Full Coverage vs Liability

OK, so you might be asking what's a Simpsons video doing up on a blog that supposed to be about something inspirational or spiritual? Well, believe it or not, there is actually a true concept taught within this clip (all the episode as a whole is a farce about healing revivals). But if we just focus on this clip there is a principle taught that not many people believe. It's a concept that we are taught all our lives as Latter Day Saints and that is the concept of constant repentance and constant obedience or doing good. When told that he would be covered even in the case of "sudden death" Bart replies with the phrase "full coverage!"
It kind of makes sense to think of consistency in repentance, obedience, etc as "full coverage" insurance where as lack of consistency as "liability" insurance. Full coverage offers a more substantial protection for our vehicles regardless of what might happen to them (in principle that is, arguing with the insurance agent is another deal) whereas liability does nothing to protect out vehicle, just that of another person if we are the cause of an accident. True, the premiums on full coverage are substantially higher as well, but you get what you pay for.
The same is true in the gospel sense. Constant obedience to gospel principles (full coverage) requires more out of us (higher premiums) than that of living a flaccid life and not doing what the Lord expects from us (liability) and in the end, that liability does nothing to protect us.
So let's live a life with full coverage insurance. Let's constantly be doing those things that the Lord would have us do.

Guts, Strength and Faith

The other night I was watching Transformers the movie (in preparation for the sequel that comes out next month) and got caught up in thought about a line in the movie. After Bumblebee had defeated the decepticon Barricade he motions for Sam and Mikaela to get in the car. Mikaela is hesitant to get in the alien car and Sam says: "50 years from now when you're looking back on your life, don't you want to say you had the guts to get into the car?" O.K. so I really didn't get caught up in the line at that time (I was too focused on the awesomeness that is Transformers) but the next day a series of events lead to me to remember that line and also a few others that have recently impacted my life.
So yesterday a friend and I decided to go take a quick ride in a little area of Pocatello called City Creek which is a series of trails that branch off into the hills before Kinport Peak. One of these trails follows a creek known as City Creek. After following up along the creek for a while we branched off into some of the upper trails and immediately found ourselves into some open plains. Now the vegetation in these plains was completely different from that near the creek. It wasn't as lush, green, or pretty to look at. The hillside was more brown than green and more friable as well. I made the comment to my friend that a year ago I noticed something similar in Havasupai Canyon (where it takes but only a small distance away from a source of water for things to start to die off) and had a little epiphany and related it to the gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ. When one is right next to the source of living waters then there is an abundance of spiritual life, but as one recedes farther from that source his/her spiritual life suffers due to the lack of nutrition. That comment began a discussion amongst the two of us that primarily focused on afflictions and sufferings and the difficulty in overcoming or enduring them.
We both related parts of our lives that we had thought would be different by this point in our life and how sometimes, when thinking about it, a sense of disappointment or sometimes even fear filters in. They ranged from occurrences that hadn't yet happened that we thought would have happened already, problems that we are faced with, fear about the future, etc. While discussing these I noticed that my friend was taking a more unoptimisitc side (I don't want to use the term pessimistic here because it wasn't so much pessimism, more like an insecurity) and I was trying to alleviate that with my usual bouts of optimism.
One thing I remember telling him was about an incident that happened just last week while I was helping my grandfather clean up some yard work. We were out in the yard and I was telling him about some of the different rides I had recently been on on my mountain bike and I told him that "there's no better feeling than conquering a mountain on a mountain bike." What Grandpa said I didn't expect, "That is true, but remember there only mountain worth conquering is yourself, and this is the hardest mountain to conquer." Later on after we were returning from dumping a load of branches and such we saw a wood chipper on the side of the road and I inferred that we should just hook up and haul it up to his house. That would solve a lot of problems with the remainder of the stuff we had to clean up. Grandpa came back with this, "Tyler, there are no such things as problems, just many opportunities." All though I don't believe he recognized it, but those two comments really stuck with me. However, Grandpa later said "But to tell you the truth, I am sick of opportunities." We both got a good laugh out of it. So our little discussion continued after the ride when we stopped off for something to eat. I used those two quotes from my grandfather to emphasize that what we consider as trials and tribulations might be more opportunities for our growth, which eventually will give us the strength to overcome ourselves. All these trials and tribulations are not necessarily to test our faith to him (because he already knows what our faith is) but to prove to ourselves our faith and also prepare us for future events.
Next I talked about how many times we are so set on those wants/needs that we wish we had and try so hard to get, that we lose focus on what we already have and how far we have already come. I emphasized that when we lose that perspective we forget the Lord's help in getting us this far. When we forget His help in our lives, we soon forget to look for His help in our future lives. And "in nothing doth man offend God...save those who confess NOT his hand in all things..." (D&C 59:21).
Losing sight of those two perspectives, the help of the Lord and the purpose of trials, it becomes easy to sink into that fear of what is to come. It becomes easy to get discouraged with things that, all though we wished would have already come to pass, have yet to happen in our lives. Some of those things being what we consider to be of more importance than others. I then referred back to an extremely steep and difficult hill (greater than a 20% grade) that we had to climb on our ride. I remember giving it what I had and pushing it all the way to the top and coming out victorious. My legs burnt and I was out of breath but I looked back on that hill and thought "Boo Yeah!" for two reasons; 1) I had conquered that hill and 2) I get to ride back down it in a little while, which we be a lot of fun. My friend gave it what he had but still had to walk up part of the hill. The important part to remember in that story was that we both made it up the hill. We conquered it, it didn't conquer us. It didn't matter how we made it up, we just did and it was a great feeling. I told him to compare that to our life right now. I know for me I'm at a point where it feels like I'm climbing a hill, much steeper and longer, ad I don't know when the end will come. As of now it's not in sight. However, I know that the feeling I felt just reaching the top of that little hill will nothing compared to the feeling that will come when I reach the top of this one I'm on. And again, it doesn't matter if I ride all the way up or if I have to hike-a-bike up, what matters is that I make it. I then re-quoted Transformers, "50 years from now when you look back on your life don't you want to be able to say that you had the guts to get into the car?"
That same quote, along with the hill analogy and the subtle teachings of a grandfather apply in all our lives at this very moment. We each have our personal trials and challenges to face, our ominous hills to climb, our own little alien transformer car beckoning us to follow him. The question is do we have the guts to get in, the strength to push through, the faith to endure? Let me be the first to tell you that on your own you don't, and you never will. However the Lord does, and he has plenty to share...if you go looking for it.

