hello everyone welcome to follow him favorite if you've been following follow him favorites this year you know that John by the way and I are taking a single question from each week's lesson and providing some info John this week's lesson is on the first half of Jeremiah and there's a term in the first half of Jeremiah called back sliding and the Lord keeps using it over and over where he says backsliding Israel he doesn't Jeremiah chapter 3 backsliding Israel backsliding is real and is we were discussing that with Doctor John Hilton honor full podcast he told us that backsliding is when we return to our spin we repent we forsake them and then we go back so John the question this week is how do I keep from backsliding how do I keep from going back to my sins what would you say to someone who wants to stay away from their former sins but they are drawn to them what do you do that's a good question because I think all of us have ever
 fields of backsliding we know better and I'm so grateful we have the sacrament every week the Lord gives us so many chances to start again doesn't he and so the very fact that you would even ask the question how can I stop back sliding is evidence that you're trying to do better which is so great I so for me I stop back sliding by wearing velcro jacket I don't slide anywhere well I hope that anyone asking that kind of a question will recognize that just being willing to ask that question shows that you're spiritually sensitive and aware and you're moving forward if you're worried about backsliding if they're really serious things you'd go and you talk to your bishop and he'll help you to see the progress that you're making think it's kind of like the stock market or something it goes up but it goes down but it goes up again it at its trending up that's exactly it your trending upward there going to be
 mistakes that you make and there's going to be things that you may be wish you hadn't done but when your overall trend or slope is upward I think that's what the Lord's asking cuz he knows that we're going to keep having tough time sometimes with trials and so forth the I just think if you're even asking the question it's evidence that you're still trying and once in a while back slide but I love that the coven past sure it has off ramps but it has so many on ramps you can keep getting back on excellent excellent I think two things that have helped me a description that Proverbs uses and then also that Peter picks up on is he says and when I tell this to my students they just they're really grossed out by this but it's it really in the scripture that says we return to our sins like a dog to its vomit there is such a disgusting idea but sometimes I'll hear our dog behind our couch going to end
 it's right in there like that clean it up and I said she'll be back and within half hour or so she comes over and fix it all up and they're disgusting at it is not return to my sins right but I do that why would never I would never return like about about dog to its vomit and then the other one that really helped me as a parable of Jesus where he says there once was a house or a man he kind of goes back and forth a person who has an evil spirit so that's the sin Andy cast it out he cast out the evil spirit but then the evil spirit the sin goes out there doesn't find anywhere to live and so it turns around and comes back to the house and he finds it empty so what does he do he moved back into the house this end goes back into the man's life and brings with him a whole bunch of other said to bring them by think he says seven more sense with it now he's worse off than he was before so I think what they say they're meant by that is you
 the fill your house with other things if you're going to get rid of a thin you've got to fill your life with other things perhaps its new hobbies do not just sitting around idle maybe you should join a team tryout for a play at school choir you get a new group of friends something that's going to fill your house so when those things come back looking for a place in your life you're like hey I'm sorry there's no vacancy here and I don't have time for you I filled my life with other things those two scriptural passages that helped me John it's going to happen you just pay your trending in the right direction is what's important or you're coming back every time you're picking yourself up dusting yourself off and saying I'm going to try again to overcome I love that Parable that use tank like if you fill your life with other things you'll find some things that you really enjoy doing that are good that our whole something so you'll want to do those again and you'll crowd out the other stuff I like to use the example of grass
 and dandelions when the grass is really thick and good if there's no room for other seats other weeds to come in plant themselves it's nice to have good things to do and again the very fact that you recognized in her asking that question is wonderful says something about where you are. How can I stop back sliding the other thing I think the Lord is just so wonderful and merciful is that he already has that thing in place you're going to need this Sacrament table again you're going to need to come back here again next week he kind of knows come back here let's renew that Covenant again and you see the sacrament tell you they're there is a visual aid of the Lord's Mercy for us right there in every week in the chapel
 that's beautiful John yeah it's not a matter of if it's not like the bishop stands up and says okay if anybody send will set up the sacrament so it's assumed that we all need it you're going to need this I used to tell my ward Isn't it nice that we don't wheel this table out of the storage room just to Christmas and Easter but every single week we can look forward to coming back and getting a fresh start and it's okay it's okay and you are going to overcome don't give up you are going to overcome whatever send it is you're thinking of your going to get over it you're going to get past it you'll be trending upward like we said yeah the Lords of the Lord's going to bless you and help you so don't get discouraged it's it's going to happen for you just keep trying
 we hope you'll join us next week for another following favorites we also hope you'll join us on our full podcast this week we're discussing these chapters with dr. John Hilton the 30 so great they made three events so you are going to want to come out and hear that and then join us next week back here for another follow in favorites