Camps

To improve athletic performance in any sport, sport camps are often offered. Different places throughout the world allow athletes to come and devote time to bettering their athletic abilities. Good coaches are present to help and provide tips and pointers on how the athletes can perform better. As I was growing up I attended both football and basketball camps; the benefits were obvious. It seems any time we can focus our thoughts and energy on one particular thing we are then able to refine and polish our skills, thus making us better.
On April 2-3 we have a special opportunity to attend one of these "camps". However, it doesn't require shooting basketballs or catching footballs. It is a spiritual camp that we can attend from the convenience of our home. General Conference (as it is specifically called) is a time where we can focus our thoughts and energy on our lives and see where we can more align ourselves with Christ's teachings. We get the privilege to hear from the best spiritual "coaches" on the earth today-Prophets and Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ! The best thing about it is that it is free, and the results WILL be obvious! Beginning Saturday April 2 at 12 noon East Coast time we begin this sacred spiritual camp, and it can be viewed on www.lds.org. I guess the real question is: why wouldn't you go?

The lightest. The best.

As athletes in all sports, we want to have the best equipment. From shoes to protective pads we want the newest, the strongest, the best. A very key characteristic in our choice of gear is the weight. We want it to be as lightweight as possible! If the equipment is too heavy we know that we won't be as fast, and we will use up our energy faster.
In life we don't want to be weighed down by unnecessary things either. Sin causes us to acquire unnecessary weight in our life's journey. We can't expect to perform our best in our individual life's duties if sin is burdening us. It will just slow us and cause us to fatigue faster!
However, all of us will acquire the additional weight of sin at one point or another in our life. Luckily for us, we have someone there to replace our crummy, heavy "equipment" for new, sleek, LIGHTWEIGHT "gear". Jesus Christ provided the means for us to repent and lift those unnecessary, heavy burdens from off our shoulders. And the great thing about this "equipment" is that it doesn't cost $100. The only cost is a broken heart and a contrite spirit! So what are you waiting for? It's yours for the taking, take it!

Life's Hurdles

During high school I ran track, and I loved it! I competed in the hurdles, the race that has obstacles every so often throughout the entire race. It was great, it was challenging, and very rewarding at the end. The first time we run the race it isn't a fluid thing, it just looks bad. However, after much practice we get better form and running the race can go from being a start and stop kind of run to a graceful and consistent sprint. In fact, it got to the point that hardly any speed was lost as we went over each hurdle. This race is very similar to our life here on earth!
Oftentimes our earthly trials are referred to as hurdles, and just like in the race I ran, we can't avoid them. It is not an option to just go around them. When we face our trials we should work to be "graceful" just like those well-trained hurdlers are. When we face a trial (or a hurdle) we should not get shaken up, we should not stutter, but we must trust our practice and meet them head on confidently; we should continue going smoothly. We ought to continue working to improve our form that will come as we put our trust in our coach, Jesus Christ. When a hurdle comes, if we allow fear and doubt to shake us, just like in the race, it ends up just being a waste of energy and you just have to begin running again.
King Benjamin taught us that we should be diligent in life, so that we might win the prize. We must  be diligent and continue to stride over life's hurdles. As we do so, we have the promise from the Lord that, "After much tribulation come the blessings."(D&C 58:4)

Bruises and Broken Bones

Broken arm, broken leg, surgery, multiple visits to physical therapy. I have played football my entire life, I have loved every minute of it. However, I did suffer a few injuries which were listed at the beginning. Immediately following those injuries I was in a lot of pain. When people would try to comfort me, I would think "You don't understand how badly my leg hurts right now!" People's words just couldn't give me the comfort I longed for as I sat, totally dependant and basically unable to move for days.
I know I am not the only one to suffer pain from incidents relating to sports or other accidents, nor did I suffer more than others. I wasn't the first and I won't be the last. For all of us that have suffered pain from one thing or another we can find true comfort in the knowledge of our Savior's great atoning sacrifice for us. In the Book of Mormon the prophet Alma prophesied of Jesus Christ's sacrifice, "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind...that he may know how to succor(help) his people according to their infirmities." Jesus Christ suffered EVERYTHING. When we may feel that no one knows how we feel at any given time, we are wrong. Someone does. Jesus Christ does!
From now on, let us all find comfort in the knowledge of our loving Savior. He will give it to us as we seek it! Let us seek his comfort in prayer as we move forward keeping his commandments and enduring in the faith!

Like Mike

I have been thinking quite a bit lately about examples. I think for all kids that play sports there might be one or two athletes who you know you want to be like. In fact, oftentimes we hear the phrase for basketball "Like Mike". We all wanted to play like Michael Jordan, I mean he was the best basketball player ever, and he had his own shoe line. Pretty great, right? We had that example to look to of who we wanted to be!
Well, in the Gospel we have a perfect example. In the Book of Mormon, Jesus spoke saying, "..what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am." We can and should be constantly striving to be like He who died for our sins! In fact, as we do life will be even easier! For as He said, "...my yoke is easy and my burden is light." So let's change our phrase from "Like Mike" to "Like Christ". Let us ask ourselves "What would Jesus do?" As we do so we will be happy! Who doesn't want to be happy?

History made!

This is the first time I have ever done anything to do with a blog, so it has the possibility of being rough. But let's see what good will come!
I want to ask a question, how do you come closer to Christ? I would say that is what all Christians yearn to do, but how is it done? Is there a magical formula? Can you call an 800 number and get this desire granted to you? Is there a website to help get you there? To this I must answer YES! That's right, yes!
The magical formula is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it's not your standard math formula that you don't understand. The Lord speaks to our understanding!
The 800 number, shockingly enough, exists as well! 800-438-7557 will connect one to someone that can take you by the hand and get you on the path desired.
The website, is mormon.org.
Try it out, tell me your results. I've done it, and it's worked. So what are you waiting for?