Winning the Game

I am an extremely competitive person.  You give me a challenge, I will take it.  I like to win, and I will do anything in my power to win.  I grew up playing soccer my whole life.  I started when I was five and continued to play through high school.  I love the competition, I love fighting for something I love, and I love fighting for the ten other players on the field.  The feeling of victory is a feeling that can't ever be replaced.  I remember one game we were playing one of the best teams in the state.  We had lost miserably the first time we played them, and the second time around was our chance for redemption.  They were much more skilled, they were clearly better than us, but we had the heart and the desire to win.  We were down 2-1 with just a couple minutes left.  In the last few minutes I happened to be in the right place at the right time and was able to score to tie it up.  I was ecstatic.  It was easily one of the best and most rewarding moments of my life.  The feeling is one I will never forget.

In high school, I worked extremely hard to be a good soccer player.  Every single morning during summer was filled with sweat and exhaustion as I woke up to conditioning time.  We often had two a days.  We ran so many sprints no matter how we performed in the game.  I would relive it in a heartbeat.  What made it all worth it was those feelings of victory and satisfaction.

Luckily for this game, I already know the outcome.  I already know which team will win.  So obviously I will choose the winning team.  It won't be easy, there will be many moments where tears are shed, when I feel like I can't push any harder, and when I question whether or not it will be worth it.  With the end goal in mind, I can always be reassured that it will be worth it.  The shorts moments where sorrow, discouragement, and disappointment are the only feelings that are present, can easily be overcome with the joy that we are able to have because of our Savior. 

Mosiah 2:41- And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Easy? No. Worth it? Definitely.

A lot of times the church is seen as difficult and impossible to follow.  Many people stray from the gospel because it does not fit into their lifestyle, or it isn't an ideal way to live because that means separating ourselves from the world.  Is it easy?  No, not anywhere close to easy. 

Every day we constantly have temptations flying at us.  How easy it would be to go out on the weekend and party, get some extra shopping done on Sunday, take a drink on that extra stressful day, or invest time in immoral things.  That's the way the world does it, why can't we?  Why do we have so many rules to follow?  Why is it that almost all of our "rules" are the exact opposite of the way most people in the world live? 

I have found it much easier to live these rules by looking at them in a different perspective.  With every thing we do there is a consequence.  I think about some of the most basic doctrine that we have.  No drinking alcohol.  What good can come from alcohol?  There are so many negative consequences that can arise from "just one drink."  These rules are just a measure to keep us safe.  They are there to keep us physically, emotionally, and mentally better.

So is it worth it?  These rules or commandments are given to us to make us happier.  Sometimes it is difficult to ignore the persecutions for "missing out on the fun", but in the end, it is all worth it.  The happiness will greatly over power anything we might have missed out on.  It may be hard to say no, or to turn off some catchy music, but in the long run it will all be worth it.