#37: J is for Just Kidding!

So I thought I would make it all the way through the alphabet but life had different plans (as usual).

I wanted to let you all know that I'm taking a hiatus from writing my blog. Don't worry, I plan to return to "This Little Light of Mine" during the summer of 2013. I know you'll all be waiting with baited breath until that time. :)

Thanks for all the support and feedback I've received on my blog! You are the ones that make writing this blog so much fun! I hope the best for all of you!

#36: I is for I Am...

I am...

Each of us can finish that sentence in a myriad of different ways. I talked about one struggle I had with that particular phrase in my "A is for Attitude" blog. There is one person in all the history of the world though, that has taken the statement "I am..." and used it to give hope to the entire human race. That is our Savior, Jesus Christ. His declaration, "I am the Light of the world" gave countless generations the hope of Eternal life.

 I love this video portrayal of the Savior's declaration that He is the Light of the world. It is so powerful. (And that good feeling you got when you watched the video? That was the Holy Spirit telling your heart that Jesus is the Christ).

Jesus Christ had to make the boldest "I am" statement anyone has ever made. But He was able to say it because it is true. Jesus IS the Son of God. From the very beginning He was chosen to be our Savior. He came to this earth to redeem each one of us. I know that is the truth. As Christ says in the video, the Father bears witness of Him. The spirit of God has borne that witness to my heart. I stand with millions (if not billions) of others to add my voice that Jesus Christ is the great I Am.

For that knowledge, I am eternally grateful.

#35: H is for High-Vantage Point

I feel like I get asked the same question a lot on my mission:

Why do we need prophets?

The argument is that we should be able to talk to God without a middle-man. And we can. Prayer is always a way for us to talk directly to God. Having a living prophet is just one more way that God can talk to us.

The best comparison I can make is this: [and I’ll add a disclaimer here—I am a band geek. You’ve been warned.] When a band is practicing for a field show competition it’s vital that each member of the band is in exactly the right spot for the show to be perfect. When you’re down on the field, you can’t see the big picture. You can only see what’s immediately around you and so with that limited perspective it’s easy for a team member to feel like they are “close enough” with their choreography and position. But from a higher vantage point (i.e. the press box) it’s much easier to see what corrections need to be made to align the band members with the drill.

When I was on the BSU color guard I had the opportunity to function as co-captain of the team. That gave me the chance to watch some of the practices from the press box with the coach. She and I could look out from our higher vantage point and easily see what needed to be corrected to present a more unified show. After discussing what needed to be done, I would go back down to the field and give instructions to my team members about what they could fix to improve the show. Through this process our field show was more precise and the result was a higher level of performance that was much more enjoyable to watch.

A prophet is just like the captain of the team. A prophet has a somewhat expanded view of our circumstances and is able to receive instructions (or revelations) from the Coach. With this instruction and guidance, the rest of us are able to make the small corrections that help us to align our thoughts and actions with the Lord’s perfect plan. I am grateful for prophets that lead us today and I know that as we listen to their counsel we will be blessed because our lives will be more in harmony with God’s will for us.

H is for High Vantage Point

#34: G is for Good Things

I found this article in the Ensign and absolutely loved it! The author talks about how she has this bad habit of beginning to miss good moments in life before they are even over. She says:

"I have always had a hard time facing change and am hesitant to let go of good things. I miss the past even while it is still the present, desperate to enjoy fully moments in which I consciously and determinedly live. I know when I have a good thing, and I want to hold on and never let go.... Usually when I realize how good things are, I instantly begin thinking of how everything is fleeting, that it will eventually be lost to time or circumstance"

The realization that she had was that good things keep on coming!

I know that may not be profound for some of you but this was life-changing for me! Just like the author, I begin to miss the past while it's still the present (on a regular basis). Usually I'm so desperate to suck all the good out of each experience before it's over--to the point that it's counter-productive because it stresses me out.  Heavenly Father isn't done blessing us though. He's never going to look at you and say, "Well, I'm sorry but that event back there was the climax of your life. Hope you enjoyed it..." He loves each of us WAY too much for that.

