A Cool Little Story of Mine


DrakeTheRake
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Some Back-Story

Okay first, lemme just give you a background of who I am... I'm a 15 year old guy from Melbourne, Australia, and I used to DJ and produce EDM and pop and loads of cool stuff. I like going out, but don't really do it that often, as my mother is single with 5 boys (which I am the eldest of), and is currently studying law as well as working as a full-time paralegal. Oh yeah, she has chronic-fatigue as well. I'm really close to my Mum, as she's really the only parent that I have right now, that my parents split up a little over a year ago now. I also love hanging out with my brothers, going to the water park that's conveniently near our house that we just moved into a couple months ago, thanks to Point Cook ward haha, and doing stuff like digging through rocks and stuff in the lake which is also near our house. I've been a member my whole life, but only recently started really gaining a testimony of Jesus Christ and his teachings and developing a relationship with him. I believe that seminary has helped me, definitely not instantly, to realize the importance, and give me wake up calls (no pun intended) every now and then to what really matters. I've been impacted a lot recently (going into my second seminary year) in terms of developing a regular routine. And that's the story I wanted to share :)

Last month I was thinking a lot about priorities and what really mattered to me. I thought about WiFi, and how it's had such a negative influence in my life, and how I wanted to smash the modem/router, along with my laptop and phone (smartphone). Meanwhile keep in mind this was all in the shower, crying a little over specific thoughts, triggering certain emotions. I thought about my Mum and how she hadn't really seemed to have a regular routine of reading the Book of Mormon, or of any sort, and hadn't really stressed it to us that much. I had started routines before, but never really kept them going for longer than about a week. And I believe this was because my heart hadn't really changed yet. I had short spikes of really feeling it, but didn't make any plans to do anything about it. I heard someone say that that is why Joseph Smith received the answer he did, because he asked 'which church he should join', rather than for example, 'which church is true'. So a few weeks ago, when I thought about everything, and cried a little, thought bout my brothers, and how my Dad had affected them in terms of anxiety and stuff like that over the years, and how that affected there desire to live the gospel, and how we've never really lived it before, I wanted to actually act this time.

I left the shower and left with the best effort could at the time to remember what I had thought about. I went to my room and looked at everything I owned, and hated it. I hated every last piece. It was all a distraction to me. Remember, this only happened about a month ago.

Now, being a producer for over a year and a half, that being really all you do, this was a huge part of my life. I'm still currently enrolled in a VET course (which is a special course you may start in your 10th year for any range of subjects) in Music Tech Production, which was just for me, dealing with mixing, mastering, compression and all that jazz, and I intended on enrolling for University in a bachelor (6 trimesters) of Audio Engineering and Music Production. I wanted to hit it big basically, as we all do, when we find a passion. I was also DJing, which my mother's friend got me loads of gigs for (and was getting me ones interstate next year might I add), and I had just told a guy I'd pay him $5000 for top-of-the-line gear.

But one thing I realized in that shower - none of that matters... at all. DJing didn't matter and would have a negative impact on me spiritually (and it wouldn't look good if I was DJing during the second coming [these were my thoughts]), and with producing, you always have music blasting through headphones, and they're made so you can't hear anything outside of them.

I didn't need my phone... or my laptop... even my bed

So I gave it up.

Everything.

I gave up
- Producing
- DJing
- $250 speakers
- $350 headphones
- $300 DJ deck (as they call it)
- 4 ft x 2 ft desk
- 2x Dell monitor displays
- mouse and keyboard
- $200 audio interface
- my laptop
- my phone
- my bed
- my bedroom

 

But most of all - I gave up my life to the Lord.

 

My favourite music quickly then became hymns, especially those from General Conference, and I listen to them almost daily, because I realize the effect that music can have on your mood, and pretty much any media actually. I had nothing to do at that point except serve my Heavenly Father. I had eliminated all distractions. And believe it or not, it wasn't actually that hard. I'm not completely sure why, but I have a feeling that it's because I know what matters now, and I don't care what happens with what was left behind.

I must admit, it did get pretty overwhelming, one day producing and mastering a top level quality, getting recognized my record labels, and considered for jobs, then the next, completely devoted to serving the Lord. I just trusted that if I prayed, things would work out and I would get through the other end. And I did.

To this day, I am still living how I was, taking at least a shower a day (I'll admit I forgot yesterday), and keeping a smile on my face, and whoever else around me. This was the first General Conference I watched all sessions (including YW [I'm unsure if that's allowed...?]) start to finish, and I must admit, even though it was extremely tiring to sit around and do nothing all day, I felt like Heavenly Father was speaking directly to me. I've fasted every Sunday since, and I intend to do so as long as possible. Because I believe that every sacrifice counts, so why not pass up a perfect opportunity. Now I understand that this might not be healthy, but so far things have gone pretty smoothly, and I think Heavenly Father will help with that side of things anyway. I'm especially grateful for my seminary teacher, who has understood me throughout every trial I've had in the short time I've known her. Oh what an impact it has to have a good teacher.

I've had an extremely magnificent experience, merely thanks to The Savior's love and showers. I encourage every one of you reading this to read the Book of Mormon and ask if it is true, and I testify that it will be manifested unto you. I encourage you to persevere that last extra hurdle in these last days, because you will be thankful for it in the days to come. I believe the coming of Christ is ever so much closer than we may expect, if we expect at all. 'Prepare ye, prepare ye, for ye know not the hour that which he cometh'.

I pray that each of you may find something productive from this message, and I leave it with you in the name of The Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.

- Drake

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On 4/14/2017 at 9:29 AM, DrakeTheRake said:

This was the first General Conference I watched all sessions (including YW [I'm unsure if that's allowed...?]) start to finish

:) Yes, it's OK.

Welcome to the forums! (Not sure how I missed this last Friday, but late is better than never...)

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Thanks for sharing I hope you continue to have success and happiness in any area your young life leads you.

Im not into clubbing but me and my brother used to DJ in High school and College (back in the late 90's) and It was a great way for me to be in the scene without having to be in the scene if you know what i mean. Seeing how the music industry has grown because of the internet and how the DJ profession it self has taken off makes for a good dream of what things could have been if I stuck with it.

I recently read an article of a Mormon DJ in vegas doing pretty well for himself and still living by the LDS standards. I think the world needs to know that Mormons are normal just like anyone else and we can still live and thrive in any environment without sacrificing our values.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/07/26/the-straight-edge-mormon-dj-taking-over-the-world.html

 

 

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