Thursday, October 28, 2010

What Should I Do?

What Should I Do??? Today I reflect on some near my age who influenced the outcome of American History forever, who undoubtedly asked the same question when they were called to serve the United States during WWII! Assigned to go to war, they must have been sheer full of fear! But many hearkened to this council from Heber J. Grant at the April 1942 General Conference of the LDS church:
"To our young men who go into service, no matter whom they serve or where, we say live clean, keep the commandments of the Lord, pray to Him constantly to preserve you in truth and righteousness, live as you pray, and then whatever betides you the Lord will be with you and nothing will happen to you that will not be to the honor and glory of God and to your salvation and exaltation. There will come into your hearts from the living of the pure life you pray for, a joy that will pass your powers of expression or understanding. The Lord will be always near you; He will comfort you; you will feel His presence in the hour of your greatest tribulation; He will guard and protect you to the full extent that accords with His all-wise purpose. Then, when the conflict is over and you return to your homes, having lived the righteous life, how great will be your happiness — whether you be of the victors or of the vanquished — that you have lived as the Lord commanded. You will return so disciplined in righteousness that thereafter all Satan's wiles and stratagems will leave you untouched. Your faith and testimony will be strong beyond breaking. You will be looked up to and revered as having passed through the fiery furnace (Dan 3:26-27) of trial and temptation and come forth unharmed. Your brethren will look to you for counsel, support, and guidance. You will be the anchors to which thereafter the youth of Zion will moor their faith in man.

Wow... look at those promises, look at how all of them were fulfilled for those WWII vets who served in faith, and look at how we can apply and receive those same promises in our own lives!

Lots on the mind this week. As usual, I'm prompted by a sports reference. LeBron James and Nike recently released a commercial "LeBron Rise". He is quoted saying: "What Should I Do?" over and over. The commercial, to those who haven't heard, was prompted by his "Decision". He made the unpopular choice to do the hard thing and join the Miami Heat, and leaving his home state of Cleveland. We'll see how that works out for him. I initially disagreed with what he did with his "Legacy", but the best line in the whole video is the last, "Should I be what YOU want me to be?"

What Should I Do? I don't think a day goes by that this question hasn't been on my mind, whether I was conscious of it or not.
Before a young man in the LDS church serves a mission, he kind of knows what he is expected to do. Graduate high school, live worthy, prepare to serve a mission, and go on a mission prepared, and serve the Lord with all his soul. Its very outlined for them.

When a young man gets back, its different! There is only the 2 broad expectations of: (1) Get a job, and (2) Get Hitched. Those are two TOUGH
decisions. You mean I have to choose one thing I want to do for the next fifty years? You mean I need to find a woman that I don't drive nuts, and someone to build eternity with?
For some, it seems to come easy. For me, I'm very scattered. I can see myself being great at many things, but I struggle being great at something I don't care for... who is?
So here I am at the original question: What Should I Do?!

Enter October 2010 General Conference, a weekend that I would like to think marked my life for the better. There were lots of talks that touched me, as I already reported earlier. Also, I'm comforted by the admonition of John A. Widstoe (pictured right) in that same 1942 conference.
I think I'm afraid of making just good choices, instead of the BEST choices. This causes fear of commitment...
"Fear, which "shall come upon every man," is the natural consequence of a sense of weakness, also of sin.
Fear is a chief weapon of Satan in making mankind unhappy. He who fears loses strength for the combat of life, for the fight against evil. Therefore, the power of evil ever seeks to engender fear in human hearts. In this day of sorrow, fear walks with humanity. It directs, measurably, the course of every battle. It remains as a gnawing poison in the hearts of victors as of the vanquished."

So... weakness? I can count a million of those in myself. What I love about weakness, it that it is by those weaknesses that we're perfected. It is by weakness that we call upon the Lord to strengthen us says a popular scripture in Ether. We are strong, BECAUSE we are weak, as Paul says.

