Life Colloquy

Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear

2012-02-15T11:53:00.008-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear, by L. Tom Perry
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I often think I'm terrible at communicating. Outside of my wife and children, I rarely talk with other members of my family. I have only a few friends, and we rarely-if-ever spend time together outside of church meetings, time at work, or chance encounters. I'm cordial with my neighbors (they're all great, really), but we never do anything together.

On the other hand, I maintain an e-presence through YouTube videos, blog posts (ta-da!), facebook status updates, my family website, and email conversations.

I'm convinced that the best way to reach me is electronically. It's probably because I can respond at my convenience (I know, it sounds pretty selfish), and I don't have to worry about intruding on others lives at bad times.

Wow, I sure sound pathetic.

Having disclosed this, I want to assert that I'm truly happy and that I really want others to be happy—I just don't do anything about it in person, apparently.

Elder Perry's talk gave me some comfort when he spoke of the untrained masses—people who use digital communication to share the gospel and discuss Church happiness and beliefs:

At all times of the day across the entire world, the Church and its teachings are being discussed on the Internet, on blogs and social networks, by people who have never written for a newspaper or a magazine. They are making videos and sharing them online. These are ordinary people—both members of our faith and of other faiths—who are talking about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It seems that I'm not alone in my way of life.

Having called upon members to advance understanding of the Church, Elder Perry gave a list of suggested ideas. I took these to heart to see if I'm already doing any of them (because it's easier to check an existing practice off of a list than start doing something new!):

Be bold in our declaration of Jesus Christ
Be righteous examples to others
Speak up about the Church

That's it. Three easy things!

How have I been doing? Here are the examples that came to my mind:

Be bold in our declaration of Jesus Christ
I have a hobby of making videos. One of the favorites that I've put together focuses on Christ:

Be righteous examples to others
You're reading one of the examples of being an example that came to my mind: this blog! In addition, we put pictures of our happy family (with sometimes-silly captions) on our family website. I don't think many people ever look at the site, but it's there waiting for them.

Speak up about the Church
I think that everyone who knows me knows that I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When I do actually talk to people in person, I'm not surprised at how often we talk about religion, God, or faith. In addition, I have one of the mormon.org profiles that Elder Perry mentioned:

I admit that this post has a heavy self-congratulatory tone. "Look at how great I am" it seems to scream. Instead of seeing it that way, I'm trying to convince myself that Elder Perry's promise that "a spirit of love and a spirit of courage will be your constant companion" is already being fulfilled, and that I can take up his charge to "take advantage of the opportunities gives to us to share our beliefs."

I know I need a lot of work. But I'm trying to do something good.

At least online, as I hide behind my computer.

(But I'm not really hiding. Honest!)

The Divine Gift of Repentance

2012-02-14T11:51:00.006-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Divine Gift of Repentance, by D. Todd Christofferson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Whenever you teach a lesson to children on the topic of repentance, the Church has a caveat printed in the manual. Its purpose is to remind that children younger than eight years old have no need of repentance—they still benefit from learning, but they don't need to repent because they haven't been baptized.

Here's what the manuals actually say:

Note: Remember that children younger than eight years old are not yet accountable and do not need to repent of sin. Encourage the children to do what is right, but do not make them feel guilty for things they have done.

Despite this warning, too often you'll see otherwise-well-intentioned teachers telling young children that they need to repent of sins they are incapable of even committing.

I actually remember learning about this as a teenager; I think I can even remember who my teacher was—this is a big deal for me because I seem to have forgotten much of my youth (perhaps because I've tried to repent of my many, many mistakes...). Here's the point: I remember actually wishing I had known this before I turned eight so I could get some more bad behavior in!

Can you believe it? I was longing for repentance-free pre-eight-years-old rebelliousness.

To my shame, the great teacher, seemingly anticipating this very reaction, said that if someone were to long for the very things I was longing for, it was a surefire proof that they were in need of repentance and likely didn't have a pure heart, let alone clean hands (see Psalm 24:3-4).

I've long been grateful for repentance, but Elder Christofferson said something that I had never considered:

Repentance is a divine gift, and there should be a smile on our faces when we speak of it.

Smiling when talking of repentance? Usually people are crying and sniffling when they talk of repentance. What can we do to remember this great advice? Here's the smiling quote in a bigger context:

Only through repentance do we gain access to the atoning grace of Jesus Christ and salvation. Repentance is a divine gift, and there should be a smile on our faces when we speak of it. It points us to freedom, confidence, and peace. Rather than interrupting the celebration, the gift of repentance is the cause for true celebration.

I think a happy image of the need to repent is in order. Consider the following play on the familiar Tide laundry detergent image and associated happy-clean-good-feelings commercials I grew up with conveyed:

Don't these happy colors make you want to smile when you talk of repentance?

Yes, Elder Christofferson reminded that "sorrow and regret and bitter tears often accompany [repentance]," but he also taught "whatever the cost of repentance, it is swallowed up in the joy of forgiveness." And while the end of that mashed-together quote doesn't have an exclamation point at the end, I think it should have one.

Here, I have one to spare: {!}

Thanks to Elder Christofferson, I will try to remember to smile each time I teach of repentance. After all, I smile inside when I remember that I've been made clean through the repentance Christ's atonement makes possible for me.

Even cleaner than clothes laundered with Tide.*

*I just hope I don't need to repent for borrowing the Tide logo to make a point. A happy point, I might add.

Redemption

2012-02-13T11:14:00.001-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Redemption, by LeGrand R. Curtis Jr.
Of the Seventy

Elder Curtis used some of the names or titles of Christ to share His roles as savior and redeemer. Whenever the names of Christ are discussed, I'm reminded of a specific song. Coincidentally, I mentioned it in my last post!

Sacraments and Symbols is the song on Steven Kapp Perry's "Come to the House of the Lord" (link) that first interested me in the album. It evokes a deep, almost Gregorian chant feel as it mentions many of Christ's titles and connects them to daily life (at least in my listening).

Here are the lyrics to Sacrament and Symbols:

Lamb of God, Morning Star,
Cornerstone and Rock.
Brazen Serpent and True Vine,
Shepherd of the flock.

Sacraments and symbols open up my mind--
pointing to a world waiting behind them.
Simple bread and water represent the Christ.
Even daily bread serves to remind!
Symbols of his life, of his sacrifice
'till the symbols are not needed to see.

Wheat and tares, scattered seeds,
Bridegroom at the feast.
Buried in a watery grave
then from death released.

Sacrament and symbols open up my mind--
pointing to a world waiting behind them,
concealing and revealing truth in every line,
Gifts that those who seek surely may find

(repeat chorus)

Every world,
every life,
testifies of Christ!

Lamb of God, Morning Star,
give me eyes to see.

Like Elder Curtis, I enjoy hearing stories of redemption. My favorite, though, is my own story.

I have been—and continue to be—redeemed from sin through the Atonement of Christ. The titles and symbols of Christ remind me of His power and the joy that has come to my life!

I enjoy cooking. My family does many things with whole wheat. We have a recipe for rolls that we love. Whenever I'm having one of these rolls, I break it in half and think of Christ. I'm reminded of the sacrament and think of the second verse of the hymn Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King (link):

While of this broken bread
Humbly we eat,
Our thoughts to thee are led
In rev'rence sweet.
Bruised, broken, torn for us
On Calvary's hill—
Thy suff'ring borne for us
Lives with us still.

It Is Better to Look Up

2012-02-10T11:45:00.006-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

It Is Better to Look Up, by Carl B. Cook
Of the Seventy

Long ago I approached a saleswoman in a LDS bookstore. I was looking for the CD that contained a certain song I had heard. After brief describing the song, she assured me that she knew exactly which album I was looking for. I asked her if she recommended it, because I was hesitant to purchase a CD if I had only heard one song. "Oh yes," she reassured me, "in fact, there's another song that I like even more. Just thinking about it gives me excited chills right now!"

Which song inspired such a reaction from this helpful woman?

It's called Look Up!

I was looking for the song, Sacraments and Symbols, but found a great album that I still listen to today. (It's "Come to the House of the Lord", by Steven Kapp Perry, link.)

The Look Up! song encourages us to remember who we really are, and where our course really lies. Its message is similar to something that Elder Cook shared from an encounter with President Monson.

While riding in an elevator after a difficult day, Elder Cook stared at the floor. Someone entered at another floor and asked, "What are you looking at down there?" It was, of course, President Monson. After a brief noncommittal response, President Monson reminded, "It is better to look up!" When later leaving the elevator, he reminded, "Now remember, it is better to look up!"

Look up!

In addition to the encouragement to "exercise our faith and look to God for help," the two words, look up, remind me of something I heard LDS speaker John Bytheway say. While speaking of references in scripture that contain these very words, look up, John asked listeners why the directionality was included.

"Why would we look up?", he asks.

When we ultimately see/meet Christ, if we are prepared, we will be on our knees and trying to hide under a rock.

That's why we'll look up.

We'll literally look up to Christ then if we live our lives looking up to Him with faith!

As President Monson taught Elder Cook in an elevator, "It is better to look up!"

A Time to Prepare

2012-02-09T12:32:00.007-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

A Time to Prepare, by Ian S. Ardern
Of the Seventy

I'm using my lunch break to review these general conference talks and record my impressions of them (thanks for reading, btw). What a great use of my time!

Time is never for sale; time is a commodity that cannot, try as you may, be bought at any store for any price. Yet when time is wisely used, its value is immeasurable.

Before I pat myself on the back and congratulate myself on mastering this talk's central purpose, I had better study a bit more.

Elder Ardern encourages us to wisely use our time. In fact, while listening to him give the talk live, I wanted to know more about who Eldern Ardern is. You see, I was intrigued by his soothing Kiwi (New Zealand) accent. Pulling out my smart phone, I turned to Wikipedia to look him up.

Right as my mind drifted from the message to read about the speaker, I heard him say something that caught my attention—you might say I was smartphowned!

It is wonderful to have the means of instant communication quite literally at our fingertips, but let us be sure that we do not become compulsive fingertip communicators. I sense that some are trapped in a new time-consuming addiction—one that enslaves us to be constantly checking and sending social messages and thus giving the false impression of being busy and productive.

I was caught! Sure, I had deleted many games from my phone six months earlier after realizing how much time I was wasting (read more here), but I still found ways to be distracted by that thing!

I paid much closer attention to the rest of his talk after being caught red-handed. I particularly liked the following:

I know our greatest happiness comes as we tune in to the Lord (see Alma 37:37) and to those things which bring a lasting reward, rather than mindlessly tuning in to countless hours of status updates, Internet farming, and catapulting angry birds at concrete walls. I urge each of us to take those things which rob us of precious time and determine to be their master, rather than allowing them through their addictive nature to be the master of us.

I don't think I can write much more now that I'm reminded of the value of time—both yours and mine! I don't know if reading this is a waste of your time, or if there are better things you should be doing, but I'll end here and get back to work.

But I'll still write more tomorrow. Because it's nice to take time to be reminded of how I can improve.

Children

2012-02-08T19:25:00.000-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Children, by Neil L. Andersen
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

As I write this post, you can tune in to a news station or point your browser to a news site and find reports relating to children and family planning in the US political arena. Some republican candidates are calling for contraceptives to be banned, while the democratic-led national leaders are calling for women's health services to be available to all employees (including contraception)—with the notable exception of church-employees. (I wrote about a similar topic in my first blog post)

It's an interesting time to be alive.

As my wife and I discussed last night what little we had heard of these conflicts, we agreed with something that I happened to read in Elder Andersen's talk today:

When to have a child and how many children to have are private decisions to be made between a husband and wife and the Lord. These are sacred decisions—decisions that should be made with sincere prayer and acted on with great faith.

Whichever side of this ideological divide you may find yourself, this statement from an apostle may easily be used to support your views. However, before shaping this statement into a weapon to hurl at opponents, consider Elder Andersen's later restatement:

The decision of how many children to have and when to have them is between a husband and wife and the Lord. We should not judge one another on this matter.

Strange how much of the fervor of an argument disappears when judging stops.

Okay. I need some humor to fill the void that's left now that argument is off the table. I liked the funny story Elder Andersen shared, mostly because I can imagine it happening to our family!

A young mother got on a bus with seven children. The bus driver asked, “Are these all yours, lady? Or is it a picnic?”

“They’re all mine,” she replied. “And it’s no picnic!”

It's funny because it's true!

I love my children. And I love their mother even more! You may have heard/read my praises of her in the past—if you haven't, either you don't know me, or I'm not being a good husband!—but I'm going to do it again (and again, and again):

I love my amazing wife! Each school day she single-handedly gets our four children ready for the day, rides her bike (with one child in a seat behind her and another in a trailer) with the two oldest to school, plays with the youngins, loads everyone back up to ride back to school in the afternoon, and smiles the whole time! (She'll claim that she only smiles most of the time.)

On top of all of this, she is funny, great to talk to, gives lots of hugs (and amazing kisses!), and is oh so beautiful!

The only thing I can't figure out is what she sees in me!?

If we're ever asked why we have so many children, I can honestly say, "With the world as crazy as it is now, it needs as many of the type of children we can give it as it can get!"

And by "we," I mostly mean my wife.

The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn

2012-02-07T20:55:00.001-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn, by David A. Bednar
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

What amazing technological advancements do you think this quietly-learning three-yr-old will see in his next fifteen years? In addition to looking entirely cute, he's learning! Right now he may visit starfall.com for a fun way to learn his ABC's, but what will he use technology for in the future?

Consider a timeline of technology (example here). It's hard for me, as a member of the Church, to not see a correlation between the Restoration (including the necessary preparation for the Restoration) and the Industrial Revolution. As the heavens were once again opened, it seems technology propagated all over the world!

Perhaps these innovations were to aid with the spreading of the gospel.

While some may avoid technological advances like the Internet because of their inherent bad side, others have embraced them for sharing hope, love, and the gospel of Jesus Christ (here's an example—from the good side—my Mormon.org profile). Here's what Elder Bednar had to say about it:

It is no coincidence that FamilySearch and other tools have come forth at a time when young people are so familiar with a wide range of information and communication technologies. Your fingers have been trained to text and tweet to accelerate and advance the work of the Lord—not just to communicate quickly with your friends. The skills and aptitude evident among many young people today are a preparation to contribute to the work of salvation.

It sounds like computer literacy among young people is a preparation for family history work!

After supplementing his alphabetic instruction at starfall.com and applying math and physics through fun games at coolmath4kids.com, my children—and yours—may point their browser at lds.org/familyhistoryyouth or familysearch.org and unlock whole new doors of opportunity.

Perhaps even the doors of the temple. . .

. . .and the doors of eternity!

The Sustaining of Church Officers

2012-02-07T20:45:00.001-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Sustaining of Church Officers, by Henry B. Eyring
First Counselor in the First Presidency

*Raising my right hand.

You Matter to Him

2012-01-31T19:17:00.003-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

You Matter to Him, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency

Comparisons and contrasts are important in helping us understand certain concepts, yet they can be confusing in other situations. It may be helpful to understand how much money $1 trillion is, but being told how high a stack of $100 bills would go until $1 trillion were reached—while impressive—isn't entirely enlightening. Would it reach the moon? Does it really matter? (You can read more about here.)

Similarly, lying on your back under a clear night sky can make you feel incredibly small. You may even conclude that "man is nothing" (see Moses 1:10 for reference). But don't let knowing that your relative size compared to the universe is insignificant keep you from getting out of bed in the morning! Just because you are nothing (comparatively speaking) doesn't mean that you have nothing to contribute.

Or that you have nothing to aspire to.

Or that someone smaller than you doesn't think you're great!

I enjoyed the observation that "the number of stars within range of our telescopes is 10 times greater than all the grains of sand on the world’s beaches and deserts" here's the link to the article).

This observation reminds me of something I heard once. Regarding the Abrahamic covenant and the promise that his seed would be as "as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore," (see Gen. 22:17) it was said that the number is as the sand, but the quality is as the stars!

I wonder if President Uchtdorf was thinking something similar; speaking of the whole "man is nothing" thing, he said:

This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it.

Okay. This was all from the introduction to President Uchtdorf's larger address, but it's the part that hooked me; I'm still geeking out about it!

