The Locksmith

Jolly Good! (Throwback to when I used to send out weekly emails on my mission and I usually started with this traditional English phrase) As you may have noticed, (no judgement here if you have not yet) today is Blogday... I mean... Friday!

As per-usual, I'm really excited about this week's content but first I need to address something. Last week, I chose not to advertise my blog on any social media platform. I also didn't even tell anyone about it by word of mouth. I chose to do this purposefully to see how many people would actually read it on their own. The post reached about 20 views and I am very grateful for those of you that read it initially. This week, I am going to avertise this week's content overly and see what difference it makes... go ahead and observe with me! We will experiment together. And if you want to join in, feel free to promote it on your own social media platforms or by word of mouth.

This being said, if you are reading tis now and have not read last's week's post, go back and give it a look, I promise you will be thouroughly entertained and go away with a better understanding of personal morals and problem solving ethic.

Anyway, today's poem is entitled "The Locksmith" and takes on a little bit more of a spiritual approach. The idea was written down on October 8th, 2022. I would have been serving as a full time missionary in Hyde Park, living in a fancy London-style flat that looked exactly like what you would picture a London apartment to look like. As I wrote this poem today, I could picture it in my mind clearly, can you?

"The Locksmith"

Errand governed, leaving home,

Toward the shops, you venture.

For cleaning tools, t’is why you roam,

Your living space: no splendor.

And gathered up, while loaded in,

You take your quest returning;

Got the goods, now on to win,

You sense the clutter yearning!

But as you check your pockets through,

And try the handle dearly,

The door just disobeys you,

Keys on the table, clearly…

So sunken with the dreary thought,

You call the Locksmith swiftly;

And soon he comes, smile brought,

And opens it with fifth key.

-•-

The Locksmith to the doors of time,

He who opens freely,

Will do so with His love sublime,

If we seek Him really.

But He who rescues, He of whit,

May unlock our pathway there,

But the responsibility of cleaning it

With his help, is ours to bear.

He set you free, knowing how,

It’d open all your doors,

Expects of you to clean it now,

For that duty is all yours.

-Cale Kenneth Montoya (12/08/23)

There were a few times on my mission when me and my companions had locked our keys in our apartment. While in the "missionary mindset," I would look at experiences like these and try to see the Gospel parallels and discern what God might be teaching me.

As the poem highlighted, The Savior's Atonement opened the door for all of us to return home to our Heavenly Parents, but that does not mean that our life is just a free pass to The Highest Glory in Heaven. We have to work for it, we have to "clean our house." Jesus Christ is our Locksmith, without Him, we would be locked out forever.

2 Nephi 25:23 (from the Book of Mormon) states: "...we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." Achieving Heaven is not a one-sided thing. To move mountains, sometimes The Lord hands us a shovel. So understand this: The door is always open thanks to our Locksmith, but BECAUSE He loves us, He won't clean our vessels for us.

"Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also." (Alma 60:23)

I love my Locksmith! Help me spread the good news, and understand how much I love you all too! Thank you for reading these ol' things and supporting me in my passions.

Have a great week!

-Cale K. Montoya