Read Spirit Pouch for Free Online

all the way to my next class, and I decide that I should keep him in my prayers for a while.  I know God can help him, and God might be the only one who can.
    After cross-country practice, the bus drops me off about two blocks from my house.  I cut through the alley, deep in thoughts about the spirit pouch.  Ty had said that the contents were related to baptism.  Reaching into my pocket I feel the soft leather of the spirit pouch and pull it out.  I stop walking and tug on the drawstring, sliding it so I can peer inside.  My eye falls upon the pinto bean.
    “Of course!” I say out loud.  “This is easy.”  The bean represents faith.  It’s not exactly a mustard seed like Jesus spoke of in the New Testament, [4] but it is a seed.  And in Alma, chapter thirty two, it doesn’t say it has to be a mustard seed. [5]
    “The feather!” I say, obviously on a roll.  Indians always used Eagle feathers.  Eagle feathers would represent strength, and flying high, so   … ah   … so your prayers would fly toward heaven.   “Hmmm.”
    I pull the feather from the pouch and examine it closely.  Not only is it plastic, but it does not even look like an Eagle feather.”
    I stuff it back into the pouch and roll out the white stone.  I puzzle over the stone, turning it over and over in the palm of my hand.  It is mostly white, but has a brown streak across the back side.  How can a rock symbolize baptism? I think to myself.  In the New Testament Satan tempted Jesus to turn some stones into bread. [6]   But Mom specifically said a white stone.  Bread is white!  So does the stone represent temptation, like when Satan tempted Jesus?  That does not make a whole lot of sense.  How can a stone be like baptism?  It will sink!
    I drop the stone back into the leather pouch and walk home.
     
    Tuesday
     
    “Hey, Ty,” I say turning around in my seat before class starts Tuesday morning.  I know that once the bell rings I have to face forward and refrain from talking or Old Mrs. Harris will center all her hard questions on me.
    “Hi, Jebt,” Ty answers, jumbling his syllables.
    I see something silver-colored flash in Ty’s mouth.  “What are you eating?” I ask.  But even as I speak I am figuring it out.
    Ty sticks his tongue out, revealing a silver colored bar-bell.  “I got my thung pierthes.” He says.  “Do you like it?”
    “Impressive,” I say sarcastically.  I think, A bar-bell through his tongue just about completes his image.  That is if you want the image of a not-so-smart, gang member, drug user type.
    “Do you think so?”
    I choose not to answer his question.  Instead I reply, “So this tongue ornament is the urgent thing that you had to do last night?”
    “Yeah,” he says with a grin.  “Do you think Sarah will notice?”
    “Yeah.  She will notice,” I say wrinkling my nose.  “But she is not going to be impressed.”
    “Ha!” he laughs.  “You’re jealous.  I beth your mommy won’t leth you pierce your tongue and you are jealous.”
    “Ty, if you want to pierce your tongue or your ears its okay with me.  I just choose not to because President Hinckley said that guys shouldn’t pierce their ears or their tongue, that’s all.” [7]
    “Well, you watch.  Sarah will be impressed.  Tongue piercing is the latest thing.”
    “Ty, what I wanted to ask is …”  The starting bell interrupts me, and I can see that there is no time for a philosophical discussion about spirit pouches.  I frown and turn back around in my chair.
    After English Literature, Ty shoots out of class like an arrow.  I know he is eager to get to seminary early so he can flash around his bar-bell.
    “There goes the dumb-bell with the bar-bell,” Jeff mutters as I gather up my books.  “Did you see that?”
    “Yeah,” I say as I head for the door.  “He’s going to need some help when he finds out that tongue piercing is not as cool as it seems.”
    “Uh-huh.  Dental help when he