"In 0.5 miles turn right."

Many of us have made a road trip not knowing exactly where we're going or how to get there. When I would go on trips with my father and grandfather in the past we got out the old Rand McNally road maps and plotted out our course. Then the Internet came out with such pages like Google Maps or Mapquest. Most people now have a little Garmin, TomTom, iPhone, or other type of GPS where we just plug in the coordinates and go. The beauty with these new devices is that you don't have a to have a co-pilot in the next seat reading the map for you and giving you directions like "now in a little bit you're going to turn right off the red line onto the blue line, go a little ways longer and stop at the star." Instead, we hear the familiar and friendly monotone voice saying "In 0.5 miles turn right." 0.5 miles later, "Turn right."
Now I heard a story today about a stake president who, while out on vacation with his family, was using a GPS unit to get around and they decided to have a little fun with the GPS. They decided to see if they could trick the GPS into giving them false directions or to try and confuse it. So instead of turning right they turned left, instead of going 0.5 miles to turn they went 0.7 miles, and so on. Every time they made a wrong turn or got of course the unit would pause for a second and then say "recalculating." A few seconds later a new course, always ending up at the same address, was laid out for them. No matter how many times they tried to trick it it would always recalculate a new course for them. Defeated, they finally gave up and went to their destination.
We all have a type of spiritual GPS that helps us along our ways as well. It's a little more advanced then the dashboard size units you can buy and has been around a little while longer. In fact, you don't even need to have preloaded software or make upgrades to the unit. Every direction we will ever need can be found in this spiritual GPS. It's a blessing we all have from the Lord. Many times we don't even realize we're on a path. But the Lord knows and he gives us turn by turn directions. And just like our modern GPS, when we screw up and make a wrong turn or go too far the Lord will always recalculate a new path for us. This new path might take us through different parts of the city, but it will always lead us back to the original destination.
Today in Sunday school, while talking about these little personal revelations, or inspirations from the Spirit that have helped us along our way, we were asked to try and remember some point in time where we felt that we have been guided by the Spirit into making a course changing decision. I thought about a time over 10 years ago in my own life that happened to me. At the time I didn't realize what was going on, but looking back on that experience I can see His influence in my life. In fact, I'm grateful that I did listen to that little voice that said "In 0.5 miles turn right."
It was 10th grade and I was just barely starting high school and I had just turned 16, which meant that I also just received my drivers license. A proud day for all boys. My car was a red 1986 Ford Tempo (not so proud) and I had just barely started a new job working at a local grocery store. Freedom from needing money from my parents or for them to give me a ride was at an end. (Little side note: That kind of freedom never truly comes to an end...I still bum money off my folks and try and borrow the car every chance I get.) School has always gone well for me and things seemed to be falling into place. However, at the time I probably wasn't the most active person in the church. Sure I went to seminary and attend church every other weekend when I was up at my dad's house. But those weekends I spent with my mom I never attended church growing up. I never doubted in any means the gospel, but I didn't pay it that much importance in my early teenage years.
By the time I started high school things were going well. I was making new friends and starting to enjoy life a little more. Some of these friends were good friends with the same morals and beliefs as I, and some had different morals and beliefs. Nevertheless we had a good little group. Oddly enough I also decided to start attending church on a more regular basis. I don't know why I didn't make this choice in the past. Maybe because my mother didn't attend and I didn't want to put her out by having her take me every Sunday and then come pick me up. Whatever the reason was I now decided that since I had my own car I would make the drive up to Ogden to attend at my dads ward, the ward I went to every other weekend as a child. I had good friends in there as well, ones that I really only saw on Sundays, basketball days, and during the summer. So, I starting attending church on a more regular basis. About that same time is when I also starting reading my scriptures and saying my prayers on a more regular basis.
