"Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be lead away captive by him." - 3 Nephi 18:15
One of my favorite hiking spots in St. George is in Zion's National Park. It is called "Angels Landing" and is the highest point in Zion's. At one point of the hike you have to go over a thin trail head that is a straight drop on one side and a slide on the other. The very ground you walk on is slippery sandstone. Your only support is a chain that is chain that stretches along the trail. This is a obstacle you must cross in order to make it to the top. Many are deterred by this and do not reach the top. When I made it to the top the first time I was deathly afraid of heights. I couldn't get within ten feet of a ledge without turning white and running away. My scout troop wanted to go to the top, and I did not. One of my leaders offered me some words of encouragement and the troop had a group prayer before beginning our assent. Almost instantly my worries were put aside. Once we reached our major obstacle I had no fear at all. I could look right over the cliff edge and have not an ounce of fear. My heart still beats rapidly when I get close to the edge but it has never bothered me since that time.
One prayer was all I needed to help obtain the courage I needed to complete that hike. I know it was not me. I still hate heights but that one time I was never bothered by that fear. What is so special about prayer? Prayer is our two way communication with God. In our journey through life God has given us a way to go through our trails with out being blind. Just like on the trail to the peak of Angel's Landing, you are going to encounter trials and obstacles that will make you want to turn back. All you have is a narrow pathway for you to travel on, and it appears that you may slip and fall. BUT, you have a chain to hold you in place, you have prayer to hold to a solid and firm foundation so that you don't go anywhere. Life will be challenging, you might slip at times, but you will not fall. Because you have God to help keep you on the straight and narrow path YOU will make it to the top. In Matt. 21:22 it reads, "
whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall recieve." (see also 1 Nephi 15:11) In our trials we can ask God for faith and give it to us. He will only give us things that will benifit us.
Now I've saved the best for last. When you reach the top of the peak you get to enjoy a spectacular view of most of the park. The beauty of the canyons just soaks into you wit colors of red, green and blue. When we reach our ultimate goal, despite our obstacles that try to turn us away, we get to enjoy the joy that comes from obedience to God's commandments and we have something that will last forever. Eternal Happiness. (D&C 121:7-8) God has promised Eternal life when we diligently strive to obey his commandments and that is the most rewarding part of life.
One of my favorite hiking spots in St. George is in Zion's National Park. It is called "Angels Landing" and is the highest point in Zion's. At one point of the hike you have to go over a thin trail head that is a straight drop on one side and a slide on the other. The very ground you walk on is slippery sandstone. Your only support is a chain that is chain that stretches along the trail. This is a obstacle you must cross in order to make it to the top. Many are deterred by this and do not reach the top. When I made it to the top the first time I was deathly afraid of heights. I couldn't get within ten feet of a ledge without turning white and running away. My scout troop wanted to go to the top, and I did not. One of my leaders offered me some words of encouragement and the troop had a group prayer before beginning our assent. Almost instantly my worries were put aside. Once we reached our major obstacle I had no fear at all. I could look right over the cliff edge and have not an ounce of fear. My heart still beats rapidly when I get close to the edge but it has never bothered me since that time. 
One prayer was all I needed to help obtain the courage I needed to complete that hike. I know it was not me. I still hate heights but that one time I was never bothered by that fear. What is so special about prayer? Prayer is our two way communication with God. In our journey through life God has given us a way to go through our trails with out being blind. Just like on the trail to the peak of Angel's Landing, you are going to encounter trials and obstacles that will make you want to turn back. All you have is a narrow pathway for you to travel on, and it appears that you may slip and fall. BUT, you have a chain to hold you in place, you have prayer to hold to a solid and firm foundation so that you don't go anywhere. Life will be challenging, you might slip at times, but you will not fall. Because you have God to help keep you on the straight and narrow path YOU will make it to the top. In Matt. 21:22 it reads, "whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall recieve." (see also 1 Nephi 15:11) In our trials we can ask God for faith and give it to us. He will only give us things that will benifit us.
Now I've saved the best for last. When you reach the top of the peak you get to enjoy a spectacular view of most of the park. The beauty of the canyons just soaks into you wit colors of red, green and blue. When we reach our ultimate goal, despite our obstacles that try to turn us away, we get to enjoy the joy that comes from obedience to God's commandments and we have something that will last forever. Eternal Happiness. (D&C 121:7-8) God has promised Eternal life when we diligently strive to obey his commandments and that is the most rewarding part of life.
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