John Dye at Mormon Life Hacker gave me the nicest shout out today! He discussed both City of Stars and a recent post I made on my Facebook profile and Instagram (full post on Instagram is completed in the comments, due to caption space restrictions).
Putting your heart, soul, and talents out for display can be scary. People will criticize everything from your talent to your intelligence to your lipstick and accessory choices. Having such kind, positive feedback is so encouraging. Thank you!
City of Stars (from La La Land) covered by Mormon YouTuber Monica Moore Smith | CHECK THIS OUT! | Mormon Life Hacker
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“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1:5 has always been one of my favorite scriptures. Though it may be a cliché scripture, it has stuck with me ever since I learned about Joseph Smith. Often times I have been shut down or discouraged from asking questions (not by my parents, thankfully), especially when it came to serious religious inquiry. Of course, there is a point when even honest questions become accusatory and the purpose behind them is merely to tear down. That is another issue. I’m talking about honest questions, backed by faith, with desire to learn and grow. When we dismiss questions this way, I think we forget how the restoration of the church came about. A fourteen-year-old boy had a big question and decided to act upon it. A boy (not yet a man) asked a question that shook the ideology of the whole town. Joseph Smith has always been an example to me because he was curious just like me and—in spite of his age—used that to make a positive difference. He received revelation because he asked for it. How can we expect someone (God) to give us something if we don’t ask for it? We cannot whine and cry and expect God to read our minds to magically fix our problems (even though he could 😉). He may not give us the answer we want, but no parent—earthly or heaven—is going to give us the answer sheet to life. That would prevent us from growing by experience. David A. Edwards said, “On the other hand, in religion, just as in science or anything else worth studying, it’s absolutely essential to ask questions, even difficult ones. It’s the only way you’ll get answers. And answers mean greater knowledge and understanding—and in the case of religion, greater faith and spirituality.” Members of the church have often been accused of walking blindly. While I do believe this is true of some members, the church does not encourage such behavior. Ignoring issues isn’t a gospel principle, but an individual choice that some have made. It is up to the individual to choose to seek, ponder, and pray. Just like any science, art, or business, you will not have all the answers ⬇️
A post shared by Monica Moore Smith (@monicamooresmith) on Feb 21, 2017 at 4:19pm PST