There are times when we feel small—even incredibly small. However, it's comforting to know that even if "man is nothing; yet we are everything to God." I'll let President Uchtdorf summarize powerfully:

In other words, the vast expanse of eternity, the glories and mysteries of infinite space and time are all built for the benefit of ordinary mortals like you and me. Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters.

Did you get that? As I put it in my conference notes, "The universe was created for me!" Well, for you too, I guess. And for everyone else as well.

But I know I matter to the One who created it all!

Small as I am in comparison to the universe, I matter to Him.

And, yes, you do too!

Counsel to Youth

2012-01-30T19:41:00.004-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Counsel to Youth, by Boyd K. Packer
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I have difficulty trusting others to do things the best way—or at least the way I think they should be. I guess I have organizational obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Here's an example:

My eldest son just turned eight and is being baptized this weekend! Where we lived before, each child had their own baptismal program where the family had the opportunity to make the various choices and assignments related to the program; however, here there are monthly baptisms where multiple children may be baptized. As a result, the planning process is subdivided, introducing more uncertainty that I'm usually comfortable with, but especially more than I like in an event that I've planned in my mind for years.

Luckily, the other family whose son is being baptized at the same time are friends of ours, so there is much less to worry about.

Nevertheless, I worry.

For example, we were instructed to ask those who were chosen to give talks to remember to cater their remarks to eight-yr-olds' level of understanding (and attention span). "Five minutes, tops!" we were told to pass on, so that the actual talk would be under ten minutes.

We got to choose who would give the talk on the Gift of the Holy Ghost. My son chose a great speaker, but I couldn't help worrying. There are many avenues that one could traverse when giving such a talk, and I had certain things that I wanted conveyed, but I didn't want to force my ideas on others (but really I did).

In his talk, President Packer boldly told the youth—like my son—"you young people are being raised in enemy territory." I saw the guidance available from the Holy Ghost as a central theme in his counsel to the youth. He even shared part of his patriarchal blessing:

You shall be guided through the whisperings of the Holy Spirit and you shall be warned of dangers. If you heed those warnings, our Heavenly Father will bless you.

He then focused on that little word with a big meaning: if.

As I think of my son and the big step he will be taking this weekend, I want him to understand that if.

This weekend, my children helped me clear some tree branches from an area where we were hanging a tree swing. In addition to seeing that they are a lot more eager to help with chores when there is fun attached to the end, I had the chance to talk with them about whatever came up. Entirely organically, my son asked me questions about his upcoming baptism and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

While loading branches and leaves into the compost bin, I realized that I didn't have to worry about what someone else said in a five-minute talk on the Gift of the Holy Ghost—I was being given the opportunity to say what I wanted to say! However, I didn't want to launch into lecture-mode, so I did something rare for me: I didn't worry.

After a quickly offered prayer, I did something that President Packer counseled and decided to "trust in the Lord with all [my] heart" (Prov. 3:5). Setting my long-prepared talk aside, I had a real, natural conversation with my son—whom I love—about something that means a lot to me, and will mean a lot to him: the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

We talked about the if situations.

We talked about how many will talk about the Gift of the Holy Ghost as if it is mostly few-and-far-between promptings, whereas it can be an all-the-time way of living.

We talked about what the Holy Ghost feels like—sharing real examples from both of our lives.

After our talk, I'm ready to trust my son to make good decisions—he already knew all the answers in our talk!—but I still want to be there to help him when needed.

I may have trouble trusting others (remember the organizational OCD?), but I love that great things happen when I "trust in the Lord with all [my] heart."

I'm trying to trust others; I really am! But I still insisted that I be in charge of printing the program for this weekend's baptism.

Certain things just have to be right.

Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time, without Delay

2012-01-24T17:19:00.003-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time, without Delay, by José L. Alonso
Of the Seventy

My one-yr-old is quite the crawler. Almost daily, I'll be keeping an eye on him while I do some chore, and the next thing I know, he's gone! He seems to love the most dangerous parts of the house (the bathroom, climbing on beds or the couch), so every time he disappears, I experience a moment of panic as I rush off to find him somewhere, smiling up at me, unaware of the increased heart rate he caused.

Elder Alonso told a story of a family trip he took to Mexico City where one of his sons became missing. This is a different situation from the one I shared entirely; my son was "lost" in our house, their son was lost in a city of millions! When they realized the son was missing, the quickly mobilized, using many approaches to find their son: looking, calling out to him, praying.

They found him "innocently looking at toys through a store window." Elder Alonso shared the reflection he had after hugs and kisses were shared:

We learned that in order to go to our son’s rescue, we did not need planning meetings. We simply acted, going out in search of the one who had been lost. We also learned that our son never even realized that he was lost.

Contrast the feelings that parents experience when a child goes missing with what a child must feel who doesn't know he's lost!

I'm sure there are some people I know who are lost, who likewise don't realize they're lost.

I'm not talking about people looking at toys through store windows, of course. Elder Alonso seems to be referring to those who have been separated from the blessings of the gospel and activity in the Church. They may have become distracted by life and were subsequently left behind. We can also help "find" those who are "blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, . . . who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it" (D&C 123:12).

This discussion is too general, though. Because of the examples shared above, I can't stop thinking of my own children. I want them to know that I'm committed to watching over them (and watching out for them) in love, and that I don't want them to be left behind or otherwise lost. I want them to feel safe and comfortable in our family so they don't become distracted by outside influences, wander off, and become lost. Instead, I want them safe with me, helping to find others who may be lost.

It's better to help and encourage fellow rescuers than be in need of rescue yourself.

The Time Shall Come

2012-01-23T19:49:00.003-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Time Shall Come, by L. Whitney Clayton
Of the Presidency of the Seventy

I enjoyed the account of a then-young Elder Clayton (as a missionary) wondering about the interior of the Government Palace as he tried to teach people in the plaza outside. Later, he toured the interior if that very building as a representative of the Church, and his "young missionary wonderings about the palace were fulfilled in a way that [he] would never have dreamed possible."

I don't have experiences of wanting to go inside of palatial buildings as a representative of the Lord from my mission to Idaho, but I did think about and ponder some of the accounts that Elder Clayton shared as he recounted the impressive growth of the Church. Before interpreting King Nebuchadnezzar's impressive and revelatory dream about the gospel filling the whole earth, Daniel testified:

There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days (Dan. 2:28).

More often, though, I would think about the experience that Wilford Woodruff recounted from 1934 where Joseph smith, a modern prophet, testified:

I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap. You don’t comprehend it. . . It is only a little handfull of Priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church will fill North and South America—it will fill the world.

Hearing of growth is exciting. Being an active participant in that growth is even better! After telling of the growth of the Church in South America, Elder Clayton said, "Every year the Church spreads farther and farther across the globe."

I'm often lean to the side of the visual learners, so here are two videos that help me get excited about the growth of the Church:

This one was done by the Church and shows Church growth by stake through time. (It uses the creation of new stakes to illustrate the growing Kingdom of God.)

I made this one after seeing the previous one using stakes; it shows the same growth, but as a function of the number of temples.

Can you feel the excitement of this fantastic growth? My family has moved across the country a couple of times, and we've seen varying degrees of establishment of the Church. We went from Utah where it felt like members of the Church were a majority—many of which were lifelong members, to Texas where there were more recent converts and Church members were noticeably fewer and farther between, to Florida where it seems that the majority of Church members were not raised as Church members.

I'm not satisfied, though. I want to see even more growth!

I just need to work on having the courage to be more active in pushing that stone that King Nebuchadnezzer dreamed of around the world!

Personal Revelation and Testimony

2012-01-20T19:06:00.003-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Personal Revelation and Testimony, by Barbara Thompson
Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency

Growing up, my family had a general conference story that was sometimes shared. We were watching conference at home on the television, the story goes, when one of my then-young sisters suddenly stood up, walked to the TV, and turned it off. After asking why she had done that, we learned that she had felt something very strongly inside, didn't know what it was, determined it was because of what we were watching, and decided to turn off the TV.

This is an interesting story that demonstrates how the feelings of the Spirit need in order to be understood to be benefited from.

Sister Thompson shared a related story, but she was older—in college—and knew what the Spirit was telling her:

The Holy Spirit confirmed to my soul that he had spoken the truth. At that moment I had no doubt that the Savior lives. I also had no doubt that I was experiencing personal revelation.

I've been thinking about this topic a lot lately. My eldest son just turned eight and is eligible for baptism! Here's a picture of our dapper eight-year-old.

I can remember my own baptism, and have interesting memories: I remember being excited because I would get to pull the plug in the font after I was baptized because I was last in a list of children, but then was a bit sad when I learned that someone had arrived late, so they would get that chance. On the other hand, I remember receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and feeling so light and almost disconnected from gravity during the ordinance.

As I help my son prepare for baptism, I want him to have memories that he will recall with fondness, but even more, I want him to know more than I knew—so he's not surprised by the feelings of the Spirit that will be there, and that he will experience at other times in life.

I want my son to know that the Spirit does speak, but I also want him to know, as Sister Thompson shared, that "the Spirit speaks in many ways."

Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. (D&C 8:2).

This is a fun time for me to be a parent. At this important stage of life, my son frequently reminds me by his actions that he is kind, loving, and trying in so many ways to be like Jesus. It's true that I want him to be better than I was when I was baptized—also better than I am now—but most of all, I want him to have the personal revelation experiences and testimony that he will need to grow, to be an example, and to be happy.

The Power of Scripture

2012-01-19T19:52:00.003-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Power of Scripture, by Richard G. Scott
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I value the friendships that I share with people from the wide spectrum of belief. Some of my friends can't understand why I believe in a loving God when so much pain and suffering exists in the world; others believe in a loving God, but can't understand why I believe in modern prophets and apostles when the Bible is all they say they need. As I reviewed Elder Scott's words (he's one of the modern apostles) on the power of scripture, I thought of other friends I have who are harder to classify in the belief spectrum.

I started a thread on a religious forum asking about agency that somehow transformed to a discussion on Trinitarianism (Christians who believe in the Trinity) compared with the LDS view of a Godhead (where Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are united in purpose, but separate entities). The virtues and power of the Bible were expressed from both sides, but the non-LDS participants united in saying that there is no communication from heaven after the Bible's recorded words because there is no need. The heavens, they say, are closed with regard to prophets—but can be "opened" when receiving instruction from Bible passages.

When I consider the idea of heavenly silence, I can't help but think of darkness and confusion. Elder Scott shared insight that is helpful here:

Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high.

You may say, "But others in your 'closed heaven' camp likewise find light in the scriptures." True, but Elder Scott continued and illustrated the bigger picture for me:

They [the scriptures] can become the key to open the channel to communion with our Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

. . . Pondering a passage of scripture can be a key to unlock revelation and the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

As we turn to the scriptures and ponder what God has said to others—or see how His hand has influenced others' lives—we can align ourselves to receive direct, personal revelation to bless our lives.

We rightly seek advice from friends in times of need. Elder Scott spoke of the scriptures as being our friends:

Learning, pondering, searching, and memorizing scriptures is like filling a filing cabinet with friends, values, and truths that can be called upon anytime, anywhere in the world.

I'm grateful for all my friends—even those who don't agree with me religiously (but I don't usually keep them in a filing cabinet). The social media explosion where so many are reconnecting with friends from the past is an example of how much society values friendship.

If scriptures are like friends, then I should spend more time reading their status updates. If scriptures are like friends, then I shouldn't leave them sitting on the shelf when a crisis presents itself. If scriptures are like friends, then I should introduce them to people I meet.

I like the idea of scriptures being friends. But where do you think they sit on the belief spectrum...?

As We Meet Again

2012-01-18T18:06:00.005-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

As We Meet Again, by Thomas S. Monson
President, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Which is the most important of all the Church-owned or Church-built facilities, and why? (e.g. meetinghouses, temples, ranches/farms, packing plants)

Here's President Monson's answer:

No Church-built facility is more important than a temple. Temples are places where relationships are sealed together to last through the eternities. We are grateful for all the many temples across the world and for the blessing they are in the lives of our members.

I'm grateful for temples. While our current temple is farther away than anywhere else we've lived as a family, we still excitedly go each month! (But we're very excited that a new temple is being built a couple of hours closer in Ft. Lauderdale.)

Yes, I love the temple, but I'm more pleased that my children love the temple and don't complain about the day full of driving associated with our monthly temple trips. We're learning and regularly re-learning the benefits of temples and regular temple attendance, together.

Together.

At Parting

2011-09-30T13:14:00.002-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

At Parting, by Thomas S. Monson
President, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

I love general conference! Apparently I'm not alone; earlier in the week my five-yr-old daughter asked, "What day is it?" After I told her that it was Tuesday, she smiled and said, "I'm excited for the weekend because we get to watch general conference!"

I'm cutting it close this time. Tomorrow is the first day of general conference, and I'm just now finishing my review of last conference. (How embarrassing for me!)

As is our family tradition, we're going to watch conference together with our proverbial tent towards the temple. To keep it exciting for the little ones, we'll play the word listening game we love, where the children choose a word at the start, listen for that word, and receive a piece of candy each time they notice the word is said. I don't remember each of the words they chose for this last conference, but they did listen for "church" and "prayer" in two of the sessions.

As part of another tradition, here is a word cloud of the top 100 words said in the conference talks. Do you see "church" or "prayer" in the cluster?

I wonder which words the children will choose this time... Regardless of their choice, I hope they come away from conference knowing that, as President Monson taught:

We face many challenges in the world today, but I assure you that our Heavenly Father is mindful of us. He loves each of us and will bless us as we seek Him through prayer and strive to keep His commandments.

I'm excited for another great conference weekend with my family!

C'mon conference!

An Ensign to the Nations

2011-09-30T13:08:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

An Ensign to the Nations, by Jeffrey R. Holland
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

As I mowed the lawn last Saturday, I had an interesting chain of thoughts. I saw a little utilities marking flag on the border of our property and was reminded of seeing similar flags on the hillside at BYU marking sprinkler head locations (or something). I thought it was great that a simple little plastic flag had the BYU Y on it. My thoughts then wandered to the idea of either erecting a flagpole or affixing a flag holder to the side of our house. With such, we could raise a national flag on patriotic holidays, as well as a BYU flag on game days!

As I thought about these flags, I actually pictured a flag waving on a hill, similar to the ensign to the nations described by Elder Holland in his talk. I wondered if others seeing flags on our house would be stirred in any way—either with national pride or BYU appreciation. But then I wondered if my life is serving as a sort of flag—or ensign—letting others know what I believe by my actions.

Am I an ensign?

Speaking of general conference, Elder Holland said:

We testify to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people that God not only lives but also that He speaks, that for our time and in our day the counsel you have heard is, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, “the will of the Lord, … the word of the Lord, … the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation.”

I still haven't decided if we'll do anything to display flags at our house, but I have decided that I want my life to serve as an ensign to the nations. Yesterday I told my wife that it's my personal mission to change the culture of South Florida's customer service industry—cashier's aren't usually visibly happy here. I told her that each time I check out, I'm going to go out of my way to be happy, friendly, and nice to try to brighten their day and see if it spreads. Similarly, I want my life to stand as a witness of what I believe and know.

At all times. Not just at the checkout stand.

The Miracle of the Atonement

2011-09-29T19:13:00.004-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Miracle of the Atonement, by C. Scott Grow
Of the Seventy

Doubtless, there are many ways that the Atonement is not like Walmart, but as I reviewed Elder Grow's talk, I couldn't help compare the Atonement to Walmart in one specific way.

We recently bought a membership to COSTCO. We're still wondering if 1.) we'll save enough over the year to justify the membership expense, and 2.) if our pantry is big enough to hold the enormously-sized containers sold there. When we checked the hours of operation, I was a little surprised that the doors weren't open for more hours in the day.

My schedule has become one of early to bed, early to rise. I awake so early during the week that if I were to need supplies (for lunch or something similar), all the stores would be closed. All the stores except for Walmart.

