Blessings of Holding to the Rod

 

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Written by Erik, March 2013

Stake Conference talk- March 17, 2013- Blessings of holding to the rod

 INTRO:

·         Joke about being on TV

·         Tell my story, update on how I’m doing, etc.

 

WHAT IS THE ROD?

·         Story of the tree of life

·         What it represents, the tree and fruit is eternal life, great and spacious building is the pride of the world, river is depths of hell, and the iron rod is the word of god

·         The Iron Rod, Hymns no. 274

3          And when temptation’s pow’r is nigh,

Our pathway clouded o’er

Upon the rod we can rely,

And heaven’s aid implore

            4          And, hand o’er hand, the rod along,

                        Through each succeeding day

                        With earnest prayer and hopeful song,

                        We’ll still pursue our way

            5          Afar we see the golden rest

                        To which the rod will guide

                        Where, with the angels bright and blest,

                        Forever we’ll abide.

CHORUS          Hold to the rod, the iron rod;

                        ‘Tis strong, and bright, and true.

                        The iron rod is the word of God;

                        ‘Twill safely guide us through.

·         Personal experience about how the rod has blessed my life- reading the scriptures daily

 

HOW DO WE FOLLOW IT?

·         Praying

·         Reading scriptures

·         Paying attention in church

·         YSA Stake Theme: Galations 6:7-9

 

BLESSINGS THAT COME

·         “If you hold to the rod, you can feel your way forward with the gift of the Holy Ghost. … Grasp the iron rod, and do not let go. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, you can feel your way through life.” –Boyd K. Packer

·         You will gain the right perspective that your life needs to have- personal story

·         Holding to the rod, especially during trials, will not define you, but refine you

·         Look up!

·         Progression- I have felt progression in my life, especially through these last surgeries

·         Blessings of:

o   Temple

o   Priesthood

o   Family

o   Friends

o   Mission

§  At 18 yrs old, Sid Going was a rugby player, and a shoe-in for New Zealand’s national rugby team. However, he decided to serve a mission before playing rugby.

§  When he came home, he became one of the greatest halfbacks in the All-Blacks league

§  Training and games would be scheduled around Sunday so that Sid could play

§  The Queen of England even recognized him

§  “The blessing of bringing others into the gospel far outweighs anything you will ever sacrifice.”

o   Having the spirit to be with us

·         We are never alone:

o   Cancer diagnosis- life was going good last fall

o   Feeling of peace during the half marathon

o   Read Footprints in the sand POEM

I'm grateful

 

Erik Gray's journals
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Written by Erik, December 2016

Sometimes it's easy to think "Why was I given this trial?" But I've learned that I should be grateful... which may not make sense: I'm grateful that God loves me enough to give me these trials. I'm grateful that He wants to test me... to see how I can learn and grow from this. Hopefully to one day become just like him.

Heavenly Father loves us so much. He cares about everything we will ever go through. His son, our brother, Jesus Christ performed the Atonement so that we never have to feel anything alone. He will help us and lift us up when we need it. 

My favorite scripture is Isaiah 40:31... "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." 

However detrimental my trials may be, God is there. And one day I'll get to look into my Savior's eyes and say, "Thank you... I couldn't have done it without you." And that is what keeps me going. 

A Teenage Boy Blogger

 

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Written by Erik, January 2015

There is an idea that “only women should have a blog”, 

but I, along with many others, am happily an exception. 

I put off starting a blog for months for many reasons: time, procrastination, and self-doubt. 

When I finally went for it and started my blog two years ago, I initially worried what others would think of me and what they would say. 

I had spent many years as a self-conscious teenager trying to fit in, only doing what was “cool”, and limiting myself from my full potential. 

After a cancer diagnosis, and then self-identification because of it, I came to realize that it doesn’t matter what people think. 

Once that thought came to my head, my attitude about blogging changed; I should do what makes me happy. I love writing and I love sharing my experiences, and for that purpose I have maintained a blog that shares my journey through cancer, faith, hope, and desire to change the world. 

I am a cancer survivor, a blogger, and a man.

