He's Been There Before

"The alarm rings at 6:30; i stumble to my feet. I grab on my companion's bedding and pull on his sheet. A groan fills the room, is it already time to arise? It seems just a second ago I was able to close my eyes. The morning activities follow study, prayer and such. When it's time to leave the apartment you feel you haven't accomplished much. "We have a super day planned" my comp says with a grin. I utter a lowly faithless breath. "Ya, if anyone lets us in."

With the word of God and my faithful Schwinn, we ride off in the street. Prepared to face another day of humidity and heat. It's 9:30 in the evening. The day is almost through; my companion and I are riding home not accomplishing what we thought to do. We ride up to the mail box hoping to recieve a lot only to look inside and hear my echo reverberate "Air box" We go up to our apartment the day is now complete. The only thing to show for our work is a case of blistery feet.

It's past 10:30pm, my companion is fast asleep. Silence engulfs me all about and I begin to weep. In the midst of sadness I kneel down to pray; I need to talk to Father but I'm not sure what to say.

"O Father" I begin "what happened to us today? I thought we'd teach somebody, but everyone was away. My hands, my aching hands...worn, hurt, and beat; if our area were any smaller we'd have knocked every street."

"Why on missions are the days so much alike? The only difference about today was the flat tire on my bike. Will you send some cooler weather? The heat is killing me. I sweat so bad it gets in my eyes, it's very hard to see."

"Why do i have to wear a helmet? Isn't your protection enough...people always laugh at me and call me stupid stuff. Please send us some investigators so I can give them what they lack. I want to give them books of mormon, the weight of them hurts my back."

"And what about my family? They don't have much to say. I'm sick of not hearing from them day after day. O Father why am I here? Am I just wasting my time? Sometimes I just want to go home. I'm sorry, but that's just on my mind."

"My companion, heavenly father...what are you giving me? The way he rides his bike..i don't think he can see."

"Now you have it, I can't go on...I don't know what to do. That, my Heavenly Father, is the prayer I have for you."

My prayer is now finished. I stand up, and jumped right into bed. Sleep starts to over take me. I seem to drift away. Then it seems a vision takes me to another time and another day. I'm standing alone on a hill, the view is very nice. A man walks towards me and says, "My name is Jesus Christ."

Tears of joy well up inside, i fall down to his feet. "Arise," he states "Follow me to the shade. You and I need to speak."

My attention to my Savior total and complete. He says, "your mission is similiar to what happened to me. I understand how you feel, I know what you are going through. In fact, it would be fair to say i felt the same as you. I even know how you felt when no one was listening to you at times I felt not quite sure what else what I could do. I know you don't like to ride a bike for you, a car would be sweet. Just remember the donkey I rode wasn't equipped with 21 speeds."

"I understand you don't like sweating, in fact it's something you hate. I remember when I sweat blood from every pore. Oh, how the agony was great! I see you don't like your companion. You'd rather have someone else. I once had a companion named Judas who sold my life for wealth."

"It's hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you. I remember when they put thorns on my head and called me the King of the Jews. So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack. I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back."

"Your hands hurt from tracting and knocking on doors all day. I guess when they pounded nails into mine..they ached a simiiar way. It's hard to not hear from home when your family is not there to see. I lost communication on the cross and cried." Father, why hast thou forsaken me?"

"We have alot in common, but there is a difference between us, you see. I endured to the end and fulfilled my mission. So follow, and do like me."

He embraced me with his arms, his Light filled me with his Love. With tears in my eyes, I watched as he went back to the Father above. I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head. I listened then heard my alarm, then realized I was in bed. My companion let out a groan, "6:30 already, no way?" I sat up and said, "Come on, I'll even carry your scriptures today."

No matter what we go through, when we feel we can't take more. Just stop and think of Jesus Christ. He's Been There All Before.

i was watching the Best Two Years today and became very nostalgic. I sent this to my brother, parker :)