Dear Family,
I have become increasingly aware the great import of taking care of ALL that the Lord blesses us with, most especially of which is our body. Elder Crittenden and myself's conversations have recently turned towards that of Faith, in relation to all things, not just the principle of Gospel related Faith. Our Faith is a driving forth towards any worthwhile goal in our lives. It is the Fuel that spurns us on towards Repentance. It's the fruit of the Repentance that brings the lasting commitment (i.e. Baptism) to that change. Which gives us a bedrock upon which to continually build upon the changes we make in our lives.
Often time though, a person may experience Sin, change, and feel the blessings from it, through baptism becoming completely clean with no repercussions. However, Some people may experience Sin, change, and feel the blessings from it, through baptism, becoming completely clean... but still experience repercussions, or some lasting effect as a result of the original Sin.
But the Beauty of the Atonement is that we don't need to be harrowed up by repercussions, or lasting effects from our Sins. The beauty of the Atonement is that those things are taken away in Christ. Just as feelings of anger, or regret, at a situation can be taken away, so too, in both spiritual and physical ways, can we be healed, by surrendering fully to the Spirit, and allowing the Atonement to have full sway in our lives.
So by now you're wondering where the head-click comes in?
Today we went to see the leading Chiropractor in ALL of Ireland. He's a member and works on missionaries problems for free :D. So, naturally, as Elder Crittenden was experiencing some ankle pain (and I was just looking for a check up) we went to see him. As he began to work on Elder Crittenden he began to tell us about the great impact that our neck has on our spine, and how a slight mis-alignment in the neck can cause all sorts of problems in the spine. My mind drew the comparison of the boat being off by a single degree, thereby causing it to land much farther than originally intended.
As he began to work on me he said; "Oh, you've definitely had a neck injury". So which I said "What?!". As our conversation ensued (and as he began to "tweak" my neck) I recalled an experience about 3 years back where I had tripped and slid, upside-down, on my neck (and shoulder blades), for about 3 feet (hearing 3 sequential pops), before dropping over on my back. I tried to ask him if that could have been the direct cause of the injury. He asked me how long my head had been tilting to the side...
How long as my head been tilting to one side?!?
Anyway, Long story shorter, I realized that the reason when I did P90X and my head clicked, was actually because I had a bone out of joint (go figure) and the reason I had a slight tilt in my head was not (only) because of my personality, rather I had developed this habit so as not to aggravate the misaligned bone. For 3 years I had been constantly pulling muscles in my neck, because when I worked out (if I pushed myself really hard) I had a misaligned bone which couldn't support the muscle in my neck. Hence at sometimes in my life I've walked around with an extreme head-tilt, but this was due to actual injury, not just my querkyness (<- definitely not a work)
So, fusing my two stories here together. We all do stupid things in life, like playing football and sliding on your neck for 3 feet (maybe not that stupid). But these "Sins", though paid for by the Atonement of Jesus Christ, can cause lasting problems. Though our guilt may fade, we may not have complete resolution, part of which we may not be fully privy to. We might just think "That's just the way things are". When, perhaps they aren't supposed to be?
For 3 years I've been having a clicky neck and a tilting head, thinking that everything was all "hunky dory". Now, a clicking neck and a tilting head are not that bad... but let me mention one more thing he said. He turned to Elder Crittenden and told him if he kept sleeping on his stomach that his back would wear out extra fast and by the time he was 50 and he would have a 75 year old back. He then turned to me and talk me that if I had not got my neck readjusted (as he had just done) about the time I was 35 I would have had my back go out completely, leaving me disabled (a truly pleasant thought isn't it?).
Now bringing this down into a more basic and practical way; Perhaps we may see in our own lives, little things which, for all we can remember, we have always done, which aren't that bad. But the lasting effect of these can be a devastating thing. Alma taught: "By small and simple things, are great things brought to pass".
It is the small and simple things which will lead us to greatness.
Likewise, we may know by the small and simple pains we experience, that perhaps we are not on the right path, or perhaps we need to change (repent of) something in order to "realign" ourselves with God :D
Comparison complete.
-Elder Stephen C Beacham
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