Come listen to living prophets

Sunday, December 25, 2011

The Greatest Gift


Today my ward was combined with two others for a combined Christmas sacrament meeting. There were several beautiful musical numbers along with an incredible talk by one of the most revered men in my community. He talked about the gifts that we could give our families and the Savior. What stood out most to meet was when he said, "The greatest gift that we can give our families is our testimony of the Savior". He went on to talk about a particular bible that had been handed down throughout several generations of his family and how it represented the continuation of faith throughout those generations. I too have been blessed to have members of the church as my ancestors, some of them pioneers that made the trek west to the Salt Lake Valley. This evening my family and I watched the film 17 Miracles, which gives an account of the Willie and Martin handcart company and the trials they experienced coming to the Salt Lake Valley. Some of my own ancestors were a part of that company, and I'm eternally grateful that despite the horrendous trials they had to endure, they maintained their faith and overcame those tribulations. I would most certainly agree that one of the greatest gifts I have in this life is knowing that my parents have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That knowledge has made all the difference in my life, and I plan to see that it has the same presence in my future family.

I hope that during this season we all remember what our Savior Jesus Christ has done for us through His infinite and eternal Atonement and all that He continues to do for us. I know He lives and that because He does, I will too after this life. I'm grateful to know that through His power on earth, I have the opportunity to be with my family after this life. Merry Christmas to you all!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Occupy Hollywood

It’s official. Hollywood has hit an all-time low when the likes of a horror/zombie film director decides to desecrate a timeless literary classic by blasting it with ridiculous action sequences and totally unnecessary 3-D. To see minds young and old are becoming deluded and contaminated by such material is unadulterated sacrilege to our greatest literary works. It is sickening to view a film whose only relation to the book from which it was inspired is the title itself. Such intolerable reinterpretations, revamps, and reimaginings must come to an end. Once, the likes of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings graced the silver screen. Now we must shed a tear as we preview The Three Musketeers and watch as an amazing novel is turned into pure CG drivel. There is something terribly wrong when 1% of the films on the big screen do justice to the books upon which they draw inspiration from, while the other 99% make untold amounts of money off of gratuitous special effects and terrible casting. We will not stand for such refuse to permeate our TV screens, laptops, or iPods. We call upon all directors, producers, and screenwriters to discontinue these horrid and cruel misinterpretations, these disgraceful portrayals of the greatest literary works of mankind. We, as the common people, refuse to purchase Redboxes, attend film screenings, and download Netflix versions of our beloved novels unless they contain an interpretation of those same novels which the authors would be proud of. OCCUPY HOLLYWOOD!!!!!!!!

Monday, December 19, 2011

4 Years Ago...

To the date, I made a decision that would change my life forever. I entered the Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT in preparation to serve in the Colorado Colorado Springs Mission. If you had told me back then everything that was going to happen in the next 2.5 years, I'd have told you that you were crazy. If someone had told me that I would come home for six months due to unforseen medical conditions, I'd have laughed in your face and told you I couldn't do it. If you'd have mentioned I'd spend the last third of my mission in a town of less than 1,000 people, I'd have asked my mission president to never let me go there.

But, if you'd also have told me that those six months would teach me more than any six months prior to my mission, that I would eventually overcome those medical conditions, that in that town of less than 1,000 people I would have more baptisms than I did in any other area, I wouldn't change a thing. And nor would I today.

I hate to sound like everyone else in the church, but to all you young men out there, you really have to experience a mission for yourself to be able to relate to the experiences of mission life. They are so personal and unique. I gained a testimony in the field more than ever that our Heavenly Father knows us by name and is aware of our individual situations. I know I spent my last blogpost talking about this as well, but I don't think I can emphasize just how important this choice in your life is. Nothing in the world can compare to this experience. Those who choose to not serve missions are not less loved by God, nor do RM's necessarily receive a higher degree of glory than them either. But it will help build upon your testimony to give you a lifetime of experiences from which you can draw upon. To all those who have served, never forget what this experience means to you and stay true to the covenants you have made and the things you know to be true. Too many RM's are making rather poor life decisions and not living up to the standards they did before. Remember what you taught others on your mission, that our Savior Jesus Christ lived and died for us. He lives for us today and through the Atonement, we may become clean from our sins and live with our Father in Heaven again with our families. That knowledge is what keeps me going and I'll be forever grateful for my mission continually reminding me of the importance of that knowledge.

