Missing a Friend

I have been missing Elder Wirthlin. I have missed him every conference since he passed. It’s not that I don’t believe our new apostles are inspired, I do, I just sometimes miss apostles that have come to feel like old friends. I knew his style. I felt his love. I connected to all his talks. ---- I remember President Hinkley talking about something like that in a talk near the end of his life. He talked about how each of us has such a short time on this earth. He read from his journal (when he was a young bishop) that soon people wouldn’t remember the greats like… and then listed people I didn’t know. Now when I think of that story I am heart broken that others won’t know Elder Wirthlin, Elder Maxwell, Elder Haight, etc. Elder Wirthlin’s sense of humor was the best. He would say a joke in the same mono-tone that he said everything else. It almost took people off guard. I have very vivid memories of many of his jokes, and writing them doesn’t do them justice. I want to write this because it was my favorite of his talks. It was the last one given. “Come What May and Love it” it starts: ~When I was young I loved playing sports, and I have many fond memories of those days. But not all of them are pleasant. I remember one day after my football team lost a tough game, I came home feeling discouraged. My mother was there. She listened to my sad story. She taught her children to trust in themselves and each other, not blame others for their misfortunes, and give their best effort in everything they attempted. When we fell down, she expected us to pick ourselves up and get going again. So the advice my mother gave to me then wasn’t altogether unexpected. It has stayed with me all my life. “Joseph,” she said, “come what may, and love it.” I have often reflected on that counsel. I think she may have meant that every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don’t sing and bells don’t ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result.~ Elder Wirthlin then goes on to give principles in his life that have helped him through trying times. The first was “Learn to Laugh.” He tells a story about a mix up between 2 of his daughters one going on a blind date and the other getting picked up for babysitting. He got such a good laugh about it that sometimes when he was tempted to groan he would think of it and laugh instead. I know when I was in the hospital, and before, -- when I was in pain I always felt better to laugh. This is part of why Linda coming to DC was such a blessing. We laughed so hard that nothing could seem scary (and yes it helped that she had done it before). His next principle is “Seek for the Eternal.” Neal A Maxwell once talked on eduring trials. He said something like at times we might wonder, “Why me?” and he said the answer we need to give ourselves is “Why not?” Elder Wirthlin said he drew strength from noble examples of people in the scriptures, and then continued ~Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others. Because Jesus Christ suffered greatly, He understands our suffering. He understands our grief. We experience hard things so that we too may have increased compassion and understanding for others. Remember the sublime words of the Savior to the Prophet Joseph Smith when he suffered with his companions in the smothering darkness of Liberty Jail: “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; “And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.” With that eternal perspective, Joseph took comfort from these words, and so can we. Sometimes the very moments that seem to overcome us with suffering are those that will ultimately suffer us to overcome.~ His next principle is “The Principle of Compensation” ~The third thing we can do is understand the principle of compensation. The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.~ I have often overlooked this idea, but thinking about it brings such comfort. Next is “Trust in the Father and the Son” In Seminary we had to memorize the scripture “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) There is something about pure trust in God. Faith is the first principle of the gospel for a reason. Without it nothing else is valid. – I gave a Sharing time on Faith and the 1st article of faith a couple of Sundays ago. We talked about how Faith has to come first. To illustrate I put my sock on over my shoe. The sock coming second completely ruins the purpose of the sock. It is the same with Faith. It must come first for the other principles to apply. ~“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.”2 The Lord Jesus Christ is our partner, helper, and advocate. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to be successful. If we do our part, He will step in. He who descended below all things will come to our aid. He will comfort and uphold us. He will strengthen us in our weakness and fortify us in our distress. He will make weak things become strong.~ Good Bye Elder Wirthlin. I will remember you and try to be better because of you. You brought me closer to my savior. I miss you..