Just a Thought... or two...

Today, in church, a young man named Jordan spoke. He is leaving on a mission to Mexico and his assignment was to talk about the Christ-like attributes necessary for a missionary. He spoke about the ability to love all people and how that was an attribute he wanted to work on. He began praying for help to develop the ability to love all people. He described how the answer to his prayer came one morning as he was waiting in the dentist office for a root canal. He said he wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone and so found a chair in a corner away from other patients. He noticed a mentally handicapped man in a wheel chair, being very loud and boisterous and talking to other patients. Jordan tried to ignore him and read. Soon he realized the man was wheeling his chair toward him. "No", he thought, "Go away, I don't want to be bothered." But the man came anyway. He pulled his chair right up to Jordan and began asking him questions. "Why are you here?" "For a root canal." "Do you go to school?" "No." "Do you work?" "No" "Why not" "I'm leaving on a mission for my church." "Do you have a girlfriend?" "No" "Why?" "Because I'm going to be a missionary." And so it went. Then the man lifted himself out of his wheelchair and sat in the chair next to Jordan. He lay his head on Jordan's shoulder and said, "I love you." As Jordan shared this experience, I too learned the lesson that Jordan learned about loving our fellowman. We all need hearts as pure and gentle as the handicapped man. We all need to feel that love for those around us.

Currently, my job (calling) in the Church is as a Ward Missionary. That means I help the full-time missionaries (those guys in dark suits) in teaching the gospel. A man we are teaching was telling us how his uncles were very concerned that he was studying with the Mormons. This man has really enjoyed learning about the gospel of Jesus Christ and is making changes in his life that are more in harmony with the gospel. Nonetheless, his Uncles are concerned and have been spending great amounts of time with him,trying to convince him that he is headed down the wrong path. As the man told us about this, he paused. Then he wondered out loud: "Why are they so concerned now, when I am making changes for good in my life. Why weren't they concerned like this when I was blowing coke up my nose? Why weren't they there trying to lead me away from bad friends and drugs when my life was a mess? Where were they then?"

The gospel of Jesus Christ is so simple and so easy. The more we learn about Him, the more we learn about ourselves and our potential. Who are we? We are literal sons and daughters of a Heavenly King. This life is but an instant in our eternal progression. We lived with Heavenly Father before we were born and if we live Christ-like lives, we will live with Him again. When you truly know and understand that, it's not as hard to give up the worldly ways and live as Jesus has taught us too... With compassion, love, charity for all, peace, forgiveness.

I Wonder When He Comes Again...

Cadie took this picture at the Portland Temple last weekend. It is the angel Moroni. A statue of him is on every L.D.S. temple and the statue always faces east. Why? Because when the Savior comes again, He will come from the east. I always think about that when I see the sun rise.. I actually see the sun rise quite a bit, because I go for those early morning runs when it is still dark when I leave. I love to watch the sunrise, because first there is a glimmer of light and then it grows brighter and brighter. Sometimes I imagine that this will be how it is when the Savior comes again too. We will be looking towards the east and first there will be a glimmer, which will grow brighter and brighter until there is no mistaking His coming. Will the world be ready? Will I be ready? All He asks is that we strive to become like Him as we live in this world. Sometimes it is hard. We get angry over petty things. We are selfish. We want "Me" time. But in the scriptures we learn, "I give men weaknesses that they may become strengths unto them." Who gave us our weaknesses? God, Himself. Why? So that we could master those weaknesses and become like our Savior Jesus Christ, who mastered the temptations of the devil and who showed us how to return to our Heavenly Father. I wonder when He comes again?