Go the Distance

"Heart's on fire, strong desire, rages deep within," I love that song from the motion picture "Rocky."  You all should know by now my love for movies, especially ones that inspire me to try my hardest at everything I do.  Rocky Balboa "The Italian Stallion" was a simple guy just trying to make it in life.  He had barely anything but what he did have was desire.  A local boxer from Philadelphia with absolutely nothing to lose.  One day he was met by a famous fighter named Apollo Creed who had an interest in balboa and challenged him to a fight.  Even though Apollo was world champion at the time, rocky was ready and willing to fight!  Brothers and Sisters we all have dreams, desires, wants and needs.  So let me put the question of "how" out there.  How are we going to achieve our goals and desires?  Three things that we all can try each day if we are willing and have an open heart.  1.  Faith, with faith we can know of a surety that in life's darkest times our Heavenly Father is there waiting upon us to call him.  With faith we can also know that good will always come no matter what happens.  2.  Desire, when you first have faith you the have desires to do things that you never knew you were capable of.  Have a desire to do good, and rid away evil thoughts and actions to do bad!  3.  Diligence, have you ever played a game of basketball or ran a mile that seemed too hard at times?  When I have watched a basketball game, even with 20 seconds left and the opposite team is still down 30 points I notice they still have that drive to work hard even when it comes down to there team losing.  We need to all be diligent in whatever we do, because when we are busy Satan has a harder time entering our thoughts.  Brothers and Sisters be diligent to the end for the prize will be worth it the day you stand in front of your Heavenly Father and he asks the question "Braden, how do you think you have lived your life?"  and you answer honestly "The best that I could."  Eternal Life, that's what we are all striving for, we all joined our Heavenly Fathers plan together so go the distance.  As a simple man in Philadelphia, Rocky balboa went from good to great and from great to amazing.  “Don't you quit. You keep walking, you keep trying, there is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon. Some come late. Some don't come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust God and believe in Good Things to Come.”- Jeffrey R. Holland