My life as a Jedi

The latest trailer in Star War trilogy was released last Friday (March 14, 2017) which has stirred up fans for the coming story line in the next movie released December 15th. “What’s going to happen next?” is the question on everyone’s mind.

 

I have been a fan since the very first Star Wars in 1977. At 17, my family and I went to the theater and watched in amazement something so totally different than anything we had ever seen or expected and found ourselves going to the theater multiple times because the VCR had not been invented yet. I love to watch inspirational movies such as Star Wars and relate the stories to my own life as many fans do.

 

The overlying story of Star Wars is an old one: the fight between good and evil – and I find myself thinking of myself as living the life of a Jedi. I have been fighting the battle against evil ever since I was taught about the plan our Father in Heaven presented to us in the Pre-mortal existence.

 

Lucifer wanted to force everyone to return to the Father without any agency. He managed to talk 1/3 of the host of Heaven into following him in this terrible idea as this is not God’s way. We are never forced to do anything we don’t want to do.  But since the time of Lucifer’s rebellion, the forces of evil have run rampant on earth causing terrible wars, oppressive rulers, and debilitating contention among the people of the earth.

 

In the story of Star Wars, Darth Vader becomes an evil leader through the enticing voice of his master the Emperor. Darth Vader entices and tricks those who want good into doing evil instead. He is like the Adversary who slowly draws you in and traps you with his flaxen cords until you are bound up in darkness.

 

The Book of Mormon tells it well:

 

2 Nephi, Chapter 26 Verse 22: “And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the found of all these things; yea, the founder of murder and works of darkness; yea and he leadeth them by the neck with flaxen cord until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.”

 

We are sometimes led very innocently in what we might think is perfectly acceptable in our modern world until we until we realize, sometimes too late, that what we are doing is not what should be done.

 

Yoda, the Jedi master who trains Luke Skywalker in the “ways” of the Jedi takes discipline and commitment; a higher standard of moral living. Our modern Jedi warriors are those who are the righteous helpers; the keepers of peace and they want to do good for others.

 

As a Jedi, I have felt very in tune with my Father in Heaven and keep the promptings from the Holy Ghost a priority. I help others in my path of life and have been trained in the “Jedi ways.”

 

This includes:

 

1. 

   To read more of Valerie’s articles, click here.

   Keeping Covenants and Commitments:  When we promise to be Disciples of Christ, we covenant and commit to living the life of a Christian.  We follow a path of righteousness. We keep the covenants we made at baptism to be a follower of Christ.

 

2. Following Principles and righteous Patterns: As a righteous follower we choose a pattern of godliness which helps us throughout our life.  From the scriptures it says: “And faith hope, charity and love with an eye single to the glory of God qualify him for the work. Remember faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:5-6)  All these characteristics of godliness make us the kind of person we want to be.

 

My life as a Jedi is the life of following Christian principles and continues to be a pattern for a life of service. It’s amazing what an inspirational movie can do to motivate others to be better people.