Always One Step Ahead

     

     Whether you're a pitcher, batter, or fielder it's important to keep your head in the game. This means that you think of nothing else while you're on the field. You always know the count, how many outs, who's on base, what to do if the ball is hit to you, and what to do if the ball is not hit to you. On every play, every fielder has a responsibility. In other words, nobody should be standing still when the ball is hit. If you know the situation and are aware of your surroundings, sometimes you can take an extra base or catch a runner off-guard. For example, a base-runner hustles out of the box on a single to left field. As he's rounding first base, he sees a slight bobble from the left fielder. The base-runner takes advantage of the slight mistake and stretches a single into a double. Or maybe an infielder fields a groundball and instead of getting the out at first, pump-fakes the throw and draws the lead runner off far enough to get him out. As youth get older, these types of plays are what make the difference in the game. In order to win each inning, a team must be ready to take advantage of the smallest mistakes. I remember one game in high school where we were tied 1-1 with a team from California. With runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs, I delivered a pitch. The runner on second tripped and fell to the ground. Our catcher threw down to 2nd base only to watch the runner on 3rd score, and the runner who "tripped" ran safely to 3rd base. We lost the game 2-1.

     In life, every hour of every day is of internal importance. Satan is always searching for that weak place in our armor waiting to strike. If we let our guard down, he will always be there. I like to think of this as a moving sidewalk. At the airport, it always seems like there are people who find it fun to be walking on the moving sidewalk that's moving in the opposite direction. They walk slower than those on the normal walkway, and if the stop their progress, they move backwards. I believe that life is the same. We are figuratively on a moving sidewalk that is moving the opposite direction. As we strive to live the commandments and follow Christ, we are walking down the straight and narrow path. If we stop reading our scriptures, praying, and other daily activities, we come to a stop on our moving sidewalk. When we come to a stop, we instantly start moving backwards. We instantly start moving away from our eternal goals. Satan will multiply his efforts there, and make sure that we don't get moving again. Once we get moving, it doesn't mean he goes away but instead we have the Holy Ghost to guide us and the Atonement of Christ to give us strength. We are all guilty of stopping on the moving sidewalk and going backwards, but it's important to realize that at any given moment we can start walking again. Kneel down and pray, pick up your scriptures, and start walking.

     At some times in life, it will seem too hard to keep walking. We will feel tired, and maybe wonder if it's worth it to keep going. Elder Holland once said, "You may wonder if it is worth it to take a courageous moral stand in high school or to go on a mission only to have your most cherished beliefs reviled or to strive against much in society that sometimes ridicules a life of religious devotion. Yes, it is worth it." Also, President Eyring said, "if you're on the correct path, it will always be uphill." If you find the gospel path to be hard, it's because it was meant to be that way. Stay faithful, and we are promised "all that the Father hath".