Life is What You Make It

 

Erik Gray's journals
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excerpt from a blog post
Written by Erik, December 2016

In my life experiences, I am certain more and more every day that life is what you make it. 

If you want life to be hard, it's going to be hard. 

If you want life to be fun and adventurous, then again, you've got it. 

Yes, there are circumstances in life that cannot be controlled- for example, my cancer- 

but I have decided that I will worry about what I can control.

(ERIKisms: Erik's thoughts on Erik's photos)

Mormon Youth Article

 Erik Gray's journals
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Written by Erik, April 2013

 

Mormon Youth: Avoid Smoking and Drinking

by erikg | Apr 16, 2013 | Teen Life | 0 comments

 

You may have once invited a Mormon friend of yours to a party. He or she might have asked, “Is there going to be alcohol there?” And if the answer was “Yes,” your Mormon friend might have declined.

 

Mormons— a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintss—do not believe in smoking, drinking, or partaking of any substance that is harmful to the body. There is a small book available especially for youth called For the Strength of Youth. It has guidelines on topics that all youth sometimes wonder about; for example, Agency and Accountability, Dating, Education, Entertainment and the Media, Friends, Language, and Sexual Purity. In the section entitled Physical and Emotional Health, it states: “Your body is a temple, a gift from God. You will be blessed as you care for your body. Choose to obey the Word of Wisdom.” A temple is a sacred house of the Lord, and we see our bodies as “sacred houses” for our spirit during our life here on Earth.

When The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established around the early 1800s, Joseph Smith, Jr., the leader of the “restored church” (meaning it is the restoration of the ancient Church of Jesus Christ, with the same power and authority as the early church), received many revelations from God pertaining to the organization and well-being of the Saints (active members). These revelations are known as the Doctrine & Covenants and are known as one of the standard works of the Church. In 1833, Joseph Smith received a revelation known as Doctrine & Covenants 89, or the “Word of Wisdom.”

 

The Word of Wisdom explains food, drink and substances we should or should not partake of.

 

“And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies. And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill” (D&C 89:7-8).

An example of a strong drink is alcohol.

 

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ, we believe in following these guidelines. We don’t see the Word of Wisdom in the way of holding us back or a list of Do-Not’s, but see it as protecting us and helping our lives for good. “When you are obedient to this law, you remain free from harmful addictions and have control over your life” (“Physical and Emotional Health” in For the Strength of Youth). When someone becomes addicted, to anything, it allows that substance to take control of him/her. Depending on how bad the addiction is, it can hurt oneself, one’s friends, and one’s family. It can ruin marriages and tear apart families.

 

We have all seen the commercials of someone who is drunk and his/her friends are messing around, allowing for that person to be acted upon instead of act for him or herself. We have also seen the studies and dangerous effects of alcohol on our driving, judgment, and well-being as well as the health problems that can arise from smoking and drinking. By following and obeying the Word of Wisdom, we protect ourselves from these harmful situations and can live a long, healthy life free from addiction and health problems due to smoking and drinking.

 

For those who are struggling with addiction, there are four words of comfort to hear: You can overcome it. With faith, prayer, and even the help of a trusted adult, you can overcome the addiction and feel the blessings of a healthy lifestyle, even if you are not a member of the Church right now. It may not be easy, but won’t the thought of living a long, healthy life be worth it?

 

My grandfather is a great example to me about obeying the Word of Wisdom. About ten years ago, my grandfather survived a massive heart attack. The doctor said that it is a good thing he didn’t smoke or drink, otherwise his heart wouldn’t have been strong enough to survive. He is grateful for a promise he made to himself as a teenager to never even take that first drink, and because he held true to that promise, he continues a longer life and I’m grateful that he’s alive and that I can be around him and hear his stories.

It really helps members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to know that they are free from addictions and promised health and wisdom by simply choosing to say “No” to drugs and alcohol and lives are blessed, improved and even saved by following the Word of Wisdom. We are promised by God that “all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones… And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint” (D&C 89:18,20).

