Satan's Breakout

I cannot say how much I love the Swansons.  They are the funnest family I've found on my mission.  (Close second would probably go to the Guzmans over in Lindenwold.)  It just feels different coming into a house where you know that you'll be accepted no matter what.  Sister Swanson makes some of the best empanadas I've had on my mission, and it's fun to talk smack on Brother Swanson when we're playing board games.

Speaking of games, I had a thought recently.  Have you ever played the game Breakout?  You know, that old Atari game where you bounce a ball into a wall of bricks to try to break it down?  You have to be careful to maneuver the shield at the bottom of the screen, because if you don't you'll lose a ball.  It was a game so successful and so simple that there have been dozens of clones of it.  (If you don't believe me, go to Wikipedia and search "Breakout Clones.")

Yeah, something like that.  Basically, the goal of the game was to get rid of all the bricks before you ran out of time.  I got to thinking lately about how the Gospel is in the most random things.  Even Breakout!

See, you might compare the things we do to the bricks.  We're trying to defend ourselves from the attacks of Satan.  His goal is to get us to do the bad stuff.  If he's able to get us away from the little things, the little fragile bricks like prayer and scripture study, it's going to be a lot easier for him to get us to do the big things like adultery or murder.

Now, imagine that every time you pray, a new brick appears.  The same thing happens for reading your scriptures and coming to church.  No wonder Satan is so frustrated!  He's playing a never-ending game of Breakout, and the bricks keep regenerating!  So long as we're doing the little stuff, doing all we can to be guided by the Holy Ghost, Satan can't touch us!

I'm constantly amazed that all the 'little things' in life turn out to be the most important.  Family, scripture study, prayer, all we need to do is focus on them.

I have to go now to help a man get baptized.  However, I encourage all of you to think about the little stuff in life.  That's a little thing too, you know.