Gremlins and Their Rules!

Look how cute!

Who's seen the movie Gremlins? If not, go see it... like, right now. If you have, how awesome is that movie? Pretty awesome. I love that movie, because it's not only highly entertaining, and filled with neat little creatures (both the Mogwai and the Gremlins), but it also teaches a very valuable lesson. Not just in how to defend yourself from attacking gremlins or responsibility for pets. The Mogwai come with three very specific, very easy directions to follow: Don't feed them after midnight, don't get them wet, avoid bright light. All you have to do is those simple things, and everything is alright. How hard is that? You just play with your little Mogwai, give him a cool name like Gizmo, follow the rules, and you have nothing to worry about. But of course, it being a movie, it would be quite boring if nothing went wrong. The rules are broken, and pandemonium breaks out. The adorable little Mogwai turns into a not-so-adorable Gremlin. Cue zany antics, more mishaps, and lots of entertainment, and you've got yourself a great movie! But how much easier would life have been for Billy had he just followed the rules?

Oh geez!

Billy's story isn't too different from us. There are rules we have to follow all the time: traffic rules, rules in the classroom, rules our parents give us. There are lots of rules out there. But, most are pretty darn simple to follow. We think about the gospel: We're given rules, commandments, to follow. They're not at all difficult. We aren't expected to do anything we can't handle, and are promised great blessings in return. It should be pretty simple to just go through with it. And of course, just like with the Mogwai, there are consequences to not following these simple rules. These repercussions can make things very difficult for us. We don't want to have to deal with negative side effects, and luckily can very easily avoid that, simply by following the commandments. We can keep our Gizmo a cute, furry little Mogwai, and not have to worry about dealing with a scaly, malicious Gremlin. So, are we willing to follow the simple instructions, and avoid having things get out of hand?

Harry Potter and the Final Battle

So, when we last left off, I was filling you up on the seventh book, leaving off where Voldemort crashed the wedding, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione took off. Their adventure begins, hunting down the Horcruxes and trying to avoid Voldemort's goons. A good chunk of the book can be viewed as a long camp out. Amongst this, they are able to locate and destroy a Horcrux, and identify a few other ones. A bunch of crazy stuff happens, and they end up back at Hogwarts, where the final war begins. Harry discovers that, in order to stop the war, he needs to sacrifice himself, because, as it turns out, he's a Horcrux. It wasn't supposed to be that way, but when Voldemort tried to kill Harry, and it backfired, he inadvertently made Harry a Horcrux. So he goes right into Voldemort's camp and offers himself up. Something crazy happens, though, when he gets hit with the Killing Curse. Rather than dying, he enters into an in-between state, the he envisions to be King's Cross Station, where he meets up with Dumbledore, and gets some of his answers. Harry is able to return, and plays dead for a little while, and is brought back to the school, where the sides face off, once again. All that remains, now, is for someone to kill Nagini, Voldemort's pet snake and the final Horcrux, and Voldemort can be killed. Neville Longbottom, in a great and uncharacteristic act of heroism, is able to cut off Nagini's head, and the war recommences. Right when it seems like it's all going to fall into the hands of Voldemort, Harry reemerges (having covered himself in his invisibility cloak at the beginning of the battle), runs through everything and how Voldemort did it all, and in a final conflict is able to kill Voldemort. It's a bittersweet end, as the greatest evil is finally destroyed, but many dear friends have been killed. But, now Harry can finally have a normal life, and be free of the fear of Voldemort.
For those who have read the books, you'll notice some MAJOR points missing from the summary, including the main factors and the name sake of the seventh book. Oh well...
So, the Final Battle is a pretty exciting part of the book... frankly, the whole series. It's the culminating event. This is where everything is going to be decided, once and for all. All the questions are answered, all the pieces are in place, and now, either good or evil will win, and that will be the end. And, just when it seems like the bad guys are about to overpower and come out victorious, the hero pops up, out of no where, and saves the day. Things are a lot more like fiction than we realize (and often than what we're comfortable with). We're in a war today. It's us vs. Satan. He's trying his hardest to make us all miserable like him, and will do anything to take us down. But, there's going to be a HUGE war that comes up at the very end, where "Michael and his angels [will fight] against the dragon..." (Revelation 12:7). This will be the final battle to decide who wins, good or bad. We, of course, know what the outcome will be: Good will triumph. Finally, Satan will be overthrown and cast out, and we can all have peace and serenity. It will be similar to the Final Battle at Hogwarts. It may seem like the evil is going to win, but at the last second, the hero will come and save the day. We can prepare ourselves for this war. We know it's coming, and we know what we have to do. As we start readying ourselves and start today, we will be better able to overcome the struggles that will face us. We have no reason to fear the end, as long as we know where we stand. When we're on the Lord's side, we're protected, for "if God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). The war and the end is nothing to fear as long as we know whose side we're on.

Harry Potter and the Spiritual Gifts

So a rather genius idea was suggested to me to do the seventh installation of this blog series in two parts. It's brilliant for several reasons: 1. It fits the movie series, where the last movie was split into two installments. 2. It allows me to write about two ideas from the seventh book (one was suggested by the same person who suggested I do two parts... she's a winner). 3. It allows me to squeeze out one more blog. Rather than racking my brain for another idea, I can now simply draw out this idea, and get one more out of it! So, without much further ado, here is the summary of Book Seven!

Dumbledore is dead. Harry knows about the Horcruxes. Voldemort has control of Hogwarts and (soon) the Ministry. Harry has reached 17 years of age, which is the age of adulthood in the Wizarding community, and the protections that he's had on him, and the protections on the Dursley's home, will be lifted. Before that, the Dursley's are strongly encouraged to leave their home. They resist at first, but finally agree. As soon as the clock strikes midnight, bringing in July 31, 1997, Death Eaters are all over that house. The Order of the Phoenix set up a plan with several Harry impersonators (thanks to polyjuice potion), and he's able to get away, but not without losing Mad Eye Moody and Hedwig. Shortly thereafter, they're able to forget their problems for a brief time to celebrate Bill and Fleur's wedding. At this event, Rufus Scrimgeour, the new Minister of Magic, comes to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and gives them items left to them by Dumbledore. To Harry, the snitch he caught in his first ever Quidditch game. To Ron, his "Put-Outer", a device that is able to magically extinguish any light. To Hermione, a book entitled Tales of Beedle the Bard, a book of fairy tales for young witches and wizards. The meaning behind these gifts is a mystery to all, though Scrimgeour is convinced they know why. All they can figure out is the connection of the snitch, and that's only in part. Snitches have a magical attribute that allows them to be able to identify the first person to touch it, in case of a close call. Scrimgeour assumes something will happen as soon as Harry touches the snitch, but is disappointed when nothing happens. However, after Scrimgeour leaves, Harry remembers that he didn't catch his first snitch, but nearly swallowed it. He presses the small golden ball to his lips, and a message appears: I open at the close. The wedding is a success, until a message baring Patronus from Kingsley Shacklebolt comes, telling everyone of the fall of the Ministry into Voldemort's hands. Chaos ensues, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione hightail it out of there, beginning their journey...

