Sacrament Talk

My Farewell Talk

A couple years ago I was given a Rubik’s cube for Christmas, at that time I had no idea how to solve it and I thought I would look up a YouTube tutorial. As short as the 15- minute video was, it did not take me 15 minutes to solve the cube. After all the pausing and rewinding and messing up and rewinding again and messing up again…. I finally got it. After only an hour and a half, I solved this stupid puzzle. I wanted to show off my achievement. Each of my siblings less enthusiastic than the last. Jonah barely looking up from his phone. I went to find my dad who was always thrilled to see I had accomplished something other than another episode of the office. He shared my enthusiasm and quickly grabbed it from my hands. Woah woah woah Dad. Stop. Please don’t mess that up it took me and hour and a half to solve. He said “Well you have to do it again don’t you? How are you gonna get better if you don’t keep trying?”

Over that past couple years since then I have mastered the Rubik’s cube and gone on to learn how to solve about 10 different types of these puzzles. My mom always tells me how cool it is that I can solve all these things and I am always shrugging the compliment aside and telling her that its really easy and its nothing to brag about you just have to put in the effort and time. I put this to the test this last week when I begged my mom to try to learn how to solve the Rubik’s cube. I wanted her to see that it really is simple and all you have to do is follow the steps and algorithms to solve it. Trying to teach her was frustrating for both me and her, I could see what needed to be done and it simply killed me that she wasn’t able to follow my simple instructions. All I needed her to do was a simple algorithm: U R U’ L’ U R’ U’ L it was so easy! Right? It was not easy…

I’m starting to realize how frustrating it is for our Heavenly Father, to him the instructions are simple and quite easy. Just don’t do bad stuff and only do good stuff. I can only imagine his frustration when we don’t follow the simple black and white commandments given to us. Love thy neighbor feed the hungry, read your scriptures, say your prayers, go to church, which is only 2 hours now by the way, pay your tithing. It’s so easy right? It is not easy. Heavenly father sees these commandments as I see the algorithms, its easy but only after you’ve had time to master and perfect it. Like the steps to solve the puzzle there are steps to get back to heavenly father. The idea is to continually try every day.

A verse from one of my favorite songs “I’m trying to be like Jesus” goes “I’m trying to love my neighbor. I’m learning to serve my friends. I watch for that day of gladness when Jesus will come again.” The verse is about learning and evolving to be more like Jesus. I love that. A quote from president Eyring says “Each time we say the word amen when the sacrament prayer is offered on our behalf, we pledge that by partaking of the bread, we are willing to take upon us the holy name of Jesus Christ, always remember him, and keep his commandments. In turn, we are promised that we may always have his spirit to be with us. Because of these promises, the savior is the rock upon which we can stand safely and without fear in every storm we face.”

The sacrament prayer is not an offering of the spirit. It is a promise that if we always remember him and keep his commandments we are able to receive the holy ghost. President Eyring continues “the statement that we are willing to take upon us his name tells us that while we first took the Savior's name when we were baptized, taking his name is not finished at baptism. We must work continually to take his name throughout our lives, including when we renew covenants at the sacrament table and make covenants in the lord’s holy temples”  We have to qualify to speak for Heavenly Father, continually asking ourselves what must I be doing to take his name upon me and how will I know when I am making progress?

It’s so crucial for us to continually try, even if it gets hard or scary. We can’t stop. This life is not meant to be easy. Have you ever gone into a test and it was super easy? Ok maybe once or twice but this is not like those tests. This is like a really hard test. But this test is also really simple. We’ve been given every single answer and heavenly father has made it possible for each and every one of us to get a perfect score. A+. the atonement is an amazing part of this life. When we try, and we fail. Which we will. The atonement is our eraser. We are able to go back right away and get that answer correct. Could you imagine if our teachers sat right next to us while we take our final exam and he’s there to answer any questions we have but all we have to do is ask. I’m so grateful for the atonement, I love that this life is not only full of second chances but third chances and fourth chances 5th 6 th 7 th 8 th 9 th chances and over and over again we can be forgiven. It is incredible. I’m so grateful that Jesus Christ bore our sins so that we can continually try.

A couple months ago I got in a motorcycle accident and I broke my wrist. Some of you have asked how it happened and I didn’t tell you much more than “I took a turn too fast” but the truth is it was a clear sunny day, on a dry road, turning on to island view from 1st south, and I couldn’t have been going more than 15 miles per hour. Another thing is that before I took my freedom ride, my dad asked me “do you know how to ride a motorcycle?” I arrogantly let him know that I would be fine, and I could do this. I took off. I was free. It was the best feeling in the world. I made it less than a quarter mile from where I had left…. My wrist broken, my pride completely shattered, I had crashed. to add insult to injury the only witness was our mail lady, who ran to my aide trying to give me a ride in her 1 seat mail truck, now I may have been in shock, but I was able to know clearly that me and this sweet lady were not going to be able to fit in that car together. I called my dad, who was down the street tinkering with a car, “hey dad, you’re not gonna believe this…” he was on his way to take me to a hospital, less than 2 minutes after I had departed.

Fast forward to yesterday when I got back on that motorcycle. I was scared, and I was much more eager to heed my dad’s instructions than the last time. I was off once again, making it to that dangerous turn. I stopped a few feet before it, ready to accomplish the impossible. I made that turn. And I turned around and I made that turn again. I felt so fulfilled. I came back home, all my bones in one piece, my pride restored... It was wonderful. As I was writing this talk I thought back to how I felt when I broke my wrist. I felt ashamed that I wasn’t more willing to receive instruction from my dad. I shrugged him off so quickly and all he was trying to do was help. I think that a lot of times in our life we are given opportunities to follow the commandments that are set forth for us to keep us from crashing and often we don’t take them. As I am looking forward to my mission. I’m thinking about what I’m actually doing. I’m becoming a representative of Jesus Christ. I want to be sure to do and say the things that are in line with the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints.

From president Eyring… “speaking for him requires a prayer of faith. It takes a fervent prayer to heavenly father to learn what words we could speak to help the savior in his work.”  There’s a reason missionaries come to love the people in their mission, they pray for them. they desire the best for them. President Eyring continues “He answers the prayers of meek volunteers like you. You will feel the love of god for you and for the person you serve for him. As you help children of god in their troubles, you own troubles will seem lighter. Your faith and your hope will be strengthened.”

I’ve found this to be true with Jonah. A couple months ago right after he got to philly, he was having  really hard time, he wanted to be back here so badly. It wasn’t until his second transfer when he truly threw himself into the work that he was able to find that his own troubles were lightened. He is now doing great and he is learning and growing every day. I miss him very much and I can’t wait to be out in the mission field with him.

I have been so so so blessed to have this life. My parents are so supportive, they are the reason I am who I am. Because of genetics and stuff. I love them very much. All of my siblings have gone on a mission, except Sydney, hoping for a perfect record by the way. I have had the greatest friends. every single one of them has had an influence on who I am today, and I couldn’t be more thankful for that. This ward has been the best ward I could have asked for. All my wardies are so awesome. Anyone that has taught me in Sunday school Thanks for putting up with me and Jonah at the same time. I know it wasn’t easy. I’m so excited to serve the people of Everett Washington, I’m so excited to spread a message of happiness. I know that families can be together forever, I’m so grateful for the restoration and the blessings I receive for being a part of this gospel every day. I know this is the one and only true church on the earth. I know with all my heart that Jesus Christ is our savior and I’m reminded everyday how truly incredible his sacrifice was. I love this gospel so much. and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen