An Ever Constant Companion

When's the last time you've looked for beauty? Have you ever stared out a window, just to see the motions of the air? The rain on the street? Streaking lights of the cars flying by? How about the trees moving in the wind, or leaves falling to the ground? The simple streams or short straits catch your eye? You ever stay outside or get up early to see the rays of sun rise and fall over the horizon? There is beauty all around us.

In a world of many changing ideals-increased conflicts, wars, crime, political bravado, falling values, and disintegrating families-it's hard. The noise and the contention of the world is the driving nail into the smooth board of our lives. It's ever increasing. And more and more nails are being driven in. Sometimes we're moving so fast we can't breathe, or take a second to think.

Time is that eternal mystery, and the sole controlling force of our lives. Can we control it? No. Can we explain it? Temporarily-yes, but eventually it ascends all explanation. Is time bad? No. Time is control, and is a partner to go through this life and take on the trials of ourselves. Everything can be healed with time, and by using Jesus Christ's example to accept his love. Time lets us remember, but also lets us forget. It seems to speed up or slow down-sometimes disappears, but it's always there reminding us that, while it is our companion, we eventually have to face the end of our journey, and follow in Christ's footsteps.

We miss so much because we focus on things that really don't have any value. Time is a neutral, universal law, and like I said-a companion, but if we let it, our time can run out, and we might have missed the beauty around us, and the love we could feel from Christ, family, friends, and spouses. It's amazing how much we fascinate about time, and the thoughts about the future, the present-time travel, or prophecy, and seeing the future.

I'm taken back to one of my favorite films of all time-Robert Zemetricks', Back to the Future. In it, young Marty McFly is obvious feeling disappointed with his life, and his seemingly unlucky status, and fear of rejection, but through the power of "science", and the whimsical genius of Doc. Emmett Brown, he travels back in time to when his parents are young. Through different experiences, he learns that while the world and time are always changing, family is always timeless, and love transcends all barriers.

You may ask what any of this has to do with anything? Well, I pose my opening question to you again? When's the last time you looked for beauty? I invite you to look out the window next time, or give your brother or spouse a big, warm hug. Maybe snuggle a bit. We're all walking with our different companion-time, Christ, and our families  and our journey through this mortal life is ever getting shorter, and nearing it's end.

I quote a recognizable truth that's been said, as to the original author-I know not, but regardless of who first pronounced it-the truth of the words is ever there.

"Living without Love and Hope isn't really living at all, and is an empty life, full of heartache" 

Please make sure that you don't let time slip away from you, and that you spend time with those you love most and give them your attention and your affections, so that you can take this journey of time together, and look back and say: "Thank you, time, you've been my friend, and showed me how to love, and now I can go with you to rest." I love you all-my family, friends, and fellow missionaries here in New York. I know and testify that we are doing a wonderful work, and that we are truly blessed and thought for by many, many people-including our Heavenly Father and his son-our brother, Jesus Christ.

God be with you, Till we meet again.