The Problem With Jimmer

While I've yet to witness a game for myself, I have heard plenty about the lousy play of last year's National Player of the Year Jimmer Fredette. For many, it's a little hard to believe that that same guy we were screaming at last year to "SHOOT IT!" when 35 feet out from the basket, is having such a miserable time finding success in the NBA.

So what's Jimmer's problem? Why such a drop off after one of the most prolific college careers in NCAA history? The ball is still 29.5 inches around, the basket is still 10 feet tall, and from what we witnessed last year, a 3 foot increase in 3-point distance really shouldn't be too big of a deal for Fredette. Many will cite the substantial increase in the quality of athleticism and skill when moving from college to the pros as the cause of Fredette's NBA woes. While I do find some validity in this opinion, I do not find it to be the entirety of Jimmer's problem, not even the majority. Rather, I find that what gave Jimmer his past success has now become the cause of his present plague. Amazing what a change in perspective can do.

While at BYU, Jimmer was the man. It was his team and he knew it. The confidence that came from this perspective allowed him to meet, and even far exceed, the expectations had of him. The confidence that came from this perspective allowed him to square up 30 feet from the basket, let it fly, and watch it go in.....over and over and over and over again. And now today, it is the lack of this confidence and change in perspective that has created his less than stellar statistics and a barrage of negative criticism.

Like Jimmer, the expectations had of us are high, we have a lot to live up to and our perspective can make all the difference.

Do we remember that we are children of a Heavenly Father who loves, who works daily to prepare us for success(moses 1:39) and who's only goal and intent for us happiness if we so choose it? Our literal purpose is to experience joy, to grow, and to succeed!(2 nephi 2:25) God has promised it and it is up to us to take him up on it. There's power in perspective and a confidence that comes into our lives when we truly understand who we are and what we can become.   

Elder Nicholes' Top 5

Seems simple, maybe a little cliche, but these are the things and people that mean the world to me. So grateful for my many, many blessings.

"live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."

-Alma 34:38

1.  My Family-

 

2. My Savior, Jesus Christ. His gospel, sacrifice, and plan have saved my life.  

3. The Book of Mormon- It's changed my life, I love it. No exaggeration.

 4. Friends, Role Models, Examples. All the people that make me smile!  

 

5. My Health- Another that might seem cliche, but I honestly thank my Heavenly Father for this every single day!

Girl Crazy

Girl crazy, definitely a fair description of both myself and many of the friends I've spent my past years parading around with. However, not too many years ago it was this craze that led to a certain missionary's dream coming true.  It's that same dream that every elder out there who is now, or has served has in common.

A pretty girl who will write you, week after week after week, after week, after week, after week finally ending with you returning home, sweeping her off her feet and marrying this sweetheart of yours.

For most, this dream remains just that, rarely becoming more than a wild fantasy, in which you receive 2 years worth of these coveted letters that let you know just how special you are, how proud of you she is, and how you're all she thinks about.

So here's how to make it happen. Or at least how it [sort of] worked in this friend of mine's case.

It happened about a week before my best friend's expected departure for the Missionary Training Center. We had spent the past few hours of that day perusing the shops of a nearby mall. We finished up, walked out the door, and there she was! My friend was nothing short of stunned. His short amount of time left in "the real world" didn't matter, he had to talk to her. There was only one problem, he literally looked like he had just gotten out of bed. Thinking that there was no way this girl would give him the time of day, considering his less than flattering outfit made up of basketball shorts, a hoodie, and bed head, he turned to me as we sat down in his truck and said "I have to go back in and talk to her, give me your clothes!"

In an effort to give my friend his best shot at a good first impression, we both began to strip. After making the exchange, there I sat, wearing nothing but boxer briefs and that hoodie in the front seat of the truck and there he went, back into the mall to find out who this young lady was.

He's gone for a few minutes, comes back and the story ends as follows; he found her, talked to her, got her phone number, but never gets the opportunity to hang out with this girl before his departure for the mission field. 

Unfortunate, right?..... Wrong. Turns out the girl he met at the mall, in borrowed clothes, and never hung out with sticks it out for two years and writes him faithfully the entire time...... WOW. I don't know if a last second effort has ever paid off in such a big way, and there's a good reason why.

Whether it be love, character, a jump shot, a college degree, spirituality or anything else we deem to be worthwhile or worth achieving; dedication and sacrifice are always required. Do we think when our time for preparation has expired that we can quickly shed our spiritual pajamas and jump into a friend's Armani suit and fool God?

"And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what will these things testify against you?" 

While last second efforts may earn us a few letters from the cute girl at the mall, spirituality and sanctification require a bit more.

  

 "And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

   Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?" Alma 5:14-15