Stranger in the Mirror

In Social Leadership we are currently reading The 8th Habit by Stephen R. Covey. The book focuses heavily on learning how to discover your voice, and it's imperative significance to ones life. But what does it mean to find your voice? Well I'm glad you asked. :D Finding your voice means discovering who you were before you came to this earth. It's learning who you were in the premortal existence. Sometimes it's easy to see this life as a period in which your being is built and shaped, but it really is not that way at all. Before our earthly life, we were something. We had a personality, a spirit, a heart. We were sons and daughters of a king, and we still are.

Right now, we understand a part of who we during the pre-existence, but not entirely. However, that does not mean it will always be that way. Through study, meditation, and prayer we can uncover who we were and who we can become. When we find our voice we can be truly happy, completely effective, and unstoppable against the powers of the adversary.
Finding yourself can be a frightening experience. We are all imperfect and have stumbled so many times that seeing the magnificent person we were can foster feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness. But it's okay to feel that way. We are in fact human, and being imperfect is practically inescapable on our own. But because of our Heavily Father and his atoning sacrifice we can repent of our mistakes, we can become clean, and we can become worthy of royal our lineage.

Heroism

A couple days ago I watched The Princess Bride for something like my 20th time. One of my favorite lines in the movie is Inigo Montoya speaking to Vizzini about his exessive use of the word inconceivable. "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
This is very true for many people in our world today. Furthermore, I do not deny the fact I am also guilty of this. Many words have had their meanings confused and warped over the years, eventually earning an entirely new one. There are many words like this, and sadly Heroism is one of them.
Most commonly, heroism means to be a commander legions, conqueror of foes, and a holder of extraordinary power and skill. Does this truly define the nature of heroism?
During my time reading Beyonders: A World Without Heroes, I happened across a very unexpected and profound quote concerning heroism given by The Blind King. He said:

"So many misconceptions surround the notion of heroism. Far too many categorize a hero as a champion on the battlefield, commander of legions, master of rare talent or ability. Granted, there have been heroes who fit those descriptions. But many men of great evil as well."

A while ago, I watched another film in which a criminal was portrayed as the hero. Of course the, notion of him being heroic is absurd, but by common description he is in fact, a hero. He was a champion on the battlefield (Or in other words, he easily crushed the opposition), was a commander of legions (He had a very powerful group followers under his control), and he did possess rare talent and ability. Therefore, this common criminal must be in some sense, heroic.
I have taken time to think about heroism, and what it really is. I feel that I'm ready to take a stab at defining it. Of course, perspectives and interpretations may very, so I will present the following as a mere opinion, You may feel differently, and I respect that. Owning a unique opinion  is one of the most beautiful things about being human.
For me, I believe heroism to be composed of many characteristics. Of them all, I feel the most important feature is the determination to never sway from your moral compass in the face of opposition. Heroism is not one, but all the virtues tested until the critical moment of heated competition between heart and perversion. A criminal is born when he betrays his moral compass and resorts to evil to survive. A hero is born when he follows his heart until the end of time.

Pretending To Be Less

Sometimes, I have seen situations in which people lower their standards, and do things unworthy of their spiritual goodness, all in the name of being accepted by society. In seeking acceptance, they have become so desperate it motivates them to become something twisted and evil. I deeply feel all should know that any relationship which requires you to betray your moral compass, and lower yourself to darker places is a friendship never worth nurturing. While this does not mean you should be stiff necked and place yourself on a pedestal above the rest of society, it simply means you should avoid lasting relationships that can and will shape who you ultimately become. However, this also does not mean you should abandon them either. People like this are in serious need of help.
Matthew 5:16 says:

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

By living in accordance to Gods commandments, you will be filled with the light of Christ; an unquenchable light capable of penetrating the most calloused heart, and the loneliest soul. It will be as a spiritual bellow, inspiring light within every man women and child.

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” 

You can help them. You can offer them the path to lasting happiness. Will you?

