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 6: The Green

Putting is the hardest part of golf in my opinion. It is the thing that has cost many of the greats in golf many titles. To be honest it is what is keeping me in the 100s and not the 90s. The reason a putt is so difficult is because of the swing that you use when you are putting. It is a pendulum swing that if it is not right the ball could either roll to far or get headed and not go far enough. It is the worst feeling when your ball doesn't go where you want it to. So just like putting and the pendulum swing, our lives are made more accurate when we pray. As we pray the Lord allows us to learn his will for us. He loves us and wants to hear from us.

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 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.

Touch My Heart

I have been reading lately about the brother of Jared and how when the Lord wanted him to think of a solution to his problems, he did as the Lord commanded. He needed light in the boat so he went into themountains and found stones. He took of these stones, which were shiny like glass, and brought them before the Lord. The Lord, seeing the great faith of the Brother of Jared, touched the stones with his finger and gave them light. He then saw the finger of the Lord because of his excellent faith. Faith is an interesting element to missionary work especially in finding people to teach. Our mission president talked about us replacing ourselves for the stones in this story in order to increase our faith to find. So this is the poem that came from it.

TOUCH MY HEART by Elder Kuck

Lord,
Touch my eyes to see through the facade of the world,
Touch my ears to hear the cries of a soul suppressed by the temptations of Satan,
Touch my hands to carry the burdens of those around me,
Touch my spirit to commune with the spirit of God,

Touch my heart to feel the love of God for my fellow men,
Touch my soul to speak with their souls,
Touch my mind to fear no longer the door before me,
Touch my mouth to speak with the tongues of angels,

I know who you are, Father, and I know who I am, your Son!
Touch me to share this knowledge with others,
Touch my heart to break its rough corners,
Touch my heart Lord.