Can you still believe in a Bright Future?

rayb · Hot Air Balloon

Can you still believe in a Bright Future?

Fregramis · Senior Member

rayb-

I totally agree with you. Things have been getting worse for a long time. I used to mentally cower in fear as a child over the last days, the doom and destruction that awaited me. As an adolescent, I used to not excel in my studies because the economy was going to go kaput anyway; why settle in a career?

I now know bettter. That type of outlook soured my soul. I do look at these times as days of "high adventure", so to speak. We must be careful, yes, but we can have fun and enjoy ourselves as well. Once I am done with college, I can look forward working for prosperity and the abundant life, just as people have always done. I look forward to maybe having a jetski someday, or taking my kids to Disneyland. My wife and I are saving for a mission. I honestly think our best days are still ahead of us. The world getting worse should not cause us to marvel; we always knew it would. Yet we will not be denied access to the joys and happiness the gospel brings, just because Babylon is in commotion.

Elder Holland has spoken about this very thing from time to time. I know President Hunter spoke of it as well. I'll try to find some links for later....

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

"When I hear Pres. Hinckley talk, he is full of positive thoughts and optimism, nothing like many who hem and haw about the impending end of the world and hopelessness in the government."

My thoughts are Pres. Hinckley is positive IN SPITE of the impending end of the world, prophesied calamities, etc. That's the key. Some people want to deny these things or at least ignore them or they can't seem to be happy. Ignorance may be bliss, but it's not true happiness or joy in the same sense Pres. Hinckley experiences it.

salesortonscom · Wise and Revered Master

The righteous need not fear. Enjoy life for goodness sakes. We each have very little control over the events of the world and constant worrying changes nothing. Enjoy your family, your time in mortality, and leave the rest in the Lord's hands.

mirkwood · Senior Bucketkeeper

If ye are prepared ye need not fear. I think Pres. Hinckley is prepared.

TitusTodd · Senior Member

I want to give a little background to Meet the Robinsons. There is a lot of talk about how the movie was vastly improved because Pixar came in and "fixed" it. Well, I won't argue that but the movie was largely done already by the time John Lasseter, who has taken over Disney animation, came into the picture. What changes have been made are huge in impact but small in actual change. Here is a quote from John Lasseter (made at a stockholder meeting if I remember correctly):

... the day after the announcement of the merging of the two studios, Ed and I walked in the Disney Animation Studios, and there we got to meet all of the artists. And each of the directors took us through all the films, and the one director, the young guy named Steve Anderson, was directing this movie called "Meet the Robinsons," which was the next motion picture that's coming out from Disney Animation Studios. And he talked about this story, which is about a boy who is given up for adoption and he always wondered why. Why did his mom give him up?

And, as he told this story, Steve mentioned, "I'm adopted." And his personal story touched me so deeply that when I finally saw the movie, which, by the way, I have to say, it was about 80% finished when Ed and I walked into that studio. I looked at it and it was like the film didn't have in it what Steve's personal story had.

His personal story story brought me to tears, right, and I thought, ah, this feels like it's had too many cooks trying to stir this soup. So we gave him a lot of notes, some really strong notes. We were very honest with him about the movie, but then I gave it back to him. I said, Steve, make the movie you want to make. Tell your story.

And he came back with changes to this film, minor changes, but it made all the difference in the world, and this movie about Lewis, the main character Lewis, who is focusing on the past, and he's wondering, why did his mom give me up? And he wants to focus on his past, but this focus actually takes him to the future, where he meets this amazing, crazy, wonderful, appealing group of characters that actually turns out to be his future family.

And he learns through this experience to look forward in life, not to look back. And this story, it's Steve's story.

We're really excited about this. I'm very, very proud of the film and what Steve and his crew have done. The film is really beautiful too. They have a stylization in this film that is really striking.

So it is a personal story that teaches an important lesson. No wonder the story is touching (and it seems many are agreeing with that assessment of the movie).

-- Edited by TitusTodd at 14:12, 2007-03-30

rayb · Hot Air Balloon

Wow. Thanks for that update. It was a really great story. It felt very personal. Disney stories in the past have been put together by committee... Pixar's on the other hand have been high quality because I think they have better storytellers... the Incredibles comes to mind... a very good family dynamic.

What is amazing ot me... is ...

The story is very much about being excited to have a family of your own.

You JUST DON'T GET THAT ANYMORE!

In fact they showed a preview (Martian Child) in which a main character expresses in a Hollywoodian intellectual viewpoint in the preview how he doesn't think he shouldn't bring anymore children into the world... but what about the children that are already here (the ones needing adoption...)

Again, Hollywood's fixation is so often on this topic of unwanted children finding a real family. What I found interesting about this story is that while it had some of those elements, because the story is about a kid who is an orphan, it ends very positively about how one should forget about one's past and be excited to have a family of your own... and don't be afraid to fail... And how families help you through those failures.

The fact that it's a child who comes to this realization was wonderful.

How many children do you know (outside the church) who really want to have a family of their own!?

Like I said, It's a very needed story...

--Ray

-- Edited by rayb at 13:11, 2007-03-30

rayb · Hot Air Balloon

Oh yeah... and it's a very quirky/funny movie too...

Euphrasie · Senior Bucketkeeper

So, do you think caffeine patches would be against the WoW?

rayb · Hot Air Balloon

I thought Elder Holland's talk about using language to be cheerful and uplifting fit quite well with this thread...

Did you know it was a commandment from the Savior to "Be Cheerful"?

Perhaps we should limit our exposure to dark and cynical conspiracy theories and work with our language and words for a more positive outcome to the darkness and deceitfulness in all of us?

