Vroom Vroom

"Ka-chow, Ka-chow!"  Lightning McQueen boastfully celebrates his win at the beginning of the movie Cars.  He's caught up in his victory dance, that is if a car can dance, and doesn't realize what the next hour and a half (human time) will hold.  He sure is in for a reality check though.  There are a ton of great parts in this movie, but there is one scene that I'd like to focus on. 

In this scene, Doc Hudson AKA The Hudson Hornet, is trying to give Lightning McQueen some racing advice.  Doc says, "I'll put it simple: if you're going hard enough left, you'll find yourself turning right."  In a very sarcastic tone, McQueen responds with, "Oh, right.  That makes perfect sense.  Turn right to go left."  He throws Doc's advice to the curb without even considering it.  Why?  Because in McQueen's eyes, it doesn't make sense.

Many times we are like Lightning McQueen.  When we seek for advice, specifically through prayer, we may not always get the answer that we're expecting.  We'll often times get an answer that makes no sense to us.  Turn left to go right?  How will that ever work out?  1 Corinthians 1:25 says, "...the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

It all comes down to faith.  Do we have faith enough that if we turn left we will go right?  Will we listen to the answer we receive even if it makes no sense to us?  We must remember that God has created every track that we'll race on in this life.  He knows every bump, divet, and curve.  When we heed to the master's advice, we will find that we're not only happier, but we're winning the race as well.  Remember that God loves us and will never lead us astray.

Superman, Step Aside!

"It's a bird, it's a plane, it's SUPERMAN!"  That line has been a classic throughout the years.  How they got Superman confused with a bird or a plane is still a mystery to me, but hey, they got it right in the end.  There's not much that the Man of Steel can't do.  Just look at him: he can fly, shoot lasers from his eyes, and lift anything imaginable.  That's all pretty sweet, but is that what we think of when we think of our heroes?  In our lives we don't look up to superheroes, we look up to just plain heroes.

So what makes a hero?  A hero is someone who will put others before himself.  A hero is someone who gets home from work and still has the energy to play catch with his kids.  A hero is someone who doesn't let losing a job discourage him, but gets up and keeps on going.  A hero is someone who puts his trust in God and not in himself.  A hero is someone who is there for you even when you don't ask.

I don't know anyone that can fly, shoot lasers from their eyes, or lift anything imaginable.  Or do I?  I know someone that I look up to so much that it's as if he's flying.  I know someone that has the determination in his eyes to do anything for his family.  I know someone who can lift any heartache, sadness, or discouragement with one of his goofy jokes.  Superman step aside!  That someone is my Dad.  He fits every qualification of hero in my book and will always be at the top of my hero list.  To you, I give this trophy.  Happy Father's Day!

But They Look So Nice

"Wait, wait, wait.  Those aren't flowers?!?!"  I exclaim with an expression similar to the one to the right.  "Nope," my buddy answers.  "But they look so nice," I respond, still trying to process what I've just discovered.  This short conversation changed my whole perspective on the world.  Everything I knew was turned upside down.  How could those nice, yellow dandelions be weeds?  Talk about looks can be deceiving. 

This is the technique that Satan uses to trap us.  He tricks us by making the wrong decision look so appealing.  The question that comes up is how do we not fall into the deceitful traps all around us?  This isn't something we can learn overnight.  After all, it took me almost 20 years to realize that those little yellow plants were weeds, and not flowers.  Learning the difference comes through understanding what God expects of us and through overcoming the temptations that are put in our paths.

There are many instances in this life where looks can be deceiving.  For example, big sunglasses.  It's our job to filter those things out.  We have to pull the weeds out of our lives so that we can have a nice patch of flowers.  We have to put forth our effort in order to keep the weeds out and to be able to always recognize the subtleties of Satan.  In doing so, our lives will be blessed beyond measure.

Life: A Team Sport

One thing I love about hockey is that there are no "one man teams."  One player can never do it on his own.  Each player has a purpose and must work together if they intend to accomplish their goal, which is, to defeat the opposing team.  We all have teammates, just like in hockey, that we need to utilize in this life.  If we want to conquer this life, then we have to work with our teams.

We all have different "teams" in life.  Our families are a team, our schools are a team, our little group of friends are a team, and so on.  No matter where we go, we'll be in some sort of team.  Each team has a purpose and is usually there to make us better.  Our families raise us, school educates us, friends entertain us, and so on.  Often times we forget that we have so many teams rooting for us. 

