Megametaphor: Journeys

Monday, May 24, 2010

Seminary 2010 Acceptance

Brother Curtis Waite

· On behalf of the Salt Lake Jordan North Stake, I accept these seniors who have met the spiritual and academic qualifications necessary to receive a 4 year diplomas of graduation or certificates of achievement for the 2009-2010 school year.

· I also want to recognize those parents, grandparents and friends, Bishops, Youth Leaders who helped encourage these young people to dedicate themselves to a study of the gospel in seminary and to live its precepts.

· Brother Waite: I also want to honor you and the seminary program that you represent today. My testimony of the power and the importance of seminary has increased this year. While the world is being educated by the world about the world, these great youth, are able to not only learn about the world in HS, but they are able to learn about truths, gospel truths which has opened their eyes and given them strength, which their peers who didn’t take this opportunity will ever have. Thanks to you personally for your contribution, and thanks to seminary as a whole.

· But most of all I want to congratulate you seniors. And pause for a moment to reflect on how great you really are. And the path that you have before you.

You my friends are commencing a journey. A journey which you'll be on throughout your whole life. The journey promises fun and excitement, pain and frustration. You will have lots of each. Each of you have your own individual journey. So pace yourself and don't compare with others.

I graduated from Robert E Lee High School in Houston Texas over 30 years ago…which is when I started my journey. And for these 30 years I've been on the trail traveling. During that time I've made some dumb decisions on my journey, but I've also made some great decisions on my Journey.

From one traveller, to another, let me share with you two important tips about how to make the most from your journey which will help you as you leave this room and start your journey tonight.

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1. Remember that the journey will be tough. It's supposed to be. So to make the most of it... PAY ATTENTION to everything that happens. Learn from each day…Learn from those who are your fellow travelers, Learn from those on the trail up ahead of you. And Learn from those who have finished their journey and have left their words and teachings for us to study.

President Hinckley loved to use this thought from Jenkins Lloyd Jones:

· “Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed.
· “[The fact is] most putts don’t drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. …
· “Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.
· “The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride"

Robert Fulghum also said:
“One of life's best coping mechanisms is to know the difference between an inconvenience and a problem. If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you've got a problem. Everything else is an inconvenience. Life is inconvenient. Life is lumpy. A lump in the oatmeal, a lump in the throat and a lump in the breast are not the same kind of lump. One needs to learn the difference.”

The point is: Life is difficult…for everyone. And if you can remember that, and accept it, then life will no longer be difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.

A wise man once said, "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." This thought is not only nice, but is truer than we might believe. Some people hide their battles and battle scars better than others, so, best to assume everyone is hurting a little inside and be a bit more gentle…it certainly isn’t going to hurt anyone to live in a world where we treat each other with gentleness now is it?

Question: If life is tough…are we just sent to earth to get bumped from one tough problem to the next and just spend our life just enduring the misery?

Of course not, we know that we are here to grow. The Book of Mormon teaches…"We are, that we might have joy". So how do we go "life is tough" on one hand to "We are that we have joy" on the other hand? The answer is given to us by the savior … We grow and find joy as we turn our weaknesses over to the him.
The lord said unto Moroni - "If men will come unto me, I will show them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things strong unto them."

Challenges are essential, growth is optional. It depends on whether we turn to the Lord during our times of weakness.

And what can we learn if we turn to the lord in our weakness?

§ When missionaries return from their missions and they say "This was the best time of my life." If we are humble, we'll Pay Attention…and we will want to have the best time of your life - not miss it.
§ When the prophet counsels us to avoid drugs, pornography, or other sinful practices - if we are humble, we'll PAY ATTENTION. And we will avoid darkness and sadness in our lives.
§ When the prophet says "Get an Education" If we're humble, we'll PAY ATTENTION. And we seek to be a contributor to the world and provide a solid foundation for your families future by getting education.

