When I was a toddler up until my senior year in high school, I would sit on the couch alongside my dad, and ask him thee dumbest questions about the game that was on. Questions like, "So why does he get in trouble when he's in that key thing" or "That guy is so tall. How tall do you think he is?" Even questions like, "Do you think that big one in the middle likes frosted flakes" Just the most random observations. Sometimes, he'd ignore my questions (some didn't deserve to be answered). But 99% of the time, when I asked myself the question again, I'd answer it on my own.

For a while, I never understood the game of basketball. All the little rules and technical things of the game. But I remember watching the Lakers play so vividly and being in awe of this one guy. He was so talented and I wanted to be like him in MY own way. You know the Mamba Mentality as much as I do. Perseverance. What a cool thing to have. To never stop working especially when you don't have to be. Which is a beautiful correspondent to life. We don't have to try. We don't have to go the extra mile. We don't have to be nice to strangers. But are we? When no one's watching are we kind and loving? Would we be the good samaritan? Of course, we'd like to think we are. But are you? Is your life in a place where you can put others first? Put God first? Mine wasn't. Everything was about me. And it took a toll on me. Perseverance was not in my vocabulary. That's too hard.

You see, working hard is hard. That's why it's called hard work. But I've been able to slightly grasp what it's like to persevere. And no wonder why he excelled greatly and basked in his accomplishments. It feels good to succeed! 

So my invitation this week is to simply ask, what's your Mamba Mentality? What keeps you going when you're at the verge of giving up? 

This life is so beautiful. Sometimes bad things happen and that's okay. As long as we are doing our best and trying hard each day to be good, to do good, to go out of our way to serve someone. Be kind and remember that sometimes life turns upside down but as long as we get back up and keep trying, it'll all be okay.

I LOVE YOU ALL. please please please hug your loved ones and ask questions!!!!!!! You never know the answers you could find within yourself :-)

Love, Sister Lockhart <3

Ps. He will accept the gospel. I'll take away his agency if I have to :')