Too many times in this life we feel alone.  We should never feel that way.  Always remember that there are teams all around to help support you.  "...We must realize that all of God’s children wear the same jersey. Our team is the brotherhood of man. This mortal life is our playing field. Our goal is to learn to love God and to extend that same love toward our fellowman." ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

Always remember that we have the best teammate that we could ask for: Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ has been through it all and is rooting for us always.  He's always by our side.  Never forget that we are all on the same team and must work together if we want to reach our goal.

Now That's a Beard!

Even since I was a kid, I've always loved hockey.  Whether it be playing hockey, watching hockey, or even just talking about hockey.  But my favorite thing about hockey is the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  Nothing gets me fired up like a good playoff game.  There's been a tradition in the NHL that when the playoffs start, all of the players grow out their beards.

All of the players give it everything they have.  They're not ashamed one bit, no matter how goofy they look with a beard.  And trust me, many of them look goofy.  They're not ashamed to grow their beards because they want all to know that they've made it to the playoffs.  They want it to be crystal clear why they're here, and what they're intent is.  This is how we should be with our beliefs.

Paul writes to the Romans and says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ..." (Romans 1:16).  He wore his religion on his sleeve, or his "beard" on his "face."  He wanted everyone to know what he stood for, and we should do the same.  The real question is how?  How can we let everyone know?  There's no possible way we can talk to everyone and growing a beard just doesn't cut it.  1 Timothy 4:12 gives us the answer, "...be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

As we all strive to be examples of the believers, we will be able to let everyone know where we stand without saying a word to them.  It is said that actions speak louder than words, and they truly do.  Now let's put on our playoff beards and get in the game!

Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho

"Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, It's off to work we go." ~The Seven Dwarfs.  A lot is to be said about the Seven Dwarfs in the movie Snow White.  One of the first scenes in the movie has the dwarfs marching in single file and singing the song previously quoted.  Why are they so happy to be off to work?  That has always puzzled me. 

It hasn't been until a couple of years ago that I've really enjoyed helping others.  I used to look at it as more of work.  I was working to benefit someone else.  Though that is true, I still didn't have the right mind set while doing it.  Moroni 7:6 says, "...for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing."

The act of helping others consists of two separate, but equally important, parts.  The service itself is only half of it.  In order to successfully serve others, we must have the right mindset while doing it, which is the other half.  We could do all the service in the world, but without the proper mindset, it would profit us nothing.  We should all strive to have the mindset of those seven dwarfs who were happy as can be to go to work.  If we have that attitude while we serve others, we will be able to see the daily blessings that come from genuine service.

You Just Got Served!

As I've been on my mission, I've thought a lot about how I can be the best missionary I am capable of becoming.  A ton of ideas fly through my head each day of how I can improve.  In my opinion, it all boils down to service.  While on my mission, I devote 2 whole years to serving the Lord in whatever way he asks.  It's the least I can do to repay him for everything that he's blessed me with.

The service that I'm doing is helping more than just the people I serve.  It helps me every day.  King Benjamin, a righteous king in the Book of Mormon, explains the important of service in Mosiah 5:13, which reads, " For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?"  From this scripture we find that service can help us as well. 

If we live our lives only thinking of ourselves, then we won't know too much about the people around us.  We'll be too busy tending to our own needs to take them, or their feelings, into consideration.  This scripture applies to our Heavenly Father as well.  How can we know him and what he wants for us if we never serve him?  The servant must serve the master to be able to better know the master's will. 

Jesus Christ himself said, "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 10:34).  If we lose our life in the service of God, we will find it.  I am a witness of that.  As I've been on my mission, I've discovered things about myself that I would've never known if I would have passed up this opportunity.  The things learned and the experiences gained will benefit me the rest of my life.  The same can happen to you if you put that scripture to use.  There's no end to the blessings that will come because of it. 

The Crosswalk

One day in high school, I wanted to write a song, but I had no idea what to write about.  As we were walking across the street, a friend that was with me jokingly said, "Write a song about crosswalks."  Ever since that experience, I've never looked at crosswalks the same.  Sure they're pathways that take us safely across the street, but they can be looked at as so much more than that.

