“Follow Me”

As I was studying the gospel of John in the New Testament I was impressed by the some of the last recorded words of the Savior. He is walking with the apostle Peter, informing him that when he is old he will be crucified. This, naturally, must have caused Peter to be at least a little startled. Were I to be told the manner in which I would be killed (or even that I would be killed), I think life would take on a different meaning. The Savior then put forth some of the most powerful words He offers: “Follow me.”

At this instance it becomes apparent, at least to the reader, what it means to follow Christ. For a long time I was not sure about this details of this principle. It was troubling to me that in order to follow Christ, in every literal sense, we must die for the truth. However, it was unsettling in a sense different than what might be expected. After all, through the restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith, we can have a sure knowledge of the Plan of Salvation: a knowledge of who we are, why we are here, where we come from, and, perhaps most comforting, where we are going. Death is not the end! Rather than being confused about the act of dying, the question of how one goes about getting killed as a martyr was the enigma. Surely, that is beyond the control of one person. A true disciple of Christ, one who sincerely seeks to follow in His footsteps, must be willing to follow Him even to death. Examples of martyrs throughout history provide types to help others come to know Christ. Peter, Stephen, Joseph Smith, and others lived lives dedicated to serving the Savior. Even in death they followed Him.

Of course, martyrdom is not required to gain exaltation in the kingdom of God. The principle of following Christ, even unto death, is deeper than our actions. It is consecrating ourselves as Christ consecrated Himself. Christ came to earth with a mission, for which He would have to lay down His life. In my opinion, this principle is embodied more in Christ’s words, “not my will, but thine, be done” than in the crucifixion. His words describe the state of His heart; His actions prove it. So, for the vast majority of people sincerely striving to follow Christ, it is not necessary to die as a martyr. Yet all who sincerely seek to follow that path must be willing to give whatever God requires, even unto death. When we can truly say that we are willing to die, or, sometimes even more difficult, willing to live for the truth, then we know that we are on the path that Christ set. We can know we are following Him.

For Peter, it must have been difficult to hear the Savior prophesy of Peter’s death. Yet from that moment forward Peter dedicated His life to serving Christ. Knowing full well what the end would bring, Peter did not stop pressing forward for Christ. The same Peter who, not much time previous, had buckled under the pressure and denied Christ, spent the rest of his life following Him even to the cross. Peter began to be converted because he began to have the faith to be made whole.  Like the man at the pool of Bethesda, recorded in John, chapter 5, Jesus offered to Peter healing.  After being denied by him three times, Christ offered forgiveness to Peter.  He demonstrated His infinite love by allowing Peter the opportunity to have a second chance.  In so doing, He healed Peter.  Thus Peter not only witnessed (as he had in the past), but was the one receiving the healing.  As this happened, the power of Christ became personal.  He began to allow the truth to change his heart.  So should we act.  The path of discipleship is anything but easy.  Yet, as the man at Bethesda discovered, and as Peter discovered, by following Christ He will make us whole.  As Christ extended the invitation to Peter to follow Him (and be healed by Him), He extends it, on an individual basis, to each person on earth.

Carded

Last Saturday I was at the grocery store buying some groceries. I was moving along the refrigerated aisle, minding my own business, when Henry Weinhard’s cream soda decided to call out to me. Lacking an adequate amount of grocery shopping control, I opted to purchase a case. I rationalized it with the heavy workload I’m facing this week, and decided would make a nice motivator for me. I continued wandering through the store until I had enough food in my cart to sustain me throughout this week, and I moved to the check-out lane. As the woman ringing up my groceries scanned the case of cream soda, she stopped. Her face became puzzled, she pushed her “rescan” key, and scanned the case a second time. She then shook her head and explained to her bagger her disbelief that the system wanted my drivers license. I had a feeling of lightness come over me as I realized the absurdity of the situation: I was being carded for cream soda. I checked the ingredients for alcohol, and naturally finding none, I shrugged and offered my license. The employee was still in disbelief, and continued to ring me up.

After a few more seconds the employee had an idea of why the system wanted my license. Anyone familiar with Henry Weinhard’s fine sodas will notice the similarity between the soda bottles and beer bottles. Both are packaged similarly. The employee suggested that often times underage drinkers will come into the store, pick up a case of Henry Weinhard’s soda, but replace the original product with beer. When they are paying for their groceries, the person ringing up the soda doesn’t recognize that the bottles and the packaging do not match. Thus, in order to prevent this dishonesty and underage drinking, the store automatically requires a drivers license for the purchase of Henry Weinhard’s sodas.

