Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Who am I? Who are you?

For my entire life, I have known that I have a purpose. There's a reason that I am who I am.

Every decision, every experience I've ever had has put me in the position I am in today. I am the sum of my choices, with the ability to make many more choices, and the unlimited possibilities therein.

So who am I?

 I am Dallin Hughes. I am a singer/songwriter, an instrumentalist, a slightly lazy perfectionist, the second oldest in a family of fifteen, (including parents) an entertainer, a dancer, and many other things, but the title that I hold dearest to me is Child Of God. 

I have the privelidge of writing to all you and telling you that I know this to be true. I know it with every part of my soul.

You are all children of God, and don't you forget it! There is nothing more valuable than a human being. We have the greatest potential out of all of God's creations. We have the potential to become like Him!

So this reason that I spoke about earlier... This reason that I am who I am. I have gifts and abilities, talents and opportunities to spread this message to the whole world, and that is what I will do. That is what I have been called to do, and I will not shirk or sluff my responsibility.

Now that I have given you part of the truth, I emplore you to search out the rest. It is now your responsibility to spread the message I have spread to you. 

Spread it like butter. All over your toast. (Or the world, if you haven't caught the drift yet. ;) Slap on a huge glob of truth and goodness! Haha.

Every talent, ability, gift, opportunity you have been given has been given to you to play your specific and personal part in this game of life. So play your cards.

Dallin H.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

My Journey

Imagine yourself in the most comfortable place, with the most comfortable things, eating the most comfortable foods. Now imagine yourself staying there for the next two years of your life. What do you think you look like now? What would have happened to you had you gotten up and worked? Would your outcome have been different? Of course! You would probably be an entirely different person!

 What do I call that getting up off of your bottom? I call it a journey. Journeys are how we learn, grow, become.

So what do I want you to do? Leave your comfort zone! When you push yourself to your limits, your capacity grows and expands.

So I challenge everyone who reads this to do something good, out of their comfort zone twenty times. It shouldn't be the same thing twenty times, but try this, and I guarantee you will be so much happier after it is done.

 At my first dance, I was soooooo scared to ask anyone to dance. I was anxious beyond the butterflies in my stomache. I was still dancing with all of the "jumping" songs, but I couldn't bring myself to ask anyone to slow dance with me. After about half of the dance was over, I went into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror and wondered why I couldn't ask anyone to dance. The thought then came to me that, maybe everyone in that room had an experience like I am having now. I thought back on the faces of all of the older kids in that room, realized that I would have to make a decision that had already been made by so many before myself. So I decided that I would then be known as the nicest boy there, and the dance king. I walked out of that bathroom after spiffing up a little bit, and searched for a girl that looked about my age. I found one, and with the butterflies still bugging me, (pun intended) I asked her to dance. It turned out that she was actually 17! For that one dance, I told her that it was my first, we talked a little bit, and for the rest of that dance, she taught and inspired me to be able to continue on with what I like to call, my "intention", or the intended result of my journey.

This was the beginning of my reputation at dances. I now know almost every youth in my stake. I love them, and I feel their love for me every time I see them. Because of that experience, I have grown mountains above the person I was. It opened up the opportunity for many more learning experiences than I will ever be able to count, and I will forever be grateful for those small thoughts of inspiration that I received that one dance.

The avalanche that resulted from one single decision with an intention behind it was monumental. I have forever been changed by that experience.

 I personally testify that when you set an intention, and leave on your journey to fulfil that intention, that you will gain what you intended to gain.  Look for the end goal, but remember to keep an eye on the road you take, cause sometimes we trip. Be faithful to yourself and take one step of faith at a time. 

 Your friend and brother, Dallin H.