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.

Spiritual Bulimia

In the medical/psychiatric world there is a disease called Bulimia Nervosa and is classified as an eating disorder that is common among adolescents (5%-25%). Due to its high prevalence and also morbidity (1%-15%) the public has been made aware of its existence and also many of the signs and symptoms. Many people understand how devastating this disease can be to the mind, however, not as many are aware of its debilitating effects on the rest of the body. In fact, up to 40% of those afflicted with this disease will present to the emergency room or family doctor with some problem induced by their bulimia. The following are just a few examples:
*Electrolyte imbalances --> confusion, fatigue, seizures, coma
*Metabolic acidosis --> end organ damage, coma
*Increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) - a measure of kidney function (the higher it goes the worse it is)
*Esophageal tears --> acute blood loss, anemia, neoplasia
*Decalcification of teath
*Parotid (salivary glands) swelling and increased amylase
*Altered thyroid and cortisol functions --> vast hormone irregularities
O.K. so now we know some of the medical symptoms, but what are some of the signs? Regardless of the cause of bulimia the signs are pretty much the same. There is a period of binge eating (eating more in one setting than one would normally eat or what is considered to be normal; this can be as much as 5000 kcal/day) followed by an extensive period of either purging, use of laxatives, or extreme exercise.
Living a life this way is not healthy, nor compatible, for the human body. The body does all it can to compensate but will eventually lose in the end. The body cannot keep up and healthy store of energy and will resort to its emergency reserves, which is like using plastic to keep a wood fire going longer; it puts off some heat and energy but the byproducts are toxic.
The other day in priesthood we were discussing the acquisition and allocation of knowledge. We discussed the different types of knowledge, its sources, and application in our lives. When discussing the retention of said knowledge I came up with the analogy of Academic Bulimia and how this type of studying might have got me through my undergraduate program but is very detrimental to my graduate studies. Academic bulimia consists of the same concept of "binge and purge." The night before the test I would binge on as much material as I possibly could and then purge it the next morning onto the answer key. Once it was out though it was never coming back and I quickly forgot it. Again, it got me through my undergraduate studies, but my graduate studies suffered with it. I had to find a new way of studying (still looking). This is information that I will be required to know so that I may be successful in my career.
As the discussion continued on I started thinking about the concept of Spiritual Bulimia. In essence it's the same thing. We might come to times in our lives (like preparing for a talk or a class) when we need to binge on gospel information so that they next day we might purge it and sound smart. Occasionally we'll take the time to intensely study a gospel topic, only to forget it the following week because of not applying it in our lives. Just as in Bulimia Nervosa or Academic Bulimia, when that unexpected time comes for a sudden need of energy or information to make a right decision and not fall into temptation, we just might find ourselves in a spiritual coma.
Paul understood this concept of the need for a correct pattern of study. In his letter to Timothy he wrote, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase into more ungodliness," (2 Tim 2:15-16). To the Israelites the Lord gives this commandment, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success," (Josh 1:8).
This gospel is one that requires daily "study and meditation" as the Lord states so that we might constantly have that knowledge to guide us in our everyday lives. Even if it is for just a short period a day, daily study and application will burn the knowledge not only into our minds but into our hearts as well. Then, when that moment comes for us to call upon that knowledge to lead us out of temptation or danger, it will be there and we won't have to rely on our carnal emergent reserves that produce more toxic effects than they do helpful.
If you're use to binging and purging than I suggest start taking small bites at a time. Get back to the basics, then gradually increase your sources and time spent. This information isn't only for use on the Sabbath in our talks or classes.

