I wanna be like...

Who did you look up to when you were growing up? Was it your Dad? Your big brother? Your favorite athlete? We all have people in our lives that we looked up to and tried to emulate in our lives. I have a couple of nephews that rotate through different super heroes and stars from their new favorite TV show. The little dudes came rushing back into my mind when I saw a post that my cousin had put on his facebook about how a man who wrote a book about how superheroes really can be great role models (Check it out if you'd like).  Though I never really got into the whole superhero thing, I to have people I looked up to.

Who is the best role model though? The One that if any person decided to follow, they would be guaranteed a better lifestyle, better qualities, and a better experience in their life? A scripture comes to mind to answer this question: 

"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:"(1 Peter 2:21)

Jesus Christ was sent to this Earth to be that example for each and everyone of us. I recently found a link in the scriptures of where he tell us pretty plainly that we are to be like Him, and act like it. The first was in Matthew where Christ tells us that we are the 'light of the world'.

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."

We are light in this world, and are meant to shine! There is someone else who is referred to as 'light' in the scriptures. Any guesses?

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)

So. Christ is the light, and so are we? Correct! Looks to me like we have some work to do! We can walk the steps that Jesus walked. Think of His mortal life--it was one of service. We can help others want to know Christ because they know us. People feel it, and can tell when there is a 'light in the darkness'. That can be you. That can be me. Our job is to be the best we can be, and that can be done through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is my super hero, I think I want to be more like him...

You're Best

The phrase 'the only constant in life is change' rings true to me yet again as I start over in a new area of Pennsylvania. This change however brought me much more responsibility and expectations. Over the last eighteen months, some of the people I have looked up to, and learned from the most, have been here doing what I am doing now. I see what they left behind and look forward to what I now have to do. Don't worry, you can say it out loud. I sure did--'Uh-Oh!'

 The first week went by so fast I don't even remember everything about it. Now that we have settled into a little more of what we will normally do, the weight of it all also settled in. It's game time and I am still trying to memorize the playbook!

It's a pretty good thing then that I have a pretty awesome guy by my side to keep my head on straight. My companion, Elder Winter, slipped me this quote:

"Don't worry about trying to be better than someone else. Learn from others, yes. But don't try to be better than they are. You have no control over that. Instead try, and try very hard to be the best that you can be." -John Wooden

 We really don't have to 'fill so-and-so's shoes' or leave our mark on whatever we do. We're there for a reason, now do everything you can do to be the best you that you can be. God doesn't put us in any situation that we can't handle, we just get really intimidated at the look of the challenge.

There is an invitation given to all of us that comes to mind that fits into this.

 "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect." (see 3 Nephi 12:48 & Matthew 5:48)

 Now that is a big wall to climb. The same principle applies though! This life isn't a race, it's not a competition of me vs. you. We can accept and fulfill this invitation by simply trying our very best to be the best that we can become. That isn't always easy, because we grow through trials. I am thankful for the opportunity I now have to grow, and see what I can become. I have my situation in life, and you have yours. How have you grown from your current situation? Are you growing, today? Remember, God is there, and will help us along the way. 

Just Smile!

Smile. What do you think of? Whether it is your little niece or your best friend. Smiles are contagious and pretty much all around awesome. Smiling is good for the soul! If you don't like to smile, come see me and we'll see if we can fix that.

I like to think of the most important people in my life, and their smiles. They are important to me. Whether it really was one of my nieces or nephews, or a new friend on the streets of Philly. There is another important Smile I came across while reading the Book of Mormon the other day.

SMILE brought new meaning to me in this scripture.

"O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be Spiritually-Minded Is Life Eternal." (2 Nephi 9:39 emphasis added)

S-M-I-L-E = Spiritually-Minded is Life Eternal. So smiling means we are 'spiritually minded'. That means if the scriptures are true (they are, I promise) then we will receive Eternal Life a.k.a. live with God! Smiles get us into Heaven!

