Exceedingly Curious

(Tanner Thomas, 16, has given Exceedingly Curious permission to post a talk he gave in a recent stake conference.)

“No Toy Left Behind” – No One Uninvited
by Tanner Thomas
(copyright 2010, Tanner Thomas)

Fifteen years ago, when I was only 1 year old, the world was introduced to the movie, Toy Story, starring Buzz Lightyear and Sheriff Woody. This was one awesome animated movie . . . all about the popular toys from the past few decades. There were Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Etch-a-Sketch, Rex the dinosaur, Ham the Piggy Bank, and of course, Slinky Dog, the toy dachshund. There are also other toys brought to life, including plastic green army men, Barrel of Monkeys, and Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots.

All of these toys belong to a little boy named Andy and they love to be played with by Andy. As you might imagine these toys get into all sorts of funny situations and they go on all sorts of adventures. These toys have fears and joys, as well as frustrations and challenges.

There have been three Toy Story movies that have come out over the last 15 years. In each movie the toys have stuck together, and there has been a theme among them. That theme is “No Toy Gets Left Behind!” Led by Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear, these toys always stick together.

Imagine ourselves in this movie — we’re not animated toys, we’re real people — but we could imagine ourselves on a similar mission trying to get home to our Heavenly Father. Our theme also should be “No person gets left behind!” I think there are three ways that can help us make sure no one is left behind.

First of all, I think it is important to be nice to each other. If there is one thing Mormons should be known for it is being nice. That is one of the true characteristics of a follower of Christ.

In Toy Story, some toys were likeable and easier to be nice to. Other toys, like Mr. Potato Head, were always cranky and sarcastic. But we need to be nice to everyone. It may take practice, but it can be part of who we are. It also take humility to be kind to everyone. But we can do this by following the counsel from President Uchtdorf, who said, “We don’t discover humility by thinking less of ourselves; we find it by thinking less about ourselves.”

The second item that I feel is important is that we serve each other. Serving each other helps build friendship and trust. In Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear and Woody started out as rivals, competing against one another. But when they were in trouble they relied on each other. They nearly get blown up, ran over, and torn apart. But to survive, they help each other time and time again. They are two different toys, but they become good friends. I know this is just an animated cartoon, but it teaches an important lesson that is also taught by King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon. That is, that we will be happiest when we serve each other, and that is what Heavenly Father asks of us. We should look for ways to help our family and others around us.

Those first two ways of sharing the gospel are sort of indirect. They make us happy, they make others happy, and others can notice the gospel in how we live.

The third way in which we can make sure no one is left behind is just as important as the others. We can ask them to come with us! We can invite our friends to learn about the gospel. Most people around here don’t know much about Mormons and what they often hear on TV isn’t always correct. What others think of Mormons is what they think of you, because you’re probably the only one they know. My brother, Aaron, and I are the only Mormons in our schools. But it is important not only that they know we’re Mormon, but that they are welcome to learn more about the church.

Last week, a general authority, Elder Walker, came to our branch. He spoke to our youth group and he encouraged us to let others know about our church and what we believe in. If someone asks about a church topic, a good reply is, “Would you like to know more about that?” When we have a church activity we can simply invite them and offer them a ride. If they want to know more, we can ask them to come meet with the missionaries. It’s up to them to say yes or no, but it’s up to us to let them know we care.

A year and a half ago, two of my friends came to an activity. They saw the For the Strength of Youth book on a table. They picked it up and seemed interested in it. I told them that it’s a guide book for the youth of our church. They teased me a bit and they quickly named it the Perfect Kid book. These friends would always try to see who could be the perfect kid the longest, trying not to swear, listen to good music, and follow all the topics in the Perfect Kid book. Unfortunately, they failed numerous times, but I know that it helped them see how youth should be and act.

These are three items that I feel are important, whether our personality is a Buzz Lightyear or a Mr. Potato Head. We can be kind, serve each other, and invite our friends to learn more about the church. It helps for us to remember that we’re all Heavenly Father’s children. I’m certain Heavenly Father cares about us way more than Andy cared about his toys. Heavenly Father gave us his Son and our brother, Jesus Christ, and he gave us each other. I know Heavenly Father wants all of us to return to him one day, and we’ll be happiest if we leave no one behind.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.