For the purpose of this blog, I'll leave off the summary at that point, and continue it in the next blog. The gifts given to Harry, Ron, and Hermione seem odd. None can figure out why they received them. The snitch certainly carried some sentimental value, but what of the mysterious message? What would the "Put-Outer" benefit Ron? And, while Hermione is certainly a lover of books, why a wizard's children book? The reasoning for it all is explained later in the book, and plays quite the pivotal role in the whole scheme of things. It's quite amazing how Dumbledore could foresee what would happen, and be able to recognize what each individual person of the group would need in order to help accomplish the task. He knew them well enough, their strengths and their personalities, to know what tools to present them with. The same could be said of the things our Heavenly Father provides for us. Since He knows us all perfectly, He knows what trials we will go through. He also knows what our strengths are, so that He can know what tools will best benefit us, and allow us to succeed. We all go through hard times, and will all face challenges, but we are never left to our own devices. The Lord never abandons us. He gives us each, individually, ways to cope with Satan's temptations. We each have personal abilities that allow us to overcome. Just like the snitch for Harry, maybe you have a lot of patience that allows you to grin-and-bear; or like Ron and the "Put-Outer", maybe you can look at things in a more eternal perspective to be able to let the little things just roll off you; or, like Hermione and her book, you have an unwavering positive attitude that makes it so you can greet any problem with a smile. We all gifts like these, and they've all been given us by our Heavenly Father. It's the difference in them that makes them unique to us, as we are all unique individuals (one of the many wonderful parts of our Heavenly Father's plan!). Our Father gives us spiritual gifts, and as we nourish them, we are "able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). So know that we are not left alone, but have been given gifts to help us stand strong in the face of the adversary!

Harry Potter and the Individual Testimony

It's very possible (likely, even) that Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is my favorite book of the series. Why? Cause I'm weird. It all starts coming together: the mysteries behind Voldemort's seeming immortality is explained, details that seemed weird and even unimportant from previous books suddenly are tied in to the bigger picture, the Horcruxes are introduced, things really start to go down, and it ends on kind of a downer (that's why I'm weird, I like that part... much like the end of Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back). Dumbledore is dead, Snape is a traitor, Harry breaks up with Ginny, Hogwarts and the Ministry (though that was earlier) have been taken over by Voldemort and his goons, and Harry has to leave Hogwarts a year early to start hunting down Horcruxes and save... well, the world.
As for a brief rundown of the plot: Harry is back in the public eye, and things are getting pretty dang crazy. Cornelius Fudge was sacked as Minister of Magic because of his lack of action at the warnings of Voldemort's return (he claimed Harry was making up stories and it wasn't true). Now, Rufus Scrimgeour is the new Minister, and Voldemort and his Death Eaters have no problem making their presence known, as it's already out in the open. Destruction and chaos have gotten of hold of not only Wizarding England, but Muggle England as well. Harry is taken on a trip with Dumbledore shortly before school begins to find a Horace Slughorn, former potions master. Horace is enticed by Harry, being quite fond of getting in with well-known, high-ranking people, and agrees to return to Hogwarts... to once again be potions master. This means that Snape gets to finally get his dream position of professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Snape's had a busy summer as well, making an unbreakable vow with Narcissa Malfoy, Draco Malfoy's mother, that he would do everything he could to help Draco with whatever task Voldemort had assigned him.
Harry returns to school and finds himself able to continue with potions due to Professor Slughorn's less strict requirements. He borrows a used book, which has lots of notes in the margin that help Harry not only do much better at Potions than usual, but actually excel in the class. The year seems pretty typical, except for one extra "class" Harry has: he meets with Dumbledore and, through his Pensieve, and using memories that he's collected, they're able to see some of Tom Riddle's history. Harry is able to get an untampered memory from Professor Slughorn which solidifies Dumbledore's guess that Voldemort has been using Horcruxes, a very dark magic where one rips their soul, and places it in an object, allowing them to survive even after death. They have enough evidence to know several key points: He made 7, they've destroyed 2, and Tom would use artifacts from the founders of Hogwarts. Dumbledore was able to locate one, and they take off to get it. The protection that Dumbledore has to go through to get it leaves him very weakened, and when they return to Hogwarts and find it overrun with Death Eaters, things don't look good. Upon landing in one of the towers, Dumbledore quickly stuns Harry, making it impossible for him to move. Out of sight, Harry can only listen and watch as Draco comes to try and kill Dumbledore. When he realizes he can't do it, Snape suddenly barges in and kills him. Harry is now free, because a spell can't continue once the caster is dead. He chases after Snape and tries to get revenge, but to no avail. Harry is now without Dumbledore, his mentor and greatest form of protection, and he now has to go out and accomplish what Dumbledore had started, with little knowledge of what to do, little idea of where to go, and little preparation for what he was going to face.
Harry had relied on Dumbledore these past 5 years for just about everything. He felt comfortable and safe with Dumbledore around, and knew that nothing bad could happen to him. He learned a lot from him, and discovered things about himself, his family, his past, present, and future. Dumbledore was his guiding light; but after that night, Harry was alone. Harry never considered the event of Dumbledore's death, or what that would mean. He always assumed he'd be there to help him. But the end came for him, and Harry was left to face this great adventure without him. Now, he could no longer rely on Dumbledore, he had to do it all on his own.  
As we grow up, we lean a lot on our parents and leaders for lots of things. We gain opinions and tastes, likes and dislikes, morals and beliefs from the people who raise us. This is common, it's hard for a young child to make a well formed view of a serious issue. So, they simply take from their parents or their teachers of their church leaders those things. The same is true of a testimony. We often see small children go and bare their testimony: "I know the church is true, I love my mom and dad, I know Heavenly Father loves me, name of Jesus Christ amen." Classic. But, their testimony is simply an appendage of their parents'. They know the church is true cause mom and dad do, and they told them so. Because their Bishop does, and he told them so. Because their Primary teachers do, and they told them so. They don't truly have their own testimony. They don't have a rock solid foundation. They can't, they're simply too young. It's when we grow up and start to learn things for ourselves that we can come to certain important conclusions. At some point everyone, everyone, must decide for themselves if this church is true. Everyone from you to President Monson. We need to read the Book of Mormon and pray, to truly and sincerely ask if it is true, and the Lord will tell us. It's only when He tells us that we will truly know that it is true. We're just like Harry: eventually, we're expected to do things on our own. We can't just ride on the coattails of others, we need to be able to stand on our own. Just as Harry took on Voldemort and his army, even without Dumbledore, we can all take on Satan and his army, even on our own. As we develop and strengthen our individual testimonies, and nourish the seed (Alma 32), we'll be able to face whatever opposition comes our way.

