Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Something uplifting?

Well, I've been looking over some of my friend's blogs. I realized that my last few posts have been a little cynical. I guess I just needed an outlet. Somewhere to vent that I'm allowed to sound like an uppity know-it-all and not have to be judged for it.

But now I just want to type up something more inspiring for the next post. I used to have good things to say.. I still do. But lately I have been denying my feelings so much that it's hard to get them out in the open enough to learn something from them and inspire others along the way.

I guess I'm in a pretty tough place right now. Most of my peers don't know the difference. A tough place for me still seems pretty amazing to some of them. Alright so I haven't stopped saying my prayers, and I'm still reading my scriptures every day, and I get around to some missionary work every now and then. But the last couple of weeks.. My heart hasn't been in it. I got so busy and exhausted the last week of school that "scripture study" became reading a few verses in sleepy ignorance before I fell asleep on my knees while trying to get through a prayer at one in the morning.

The hardest thing is knowing what I need to do. I know I have to get organized first. Clean my room, do some laundry, make some lists. Then, magically, things will start to happen. I don't know why it seems so hard sometimes. I know I'm not as happy as I could be, I'm just kind of sliding by. I think it's just that when we find ourselves in these gospel "slumps" we kind of numb ourselves and get lazy. We know we could be happier, but by now we've forgotten what being happier feels like, and we feel okay right now, so there's really no reason to try harder when we're doing okay.

Ever seen that show "World's Strictest Parents"? They send rotten, seemingly hopeless teenagers to a good, "strict" family for a week. ONE WEEK, and there is almost always a significant transformation in these teens. Emotionally, and even physically. It seems like every time the transformation comes because the teens find themselves in completely eye-opening situations. They have to take responsibility for their actions, and they find in themselves that they actually do want a promising future. They were just.. taking the easy route. It all goes back to the road of least resistance versus the road of greatest happiness.

I found this great talk from 1972. You really should just read the entire talk. It's marvelous. But I'll try to hit on all the good stuff. President Paul H. Dunn quotes three famous philosophers as the outline for his talk:

1. Socrates wrote: "Know thyself."
2. Cicero said: "Control thyself."
3. and the Savior said: "Give thyself"

"Know thyself"
This is fairly self-explanatory. And obviously something I haven't been doing so well since I've been too afraid to face my own feelings. Not only do we have to be honest with ourselves, but we have to know with no doubt in hearts that we are children of God. We have Heavenly parents and divine potential. President Dunn says: "The word can't is false doctrine in the Mormon church. When a young man says to me, 'I can't do it,' I become concerned because in a sense he is saying, 'I don't understand the gospel.' " We have to know who we are, and understand the power that lies within us.

President Dunn also details an inspiring story about Babe Ruth and his faithful, optimistic attitude. When someone asked Babe Ruth "What do you do when you get in a batting slump?" This is what he said:

"I just keep goin' up there and keep swingin'. I know the old law of averages will hold good for me same as it does for anybody else, if I keep havin' my healthy swings. If I strike out two or three times in a game, or fail to get a hit for a week, why should I worry? Let the pitchers worry, they're the guys who're going to have to pay for it later on."


This is easily comparable to our "gospel slumps." Just like Babe Ruth, we just have to keep swingin'. We just have to keep reading our scriptures and saying our prayers and we'll average out. And the pitchers that have to pay for it later on? Well they represent Old Scratch and his angels.. I always come out as a better person when I've been through trial, and that makes me a stronger force in the battle against evil. So while Satan may celebrate my misery, he's worried about later on because he knows if I make it through, I'll be even stronger than before.

Dunn later goes on to say
"It's one thing to be born with ability to succeed; it's another thing to harness it and to control it."
And before finishing with a story says:

"The Savior said, Take all that I have given you, harness it, discipline it, and then give it to the world. Give thyself."

It's really an amazing talk. You should read it. Go look it up on lds.org.

But anyway, where I was going with all of this is that a slump is just a slump. Everyone's allowed a slump every now and then, because none of us are perfect. But don't let it get to the point where it's really hindering your spiritual progression. Always try as hard as you can to press forward. The more you do, the more you will realize how worth it is to choose the path of greatest happiness. That's right, happiness. Don't be content with just okay, strive for something greater.

I pretty much typed this as a sermon to myself.. Sometimes teaching is the best way of internalizing something.

Happy summer.


No comments: