Show Yourself

I read once that “Into the Unknown” was meant to be the “Let It Go” of Frozen 2. Maybe that’s the case, but unlike “Let It Go” it didn't resonate with me. Rather, the Frozen 2 song that I connected with more was “Show Yourself”.

The whole movie, Elsa chases this disembodied voice through Arendelle and across the wilderness. With Arendelle in distress and the Northuldra trapped in the forest, she puts it on herself to find the source of the voice. Even forcefully sending her sister and Olaf back as she headed to Ahtohallan. 

As she approaches the ice island, my favorite Frozen song begins. As she approaches the “river full of memory”. She goes through the song, expecting to get the answer to all the mysteries, singing things like “Are you the one I've been looking for” and “You are the answer I've waited for.” Turns out, the spirit she was looking to for answers was herself. 

“Show yourself
“Step into the power
“Grow yourself
“Into something new
“You are the one you've been waiting for
“All of my life.”

How many times do I want a magical fix for my problems? I want this mystical spirit (or maybe even God) to give me an immediate fix to my problems. One session of therapy to fix my depression. One dose of medication to alleviate my anxiety. One prayer to lift my self-esteem. I would have given anything to have a quick fix for my mental health so I could return to my missionary service and finish my remaining 21 months. 

Instead, I’ve gotten the impression that God wants me to put effort in (shocker right?). Real healing from mental illness, addiction, or anything else takes work and patience. I didn’t get to go back on my mission right away. And even when I did, it wasn’t a quick fix. I still struggled. I still had more work to do on myself. 

The Lord has said “For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.” (D&C 58:28)

The Lord expects us to work. He expects us to act. As Joseph Smith told the saints, “let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God” (D&C 123:17). 

There is power in owning our stories and taking charge of them. We can’t control everything, but we can (as last week’s Come Follow Me lesson said) “choose … this day whom ye will serve” (Joshua 24:15) Coming back to Frozen 2, Elsa didn’t get her power from someone giving it to her. Heck, she couldn’t even make it to her destination on her own until she tamed the water spirit. But after visiting Ahtohollan and fully owning her power, she was able to stop the tidal wave to save Arendelle. She was no longer scared to act. And that made all the difference. 

“For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.
“Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;”
(D&C 58:26-27)