Hospital Hill

I had a fun series of thoughts as I was riding my bike today.  Hopefully there is some value in it.

As we started off on the ride, I mentioned to the dude I ride with, "why don't we try the normal route - but BACKWARDS."

This would mean we would have to ride UP "Hospital Hill"... a gnarly, long decent full steep sections, big rocks and some pretty tricky rutted parts.  It sounded kind of miserable, but also interesting... I mean, why not?

Anyways, I always thought that Hospital Hill was called that because as you bomb down it, the chance of breaking your neck is fairly high.  Turns out, you have just as much of a chance landing in a hospital room going up - just from cardiac arrest!  It was pretty tough. In fact, I almost vommed at the summit.

The climb mellowed out, and the top of the trail is actually pretty fun.  And going the opposite direction was interesting for sure.

But there was a piece of the conversation that stuck with me for the rest of the ride.  We were talking about how it was kind of enjoyable to ride "backwards"... and then I said, "yeah, I mean, Hospital Hill was pretty ugly when I was in the middle of it, but I am fine now."

And that is when it hit me.  Sometimes we have Hospital Hills in our daily life... we go through hard times.  We have to endure.  We think we can't make it, or if we do, we will surely puke at the top.  And yeah, maybe you will!  But, in the long term, you are going to be just fine.

I mean, it is the classic answer to JS's prayer right?  

"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;"

-D&C 121:7-

So yeah, you might be in the middle of a Hospital Hill right now in your life.  And it might royally suck.  But guess what - you are going to be fine.  

And I don't think that acknowledging that is insensitive or that it takes anything away from the hard thing you are doing.  I think it is just a little bit of encouragement to always remember, you are going to make it out of this. 

Anyway - no matter where you are on your trail right now - if you're happily coasting down a smooth path, grinding up a Hospital Hill, or hanging on for dear life through some teeth-rattling decent - enjoy it. Because it is only a matter of time before there is a terrain change headed your way.  And isn't that the exciting part of it all?!

ASKING

Asking

In the story of gentile woman asking Jesus multiple times for a blessing - she was shut down by Christ.  But then she asked AGAIN (“Even the CRUMBS would be enough”). After the last petition Christ changed his kind and blessed her. It was a good change - good things came of it.

This story, and the woman’s persistence is praised as lauded as a virtue we should all seek as we petition the lord for answers in our own life.

But then there’s another story - Martin Harris.  He asked the lord three times as well.  And, like the woman, the Lord changed his answer after MH’s last petition. Almost a “sure - go for it.”

However, this story ends in disaster and is used as a lesson to “accept the lord’s will” without questioning the answers you get.

So, my questions is: What’s the difference?  Why is it okay sometimes to question while others, we need to just fall in line and accept it?  And how are we supposed to know when is that time?  'Cause I mean, the whole point in ASKING in the first place is because we don’t know what to do, right?

Maybe the Bible story of Jesus “denying” someone blessings is just an apostate translation of the Bible?  

OR, should we be ASKING if it’s okay to ask a certain question before we even begin asking?!?  Would that in a sense, filter out unrighteous desires?  Can we get a pre-answer to prayer?  A kind of “go ahead” or green light to begin the petition?

Share your thoughts - because I have been stuck on this one the last 2 days.