The author goes on to say,

"Change is the Lord’s way. He wants us to be happy and growing, to be excited to move on with our lives. Life is a journey, and while still enjoying the present and preparing for inevitable challenges, we must move forward, remaining optimistic, our hearts open to the experiences and good things that are undoubtedly on their way."

So this is my resolution for the new year. My mantra has now become "Good things keep on coming". And I know that good things are on the way for you as well. Because God loves us each that much.

 

G is for Good Things

#33: F is for Forgiveness

A while back I read a article in the Ensign called "Finding Peace Through Forgiveness".  The author talks about the difficulty of forgiving someone that hasn't had to face any consequences for their wrong actions. A couple of lines in the article really stood out to me when I read it but the article had slipped my mind until this morning when my companion found the same talk during her studies. Apparently I needed to be reminded of this talk for some reason so I'm sharing it with you (and no, I haven't been seriously--or even slightly--wronged lately....so don't worry about me).  :)

This is the section of the article that really caught my attention:

"Forgiveness was not primarily about restoring my relationship with the person who had offended me. Instead, its focus was restoring and improving my relationship with God. It was about trusting—really trusting—that He would take care of me and that He hadn’t allowed anything to happen to me that wouldn’t eventually work out for my benefit. Forgiveness centered on drawing close to Heavenly Father, understanding the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and laying everything on the altar—and doing this cheerfully, with confidence that I was safe in Heavenly Father’s care."

How profound is that statement?! I had never thought about forgiveness in that light before but it makes perfect sense. No matter what happens to us we can find peace simply by strengthening our relationship with our Heavenly Father. As long as we have a relationship with God that is built on mutual trust, we can find the patience and strength to bear the trials and burdens that come our way. And we can find peace through knowing that Heavenly Father will always take care of us--always.

F is for Forgiveness

#32: E is for Evergreen

"Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever!"

Doctrine & Covenants 128:23

I love Christmas. I love the lights and the decorations. I love the treats and goodies that we eat. I love that everyone becomes kinder and more giving. What I love most of all is that everything about Christmas points to Christ.

One of my favorite Christmas carols is the German carol, "O Tannenbaum". In the song we sing about the evergreen tree and how it's needles are unchanging. No matter whether it's summertime or in winter when it snows, the needles are always green. In the carol, we thank the evergreen tree for it's wonderful example of how constant we need to be in our faith.

While we're still on the subject of evergreen trees, the branches point upward to heaven. The shape of the tree itself directs the eye heavenward.

This is just one example of the many aspects of the season that points to the Savior. Look at a candy cane. The shape represents both the Shepherds' crook and the letter J. The white stands for the purity of the Savior's life, while the red stripes represent His sacrifice for us.

Strings of lights represent the light seen in the sky the night the Savior was born. The tradition of gift-giving finds its origin in the gifts that the wise-men brought to the Christ-child. Or perhaps it originates with Heavenly Father giving us the ultimate gift--His firstborn Son as our Savior and Redeemer. Whatever the object, everything points to Christ.

Look for the symbolism around you this Christmas season. Just like the Wise-men of old, the signs are there leading you to Christ. You just have to notice them.

E is for Evergreen

#31: D is for Divine Nature

“There is something of divinity within each of you. You have such tremendous potential with that quality as a part of your inherited nature. Every one of you was endowed by your Father in Heaven with a tremendous capacity to do good in the world. Train your minds and your hands that you may be equipped to serve well in the society of which you are a part. Cultivate the art of being kind, of being thoughtful, of being helpful. Refine within you the quality of mercy which comes as a part of the divine attributes you have inherited.

Some of you may feel that you are not as attractive and beautiful and glamorous as you would like to be. Rise above any such feelings, cultivate the light you have within you, and it will shine through as a radiant expression that will be seen by others.

