If I could have a conversation with my Junior High/High School Self

Luckily, I had most of this figured out by my junior year. I've posted similar things before, but this has been on my mind. I'm going to write this in a seminary lesson/self lecture format. Perhaps a little contrary to the title, this is really what I wish I could tell the whole student body at Viewmont High.

To make a claim: The truthfulness or untruthfulness of the gospel is, without a doubt, the most important question that we face here in mortality. There are those who say, "The LDS church is good. There are good people who are members. The Book of Mormon is a nice book with some good principles." Quite frankly, these people couldn't be more wrong. The church is either true, and is everything it claims to be, or it is a lie. If the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith is a prophet, and this is the only true and living church on the earth today as it claims to be. There is no middle ground, no "It's a nice idea." It is what it claims to be, or it isn't.

Because of this fact, finding out for ourselves if the church is true or not is of utmost importance. Whether the church is true or not will affect nearly every major (and many minor) decisions in our lives. It simply does not work to just "not be sure." Of course, there is a time in all our lives that we must ponder, and before we get our answer about the truthfulness of the gospel, there may be a time that we're "not entirely sure yet." But this is the one exception. I challenge you to take both Moroni's and Alma's challenges (Moroni 10:3-5 and Alma 32:27). Even if you can "no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you." The Lord has promised that if you really want to know and you ask sincerely, He will give you an answer. Take Him up on it. Test the promise.

At some point, you will feel a "great anxiety over the welfare of your soul" as Joseph Smith did (not an exact quote, I'm going from memory here). The sooner this desire, this anxiety, takes place, the sooner you will find an answer to this ultimately important question. Let this desire occur now. Wait no longer to have a sincere desire to know truth. It will set you free, I promise.

Now, for those of you who already feel confident about the truthfulness the gospel:
Turn to 2 Nephi chapter 8. (Yay for understanding Isaiah!) Here, Isaiah talks about how the ideas of men and their opinions, will waste away. As someone who has graduated, let me tell you a simple truth: Your experience at Viewmont High School can only matter in two ways (in terms of eternal salvation) (by the way, this is Josh speaking, not church doctrine): 1. There are those who find good friends at Viewmont High. Their friends encourage them to make good decisions. Ultimately it is because of the good friends they made in high school that ensured their spiritual safety. And 2. There are those who, because of the opinions of men and because they want to be cool or liked, will compromise their beliefs and standards. They will fall prey to an ultimately more experienced adversary who wants nothing more than to see us fall into his traps. Because of the childish social pressures at Viewmont High, these individuals forfeit their promised mansions in the Kingdom of God.

After graduation, the social life of Viewmont High vanishes as quickly as it appeared on your first day as a sophomore. Nobody cares who kissed who at that party, or how awesome everyone on the basketball team is, or what that one girl said to offend your best friend's girlfriend. Now this is not to say that the social aspect of high school is evil or bad. It is not--if it is viewed with an eternal perspective. I have close friends from high school and I cherish their friendship like I do the relationships with my own family. I do not regret getting involved in the social atmosphere in order to gain favor with these friends who I now consider brothers and sisters. However, if there is any person or group that you are associated with that influences you to compromise your standards or beliefs, drop them. They are not worth your time. This is your eternal salvation we are talking about. I know how hard it can be to make a decision to change friend groups. At the time, it seems like it matters SO MUCH. But keep an eternal perspective, friends.

There is a challenge at Viewmont High to "walk the line." Interpretation: everyone (it seems) is trying to be good, but not "too good". In general, there aren't major drug problems, there aren't major gangs, and you don't have to worry about weapons being brought to school or your personal safety as you walk to class. In fact, most everyone could be classified as "good." But no one wants to be a "goody good." It is considered SO uncool for one to actually enjoy seminary or to actually turn off a song because it is suggestive. That's just too good. I would submit: What is "too good?" Is it possible, with an eternal perspective, to be "too good?" Are we not commanded? "Be ye therefore perfect." (Matthew 5) Strict obedience to the commandments, my friends, is nothing short of the Celestial Kindom.

So drop them. Get rid of the influences in your life that are preventing you from becoming who you can become. To be honest, it will be hard; I have an aunt who had an idiot boy at her high school make her life a living hell all throughout high school. I don't blame her one bit for never wanting to have to relive that time in her life. High school kids are cruel and devilish. I can't promise that you won't be judged for doing what is right. In fact, I can promise that you will. But you will be blessed for it.

Please, my friends, let us be examples of the believers. Let us live worthily of the spirit. Let us be who we want to be. As has been said by much greater men than I, we have been chosen to live at this time. We are not here by mistake. We cannot, must not, allow our royal heritage be wasted because of the opinions of hormonal, illogical, carnal, sensual, and devilish teenagers. Rise above. The wrong shall fail, the right prevail. The question is, which side will you be on? Make the decision today. The time for indecision has passed and now it is time to rise up.




Sorry for how long-winded this was, I just have had this on my mind and wanted to put it down in writing. If you made it this far, you get the best news of all: My call was sent today!! :)