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 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 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.

Choose the Right... Spider-Man Did!

Once upon a time, there was a kid in New York named Peter Parker. He was really into science, and very smart. He wasn't the most popular kid, but still hung out with kids like Eddy Brock and Harry Osborn, and even having a friendship with some romantic overtones with one Mary Jane Watson. He lived with his aunt and uncle after being orphaned. One day, while touring the facilities at Oscorp, he's bitten by a spider... that just happens to be radioactive, having been experimented on. Because of this, strange things start happening to him: suddenly he doesn't need glasses, he's gained muscle, he's fast, he's strong, he's cool. Oh, and he's able to crawl up walls and has super human strength and agility. If all this is sounding familiar to you, you've either read comic books, watched tv, or been to the movies in the past 20+ years.
This is, of course, the story of Spider-Man. Peter has to quickly adjust to these super powers, and decide what he's going to do with them. He's going through some hard times, and it would be awfully easy to abuse these powers to gain popularity at school, or even get money for him and his aunt, who are both struggling financially following the untimely death of his uncle. But, thanks to some solid advice from his uncle ("With great power comes great responsibility"), Peter makes the right decision and becomes a good guy, fighting for justice and defending the innocent. He becomes Spider-Man. He runs into many supervillains in his career, most of them animal themed, but they all seem to share a very common thread: They had some kind of run in with various sources that changed them and gave them powers. Look at the Green Goblin: pretty much the same thing that turned Peter into Spider-Man turned Norman Osborn into the Green Goblin. It was Oscorp's team of scientists that created the serums for villains like Rhino, Sandman, and Shocker, a malfunction in one experiment that turned Oscorp's top scientist into Doctor Octopus, and Oscorp technology that allowed Adrian Toomes to become the Vulture. It almost always comes back to Oscorp. (Note: these are just some of the origins of these characters. Some story arcs will tell it differently).
Even people like Eddie Brock, after being exposed to the alien symbiote and became Venom, or Max Dillon, who became Electro through a freak accident, still were put into a very similar situation as Peter Parker. They all were suddenly changed, drastically, and were given incredible powers. They all had the same choice Peter had, to use the powers for good, or evil. Granted, a good portion of these people (namely Flint Marco and Aleksei Sytsevich) were criminals before gaining super powers, but they still had their choice. While Peter was able to realize what he had was a gift he could use to help people, others, motivated by greed or power or both, were drawn to the dark side. Also, sinister men in the background (such as Norman Osborn, L. Thompson Lincoln, or Wilson "Kingpin" Fisk) played a key roll in enticing people like this to be bad.

We all face choices everyday. Maybe we're not going to be blasted with gamma rays, bit by a radioactive spider, injected with super human serum, or have some crazy electrical malfunction that will give us super powers, but things will happen that will require us to choose what to do: whether to make the right choice, or the wrong choice. Peter didn't have to be good, just like Mac Gargan didn't have to be bad. They could've chosen opposites. We could've been reading "The Spectacular Scorpion" were it not for Peter and Mac's choices. And the same goes for us. No one makes us do anything. Everything comes down to our agency, and ability and right to choose. This is a very special gift given to us, and will gain us great rewards if we use it correctly. All we have to do is make the right choice when the time comes. How can we know what the right choice is? Luckily, we have tools for that. Just as Peter had a wise uncle who lent him some great advice, we have scriptures and prophets that help us to know what we should and shouldn't do. But, there's an opposition, as well. There are also men like Kingpin and Tombstone who want us to make bad choices, decisions that will benefit us and help us in the worldly realm. Things that seem like they'd be good, because it helps us out, but really do hurt us, because they're bad. As it says in the Book of Mormon, "...wickedness never was happiness." (Alma 41:10). So, remember, despite what great things may be gained through wrong decisions, it's always important to choose the right. With great power comes great responsibility, so use your power for good. 

The (Super)Power of the Priesthood

A pretty common origin story for superheroes/villains is the "altering substance" story. Captain America is injected with superhuman serum, same with Bane; Bruce Banner is exposed to Gamma rays, in a like manner as the Fantastic Four; Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider; Doctor Connors and Norman Osbourn willingly use DNA enhancing chemicals; even rats and turtles in the New York sewers. It's see all throughout. It's a very simple way to explain how these supers got the way they were (another good way would be just "they're born with it" a la X-Men). Regular everyday people with regular everyday problems just like the ones you and I face are, because of these magical potions, turned into extraordinary people with powers to help them save the world. We can relate to their alter egos, and are enthralled by their secret identities. And all because of a little radiation? I could see that happening to me! (Disclaimer: The author of this blog in no way supports or encourages readers to expose themselves to radiation in any way, shape, or form for any reason, even to gain superpowers.) Run-of-the-mill folks, gaining amazing powers just through chance, running into something strange. Too bad it could never happen to us....
Or could it?

Recently, we've been helping a recent convert as he prepares himself to receive the Aaronic Priesthood. He's so excited to get it, and we're excited for him. It's made me really dwell on the priesthood and what, exactly, it is. I've heard it said before (because people know the best way to relate things to me is either soccer of superheroes) that the Priesthood is like a superpower. Sweet! It allows us to do so many amazing things. The Aaronic Priesthood gives us the authority to baptize and pass the sacrament, and with the Melchizedek Priesthood, we're able to confirm people and give them the Holy Ghost, as well as bless the sacrament, and give priesthood blessings. These things may not seem all that super, but if you consider the eternal significance of them, they truly are! The Priesthood is available to any worthy male member of the church, and brings great blessings to the holder and those around him. I've been blessed to have taken part in many blessings on my mission. It's amazing to feel the Spirit so strongly, or to feel the Lord working through you as you give words of comfort and counsel. The Priesthood comes the same way the Holy Ghost does, by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority. As you receive the Priesthood, you are given greater responsibilities, and people will expect more of you (hmmm... sound familiar?). We may not be able to climb walls, fly, have super strength, or anything like that, but our powers can still save the world!