But when I'm up this late I often have deep thoughts...either that or sleep deprived, crazy thoughts...
Tonight I've been thinking about President Uchtdorf's conference talk "Waiting on the Road to Damascus." Particularly his single statement about sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: "It is not easy. Some would rather pull a handcart across the prairie than bring up the subject of faith and religion to their friends and co-workers."
As I've thought about this I've considered how absurd it is, but how true. Often times we rever the early saints because of all that they withstood and did. They walked thousands of miles pulling handcarts. They endured tourment, bullying, and even death because of their beliefs, and trying to find a place where they could exercise their beliefs freely. They were driven from their homes, sometimes in the dead of winter, and forced to find somewhere else. Their trials were unbelievable-reverable.
But so are ours; in a very different way. The pioneers knew what they believed. They stood for it. They lived for it. They died for it.
Today we are hit with different challenges. Confusion and chaos run rampant through the world. It affects us, and it affects our children. The values that have been lived and revered as wonderful and good for thousands of years are now being stomped on by modern civilization. The ten commandments are being spit upon and mocked. Honor thy father and mother? My father and mother lived in the past. They don't know how to keep up with the modern world, how to tweet, how to work a computer or a cell phone; they don't know what they are talking about. My parents are crazy.
The seven deadly sins are becoming sought after delights. Greed? Wait, does that mean more money? Sign me up!
Pornography and immorality is being pushed at us every time we turn on the television, computer, sometimes even look at a billboard.
It's scary. But the scariest part is that its not being done suddenly in a way that shocks us, its seeping in slowly. We are getting use to one part and then slowly introduced to the next. If the pioneers saw what we are allowing into our lives- our homes, I have no doubt that they would be horrified.
Don't get me wrong. I am extremely guilty of all of this. It makes me sad. But how do I walk away from the world?
A few weeks ago, after relaying a sacred experience to my mom, she replied, "Well, this just shows me that you are destined to do great things." After I hung up that remark stayed with me. I pondered about it for many days, and ultimately I accepted it. Yes, I am destined to do great things. It's not a conceded moment, its the truth. I am destined to do great things. God did not send me here to do mediocre or "okay" things. Absolutely not. I am here to do great things. That is my destiny.
So would I rather pull a handcart across the prairie then live in the bombardment of evil today? Honestly, yeah, probably. I have no illusions that that task would have been easy, or simple. But I would be more actively living what I believe and not constantly have me and my family hounded by immoral, unchaste, evil beings and influences.
But I'm not. God sent me here at this time. God sent me here at this time to do great things. It's time I realize that, and start living up to it.
4 comments:
too cool for words. I stand by my previous comment - you are destined to do great things. (as are all my family and those I love, if they allow themselves to be used in the right way) xoxoxoxo
ive been looking at that too. the devil is a sneaky guy. you know they are putting victorias secret a couple stores down from the disney store and build-a-bear in our mall. poor little kids who have to look at that on their way to the kid stores.
Amen.
Kira--I love you! What wonderful thoughts. Thanks for sharing. It sounds to me that one of the great things you are destined for is to be as wise a woman as your good mom is! And as you are still in the throws of motherhood, I think you are and have been destined to a be terrific mom too!
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