I actually slept in until 5am this morning. As I got out of bed, I actually wondered if things would be busier on my ride to work, given it was a couple of hours later than I've been going in. Specifically, I wondered if any stores would be open. As I knelt to pray, I thought of some mistakes I had made the previous day and was in the process of repenting when Walmart popped into my mind. My earlier thought process infiltrated my repentance, as if part of my mind had just awakened and said, "Walmart is the only store that is open now!" After scolding myself for not focusing on my prayer as I probably should have, I returned to praying.

As I read Elder Grow's account of his brother's path away from the Lord and then back again, something he said (twice) stuck in my mind:

The Atonement is available to everyone all the time, no matter how large or small the sin, "on conditions of repentance." . . .

The healing and redemptive power of the Atonement is available to each of us—always.

While much of the world around me may still be sleeping when I start my day, the Atonement is always available. I can pray for repentance and change even in the earliest hours of the morning (or latest hours of the night)—always!

The two Walmart stores between my home and work are out of the way enough so that I rarely go before work. They may be open, but they aren't convenient. The Atonement, on the other hand, is likewise "open" or available, but it is unlike Walmart in that it is always convenient.

Always.

Called to Be Saints

2011-09-28T15:34:00.004-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Called to Be Saints, by Benjamín De Hoyos
Of the Seventy

I recently listened to a radio interview with Trey Parker and Matt Stone (link to interview). These two are the creators of the South Park cartoon as well as collaborators on The Book of Mormon Musical. I enjoyed listening to the interview and hearing that while the story line does, indeed, poke fun at members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), the writers wanted to be sure that their admiration and respect for the same members was known.

Part of the interview featured a portion of one of the play's songs. This song, "Two By Two," features missionaries learning of where they are assigned to teach (link to song). Part of the song cleverly (in my opinion) points out the awkwardness of the loooong name of the Church: "We are the army of The Church of Jesus Christ... of Latter-day Saints."

As was discussed in the interview—and sung about in the song—the Church has a long name that doesn't really doesn't roll off the tongue. No wonder we're called Mormons, LDS, etc. by others.

Interestingly, the interview also discussed the official Church response to the musical. Parker actually said that it "is a great response," and Stone added, "which we completely agree with." They even said the response is a sort of QED showing the musical's audiences how "cool" the Church is.

Here's the response, by the way:

The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but the Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people's lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ.

In his talk, Elder De Hoyos recounted another radio show interview, this time ne that he and a companion gave on Mexican radio. One of the questions asked was, "Why does the Church have such a long name? Why don't you use a shorter or more commercial name?" After explaining that the name came by revelation from the Lord (see D&C 115:4), the questioner replied, "We will thus repeat it with great pleasure."

I don't recall how old I was when I had those same questions, but I do remember how the very name of the Church helps to clarify what the Church is: it is Jesus Christ's church in the latter-days, distinguished only in time from the Church He established in the Meridian of Time!

Now, I don't know exactly how the Book of Mormon Musical portrays Latter-day Saints, but I do know that there is great joy found in being, as Paul said, "fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God."

What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?

2011-09-27T18:50:00.001-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?, by Lynn G. Robbins
Of the Seventy

My children are amazing. I think they are wonderful and do amazing things. But there are times when the things they do require guidance and correction. I've noticed that I'm much more patient and understanding earlier in the day, but when night approaches and I'm increasingly tired, my parenting skills fade like the daylight outside.

In these times when correction is required, I will sometimes fail by saying something similar to, "Why are you this way?"

Each time I do this, I instantly remember that the children themselves aren't bad, they just made a poor decision. Reading Elder Robbins words was a great reminder to me of the difference between be and do. I enjoyed the quote he shared:

Never let failure progress from an action to an identity.

In addition to great counsel on proper parenting (both being good parents and doing good parenting things) was an interesting illustration regarding a To Do list. I often use lists to help me remember things that need to be done, as well as to track progress. I liked his view on lists in this application:

Many of us create to do lists to remind us of things we want to accomplish. But people rarely have to be lists. Why? To do’s are activities or events that can be checked off the list when done. To be, however, is never done. You can’t earn checkmarks with to be’s. I can take my wife out for a lovely evening this Friday, which is a to do. But being a good husband is not an event; it needs to be part of my nature—my character, or who I am.

I need to remind my children more often that they are amazing and not focus so much on mistakes they make. (I may benefit from applying this to myself, too.) I don't want them to wrongly think that if they do something wrong, then they are bad. Instead, I want them to know that I love them and that I will be there to lovingly help them when they make mistakes.

And that I love them when I make mistakes, too. (Especially when it's getting late in the day.)

The Lord’s Richest Blessings

2011-09-26T19:34:00.002-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Lord’s Richest Blessings, by Carl B. Pratt
Of the Seventy

I'm starting to dread lessons on tithing. It's not because I'm against tithing, it's that too often the stories and examples shared seem to be the marvelous or dramatic stories that many faithful men and women haven't experienced (the kind of stories that Elder Bednar warned against in an earlier talk in this conference).

When we teach the principle of tithing to children, we hardly if ever talk about being directly compensated with the same amount of money we paid in tithing. Instead, we talk about the real reasons for and blessing from tithing. We testify that tithing is how the Lord's Church can bless the lives of millions around the world. We may illustrate that meetinghouses and even temples are built and maintained by tithing. We teach that the Lord has given us everything and asks for ten percent back to build up the Kingdom. We say that we pay tithing because it's a commandment, and we're happy to help the Lord.

Never in teaching children do we give the hint that if you pay your tithing, you can expect to find money unexpectantly to make up for what you already paid. Never do we talk about a form of quid pro quo.

However, something must happen between Primary and Gospel Doctrine. Too often, it seems that there is a business approach to tithing in these lessons; the focus is on the bottom line, instead of the Lord's richest blessings.

I dealt with tithing, bills, and finances this weekend. I'm acutely aware of our expenses after we've acquired a mortgage and seen incredible moving expenses. Dutifully, I set aside the tithing money before taking care of any other responsibilities and promptly forgot how much it was. As I filled out the tithing envelope yesterday, I realized that a real job (with real expenses) equates to higher tithing checks. As I put the check and slip in an envelope, I reflected on the blessings I've received from the Lord: I looked at my little (or not-so-little-anymore) family sitting on the pew beside me; I thought of our modest home that feels like heaven; I remembered our regular trips to the temple as a family and the eternity that the temple represents. I thought of the love I feel for my family and never even considered that the Lord owed me a bag of cash equal to what I had paid.

As I started reviewing Elder Pratt's comments, I wondered where his dramatic tithing story would lead. I liked his later clarification:

There is a possibility of misinterpretation in this story from my grandparents. We might conclude that since we pay tithing with money, the Lord will always bless us with money. I tended to think that way as a child. I have since learned it doesn’t necessarily work that way. The Lord promises blessings to those who pay their tithing. . . . He fulfills His promises, and if we faithfully pay our tithing, we will not lack for the necessities of life, but He does not promise wealth. Money and bank accounts are not His richest blessings. He blesses us with wisdom to manage our limited material resources, wisdom that enables us to live better with 90 percent of our income than with 100 percent. Thus, faithful tithe payers understand provident living and tend to be more self-reliant.

I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to help assist the Lord in His work, and I'm grateful for the open windows of heaven from which so many blessings continue to flow.

“As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten”

2011-09-23T14:59:00.004-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

“As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten”, by D. Todd Christofferson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I enjoy the tangible indicators of progress that I find in yard work. Mowing a lawn, trimming a hedge, and weeding a garden give definite before-and-after pictures of the results of work and labor.

Yesterday, my wife informed me that we have two poisonous plants growing in our yard. I replied that I would rather have poisonous plants than venomous! Since I don't plan on eating the trees and bushes, I'm not too concerned with poison, but I don't want the plants to retaliate when I go out to work in the yard--which involves what they may see as attacks against them.

Here is one of our poisonous plants.

Each time I trim a bush or tree, I'm reminded of the account that Hugh B. Brown gave of being overlooked for a military promotion because of his Church membership. The story of the currant bush--which I first heard from Truman G. Madsen, and Elder Christofferson repeated here--echoes in my mind every time I shape a plant for a greater purpose. As is also relayed in the account, when I feel chastened or corrected from the Lord, I often hear the words I say to plants when I prune them "Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be."

And, yes, in case you're wondering, I call all my plants "little currant bush" when I imagine them complaining against my imposed improvements.

This is a currant bush.

To the faithful reader of this blog (if there are any), you may note that I referenced this currant bush story recently (link here). If this causes you to complain, you may anticipate my response: "I'm the gardener here, and I know what [I'm doing]"!

The previous post was my response to Elder Scott's message of love and care for those around us. I naturally thought of my angel wife and our sweetheart children. The very next talk was about correction, and included direction for parents:

Parents can and must correct, even chasten, if their children are not to be cast adrift at the mercy of a merciless adversary and his supporters.

I spoke of receiving correction from the Lord in loving terms because I can testify of many times when, like the currant bush, I've later said, "Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down." But I must admit that when I "prune" my children, I need to be much more careful than when I prune trees in the yard.

I can be brazen in cutting back a bush because I know that it will ultimately respond well to my efforts. But if it doesn't, I will become a better gardener.

I need to be cautious against being brazen in "pruning" my children because I readily admit that I don't know what I'm doing! A misshapen or missing bush in the yard is a small thing, but a damaged or missing child in a family is something I don't want to be responsible for.

I'm grateful that I'm not alone. If I'm frank, I'll admit that many of the times when I've received pointed or sharp correction from the Lord have come in response to poor parenting decisions.

Parents may jokingly (or seriously) say that they experiment on their firstborn children and become better parents for any children that come afterward. While there is some truth to this, I need to remember that I have access to the best parent--the best gardener. I will research a job in the yard or with home repairs before I begin a project so I can be qualified to say: I'm the gardener here; I know what I'm doing. Likewise, I need to seek direction from a loving Father in Heaven as I work at shaping my children and myself.

And when I do receive correction--when I'm being pruned--I need to remember to not be venomous (or even poisonous) in response.

He is the Gardener. He knows what he wants me to be.

The Eternal Blessings of Marriage

2011-09-22T17:54:00.007-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Eternal Blessings of Marriage, by Richard G. Scott
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

A few weeks ago, I started to find cute little notes around the house. They would be hidden places where I would find them when I went to do something (e.g. in the toolbox, in a kitchen drawer, near the garden tools, etc.). Each had a short expression of love from my wife, and many were cut into cute shapes that matched the message. I have the feeling that although I've found many, there are still others out there waiting for me.

I don't know for certain, but I suspect that my wife read Elder Scott's talk just before she made all those great notes. (NOTE: She is an amazing and loving wife, and was so even before reading this talk.) The reason for my suspicion is because I now want to go even farther out of my way to show her that I love her!

This was a fun talk to review, but it was also a fun talk to listen to. It was at the start of the Sunday afternoon session of conference. Surprisingly, my children were happy and eager for more conference after two days of watching as a family. As Elder Scott relayed a story of heeding his wife's counsel to put off a household repair and play with the children. He said:

The next morning about 4:00 a.m., I was awakened as I felt two little arms around my neck, a kiss on the cheek, and these words whispered in my ear, which I will never forget: “Dad, I love you. You are my best friend.”

When he heard this, my seven-yr-old son turned to me with love in his eyes and said, "Daddy, I love you; you're my best friend!"

What a sweetheart.

I wasn't the only one who received love from him during the talk. Later, when Elder Scott talked about various love notes, my son secretly made a love note for my wife, his mother, which he lovingly presented to her later.

Reflecting on this, I wonder why he is such a sweet boy. I wonder why all of our children are such sweet little ones.

Elder Scott asked, "Do you tell your wife often how very much you love her?" I can honestly say that I try to. Perhaps the love that is often overflowing the walls of our home is influencing our learning young children. Manifestations of love include loving service, gentle touches, whispers of "I love you," plentiful hugs, a fair share of kisses, and frequent calls home when one is away.

(link to comic)

I'm reminded that my children have taken to play Simon Says lately. Whenever it's my three-yr-old son's turn, his instructions are almost always about giving someone—or something—a kiss!

I love my family. I'm so happy that my current job has somewhat flexible hours so I can continue my tradition of working early and returning home early enough to help around the house and play as a family.

----------------------------------------------------

If you want even more of Elder Scott's message, here is a cute little video that may cause you to hug and/or kiss someone in the near future:

The Holy Temple—a Beacon to the World

2011-09-21T18:58:00.005-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Holy Temple—a Beacon to the World, by Thomas S. Monson
President, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

When we moved to Texas for graduate school, we moved from the shadow of the temple in Provo, Utah, to a place where scheduling was required to attend the temple. As a family we decided to faithfully go to the temple each month. In the five years we were in Texas, I think we only missed one month where we didn't go to the temple—keep in mind that we welcomed two additional children to our family during this time. Interestingly, we went to the temple more frequently when it was far than when it was nearby.

We've now moved again. This time the temple is farther away (175 miles away in Orlando), but we maintain our resolve to make temple worship an important part of our lives. We do this because we know that "temples bring joy to our faithful members wherever they are built."

We are part of the 85 percent of Church members who live within 200 miles of a temple. We love being close enough that we can realistically go each month, but we're thrilled that another is being constructed less than an hour drive from our home!

If you have been to the temple for yourselves and if you live within relatively close proximity to a temple, your sacrifice could be setting aside the time in your busy lives to visit the temple regularly.

In his address, President Monson—a prophet of God—pleaded with us to do something. His use of the word "plead" got my attention. He said:

I plead with you to teach your children of the temple’s importance.

I'm happy to report that I think we're doing well with this. When we go to the temple, we always go as a family. This means that my wife and I sacrifice by not getting to attend together every time, but we are there at the temple together as a family. Some time ago, I approached my children telling them that I was going to actually take a vacation (a big thing for me), and asked where they would like to go if they could go or do anything in the world.

Where do you think they wanted to go?

I was happy when they said that they would love to go to our temple (in San Antonio, TX), but instead of driving down in the morning, they wanted to get a hotel room with a view of the temple, if possible. Bear in mind that they were in the habit of going every month, but they wanted to go again as a vacation and see the temple lit up at night before they went to bed.

It sounds like they're well on their way to knowing, as does President Monson, that:

The all-important and crowning blessings of membership in the Church are those blessings which we receive in the temples of God.

I'm grateful for temples and the place they have in my heart, and in the hearts of my family members!

The Spirit of Revelation

2011-09-20T19:32:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Spirit of Revelation, by David A. Bednar
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

In previous posts, I've written about how the home improvements I'm engaged in include replacing light switches that are faded or faulty. Each time I do this, I remember the words of Elder Bednar from this talk.

The comparison of the spirit of revelation to two common interactions with light—that of immediate light when operating a light switch and gradual light from the Sun's rising—has stuck with me.

Uncommon spiritual experiences which, for some reason, are often shared in the culture of the Church as though they are common, are more like the instant light from a bulb. The stories of modern and ancient prophets include these marvelous experiences, but Elder Bednar quoted from a modern prophet, Joseph F. Smith, who helped shed light on this:

It is not by marvelous manifestations unto us that we shall be established in the truth, but it is by humility and faithful obedience to the commandments and laws of God.

I like hearing the light-switch-like experiences that can warm the heart, but I find strength in the near-constant light that surrounds me as I consistently seek for the spirit of revelation.

I know that I will have many light-switch experiences, so long as you include my project of replacing old light switches in our house! But if I don't have blinding flashes of light from angelic visitations, I know I'll find comfort from the Sun (and the Son) as I continue to strive to "walk in the light of the Lord" (Isaiah 2:5).

(Besides, I'm already married to an angel! I don't want to get greedy.)

The Essence of Discipleship

2011-09-19T19:27:00.002-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Essence of Discipleship, by Silvia H. Allred
First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency

We had a church meeting in a new (to us) building yesterday. As is our family custom, I took my children to explore the building and look at the pictures on the hallway walls before the meeting started. I like doing this because it reminds me of how much my children know and can determine from a simple picture they may or may not have ever seen!

While we were having a good time with this activity, we came upon a picture that my son said was "Christ with the disciples."

As I lovingly corrected that the men were apostles, I followed up by asking him if he knew the difference between an apostle and a disciple. Of course he knew! He told me that he is a disciple of Christ because he follows him and that the apostles are disciples who help lead the Church.

