Love is an Action

These are some pictures I kind of forgot about. They are from a quick little camping trip/hike that BWell and I took a few months back. We heard rumors about this hiking trail that led to a waterfall and that it was only about two miles one way. The rumors were partly true. We made it to the beautiful waterfall. But it wasn't just a two mile jaunt. It ended up being more like five miles up. All the same, the hike was worth it. I'm glad we kept pressing forward and didn't turn around. We thought about it a few times, but we stayed strong. . .

Since listening to the prophet and apostles of my church speak in conference last weekend, I've gone back and re-watched and re-listened to the oh so popular talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. It was a wonderful and amazing talk. . .one that left a lump in my throat and a sick feeling in my stomach. Because I am guilty. I am guilty of saying over and over again that I love my Savior, Jesus Christ but not fully showing that love by example. Love is not just a word. Love is an action. And as of late, I have been slow to act.

I grew up in a small Idaho town. There are many unique characters that reside there. Heck, I should write a book about it. But one character in particular stands out.

He was a mysterious man who lived on the main street of town. No one knew quite where he came from or why he ended up in Weston. He rode a lawn mower around and mostly kept to himself. One of the most intriguing things about him, was that he had a whole building next to his modest trailer home that was filled with junk. As a child, I always wondered what kinds of treasures were hidden in that building. There were items piled up to the tops of the windows, but I never dared get close enough to peer in. Painted across the windows were the words, "NO NO LOOKING". I don't know what would have happened if I had gone looking, but I never had the desire to find out. As I got older and entered my teenage years, I started to hear more rumors about this man.
"He's a millionaire, and he hides all his money somewhere."
"I think the government gave him a new identity and sent him to Weston."
I couldn't help but wonder if the rumors were true or not. One thing I did know to be true though, was that this man did not have a whole lot of friends in town. I always told myself that one day, maybe I would knock on his door and introduce myself.

I never did work up the courage to knock on his door. And now I never will. About a month ago, the mysterious man of my hometown was found in his modest home, alone and dead. My family went to his small burial. My dad was a pallbearer. I think the news shook up my little hometown a bit. And I think perhaps I'm not the only one that regrets not knocking on his door.

I am a person who is full of good intentions. Goodness, am I chalk full of good intentions. My list of people to visit, friends to call, kind acts to offer is a list that seems to grow overwhelmingly longer and longer each day, yet I struggle to actually do anything on that list. My own selfish interests seem to always get in the way.


"Oh, I should deliver that birthday present. It's already late."
"But I have so much homework I need to get done. . .the birthday present can wait. After all, it's already late. What will another day hurt?" 

"Oh, I need to visit my friend and see her cute, new baby."
"But I have laundry to do. Besides, my present for the baby isn't just perfect yet." 

"I should call my grandma."
"I'll call her right after I finish editing some of my latest footage. It might take me a couple hours to edit, and then it will be too late to call her, but I'll get around to it." 


I am such a slacker. A selfish slacker. And Elder Jeffrey R. Holland called me out on it. So I would like to apologize to all you people out there whom I love dearly who may feel like I've forgotten you. I promise I haven't. I think about you often. But thinking is not as meaningful as acting. It is time for me to start acting and to start fully loving. It is time to show my Savior, family, and friends that I love them. . .instead of just telling them so.