Farewell's Talk ( Unrevised)

Hello everybody, for those of you who don’t know me, my name is Michael David Ordway, I’m 19 years old, and I’m going on my mission to the Mexico Mexico south mission. I am here of course giving my mission farewell talk, though ironically, I will be here for another week and a half. Next Wednesday, I will enter the MTC, and attempt to learn the Spanish language. If im lucky, you might see my in MTC Priesthood choir during general conference.

            I was asked by brother Hall to give this farewell talk, and when I asked him what I was to have as my topic, He said a great thing to me: He said “well I would mostly like you to teach with the spirit, but you can always fall back on the topics of motivation and example. Luckily I had the opportunity to go to the temple yesterday. And frankly I don’t see a better way to get inspiration for a talk then to go visit the temple with your family. I jut hope I left enough room on my paper here for inspiration.

            I’m going to start of my talk with a story that really touched my heart, almost got me to the verge of tears. I can tell you know, that I won’t be able to share it with the same emotion that was there when told to me. It goes like this: There was a girl and a boy that were neighbors and both of the age of 10, Caitlin Morris and Jared brown, being this girl and boy, were good friends ever since Jared moved in. Both families instantly became great friends. Caitlin and her family were Mormon, which did not affect these two family’s relations. Jared of course couldn’t play with her on Sundays. He quickly got used to this, but had no interest himself in joining the church. Through growing up in high school together, Caitlin and Jared soon become a boyfriend and girlfriend. There relationship was to the churches standards, and when they had graduated and came of age, Jared asked to marry Caitlin. Of course there was one thing stopping this: Jared was not baptized and therefore was not temple worthy. As Jared now understood his fate, he started taking the missionary discussions and within a year of his baptism, Jared and Caitlin were to enter the temple together. Jared’s parents were somewhat supportive of him joining the church, but when word came that they were not going to be able to see there only son get married, The were furious. The great connection between both families had instantly broken and the spirit of contention had entered the hearts of brown family. Jared did not know what to do. He thought the church was about family’s being together forever. How could this be if he was losing them here and now? Soon Jared did not have the courage to enter the temple. He turned back on his newfound religion. And Caitlin was left as the brown family moved away to spread further rumors about how the church ruins people’s lives.

           Now the reason I share this heartbreaking story with you today, is because I want to show you just how fast Satan can ruin our lives and disguise himself within our church and other good things in life. Satan has powers of temptation and influence that we cannot fully understand. We can be easily tricked and it is to my understanding that this church, and this gospel is here to help us see through Satan’s trickery. For example: during my time working at Wendy’s, I became good friends with my co-workers. I talked a lot with them, and they seemed very interested in our church. I answered all of their questions to the best of my ability, and yet, they still hammered me with the question that I myself got stumped at. But every week I would return to church and then back to work and have an answer for them. On my last day of work, I asked my favorite Co-worker if I had set a good example for my church. Because I still wasn’t sure if I had impressed him or made us out to be a joke. He said to me though: “You have shown me that not everyone in this is world is corrupt. Everyone I see and talk to, I have a problem with, but you showed me that what you believe in fits and makes sense. I’m just not ready to believe and follow such rules yet.”

         This touched me, and it made me realize how important our example is to people. Once it is out that someone is Mormon, they have a standard and expectation to withhold. Another friend of mine said that he was Mormon until he was seventeen and that the reason he stopped going to church for the last 5 years was due to his mother and sister being killed. He said he went to go live with his Mormon grandfather who physically abused him. He said to me that if that is the kind of people that the church produces, and if this is an example of gods grace, then that is not the church he wanted to be apart of.” This to me was like hearing that my house had burned down. It was terrible and I wished I hadn’t heard it. I came to him though, and explained everything I could. I gave every reason and explanation that would help him out. He said that he was proud of me for living the life of a Mormon. He told me that it is a hard life that he didn’t have the strength or courage to uphold. I look up to this guy and it is people like this that give me strength enough to serve a mission.

         Id like to shift gears now back into the present day, to a hopefully more uplifting portion of my talk. First I wanted to say that I love the Sunday school class that I teach to death. Being able to teach lessons to the most wonderful class is one of the best ways I can prepare myself for my mission. I love each one of them. And they show me more respect then the respect I gave my teachers all through growing up And Brother Hueward is the best co teacher I could ask for.

         My parents often tell me how much time I spend with my friends and not with my family. I can’t deny that I do spend a lot of time with my friends. This is because they mean more to me than almost everything in this world. I have know most of them since I was in elementary School and am amazed that I have been honored by their company for so long. Please bear with me as I publicly notice a couple of my best friends. I would never forgive myself if I didn’t mention them. First: Harrison Jones. He has been with me since second grade and I have spent countless hours in his company. He is my best friend and never has anyone had a mental connection with me like this guy.  Eric Robinson: I have never known life without Eric in it. Ever since I can remember, I was wrestling with Eric and always losing. Although we have gone separate ways a hundred times throughout life, we always returned to each other, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Christian Nilsen: Most definitely the most physically and spiritually steadfast guy I know. I have been blessed that he even recognized me after his success in Mr. Irish. He is like no other man on earth, and I have cherished my time with him. Kevan Bendt is someone that knows me inside and out. Through our early morning carpool trips to LCC, I have been able to get to know one of the best men on earth. Kevan is someone that sees eye to eye with me and is someone that I have trust in. Tyler Eggleston: Someone who I didn’t know for a long time. He was someone that took getting used to, but when I did. It was glorious. His success was blinding, and that was whom I wanted to shape my life after. Chris Strub: for a long time I thought that I had lost my best friend Chris. After all that we did together I was miserable without him. But like the savior, he returned to me in my junior year. And never has there been someone I wanted to call my brother more. Geoff Yoon: A man that impacts my life daily. Although I don’t see him as often as I would like. He has no idea how much he has affected me going on this mission. And Clay Whipp: my youngest friend, always looking up to me, but in reality, it was I looking up to him. I’m going to miss staying up till 8 in the morning with these guys and then still getting 10 hours sleep.