My son knows that he is a disciple!

Besides simply believing in Christ, what marks one as a disciple? Sister Allred taught that the essence of discipleship involves loving service:

When love becomes the guiding principle in our care for others, our service to them becomes the gospel in action. It is the gospel in its finest moment. It is pure religion.

Do others know that we're disciples?

To answer this, I'll use a story: I go to work early and usually work alone for a few hours before I'm joined by colleagues. This morning, my friend came in shortly after 5am and we shared a laugh that I had already been there for over an hour. In the ensuing conversation, he ultimately asked what it is that makes me so different from others.

What would you say?

I gave a brief account of my conversion and decision to serve the Lord as a full-time missionary. I also told that this time of service helped to solidify the decisions I had made to be a better person, gain an education, and be different.

Interestingly, he told me that he is "half-Mormon." Apparently his mother is LDS (his father is Methodist). He told me of her decision to serve a mission later in life and the time she spent in the Philippines as a missionary.

This is all great, but what stood out to me was his description of how the final years of her life were difficult with health problems and a lack of resources. Despite these troubles, he told me that the Church members were amazing in their loving service of his mother. He told how she always paid her tithes and offerings and was blessed with help, friends, and comfort in a difficult time.

What I read from the story's conclusion was that my friend's mother was a disciple who benefited from other true disciples of Christ.

The pure love of Christ is expressed as we give selfless service. Helping one another is a sanctifying experience which exalts the receiver and humbles the giver. It helps us become true disciples of Christ.

My son knows he's a disciple. I know I'm trying to be a true disciple, too. But can others tell that I'm a disciple of Christ when they see that I'm different?

I hope there's more to my different-ness than going to work early; I want to develop the essence of discipleship so I can be an instrument in the hands of the Lord.

The Sanctifying Work of Welfare

2011-09-16T20:19:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Sanctifying Work of Welfare, by H. David Burton
Presiding Bishop

We go outside in the fall and find the weather more chilly than we expected and proclaim of the 50° temperature, "It's freezing!" Similarly, after a few hours of not eating, we may find ourselves announcing to a friend, "I'm starving!"

It's not freezing (50° is above 32°—I'm talking Fahrenheit, of course), and you're not starving, but we use these words anyway.

I often laugh inside when my children will dramatically crawl toward me, the very picture of well-fed misery, and act thoroughly languished because they didn't eat enough dinner an hour earlier. Of course, they'll say they're starving, but we all know they're not.

But I wouldn't laugh if my children—or others' children—really were in need.

In his address, Bishop Burton reminded of the importance the Church puts on the temporal welfare of all people with quotes from Heber J. Grand and President Hinckley:

President Grant wanted "a system that would . . . reach out and take care of the people no matter what the cost." He said he would even go so far as to "close the seminaries, shut down missionary work for a period of time, or even close the temples, but they would not let the people go hungry."

Responding with hurricane relief in Nicaragua, President Hinckley said:

As long as the Church has resources, we will not let you go hungry or without clothing or without shelter. We shall do all that we can to assist in the way that the Lord has designated that it should be done.

Much like I don't simply give my children a treat when they didn't eat their dinner and are feeling hungry later, or even just give them more food, I'll remind them of the need to eat dinner in hopes that they'll learn to take care of themselves—and then I may give them something to eat.

Are the principles of providing temporal welfare and teaching self reliance at odds with each other? Should we succor others or should we teach them to take care of themselves?

The answer is obvious: BOTH!

Bishop Burton testified:

No matter how many temples we build, no matter how large our membership grows, no matter how positively we are perceived in the eyes of the world—should we fail in this great core commandment to "succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees," or turn our hearts from those who suffer and mourn, we are under condemnation and cannot please the Lord9 and the jubilant hope of our hearts will ever be distant.

. . .This is the sacred work the Savior expects from His disciples.

In the future, when I hear others say "it's freezing" when it's not, or "I'm starving" when they're not—or even when it is, and they are—I hope I won't laugh inside, but will rather remember that there are things I can do to help.

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As an added bonus, here is a video we put together after we had an opportunity to help send some much-needed supplies for distribution by friends living in Angola:

More Than Conquerors

2011-09-15T19:28:00.005-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

More Than Conquerors through Him That Loved Us, by Paul V. Johnson
Of the Seventy

Our recent move into our first home brought the opportunity to be reunited with things we had long stored at parents' houses. One of these things is a weight set. Upon seeing the weights and bench, my seven-yr-old son asked if he could work out with me. To be honest, I was wanting to exercise, but wondered if I would find time to slip away alone. His request provides an opportunity to spend time with him, nurture our relationship, teach him some things, and learn a few things from him, too!

Lifting weights with a small child is an interesting experience. Whereas I'm lifting more than 100 lb., he is starting with no more than 10. As I look at his small load, I often calculate and compare the ratio of his load to his body weight, and compare it to mine. What looks like hardly a challenge can be a real test to others who are smaller and inexperienced! In addition, our weight lifting sessions remind me to be a good example of form and technique because it's readily apparent that he's mimicking me exactly.

It's great fun to exercise with my boy; we even take turns spotting each other! The only hard thing is when I see that instead of a spare tire, like I have, he already has a six-pack!

Our exertions together in the garage remind of trials and challenges. Much like muscles don't gain strength or endurance without exertion and opposition, we often hear that the same is true with us and trials—but I've yet to meet someone who enjoys trials as much as we like lifting weights together.

Trials are a part of life and they can lead to meaningful growth, but I find myself increasingly asking "Okay, what did I do wrong this time" whenever I encounter a trial. For some reason, I'm correlating challenges with bad actions—as if the trial is some kind of punishment. What I love of Elder Johnson's talk is that it helped me remember the benefits and blessings of trials.

Perhaps one reason I fell into the habit of seeing trials as punishment was because of how me-specific they seemed. Elder Johnson helped put this in a new light for me:

Since personal growth is an intended outcome of these challenges, it should come as no surprise that the trials can be very personal—almost laser guided to our particular needs or weaknesses.

I shouldn't be surprised when a challenge seems personally catered to one of my [many] weak spots; don't I do the same thing when I lift weights? "Growth cannot come by taking the easy way."

If I do well, will there be a point when I won't have to face these types of challenges?

The furnace of affliction helps purify even the very best of Saints by burning away the dross in their lives and leaving behind pure gold. Even very rich ore needs refining to remove impurities. Being good is not enough. We want to become like the Savior, who learned as He suffered “pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind.”

Here's a good reminder of the ultimate purpose of challenges, trials, and reacting well to them:

Someday when we get to the other side of the veil, we want more than for someone just to tell us, "Well, you’re done." Instead, we want the Lord to say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matt. 25:21).

Yesterday, my son told me that lifting weights with me was the thing he had most looked forward to in the day. While it's true that "we don't seek out tests, trials, and tribulations" (because "life will provide just enough for our needs"), we can look forward to having someone there to help us through the trials, supplying encouragement and a gentle lift when necessary.

I think I'll end here and go to the garage and lift weights with my son.

Waiting on the Road to Damascus

2011-09-14T19:35:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Waiting on the Road to Damascus, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency

I.
When I eat things, I often save for last the portions I think will taste the best. In trail mix, I've been known to eat the raisins first. With children's cereal, the marshmallows (if you can call them that) are almost left floating in the milk after the plain pieces have been consumed.

This approach to dining can be problematic when I'm sharing with my wife. You see, she is of the persuasion that one should eat the good things first; that way, if you become full, you can set aside what you don't really like, instead of pushing through the pain to finish the good stuff. When we share something, if I'm not careful, she'll finish all the good stuff before I finish the "raisins"! (At least it makes me look selfless, albeit secretly disappointed.)

Which method is better? Is it a life principle to complete enjoyable things before doing those that may be unpleasant? I hope not, because I'm trying to teach my children to do their homework soon (and without doddeling) so they can enjoy playing before other chores need to be done.

In his address, President Uchtdorf spoke of those waiting on the road to Damascus who put off doing the little things and miss out on the greater reward. To stretch a comparison, if I wait too long while sharing a treat with my wife, I won't get the satisfaction that comes from something sweet. Likewise, if I wait to take the little steps of faith, I won't realize the great potential in me and others.

II.
My daughter was asked to give a talk at church about the gospel being preached in all the world. Luckily, we fed the full-time missionaries days before her talk, and she took the opportunity to ask them for their advice. (She later quoted them in her talk!) Their lesson for us was to be good examples. In the time since then, we've noticed instances of being examples, and have returned to it by saying, for example, "What could you have done to be a good example?"

President Uchtdorf also taught about example. He said, "the most effective way to preach the gospel is through example." In his remarks, he used a quote attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi:

Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.

If I'm honest—and I try to be—what I remember most vividly from all of this past general conference these months later is this part of this talk.

Why does it stick so firmly in my mind? Perhaps because I need to be a better example. Perhaps because I have great examples around me.

I can't finish without clarifying something. I like desserts, and I like sharing desserts with my wife. She's a great example in many ways, but when we recently shared some bridge mix, she chose my favorite piece of chocolate at the beginning, and promptly gave it to me!

Isn't she an angel?

Priesthood Power

2011-09-13T19:51:00.007-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Priesthood Power, by Thomas S. Monson
President, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

When the Prophet of God says "I wish not to offend anyone" at the start of his address, you KNOW it's going to be good! It reminds of the preamble to the powerful sermon of Jacob in the Book of Mormon (see Jacob 2:6-10).

In our couple scripture reading session last night, my wife and I read that "it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right" (see Mosiah 29:26-27). This verse comes to mind when we consider the baser elements of society—or whenever it's election time (perhaps they're related...). In his talk, President Monson observed that "the moral compass of the masses has gradually shifted to an 'almost anything goes' position."

What does this mean for us? What does this mean for me? What does that mean for my children?

I'm reminded that my children are growing up because my seven-yr-old asked if he could have a cell phone for his eighth birthday. President Monson's observation/warning isn't necessarily about children with cell phones, though:

I’ve lived long enough to have witnessed much of the metamorphosis of society’s morals. Where once the standards of the Church and the standards of society were mostly compatible, now there is a wide chasm between us, and it’s growing ever wider.

President Monson gave a list of types of media and entertainment to avoid, as well as council against taking the Lord's name in vain, staying completely away from pornography and other addictive behaviors and substances. Where there are perils, there is protection. We are charged to "maintain a strong testimony," "read the Book of Mormon," and keep it "vital and alive through obedience."

If you think you're doing well with these things, President Monson has more for you.

While encouraging to seek out an eternal companion, President Monson said something that might look well as a framed cross stitched on the wall:

There is no shame in a couple having to scrimp and save.

See how nice that might look:

I think this is my new mantra. My wife and I have a fun time trying to get by on as little as we can—probably because we've spent the last ten years as students with little-to-nothing to draw from!

Perhaps I should mention here that I think my wife is great. She's really swell! I agree with what President Monson said:

If you choose wisely and if you are committed to the success of your marriage, there is nothing in this life which will bring you greater happiness.

I do find great happiness in my marriage. To maintain these happy feelings, I want to follow President Monson's advice to "be fiercely loyal one to another."

There may be a divide or chasm between the standards of the Church and those of the world. It is scary to look across the divide and see how things are progressing—or digressing—on the other side, but as long as I'm firmly on the Lord's side, side-by-side with my wife, I think we'll be fine protected by priesthood power.

Learning in the Priesthood

2011-09-12T20:14:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Learning in the Priesthood, by Henry B. Eyring
First Counselor in the First Presidency

I'm a husband. I'm a father. I'm a priesthood holder. In my mind, these three roles are closely related and there is significant overlap. Perhaps this is why when I read this talk, I repeatedly read "husband" or "father" where the text clearly says "priesthood."

I've been contemplating how I can be a better father. For a while, I felt that I wasn't making any real progress—I continued to make the same mistakes over and again. Each night I felt like a failure in significant areas as I remembered these mistakes and prayed for forgiveness and help to overcome.

There are many units or groups in the Church. I imagine that priesthood quorums can be thought of as distinct Church units. At the same time, it's important to remember that the family is the basic unit of the Church. Because I have the priesthood, and I'm in a family, I try to apply instruction intended for priesthood use to my family.

In speaking of the need to sit in council as a priesthood quorum, President Eyring quoted from D&C 107:27:

And every decision made by either of these quorums must be by the unanimous voice of the same; that is, every member in each quorum must be agreed to its decisions, in order to make their decisions of the same power or validity one with the other.

However, in my personal study, I've long altered this verse (a la 1 Nephi 19:23) as follows:

And every decision made by [the husband and wife] must be by the unanimous voice of the same; that is, every member in [the family] must be agreed to its decisions, in order to make their decisions of the same power or validity one with the other.

Of course, communication is important in a marriage and in a family, but I like the implication of having more power when unanimity is achieved!

Returning to me being a sub-par father. I recently sat in council with my wife and heard excellent advice on how I can be a better father. I say "heard," meaning that I heard her suggestions, and I felt other advice in my heart. As I contemplated this as I sat in the temple on Saturday, it really felt like a shell was falling off of me—a shell of less-than-ideal parenting. I found renewed strength, energy, and commitment to be a better father! Equipped with a plan, I've had better experiences in the last couple of days.

It will take work, but I'm convinced that as I sit in council with my wife and family, the decisions we make together will have the power needed to help us be an even happier forever family!

Your Potential, Your Privilege

2011-09-09T16:56:00.005-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Your Potential, Your Privilege, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency

Our new home is beautiful and comfortable. It is an older home in an established neighborhood with tall trees and nice neighbors.

Here is our living room

But it is old. There are things that are wearing out and need to be replaced. This recent Labor Day Weekend, I spent an afternoon adding light kits to ceiling fans and replacing old dimmer switches with rocker panel switches. In addition, I'm systematically going around the house taking out old light switches and wall outlets that are discolored and worn and replacing them with new, white ones. It's a small thing, but it makes a difference!

You can say that I've been thinking of switches a lot lately. In fact, I have a growing list of household chores that I'm attending to, and the list is on my smart phone. Imagine how close to home the following words of President Uchtdorf hit for me:

Too often we attend meetings and nod our heads; we might even smile knowingly and agree. We jot down some action points, and we may say to ourselves, “That is something I will do.” But somewhere between the hearing, the writing of a reminder on our smartphone, and the actual doing, our “do it” switch gets rotated to the “later” position. Brethren, let’s make sure to set our “do it” switch always to the “now” position!

With all my home improvement goals and lists--which I'm dutifully pursuing--have I been neglecting more important items? Have I moved my personal switch of priesthood responsibilities from "Now!" to the "Later" position?

If this is the case, I'm probably like President Uchtdorf described:

When asked about the priesthood, many of us can recite a correct definition, but in our daily lives, there may be little evidence that our understanding goes beyond the level of a rehearsed script.

How can I be sure my switch is in the right position? In the talk given just before President Uchtdorf's, Elder Gibson encouraged us to "go to the scriptures and discover for ourselves what our duties are." In this talk, President Uchtdorf coincidentally gave a list of scriptures to read! This list includes the following sections from the Doctrine and Covenants:

20 - outline of duties and responsibilities (link)
84 - includes the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood (link)
107 - a great revelation on the priesthood (link)
121 - has the powerful instruction on priesthood and why "many are called but few are chosen" (link)

President Uchtdorf testified:

The more we study the purpose, potential, and practical use of the priesthood, the more we will be amazed by its power, and the Spirit will teach us how to access and use that power to bless our families, our communities, and the Church.

While I'm having a great time replacing light switches around the house, I need to remember to mind other switches and make sure the priesthood responsibilities "Do It Switch" is in the "Now!" position.

As with placing new, white switches: It's a small thing, but it makes a difference!

Sacred Keys of the Aaronic Priesthood

2011-09-08T19:52:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Sacred Keys of the Aaronic Priesthood, by Larry M. Gibson
First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency

In our meeting of men on Sundays (called Elders' quorum, or Priesthood), we've been discussing priesthood keys frequently the last few weeks. It all seemed to start when a young man had the Melchizedek Priesthood conferred upon him and was ordained an elder in the Church. Following the natural order, his father was the one who performed this action.