Life Lessons From Warthunder | Positional Warfare

Today while taking a shower, I was thinking about possible strategies and tactics that be could used in Warthunder. For those of you who know nothing about Warthunder, it's a multiplayer online game dedicated to World War II military aviation, armored vehicles, and fleets. As I thought, it suddenly struck how similar and applicable my strategies were to life.

Warthunder revolves around positional warfare. You can be the best shot, know the opponents weaknesses, and have superior weaponry, but if the enemy has a better angle you will lose nine times out of ten. When engaging an opponent, you should always place yourself in a position that will maximize your strengths and put the enemy at a disadvantage. Allowing
yourself to take a bad position only makes it easier for the adversary to destroy you. This works the same way in every day life. You should always be mindful of where you are and what you are doing.
Constantly we learn and are reminded about how Satans one sole desire is for all men to be miserable like unto himself. We learn about his ways and methods of temptation. Outfitting yourself with this knowledge is comparable to having superior weaponry, being the best shot, and knowing your opponents weaknesses. While this knowledge is important, if you're exposing yourself to unrighteous things and placing yourself in dangerous positions, the amount you know about Satan doesn't really matter. Of course, the difference between right and wrong isn't always black and white and sometimes it's quite hard to differentiate. Fortunately, we have been given the Spirit to help us see the evil behind the smiling eyes. Three Days Grace does a wonderful job of explaining this:

If you can’t stand the way this place is

Take yourself to higher places

Geographically Divided, But Spiritually United

For this post I decided to write something instead of my normal video because my last vlog took a great deal out of me and I'm really not feeling up to making another. So this will have to do.
The topic I chose for this post is friends because I have never yet talked about it on my blog and I think it's time for that to change.
As almost everyone would tell you, friends are really important and play a significant role in any persons life. I can defiantly say the same, but it wasn't always that way. At one point, I totally closed myself towards people and spent the majority of my time alone for months. From that experience I learned that being alone is awful and that true happiness takes more than just yourself. Spending time with someone that makes you truly happy is always the best way to be.

Since then, I have made many wonderful friends and have often wondered about the chemistry behind it all.
Recently I've heard quite a few people say that knowing someone online "Doesn't count as a true friendship." That the only 100% legitimate friendship can be achieved in person. This argument has been on my mind many, many times since I began an online education, and I can see why a person would say that. Good friends usually know each other well enough that the other person feels like a second identity. I know from rather disappointing experience that developing a friendship that close is extremely difficult online. Another point would be that "true friends" frequently talk and interact with one other on a daily basis. As much as I would like to hang out with my online friends as often as that, it simply cannot be done.
With these limitations, and the many others that ominously loom ahead, are they enough to make that friendship any less real? This has lead me to wonder what conditions must exist for a friendship to thrive?
My answer is that only one condition is necessary. For there to be love. Mutually caring for one another is sufficient and nothing more. If each individual possesses love, it creates an unbreakable spiritual connection that cannot be severed.
To conclude, I would like to share this quote by President Uchtdorf in which he describes this perfectly.

"Geographically we are separated, but spiritually we are united."

Characteristics I Search For In Music

Here are the examples mentioned in the video for each characteristic: 

Percussion/Drums 

Rap Segments 

Rhythms

Background Vocals 

Guitar

Story Telling 

Kinda Important Blog Update

Just a quick announcement about a very significant change being made to my blog. Everything is explained in the video.
Annnnnnnd I fixed it. Had to re-upload the entire thing but it's done.

Lincoln: Man of Integrity

Abraham Lincoln was a noble leader because he was a man of integrity. He became President on March 4, 1861. Tragically , at this time the nation was divided on the issue of slavery. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book, that was written ten years earlier, had galvanized the Northern States against slavery. Abraham Lincoln took up the cause of freedom and war eventually ensued. During the conflict, Lincoln was not afraid to use new technology to turn the tide of the war, as was displayed in the Monitor Merrimac battle of March 8-9, 1862. Later in his presidency, he showed great courage in initiating, the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.  Eleven months later , he convincingly delivered the Gettysburg Address which helped to heal  a war torn country and laid the responsibility of the defense of freedom upon the shoulders of every U.S. citizen. Abraham Lincoln became known as one of the most influential leaders in history because he possessed certain rare  qualities not found in the common man.  He was firm and resolute when undergoing unjust criticism and never retaliated when provoked , was honest and trustworthy even in the most trivial affairs , and was educated in the Bible, always abiding by its principles.

Abraham Lincoln will forever be known as a man who was honest. He was fiercely  devoted to truth and had the moral strength to be honest with friend and foe, in public and in private. James Russell Lowe in his poem about Lincoln described his character by saying “And loyalty to Truth be sealed; As bravely in the closet as the field.” Wholeheartedly , Lincoln believed in the laws governing truth and that man is accountable to God for the life they choose to live. In this way , his public declarations were consistently straightforward, truthful in every point, and conveyed the actuality of the current state of affairs, thus communicating a timeless message that still clearly rings in the ears of people today. Abraham Lincoln’s honesty is his most enduring  trait and by it, continues to inspire countless people throughout the ages.

He had the courage to endure unjust criticism and never lashed out when provoked. Constantly , Lincoln struggled against unfair blame and vicious  attacks by those around him, but never let discouragement deter him from the righteous cause for which he so valiantly  fought. Instead of retaliating foolishly , he used truth to battle the endless flow of slander and bring about amelioration. Lincoln understood the importance of knowing when to respond to false charges against him, and when to leave them be. Lincolns Second Inaugural Address beckoned to all willing to listen, “With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan--to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations.” Lincoln’s moral strength in responding and knowing when not to respond to criticism is a significant model for all human behavior.


Lincoln was schooled in the Bible and abided by its teachings. Unquestionably , he was a student of Gods words, knowing and applying the compelling principles of the Bible which gave him the power and strength to conquer adversity of any shape or form. Lincoln deeply understood the Bible and was familiar with the passage in Luke 11:17 that said “…Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.” When Lincoln said “A house divided against itself cannot stand”, he knew that as long as the United States remained separated, the nation would be powerless to stop the inevitable  and long foreseen consequences lying  in wait. On one occasion, when Lincoln called together a small group of friends and councilors to review and critique the final draft of his first speech for the Lincoln Douglas debates. His close friends counseled him to remove a selection from his speech that referred to a scripture in the Bible. They said it would drive away voters. Lincoln said “The Time has come when this truth should be uttered and I am determined neither to change nor modify my assertion. I am willing if necessary to perish with it. If it is decreed that I should go down because of this speech, then let me go down linked to the truth. Let me die in the advocacy of what is just and right.” Without a doubt , Lincoln’s life proves that the ancient teachings of the Bible are as relevant and powerful now, as they were thousands of years ago.

Abraham Lincoln is known and respected not for his looks, smooth words, or popularity among the people. Above all , he was looked upon as a legendary leader because of his honesty in private and public situations , his long suffering of undeserved slander and slowness to anger , and his undivided allegiance to the Bible and its teachings . Abraham Lincoln had a foundational knowledge of truth in which he had internalized within his heart giving him a singular  power that no one else possessed. Lincoln was always expanding his character by application of these tried and true principles. These principles he lived by propelled  him through all circumstances. Fiercely , he held onto that truth in the face of adversity until the bitter end because he knew that by remaining firm in the truth he would prevail.

Becoming The Person You Have Always Dreamt Of Being.