 

This article was written by Erik Gray, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Erik Gray

Erik Gray is 19 years old and lives in Utah. He is a college student and three-time cancer fighter. He loves running, graphic design, and being with friends and family. His favorite sports are football, basketball, and of course, running. In his spare time he likes to watch movies, be with family, and spend time with friends. For his future career he wants to be a graphic designer or a motivational speaker, or maybe both. He acknowledges that knowing that Jesus Christ is his Savior, being a member of His Church, and living righteously, he can return to live with Him someday. It is his hope to use his testimony and experiences to help others with what they’re going through and share the glorious message of the Gospel.

Additional Resources:

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

A Mormon Encyclopedia

 

https://mormonyouth.org/1947/mormon-youth-avoid-smoking-and-drinking

#qotd

  

 Erik Gray's journals
#journalgems
Written by Erik, January 2017

#qotd = quote of the day

I also have discovered that in my love of graphic design, I just have an urge to put quotes on pictures! Ha ha. It's kind of fun. 

I've been a huge quote junkie lately, probably from finding #qotd for my snapchat. 

But you know what? It's a blessing. 

It's really taught me to use the Internet for good. And I've been able to overcome the problems with the Internet I've had before. 

It's amazing what focusing on good things, like quotes, and just the gospel in general can do. :)

 

Student Body Vice President

 Erik Gray's journals
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Written by Erik, May 2012

To  the future Student Body Vice-President- Tara!

First of all, congratulations! I’m glad that I can hand down my position to someone like you. You’ll do a great job. I know you already have been in the class before so you know how Student Gov works and kinda what the VP does, but I’ll just tell you about what I did this year:

·         Senate: It’s really important that you have good, reliable people on it so you’re not doing things yourself. In the past, we’ve just invited whoever wanted to be on Senate to come sign up in the office. This year I got a list of the people who ran for something but didn’t make it and invited them first. So that way I knew that they could be pretty reliable. And I think it worked out pretty good. I tried to get Senate to do a little more this year, but to be honest- it was really hard to find stuff… Student Gov took care of mostly everything! Ha, so you can do as little or as much as you want to.

·         Homecoming: Good ol’ Homecoming! This year, I was in charge of the tailgate party. I just made it real simple: food and face paint and a band, which wasn’t too hard. Other than that, just make sure you are willing to help everyone because you know just how stressful it can get.

·         Freedom Week: This whole week is up to you. I had a few activities during the week, and got some of my Freedom Academy friends and Mr. Esplin to speak. It turned out really good. I suggest that you start now and just brainstorm of who you want to speak, so you can let them know in time. We usually have it in February, but whenever works the best for you (we thought about having it in Nov during Veterans Day this year, but that didn’t happen).

 

VP doesn’t really have too much to do besides what I’ve already said. So make sure that you help Kayden out. Brady really appreciated it when I offered my help with even the simple things, and I think we did really well this year because we all worked together and helped each other out.

 

And remember that nothing is final, what you want to happen is entirely up to you. You can do the same things I did, or go to a whole new level. I’m excited to see what you guys do next year! If you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask. Have fun with Student Gov and enjoy your senior year!

 

GOOD LUCK, TARA!  J

                                       Erik Gray

                                      559-2336

Summer!

Erik Gray's journals
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Written by Erik January 2017

Summer adventures: This summer was SO. MUCH. FUN. I feel like I made friends with so many people this summer. And I feel like making friends has come super easy to me. I hung out with Janice Call and Megan Solomon a lot. I also hung out with Kelsie- she taught me how to make cinnamon rolls one night. I also hung out with Jenna Dey and Isabel Truax and Lexi Hopkin- Oh man, I felt like a middle schooler again, Lexi and I sort of liked each other and I feel like it was a lot of back-and-forth games between the two of us! Bother, bother, bother. Oh well. We went camping one night, and then the next morning went cliff jumping at Porcupine Reservoir, and that’s when I realized that Lexi had a thing for me. :P

Other summer adventures: Huntsman Hall. Favorite lookout spot: The LLC- overlooks the whole valley- and about a two minute walk from Yellow House. Janice and I went scootering one night through the parking garage. IT WAS SOOOO FUN!

Cutler Dam

Adventures!