Lack of Feeling

In my limited experience as a PA students I've come across many different types of patients presenting with many different problems. These problems have ranged from acute to chronic pain, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, mental disorders, fatigue, ingrown toenails, recent traumas requiring suturing, congestive heart failure, dyspnea, and the list goes on. When facing each problem one must take a systematic approach to it's origin and the best, most cost effective approach to treating it. After going through a thorough history and physical (including labs and tests) I offer each patient a list of options, with my opinion of what would give the most desirable results and the most tolerable methods. I emphasize the need for healthy life habits, including the reduction of certain substances and foods, the need for increased physical activity, and the judicious use of certain medications. With that list the patient has the option to chose which treatment regime they would prefer, and financially able to do. Every patient walks out with the understanding of the risks involved with not following through with proper treatment.
In those cases of actual physical pain I see an increased compliance to therapies that I have recommended. Now don't get me wrong, there are many out there who only want to take medicine until the pain goes away and don't want to do anything else, but they at least take their medicine. The instances where I see the least compliance in following treatment is in those cases of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and other similar, chronic disorders that have very little symptoms at the early stages of the disease. If left untreated these diseases can eventually lead to coronary artery disease, diabetic retinopathy/nephropathy/neuropathy, and other serious problems. Eventually the patient will come in desperately looking for relief.
So with these disease states leading to such catastrophic events why is it that someone wouldn't want to nip them in the bud and prevent the progress into such problems by adhering to professionally recommended therapies? Cost is one of them, but I'm convinced that there are two other very important factors: lack of patient education, and lack of feeling. The prior is the easiest to resolve. With a new diagnosis of certain diseases the provider can easily explain the disease process and steps necessary to prevention of progression. Once the patient is informed the rest is up to them.
The lack of "feeling", I believe, is the number one reason for patient non-compliance for three very common diseases; diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). When asking the patient if he/she is taking their medications as prescribed, following and maintaining a healthy diet, and exercising regularly the provider comes across a myriad of responses. "I'm just too tired after work to exercise," "I've just been forge ting to take my medications," "I don't have time to prepare a healthy meal," "es que no me siento malo (I just don't feel bad)". All of those responses can be stripped away of the justifications and translated into "No, I haven't made the effort." And the number one reason for not making the effort is the last answer, "I don't feel bad (or I don't feel any different if I take or not take my medications)." This lack of feeling gives the patient a false hope of comfort and leads them down a slippery slope to an illness which they won't recover from, regardless of if they become compliant at that point.
In my limited experience in the gospel I've noticed similar conditions; lack of feeling leading to complacency and gospel non-compliance. At the time we will say that we don't feel any different if we obey, or don't obey, certain commandments. We feel at times that they are more restrictive then freeing and that sinning a little will not be that bad in the long run. Nephi said it well when he prophesied of the philosophies of our day, "Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die...there is no harm in this...and if we be guilty, God will punish us with but a few stripes..." (2 Nephi 28:7-8). We let little sins (like diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia) run free throughout our body without making but a small effort to control and put a stop to them. Sure we might occasionally peruse the scriptures or pray but refuse to make those changes in our lives which will halt our problems in their tracks. Just as occasionally, or only, taking your medication and not making any lifestyle modifications with DM, HTN, or HLD will only partially control those diseases, so will occasionally following God's commandments partially allow you to be truly "healed."
Only when the disease progresses and we are suffering from congestive heart failure, heart attack, blindness, limb amputation, and renal failure do we look to God and ask him to "heal me!" Then we feel the pain of our choices and look to be compliant. By this time, however, it is too late. The disease has run its course, the devil has you bound with his strong cords, and death is inevitable. Unlike these physical illnesses, God's mercy is abounding and salvation is possible but much, much more difficult to attain. Christ's atonement was an infinite one, but as we let time pass without invoking it in our lives the price we must pay increases. That is when we feel the burden of the consequences of our actions, that is when we become gospel compliant.
Oh how much easier it would have been if we would have just listened to that great "Physician" in the first place and followed the recommended therapy program?! How much more cost and time effective would it have been?! How much pain could we have avoided if only we "took our medications and made those lifestyle modifications"?!
Even though we might not feel bad, or any different, at the time let me assure you that there is an underlying problem coursing through each and every one of our bodies that, if not taken care of now, not later, will lead to total system failure and an unpleasant life. Joshua said it well when he commanded Israel "Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed from among you." (Joshua 7:13)
Only through Christ's atonement and strict obedience to his commandments can we take that accursed thing from among us. Let us not wait until we have to lose a foot, or an eye, or even our heart to make that decision. It is far easier now to handle than it will be in the future.

"...becometh as a child...willing to submit to all things...."