         While I’m at it, I want to thank Tyler Eggleston, Eric Davis, Soren Nilsen, Ryan Pickens, and Eric Robinson for being the example that I needed to go on a mission; that along with my Dad and my brother. Its kind of funny, because my Dad went to Italy, and My brother went to the French speaking Caribbean islands mission. Whether they knew it or not, that put a lot of pressure on me to go to a really cool mission. Never have a been more sure of the gospel, then when I opened up my Mexico city call in front of my Amazing Family, A family that I look forward to spending eternity with. They surpass my friends as being the single most important thing to me. And I would trade anything to spend Christmas with them.

         Another thing I should mention is how important this ward is to me. I have never known anything different than coming to church on Sunday to the president street building, singing songs in primary, falling asleep in sacrament meeting, looking at girls in Sunday school, and feeling the spirit in Priesthood. Each and everyone of you has been there for me, whether giving me work, or feeding me dinner, letting me stay the night, and just shaking my hand at church, making me feel like an equal.

         I thank Bishop Cooper, Bishop Davis, and Bishop Whitmer, for always being the Man, teaching me reverence, and responsibility. This goes double for all of the teachers who had to teach my fellow comrades and I about the importance of reverence. I feel terrible for what we did the free’s in seminary. I also should point out my priesthood leaders who have always been there for me. Dennis Dunne, Tom Hall, Audie Eggleston, Jake Callister, Gavin Gillas, and the mother of all leaders: Jeff Robinson…The guy who I can go to whenever. Who gave me a home and a meal. Who showed me the meaning of sacrifice and charity, as he gave up work and money to show a couple of immature boys how to bond. And it is because of this man, that there are 5 men from our ward out on missions. Soon to be 6. It is because of Jeff Robinson and his wonderful wife Diana, that I did not fall away from the church and give in to what was the easier path in life. Me and 5 other guys were asked who the best man I knew was. And without a doubt, we all said Jeff Robinson. Both Mormon and nonMormon alike, Jeff has changed the world.

         But I can’t give all the glory to Jeff. My Parents saw me through soccer in elementary school, Cross-country in middle school, Ultimate Frisbee in high school, and Beach volleyball through College. They have blessed my life with the consistency of our home and our City here in Eugene.  I am so blessed with the perfect body they gave me. I love the fact that I cant see two feet without me glasses, or that I will probably never be able to dunk a basketball, that My hair grows freely in every which way. They have blessed me with my easy life. Except for a few broken arms and a concussion. I have never had a huge trial like to overcome. It is because of missionary work, that brought my Dad to the church when he was not much younger than I am now. Without the choice that my Dad made and the example of his friends and missionary’s. I would not exist to speak before you today. A few times in High school, I had to make a really hard choice: Having to choose my team or church. I’m glad I made the right choice. I hope my team and friends don’t think I let them down.

         For those of you who haven’t had the chance to receive your patriarchal blessing. I can’t stress it enough. It will forever enhance your life and you will be more likely to achieving your goals. One of my goals is to enter the temple with my whole family. And there was no better way to launch me that way then to enter the Temple. As I begin to enter this new and exciting new stage in my life. I go with courage; courage that I have gained whilst growing in the gospel. I thank Bishop Cooper for giving me this quote: “Being cool and daring, isn’t about what you will do when the time comes, it’s what you won’t do.” People nowadays tend to forget that fact. Eric Robinson also left me with a quote: “Anything is lame if your attitude towards it is lame. Same goes for how awesome things can be, if your attitude is awesome.” This quotes leads in nicely in talking about this last Trek. From what I remembered about my first one 4 years ago. I was miserable, but coming into this trek, with a good attitude and being able to join a new family, and within 4 days, I felt as if these youth were my actual brothers of sisters. The Church is doing something right, when they take these wonderful kids on Treks. The Trek was exactly what I needed for my mission.

         My dad and I had a good talk one day, and I realized just how much scouting helps me out in life. From my Eagle project, where it seemed that half the ward came to help Jordan Marshal and I out. To being able to apply to schools and jobs and be able to say that I have my Eagle Scout award and that i'm proud of it.

         You know, throughout this whole talk, I have been mentioning how awesome people are, How amazing the gospel is in our lives, and how The power and influence of how being a good example can be in the world, But I haven’t mentioned someone that I talk to daily. Someone that is a father to me, someone who has been the best example to us all. That person is our heavenly father, and through his son Jesus Christ.  I was gifted with the ability to repent and forgive myself of my sins; I was blessed with a wonderful ward. My Parents, My friends, the gospel, Missionary Work. And it is through missionary work that all can come unto Christ. LDS.org graciously provided me with the scripture Mathew 28: 19-20 It says: Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost. Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” This scripture blows my mind in its clarity. Stating: that we are commanded to go out and baptize all nations. And that through the Godhead, we are forever blessed even unto the end of our lives. It also says that whatever he asks of us, whether it may seems unnatural, we are to obey.

         It said in my patriarchal blessing that I would serve a foreign mission and that I would need to learn a different language. I am honored to be able to serve a mission. I know that as I teach the people in Mexico I have endless courage that I will be watched over and protected. That as I go with the spirit, I will bring unto the people the truth that I have seen for myself.

         Testimony