Posters

I learned a valuable lesson the other day that has to do with music, but the principle can be applied to so much more. I had a conversation with someone who is quite musically inclined, and I was explaining to him that I wanted to be better at the guitar and better at singing. He asked me who my favorite music artist was, and I told him Jack Johnson. Then he proceeded with a follow up question: Is Jack Johnson an amazing guitarist or singer? Honestly, he's not. But he's an incredible musician.

I mean, I'm a decent musician, but sometimes I don't feel good enough.  It's great to have that desire to get better, but I shouldn't beat myself up because I'm not the best.  In a Jack Johnson song called Posters, he sings:


Looking at himself but wishing he was someone else
Because the posters on the wall they don't look like him at all

Looking at herself but wishing she was someone else
Because the body of the doll it don't look like hers at all

The world today has a way of portraying what we should look like, who we should be, and how good we should be at it.  We don't need to be like the people in the posters to be worth something.  We must remember that "the worth of souls is great in the sight of God."  (D&C 18:10).  No matter what the world thinks of us, we are all great in the sight of God.  And remember, "it's better to look up." ~ Thomas S. Monson.

Look to the Compass

What's next?  It seemed that in my life, there was always something that I was working towards.  I always had a goal in mind, and knew, for the most part, what I needed to do.  First, it was finish high school, then go to college, then go on a mission.  But what's next after that?  Nothing is set in stone anymore. 

No one knows exactly what they're going to happen next.  No one knows exactly how things are going to work out.  But we can always look to the Lord for direction.  Nephi, a Book of Mormon Prophet, shows us that even when we have no idea what we're going to do, the Spirit of the Lord will guide us.  1 Nephi 4:6 reads, "And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do."  The Spirit will guide us in everything as long as we are putting our trust in him. 

 This makes life a lot less scary.  We have a spiritual compass in our life.  When we don't know where we are, look to the compass.  When we don't know where we're going, look to the compass.  When we don't know how we can make, look to the compass.  God gives us a guarantee if we look to the compass: "And I will also be your light in the wilderness...and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led." (1 Nephi 17:13).  If we look to the light the Lord has layed before us, we will know that we are led by him.  When we do this, we can be as Nephi and trust in the Lord, look to the compass, and go forth with faith.