#3 The World is My Campus

The world is my campus.

I swim upstream in the sea of faces eddying around me. I’m in the breeding ground of anonymity. There are moments when a familiar face fleetingly separates itself from the swirling crowd, says hi, then bye, and then returns to the masses. But the rest of the multitude is a soup of untried flavors, unopened envelopes, and unread books. But there’s no time for them now. Maybe someday . . .

I hie to my homework. There’s a hill of it. More precisely, a mountain. I delve into it, deep in, like a dwarf at work in the caverns. I’m buried deep, trying to produce my quota of gemstones by the deadline. Let’s hope they’ll turn out to be true gems—not glass. The expert will know what they are . . . but then, he’s the one testing them.

This is college. I love it. Hate it. Love it. Hate it. Either way, it’s my life.

This campus is my world.

#2 No!!! Really?!

Here is an illustrative story:
I walked into the Crabtree Building, thinking about all the chapters I was hoping read before my next class. I was going to be up until the wee hours of the morning if I didn't get something done between classes. I sat at a table, and magically, there was a friend.
Hello, friend.
I chatted with the friend, and then it was time for class. As I got up, I said,
"I love how I just got all of my reading done." My reading wasn't done.
Hello, sarcasm.
Well, that was just wonderful. (More sarcasm, if you like.) I hadn't done my reading, and incidentally, given the time this blog was posted, you'll realize I'm starting another long night.
Or early morning, if you choose to look on the bright side.
Then again, as the friend pointed out, my little story provides material for this blog. My life is blog fodder. And that's supposed to be comforting how?

Sarcasm, as I've discovered, is rather difficult to define. There are numerous types I have observed in the past few days—stating the obvious, stating the opposite of the obvious (I knew that!), understating, overstating, responding to another's comment to deny the obvious (the "No!!! Really?!" type, if you will), and so forth. Even the use of a sarcastic tone of voice can transform ordinary words into sarcasm. The best definition I can produce for sarcasm is an expression or indication of irony (which is often mutually understood to be nonexistent or fabricated), generally coupled with a degree of pessimism.

The opening paragraph is an example of a slightly pessimistic but generally harmless brand of sarcasm. The danger of sarcasm is that just like the irony it shadows, it tends to carry a darker, less optimistic side. While someone can whip up a comical incongruity to glibly save face, entertain those around them, or just reflect their character, the power of ironic words, when used harshly, can quickly disperse friends, collect antagonists, and brand one as unfriendly, brash, or rude. For one who enjoys the common use of sarcasm, it is important to know the difference between funny sarcastic and rude sarcastic. But if you have a handle on the funny, and feel confident you won't injure the feelings of others, then I say, by all means, go ahead. It's not my skin.

#1 A Child of God

In his talk "A Child of God," Elder Eyring speaks of General James Gavin’s troops in WWII, which went through a lot of thinning. General Gavin’s friend later commented to him how well his troops were looking, and the general said that they ought to look good because they were the survivors.

Elder Eyring likens this to us, as the survivors of a spiritual war. We are the future of the church, and as such God will ask more of us, and Satan will try harder to pull us down. That would explain recently raising the bar for missionaries, banning tattoos and body piercings for worthy members, and increasing other requirements in the church. On the flip side, it would also explain a rampant increase in pornography, the popularity of violent and immoral media, etc. Elder Eyring uses this current polarization of forces as the premise for his talk on the importance of obtaining a gospel-based education.

First he warns of having education coupled with pride. He tells of an NBA basketball player and a Broadway star, which had a good deal of professional pride. Pride is a dangerous thing to have when you are talented, but I think it’s also important to beware of looking up at others more skilled than you and thinking “they think they know so much!” This is also a form of pride.

There is more than one way to decrease pride. One is to be humbled by difficult circumstances, like the poor Zoramites in Alma 32. But too much of this can discourage and depress people, and Alma himself said this was not the best way. Elder Eyring suggests a better way to provide protection against pride—to always remember God. If we remember him and what it means to be his child participating in the plan of salvation, that will give us humility, and eventually give us greater power to learn. When we remember our dependence on Jesus Christ, we’ll feel courage because with his help we can do anything, but we’ll feel humble because without him we can do nothing, and we’ll never be able to fully repay him. By having faith in the Savior this way, we will improve our learning and work ethic (those who don’t know about the plan can still be great learners—we just have the advantage of remembering the Savior and knowing who we are).

Elder Eyring lists several characteristic behaviors of great learners:

1. Welcome correction. This is often a difficult principle for me—I can grit my teeth and take correction, but I have a hard time doing it graciously, let alone welcoming it. Elder Eyring points out that members of the church also seek correction from the Lord and from priesthood leaders, which helps them learn to accept correction.

2. Keep commitments. Commitments are set in stone for me—insofar as I am aware of them. (No throwing snowballs in Provo? Really?) Elder Eyring reminds us that Latter-day Saints have the opportunity to make and keep covenants with the Lord, which he will hold them to. This will increase their ability to keep commitments.

3. Work hard. I value hard work and realize I can’t get anywhere without it, but I admittedly sometimes struggle with motivation. Elder Eyring indicates that those who have faith in the plan of salvation know that they will get everything God has if they give everything they’ve got. Such a generous promise of reward engenders in the righteous a desire to work their hardest.

4. Help others. I want to help other people, but I don’t always do it the right way, and sometimes I’m too stubborn to see what the right way is. Elder Eyring says that as members of the church remember that every person on earth is an actual brother or sister with divine potential, they will realize that everyone around them is as important as they are. This will cause them to be kind and considerate, but also to expect much from each other.

5. Overcome resistance. I tend to become discouraged by resistance, and often feel foolish for repeatedly knocking my head against some seemingly impenetrable wall, but I usually keep trying until I either find a way through or have no brains left to bash. Elder Eyring reminds us that through knowledge of the plan of salvation, Latter-day Saints will know that life is a test, and that difficulties are meant to polish them.

As we remember the plan of salvation and keep God’s commandments, we will receive more instruction on how to follow him. If we act upon the plan, building upon the knowledge we receive, we will gain humility to help us learn and serve and ultimately gain eternal life.