Softening Hearts and Baseball Gloves

Over the last couple of days I have pondered on the state of our hearts, and how they can become hardened if we do not continually work to soften them. "The heart" is an age-old metaphor for that which is in our core, that which truly defines us when no one is looking. It is in the heart where our deepest desires lie, as well as our sincerest intentions, be them good, evil, or some complex mix in between the two. The softness or hardness of our hearts is greatly influenced by the culture in which we reside, and more importantly by how we appraise that culture. Great examples come from the scriptures, including the account of the house of Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah. As many know, Sodom and Gomorrah were two of the most wicked cities in known history, but Lot and his family were more righteous followers of God. The Lord warned Lot to leave the land, as the two cities would be destroyed in a rain of fire and brimstone. Angels hastened the escape of Lot, his wife, and his two unwed daughters, but as we remember,

"But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt." (Gen. 19:26)

How often do we go about our daily walk, and unwittingly do like unto Lot's wife, "looking back" to the things that don't matter toward our salvation, and that in fact pull us away from the Savior? I dare say that this happens all too often! A member of our stake presidency today told our Elder's Quorum that in these latter days Satan's greatest tool is preoccupation--deceiving the children of men in a way so subtle as to keep them from righteousness long enough until it's too late. I believe that the adversary doesn't care if we fail to merit outer darkness; he'd be content if we just separated ourselves long enough from the Spirit that we don't receive the greatest of all blessings, that is, immortality and eternal life. The adversary counts as a win against the saints of God anything less than perfection.

With this in mind, it is ever important that we fight against the wiles of the adversary by constantly seeking to soften our hearts. How do we do so? Well, because mixing metaphors can be so much fun, let's think about a baseball glove. Anyone who has seen "The Sandlot" knows that a brand-new baseball glove looks like a piece of plastic, and really isn't good for much. However, baseball gloves can be made useful through time and effort: the first, more tedious way is to just play with the glove for hours and hours, hoping that it will take the proper shape through use in practice and games; the second, more effective, quicker, and safer way to break in a glove involves use, but also involves culturing, massaging, and setting the glove for some time outside of a game situation. This second way requires care that only the educated can perform, but getting such an education can mean the difference between booting a ball or digging out a screaming grounder. And even after initial "breaking" of the glove, it still requires constant care to keep it in ideal playing condition.

Likewise, the most effective way to soften our hearts is through the cycle of continual education, culturing, massaging, and testing in game use. We receive our education by studying the words of the prophets, both ancient and modern, and pondering on how to apply their teachings. We also educate ourselves as we take our study before the Lord, seeking the Spirit to guide us toward greater understanding of how to personally apply what we learn.

The game is played every day in our minds, our hearts, and with our hands, as we are daily bombarded with messages contrary to the principles we learn. Though this step may seem painful it is absolutely essential. Just as the infielder doesn't know how good his glove is until it sees adversity, so to must our hearts be tested. The prophet Lehi said:

"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so...righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility. (2 Nephi 2: 11)"

If we must endure trials and study the scriptures to ready our hearts, what is the middle step of culturing and massaging? This, of course, is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We learn the Gospel and we go out into the world, but it is through the Atonement of the Savior that we are healed from all that damages. It is the Savior who took upon himself all the pains, sufferings, and afflictions of this world, that our hearts and gloves might not have to be hardened beyond repair. Elder Kent F. Richards spoke of this in the April 2011 General Conference:

"The Savior is not a silent observer. He Himself knows personally and infinitely the pain we face.

'He suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children.'

'Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.'

"Sometimes in the depth of pain, we are tempted to ask, 'Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?' I testify the answer is yes, there is a physician. The Atonement of Jesus Christ covers all these conditions and purposes of mortality."

I add my testimony that there is a Balm in Gilead, and when applied it covers all pains that we ever have had or will have to bear. I know this not of myself, but of the Spirit which has constantly borne record of it to me. My friends, the Atonement is real. It really works. It will keep us from being deceived, keep our hearts from hardening to a point of disrepair. Of this I testify in the name of He who provides such a Balm, even the Savior of all mankind, Jesus the Christ.

Have a great week!