One of my favorite movies is The Dark Knight Rises. In the film there's a key moment where a recuperating Bruce Wayne has to jump across a huge chasm to get back out of a pit to save Gotham. He tries leaping over a chasm a couple of times with a rope attached to his waist, comes up short and hurts himself twice. The rope, a symbol of safety "just in case" he were to come up short, held him back from getting across the chasm. The third time, he ditched the rope and leans on momentum created by his faith and self belief; taking his body forward just enough to make it across. This is a microcosm of our earthly experience. Life is full of these chasms and full of struggles. We attempt to overlook them by setting goals and achieving milestones. We live by them and look forward to them. Sweet 16, graduation, church missions, college, marriage, kids. Whether we're checking off a list, crossing out days, or making resolutions we always start from a beginning. Often we use January 1st, the end of a quarter, or Sundays as a fresh start to these milestones.
The same goes with our short time here on Earth. We came from somewhere before this life. We made choices that put us where we are here. Those choices continue to gain momentum as we progress through our lives and each of our choices will forever affect our eternity. Yet there's times we get distracted from our eternal roots, forget who we really are and lose sight of what our real potential is. These are the times when we're vulnerable to make decisions that will impede our eternal momentum...
Momentum is the product of Velocity and Mass. Velocity is speed measured in a given direction. Mass is commonly defined as matter or weight. So if we desire to gain momentum, we need to add the right material into our lives as we continually jet in a certain direction.
This life is full of things out there that would impede our momentum. Scientifically speaking, these are things that cause us to lose direction, lose "mass", or slow our growth. Included in the long list of impediments are temptations, pride, those who seek to destroy lives while Satan manipulates their own, trials, misunderstandings, confrontations, lack of support, among many others. The fact of the matter is that if you haven't built enough momentum to withstand these bumps in the road, then they'll slow you down greatly, or perhaps even cause you to stop moving all together.
So what matter do we build our lives out of to withstand these roadblocks? In the Book of Mormon there's a passage that gives clarity, in Helaman 5:12:
"It is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
.jpg)
Simply put, there is only one direction and one matter that provides us with that perfect momentum necessary to make it through everything life throws at us. Christ!
The direction to follow was a path established by Christ: His gospel of Faith in God, constant improvement through repentance, covenant making and keeping, following the Spirit as it aides in Enduring to the End. This course helps keep an eternal perspective of where we really came from, who we really are and what potential we really have if we follow the route at His pace as He showed in New Testament and Book of Mormon times.
This life is full of things out there that would impede our momentum. Scientifically speaking, these are things that cause us to lose direction, lose "mass", or slow our growth. Included in the long list of impediments are temptations, pride, those who seek to destroy lives while Satan manipulates their own, trials, misunderstandings, confrontations, lack of support, among many others. The fact of the matter is that if you haven't built enough momentum to withstand these bumps in the road, then they'll slow you down greatly, or perhaps even cause you to stop moving all together. So what matter do we build our lives out of to withstand these roadblocks? In the Book of Mormon there's a passage that gives clarity, in Helaman 5:12:
"It is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
Simply put, there is only one direction and one matter that provides us with that perfect momentum necessary to make it through everything life throws at us. Christ!The direction to follow was a path established by Christ: His gospel of Faith in God, constant improvement through repentance, covenant making and keeping, following the Spirit as it aides in Enduring to the End. This course helps keep an eternal perspective of where we really came from, who we really are and what potential we really have if we follow the route at His pace as He showed in New Testament and Book of Mormon times.
The matter is becoming like Christ, increasing our knowledge and faith in Him, serving others continually as He did, supporting worthy causes, family and friends; letting your light shine without shame, guiding others to the momentous path that follows Him, and together amassing greater momentum. We gain this matter by following counsel of inspired leaders, following the guidance of the prophet Thomas S. Monson today. Christ has extended his arm to pull us up. It's up to us reach up and get through whatever life may throw our way!
I'm grateful today for the simplicity of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Any variance from it can cause generations of harm, slowing the roll of those who don't follow His clear path and build themselves from His material. I'm glad I have been blessed with a family and friends who understand how important it is to build up the eternal momentum necessary to get across the chasms in this life... And save the world, like Batman!
