Starting out on a Journey

These are the lessons and truths that I learn when I exercise.

November 2, 2011:

   Today I went on a run. I was reflecting on my first experience training for the Bryce Half-Marathon. Each run was a spiritual edifying experience. I learned so many lessons that strengthened my faith in Jesus Christ and taught me about God's nature. This last summer, I wasn't as dedicated to my training and didn't get as much out of my runs. I realized today that that is what made me fall in love with running. Honestly, running hurts and most of the time I find excuses to do other things. I love it, but getting your lazy bum back in shape is painful. But, this is also one of my favorite things about exercising. For some reason, the pain is what clears my mind and allows me to learn all of these valuable lessons. 

  I ran up Pioneer Parkway, down Lava Cove, up the street by the high school stadium, up Lava Flow, back to Pioneer Parkway, and back to my house. There are a lot of hills. While trying to motivate myself and trick my mind into doing something my body didn't really want to do a series of thoughts came to me...This morning in one of my institute classes a kid gave a devotional and said that he got his personal best in a Cross Country meet because he put the Lord first and focused on studying his scriptures and preparing for his mission. When I was up at BYU-I I learned that your soul consists of your spirit and your body (D&C 88:15). Our purpose on earth is to learn how to be God's by having experiences with a mortal body and learning to master our bodies or the natural man with our spirits. We do this by feeding our spirits light or in other words truth. As our spirits are fed light and truth it grows and our natural man shrinks. So running a really hilly run is hard, but I realized that my spirit is stronger than my body. I can run and continue running even when my legs burn and my lungs burn because my spirit is meant to reign over my body or natural man. I can go through trials and overcome them because my spirit is meant to reign over my body or natural man. Of course this is wholly dependent on our faith in Jesus Christ and our diligence in feeding our spirits light and truth. 

  During work this evening I realized that this is my motivation for being healthy. I find it hard, no, even more than hard, I find it unhealthy to try and exercise to fit a mold or please other people, or even please myself. Only when I have the Holy Ghost with me can I truly exercise in a healthy way. 

        I love my body and I know that it was a gift from a loving and thoughtful Heavenly Father. I love my spirit and know that it was created by two perfect beings. I know that through my soul I can receive a fullness of joy (D&C 93:33-34). My soul glories in light and truth.