At first glance, a crosswalk seems constricting or limiting, but if we really think about it, they're there to keep us safe and to make sure we make it to the other side.  Commandments are extremely similar.  At first glance, they seem like they take away our freedom, but in all actuality, they give us more freedom and keep us safe.  Without crosswalks, we might not make it to the other side.  Just like without commandments, we might not make it to the Heaven. 

Obeying the commandments that have been set before us is a huge part of life.  John 14:15 reads, "If ye love me, keep my commandments."  Obedience to God and his commandments is the best way we can show that we love and appreciate all that he's done for us.  As we do our best to obey them, he will help us safely make our return back to him.  It won't always be easy to do, but it will definitely be worth it. 

Feeny! Fee hee hee hee heeny!

I've always liked the show Boy Meets World.  I just felt like a better person after watching it.  It follows a group of kids from 8th grade to graduating college.  There is always something to learn at the end of each episode, whether it be really obvious, or something harder to catch.

One continuous theme is the wise words of Mr. Feeny.  No matter the problem, concern, or trial, he always knows the solution.  Almost every time he solves a problem, he teaches the kids an important life lesson that will benefit them in the future.  He's preparing "the boy" to meet "the world."  Even though he knows how to solve the problem, he doesn't give the kids the answer right away.  He waits for them to approach him.  Our Heavenly Father works the same way.

Heavenly Father doesn't solve all of our problems for us right when they happen.  He sees how we'll play it out, and waits for us to ask him for the help.  The Lord will help us through it, but will make sure we learn a valuable lesson in the process.  The Lord is preparing "us" to meet "him." Alma explains it well when he states, "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors" (Alma 34:32).  Remember, God is always there and is always willing to help us, but it's our job to do our part which is to ask for his help.  Never underestimate the power of asking, and remember that all things happen for our benefit.

What's Your Focus on?

There once was a young boy just learning to use a plow.  He was trying really hard to plow in a straight line, but couldn't get it right.  He went to his Father for advice.  His father told him, "Just keep your eye focused on something on the horizon, then you'll go straight."  That's some pretty sound advice if I'd say so myself.  After an hour or so, the Father goes to check on the boy only to find that boy had done everything except plow in a straight line.  The lines were criss crossed, zig zagged, and loop de looped.  He asked his boy what had happened.  The boy responded with, "The cow kept moving."

Many things in life are constantly changing.  Standards have drastically changed.  We need to get our focus off of the cow that keeps moving on the horizon and focus on something that is constant and immovable.  But how can we know what or who to base our standards on?

When Christ was on the Earth, he not only taught us how to live, he showed us as well.  Hebrews 13:8 states, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever."  His standards are set and they will never change.  He has already set the bar from the beginning of time.  It's our job to put our focus on the immovable object on the horizon.  When we do, we will no longer be "like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed," but we will know exactly where we're headed (James 1:6).

How Do You Spell Charity?

Mother's Day is quite a special day.  It seems the older you get, the more you appreciate it.  When I was a kid, well, younger than I am now, I just thought Mother's Day was like a second birthday for all moms.  Now that I'm older, I can see the real reason that we have Mother's Day.  Moms everywhere devote their whole lives to their children and they only get one day dedicated to them in return.  It's incredible that they'd do that for all of us. 

The only thing that can compare to our Savior's love for us is the love that moms have for their children.  That love is called charity.  Paul speaks of charity in 1 Corinthians 13:4, which reads, "Charity suffereth long, is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up."  Moroni, a Book of Mormon prophet, adds to that by saying, "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever" (Moroni 7:47).  These short scriptures just scratch the surface of the unconditional love that each mother has for their children.  No matter what happens, your mom is always your biggest fan. 

I wish there was a way I could sufficiently thank my mom for everything shes done for me.  The best way I've found to repay her comes from 3 John 1:4, which states, "I have no greater joy that to hear that my children walk in truth."  May we all do our best to make our moms proud of us and give them the joy they deserve by walking in truth and righteousness.

A special thanks to all the moms out there and remember that your love and kindness never go unnoticed.  I think I figured out how to spell charity: M-O-M.  Happy Mothers Day!

No Service, No Cell, No Problem

The world today has so many forms of communication.  We depend on them.  The better the technology, the faster we can communicate.  As the years have gone by, we've evolved from the Pony Express, to mailmen, to emails, to texting, and everything in between.  Through all of these changes, there is one type of communication that has been constant since the beginning of time.  That communication is prayer. 