You need never feel inferior. You need never feel that you were born without talents or without opportunities to give them expression. Cultivate whatever talents you have, and they will grow and refine and become an expression of your true self appreciated by others.

In summary, try a little harder to measure up to the divine within each of you. As Alma said, “Awake and arouse your faculties” (Alma 32:27).”

President Gordon B. Hinckley gave this inspired message several years ago. Even though he was speaking to the young women of the church, his message is to all. Each one of us is a child of God. YOU are a child of God! He loves you because you are His child. And just as in any other parent/child relationship you have inherited certain qualities from Him.

2 Peter 1:4 says

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature…”

We have been given so many unique gifts and traits because of our relationship to our Heavenly Father. We can discover what specific talents and qualities we have been given through sincere prayer and careful scripture study. And I hope that each of you will take the time to ask Heavenly Father what you have inherited from Him. He’s waiting to tell you and to help you expand your divine nature.

D is for Divine Nature

#30: C is for Conversion

The parable of the 10 Virgins. I think it’s one of the more well known parables in the New Testament. (If you’d like a refresher on the story, look here.)

We’re told to apply the scriptures to our own lives so that they gain deeper personal meaning. And it bothered me when I was younger that the 5 wise virgins didn’t just share their oil with the other girls. So I decided to change the parable slightly because I don’t use oil lamps often enough for me to relate to them. Now instead of lamps, the 10 virgins own flashlights. And they’re going camping (because why else would they need flashlights?) And these flashlights, of course, use batteries.

Now if you know anything about camping, you know that you should always take fresh batteries for your flashlights. Because the woods are dark and scary at night and without a good flashlight you might get eaten by something.

So here we have our 10 Campers and they each have a flashlight. Only half of them have extra batteries though. And they’ve been camping for a while. Now the story makes more sense to me because it’s not that the 5 wise campers are being selfish with their extra batteries. You can’t really share extra batteries. When your flashlight goes out, you need all 4 of your extra batteries. (yes, I know it’s still not a perfect analogy, but if you don’t like it, you can make up your own. That’s what’s so great about life—EVERYTHING relates to a gospel topic somehow)

In October 2012 general conference Elder David A. Bednar from the Quorum of the 12 Apostles shared his interpretation of the parable of the 10 Virgins. His explanation is one of my favorites now. He compares the lamp/flashlight to our testimonies and the oil/batteries to our spiritual conversion.

Were the five wise virgins selfish and unwilling to share, or were they indicating correctly that the oil (batteries) of conversion cannot be borrowed? Can the spiritual strength that results from consistent obedience to the commandments be given to another person? …The clear answer to each of these questions is no.”

So there you have it. When it gets spiritually dark out, you need a good flashlight with extra batteries. And you have to bring your own batteries on the camping trip. That’s the ground-rule. And you can get batteries at church, and in your scriptures, on your knees in prayer and on your feet in service to others. So go get your extra batteries before it gets dark!

C is for Conversion

#29: B is for Becoming

This video was shown to me by a very good friend. It's the story:

"The Missing Piece Meets the Big O" by Shel Silverstein.

While I'm sure this story could have many interpretations, I wanted to focus on what we can learn by letting the Big O represent our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Savior doesn't have any missing pieces. He is complete. His offer to us is to follow His example and become complete ourselves. Like the Missing Piece in the story we may try to find others to "complete us". That didn't provide lasting happiness for the Missing Piece though, and it won't provide lasting happiness for us either.

Yes, there will be bumps and falls along the path of becoming like our Savior. It probably didn't feel good for the Missing Piece to "lift, pull, flop" over and over again. It may have been uncomfortable to have the sharp corners worn off. But ultimately, that's what transformed the Missing Piece into a shape that could stand and move independent of those around it. That's exactly what the Atonement of Jesus Christ offers to us.

Not only did the Savior's life provide the example of what we're trying to become, His Atonement provides us the enabling power to actually change our nature and become more like He is. And as we become more like Him our light shines brighter, illuminating the path for others to follow.

