"Rick's Rules"

   I wasn't sure at first what I wanted to put in my first real post to the "Blogosphere" (I'm catching up on my internet lingo), so I decided to put up something that has shaped my life since I was but a child.  This "something" is a list of rules and maxims to live by.  They have been taught to me throughout most of my life, by my father, Rick.  So, without much further ado, I bring you "Rick's Rules".  I'm going to format into (you guessed it) a list, with my personal experiences with each rule following.

The very man himself, Rick.
He makes pink manly.

Rick's Rule #1 The "Try"-Angle:  As far as I can remember, this is the first "Rick's Rule" that I learned, and I learned it young.  When I was around five or six, it was my job to put away the vacuum hose (we have one of the vacuum systems that you just plug the hose into the wall and it works.  Kind of like magic) when my mom was done cleaning the house (I know, they worked me really hard).  Well, one day my five-year-old brain decided I'd had it.  I couldn't figure out how to curl the hose "just so" to make it sit nicely in the closet.  I did what any five-year-old would do in this situation, and asked my dad to do it.  He just looked at me and said, "Son, do you know what the best angle to approach any problem is?"  I was intrigued.  One solution for any problem?  Count me in!  I asked him what it was. 
 His response:  "The "Try"-angle".  Now, I had trouble wrapping my mind around this concept, I was five after all.  He explained, "All you have to do is try, and when that doesn't work, try again.  Simple as that."  Those words changed my life, and the way the vacuum hose was put away, forever.   

Rick's Rule #2 The Tough Get Going!  While I was yet a child, another of my jobs was to crush our soda cans so they could fit in the recycle (Wow, I'm really surprised nobody called child services.  Putting the vacuum away and crushing cans?  That's nearly abuse).  This particular can-crushing session was a long one, we had a party the week before or something. I was getting frustrated with how long it was taking, so when my dad came into the garage where I was working, I voiced my frustrations and said I wanted to take a break.  Chances are, my dad knew that a "break" for me meant that he would end up doing it.  So, he just looked at me and said, "Son, when the going gets tough, the tough get going!"  So, I took fresh courage, busted out the rest of the cans in five minutes, and was back to watching Saturday morning cartoons in no time.  It saved me a big chewing-out later on as well!

Rick's Rule #3 Roots of Responsibility:  I actually don't recall when I first learned the "roots" statement, but I do know that while he was on business in Afghanistan, my dad had the following words embroidered on a rug:  "Roots of responsibility bring wings of liberty."  I think this has more of a Gospel connection than anything else.  For example, take the commandments.  They are like roots, they seem so limiting and make it so you can't have "fun".  Well, if you keep the commandments and grow those roots, they actually enable you to do things you never thought possible.  The very things that we thought grounded us, in truth, turned out to make us soar to unimaginable heights because you will have the help of God. 

Rick's Rule #4 It's Up To Me:  Well, earlier on in my mission (I won't say when or where), I was having some difficulties with what I should do, and where to find work, and basically just how to be a missionary.  It seemed like nothing was really happening in our area.  So, I emailed these problems to my family and my dad's response was to remember, "If it's to be, it's up to me."  New "Rick's Rule"?  I thought so.  This goes right in line with the eternal principle of accountability.  We're responsible to make things happen in our lives.  If something needs to change, go and change it!  With God's help, of course.

Rick's Rule #5 Show How Much You Care:  This last "Rick's Rule" is probably the one that has had the most profound influence on my life and my mission.  Right before my mission, I was having a little bit of a meltdown.  I was really nervous about sharing the Gospel, and how I was going to do it.  My dad, being the great dad that he is, sat down with me one night and laid this little nugget of wisdom on me:  "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."  This is something that I have worked on my whole mission, and I'm so grateful that I have.  Life is so much more meaningful when you care about people, and other people respond to it.  It's a win-win really.

So, in conclusion, my dad is awesome, and has taught me so many lessons that I'm sure he doesn't even realize.  I'm sure all of your dads have taught you something profound and awesome too, so go ahead and share it in the comments portion!  And, I just wanted to say, thanks, dad.

Elder Sharples