The unique thing about this type of communication is that we don't need a cell phone signal to use it, we don't have to pay a monthly bill to maintain it, and we don't have to wait for the signal to get through.  It is all at an instant.  Prayer is something that is so simple, yet so powerful.  Often times it is underestimated.  Here's a personal story involving prayer that happened a couple of days ago. 

I lost my planner and couldn't find it for the life of me.  I had looked everywhere for it, or so I thought.  The planner was gone and was no where to be found.  I decided to pray and ask Heavenly Father to guide me to where it is.  Once I finished my prayer, I waited a couple seconds and thought really hard about where it could be.  Still nothing.  The second I stood up to start looking again, a thought came to mind as to where my planner might be, and what do you know, there it was. 

John 14:26 reads, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."  I know that because I said a prayer, I remembered where I had last put my planner.  Heavenly Father wants to hear from us and really does answer every prayer.  The more we pray, the better we can know what our Heavenly Father has in store for us in this life.  Prayer is the key.

The Comfort Zone

The Comfort Zone, not to be confused with the Twilight Zone...okay, terrible joke.  Everyone wants to be comfortable.  Whether it be in comfortable clothes, around comfortable people, or on a comfortable couch, comfort is always on our mind.  I'm not going to lie, I like to be comfortable.  As I've been on my mission, I've had to step out of my comfort zone countless numbers of times.  It's made me appreciate those times. 

Think of life if it were always comfortable.  Would we live life to it's fullest?  Would we reach our maximum potential?  Would we even be happy?  I've thought about this a lot of times.  Why is life sometimes uncomfortable?  We have to be put in situations where we're not comfortable in order to learn and grow.  If everything was the same all the time, we couldn't advance in life.  We have to step out of our comfort zone to expand it. 

Think of a muscle.  The only way for the muscle to get stronger is to strain, test, and try it.  In other words, get it out of its comfort zone.  It may be tough at the time, but the strength recieved from it will benefit you for the rest of your life. 

Escaping our comfort zone gives us happiness in this life.  Think of a time when you were doing something that was very difficult.  It could be learning a new song on guitar, beating the next level in a video game, beating your personal best time in a race, or earning an A in a class at school.  Do you remember how happy you were once you reached the goal?  The more difficult the task, the more satisfying the reward.  One of my favorite quotes is, "I never said it would be easy, I only said it'd be worth it."

Nothing in life that's worth having comes easy.  To be able to enjoy life to its fullest, we have to step out of our comfort zone.  We're not alone when we do it though.  Our Savior Jesus Christ is always there with us and will always be there to help us, but it starts with us. 

The Race: Part 2

This poem is so applicable to everyone's life.  There is not one person who doesn't have challenges or struggles in their life.  The message of never giving up speaks to each of us directly. 

All of the kids in the race were so full of hope, just as we were when we got the chance to come to Earth.  During our life, or race, we're bound to slip and fall.  It is inevitable.  Luckily, the race of life isn't based on how quickly you get through it.  The example of the little boy who got up each time he fell should motivate all of us to never give up.  He didn't lose the race at all.  The only way we lose is if we give up. 

Its not the number of times we fall that will shape who we are.  Its the number of times we get up after we fall.  Those are the times when we grow and learn the most.  Our character is tested each time we stumble, and it is built each time we get up. 

Once we cross that finish line, our Heavenly Father will be waiting for us with open arms.  We will hear the roar of the crowd in our behalf and will be forever grateful that we got up each time we fell. 

The Race: Part 1

Here is a poem I'd like to share with you all.  My friend's mom used it in one of her talks.  It's called The Race by D. H. Groberg:

Whenever I start to hang my head in front of failure's face,
My downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.
A children's race, young boys, young men; how I remember well,
Excitement sure, but also fear, it wasn't hard to tell.

They all lined up so full of hope, each though to win that race,

Or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place.

Their parents watched from off the side, each cheering for their son,

and each boy hoped to show his folks that he would be the one.

The whistle blew and off they flew, like chariots of fire,

To win, to be the hero there, was each young boy's desire.

One boy in particular, whose dad was in the crowd,

Was running in the lead and thought "My dad will be so proud."

But as he speeded down the field and crossed a shallow dip,

The little boy who thought he'd win, lost his step and slipped.