As I’ve had time to reflect on this experience, I’ve noticed some interesting parallels between the system of the store and the system of God, our Father in Heaven. Just as the country has various laws for the safety of its citizens, so, too, does God have laws that will ensure us safety and peace as we follow them. The store had implemented a system to uphold those laws, and also implemented a system to prevent people from finding loopholes whereby they could break those laws without others knowing. Similarly, we are unable to receive the blessings with which God would bless us if we follow some other way. There is no way to cheat the system of heaven. The Savior described this principle in the gospel of Matthew, chapter seven, verses thirteen and fourteen: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” If we are to enter into the Kingdom of our God–both on earth as we receive innumerable blessings from Him, and in the eternal world as we enter and reside in His presence–we must follow the way He set forth. There is only one gate that leads to that kingdom, and that is by following His laws. Fortunately for us, each of His laws are both possible and in our best interest. While it does require the disciple to humble himself or herself, we can have the assurance that if we rely on Him, He will prepare a way. And when we falter, we can be forgiven. It is a way of grace and of peace. And just as a sly, underage drinker would get caught at the last minute, we are unable to cheat our way into it.

Motorbikes

This fall, when gasoline prices were exorbitant, I decided to join the crowd of fuel-savvy travellers and invest in a motorbike. I had never really been that interested in motorbikes before. Rather, I always felt the risks outweighed the benefits. However, after living in Thailand for two years, my views on the whole matter began to change. It seems that almost everyone in Thailand drives a motorbike; it is by far the most convenient way to travel within a city. As a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I always either rode in taxis (in Bangkok) or rode a bike. At first I was an avid proponent of the bicycle as a means of transportation. After all, it is even more economical than a motorbike, and it can help sustain good health due to the requirement of physical output. However, after my first Thai hot season (March-May) I began to seriously consider the benefits of driving a motorbike.

I was still wary of them when I returned, however. It wasn’t until after I went back a few months later did I begin to understand why I felt that way. One beautiful Bangkok morning I got out early to try to find a place that my family and I could do laundry. As I was walking along the road outside our hotel, I noticed a motorcycle taxi waiting to be hired. Up until that point, I had never so much as sat on a motorcycle. However, I decided to give it a spin, and asked the driver to take me to a laundry place. He spat out a few ideas, I hopped on the back, and we drove off. It was an exhilarating experience. As we were driving between random washing machines on the side of the road and dry cleaners, we drove against oncoming traffic on a busy road (at least twice), passed stopped traffic by driving on the sidewalk, swerved between cars at lights, and cut off a few vehicles that were considerably larger than we were. The realization about why motorbikes were considered so dangerous began to dawn on me. Luckily the driver knew what he was doing, and before the day was over he’d probably pull even riskier moves. However, it does not surprise me why motorcycle accidents occur so frequently in Thailand, or anywhere.

After returning from that trip I began to consider the possibility of driving a motorbike myself. I was still rather hesitant, but eventually went for it. I must admit, I am very glad I did. Driving around town has a whole new flare about it. One of the most common things I hear other motorbike drivers mention is their desire to avoid complacency. When one driving a motorcycle or a scooter becomes comfortable on the road, accidents are far more common. As I’ve thought about that fact in conjunction with my experience on a motorbike in Thailand, I’ve begun to realise why that is. The motorcycle taxi driver in Thailand was more than comfortable in his career. He took risks that I would never have taken, and drove in places that weren’t meant for motorized vehicles. Yet because he’s become comfortable, he didn’t have any problem with it. When that happens, accident frequency goes up.

The government has provided a system of roads going nearly anywhere in the country. It has also provided us with a system of laws, not to gravel the populace, but to protect them. Though often times we feel a certain degree of comfort that makes us feel we can take things into our own hands, in essence we are sacrificing our safety and the safety of those around us. Our Father in Heaven likewise has provided a system by which we are able to have safety. The safety we have from Him is spiritual as well as physical, true and real peace being the most common manifestation of that safety. He has also provided us the way by which we are able to know the law. In the gospel of John, chapter 14, verse 6, Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of the Father, urges us that He is “the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by [Him].” This well-known verse is simply profound. By Christ and by Christ alone are we able to gain exaltation. Rather than this being an instance of shutting out all those who don’t follow Christ, this is rather an invitation to come unto Him and partake of the blessing He wants all to have. By following and trusting Him, we can gain true happiness.

