Challenging Challenges and Growth

When I was young, I had a problem.  My parents expected me to earn my Duty to God.  At that time part of earning the Duty to God was writing 500 words on your testimony and the Gospel.   In my ignorance and innate stubbornness, I vowed that I would not write any such 500 words.  I was intimidated by writing so many words-  500 sounded like so many.  I knew it was what my parents wanted and I felt rebellious.  It was a Sunday afternoon and on most Sunday afternoons I played with my siblings.  This particular Sunday my parents employed the principles of agency and consequence.  I didn't have to write the 500 words, but I did have to sit in a room away from everyone else with a notebook and a pen.  My choice was having a terrible consequence-- I was terribly bored.  In the end I wrote the 500 words.  It had been a difficult thing for me.  But with my parents help, encouragement and a little punishment I discovered I could overcome this challenge.

Several years later, I was involved in a 50 mile hike as a boy scout.  At the time I weight about 75-80 pounds and smallest pack I could pack for a week long trip weighed 25 pounds.  I was a patrol leader and had several other small boys in my patrol.  The first day was difficult by but we all made without too much trouble.  On the second day,  our hike began with a difficult climb over a pass.  We only hiked about a mile but gained around three thousand feet in elevation.  We made to the top of the pass but day was only just begun.  We have 10 more miles to travel that day.  So we hiked and we stopped.  We stopped and we hiked a little.  As the day dragged on our stops became longer and more frequent.  The stronger boys left us all behind until it was only myself, Adam and my father the scout leader.  Because I was patrol leader I took a couple of things off of Adam's pack even though I was sure I couldn't carry another pound. It was starting to get late in the evening and my Dad encouraged us and taught us the little trick of making small goal. We can walk the 100 steps to that tree.   Then we can walk a 100 more to that rock.  After you do 100 steps several times for 10 minutes you can rest for a couple of minutes.  We made it into camp late that night.  But I learned that I could finish physically difficult things.

Now I am thirty years old.  I haven't mastered myself completely but most of my challenges come from caring for my daughter.  I was alway taught that I would have challenges and trials throughout my life and that I would grow from them.  It is only now that I am 'old' can I really see it.

True Religion

As long as man has been on the Earth he has followed, created and changed religions.  But what is 'religion'?

From the point of view of an atheist, religion is and has always been a grand lie that was told to those who could no accept the truth that man's carnal nature.  Religion is a lie that is used to control societies and shape human behavior as the oldest most effective mass marketing scheme.  Atrocities, war and massacres can all be rightfully attributed to religious strife.  Wouldn't be we all be better off without it?

The other possibility is that there are Eternal Divine Truths, an Eternal Right and Wrong.  That would make True Religion, a religion with Divine Truth, the Purpose and calling of Mankind.  But all men can be deceived.  There is always someone else smarter, cleverer or quicker than you.  So how do you recognize a Divine Truth when you encounter it?  If there is a God, logically the only way is to ask him.   God answers prayers in our hearts and in our minds.  When you learn of a Divine Truth, your heart will burn within you and you mind will be clear. You will know within you soul of its truth.  In fact you will have a testimony of its truth.