 

B is for Becoming

#28: A is for Attitude

Talking with my companion this morning I related an experience I had over a year ago before this whole crazy adventure started. It was back in the spring of 2011 and I was getting ready to graduate. I had spent the last 18 years of my life in school. My whole life to that point had been focused on my formal education. Don't get me wrong—I had church, friends, family, extracurriculars, work, etc. tied in there as well—but for the past 18 years if someone had asked me what I did or who I was, my response was "I'm a student." My identity was wrapped up in my schooling.

I was a student. That’s what I did. That’s who I was.

With graduation looming, and in the midst of the excitement of finally finishing my degree I was struck with a moment of panic. I wouldn’t be in school any more.

And if I wasn’t a student…

...then who was I?

Yes, panic took over for a moment. Fear of the unknown was starting to creep in and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to find out what life outside of college looked like. The mountain in front of me looked awfully intimidating. But then I had this wonderful sense of freedom come over me. I wasn’t a student anymore. I wasn’t anything right now. And that meant I could be anything I wanted. I didn’t have any labels; I wasn’t stuck in any ruts. I was at the bottom of the mountain and I could pick any trail I wanted to climb. And with that simple change of attitude about the situation, my perspective was transformed and what was initially frightening became exciting and engaging.

Any situation we find ourselves in can be transformed into an opportunity if we will approach it with the right attitude. I’m not perfect at this but I’m working on it and every time I get a little closer, I find greater joy for life and its many opportunities. I know the same can happen for you.

A is for Attitude

#27: Alphabet Soup

I had this idea a few weeks ago for a new blog series. You know those A, B, C books for kids? (A is for Apple, B is for Bear, C is for...you get the idea)  Well, I decided to create my own A, B, C blog! This is partly because I'm trying to be more disciplined in writting a blog every week. So with this blog series, I really have to post something each week. I don't really know how this will turn out but I'm hoping it turns out somewhat entertaining and meaningful...

[If you can also figure out the hidden joke behind the alphabet blog, you get a bonus prize--to be determined at a later date. :P   Message me if you think you know what it is.]  :)

So without futher ado, I present my own (weekly) version of the A, B, C's

#26: Guest Post--Set Goals to Obtain Greatness!

One of the great things about this life is that we get to learn from one another and share our thoughts and ideas. One of the other California Santa Rosa missionaries shared this story with me recently and I liked it so much I asked him if he wouldn't mind writing it down for my blog. So with Elder Balaich's permission I present the first of what (I hope) will be several guest posts. Take it away Elder Balaich!

As a high school athlete I had the great opportunity and blessing to be coached by some great men. (One of which even played in the NFL for some years then after an injury went on to professionally lift weights and body build.) One summer, this coach taught me something great, something I’ll never forget.

It was early morning workouts; we lifted, ran drills, conditioned, and things like that. One drill is called the standing broad jump. Basically, you try to jump out as far as you possible can. This drill is done often at combines to display an athlete’s explosiveness and to compare athletes side by side to see who can jump further.

To practice this drill, we all went into the gym to the basketball court. We got in a line behind the baseline and just simply jumped out as far as we could. We each did this a few times, with coach not saying anything out of the ordinary but observing closely like he always did.

After this we moved on to some other drills, the L-drill, shuttle drill, ladders—things like that. Then we went to the baseline to once again do standing broad jumps. As before we all did the drill. Simply jumping from the baseline got boring so we moved to the half-court line instead, doing the same drill. This time though, Coach brought out a cone. He watched how far most of us were jumping and set it a few inches beyond where we landed. Then he challenged us to jump beyond the cone. Some of us did and some of us didn’t. Seemingly satisfied, he had us move on once again to some different drills.

But once again, we came back to the broad jump. We all lined up single file on the baseline and coach set up his cone a good distance beyond the baseline and said to all of us, basically something to the sorts of,

“Okay, we’ve practiced this off and on all morning. Now you all MUST jump past this cone I’ve set up here. ALL of you HAVE to do it. I know that all of you can, it’s up to you right now to just do it.”

