Biking and the Gospel

November 30, 2020

Happy Thanksgiving! (For reals this time)

I think a healthy dose of gratitude was just what the doctor (/prophet) ordered. It's important to remember that, even with all of the craziness going on in the world right now, we all have a lot to be grateful for. Seeing my Facebook feed explode with #givethanks was really cool, and it reminded me of all the blessings that God has given me - especially since Covid. For example: senior year may not have ended the way I thought it would, but it was totally worth it to be able to see Trey again before leaving for my mission. The truth is, there will always be good and bad things going on in our lives, so we just have to learn to see the good if we want to be happy. 

I'm also so grateful for the ward I'm in right now! They are all so awesome. We stopped by a couple of members' homes on Thanksgiving, and we had some wonderful Thanksgiving meals. By the end, I was so full I couldn't even bend over. It's been so much fun to meet with a lot of the amazing families that live here, and it has really strengthened my testimony that the Gospel truly blesses families - both temporally and for all eternity. 

As you all know, I've been biking a lot recently, and I'll admit… it's actually been pretty enjoyable. I thought it was alright at first, but, once I figured out how the heck changing gears works, it's been a whole new ballgame. 

Biking is great exercise, and it also gives you plenty of time to just think. So, this week I wanted to share some biking analogies I came up with while zooming around Visalia. The first thing I noticed is that when you bike, most of the time, you end up going towards where you're looking - and I think that's very applicable to life in general. We are drawn to what we focus on, for better or worse. That's why it's so important that we focus on Jesus Christ and his example. If we make him the center of our lives, we'll naturally come closer to him - which leads to increased peace and joy. 

I'll share one more bike analogy before I end this email. When you're biking, it's very important to stay within the bike lane (especially when the cars passing you are going 40+ mph). The bike lane is usually pretty straight and very narrow: a straight and narrow path. Similarly, have to stay on the straight and narrow path laid out by the gospel; the commandments exist to keep us safe and find joy in this life. Of course, we don't always stay on the path, bit we can always get back on it through repentance and the power of Christ's atonement.

The more time I spend as a missionary, the more I wish I could just show the rest of the world what they're missing out on! If you want to find lasting joy, then follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Love you all!

Elder Jackson

Pictures

The Remate (it's like a flea market)

Fridge Drawing