Letter to my child: Parable of the Way of Being

    My child, let me tell you a parable of the ways of being. Not to long ago, a young man fell into a deep sleep. He was awaken by a man dressed in armored clothing with a sword at his hip and shield in his hand. The man was old with many scares of battle. He told the boy to arise and follow him. They walked out into the night into the great darkness. After many hours of walking, the young man asked where they were going.

"To the great circle of ways of being," replied the ancient warrior.

"What is the great circle," asked the young man?

"It is the entrance to the paths that will lead you back home." said the ancient warrior.

"Why can't I go back the way I came?"

"The way is shut. All men must journey the paths to find the great tree."

    As they continued on the path the boy noticed more and more people were with him. All having their own guides. The warrior stopped and told the boy to continue over the hill that he must return for others. The boy obeyed and walked up the hill and over the crest. As he journeyed, he saw many who were scared and ran back to the darkness but most pressed forward.

   When he arrived at the top of the hill he saw seas of people all moving this way and that in a great field. On the outer edge of the field appeared to be gates which lead to paths stretching to different lands. He noticed to his right a land filled with excitement and fun, to his left a land filled with riches, and straight ahead foothills and then mountains leading to the great unknown.

   As he approached the great field, a man sat meditating.

   "What is this place," asked the young man?

   "This is the place were all men must choose to become what they will become," replied the sitting man. "You must choose a path."

   The young man walked around the edge of the circle trying to look down each path. All sorts of attempts were used to lore the boy down a path but the boy kept searching. He noticed a gatekeeper giving clothing to those who wanted to identify themselves with that path. In the area where the paths  lead to riches, he noticed fine clothing with much jewelry; similarly, the paths that lead to fun and excitement contained clothing needed for that type of an adventure.

   The young man decided that the path of excitement and fun was for him. He spent years walking the paths of excitement enjoying the different adventures. After exploring many paths, the boy found himself bored. The paths seemed to be very shallow and repetitive. He searched for more exciting path. The more exciting the path the more dangerous the road. At time he almost fell off into the darkness, where no one returns. On one occasion, he was almost lost to the great darkness but was saved by a fellow traveler.

    The fellow traveler wore the armor of the ancient warrior and told the boy of the path. He encouraged him to leave these ways and find the path the would lead him home.

   The young man thought about these paths he journeyed. They had all bored him. He was unhappy with the man he was becoming. He was shallow. His life revolved around him and having fun. There was nothing of substance.

     The young man decided to go back to the field and find a different way. There he searched again looking at the different paths. A little older and a little wisher, he decided to spend is time journeying the path of riches. He clothed himself in fine clothing and began his journey. As he enter the path, he noticed that it was broad and many entered at the gate. But over time, the path became narrower and narrower. Those who were not cleaver fell off into the darkness.

   While walking the path, he met a woman returning back to the field.

He asked, "why do you return back from this path?"

She replied, "only one can make it to the end of this path. And I'm not going to be that one."

"What do you mean?" inquired the young man.

"See boy, this path is the path of riches. All those who walk it seek the same objective - to have more than all others. The farther you walk the path the narrower the way. Those who make it the farthermost are those who are willing to push others off into the darkness" she taught.

   The young man noticed he was cleaver to avoid the traps set by other travelers. He showed great promise. He journeyed far while never pushing another off into the darkness. However, far into the reaches of this way, the path became even difficult for him. He watched as his fellow travelers would use any means to make it one more step.

   Then came the moment, while high on a ledge his fellow traveler slipped and reached out for the young man to save him. The young man hesitated questioning whether or not he should help. He watched as his fellow traveler fell into the darkness never to return.

   "You did the right thing, you know" said another traveler. "You would have had to push him off someday."

The young man stopped and sat on the way. He began to weep. What type of person had he become a person who would let another be lost so he could be above them all. He decided to turn back to the field.

   After a long journey back, the young man stood in the field. Overcome by regret he decided to turn back and go into the darkness and lose himself. He stopped in the field and got down on his knees he said a prayer and asked for help to guide him. As he walked back to the entrance of the field, over the hill, and back to his home. He met the ancient warrior.

   "Where are you going?" he asked.

   "I'm trying to return home", the young man replied.