Suddenly I'm awake.  Cruelly thrown from a pleasant dream back into reality.  I listen for moment, greeted by the peaceful silence broken only by my best friends quite breathing.  I wonder what woke me, but I quickly dismiss the thought and try to sleep.  Given a few more seconds. I would have fallen back into a wonderful dream but am interrupted by a small cry.  I smile, now understanding what woke me.  A second cry echos through the house.  There is movement behind me, and I glance back at Autumn who is beginning to sit up.  She smiles and mouths that she will take it this time.  Gratefully I collapse back on the bed and listen to Autumn's footsteps as she leaves the room to take care of our young child.  Sleep is impossible now.  As I lye in bed, my thoughts wander back to my teenage years when I believed this day would never come.  It's a little frightening.  They say a few years is such a long time, but it really isn't.  I think about everything that has happened since I left my parents home.  Going to college, getting a job, serving an LDS mission, having a family.  None of this I expected to happen so quickly.  But it did.  

Lately I feel like my age has really caught up with me.  I am beginning to realize the person I want to become in the next five or six years.  This is exciting and slightly scary. For my Personal Leadership Class we are writing snapshots of our lives in the near future.  What I have written here is a short excerpt from that snapshot.
Currently, I feel like I have been surviving, focusing specifically on the the now.  When I grow older I want to go to college, serve an LDS mission, and have a family with  my best friend.  All of this is defiantly possible, but accomplishing it will require me to shift my focus from the now, and begin making an effective plan for the future.
Abraham Lincoln said: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Planning is like sharpening our axe.  You can have the strongest arm, and the perfect swing, but nothing will be accomplished with a dull hatchet.
We all have dreams to become someone great, and we all have hopes to achieve them.  But few of us actually have a sharp axe.  People say, "I'm going to become like Steve Jobs when I grow older" but make no efforts or plans to accomplish that dream. Ask yourself, do I know the how part of the equation or am I vainly dreaming?    

Courage | The Absence of Fear?

Courage: "The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear"
-Dictionary.com
In our society courage means facing opposition "without fear."  This mindset is seen everywhere, but is it correct?  Courage in my mind is being afraid but controlling that fear and using to balance fearlessness.
If you contrast having no fear, to having fear, there is a very distinct difference in the way it causes a person to act.  Fearlessness gives a person the strength to overcome fear, but usually results overconfidence.  When someone has fear it holds overconfidence at bay, but causes them to be excessively cautious.  Both can be hurtful on their own, but the chemistry of true courage is a combination of fearlessness and fear.  True courage comes from an equal balance between these two opposite, but equally important forces.
My conclusion is that courage is incomplete without fear.  Without it, courage would evolve into overconfidence, that would subdue caution, inevitably ending in foolish behavior.  I'm not sure if its possible to be courageous without fear acting as a protection from making rash decisions.      
Our society has put an incorrect label on fear and fails to recognize it as an important part of courage.  They think that fear shows weakness, but rather the absence of fear is weakness.

Overcoming The Greatest Trials Through Writing | Extended Thoughts

A couple days ago I made a post about writing and how it has helped me so much in the past weeks.  I'm not sure if I gave a complete explanation of how I did it, so this post is meant to be my extended explanation of the subject.
I began with a blank document and wrote as fast as I could about what I felt.  I didn't worry about spelling, grammar, nothing. When I finished I had a very messy document loaded with my emotions.  I read through it a few times and fixed any grammatical errors while being careful not to change the core meaning.  Then, I opened a separate document and began copying and pasting bits from the first document, to the second.  These small pieces I arranged together into a paragraph that flowed and made sense.  After I was finished I had a paragraph describing my problem written strait from my heart.
Writing the paragraph allowed me to explain my problem in a way that made me think about things like, why is this happening and why do I feel this way?  Most of the time you don't think about that sort of stuff in the heat of the moment.  I find myself saying "that's just the way it is".  But no, there is reason behind it.  Nothing happens by coincidence and through writing, I was able to find the reasons why.
It also changed my perspective.  No longer was I looking at it from my point of view, but from a new perspective that allowed me to see in ways that I was blind.  All the time I fall into the trap of believing that I can already see everything from my standpoint, but in reality all I can see is one dimension of the three dimensional object.
My words have only given you a tiny drop of what can be discovered through writing.  It may seem much too simple to be effective, but believe me when I say it works.  Few things in my life have been more helpful than writing in finding meaning during moments of uncertainty 

Overcoming The Greatest Trials Through Writing

Recently I began my first attempt to write a poem of my own.  It's been something I've been dying to do for the past few years but I've never felt comfortable doing it.  So about I week ago I finally got over my fear and forced myself to do it.
The topic I decided upon was one that had been troubling me for quite some time.  The gist of the problem was that every day I felt like I was being consumed by myself (figuratively speaking).  Every time I looked in the mirror I would have voices in my head criticize, my hopes, dreams, who I was etc.  My mind would bring back the voices and words of people who had mocked me in the past.  The torment became so unbearable that I began having trouble sleeping.  I knew this had to stop, but I had no idea how.

One night as I was getting ready for bed my thoughts turned to something my Mother had told me.  She said that the greatest problems can be broken down through writing.  I already knew what I needed to write about.  Here is what I came up with.

I hear their voices,

Soundless in my mind.

I feel their presence,

The demons inside my head.

They, mock, tease, torment.

I feel their laughing eyes,

Penetrating my heart.

They know me better than I know myself.

My hopes, dreams, fears.

They feed on what I hold dear,

Consuming me.

I try to hide.

I cannot hide from myself.

The other day I was watching a video on lds.org; the one I had seen so many times I had practically memorized the entire film.  Usually my mind wanders, but this time it didn't.  As I watched I noticed the part where Jesus casts the devil out of the young boy.  This may seem like a little bit of a stretch, but I felt like he could do the same for me.  Of course, the breed of demons I'm experiencing are slightly different but the principle remains the same.  

By writing I was able to see my problem in a new light.  It allowed me to make connections that helped me identify a solution.  My solution was Christ.  Although I was left empty and desolate, I knew that I could become whole again through his everlasting love.
In summary, whenever you have something going on in your life that is troubling you, write about it.  It may seem like a stupid thing to do, and I certainly thought so at first; but when you do it will make all the difference.  Writing is a tool, or a key rather, to overcoming the greatest trials you will ever face.  

A Great Task Laid Upon the Backs Of Simple Youth

Today in Seminary we read a talk by President Gordon B. Hinckley that was given at the dedication of the Gordon B. Hinckley building at BYU Idaho on October 22, 2002.  The whole talk was absolutely brilliant, but one part stood out to me in particular.  He said (speaking to the youth) "There is no end in sight for the good you can do.  Do you know it?  You are just simple kids.  You are not geniuses.  I know that.  But the work of the world isn't done by geniuses.  It is done by ordinary people who have learned to work in an extraordinary way people of your kind who can do these things."

Hearing this reminded me of one of my favorite quotes by J.R.R Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings. “The road must be trod, but it will be very hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it. This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong. Yet it is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: Small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.” - J.R.R. Tolkien 

One of the most prominent themes in The Lord of the Rings is how by "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..."  (Alma 37:6)  As youth, we have a great responsibility and work to do just as Frodo and Sam.  Our generation is counting us.  This responsibility is ours and we cannot change that. "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”  - J.R.R Tolkien  

Of course, we cannot do it alone.  But nothing is impossible with the Lord.  "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:2  

The amount of good we can accomplish is infinite.  We must only trust in Christ the Lord.  

Does Having Natural Talent Really Give You an Advantage?

If you have two students with whom you were teaching a fine art, and one was naturally gifted in that art, and the other was not, which student would you expect to do better in the long run?  Most people would guess that the gifted student would; but is that really the case?  

In Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki's book Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind he explains his point using horses.  "In our scriptures, it is said that there are four kinds of horses; excellent ones, good ones, poor ones, and bad ones. The best horse will run slow and fast, right and left, at the driver's will, before it sees the shadow of the whip; the second best will run as well as the first one, just before the whip reaches its skin; the third one will run when it feels pain on its body; the fourth will run after the pain penetrates to the marrow of its bones."  

