Sisters and Brothers—
Earlier this week, I went for a bike ride on the river trail. It was a ride I have made dozens of times. It is a non-stop, 10-mile loop from my house, to the trail and, eventually, to Canyon View Park near Spanish Oaks Golf Course.
This time, however, the bike seemed heavier. The rises in the trails seemed higher. My legs seemed less energized to turn the crank and move the machine. In fact, I found myself low on energy and needing to stop after only about four miles. I stopped at a bench and took a drink of water. I debated pushing on or turning back.
After a few minutes, I decided to push on.
Then, at Canyon View Park, I stopped again. This time, I laid down in the shade and drank even more water. I filled up my water and drank that, too.
Finally, I was able to make it home.
I’ve reflected on why I had such a difficult time with this particular ride. I realized that much of it had to do with my lack of preparation for the ride. I hadn’t had anything to eat or drink that morning, which left me with low energy and dehydrated. I also left later in the morning than I normally do and the temperature was in the 90s already by the time I got home. Third, I was wearing a shirt that kept the heat and sweat on my body instead of my usual workout shirt designed to keep me cooler.
While none of these things by themselves may have left me struggling, the combination of the three made it difficult to get through even the most routine of rides.
Immediately after getting home, I ate some breakfast, drank some water and enjoyed the air conditioning (with a secondary fan on me for extra cooling power). I quickly felt better and went on with my day with little concern or recovery needed from the ride.
On this Fast Sunday where we temporarily focus more on the strength of our spirits than of our bodies, I have likened this experience to our daily spiritual “little things” that can help us on our own spiritual trail. If we have neglected some of these little things — personal prayer, scripture study, quiet reflection and gospel discussion — we may find ourselves reeling when the challenges of life hit us.
As we move forward this week, may we do the preparation each day to build our testimonies and prepare us for the ups and downs of life’s trails.
A great place to start is the sacrament. I look forward to seeing those whose last names start with A through G today. For the others, I authorize at-home sacrament again, using the same guidelines as in the past. Please reach out if you have any questions.
Have a great week and find ways to show love and service to each other.
Bishop Bennett