   "This way does not lead to your home, you must keep pressing forward. Seek ye the gatekeeper who has walked all paths. He knows the way.”

   He returned to the field. This time he took a piece of paper and pen and questioned all the the gatekeepers but to his utter despair there were too many. He started to question those in the throng. A simple question none seemed to be sure of the right answer.

"Where is the gatekeeper who has traveled all paths?" he asked.

As he spoke with many fellow travelers, he came across many different opinions. Most did not care what path they followed, many followed family and friends, some claimed their path was the true path, but one old man pointed to a path that he regretted he never went down.

"Why do most not know of the path?" asked the young man.

"Because it is only open to those who seek it." replied the old man.

As he approached a small gate almost hidden on the edge of the circle. He noticed a lot of commotion. Many were mocking those entering the gate. Some holding people back from entering.

The young man approached the gatekeeper. He looked upon the man and did not notice anything desirable about him or his gate. The gatekeeper smiled and called him by name and said, "what seek ye?"

"I seek the gatekeeper who has walked all paths and knows all ways", said the young man.

"I am he." said the gatekeeper.

"Why is the gate so small?" replied the young man.

"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way; which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. - the Gatekeeper said. "Come, enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:"

"You must wear the armor to walk this path. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the darkness" (Ephesians 6:12). "Take unto you the whole armor that ye may be able to withstand the day" (Ephesians 6:13). Hold to the rod and it will lead you to the tree."

The young man was disappointed about this choice. There was nothing grand about entering this path. The clothes were different and the path looked difficult. The boy looked again at the gatekeeper and the path. While intellectually he did not understand why he should walk this path, he trusted in those who had walked it.

“I will go and do what you have asked gatekeeper.”

The young man entered the path. He walked many days. He held tight to the rod and never left it. He wore his armor day and night. When the rulers of the darkness came, he fought them and withstood their blows.

One day, far in a valley he notice the path wondered close to a path he had walked before and his friends who he had left many years before still walked it. His friends saw him afar off and bid him to join them in their fun. The young man declined and they began to mock him. He continued on his path but the mocking affected him. He wanted to return back to easier paths. He was about to turn when a fellow traveler stopped him.

"Why do you wish to return," asked the fellow traveler.

"This path seems too difficult and I had so much fun on that path," replied the young man.

"Then why did you not stay on that path," inquired the fellow traveler?

"I do not remember. It has been a long time now but look at my friends and they seem so happy and we seem so tired," the young man said.

"We humans have limitations to our ability to perceive reality. We assume by seeing outward expression of joy that the same joy is found deep in the soul. When I traveled different paths, I found that my joy was limited to times of excitement. When the time ended, so did the joy and I needed something more to feel the same excitement. Like a drug, my life depended on a experience instead of an inward contentment with reality." replied the fellow traveler. "Do you feel content in your heart now young man?"

"Yes."

"Did you feel that same content in your heart when you walked different paths?"

"No, I needed some event to pull me out of my miserable reality."

"Do you feel the joy of life?"

"What is the joy of life,” asked the young man?

"The joy of life is the fruit of the tree which you seek. Do you still desire to find the tree?"

"Yes, for I know that those paths lead to no tree but only to the darkness" said the young man as he watched his friends walk out of his view.

The young man took the fellow traveler by the hand and continued on his journey. He was renewed with an energy to find the tree. And when times of difficulty came, he offered help to those around him.

Then one day, after much tribulation, he found the tree with all of its glory. He walked to it and partook of its fruit and he was filled with the happiness he had sought for so many years. The joy filled his heart that he desired all to partake of the fruit and experience the joy that is found with it. He turned back down the path to the field. He spoke to many and showed them the way. The way that all men must be to find the eternal joy and happiness. 

A great sequence of scriptures that show God's love.

This was a great production done by http://www.fathersloveletter.com/text.html. 

