"That's Not Why I Rode"

     Sometimes the pull of the limelight can be strong. Sometimes I think about how I might look in the eyes of others if I do this or that. If it is a good idea, I think about how cool I will seem in the eyes of others. And if it’s a bad idea, I think about how bad I will look. Regardless of how I think I look in the eyes of others, this should not be the focus nor the reason for doing something, however motivating that may be. These thoughts have led me to remember a movie I enjoyed as a child and while it has been a while, I think I would still enjoy it as an adult. That movie is “The Man from Snowy River.” Let me try to tie in a part of this movie to my ramblings about the limelight. 

To begin with, I must share that the movie is based on an 1890 poem of the same name and is about an Australian cowboy. In the movie, the cowboy’s name is Jim Craig. Jim’s father dies (spoiler) when some wild horses charge through an area where he and his father are felling logs. The logs fall on his father who dies in Jim’s arms. Jim eventually goes to work for a big rancher played by Kirk Douglas. Jim falls in love with the rancher’s daughter, Jessica and befriends the rancher’s brother, also played by Kirk Douglas.  

When one of the prized colts of the rancher runs off with a herd of wild horses the rancher puts out a reward to get the colt back. Many cowboys show up to lend a hand at gathering up the herd in an effort to earn a share of the reward money. A great chase ensues to try to bring the wild horses and beloved colt back to the ranch. Jim fends off foul play by other cowboys and eventually the horses ride down a steep cliff. All the cowboys pull up short knowing this to be a dangerous place to follow after the horses. The only one who confidently is able to follow the horses down the steep hill is Jim and his horse.

Jim eventually gathers up the horses single handedly and returns them back to the corral. The rancher approaches Jim and holds out the reward money to which Jim replies, “That’s not why I rode.” 

This phrase, “That’s not why I rode” is what has stuck out to me with regards to motives for doing things. There may be many reasons why I do things, some good and others less so, but I certainly hope my motives will always be pure and not out of a desire to be seen as good in the eyes of others. That is not to say that I will always be altruistic in my desires, but hopefully I can find a “why” that has more to do with money, fame, or the proverbial spotlight.

The Tales of Flynnigan Rider

When Disney Plus first came out, I thought it would be fun to watch the Tangled TV series entitled Rapunzel’s Tangle Adventures. I remembered watching Aladdin, Timon and Pumbaa, and other Disney cartoons while growing up, so I expected a low-key Disney kids show to watch with my newborn. What I got was much more than a kids show. In fact, some of the scenes were dark enough that I was kind of surprised it was for children. 

The story follows Rapunzel and Eugene following the movie Tangled. It goes into this deep mythology of where Rapunzel’s powers came from and what her destiny would entail. However, as intriguing as the mystery of the Sun Drop was, I was more interested in the development of the conman formally known as Flynn Rider. 

In addition to the backstory of Gothel’s magical flower, we got some backstory on our beloved rogue. Before he was Eugune or Flynn, he was Prince Horace of the Dark Kingdom. Without giving too much away, baby Prince Horace was sent away from his father for his protection and was raised as an orphan named Eugene Fitzherbert. 

Now I could take a super cheesy twist on this and create an analogy of Eugene as a prince with no knowledge of his heritage being like us in mortality… but instead I’m going to focus on how agency is involved with his story.

When we first met Eugene in Tangled, he was a low life thief who was only out to help himself. By the end of the movie, he’d found something (and someone) he wanted to fight for. Throughout Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventures, he spent the years following making a name for himself in Corona, as the princess’s boyfriend and as a reformed man.

Later when he found out his true heritage as Prince of the Dark Kingdom, it could have been easy for him to get wrapped up in that. With this pride, he could have gotten a big head about being a prince, when he always believed he was a lowly peasant. He could have demanded respect from the castle staff because of his title. Alternatively, with how mad he was at his father, he could have let his pride swing him to the other side of the pendulum and forget what he learned in the Dark Kingdom. 

