Sitting Around

There is a particular street I take nearly every day for one reason or another; school, work, friends. All seem to be in that general direction. A church along that street has a sign out front where they post the title of the next sermon and the preacher's name. The topic this week is "Sitting Around." Seems to be a prevalent topic in people's minds this week. Yesterday, there was little to do on my list. At one point, I realized how much time was being wasted, that could be used for work, improvement, and progression. In that moment, I made a sudden decision. I pulled into the parking lot of an old job. As a fast food place, it's not the most exciting job in the world. You leave dirty, sticky, smelly and greasy. Even as I walked to the door I thought, 'do I really want to do this again?' Yes. What else am I doing with my time, besides wasting it? Even though it is fast food, it is an honest business, the pay is decent and the food is good. They took me back in an instant. Since I worked there for over 4 years (though it was almost 2 years ago I resigned) I remember just about everything. No training needed. Customer service can be enjoyable, and making shakes can be at times, a delight. It is worth it. As for hard work, Spencer W. Kimball had this to say: " 'I decided I wanted to go on a mission as I had been taught all my life. When I got to the end of my high school, I went to Globe, Arizona, to get a job, so that I could save money...I'd grown up on a farm so I could milk cows. I could do a lot of things. My father bought me a little pitchfork when I was just a little boy, and I found work in the dairy wasn't easy either. I didn't like it. I would milk the cows and then go in and do the washing of the cans and bottles. We would use scalding water, and our fingers would get somewhat used to it, and then I would go out to milk the cows the next time, and my fingers would crack and bleed.
" ' I went to the Globe Ward every Sunday night. We would walk about two miles down the road to get there. I would hold my hands above my head as we walked, so that the weight of the blood in my fingers wouldn't crucify me. It hurt terribly, so I walked that way. I guess people thought I was giving up, but I wasn't. I wasn't surrendering. I was just on my way, and so my fingers bled every day...In between, we would go out to turn the cows into the field and take a square-ended shovel. You know what we did with the shovel. We cleaned up after the cows. You know, I never did like to clean manure. It was about the filthiest job I ever had, but I had to do it to keep my job. It was part of my job." To get where we want to be, we have to make sacrifices, we have to work. Giving up shouldn't be an option when it is a worthy cause. What in life comes easy, that is truly valuable? Being a missionary, education, family, friends, service, charity. There are countless trials that are thrown in people's paths every day. Don't surrender.
A friend of mine, Jim, elaborated on what he called "idle worshiping." This is a practice of going through the motions. One can understand that it is important to read the scriptures, know they should pray to Heavenly Father, go to church, be a good person in general. Of course, these are wonderful things, but simply doing them without thinking, you won't get very far very fast. It is necessary to take what you read, hear and feel, into your heart; and not only keep it there, but use it, act like you believe, and teach others.
So what's the point? Happiness. True happiness and peace in a world full of turmoil. It's worth it. I promise. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ.

Spencer W. Kimball excerpt from Finding Peace Happiness and Joy by Richard G. Scott