The Three Big Bad Wolves

ONCE UPON A TIME . . .

There were 3 big bad wolves.  

The first wolf was named Natural Adversity.  He had a way of stampeding into people's families unannounced and terrorizing their lives and homes.  One day, he scared a little girl named Redda so badly that her heart became sick with cardiomyopathy. She was put on the heart transplant list and her parents were devastated to know that her life on this earth would be shortened unless she was able to receive a new heart.

The second wolf was named Own Imperfections (but the rest of her wolf pack called her OI for short).  She was a feisty little wolf who would howl all day and all night.  She howled so much that a man named Mr. Piggington was certain that he was to blame for the howling.  If Mr. Piggington was a better home owner, the wolf wouldn't be in the neighborhood in the first place.  If he was a nicer neighbor, the wolf would go away.  And if he were only smarter, he could figure out a way to eliminate the wolf all together.  But he wasn't any of those things . . . he was just a flawed and imperfect man, destined to live his life alone because no one could ever find any good in him.  

The third wolf was named Excessive Individualism.  This wolf was the worst of them all.  He was a sneaky beast . . . lurking in the shadows, hiding in the forests.  He would silently growl at everyone who passed by,
"You don't belong to anyone and you don't need anyone, just keep walking by yourself," or "You are the only one who can make yourself feel good--YOU complete you."  His favorite growl was, "YOU deserve this.  YOU are more important than anyone else, so make sure to always put yourself first."  In time, everyone decided to live alone because it was easier than to work together in marriages and families. 
Soon, the entire village was destroyed by this one wolf.  

Is this  THE END?

I pray that it is not the end.  It doesn't have to be the end!  We must and can be defenders of marriage and family, and not allow these "wolves" into our thoughts, lives and homes!   
Do these wolves plague your own life, your own relationships, and most important -- your own marriage?

Do you allow natural adversity, the challenges that happen to you in your life, to prevent you from keeping an eternal perspective and rob you of the joy God has in store for you?  

Do you allow your own imperfections to hold you back from seeing yourself and/or your spouse as a son or daughter of God?  Do you believe and know that you are good because you are God's,
and that your spouse is as well?

Are you consumed by excessive individualism?  Do you care more about yourself than you do your spouse?   

Elder Bruce C. Hafen of the Quorum of the Seventy used the three wolves analogy in his talk, "Covenant Marriage" (Nov. 1996 Ensign).  He said, "And when the wolf comes, they flee.  This idea is wrong.  It curses the earth, turning parents' hearts away from their children and from each other (italics added)."

Do not be afraid of the wolves!  Do not be as the hireling who runs away when the wolves come.  Follow the Savior's example and stay.  Stay and defend and protect.  Stand up to the wolves, even give your very life to protect your fold of sheep -- your marriage and your family
(John 10:12-15).

Then you CAN and WILL be able to live HAPPILY EVER AFTER together with your family for eternity in the Kingdom of God.