Skiing and the Gospel

This evening the Pocatello Young Single Adult 2nd Stake put together a ski trip for the evening. I went, thinking, oh skiing looks fun. To put it lightly I spent the majority of the time on my rear end in the snow. I made a goal that I needed to make it to the bottom of the hill so that I could take a ride on the ski lift back to the lodge. But I was only going about 5 to 10 feet and then falling over. I kept on thinking about taking the skis off and just going back to the lodge. But I knew I really wanted to take that ride on the ski lift. So here I was, stuck on the side of a mountain, not even able to stand up correctly. But 3 guys who were obviously very good skiers came and helped me up and gave me some tips. Then Bishop Johnson came and said he would help me and give me a ski lesson. It still took about another half hour for me to get down the rest of the hill, but I made it. Sometimes leaning on Bishop Johnson, and falling over occasionally, we made it to the ski lift at the bottom of the hill. I got my ride. I kept on apologizing for taking up his time, but he wouldn't hear of it. Even though I am sure he could have made a number of ski runs in the time it took me to get down that hill, Bishop Johnson said he wanted to make sure I had a good time.
Now for the Gospel application, if it isn't obvious already. I was stuck on that hill. I had a goal to make it to the ski lift and get a ride. In life I have a goal to make it back to my Heavenly Father's presence in the Celestial Kingdom. But I am "stuck sitting in the snow on a ski slope" as it were. Bishop Johnson is too humble of a guy to admit it, but he was the perfect example of Christ in this story. He helped me up when I fell, gave me tips, and let me lean on him when I was out of breath. But he would not let me quit. I really wanted to go back to the lodge, but he knew how much better it would be if I got to the bottom and got on the ski lift. He knew my goal and was going to encourage me. Christ knows that I want, and need, to go back to live with Him and the Father, but He also knows that I can't do it alone. Bishop Johnson took his ski trip helping me down the slope. Christ gave his life so I could return to the presence of the Father and the Son. He lived a perfect life! He didn't have to suffer and die, but He did. Jesus knows that getting Home is the best thing for us. So to Him the most anguishing pain anyone has ever felt was worth it. If I, or you, were the only person to have ever come down to earth, Christ would have still suffered the Atonement. We need Him. We need to love Him. And I do.