What say you?

--Ray

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

Holland's talk was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not only that, pessimism IS A SIN!! I knew it!

And I only deal in conspiracies that are NOT cynical. For the record.

I'm a totally positive person. My husband even questions my grasp on reality sometimes. Yet, one of the main things he liked about me was I was always happy and upbeat. I guess it helps balance out his um... don't want to call it pessimism anymore.... his realism and uh... reasonable and rational self.

And I can still see the horrors of the end of world! I must be some kind of FREAK!

Mahonri · Senior Bucketkeeper

My wife is just like you Coco.... always positive.

Yes, we will all have trials and heartache, but as we pray and repent and move forward with faith we can feel of the pure love of Christ and of its cleansing power. When that occurs, the future always looks bright.

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

I agree. And back to ray's tie-in to "negative" conspiracies - We know we'll conquer in the end, don't we?? Yes! I heard it compared to a sports game once. The most exciting games are usually the ones where it's closely matched, or there's a big come from behind victory - something exciting, not just a shut down. Same with life - only we are promised we WILL WIN!!

So, bring it on! (I think that way when it's light outside, but strangely, when it's night-time, especially when MrCoco is gone, like downstairs watching TV or something, I get much more subdued about bringing it on. I'm a chicken when it's dark outside.

)

-- Edited by Cocobeem at 15:57, 2007-03-31

arbilad · Head Chef

rayb wrote:

I thought Elder Holland's talk about using language to be cheerful and uplifting fit quite well with this thread...

Did you know it was a commandment from the Savior to "Be Cheerful"?

Perhaps we should limit our exposure to dark and cynical conspiracy theories and work with our language and words for a more positive outcome to the darkness and deceitfulness in all of us?

What say you?

--Ray

Ray, assuming you believe that there will be trials and tragedies before the second coming, what do you believe that a person present before the second coming (whenever you believe that is) should convince himself that they don't exist in order to be happy? Or do you believe that in acknowledging them, he automatically breaks the commandment to be happy?

Like Coco and Moroni, I believe there is a third variant; acknowledge what is going on, but be happy anyway. As Coco said, no matter what the enemy arrays against us, we'll win! We're guaranteed a win. There is no way we'll lose. Yes, the conspiracies themselves are very dark and filthy. But by acknowledging their existence, we don't automatically become dark and filthy.

mirkwood · Senior Bucketkeeper

arbilad wrote:
Like Coco and Moroni, I believe there is a third variant; acknowledge what is going on, but be happy anyway. As Coco said, no matter what the enemy arrays against us, we'll win! We're guaranteed a win. There is no way we'll lose. Yes, the conspiracies themselves are very dark and filthy. But by acknowledging their existence, we don't automatically become dark and filthy.

I like how you said this. There have been talks by our church leaders that have said the same. We should acknowledge that bad things are coming, prepare for them, and then do everything else that is normal in life to maintain a positive outlook.

My wife once asked me why I contribute to 401K when I don't believe we will ever have the opprotunity to use it. I told her a wise man once said that even if he knew the Second Coming was tomorrow, he would still plant a cherry tree today.

Roper · Senior Bucketkeeper

I know what it's like to live in fear and despair. I know what it's like to be rescued.

Despite our society's increasing abandonment of agency in favor of genetic determinism, I still choose love and hope. The alternative terrifies me.

The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades.

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

"The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades."

Fregramis · Senior Member

As the Second Coming approaches, there will be great upheavals in nature (earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, famines, fire). In fact these things will increase with frequency and severity.

However, these things tend to occur with surgical precision, guided by the chastening hand of the Lord. For those of you who worry about the global warming hysteria, here is a comforting promise made to Noah. It often gets overlooked as we focus more on the promise that God will never flood the entire earth again with water:

Genesis 8: 21-22
21 And the LORD smelled a sweet ^asavour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again ^bcurse the ground any more ^cfor mans sake; for the ^dimagination of mans heart is ^eevil from his youth; neither will I again ^fsmite any more every thing living, as I have done.

22 While the earth remaineth, ^aseedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and ^bnight shall not cease.

As someone who enjoys the seasons, I have hope in this promise, though the promise may be interrupted by occasional reminders with chaotic weather patterns!

rayb · Hot Air Balloon

In all of this, I suppose it goes without saying that negative speaking so often flows from negative thinking, including negative thinking about ourselves. We see our own faults, we speakor at least thinkcritically of ourselves, and before long that is how we see everyone and everything. No sunshine, no roses, no promise of hope or happiness. Before long we and everybody around us are miserable.

I love what Elder Orson F. Whitney once said: "The spirit of the gospel is optimistic; it trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things. The opposite or pessimistic spirit drags men down and away from God, looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains, and is slow to yield obedience." We should honor the Savior's declaration to "be of good cheer." (Indeed, it seems to me we may be more guilty of breaking that commandment than almost any other!) Speak hopefully. Speak encouragingly, including about yourself. Try not to complain and moan incessantly. As someone once said, "Even in the golden age of civilization someone undoubtedly grumbled that everything looked too yellow."

I have often thought that Nephi's being bound with cords and beaten by rods must have been more tolerable to him than listening to Laman and Lemuel's constant murmuring. Surely he must have said at least once, "Hit me one more time. I can still hear you." Yes, life has its problems, and yes, there are negative things to face, but please accept one of Elder Holland's maxims for livingno misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse.

Priceless...

Must resist saying more... would be unrighteous...

arbilad · Head Chef

Ray, I agree - we should always be optimistic. No matter what faces us, the Lord is on our side and we will win.
If we depend on the Lord, we are guaranteed to win.