What Should I Do? I will move forward in faith, praying, and living what I pray. I can draw on those prophetic promises given to those WWII vets, and I will come away from life's daily battles " having lived the righteous life, how great will be [my] happiness — whether [I] be of the victors or of the vanquished — that [I] lived as the Lord commanded. [I] will return so disciplined in righteousness that thereafter all Satan's wiles and stratagems will leave [me] untouched. [My] faith and testimony will be strong beyond breaking." That sounds like the kind of person I want to become! NOT what everyone else wants me to become, but what the Lord will mold me to become!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

General Conference Notes

To better engage myself in learning from the Prophet, Apostles, and other General Authorities of the past conference, I'll be blogging my study journal. I figure the best way to remember talks, and feelings felt from them, is to document those portions of the Conference discourses that hit me hardest. I'll first be studying the talks that touched me most, then I'll go back through to study all of them.

-"Your exercise of faith in true principles builds character; fortified character expands your capacity to exercise more faith. "
-"A sterling character is converted into worthless ashes when eroded by deceit or transgression."
-"We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want tobecome each day. Righteous character is a precious manifestation of what you are becoming."
-"Neither Satan nor any other power can destroy or undermine your growing character. Only you could do that through disobedience. A sterling character is converted into worthless ashes when eroded by deceit or transgression."
-"Strong moral character results from consistent correct choices in the trials and testing of life. Such choices are made with trust in things that are believed and when acted upon are confirmed."
-"Your happiness on earth as well as your eternal salvation require many correct decisions, none of which is difficult to make. Together those decisions forge a character resistant to the eroding influences of sin and transgression...When protected by self-control, righteous character will endure for eternity.
-"It is nobility of character, that fabric of inner strength and conviction woven from countless righteous decisions, that gives life its direction. A consistent, righteous life produces an inner power and strength that can be permanently resistant to the eroding influence of sin and transgression."
-"Your faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His commandments will strengthen your character. Your character is a measure of what you are becoming. It is the evidence of how well you are using your time on earth in this period of mortal probation."
-" You get what you pay for in obedience, in faith in Jesus Christ, in diligent application of the truths you learn. What you get is the molding of character, the growth in capacity, and the successful completion of your mortal purpose to be proven and to have joy."
-"You cannot be passive in life, or in time the natural man will undermine your efforts to live worthily. You become what you do and what you think about. Lack of character leads one under pressure to satisfy appetite or seek personal gain. You cannot successfully bolster a weak character with the cloak of pretense."
- In early life I found that I could learn gospel teachings intellectually and, through the power of reason and analysis, recognize that they were of significant value. But their enormous power and ability to stretch me beyond the limits of my imagination and capacity did not become reality until patient, consistent practice allowed the Holy Spirit to distill and expand their meaning in my heart. I found that while I was sincerely serving others, God forged my personal character. He engendered a growing capacity to recognize the direction of the Spirit. "
-"Humility is the precious fertile soil of righteous character. In it the seeds of personal growth germinate. When cultivated through the exercise of faith, pruned by repentance, and fortified by obedience and good works, such seeds produce the cherished fruit of spiritual direction. Divine inspiration and power then result—inspiration to know the will of the Lord, power to provide the ability to accomplish that inspired will."

To summarize:

  • God uses your faith to mold your character.

  • Character is the manifestation of what you are becoming.

  • Strong character results from consistent correct choices.

  • The bedrock of character is integrity.

  • The more your character is fortified, the more enabled you are to exercise the power of faith.


I love this talk! I feel like it was written for me. I have felt a need to serve more, and to be the best me I can be, and this talk offers a step-by-step guide on how to do that! He lists the following as such steps, SIMPLE STEPS, to true and abiding happiness:

UAdd a Note

  • Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His program to acquire the power to achieve.

  • Repentance to rectify the consequences of mistakes of omission or commission.

  • Obedience to the commandments of the Lord to provide strength and direction in our lives.

  • Selfless service to enrich the lives of others.

Elder Scott finishes with this powerful invitation and promise:
"If you have determined to live righteously, don’t become discouraged. Life may seem difficult now, but hold on tightly to that iron rod of truth. You are making better progress than you realize. Your struggles are defining character, discipline, and confidence in the promises of your Father in Heaven and the Savior as you consistently obey Their commandments. May the Holy Ghost prompt you to always make decisions that fortify your character and yield much joy and happiness. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

I pray that my character can be fortified as I strive to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love it, and I love Him for allowing me the privilege of prophetic guidance in my life. This talk was literally an answer to my prayers!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

I've Been Hiding In...