Trying hard to catch himself, his arms flew everyplace,

And midst the laughter of the crowd he fell flat on his face.

As he fell, his hope fell too; he couldn't win it now.

Humiliated, he just wished to disappear somehow.

But as he fell his dad stood up and showed his anxious face,

which to the boy so clearly said, "Get up and win that race!"

He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit that's all,

And ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall.

So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win,

His mind went faster than his legs.  He slipped and fell again.

He wished that he had quit before with only one disgrace.

"I'm hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn't try to race."

But through the laughing crowd he searched and found his father's face

With a steady look that said again, "Get up and win that race!"

So he jumped up to try again, ten yards behind the last.

"If I'm to gain those yards," he thought, "I've got to run real fast!"

Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight, then ten...

But trying hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again.

Defeat!  He lay there silently.  A tear dropped from his eye.

"There's no sense running anymore!  Three strikes I'm out!  Why try?

I've lost, so what's the use?"  he thought.  "I'll live with my disgrace."

But then he thought about his dad, who soon he'd have to face.

"Get up," an echo sounded low, "you haven't lost at all,

For all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.

Get up!" the echo urged him on, "Get up and take your place!

You were no meant for failure here!  Get up and win that race!"

So, up he rose to run once more, refusing to forfeit,

And he resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn't quit.

So far behind the others now, the most he'd ever been,

Still he gave it all he had and ran like he could win.

Three times he'd fallen stumbling, three times he rose again.

Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.

They cheered another boy who crossed the line and won first place,

Head high and proud and happy -- no falling, no disgrace.

But, when the fallen youngster crossed the line, in last place,

The crowd gave him a greater cheer for finishing the race.

And even though he came in last with head bowed low, unproud,

You would have thought he'd won the race, to listen to the crowd.

And to his dad he sadly said, "I didn't do so well."

"To me, you won," his father said.  "You rose each time you fell."

And now when things seem dark and bleak and difficult to face,

The memory of that little boy helps me in my own race.

For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all.

And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.

And when depression and despair shout loudly in my face,

Another voice within me says, "Get up and win that race!"

This poem totally rocks!  Please comment and I'll make a "The Race: Part 2" post with my thoughts.  Hope you enjoyed it.

Grease is Cheap

My mom loves Dove chocolates.  When I was younger, I always liked to read the little sayings on the inside of the wrappers.  As I grew older, I realized that most of them were just cheesy lines to entertain you.  Once  we had read them we'd just throw them away, but there was one in particular that my mom has kept throughout the years.  It reads, "There is greatness in smallness."  This spoke to her when she read it, and looking back, it's rather profound.

I was once told a story about a father and son who just bought a new machine to help them work.  The machine cost them a fortune and needed to be kept in good condition for it to work properly.  Most importantly, a few parts had to be greased up at the start of each day or else the whole machine would have to be replaced.  Every morning, the father would remind the son to get some grease and lather up the parts of the machine that needed it.  He would always say, "Grease is cheap."

The lesson in these two examples go hand in hand.  We can see how something as cheap and simple as grease can maintain a well oiled machine.  We are the well oiled machine that needs the small amount of grease everyday for us to work up to our full potential.  If we don't have our daily dose of prayer and scripture study then we will deteriorate as people and won't work as well as we could.  Alma, a Book of Mormon Prophet, explains it well while giving advice to his son Helaman, "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass..." (Alma 37:6).  A few minutes each day is all that the Lord asks us to give, and the blessings are infinite from it.  May we always remember that "grease is cheap" and that "there is greatness in smallness." 

Pringles and Cookies

One year when I attended EFY, an awesome object lesson was given to us.  It involved Pringles and Chips Ahoy cookies, which just so happen to be two of my favorite snacks.  He began by talking about people that influence our lives.  We came up with a list somewhat similar to this: family, friends, teachers, church leaders, etc.  During our teenage years, friends seem to have the biggest impact on us.  It seemed like we didn't want to hear what our parents would say, and we already knew what was being taught by teachers for both school and church.

Contrary to our belief at that age, the people that we wouldn't listen to were the ones that could build us up the most.  Although friends can be a great strength in our lives, they can also be a great weakness if we choose them unwisely.  Picture yourself as a Pringle.  If you surround yourself with other Pringles, you can build each other up.  Through that you can withstand temptations better.  Let's talk about what happens when a lonely Pringle tries to build up a Chips Ahoy.  The Pringle will be crushed under the weight of the Chips Ahoy cookie, and both will end up at rock bottom. 

