Kindness

A few years ago, for a Christmas vacation, we visited my Grandparents in Provo Utah. I always loved these trips to Utah, because it meant we got to see the cousins, our friends, and go skiing a few times. Many of my fondest memories growing up are from those trips to Utah. While I loved these trips, I often dreaded Sundays there. My parents would have us go to church to my Grandparents' ward, where I knew nobody. If we were lucky enough, my younger brother and I were able to convince our parents to let us leave after the first hour. Some years we weren't as lucky, and had to attend the following two hours where we actually had to interact with strangers of our own age.

This particular Christmas vacation was one of those times where we couldn't convince our parents to let us leave church after the first hour. Being the shy, timid kid that I was, I was so scared as I walked to the class that I would attend. Moments like this used to scare me so much, and I was less than excited. As I sat in the class, everyone noticed me and I did the usual introductions. I sat there anxiously looking at the clock hoping it would move much faster.

Well, things were different this time. The group of guys there, while I do not know their names, had a lasting effect on me. They made me feel welcome. Not only did they say nice things, they made me feel like I was part of their group of friends for that day. I left that day actually enjoying my experience at church, because I had felt comfortable and part of the group. By the end of the day, I actually felt like I was part of their friend group.

The kindness did not even stop there, that very night my grandparents received a call, and said it was for me. To my surprise, it was one of the guys from church that day inviting me to play basketball the next morning! While I did not attend because we had other plans, I was shocked at how far out of the way this kid had gone just to make me feel like his friend. These kids had no reason to really try and make me their friend. I wasn't moving there, and they knew that. I was only gonna be there for a couple of weeks. Other then the painful couple of hours I would have experienced at church, the rest of the vacation I would have been fine hanging out with family and friends.

So why did they do it? Because they understood something most people don't. They understood that kindness makes other people happy, whether or not they need that kindness. They understood that when we are kind to others, we help them feel God's love for them. Christ's Gospel is one that teaches that we should be kind to one another. He was the perfect example of kindness through his love and service to one another, and taught that we should love one another as he has loved us (John 13:34).

I have found great joy as I have learned to do this in my life. I'm still not perfect, I still get grumpy some days, but I try to show my kindness to everyone through loving them and serving them. People have stories, experiences, feelings, and emotions, and often times they want to let people in. They put up walls of defense because of past negative experiences in life. Through loving and serving others, they open up, and I am often able to help them. This brings both joy in my life, and in the life of many others. As I do this, all I am doing is spreading what those kids in Provo, Utah taught me several years ago, and what the Master Teacher taught us all 2000 years ago. Everyone wants to be loved, and will accept your kindness.

Mormons: Who Are We?

I'm sure there are many people that wonder what us Mormons believe. They just know we are "different" then the rest. I remember once in High School a girl came up to me and said "hey, I heard Mormons aren't allowed to eat peanut butter. Why not?" So, I explained to her about how peanut butter makes us all loopy, so we don't eat it. Just kidding. I eat peanut butter almost every day.

I recognize that some of these rumors are true, like the fact that there are a lot of Mormons with big families. I would like to take the time to clarify everything to the best of my ability. My prayer is that through these posts, more people can understand what we believe and why we do what we do. 

Probably one of the more common questions I have heard about us "Mormons" is whether or not we are Christian. That's a great question. I want to specifically address this question in this blog post, and pray the Holy Ghost guides me as I do so.

The short answer is yes. Yes we are Christian. We are known as Mormons, but this is just a nickname. Our church is called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We are referred to as "Mormons" because of the Book of Mormon. People say we aren't Christian because we believe in a book that isn't the Bible. This is not true, because, the Book of Mormon is "Another Testament of Jesus Christ". Therefore, if the definition of being Christian is "believing in Christ," then we are some of the most Christian people you can meet. We speak of Christ, and rejoice in him.

Christ means everything to me. He is my Savior, Redeemer, and Friend. He died for you, and for me. He came to this world, descending below everything, just because He loved us. He performed miracles and was baptized by John the Baptist. He taught the truth, established his church, and was our perfect example. He raised Lazarus from the dead, changed water into wine, and was resurrected. He suffered in Gethsemane for every pain, affliction, sickness, and sin. He is Jesus the Christ. I know I am a Christian, because of my belief in Christ. There are also millions of other strong believers in Christ in the "Mormon" church.

The other way to define a Christian in my mind is trying to live life in a way that reflects what he taught. I am far from being perfect, and have a lot to do, but I live my faith by serving him. I believe that we should love and serve EVERYONE in the world. I try to do that daily, even though I'm not perfect at it. I also believe in humility, patience, charity, diligence, obedience, hope, faith, and knowledge. I believe in second chances. I believe family life is one of the most important things. I show I am a Christian, by trying to be better every day. I also see many other amazing people in this church trying to live to be Christ-like. As it says in the Bible "by their fruits ye shall know them,"  and the fruits of Mormonism is the way millions of people live their lives in a Christian way.

Knowing Who You Are

I am Chase Plowman, the middle child of Jeff and Alyson Plowman. I have an older sister, Chelsy, and a younger brother, Tyler. I am pretty athletic, and played a lot of tennis. I also have the ability to play the piano. I am a quiet, shy, a calm person, and a people-pleaser. I am smart, and get good grades in school. I'm tall, and skinny, and definitely don't belong on the football field. I have my place in the world, and it's where the world has always put me.

At least that's what I have been told my whole life. I have spent my whole life looking for who I am, and a lot of these things that are true about me, but it is not who I am. In High School, I acted very differently than I do now. I had a small group of friends, but I had a big lack of confidence in who I was. I was scared and uncomfortable, feeling inadequate in every way. When away from this group of friends, I struggled to carry on a conversation with others. Then when with this group of friends, I acted hyper and tried to be funny to hide this lack of confidence. I also had a strong desire to please everyone, causing me to get extremely stressed and have anxiety attacks over the impossible nature of that task. 

A change has been brought about in me, one that was found by discovering who I am. Since being on my mission, I have left my comfort zone. I had entered into a world where all I did was talk to people I didn't know, about a Gospel and religion they might not even want. Pleasing everyone and being shy were no longer options. This caused me to have anxiety attacks, and forced me to try and find a solution to the problem.

I talked to my Mission President about it, and he helped me get some professional help. I thought that only crazy people went to counseling, but decided I would give it a try. What I learned during a few short sessions with my counselor, Travis, is knowledge that has changed my life. He helped me learn who I really was. 

I have really found out that I am a child of God. He is my Father in heaven. He loves me, and did not send me on this earth to fail. He gave me all my strengths for a reason, and does not want me to change to conform to the world. He also gave me weaknesses for a reason, so that I may be humble and trust in Him. This is a piece of knowledge that I hope everyone I know can come to find out. Through this knowledge, we learn that it does not matter what others think of you, it only matters what He thinks of you.

So what does He think of you? Or me? Or any of us? He thinks you are worth the investment. Each and everyone one of us have our own worth, and it cannot be changed. In John 3:16 it says "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son," meaning God sent his Son to die for us because he loved each and every one of us. A quote from C.S. Lewis says "He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, he would have done no less." God knows you personally, and thinks about you personally, just as earthly parents think about and love all their children individually.

I know this to be true. I know that God is our father, and Christ is our brother. Through them and the power of the Atonement we may know who we are, and live in peace and happiness. I now boldly preach the truth to the world, and invite all to come unto it. I have no more anxiety attacks, and live at peace knowing that God is my Heavenly Father and I am his son. This knowledge is the only solution to heartache and pain that we feel in this life.