Taran's church talk (7-13-08)

Good morning brothers and sisters. My name is Taran Pew. I am the 1st counselor in the Teacher's Quorum [the president was out of town that's why Taran had to speak & why he is explaining his position-he's not bragging]. I was asked to speak on our Varsity's [scout group name] summer camp this year. Just to give you a little background on what we did, we went the first week of summer down to Moab for a 3 day rafting trip down the Colorado River. Then we drove to Zion's National Park and did some hikes before coming home. It was easily the funnest scout camp I have ever been on.
I would like to share an experience we had on the river. It was our second day on the river and we were getting close to the place where we were supposed to get out of the river and make camp for the night. Our guide didn't know the exact spot where we were supposed to turn off. So she was watching the lead boat. The lead boat ended up missing the turn, but by the time we found that out it was too late, we were already racing down the river at about 30 miles-per-hour. We had to quickly turn the boat around, paddle against the current, and then a few of us had to get out of the boat and pull it through the bushes (which scratched up our legs). Finally we were able to get to shore and tie the boat to a tree before joining the rest of the rafting company at camp.

As I think about this experience I've realized how much the river trip is like life. We are dropped off at a place we have never been before and our goal is to make it back home. In the river trip, there are things that stand in our way, such as eddys, rapids and other boats full of people who want to throw water on us. In life we must withstand the temptations of Satan. In life, like on the river, we make mistakes or miss turns that send us off course, and the only way to get back is through repentance. Repentance is not an easy thing, just like peddling against a current or walking through sharp bushes wasn't easy, but if we didn't do it we would have floated down to Mexico where nobody speaks English, and you can only imagine the mess that would have been. The same is true with repentance. If we do not repent, we will not be able to live with our father in Heaven again.

Ezekiel 18:30 ". . .Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin."

I am grateful for the chance we have to repent so that our iniquities will not be our ruin and we can return home to live in heaven. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen