X's & Y's

I learned a lot about myself today in my psychology class through a short experiment entitled "X's and Y's."

Dr. Miller started by passing out 10 notecards to 10 of us at random. I was one of these 10. He then explained that we were going to play a game...

Each of us were to write either an X or a Y on the notecard and hand it in. For every Y, everyone would get "$100". However, if you were to write an X, you would get "$100" for every Y as well as an extra "$300."

Hmm... Think that through for a minute...What would you pick?...

What if you choose X and everyone else does as well? Then you're not going to make much money....Unless everyone else were to choose Y....

If you picked an X, you are guaranteed to make as much or more than everybody else.

However, if you picked a Y, you may not necessarily make as much as everyone else, but you would be helping everyone else to make more.

Did you decide to look only at yourself and how much YOU could make? Or was your choice based on what would most benefit the group?

I think there's a lot to be learned about yourself from your choice...

In the Business of Preparing

It seems to me that the Lord is in the business of preparing us for things to come. 3 examples in my own life:

1. On my mission, each companion/area of mine was given to me for a reason. From them, I learned valuable lessons that gave me a great advantage later on. For example: I served with a missionary that I didn't get along with as easily as my previous companions. I tried hard to foster a relationship and to build a friendship but my efforts seemed to be in vain. This was a difficult 6 weeks for me BUT it taught me how to love unconditionally. I learned that I could love a person without being loved back. I could serve someone without expecting it returned to me. How grateful I was for the next 17 months to use this skill! This is a true attribute of Jesus Christ that I began learning from this companion.


2. Marriage plays a vital role in God's plan for our happiness. Although I don't believe that there is a one and only "soul-mate" that we are intended to find, I do believe that there are individuals with whom we are more compatible and have the opportunity of being happier with. Each relationship I've been in has taught me something about what to look for in a future wife. The Lord has prepared me through them and helped me understand the importance of things such as reciprocity, commitment to the gospel, and similarity in interests/goals.

3. Understanding that the Lord works in this way and prepares us for things to come, I've often wondered why it is that I've been struggling so much financially this summer. Its caused me to prioritize and identify what things are needs and what things are merely wants. I'm finding that I'm much less worried about comparing what I have to what others have and its really helping me to grow! These lessons will have wide applicability throughout my life but I've recognized one thing in particular: As a parent it will be of much greater importance to take care of the temporal needs of my children than to try and "Compete with the Jones.'" And I might as well get used to being poor if I actually have as many kids as I've always joked around about having! (10)

Always Learning

Example is often the most powerful teacher. I just witnessed an example of a man who hasn't stopped learning. Let me share it:

This man is quite accomplished. He is very talented and has experience in many fields. I believe he was a professor for many years, he serves faithfully in his church responsibilities, and has traveled the world over. As I sat in the lobby of a building on BYU campus, he came strolling through. My first thought was that he must have just finished teaching a class. He informed me, however, that he'd just completed a midterm exam. Wait, what? I went on to ask him what class he was taking and learned that he's taking an ancient Hebrew class that requires 4 hrs a day of time in class and probably more outside of it. This isn't required for any kind of degree that he's working toward or anything. In fact, he's not even enrolled! He's auditing the class! He simply wants to learn and is loving learning the language of the ancient scriptures. What an incredible example of one who never ceases to learn.

My Top 10 Keys to Mission Success

1. Personally come unto Christ in every way.  Your doing so will be an example to others and strengthen your ability to invite them to do so.

2. Let "Our Purpose" motivate everything you do.  Internalize it.  Let it truly become YOUR purpose and be a driving force.  3 Nephi 11

3. Be exactly obedient.  Not 90%, but 100%.  Humble yourself and submit to every rule, big or small.

4. Always strive for companionship unity.  Love your current companion fully.  Serve him. Really get to know him. Build Zion together.  It will affect every phase of the work.  Be naked! (Fully open with each other)

5. Work with and through the members. Don't, however, view them as tools.  Seek to develop lifelong friendships with them.  Truly become friends.

6. Use the Book of Mormon!  The more you use it, the more success you’ll have.  It has been prepared by the Lord to find and convert the honest seekers of truth (yourself included).

7. Talk to everyone!

8. Have effective personal & companionship studies. Study PMG and BOM daily.  This is huge in preparing to teach as well as for personal conversion.

9. Focus on the positive.

10. Develop and be fueled by charity. Love the people, the mission, and the Lord.