I noted that in the prayer, the father incorrectly bestowed the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood upon his son--in addition to the various rights, duties, and responsibilities. Afterward, a member of the stake presidency who was in attendance used this slip-up as a teaching opportunity. He said that in his desires to give everything good to his son, the father had inadvertently used the wrong wording. A mini-lesson on priesthood keys followed, where it was stated that there are only four men in the ward who hold priesthood keys [of presidency]: the presidents of the quorums of elders, priests, teachers, and deacons.

As part of this instructive moment, I asked for clarification regarding the keys mentioned in the thirteenth section of the Doctrine and Covenants--the section recounting the words used by John the Baptist when conferring the Aaronic Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. This section mentions "the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins" (D&C 13:1). We then discussed briefly that when the phrase priesthood keys is used in the Church, it usually refers to the keys of presidency, but that it is through the priesthood and its keys that lives are blessed.

In his talk, Elder Gibson quoted President Monson:

The priesthood is not really so much a gift as it is a commission to serve, a privilege to lift, and an opportunity to bless the lives of others.

Later, Elder Gibson said:

Your priesthood holds the sacred keys that open the door for all of Heavenly Father’s children to come unto His Son, Jesus Christ, and follow Him. This is provided through “the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins”; the weekly ordinance of the sacrament; and “the ministering of angels” (D&C 13:1; Joseph Smith—History 1:69)

I'm grateful for the priesthood, for the saving ordinances made possible through its righteous exercise, and that my family is blessed through it.

In a few months, I'll baptize my eldest child through the authority of the priesthood. A few years later, I will confer upon him the Aaronic Priesthood. I like the additional understanding I'm still getting regarding the priesthood and its keys.

And if I accidentally say something wrong while assisting with these ordinances, I'm happy it might make a nice classroom of instruction for myself and others!

Hope

2011-09-07T19:38:00.004-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Hope, by Steven E. Snow
Of the Presidency of the Seventy

The different uses of the word hope in social settings and in church lessons confused me when I was younger. At school I would say, I hope we have super nachos for lunch soon, but at church hope was spoken of among the noble peers of faith and charity. My usual usage could be defined as "it sure would be nice if such-and-such happened." I later learned that this type of hope isn't at all what was meant at church.

A memorable part of President Obama's campaign for presidency centered on the word hope. I don't think he was saying, "It sure would be nice if I were President." Rather, I think his message was for hope in a bright future accomplished through meaningful and focused work.

I know that the above image may stir different feelings in different readers. Some may still be inspired and filled with hope, while others may believe that the hope spoken of by Mr. Obama has gone the way of "many honorable hopes [that] have gone unfulfilled, shipwrecked on the reefs of good intentions and laziness." Regardless of where you stand on the political use of hope (and who are the ones being lazy today), hope is a part of everyday life.

Whereas I was once confused by the differing uses of hope, I now think of President Uchtdorf's comparison of hope as "one leg of a three-legged stool, together with faith and charity." Elder Snow reminded that President Uchtdorf continued to testify: "These three stabilize our lives regardless of the rough or uneven surfaces we might encounter at the time." (Read more here.)

In addition to reminding me of something I readily remember, Elder Snow introduced me to another way to visual these three:

Elder Russell M. Nelson has taught that "faith is rooted in Jesus Christ. Hope centers in the Atonement. Charity is manifest in the ‘pure love of Christ.’ These three attributes are intertwined like strands in a cable and may not always be precisely distinguished. Together they become our tether to the celestial kingdom."

Much like faith, hope, and charity may be hard to distinguish, we may find it difficult to distinguish the meaning of the word hope when we hear it used. We may think, "Do they mean a simple wish, or are they talking about hope in the Atonement?"

I think it's fine to use hope for its different meanings. I have hope that my children will "grow up to lead responsible and righteous lives." I will work to realize this hope by showing them the faith I have in Christ, the hope I find in the Atonement, and through examples of charity and by spending quality time with them.

I don't want my hopes to become shipwrecked on the reefs of good intentions and laziness.

But I do still hope to have super nachos sometime soon!

Preparing the World for the Second Coming

2011-09-06T19:27:00.004-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Preparing the World for the Second Coming, by Neil L. Andersen
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

When speakers say who their remarks are directed toward, do you ever feel tempted to tune out and not pay attention? I don't imagine I'm the only one who does this; however, whenever I feel this way in general conference, I actually get excited shortly afterward because it feels like I'm dropping eaves (or eavesdropping) on a privileged conversation! (Yes, I'm strange.)

Elder Andersen addressed the young priesthood holders (up to age 25) and spoke of the link between missionary service and preparing the world for the Second Coming. I thought of this address just the other day when a friend who has recently moved to Europe made a facebook status update about watching rugby and trying to figure the game out. When I read this, I thought of Elder Andersen's story of Sid Going, the rugby player from New Zealand who postponed his athletic career for a mission. (It's really not surprising that I thought of this story because it contributed more than half to my working knowledge of rugby!)

Sid Going was good:

How good was Sid Going? He was so good that training and game schedules were changed because he would not play on Sunday. Sid was so good the Queen of England acknowledged his contribution to rugby. He was so good a book was written about him titled Super Sid.

Here's the book:

I love that when describing this man and his service, Elder Andersen spoke of the most important events after his choice to serve the Lord instead of pursue fame and glory:

You’re probably wondering what happened to Sid Going following his mission. Most important: an eternal marriage to his sweetheart, Colleen; five noble children; and a generation of grandchildren. He has lived his life trusting in his Father in Heaven, keeping the commandments, and serving others.

Did you get that? Listed as most important were his marriage and family.

Knowing that I'm not in the intended audience for this talk—I'm too old and I've completed a full-time mission (to Boise, Idaho!)—I wondered what happened to Clark Siler following his mission. I don't know that I've done amazing things and achieved achieved glory, but I do know that I have an amazing wife and glorious family!

I'm convinced that I'm vastly different than I would have otherwise been had I not made the choice to faithfully serve the Lord as a missionary. I was once part of the Lord's worldwide missionary coverage: "The sun never sets on righteous missionaries testifying of the Savior."

I know that I can (and should) still participate in missionary work, but I look forward to the time that I can return to full-time service, "but this time with a companion of [my] own choosing:" my wonderful wife, Maryann!

Finding Joy through Loving Service

2011-09-02T18:36:00.005-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Finding Joy through Loving Service, by M. Russell Ballard
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

There is something deeply cleansing in yard work. I wrote about the joy of mowing the lawn previously (click here), and how that task is great because it lets you see how much you've accomplished, where you are in the overall task, and what yet remains to be done.

Since moving to Florida, my lawn duties have expanded beyond simply mowing a lawn. Now we have hedges to keep under control, weeds to keep at bay, and many trees to manage. To assist in my new chore/hobby, I purchased an electric hedge trimmer. Last night I opened the trimmer's package and set out to work, but I didn't want to go alone. My seven-yr-old boy was kind enough to accompany me, but he quickly realized that he didn't have anything to do (I was hesitant to let him use the trimmer alone), and he didn't fancy raking leaves behind me. After a short conversation where we discussed what needed to be done and how to do it, he chose to use the pruning shears to trim the scraggly limbs between the hedge and the house—a task I couldn't do (I'm too big), and something he had great fun doing (it's always fun to feel the snip of a limb as its cut).

As we attacked the lawn—and it was an attack—I couldn't help but think of the currant bush story from Hugh B. Brown (link here), especially when my son said he thought he heard the bush softly yell in pain as he cut it.

As I read Elder Ballard's talk today, I was reminded of the great fun we had as a family in the yard last night. Elder Ballard spoke of how seasons can remind of Christ (especially Spring). Although it's no longer Spring, the transformation we're working toward in the yard is comparable:

Spring brings a renewal of light and life—reminding us, through the cycle of seasons, of the life, sacrifice, and Resurrection of our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, for "all things bear record of [Him]" (Moses 6:63).

This is a picture from our back yard!

This was just what appeared to be a brief aside at the start of his talk, but the reference to change and seasons reminding of Christ was on my mind as I reviewed the rest of the talk as well. The title is "Finding Joy through Loving Service," and I couldn't help thinking of how family members were lovingly serving each other by working in the yard together last night (there weren't even any complaints!).

As much fun as it was to work together as a family, I think I need to look outside sometimes, too. I spend so much of my free time with my family, that I rarely interact with others. (In all fairness, I do have a pretty amazing family! My three-yr-old would say we're AWESOME!).

Perhaps I can take the example of family service that I see and practice in my family and try to extend it to others. We show our love for each other through little things (like small flecks of gold, a reference to a mining analogy from the talk). Even the most mundane chores become elaborate valentines when performed with love. Elder Ballard shared a quote from President Kimball that really stood out to me:

It is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom. … So often, our acts of service consist of simple encouragement or of giving … help with mundane tasks, but what glorious consequences can flow … from small but deliberate deeds!

I want to remember to give service to my family through small but deliberate deeds, and I want to look for ways to help others outside of my family, too. As President Monson said:

The needs of others are ever present, and each of us can do something to help someone.

...Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives.

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Here's a bonus video of part of this talk (part I didn't really discuss...):

Desire

2011-09-01T20:16:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Desire, by Dallin H. Oaks
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Now that I have a mortgage, I feel like there is a ever-present weight hanging over my head, ready to fall and crush me if I'm not constantly vigilant. I'm beginning to wonder how anyone with such a large debt can ever decide to spend money on entertainment, fun, or frivolity. Hopefully I'll learn to adjust to life under these conditions and can take my family out to a movie, a trip to a theme park, or for a ride in a hot air balloon.

Even larger than my desire to be free of debt is my desire to be with my family. Whenever I'm away, I feel drawn like a fleck of iron to a large magnet—I want to get back to them! It may sound strange, but at the beginning of meetings at church where announcements are being made, someone will ask, "Does anyone else have an announcement?" Without fail, I always want to raise my hand and say, "I have an announcement: I love my wife!"

Every time. Without fail. But I haven't done it yet...

When we moved, we somehow acquired a large painting of Helaman and the Stripling Warriors (see [link]). While the story is captivating and worth studying, I've never been a fan of the portrayal shown in this particular painting. I don't know why, but it's never drawn me in.

However, my seven-year-old son wants to hang the painting on his wall. When he expressed this desire, we asked him why he wanted it. After telling us that he liked the picture and story, he proceeded to recount it all in great detail! Suddenly, my appreciation for the painting increased. Because my son likes it and wants to be like the sons portrayed in the painting, it looks better to me now.

Apparently his desire influenced my own.

(By the way, Elder Oaks referenced the stripling warriors in his talk.)

Desire is powerful. Much like thoughts lead to actions, Elder Oaks presented another causal connection chain that I love; it starts with desires:

Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming.

As I studied this talk, I thought of my desires. I've shared two: to be debt-free, and to be with my family. I think these are righteous desires. I know I have at least a couple of unrighteous desires—I'm not going to write about them here—but I'm going to focus on developing and maintaining righteous desires. Elder Oaks didn't talk about debt, but he did talk about marriage and family:

All should desire and seriously work to secure a marriage for eternity. Those who already have a temple marriage should do all they can to preserve it.

This is what I'm doing. I try to every day.

And in case you're wondering, I do have an announcement I'd like to make:

I love my wife!

Testimony

2011-08-31T17:51:00.006-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Testimony, by Cecil O. Samuelson Jr.
Of the Seventy

Former students of Church universities may feel a certain affinity to the presidents that served while they were students. Depending on when they were enrolled, Elder Oaks (BYU 71-80), Elder Holland (BYU 80-89), Elder Bateman (BYU 96-03), or Elder Bednar (BYUI 97-04) may have a special place in former students' hearts. Such is the case for me with Elder Samuelson.

I entered BYU just as Elder Samuelson became its president. I thought it was fun that we started at the same time. While I was there, I had limited interaction with him, but I do have his signature on a couple of things (scholarship letters and diploma).

I studied civil engineering at BYU. Despite a background in medicine, Elder Samuelson accepted an invitation to give a guest lecture in an undergraduate fluid mechanics course (the semester after I took it). While he taught, he mentioned how excited he was for the opportunity to merge his professional training with his testimony. For the first time in years of teaching, he was able to share his testimony explicitly as he taught. He spoke of how the human heart is a pump, and blood flow is analogous to the flow of water studied in the course, and later shared his testimony in a powerful way.

I like Elder Samuelson. As I reviewed his most recent address today, I thought of the fluid mechanics classroom story and how he shared his testimony as I read a talk titled "Testimony." All while reading the words in his distinctive voice. (It made for a good lunchtime study session.)

As I thought of the message of the talk, I asked myself, "How can I help my children gain a strong testimony early before the times of struggle and distress set in?"

I found an interesting answer in the talk. Before I share the quote, I'll describe what I thought of. As Elder Samuelson compared a testimony to a living organism, I couldn't help but think of microorganisms—like bacteria. I imagined testimony meetings where the person speaking was trying to infect others (in a good way!). It gives sharing a testimony a new meaning altogether!

Okay, here's the quote:

A testimony is similar to a living organism that grows and develops when treated properly. It needs constant nourishment, care, and protection to thrive and prosper.

Perhaps it would have been better if I had thought of the testimony organism as something cute like a puppy, kitten, bunny, or hamster.

Okay, that's better!

Regardless of the comparative organism, a testimony needs care. As I'm helping to ensure that my children (they're organisms, too!) are growing and developing well, I need to provide an environment where their testimonies can likewise grow and develop.

Gaining a testimony is the result of choices. While I can't make that kind of choice for my children, I can help them by showing how my life and my testimony are influenced by my choices.

People do good and important things because they have testimonies. While this is true, we also gain testimonies because of what we do.

Establishing a Christ-Centered Home

2011-08-30T19:41:00.005-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Establishing a Christ-Centered Home, by Richard J. Maynes
Of the Seventy

Last night, we were expecting a service call right at the span of time when we usually have dinner and family home evening (it was Monday yesterday). As we ate together around the table, I realized that because the repairman was late, we likely wouldn't get everything done in time for family home evening.

What could we do?

Being a fan of communication, I relayed my thoughts to the family. Looks of disappointment filled their faces until my wise wife said, "Don't worry, we'll still have dessert!"

After telling everyone that we would indeed have a lesson and great activity the next day, I thought of the change that occurred when dessert was mentioned. Was it the treat at the end that motivated us, I wondered.

During my thinking, I remembered something from a sacrament meeting talk given nearly ten years ago. While in a married student ward, we had a visiting guest (I think it was a member of the Area Presidency) and his wife speak. I don't remember what he said, but I remember the message of his wife: Always have pie!

With an adorable European accent, this good sister encouraged a collection of newlywed students to establish celestial traditions now. Her focus was on family home evening, and she said, in essence, "It doesn't matter what lesson you have, or how long it lasts. What matters is that you always have pie! Give a short lesson—especially when the children are young (but when they're old, too)—have a fun activity, and end with pie!"

What is magical about pie? Are cookies a satisfactory substitute? (After the meeting I actually asked her if it had to be pie. She laughed and said that cookies were fine.)

The point she was making was to not just have family home evening, but to make it a celestial tradition with enough weight or pull—provided by the treat—to draw everyone back the next week. Sure, together time is great fun, but sitting together sharing a treat strengthens the love that is sown in family home evening.

Elder Maynes said:

Recognizing that we have a heavenly family helps us understand the eternal nature of our earthly families. The Doctrine and Covenants teaches us that the family is fundamental to the order of heaven: “And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory” (D&C 130:2).

Later, he taught:

Learning, teaching, and practicing the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our homes helps create a culture where the Spirit can dwell.

It's interesting to note that the scripture he quoted goes further:

And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy (D&C 130:2, emphasis added).

I propose that we can start to enjoy loving sociality coupled with eternal glory as we establish the traditions and culture of a Christ-centered home... and remember to always have pie!

...just be nice when you do!

Face the Future with Faith

2011-08-29T20:50:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Face the Future with Faith, by Russell M. Nelson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The young people sang in church yesterday. I was excited to hear their song because it's one that my amazing wife plays on our piano beautifully, and I wanted to hear the youth sing it, too. The song is commonly called the EFY Medley by Michael R. Hicks (his video is below); it's a mash-up of As Sisters in Zion and We'll Bring the World His Truth.

