CC round up

I think I want to start posting a round up or a summary of what I have the opportunity to close caption at work. I get to hear so much good advice and counsel as I furiously type and sync the captions for devotional addresses, and I frequently find myself thinking, "Everyone needs to hear this!!!" But in the midst of frantically trying to type every.single.word and then rushing to get all the captioned lines synced with the speaker and ready to upload for public content, it's easier to just finish the video and move on to the next one (and inevitably forget about what you just had the privilege of listening to).

After captioning an address on Saturday afternoon, I went through the caption lines and copy and pasted the meat of a devotional address given by Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Throughout Elder Neuenshwander's address he gave some wonderful personal and scriptural stories but what's below are just the main points. It will be online and ready to view in a few days if anyone is interested...  www.byui/edu/devotionalsandspeeches

The text and the title of my talk I have taken from the book of Romans, wherein Paul writes to the Romans that, "I take my journey." The scriptures are full of references to significant journeys. Be they of peoples, or families, or individuals. They also describe in some detail the paths, the ways, the roads, and the highways on which those journeys take place. To cite just a few examples: there is the path of righteousness, and the paths of the just and the wicked, there is the strait and narrow path that leads to the tree of life, as well as the forbidden and unknown paths along the way. There are also paths of duty, of wisdom, and of virtue. Additionally, we can read of broad and strange roads as well as plan and strict ones. The Savior taught that He was the way.

First, the destination you choose will determine the road you take. Every journey has a destination. And every destination has a road. The only way for you to arrive at a pre-determined destination is to walk the road that takes you there. But destinations are more than a place. And their attainment is more than completing a checklist of requirements. Lofty definitions that are of lasting worth to you are composed of intensely personal dreams, aspirations, and ideas that demand the very best in you to reach them. The destinations you set for yourself must inflame your imagination, and bring passion to your life. They must be worthy of the sacrifices that you surely will make for them. Your destinations are the driving force of your life. They bring purpose, and focus, and hope, and enthusiasm to the roads that will eventually bring you to them.

Your every road in life will be a toll road. The attainment of a worthwhile destination, whether spiritual or temporal, comes at a cost, and there is never a short cut to paying it. The essential part of success in any area of your life is calculating the cost of achieving it. Thereafter follows the decision regarding the level of your personal commitment in paying that cost. The Lord poses a really interesting question that illustrates this: "For which of you," he asks, "intending to build a tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost whether he have sufficient to finish it." Money may be the first thing that comes to mind in calculating cost, but it is not the only one, and I'm not sure it's even the most important one. Uncompromising personal commitment to the achievement of a goal by far is the greater cost. Perhaps these words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow are familiar to you: "The heights by great men reached and kept Were not obtained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upward in the night." When Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, returned from his adventures, you may recall what Gandalf, the wizard, told him. He said that he was not the hobbit that he once was. So every road you traverse in your lifetime will be a toll road- it will cost something. The toll is often your personal commitment, perseverance, and discipline. Set and meet good daily goals in order to achieve your destinations in the long term. 

Believe in yourself in the face of the challenges along the road of your life. "Doubt whom you may, but never yourself." Don't waste your time trying to act, or speak, or dress like someone else. Your time is better spent focusing and developing your own abilities and talents. This takes courage. It also takes a willingness to try many things, and to fail at some. It takes introspection and education. The more you develop your gift, and the more you discipline it, the richer we all are. Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. Please realize that He has destinations in mind for you that may not, for you at the moment, be recognizable.

Now, just a few words about learning to enjoy your journey. I say "learn," because not all of us naturally enjoy a difficult road. Our inclination is often to make things easier.  Journeys, by their very nature, are not always short, easy, or pleasant. Lehi's journey was anything but easy. Yet, his teachings confirm that God intends, through the Atonement of Christ, that His children feel His confirming love, and the joy that comes from partaking fully of the tree of life. (note from Giulia: if you don't know who Lehi is, I'd love to send you his story- let me know.)

Your destination will decree your road. Make sure your destinations are worthy of your efforts and your dreams and your aspiration. Second, that you would be willing to pay the tolls of the roads that you will walk to those destinations. Third, believe in yourself despite the difficulties, and the challenges, and the problems that could easily drag you down. And fourth, learn to enjoy the journey.

Good stuff! Everything was so applicable to our current situation- being poor college students and the road we took just to get to where we are. 

At the end of his address as Elder Neuenschwander (how's that for a name??? new-en-shwan-der) summed up his four points I was reminded of "The Princess Bride" where Inigo Montoya (spelling...?) is attempting to give Wesley the run down of everything that has happened since he's been dead. And then I saw this on pinterest and I got a good chuckle:

Anywhoooo...

I also captioned an address by Elder Russell M. Nelson earlier this week that I really enjoyed- "Education is a Religious Responsibility." That one should already be available online at www.byui.edu/devotionalsandspeeches  (I think that's the address anyway...) From what I can recall at the moment, the main points he made are these: we are intelligences and we have been commanded to acquire more knowledge, and in the pursuit of knowledge do not discredit or leave out what God has already counseled or commanded- something which the world is quite adept at doing. :)

Happy Sunday y'all!