Today I feel a sense of... self-abnegation... I had to look that one up. Its the best description of how I feel though. I've now been home from Brazil for over 34 months. In those 34 months I've done alot. I've traveled from Cabo, to Boise, to Corpus, to Lexington, to Northern Alabama, to New York to Chicago, and basically everywhere in between. I've earned money sufficient to survive, and funded my own education, rent, and vehicle along the way. I've been extremely blessed socially, with so many wonderful people and experiences. I've taken a diverse array of classes, from Norwegian to Basketball Coaching to wannakillmyself-Chem, and found myself self employed in various ideas, as well as the ideas of others.
During this entire time, I've been blessed by He who has more patience than than any, God. How He, my family, friends, or anyone else, has put up with my forgetfulness, rebellion, inconsistency and lack of focus is beyond me... but He has. I'm so grateful for Him.
All the above said, I still feel very unaccomplished. I'm not 3 years worth of credit further into my education, I don't have a million dollars, I don't own residence in any of the places I've visited, and most evident is that I don't have a certain one person to love and dedicate my entire life to, to ensure her comfort above all else.
I've made thousands and thousands of mistakes along the way, and this today, I'd like to think that I've finally come to a realization that I've learned from those mistakes. From those mistakes I'm going to "about-face" from, and run away from with all my energy of heart.
Don't get me wrong, I haven't killed anyone, nor
stolen, nor committed that which is next to murder in seriousness: I still have my virtue. Yet, I am behind where I would like to be at this time in my life. More abundant have been my sins of Omission, rather than sins of
Comission, meaning I just haven't done all I could do. I've been more concerned with my own fairy tale ending than concerned with making other's fairy tale happen. I haven't been zealous enough in applying my study of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, digging deep with the profoundness it deserves. I have studied much, but have I applied it? Have I served? Have I made other's burdens a little lighter? Have I facilitated the way for others to be their best? Have I been an light to all those around me? I hope so, but I don't think I've attained anywhere close to my potential in this regard.
Today, I move forward. My inspiration based from a small slice of Greek
mythology. I found it through a lyric from Trevor Hall (and soon found its also referred to in the New Testament):
---
"The Lime Tree"
I spark a match and watch the candle burn
The wick runs out and love takes its turn
On fallen angels and broken sounds
We will last past the final round

It took a while for you to find me
But I was hiding in the lime tree
Above the city in the rain cloud
I poked a hole and watched it drain out

And parallel to the city streets
Our broken crowns beneath our feet
But as we walk across the diamonds
We know that love is always shining
So save me love save me all the time
I'll wash you down with a simple sip of wine
And toast my glass to all my loved ones
To let them know that the stars oh they still shine
---
Ever wonder why the Saints in Acts 14:11-12 refers to Paul and Barnabus as Jupiter and Mercurius (Roman God's)? Well...
The "lime tree" the song refers to is that in the story of Baucis and Philemon. In short, Zeus and Hermes are testing a city. They dress as peasants, go down and ask the residents of the city for a place to stay. Only the elderly humble couple of Baucis and Philemon let them in. As a reward, they are given their wish to live together forever, being turned at death into intertwining trees, one being of oak, the other a lime tree.
To get what we want in life --i.e an eternal companion-- we need to be humble enough to open our door to those in need.
Hebrews 13:2 paraphrased "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it."

Acts 14:11-12 is the ecstatic reception received less than two generations after Ovid's publication of the tale by Paul of Tarsus and Barnabas: "The crowds shouted 'The gods have come down to us in human form!' Barnabas they called Jupiter (Zeus), and Paul they called Mercurius (Hermes)".

In other words, I want to be that kind of person who is always ready to serve, like Thomas S. Monson. He has lived a life a service, and that's always been number one to him!

I want to always have my door open. I want to be Christlike. I want to be ready for that certain someone to recognize that the door is open for her, too! This is my preparation towards that.

So I've been hiding in the lime tree, before actually deserving to be there, having thought I was already there! I have preparations to make. I need to be better, and much more receptive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, and to the ministering of angels about me. Its time for me to come out of my hiding place, from behind the shadows of uncertainty. Its time for me to let my light shine.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” -- Nelson Mandela

It's time to shine...