So what is being 'Spiritually-Minded'? Elder Douglas L. Callister explained it this way,

"A spiritual-minded man is observant of the beauty in the world around him. As the earth was organized, the Lord saw that “it was good.” Then, “It was very good.” It pleases our Father in Heaven when we, also, pause to note the beauty of our environment, which we will naturally do as we become more spiritually sensitive." (see his full talk 'Seeking the Spirit of God')

You better smile today

 It truly is as simple as that. If we notice God in our life, and allow His creations to magnify us, we will naturally do the right thing. Elder Callister continues in his talk in comparing all of God's creations to Moses and the burning bush. That all the world burns with the Spirit, and only they who see it take off their shoes-or respect it, pay attention to it, and seek God in it.

It's as simple as that. If we all just smile. Look to God in our lives, because He IS there, then we will feel of his comforting Spirit in our lives. It works for me all the time, every time, and it will for you to. So 'SAY CHEESE'!

Hope No More

Yesterday I had another one of those experiences where God puts some people in just the right moment at just the right time.

While driving to visit some families, we received a call from a man named Ryan, who had been working in the area as a door-to-door salesman. He gave us the information for a woman named Carol who he thought we should stop by. We went to her home, and were welcomed warmly. Carol has many family members that belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She has seen how the church has affected her children's lives and knows that it has benefited their lives. Carol has studied many religions and beliefs. She has found, as many do, wonderful things in each and has held those beliefs dear to her heart. She knows they are true. She has the hope and desire in her heart that they all can be true, even though she can't find it all in one place.

Our discussion turned towards The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. We were able to promise her that all of her hopes and desires in her heart about her family, and receiving the direction and peace of mind she has seen in her childrens lives, can be hers! Today! The Book of Mormon was written for our day (see Mormon 8:35) and it can give us the answers we need. That is why it was buried in that hill for so long. That is why our loving Heavenly Father patiently waited until we all got here to call Joseph Smith to bring it forth. The Book of Mormon provides safety for your soul, answers to the questions you have in your heart, and confirmations to every good thing you hope and dream is true.

Carol connected those dots to herself, and excitedly accepted the invitation to read the Book of Mormon, to see for herself what God has to say to her.

I know that the Book of Mormon is true. Because of that, I know of a surety that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is God's church on Earth today. I know it by the power of the Holy Spirit, after fervent prayer.

This Book wasn't written only for me, or for Carol. It was written for each one of you! Now read it and find out why.

Waves and Washings

I just received one of the greatest letters I have probably ever gotten in the last eighteen months. It came from a dear friend I sometimes call Jimbo, or Jim. Jim had great news. He has decided to dedicate the next two years to serving Jesus Christ and the people of the Washington Kennewick Mission as a missionary (just like me!) for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He is going to be one killer missionary and I look forward to receiving many more awesome letters from him.

Jim and I with Sarah and Steph at Graduation!

The reason I bring it up is not only to show how great of friends I have, but after sharing a particular experience he had had in his life, he shared a quote that has such great meaning in it. Here is how it read from his letter:

'There's some lyrics I love from a song that is like perfect for this, "When the rains fall, when the floods rise, when the storm comes, I am still washed by the water." Try and take that attitude, no matter what happens or how bad it gets, you can still be washed by it, and still become stronger from it.'

Wow. Any trial or experience we go through can benefit us. We just have to look for it. Any way it will hit us, whether it is coming down on top of us, sneaking up on us, or coming like a blast from the side, we can be able to 1) withstand the blow (see Alma 13:28 1 Corinthians 10:13 and Philippians 4:13) and 2) receive some kind of benefit from it (see Ether 12:6 ). God truly looks out for us and will not let us down.

God desires to bless us in our adversity, that is the purpose of life. He wants to know how much we will trust in Him, so he knows we will not squander that which he has given us. I know that in my own life, I have seen a blessing come from every trial I have reacted positively to. I definitely didn't have that in mind as I went through it, and I need to do better at that, but I have the hope and faith that with the attitude that we will come out on top. We can be 'washed' by those waves.

Now don't think that this only will work for me, or for Jimbo, but it is most definitely for all of us. The glory of God can be seen in all of our lives, we just have to look inside us, find it, and bring it out. So do it, have the attitude that you can find good in trials, because you will!. As Jim said to me, I now say to you, 'Go ahead, I DARE ya!'