Temptation traps - By Reed Johnson

Last summer I was into trapping a lot.  One time I caught a raccoon in a foot trap.  That got me thinking - It is like the raccoon is us the people, and the trap is like Satan's evil plan.  Of all of those animals that I have tried to catch the ones that I didn't catch are like the people that go to church and obey God's plan.  But the really stupid raccoon got tempted to go and get a drink right where my trap was.  So he got trapped and he can't get out unless he repents.  But this raccoon didn't repent so he is hanging on my wall.

I know that we can all avoid temptation even though it may look really fun or good.  My dad challenged us to go a month without sugar.  It was really hard because I love sugar.  But I did it!  So I know that I can avoid other temptations and so can you!

CLUBS AREN'T GOOD! By Andrea Johnson

One day at school I wanted to play with my friend Brynn but she said she couldn't  because she was part of a club.  So my friend Cambrie and I left. Cambrie said we should have a talking meeting. So we talked about how clubs are bad.  While we were talking Brynn came over to us, she said I want to be with you guys.  So she started to play with us but then Claire the club leader came over and got mad at Brynn because she was only suppose to play with club members.  I tried to be nice to Claire and told her I like your shoes, but Claire was still mad. I stood by the fence and I thought I should say a prayer and ask Heavenly Father if clubs are okay.  And then I prayed at home too.  I felt that no clubs are okay, but I felt that I should be nice to everyone.  Because in clubs you can only be friends with certain people and I want to be friends with everyone.

Staying Aligned with the Milk Jug by Tiffany:

Growing up on a farm I had a lot of various "farm jobs" in the summertime. One particular summer when I was about twelve years old my dad gave me and my sister the job of moving hand-lines (Sprinkler pipes) in the fields near our house. There was one field that was really hard, for some reason, to get the hand lines straight. It seemed that no matter what we did we could not get the pipes straight. We would get it set up then as we looked down the long line of sprinkler pipes it would be all curvy and veer off in the wrong direction. We would then have to go back to where it started going crooked and unhook the pipe. Then, we would try to hook them up again and try to get them straight. My dad came by at a time when we were so frustrated that we were ready to quit. He asked us what we were doing to get the pipes straight. We proceeded to tell him that we would hook one pipe in then go get another pipe and line it up with the one that we just hooked in. When those two pipes were hooked together we would get a third pipe and line it up with the second pipe. We didn't understand why it was not staying in a straight line. My dad then asked us to look down the field to the very bottom. We did and it was only then that I noticed milk jugs tied every few feet to a fence post. He then told us that the milk jugs were there so that we could line each pipe up with the jug. We weren't supposed to line it up with the proceeding pipe, because if it was off just a little bit then each time it would get off a little bit more, and more until we ended up with a crooked hand-line. We were supposed to look down the field and line it up with the milk jug each time we brought a pipe over because that was always in the right place. The milk jug was immovable and constant. If we lined each pipe up with the milk jug our line would end up being straight. I think this can be compared to our life here on earth. The milk jug is like our savior. He is constant and immovable. We always have his gospel to help us and keep us on the right path. If we are looking to him always then we cannot stray far. We may slip up a bit from time to time but if we focus on him it is much easier to get back to the straight path then if we get short sided and just focus on the very next thing in front of us. He is always there. All we need to do is open our eyes and look further down the field to the milk jug that is there to guide us in the right path.

Avoiding Temptations by Tiffany:

I have been running marathons for several years now and have made a goal for myself to run a marathon under three hours. Its something that I really want to do. The last marathon I did just six months ago (in September 2013) was the Top of Utah.  I had trained hard for this Marathon in order to accomplish my goal. I had spent a lot of hours training and perhaps had trained too hard to quickly because I ended up getting an injury in the arch of my foot towards the end of my training. I worked through this injury and even saw a physical therapist about it. He helped me work through it while still being able to continue my training. As the week of the Marathon grew closer my foot was still somewhat of a problem and as I was discussing my marathon time with him he recommended that I try for a 3 hour and 15 minute pace instead of under three hours because with the injury and the time I had lost in training I would be better off trying for under three hours on a different race. I kept his advice in the back of my mind but I still had it in my head that I was going to get under three hours.So the day of the Marathon came. I loaded the bus in the dark with all of the other racers and we headed 26.2 miles up the canyon near logan. When we reached the top to where the race starts there was music playing, people running around, people eating there energy bars and a whole lot of excitement in the air with everyone getting ready to begin the race. Before long it was time to line up for the marathon. They have different places that you can stand according to the time you would like to get. I knew I should start out at the 7:30 or 8:00 min/mile pace but I was feeling pretty good and thought, "oh my injury isn't going to be a problem. I'll be fine. I'm still going to try to get under three hours". So, I did not take the advice given to me and I lined up in the 6:30 min/ mile pace spot. Soon the gun went off and the race began. The first seven mile were a breeze. They were down hill and fast. I was feeling so good and I thought, " I think I'm going to do this". I was keeping up just fine with all the other runners at a 6:30 min/mile pace. Then, the next 6-7 miles I decided I should probably slow my pace just a little because the physical therapist had said that I would probably feel great until about mile 17 and then my foot would probably start bothering me. So, I slowed down just a little but was still on pace to get under three hours. Well by about mile 14 I thought I was feeling a little pain from my foot and my muscles were starting to get pretty tired. I know there are times like this for me in marathons so slowed up a little more and just pushed through it. I was able to keep this up until about mile 18. At this point I "hit the wall". My foot was starting to hurt enough that I noticed that I was running kind of different, and my pace and rhythm was getting off. I started to get worried and then the more I worried the more the pain in my foot bothered me. I started to feel like with every step I took my legs were just made of lead. It was getting hard and I didn't have the energy I needed to make up for the pain in my foot. I kept running and just put the blinders on until I reached about mile 22. At this point my foot and leg and many other muscles in my body were in so much pain that I just wanted to quit. I called Garrett and told him that I needed him to come and run the last three miles with me because I felt like I was just going to quit and I really didn't want to quit. He met me about a mile further down and kept with me to the finish of the race. When I finished the race I just sat down and cried because I had used every ounce of physical and mental energy I had and I was so exhausted. I can't think of a time in my life when I have been more physically and mentally exhausted as I was after this marathon.

As I have thought about this experience, during the race and after, It occurred to me that this could be a good analogy for life. We have church leaders, parent, and others experiences to learn from. We are taught to avoid temptations. We know we shouldn't listen to certain music, watch shows that are not uplifting, go to internet sites that can lead us down the wrong path, or have friends that are doing things contrary to what we believe. However, I wonder sometimes if we think, "well I'm not going to be affected by this" or "this won't happen to me". Had I started my race and stayed at the pace I new I should have stayed at it would have been so much easier. I could have avoided a lot of pain and and injury after the race that took months to overcome. I really think that had I listened to the advice given to me by the physical therapist, who had seen this type of injury before and knew what would happen, that I could have had a great race and ended up with a good time. Instead I thought I was immune to the consequences of my injury and I fell into a trap that is not easy to get out of. This caused me to lose a lot of time and to injure myself even more.

We need to be careful as we embark on this journey of life that we stay as far away from temptation as we can. "just this once" is the start of a very long road of unhappiness.

Something I will always remember learning as a teenager are words that my dad so wisely said to me during a time in my life when I thought I was invincible to anything bad every happening. I was trying to get him to let me go somewhere or do something with a friend of mine. My parents both thought it was a bad idea. I tried telling them they just didn't understand and they didn't trust me. Well, my dad went outside on a walk with me and lovingly talked about the situation with me. When I said that he just didn't trust me he said, "Tiff, I wouldn't even trust myself in that situation". I have remembered that advice and know that it is so important to stay where it is safe. I know that what he was saying is. Hey, I trust you but why put yourself in a situation where it is so easy to fall into temptation. Why even go there. We need to listen to the prophets and church leaders. We need to  keep the commandments and try to become like our savior Jesus Christ. He loves us and doesn't want to see us get hurt. He has made it possible to return and live with him. We have prophets to help keep us safe so that we can return to live with him and so that we can be happy in this life that we have been given.

Repentance by: J'net Johnson

REPENTANCE Zion Narrows 1988 When we make mistakes and do the wrong thing Heavenly Father is not pleased with us (sin). Sin is disobedience to God’s commandments and results in becoming separated from God. God knows all that we do and think. I would like to compare sin or the bad things we do each day to a rock or a stone added to our back pack that we carry with us throughout our lives. Only through repentance can we remove those rocks from our packs. It weighs us down and limits our vision of what we can do in this life. In other words we don’t feel good about ourselves. When Grandpa was Bishop of the 5th ward we had the opportunity to back pack down the Zion Narrows with the youth. This was the first time I had ever had on a backpack and it was heavy and cumbersome. I would much rather ride a horse but horses couldn’t make the trip. The canyon was very narrow and in some places only 16 feet wide and 2,000 feet high. I knew that it was very beautiful but with the pack on my back I couldn’t lift or turn my head or body very easy. Three fourths down the canyon another canyon converged with the one we were hiking in. We took off our packs and proceeded up the new canyon. WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT MADE! I could actually look all the up, turn my head and my entire body around very easily. I have often thought how our backpacks full of (sin) or AKS rocks keep us from enjoying life as Heavenly Father wants us to. It leads to bondage and torment. Conclusion: Repentance is a continual & daily process. As we grow closer to our Savior, we will continue to improve ---developing Christlike qualities. •We will grow in knowledge •And we will want to show our love by obeying HIM •As we repent daily we will find that our lives will change & improve. •Our hearts & behavior will become more Christlike. •We will come to feel great joy in daily repentance.

Tommie Hudson Homerun By: Doug Johnson

Tommie Hudson’s Homerun There is another landmark memory that stands out to me regarding the old Salem School. There was a ballpark just east of the school, where I played Little League baseball. I loved to play baseball as a youth and Little League baseball was a special time. I liked to pitch and play shortstop. I had some fairly good skills as a youth, where I had the opportunity to play on several All-Star teams. Sometimes God will find a need to bring humility to someone that is getting a little too caught up in one’s self. That was the case for me when I was a pitcher for my Little League baseball team. I had found some good success in playing baseball where I had just pitched a no-hit baseball game in a tournament in Spanish Fork. I started to think that I was the best pitcher around, until the game we had with Goshen, Utah’s Little League team. Goshen always had a good team mainly because they had a couple of families who had young boys who were very talented in sports. I was pitching in this game and we were doing pretty well until a boy by the name of Tommie Hudson came to the plate. He was from one of those “talented families” and he was big for his age. Tommie came to the plate and took a couple of practice swings like he knew what he was doing. I decided to give him my fast ball, where I hoped that it would just wiz right by him. The ball did not do much “wizing” that day as Tommie swung the bat hard at the ball. I remember seeing the ball take off over the right fielder’s head towards the school. The boy who was playing right field turned to run after the ball, but then stopped as he saw the ball continue to climb. We all stood and watched the ball seemingly grow wings as it continued to climb as it traveled along its path. Suddenly we heard a crash as the ball broke the window on the second floor of the school. Tommie just trotted around the bases as we all stood in amazement. I had never seen nor have I since seen a ball that was hit so hard. I still have people today (more than 50 years later) who will come up to me and say, “Do you remember the day that kid from Goshen hit that ball into the second story window of the old Salem Elementary School?” I have to tell them, “Yes, I certainly do!! I was the one that delivered that one to Tommie Hudson who smashed it for good.” That was a humbling day as we lost that game. I learned a great lesson that day. Some days you will do well, but there will be other days when someone will do better. On those days you have to accept the results and be prepared to make your next day better. Do not get too caught up in your own abilities, but remember any ability that you have has been given to you by God, so acknowledge God’s hand is in everything that you do and give thanks to him. I like Ammon’s response to Aaron when Aaron thought that Ammon was getting too caught up in his own abilities as a missionary. Ammon said, “Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things: yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.” God is the giver of all things and we are only temporary stewards of the talents that he has given us.