We all took our turns, one by one. And all of us succeeded. We all jumped beyond the cone. Coach was all sorts of excited. What he knew—that we didn’t—what he had slyly done to make us all better, still sticks with me to this day. None of us had noticed but Coach had been measuring how far we jumped with his steps. Measuring the first attempts and then pushing us a little bit farther the second time. Finally, for the last time, he measured the furthest we had jumped and stepped a few feet beyond that and placed the cone there. Further than any of us had jumped.

None of us knew he was measuring us or even pushing us further. Until at last, when all of us jumped past the last cone he let us all know what we had just done.

"It's all in your heads!" I remember him saying.

The first time we were told to jump as far as we could, we all put some effort into it. But the big difference between the first feeble attempt and the last, great success was that a mark had been set.

A goal was made and failure was not an option. We didn't care about how far we had jumped before because we didn't even really know. But with that cone set there, we could see how far we must jump.

After we all jumped past the cone on our last try, coach took quite a few steps back towards the baseline, measuring carefully and standing in one spot where he said,

“This is the furthest any of you jumped the first time.”

The difference was so big that it has always been a reminder to me of how much impact setting a good goal can truly make—as opposed to simply going out and just “doing our best”.

The conditions of the drill never changed, neither did our technique. Sure we had a few practice jumps but the difference between the first and last jump is that the greatness of personal achievement was obtained by setting up a piece of plastic on a hardwood gym floor, a simple cone, a profound goal.

#25: Lower Lights Burning

Brightly beams our Father's mercy

From his lighthouse evermore,

But to us he gives the keeping

Of the lights along the shore.

Dark the night of sin has settled;

Loud the angry billows roar.

Eager eyes are watching, longing,

For the lights along the shore.

Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;
Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor,
In the darkness may be lost.

Let the lower lights be burning;

  Send a gleam across the wave.

   Some poor fainting, struggling seaman

     You may rescue, you may save.

(Hymns, no. 335)

"Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy" is a hymn that I really love. The first time I heard of it I learned a realatively unknown (at least to me) fact: Ships don't just use the one light shining at the top of the light house as their only navigation point. To effectively navigate you need at least 2 points to give you an accurate frame of reference. So a lighthouse will also have "lower lights" along the shore that help sailors navigate their way to safety of the harbor.

A lot of times we hear that we're like lighhouses that shine to others in the darkness. But really, the lighthouse is the Savior. He's the brightest beam, the first point of reference for sailors searching for a harbor. As followers of the Savior, we become the lower lights as we send our own small lights into the storm. As our friends and neighbors use our examples in reference to Christ, they are able to navigate the storms of life more effectively and find their way to the safety of the harbor. So the question we need to ask ourselves is: Am I shining my brightest so that those who see me can find their way home?

We have been given a great privledge to be the keepers of the lights along the shore.  How are we doing with that duty? Has your light stuttered and gone out? Then rekindle it--find a match and strike it! The Lord needs you!  If you're doing your best to keep your light glowing brightly--shine on! "Some poor fainting, struggling seaman, you may rescue, you may save!"

Let our lower lights be burning

The Light Along the Shore
(This is an article I found while researching this blog. It shares a personal experience the author had with this hymn.)

#24: A Perfect Plan + Cool Graphics = The Path to True Joy

Okay, I had to post this video. It's amazing! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints produces short videos on a variety of topics and calls them "Mormon Messages". Every year, they just keep getting better! I just found this one thanks to the miracle of social media. :)

This video, titled "Our Eternal Life" lays out one of the most basic beliefs that Mormons have--the Plan of Salvation. This plan answers the questions: where did I come from, why am I here, and where do I go after this life. And the graphics in the video are so cool I couldn't wait to share it! The LDS media department is so cool :)

Hope you enjoy!

If this video piqued your interest and you'd like to know more. Check out the rest of the story at mormon.org/plan-of-happiness. Or message me on facebook and I can tell you more (I do this full time!)