So the young people from our ward (congregation) were singing, and I was enjoying it, when I glanced over and saw my two eldest children (aged seven and five) were staring at the singers with unblinking eyes and a look of wonder on their faces!

When the song concluded, my little girl looked at me with a twinkle in her eye, and I asked her how she felt listening to it. She didn't say anything, but her smile grew larger. I followed-up and asked if she felt the Holy Ghost making her heart warm. Again she didn't say anything, but she did nod in agreement before giving me a hug.

I thought of this as I reviewed Elder Nelson's talk today. The message I got from it is that I need to take more opportunities to teach faith "with deep conviction."

If I do this, I can prepare my children (and myself) to face the future with faith and enjoy the blessings of faithfulness (knowing that "rewards come not only hereafter").

Coincidentally, an interpretation of the message of the EFY Medley song can easily be to face the future with faith!

Guided by the Holy Spirit

2011-08-29T20:11:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Guided by the Holy Spirit, by Boyd K. Packer
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Reading President Packer's address reminded me to update my Mormon.org profile (link). When it's updated, it will say "I'm a Mormon."

I've met many people since moving to Florida. If the introductions proceed beyond the superficial, I wonder which option I should choose for stating my religion: "Should I say 'I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' or 'I'm a Mormon'?"

It's a good question, but I almost always say both.

I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A Mormon.*

When I do this, I imagine a little asterisk at the end. In my mind, I think of the official usage guide the Church has for its name—similar to what President Packer shared:

The use of the revealed name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (D&C 115:4), is increasingly important in our responsibility to proclaim the name of the Savior throughout all the world. Accordingly, we ask that when we refer to the Church we use its full name wherever possible. …

When referring to Church members, we suggest ‘members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.’ As a shortened reference, ‘Latter-day Saints’ is preferred.

I know the name of my church, but many I've spoken with don't. That "I'm a Mormon" clarification at the end helps connect the name of the Church—and Christ's name—to what many may only know of us. The word "Mormon."

I liked President Packer's reminder:

The world will refer to us as they will, but in our speech, always remember that we belong to the Church of Jesus Christ.

I like that.

The connection from Mormon to the Church that has Christ's name is one small link. I hope that as those I meet get to know me they will see me as President Packer described:

A Latter-day Saint is quite an ordinary individual. ... We live ordinary lives in ordinary families mixed in with the general population.

We are taught not to lie or steal or cheat. We do not use profanity. We are positive and happy and not afraid of life.

We are “willing to mourn with those that mourn … and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.”[link]

I know I'm not much, but I'm trying to be like Christ.

That's what Mormons do.

I'm a Mormon.

Statistical Report

2011-08-29T20:05:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Statistical Report, 2010, by Brook P. Hales
Secretary to the First Presidency

A lot of people say they don't like statistics (or probability), but I'm a big nerd, so I think they're great! Instead of presenting a statistical analysis of the numbers presented compared to previous years, please enjoy these two goose-bump-inducing videos that just might put statistics in a new light for you.

The first is Church growth shown by number of stakes (the Church made this one), and the second is Church growth by temples (I put this one together).

Enjoy:

Church Growth by Stake

Church Growth by Temples

Church Auditing Department Report

2011-08-29T19:57:00.002-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Church Auditing Department Report, 2010, by Robert W. Cantwell
Managing Director, Church Auditing Department

We just bought a house! Well, we just entered a looong mortgage process, at which end we will have bought a house. Also, I finished graduate school, got a fun job, and moved my family to Florida!

It turns out that I'm not the only one to be making advances, though. My brother-in-law, Brett, completed arduous exams and became a CPA! (I think CPA means certified public accountant.)

When I reviewed the Church Auditing Department Report, I had to think of him:

The Church Auditing Department is independent of all other Church departments and operations, and the staff consists of certified public accountants, certified internal auditors, certified information systems auditors, and other credentialed professionals.

Congratulations all around, but a special congratulations to those whose certifications are mentioned in General Conference! (They didn't say anything about PhD's in civil engineering...)

The Sustaining of Church Officers

2011-08-29T19:44:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Sustaining of Church Officers, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency

*Raise my right hand with a happy smile on my face.

-Wait a second, is that the back of my brother's head? (I'm seriously wondering...)

Opportunities to Do Good

2011-07-17T19:05:00.002-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Opportunities to Do Good, by Henry B. Eyring
First Couneslor in the First Presidency

I saw something interesting at church today. In the opening of a meeting for the men, a leader made an announcement. He said something similar to the following:

There is a single sister who is moving on Saturday. I don't know who it is; I don't know at what time she is moving; I don't know any of the details because I just learned of this minutes ago. I don't know much, but I know she needs help.

This isn't the interesting part. What was surprising was that I then heard the person conducting the meeting calling out the names of men who were volunteering. While I wasn't counting, it seemed like there were at least fifteen names that were called! I think I witnessed a body of men who were seeking opportunities to do good.

But this isn't the end of the story. I'm in Florida starting a new job, working out details for my family's housing. I'm without a car, without a home; however, I've been "adopted" by a family who have provided me a place to sleep, a temporary home, and a ride to and from work each day. After these many men volunteered to help someone move, I stood and asked for help getting to the airport for an early flight (I will need to be there before 5am). Before I had finished asking for help, a kind man enthusiastically raised his hand indicating that he would be more than happy to help. I later learned that he is the type who "will do anything, anytime, for anybody."

Both of these examples show the kindness of others either without fully knowing what is involved, or to help someone they didn't really know.

I could repeat what President Eyring taught about Opportunities to Do Good, but these examples taught me firsthand that I'm surrounded by those who live this way everyday. President Eyring said:

Always the Lord’s way to help those in temporal need requires people who out of love have consecrated themselves and what they have to God and to His work.

I want to be more like these people; I want to be more like Christ, reaching out to those in need.

LDS Women Are Incredible!

2011-07-16T18:27:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

LDS Women Are Incredible!, by Quentin L. Cook
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

After listening to Elder Cook's talk, I jokingly asked, "When will there be a talk saying how great I am?" Perhaps I asked that mostly because I know how incredible my wife is!

As I write this, I'm far from my family. My wife is at home with our four children unknowingly showing me and the rest of the world just how wonderful she is! Many men may get credit and accolades for things they do in business and employment, but I think that even more attention should be paid to the mothers who lovingly and selflessly serve, serve, and then serve some more.

I know Elder Cook spoke of LDS women in general, but as I read his words, I continued to see my wife, the mother of our children, and the valiant young woman she was before (and after) I met her. As my mind drifted to the many roles my beautiful and amazing wife amazingly fills, I couldn't help but think of a couple of videos that mean a lot to me. The first is one I put together for her after hearing Sister Beck's talk on Mothers Who Know. The second is from a Young Women's conference where the choir sang about how they would act if the Savior stood beside them:

Mothers Who Know

If the Savior Stood Beside Me

In his talk, Elder Cook relayed a story of what was learned from the found purse of a young woman. Insights into who she was—meaning who she really was, not just her identity—were found with each item they took out of the purse. I liked the story and all it conveyed, but even more, I thought of my wife. Sometimes when we talk, she is concerned with one item from her "purse" (life) that is causing her concern. I often wish I could show her what I see: a faithful, loving, always-serving, kind, compassionate, laugh-out-loud-funny, amazing, beautiful, kind, appropriately silly, tender, caring, smiling, wonderful woman.

I'm grateful for the influence of an incredible LDS woman: my wife, my sweetheart, my best friend, my everything.

The Atonement Covers All Pain

2011-07-16T17:35:00.002-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Atonement Covers All Pain, by Kent F. Richards
Of the Seventy

When I consider the Atonement, I often reflect on the power it grants Christ in standing as Mediator. I think of how it satisfies the demands of justice (see Mosiah 15:9 and Alma 34:16) and makes possible the resurrection for all and exaltation for the penitent. Too often, however, I neglect to consider the aspect of pain.

Pain can be found all around us—be it physical or spiritual—but is exquisitely appreciated when it is our own pain or the pain of a loved one. Fortunately (or unfortunately), I haven't experienced much personal pain; perhaps this is why I've sometimes wondered about the nonuniform distribution of pain in the world. There are some who have more than their share of pain (I'm speaking mostly of physical because much of spiritual pain can be avoided by proper choices). Elder Richards says that he, too, has "pondered about the purpose of pain."

In his talk, Elder Richards used a quote by Orson F. Whitney:

No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility. … It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire.

The idea that pain is useful is well and good, but while in the midst of pain—or helplessly viewing the pain of others—it is difficult to see the benefits of pain.

We read in 2 Nephi that Christ suffered "the pains of all men" (9:21-23) as part of the Atonement. I think I can understand the idea of a mediator paying the price of another, but if Christ suffered also the pains of us all, and we still experience the pain ourselves, I admit that I have wondered why. I've thought, wasn't the suffering of Christ enough to make it so we don't suffer pain ourselves?

When asking similar questions while in pain himself, Elder Richards concluded:

As I pondered, I came to understand that during His mortal life Christ chose to experience pains and afflictions in order to understand us. Perhaps we also need to experience the depths of mortality in order to understand Him and our eternal purposes.

To me, it sounds like pain is a way for us to meet Christ on common ground; it is an environment that he knows personally. When we are in pain, we may not always find our pain relieved when we find Christ in our suffering, but there is comfort in knowing that He is there, and we are not alone. This understanding helps me more fully appreciate and understand what Paul wrote in Hebrews 4:16:

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

(NOTE: I often try to use an image or two to help share the feeling of a post. I purposely opted to not include an image of pain because we are all acquainted with it on some level, and it's not enjoyable to relive or see others in pain.)

Followers of Christ

2011-07-10T16:11:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Followers of Christ, by Walter F. González
Of the Presidency of the Seventy

Have you ever been asked why you're different?

At the beginning of a new career in a new location provides many opportunities to meet new people. In my situation, I'm finding that almost everyone is nice! People go out of their way to welcome me, kindly answer my questions, and make sure I'm comfortable in my new surroundings. With so many things that can be used to separate and divide people, it's nice to be around so many that are happy to be helpful.

As I'm observing how wonderful others are, I can't help but wonder how I'm perceived? There have been numerous times when I've been told that I'm different—sometimes even in good ways!

In his talk, Elder González spoke of "two characteristics [that] can help us recognize to what extent we follow [Christ]. First, followers of Christ are loving people. Second, followers of Christ make and keep covenants."

Elder González points out that there are millions who are already doing the first item: being loving. It is important to be loving, and it's important to be loving for the right reasons; however, simply being loving isn't enough, and it's usually not enough to make us stand out.

I remember hearing about someone's response to an interesting question (full disclosure: I don't have the actual quote, so this is entirely hearsay): A visitor to Salt Lake City was struck by how happy and loving people were, but even more, the visitor asked what it was that made LDS (Mormon) women so beautiful. After some thought, the guide had an answer.

Here's an example of a beautiful LDS woman!

Before reading what I remember the answer being, what do you think? What makes loving LDS women—followers of Christ—so beautiful?

The answer from the quote without a source is covenants.

How does the making and keeping of sacred covenants make us (I'll include the men, too) beautiful? Elder González said:

I testify that we are happier when we follow the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As we strive to follow Him, the blessings of heaven will come unto us. I know His promises will be fulfilled as we make and keep covenants and become true followers of Christ.

In addition to the increases in beauty found in being happy and loving people, followers of Christ benefit from having an extra light or purity that can sometimes be perceived (see Alma 5:14,26). This light is made brighter through making and keeping covenants.

(At least this has been what I've observed being married to a beautiful follower of Christ who is loving and keeps covenants.)

Become as a Little Child

2011-07-10T15:38:00.002-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Become as a Little Child, by Jean A. Stevens
First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency

Our Heavenly Father knows children are a key to helping us become like Him. There is so much we can learn from children.

I recently wrote about an experience where my five-year-old daughter helped me understand the Atonement through new eyes (link here). Her simple question about why we sometimes suffer after Christ suffered for all still touches my heart. (In fact, the ward I was at today had the same lesson that reminded me of her question last week.)

In her talk, Sister Stevens shared examples of children doing things that were likely natural to them that we can use to teach us how to as we ought to be. She spoke of:

a little boy behaving reverently in an art gallery with images of the Savior;
a young boy rushing to assist an elderly woman to her preferred seat;
a girl who left a loving note on her parents' pillow expressing her desire to be sealed as a family (they later were!); and
an ill boy who was optimistic during numerous treatments.

Seeing that I was preparing a check for tithing last week, my two eldest children enthusiastically asked if they could pay their tithing, too! Their question reminded me that we had recently had a family home evening lesson on tithing, and they were quick to implement its teachings, even without a reminder!

These children are providing examples of some of the childlike qualities we need to develop or rediscover in ourselves in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven. They are bright spirits who are untarnished by the world—teachable and full of faith. It is no wonder the Savior has a special love and appreciation for little children.

I love my children. While they sometimes do things that make me shake my head and wonder why they do such a thing, they also sometimes do things that make me shake my head in a different sort of way and wonder how I can do or be like they are.

The Sabbath and the Sacrament

2011-07-10T14:42:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Sabbath and the Sacrament, by L. Tom Perry
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I'm away from my family, and I miss them terribly. While speaking with my wife on the phone early this morning, she commented that she was already dressed and ready for church (our ward doesn't start until 1pm). When I expressed surprise, she said the reason: so the children will know it's Sunday.

In our family, Sunday is a special day: it's the Sabbath. I remember talking to a friend who was in many other ways very religious why he didn't outwardly do things on Sunday to set it apart. His response surprised me. He said that the commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy was fulfilled and done away in Christ's Atonement. According to him, there was no need to do anything special on Sunday.

One may argue that having a worshipful attitude all week is better than forgetting faith Monday through Saturday and then acting pious on one day (they would be right), but there is great power in keeping the commandments.

And in case you're wondering, the Ten commandments are still commandments—even after the Atonement.

Elder Perry quoted from 1 Timothy (4:11-12) about being "an example of the believers," and then went on to say:

I can think of no better way for us to begin or continue to be an example of the believers than in our observance of the Sabbath day.

If we believe that it's important to observe the Sabbath, the next question may be, "How?"

In his address, Elder Perry spoke on the importance of the sacrament and how it is "the center of our Sabbath day observance." He also spoke of Christ "expects us to avoid such worldly distractions of businesses and recreational facilities on the Sabbath day."

Okay. Many people do this, but then he went deeper to a region that some are uncomfortable with. I'll preface the discussion on appropriate Sabbath dress with an observation: When I was a child, it seems that everyone referred to "Sunday dress" or "Sunday best" to refer to nice clothes worn to show respect (in this case, to God). It appears that now the phrase has been replaced by "church clothes," suggesting that these are only clothes one wears for a few hours at a specific location, not all Sabbath long.

Here's what Elder Perry said about dress (remember, also, what my wife said this morning about dress reminding the children about the Sabbath):

He also desires us to dress appropriately. Our youth may think the old saying “Sunday best” is outdated. Still, we know that when Sunday dress deteriorates to everyday attire, attitudes and actions follow. Of course, it may not be necessary for our children to wear formal Sunday attire until the sun goes down. However, by the clothing we encourage them to wear and the activities we plan, we help them prepare for the sacrament and enjoy its blessings throughout the day.

You may argue that there are more important things to focus on than how we (and our children) dress. You're right. However, if this is a big issue for you, ask yourself why it's a big issue for you. Are Sunday clothes (note: I didn't say "church clothes") too uncomfortable for lounging about the house watching sports? Too nice for running around in the yard? Too much for trips to the mall?

I think you see the point: you don't want to wear Sunday clothes when you're doing non-Sunday things.

Important note: just as the Pharisees remind us that there is more to just keeping the "rules" for the rules' sake, there is more to dressing appropriately on the Sabbath, particularly from a parenting perspective:

Parents, now is the time to teach our children to be examples of the believers by attending sacrament meeting. When Sunday morning arrives, help them to be well rested, properly dressed, and spiritually prepared to partake of the emblems of the sacrament and receive the enlightening, edifying, ennobling power of the Holy Ghost. Let your family be filled with love as you honor the Sabbath all day long and experience its spiritual blessings throughout the week.