Instead, he kept being Eugene. He didn’t let the way he was born or the circumstances of his life define his life. I mentioned this before in reference to Rise of Skywalker, but who we choose to be has little to do with our genetics or our upbringing. Your family name only speaks to your history, not your future. And just like Eugene left behind the names Prince Horace and Flynn Rider, there’s a future, change, and progression for all of us.

Contrast Eugene’s experience with Cassandra. When Cass found out the identity of her birth mother, it sent her spiraling. She let her history and her mom put her into a dark place that pitted her against her closest friends. Because she craved her late mother’s love, she became like her mother, instead of forging her own path like Eugene and his smolder.

Show Yourself

I read once that “Into the Unknown” was meant to be the “Let It Go” of Frozen 2. Maybe that’s the case, but unlike “Let It Go” it didn't resonate with me. Rather, the Frozen 2 song that I connected with more was “Show Yourself”.

The whole movie, Elsa chases this disembodied voice through Arendelle and across the wilderness. With Arendelle in distress and the Northuldra trapped in the forest, she puts it on herself to find the source of the voice. Even forcefully sending her sister and Olaf back as she headed to Ahtohallan. 

As she approaches the ice island, my favorite Frozen song begins. As she approaches the “river full of memory”. She goes through the song, expecting to get the answer to all the mysteries, singing things like “Are you the one I've been looking for” and “You are the answer I've waited for.” Turns out, the spirit she was looking to for answers was herself. 

“Show yourself
“Step into the power
“Grow yourself
“Into something new
“You are the one you've been waiting for
“All of my life.”

How many times do I want a magical fix for my problems? I want this mystical spirit (or maybe even God) to give me an immediate fix to my problems. One session of therapy to fix my depression. One dose of medication to alleviate my anxiety. One prayer to lift my self-esteem. I would have given anything to have a quick fix for my mental health so I could return to my missionary service and finish my remaining 21 months. 

Instead, I’ve gotten the impression that God wants me to put effort in (shocker right?). Real healing from mental illness, addiction, or anything else takes work and patience. I didn’t get to go back on my mission right away. And even when I did, it wasn’t a quick fix. I still struggled. I still had more work to do on myself. 

The Lord has said “For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.” (D&C 58:28)

The Lord expects us to work. He expects us to act. As Joseph Smith told the saints, “let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God” (D&C 123:17). 

There is power in owning our stories and taking charge of them. We can’t control everything, but we can (as last week’s Come Follow Me lesson said) “choose … this day whom ye will serve” (Joshua 24:15) Coming back to Frozen 2, Elsa didn’t get her power from someone giving it to her. Heck, she couldn’t even make it to her destination on her own until she tamed the water spirit. But after visiting Ahtohollan and fully owning her power, she was able to stop the tidal wave to save Arendelle. She was no longer scared to act. And that made all the difference. 

“For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.
“Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;”
(D&C 58:26-27)

The Multiverse of Agency

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

"If you knew there was a universe, where you were happy, wouldn't you want to go there?" Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch

If your life has gone exactly how you thought it would when you were a kid, I’d venture to guess you’re in the minority. Life has its twists and turns (violent twists and turns at times). Things go right. Things go wrong. Take mental health concerns into account and the whole situation only gets messier. 

There are a few twists and turns in particular that I wish hadn’t happened in my life. Like coming home from my mission early (a story for another time). If I’d have done it differently or gone for a service mission afterwards, maybe I’d be happier now? Maybe my mental health issues wouldn’t be so paralyzing. 

In Multiverse of Madness, Wanda spent all her energy trying to recreate her fantasy life. I went into the movie thinking Wanda was going to help Doctor Strange to make amends for the events of WandaVision. Instead, we saw her tearing the multiverse apart to get what she wanted. She only saw two options in her life: take over the life of her doppelganger or go through life miserable. What a miserable dichotomy! 

There’s a temptation to look for another life where life is grander and happier. The phrase goes “the grass is always greener on the other side”. But we have the power of agency to change and choose happiness. Our agency doesn’t give us power to change our past wounds, but it gives us the chance to choose where we go from here. Do I wallow in the pain and stay stagnant? Or do I keep pushing forward and trying, even though it’s painful at times?

