Austin Lynn - Inspiring Others
Introduce self…
This talk is focused on the things that inspire me, and
why I think they inspire me.
Number one is, of course, the scriptures. I’m not sure
I’ve ever read a verse that has inspired me so much as D&C 18:10:
“For behold, the worth of souls is great in
the sight of God.”
This verse simply and profoundly states the feelings of God for us. God,
an omnipotent, omniscient being with infinite power, who’s created galaxies and
billions of souls, thinks we are worth a great deal. Not just the souls who
change the course of history. Not even just the good souls, but every soul,
regardless of its condition. If that doesn’t make you think a bit better of
yourself, you may need to look up a few verses on humility.
A scripture that teaches me a lot about inspiration is the scripture
mastery in Mathew 16:
“For behold, ye are the light and life of
the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a
candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light
unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they
me see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
If we do our best and “let our light shine” we’ll inspire others. It’s
not a new development that our actions can speak louder than our words. When we
shine, we cannot be hidden, and we will give light to all around us. An
interesting point is that we glorify God when we do this.
There are also stories in the scriptures that have inspired
me. A few common ones like the story of Nephi, particularly in 1 Nephi 3, and a
few more esoteric picks like the story of David and the three plagues. I think
Nephi himself is a very inspirational figure, because he’s an everyman. He
could be any one of us, if we would just yield to the enticing’s of the Spirit.
He displays a reluctance to kill even his most reviled enemies, constantly
forgives those who do him wrong, and displays a consistent trust in the Lord,
and in his father Lehi. Maybe I can be a little more like Nephi, and simply
respond “I will go and do,” the next time a favor is asked of me.
The second thing that inspires me would be music, and in
particular, lyrics. A song I’m in love with is “Midnight Orchestra” by Aqua
Timez. While it’s a bit cheesy, it has profound meaning to me. A common
pre-chorus line in the song is about spoons:
“A small spoon is all you need to scoop out
happiness.
There’s just the question of if anybody
will want to share some of yours.”
So yes, the idea of scooping out happiness like ice-cream is a bit silly.
But what isn’t silly is the thought that there are people who aren’t sure if
they want a piece of that happiness-cream action. We need to be willing to
share our happiness-ice cream, small spoon and all. We don’t all need our own
vast Costco-size tub of happiness. Sometimes, we don’t even need our own store
of it, though that’d be the best. Sometimes we all just need to be willing to
share with each other.
The hymns I Stand All Amazed and
Because I Have been Given Much often
bring up feelings of optimism and determination, which form inspiration when
properly brewed together. They have complimentary lines of thought: Jesus, the
Lord of Heaven and Earth, gave His life for me. Me, a sinner! He bled and was
crucified. He atoned for me. And
because of this, because I have this amazing gift, I need to give to others.
Because I’ve been given so much by the Lord, I need to share with others. God
has given me a bucket of happiness ice-cream, so I need to get my spoon out and
share that stuff with everybody!
The third thing that inspires me is a good speech. I’m
very fond of the dialogue found in Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator speech. In particular, there is a part where he
claims that:
“We all want to help one another. Human
beings are like that. We want to live by
each other’s happiness – not by each other’s misery.”
This passage reaffirmed my faith in the human condition, and the innate
goodness within us all. I like many other speeches as well. Some of them are
famous, like Martin Luther King’s I Have
a Dream and President Reagan’s Tear
Down This Wall. Others are the kind you can’t really tell people about, or
they’ll laugh at you, like the president’s speech in the movie “Independence
Day.” Yes, the movie with aliens. Proof that you can find inspiration in
unlikely places.
The final thing I want to talk about in terms of what
inspires me is the exploits of others. I’ve already mentioned Nephi, so I think
I’ll shy away from the heroes of the scriptures, who are all undoubtedly inspirational.
We can find inspirational people in our recent world history, which I take as
proof that God always has, and always will, care for His children. I am amazed how the actions of one man, who
refused to act in violence, freed his entire country. I am stunned that a small
group of patriots managed to topple the greatest worldy power of their era. I
am humbled that a young boy with a question restored the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
These are all special events, without a doubt. But there are quitter struggles
going on that inspire me in more personal ways. I am inspired by the youth who
leaves behind an old life and joins a church that requires them to change their
way of life, who willingly becomes different from their family. I am inspired
by the teenager who says “Let’s not say that about them. That’s not nice. I
like them.” I am even inspired by the
young man who treats his mother with proper respect and gratitude!
So I’ve given you my “Best of.” My highlight reels. What’s
the point? Here’s the point: looking over this list, there are several traits I
see. One is finding goodness in everybody. Another is that we have an infinite
potential. A third is that God cares for me personally. Another would have to
be that people truly are altruistic at heart. Humans really do want to help
each other. Speeches, songs, and stories all teach these things in different
ways, appealing to me in divers ways. I think I am inspired by different things
because there are so many incredible things in this world to be inspired by. The
things that inspire me teach me to believe in myself, in others, and in my God.
The things that inspire me show me that I can become more than I am, that I can
make a difference, and that you can too. The things that inspire me show me the
best of human nature, while assuring me that we can conquer the worst. The
thing that inspires me the most is a testimony. A testimony that…
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