Harry Potter and the Church's Purpose

Following up a rather exciting fourth year at Hogwarts, Harry is back at the Dursleys for what promises to be a long, rough summer holiday. Fortunately for him, a group of mysterious people show up to carry him away. With the reemergence of Voldemort, and the lack of belief on the part of the Ministry of Magic, it's not safe for, frankly, anyone, but this isn't just anyone... this is Harry Potter. Since the Ministry won't take any action to protect him (as they don't even believe him that Voldemort is back), then Dumbledore will, with the reformation of the Order of the Phoenix. Headquartered at Sirius Black's house, and protected with every form of magical protection they can, the Order of the Phoenix is an organization made up of wizards and witches, most of them Aurors (magical policemen, pretty much), and several of them very involved in the Ministry of Magic. The group existed in the first war against Voldemort as well. They're all out to protect Harry and try to keep Voldemort from running amok.
Well, things are just as weird as ever. Now, suddenly, Harry is seeing things. Strange dreams of running through long hallways. When one of the dreams involves Harry, as a snake, striking Mr. Weasly, his best friend's dad, he gets more than a little concerned. He tells Dumbledore, and they find that it indeed happened. Now it's become apparent that these aren't just random dreams, but Harry's connection to Voldemort is actually allowing him to see into Voldemort's world. This Voldemort eventually uses to his advantage, placing a fake vision of Sirius Black being tortured. Harry and his friends rush to his rescue, only to find him not there, but rather an ambush of Death Eaters. They fight as best they can, eventually being aided by the Order of the Phoenix, but the battle cost Sirius Black's life (probably the lamest occurrence in the series). Following this, there's a showdown between Voldemort and Harry, where Dumbledore steps in. Voldemort tries to possess Harry's body, but Harry is able to resist this. When all is said and done, enough of a warning has been dent out that many prominent members of the Ministry, including the Minister of Magic himself, were able to show up and see for themselves that Voldemort was in fact back and in power.
The plot just keeps thickening in this very exciting, and rather sad book. No one wanted to see Sirius die... he was Harry's best shot at a normal life. I guess Harry just wasn't meant to have a normal life.
The Order of the Phoenix (possibly one of the coolest named organizations ever) plays a major role in the second war with Voldemort, and we're told it played a pretty big part of the first war, too. This group of dedicated individuals are willing to risk life and limb to stand up for what's right and try to stop evil from conquering. They're unified in their purpose and are willing to do anything to accomplish their goal. This is how the Church is. We are the best form of protection from the world, because we have the best resources to combat the evil out there. We have the fullness of the Gospel; we have the Bible and Book of Mormon, that go together to answer all questions and provide an entirety of doctrine; we have Prophets and Apostles who reveal God's will for us, and let us know how best to get through life's maze. Thanks to these tools, we are never lost, and can be a guiding/protecting force for all our brothers and sisters. If they don't know the way, at least we do, and we can do our parts in helping and protecting them. That's what we as member's of Christ's church should do: reach out and "lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees" (Doctrine and Covenants 81:5).

Harry Potter and the Unified Purpose

Oh man! I just keep going! Now we're on to book number 4! Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, a pretty pivotal book in the series. Why? Well, let me tell ya:
Harry gets to spend an actual magic summer, spending time with Weasleys and going to the Quidditch World Cup. While there, some Death Eaters (Voldemort's supporters) make a stand, marching around and tormenting some muggles. This is quickly put to rest by someone sending the Dark Mark (Voldemort's sign) into the air. They find the wand that did it, and it seems like a house elf named Winky did it. But, evidence says there's more to it than that. Things get even more exciting upon Harry, Ron, and Hermione's return to Hogwarts. The announcement of the Tri Wizard Tournament puts all of Hogwarts in an uproar. The Triwizard Tournament is an even that tests young witch and wizard's skill and magical prowess, and takes place between Europe's 3 major Wizarding schools: Hogwarts of England, Beauxbatons of France, and Durmstrang of Scandinavia. The catch is, however, you can only enter if you're 17 or older. Well, somehow, when the champions are being chosen, Harry is one of them. This is strange because, not only is he only 14, but Hogwarts already had a champion selected, Cedric Diggory. Now Harry has to participate. He's getting some help from friends, and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor "Mad Eye" Moody (named for his strange, magical glass eye). Some crazy stuff goes down, and suddenly, when in a labyrinth for the final event of the tournament, Harry and Cedric come upon the trophy, which turns out to be a portkey (an object able to magically transport you anywhere). They wind up in a graveyard, where Cedric is killed and Harry is bound, and his blood is taken and used to bring Voldemort back to full strength. Thanks to another magical occurrence (Priori Incantatem), Harry is able to get back to the portkey and bring Cedric's body with him. Now, Voldemort's back, and the wizarding world is in an uproar. Well, sort of...
I've left out the part about Mad Eye actually being a prominent Death Eater posing as him, but that's not pertinent to the current blog post. What I'm choosing to focus on is the unity that is displayed, and will continue to be displayed in the series, between the three opposing schools. This was the main point of why they started the Triwizard Tournament ca 1294. Dumbledore knew something was up, and that something bad was soon to come to fruition. He urges all three schools, upon their arrival, to remember the importance of unity, and that all the wizarding world needed to be united to fight against evil. This must exist amongst us, as well. I've written about this subject a couple times (here and here). But if something is repeated, you know it must be important.

