Good morning brothers and sisters.
For those who don't know me, I’m Daniel W.. For those who do know me, you
can tell that I’m a fan of geeky things. But I'm also a fan of things that are
good, right, and that will lead me to my Father in Heaven. You might say I’m a
big fan of our prophet and other general authorities.
My dad always tells me that you can
find truth anywhere if you look for it. Because I'm a fan, I find a lot of life
lessons in some of the books, movies, and even some video games. But, because
the movie Star Wars is on everyone's lips, and I’m a big fan, I'm going to
reference that today. By the way, did you know there are more Star Wars fans,
per capita in the state of Utah, than anywhere else… and I'm guessing anywhere
else in the galaxy. I think that we of the LDS faith are big fans of working
with a powerful force to accomplish great things.
I think it’s important to state that
we are a literal child of God and that we carry the light of Christ. Yoda, the
Jedi master, says “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter” (end quote).
Spiritual master, and prophet, Thomas S. Monson says, “If you want to give light
to others, you have to glow yourself” (end quote). Both of these masters remind
us to keep our spiritual light bright in order to share with and help others.
A good part of growing our spiritual
mastery is understanding some of the obstacles we encounter. These are the dark
things in life we need to face and overcome. Regarding this, here’s another
inspirational quote from Yoda, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads
to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering” (end quote).
President Gordon B. Hinckley expressed the same idea when he said, “Don’t make
the kinds of mistakes that will bring regret. You can be wise and happy or
stupid and miserable. The choice is yours” (end quote). We learn from this that
with a watchful eye, and the guidance of the Holy Ghost, we can make the type
of decisions that will lead to joy and peace.
We all need to come to understand
that we have the power to make a difference in our own life and to influence
for good the lives of others. Or as Obi Wan Kenobi said to those who answered
the call of spirit, “The force is strong in you.” (end quote) President Thomas
S. Monson said, “We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails” (end
quote) or in other words, by understanding the power is within us as well as
what is available to us, we can set our life for smooth sailing.
Courage is a very important part of
our spiritual growth. Doubt and fear are not part of any Jedi or spiritual
master. Jedi Master Qui Gon Jinn said, “Always remember, your focus determines
your reality” (end quote). It’s important for us to put all of our thoughts and
energy toward our best efforts. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf wisely told us,
“Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith” (end quote). A positive belief
is so important for us to obtain positive results. I believe that fears and
doubts are whispered to us by the “Dark Side” to stop us from trying for fear
of failure. Pushing through those doubts is what we need to do.
When I get a picture in my mind of
the characteristics of a true Jedi master, this is what I think of: the
humility of Master Yoda, the strength of Qui Gon Jinn, the patience and
determination of Obi Wan Kenobi, the innocence and agility of Luke Skywalker
and HOPEFULLY, to be wise enough to not have to wrestle with issues to the very
end...like Anakin Skywalker as Darth Vader. I’m thinking that the prophet
Joseph Smith set the standard for spiritual masters from the very beginning.
Through Star Wars, I have learned that a big part of growing spiritually must
be done ourselves. This can make a spiritual master feel very alone. Once
again, I can't think of anyone but Christ who has faced so many challenges
alone more than Joseph Smith. He really was the perfect person to begin this
new generation of master Jedis’. I’m surprised there’s not a painting of him in
Jedi Robes done by a geek like me...but with more artistic talent.
This leads me to my favorite Star
Wars quote said by Master Yoda, “Do or do not, there is no try.” I like how
there is only doing and doing again to get better at something. Whether it’s
the force or the gospel of Jesus Christ, we need to fully commit to DOing,
rather than making attempts that we call “trying.” We can't let doubts, fears,
or even having a weak testimony keep us from doing all that we can to be the
best person that we can be in the gospel. President Thomas S. Monson said, “All
men have fears, but those who face their fears with FAITH have courage as well”
(end quote).
As you can see, there are many
similarities to the gospel and the Force, and I for one am very glad that there
are life lessons to be found in the things that we can relate to individually.
I know that I am a son of my Father in Heaven first, and a self-professed geek
second, but truth speaks to me and everyone in ways that we can understand and
relate.
I hope that we can all take each
moment of our life to learn more about our Savior and his gospel by the things
that we see and do every day. But mostly I hope we learn by listening to our
prophet now and prophets of old through scripture about how we ourselves can be
spiritual masters. I’m grateful that we can all be unique in the gospel while
still believing in the same principles. Through the gospel we can support each
other. I can't forget to say that I love my family and this ward. May the
Force, and the FAITH, be with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."
This is NOT my original message, and I share it after receiving permission to share with my own missionary. PLEASE do not share without getting permission from the originator, Kelley Warnick.