Now I didn't feel any different at the time. Even though I was attending every Sunday, reading, and praying more frequently I really can't say that I felt different. I still hung out with the same group of friends, still drove the same car, and still worked at the same store. Nothing appeared to have changed, at the time.
Now that I look back on that time in my life I see a different perspective. I see the road that I have traveled and compare that to the roads my friends have traveled. With my experiences and theirs combined I have a bigger picture, a better map if you will. Today I asked myself what would have happened if I hadn't started going to church, reading, and praying more regularly? What path might I have traveled if I didn't "turn right in 0.5 miles" as I had been instructed to at that time? I look some of the places many of my old friends have been and I am grateful that I didn't travel down that path. Some, sad to say, haven't even corrected yet and are still heading in the wrong direction. Could that have been me? If it had would I have had the insight to heed the saying "recalculating...in 0.3 miles turn left, then proceed as before"?
I must say that I try not to dwell on those questions too much. It will never matter what might have been, because that was then, and we have taken different roads (I know...its a shameless plug for Diamond Rio's song). The only thing that matters know is where we are now and where we are going. The destination is still the same, it will never change. Our paths though might, and it's up to us to listen to our not so monotone, yet still and soft voice that tells us when and where to turn and also, if he needs to, will recalculate a path for us. I am grateful that 10 years ago I made that right turn, not recognizing it at the time.

Running Away

Can a person really run from their troubles? When things get too hard or too overwhelming can we truly just throw in the towel and give up? When talking with Brer Rabbit Uncle Remus tells him that "there ain't no place far enough from your troubles." In other words, you will have problems anywhere you go, no matter how far you go. With that being said, Brer Rabbit still decided to run away only to find himself getting caught in a snare laid out for him by Brer Fox. After struggling and using all his might to try and escape he realized that only the use of his mind could get him out of this trap. Seeing Brer Bear come along, Brer Rabbit decided to trick Brer Bear into helping him down. While returning home Brer Rabbit realized that running away didn't solve any of his problems, but using his mind did.

Often we find ourselves running away from our own problems and not trying to fix them in the first place. By doing this we commit two great errors; 1) we don't use the faculty of our mind and its ability for problem solving which the Lord has given us, and 2) we don't trust in the Lord Jesus Christ nor his atonement.

Anciently the apostle Paul struggled with a "thorn in my flesh" which he begged the Lord three times to take away from him. The Lord's answer was simple...NO. Why didn't the Lord remove this weakness or trouble? In not doing so we learn this, "for my strength is made perfect in weakness," to which Paul replied, "therefor will I gladly glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefor I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, persecutions, in distress for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor 12:9-10).

It was only when Brer Rabbit was caught in the snare with no where else to run did he finally realize the strength of his mind and what he could do if he just applied himself. So it is with us, only when we are weak do we come to understand better our strengths and that those strengths only come through the atonement of Jesus Christ and his endless mercy towards us. He says, "And if men come unto me I will show them their weaknesses, I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; for my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me, for if the humble themselves before me, have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27)

There is no trial or trouble that we cannot overcome. There is no temptation greater than we can bear (1 Cor 10:13). If we only turn unto the Lord and understand his atonement and its effect on our lives can we, like Paul, proclaim our thanksgivings for our weaknesses and praise our Lord for his overcoming them on our behalf.