John Bytheway - Life Rocks!. How Firm Is Your Foundation?

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bytheway, John, author.

Life rocks! : how firm is your foundation? / John Bytheway.

pages cm.

Summary: Using the symbol of a houses foundation, author shows Latter-day Saint youth what life rocks should make up their gospel foundation.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-60908-901-6 (paperbound)

1. Mormon youthReligious life. 2. Mormon youthConduct of life. 3. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsDoctrines. 4. Mormon ChurchDoctrines. I. Title.

BX8643.Y6B9653 2012

248.83088289332dc23 2012006288

Printed in the United States of America

Malloy Lithographing Incorporated, Ann Arbor, MI

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Preface

While visiting ancient Inca ruins in Peru, my wife and I saw the remains of dozens of ancient buildings, mostly the foundation stones, which are still intact today. These massive building blocks have survived all kinds of weather, erosion, and earthquakes for more than a thousand years, and they will likely remain firm and steadfast for thousands more. As I walked among the stones, I wondered, Will I ever build anything that will last this long? And more important, Where have I built my life today? Is my foundation this strong?

Introduction: From Prom to Pulpit

He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luke 6:48; emphasis added

Something remarkable happened at our last stake conference. A priest and a Laurel spoke to the large congregation assembled in the Sunday morning session. Jordan talked about his role as a member of a family, and Victoria described the recent passing of a friend and how the gospel helped her through it.

Not so remarkable? Well, theres more. Somewhere in Jordans talk it came out that he had attended the schools senior prom. I suppose lots of seniors go to senior prom, so perhaps it still may not seem so remarkable. Then it came out that the girl he had invited to go to senior prom just happened to be Victoria, the Laurel who was also speaking. Interesting, huh! But not remarkable, you think?

Actually, Im still not finished. The senior prom took place the night before. In other words, twelve hours earlier, two of the stake conference speakers were at a dance. And at ten oclock the next morning, they were sitting on the standboth with big smiles, both showing quiet confidence, and both completely comfortable with the situation.

I thought to myself, Those two young people dont even know how remarkable they are. And that, in itself, is also remarkable. Jordan would probably say, Whats the big deal? Ive given talks in church beforewe all have.

Its true. As members of the Church, we see this sort of thing all the time. The world might think it a little odd that two kids could go to senior prom one night and speak in church the next daybecause high school proms are becoming pretty worldly events.

But not here. These two kids go to their senior prom Saturday night, then get up Sunday morning and speak in churchno guilt, no regrets, no hangover, alert, awake, and excited.

I was near the back row with my six kids, listening the best I could in between picking up Cheerios and crayons, but I couldnt get over what an interesting situation this was with these two remarkable youth!

Some might say, Well, those kids arent really normal. Theyre probably brainwashed fanatical misfits. Actually, Jordan was a varsity basketball player and a student body officer. And Victoria was a junior varsity lacrosse player, a gymnast, and a member of the seminary council.

The world is right about one thing, however: Theyre just not normal. Correct. These kids are not normal. Theyre amazing. Theyre remarkable. And while were on the subject, so are you. Yes, you. You are a teenager reading a booka religious book, no less. And you, my friend, like Jordan and Victoria, probably dont even realize how remarkable you are.

If the world really got to know Jordan and Victoria and youth like you, I think they would be stunned, dumbfounded, bewildered, perplexed, and stupefied. They would struggle to explain it.

Think of it!teenagers who voluntarily speak to an audience of more than a thousand people. Most people are absolutely terrified of public speaking. But in the Church, weve all been doing it since Primary.

Alsothese were two teens who went to prom as just friends because theyre postponing serious relationships until later in life. To the world, recommending such a thing to young people is just not realistic. The world has long given up on such an old-fashioned notion, often sidestepping even a mention of sexual abstinence in health classes in favor of focusing on making sure teens have access to birth control.

If the world were to meet Jordan and Victoria, they would meet a couple of teenagers who have problems just like everyone else but who handle them with grace, class, and a quiet self-assurance that all will be well.

Perhaps if the world really could take a serious look at LDS teens, they might become so curious that they would start asking some really interesting questionsquestions like, what kind of organization produces young people like this? How do they do it? What makes these kids tick? What do they believe?

And that, my friend, is the subject of this book. Where have you built your life? Where is your foundation? Where have you found your pattern for living? What is it that makes you so anchored in a world thats so messed up?

Five Smooth Stones

When young David was preparing to confront Goliath, He took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherds bag... (1 Samuel 17:40). (Noticehe gathered five stones, not just one. David was prepared.)

In this book, well look at five stones too. Not smooth little walnut-sized pebbles to be hurled at the foreheads of abnormally large Philistines, but five massive building blocks that we can assemble to give us the foundation to withstand any giant the world can send against us.

Well call these stones Life Rocks, sure foundations on which to build a happy, productive life. Theyre heavy, theyre solid, theyre secure. They dont blow away in the wind. Theyre settled, steadfast, and immovable. They become a firm foundationa perfect place to build.

Joseph Smith Builds His Foundation

As you know, Josephs Smith first prayer set in motion a marvelous chain of events. Thousands of people crossed the plains on foot, in wagons, or pulling handcarts because of a teenage prayer. The First Vision, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, the restoration of the priesthood and of the Church organization, and the gathering of Israel all had their beginning because a young man knelt down in a grove of trees.