"From our experience, the greatest danger to the Multiverse, it turns out, is Doctor Strange." Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic

But is change even possible? In this great “Multiverse of Madness” there hadn’t been a Doctor Strange that the Illuminati could trust. His fate in their minds was predetermined by the past experiences they had with others like him. They didn’t even give him a chance to react differently than their Strange and as a result they died. 

"This Stephen is different. He is. It doesn't matter about all the other Stephens. They're not like him." America Chavez

While our Stephen did end up reading the Darkhold, he didn’t let its darkness control him (at least not that he saw). He chose to be better than his predecessors. As we study the Old Testament this year, I hope I’m doing better than my predecessors too, Doctor Strange was able to stop Wanda’s rampage through the multiverse. Because he wanted to be better. 

“Every time you opened a portal, you sent us exactly where we needed to go." Doctor Strange

My life has not gone how I’ve planned one bit. I wanted to go to BYU, go on a mission, get married, start a family, and start my career directly out of BYU. Instead I came home early from my mission, I didn’t use my degree from BYU, I didn’t get married at BYU, and my wife and I have struggled with infertility. 

Ever since I was a young adult, I’ve loved a scripture in Words of Mormon: “And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will.” (Verse 7)

Repeatedly during the movie, we kept hearing referenced Christine's question to Doctor Strange: "Are you happy?" I had a patient say something similar to me recently and it got me thinking... Life hasn’t turned out how I planned. I still struggle with all the what-ifs (that's a completely different aspect of the MCU multiverse). But each step along the way, I’ve felt a witness that “the Lord knoweth all things” and it’s for “a wise purpose” that my life has gone the way it has. When I look at my wife, my daughter, and my friends, I’m grateful in my little corner of the multiverse. 

"Sometimes, I do wonder of my other lives. Yet I remain grateful in this one. Even with each tribulations." Wong

Why I Loved Korra

This may be a cardinal sin of geekdom, but I didn’t watch Avatar growing up (but I wish I had) so I didn’t watch Korra when it came out. As I went through college, I was exposed to enough of Avatar and Korra to know I’d enjoy it. So when it hit Netflix during quarantine, I knew I had to watch it.

I recently finished watching Legend of Korra. To be honest, I don’t understand the hate it gets from Avatar fans (at least the most vocal of Avatar fans). I liked that each season was its own story, unlike Avatar. And the abbreviated seasons made for a wonderful lack of filler episodes. In my opinion, each season had a great message for real life.

Book One: Prejudice

The first season of Korra had the task of doing world-building. Even though viewers were familiar with the world of Avatar, because life had changed much since Zuko became Fire Lord, there was a lot for viewers to become accustomed to. In the midst of world-building, Book One set the precedent of benders vs. non-benders. Amon (secretly a bender) spread animosity towards benders, which set benders against non-benders. I swear this is exactly how the world is today. Republicans vs. democrats. Black vs. white. Us vs. them. Doesn’t matter who the two sides are, as long as there are sides, no one will win.

Book Two: Tradition

A lot happened in season 2 between the spirit portals’ opening, the conflict between Korra’s father, her uncle and her, and learning the origin of the Avatar spirit. Book three was called "change" but this is where the changes begin; Korra’s friendships change, her relationship to the spirits change, and the world changes. What was good for the world in the time of Wan isn’t the same as what the world needed in Korra’s time. Times change and that’s okay. People change and that’s good. If we stop changing and if life stops changing, we stop growing.

Book Three: Free Will

Coming into the third season, we got an influx of air benders after Harmonic Convergence. One of these was Zaheer, leader of the Red Lotus, who wanted to overthrow the governments and create a “free” world. I could go into something about agency, free will, or the commandments, but when it comes down to it, we need some sort of order to fully express our free will. Even if we just look at the fact that (based on many studies) kids thrive on a routine and a feeling of stability. Without rules or structure, there would be no stability.

Book Four: Trauma

At the end of Book Three, Korra was spiritually violated and nearly killed. That would mess anyone up, but also take into account that Korra is basically supposed to repeatedly save the world. That’s a lot to put on anyone’s shoulders even without the trauma. Even with the most patient and compassionate of therapists, working through hurt and pain is as hard as it gets. Instead of a compassionate therapist, Korra had Toph, who’s anything but compassionate. Naturally Korra was scared to face her demons, but things couldn’t get better until she did. It was painful and scary, but she did it. And she became stronger through it all.

