Hello Bearries,
I hope everyone is doing great in their respective spheres. A big (if belated) shout out to Zach and Landon for starting grad school. I just finished a book called "The Chosen" and was deeply affected by it. In particular there was a passage that I though was particularly poignant. In it the main protagonist is concerned that his dad is working too hard and asks him to slow down. To this the dad responds by saying

"Human beings do not live forever Rueven. We live less than the time it takes to blink an eye, if we measure our lives against eternity. So it may be asked what value is there to a human life. There is so much pain in the world. What does it mean to have to suffer so much, if our lives are nothing more than the blink of an eye?...I learned a long time ago, Reuven, that a blink of an eye in itself is nothing; but the eye that blinks, that is something. A span of life is nothing; but the man who lives the span, he is something. He can fill that tiny span with meaning, so its quality is immeasurable though its quantity may be insignificant. A man must fill his life with meaning, meaning is not automatically given to life. It is hard work to fill one's life with meaning- that, I do not think you understand yet. A life filled with meaning is worthy of rest. I want to be worthy of rest when I am no longer here."

• David Malter to his son, Reuven (p. 217)

Mormon put it in a gospel context to his son when he said against a backdrop of extreme hardship "And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God."

One of the greatest changes that occurred in my life when I gained a testimony was the new meaning it brought to my life. I now knew (and know) that I have a divine role in the scheme of life, and that as a child of God my worth was such that the creator of the universe put a plan in motion to provide for my eternal happiness. With this knowledge and forgiveness though, came a deep responsibility to do my best to try and live up to what Jesus Christ gave to m, and wants to share with me. 

For sure our lives at times seems hectic and challenging, but when I find the time to serve God by keeping the commandments and serving his children it makes the down parts of my life either become easier to cope with or go away entirely. I feel strongly that each of the Bearrie boys have a strong capacity to do something meaningful with their lives; you guys are awesome and are uniquely gifted at reaching out to the people around you. I know that by trying our hardest to stay close to the spirit and serve God and the church that we can find the most meaning to our lives, and be able to make a huge difference to some of God's children. 

A Quick Thought on the Atonement

Just a quick Sunday thought. This video just crushed me. I want to bear my testimony that the Atonement is real and that through Christ everyone of us really can change and become who we want to be and who we need to be. There are 11 other videos like this one on the church's new addiction recovery page (watch the other ones here http://www.mormonchannel.org/12steps). The ones I've watched have taught me a lot about the Atonement and about our Savior. I think that these are just phenomenal.

ПТИЧКА - A LITTLE BIRD

Bearrie Bisnus:

First day of shooool!  Giddy up. Hopefully that went well for all.  I am sure it went well, particularly those of us who aren't in school.

People are moved in and situated... if there are more moving concerns let us know!  Jay, is Phoebe set up?  Need to move any more big stuff?  Let us know.

Madison and I are back from Thailand - it was awesome.  Here is a link to the movie we threw together about it (don't tell Madison I sent this out - we aren't supposed to share it via social media until we premier it at her family's house this weekend) -  Madison and Cees Thailand

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I have been waiting for this year because my favorite Russian professor is teaching a literature class that I need.  She is AMAZING.  She, hands down, gives the best lectures I have had here at BYU.  And she somehow invites the spirit into class every day.  It is amazing.  And the interesting part is, she isn't mormon.  She is Russian Orthodox.  So, just so you know, the best lecturer at BYU isn't even a member... haha.

ANYWAYS, I want to share an insight that I had in her class today.

I hope everyone here has heard of Pushkin.  He is a very famous Russian poet.  From early age all Russians begin to memorize his poems.  Here is a picture:

Anyways, long story short, the king of the time didn't really like Pushkin.  He was in prison a lot during his short life.  Even though he was never really affiliated with any of the political groups of the time, he was held captive as a political prisoner.  

During one of his times in prison, he wrote the following poem:

ПТИЧКА

В чужбине свято наблюдаю

Родной обычай старины:

На волю птичку выпускаю

При светлом празднике весны.

Я стал доступен утешенью;

За что на бога мне роптать,

Когда хоть одному творенью

Я мог свободу даровать!

Александр Сергеевич Пушкин

(1799 - 1837)

A Little Bird

In alien lands devoutly clinging

To age-old rites of Russian earth,

I let a captive bird go winging

To greet the radiant spring's rebirth.

My heart grew lighter then: why mutter

Against God's providence, and rage,

When I was free to set aflutter

But one poor captive from his cage!

Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin

(1799-1837)

Honestly I didn't really get the poem at first.  It wasn't until class that I was clued into the significance.

In prison he was allowed to celebrate Easter.  One of the Russian traditions on Easter is to let a bird free from a little cage.  As he was himself in a "little cage" he was able to rejoice in giving freedom to another.  The last part of the poem is what was so profound to me - "why mutter against God's providence, and rage, when I was free to set aflutter but one poor captive from his cage". 

He was in a crappy situation.  He was locked up.  He had a few things that he could have been upset at God about.  But he recognized that EVEN IN HIS SITUATION, he could still serve and help others.  He was FREE to free another!  And that is what life is about!  That is what we are here to do.  

Yeah, sometimes life is going to suck.  We are going to feel stuck.  We are going to feel picked on.  We are going to feel grumpy because our life isn't as good as someone else.  But if we give up and say, "Poor me, poor me.  I am stuck.  I can't do anything."  Well then we have missed the point.

Pushkin nailed it.  We never have reason to mutter against God.  We can always make a difference in the lives of others.  I really believe that.  Whether it is a kind word, a warm meal, a smile, a favor, or 50 bucks.  We can always make a difference and set someone free.

Every week we have the opportunity to remember the ultimate "setting free".  Jesus Christ, like in everything, is the ultimate example.  He was in the lousiest of places.  He was in the worst of conditions.  He had every right to complain, BUT HE DIDN'T.  He set the rest of us free with the Atonement.  He could have bailed.  He could have said, "eh, I have enough problems as it is.  I think I will pass on taking on the problems of the world."  But He didn't.  And I am so grateful for that.

Pushkin remarked that when he let the bird go that his "heart grew lighter".  In Russian, the line "Я стал доступен утешенью" literally means, "I became available to comfort".  I can testify along with Pushkin, that when we focus on others, we are then able to become comforted.  We can let go of some of our cares and worries.  And our problems will not seem so daunting.

May we all focus on others when the going gets tough.