Mountains to Climb

Last week we went on a hike as a zone. It was fun climbing this!!

Okay so we didn't really climb Mt. Hood, we actually hiked up Beacon Rock and the view was amazing!

I learned several things from our hike. The first one being that I am very out of shape. The second one being tourists climb really slow but the most important thing I learned is how the Lord moves mountains in our lives.

They always say you have to have faith to move mountains and I never really understood what that meant. I thought that you would just have to believe and ask for Heavenly Father's help and He would take care of it and your mountain would go away. That is partly true, you have to have faith and praying always helps but I realized moving mountains isn't Him moving them for you but helping you to climb them. The mountains don't move then, but you move past them. Why if He is all powerful would He make you climb? Because He wants us to become like Him and to be able to move our own mountains. That is how you use faith to really move mountains. And besides if someone just did everything for you would you really appreciate it or take it for granted? Would you be as happy or excited when it was accomplished?

It is tough going to climb mountains but it is supposed to be, however it is so worth it. "Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good" (D&C 122:7) If you are anything like me, you get tired and want to quit because sometimes we look up ahead and we get discouraged, sometimes we look down and we become afraid of heights so to speak. Or even become proud of what we have done so far and decide you have gone far enough. And sometimes we are doing our best but there are rocks falling down all around us.

But the most important thing is that we keep going. Everything in this gospel is about moving forward. It is all about moving, becoming, changing, growing. It is about not being stagnant and sitting still watching life pass you by but savoring each moment in the moment.

I have learned this for myself and then I have had to relearn it again and again because I am a slow learner. But I know that Heavenly Father is patient with us and wants us to succeed and feel of the happiness, excitement when we overcome our limitations. Because when we do, we get a taste of the View from the top and my oh my it is breath taking!!

 "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph..." (D&C 121:7-8)