Korra might get the short end of the stick when it comes to the love of Avatar fans, but she deserves respect. Perhaps her greatest lesson was during that last season and it’s a lesson we all need: Compassion.

"I needed to understand what real suffering was, so I could become more compassionate to others."

Your Future is Whatever You Make It

How many times this year have you seen comments on social media like “As if 2020 couldn’t get any worse…” or “Let’s just skip to 2021”? It’s definitely been a whirlwind of a year. But there’s something I can’t get out of my head in regards to 2020. 

“Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one.” --Doc Brown

I grew up on Back to the Future, one of my dad’s favorite movie series. This line from the end of the third film has been replaying in my head recently. My wife and I have had this conversation multiple times about 2020. It’s actually not too different from my feelings about New Year's resolutions in a way. 

Yeah we have lots of fun using memes and jokes to cope with a pandemic, with murder hornets, and with anything else we’ve had this year. But in the end, I think we start to believe them. Blaming an arbitrary cycle around the sun for our problems doesn’t help anyone. And nothing will change until we change.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not discrediting the fact that people have gotten sick, lost their jobs, or had other tragedies this year. But memes can only do so much to make life better. 

In Doc Brown’s final line, he explained to Jennifer that they were able to change Marty’s future, because their future was up to them to decide. Just like you don’t need to wait until January to make new “resolutions”, you don’t need to wait until 2021 to improve your life. 

Positive thinking only goes so far, but it’s a start. If you’re in a bind, ask for help. If you’re having a hard time, ask for support. I’ve been blessed this year to have my wife and my daughter to buoy me up and I know not everyone is so lucky. But no one is truly alone.

So take heart. The rest of 2020 is up to you. The rest of your life is up to you. Take a step in the right direction. As Anna sang in Frozen 2, “you must go on and do the next right thing” and as one of my favorite speakers famously said, “The future is as bright as your faith.” If things are going to get better, it's going to start with a choice to do something better.

6 Quotes from Captain America About Freedom

Happy Fourth of July! This year has been crazy, but we're surviving. It's left me thinking about agency and freedom and the role we play in it. So in honor of Independence Day, here are some quotes about liberty and agency from Captain America.

“I don't want to kill anyone. I don't like bullies; I don't care where they're from.” 
This quote from the The First Avenger is one that reminds me that we have to fight for freedom. Nowadays those fights are often a war of words and opinions, but regardless of where those fights happen it's up to us to stand up for what's right.

“When I went under, the world was at war. I wake up, they say we won. They didn’t say what we lost.”
There have been no shortage of wars in the past couple centuries. In Avengers we're reminded that it comes at a cost. Our troops pay that cost every day. I am grateful for those that have given their lives in the fight to keep us free.

"The price of freedom is high, it always has been. And it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it."
Again Cap tells us about the price of freedom. In Winter Soldier he's fighting Hydra and asking people to stand up to them. Even when the world is telling you something wrong is right, we need to stand up to it.

“If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. ... We may not be perfect but the safest hands are still our own.” 
In Civil War, it's Iron Man vs. Captain America about the Sakovia Accords. Unlike in the movie, most of us are not fighting against legislation. But we need to take accountability for our actions, good or bad. If we give up that right to addiction or to someone else, we lose that freedom.

“I know you’re doing what you believe in, and that’s all any of us can do. That’s all any of us should. So no matter what, I promise you, if you need us, if you need me, I’ll be there.” 
Most people are doing the best they know how. Cap knew he was at odds with Iron Man during Civil War, but he knew Tony was doing what he thought was right. Social media is full of arguments every day, but it helps if we give people the benefit of the doubt and remember they're doing the best they know how.

“You think I'm fighting for me? To save my own life? That's why you'll never win. I'm not fighting for me. I'm fighting for them… It's the very thing that makes us human.” 
In Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Cap is fighting against Vision, who thinks he's doing it for himself, Cap reminds us that it's not about us; it's about making the world a better place for our loved ones, especially our children and the upcoming generation.

