Enticing

It was time to move cows again.  Down to greener pastures.  Well slightly greener as it is so dry.  This year it was decided that we would truck them instead of walk them down.  It was going to be yet another hot day, so we started very early.  Blake had to work at 9 and Emry at 10:30.  Blake left part way through, but we got the last load loaded before Emry had to leave.  It went smooth and pretty fast.  We had two trailers and just kept loading and hauling.  We each had a job and did our part well. 

To start we brought all the cows and calves out of the field into the corrals, in preparation to load them on the trailer.  The cows know the sound of the tractor and that it usually means food.  We often will grab a bale and drive ahead of the cows, as they follow it when we want to move them.  Dave was in the tractor and was encouraging them to come into the corrals, Jared, Emry, Blake and I were driving them behind.  They didn't like the gate very much, so Dave came just outside, turned around, lowered the bale right to the ground, and ever so slowly back into where we wanted them.  The cows thinking it was a good meal and barely had to move, ate and walked along as they slowly were lead into the corrals.  As I was watching this, I turned to Blake and Emry and said that right there could be your next youth talk.  I kept thinking how it perfectly represented the enticing's of the adversary.  He will every so slowly lead you backwards away from where we should be, away from the stait and narrow path.  So slowly and with something that looks enticing and great at the moment.  Then when we finally lift our heads and look around we find ourselves not where we should be.  Dave drove the tractor out and there they were, in a sense, trapped.  The tractor was no longer there to help them, just drove away.  Satan doesn't stay with us or help us.  Once he has gotten us where he wants us, he leaves and leaves us in despair. I thought of how important it is for us to constantly look up and asses where we are on the covenant path. "My...invitation is for you to do a thorough life assessment with the Lord...to ensure that your feet are firmly planted on the covenant path."  "In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost" both from Pres Russell M. Nelson