I would like to share a story with each of you of a time when I
was scared, cold, excited, nervous, tired, sweaty, under pressure, and then
moments after all I could feel was happiness, and warmth.
It was about four
years ago, I was a junior in high school and I was on the varsity football
team. Now my team was pretty good and we played well enough throughout the year
and found ourselves in the midst of a state championship. We had battled all
game back and forth until at the end of the 4th quarter the score was 22-22 a
dead tie. Now we couldn't end the game with a tie, so the game went into overtime. The
opposing team got the ball first and scored on their 4th down, and at this
point they made a decision to go for a 2 point conversion to make the game just
a bit more interesting. They failed on the conversion which gave us the ball
now with the score 22-28. We scored within the four downs and now it was up to
our kicker all he had to do was kick a one point (P.A.T.) field goal. If you
have ever watched a football game those kicks are almost automatic. So we have
in the bag right!? Well turns out I was that kicker, and I can tell you all my
kicks were not automatic, so I was feeling pretty scared, pretty nervous, and
felt the pressure of the entire game on my shoulders. We ran out onto the
field, as I lined up for the kick I took a deep breath and whistles blew, as
the opposing coach called a timeout (a tactic known as icing the kicker). This
gave me a lot of time to think about the possible outcomes, either I would make
it and our team would be victorious, or I would miss it and we would have to
keep playing and possibly lose. With so many things going through my head my
coach looked at me and told me to keep my head down, look and the ball and kick
it, just like I had practiced. We ran back out on to the field and the ball was
snapped and it was soon sailing right down the middle of the uprights. We had
won. It was an accumulation of hard work and lots of practice by our whole team
that prepared us for that moment.
Now prepare...
that reminds me of a scripture, in the Doctrine and Covenants 38:30 "Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will
soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of men in your
own land. I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure
up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto
you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a
voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear."
Going back to that
football game it wasn't just a spur of the moment dice roll, but it was months
and months of practice. During our practices in summer and all throughout the
season, we wouldn't kick through the field goal post for practice. Instead my coach
had us kick at a power pole next to the field. Each day I kicked and got more
and more consistent to where the ball would bounce off the pole. At the time of
that most crucial kick I only did what I had been doing all year long. I
found my target (power pole) right in the middle of the field goal posts, and
as I did the same steps the same routine which worked many times before, that
is when I was without fear, I knew that I was going to make it. Just as that
scripture says, "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear!” That applies to
all things that we each face in our lives.
