Of Broken Bears and Railroad Safety

Yesterday as I browsed Pinterest, I mindlessly twirled my keys around my fingers. I was reflecting on my Christmas, because as Spring Semester starts on Monday, and therefore break is quickly coming to an end. Although I'm stressed about the new responsibilities and new schedule, I know everything will settle itself in time. During my three weeks off, I got to visit old friends from high school, spend time with the Platt family, party with my extended family and cousins, catch up with my dad and mi familia in Ogden, and of course, hang out with my sweet family in Herriman. Seeing all these people who I love really allowed me to recharge my batteries; it was overall a very relaxing and enjoyable few weeks. I looked a little more intently at my jingly keys.

I have four keys and three keychains that I carry with me. The first a bronze one with a stamped "1" on the head: my key to get into my little run down apartment in Ephraim. Next there's a little silver one, the key to get into my dad's house in Ogden- he keeps the door locked. After that there's a scratched up car key, the biggest of the bunch, and finally there's a bronze house key, and although I bent it accidentally a couple months ago, it still opens the doors. My keychains are all dumb things that I've gotten from various activities in high school: a yellow one warning about railroad safety, a circle with the Salt Lake Temple on it that I got from seminary, and a little bear that I picked up in Yellowstone. Poor guy is missing both legs now.

My keys represent all the different aspects of my life. They represent my past and my present. They are unique to me; they've become a sort of collection of who I am. They open doors to many places where I have made memories. Every place holds the promise of people who I love. My families, my roommates, my friends.

As I was thinking about this, the Holy Ghost prompted me to realize that my key ring is the Gospel. My key ring holds all my keys, and all my keychains. It is what keeps all my keys together, so I don't lose them. It keeps the keys in one place. The Church is not a key, because that would make it separate from the other keys. Rather, it is the binding force between all of my different things. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides comfort and continuity between all my different responsibilities and relationships. Like a key ring, the gospel is eternally round. It doesn't begin or end. It will always be there, through the exchange of new keys and the passing on of obsolete ones. It is simple and useful and lovely. One simple ring to carry so many important things.

I'm grateful that the Church is the same no matter where I go. I'm grateful I'm the same no matter where I go, because the gospel helps me understand who I am and what I need to be. That's enough, if just for today. :)