We as members of the Church have a common goal and dream. We know where we want to go, and we know what we want our world to be like. And, there's only one way we can accomplish that, and that is through Unity. We can unite ourselves with others by forming friendships, and this can be done through service. But what's important is to remember that we are all children of God, and thus we are all brothers and sisters. This idea must unite us, and our desire to make this world better must unite us as well. Why quarrel and squabble over such minute details as to where we're from, what we like, where we stand on certain issues, or what our race is? These things are only temporal, and don't matter at all in the grand scheme of things. We must put behind our differences and be one in purpose and unity to help the Gospel reach all the inhabitants of the world. When our hearts are knit together in love, we can do anything, and bring all of our Heavenly Father's children to a knowledge of Him.

Harry Potter and the Guest Blog: How Strong Is Your Patronus?

Courtesy of the wonderful Elder Miller:

 

So I'm pretty sure that everyone reading this loves Harry Potter, and one night as I was eating dinner with one of my favorite families here in Whitefish, Mt and we were talking about Harry Potter this came to me.

In the third book/movie, The Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry is introduced to an intense new enemy, dementors. After his initial meeting with them Harry wanted to be able to defend himself against their insidious attacks. He turned to Professor Lupin who then taught him the famous Patronus charm.

However casting a Patronus charm is pretty tricky. You first have to think of an extremely happy memory or idea, and then say the incantation: "Expecto Patronum". Because of this, negative emotions or influences can compromise a wizard or witch's ability to cast a Patronus; such as the difficulty Harry had casting his Patronus when under the negative influence of Salazar Slytherin's Locket, one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes

So the Patronus charm  "is a kind of positive force, and for the wizard who can conjure one, it works something like a shield, with the Dementor feeding on it, rather than him" (Harry Potter Wiki). Another use for the Patronus charm was developed by none other than Albus Dumbledore, who invented a way of using the Patronus to deliver messages.

So what about our Patronus? What kind of protection do we have from the dementors of life? What can protect us from the forces of Satan who like the dementors "seeks to make all miserable like unto himself" (2 Nephi 2:27)? God has given us a powerful source of protection and communication, and that is prayer.

 He councils us: "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work." Prayer allows us to focus on the redeeming power of Christ that then shields us form the forces of Satan trying to break us down.

So next time you encounter a dementor along your path, Pray! You'll quickly find how much strength you have when you tap into the power God will give you to overcome temptation and adversity. 

To read more of Elder Miller's work, check him out at http://taylorgmiller.blogspot.com/

Harry Potter and the Half Truths

That's right, I'm going for it... I'm gonna do a series! So,  the logical progression in a series is to go from 1 to 2, so we're going to go from Harry Potter book 1, to Harry Potter book 2. So, here's a brief summary of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets:
Harry is set to go back to Hogwarts, but some strange stuff is going on, mainly a house elf named Dobby trying to keep him from getting back. Well, Harry gets back, and strange stuff doesn't stop. There are mysterious messages being written, and people (and cats) being petrified. What's not helping the matter is the fact that Harry is hearing voices that no one else can. Throw in the legend of the Heir of Slytherin and the Chamber of Secrets, and that people have discovered Harry is a parselmouth (can speak to snakes), and it's looking like a pretty rough year for Harry. Well, when a mysterious diary pops up, then just as quickly goes missing, the plot thickens. And now there's a big problem: A note saying that someone is taken into the Chamber of Secrets... and it's Ginny, Ron's little sister. Now it's up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione (no surprise) to go and save the day. But can they do it?
Well, if you've read the book or seen the movie (or can make a guess based on the 5 books that come after it), you'll know that they can do it. Harry once again comes face-to-face with Voldemort, though this time a memory of his former self. This came about through an enchanted diary, the depth of its magic goes far deeper than at first expected. This diary came into the possession of Ginny Weasley, and she started using it. What was so special about this diary is that it could respond to what you wrote in it, so Ginny started to write all of her secrets in it. The more she poured into the diary, the more Tom Riddle (who would become Lord Voldemort) was able to make himself stronger, till finally he could pretty much control her, and bring himself out of the book. He was the Heir of Slytherin, and had opened the Chamber before, and had done it again. Now Harry needs to kill a Basilisk, destroy the diary, and save Ginny's life. This is a frightening thing that happened to Ginny, and it's fortunate that something like that couldn't happen to us... right?

What's so frightening is that could happen to us. The diary is certainly something that could be compared to Satan. As Ginny put her trust and confidence in something she didn't understand, and that seemed innocent, she made herself weak and vulnerable to Tom Riddle's designs. That is just how Satan works. He presents us with things that seem innocent and harmless, so we don't see a problem going ahead with it. As we do this, thinking all is well and we're in control, he gains stronger possession of us until he has control. Our actions are no longer in line with the Lord's will, and we are being lead carefully down to hell (2 Nephi 28:21). It's Satan's half truths that make it possible for him to do his work. He presents us with something that seems okay, and convinces us that there's no harm in it. It's presented with just enough truth to justify it. We need to be careful of these things. We need to always be on the lookout for things that seem alright, but we know aren't. Satan's plan is to drag us down with him and make us "miserable like unto himself" (2 Nephi 2:27). We should follow the advice of Ginny's father and never trust anything where we can't see where it keeps its brain, applying it to the Gospel: if we can't see how it will bring us closer to our Heavenly Father. Don't trust Satan's half truths.

Harry Potter and the Preparatory State

True, the first Harry Potter book is far from the most exciting. It's an introductory book, acquainting you to the characters and building up who they are, and introducing you to this brand new world. However, you're not deprived of action and adventure. Little blips of excitement come up here and there to keep you intersted, and to set up for the big climax, which, if you've read it, you surely remember. But in case you don't know, or have forgotten, I'll give you a brief run down:

The Philosopher's Stone (or Sorceror's Stone in the American editions) is a stone with many magical powers, but quite a distinguishing feature is its ability to create the Elixir of Life, a potion that perpetuates life in the drinker. That is what draws a particular "person" to it. After many clues are laid out, the adventurous trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione finally realize just what's been going on: The Philosopher's Stone is somewhere in Hogwarts Castle, and Professor Snape is trying to steal it. Well, they know enough to know where the entrance to the hiding place is, and what they may be up against. The first obstacle is Fluffy, a giant three-headed dog, who's already asleep by the time they get there. Next, they find themselves in Devil's Snare, a magical vine that ensnares them, and will not let go. Thanks to some quick thinking on Hermione's part, though, they get away unscathed. Next, they find themselves in a large room, which quickly reveals itself to be a human-sized Wizard Chess board (wizard chess is like regular chess, only the pieces move on their own, and it's quite violent). Well, thankfully, Ron just happens to be quite proficient at Wizard Chess, and is able to win the match for them, while sacrificing himself in the process. Following this, Harry and Hermione come to a room filled with flying keys. They need to find the right one to open the door. But how? They're flying. Well, wouldn't ya know, there's a broomstick right there, and Harry is the youngest Quidditch player in Hogwarts in over a century, and is quite the flyer. Not only that, he's a Seeker, making him quite adept at finding and capturing a small, golden, flying ball. He hops on and is able to find and grab the key and open the door. In the next room, there is a selection of different potions, and a poem to help discover which will get you through, which will take you back, and which will kill you. Hermione is quite the student, and has excelled in all her subjects, and thanks to her wisdom, she's able to identify the potion Harry needs to move on, and which one will get her safely back. Harry takes the potion, and finds himself in a room where he expects to find Professor Snape, but what he finds surprises him.

