Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Don’t Be Afraid To Get Down On Your Knees


Don’t Be Afraid To Get Down On Your Knees
The radio was blasting, kicking out a good old country tune.
We were singing along with George on that hot day in June.
We were barreling across a dry valley; living that sweet dream…
Talking about girls, school, and hunting… even our favorite football team.
Life was going good until we heard that dreaded blow.
I just sat there in my driver seat and sank extremely low…
I looked towards my 2 best friends and said, “Boy! Doesn’t that put us in a tough spot?
This here truck we have been driving just threw us into a boiling pot!”
Jason smirked and then commented “That’s the third tire! It must be a blasted sign…
We are just going to have to sit here and wait our dreaded time.”
I looked upward and saw that big, hot sun beating very high,
And if we were to sit there much longer… we could surely die.
It was a drastic situation! One I want never to repeat.
I was wishing I was at home with a pretty lady messaging my feet.
Then a thought popped into my mind, “Get down are your knees.
Pray like your mom has taught you since you were two or three.”
Well… I offered up a quick prayer, right then and there…
I asked for strength and knowledge and God’s loving care.
I did what my thoughts told me. I know it was the Holy Ghost.
He has helped me out of a number of binds, and I don’t mean to boast.
We started walking toward home with that sun blazing high…
When all of the sudden my friend, Clayton, started singing a lullaby.
We sang all the songs that we knew, until we saw a trail of dust…
We knew our prayers had been answered; it was someone we could trust.   
I’m just glad God listens to us all, from are very birth.
While we journey through our time here on this place called “Mother Earth”.
Whenever I am in a tough bind,
I can always look to that Lord of mine.
I challenge all that read this story,
To remember the Lord and all His great glory.
A prayer to our Heavenly Father is all we need…
So don’t be afraid to get down upon your knees


Saturday, December 3, 2011

CHRISTMAS EVE CONVERSION


        ONE CHRISTMAS EVE, A LONG TIME AGO
AN OUTLAW WAS CAUGHT, IN HIGH WINDS AND SNOW
HE COULDN’T SEE PAST HIS PONIES TWO EARS
IT WAS THE WORST BLIZZARD TO HIT THIS COUNTRY IN YEARS 
HIS HORSE BUCKING SNOW WAS DOING HIS BEST
BUT WITH THREE FEET OF SNOW, THEY BOTH NEEDED A REST
THEY WERE FREEZING AND LOST AND THINGS SURE LOOKED DIM
SO HE DUG OUT A SNOW CAVE AND BURROWED RIGHT IN 
“I’VE REALLY MESSED UP THIS TIME”, HE SAID UNDER HIS BREATH
FOR HE KNEW THAT HE AND HIS PONY COULD SOON FREEZE TO DEATH
IF THEY DIDN’T GET HELP, AND NO HELP WAS IN SIGHT
THEN HE HEARD THE BRAY OF A DONKEY, AND THROUGH THE BLOWING SNOW
SAW A LIGHT 
THEN A SHEEPHERDER SLOWLY APPEARED THROUGH THE TREES
LEADING HIS DONKEY AND STOMPING THROUGH SNOW PAST THEIR KNEES
HE WALKED UP TO THE OUTLAW WITH A LANTERN IN HAND
THAT WAS PUTTING OUT HEAT, AND A LIGHT THAT WAS GRAND 
HE HELPED THE FREEZING OUTLAW UP ONTO HIS DONKEY’S STRONG BACK
THEN LEAD HIM AND HIS PONY TO HIS LITTLE ROCK SHACK
HE HELPED THE OLD OUTLAW IN, AND STOKED THE FIRE AT HIS FEET
THEN PUT THE HORSE AND DONKEY IN THE STABLE, WITH SOME DRY CORN TO EAT 
THE OUTLAW SAID, “I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU FOUND US, YOU WERE DIRECTED SOMEHOW
BUT I KNOW IF YOU HADN’T, I’D BE WARMING UP WITH THE DEVIL BY NOW
THAT WIND IS STILL HOWLING LIKE A MAD WOMAN’S SCREAM
AND YOUR CABIN’S AS WARM AS ANY I’VE EVER SEEN” 
AFTER SOME HOT MUTTON STEW, THE OUTLAW SETTLED IN FOR THE NIGHT
WHILE THE HERDER SAT AT THE TABLE, READING HIS BIBLE, BY THE LANTERNS WARM LIGHT
“YOU KNOW”, SAID THE OUTLAW, “I NEVER DID READ FROM THE BIBLE
IT NEVER SEEMED IMPORTANT NO HOW
BUT BEING IT IS CHRISTMAS EVE IT WOULD SURE PLEASE ME
IF YOU’D READ FROM IT NOW”
 THE HERDER SMILED AT THE OUTLAW AND TURNED TO A VERSE
HE SAID, “LET ME READ FROM ST. LUKE, ABOUT OUR DEAR SAVIORS BIRTH”
AS THE HERDER READ SCRIPTURES AND THE STORM HOWLED OUTSIDE
THE OUTLAW REFLECTED ON HIS SINFUL PAST, AND HIS COW THIEVING RIDES 
HE REMEMBERED PAST CHRISTMAS EVES, JUST DRUNKEN PARTIES ALL NIGHT
BUT THIS CHRISTMAS EVE, WELL IT JUST SEEMED TO FEEL RIGHT
THIS HERDER WHO’D SAVED HIM SEEMED SO HUMBLE AND PLAIN
HOW HE’D FOUND HIM IN THIS BLIZZARD, HE COULDN’T EXPLAIN
 

