In the song 'The Greatest' by Kenny Rodgers it talks about a little boy, a bat and a ball. Like a lot of kids, we look up to certain things and try to put ourselves in the same situation then mimic it. In this case a boy trying to win the game like his baseball hero. The game is on the line and he tries again. This is apart of the lyrics, "He makes no excuses he shows no fear
He just closes his eyes and listens to the cheers." He tries again and misses, strike three. This is why I love this song, it’s great reminder of the importance of the gospel. The last line of the song goes like this. "Says, "I am the greatest, that is a fact, But even I didn't know I could pitch like that!" We all strike out. or let down other people in our life. It’s a big let down, especially when we try so hard not to. Are we looking like this little boy did? To the other side of the coin? The positive things that happen along the way? The good that might come from it? The blessing we received or the blessings down the road that we don’t see?
In the April 2017 General Conference. Elder D. Todd Christofferson has a talk called “The Joy of the Saints”. In the talk there is a couple and the husband is critically injured. It talks about the Joy they both had in different ways, even though life gave them a strike three. The wife explains, while caring for her husband 24 hours a day, she stated “I am often amazed at the lightness of the heart I feel in caring for my Husband”. She leaned on her faith to get her through even found Joy in it. He states “Problems will come into all of our lives:… I was pushed to the limit, and literally there was nowhere to turn, and so I turned to the Lord, and to this day, I feel a spontaneity of Joy”.
I leave you brothers and sisters of the Washington 11th ward my Testimony. That hard times are here and always will be. Life will always be hard. Yet, if we pray and ask Heavenly Father for help. He will send help. Through people here on this earth, it might be someone within the walls of your homes, it might be a friend or family member, it could be a coworker or neighbor. By them sharing a thought or idea to help you get that answer. Plus a deep love that will swell in your heart that you will know it's true. The Joy will be there along with the answer that your looking for. We just have to look at the other side of the coin or in the case of the young boy the perspective of the problem. I know this church is true. We are guided by a great Prophet. As well as a great Bishopric and other leaders in our church. I say theses things. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
