Farewell talk #1
(If it’s spelt wrong, it
was to help me not get confused and say it correctly)
Good morning Brothers and
Sisters! I am so glad that I have been asked to speak to all of you today! I
love my new ward alot, but being here just feels like ...home. Well as many of
you already know I have gotten my mission call. I have been called to the
Lansing, Michigan mission and I leave in 17 days for the Provo Utah MTC.
Now with it being the
beginning of the school year for most of the youth, I'd like to give some
advise for all of those who are in Junior High and Highschool. I just graduated
from High School myself on May 22nd, so I really know what i'm talking about when I
talk about school. If I were to give you advise to do anything to help you gain
a stronger testimony, and to help you through any trails or tough decisions
that you might encounter in school, I would say live the teachings of the “For
The Strength of Youth” pamphlet, go to the temple, don't miss Seminary, and
read your scriptures and pray every day and obey the Lords commandments. If you
do that and you ask the Lord for help, in your times of need, you will make it
though what ever comes your way, and you'll become a better, stronger, and
happier person.
And infact that advise isn't
all the way for the youth, it actually all applies to all people. Those things
that I listed are a few of the things the Lord has asked the youth to do. As
long as we all do the things that the Lord has asked us to do, then we will all
be blessed greatly. It says in Docterine and Covenents chapter 130 verse 20
through 21: (READ V. 20-21) (talk about those verses a bit)
In the Book True to the Faith it states: (READ
most of “obedience” from True to the faith, or all if it feels right, start at
“one reason”, end with “spiritual well being”)
As some of you may know I
trained with Will in Brazilian Ju jitsu for a while. And I worked up to gaining
my first stripe for my white belt. I'm nothing to special at it, and hardly be
considered a teacher on the subject. But I do remember the words of my gym
leader and coach, who was well qualified to be a teacher and knew what seems to
me everything about the sport. I am nothing compared to the man in the ways he
knows how to fight, but when I listened to his advise and I tried my hardest to
preform in the way he wanted me to, I would end up learning a lot and become
better at it. Now in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, when you are fighting with your
opponent it is common to go into a position called closed guard. It's a
position where your opponent is laying on their back with their legs wrapped
around you. while you are kneeling.
Their objective is to puuulllll you down, or trick you, and sweep you into a
different position where they will be more dominant, or submit you to finish
the fight. Now I know some people that when their opponent would get them into
this position they would think to themselves “I don't need to use the
techniques my coach has been teaching me, I can muscle out of it” and they
wouldn't listen to the great words of advise from someone who knows what seems
like everything. They then would struggle and pull and waste their energy until
their opponent could do what ever they wanted to them. They were very easily
captivated, and they would be put in the same situation many times because
their opponent knew, they wouldn't listen to the advise, which would cause them
to slip, and fall, and be defeated.
I learned that it was best though to be
obedient and listen to all the words that my coach would give me, because in
the end he knew better anyways. Now this is not some unbeatable position I am
talking about. It can actually be passed pretty easily if you defend yourself,
and you do not move into places that you should avoid. There is three basic
steps you take, in just about every possible way you pass their guard. These
steps are very relateable to obeying the commandments of God. The first step
you should take when passing your opponents guard , is to anchor yourself to
the mat by sitting on your ankles with the top of your feet against the mat.
For me this hurt a lot at first! I thought it was almost as bad as being
choked! It was difficult to get used to, but the more diligently you anchor
yourself to this foundation and work at gaining better technique, the better
off you are when your opponent tries to pull you down.
It's just like the
gospel. If you work at gaining a testimony and obeying the commandments of God,
you might feel as though it is difficult at first and some of the things you
have to give up could be quite painful. But the more you work at gaining a
testimony and anchoring yourself to the savior Jesus Christ, the pain will go
away and you will be able to better protect yourself, and become stronger. The
next step to passing your opponents guard, is to posture up, and move your
hands to stop them from coming any closer. You stand your ground! Which keeps
you away from their attacks. You stay away from the temptations and the manner
in which they are trying to trap you. Now we have heard many times that the
best place to be is as far away from sin and temptation as possible. Even if
you have to say no to your friends, or turn off what ever electronic, or device
you are being trapped with. You fight against any struggle that might make you
loose what you believe in, you stand your ground and and keep your self
anchored to the foundation, which you know, it cannot fail!
