Richard and I were asked to talk in the Branch in our Stake that is the care center. This is what I've come up with;
Swimming through life's trials.
Joseph Smith compared his trials in life to swimming in deep water. I want to do something similar.
6 of my 7 kids swam on our high school swim team. I learned something watching them swim and listening to their coaches. In order to swim fast one must swim lots and lots of yards. As we swim many yards our bodies learn how to swim more efficiently. Our bodies automatically learn to position themselves in the way that moves through the water with the least amount of resistance. We become more streamlined. So it is important to swim many yards every day to train our bodies to swim in the best, most efficient way. Moving through the water requires a constant effort. It is a struggle. As I have watched many swim competitions I have noticed that the fastest swimmers seem to glide effortlessly through the water, while the slower swimmers seem to struggle and work much harder. Swimming as the fast swimmer means we are more inline with the gospel teachings. The swimmer that is not efficient and swims more slowly is not following the pattern that leads to least resistance.
Since Adam and Eve left the garden of Eden and entered this world trials began. Life is a struggle. Bad things happen. Just like the swimmer we need to "workout" everyday to keep moving and progressing. Praying, reading the scriptures, serving others, and going to the temple are some of the things we can do to make ourselves spiritually fast swimmers. Following Jesus' example is the best pattern for how to live well and with the least amount of wasted motion. In 1 Corinthians 9:26 Paul says; "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I not as one that beateth the air". We want to be like the fast swimmers that glide effortlessly through the water, not like the ones working hard or "beating the air" and not progressing.
We are still going to have trials. No one floats through this life and gets anywhere. As we spend time every day studying and trying to live the gospel we become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the best swimmer that ever swam in this life's race. As we put those miles of practice behind us, we will drop off those things that slow us down and make it hard for us to move ahead. We will become more like Christ. Making and keeping covenants is one of the best ways to keep ourselves aligned to the pattern Christ set for us.
The Elder Orson F. Whitney said; "No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted...All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls and makes us more tender and charitable.. It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire." So as we move through the water, we change and our bodies and spirits conform to a more perfect form; a streamlined swimmer.
When we show up for the practice; by praying, reading our scriptures, going to church, going to the temple we are becoming strong enough to endure the trials of life. In the April conference Elder Paul V. Johnson said; "Sometimes we want to have growth without challenges and to develope strength without any struggle. But growth cannot come by taking the easy way. We clearly understand that an athlete who resists rigorous training will never become a world-class athlete. We must be careful that we don't resent the very things that help us put on the divine nature." We become better people when we endure well the trials given to us. Like the fast swimmer who moves smoothly through the water, we learn to move smoothly through our trials as our spirits learn to conform to the pattern that Christ showed us by the way He lived. The gradual changes come to us as we daily live and study the gospel, pray to our Heavenly Father and serve Him.
I've learned something else from watching my swimmers. Every year from about Thanksgiving until New Year's Day my kids do what is called "tear down". The coach has them wear "drag". They swim with shirts, shorts and even shoes on. This is very hard and really wears them out. Sometimes they even swim with weights held between their legs and the worst of all with a bucket tied to their feet to try and drag through the water. Then, about the first of the year they stop "tear down" and lose the drag gradually until they are back to swimming with just their suits and caps and goggles. Suddenly they seem to fly effortlessly through the water. They feel light and fast and are ready for the State competition that is usually about Valentine's Day.
Life is full of trials. We don't need other things slowing our progress and dragging us down. When we make mistakes and sin or are unable to forgive others who have wronged us it is like wearing clothes while we try to swim and for the worst sins like dragging buckets in the swimming pool.
We must repent to lose the things dragging and slowing us down in our lives. Then we are able to feel the spirit. We feel light and able to move ahead more easily through life's trials. Our Savior has paid the price for our sins. When we repent we can lose all of those things that are dragging us down, slowing us down and making our lives harder than they need to be.
I am so thankful for my Savior. This life's race isn't meant to be easy, but with the Savior's atonement we have the strength to endure. Hebrews 12:1 &2 says; ""Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.."
We don't have the be the first one to touch the wall to win this race! We need to just keep swimming! We need to drop off the excess weight of sin and follow the pattern our Savior showed us. Then we can get through the trials that come to us and endure them well. D&C 103:36 says; "All victory and glory is brought to pass unto you through your diligence, faithfulness and prayers of faith." And D&C 50:5 says; "But blessed are they who are faithful and endure, whether in life or in death, for they shall inherit eternal life".
I know that I plan to keep on practicing and hope to move forward to the prize of eternal life, not because of what I've accomplished, but because of what I have become. (Hopefully someone a lot like Christ).
