Angels in the Outfield

One of my favorite movies as a kid was Angels in the Outfield.  I was thinking about this film recently and decided to watch it.  It focuses on a child named Roger who lives as a ward of the state of California.  His father shows up at the beginning to basically see his child for the last time.  Roger asks a thought provoking question to his father, “Hey Dad, when are we going to be a family again?”  His father responded, “When the Angels win the pennant.”  The Angels were a Major League baseball team in California that were in last place.  Later in the movie, we see Roger pray to God in faith.  I always have found it funny that Roger didn't know if God was a man or a woman, but he had faith in a higher power.  He prayed with a simple request. The words were simple:

God... if there is a God... if you're a man or a woman... if you're listening, I'd really, really like a family. My dad says that will only happen if the Angels win the pennant. The baseball team, I mean. So, maybe you can help them win a little. Amen. Oh, A-woman, too.

Throughout the course of the movie, in a cute and humorous way, we see angels literally helping the team win.  Though this is dramatized, having pondered on it more a connection can be made to each of us.

So What

I often like to ask the question about things, so what?  So what does this mean to me?  I learn two things from this simple, dramatized movie.

1.      God answers prayers

God, our Heavenly Father, does answer prayers.  He answered Roger in the movie.  He answered Moses’ prayers in the Old Testament, Peter’s in the New, Enos’ in the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith in our time.  I know that God hears and listens to our prayers.  He is mindful of them.

2.      God Answers Prayers in his way

We also learned from Roger here that God answers prayers in his own way and by his own methods.  The real desire and intent of Roger’s heart was a family, not the winning of a game.  The winning of the game was merely the method Roger saw as the method to achieve his desire.  In the end, George Knox, the baseball coach, adopts him and his friend J.P. and they become a family.  This could be the proof that God does answer prayers in his own way.  I have seen this in my own life.  We may want a trial to be taken away from us but rather God will give us the strength to endure.  He does answer every righteous desire but because He is the great architect of the universe and knows the end from the beginning, he knows in what methods to best help us. 

To any reading this blog, if you are wondering if your prayers are being answered, I promise you that they are.  Trust in the Grand Creator that he will answer in his way and in his own time.  He loves you and will be with you every step of the way.

I declare my love of and for Jesus the Christ.  He answers prayers.

Veteran's Day

Veteran's day has caused me to think somewhat. I felt that I should take this opportunity to talk about veterans and their importance in each of our lives. Please indulge me as I talk about some of the veterans that have shaped my life.

Grandpa Dave Wettstein was in the the Air Force. He was a pilot during WWII, Korea and Vietnam. He raised 6 great children (one of which was my mother) and served those around him.

Papa Nick Athans was in the Army. He served in the Vietnam War. He raised 3 great children, one being my father. He was an example to me and all those around him.

Stephen Lee Athans, my father, also served in the Army and Reserves for a few years. He is the veteran that has changed my life more than any other veteran. (Side note: He was just released as an LDS Bishop after 4 ½ years of service.)

This has led me to think about what a veteran is. I think the greatest scriptural example of a veteran is that of Captain Moroni from the Book of Mormon. He said, “And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.” (Alma 46:12) This is what a veteran is. Someone that puts their lives on the line so that others can have the freedom to worship their God, practice their religion, exercise freedom and have peace individually and with their families. God bless all those that have done this in the past from Adam, to Moroni and on into the present day. I know that God understands the hearts of all the veterans and blesses them and their families with righteous desires. I am grateful for those veterans that have served the United States of America and those that continue to serve. God bless you.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Today at church, we had the privilege of watching the primary kids perform their annual primary program.  The primary children (4-11) recite messages and sing songs during the regular “sacrament hour” of the meeting. This is one of my favorite Sundays of the year because it can be very entertaining.  One kid said his favorite of Heavenly Father’s creations was Stingrays.  I was laughing quite hard because it was so cute.  There was one song they sang that you could tell that they liked because they sang it the loudest.  It was the children’s hymn, The Family is of God by Matthew Neeley.  The words go like this:

1. Our Father has a family. It’s me!

It’s you, all others too: we are His children.

He sent each one of us to earth, through birth,

To live and learn here in fam’lies.

2. A father’s place is to preside, provide,

To love and teach the gospel to his children.

A father leads in fam’ly prayer to share

Their love for Father in Heaven.

3. A mother’s purpose is to care, prepare,

To nurture and to strengthen all her children.

She teaches children to obey, to pray,

To love and serve in the fam’ly.

4. I’ll love and serve my family and be

A good example to each fam’ly member.

And when I am a mom or dad, so glad,

I’ll help my fam’ly remember:

[Chorus]

God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be—

This is how He shares His love, for the fam’ly is of God. 

It was funny during the chorus that they all sang it so loudly.  It was as if they were testifying to all the world the divine purposes of families.  I could see their testimony in their voices.  I realize this is why I like the primary program so much.  I love hearing pure testimony from the mouths of babes.

With them I testify that the family is ordained of God.  I testify that God lives and loves us.  He is constantly trying to bless us.  He does especially with the family. Whether you are or are not of the same faith of which I pertain, if you apply the principles taught in this simple hymn and The Family: A Proclamation to the World, you will have a stronger, happier, and more secure family.  I invite you to learn more.  Feel free to leave your comments and questions below.