Rocky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oDTNEEu3Rw&feature=related

I had to do it! I love Rocky IV! I think Dad got me hooked on this series because this was one of his favorites. This movie has been my all time favorite one outta the Rocky series. Its just epic. Here is this Ivan Drago character who has everything handed to him, and then you have Rocky who has to work and fight for everything he's got. Its the true underdog story. Drago kills one of Rocky's best buds, Apollo, and then the stage is set for Rocky to fight Drago and avenge his buddy's death. Its a showdown of the ages. This video is Rocky getting ready for the big fight, in Russia. This is the ultimate pump up video for anything. I remember before sports games, I used to listen to this on my ipod or I would watch this segment on the TV. (Yes, we had it recorded and saved on the TV) Listening to this would get me "in the zone" for the upcoming game and it became a "sports superstition" of mine to listen to it. If I didn't, I wouldn't play well. That's just how it is. With that being said, how does this apply to the Gospel? Easy. Rocky is a perfect of example of enduring to the end! His goal was to beat Drago. That was his vision and he set his mind to it. That workout wasn't easy haha. That looked like it would've killed me! But he finished it. During the fight, he was cut open, bruised, and broken, but he won. He achieved what he set his mind to. This directly correlates with our lives. Our goal is to live with our loving Heavenly Father again. We have set our mind to it, this is our vision. Keeping the commandments can be not be so easy to keep at times. This is our killer workout! During this fight against the devil, we are sometimes beat up and pushed down, but in the end, we know that we will win. This is enduring to the end. That is why I'm so grateful for a Savior that picks us up when we get pushed down and heals our wounds when we need it. If it weren't for Him, there would be no hope in this world. I love Him. He allows us to be able to "Enjoy the Journey" of life. In Him there is hope and in Him we can be healed. I know that we will finish this fight. And just like Rocky, we will rejoice as well. Satan will not prevail. Remember the inspiring words of the Prophet Joseph,"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progression;...the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." I hope all of us can be like Rocky and endure to the end.
I Stand All Amazed....at the heart of Rocky and the principle of Enduring to the End.