Lost?

I don't know about you but I love the feeling of getting lost! when I was young I would walk different routes home from school different paths just because I wanted to get lost and then find where I was! as I grew up this fascination grew with me! I would walk different ways anywhere, I would ride my bike down new paths to find out where they went, and I would even take new roads to my destinations afar off as I drove from place to place! to be fair I was never truly lost, I always knew at least one way I could find my way but finding new paths was my goal!

One of my favourite scouting activities was orienteering! learning how to use a topographical map and a compass to find my way not only around town but also to find where I was in the middle of the mountains (I told you I spent a lot of time outdoors in those mountains) one scout camp in particular stands out in my mind! we were divided into small groups  (2-4 young men) and given a compass and a topographical map of the area! all that was marked on the map was where our camp was set up! then the leaders drove off to set up camp when we got there! I LOVED IT!!!!! now selflessness and humility and the will to share are all things I have been working on, I didn't have those attributes at this time, that being the case I grabbed the map and the compass and took it upon myself to lead these boys out! We started with a word of prayer (the second or third we had said (all of which were for safety and for our arrival at camp before dark)) I LOVE FEELING LOST!!! now the trick with a compass and a map is all in triangulation! you find two fixed point you see (such as mountain peaks or the edge of a lake) and find out where they are in relation to you (via the compass) dial in the degrees and then find those same fixed points on the map! draw the line that correspond with the a fore mentioned degrees (again via the compass) and then voila, where those two line intersect is exactly where you are! now I know where I am in relation to where Camp is! (are you following this....?) one more calculation and we find what is the degree of travel needed to get to camp! once again by using the compass you find that degree and then follow it toward camp! in an idea world this would be a simple path to follow straight flat and obstacle free...... however the mountains are obstacle filled, peaks and valleys rounding all the way (FAR from the ideal, but it makes it fun and interesting) well there are plenty of things that can go wrong! to avoid fatigue we tried to stay on a course that was relatively flat! I don't like hiking with wet feet so we wanted to avoid the rivers! luckily with the tools provided we could create a basic course of travel that would take us around these major obstacles! it would be a little longer than a straight line but it would be much much easier!

I remember triangulating where we were and then heading off on the desired course of travel! we got to what we thought was the desired location to change course and continue to move forward..... however after triangulating again I found that we were a bout one kilometer away from the originally planed location so we adjusted the plan got back on course and headed out again! after traveling a short distance we came across a stream that didn't show up on the map! upon triangulating again we found that it didn't show up and that we were had to find a way to cross! after a little bush whacking we gt across however found we didn't know where we were! we had to use our map and compass to triangulate again, fix our course and begin traveling in the right direction! obstacles and mistakes like these continued to happen, a rock slide here forcing us to find a new way around, bear scat and tacks that made us reconsider going that direction! ect. ect. each time we rearranged and got around it we hoped we had gotten closer to our destination than we were when we started our scramble! well after a long afternoon of hiking, triangulating, re-calculating and re-adjusting we did finally arrive at camp! we were tired but safe, we had bumps and bruises, scratches and scars, but we were alive! and our leaders set up tents and cooked up a simple noodles and sauce packaged dinner! I tell you though it was near heavenly for a tired group of boys who needed food and sleep!

We have been given in this life a map and compass to find our way through this life! Our map? the scriptures. These books are divinely inspired to help guide us through the ravines, rivers and roads we find in this life! When we study them carefully we can see and avoid most of the major pitfalls in life! We read in 2nd Nephi 32:3 "Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." Our compass? The Spirit! Christ taught his disciples "when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13) The spirit is here to literally guide us to true paths that will lead us back home! these two tools are given to us to help us create a basic outline, and to help us make adjustments when we get off track so we know where we are in relation to our final destination! However the tools alone where not what help us know how to get from point A to point B! To use these tools I needed to solid points I could see from both, where I was standing and on the map! What could we use as solid standards to help us through life? What about the spire of your local church building? Or the pinnacle of the temple nearest to you?  or the Baptismal font? when we find where we are in regards to making and keeping the sacred covenants we make with the Lord at these locations we can find if we are on course or if somewhere we have got of track! Of course as we go through life things we didn't see coming are thrown into our path and we must find a way around them and then re-establish where we are in relation to our destination using the tools and our way points! In 3rd Nephi 18:18 The Lord, Jesus Christ, Commands us to watch and pray! it is through unfailing triangulation and constant prayer that we watch and pray! constantly be on guard so we can remain on course! above all I know, after a hard journey through life, with constant re-evaluation and constant revisions we can find our way to our final destination where we will not find leaders with tents and a merger camp meal.... But God with a mansion and an expansive feast to celebrate our return!

W.M.I.? Triangulate your location often and adjust as needed!