 
HE SAID TO THE HERDER, “LIVING WAY OUT HERE, I BET YOU’VE NEVER HAD NOTHING NICE
YOU JUST NAME IT AND IT IS YOURS, FOR SAVING MY LIFE”
THE HERDER’S EYES SPARKLED AS HE GAVE THE COWBOY A LOOK
“YOU CAN REPAY ME MY FRIEND, BY READING THIS BOOK” 
THE OUTLAW SAID, “IT’S A DEAL, AS SOON AS I CAN FIND ONE”
THE HERDER RESPONDED, “YOU MAY HAVE THIS ONE, WHEN MY MISSION IS DONE”
HE THEN CONTINUED TO READ FROM THE BIBLE ONCE MORE
AND THE OUTLAW DOZED OFF AND SLEPT, LIKE NEVER BEFORE 
THE NEXT MORNING THE OUTLAW AWAKENED AND SENSED SOMETHING WAS WRONG
THE STORM, THE HERDER AND THE DONKEY WERE GONE
THERE WAS NO ROOF ON THE CABIN, JUST FOUR CRUMBLING WALLS WITH NO DOOR
NO STEW, NO FIRE AND HIS HORSE STOOD NEXT TO HIM, ON THE CABINS DIRT FLOOR 
THERE WAS NO SNOW ANYWHERE, THE GROUND WASN’T DAMP
IN FACT HE FIGURED THIS PLACE TO BE A MIGHTY FINE CHRISTMAS CAMP
BUT WHAT OF THAT BLIZZARD, HAD HE DREAMED UP THIS FABLE
THEN HE SAW A LEATHER BOUND BIBLE, ON AN OLD WOODEN TABLE 
HE TOOK THE BOOK IN HIS HANDS AND STARTED READING THE PAGES
HE HADN’T FELT THIS KIND OF JOY IN WHAT MUST HAVE BEEN AGES
HE STAYED RIGHT THERE AT THIS CAMP UNTIL HE’D FINISHED THE BOOK
THEN HE KNELT DOWN IN PRAYER AND GAVE THE HEAVENS A LOOK 
PLEASE LORD FORGIVE ME FOR THE BAD THINGS I’VE DONE
AND THANK YOU FOR SENDING YOUR WONDERFUL SON
I READ YOUR BOOK, LIKE THAT SHEEPHERDER ASKED
NOW I PROMISE TO YOU, MY SINS ARE ALL IN THE PAST 
HE SAID, THANK YOU O LORD, FOR ALL THAT IS RIGHT
AND ESPECIALLY FOR THAT DREAM THAT I HAD LAST NIGHT
THAT SHEEPHERDER YOU SENT, WELL HE MADE ME BELIEVE
AND I WAS TRULY CONVERTED, ON THIS CHRISTMAS EVE  

I want to bear  my testimony that everyone can be forgiven of there sin. That Christ came to this earth to make it possible for us all though  the atonement  to repent.  We as people living here in today world needs to take this chance and do so. We can change are life and make the best of this life we have here on earth with what little time we have left here. so be like the outlaw and change your life before you get to the point were it is to late. 