“[The Statue of Liberty will] still be there. But what she represents, the spirit of Lady Liberty, is found in its people.”

This bonus quote is not by Cap, but actually from Peggy Carter. It still fit the bill for this post as my wife and I were watching Agent Carter recently. Ironically, this quote was said to a Russian spy working for Leviathan. But like Peggy said, America and the liberties we hold dear, you can see it in the people. I will forever be grateful for the freedoms we have here and for the blessings it brings me and my family.

Everything's Not Awesome

"Everything's not awesome, But that doesn't mean that it's hopeless and bleak..."

Have you seen Lego Movie 2? If not, get off your couch or chair or floor (wherever you are) and find a copy--it's $10 at Target, just FYI. I won't go into the plot details of the Lego Movie series, but that's not so important I suppose.

It's been a crazy the last couple months with quarantines and lock-downs and whatever else has been happening. It's easy to get caught up in it all (I've shared my fair share of memes, as you know if you've been watching our Facebook page). It's easy to get bummed out (even while chuckling the whole time) at all the "2020 can't get any worse" memes. I try to stay generally positive (despite life's anxieties and insecurities) and I actually generally avoid the this-year-sucks-uggghh memes. Generally just don't think that kind of humor helps me out at all.

"Everything's not awesome, but in my heart, I believe..."

Things have been rough. I actually count myself very blessed with everything that's been going on. My family hasn't been hit near as hard as many others. But whether it's this pandemic or some personal trial, there'll always be something to bring us down. Everything may not be "awesome", but it doesn't have to be the end. If we stick together and support each other, we can build a better future. Lately that's involved social distancing, but it also involves ministering to those around us. 

I typically cringe when I see Facebook spammed with the inspirational memes and quotes are preachy about positive thinking, but there is some truth to it. "Everything's not awesome" but if we give up on things getting better, it really won't be. I think it's part of having free will. We get to choose what we think about what, we get to choose how we react to life, and we get to choose the path we want to take in our lives. So while we can't change what's going on outside, we can change how we think about it. Give someone the benefit of the doubt. Count your blessings. Whatever it takes.

"We can make things better if we stick together, side by side, you and I, we will build it together."

Power Rangers: Who You Want to Be

(Guest post by David B)

It never ceases to amaze me where and when insights come. In this case, I found an opportunity to draw inspiration from Jason Scott of the 2017 Power Rangers.

I had the chance to spend some good time with my children while vacationing in Utah. While at our hotel room we decided to watch Power Rangers. In one part, Kim is explaining to Jason why she feels responsible for the team not being able to morph into their ranger forms. After explaining her situation and why she can't open up to the team, Jason explains, "You did an awful thing. It doesn't make you an awful person. Just be the person you want to be."

I feel like too often we let our actions define us. And why not? That is, after all, what most people remember. And what's easier to remember than the awful things we've done? Just like in a customer service experience, we will tell our friends and family about a bad experience right away but don't usually volunteer a positive one.

I know that I've done awful things. I have let those awful things weigh on my mind and let myself be convinced that I'm an awful person. However, just like Kim, I'm not an awful person. And just as Jason tells her, I can just be the person I want to be.

"Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.
"And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.
"And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!" (Alma 36: 18-20)

Alma chose who he wanted to be.

We're all guilty of making awful choices but the choice is mine as to who I want to be. And the choice is yours as to who you want to be.

Agency: Palpatine or Skywalker?

"Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life." (2 Nephi 10:23)

So I finally made time to go see Star Wars. It’s not easy to do when you have a newborn. I really enjoyed it, so I don’t really know what people’s complaints are about. But this isn’t about that. I’m not doing a review. We’ve already done two of those. I want to talk about the concept of agency.

Throughout the sequel trilogy, Rey was haunted by her heritage and why her parents left her and why they never came back. Among everything else that perspired during the trilogy, this finally came to a point in Rise of Skywalker.

I had seen some spoilers about her being related to Emperor Palpatine, but I didn’t think it would be revealed quite so early in the movie. I thought it was just going to be a plot point in the finale. But instead it was an important part for like half the movie.