Everyone wants to be the best horse, but this cannot be done, because perfection is impossible.  If one cannot be the best horse, then we would want to be the second best.  However, Master Suzuki believes this is wrong.  He believes that “when you learn too easily, you're tempted not to work hard, not to penetrate to the marrow of practice."  To him, the bad horse has the advantage because if it puts forth the effort, it will learn the skill much more deeply than the other horse would.  I believe Master Suzuki is right and that when you learn easily, you are tempted to not exert the same amount of effort, but I don't believe that the slow learner is inferior to the fast learner.  One type of learner is not dominant over the other and each has equal potential, but for the fast learner "to achieve his or her full potential, this person will have to work just as diligently as those with less innate ability." George Leonard.

So in conclusion both types of learners are equal, and both can achieve maximum efficiency, but the obstacles for each learner are different and must be overcome to ultimately reach that level of proficiency.  

Imagine Dragons Radioative feat. Kendrick Lamar

When I first heard that Imagine Dragons had made a remix of Radioactive I was pretty stoked.  For me Imagine Dragons is one of those bands that you can never get tired of listening to.  They are plain and simply just that good.

If any of you don't have a clue what I'm going on about, recently Imagine Dragons preformed a remix of Radioactive and m.A.A.d city  at the 2014 GRAMMY's featuring Kendrick Lamar singing or more accurately, rapping a third verse.   

Kendrick begins:

Bury me alive, bury me with pride

Bury me with berries, that forbidden fruit and cherry wine

Thank you berry much, but tonight's my night and I'm Barry Bonds

Swingin' for the fences, barbaric Kendrick in idle time

He begins with bury, to berry, to barbaric in a sort of stanza.  Then he likens himself to Barry Bonds, who was a famous pro-baseball player.  

Everything in life's subject to change, change whip, change grind

Change clothes, change opinions, right before I change my mind

I don't really know yah business, been in there since I was bendin' Lego blocks

Now you tell the world about me, dry snitch

Kendrick tells about how everything is subject to change, be it something as trivial as clothing, or a more significant alteration like changing the world.  "Dry snitch" refers to someone tattles on another person, unintentionally or possibly for more shrewd means.  However, Kendrick does not mean it quite like that; he means that his fans are publicizing his work for him.  

Tater tots on my shotgun, now I gotta pop one at the stars

Sky's the limit, I gotta finish as the first rapper on Mars

Mark my word, I'mma make my mark, even when they start their Martial Law

Even when these Martians alienate, my mental state is still at heart

This line I found most hard to understand, but after reading on Metro Lyrics, and a few YouTube videos, I learned that a makeshift silencer can be made using a potato.  He uses this analogy to say that he plans to shoot down every other rapper (career-wise) and to ultimately become the best.   

Look in my eyes, tell me I died, tell me I tried, to compromise

Tell me you love me, tell me that I, don't give a f*** and can barely decide

Wishin' good luck on my enemies, all of my energy go to the almighty God

I could drown in a bottle of Hennessy, f*** your amenities, I'm gettin' better with time

Kendrick is literally telling you to look into his eyes and tell him he's not the best.  He wishes his competitors luck because he claims to be unstoppable and is growing stronger "with time."

My first impression was that Kendricks part out of place, and carelessly thrown in.  So I listened to it a couple more times and my feelings toward it began to change.  I've come to the conclusion that my first assumption was inaccurate because I was biased after loving the original so much.  Do not stumble into this pitfall as I did.  Before you listen to the performance, remove any previous expectations of this song from your mind.  Drop the window down to prevent the video from becoming a distraction from the audio.  Sit and listen with an open mind.   

In conclusion I quite like this remix.  It's definitely not as good as the original, but has a nice twist. If you’re interested, you can watch the live performance of this remix HERE