On the baseball field, it's easy to get caught off guard. It seems as though the game itself knows when you lose focus, and a ball will be hit in your direction. An outfielder may be distracted during a pitch and doesn't see the ball get hit off the bat. Instead of recording the third out of an inning, he gives up an RBI double. Or a pitcher who's caught up in his mind about the last bad call the umpire made and tries to pitch even harder, only resulting in hitting the batter with the pitch and giving up a free base. While nobody can eliminate every single physical error of baseball, I believe that it's possible to have a player/team eliminate all mental errors of the game. Baseball can be a complex sport, but it's not too much to ask your team to always know the count, how many outs there are, what inning is, what the score is, and what to do if the ball is hit to you. Players should know all of this information before every single pitch of the game.
Each Sunday, Latter-Day Saints partake of the sacrament. This is a sacred emblem of the body and blood of Christ. By doing so, we promise to take upon ourselves the name of the Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he has given us. (Moroni 4:3 and Moroni 5:2) Baptized and confirmed members of the church have the Gift of the Holy Ghost, or the constant companionship of one of the members of the Godhead. As we remember Christ throughout our lives, we are promised the blessings that come from the Holy Ghost. The Bible Dictionary says, "...the Holy Ghost acts as a cleansing agent to purify them and sanctify them from all sin." In doing so, keeping the Holy Ghost with us is the key to retaining a remission from our sins.
Like in a game of baseball, anything can happen at any given time during our day. We must always be ready to act on promptings of the Holy Ghost. Satan and his followers are always present, but they literally cannot be part of our lives if we always are relying on the rock of our Redeemer, "which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12) When the Holy Ghost is present in our hearts and minds, we have the opportunity to be the answer to someone's prayers. We can be used as an instrument in the Lord's hands to carry out his work. We are all part of the Restoration of the Gospel, and we must feel the same urgency that the Lord feels to hasten his work. "For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;" (D&C 4:4) If we serve him with all our heart, might, mind, and strength, we are promised to "stand blameless before God at the last day." (D&C 4:2) If we fully engage in the Lord's work, we are protected from the devil, and it's easier to say no to temptations. We also have the blessing from protecting others from Satan's grasps.
We cannot control the situations around us, but we can control how we react. To gauge if our reactions are appropriate, we can ask ourselves if the Holy Ghost can remain with us during that time, or if he would be offended by our thoughts or actions. If we stand righteous and keep the Holy Ghost with us, God will empower us with power from on high. We will bring to pass miracles in our days and be a powerful servant of God. Stay ready brothers and sisters, for the Lord needs us today.
David Wright, New York Mets
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