Get Interested! It's for your own Benefit!

Over the past 17 months there has been one phrase I have heard often, as a missionary, that has always bugged me a little more than others. That phrase being, "No thanks, I'm not interested right now." When I first got out in the mission field I would leave the situation thinking, "How could you not be interested, it's Jesus Christ we're talking about!" But as I reflected on the statement I thought back on my life and how for years I "wasn't interested" in the Gospel, I wasn't worried about praying, I wasn't down on myself all the times I missed church. Life seemed fine, why should I give interest to something, when I am satisfied with where I am?

The phrase still troubles me today as I think of all the people who will not take the time to listen to the message of the Restored Gospel simply because they feel that life is adequate for their needs as it is. I think back to my life and all the years I wasn't interested, the main, and pretty much only, reason I wasn't interested was because I didn't know what the Gospel of Jesus Christ was. I didn't know all the peace, happiness, insight, direction, comfort, encouragement, and many of the other blessings associated with the message that flowed into my life. I had no clue that it would help define my character and put to use all the traits I had developed from youth up.

It is sad to think that so many people will only find interest in the Gospel when life is at its lowest point, when they are at the last of their list on the search for happiness. And moreover, it is sad that most people will follow the Gospel but as soon as life gets more manageable they will forsake the Christ that has lifted them through their trials and has blessed them with all that they have. I think of how our Heavenly Father must feel as he reaches out to his children to offer a path that will lead them through any trial and eventually back to dwell in His heavenly kingdom.

The challenge that I would give to all who "aren't interested at this time" is to give the message of the restoration a chance and do the things that so many people rely on to bring them peace and serenity in life, little things such as praying, scripture study and attending church. I would guaruntee that if you put forth the effort and put the Gospel to the test and see if it doens't enhance your life, if it doesn't bring greater meaning, if it doesn't paint a clearer picture of life. The Gospel is not just meant to help the lowly in heart or the poor in spirit, it is here to help us all, no matter what background or situation we come from, are currently in or planning to get to. This message is something that is meant for everyone and has the ability to benefit us in any aspect of our lives. I can bear a solid testimony of this truthful message in Chist's name.

The Battle of Good Vs. Evil: Tips to Win!

 I like comic books, not to the extent that I actually read them. Because honestly I rarely read any books besides the gospel. But just so everyone knows it's way better that way because someone else creates the characters and the super powers, their stregnths and weaknesses and their enemies, and I get to make up their story. So in the end it cuts out a lot of the work for me, which is always a benefit in my book.

But in my life of comic book people the battle between good and evil is always very different. One aspect I want to cover is the fact that bad guys always want the attention and good guys rarely take any glory personally. Mainly I'm going to focus on this because I can apply it to the gospel, and most of the people I know wouldn't pay attention if I didn't tie in something worldly.

First off we will look at the villains side of life. They usually come from some weird background where they weren't loved as a kid or they didn't like their boss or something "totally dramatic". They in turn decide that the world owes them something go crazy and decide to build octopus arms on themselves or make a mask that turns them psycho or whatever else they can come up with to help them take their revenge! They end up causing all this even more drama with everyone and taking lives or whatever it might be.

Villains are like the temptations of Satan. No one even likes them but for some reason they won't go away. They are loud and attention hogging. We've all come across one or another maybe a computer pop up shouting at us to click for some fast entertainment (or whatever), or a movie preview telling us "Watch me I'm crude, I can get you to laugh come watch me!", or maybe it's a little more subtle but just as destructive like, "Take this job you'll make tons of money! Money leads to happiness! Don't worry about the sacrifice you'll give up with not having time with your family!" All of these temptations are apparent, loud, attention grabbing, hard to ignore. Frankly, they are everywhere. But yet we are supposed to ignore them, brush them off, stay on the strait and narrow path to eternal life.

Now to the hero, hero's start out being hurt or affected in some way by some bad guy's action and they devote their life to helping those who are afflicted by the trials of evil. They for the most part are pretty humble and silent about their identity and task, for instance they will live in this cave in a side of a mountain when they are ridiculously rich, or they live in this ghetto apartment in New York City (no thanks). They usually only come out when they are needed, when the so to say "cry for help" is made. Most of their technology and skills have to be one step ahead of their villains so that they can effectively carry out their duty.

Hero's are like the spirit, the Holy Ghost. In all the scriptures the instances of the Holy Ghost reaching out to man it is through subtle, humble, quiet ways. Almost never (I say that cause it might be in there somewhere but I can't think of an instance) is it described as shouting at an individual, unless its accompanied by a divine visitation or something like that (which I'm still waiting for my personal one). It touches our inner most feelings, something that if we aren't in tune with, the loud temptations can easily drown out.

