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Shall the
Youth of Zion Falter?: A Taller Stand
by
Kelly L. Martinez
"The
time has come for each of us to stand a little taller. This is
a season to be strong. It is time to move forward with little
hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth, and the importance
of our mission. It is time to do what is right, regardless of
the consequences that might follow." —Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley
In
1994, an eight year-old boy met someone. Someone who was famous.
Someone who, by the boy's estimation, should have been talking to
anyone but him. But, that someone did take the time, in spite of
the fact that he was a celebrity, to talk to that boy. What impressed
that boy was how nice that someone was; how humble he was. It was
an impression that would have lasting effects well into the boy's
future...and will stay with him the rest of his life.
 Triumph
from the ashes
At the California Interscholastic Federation's high school boys'
state wrestling championships in 2001, a sophomore wrestler from
Poway High School in San Diego, Paul Baird, went down with
a shoulder injury in the second round of the tournament. Baird was
forced to forfeit the third match, dashing his hopes of a state
title. From the sidelines, he watched as two wrestlers he had defeated
earlier in the season vied for the state title he had hoped to claim
himself. "That was the most difficult thing I have ever had to go
through," said Baird. "But it's also something I would never change."
Baird looked
for the lesson that could be learned from his injury. "I think Heavenly
Father had something for me to learn," he said. "I think that my
wrestling skills were good enough to win state last year, but I
think I needed to grow spiritually."
Feeling that
his spiritual and wrestling abilities were not growing at the same
rate, Baird decided to make a concerted effort to develop himself
spiritually as well as physically.
He recovered
from his injury and came back this season to capture the 145-pound
class CIF state title on March 2, capping a season in which he compiled
a 39-1 record.
What he had
endured and overcome in 2001 taught him several lessons. He learned
to deal with disappointment. He learned to make the best of a bad
situation. He learned humility. He learned that sometimes, the Lord
has a different plan for us than the one we're following. Basically,
he got an early lesson on what it's like to be a full-time missionary.
As long as
he can remember
At 16, Paul is the youngest of Robert and Eileen
Baird's sons. Brothers David (26), Michael
(23) and John (21) have set examples for Paul in putting
the Lord first. David served a mission to Wisconsin, Michael to
Venezuela and John is currently serving in Spain. Intent on following
his brothers' examples, Paul has committed himself to serving a
mission. "For as long as I can remember, I've known that I will
serve a mission," he said.
Not long ago,
Paul received a letter from the University of Oregon expressing
interest in his wrestling talents. "It's pretty exciting, but I've
made up my mind that anyone who wants to recruit me needs to understand
that for two years, I am not going to be available to wrestle,"
he resolutely said.
A reminder
Paul carries a wooden coin, given to him by his bishop, which
serves as a reminder of what is truly important. On one side, the
inscription Yield to the Enticings of the Spirit, and on
the other, Trust in the Lord. He even keeps it with him when
he wrestles, putting it somewhere in his wrestling clothes.
Off the mat,
Paul serves as second assistant to the bishop in the priest quorum
and regularly attends seminary, both of which also help keep him
aware of what's truly important.
An Eagle's
nest
An emphasis on scouting has come to fruition in the Baird household-each
of the Baird boys has achieved (or soon will achieve) the rank of
Eagle. Paul has met all of the requirements for the rank of Eagle
Scout and will receive the prestigious award in the near future.
"We have made
scouting a pretty important part of our lives," said Mama Baird,
Eileen. "Scouting and wrestling have brought our family together
a lot as we travel to the different tournaments and scouting activities."
The Young
and the impressionable
Paul, the impressionable eight year-old boy, is now a spiritually
aware, athletically accomplished young man that remembers well the
day he met Steve Young in 1994. He admires the example of
kindness that Young showed that day when the celebrity made a positive
and lasting impression on a future representative of the Lord.
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© 2002 Meridian
Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
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