Throughout the whole trilogy, Rey was tempted by the Dark Side on and off. I don’t think it was really until she learned about her heritage that she really felt that temptation strongly. What I take from her inner battle is about rising above who we are.

You might be born that way or this way. You may have grown up with abusive parents. You might have genetics that put you at risk for disease or depression. That’s all part of living in a fallen world. The natural man embraces all these flaws and makes excuses for them. But the gospel and the atonement give us the opportunity and the blessing to rise above the natural man. Do you want to follow the gospel? Or do you want to be who you’ve always been?

Are you a Palpatine? Or are you a Skywalker?

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord..." (Mosiah 3:19)

The Future is What You Make of It

Thirty years ago, a science fiction movie was released that was based around a DeLorean that was turned into a time machine that could traverse the space time continuum when it reached 88 miles per hour. This movie, whose script was originally rejected by a number of major film studios for not being risque enough, and was also rejected by Disney due to a plot element of a mother falling in love with her time traveling teenage son from the future, and was eventually picked up and produced by Steven Spielberg.

As I'm sure you're aware (especially if you read Joe's post from earlier this week), this movie was “Back to the Future.” This movie became the top grossing movie of 1985, quickly became a cult classic, and  later spawned two sequels. In the first of these sequels, the main characters, Marty and Doc Brown travel thirty years into the future.

Title Card for Back to the Future

For the past couple of years, there has been a countdown clock that has been featured on the side of the Mormon Geeks website. This clock has been counting down the time until the future date depicted in Back to the Future Part II, which occurred two days ago on October 21, 2015. I'd like to discuss the day after that, October 22, 2015, which was yesterday.

The clock in the DeLorean, featuring the dates traveled to
 in Back to the Future Part II

In Back to the Future Part II, after bringing him to 2015, Doc shows Marty a newspaper headline from the following day (which he obtained before picking up Marty from 1985 and then returning a day earlier), which shows that Marty's son was arrested for taking part in a theft. Then, of course, they execute a plan in which Marty briefly replaces his son, who looks identical to him (both are played by Michael J. Fox, after all), and prevents him from getting bullied into participating in the theft that resulted in his arrest.

In the original timeline, Marty's son was 
arrested after being coerced into taking 
part in a theft by bully Griff Tannen

After Marty prevents the theft, the headline changes to show the gang of bullies that attempted to coerce him into being involved with the theft have been arrested instead for vandalism and destruction of public property. This part of the movie also shows that one small choice can make a big difference in future consequences.

After Marty briefly replaces his son, it is 
instead Griff and his gang that are arrested

Yesterday, USA Today published a replica of the newspaper headline that appeared in the movie, in commemoration of Back to the Future Part II.

Yesterday also marked an exciting event that occurred in my family. As this is the same date as shown on the newspaper in the movie, I was doubly excited. On October 22, 2015, at 7:23 PM, my niece, Alexis, was born. Alhough I was probably much more excited about the link to the date on the newspaper shown in the movie than her parents (who were much more focused on the new addition to their family), my brother (her father), who also grew up watching the Back to the Future movies with me, definitely got a kick out of the connection.

Me holding my newborn niece last night, 
only a couple of hours after her birth

I've already been encouraging my nieces and nephews in developing their geeky interests. I have a history of buying them birthday and Christmas gifts with geed-related themes (granted, at times I'm just sharing my own interests with them, in hopes that they will develop an interest as well, but as we are not short of geeks in my family, they get just as much encouragement from their parents and other aunts and uncles).

Connection to Back to the Future aside, I  want to welcome my newborn niece into this world. The time of the future depicted in Back to the Future Part II is our present. Altough for Alexis, her entire future is still ahead of her, which is something I am excited for. As I think of the possibilities in store for her, Doc Brown's closing words in Back to the Future Part III come to mind, “Your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your future is whatever you make it, so make it a good one.”

