“Flying High While Grounded in the Gospel,” For the Strength of Youth, Aug. 2021, 16–19.
Flying High While Grounded in the Gospel
As she races through life, Sophia never forgets what matters most.
Photograph by Mad Moose Media @MadMooseMedia
Plenty of sports involve an object sailing through the air toward a goal. Golf, American football, football [soccer], baseball, badminton, and cricket are only a few of them.
And then there’s a different kind of sport where you’re the object flying through the air. It’s not for the faint of heart. But then again, nobody would ever call Sophia P., 18, of Utah, USA, fainthearted.
She’s a high-flying, testimony-sharing young woman who feels at home on anything with two wheels. And while she does enjoy participating on her high school’s mountain bike team, her true two-wheeled passion is a bit more high-octane.
Photograph by Erin Malcom, Elevated MX @ErinMalcom
“Motocross is the sport of racing dirt bikes on a course of obstacles all made from dirt,” Sophia explains. “We race through all different types of jumps, hills, and so forth. They even rip up parts of the track to give us deep ruts for a bigger challenge.”
Dirt bikes (motorcycles for riding on unpaved ground) pack a lot of punch. They can climb steep hills and send you sailing through the air at wild distances. And in motocross, they embrace it all.
Photograph by Mad Moose Media @MadMooseMedia
While she’s mastered the sport of motocross, Sophia has made some powerful connections to the gospel. One of the big ones is the importance of revelation. “If the Holy Ghost can speak to me when I’m going over track obstacles at 50 mph, He can absolutely speak to me when I’m walking the hallways at school,” she says.
Revving Up on Revelation
Sophia has some unique insights on the importance of listening to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. For her, staying finely tuned to revelation keeps her safe spiritually and physically. “I 100% believe in the power of prayer. I pray every time I practice,” she says. “I feel little promptings from the Holy Ghost every time I’m out there.”
As one example, Sophia remembers a time when she was approaching a jump at high speed. She felt a distinct impression that she needed to get herself into better positioning. “In motocross, we have to be squeezing the bike with our knees. We need to keep the balls of our feet on the pegs and crouch low with our head just above the handlebars.”
Cruising in an upright position, on the other hand, is a recipe for disaster.
After she received the prompting, she didn’t hesitate. She adjusted her body position. Immediately afterward, she had a serious problem with the landing on the jump. It should’ve been a crash for sure. However, because she’d listened to inspiration and improved her positioning, she was able to absorb the shock. “Instead of crashing, I bounced with the bike.”
Photograph by Mad Moose Media @MadMooseMedia
Sophia has learned to never ignore promptings. One area she receives a lot of promptings in is missionary work.
Motocross Missionary
“I would compare the number of opportunities I have to talk to people to that of a missionary,” Sophia says.
As she attends various motocross competitions, Sophia meets and chats with youth from all walks of life. And by living the gospel, she stands out from the crowd. The other riders notice.
Photograph by Malea Ellett @MaleaEllett
“They ask questions like, ‘Why don’t you swear?’ or ‘Why won’t you race on Sundays?’” Sophia says. “Sometimes these questions turn into gospel discussions. I have a strong testimony and want others to experience the joy I have.”
Throughout these discussions, she feels the guidance of the Holy Ghost helping her to know what to say. She also knows how important it is to live worthy to receive revelation clearly.
“You invite the Holy Ghost by keeping the commandments,” Sophia says. “And it’s important to follow those promptings! The more you follow them, the more the Holy Ghost will give them.”
Sophia and the other riders talk about church attendance, the law of chastity, temples, and a whole host of other gospel topics. Part of the reason she has so many gospel discussions is that she talks to so many people, especially at the races. “Jesus said love everyone,” she says, “so I talk to everybody.”
Racing and Righteousness
Of course, just because she’s nice to you off the track doesn’t mean she’s going to go easy on you once the race begins! Sophia admits that she’s more than a bit competitive. For instance, when she races her dad (who is also a huge dirt bike enthusiast), she has one specific hope in mind. “My goal is to lap him, and his goal is to not let me lap him!”
Photograph by Erin Malcom, Elevated MX @ErinMalcom
But even when it comes to winning and losing, Sophia has her priorities straight. “The gospel gives me a lot of direction,” she explains. “Even if I lose a motocross race, I can still win the race in life. In life, you’re not racing against anybody else but yourself.”