Act Well Thy Part

I've always loved conference, but this past weekend was so incredibly amazing that I felt the need to acknowledge it here. Some of you follow me on Twitter, others are friends on Facebook; as a result I'm sure many of you saw my conference related tweets. If not, go check them out. ;)

One reason I was so enthusiastic about live tweeting during conference is because I have several friends that do not attend church any more. Through many different circumstances they have decided to not attend. Regardless of why they left, I still have a deep love for them and want them to be happy. For me, happiness comes through the gospel, my family and friends, hard work, and a list of many other things. For me, the gospel is paramount in my happiness foundation, the chief cornerstone. While others have different formulas for happiness, I personally feel that the gospel will only magnify that joy and happiness. So I wanted to share that joy with anyone who saw my timeline over the weekend.

When I was younger, I served as a missionary for the LDS church from 1999 to 2001 in the bonnie land of Scotland in the Scotland Edinburgh Mission. In my two years I met some of the most amazing people, and through the marvel of social media, I've been able to keep in contact with them. One of the most recent has been Joanne McCafferty from my last area. She may kill me for talking about her here, but I'm willing to take the risk because there is a great lesson to be learned from her. When I was there in Wishaw, Joanne was a recent convert to the church along with her mother. They had us over for dinner many times, we had family home evenings, and did much teaching in their home. When I left to return home, they threw me a big farewell party that ended up in a huge water fight. They sent me home with a picture that still hangs on my fridge today. One day about 2 months ago she caught me on Facebook chat. We caught up and talked about our families and where life had taken us since we last spoke. As we talked I felt strongly that I should ask her if she still went to church. She told me that she hadn't been in a long time. It was a little hard to hear, but I knew she was still an amazing person, and it didn't change the way I felt about her and her family. We have talked several times since, and she has started praying again, I helped her download the gospel library app on her phone and she has been reading. As this has been going on, I have noticed a change in her, even though I haven't seen her in person for all these years. This weekend she took the challenge to watch general conference. She did, and from what I've heard, loved every second that she saw.

One of the things I've learned from Joanne over the past couple of months is that everyone has struggles. Some are much harder than others, sometimes we do feel absolutely alone, and there are times when the actions of others can be a great influence on our perspective in life. I met Joanne as a missionary 12 years ago. Through all those years, I'm sure Joanne thought of me still as a young missionary, just as I thought of her as that silly (in a good way) teenager I taught all those years ago. Relationships are remembered for what they were when you last saw the person. If it was a bad breakup, the other person will almost always be a jerk in your mind. If someone was overbearing, or came on too strong, that is how you remember them. If someone was a tall goofy dude who loves Star Wars, that's what you remember. It made me think about how awkward the conversation would be if I had stopped doing the church thing and the tables were turned. What if someone I taught and helped come into the gospel asked me if I still went and I didn't? I'm sure I'd feel guilty to some degree. How would I explain it to someone I testified to that I knew it was true that I no longer took part in those blessings? It made me a bit uncomfortable.

If you have served a mission when you were younger, or are going to serve, or are just getting back, I have one piece of advice: though you are released when you return home, you will always feel that love and sense of duty for those you served and lived amongst. They will look to you many years later for help, guidance, example, or just as a friendly ear to talk to. You will aways be Elder/Sister [Insert Name Here] to them. Think about what that means. This can ring true for friendships and relationships forged in school, work, and as neighbors. I have many friends on Facebook that I haven't seen since I graduated. I'd love to sit down and visit with all of them because they had an impact on my life. Whether it was a 'hi' or a smile in the hallway, or someone cheering extra loud at one of my basketball games, or even someone who may have been rude to me, I am the person I am today because of those things; and I wouldn't change it for the world.

One more quick lesson I've learned. In Scotland, our mission motto was, "What E'er thou art, act well thy part." I know, I know, my ward members in West Valley are rolling their eyes because I preach it a lot, but hey, this is my blog so I'm gonna talk about it. I asked Joanne what inspired her to chat with me that one evening 2 months ago. Her answer, "I saw you were online and felt like I should say hello." Did that mean she was looking for someone to invite her back to church? I am pretty sure that was the last thing on her mind, but through our conversations, invitations were made, encouragement was given during struggles, and the eternal friendship we have was instantly strengthened. The point is for each of us to be who we are regardless of location, circumstance, or company. Have I been a prefect example of this? No way Jose. Do I try? All the time. The struggle to find ones self, and then live within that identity is one we all face. Life gets stressful, some people just don't jive together, but we are all on this rock flying through space together. We might as well try to be genuine with each other and render help or service when needed regardless of whether it's solicited or not. To quote the wise Abraham Lincoln, "Be excellent to each other. And... PARTY ON DUDES!!!"