Friday, December 9, 2011

In the Service of Your God



I stumbled upon this video without really looking today, but man is it powerful. Growing up as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, there was virtually never a time where I questioned serving a mission for the church. As my testimony continued to grow as a teenager, so did my desire to serve. It wasn't until I got out into the field I began to struggle. I knew I was supposed to be serving but I didn't know for myself why. One young woman in particular challenged my feelings about serving a mission and made me rethink why I had come out to Colorado to share the gospel. That experience changed the rest of my mission and my life. As I took the time to pray earnestly and search the scriptures diligently for an answer to my questions, I learned for myself that whether or not I saw a lot of baptisms in my time as a missionary was irrelevant. What really mattered was my devotion to sharing this priceless message with my spiritual brothers and sisters and doing my best to help them recognize their relationship with their Father in Heaven. In so doing, I would be a lot more likely to bring souls to Christ.

I'm so grateful for people who I met on my mission that changed my life forever. I had the opportunity to be an influence for good in the lives of many, but I feel like so many more helped me personally. For all of you young men out there wondering if you should serve a mission, I strongly encourage you to pray earnestly to your Father in Heaven and find out for yourself the power for good you can be in someone's life by being a missionary, and the blessings that will come regardless of where you serve. Some may feel I mention the blessings of my mission a little more frequently than is necessary, but I don't think I can emphasize that point enough. My mission has made me who I am today in so many ways. You will be amazed at how many people you meet like the woman in this video who leave an imprint on your life that cannot be erased. If you know anyone who is currently serving, consider taking the time to write to them and remind them to never give up, especially when things get difficult. Letters from home mean the world to missionaries, and motivational ones even more so.

Monday, December 5, 2011

FHE Caroling!


Tonight as our last FHE group activity, we had the opportunity to go and carol to several houses nearby. We also collected cans for the food bank. It amazed me how much some people were willing to give when we asked and the happiness so apparent in their faces. We brought several bags and within fifteen minutes, one had been completely filled and broken. It was a great experience to be a part of. The kids we ran into were priceless as well. They reminded me what a special season this is and the power music has to bring the Spirit into our lives.
I knew no one in my FHE family when I first started attending FHE this semester, but I've made many awesome friends as a result. For all you YSAs out there, I know FHE may not sound like the funnest thing to do on a Monday night, especially when there's papers to be written, tests to be studied for, and sleep to be found. But I have no doubt that when we make attending these events a priority, the Lord blesses us beyond what we would expect. Thanks to all those in my FHE family this semester! It has been a blast getting to know you all and spending some great times with you.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Not Your Average Christmas Song



So in light of the awesome Christmas devotional given by the First Presidency tonight, I thought I'd offer up one of my favorite "Christmasy" songs. It's by a band called Flyleaf that typically does alternative metal (which I rather enjoy) but this song is pretty low key acoustics. The message of the song really speaks for itself. All I have to add is that I am eternally grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ coming into this world and laying down His life for me so that I could overcome both sin and death. Without Him, redemption and returning to the presence of our Heavenly Father would be impossible. I'm also so grateful for the earthly parents of the Savior, Mary and Joseph, for having the courage and willingness to bring Him into the world. I cannot imagine what it must have been like to be given that calling, and I'm sure they felt like it was extremely daunting. They have become examples to me and I hope that I will have the same courage to do whatever the Lord asks of me.