I the Lord am Bound - Elder Berg's Email (Doug Johnson)

Prelude: The following email is from a missionary that served with us in Alabama along with my response to his email. As a mission president I often had the responsibility of delivering “bad news”, but this is one of those experiences where the “bad news” turned out to be truly faith promoting experience. From: andy berg [mailto:bergandr@hotmail.com] Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2012 7:11 PM To: djohnson@projectcontrol-inc.com Subject: RE: Alabama Birmingham Mission Reunion President Johnson, How have you been? It's been a long time since I've seen you and Sister Johnson, and I'm sorry to say we won't be able to attend the reunion this year. However, I felt impressed to tell you about a huge impact you made in my life and mission. I don't know if you remember, but I sure remember the sound of your voice on my answering machine half way through my mission. You had called to tell me that my older brother was diagnosed with brain cancer. I later found out that he wasn't expected to live more than a year. You shared some things with me about priesthood power that you had highlighted for me. You gave me a blessing. Before that I felt like I had to go home to be with my brother for his last year alive. I had already convinced myself that that was what I needed to do. If I had done that, I think I would have had one last time period to spend with him before he died. But you inspired in me a better choice. After I talked to you, even though it was possible I would never see him again, I felt like I should finish my mission. I felt impressed that if I poured my whole soul into it, I would see him again and he would be healed. After that my whole mission changed. My concept of faith changed. My life changed. One week before I returned home, I heard news from home. The doctors thought they had the wrong patient because my brother showed no signs of ever having cancer, and his last visit they still thought may be the last. I returned home to my brother, never seeing him while he had cancer, in perfect health. He now has a wife and two year old son, and is still completely free of cancer. I am grateful for what you did for me. You changed my mission and, along with the faith of many others helped my brother to be healed. I just wanted to say thank you. I wasn't sure you knew how things ended up. I am doing great. I will get my Bachelor of Arts degree in May; I have a beautiful wife, a baby girl, and another on the way. Thanks for being such an awesome person. You are one of the people I think of when I think of people I'd like to be like. I am grateful for your service as my mission president. It sure has meant a lot to me. Your friend, Andy Berg From: Doug Johnson [djohnson@projectcontrol-inc.com] Sent: Monday, September 17, 2012 11:55 AM To: 'andy berg' Cc: 'Mom Johnson' Subject: RE: Alabama Birmingham Mission Reunion Andy - Thank you for sharing the "rest of the story" with me, we were not aware of the final outcome. Yes, that is certainly one of those "faith promoting" experiences that is a reminder that God is in the details and he does not go back on his promises (D&C 82:10). Yes, I remember the experience well. I do not remember the specific advise that was given, but I do remember having the distinct impression that we needed to leave it in the hands of the Lord. He was in a far better position to take care of your brother than you would have been able to do by going home. Yes, I know that you were concerned with the very distinct possibility that you might never see your brother alive again. However, I also remember that you told me that you were at peace with your decision to stay. It is times like those that will help us to remember the importance of placing our "faith & trust" in the Lord. Neither one of us knew what the outcome would be, but having a knowledge of God's eternal plan gave both of us peace that God would not forget your brother nor would he forget you. Obviously there are several scriptures that come to mind as I think about the "lessons learned" from this experience. When God made this world it was with the intent that we would learn from our experiences on earth and those experiences would help us to develop greater "faith" and a greater love for our Father in Heaven. You remember when the Lord said, "And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them" (Abraham 3:25). You had accepted a call to serve the Lord and your willingness to do all that the "Lord your God did command" qualified you for the blessings, "... for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith" (Ether 12:6). This story is a reminder that we are all "instruments" in the hands of the Lord and God will work His miracles through those that have been called to serve. God is the one that does the healing and we are the ones that will be the recipient of God's great love, if we are able to "hold onto the rod" and trust in the Lord. "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation (and trials): for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him" (James 1:12). Sorry you will not be able to attend the reunion. We are looking forward to seeing as many of the missionaries as possible. If you happen to be in the area, please drop by and visit. We would love to meet your wife and children and to visit with you again. Again, thank you for sharing that experience. If it is OK with you, I would like to let the other missionaries know the "rest of the story", since I am sure that they will all (those that were serving with you) remember the experience. All of the missionaries at that time were fasting and praying "mightily" in behalf of your brother and you, so I am sure that it will help to strengthen their faith and testimony and will cause them to remember the great experiences that they had while serving their missions. It is interesting to note that most missionaries will never know just what impact they had on others while they were serving their missions, so stories like yours will help them to recognize that God knows what they did and it is not always important that we are aware of the "rest of the story" all of the time; however, it is nice to have a few of those stories to give us strength. Your story is one of those!! Thank you, Doug Johnson