Sailing... in the Gospel

So the last 4 or 5 days in Florida have been super windy, its been especially interesting because of the bike thingy I ride to get places for some reason isn't A) aerodynamic and B) seem to be greatly underpowered. This combination equates to a very slow progression down the street, unless of course we are going with the wind, which seems to turn directions every time I get on my bike, so yes biking into the wind is possible...

Unlike on a bike a sail boat utilizes the wind, no matter which way you go, into or out of the wind... How is that possible?! Well lets see...

Now lets explain, in order to head into the wind you need to turn your boat at a 45 degree angle, this causes the boat to move forward as it moves out. The progress of the boat is decreased by 50%, but there is progress, which is the blessing... This process in sailing is called Tacking. You give up some forward progress to actually make it... On the way back you "run" with the wind, letting you sail wide open and letting her go!! But be careful to put weight  in the stern, or you catch your bow and end up having to de-turtle your boat...

This is a very proficient metaphor for the gospel principle, of sacrifice. It is essential to Tack into the wind to reach our destination, it is also essential to sacrifice to obtain our full potential. It may take massive sacrifices if theres big wind, or small sacrifices if theres little to no wind. Sometimes we think to ourselves "dang I have to give up that?" But the giving up ultimately gets us to our destination. Doctrine and Covenants 97:8 "Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me". Sacrifice is a must...

It is also important to recognize the turn that is required to continue on a straight line, which of course requires two things; 1)destination, and 2) land marks.

1)As we know our destination we have a vision of what we can do, and where we are going, Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he". When our destination is known we understand what purpose is...

2)Landmarks, in order to efficiently apply the process of tacking equal distance is required, in order to do this constant course corrections is needed, we do this by looking around us, ie reading scriptures, and searching for truth, this will keep us on the straight and narrow...

So 3 things have come up in the sailing analogy; 1:sacrifice is necessary to reach our destination, 2: we need a destination or vision, or purpose is lost, and 3: we must constantly look for continual truth in order to keep on the course.