Overpowering the Goliaths in your Life

Gordan B. Hinkley. Ah what I wonderful man. How I wish I would have been a member of the Church when he was Prophet. I love reading his talks.  Lately I have been struggling spiritually. There it is out. We all go through these times and if you say you don't, you are lying! I was at church early for ward council when I overheard a woman giving a talk in the family ward. I didn't hear much of her talk but I did hear her reference the talk, Overpowering the Goliath's in our Lives, by Gordan B. Hinkley. What a name for a talk. I knew right then and there that we all have Goliath's in our lives... therefore, we should ALL probably read that talk.

Just like he mentions in his talk- I am sure you all know the story of David and Goliath. I think there are always going to be things in our life that the world will tell us we can't overcome. Nearly ever single sin or transgression in our life begins with something small... then we start to lose the spirit and begin to justify our actions. If we are lucky, we catch these stumblings before it gets too far. President Hinkley recaps a story:

I recall an assignment some years back to restore the blessings of a man who had been excommunicated from the Church because of his sin. He came to my office with his wife. I spoke with them individually. I asked him how it all began. He held a responsible position in the Church. He was likewise a professional man with high responsibility in the community.

His trouble began, he said, when he picked up a pornographic magazine to read on the plane. It intrigued him. It appealed to him. He found himself buying more of these things. Then he sought out movies which titillated him and excited him. Knowing his wife would be a party to none of this, he went alone. He found occasion to leave town and go to other cities where he could more easily indulge his desires. He then found excuses to stay late at his office and asked his secretary to stay with him. One thing led to another until he succumbed.

With tears rolling down his cheeks, he sat across the desk from me and cursed the day he had read that first magazine. He spoke of his love for the wife who had forgiven him and remained true to him. He spoke of his love for his children, who had been shamed and embarrassed by his actions. He told of the hell through which he had walked from the time of his excommunication. He spoke of his love for the Church and his desire to enjoy again its full blessings.

In the presence of his wife, I placed my hands upon his head and in the authority of the holy priesthood restored his priesthood, his temple endowment, his temple sealing, and all other blessings which he had formerly held. This strong man sobbed like a baby under my hands while his wife, with her hand in his, wept like a child.

At the conclusion of that blessing, they embraced one another and he asked her to forgive him. She said she had forgiven him and that she loved him and always would.

They were happy when they left, happier than they had been in years. And I was happy too. But I thought of the terrible price he had paid and of the price he had exacted of his family through his foolishness and transgression.

Don't let the world make you think you can't overcome something. Remember who are you, a child of God. Remember that you can overcome all things, no matter how small or large.