#23: The mystery of the forced manual labor

Last summer we painted our house (again). 

We tried to convince my dad that hiring the job out was the best way to go. But dad has a bad habit of making things like this a "family project" that we all do together. I never quite understood why we didn't just get someone else to do it or take what I thought would be an "easier way". Then I read this article about a dad who takes a project and turns it into an opportunity to have some face time with his kids. (You can check out the article here or just read it below.)

"Living in a small country town has its advantages, but one disadvantage is the mud in the spring. In an attempt to keep the mud outside the house, I planned to spread gravel on my dirt driveway. I had 60 tons of gravel brought in and left in two piles, which looked even bigger when I stood in front of them. In our town, people commonly have big trucks, trailers, tractors, front loaders, and backhoes. Me? I’m the guy with a shovel and a wheelbarrow.

I asked Rory, my 15-year-old son, if he would come out and help. He wasn’t the picture of enthusiasm, but he agreed....He was a teenager whose world was getting larger than the one his dad used to fill. I had never had any real problems with him, but he was no longer the little boy who would hold my hand and chatter as we walked. His world now included many activities and friends that took him outside the home. We still enjoyed each other’s company but found it harder to spend time together. I wouldn’t have guessed that moving gravel would facilitate openness between us, but on that day it did just that.

As we shoveled, each to our own rhythm, Rory started talking. At first we discussed the job at hand, but then the talk turned to other things that were on his mind. We discussed music that he was interested in. He was active in certain forums on the Internet and described the posted conversations. In school he had a psychology class, and we discussed some of the ideas. Then there was the topic of his friends, and several funny stories followed.

As we talked we filled the wheelbarrow, and then I would lift the load, wheel it to a bare spot, and dump it. I was pleasantly surprised when Rory followed me during these short intervals in order to keep up the conversation. I am pretty sure he didn’t know how much his willingness to talk meant to me. I tried not to let on. His talking so freely to me didn’t happen every day.

As we worked, blisters formed on my hands, but they were just a reminder of the sweet time I spent with my children, especially my oldest son.

Across the street a young construction contractor was building his house. While I was working, he was using a front loader to push the earth around the foundation of his home. It would have taken 20 minutes to get our job done with his powerful machine, but I was afraid he was going to come over and offer to help. I would have looked foolish turning down his help, but accepting it would have robbed me of the unexpected experience I was having with my children. Toward the end of the job, when I was exhausted, I wasn’t sorry. My children were still there and were still talking to me. Manually moving that gravel was the sweetest hard work I had ever done."

I'm guessing this is a big reason why dad made us do the work (I'm sure there were lots of other good reasons too, Dad...) This video clip was another big hint as to what was so important about all of us getting out there and doing the work ourselves. 

All in all, I'm grateful that my dad has always taken a "homegrown" approach to the jobs around the house (big and small). (That's easy to say now that I'm not living in the same state as my parents--can't get roped into a home improvement project for at least another 9 months haha) I have learned so much from my parents about how to work and take care of myself and those around me. The lessons learned and the time spent together were well worth the hours of manual labor.

#22: A lesson in lawncare

I was talking to someone the other day about feeling the spirit. We were lamenting the fact that when you first start out learning about the gospel, the spirit comes strong and deep and it feels great! Then after you've got your roots down, it's like it lessens and the times when you feel deep, spiritual impressions happen less frequently. When that happens (because it will happen to every follower of Christ at some point) it's easy to get discouraged and think that something's wrong. But that's not the case!

I had a realization that day that growing spiritually is sort of like starting a lawn from seed. After you prep the lawn and lay down the grass seed you water the lawn fairly heavily for a long period of time. You give the grass lots of water while it's still sprouting and coming in.

Now I'm not an expert in lawncare, but I've talked to plenty of people with really green lawns and they all say the same thing. Once the grass has come in and the root system is established, you change your watering pattern. To get a beautiful, healthy lawn you water deeply and infrequently. Now I'm not talking about starving the poor lawn but you don't water the grass every day. Maybe a couple times a week. That way the roots have to extend to find water. And when they extend, they get a firmer hold on the soil and the grass is able to withstand a lot more wear.