We have all been given the gift of agency by a loving God, and that includes choosing how to live our lives. The choices we make today will determine the kind of person we will become in the future. Just as George McFly went from cowering before Biff, being intimidated and living small as shown in the original timeline shown in Back to the Future, to becoming confident, believing in himself and becoming a successful author due to Marty's influence on a couple of choices he made in the past, the same is also true for us.

George McFly in the original timeline

George McFly in the new timeline, showing the big difference making different choices made on his life

As Back to the Future taught us, seemingly small choices can have large impacts on our future. So in closing, I hope that we all will remember that the future truly is what we make of it, and encourage each of us to use the gift of agency to make it a good one.

The Theme of Agency in Joss Whedon's Stories

On Saturday night I went to go see a movie.  There was only one movie that weekend everyone was looking forward to seeing.  No, it wasn't the Hunger Games,  No, it wasn't about claymated Pirates.  The movie everyone was seeing that weekend was The Avengers!  I'm going to review the movie in this sentence:  It will knock your socks off, step away from this computer, go to a movie theater, and see it.  There.  I reviewed the Avengers.  When you've seen the movie please read on, minor spoilers to follow for The Avengers, Serenity, and other Whedon works.

What I really want to talk about is the director of the Avengers, Joss Whedon.  Joss Whedon likes to write witty dialogue with powerful heroines and heroes that are also very human.  He uses a lot of common themes in his stories from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to Firefly, to Dollhouse.  A common theme he has used before is the idea of free agency versus having a perfect world.

Loki looking fashionably sinister.

In the Avengers, when we are first revealed Loki's plan, we see that Loki plans to take away everyone's ability to choose to introduce peace into the world.  (Sound familiar?)  A very similar concept was looked at in Joss Whedon's film Serenity.  (A favorite movie of mine!)  In Serenity, the heroes come to a planet called Miranda where a perfect world was attempted to be created.  The residents of Miranda breathed in a chemical meant to weed out aggression and was meant to increase peace.  The problem was that it worked.  The residents stopped fighting but then they stopped everything else--talking, breeding, eating.  They basically stopped choosing anything and let themselves die.

Loki's plan and the plan executed on Miranda really aren't all that different from Satan's plan.  Modern revelation tells us that before we came down to this earth Satan presented the plan of forcing us to do what was right and that all the glory would go to him.  There would have been no need for a savior.  We all would have just been made perfect.  It sounds like a great plan, right?  I mean I would love a free ride back to my Heavenly Father.  Why not give up my agency for that?  Here's why: Because it's impossible.

Towards the climax of the Avengers, an alien race comes through a portal to wreck havoc on the earth so they can hand it over to Loki.  Thor grabs his brother and forces him to see the destruction.  He tries to appeal to his sentimental side.  Thor says that Loki's plan wouldn't bring peace but only more chaos.

The crew of Serenity land on the planet Miranda.

It may sound like a good idea but by forsaking our agency we compromise so much more.  The inhabitants of Miranda and Loki's mind controlled goons lost their souls.  They lost who they were.  The Alliance in Serenity wanted to create a perfect world.  So did Satan.  He wanted to create a world where we would all be perfect at a terrible expense.  Thankfully, we never see what Satan's world would have looked like. In Miranda, we found something much worse then death: Reavers.  A third (I know, the similarities are kinda nuts sometimes) of the population of Miranda had the opposite effect of the chemical.  They turned to horrific madness that comprised of rape, cannibalism, and sewing human flesh into their clothing.  These innocent people became the mindless Reavers.

Thankfully, the war in heaven was won not by Satan but by our Savior.  He supported the plan our Heavenly Father authored.  He volunteered himself as a Sacrifice.  Our Heavenly Father gave us the gift of agency that we could choose freely for ourselves.  Mistakes and weaknesses are inevitable but so is the Atonement if we choose it.  Though perfection wouldn't be found in this life it would be found in the life to come.

I'm so thankful that Satan's plan didn't go through.  Maybe I would have ended up living on a cool planet or had really cool looking blue eyes with his plan.  The gift I have to choose freely for myself is so much cooler then both of those things.  I'm so glad I can choose to follow my Heavenly Father because I want to not because I'm being forced.  I love how the trials and imperfections I have only bring me closer to my eternal destiny.  

-Stephen