Here is a link to their video and text of the scriptures they compiled is below

My Child,

You may not know me,
but I know everything about you. 
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up. 
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways. 
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. 
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image. 
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring. 
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived. 
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation. 
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book. 
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live. 
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. 
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb. 
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born. 
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented
by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love. 
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father. 
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. 
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father. 
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. 
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. 
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. 
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love. 
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing. 
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you. 
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession. 
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul. 
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things. 
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me. 
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart. 
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires. 
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine. 
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager. 
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles. 
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you. 
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart. 
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes. 
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. 
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being. 
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you. 
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. 
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you. 
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love. 
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me. 
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…
Will you be my child? 
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you. 
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your DadAlmighty God

Prayer, it really works!

This morning I woke up at 4:45 A.M. to take my wife's mother to the airport. She is a wonderful woman. On my way home, I was thinking and a few memories came back quite forcefully. I remembered two instances right away and the third came back to me after I pondered upon the first two.

The first memory was about one summer when I attended scout camp. The scout camp was up in the mountains for a week. The camp was great and it was a great time for learning how to survive. This was a large gathering of many scout groups. Our group was rather rambunctious. My father, as he was through my whole scouting career, was my scoutmaster. One night I lay in my tent, I sat there and said my nightly prayer. During my prayer I remembered that the next day we were suppose to go to a shooting contest. I thought about how cool it would be if I were to win the shooting contest. In my head, I asked the Lord if I could win.

 The next day, a close friend of mine and I went to the contest. I had only shot a gun once before. He was an expert for his age. He gave me a few pointers. After we had finished, we went back to our camp and I didn't think much of it. We enjoyed the rest of the day playing and having fun. The next morning, like all mornings on scout camp, we woke up to a big gathering of all the scout groups surrounding a flag. The scout camp leadership lead us in the national anthem and our group shouts. Towards the end, they named off the three winners of the shooting contest. I was halfway asleep when they called out the winner. I was stunned that it was me. I walked up and received a necklace. It was pretty awesome necklace, it was a lether string with  feathers and whole in a quarter shot out my an expert marksmen. On our way back to camp, I bragged about how great a shot I was. I totally forgot that I had prayed the night before for that exact thing to happen. Not long after, I returned again to the shooting range to prove how great a shot I was to the scouts in my group. To my suprise, I did very poorly. My good friend looked at me and said with a reassuring nudge, "you'll do better next time." 

  There were only two times in my life that I excelled in sports: my last year on my Pony league baseball team and my sophomore year of football. My sophomore year of football I had made a promise with God that if I could start that I would keep the commandments the best I could. For the most part, I kept the promise and so did he. I started as an outside linebacker and I was called to be a Captain of the football team. I was pretty good. I enjoyed that year. I never made that same promise with God the next two years and each year was filled with disappointment. I never started again even though I had the ability to be a good football player.

 My last year of Pony league was probably the first time I thought about using prayer as a means to improve my ability at sports. A friend, who was a year older than me, would always say a prayer everytime he went to bat. I decided to use the same technique. I went from a .200 bating average to a .600 bating average. I was actually one of the best in the league. 

As I drove home and these memories fooled back. I realized I had not prayed for help in my current situation. I was amazed to remember these events and how unimportant they are to me know. Even though, in the grand scheme of things, these were unimportant things. The Lord answered my prayers. I know our Heavenly Father will answer our prayers even when they are for unimportant things, like winning a shooting contest. 

This morning experience remind me of a scripture Christ said, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost...he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance..." - John 14:26

Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? - Matt. 6:25

    I know that serving your fellow man is worth more than all the riches of this world. While I was studying for the bar, I would wake up early in order to study and get in the right frame of mind. Each morning I notice a woman walking the streets outside local civic center. She was about sixty years old. I watched her every morning make her daily walk to the library. I don't know where she came from but she seemed to have a pattern. I began to study this woman as I would read my scriptures in my car. During the time, I was intently studying the words of Christ. His compassion for the poor seemed to draw my attention. 

    One morning as I read my scriptures, I saw this woman walking and I felt I needed to give her some money. I told myself that if she would walk closer to my car I would give her some money. I didn't want to walk across a parking lot and scare her. My thoughts were turned to Christ and how he never put conditions on his giving. In a moment, I felt as if I understood the message of Christ. He was teaching us to be proactive and to not only give but to go out of our way to find opportunities to serve. I opened the door to my car, got out, and walked across the parking lot. She turned to me and smiled. I gave her the change from my car. 

