A few weeks ago, amidst the unique circumstances our world finds itself in dealing with the uncertainties and unsettling challenges of COVID-19, my family was excited to hear that our local movie theater was showing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies over the course of a few weeks. Had we been in more normal circumstances and the theater been showing new releases, we might not have given the establishment our patronage. But the prospect of seeing these wonderful movies on the big screen complete with Dolby digital surround sound was simply too much to pass up. The fact that they were airing the extended editions sealed the deal.
And so I prepared for a proud Dad moment as I introduced my children, including my two year old who was all too excited to go "on an adventure," to these cinematic masterpieces (and no, by using that word, I am not willing to engage in a heated debate on the merits or pitfalls of The Hobbit trilogy). I watched my 8 year old, Andrew, especially closely as he he was perhaps the most transparent with his emotions. It was easy to see his nervousness, excitement, and even sadness at times.
When the reinforcements showed up for the good guys in the final battle, Andrew was on his feet punching the air with is fist and trying very hard not to shout out as he felt the tide shifting in the good guys' favor. And when Andrew whispered to me during my personal favorite moment in all six films--that moment when Sam carries Frodo up the slopes of Mount Doom--"Dad, I've changed my mind... Sam is my favorite hobbit!" I wiped a tear from my eyes for more than one reason.
The opportunity to watch these films once more on the big screen and to experience them with my children was priceless. And it sent me back to the original source material to listen to all four audio books. Needless to say, I have been immersed in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien for the past many weeks and have felt awe at its majesty and magic.
Last year, during the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, one of the speakers, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, shared a message about the grand adventure of life. He likened our adventure to that of Bilbo Baggins' journey there and back again. I was inspired by his message. Given my hobby at amateur video editing, I resolved to make a video featuring Elder Uchtdorf's words and selected footage from Peter Jackson's movies. However, the task seemed daunting and one that I kept pushing off, feeling intimidated by the time and effort this project would entail.
I wasn't worried about my capabilities with my video editing software. Nor was I worried about having enough footage to pair with the portions of the message that I had chosen. No, I was most intimidated by the prospect of having to select just 8 or 10 minutes of my favorite scenes from over 20 hours of source material that would somehow capture the inspiration that I felt from Elder Uchtdorf's message. And so, much like Bilbo, I procrastinated and dragged my feet before undergoing my own journey of making this video.
My family's experience in the movie theater and my immersion in Tolkien's world these past weeks was all the push I needed to finally hold to my resolve and finish this. I am very much an amateur and hobbyist when it comes to making videos like this. And I struggled to try to keep this video under 10 minutes as I would have loved to have shared more of Elder Uchtdorf's words and more of these wonderful movies. Whether or not I succeeded in my objective of bringing a new dimension to Elder Uchtdorf's message can be left up to those same critics who weigh The Hobbit trilogy up against The Lord of the Rings.
I can simply add my own testimony to that of Elder Uchtdorf and J.R.R. Tolkien in saying that I am truly grateful for the great adventure of life that we have been gifted by our Heavenly Father. Our adventure is fraught with peril and great trials. I know that great rewards await us as we make it back again. But the greatest treasures are to be found all along our way there.
I am grateful for the Gandalf's and Sam's in my life who help me find the courage and the resolve to take each step forward. It is my hope that you and I find ourselves on the winning side of the battle, the side of our God, whose victory is assured and who brings the hope and the renewal of the first light on not only the 5th day, but each and every day, as we look to the east.
As Elder Uchtdorf said in a different message:
"You are the hero of your own life's story! Do not be discouraged. Do not give up. The future is bright! Someday you will look back on the person you are now with kindness and compassion, and you will know then that the steps you took today molded you into the wonderful person you have yet to become."
Happy Journeying and God Bless!