Famous last words of a coach

     Coming from a sport center town I believe every boy who has lived in Alamo NV can say they have played Football.
     They all will remember the smell of a sweat-filled locker room and senior boys trying to get everyone pumped up and talking about the great plays and tackles they have made in the previous half. They all wait for the coaches to come in and give them some advice on how to make the last half of the game the best half of the game. All of us have herd Coach Kens famous words he gives to us. It always seems like at the beginning of the season the words of encouragement are:
 "All that training you did during the 2 a days practices come down to now! This very moment, this very place. Every terrible 20 you ran, every sand wash you have sprinted, every snake you have trudged threw comes down to now!"
      Every game he says something along those lines. No matter how many times we heard his speech, it would still pump us up. Later in the season the lecture sound about the same, but he would add to his famous lecture:
     "And all the games you have won and all the pain you have endured"
      Then at the end of the season, he throws it all down:
"Senior boys, I have loved coaching you and watching you guys grow from a good team to a great team! You have 24 min left in your high school career till it's over. After that, you cant change anything. All you can do is look back and say 'We did well'. So don't hold anything back. Give 110% all the time, so you have no regrets later in life. So your able to look back and say, 'We did all we could do and played with all our heart'. Remembering the goal we made at the beginning of the year: Winning that state game. When the finial buzzer rings you know that you will come out victorious!"
     I remember hearing that speech and following it. The feeling we got from winning that state game was amazing! After it was all over, we looked back over all the great work we had accomplished.
     When I look back upon my high school football career, and Coach Ken's speech, it reminds me of how we live our lives. We should live are life like a football season. Practicing. Studying. Executing. Insuring you will preform everything flawlessly. We as Latter Day Saints should practice: keeping the commandments, Having faith, hope, charity, and love, and keeping the Sabbath Day holy. We should study The Scriptures, Ensign articles, and General Conferences talks, like we study film of another team, so we can know what lies ahead of us. With enough practice and studying we can preform with success. Giving it 110%, leaving it all here on earth like you would on a field. Having no regrets in life. So in the life to come we will have that great feeling of accomplishment, knowing we did great. Feeling complete and overjoyed. Knowing that we endured to the end and played with all are hearts.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Killin Time

I was sitting at the bus station trying to kill the time.
Chattin with an old friend, talking about this short life of mine.
All the long hours came up about us throwing the hay.
Just so we could earn a few bucks and go fishing the rest of the day.
We talked about all the days out hunting looking for the king beast.
So we could sit down at night and enjoy our simple feast.
We then reminisced about all the time at the county fairs.
Drinking soda and chasing girls, boy we sure were a bright pair.
We thought about all the time we barely escaped with our life.
Man I sure do feel bad for our future wives.
We agreed right then that moment someone was always there.
Making sure we returned home safe without a loss of our hair.
Surly the lord would guide us with his dear loving hand.
He wants us to return home safe because he has a greater plan.
 Once again God saved me knowing where I will do my best.
I hope I can try my hardest and keep his loving feeling in my chest.
Now I am on my mission in Montana i came with all my joy.
I escaped the grasp of an Asian speaking mission and no vegetarian soy.
Now teaching people the gospel it runs deep within my veins.
I just hope one day I will be elected to enter in to Gods special hall of fame.