    Within the same week, I was driving to my class to study for the bar. I had a feeling to stop at McDonalds. I did and I took my scriptures in with me. I sat and read my scriptures. After a few minutes an African American man walked into the store, he was looking for money. He approached me and asked if I had any money. Before I could respond, he looked down at my Bible and asked me for some spiritual guidance. He shared with me his struggles of not being able to stop drinking and doing drugs. He talked about going to prison and how he was back on the path to going back soon. I listened and shared the gospel with him. With tears in his eyes he said that he was 40 years old and had nothing to show for his life. Under the guidance of our Heavenly Father, I told him that his life was only half over and he had another half to fill with good things. His face light up. Hope was restored to him. 

    I don't know if the money I gave to that woman changed her or the words I spoke to that African American man continued to give him hope. In all honesty, I nearly doubt it did much to change the course of their lives. It did teach me something. It taught me the true way to live. The true way to live is in the service of others. 

I learned what the Bible is not for...

 Let's face the truth. There are many different views on the Bible. So many, in fact, that it is almost impossible to determine who is right. Almost everyone has a good argument why their interpretation is right. Of course, I'm like everyone else and think my interpretation is right. One day, I learned a great lesson on how God thinks and how to use the Bible.
  At one point in my life, I lived in a very religious city. There were religions everywhere. Not only were the people religious but they loved to talk religion. I found myself talking with many pastors and clergyman. Almost always our conversations turned into arguments over doctrine. I began to notice that the same verses of scriptures were used against my religion with almost ever pastor. It was like they were reading a script. I was amazed, so I devised a cunning plan. I memorized the pattern, found all the scriptures that supported my position against that and attacked them back. Kind of a shock and awe tactic.
  Over the next few weeks, I became pretty good at Bible bashing. I convinced myself that it was okay because I was correcting the errors in other interpretations in the Bible. I thought, if they kept these errors and spread them further, they would erode God's word even further than it already has been eroded.  If they only could see the error in their doctrine, then they would join me "in truth." I don't like to brag but I was good. I was so good I sought out more victims to thrash. Even knocking on other religious leaders doors for the purpose of creating an argument.
  One day a friend of mine asked me to go visit with his friend who just returned from Bible school. I happily agreed. While we were visiting, this newly trained student began the usually scripture bashing routine. I played along for a few minutes. When he got to a very familiar passage, I took him to town showing him verse and verse where he was wrong. Not only where he was wrong but his whole faith was wrong.
 After a half an hour, I stopped I looked around and everyone's head was down. According to the world, I had won. He had nothing to come back with. At that moment, I felt horrible. I told him that I should go.
  We walked out into the night air. I didn't want to be around anyone. Something was eating me up. I needed to know what it was. I walked down a dark road praying. I asked, "Father why do I feel like this?" I then realized I must have done something terribly wrong. I asked God to forgive me for creating such a evil atmosphere in that man's home. After I asked, I felt words. I didn't hear a voice but it was like I did. The words were put directly into my mind. God said, "shame on you for using My word to destroy another man's faith in Me."
  I was shocked and awed. I saw all the timed I had used the Bible to win a verbal battle. It was never for the Lord it was for me to be "right." I learned that the Bible is meant to uplift and enlighten; not to prove others wrong. I know God loves me and forgives me of destroying other men's faith. I hope I never do it again.

How can God love us if he allows all this suffering

 Many years ago, in a foreign country I really learned the love of God. During that time I was living in a small village just outside of a city. Once a week, I would come in town and meet with some friends and get some things done. As friends, we would go eat at a local diner.

 I still remember the first time I met that young boy. I don't know his name but his condition was so horrific that no man could not help but notice. His arms were deformed from the shoulders down. His hands looked like they had been tortured to a non-human form. His legs were just as bad. His face was so deformed that it made it almost impossible for him to speak properly.

  I first saw him dragging himself to the front entrance of the diner where we were going to eat. I couldn't help but notice him and I had a feeling neither could anyone else there. There was something within us all that wanted to reach out to him. But we didn't. We all sat there and ate. I watched out of the corner of my eye as person after person walked past him acting as if they could not see. Like they were so busy to notice, like he was invisible. All notice he was there. I sat in sham as I too did not extend my hand to him.

