A Lonely Boy in The Night's Darkness

 Before I start this blog, I want to thank everyone for reading and checking out my blog, last week on Monday, my blog post had 40 page views, which I thought was just awesome in itself. But two of my friends shared my blog post on their Facebooks, within two days that post which had 40 page views jumped into the low 90s, it is now sitting at 104 views. Social Media is awesome ha. Roughly 60-70 people were able to read, and maybe be uplifted from it, and that is just from two friends, if more friends would share it too, just think of how much it would expend and grow. Please note I'm not trying to sound like I'm forcing you guys to do it, it is your choice to share it or not.
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First John 1:5 "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."

My last post was talked some of being  emotional/physically  alone as well, today post will be about physically alone.

When I was 13, I went to my 2nd summer Scout Camp out, it was eh, let's just say it was a week of endurance , haha. That week I was the blood source for the mosquitoes, I got  78 bites, (This took place before Facebook, so I actually have  a picture of my legs all cover in redness, it's somewhere in my house) yes, I counted every bite, I was red all over, I was hot and itchy, You're all thinking why didn't I use bug spray?. I did... I sprayed it everywhere on me, that didn't help at all, these monsters were biting me through my shoes, when I was walking to one of my classes by myself, a swarm of mosquitoes came and were all around me, they were biting me, I ran for a little bit, stopped, and the mosquitoes were gone.. for a full 5 seconds, until they came back and attacked me again, This kept happening, It was so annoying, I just wanted out of there asap.    it reminds me of the scene from the movie "The Other Side of Heaven"
when Elder Groberg was being bitten by mosquitoes and he just ran, threw his bag and screams at the top of his lungs. Watch below hah. (If it doesn't start there first, then skip to 17:07 into it




 It was so  miserable,  I haven't even mention the food we had there, no one in my troop liked the food, it all tasted awful. I remember going for lunch  and getting a glass of milk, the milk was warm, it wasn't warm during breakfast. I grabbed a handful of moss from a tree, got my chin wet with some water, stuck the moss onto my chin and joked to some of the guys how "My mom just stranded me out here to die from mosquitoes"

I'm a pretty peaceful and a nice person, the saying "He won't hurt a fly" fits with me, kinda I guess, expect I've actually killed flies before ha... anyways, but yeah, during that week, I was able to captured one of these mosquitoes.. I ripped the wings off, stared at it, laughed evilly inside of my head and threw the mosquito into the fire. This took place during one class, some random kid was sitting next to me and he was like "woah...."

Another funny moment that happened during this week, there was a group of Staff members, that would come and check out the campsites, to see if we're keeping them clean, so you know, a  bunch of guys, our campsite was spotless.... hahah, so one day I was like "Oh guys!, their coming to check out our campsite, we better clean up now!" it was pretty funny seeing 4-6 guys all rushing to clean up, as I'm just sitting there watching them, it was so perfect. I told them that I was kidding and that I did the scene from the Best Two Years movie, when one of the missionaries said the  districts leaders were coming so we better clean up, and the guy who said that was joking, and just watched the guy cleaned up.

Alright, to get back to the scripture and the physically alone part of this post. 

During this same camp, on one of the nights there, we had a night program/fireside, it was a program from the Camp Staff. so my troop attended the program, but before it was all the way finished, they left.. I did not know that they had left, so once the program got done, there I was.. looking for my troop, when I realize that I was the only member of troop 152, everyone had left, other troops, Staff members, everyone. 

 a alone 13 years old me, who had no flashlight, no source of light, I was in total darkness. I was pretty afraid, I couldn't see clearly so I kept tripping as I would  try to walk on the trail. I thought some bear would rush out from the woods and eat me, (I was scared of bears at the time, when I would go camping as a scout) as if I wasn't already a feast to the mosquitoes. I'm not sure, if I actually did said a prayer or not, I'm pretty sure I did. I'm not  sure how long I was alone for. But as I kept walking, trying to get back to my campsite, I came across this other kid, who was also alone, his troop had left as well. He did not had any flashlight either. I remember that we were so glad we found each other that neither of us was alone anymore.

We talked some, figured out as much as possible where we were, and tired walking to find any campsite, as we were walking, we ran into some Staff members, they were walking to their campsites, with flashlights, so they helped us to get back to our troops. One Staff took the other kid, another took me, and we were able to get back to my campsite, with my troop. My troop didn't even know that  I was  missing... hahah... ha.. ;( haha... jk, but yeah, they really didn't know I was gone..

But now, years later, as I have thought of that time, in darkness,  no clue where I was, could hardly see my hand in front of my face. I've thought of how could I use this experience to help people, to help myself even?, 

So, here we go

Satan wants us to feel alone, he want us to feel that we are worthless, he wants us to be miserable as he is. When he makes us feel this way, we feel that we are to far from forgiveness, that we're in total darkness.. alone

2nd Nephi 2:17-18 " 17 And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God.

 18 And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.

We learn that he is miserable, and he'll try anything to make us feel miserable too. this can be from addiction, jealousy, pride, telling us that we're not  worthy to even be forgiven. 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf  gave a talked called "You Matter to Him" in it he says "Another way Satan deceives is through discouragement. He attempts to focus our sight on our own insignificance until we begin to doubt that we have much worth. He tells us that we are too small for anyone to take notice, that we are forgotten—especially by God."

John 8:5 reads "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Acts 26:18 "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."

                                            The tree of life

The vision which Lehi had of the Iron rod and the Tree of life. in the Book of Mormon, First Nephi chapter 8 talks about Lehi's dream of the tree of life. In verse 8, Lehi says "And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies." the next couple of verses we learn of the  large and spacious field and a tree which fruits made one desirable to make one happy. He went and 

Verses 11-12 reads "11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.

 12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit." 

Lehi searched for his family while standing by the tree, he called for them to come over and partake of the tree as well. His family didn't know how to get over to where Lehi was standing, in verse 19 we learn of the Iron rod, which his family and many other people hold onto to get to the tree

"19 And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.

20 And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a world."

As people were holding onto the Iron rod, a mist of darkness came upon them. 23 reads "And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost."

More people cling onto the rod, following it to the tree, after they eaten the fruit, they were 

But in verses 27-30 "And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.

 27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.

 28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

 29 And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.

 30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

In chapter 11, we learn that Nephi wanted to know what his father's dream was all about, he wanted to know the interpretation of the dream. The tree of life is  the love of God, the iron rod is the word of God, the building was the pride of the world. I'll suggest to go read these two chapters. 

 Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy, gave a talk titled "Which Way Do You Face? 

He talks about “Fear ye not the reproach of men” (Isaiah 51:7; see also 2 Nephi 8:7) . In Lehi’s dream, this fear was triggered by the finger of scorn pointed from the great and spacious building, causing many to forget which way they faced and to leave the tree “ashamed”

People may make fun of us, for our standards, for even believing in  God, hold onto the rod, ask yourself, which way do you face?. Proverbs 29:25 "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe." 

Satan will try to get us to go astray, we need to cling to the iron rod, I'm thankful for the experience I had during that night when I was a mere 13 year old, I'm thankful that Heavenly Father also had another child of his, lost in the night's darkness, that I could meet up with him and feel some sort of comfort, so I would not be lost by myself. If yourself, or  your  friends who have gotten off the narrow path. Try to help them and yourself, reach out to them while their in this spiritual darkness. 

                         





 Endure to the end, stay strong in the Gospel and you won't regret it