We took an unforgettable trip down Oneida Narrows last August and had a wonderful time as well as a great learning experience. We put the young kids in a rectangle raft that I had and we had the adults surrounding the raft as we headed down the river. There were slow parts and a little white water. Nothing like the Big Kahuna, but fun for a tube. As we headed down the river, we came to some forks. Every time we came to a fork, we would choose the right side to follow. But one time, one of the teenage boys didn't get over far enough and the current took him down the left side. As we floated to the point where the two met again, we noticed that the water was stagnant, mossy and filled with tall grass. He had to really work to get out of that to get back on the right path. We left one adult behind to wait for him and we kept floating. Occasionally we would come to some pretty big rocks that we had to paddle to get around. Towards the end the kids were frightened because of the white water. When we were paddling around the rocks, we were dragging that huge raft with us which made it difficult to move very quickly. We really had to watch ahead and plan out which way we were to go before we got to the rough water ahead.
As we go through life, we often have times where we just float. Meaning, life is good and we just get to enjoy the view and each other. And there are times, we come to a rocky path that can either help us to rely on our Heavenly Father to make it through, or we can ride it alone. The kids were surrounded by others to protect them and help them. We would try to guide them down the right path so that they would not get hurt. How many times have we tried to teach our children to always 'choose the right' and that we will always be there to help them along the way? When life gets tough ahead, it is better to be prepared to know which direction to take. It is better to go through life with a constant companion that will love and help you no matter what. We all have choices and sometimes we do not always choose the right path to follow. When we choose to take that wrong path, our spirit becomes stagnant and filled with guilt. We have to work hard through repentance to regain our testimonies and come back to right path. It is still possible! The best part is that we will always have others who love us waiting on the other side to welcome us back.