I love the reminder that we should be well-rested and prepared, and that proper Sabbath observance blesses the whole of Sunday, and can carry throughout the week... even if you wear shorts and a tee shirt every other day!

It’s Conference Once Again

2011-07-10T14:16:00.002-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

It’s Conference Once Again, by Thomas S. Monson
President, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Today was my first time in what will be our new ward in Wellington. It was fun to meet people I had corresponded with via email and meet many other totally new people, too! It's always interesting to see how much the same wards hundreds of miles apart are.

The first words President Monson said at the start of the last conference were about how many people were in the conference center—suggesting the growth of the church. Here's what he said:

When this building was planned, we thought we’d never fill it. Just look at it now.

In his opening remarks, President Monson announced three new temples. We're moving to a location that will soon have a new temple that was announced previously (in Ft. Lauderdale, in about two years).

The stake president, who was visiting our ward today, said something similar to these two parts of President Monson's remarks. He spoke of the blessings we enjoy because of the temples while reminiscing on how things were before the Orlando Temple was built (it's about three hours away and is presently the nearest temple). He commented on how much he admires the Lord's way of preparing things for temples; first a mission is established; after some time stakes are organized—led by leaders who hold priesthood keys; the stake president has keys necessary to prepare the faithful to enter the temple; when temples are built, temple presidents have keys authorizing the ordinances that occur there; these ordinances prepare the faithful for higher things.

I'm excited about the Ft. Lauderdale Temple. We went to the San Antonio Temple (about 90 minutes away) every month that we were in Texas (except for one month); I want to maintain our family's tradition of temple attendance and temple worship. It will be more of a challenge with Orlando being farther away, but if we can maintain the tradition, it will be that sweeter when the Ft. Lauderdale Temple is dedicated!

Home Sweet Home in Paradise

2011-07-09T19:48:00.007-04:00

Paradise? It looks that way! We spent so much time wondering about the rooms, space, and appliances inside our home that we may have forgotten how amazing the outside of our dream home it! While it likely broke some rules, I spent a great couple of hours with the sweet elderly woman, Barbara, we're buying our home from--without the realtors! (It was nice to visit without them there for a change.) Here are some pictures I took on my tour of the outside (I just hope Barbara doesn't mind that I've already forgotten many of the plants' names!)

Here are the pictures:

View from the front door

Along the back fence

Bird of Paradise plant (blooms year-round)

Hidden tunnel path to neighbors' yard

Patio plant (with friendly lizard)

More patio plants

Friendly lizard with orange throat skin

Bananas!? (technically in neighbors' yard)

Pink flowers

Another pink flower

Mangos! (tree is in neighbors' yard, but it hangs into ours)

BIG pink flower

Patio plants, again

Fan plant

More of the Bird of Paradise plant

Door detail

Front door window reflecting the palm tree
Hibiscus

Reason for Suffering

2011-07-02T22:16:00.001-04:00

While studying in preparation for tomorrow's Sunday School lesson (Lesson 25: "Not My Will, But Thine, Be Done," lesson, study guide), I remembered something that happened in the car on the way home from church last week.

Background first: We've been praying for "Little Hatcher," the chronically-ill three-year-old son of my wife's cousin, with the medical troubles he's been going through. In nearly every prayer for a long time, we would pray for "Little Hatcher;" my five-year-old daughter would particularly help us remember.

So we were in the car talking about the lessons we had when my daughter said they learned about the Atonement. With the level of sincerity that only children can muster, she pensively asked, "If Jesus suffered for everyone, why did Little Hatcher have to suffer?"

See Alma 7:11

It's fun to discuss gospel topics and review Sunday lessons as a family, but this question--and its associated sincerity--reminded that this is real life. There are real connections from our lessons, the scriptures, and our prayers to our lives--our real everyday lives. I still don't know that I have a full answer to my daughter's question, but I do know that I'm grateful for the Atonement. We sometimes say, "He suffered so we don't have to suffer," but when I am suffering, I like knowing that I'm not alone--even when I sometimes initially feel like I am alone.

May Pictures

2011-06-04T20:47:00.001-04:00

Our days in Texas are running out, and it looks like we're making the most of it (judging by our May pictures, link)! Come take a look:

Yard Sale Saturday!

2011-05-15T19:30:00.001-04:00

We had our trying-to-prepare-for-an-eventual-move yard sale yesterday. We were more interested in getting rid of accumulated junk... er, treasures, than we were with making loads of money. This was evidenced by our tables of 25¢ (or 5 for $1) clothes, toys, and books.

Here is a picture of our sale after the first wave of professionals swept in:

You can see a little IKEA table with a pink umbrella in the corner of the driveway. The children had a lemonade/juice/cookie stand (25¢). This was our attempt at introducing David and Rebecca to capitalism, or at least money and talking to strangers in a supervised environment. They were quite shy at first but warmed up and started approaching each of the customers to peddle their wares. (They even had a jar with a "TIPS" label where diabetic grandmas and other sweethearts gave them money.) Toward the end of our adventure they moved out to the roundabout (street-side) and waved at passers by--and occasionally clogged the street when customers stopped.

Here is a picture of the stand in the new location:

We had a great time and are loving having a more open-feeling home.

Till We Meet Again

2011-03-26T20:34:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Till We Meet Again, by Thomas S. Monson
President, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

While we were shopping today, my older children started discussing which kind of candy they would like to have as a reward for when they hear certain words in the next general conference. I was excited by this for two reasons: 1) they were happy for general conference, and 2) it's in only a couple of weeks!

At the end of the last general conference, I produced a word cloud to see if there was an indication of the common themes that I picked up on from many talks (see it here). As I thought about doing the same for this conference, I really couldn't identify a theme—apart from being like Christ.

Because I'm a nerd, I decided to make a word cloud again. It was great fun to harvest the words from each of the talks, because as I saw the speakers and their talk titles, I would have fun flashbacks to the things that stood out to me from their talks (the things you may have read aout in the previous posts). Again, I couldn't isolate a consistent theme, but I was considerably happy.

So, while I'm not venturing any guesses at themes, do you have any in mind? What do you expect to "pop out of the screen"? Here are the most frequent 100 words from this conference:

I like that this particular representation shows the words of deity close together, seemingly increasing the impact! Other words that stand out (that are a bit larger than the others) are: life, faith, priesthood, children, know, and Church.

As you look at this representation of conference, you may have, as did I, happy feelings and pleasant memories triggered by certain words.

Are there any words that you were surprised to see? I was tickled when I noticed that the word "Mormon" actually appears in the word cloud. For ages it seems that members of the Church have avoided being labeled Mormon, but with the recent innovations to Mormon.org and the encouragement members have been given to create profiles there (see mine here), the feeling I got at seeing "Mormon" was different than I had hoped!

Okay; that's general conference as a whole, but what about President Monson's closing comments? After reviewing these wonderful general conference talks, and after considering all their words reminded me of, one paragraph of President Monson's remarks stood out the most to me:

How blessed we are to have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It provides answers to questions concerning where we came from, why we are here, and where we will go when we pass from this life. It provides meaning and purpose and hope to our lives.

Knowing what we know, and feeling what we feel, we may sometime wonder, "Now what?" President Monson's closing provides an answer, and a succinct and poignant close:

May we show increased kindness toward one another; may we ever be found doing the work of the Lord.

I love general conference!

O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One

2011-03-25T18:22:00.004-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One, by M. Russell Ballard
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Have you ever smelled someone who passed by or that you live/work with that was experiencing a time of bad body odor? Each time I do I wonder if I smell bad to others but just can't smell myself, and no one has had the heart to tell me about it.

As I ride my bike to/from work, I can smell if a person in a passing car is smoking, even if they travel by at 50 mph. Similarly, I can tell if a person smokes, or lives in a smoking home, even if they're not currently smoking by the tell-tale signs and smells.

I thought of these two things as I read Elder Ballard's talk. Sometimes what is readily apparent to others (e.g. bad smells or indicators of addictive behavior) is criticized or stigmatized quite heavily, when there is the possibility of much greater evils or addictions that aren't apparent.

It's fairly easy to determine if someone is addicted to smoking, but you may not know if someone else is secretly addicted to gambling.

You may pick up on the visible signs that someone is addicted to drugs, but will not know that someone else spends hours a day involved in addictive pornographic behaviors.

You may perceive someone who is apparently addicted to bad or unhealthy foods, but you may not recognize your own addiction(s) (say, addicted to a cell phone).

Addiction seems to be something that is readily despised in others, but hard to distinguish in self.

As he compared the addictive lures of Satan to the flies of a fly fisherman, video clips showed in the background of Elder Ballard's talk. I liked the combination of the allegory and the imagery:

The goal of the fly fisherman is to catch trout through skillful deception. The adept fisherman studies trout behavior, weather, the water current, and the types of insects trout eat and when those insects hatch. He will often craft by hand the lures he uses. He knows these artificial insects embedded with tiny hooks need to be a perfect deception because the trout will identify even the slightest flaw and reject the fly.

What a thrill it is to watch a trout break the surface of the water, inhale the fly, and resist until it is finally exhausted and reeled in. The test is the pitting of the fisherman’s knowledge and skill against the noble trout.

The use of artificial lures to fool and catch a fish is an example of the way Lucifer often tempts, deceives, and tries to ensnare us.

Like the fly fisherman who knows that trout are driven by hunger, Lucifer knows our “hunger,” or weaknesses, and tempts us with counterfeit lures which, if taken, can cause us to be yanked from the stream of life into his unmerciful influence.

When we think of addiction, we often think of those things that are harmful, dirty, evil, or generally shunned by society; however, is it possible to be addicted to something that seems good? To answer this, let's take a look at the definition, given here by Elder Ballard and followed by some useful application:

According to the dictionary, addiction of any kind means to surrender to something, thus relinquishing agency and becoming dependent on some life-destroying substance or behavior.

Researchers tell us there is a mechanism in our brain called the pleasure center. When activated by certain drugs or behaviors, it overpowers the part of our brain that governs our willpower, judgment, logic, and morality. This leads the addict to abandon what he or she knows is right. And when that happens, the hook is set and Lucifer takes control.

It seems obvious that regardless of the substance or behavior, as soon as we give up our agency, the road becomes downhill to a bad place. Later, Elder Ballard included the following:

Remember, brothers and sisters, any kind of addiction is to surrender to something, thus relinquishing agency and becoming dependent. Thus, video-gaming and texting on cell phones need to be added to the list.

So, what are you going to do now? Here is an apostle saying that video games and cell phones should be included with alcohol, tobacco, pornography, and harmful drugs (including misused prescription drugs).

A few days ago, I removed many games and other applications from my cell phone (read more here). I did this, in part, because of Elder Mazzagardi's words. The more motivating factor, though, was that my wife brought it up. It likely wasn't easy for her to do; how do you convince someone that what they think is harmless can be habit-forming and ultimately addicting?

If you're wondering how to know if something seemingly harmless is addictive, consider what you would do if a loved one asked you to give it up, or at least trim it back considerably. If you would react with disbelief (commonly called denial), chances are, you are on the road to addiction.

The bottom line seems to be that addiction is dangerous, despite its flavor.

If you are concerned about addiction—and you should be!—Elder Ballard has an answer:

To those who are dealing with an addiction personally or within your family, I repeat, fervent prayer is key to gaining the spiritual strength to find peace and overcome an addictive craving. Heavenly Father loves all of His children, so thank Him and express sincere faith in Him. Ask Him for the strength to overcome the addiction you are experiencing. Set aside all pride and turn your life and your heart to Him. Ask to be filled with the power of Christ’s pure love. You may have to do this many times, but I testify to you that your body, mind, and spirit can be transformed, cleansed, and made whole, and you will be freed. . .

And for those of you who have fallen prey to any kind of addiction, there is hope because God loves all of His children and because the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ makes all things possible.

Although not mentioned explicitly in this talk, be aware that some addictions need professional help in addition to faith and fervent prayer.

I'm grateful for the reminder of the very real powers of temptation and addiction. Scary as it is that something so tempting and appetizing, no matter what it is, can lead to addiction and ruin, it's wonderful to be reminded that the Atonement of Christ provides safety, protection, and a way back, if necessary.

What Have You Done with My Name?

2011-03-22T19:56:00.006-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

What Have You Done with My Name?, by Mervyn B. Arnold
Of the Seventy

Each of my children are named after ancestors. While I think I'm super, I doubt I'm named after Superman's alter-ego, Clark Kent; I don't recall why I was named Clark, but I don't think it's after anyone in particular (I called my parents for a reminder, but couldn't find them at home). My children have an advantage that I don't have: they can live up to the good names of those who have gone before.

Regardless of what your first name is, Elder Arnold reminds that you, too, can live up to a great name:

Each week as we partake of the sacrament, we covenant and promise that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. If we are willing to do so, we are promised that most wonderful blessing—that His Spirit will always be with us.

. . . someday each one of us will have to account to our Savior, Jesus Christ, for what we have done with His name.

This reality was captured in a song that I'm very familiar with. From the 1995 Especially for Youth album, Kenneth Cope's "What Have I Done With His Name" outlines a progression of names we could have been named after or called. Take a listen here:

It's one thing to remember those who have gone before and consider them asking what you have done with their name; it's another thing entirely to consider how our own names will be remembered in time. . . say in 600 years! The answer to this consideration may, in large measure, depend on the choices we make and how well we understand that choices have consequences. Elder Arnold shared a story from his wife's life that helped her understand that while we are free to make our own choices, we cannot choose the consequences:

As a 15-year-old, she was a typical teenager, upset to be working at her father's ranch instead of enjoying time with friends in the summertime. One of her tasks was to ensure that the cows didn't press the fence separating their grazing area from the tempting wheat field adjacent. As alluring as the wheat was, she had been taught that if a cow ate wheat—particularly too much wheat—it would bloat, suffocating and killing the cow. Because of this, she would regularly patrol the separating fence, keeping a watchful eye, particularly on one cow that seemed determined to get to the wheat.

The expected happened. The cow pressed through the fence, ate too much wheat, bloated, and ultimately perished because of it all, despite the frantic efforts of all to save the cow in time.

"We had provided her with a beautiful mountain pasture to graze in and a fence to keep her away from the dangerous wheat, yet she foolishly broke through the fence and caused her own death.

“As I thought about the role of the fence, I realized that it was a protection, just as the commandments and my parents’ rules were a protection. The commandments and rules were for my own good. I realized that obedience to the commandments could save me from physical and spiritual death. That enlightenment was a pivotal point in my life.”

While I don't have any experience with wheat fields and their peril to cows, I am grateful for this powerful connective story between choices and consequences. Do I stray from the pasture and sample the forbidden wheat, tarnishing my name(s)? I'm grateful for the reminder that "our Savior invites us on a daily basis to cleanse our names and return to His presence."

Something Elder Arnold said reminded me of another song, this one from my children's involvement in Primary:

Before you act, picture the Savior standing at your side and ask yourself, “Would I think it, would I say it, or would I do it knowing He is there?” For surely He is there. Our beloved President Thomas S. Monson, who I testify is a prophet, often quotes the following verse of scripture when speaking of our Lord and Savior: “For I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts.”

The beautiful song this reminds me of is titled, "If the Savior Stood Beside Me" (read more about this song here). Here's a video:

Avoiding the Trap of Sin

2011-03-19T19:57:00.006-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Avoiding the Trap of Sin, by Jairo Mazzagardi
Of the Seventy

I love when two adjacent conference talks flow together so nicely that it seems that the speakers consulted together and co-wrote each other's talks. It seems like such was the case with this talk and the previous (by Elder Malm, link). Central to both talks were trees. Where Elder Malm spoke of a hollow tree and the trash that filled it, Elder Mazzagardi spoke of two trees: the tree of sin, and the tree of life.

Elder Mazzagardi told of walking with a granddaughter and using their surroundings to answer her question of "what is sin?" Periodic stone posts provided a useful lesson on how sin can overtake us over time if unchecked by conscience and repentance. The strong stone posts crumble over time as vegetation and a small tree slowly push it aside out of its original place. "We must be alert because small choices can bring great consequences."

