As you may know, Nick went up to mainland the last couple weeks and returned just this past week. Before he went to mainland we committed him to keep the word of wisdom. Unfortunately, he was not able to keep that committment while in China. Fortunately, it was a good learning experience to show why we need to read the scriptures everyday; to maintain the strength to resist temptation! It has been a little bit of a step back but the most important thing is to learn from the experience.
 
Now that we have the Liahona I have been reading and re-reading those talks! One that has stuck out to me ever since first hearing it is the one about learning to listen to the music. It's such a simple example of a powerful principle. No matter what phase we are in life are we dancing only to dance? Does it feel awkward or weird to us, but we continue due to outside pressures? Do we really hear the music?  In the talk he asks if we have ever seen someone in another car dancing to music and singing out loud? Doesn't it look strange? Maybe.  Flipping the picture, have we ever been in a car singing and dancing, not caring what the outside world thinks? Maybe not all of us, but I sure have! Am I living the Gospel in such a way that no matter what people on the "outside" think, I continue joyfully singing and dancing? I love this talk! It is a great reminder to look at the reason behind the things we do and to look at the sincerity of it as well!

Love, Elder Zach Cederlof