How in the World did a Farm Boy End Up in the Middle of Western New York?

One question that I get a lot while I am talking to people here in New York is, "How in the world did you end up here?"  Well, there can be a couple of answers to this question, one is very simple and precise.  "I have been called to serve as a representative of Jesus Christ by a Prophet of God."  Straight forward, to the point, and easy to understand.  I like it!!  Yet there is a little more to this simple phrase than meets the eye.  Let's break it down, shall we?

"I have been called."  Was this over the phone?  No, not exactly, but it works in the same kind of way.  When someone calls you, you have to make the effort to answer the phone, and then you have the choice of when to hang up and cut off the communication.  In John 15:16, Christ tells his Apostles "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you."  Christ chose his Apostles, but they still had the freedom to choose whether to accept or reject Christ.  The same thing happened to me.  Christ chose me to come to Western New York.  And because of my love for Christ and for our Heavenly Father, and all of my brothers and sisters, I accepted the call.  I am here in New York serving as a representative of Jesus Christ.

"To serve as a representative of Jesus Christ."  This is a pretty east one to explain.  "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you," (John 13:35)  that is why I am doing what I am doing every day, I love everyone.  I know the joy that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has given me and I want that same joy for everyone!!

"By a Prophet of God."  Since God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (see Mormon 9:9 in the Book of Mormon) it would make sense that He would have a Prophet on the Earth if the fulness of His gospel was on the Earth.  Well, He does have a Prophet on the Earth.  He first called Joseph Smith to be His Prophet in the latter days, and He still has a Prophet on Earth.  President Thomas S. Monson leads and guides the Church today under the direction of Jesus Christ.  Since God will do nothing until he reveals it unto his servant the Prophet (see Amos 3:7), thus by the distributive property (meaning if A=B and B=C then A=C) when the Prophet asks us to do something, then it is Jesus Christ who is asking us.

I know that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God.  I know that I have been called to be here in New York by one having the authority from God.  If you have any questions, please go to mormon.org and find out for yourself if these things are true!

The "Fence"

Now I can imagine that some of you are scratching your heads at the title of my blog.  Well, now is the time that I get to explain.  I grew up on a family farm with cattle.  So I got to spend a lot of time with these animals.  One thing that always struck me was how stubborn these animals became when they wanted to get out of a pen.  Now matter many times you would chase them away from the open gate while you were trying to pull the tractor in to feed them, they would run right back so they could get out.  Or, they would stretch their necks way out across the fence line, they always thought that the grass was greener on the other side.

Now, look at our lives.  We see our shabby car, our house that is too small, and the pair of shoes that have been worn way too many times.  Then we look at our neighbor down the street who just bought a brand new truck, their big spacious house, and we may say to ourselves, "Wow, what would it be like to be able to afford that."  But what we don't see, usually, is the struggles that they are going through as well.  We may get that, "Greener on the other side of the fence" mentality.  We just need to remember the promise that the Lord made to Moroni in Ether 12:27 in the Book of Mormon, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." 

The Lord knows each one of us.  He has given us those things that will make us stronger.  We may only be able to see the weakness of ourselves right now, but if we put our trust in Jesus Christ and come before him in sincere prayer and scripture study, then we will be able to see those "weak things become strong."

Greener on the Other Side

  So this blog is focused on Jesus Christ.  How he can heal us, and how we can let him into our lives.  I am excited to be on this journey as a disciple of Jesus Christ serving in New York.  I hope you will enjoy the journey also.  I know that together we can grow and become better followers of Jesus Christ!!