Heroes

I just finished reading the first book in a series called "The Great and Terrible" by Chris Stewart. The first book is titled, "The Brothers". It's a church book and it's about the pre-existence. My dad got me started on it a couple of years ago and I read the first three then. Books four and five recently came out and I wanted to read those, but decided to start over again so I could remember what was happening. Anyways...it's a really good series.

There was a part in there that I've been thinking about a lot. One of the fictional characters (one of the brothers, Ammon) is about to be "born" and sent to earth and he's talking with Michael the Archangel about heroes.

Michael says, "Your world (Earth) will have plenty of heroes, or at least that is what they will be called. But they will be amoral and selfish and so evil and foreign to your experience here that it's impossible for me to describe. Fame, lust, and money will be all they desire. And they will not be heroes, not in the real sense of the word. They will be famous and wealthy, but their riches will die with them. 'But I want you to know, there will be real heroes there. In the time you will live, there will be heroes around. Simple men, honest men who work two jobs, go to school, raise a family and serve our God. An older couple who have the courage to seek out the truth while enduring the scorn and ridicule of their children and friends. A young man, a special spirit, who will take on a body that is deformed--and yet you will never see him unhappy or without a smile on his face. A young mother who will care for a daughter while she suffers a painful death, and yet never doubt or lose faith that her Father loves them both'.

'Yes, Ammon, in your world famous people may be hard to find. But you will be surrounded by heroes, you will meet them every day. They will be the simple people who struggle but never give up, those who strive to be happy despite the cares of the physical world, those who dream of the day when they will find the truth, those who search for understanding as to why they were born, why there is pain, or what it all means, and yet continue to endure, knowing in their soul, somewhere deep inside, that there has to be an answer. These are the heroes that our Father needs down on earth".

Two weeks ago, one of the young men in our ward (his name was Grant) died in a car accident. He was our Bishop's son and one of Garrett's priests when Garrett was young mens president. He was a great kid--funny and goofy; he loved people and giving hugs. He was terribly excited to go on a mission and had just finished saving up his money to pay for his mission. He was a few months away from submitting his papers. It was an awful thing to happen to such a good person. Anyways, I just happened to be reading that part of the book when the accident happened and ever since, I've been thinking about all the heroes that go unnoticed in the world. When people talk about heroes or role models, most people tend to think about athletes and people in the entertainment industry. But I think about the youth in my ward like Grant and the girls that were in Young Women's when I was their leader--how they've gone on to get married in the temple and are getting ready to serve missions.

I guess not even my ward, but all the youth throughout the church. And I know there are lots of good people out there who aren't even members of this church, young and old. Good, hard-working, caring people who are living their lives the best way that they can. I want my girls to look-up to these people as heroes and role models. I also think that we need to let these people know how much we admire and respect them and that we are proud of them. It's a hard time with a lot of bad things in this world. So, here's to all those great heroes that we come into contact with everyday! Thanks for your great examples!