Yesterday in the clinic I had a 6 year old patient was brought in who had gotten a piece of glass stuck in her big toe and it had been covered over by a granuloma. There was a noticeable firm bump on the dorsal aspect on her toe that wasn't inflamed much or red to the touch but it was slightly tender and hurt more when she walked. Mom said that earlier in the week she had gotten another piece out and thought that was it, but was now worried that there was more because the toe hadn't healed yet. To be able to probe for this piece of glass and then remove it mom and the girl were told that we would have to numb up her toe with a medication, and that this was going to be through a shot. I was in another room at the time with another patient while this was being explained and you could tell the moment the word "shot" was said...maybe "shot"was the wrong word to say. The girl started screaming and crying and saying that she didn't want to do it and wanted to go home instead. Her cries could be heard through the whole clinic. We finally got her into the procedure room and prepared the needle with the lidocaine. We had her lay down and mom and my preceptor help restrain her while I injected her toe. Just the mere sight of the needle made her shriek in horror. After much squirming and restraining we finally got her toe numb but this didn't get rid of the fear of the sight of a needle. To probe in the granuloma I had to use a larger needle (18 gauge), and even though I know she couldn't feel it, every time she saw the needle she screamed and tried to bring foot back. I found the piece of glass and then tried removing it with some forceps but it was too large and angled wrong to be removed from the tiny whole that I had made in the granuloma. During the procedure every time I switched between the probe needle and the forceps the girl screamed more. Many times during she would say to her mother, through tears and cries, "you said it wouldn't hurt but you lied. It does hurt! Tell them to pull it out." After the procedure was over we sat the little girl back up, cleaned her wound, put some antibiotic cream on it, and then bandaged it up. During that the little girl was quite pleasent and even picked out the color of coban used to wrap it up. She was smiling and happy and didn't resent me, my preceptor, or her mother for the pain, torture, or lies that we put her through. It's like the past 10 minutes didn't even happen.
Now I know that she remembered the pain that she felt and that she knew who put her through it, but after the ordeal that didn't seem to matter. She quickly returned to her happy little self. No resentment, hatred, or betrayal was felt or expressed. As I sat in my room later that night I started thinking about that specific event. How quickly she was to forgive us three who had held her down against her will, repeatedly stabbed sharp objects and burning injections into her skin, and told her "lies" that it wouldn't hurt much. Those didn't seem to matter anymore now that she was feeling better, and no more needles were in sight. How easy it was for her to go back trusting in her mother. How quickly she turned to be able to play with me while bandaging up her toe, even though I was the one poking around in her foot. None of the pain seemed to matter anymore, just 5 minutes later. My mind was then brought to the book of Mosiah, chapter 3, verse 19: "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."
How often do we continue to hold grudges, or hatred for those whole have wronged us? How many years do we let go by not forgiving someone for something they did to us? How often do we even remember what that offense was? How long will we let our pride keep us from enjoying those relationships that we once enjoyed? How often do we blame the Lord for our pains? The pain was real, those feelings of mistrust and betrayal existed and affected us, our toe was left with a bloody hole in it, now we're left to make a decision; live in the past and continually feel the pain and mistrust, or become as a child, submissive and meek, willing to submit to all things.
Two principles we can learn from this ordeal and scripture. 1) It is possible to forgive someone for the pain that they intentionally caused us. Just as this child readily forgave me we can forgive others. For her it was easy but for us it's a little more difficult. For us it can only be done if we implement the atonement of Christ in our lives. Only his atonement makes it possible for us to feel comfort and learn to forgive. If we chose to remain in our pride and not forgive then we willingly reject the atonement of Christ in our own lives. 2) The Lord will allow trials and hardships in our lives and will even be there to "hold us down" while the injection takes place. It's not because he wants to inflict pain on us, but he knows the overall outcome of the ordeal and the proper healing that will come from it. He knows what growth can come from such experiences. We can either try to kick against the pricks, or submit to his will "in all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him." Those times will be painful, we will want to scream and cry and ask the Lord "to make them take it out" but if we have faith in him and His Son's atonement, after the ordeal we will be able to laugh and smile again, quickly forgetting the pain and quickly forgiving the one who inflicted it.
Let us learn from the example of children. Let us strive to take the principles taught to us in the scriptures. There will come times of pain and hardship, but they will be brief. The pain will only last as long as we allow it to. Only through Christ's atonement can we put off our natural man and become receptive to the enticing of the Spirit, which will make the pain go away.