Rather than Snape, it's actually Professor Quirrell, the stuttering, nervous Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor. Suddenly, he's no longer stuttering, but is now quite deranged. It's then revealed that he is playing host to the sinister Lord Voldemort, the dark wizard who tried to kill Harry in his infancy. He's made it all the way to this room, but can't figure out how to get the Mirror of Erised to give him the stone. Harry, however, knows, because he had encountered the mirror before, and Dumbledore had explained how it works. Harry is able to get the stone, ward off Voldemort and Professor Quirrell, and save the day. Not the first time, certainly not the last time.
But where would Harry, Ron, and Hermione have been had they not been prepared for these tasks? Because of their preparation, the things they'd learned, their skills and abilities, they were able to get through the obstacles and come out on top. Because of Hermione's studious nature, she was able to get them through Devil's Snare and tricky potions; thanks to Ron's skill at Wizard Chess, they were able to win the game; as a result of Harry's seemingly natural talent at flying, he easily procured the key and got them through the door. They already had the means of accomplishing these feats. The same is true for us. Alma said "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors." (Alma 34:32). We're preparing. We all want to inherit Celestial Glory, to live with our Heavenly Father and our families forever. But, in our present state, we couldn't possibly live that life. We need to prepare ourselves for that, and what better time than today? As we do the things we need to do, we are preparing ourselves. As we live the Gospel, follow the commandments, and stay true to our covenants, we prepare ourselves.

As we read our scriputres and heed the words of Prophets, both ancient and modern, we are taught what we need to do to prepare. As we go to the Temple, we also are taught. Knowing these things help us to know what it is we need to inherit Celestial Glory and to live a Celestial Life. The Lord won't just send us here and expect us to make it ourselves. He's going to give us everything we need. Just like Harry, Ron, and Hermione were prepared, through schooling and through their personal interests and talents, were able to overcome, so are we. Because of the councel and guidelines we are given, we know that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father, and be able to live the life He would have us live.

You can be an Avenger, too!

Ah, the Avengers. A crack team of Superheroes, backed by S.H.I.E.L.D., and overseen by Nick Fury. Of course, we've seen many different formations of this top notch squad, including such reorganized groups as the New Avengers, the Younger Avengers, the Mighty Avengers, and even the Dark Avengers. Members have included some of the biggest names in Marvel Universe: Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hawkeye, War Machine, the Thing, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, Luke Cage, Dr. Strange, Daredevil, and many many more. They are the world's best defense against any evil that may exist, both on and off this planet. Gathering the combined strengths of these great heroes, there seems to be no way to beat them. What one hero is incapable of doing on his own, a group of heroes can easily accomplish. Thanks to the innovative thinking and brilliant leadership of Nick Fury, the world's greatest heroes have been assembled to solve all the world's problems.
Sometimes we look at all the problems in our world, and wish that there were superheroes to save the day. With all the evil, we often find ourselves thinking "why can't someone just swoop in and fix this all?" It would be nice to have those heroes, but we have to make the best with what we have. Even without superheroes, we can make the world better.

The best way to do this is the same way the Avengers do it: They work together to solve the problems going on, and we can do the same thing. If we all join together, united in our cause, we can change the world. But, this is best done when we all have the same goal in mind. Never mind silly things that label us. Who cares what music we listen to, what sports we like, or if we even like sports, what political views we have, where we're from, or what we look like. Those things don't matter, and amount to nothing in an eternal perspective. We should all have the same vision, and all work together to accomplish it. United we stand, divided we fall. We need to all do our part to overcome the evils of this world, and make it the world it should be. Besides, we have God as our leader... He's a better than Nick Fury. If the Avengers can do it, so can we!

Gospel and Comic Books Part 5: Enduring to the End

Consider the following... You're in a battle. This is no ordinary battle: There are people throwing fireballs at you, other people flying overhead, and did that guy just shoot lasers out of his eyes? It becomes pretty apparent to you who the good guys are and who the bad guys are, and you know that this is no ordinary battle... This is a battle with some serious consequences attached to it. The outcome could not only determine the fate of those involved, but the fate of the entire world. It's pretty obvious who you would root for... The matching outfits make it pretty obvious (good ol' blue and yellow!). You cheer for the heroes, and do anything you can to help. Suddenly, they just stop. All the good guys just sit down and take a breather. You run up to them and start shouting "what are you doing? You can't just let Magneto win!" Cyclops simply replies "We're too tired. We've been up pretty much all night the past couple weeks fighting these guys, and we're just exhausted. We'll try again later." What!? Come on! Not even Cyclops can be that sissy, can he? But you look around, and sure enough, everyone's about to fall sleep. Even Wolverine! (Well, maybe not Wolverine, but everyone else, for sure). What can you do? You can't just force the X-Men to do anything. All you can do is sit back and watch Magneto and his crew of villains take over the city, then the world. And that doesn't bode well for non-mutants. Soon, they'll be enslaved, or worse.
But of course, that would never happen. The X-Men would never give up in the middle of a fight! (Not even Cyclops... though he'd be the most likely). They're going to see it through to the bitter end, no matter what happens. Nothing would stop them from defending the innocent and upholding justice. That's what they do, that's why they're the X-Men. They're there through thick and thin, and are going to make sure the job gets done.

