~~JAKES YOUTH COUNCIL TALK~~

Good morning brothers and sisters, my name is Jake Dean and I am a member of the 3^rd ward and am currently a senior at Olympus.

To start off my talk I am going to provide a little background information about myself. So First, I began playing football when I was ten years old I played every season up until this year, My senior year. And second I have a passion for spending time in the mountains, whether it be Skiing, trail running, or Rock Climbing. When I was 7 years old my dad and I both summited Mt. Olympus for the first time together on Labor Day and continued to do so for the following 3 years. This was my favorite tradition that I looked forward to all year which helped me grow a love for the mountains at a young age. My second year playing football however caused this tradition to vanish due to busy practice and game schedules.

So fast forward to spring this year when my senior football season was fast approaching and starting the end of May. At this point I had never questioned whether or not I would play football, it was always just what I did and what my teammates counted on me to do. But One day while I was running in the mountains I thought about maybe not playing and spending a majority of my time pursuing my other interests. I soon dismissed this idea and told myself I would regret quitting something I had done for so many years right before my senior year. 

For many weeks following this incident I had this constant dilemma playing through my head of whether I should play or not and this really stressed me out. This continued until a combined YW/YM meeting took place in my ward when one of my leaders spoke about his decision to give up his aspirations of becoming a professional wakeboarder to serve a mission despite what others wanted him to do and how this decision took courage.

 This was the moment that I decided I wasn’t going to play football my senior year.

He helped me realize that I needed to do what was best for me and have the courage to walk away from something that had been a part of my life for so many years despite others opinions. I know that obviously the choice between wakeboarding and serving a mission is different than my circumstance but both took courage.

I soon realized how good of a decision I had made. The stress finally vanished and I felt at peace with my choice. I do not regret playing football the previous 6 years in any way due to the lessons I learned and friends I made but am grateful that I had to courage to give it up when once I realized what was ultimately going to make me the happiest. Once summer rolled around I ended up getting a job and spending all of my spare time in the mountains, climbing and running. I realize that If I would have played football I still would have been able to do these things but in no way could I have dedicated all the time I did. I have probably grown personally and learned more about myself and my physical capabilities this summer and fall than I have the rest of my life due to changing where my focus lies. Yesterday I was able to run my first trail 50k in Corner Canyon, something that had been a goal of mine for a while now. I know that if I wouldn’t have stepped away from football I would not have been able to have trained hard enough to finish this race. It was one of the most mentally and physically challenging things that I have ever done but helps me realize that I can get through hard things in the future. It also reassured me that I had made the right decision and that trail running is something that I am truly passionate about.

Courage can be practiced in many other daily instances whether it’s walking out of a party due to the presence of drugs and alcohol, standing up for somebody that is being treated poorly, defending your religious beliefs, or in my case stepping away from something you have known for many years and doing what you really love regardless of what others say. You are never going to be happy and content if you are always doing what others want of you.

In the 2014 April session of conference President Monson shared a talk Called “Be strong and of Good courage”

He quoted the Christian author Charles Swindoll who said. Courage is not limited to the battlefield … or bravely catching a thief in your house. The real tests of courage are much quieter. They are inner tests, like remaining faithful when no one’s looking, … like standing alone when you’re misunderstood.”³ Monson then adds that this inner courage also includes doing the right thing even though we may be afraid, defending our beliefs at the risk of being ridiculed, and maintaining those beliefs even when threatened with a loss of friends or of social status. He who stands steadfastly for that which is right must risk becoming at times disapproved and unpopular.

I would like to bare my testimony that I know if we have courage the lord will bless us and happiness will follow. I know it can be hard at times to find this courage but that we can always turn to the lord for help and strength.

 I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen