Hole 7: the importance of the golf glove.

So you are just doing what you do best. You have stepped up to tee off at number 6. A long par five. You grab your driver, a ball, and a tee. You forget one key thing: your golf glove. you take a few shots an your hand begins to sting. what has happened? You look at your hand and you have a massive blister in your left hand, The hand you would normally wear the golf glove on. Ouch! The pain affects your game the rest of the time until you get to the cart after the hole is over an you slip back into the comfort of your golf glove.

Likewise Heavenly Father has given you something to help you avoid pain and to help you overcome pain when it comes: The Holy ghost. In John 14:26-27, the Savior tells of the Holy Ghost's comforting power when he says, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." The Holy Ghost will bring us peace and bring us comfort to endure the rest of this life just as the golf glove allows us to finish the rest of the game despite the blisters that come.

Hole 4: Par 4, 340 yds.

So you reached hole 4. at this point, you are used to the course and you are used to your swing. This about when the identity crisis sets in. You realize that based on your score you are just an ordinary joe-schmoe golfer. identity crisis is a very real issue for the human race. We all want to know who we are and who we have the potential of becoming. but many times in the mundane holes of the course of life we lose sight of our potential. I think about many of the movie of the day. One in particular, Shrek, is about an ogre who over the years has been content with the label he has received and is content that he is alone. He doesn't recognize his identity crisis until he meets an over-talkative donkey. It is there that we learn of Shrek's struggle with self. Donkey doesn't see Shrek how the world sees him. Donkey wants Shrek to be happy. Donkey tries throughout the movie to help Shrek see his full potential.

This identity crisis is similar to our own. Only our Savior Jesus Christ plays the role of donkey in our struggle for self. Paul in the New Testament tells us about our potential with Christ in Romans 8:16-17, which read, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Because we are children of our heavenly Father we have the potential to become like him. but we need to realize the potential of the Gospel in our lives. That's why Christ suffered and died for us and rose again for us. Because he wants to help us realize our potential. I testify that we are sons and daughters of God and that he is our Father. I know that if we are faithful in our lives that we will learn how to become like him.

Dealing with trials Hole #2: 540 yd. Par 5

Just when you feel like you have warmed up, the very next hole proves to be a test. When you get to the hole, you notice three things. According to the map, sand surrounds the green. The next thing you notice is the large body of water sitting next to the fairway along its right side. The last thing you see is that it is a dogleg right almost 90 degrees. As your partner tees it off, you think to yourself, Why me? Now it's your turn. What are you going to do? turn and run? give up? At this point there is really only one thing you can do. Go forward and hit the ball. You ask yourself how this relates to life and the Gospel. Well let me tell you.

Life is the same way. Just when we feel like we've warmed up, Heavenly Father allows us to go through some pretty, difficult trials. The trials are catered to us and are really easy. In order to reach our full potential, we need to go through trials. What will we do? Run? Hide? We can't! Will we wallow in self pity? We can't! The prophet Nephi says in 2 Nephi 31:20: "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." As we press forward we allow the Savior into our live who, as the prophet Alma said, has "gone forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people." I know that pressing forward through trials isn't easy. But just like overcoming obstacles on a golf course brings a sense of accomplishment, that same sense of accomplishment can e felt as we press forward in Christ Jesus.

Take a Swing At Golf: Warming up with Hole 1 365 yd. Par 4

Imagine if you will a brisk spring morning, 7:45 am. The dew has set in, and the fog is rolling out. A crisp, new green has come over the grass.  You pull out your driver, a ball, and a tee. You pick your favorite ball, a Srixon. You do some stretching and take a few practice  swings. Finally, you step up to the ball and take a swing. You hook the ball right into the trees on the left side. LOST! You grab an old, junky ball thinking you will do the same. As you come through on your swing you know that it was a great hit, sending your ball about 200 yards down the course. You mark and wash your old, junky ball now covered in mud and freshly-cut grass. You pull out a 5-iron, take a practice swing, and hit the ball another  125 yards. You walk up to your cart and grab your 56 degree wedge and your putter. You get up to your ball, and realize that it is in the SAND! You hop into the bunker and set up to get your ball out. First time it pops out and onto the green. Now you know to par you need to sink this putt. You measure out the now 30-foot putt. You take your shot. It comes within inches of the hole then veers off course. It rolls another foot. You step up to the putt and knock it in the hole to take the bogie.

You may wonder how this relates to the gospel. I will tell you. Warming up in golf is a lot like having the Spirit with you. A lot of times golfers forgo stretching and practice swings to try and get on the course early. I have found the same problem in preparing for everyday life. We don't prepare our minds for the day ahead. Here are some ways we can better prepare our minds for the day ahead:

1. Slow down. Cut the less important things off your list of things to do to make room for your family and family time together.

2. Study your scriptures. I have found this one work well for me. I always feel the Spirit more abundantly when I take time to study the scriptures.

3. Pray for strength and wisdom. Your Heavenly Father knows you and wants you to succeed but he wants you to ask Him first. 

Take a little more time to go to the driving range before your round of life and try the things mentioned above. Maybe you will start out your round with a birdie.

Take a Swing at the Gospel. First we pick our clubs.

First we pick our clubs. In PGA rules you are only allowed a certain amount of clubs at any time. There all sorts of clubs to choose from: Drivers, woods, Irons, Putters. And they come from many different brands: Taylormade, Nike, Titleist, Adams golf, Callaway, Mizuno, and so many others.

It doesn't matter necessarily what you use. But every golfer will tell you that  it matters how you and the club get along. What I mean by that is that your swing needs to feel good on your club. Typically golfers have these clubs: Driver, 3\5-wood, 3\4\5\6\7\8\9 iron,  Sand wedge, Pitching wedge, and putter.You can pick any clubs you want, but you can only have 14 clubs as a PGA golfer.

In the gospel, you need the right clubs. The Lord understands that. And he picked our clubs for us. He has called prophets throughout history to write down their dealings with the Lord. Their writings are called scriptures. Today the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has 4 major scriptures: The Book of Mormon, the Holy Bible, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. With these clubs we are ready to play the course of life and to take a swing at the Gospel. To learn more about these volumes of scripture, check out mormon.org.

Take a Swing at the Gospel Introduction

Intro

So the other day we were driving through Polson, MT and I saw a golf course. I thought, oh how I would love to go golfing. The green grass under your feet as you take that first swing. The breeze as you ride through the course, the beautiful scenery that surrounds the course.

I started to think about how this beautiful scenery and the game of golf itself can relate to the gospel and to missionary work.

Life is like 18 holes of Golf. I have often said that golf is the most frustrating but relaxing sport there is. I recall one such day when my dad woke us up at 6:30 to make a 7:20 am tee time at Alpharetta Athletic Club's west course. The dew had just settled this fall morning as we stepped into the tee box. Join with me as we discover 18 holes of how golf has changed my outlook on the Gospel.