  One of my good friends, Hope is his last name, stood up with his meal walked out of the diner and sat next to him. The rest of us looked at each other and like sheep stood up to follow a good shepherd. We sat by the door eating with him. I gave my food to this man; but he fed me. I don't know how to explain it other than I felt full. Full of all that I needed to survive in this world.

   It was time for us to leave so we stood up and on his face was a beautiful smile. More beautiful than I had seen in my whole life. It was a smile of complete joy. We turned and jumped on a bus to go home. As we sat there on the bus. We all sat silently. I looked in the eyes of each of my friends. All were filled with tears. A feeling overcame me that must have overcame them. I bowed my head and thanked God for the experience. I felt these words that I'll never forget, "thank you, I love that man."

Many say, how can God love us if he allows all this suffering. I don't think words can answer that question but what I felt that day on that bus has answered it for me. He does. I know it.

Janurary 2, 2003 -- Granada Experience

 Below is my journal entry about my experience with how my Heavenly Father helped me realize a mistake I was making. There are a lot of errors. This experience took place in the Philippines. I remembered this story and wrote it down in my journal. Here is the excerpt. 

It’s finally 2003, I can’t believe it – time flys. I can’t even remember a hundredth part of what happened in 2002 but I give an overview.

            About 1 year ago I was transferred to San Mariano. That place at first became a great challenge that I had to overcome. My first companion was Draper – one of the nicest kids ever. I loved Draper, he taught me so many great things. The thing that I was the most impressed with him was his love and dedication to the work. Draper had a hard life right before he came on his mission. His father died of cancer. The thing that impressed me most with him was that at that time his brother had the same kind of cancer but it didn’t faze him he just kept on working. I saw a living example of a man that Jesus described when he said that any man that turns back is not worthy of his work and that great phrase came “let the dead bury the dead.” Some preach it Draper lived it.

            Soon after that fast Sunday came, and I still remember what I fasted for, I fasted that I would understand the language better. A week later Draper was transferred and Granada came into my life.  Granada is the hardest person to understand. His Tagalog is horrible and it is almost impossible to understand. At first I found it most difficult to communicate; and I thought Granada to be very rude. I came to a point that I hated Granada with all fiber of my being and didn't mind if he was to die. My first reaction was that something must be wrong. I felt that I was in the wrong area and I remembered that zone conference was coming soon. As the days came closer to zone conference my hatred for Granada grew and I wanted to be transferred. So I came to the conclusion that I was not suppose to be in San Mariano. I decided to tell President that I needed to be transferred. On the way to Ilagan for zone conference, I asked the Lord to help me with my problem. The Lord answered my prayer half way through the meeting President stopped his talk and told all of us that he prays long and hard to know where we are suppose to go. I knew that after President had said that that was my answer to my prayer but the logical question that followed was – why?

I took this picture at the place where I felt my heart changed. I do not remember the boys name who is in the picture. He was our guide. Behind the boy is the corn field and to his left is the river.

Why was I there? Why was I supposed to go through that hell? I went home and dropped on my knees and asked the Lord for help. I prayed so long and hard I drew tears; I couldn’t take it. After the prayer, I stood on my feet and picked up the Liahona and read the article about how in all trials we need to grow. I can’t remember what it was about but I remember a man named Wirthlin wrote the article. All I remember is that it changed my heart to realize that even though Granada was wrong in some of the things he was doing, I was wrong for not loving him for who he was. I felt a great relief after I read that but I still hated him. 

The next day I prayed and as we walked down over the market place up to the Catholic Church. As we walked across the river, I asked God to change my heart. By the time we got out of the city and into the corn fields I felt a love come over me that changed my soul. This feeling grew stronger as we walked through this corn field and this love eventually took over my body. I stopped there by that river and thanked God and looked at Granada and thought of how much I loved him. 

I was happy for the rest of the day. I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. When we arrived home that night a note was pinned to my door. It said that something had happened in another area and that I would be transferred at the next transfer meeting. I'm grateful that God let me suffer so I could see the good in Granada. Granada is a great man. It was too bad I let my hate get in the way of us become good friends.