The battle isn't over till it's over, and that's just as true for us as it is the X-Men. Just because it starts getting really hard, even overwhelming, or we're tired or sick of fighting, that's no reason to just sit there and let the Adversary walk all over you. There are times in every one's life when the odds seem insurmountable, and we're not sure where we can turn for help. There are also times when the temptation is so enticing, that we're not sure we can resist it, or if we even want to. No body is perfect, and no body is immune to this.
We're all here to be tested. Just like the prophet Alma taught, "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors." (Alma 34:32). We are meant to prepare for that time when we stand before the Lord to be judged. Imagine what it would be like to get up there and have to tell your Heavenly Father "Well, I got really tired, and that seemed like it would be really fun, so I decided to just go for it." That probably wouldn't go over very well, would it? Just because it's hard to get up and go to church, or you're really tired and don't feel like reading your scriptures, or your friends keep telling you one little drink won't hurt doesn't mean that you can just give up. Once you know who you are and see the path laid ahead of you, it's Exaltation or bust... and that all depends on you. Endure to the End! Live the life you know you should live. Enduring to the End is just constantly redoing those previous steps: It's always having faith in Jesus Christ and in your Heavenly Father, it's constantly repenting and making yourself better, it's living worthily to take the sacrament and renew the covenants you made at baptism, and it's striving to constantly have the Holy Ghost with you. It seems to me that this step is either the easiest or the hardest, and you're the one that makes it that way.

Gospel and Comic Books Part 4: The Gift of the Holy Ghost

Gosh I love comic books... In case you can't tell. And I rather enjoy being back in the swing of this whole blog writing thing... Neat. Just gotta keep myself motivated, I can keep pumping these bad boys out. Ideas are also important, I guess. Well, if you haven't guessed, I'm still on my kick on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yesterday was baptism, and baptism is incomplete if it isn't followed up with the Gift of the Holy Ghost. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is a very important, and very amazing thing. Thanks to the Holy Ghost, we are able to have a member of the Godhead with us at all times. We are able to be led and guided in right choices, and we can be warned of dangerous situations. As long as we are living righteously, we can always count on the Holy Ghost to be with us and to help us out. It's like our conscience, whispering in our ears what we should and shouldn't do. If we will listen, we can always be sure to make the right choice, and we can be aided in our day to day lives. What a wonderful gift we are given, and all we have to do is be obedient to the commandments! The Holy Ghost is a great help to everyone, no matter who you are, and will protect us from any dangers we may face, spiritual or temporal.

And now... comic book application. Spider-Man is pretty awesome. He's got cool powers, a witty persona, and a firm grounding in what he's doing and why he's doing it. He's got some pretty sweet powers, and he's always on the job. I've written about him before, but today I'm going to focus on a certain power of his that makes him unique: his spidey senses. We've all heard the quote before: "My spidey senses are tingling!" This is possibly Spider-Man's most useful power, because it allows him to have the upper hand over his villains, because he's able to detect threats before they even happen. Thanks to his senses, his villains are at a severe disadvantage. It makes dodging that much easier when you know what's coming at you, no matter what. So, what would you say if I said that you could have spidey senses? Well, that's a lot like what the Holy Ghost is like. Before we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, it can testify to us truth. That's how we can gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, or anything else. But once we're baptized, and confirmed a member, the Holy Ghost becomes our constant companion. With it, we're always able to feel our Heavenly Father's love, and know what it is He wants. And, of course, the Holy Ghost can warn us of danger. Whenever we're in a situation, and we get a bad feeling, that's the Holy Ghost telling us to get out. So, just like Spider-Man, we can have spidey senses, too! Thanks to promptings from the Holy Ghost!

Gospel and Comic Books Part 3: Baptism

Feels like it's been forever since I've done one of these... Probably cause it has been. But, I'm back, and ready to go! So, continuing right along with my theme... we move along the Gospel, following up Faith and Repentance, and we find ourselves at... Baptism! Baptism is an essential part of following our Savior. As He said in John 3:3 "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." But how can a man be "born again"? Jesus answers that question a couple verses later: "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Baptism is a rebirth. We are washed of our past life, and given a new one. The symbolism in baptism is beautiful. The water is a sign of us being washed clean. The fact that we are submerged shows that we are being buried, then raised again, just like our Savior. Our old ways are dying, and we are rising to a new, better life. It's not just a sign of faith and devotion, it's a necessary ordinance for us. If it wasn't, why would Christ be baptized? He was perfect after all. But, "he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments." So, we see that baptism is necessary for our salvation, as Jesus clearly taught and demonstrated. How can we be like Christ? Do the things He did.

Bruce Wayne was a pretty typical kid (except for the billionaire parent thing). But, after his parents died, he was put into a situation that no one wants to be in. So, he left. He left everything behind, and struck out on his own. In this time, he determined that there was too much evil in the world, and he wanted to do something about it. He found himself in a training facilities, run by the famous (yet mysterious) Ra's Al Ghul. After reaching a high level of skill, Bruce decides to return to his home in Gotham, and don a costume, and become Batman. (This is, of course, the origin story presented in the movie Batman Begins. As there are so few consistencies in his origin, I went with this one, since it's probably the best known). Now, what does this have to do with anything, especially baptism? It's quite simple, really: Bruce Wayne's training was a rebirth process for him. He became the Batman... he discovered who he was, what he wanted to accomplish, and how he could do that. He left behind the old Bruce Wayne, and became Batman. It's a similar process, kinda, to our rebirth. We must put off our old persona, who we were, our old vices and bad habits, and become someone better. Just as Bruce Wayne became Batman, we must be reborn, and become something better!

Gospel and Comic Books Part 2: Repentance

So, we move right along to post number 2 in this series! Yay!

