To Be an Instrument

I'd like you to meet a friend of mine.  A very good friend of mine.
 I'm talking about a friend who has been with me through the thick and the thin.  Be it howling rainstorms on bike in Fairfield, raging gang fights in Vallejo, peaceful sunny mornings in Petaluma, and the misty sea breeze of McKinleyville, and everything in between, this friend has time and again proven faithful and true.  We've had some near misses and close calls, but we've always been reunited in the end.  This friend has been a constant companion to me, and I knew I could always count on him when I needed him.

 Say hello to Penjamin. (*named in honor of Elder Collett's legendary pen)

 Every missionary needs a good, reliable pen.  Some prefer cheap, expendable pens.  Others stick to certain brands, such as Zebra or Inc.  For me, there is only Penjamin.  Whenever there is an appointment to be set, he is there to ink in the block in my daily planner.  Whenever there was a letter to be written, Penjamin is there to fill the lines and address the envelope.  If I have any thoughts or ideas, Penjamin turns them from mere thoughts into a reality, making the intangible tangible on any medium (as long as its paper).  It's amazing how something as simple as a little bit of metal, plactic, and ink can literally change the world.  This  simple instrument can be a great force for good, or a terrible weapon for evil.
 It all depends on how you use it.

 The Dictionary defines "instrument" as:

 "a means by which something is effected or done; agency". 

 There are many examples of instruments.  The first things that come to your mind are probably things like pianos, trombones, ukuleles, and, my personal favorite, guitars. 
  All of these musical instruments can help us express our emotions in a beautiful, harmonizing way.  However, before an instrument becomes even remotely useful, many hours of practice and trial must be invested.  What is more, if an instrument is out of tune, it can be frustrating and depressing to play! If a string is tightened too much, it will snap.  If it is too slack, it is useless. 

 In that same way, we are "instruments" in the Hands of the Lord. As we strive to overcome our weaknesses and change our hearts, we bring ourselves more "in tune" with the melody of the Master.  To be an instrument, we must recognize that, on our own, we can't make the music come.  We may have every ivory key polished, every string pitched just so, but without the musician, they are all but useless.  But if we invite the Great Musician into our lives, the Lord promises to "make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls"

 Only you can decide what kind of instrument you will be. Will you seek to be an instrument for good, or one that collects dust on the shelf?  Will you allow for the "touch of the Master's hand", or will you let your music go unplayed?
 "Neither yield ye..as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves... as instruments of righteousness unto God."

The Art of Life

My illustration for "the cowboy code"

 For anyone who knows me, it isn't much of a secret that I am something of an artist.  I wouldn't claim to be particularly skilled, but I sure am persistant at what I do! I love drawing, expressing myself, and bringing images in my head to life using only graphite and paper. I think mankind has an inherent love to create; to make things, to build, to express ourselves.  I imagine we inherit this from our Father in Heaven, by whom came all Creation. Yet, of all the endless cosmos, the innumerable celestial bodies created by His hand, there is one great purpose behind it all:
 "..To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."
 That's a pretty amazing thought!  I've seen a lot of beautiful things in my short tenure on this Earth, and I'm sure there are countless more wondrous things I haven't.  But we, the children of God, are greater than them all.



  When I think of drawing, and how much goes into creating a masterpiece, I can't help but compare it to us, God's greatest masterpieces-to-be.
 A masterpiece contains many elements that artists will train diligently for years to perfect: light, shadow, perspective, color... the list goes on and on. All of these things must be present to accomplish the end result of a true work of art. To stand the test of time, it must be created, patiently, lovingly, stroke by stroke.
 So we too are created, line upon line, experience by experience.
 As we make decisions, day by day, lines are unconsciously added.  As we face trials and opposition, the shadows on the paper appear, adding depth to the work. With joyful experiences, light is imbued to the painting, balancing out the dark with stark contrast, with all of the subtle shades in between.




 

 Now, these elements alone are enough to create something. To an artist, a work in this stage is merely a draft; a sketch.  However, to be a truly complete work, something that will hang in a museum to be admired for a millenia to come, there must be something more: color.
 Color can come from many sources, and many media.  Oils, pastels, pencils, chalk; there are many different ways to express it. 
 In a similar way, it is love that adds this final, crucial touch to our lives.  There are many kinds of love, and many ways to express it and receive it.  It is when we develop this trait, and show it to others, that we begin to realize the true potential of what this masterpiece can become.  Brilliant hues become vivid on the canvas as we serve others, cooling shades shimmer as we show forgiveness and compassion, and a spectrum of other chromas irridescently blush to life as we develop hearts that love.

 And finally, exultantly, the master will put down the brush and survey His finished work.  What was once a blank canvas, clear and full of potential, has now, through trials and triumphs, sorrow and joy, laughter and tears, become something much greater than that once-blank canvas could ever had imagined it would be.

 It will be a masterpiece.