This is one of my favorite people Matt Stanger. He sets a good example for me on loving others. He is genuinely interested in other people. He makes me laugh a lot and is always happy. He is a good Man!One of the first things that you do walking the trail, youngwalker and trailwalker alike, is making fire without modern tools. We make fire in the primitive way using the bow and drill method. It can be one of the most frustrating things you go through, but when it comes it is the most wonderful, accomplishing feeling I've ever had! (Sometimes the best things we receive in life we have to work the hardest for.) One day I was SinAgua (the young adult band) and we were on our layover day. It rained the night before and started raining that morning so we lost our fire and had to start again the next morning. It was okay because we had dry wood and one of the SinAgua walkers was an amazing buster (to bust a coal means to get that little coal going so we could have a bigger fire). What happens when you bust a coal is you put it into a small tinder bundle and start blowing on that softly so that it catches flame. Then when it is on fire you put it down and put small twigs on it. Once those catch, you begin to add smaller sticks and then larger ones. We got the fire going, and to me, there is something that fire does to capture my mind when I sit around it. I realized then that the fire is like the love that people can share. We start with something small, like the coal, and put that small little something into something that can catch. That is kind of like our interest in someone. Then after we put it into something small to see if there is anything there, we build upon it. We have to start out with the small 'sticks' like a conversation in passing, a compliment, eye contact, the small things to catch their attention. Then, if those small things end up catching we start adding the 'twigs' on. Those could be things like a date, going out of our way to do something for them, giving them a phone call to see how they are doing, etc. Once the 'twigs' catch we put on 'bigger sticks' like finding out what their favorite food it and making it for them, taking them to their favorite movie, etc. ( I know these are silly ideas but the principles are true and that is what is so important about awakenings that we have in our lives.) Then once we realize how we feel about them we add bigger things onto the fire. We decide what that relationship needs and we add to it. In a marriage the logs might be scripture study, temple attendance, serving others, etc. Anythings that helps bring the couple to the feet of Christ are the important things. It is important that we don't do anything that would put a barrier between them and the Creator. The best guideline is to make sure that our love isn't conditional and that both people are adding to the fire. Those were the best fires was when both people were contributing. Something else that I realized was if we try to add the bigger pieces on too soon the fire could go out. It is important that we build on our relationships just as we build our relationship with the Creator. We start out small and then do the bigger things. The Creator would never require us to go to the Temple upon entering the Church. There are things that we need to understand and feel before we can do that otherwise our relationship is destroyed. The Creator is sensitive to us and our needs. He loves us and wants us home. We must be willing to contribute. "Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you..." (D&C 88:63). The first relationship that we should build on is our relationship with Him is the most consistent and will never fail us. As we love him first, we somehow love ourselves, and that enables us to love others even more. I think sometimes we lose sight of this principle. It is an ever evolving principle and and ensuring I do this is sooo important to me.