At the same time, however, this admonition to follow Christ is a warning. By no other way can we have these blessings. This means that we are unable to gain these blessings based on our own philosophies or our own paths. Like the motorcycle taxi driver in Bangkok, one may feel complacent with following Christ and begin to make his own route. He may begin to take risks that he would have previously avoided. In essence, he follows Christ generally, but his heart is not there. And, like many motor-bikers, accidents happen. That is why Christ invited, urged, pleaded with us to become a disciple of Him, to seek to become like Him. He is the way, the truth, and the life. I have felt His power in my life, and I know that it is real. The promise of serenity–of significantly decreased risk factors–through Him is to all, on conditions of simply relying on Him.

Surfing

This past weekend I had the opportunity to don my wetsuit and throw myself out into the waves of the Pacific ocean, all the while attempting to stand up on a board that was being hurled back towards the shoreline by the waves.  I will admit that the vast majority of the times I threw myself into the ocean, the ocean threw me back in a similarly mercilessly nature.  I am not an experienced surfer; in fact, I just picked it up a few months ago.  However, I enjoy immensely and am already looking forward to my next opportunity to take on the powers of nature.

As a skier I’m used to standing on boards moving at fast velocities.  Granted, surfing is different than skiing, but it’s also similar in many aspects, such as setting edges, balancing, and taking falls.  It does have its share of unique muscle demands and coordination nuances, but that is part of the reason why I’m so interested in it.  Furthermore, the playing field is constantly changing.  When skiing, if one misses a patch of fresh powder he or she can ride or hike back up to it.  When surfing, the waves aren’t so obvious (though they can be predictable).

It’s interesting to me to see how things can be so similar and yet at the same time so totally different.  We as human beings have the incredible ability to train our bodies and minds to perform in certain ways.  Often times there are aspects that connect different activities together, but there are generally enough aspects to make each new endeavor difficult in its own right.  For example, alpine skiing, telemark skiing, and skate skiing are all carried out on skis.  Thus, the common elements of having long, skinny boards attached at the feet is shared among the three sports.  However, anyone who has experience with the three will attest that they all use very different techniques, and all have a significant learning curve despite prior experience.  When I was learning how to skate ski, I was (and still sometimes am) totally perplexed at the fact that I was wearing skis because they handle so differently from other varieties.  Learning to telemark was a similar experience.  I think that having a background in skiing certainly helped, especially in terms of balance, but it did not mean that learning a new style could occur in a matter of hours.  It still took lots of practice, lots of energy, and lots of focus to be able to become proficient.

I think this can be applied spiritually as well as physically.  When I was serving as a missionary in Thailand for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I saw many instances in which this occured.  Often times people are able to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost.  Sometimes this is referred to as the Light of Christ.  Some people are particularly sensitive to it.  However, it does not mean that learning that the church is true or becoming converted to Christ is an easy topic.  While it does help point them to Christ, each person must still put in the energy, the work, the focus, and the sacrifice to truly experience the blessings that Christ would have them enjoy.  It’s disheartening for me to see people expect to bypass the sacrifice necessary to have a complete conversion.  Even Christ’s own disciples had to go through fierce storms in order to lead them to complete conversion.  The storm through which they pass in Mark, chapter 4, verses 35-41, is not only a physical manifestation of Christ’s power, but also a symbol of the spiritual storms through which they will later have to pass.

We all have to pass through storms in our life.  No matter how experienced we are, no matter how finely tuned our skills are, no matter how prepared we are, life will present storms that throw us around.  Were it not so we could not progress spiritually.  We are allowed to pass through these storms in order that we might, using skiing or surfing as a metaphor, spiritually develop balance, strength, endurance, awareness, and other attributes.  At times it seems that there is no break in the winds, or the clouds only become darker.  However, it is in those moments when we can turn to our Savior and seek to hear his words, “Peace, be still.”  I have felt His power in my own life, not necessarily to calm the storm but to calm me so that I can weather the storm.  I have a firm knowledge that the storms through which I have passed have shaped me and have taught me.  I would not trade them for anything.  To trust in the Savior is to voluntarily accept to pass through some of the fiercest storms one can imagine.  However, to trust in the Savior is also to allow Him to bestow upon us his peace.