I don't know if it's my age or the different events of my life but I seem to try and soak in any goodness and insight I can. I am glad I went to church today because the speakers and lessons today just seemed to make me reflect a bit and to fill my spiritual cup.
The speakers were people who attended/planned girls camp. The girls just returned from girls camp on Friday and one speaker was telling us a bit about it. The theme for this years camp was about being fishers of men. The girls went to Bear Lake and did boating, fishing and went to the Minnetonka caves. During the talk she told a story of two fishermen, one experienced and one inexperienced. The experienced fisherman was catching fish and placing them in a cooler as he fished. The inexperienced fisherman was catching big fish as well but he kept releasing the fish. The experienced fisherman later asked the inexperienced fisherman why he had released the fish. The inexperienced fisherman explained that he did not have a frying pan big enough for the larger fish so he kept trying for smaller fish. Couldn't the fisherman have just got a larger frying pan? The point was made how sometimes we pass up opportunities because we have our mind set on something smaller/simpler. How many of us do this?
The girls were taught things that they may not use on a daily basis but things they may need to know in life. They have things to sign off on much like the boy scouts. One speaker told how many of the girls didn't want to put a worm on the hook. The speaker told us that someday, if one of these girls needed to provide for themselves in the wilderness they would have the basics. They could build a fire, live of the land, pitch a tent, cook by fire, use a compass, etc. The speaker told of how even if it wasn't something they liked doing, the girls learned to do it. just like life, we need to learn things that we may not want to ever have to do but we need to have the knowledge. Much like the saying "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." How many of us are fishing and how many of us are wanting the fish given to us? For me, I'm fishing.
During the trip to the Minnetonka caves there was a point where they had an object lesson. There was a handrail which led the girls through the cave. At one point the lights were turned out in the cave which left them literally in the dark. They said it was so dark that you could not see your hand in front of your face. The guide told the girls to put one hand on the rail and one hand on the shoulder of the person in front of you. This was a lesson on faith and holding to the iron rod to guide you through darkness. Apparently, the handrail stopped for a bit and they were reliant on the person in front of them to help guide them through. It made me think of who I have faith in to help guide me through when things get dark.
The next lesson of the day was during classes. The lesson was on obedience. Wow, that is one word that carries a whallop. It is a lesson that makes you start to think of our imperfections. Try as we might, I know of no one who is 100% perfect to the letter of God's law. I know of several people who think they are but that only solidifies my beleif that they are not. (Humility is one of God's laws) The lesson went on to say how obedience helps to build our testimony and that it is part of a cycle. Generally it is difficult to be obedient. During the times of trial which come with trying to be obedient we generally learn the most, which in turn helps to build our testimony. I know that I have had a few trials in my life. Some of those trials I brought on myself during periods where I was not obedient but some are during times where I am being obedient. However, by the grace of God I have been delivered through those trials. Resolving those trials sometimes included hard work, faith, repentance, and a great deal of prayer. Those are things which have helped me to build a testimony of my Heavenly Father.
Sometimes I think it would nice to stay home from church and just relax the whole day. A neighbor used to call it "Sunday Sickness" on the days she would stay home for no good reason. Then I go to church and have days like today which just help to get me thinking and feeling gratitude for those things which I have learned.
