The Matt Trick Episode 3 - Happy Father's Beard!

Listen to Episode 3 of The Matt Trick in the player above or download it.

The Matt Trick

Good Miracle Morning!

The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. His whole story, the Miracle Morning, and his plan to get you on it.

"Yo Pal" Hal Elrod's website about the Miracle Morning. Here he gives you enough freebies to get started on his technique to "change your life before 8AM!"

Here is Hal's interview on the Run Run Live! podcast. It's where I heard about him. The interview outlines his program and what motivated it.

Goal Line

I've been putting my toes in the water with the Miracle Morning this past month, and I have seen some results, but nothing too drastic. It's during these morning hours that I've had the time to put together this podcast, as well as do other studying and writing. However, I haven't fully committed myself and I haven't taken seriously the affirmations from the program. I've let myself slip about 40% of the mornings, mostly because of Baby Lillian waking me up in the night giving me an excuse to stay in bed when the alarm goes off :p

My goal this week is to commit to the Miracle Morning for two weeks straight. This includes the affirmations, even if I think they are a little cheesy. But we'll see who's the skeptic after two weeks straight of the miracle morning. I'll report back and let you know my results. Email me or post a comment to make a Miracle Morning goal for yourself!

Matt-spiration Moment

My dad in his bearded glory.

Since today is Father's Day, let me tell you about my dad’s beard. He’s worn it pretty much all his life and it’s part of the image that comes to mind when you think of my dad. It’s grey now but it used to be Scandinavian red, so much so that even though the hair on the top of his head used to be brown, people would refer to him as "that guy with red hair and a beard". As far as I can tell from pictures and stories, my dad has only shaved a handful of times in his life: when he served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints, when he got married to my mom, and then about 10 years ago when I was about to graduate from High School.

At that time 10 years ago, the Stake President of the Church in my hometown (Stake President is the leader over a group of congregations in an area) called my dad into his office to extend to him an important calling to serve in the Church. From how my dad tells the story, the conversation went like this:

Stake President: Ken, do you love the Lord?
Dad: Yes of course I do.
SP: Ken, how much do you love the Lord?
D: With all my heart, with all my might, all my strength and my life. He’s given me everything and I’d do anything for Him.
SP: Ken, do you love the Lord...more than your beard?
D: Wait, huh, now hold on, who said anything about my beard, let’s not get too hasty here…

This is a cute exaggerated story, but it is true that my dad was willing to give up his beard to serve. I believe, in fact, that my dad would be willing to sacrifice anything necessary in order to serve the Lord and further his progression. (As a side note, after 5 years, my dad was released from that calling at which point he stopped shaving and grew his full beard back overnight).

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ tells two parables, first is about a man who finds a treasure in a field, sells what he has in order to go buy the field and get the treasure. Second is another man who finds and sells pearls, finds the Pearl of Great Price, and sells everything he has to get the pearl (Matthew 13:44-46).

It doesn’t matter what the price is, the cost of the Pearl or the treasure was everything--everything the way of progressing. On my first episode, I mentioned the young rich man who wasn't willing to sell his stuff to follow the Lord. His riches were in the way of his progression and he couldn't let go of them. So do we really have to give up everything? Like the seller of pearls, do we really have to sell all of what we have to obtain our Pearl of Great Price?

In the Book of Mormon, there is a missionary account from Ammon, one of the sons of Mosiah, that illustrates the idea well. Ammon is teaching the King of the Lamanites who has recently been touched by the Holy Ghost and wants to convert to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The king says, “What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold I will give up all that I possesss, yea I will forsake my kingdom that I may receive this great joy." (Alma 22:15-16 , emphasis added).

Ammon responded that he didn't have to do that, but only had to give up his sins, "call upon God in faith believing that [he should] receive," then he would receive everything that he was hoping for.

We don’t have to give up everything for the Lord, just anything that’s in our way from progressing. Our sins, addictions, and pride. We can also give up our sorrows and pains as the atonement of Christ can take all of these from us. And like the man seeking the Pearl of Great Price, we have to be willing to sacrifice it all if we are to progress to our fullest potential.