Why (500) Days of Summer Should Be Required Viewing for all BYU Students


Romantic comedies are more than abundant around Provo and most students can quote them infinitely better than Shakespeare. And yet, a movie like (500) Days of Summer has the ability to take the genre and put a completely new spin on it. Perhaps not new, just untried in the world of film. The truth is, we all can relate to this story to some degree or another. Too often, we wish we could have a Hollywood-worthy romance story, when in reality, no one's life really plays out like that. (500) Days of Summer I think is one of the few romantic dramedies that really catches the essence of dating life, and its something that a lot of us here at BYU wish we could figure out.
The non-linear approach to the life of Tom Hansen is anything but conventional in your average romantic comedy. But, the sporadic narrator doesn't fail to inform us what kind of movie we'll be viewing before we see it. The ending is evident from minute one and shouldn't come as any form of surprise. Why I particularly liked this film is I feel like I can relate to SO much of it. Tom's uncertainty, frustrations about the relationship, anger and depression following the conclusion of the relationship, is all real. Joseph Gordon-Levitt delivers a perfect performance and Zooey Deschanel provides the flawless companion to play opposite.
I think what Joseph Gordon-Levitt had to say about why he wanted the role pretty well sums up why the film became such a success and why people can relate to it. He said, "I've had my heart broken before. Truly, truly broken. But when I look back at me in my heartbroken phase, it's pretty hilarious, because it felt so much more extreme than it really was. One of the things I love about (500) Days of Summer is that it doesn't make light of what we go through in romances, but it is honest about it and shows it for what it is, which is often profoundly funny".
In life, hardly anything goes the way we plan it. Sometimes, when we're in the moment, our emotions can have complete control over us, and consume our lives completely. But, as we return in retrospect, we find that those moments gave us incredible perspective and experience. That's what this story is really about more than anything and that's why I still keep coming back to it.
I too felt much like Tom in his recollection of days past. When asked by his younger sister where things went wrong, he can never really put his finger on it. Of course, he should have understood from the beginning what he was getting into. It's like everything makes sense in some ways, and yet there is still complete confusion. Sometimes things just plain don't make sense in the moment we're experiencing them. No matter how many times we rewind the videotape in our minds, no matter how we try and imagine how things could have been different, it doesn't change the past. However, we can choose how those experiences will affect our future. While there is a great deal of uncertainty in the ending, we can see that Tom chooses rather than to give up all hope on love entirely, to still be willing to take his chances.
I really wish this could have a sequel, not because I'm sequel happy, but because I'd like to see the reflections that Tom has upon this experience and how it affects his future. But I suppose, that could throw some interesting complications into the storytelling process.
So if this hasn't convinced you go to go find a copy and check out this totally awesome flick, I'll summarize what I learned from this pic (not necessarily in any particular order):
1. Don't read too hard into things. We're better at psyching ourselves out than anyone else.
2. The term "out of my league" is relative.
3. There is no such thing as "soul-mates" or "the one".
4. It is incredibly difficult for a relationship to progress or survive if both partners are not on the same page as to what the relationship means to them.
5. Expressions of affection mean different things to different people.
6. During relationships, we can be at our emotional highest of highs and lowest of lows, sometimes within short time-spans.
7. Some of the best dates don't cost a dime.
8. Life rarely goes as we plan it.
9. Sometimes, no matter how many times we rewind the memories in our head, we can't change the past. But, we can always have the courage to live in the present.
10. Breakups are tough, but you can get over them, no matter how deep the wound to the heart is.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Reflections on my 23rd Year

Two years ago this time I got some rather intriguing news. My mission president informed me that I might have a brand new missionary coming to my area, although it was halfway through the transfer. Thinking that it was my president just thinking well ahead of time, as he always did, I tried not to worry about it, given that so much could change in the next several weeks and by the time this missionary did arrive into the field, my president would find someone else to train him. The next day he called me on the phone and almost immediately after greeting me asked me, "Are you ready to train?" I swallowed my fear and just said "Yup." I couldn't have felt more unprepared for the situation. While I had been in the field for a total of about eighteen months, there was a great deal that unnerved me about training a brand new missionary. I knew that I would have a great influence on him, for better or worse. I didn't want to be the kind of trainer who's new missionary had to be "re-trained" as a result of my experience with them.
That experience was just one among many that taught me that if there's one thing consistent in life, its change. Throughout my first 23 years of life I've been taught this lesson, especially in this last year itself. I suppose I will continue to be retaught it so long as Heavenly Father wants to me to keep learning, but I can tell you this much about change: ultimately, it can always be to our benefit. For my Literature and Film class, I had to read A Grief Observed by the amazing C.S. Lewis. In this account by Lewis, he chronicles the emotional journey he underwent after the death of his wife. It is an incredible book, many passages of which are highlighted in my copy. One quote in particular stands out to me: "When I lay these questions [pertaining to the death of my wife] before God I get no answer. But a rather special sort of 'No answer'. It is not the locked door. It is more like a silent, certainly not uncompassionate, gaze. As though He shook His head not in refusal, but waiving the question. Like, 'Peace, child; you don't understand.'... Heaven will solve our problems, but not, I think, by showing us subtle conciliations bewteen all our apparently contradictory notions. The notions will all be knocked from under our feet. We shall see that there never was any problem." In the moment of our trials, it's as if they are on a canvas the size of a wall, and we are right up against that wall, staring it in the face, trying to make sense of it. It takes stepping back and viewing it in perspective of everything else in order to have them make sense. I suppose we really won't be able to do that to the fullest extent until after this life, but I am grateful that the Lord gives us opportunities to see the bigger picture from time to time. I believe that it will take His knowledge and understanding to interpret the canvas upon which lie the details of our life, but knowing that He knows makes all the difference for me.