Smile!

This morning, a friend of mine wrote me asking advice for a missionary who would soon be serving in New York City.  Since I had served there five years ago, I was excited to pass on what I had learned.  I love that city and I love the people there!

In response, I wrote, “New York is crazy! There will always be someone on the street who is crazier than you.  Nothing you can say or do will surprise them, so you might as well say sincerely what is in your heart to everyone you see.  Always speak with love, and always smile.  You will stand out more that way than almost any other way.” 

As I was writing this, I recalled an experience from my own time there.  I was on the west side of Manhattan with my missionary companion.  As we took the subway that afternoon, I was startled when a middle-aged woman in business casual addressed me.

 “You’re not from around here.”

“Nope!” I responded, “I grew up in Los Angeles.”

“I could tell.  You just look too happy to be from New York! No one smiles like that on the subway!”

We both laughed and quickly parted ways as the crowd moved through the newly opened doors onto the platform.    

I have since thought about the significance of that experience.  Nothing can represent the Savior better than a smile.  Apparently, it set me apart, and it was more readily recognizable than even the name tag I was wearing.  

My family has a favorite picture which has served as our family room desktop background for a few years now.  I am not sure where it came from, but to this day, I can’t look at it without getting a silly grin on my face! 

No matter what sort of environment we find ourselves in, I know that we can choose to smile.  It is fashionable to frown.  It is fashionable to complain.  It is even fashionable to be miserable, but life is far more enjoyable when we choose to be the odd one out.  Many of us are on a quest to be an individual, to make a difference, and to be recognized as unique and valuable.  If you want to succeed, smile!  You will surprise everyone, including yourself! J

Disney Movie Lessons

One of my favorite things to do when I watch a movie is to draw out the positive insights and hints of truth that are hidden in almost everything we create.  It reminds me that even though the world is constantly changing, certain truths still exist and make their way into society.  It somehow sounds familiar to all kinds of people, and I love that! Here are some lessons I've learned from a few Disney movies:

Aladdin

The grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence.  We may longingly wish for an alternate life or identity, thinking that our trials would be easier if things were different.  In reality, we are all the same.  We still have the same basic needs and feel the same basic emotions.  Our unique circumstances are specifically designed to help us grow and become who we need to be, and they are surprisingly equal.  Sometimes we may say like Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof, “If riches are a curse, may God smite me with it, and may I never recover!” But trust in the purpose of your specific trials.  One man’s riches may teach the same lesson as another man’s poverty.  Like Aladdin, we must learn to be ourselves and not be ashamed. 

Peter Pan

Happy thoughts really can make you fly!  Even if you have all of the tools to succeed (fairy dust) you aren’t going to go anywhere unless you are positive.  Like everything, it can sometimes take practice.    

Pinocchio

In order to be a “real boy” (or girl), you must prove yourself brave, truthful, and unselfish.  This entire story is an allegory for our current situation.  Pinocchio began his existence with his creator, Geppetto.  He becomes a living puppet, loved and taught by his Father, but he is still made of wood.  In order to become “real,” he must ultimately leave his true home and discover for himself what it means to become “brave, truthful, and unselfish” with his conscience as his guide.  Like all of us, Pinocchio passes through death, but becomes “real” because of the good choices he made.  He had become like Geppetto, his Creator and Father.  I was definitely an adult before I realized how doctrinally deep this story is!  How are we doing with our quest to become “real?” 

Beauty and the Beast

“Do not be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within,” even in the foulest of creatures. The curse was ultimately cast by the Beast himself.  He became outwardly what he was on the inside.  Although this seems like a harsh spell, it makes the point that you do not need to be defined by appearances and stereotypes to become kind and to love unconditionally.  The spell was ultimately cast to help the Beast discover that he was capable of loving and changing, even when he lacked confidence in himself.  Very often, the greater the obstacle is to overcome, the stronger the love is that develops as a result.  Take a chance and look for the good in others.  Allow others to love you, even if the natural tendency is to push them away.  Unconditional love breaks any spell. 

The Lion King

Remember who you are.  You are the son or daughter of a king with divine heritage and divine potential.  This applies to every single person, regardless of background or current circumstances.  If you truly know who you are and where you came from, it will change the way you speak, act, and treat others.  It will guide the decisions you make in this life.  You, too, were born to be a king.  

The Worth of a Quarter

I have been toying with the idea of recording thoughts, insights, and stories for the purpose of strengthening and empowering my own faith as well as others’.  The word “empower” is very telling: it means to invest with power, supply with ability, and enable.  “Empowered faith” allows us to do things we otherwise could not on our own.  Faith is more than just an emotional anchor, it is a tangible tool.  My aim is to figure out how to use it and help others do the same. 

The other day, I was reminded of this experience.  It is dedicated to anyone who has ever had a difficult day.  I am sure I am in good company!

It was early October, and I was in my second year of teaching choir.  I didn't wake up intending for it to be a bad day, but as the day continued, everything seemed to be going wrong. 

That morning, I woke to discover that someone had actually pried open the hood of my car and had stolen the light bulbs and plastic covering for my turning signals, leaving only two black holes and some misplaced wires.  I was shocked that was even a possibility! Then the shipments of choir uniforms came in, but the color was wrong, which meant a lot of extra work and stress to ensure that the right color would arrive by the concert. On top of that, my favorite scarf from New York went missing sometime before lunch.  I was sick, tired, and completely frustrated.  

                During my prep period, I decided to use the last five minutes and read a talk entitled, “The Privilege of Prayer.”  It begins with a story about a man who had an extremely difficult day at work.  As he was biking home, he said a very simple prayer that he would be able to find a quarter on the side of the road so he could buy some chicken to cheer him up before coming home to his wife and family.  Miraculously, he found a quarter across the street, and he was able to buy the chicken and ride cheerfully home. 

                As I sat in my office, tears started to come.  (That is especially bad when you have to teach in less than a minute!)  I needed a “quarter.”  How was I supposed to teach these kids in the broken and beat state I was in?  I wasn't sure exactly what I needed, but I knelt down and prayed to the Lord for strength.  I prayed for my own version of a quarter—just something that would help me get through a difficult day at work.

3^rd period came quickly, which was naturally a rough class to teach considering it was 120 non-auditioned 8^th graders.  Help!   I wondered how I would be able to continue teaching the next class, when one of my 8^th grade boys came up to me. “Miss Johanson,” he said, “I just found this quarter on the ground.  Do you want it?”  That was my answer.  A Quarter.  He literally answered my prayer with a quarter! God does have a sense of humor!  I almost laughed and tried not to cry in front of my student.  “Thank you.” That was definitely one way to let me know I was not forgotten!  Even a couple years later, I still have that quarter.

As I was thinking about this experience, I decided to record the lessons learned.

1.       God exists. He loves us and is actually aware of what we are going through. 

2.       He has a sense of humor! J I prayed for a quarter (figuratively) and I got…a quarter! Fabulous!  I can now dry my laundry an extra 12 minutes!!  But in all seriousness, that quarter means we are remembered and loved.  More importantly, it means that our prayers are always heard, even if they are not answered in the way we had expected or hoped. 

3.       God’s love does not mean you will get what you want when you want it.  Yes, it would have been nice for my turning signals to have appeared on the piano in the auditorium, but that didn’t happen.  It isn’t wise for a parent to give a child everything as soon as they ask for it.  What a mess the kid would turn out to be!  But I am grateful for a tangible token to remind me to never get discouraged.

4.       Finally, be the answer to someone else’s prayer.  Jesse will probably never know what finding that quarter meant to me that day, but as long as we each keep serving and looking for opportunities to help, we are bound to do something good.