Mountain Moments

Have you ever been on a mountain top and looked out to see the view?  It's pretty incredible.  The air is fresh, the view is great, the world is so peaceful up there.  Life is full of "mountain" moments, and we always wish that we could stay at the top of the mountain forever.  We all know that we can't.  We eventually have to return to the somewhat repetitive routine of life.  We may even reach a "valley" moment where we have no view at all.  As much as we don't like the "valley" moments, they are a necessary part of life.

What makes the "mountain" moment so great?  What makes us appreciate the "mountain" moments so much?  Yes, it is a great view, and we do feel on top of the world, but it's the contrast of the "valley" moments that gives us the sense of awe in the "mountain" moment.  Lehi, a prophet in the Book of Mormon, talks about how what life would be without any contrasts.  "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things...wherefore [we] would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for [we] knew no misery; doing no good, for [we] knew no sin." (2 Nephi 2:11, 23). 

It's tough to swallow, but we really do need those tough times in life to enjoy the good times.  Each time we go down into the valley, we have an opportunity for a growing experience and once we reach that "mountain" moment, we will realize that it was all worth it.  May we all make those "mountain" moments into memories you'll never forget.

The Edge

A man needed a driver to give him a ride through a dangerous mountain path.  To ensure his safety, he wanted to find the best of the best of the drivers.  The man asked the same question to four different drivers: How close can you get to the edge and still feel comfortable?  The first driver said, "I can drive one foot away from the edge and be comfortable."  The second driver said, "I can be 6 inches away from the edge and be fine."  The third driver said, "Give me 1 inch, and there's no problem."  The last driver that he asked said, "I don't know, I stay as far away from the edge as I can." 

This man knew exactly who to choose.  No matter how skilled the driver was, getting close to the edge just isn't smart.  He chose the fourth driver.  The further away from the edge, the better.  What does getting close to the edge prove anyways?  The Lord doesn't care how close we can get to the edge, in fact, he wants us to stay as far away from the edge as we can.  Christ, in his Sermon on the Mount, taught, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon."  (Matthew 6:24).

Getting close to the edge is, in a way, serving two masters.  It's saying, with our actions, that we only want to do the bare minimum to stay on the path.  But think about it, the closer we are to the edge, the less room there is for error.  One faulty step could be our downfall, literally.  When we stay away from the edge, we leave room for our mistakes, which are unavoidable.  Then we will be able to correct ourselves and continue going.  May we all strive to stay as far away from the edge and choose this day to serve the Lord.  It's only then can we reach the end of the mountainous path safely.