Destinations

Several years ago I was visiting my friend Tracy and we drove to Waco to experience the magic of the Chip and Joanna Gaines empire at Magnolia Silos.  We did some shopping and browsing and had plans to eat at their iconic restaurant, Magnolia Table.  

In our excitement, we got onto a bus without checking its schedule or destination.  

I know.  Pretty foolish.  

We simply thought about where we hoped to end up and climbed on a passing bus hoping everyone wanted to end up where we would end up.  It turns out a lot of people take a whole city tour of Waco.

Now we did eventually make it to the restaurant.  Just much later than we had planned.  And there was a great reward waiting.  We had a BLT to die for.  Seriously the best ever made with thick slabbed bacon, heirloom tomatoes and an herbed mayonnaise that was phenomenal. But we also had to walk a long way in the blazing sun simply because we didn't pause long enough to check the bus destination. 

In life we have to know where it is we are going and what our goal is.  We can't simply jump on the buses of the world's trends and shifting beliefs and hope they will get us where we want to be.  

Marvin H Ashton further warned, "Satan and his forces were never more strongly arrayed than today. He is cunning. He is successful. One of the most subtle and effective tools he is using among us today is the convincing of some that they have arrived, they have reached their destination, they have earned a rest, they aren’t needed anymore, they are out of danger, they are beyond temptation, and they can take pride in their accomplishments.

“And thus he flattereth them, and leadeth them along until he draggeth their souls down to hell; and thus he causeth them to catch themselves in their own snare.

“And thus he goeth up and down, to and fro in the earth, seeking to destroy the souls of men.”  D&C 10:26–27."

We have been given the gift of the Holy Ghost and our own inspiration and powerful intellects to be able to determine that the bus we are on is headed in the right direction.  

And thankfully, if we do realize we are on the wrong bus we can always get off and change buses.  

The rewards are worth the effort to make sure we are on the right route.  It's not just wise, it's critical to our eternal salvation.