⚾ Shohei Ohtani and the Spirit of True Greatness ------- (Finding God’s Light in Every Nation, Every Faith, Every Field)
⚾ Shohei Ohtani and the Spirit of True Greatness
(Finding God’s Light in Every Nation, Every Faith, Every Field)
🌅 I still remember it—back in 2017, my wife and I were sitting together watching 60 Minutes. They ran a story on this young baseball phenom from Japan named Shohei Ohtani. I turned to her and said, “Honey, this guy’s the real deal.”
And she smiled that quiet, knowing Japanese smile that says, You’ll see.
Well, here we are years later—and yes, she was right. Shohei has met every expectation, both as a ballplayer and as a man.
🌸 The Beauty of Japanese Spirit
My wife is Japanese, and I’ve come to love her ways—bowing in respect, keeping things tidy, cooking with care, and greeting the day with quiet gratitude. There’s something sacred in that kind of life.
Shohei carries that same spirit on the baseball field. He bows before each game, he picks up trash, he honors his opponents.
That’s not showmanship—it’s reverence.
In Japan, they call it wa—harmony. And it’s woven deep into the fabric of who they are.
You see it in Shinto respect for nature, in Buddhist mindfulness, in family rituals that honor ancestors and children alike.
Now, I know some folks flinch when they hear the word Buddhism or Shinto. But let me tell you something Joseph Smith once said:
“One of the grand fundamental principles of Mormonism is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may.” — Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 313
Truth doesn’t wear a single uniform. It shows up in temples and in ballparks. In Nemenhah lodges and in Tokyo shrines. In anyone who walks humbly and loves deeply.
🕊️ The Power of Humility
When I see Shohei Ohtani, I see the Sermon on the Mount in motion.
He lives out what the Savior taught:
“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” — Matthew 5:5
That’s not weakness. That’s eternal strength.
And the Nemenhah Records echo it perfectly:
“They who are meek before all life, they shall be the stewards thereof. For the Earth responds not to pride, but to gentleness.” (Book of Mohrhohnahyah 5:41)
When Shohei bows, he’s not lowering himself—he’s lifting the world.
🌏 Truth Is Everywhere
I love my faith. I love the Book of Mormon.
But I also believe what the Spirit has whispered to me many times: The Lord has planted seeds of truth in every culture under heaven.
The Nemenhah say:
“The Great Peacemaker walked in every land, that all peoples might know His voice in their own tongue.” (Tsihohnayah Ahkehkthihm 14:65)
When the Church says it has “all truth,” sometimes I think we forget what that means.
It’s not about owning truth—it’s about recognizing it wherever it shines.
Because truth isn’t a trademark. It’s light.
And light belongs to the Lord.
🗑️ The Gospel of Small Acts
Think about it.
A man who picks up trash after a game could easily say, “That’s someone else’s job.”
But Shohei bends down and does it himself.
That simple act could change the spirit of a stadium.
And isn’t that what Zion is supposed to be?
Each of us doing small, holy things—until the whole earth becomes a temple.
As the Nemenhah wrote:
“Even as ye keep the places of your labor clean, so keep also your hearts, that no unclean thing may dwell therein.” (Book of Tsihmlayi 3:21)
That’s gospel right there, folks.
🏯 East Meets Zion
Ohtani shows us what happens when humility and excellence walk hand in hand.
He’s not Christian in label—but he’s Christlike in living.
And maybe that’s the real miracle.
Because in a world divided by flags and creeds, one humble ballplayer has reminded millions what heaven really values:
Kindness. Gratitude. Service. Respect.
Maybe, just maybe, Zion begins when we stop arguing over who’s right—and start recognizing where God’s fingerprints already are.
💫 Final Thought
So next time you see Shohei on the screen, bowing to a pitcher he just homered off, remember this:
That bow might be the quietest sermon you’ll ever hear.
Because true greatness never shouts.
It simply shines.
Comments