go so much as we would rather have them. God blesses us for doing what is right. They may not be the blessings that we are wanting but they are blessings from Him. And to me that is the greatest Blessing of all, knowing that He really loves me.

Hope is it really there?

A few days ago, Elder Coker and I made our way to Baker MT. It on the eastern side of Montana, and is pretty flat. We had about a fifty mile drive where we drove pretty much straight. Along the way there was rolling hills that seemed to go on for ever. As we would crest the top of one hill you could see the top of the next. For a while I thought we were never going to get here. Just as you would think that you would be able to see out across the prairie you would drop into a low land. Just as I thought we were on top we would begin to go back down. As I thought of it this morning, we all have our own ups and downs. Some of our trials can be really depressing. We can get down really easy. Whether its the weather outside, or trials within our family life and work. Life sometimes just doesn't seem fair. It becomes really easy to give up hope.
Elder Uchtdorf gave this great talk on the power of hope. It is truly a blessing to have prophets and apostles on the earth today to guide us, lift us when we are down, and give us comfort in times of need. I know that God calls them to teach, warn and testify to us in these days.

Dont Flood Yourself Out.

Well the past few days have been pretty rainy here in Glendive. So much that the Yellowstone River is starting to get a little on the full side. Peoples basements are starting to fill with water due to the rising water table. We heard of someone that has lived here for over thirty years and never had their basement flood and it did this past week. Many of the people, that the excess water is affecting, had little or no warning signs of the damage.  Just like with our own lives. Many times we go on with our everyday routines and think nothing of some of the thoughts and actions we do. We just blame it on "that's who I am". However, "if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God" things might not turn out so well for us. When we allow Satan to enter in a little bit at a time, most of the time not even realizing it, we trap our selves in his misery and heartache.  In 2 Nephi 28:21, Nephi tells how Satan will do this. "And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell."

Might we all be carefull enough to remember to do the things that God wants us to do so that we can remain focused on what really matters in the eternal scheme of life. But no matter what happens how far we sink. We can always return to our loving Heavenly Father. As we excersize our faith in Jesus Christ and keep his comandments we protect our selves from the possible damage.