You know what's so cool about Wolverine? He's got adamantium covered bones and he can regenerate! How can you beat that? You can't kill him... Even if you dried his feet in cement and threw him in the harbor, once he got to oxygen, he'd be alive. Even if you launched into space, cause once he got back into the atmosphere, he'd be alive. It doesn't matter what you might think of, cause he's got adamantium covered bones, and can regenerate. What a great power to have, right? This is a conversation that comes up quite frequently in my district, and is always resolved the exact same way: He's got adamantium covered bones, and can regenerate. There ya go, end of conversation. Yeah, we're cool like that. Now, wouldn't it be nice if we all had that? What if you knew, no matter what happened to you, you could be healed? Any pain you might experience, any trial you may endure, it won't matter, because in short time, it will be gone. Gunshot to the head? No problem! Getting shanked? Nothin'! Blunt object to the back of the head? Who cares? What comfort this could give us. We'd never have to worry about what may happen, never have to look over our shoulder. We could go through any walk of life with no fears.
But what of emotional problems? If you know Wolverine like I do (we're personal friends... He took us out to lunch last week. I'm working on him, but he's so stubborn, I just can't get him to sincerely read the Book or Mormon!), then you know that he's haunted by his past... most of that comes from not remembering it all, but he's got other demons. He's constantly plagued by incidents that he's been a part of. He just can't let go of those things.
Well, have I got news for you! I've got Wolverine-like powers... and so do you! Through the wonderful gift of the Atonement, we're able to be washed clean of our sins, through repentance! And, because the Lord was resurrected, we, too, will be resurrected, and receive our perfected bodies, free from all pain! Sure, the physical healing will take a little longer than it does for Wolverine, but it will come! And the emotional healing can be instant. Christ suffered in the Garden of the Gethsemane, feeling the physical and emotional pains all of use would suffer. ALL the pains, that ALL of us would suffer. Can you even imagine? Then, He suffered unimaginable pain at the hands of the Roman soldiers, before being crucified. Through this, He knows how to comfort us. He knows what we're going through at any point, and understand perfectly the pains we feel. He suffered them as well. What great comfort that gives. Because of this, and because of the great gift of Repentance, we are able to "regenrate" from our emotional pains, and one day of all physical strifes! So, you're more like Wolverine than you think! (You still don't have the claws, though... sorry). You, too, can regenerate! Just repent!

Gospel and Comic Books Part 1: Faith

I figured I'd right a new blog... It's about time, right?
Well, I wanted to write another series of blogs. I like doing that. It's fun! So, in concocting an idea, I decided I would take principles most people were familiar with, and do my thing with them (that is, compare it to something nerdy). So, in my pondering and thinking, I decided on doing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
 Gospel means the message concerning Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation, or the message or teachings of a religious leader. Christ's gospel was incredibly simple. He taught it to everyone, including His Apostles so they could teach it to others, and it can be found throughout the New Testament, and the Book of Mormon. It's the third lesson in the series of lessons that we as missionaries teach people. It is summed up simply in five steps, namely: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. These are the steps that we must follow to gain eternal life. It's a simple path, and one that we are never alone on.
We're going to start off with step one, Faith. Faith is a hope for things that are not seen that are real. As Adam and Eve fell and were banished from the Garden, they also left the presence of our Heavenly Father. They no long were walking by sight. They had to do everything they were told to by faith. They didn't know it would do anything, really, but they had faith it would. Now, generations later, here we all are, working through our life, and (hopefully) following the commandments. I've never seen God, and odds are you haven't either. We don't have a perfect knowledge of Him, or His Son, but we have faith that They are there and watching, and that each thing we do right, we'll be blessed. We can see the blessings that come from obedience, but we have to have faith that they will come before they do. How can we be sure that God is really there, watching over us, waiting to bless us? Well, for now, we can't know for absolutely sure. We walk by faith rather than by sight. It's a simple thing, and it's the first step. Everything comes back to faith. Without it, we have nothing. And before we can do anything else, before we can progress and learn, before we can grow any closer to our Father in Heaven or to Christ, we need to have faith. That is the starting point.
Where does faith come in in the world of comic books and superheroes? Well, consider this: Wolverine is going to face off with Sabertooth. They've fought several times before, but this time it's meaningful. This isn't just some feud match that's been going on between the two, this is for protection. Sabertooth is no longer just trying to beat up Wolverine our of spite, now he's joined forces with Magneto and is trying to bring down the entire X-Men organization, starting at Xavier's Institute. Wolverine is the only one who can take him on at this point, so he marches towards his foe, ready to take him on, one-on-one. As they meet, Wolverine wastes no time in bringing out the claws. He has no fear because he knows any damage dealt to him, he can quickly recover from, thanks to his regenerating powers. But, how does he know all this?
Imagine Spider-Man, answering to a cry for help. Peter puts on his outfit, and jumps out the window. He doesn't care that he's twenty-some stories up, he can just sling his webs and swing around the city no problem. He's got agility and acrobatic skills that make maneuvering a cinch. But, how can he be so sure the webs will come out?
I could go on and on with examples, but we'll leave it at that. Because Wolverine and Spider-Man have used their powers before, they know what they are, what they themselves are capable of, and how to use their powers. They know what makes them start and stop, and how to control them. They have faith that their powers will work. Every time Wolverine takes on a bad guy, and everytime Spider-Man jumps out of a window, their exercising faith. Maybe it's not the same faith we exercise, but it still is hoping for something that can't be seen, that's real. Ok, maybe Spider-Man can see his webs, and Wolverine can see his claws and watch himself heal, but you know what I'm getting at. They can't be entirely sure their powers will be there everytime they need them, but based on previous experience, they're pretty confident in them. And because of that, when Wolverine comes face to face with Sabertooth, or Spider-Man leaps our of that building, they do so with a knowledge that their powers will carry them through.

Before Abraham was... I... AM... Batman

So, who loves Batman? Answer: Everyone. He's awesome: he uses his brains, brawn, and billions to make him a "super"hero, though he posses no actual superpowers. That doesn't stop him from whooping up on the bad guys and doing things that the average person couldn't, or at least wouldn't, do (either from lack of funds, lack of equipment, or too much sanity). With the help of his butler, Alfred, his gadget provider, Lucius Fox, and a police commissioner, Commissioner Gordon, who's good at turning a blind eye, Batman is able to weed out the villains and ne'er-do-wells of Gotham (of which there are many). He's able to incorporate his own style of criminal justice, and able to infiltrate places and apprehend suspects in ways that the normal police force are unable to do. This is because he's, obvioulsy, not part of the Gotham Police Department... and this for a very good reason.

The whole purpose for Bruce Wayne donning the Batman get-up is because of the lack of reliability the residents of Gotham had for the GPD. When the cops are as bad as the crooks, who can you trust? Who can save the people? Who can protect the innocent? Cue the Caped Crusader. By entering the contest as a vigilante, he's able to uphold the law without being subject to the finer rules. Sure, a cop needs a warrant, and probable cause, and this and that... Batman doesn't need any of that! He just needs some sweet gadgets, and a location, and within minutes, he'll have the bad guy.

