Hey guys! :)
We had the biggest snow storm of the winter this week. It was crazy, and we were out contacting for a few hours in it. It was awesome!! :) I have a picture or two... I think.
Yesterday we had our ward conference, so there were some members of the stake who came and gave talks at church. One of the talks given really struck Elder Colunga and I, and he shared a story that I really, really liked, so I will share it (with a few embelleshments of my own and translated into English) with you. :) It is fictional, but touching.
Jason was a kind man, who lived in a humble cabin out in the mountains. He enjoyed his life, and spent a good deal of time out hiking or climbing, gratefully soaking in what nature had to offer. He believed in God, and was careful to keep the Lord in his life. He could often be found carrying his scriptures around his property during his daily chores, and would stop to study in quiet moments. One night, just as he finished praying by his bed, a light slowly began to appear in his bedroom. Confused, then amazed, he turned to see the Lord standing at the foot of his bed. Before Jason could speak, the Savior said calmly, "I have a task for you, Jason."
"Yes, Lord?"
"There is a large boulder outside of your home. Each day, I want you to go out and push against that rock. Will you do that?"
Jason knew the boulder to which He was referring. When he had built his home, he`d been unable to move or break it, and after time, he had given up, and decided that if the boulder wasn`t going to move, he might as well leave it there and get used to it. He did not understand why the Lord wanted him to do this, but he knew from his studies that he was capable of doing all things the Lord commanded him to do, so he responded humbly, "I will."
The next day, Jason woke up at daybreak and walked outside. His adrenaline pumping, he put his shoulder against the rock`s rough surface, dug in his feet, and began to push. He did not expect the rock to move in his first attempts; he knew that progress took time. So he spent the next few hours pushing and pushing. He stopped at midday for lunch and to do a few of his other chores. After he`d done his other necessary tasks, he came back to the boulder, and tried a different angle until the sun was down and it was time for dinner.
This pattern continued, day after day and week after week, and soon, month after month. He pushed and pushed, but not once did the boulder move. He checked his progress carefully one day, several months later, to find that the boulder had not moved even a centimeter in any direction. He had tried every angle, and had expended his force day after day in this service. He didn`t understand why it had to be this way. At this moment of exhaustion, Satan came along down the path by Jason`s home. He stopped and watched Jason push for a few minutes, then asked, " My friend, what are you doing? Why are you trying to move that rock?"
"Because the Lord asked me to," responded Jason.
"How long have you been working at this?"
"For a few months."
Satan laughed. "Months? Have you seen your property? Why would you spend so much of your life trying to accomplish something so impossible when there are so many other worthwhile things you could be doing? Maybe there`s something you`re missing. Or maybe the task is simply too big for you. Perhaps you`re simply not strong enough or smart enough."
Jason grimaced. "I trust the Lord," he said, and placed his shoulder against the rock and continued pushing. Satan laughed, and walked off down the path.
The weeks and months went on, and Satan`s visits became more frequent. And despite his best efforts, Jason was getting weary. Finally, one night after a particularly hot and painful day, with the adversary`s laugh echoing in his ears, he walked inside and thought, "Perhaps he`s just a little bit right. Perhaps I`m simply not good enough. I know the Lord can move this rock, but I don`t think I can. There has been no progress, and there are so many other things that need to get done on my property." As these thoughts ran through his mind, he began to contemplate giving up and going back to what he knew he could accomplish on his own. He made the decision to go to the Lord with his report of what he had (or rather, hadn`t) accomplished, and tell Him that he felt he`d done all he could do, and his efforts would be better used elsewhere. After he`d finished his prayer, the light from so many months before appeared again, and the Lord was once again in his bedroom, looking at him as only a perfect older Brother would.
Jason looked at Him, and after a moment, whispered with tears in his eyes, "I can`t do it, Lord. I`m not strong enough. I`m missing something. I feel that I`ve wasted my time and Thy time and I don`t understand. Should I simply give up?"
The Savior smiled, and with tears in His own eyes, responded, "Jason. I never asked you to move the rock. I know exactly what you`re capable of. I asked you to push against that rock. And you have done so, faithfully and courageously, for months. You`re right, the boulder never moved. But look at yourself. You have grown lean and strong. You are healthy and in shape. Your arms and legs are powerful and muscled. You have become tan in the sun and the skin on your palms is rough and thick. You have done what you can. And I am proud of you. Now, I will move the rock."
We all have rocks in our lives, boulders that we know we need to move, but sometimes we don`t understand why, and sometimes we don`t feel we are even capable of doing so.
I think we all need to remember that the Lord is the one who moves our boulders. We simply have to trust Him and push.
I love and miss you all!
En avant!
Elder Bryan McOmber
I can't believe you're 20!!!!
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