New Beginnings

September is here. That means there is change in the air. I've been thinking about change lately, recent events have fueled this. First is the opportunity I had to watch a friend of mine make a new beginning of her own. Kristen made the decision to be baptized last Friday! It was an awesome experience for everyone who was there, but I bet it was even better for her. She had a great support from family and friends, she is great.

I love the principle of baptism. Baptism is an ordinance (an outward expression of inward commitment), and is our opportunity to make a covenant (or promise) with God. We promise to keep the commandments, and follow Jesus Christ. In return, our loving Heavenly Father promises us a remission of sins, and to have His Spirit to be with us always. Find out more about baptism here.

Think about that. An all-knowing, all-remembering God will forgive you of your past. That is definitely a new beginning. It is also one of the few promises we make where the other Person will never break His side of the deal. That is a good feeling.

As Fall comes into the picture, we can all see the changes that will happen in the world around us. I have thought more and more about the changes I have found in my own life. Like Kristen, I had to make my own decision to be baptized. I had to gain my own testimony of the Book of Mormon, which is what makes anything and everything about this Church valid.

When I think about the changes that the Book of Mormon has made in my life, I remember my time in college, when I found myself heading down the wrong road. I was looking for something to fill whatever it was missing, and found it. I found truth in a Prophet's words in saying,

"And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul." Jacob 2:8
Find out more about the Book of Mormon here

As I read, sincerely, I found truth, and change in my life. Because it did, I can tell you that it will for you to! I prayed and asked God if it was true, it IS! As you notice the changes in the world around this season, think about how you have changed. You have. By the mere fact that we have the ability to change means that we can continue to do so. Think about how you can change, then do it! Change for the better, and see your world become full of hope, faith, and a love for all around you.

Putt Your Way to Success

My Mission President is a great teacher. The other day, he was helping a group of missionaries learn how to better set goals for themselves. He came up with a great analogy that had to do with sports, so it's awesome. It makes sense though. As I have tried to apply it in my own life, I have seen improvement in the goals I set.

President is a golfer. I've golfed a little, I started to get in to it before I left Utah. He related goals to golf. When many golfers arrive at the course, they head over to the practice green to fine-tune their technique and get a good warmup before beginning their round. I have been victim of this, but he pointed out how many golfers will start far out from the cup at the very beginning, then they proceed to practice extremely long shots--with little success. What a experienced golfer will do will start close, then work their way out as they make more and more putts.

Goal setting is the same. We cannot start from so far away that we have little or no hope of accomplishing it. We must set ourselves up for success. As we work on what we need to do to progress, sticking to the fundamentals, we reach that distant goal, our confidence is boosted, and we are able to help others along the way.

Look at the pros. Many can nail those shots, even when the stakes are high. Why? They worked towards their goal, by beginning small. Tiger Woods started as a small little boy with a play golf club in his hand, I don't need to name a few of his successes in his life. He's slipped up, many do.

I am convinced of the fact that if we apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ, those goals not only become reality, but they are long lasting. We need not fall into the ways of the world as we become successful. Heavenly Father has given us tools, such as the Book of Mormon, to help us along the way. They have worked for me better than anything, and will for you to.

That Was Easy

Ever been to Staples? How about have you seen a Staples commercial? They nailed me hook, line, and sinker, with one of their advertising schemes. They created the 'Easy Button'. The easy button, on the commercials, makes all the problems go away. It is pretty sweet. A group has a project due and needs to make a huge number of copies, one of them pulls out an easy button, presses it, and presto! Their job is done. When I recently went to a Staples for some regular office needs, I saw they actually sold these little bad boys. Done. I am now the owner of an easy button.

Unfortunately, it doesn't do everything it does on tv. I've tried. I really, really, wish it would make some of the problems I have go away (who wouldn't!), but that is just not the way that the cookie is crumbling. I've often asked why? Why can't there be an easy button? After thinking about that question for a while I found that though we may not have an easy button to make problems disappear, we do have a pretty sweet tool box to use.

Unfortunately, I do not think there will ever be a button that will make things go away, life just isn't about that. If there was, what would be the point? This time we call life is for us to figure out how to follow. Following God is what we're here for, even though we can't see him. So I told you about a tool box, this box is filled with some pretty sweet stuff. Tools I have found helpful in my life have been scriptures, prayer, and going to Church. All three very basic, but vital. It's like the hammer, nail, and saw in things.

I know that this life is for us to prepare to meet God. He wants every single one of us to return back to Him. He has no set number and there are no reserved seats. That's why there isn't a button, but a tool box. We have to take the many things he gives us and go to work, use them, and see how they help us return to live with Him. He didn't send broken tools either. He only sends His best. After using those tools time and time again, we to can say, 'that was easy'.

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.