But, this raises quite an objection amongst many people (besides the villains, of course). Many people are uncomfortable with the vigilante type. They feel it unsafe and reckless for one man to take the law upon himself. What gives him the right? And how can we be sure he won't become corrupted as well? These are legitimate concerns, and obvioulsy it's hard to quell these with a simple "well, he's Batman!" While those of us who know him a little more personally (this group consisting of Alfred, Lucius, and the readers), we know that Bruce Wayne is nothing if not trustworthy. We know he'll never do anything wrong, and only has the best of intentions. However, those who only see him in newspaper articles and as a black blur on the nightly news have no reason to assume him to be infallible.

Many people think he's just a lunatic! Some guy running around with a mask, beating up people? What a nut job. Others fear the possibility of an abuse of his abilities. It's likely that some people even think that he's no less a villain than the Joker or Riddler. But, there are a few who stand by him, praising him for his efforts, and standing up for him as a true hero. These include even such notable public figures as Harvey Dent, the District Attorney (who's opinions obviously change, but that comes later). So, just what is Batman? Hero? Villain? or Maniac?

Batman is far from the first person to be the subject of such public debate. Even when the evidence is obvious, some people will always find a way to slander someone when they don't like what they're doing. Want the ultimate example? Look no further than the New Testament. Jesus Christ, the only perfect human, came to this earth to teach the gospel, establish His church, and die for our sins. While here, He healed the sick, gave the blind sight, made the deaf to hear, and the lame to walk. He did many great and wonderful things... and yet, wast He welcomed with open arms and made the king that He truly was? Of course not! He was ridiculed, questioned, and mocked. He was rejected by even the most devout followers of His Father, and was the subject of many an attempt on His life.

He was public enemy number one amongst the Jews, and when they finally couldn't take anymore, they brought Him under false pretenses, trumping up non-existent charges, and bringing in complete liars as witnesses, breaking all their own laws, just to get rid of Him. He did nothing to them, especially nothing they tried Him for. Their charges were that of blasphemy, heresy, treason, and sedition, of which He was guilty of none. And besides just the Pharisees and Sadducees, the regular man on the street often didn't even realize who He truly was. Many people thought He was just a crazy person, claiming to be the Son of God. Even amongst the signs, miracles, and wonders, many people still didn't believe His claim. They often would say "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?" (John 6:42).

Even His own kinsmen didn't believe Him to be who He was. Still today, people doubt Him: they say He was a prophet, and no more. Or, some even less, no more than a good man. I bare you solemn testimony that Jesus was the Christ. That He lives! He is our Savior and Redeemer, our advocate with the Father. No man can come to the Father, except through Him. It is through Him that we have life, and we will have life eternal. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Only Begotten, and to whom we owe our allegiance and deepest gratitude. So, what was Jesus? Hero? Villain? or Maniac?

Your call.

Forgive Boromir; Forgive Snape

This last Sunday, Elder Smith and I had the opportunity to teach a primary class. We taught about forgiveness, and that's been on my mind a lot recently. We all know about repentance, it gets talked about a lot. We all know how important it is to say we're sorry and make restitution for what we've done, but the other side doesn't seem as commonly talked about. We know to apologize, and are quick to do it, but are we as quick to forgive? Let me give you a couple (somewhat nerdy) examples:

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship has set out to bring the Ring to Mordor to restore peace in Middle Earth. One of the members is Boromir, a temperamental human who's father is the steward of Gondor (standing in while the real king is MIA). He's hot headed, and was quick to suggest using the Ring for themselves. Somewhat grudgingly, and maybe with alterior motives, Boromir joins the Fellowship and vows to protect Frodo. 
Eventually, they come to a bit of a sticky spot: an Uruk Hai ambush! The Fellowship gets broken up, with Frodo and Sam taking their leave, Merry and Pippin getting abducted, Aragorn, Gimli, Gandalf and Legolas pursuing the kidnapped Hobbits, and Boromir having met his demise. Right before the battle, Boromir snaps. This isn't a surprise to anyone, as Galadriel had foretold it happening. Boromir offered to take the Ring for Frodo, at first sounding helpful, but Frodo knew what was up. Boromir then tries taking it by force. After he realized what happened, though, he was instantly repentant and tried to reconcile his mistake. Well, before he could personally apoligize to Frodo, the battle had started. However, Boromir showed his sincerity in defending Frodo and the rest of the Hobbits to the death... literally. Suffering several shots to the body from Lurtz's arrows, but still fighting throughout (setting up an awesome fight scene between Lurtz and Aragorn where Aragorn wins after decapitating Lurtz). There appeared to be no hard feelings towards Boromir, and he died a hero's death. (Note: This is from the movie, not the books).

Harry Potter: Severus Snape was bit of a jerk. He was always mean and unfair towards Harry and his friends for apparently no reason. We later discover that it was because Snape still carried a grudge against Harry's dad. There is a very tense relationship between Harry and Snape, and they're often forced to work together. 
Dumbledore is convinced, throughout the series, that Snape is a good guy, and fighting on the right side. Despite anything Harry says, Dumbledore maintains his confidence in him. Even when we as the readers are privy to certain information that shows the Snape is not the person Dumbledore thinks it is, there's still more to it. 
*SPOILER ALERT!!!*: Snape, even after killing Dumbledore, still is in fact a good guy. He seems to be right in the inner-circle of Voldemort, even up until the very end of the series... and his life. As he's dying, he gives Harry some of his memories that Harry is able to see in the Pensieve. He discovers that it was all part of Dumbledore's plan, and even killing him was necessary. Dumbledore told him to kill him. After Harry learns of this, he forgives Snape of the 6 years of insults and unfair treatment. In fact, after all is said and done, Harry names his second son Albus Severus, in honor of Dumbledore and Snape.
Boromir and Snape did some pretty bad things to people: people they were supposed to be helping and overseeing. Frodo never disliked Boromir, really, but Harry despised Snape. In both cases, trust was broken, either from the beginning, or after a certain act. It's hard to earn someone's trust, it's harder to earn it back. However, despite what they did, the people immediately effected by their less than admirable treatment forgave them. They realized that they had made a mistake, repented, and were forgiven. How willing are we to forgive? When someone wrongs us, we're angry. We get mad at them, and we don't want anything to do with them. And what about when they apologize? When they say they're sorry? It's so easy to think "they wronged me, I don't have to forgive them." But the Savior told us we need to forgive, as well as ask forgiveness. He said: And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. (Mark 11:25, 26). He even forgave them who crucified Him, saying: Father forgive them; for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34). It's important to forgive, not only because our Lord said to, but because it will bring peace to those who wronged us, and to us as well. If we can't forgive, we can't be forgiven. If Snape and Boromir can be forgiven, so can someone who wronged you.