"16 You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.
"17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."
The little things in life are what make this life bearable, or unbearable, depending on what things and your point of view. The little things will get to you, lift you up, bring you down, or make it all worth it.
My mom and dad have been married for 21 years. They've had their ups and downs, thick and thin, joys and heartaches, etc. They have stood by each other from the very beginning. I don't know what goes on in their heads, and I am still uncomfortable with whatever happens behind closed doors (aren't we all though?). But I know what I see, and I see all the little things that make them work. They talk about their day, they cook together, they make decisions together, they goof off and laugh together, they play with us kids together, they go on dates and spend time together, etc. All these little things make them work, make them happy (aka makes us kids happy too). My dad's deployments didn't destroy their relationship. Their big anniversary to New York didn't make their relationship fantastic. Their finding out that they were pregnant each time with us kids didn't make it all magic and butterflies, it just added to the already present magic. The magic of day to day.
The same goes for the gospel. Not all of us will receive big revelations and visions. Most of us live with small feelings from the spirit, the day to day spiritual boost we need, the fertilizer to our seeds of faith. During some parts of our lives, we need more of a boost than other parts, like seminary during high school. I know that I needed that boost from seminary. I needed the Spirit that it brought into my day. It created my love and adoration of the scriptures, one day at a time.
Sins can also do the same. Satan has a replica of almost everything that God has to offer, except his version is always corrupt and will tear you apart. I was reading in Alma 47, when Amalickiah was tempting the king of the rebellious Lamanites.
"10 And it came to pass that when it was night he sent a secret embassy into the mount Antipas, desiring that the leader of those who were upon the mount, whose name was Lehonti, that he should come down to the foot of the mount, for he desired to speak with him.
"11 And it came to pass that when Lehonti received the message he durst not go down to the foot of the mount. And it came to pass that Amalickiah sent again the second time, desiring him to come down. And it came to pass that Lehonti would not; and he sent again the third time.
"12 And it came to pass that when Amalickiah found that he could not get Lehonti to come down off from the mount, he went up into the mount, nearly to Lehonti’s camp; and he sent again the fourth time his message unto Lehonti, desiring that he would come down, and that he would bring his guards with him.
"13 And it came to pass that when Lehonti had come down with his guards to Amalickiah, that Amalickiah desired him to come down with his army in the night-time, and surround those men in their camps over whom the king had given him command, and that he would deliver them up into Lehonti’s hands, if he would make him (Amalickiah) a second leader over the whole army.
"14 And it came to pass that Lehonti came down with his men and surrounded the men of Amalickiah, so that before they awoke at the dawn of day they were surrounded by the armies of Lehonti...
18 And it came to pass that Amalickiah caused that one of his servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti, that he died." (Alma 47)
So, Amalickiah sent a message to the king, Lehonti, saying, "Come meet me at my camp and I will discuss a treaty with you." Lehonti wisely refused. Then again, Amalickiah said, "I will meet you half way up the mountain." Lehonti still refused. Amalickiah then said, "I will meet you outside of your camp, and let you surround my men as if we've been captured." Lehonti accepted. The moment Lehonti accepted that agreement was when he signed his death certificate. Even after he had taken Amalickiah to be his second in command, Amalickiah poisoned him, little bit by little bit.
An apple a day, keeps the doctor away. Ten minutes studying the scriptures a day, keeps Satan away. :). We can be made or broken by the little things, and The Lord loves to see us do the good little things in our lives. He loves to see us happy and succeeding. His heart breaks every time we snag something from the store, take a puff of something that should never be in our lungs, or look at something that disrespects our ability to procreate. I bear my testimony that the little things, our helm will steer us where our choices take us, and it's our choice where we go. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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