#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

#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.

#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!

#15: Embrace this day!

This blog isn't very original (as if the other ones are...) but I read an article that one of my sisters sent me (you can read the whole thing here) and it had some wonderful pointers on how to grow closer to the influence of the Holy Ghost and how to stay focused on the most important things in our lives. I wanted to share the author's thoughts with you in the hopes that they affect you as much as they affected me when I read them.

* Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks. The covenant with God to which you are true enables you to become enlightened by him, and nothing is impossible for you.

 

* When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, toward God.

 

* In your life there have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take.

 

* Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul.

 

* God knows that you are not perfect. As you suffer about your imperfections, he will give you comfort and suggestions of where to improve.

 

* God knows better than you what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that he makes to us--everything will fall into its place.

 

* Avoid any fear like your worst enemy, but magnify your fear about the consequences of sin.

 

* When you cannot love someone, look into that person's eyes long enough to find the hidden rudiments of the child of God in him.

 

* Never judge anyone. When you accept this, you will be freed. In the case of your own children or subordinates, where you have the responsibility to judge, help them to become their own judges.

 

* If someone hurts you so much that your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you will be free again.

 

* Avoid at all cost any pessimistic, negative, or criticizing thoughts. If you cannot cut them out, they will do you harm. On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts. If something is wrong, God will give you clarity but never doubts.

 

* Avoid rush and haste and uncontrolled words. Divine light develops in places of peace and quiet. Be aware of that as you enter places of worship.

 

* Be not so much concerned about what you do, but do what you do with all your heart, might, and strength. In thoroughness is satisfaction.

 

* The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it.

 

* Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve.

* And finally, when you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better.

I know that some (or most) of these bullet points are easier said than done but I felt the truthfulness of these statements when I read them and I know that acting on them will lead to greater happiness. Even if you can only pick one to focus on, let that one idea change you and bring you closer to the person God wants you to be. As it says above, "God knows better than you what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that He makes to us--everything will fall into its place."

#3: Lean into the curves

This lesson learned may be a bit of a stretch so just go with me for a moment. I spent the other day with a different missionary companion than normal. We call these exchanges and the point is to learn from someone else's wisdom. Sister Powell was my exchange sister and we instantly connected over how much we have in common--namely, we both get carsick really easily. And it just so happened that our area was all mountains. If you're one of the fortunate ones that don't get carsick driving on mountain roads, send up a little prayer of thanks right now. I envy you. For those of you that get queasy just thinking about driving up a road filled with switchbacks, let me share the wisdom I gained from my weekend with Sister Powell:

Lean into the curves.

Simple right? I hadn't ever heard this advice before but I was definitely willing to try anything that might make driving more enjoyable. She told me to lean into the curves like you would if you were steering. So I tried it. It definitely took a conscious effort and I noticed two things right away. First, I noticed that it's instinctive to lean away from the curves. I had to remind myself to lean into the curves. The second thing I noticed is how much smoother the ride was when I did this. I didn't get nauseous at all! (this was a small miracle in and of itself by the way).

We were laughing about how that was the biggest lesson I learned the whole weekend--something that didn't even have to do with missionary work. As I thought about it later, I realized that there was a hidden meaning behind that advice. Just like traveling down the road, there are times in life when we're the passenger in a situation and there's someone else at the wheel. Whether it's your boss at work, your leader at church or your parents at home, there are times when someone else is driving and they take you around a curve in the road. When this happens, it's instinctive to lean away and say, no, we were going in another direction. You want to fight it. But if you lean into the curve--go with the change--things run a lot smoother. It takes conscious effort on our part, but by supporting our boss, leader, parent or whoever is driving we make the transition a much more pleasant experience and we are then free to enjoy the experience of arriving at our destination. So lean into the curve!