Sunday, October 2, 2011

friends.

A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.

-Douglas Pagels


What a quote. It makes me think about what kind of friend I am.

This past Thursday, I was attending Institute. I take the New Testament and I usually learn so much from that class. This week I was distracted more than usual. My mind was running every where.

The teacher, who is such an amazing teacher, had us open up to Mark 2. It's the story we have all heard, some guy can't walk and so his friend cut the roof and lower the guy down. I didn't think much of it. To me at that moment it was just another miracle Christ performed. [I know I sound like a brat.] But then, our teacher asked us this rhetorical question, "Do you have friends in your life that make it possible, no matter what the circumstances, for you to see Christ?"

Immediately, the spirit shared with me a name of a friend. It was my friend Matt Bair.

Matt and I met up at Eastern Arizona in January. He lived in the same apartment complex which means he also was in my ward. I started going to the same Family Home Evening group as him. He would frequently give the lessons on those Monday nights and I always enjoyed them.

When I wasn't making good choices, he was still there. He never judged me. He would be there always in a heartbeat whenever I was in need of comfort. He often would give me blessings. Overall, he was a true example of Christ.

I had done something that I wasn't proud of and I told him about it. I knew I needed to get my life in order and it was one of the things I needed to do to make a step in the right direction. Instead of judging me and getting angry with me like another friend did, he forgave me and appreciated me coming clean with him.

Throughout the summer, we would talk frequently. He always motivated me to become better and to not be so hard on myself.

Recently, I was talking about the experience with him and admitting to him how hurt I felt on how the other friend had put me down while coming clean. He then admitted that he has stood up for me. He continued to tell me that he told the individual that I deserved the right to change.

Matt Bair is that friend who shows me the way to Christ no matter the circumstances.

Because of him, I have another reason to love my life.