So what are we supposed to do to come out triumphant when the battle seems so outweighed? Well let me mention a couple things, first off remember, no one really likes Satan and his temptations, so don't be afraid to step up when you feel something is bad. Secondly, Umm I dunno maybe try to make your life more spiritual so its easier to recognize those signs given to us. Stay one step ahead of the game, that's what Batman does and he's successful. Thirdly don't be intimidated, what would've happened if some hero came up against a bad guy and got scared? "Well that's easy Elder Trujillo", you say "The vilian would end up getting away with murder, quite literally, and who knows when his havoc would've stopped!" That's what I was thinking too! So don't hesitate! If you are hesitating to make the changes in your life whatever it may be to quit an addiction, to learn about the gospel or whatever! Take Nike's advice and "Just Do It"!

I promise you if you heed to the teachings of Jesus Christ and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, getting rid of all evil, bad and even the "not so good" stuff, your life WILL be blessed. I know this because of two reasons. One, because I did it and am continuing to do it and I love it, it makes me happy, it keeps me safe! Secondly, because Jesus Christ asked us

The Silver Surfer Perspective One

My favorite comic book hero (recently) has been the Silver Surfer. I think what makes me so drawn to this character is his heroic change of heart and turn around. I like to think of it compared to those, sometimes difficult and drastic, changes to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the comic/movie Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, the Silver Surfer makes a pact with Galctus, to help prepare other planets for destruction, in hopes to save his own planet from that very fate. he is given powers and a childhood dreamed mode of transportation (his surfboard) to help with the task. His job is to prepare the planets for easier "digestion"(so to say) for Galctus. In turn you can imagine how many civilizations and planets destruction the Silver Surfer is greatly responsible for. Soon it is time for the Silver Surfer to prepare earth for its destruction.

When the Silver Surfer comes to earth to open the door of doom, he is met by the heroic team called the Fantastic Four comprising of The Human Torch, The Thing, The Invisible Woman, and Mr. Fantastic. After the capture and rescue of the Silver Surfer the team gains favor in the sight of the Silver Surfer. In hopes to save the near extinction of life as they know it the Silver Surfer puts all he has, his life included, on the line in the final battle with Galactus.

With the Silver Surfer's triumphant turn around and victory over evil his mighty change of heart brings him to a life of good.

I can only imagine the hope the Silver Surfer had (if this were real) as he gave up evil in an epic battle (really you should watch it!) for good. If the Silver Surfer didn't act on his "good intentions" the destiny of the world would have been all together very tragic.

Most of us may be partial to a line from a Fall Out Boy song which says, "the road outside my house is paved with good intentions". I think that line can be accompanied with a quote from Elder Steven E. Snow's Conference address titled "Hope", "Our hopes can lead to dreams which can inspire us and lead us to action... Hope alone does not cause us to succeed. Many honorable hopes have gone unfulfilled, shipwrecked on the reefs of good intentions and laziness." Let us better our eternal fate by acting on the hope to live the gospel standards and do what is right.

When All Is Lost?

After the recent crisis in Japan with the earthquake and tsunami it seems to have everyone looking at the news with similar thoughts of how sad the tragedy was and how massive and quick it came, also how much it is still affecting us today with food threats from nuclear waste and so forth. One thing that I know was being noticed was how calm the people in japan were being and how organized and polite the stores were to customers and the same with the people waiting for food and shelter. This type of devastation brings up conversations of the other disasters "waiting" to happen and the question of if that type of disaster took place in America how the people would react.

While thinking about this, I thought about what kind of things get us through the trying times in our lives. Some might listen to music as a way of coping with trials while others may spend their time working on cars, hunting, eating, going for drives, exercising of some sort, shopping, or many other activities. These activities are ways that we deal with stress, anger, heartache, depression, and other ways we may feel when life takes us for a turn. But what happens when life takes us for a nose dive? What happens if all our material items aren't available at our fingertips, when food is short, when we have no home, when family and friends are taken, what do we do when all that we know is taken from us? How do we make it through that type of trial?

I suppose that we could ask the survivors what they do or did to keep their hearts high in such despair. I suppose that we may never have to find out what it takes to get through such a trial, but the question always arises, "Would I be prepared?"
Something that comes to mind when tragedy like this happens is that, the one thing no one will be able to take from us is our Faith and relationship with God. Faith is one thing that fire, tornado, famine, earthquake, or any earthly disaster can take from us. Thus, if we focus our attention on building our Faith (don't worry its easy, prayer, scripture study, church, simple stuff like that), the more possibility we will have in making it through any trial in life whether it be a week where your car is in the shop (and you don't have a spare), or a tsunami that wipes out everything that you have.

My hope is that we would take more time and effort in building our testimony in our Savior Jesus Christ, and ultimately learn to trust and rely on him and the power of the atonement to get us through trials we face in our lives.