All the hours we spent swimming all the money and soda down the drain
All the “if I would of”, and “barleys” all the bandages and the pain
All the football games we played just to win those grueling fights
They aren't even close to a down payment Jesus paid that essential night.
My family investigated the gospel knowing it was true.
They gave up all they had to cross the great deep blue
I'm grateful for their example they lead me all my days
I hope one day I will be able to meet them and thank them anyways.
It’s hard to think of their skin frozen and cold as ice
They have to love me the same as Jesus to pay that great of a sacrifice.
So I hope I don't disappoint them I know this gospel is true
So maybe that will help you think again before you try to hand me a cold brew.
I hope you do the same thing about your great life
You can find all the mistakes you made and not dwell on them twice.
Well I and my old friend, we parted are simple way
I’m glad we could chat a few and review our short life up to this blessed day.

by: Kenyon Walch

Thursday, September 22, 2011

The Touch of the Master's Hand


The Touch of the Master's Hand
It was battered and scarred,
and the auctioneer thought it
hardly worth his while
to waste his time on the old violin,
but he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bid, good people", he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?"
"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,"
But, No,
From the room far back a gray bearded man
Came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweet as the angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer
with a voice that was quiet and low,
Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with its' bow.
"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone", said he.
The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
"We just don't understand."
"What changed its' worth?"
Swift came the reply.
"The Touch of the Masters Hand."
And many a man with life out of tune
All battered with bourbon and gin
is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone. But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Masters' Hand.
Myra Brooks Welch
This is another one of my favorite poems. This poem along with the scripture in doctrine and convents make me thing about every soul and how we all have a purpose out there. The scripture is (doctrine and convents 18: 10-17)  10 .Remember the aworth of bsouls is great in the sight of God; 11. For, behold, the Lord your aRedeemer suffered bdeath in the flesh; wherefore he csuffered the dpain of all men, that all men might repent and ecome unto him.12. And he hath arisen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of brepentance. 13. And how great is his ajoy in the bsoul that crepenteth!14. Wherefore, you are called to acry repentance unto this people.15. And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one asoul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!16. And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the akingdom of my Father, how great will be your bjoy if you should bring many csouls unto me.17. Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my asalvation.

If we fall behind and lose are values we need to remember we have a purpose here. And with the touch of the masters’ hand we can regain the value we have lost. So of you have lost your value go regain it. 

The poem was written by: Myra Brooks Welch
Scripture came from http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/18.10-17?lang=eng#9
It was contributed by sanders.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Preparing for the Finish Line

Racing and God's Plan of Happiness



Growing up with a racing addicted brother I have had a lot of time out in the middle of the boonies waiting for him to come in. When we are out waiting, I tend to think of life and the great things it holds in store for us. It never crossed my mind until I got to my mission how much a race is set up like life.  In a race there is a committee over all of it to make all the rules fair and just. They oversee and create the race from the start to the finish. Then in the race there are certain rules and guidelines you have to follow. They are set there for your own protection and the safety of others around you. The committee's main goal is for everyone to try their hardest and to finish the race. For example you can't cut the course in a race. If you do so you can be penalized for a half an hour because of your own actions. The committee makes sure everyone gets off the course at the end of the day.
You might be wondering how this sounds like life? The committee is like God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. They created the earth for us to live on and try our best. God, like the racing committee gave us rules and guidelines to live our life by. Some of these rules are the ten-commandments, word-of-wisdom, praying often, study the scriptures, etc.When we get off course in life we lose the presence of God. In my eyes that is like getting penalized. Through the love of God and his son, Jesus Christ, they made it possible for us to get to the finish. The way we can get over are small detour in life is through the gift of repentance.  Like the committee, Gods main goal is for us to finish the race and live with him again. I know the harder we prepare a race truck for a race the better it will do. That preparation goes for life as well. The harder we prepare to keep Gods rules the easier it will be for us to live with him in the next life.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

WHY I AM, WHO I AM

WHILE RESTING ON A BIG BROWN BOULDER ONE DAY
SURROUNDED BY TREES OF CEDAR AND PINE
I WAS LOOKING UP THROUGH A CLOUDY SKY
AND I THOUGHT OF THIS OLD LIFE OF MINE
HOW DID IT COME THAT I’M SO BLESSED
WAS IT JUST LUCK THAT PUT ME HERE
AMONGST THESE VALLEY’S THAT I LOVE
WITH MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY SO NEAR
WHY WAS I BORN IN THIS FREE COUNTRY
AND NOT SOME THIRD WORLD STATE
WHERE THERE’S LITTLE FOOD OR WATER
AND FOLKS THERE ARE GOVERNED BY PURE HATE

HOW WAS I BORN A MORMON
I NEVER HAD TO SEARCH OUT FOR THE TRUTH
I WAS TAUGHT THE GOSPEL IN MY HOME
FROM MY VERY YOUTH
I THOUGHT, MAYBE I AM SPECIAL
AND I DESERVED THIS BLESSED LIFE
BUT I DON’T RECALL THIS SIDE OF THE VEIL
ANYTIME I’VE SACRIFICED
SO IN MY MIND I STARTED TO BACKTRACK
TO REMEMBER SOME GREAT THING I’D DONE
I TRACKED CLEAR BACK TO MY CHILDHOOD
AND I COULDN’T THINK OF ONE
SO I BACKED UP A LITTLE FURTHER
TO MY GREAT GRANDAD, WILLIAM LAMB
AND THERE IT FINALLY CAME TO MIND
WHY I AM, WHO I AM
HE MOVED HIS FAMILY FROM TUBA CITY
IN 1905 HE LANDED HERE
AND HIS FAMILY HAS CALLED THIS VALLEY HOME
SINCE THAT EARLY YEAR
HIS GRANDAD ABLE CAME FROM NEW YORK STATE
WHERE HE WAS BAPTIZED BY JOSEPH SMITH SR., IN “33"
HE FOUGHT THE MOBS AND CROSSED THE PLAINS
AND STAYED AS DILIGENT AS HE COULD BE
I HAD TWO GRANDADS WHO FOUGHT IN THE REVOLUTION
AND SENT THE BRITS BACK ACROSS THE SEA
ONE GRANDDAD DIED AT BUNKER HILL
AND THAT’S WHY I CAN BE FREE
THAT’S WHY I AM, WHO I AM
AND WHY I’M BLESSED TODAY
IT WAS NEVER NOTHING THAT I DID
IT WAS MY ANCESTOR’S WHO PAVED THE WAY
THEY ARE THE ONES IN WHICH I OWE
A VERY GRACIOUS DEBT
AND I HOPE SOMEDAY TO THANK THEM
BUT I’M NOT QUIT READY TO DO SO YET
WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN FAMILY PIONEERS
WHO THROUGH THEIR SACRIFICE HAS HAD TO PAY
FOR EACH OF US TO BE WHO WE ARE
AND WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Typical

He was out on the cliff’s edge; further than he’d ever been before.
He sat with legs a-danglin’ high above the valley floor.
He was lost in thought while drinkin’ in the grandeur of it all,
When a gust of wind unseated him, and he began to fall.
Tis a drastic situation! He didn’t dare to think slow
For certain death awaited him on those rocky crags below.
So… Well.. He called upon a good friend. I guess the only one he could.
The one we all forget about when things are going good.
“God, if you help me now I’ll quit my sinful ways.
I’d do the things you’d have me do and I’ll work hard all my days!
I’ll spend time with my children; I’ll help my lovin’ wife.
I’ll quit the booze and whiskey and I’ll turn around my life.
I’ll work to help the needy and I’ll promise to repent…
Just then a tree limb caught his coat and stopped his fast descent.
And while hanging from that tree that grew out of that rocky shelf,
He looked skyward saying, “Never mind! I handled it myself!”
Waddie Mitchell 



I love this poem. We need to not be like this guy. It happens so many times. We get caught up in life; some of us get busy with our kids, schooling, jobs and many more things. We forget who and what is really important in our life. We should remember that God created everything. We should be thankful for that and everything he gave to us. We should live our life with no regrets having no sin with us. I'm not saying I am perfect. I'm not even close to being perfect but I know that if I live my life closer to heavenly father I will be blessed. It's funny how the man on the cliff turns straight to God when he is in trouble. He starts thinking of all the bad he did and how much more there is to life. He thinks of his kids and his wife and repenting. Then he gets saved by the limp he thinks he did it himself. There are times in our life when the road gets bumpy and rough but when we get out we need to remember that God plays a roll in all of our lives. We should always thank the good man for making it all happen for us. When life’s going good and when life’s not going so well.