So. They let me do a sermon. Since Kent and Liz have talked a lot on death these past few weeks I thought I'd talk a little about life. Because most of us, won't die tomorrow or die next week. The world probably won't end in 2012 and the economy will probably get better. Eventually the Situation in Haiti will Improve with the help of donations. which when I looked last had reached 8 million in texts and millions more in Corporate donations. So for the majority of us that will live long and prosper, how do we do that. There was a time in my life recently that I was convinced that life wasn't worth living and there was just a big fat hormonal rollercoaster that would never stop and I would be stuck on it begging to get off. So I tried to get off, and it didn't work. During this time I was a part of the LDS Church. What Someone told me was that maybe I was just looking for a quick fix, that didn't work. A part of the Mormon faith is that if you know the truth and you neglect it then you are condemned to eternal solitude. I really felt like God was condemning me at this point of my life, I felt like if I didn't stick with this organization that didn't appeal to me I would go to hell. I am so afraid of going to hell. I think i focus too much on the afterlife. In fact i think way too much about the future. So I thought that there was no way out. I ended up praying a lot about it and ya know...if god condemns me because I'm miserable and I want to make a change for the better then so be it. And I'm pretty sure he told me it was going to be ok. There's a book called the listener. My grandma has it. It's about a place where you go and talk to a curtain about your problems and the person behind the curtain just listens. I wish people would just listen. In the end the person turns out to be a statue of Jesus and the people sorted out their problems on their own. Great story. It means a lot to me because Jesus is the greatest listener. When i was little i used to get so ticked when I'd pray and there'd be no audible answer. But I think its because if Jesus answered every time we prayed we'd always have the answer so there's no faith. Every question about Christ always goes back to Faith. I don't know if it's the medication I'm on or if I'm just starting to realize that the more you love the less you see to hate. So I guess if we all just love a little more and complain and hate a little less we might all be a little happier. I don't know I'm just a kid. But sometimes kids know more than adults... its true I swear Carl can draw some of the best pictures, and Alex can do algebra better than I can. Drew is bordering on having better style then me... but no one can have better style then me so. Sorry Drew. If we went through Life as kids... would it be better. I can't say I think it would be... sure you can wake up whenever you want, you can pick your friends and your nose and the scab on your knee, but kids never learn. Maybe there's something in the pre-frontal cortex that makes them have to repeat the same mistake over and over to get the message. I don't know. What I do know is that you have to live your life the way god has set things up. You crawl. then you walk , then you've got a backpack. then a briefcase then a cane. And if you get killed off in between the circle of life then I'm sure the sermon next week will answer what to do with that scenario. Even Jesus had a life. We often focus on the last couple weeks of it or the first couple of hours or the 3 days after, but Jesus Christ, the Lord of the greatest and largest organization that has ever come to this planet thus far, was a pre-teen, but what I want to know.. when things weren't working out with mom and earth dad did he just walk outside and look up and go.. " dad... things really aren't working out down here, what's the big plan again?" Where's the book on when Jesus was a teenager. When Jesus had acne and when his voice cracked. Where is that? Cause to me it looks like that part of his life is what molded him. And since Jesus is what we all should mold ourselves after, Shouldn't we know how he got his morals and how he got his foundation? But we don't , so we are stuck to wonder what is was like. In any case the life of Jesus was beautiful and short. but in the 30 or so years in which he lived he created the church that shaped the world. So even if you're 12 and rebelious or you're 45 and trying as hard as you can to do a job that you never thought you'd have. You have to look at you're self and ask, "what have I accomplished thus far, and what do I want to accomplish in the future." Because goals in life are important. but goals aren't as important as life. if that makes sense. I like the expression "have a nice life" and even though it's sometimes used derogatorily I like it. Because you are wishing that, that person will have a good whole life. not just a good day. but a good life. So from me to you. "Have a nice life Faith Church."