I had the honor (if not the pleasure) of speaking in Church today.  It had been a hectic week and I had all but forgotten about the talk until Thursday night.  (I did not share any of these things over the pulpit because Scott has taught me to never show my cards!)  Luckily the subject was one dear to my heart: Jesus Christ, our Savior.  Instantly, I thought of President (then Elder) Uchtdorf’s talk from last October Conference, Have We Not Reason to Rejoice? (For those of you who don’t know, every six months in October and April, the leadership of the Church consisting of our Prophet (aka “President”), his two counselors, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other General Church Leaders speak to the worldwide church.  The talks are broadcast from Salt Lake City to every corner of the world through satellite and internet technology.  Dieter Uchdorf is one of our new Prophet, Thomas Monson’s, counselors.)

This brilliant message of joy has carried me through some challenging times, and helped me to see life with increased hope and joy. He talks about his family’s discovery of the church:

“We were living in the rubble of postwar Germany with a devastating feeling of hopelessness and darkness about our future.
In the middle of this despair, my family learned about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the healing message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. This message made all the difference; it lifted us above our daily misery. Life was still thorny and the circumstances still horrible, but the gospel brought light, hope, and joy into our lives. The plain and simple truths of the gospel warmed our hearts and enlightened our minds. They helped us look at ourselves and the world around us with different eyes and from an elevated viewpoint….

Wherever you live on this earth and whatever your life’s situation may be, I testify to you that the gospel of Jesus Christ has the divine power to lift you to great heights from what appears at times to be an unbearable burden or weakness.”

Amidst personal storms or angst over the world’s tragedies and chaos, knowing the Savior and coming onto him enables us to have the strength and hope to overcome sorrows, triumph over temptation, and feel joy.

p.s. The Church has a great new website on Jesus Christ.

In “Who Will Tell the People?“, Thomas Friedman (author of The World is Flat), sums up my thoughts quite elegantly. We need a leader, he says, who will tell us what we need to hear, not just what we want to hear.

“Who will tell the people? We are not who we think we are. We are living on borrowed time and borrowed dimes. We still have all the potential for greatness, but only if we get back to work on our country.”

Have a read.

C’mon - HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

Oh and, in case you’re wondering. I rocked the house.

I had a message all written up and ready to post, but it just didn’t connect to the general challenges I’ve been
wrestling with recently. So, I started over…

It seems that I am quick to criticize. Quick to find fault. Quick to point out weaknesses. But, in the end, that does me (or others) no good.

As I was talking about this to my sweet Robin last night, she pointed out that I can find a positive spin in the midst of these challenges. I can look at my tasks and see hope and opportunity. The trick is to see them for what they are and what they can be, rather than to complain because things could (or should) be better.

How right she is.

Last October, we heard from Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a member of the First Presidency of the LDS Church, who gave a talk entitled “Have we not reason to rejoice?” (You have to listen to it or watch it to get the full effect of his warm smile.) He speaks of the world’s tendency to focus on bad news. And then points out the great opportunities in life. (Mainly he’s speaking about being a member of the church, so it’s especially poignant for those of you who are members.)

He points out that one of our tasks in life is to “endure to the end.” But, rather than thinking of this as a burden, he encourages us to think of “enduring” is an opportunity for transformation. It is “exalting and glorious, not grim and gloomy.”

Yet our reason to rejoice does not come free. It requires patience, sacrifice, and hard work. It also requires humility, integrity and honesty. But, Christ has the power to “lift you to great heights from what appears at times to be an unbearable burden or weakness.”

No matter our challenges, life can be an opportunity for change and growth, for adventure and exploration. So, a reason to rejoice.

Just what I needed to hear.

Categories explained:
The What: The content of the story itself, i.e. “what” is the story and is it organically interesting. Is the screenplay well written. (example: Good Will Hunting - 10)
The How: “how” the story is told, (mainly from a director’s point of view, such as special effects, camera angles, sound, editing, etc) - does the filmmaker use craft and techniques that help to move the story along, or simply to show off. Note that some stories don’t need effects but every story needs some craft in telling the story. (example: The Matrix - 10)
The Why: “why” this story matters - the big picture view (example: Shindler’s List - 10)

Many movies rate high in only one category or they would have little market value. For example, blockbuster Hollywood has made a name for itself for great visuals (high in the How category) but screenplays often fall flat. On the other hand, foreign films usually have high What and Why values (since the filmmakers are fresh and full of ideals), but they don’t have the same budgets as Hollywood so the technical quality may suffer.

But, occasionally, movies will come along that have great scores in all three categories. Consider, for example, the movie Shindler’s List. The story itself was very interesting (What=10); the technique in which the story was told was fantastic (How=10); and obviously the story ranks high in moral value (Why=10).

So, here’s my report from our movie last night. I won’t tell you anything about the movie since I don’t want to influence your own “discovery” of the story.

Molière (2007)
The What = 10 (excellent script, some brilliant writing and character development)
The How = 7 (great costumes, music, colors)
The Why = 6 (lacking a bit in life value, but still has its gems)

Total: 23 out of 30 - not bad!

Just a quick note to wish a happy birthday to my dad, seen in the photo above during his missionary days in Argentina. I was assured that he didn’t always dress like that!

Sorry folks. I’ve had a bear of a time keeping up the last few days. My only consistent post: Sundays With Scott, has missed a beat. Never fear, it will stay on track. And, this way you can get a mid-week thought anyway.

Here’s my simple Sunday thought, on Tuesday:

One of my favorite memories of Spain is having the delicious bread dipped in smooth olive oil, mixed with balsamic vinaigrette. There’s something about the mix of the sweet and sour that makes it delicious.

I was thinking on Sunday that there is a life metaphor in that. It takes some of the sweet and sour to make a hearty experience. Of course, you only need a touch of the sour, since it’s more memorable and stronger to the senses. But, a little challenge here and there actually makes life more interesting.

Bon appetite!