Go With Him Twain

Matthew 5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Trust in Your Companions

Often in our lives we are asked to trust others. Sometimes that trust is great sometimes small. As missionaries we have temporary companions that we are paired up with from 6 weeks to 4 and 1/2 months. We have to learn to trust one another rather quickly. If we don't the Lord's work is hindered.

The picture above illustrates this idea. In a three-legged race two people are literally tied to one another. They have to trust each other and work together to win the race. You might consider it a victory if they even finish the race. It takes practice to stay in sync with your partner. At first an individual may think he or she knows more about three-legged races so they don't have to listen to what the other one says. Or perhaps they think that the other person should "just know" which leg to step with, without them having to specifically tell them. The truth is that it takes some communication and trust in your companion, friend, spouse, or whoever you happened to be teamed up with to finish the race.

In an Ensign article Christie H. Frandsen wrote, "By trusting in the Savior’s atonement, I learn to trust myself; and by trusting in my husband and in our marriage, I can come to trust in the promises the Lord has given us through his prophets."

For more of Christie's article click here.

Back on the Path

When you have done something for a long time it is rather easy to keep doing it. However, when we you get out of doing that particular habit it is just as easy to discontinue it altogether.
For instance, I ran cross country and track for three years in high school but once I graduated and got out of the running routine it became much more difficult to motivate myself. As a result I am currently out of shape and don't really desire to go on runs in the morning.
This same principle applies to church attendance. Just as I love to run, I love going to church. It keeps me in shape spiritually. On my mission I have seen many who have left the path of church attendance. I have also seen many choose to come back. At first it is often hard to return but as they have worked through that initial discomfort they've been able to reap the benefits of going to church.
Even though it might be hard at first the blessings of going to church are well worth it in the end.

The Easy Way Out

Over the years, I have played on quite a few different sports teams. And through it all I have learned many different things. One thing that stands out to me is the difference hard work makes in an athlete. In order to improve you must put in the work.

Hard work often causes pain in the world of sports. Whether it's lifting weights, running laps, or biking for miles you must push yourself if you want to get stronger and faster.

The same is true with life. If we take the easy way out then we will never become any better tomorrow than we are today. That is the Lord's law. That which ye sow, shall ye reap.

See 2 Cor. 9:6, Alma 9:28, or Galatians 6:7

5k for Life

Ready. Set. (Snap) The starting gun is fired and the race begins. Running a 5 kilometer race begins with everyone fighting for position, testing the strength of their competitors, and getting into a rhythm for the rest of the race. I would compare Mile 1 of the race to the first 15 years of life for us. We are just starting out; just getting to know ourselves and take in our surroundings.

Mile 2 of the race is to me the most important. This is where many runners kind of 'fall asleep' so to speak. After all, the finish line seems so far away and they start to rationalize slowing down, maybe working a little less than they could. Some even quit and give up entirely. In life, this period of time is often referred to as the decade of decisions. We have many choices to make that will greatly impact the rest of our lives. So we'd be best to 'stay awake' during all of it.

The last mile is a different length of time for each of us. Unlike a race we don't know exactly where the finish line will be. We could stumble upon it at any time. Let us endure to the end of our lives with perseverance, dedication, and hard work. If we do so I know that we will find peace in this life and happiness in the life to come.

No Regrets

During my high school days I ran on the cross country team. I was definitely not the fastest runner on the team but I had fun and was able to work hard and improve my race times. Many runners would write things on their arms with a marker or a pen to remind them of something during the race. One such phrase I often saw on our team was "No Regrets."

One of the worst feelings after finishing a race is to not be tired. You look back and can see that you could have worked much harder and ran much faster. It's a disappointment most runners will feel at one point or another. Our lives can be compared to a cross country race. We don't want to walk through the finish line, or even jog. We don't want to look back afterwards and see that we could have done so much better. We want to finish strong knowing that we have fought a good fight and finished the course.1 Let us live our lives in such a manner that we will have "No Regrets."

See also:
2 Timothy 4:7

Running the Race by Elder Steinicke

The Spirit World

       Let's compare life to running a race. If we do our best and obey the rules we can win. In the race of life it doesn't matter so much what place you come in just as long as you are working your very hardest. Heavenly Father has given us commandments, or "rules", as to how we can succeed. We are given this time on earth to learn to follow those commandments and have faith in Jesus Christ. When we reach the finish line, or once we die, we will not, however receive the same prize.



       When I finish a race (I never come in first by the way) I usually walk over to the shade of a tree and find something to drink. Personally, I love a nice, cold chocolate milk after a hard race. This is not, however, my final prize or trophy. I would compare this state of waiting to what we call Spirt Paradise. I am waiting for the final judgement of my performance which comes later. Those people in the race that break the rules or don't give it their all won't be so privilged as to drink a nice cold beverage or relax in the shade. We call this Spirit Prison.

       I know this isn't a perfect parallel but hey, I do my best. Alma explains it much better than me. He says, "...that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles...And... that the spirits of the wicked,... shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity..."1

       It's easy to see where we want to end up. May we all run the race as best we can!

"What happens when I die?"
Running the Race, by Elder Steinicke

1. Alma 40:12-13

Running the Race

       The apostle Paul writing to the Hebrews gives them some counsel that, I think, we can all benefit from. In Hebrews chapter 12 he says, "...and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..." As we run along the path of life it is important that we look to the finish line where our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ are waiting for us, cheering us on. When we can look to, and focus on, this goal of returning to live with them we gain a more eternal perspective. This eternal perspective helps me to have patience through my tests and trials in life. Another thing that helps me is that I don't have to run alone. Heavenly Father has given us some running buddies like our friends, families, and the Holy Ghost. With their help we can run this race of life and win.