Even if we have multiple Pringles underneath the Chips Ahoy, our progression will be halted.  We can't stack any more Pringles on top of the cookie.  The only way to continue to be built up is if we surround ourselves with Pringles in our lives.  It can be hard at times and we may even be ridiculed for it, but if we continue doing what we know is right, we'll be built up until we reach the heavens.

The Crotchety Old Man

I recently had an eye opening experience that made my testimony grow.  It's a story that I have titled "The Crotchety Old Man."  Here it goes.

So my companion and I are about to visit someone in these apartments.  We just have about 20 minutes, so it's going to be a shorter visit than usual.  We pull into the parking lot for the apartments and start to walk up to her place.  We hear a voice from the distance that says, "You can't park there!  It's residence parking only.  Can't you read the sign?"  After looking around and seeing how empty the parking lot is, we respond with, "We'll just be in there for a couple of minutes."  He's not having it.  He says, "No, you have to go park in the street."  Not wanting to cause any trouble, we move our car to the street.

While we're moving the car, I keep thinking to myself, "That's one crotchety old man."  There's no other word to describe him except crotchety.  After we park the car on the street, we try again to go up to her apartment.  Right as we're walking up to her place, she's just getting back from the store.  She invites us in and we are able to have a good visit.

Later in the day, I realized that the crotchety old man was really a blessing in disguise.  If that crotchety old man wasn't there, we would've gone up to her apartment, knocked on her door, and left before she got back from the store.  But since he delayed us those couple of minutes, we showed up just in time.  Ever since that realization, I've been able to turn things that I thought were an inconvenience, into a blessing.  I am able to see the hand of the Lord in my life more and more. 

The Lord knows all things, though he does work in mysterious ways.  2 Nephi 2:24 states, "But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things."  There are "crotchety old men," so to speak, in our lives everyday and everywhere.  I challenge you all to look for the reason that crotchety old man is there, because there is always something to be learned from it. 

2011: Entrusted by Heaven

Our theme for the Billings, Montana mission is 2011: Entrusted by Heaven.  To me, trust has always been something I treasure.  People don't just automatically have my trust.  They have to prove to me that they deserve it.   Trust is never given, only earned.  But all the trust in the world can be shattered in seconds.  It just takes one act to lose someone’s trust.  Then it's harder and harder to earn it back. 

Now, let's get back to the theme.  As missionaries, we are entrusted by heaven.  We are sent to spread the gospel to as many people as we come in contact with.  In a sense, we're doing what the savior told his apostles to do at the end of the Book of Matthew.  "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: an lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen."  (Matt. 28:19-20).  He says he will always be there with us, but we have to earn his trust first.

When I think of trust, I think of the Army of Helaman.  Those 2000 or so warriors were the epitome of trust.  Alma 53:20 reads, "And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all - they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted."  Think of how much good we can accomplish if Heaven trusts us.  If they know that we'll only use their power for good.  That'd be awesome.  If we live our lives in a way that proves we can be trust by heaven, there will be nothing that we can't accomplish.

You've Got a Friend in Me

I've always enjoyed Pixar movies.  Somehow they're all really really good.  Especially the Toy Story series.  Man, what a well made series.  The theme song, You've Got a Friend in Me, has been stuck in my head the past couple of days.  It's gotten me thinking about what a friend is.  I used to qualify a friend as someone I'd hang out with on a regular basis.  That's a friend right?  Eh...not quite.  As I thought more about it, I realized a friend is much more than that.  A friend is someone that you can trust, someone you can look up to, someone that sincerely cares about you. 

I was reading in John chapter 15 and Christ talks about us being his friends.  However, we're not automatically qualified to be his friend.  John 15: 14 reads, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."  I can't think of a better friend to have the Christ himself.  He will always be our friend, but we can be his if we do as he commands.  How cool is that! 

As the theme song of Toy Story goes:

You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
When the road looks rough ahead
and you're miles and miles from your nice warm bed
Just remember what your old pal said
Yeah, you've got a friend in me

Christ is and will always be our best friend.  May we strive to be the friend that he would have us be.  As we continue to live his teachings and follow his example, we can be that friend.  And when the road looks rough ahead, we can turn to him.