Even if you aren't Mormon, I still recommend you read this. Though I use analogies with the temple, the lesson taught here is still relevant for anyone who's striving to reach a goal in life.
Go ahead and look carefully at this picture:
Do you see the temple? Look again until you find it (it's there, I promise)
On Sunday, I really wanted to take a picture of the Jordan River temple because, well, it's beautiful. That day I thought, "Since it's Sunday it might be closed. But there's still a chance." I debated about going or not. I finally decided to check it out on that said day because I usually have work, Sunday is such a calm day, and I thought I'd just take the chance anyway.
Surprise. It was closed.
It actually bummed me out that it was closed because I was really looking forward to a stroll on the temple grounds on the Sabbath day. But at least I now know that Sunday's are closed (as now do you. Go to Temple Square or the Provo temple instead).
I wasn't going to leave without any pictures, so I took some through the gate. Hoping to snag some sort of angle that I appreciated. I started thinking about how I love the temple and long to continue being worthy to enter into them.
As I was about to go back home, it hit me.
Take a picture up close with the gate. Because that's how I kind of felt that day.
Then the gears rolled some more and we have the picture we have at the top.
Now let me explain everything this picture represents
Let's look at it this way -- the temple is the House of God, a peaceful place where we can worthily enter and be away from the world. Even the grounds are peaceful and bring the Spirit into your life. So let's have the temple represent our goal in life, whatever it may be.
Next, the gate -- it seems self-explanatory that it would be what's blocking you from entering the temple, literally in this situation. You can't even get close to the temple if the grounds are locked up. Sunday is the Sabbath day and yet the grounds are locked. We'll call this the roadblocks of life.
Lastly, the trees -- what great beauts in the picture, right? But what is it doing? It's blocking the temple. I could barely see it through all that beautiful green. It was still a really pretty sight to see and I love the shots you can get on the temple grounds because the grounds are always so gorgeous. We'll call the trees things we do in life.
Kind of catching on here?
What I'm trying to say is:
Do not lose sight of the goal you have in life, no matter what is in your way.
Figuratively speaking, but in all seriousness, I never want to lose sight of the temple and the blessings that God gives me as I live the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love it and I live it. However, there are many times in life that I get caught up in things that aren't as important -- school, friends, work, life itself. They're all great things and bring joy and happiness to my life. But sometimes they can accidentally make me lose sight of want I want most in life -- eternal marriage and true joy.
Sometimes (or a lot of times) life throws me curve balls to try and completely block my way to the temple -- life situations that are barriers. They may be temporary but realistically they are there.
The trees weren't planted where they're planted to purposefully block the view of the temple. Though the trees are beautiful and add variety and happiness to the temple grounds, they aren't the main attraction, so to speak. The gate isn't always closing the temple grounds, they are only temporary, but they still are powerful enough to prevent one from entering in.
Just like that, we as human beings can get mixed up in stresses of the world and lose focus of what really matters, and what goals we may have. We have to remember to prioritize and remember the good, better, and best.
So whatever it is that you are striving for in life (that's right, you!), go for it! DO not lose sight of your prize. It can be easy to be distracted, but you can stay focused. I for one, am grateful that I was reminded of this lesson while practicing my talents, and that I can continue to live the gospel and try and become better everyday in all aspects. And I hope that you do the same!
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