Be NOT Discouraged

This poem I'm about to share with all of you is one of my favorites. It has helped me get through some rough times and it really puts things in perspective. It makes you realize that the little things in life that go wrong aren't that bad afterall. I sent this to Elder Schroeder in hopes that if he were ever to feel discouraged that he will be able to think of Jesus Christ and that he will rely on Him to get him through those rough times. Afterall, He's been there before!



HE'S BEEN THERE BEFORE

The alarm rings at 6:30 a.m.,I stumble to my feet
I grab my companion's bedding and pull off his sheets
A gloom fills the room, is it aready time to arise?
It seems like just a second ago, was I able to shut my eyes?

The morning activities follow, study, prayer and such
When it's time to leave the apartment you feel you haven't accomplished much
"We have a super day planned," my companion says with a grin
I lowly utter a faithless breath, "Yea, if anyone lets us in"

With the word of God, and my faithful schwinn, we ride off in the streets
Prepared to face another day of humility and heat
It's 9:30 in the evening; the day is almost through
my companion and I are riding home, not accomplishing what we thought to do

We ride to the mail box, hoping to receive a lot
Only to look inside and hear my voice reverberate, "Air Box"
We go up to our apartment; the day is now complete
The only thing to show for our work is a case of blustery feet

It's past 10:30 p.m., my companion is fast asleep
Silence engulfs me all about, and I begin to weep
In the midst of sadness, I kneel down to pray
I need to talk to Father, but I'm not sure what to say?

Oh Father, I begin, what happened to us today
I thought we'd teach somebody, but everyone was away
My hands- my aching hands- worked hard and are beat
If our area were any smaller, we'd have knocked every street

Why on my mission, are the days so much alike?
The only difference about today, was the flat tire on my bike
Will you send me some cooler weather; the heat is killing me
I sweat so badly, it gets in my eyes; it's very hard to see

Why do I have to wear a helmet, isn't your protection enough?
People always laugh at me and call me stupid stuff
Please send me investigators so I may give them what they lack
I want to give them Books of Mormon; the weight of them hurts my back

And what about my family, they don't have much to say
I'm sick of not hearing from home, day after day after day
Oh Father, why am I here? Am I just wasting time?
Sometimes I just want to go home, I'm sorry, it's just what's on my mind

My companion, Heavenly Father, what are you giving me?
The way he rides his bicycle, I don't know if he can see
Now you have it, I can't go on; I don't know what to do?
That, my Father in Heaven, is the prayer I have for you

My prayer now finished, I stand up, then jump right into bed
I need my rest for tomorrow, we have another long day ahead
Sleep starts to over take me. I seem to drift away
Then it seems a vision takes me to another time, another place, and another day

I'm standing alone on a hill; the view is very nice
A man walks towards me and says, "My name is Jesus Christ"
Tears of joy swell up inside, I fall down at his feet
Arise he states; follow me to the shades, you and I need to speak

My attention towards my Savior, total and complete
He says your mission is similiar to what happened to me
I understand how you feel; I know what you're going through
In fact, it would be fair to say I felt the same as you

I even know how you felt when no one listened to you
At times I felt not quite sure what else that I could do
I know you don't like to ride a bicycle, for you, a car would be sweet
Just remember the donkey I rode wasn't equipped with twenty-one speeds

I understand you don't like sweating, in fact, It's something you hate
I remember when I sweat blood from every pore, oh, the agony was great
I see you don't like your companion, you'd rather have someone else
I once had a companion named Judas, who sold my life for wealth

It's hard to wear a helmet, and have people make fun of you
I remember they put thorns on my head and called me "King of the Jews"
So, if you feel hardened down by the weight of your pack
I remember how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back

Your hands hurt from tracking and knocking on doors all day
I guess when they pounded nails in mine; the ached in a similiar way
It's hard not to hear from home when your family's not there to see
I lost communication on the cross and cried, "Father, why hast thou forsaken me?"

We have a lot incommon, but there is a difference you see
I endured and finished my mission, So follow and do like me
He embraced me in his arms, His light filled me with love
With tears in my eyes, I watched as He went back to Father above

I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head
I listened to hear the alarm, when I realized I was in bed
my companion let out a groan, "6:30 a.m. already- no way!"
I sat up and said, "Come on, I'll even carry your scriptures today"

No matter what we go through, when we feel we can't take no more
Just stop and think about Jesus Christ.......He's been there before