So we can see a pattern here. Once our little sprouts of faith and testimony come in, we're not going to get the same amount of spiritual water every minute of every day. We don't need to panic if we see our spiritual experiences coming a little less often. The Gardener knows what He's doing and He's not going to let our testimonies dry up. He's just letting our roots search a little deeper so that we become stronger and more beautiful.

Just soak up the water when you get it and dig a little deeper!

#21: Growing Pains

When I was little, I remember getting these really bad muscle aches every once in a while. My mom called them growing pains. The assumption was that everytime my muscles hurt randomly it was because I was growing. Yes, I wanted to be tall (my goal in life was to be 6' tall someday...that didn't happen, oh well) but as much as I wanted to be taller, those growing pains sure hurt and I can't say that I was always grateful for them even though I knew it meant that I was growing.

Eventually I grew up and the growing pains got less and less. Now I can't even remember the last time I had one. And it was definitely worth it because I really can't picture myself being happy staying at the size I was when I was 6.

Correlating this to missionary work--and life in general for that matter:

Sometimes things hurt (usually spiritually or mentally instead of physically although that's not always true). Everyone keeps telling me that means I'm growing.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Sometimes it's hard to remember that it's worth it but I know that the pain doesn't last forever. I know that ultimately it will be something I'm grateful for. The Lord has promised us that the experiences we have will be for our good. So the next time you feel one of those growing pains, just know that it won't be like this forever. And in the end it will be a good thing.

Growing is good!

#20: Fatherhood is Leadership

In honor of Father's day, I'd like to talk about the powerful influence a righteous father has on his family. I was luck enough to be born into a home where I was raised by righteous parents. Because of them, I have been very blessed in many aspects of my life. My father's example and influence on me has shaped much of who I am today. The prophets and apostles have counseled us many times about how to be a righteous father and how to spot one.

Elder M. Russell Ballard said:

"Fathers are expected by God and His prophets not only to provide for their families but also to protect them. . . On a day-to-day basis, fathers can and should help with the essential nurturing and bonding associated with feeding, playing, storytelling, loving, and all the rest of the activities that make up family life."

It has also been said:

“The home is where we learn what is right, what is good, and what is kind. It is the first school and the first church.” (O. Leslie Stone, Ensign Nov. 1976)

I was looking through the different values taught in the For The Strength of Youth pamphlet. I realized that all of those things had been taught to me already by my parents before I ever read them in a pamphlet. Values like Education, Work and Self Reliance, and Honesty and Integrity were important to my dad and so they became important to me.

My dad taught me how to be useful. Because of him I learned to do things like change a tire, use a pressure washer, paint a house, tape drywall, drive stick shift. He taught me how to work—and to work hard even when no one was watching.

3 Nephi 14:9-11 talks about how even imperfect fathers know how to give good gifts. My dad knows how to give good gifts. One of my all time favorite Christmas presents was a toolbox I got from him a few years ago. The tools themselves were very nice and I was glad to have them but what made the gift so memorable was the letter I got with it. In the letter, Dad talked about taking care of the tools you're given and using them wisely—and how with the right tools, you can do anything. That letter has stuck with me and impacted my life in a significant way. So has my dad's faith in me that I could do anything.

Elder M. Russell Ballard also said:

“Trust your father. He is not perfect, but he loves you and would never do anything he didn't think was in your best interest. So talk to him. Share your thoughts and feelings, your dreams and your fears. The more he knows about your life, the better chance he has to understand your concerns and to give you good counsel.”

When making big decisions in my life (college majors, work opportunities, serving a mission), I've turned to my dad for counsel and he's always given very thoughtful advice.