So the first tip is this… Remember the journey is hard. But it's worth it. And we get to where we want to be, by coming unto Christ. By being humble. And by being teachable. By patying attention.

Which brings us to the second tip from a weary old traveler to the young...

2. Make sure you're on the right path .

· Have you ever been on a hike or road trip and gotten on the wrong road?
§ My brother when he was a YSA, took a girl on a date to San Antonio. It was a 4 hour drive from our home in Houston, and his goal was to get there by noon, have a fun afternoon, and be back by 10pm. On the return trip, he made a wrong turn off one freeway onto another freeway. The wrong turn was the first problem. But the real problem was that he didn't PAY ATTENTION. He didn't look at the road signs posted along the way, and after about 3.5 hours of driving, it suddenly occurred to him that he wasn't seeing roadsigns saying that Houston was just a few miles ahead. Instead the road had narrowed from a large freeway to a small 2 lane highway. Instead of seeing a booming city of lights on the horizon, it was all dark ahead, and he started seeing signs that he would be arriving in Laredo Mexico in the next 20 minutes.

§ It was a simple mistake. But because he didn't do the first thing we've talked about - that is - PAY ATTENTION - he hadn't read any of the road signs, and had just travelled mindlessly, he was way off his goal, his destination, and he had to explain to his date's father why he had to buy his daughter a room in a tiny little mexican border town hotel for the night. A call I would have hated to make.

§ The same thing is true with your life journey. Don't waste your time on the wrong path. You'll just have to repent of your lost time, and work your way back to where you left the correct road. Plus you'll have some explaining to do as well. Pay attention to life around you, and you'll soon discover whether you're on the right road or whether you made a wrong turn somewhere on your path.

§ Because my brother had a specific destination in mind, he should have paid attention to the roadsigns to ensure he was on the right path.
□ If you don't know what you want, it won't matter what path you choose…cuz you'll arrive somewhere, of course you may not like where that destination is.
□ However, if you know what you want, whether it's to get your date home on time, or if you're on a hike trying to reach the beautiful mountain top overlooking the Salt Lake Valley, or if you want a celestial marriage and to live in the arms of the Saviors love…. Then it's so important to find the right trailhead, find the right exit off the freeway, or find the right foundation for your life to ensure you get off on the 'right foot'.

· Seminary has helped you know what you want in your life, which destination you want to achieve. And we hope that Seminary has also helped you understand how to get there.
§ Seminary has given you lots of mile markers, road signs, and GPS readouts to help you make sure you're on the right path.
□ It's encouraged you to get your patriarchal blessing - a personal compass like a GPS or Liahona to guide you personally on your way.
□ It's taught you how to hear the directions given by the gift of the Holy Ghost. It's directions are not loud. But when you live properly, you can learn to follow it's promptings.
□ It's helped give you an appreciation for the Prophet and his directions in life. He constantly calls out what you should see on your path…things like missions, education, marriage in the temple, institute classes, YSA Branch and YSA program are all road signs to tell you you're on the right path.
□ There are lot of other wonderful things on the path - and hopefully you are enjoying all the good things God has placed here for us to enjoy. But if you find that the things mentioned above are not part of your path, you should probably back up to make sure you haven't strayed.

· When you know you're on the right path, you can move forward toward your destination with gusto and full strength. When you're not sure if you're on the right path, you fear, worry, and regret everything you do.
§ One of my favorite thoughts which I keep posted on my facebook page is this:
§ “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body…but rather to skid in broadside thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming – “Wow! What a ride!”

· I hope that this represents you. A person who can grab all the good in life because you know you're on the right path and you're humbly turning your weaknesses over to the Lord.

May you take the things you have learned in seminary - and use them as a compass and a guide to your life's journey…And then as you move through your path, challegning though it may be, I pray you'll PAY ATTENTION and learn on your journey. To make sure you are on the path that you and your Heavenly Father would have you be on so that you will arrive at the destination of Joy he has prepared for you.


In the name of jesus Christ…amen.