And the last step
is to look up at the ceiling, and follow the technique. Looking up is
imperative to passing the guard, and there is a great difference in the
strength of those who look up and those who don't. It is said you tend to go
where your eyes are pointed. And when doing this small act of just looking up
it strengthens the power you have in your core, it can help straighten your
arms to help fend of your opponent. You then follow the teachings you have been
given to help you get out of this position, so you can fight back and win.
There are many people who look up and pray to our Father in Heaven when they get
caught in adversity, or they have great trails they seem to be trapped in, and
because of their faith and knowing which direction to look they are
strengthened and are helped, and sometimes delivered from the adversity that is
besetting them. But like I said there is many who don't look up, they don't
pour their souls unto prayer for help, for deliverance, for guidance, and they
trudge through the storm with only the strength that is quickly accessible. Yes
they might make it through the storm, but they will be much more weary and
beaten then those who looked up and prayed for help and guidance. And the last
thing you do that gets you out of the opponents guard is by following the
techniques that has been given and taught to you.
We have been given many ways
of guidance through our lives, we have the scriptures that we can read almost
any where now, we have prophets teaching us and giving us instruction, we have
sunday school teachers, home teachers, bishop and his counselors, stake
presidents, and missionaries. All of which has been sent by our Father in
Heaven who knows all things, to teach and educate us on the techniques we need
to learn and obey, to reach our full potential and to help us through life. And
all we have to do, to get through adversity, to help other people, to return to
live with him, and help others come to him, all we have to do is be obedient to
the words which he is giving his servents, to teach to us. And now just because
the Coach or Father in Heaven isn't physically infrount of us teaching us, does
not mean that he isn't sending people infrount of us, to teach us and to educate
us in all the techniques we need to return to live with him.
But never forget you can always speak to this
worlds gym leader or coach to get help. All you have to do is look up
Brothers and Sisters I am so
thankful that i’ve had this great opportunity to come back speak to you today!
And i am so very thankful for all of you in, helping raise and bring me unto a
knowledge of the gospel. And I thank you so much for putting up with me and the
rest of my Sunday school class all of these many years. Because none of us
would be where we are today with out all the love, charity, kindness, and all
of the PATIENCE AND LOONNG SUFFERING that all of you gave. When i think
of all of the many people who has influenced my life in this ward my thoughts
turn to 2 Nephi chapter 10 verse 9. To give some back ground on this, In
Chapter 10 of 2nd nephi, Jacob, who is Nephi’s Brother is teaching of
prophecies that have been given about “the gentiles in the latter day”. and in
Verse 7 it says: (READ V.7)
So Jacob starts talking about
the those who are apart of the restored gospel in that verse. And then in verse
8 it says: (READ V.8)
In this verse Jacob is now
talking about the Gathering of Israel, and the Gentiles who is going abroad to
preach the message of the restored gospel to “gather israel”. But Verse 9 the
verse that reminds me of this ward says (READ V.9)
As it says in the verse
Heavenly father didn’t just call anyone to teach these missionaries and youth
in the Latter-days, He called Kings and Queens to go forth, and to teach them
about the gospel and nurse them into the great Men and Women that he says in
verse 8 “shall be great in the eyes of me”. The more I think and read about
those three verses, I continue to be amazed at how highly the Lord must favor
those who he calls to Teach and raise his youth in the latter-days.
I believe that those verses holds great truth,
because I can see it in the hearts of all of many who has put in all the hours
to prepare the lessons. Who has prayed and fasted for all those they teach that
they might learn, grow, feel the spirit and gain a testimony. Whos hearts are
wrenched when they find out their students don't live and obey Gods
commandments the way they should.
I am a testimony that all of this love and
kindness, and care, you give for those who you are appointed to teach, or lead,
or look after, will have a strong impact on them. And not only you will be
blessed because of all of the hard work you put in, but they and every one
around you and them will be blessed because of your work, devotion and love.
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