One last quote about fatherhood, this time by President Spencer W. Kimball:

“Fatherhood is leadership—the most important kind of leadership. It has always been so; it always will be so. Father, with the assistance and counsel and encouragement of your eternal companion, you preside in the home. It is not a matter of whether you are the most worthy or best qualified, but it is a matter of law and appointment. You preside at the meal table, at family prayer. You preside at family home evening. And, as guided by the Spirit of the Lord, you see that your children are taught correct principles. It is your place to give direction relating to all of family life. You give fathers' blessings. You can take an active part in establishing family rules and discipline. As a leader in your home, you plan and sacrifice to achieve the blessing of a unified and happy family. To do all of this requires that you live a family-centered life.”

I am grateful for a father who took prophetic counsel to heart and has tried his best to be the father that God intended him to be.

#19: I've been out here for how long?!

Six months ago today I said goodbye to life as I knew it and walked into a totally new phase of my life. Looking back, I still can't believe I made this decision. I've already realized that it's going to effect every aspect of the rest of my life. And I'm only 1/3 of the way through this crazy experience!

Things I've done in the last 6 months (in no particular order):

-seen the ocean
-seen people find lasting happiness by following a few simple commandments
-eaten an artichoke
-knocked on strangers' door and invited them to learn more about Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon
-learned that it is humanly possible to be joined at the hip to someone 24/7 for 6 solid months. (That's 264,960 minutes straight, for the record)
-seen people use the Atonement of Jesus Christ to become better than they were
-eaten shrimp
-learned how to make things out of duct tape
-had my core convictions challenged by very angry people
-looked those very angry people firmly in the eye and told them exactly what I believe
-realized that God is the best planner. Ever. Period.
-prayed for miracles
-seen miracles
-checked an empty mailbox one more time (just to make sure we didn't miss anything)
-volunteered to give up chocolate for a MONTH just to get someone to stop smoking
-broken into a baptismal font just so someone could make covenants with God
-grown closer to Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost than I've ever been in my life

Obviously this list doesn't even come close to everything that's happened in the last 6 months. But it's a start.

I am so grateful that Heavenly Father took a chance on me and let me come out here. I may have come out here to try and pay Him back for all He's done for me--but I ended up even more in debt to Him. Guess that's life.

I love my life!

#18: A Tale of the Old West

Faith,
                 Hope
                       and Charity.
                                                                  These three always go together. And I don't know about anyone else out there but I always had a hard time keeping faith and hope separate in my mind...they just seem to be used interchangably but I know they're different (otherwise the phrase "faith, hope, and charity" would be completely redundant). So what's the difference?

This morning, I was thinking back on a story one of my teachers told me years ago (I told you that you made a difference, Brother Butterfield!!). This story has stuck with me all this time because of how it demonstrates faith and hope and what the difference is. Here's the story as I remember it:

A man is wandering through the desert, dying of thirst. His canteens are hanging empty at his side. Just when he thinks all is lost, he comes upon a deserted town. In the middle of this ghost town is an old, dried-up well. Next to the pump the man finds a small jug of water and a note:

"Use this water to prime the well."

The story can take two different routes at this point. In one version of the story, the man isn't willing to take the chance on this old well and drinks the water in the jug instead. This tale doesn't have a very happy ending and the man perishes in the desert before he can reach civilization.

In the other version of the story, the man decides to take a leap of faith and trust that his sacrifice will lead to enough water to restock his supply so he can survive until he gets out of the desert. Here's where the tie-in to faith, hope and charity comes in:

Pouring the water down the well to prime the pump is FAITH. Faith is an action. In this case, the man's faith comes by testing the promise on the note.

Now, can the man just sit there and "hope" the well starts working? No--he has to pump the handle for all he's worth! That's real hope. HOPE is what sustains you between an act of faith and when you receive the promised blessing.

Where does charity fit in this situation? The man can demonstrate CHARITY by refilling the jug for the next person that comes along.

I love this analogy. Faith, hope and charity are all action words and this helps me to remember that to really have faith, hope, or charity I have to show it. I hope this story helps you remember the differences between these three principles and how important ALL of them are.

And, no matter what your circumstances are--never, never give up hope!