This afternoon I took time and cleared out many applications from my phone. Many were ones that I installed thinking I would use but never did. Others, however, were apps that I use all the time. Why would I get rid of apps that are frequently used? I did it in reaction to Elder Mazzagardi's talk:

We must be alert not to let sin grow around us. Forms of sin are everywhere—even, for example, in a computer or cell phone. These technologies are useful and can bring great benefits to us. But their inappropriate use—such as involvement in time-wasting games, programs that would drive you to carnal pleasure, or much worse things such as pornography—is destructive. (italics added by me)

I deleted many apps, including my favorite "time-wasting games." The imagery of a strong post slowly pushed aside by a "tree of sin" was strong enough for me to realize that when I'm home and trying to find a brief break through a cell phone game, I'm slowly being pushed away from my family; I love my family much more than bubble bursting, solitaire, or any other cell phone game!

Trees don't always have to be used to illustrate weakness or sin; consider the following:

Just as the tree I have described brought sadness, pain, suffering, and entrapment, another tree can bring the opposite. It is mentioned in 1 Nephi 8:10–12: [It is the tree of life!]

Tree of Life, by Choi De Choon (link)

I'm grateful for the opportunities that surroundings give to teach gospel lessons to inquiring children. I'm also grateful for the lesson that Elder Mazzagardi shared, and I'm excited to not be sucked into my now-removed cell phone games and instead spend more time with my family.

Perhaps we'll take more walks and find gospel lessons in trees and posts, too!

Rest unto Your Souls

2011-03-18T09:30:00.003-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Rest unto Your Souls, by Per G. Malm
Of the Seventy

We're all familiar with the cartoon images of hollow trees that house all kinds of creatures—owls, squirrels with their stockpile of nuts, Keebler Elves—but sometimes other things fill these trees' holes. Elder Malm tells of such a tree in Sweden that is surrounded by beautiful trees. However, this one tree, while hollow, is filled with all sorts of waste!

I've seen such trees here and there. It's as though some people cannot see a void without needing to fill it with their garbage. Sometimes there needn't even be a hole in the tree—have you seen chewing gum trees that have unwittingly become trash art?

Let's return to Elder Malm's hollow Swedish tree. Surprised that it could stand in its condition, he noticed that it was supported via a belt and wires that were anchored on the surrounding buildings. Without these helps, this tree could not stand.

As I considered the environmental impacts of such a tree, I started to wonder if I'm at all like this tree: surrounded by others who are strong and healthy, but inwardly hollow and filling up with junk. I wondered, if I were like this, what could the supports be? Surely I could find something to help me appear strong and tall.

As I wondered about these things, I thought of something else Elder Malm said:

If we choose to act contrary to the light and understanding that we have, we will experience a bad conscience, which of course does not feel good. But a bad conscience is a blessing in that we immediately are reminded that it is time to repent. When we are humble and desire to do what is right, we will be anxious to act promptly to change our ways.

I liked the idea of a bad conscience being an indicator of a need for change!

Expanding on the tree comparison, sometimes the trash on the inside can spill to the surroundings, weakening others. "What we say, how we act, and how we choose to react will influence not only ourselves but also those around us. We can build up, or we can tear down." This reminded me of a poem that I've committed to memory (read more here):

I passed one day through a lonely town,
and saw some men tear a building down.

With a "Ho, heave, ho," and a husky yell,
they swung a beam, and a sidewall fell.

I asked the foremen, "Are these men skilled?
The kind you'd hire if you had to build?"

"Oh no," he chuckled, "no indeed;
The common laborer is all I need."

"You see, I can destroy in a day, or
two what has taken builders weeks to do."

I thought to myself as I went on my way,
"Which of these roles have I tried to play?

"Am I a builder who works with care,
strengthening lives with rule and square?

"Shaping my peers to a well-made plan?
Helping them be the best they can?

"Or am I a wrecker who walks around,
content with the labor of tearing down?"

Speaking of tearing down, are you at all concerned about that hollow tree? Elder Malm shared a story of the tragic end of the tree; some young people filled the hollow with firecrackers which caught the tree on fire and ended its existence. He concluded with a powerful tie-together warning:

Beware of things that will destroy from the inside out, whether big or small! They can have an explosive effect and cause spiritual death.

How is my conscience? Am I a hollow tree that is filling with junk? These are helpful questions of introspection. Whatever the answers may be, there is always strength and help from "the healing Atonement of of Jesus Christ that we may have the strength to stand tall and strong and to have our souls be filled—with light, understanding, joy, and love."

Courageous Parenting

2011-03-17T11:06:00.005-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Courageous Parenting, by Larry R. Lawrence
Of the Seventy

We have a park directly across the street from our home. Because of this, we can watch out our front window and see people when they think no one is watching. It's fun to catch glimpses of fathers with their young children being so gentle and caring as they play. We can see mothers gently helping their children learn to play new games and use the playground equipment in new and exciting ways. In short, we can see parents who love and care for their children.

Unfortunately, from our front window we can also see the effects of children whose parents are apparently out of the picture. We can see packs of youth with no parents or other adults involved being rough on the equipment, being violent to each other, and we can hear their loud abrasive language, riddled with swearing and derogatory words. When I see this, I cannot help but wonder about the absent parents.

For all I know, the parents of these wayward children can be loving and caring parents who trust their children to make good choices (and the children just aren't doing so). I like to imagine this scenario instead of uncaring parents who've given up in their roles and responsibilities. Elder Lawrence taught, "There are no perfect parents and no easy answers, but there are principles of truth that we can rely on."

I'm not concerned for the children whose parents are there playing with them and teaching them how to be kind and loving. I am concerned for the youth who seem to be on a path of destruction and ruin. As I think of how these youth would benefit from caring parents, I think of the powerful example that Elder Lawrence gave:

Imagine for a moment that your daughter was sitting on the railroad tracks and you heard the train whistle blowing. Would you warn her to get off the tracks? Or would you hesitate, worried that she might think you were being overprotective? If she ignored your warning, would you quickly move her to a safe place? Of course you would! Your love for your daughter would override all other considerations. You would value her life more than her temporary goodwill.

Challenges and temptations are coming at our teenagers with the speed and power of a freight train. As we are reminded in the family proclamation, parents are responsible for the protection of their children. That means spiritually as well as physically.

It does little-to-no-good to focus outwardly on the apparently missing parents of the youth at our park. Instead, I need to work on what I can do to be a courageous parent.

It takes courage to gather children from whatever they’re doing and kneel together as a family. It takes courage to turn off the television and the computer and to guide your family through the pages of the scriptures every day. It takes courage to turn down other invitations on Monday night so that you can reserve that evening for your family. It takes courage and willpower to avoid overscheduling so that your family can be home for dinner.

While I hope my children are never sitting on railroad tracks when a train is coming, I'm sure they will be tempted to do things that are even more dangerous. I want to be the kind of parent that uses courageous parenting to faithfully help my children to "be strong and of a good courage."

There were no trains on the tracks here!

Receive the Holy Ghost

2011-03-16T20:53:00.005-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Receive the Holy Ghost, by David A. Bednar
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

As a full-time missionary I often heard other missionaries speak of, or pray to, use the Holy Ghost. A clever leader pointed out: "The Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead. You don't use him; He uses you!"

Clever as this statement is, you could say that its focus is on being acted upon (as opposed to acting). Those familiar with Elder Bednar will have immediately noticed his use of one of his favorite scriptures, 2 Nephi 2:14. (If it's not a favorite, it at least seems frequently used in his talks.)

If our desire is to act, and not just be acted upon, what about the Holy Ghost focuses on acting? The title of this talk gives us a clue:

I remember distinctly when I learned of the proper way to confirm someone a member of the Church and bestow the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I was told to say, "Receive the Holy Ghost," (not "receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost") and I loved all that was suggested in that distinction. I've long loved agency, and the instruction to receive the Holy Ghost highlights choosing. Here's what Elder Bednar taught:

These four words—“Receive the Holy Ghost”—are not a passive pronouncement; rather, they constitute a priesthood injunction—an authoritative admonition to act and not simply to be acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:26). The Holy Ghost does not become operative in our lives merely because hands are placed upon our heads and those four important words are spoken. As we receive this ordinance, each of us accepts a sacred and ongoing responsibility to desire, to seek, to work, and to so live that we indeed “receive the Holy Ghost” and its attendant spiritual gifts.

It's one thing to know about receiving the Holy Ghost, but another thing entirely to actually do it. Here's Elder Bednar's suggestion:

We need to (1) sincerely desire to receive the Holy Ghost, (2) appropriately invite the Holy Ghost into our lives, and (3) faithfully obey God’s commandments.

About five years ago, I taught a group of 12- to 13-yr olds a lesson on the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Hoping to make it more meaningful, I prepared bookmarks that had a picture of a light bulb—suggesting that the companionship of the Holy Ghost is like a light—and a list of what to do to receive the companionship. Here are the two designs I let them choose from, along with the list I used:

Desire the companionship of the Holy Ghost
Learn more about the Holy Ghost
Sincerely request guidance
Live worthy of this companionship

I'm pleased to see that with the addition of learning more about the Holy Ghost, my list closely matches Elder Bednar's!

Tucked in the back of my scriptures are my own copies of these light bulb bookmarks. I feel good each time I use them or see them as I think of the good times I had with those young men and all that we learned together. Even more, though, I'm grateful that I can receive the Holy Ghost again and again and enjoy the blessings that come from that sacred companionship—from choosing to act, and not just be acted upon.

The Priesthood of Aaron

2011-03-15T09:34:00.004-04:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Priesthood of Aaron, by L. Tom Perry
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

As you enter many homes nowadays, the first thing you see is a large television central to the family's main living area. If you visit a park or playground, you will see children playing on the equipment, but the parents are glued to their smart phones or are talking mindlessly on cell phones. As you drive from here to there, you see many SUVs with blank-eyed children in the back seats, seeing nothing but a small screen in front of them showing a movie or television show (even on short trips across town).

Entertainment and media access have become more and more important in our lives—at least it looks that way by how we live. 25 years ago, Elder Perry spoke in conference, addressing his eldest grandson. Among other things, he took responsibility for the state of the world (along with his colleagues):

I believe we’ve greatly failed you in what we have allowed the conditions in the world to become. . .

We have brought into our homes radios, record players, and television sets. While each has the potential of providing wholesome entertainment, so much of what has been produced for our listening and watching pleasure is not of the caliber to inspire and encourage young men. In fact, most of what is produced is degrading. The flip of a switch right in your own home has the potential of destroying within you a sense of what is right and what is wrong.

In Sunday School two days ago, someone commented that there isn't much hope for the future generations because with iPhones and other devices, we hold in our hand the world's vault of pornography, accessible anytime, anywhere.

Yesterday I listened to a radio interview with an old-time stuntman who said that he cannot stand the recent use of computer graphics in stunts and action shots in movies. He preferred the real feel of stunts, performed by real people (interview here). As I considered this, I thought of something Elder Perry said: "The more things change, the more they stay the same—except for technology."

This morning we're going to take a family trip to the movie theater to see a film. This is something we don't usually do, but we wanted to have an adventure and see Tangled. I expect that there will be humor and an end-of-story good message, but I'm concerned that the way things are portrayed—even though it's a cartoon—will be too intense for my pure children.

The more technology advances, the more we can see fantastic things portrayed in films and other entertainment. (Remember the stunt man who prefers what can be done in reality.) Despite the innovations in presenting reality, altered reality, or science fiction, I'm thinking of something else that is truly fantastic; there are historical events that are linked although they are separated by centuries:

Central to the Book of Mormon is the account of Christ visiting the people in the Americas. From the Introduction, we read:

The crowning event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after his resurrection. It puts forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come.

1,800 years after this glorious appearance of the Son of God to faithful saints in what would become the New World, the same resurrected Christ appeared with His Father to Joseph Smith, ushering in a new dispensation of the fulness of the gospel. As part of the Restoration, Joseph Smith had the opportunity to assist in translating from ancient records what would become the Book of Mormon. While translating in 3 Nephi—where is recorded Christ's visit to the people—Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were thrilled by Christ's teachings of baptism and had questions. They prayed for guidance and John the Baptist, who had baptized Christ, appeared and conferred upon them the authority to baptize; they received the Aaronic Priesthood.

Later, Oliver recounted the event in these words: “But … think, further think for a moment, what joy filled our hearts, and with what surprise we must have bowed … when we received under his hand the Holy Priesthood.”

After mankind had been waiting for centuries for God’s authority to be restored, the power and glory of the holy Aaronic Priesthood returned to the earth.

We can talk of representations of things that are fantastic in films and shows, but I don't think they can ever match or replace the reality of events that are truly fantastic—events like Christ visiting people and the conferral of the priesthood (whether by angels or authorized mortals).

We can talk further of the perils of access to media that can degrade, influence for evil, and otherwise harm. Despite poor possibilities, I have hope for the future. Elder Perry quoted President Benson:

Give me a young man who has kept himself morally clean and has faithfully attended his Church meetings. Give me a young man who has magnified his priesthood and has earned the Duty to God Award and is an Eagle Scout. Give me a young man who is a seminary graduate and has a burning testimony of the Book of Mormon. Give me such a young man, and I will give you a young man who can perform miracles for the Lord in the mission field and throughout his life.

There have always been temptations and options for bad choices. While the access and prevalence of such may be ever-increasing, the power of God is eternal, and as we choose to follow His plan we find something that is better than the thrill of disobedience or sin; we find happiness and eternal life.

This is reality that cannot be matched or exceeded by any special effects!

The Divine Gift of Gratitude

2011-03-10T19:04:00.005-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Divine Gift of Gratitude, by Thomas S. Monson
President, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

I've been bubbling with excitement all day today! While there are some disadvantages to being a college student, one of the perks is Spring Break. As a family man, I get to spend a week with my amazing wife and hilarious children! Life couldn't be any better.

It was with this everything-is-hunky-dory attitude that I read President Monson's talk on gratitude. You might say I was definitely in a glass-is-half-full mood. When I read "We have all experienced times when our focus is on what we lack rather than on our blessings," I remembered such times and thought of the other points of view that we can sometimes have; perhaps you can relate to one of the following:

If you happen to be in a glass-is-half-empty mood, perhaps the following words of President Monson will help:

Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings.

This is a wonderful time to be on earth. While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are many things that are right and good. There are marriages that make it, parents who love their children and sacrifice for them, friends who care about us and help us, teachers who teach. Our lives are blessed in countless ways.

Besides being a cute rhyme, an attitude of gratitude is something worth striving to cultivate. Sharing a quote from President Joseph F. Smith, President Monson summarized: "A prayerful life is the key to possessing gratitude."

You may be familiar with the hymn, "Did You Think to Pray?" (link). The message of this hymn is that prayer can remind us of better things and comfort our hearts. However, you may have also noticed that the focus is on when times are tough; what about the hunky-dory times?

During a lesson she substitute-taught in Sunday School, my friend shared an additional verse she had composed just an hour before (during sacrament meeting). I think you'll like it (thanks, Kami!):

When your heart was filled with gladness,
Did you think to pray?
When your life was full of blessing,
Psalms thanksgiving were you sending
Showing thanks that day?

Oh how praying lifts the cheery!
Prayer shows gratitude that day.
So when life's NOT dark and dreary,
Don't forget to pray.

Whether the glass is half-empty or half-full (or any of the other variants), I want to live with an attitude of gratitude!

My brothers and sisters, to express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven.

Two Lines of Communication

2011-03-09T20:27:00.003-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Two Lines of Communication, by Dallin H. Oaks
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I've long noticed what appears to be a contradiction when I speak to some Christians about faith and the restored gospel. As our conversation turns to Joseph Smith, most will quickly say that there is no need for revelation today—that all that is required is the Bible and faith. Yet, these same people, often in the next breath, will say that they know that they are right and that their beliefs are 100 percent accurate. (How can they know without revelation?)

As I reviewed Elder Oaks' talk, I began to wonder if the confusion isn't a contradiction, but rather a misunderstanding of terms. His talk speaks of two lines of communication: the personal line, and the priesthood line. In addition to explaining both of these, Elder Oaks stresses that both are important, and neither is more important than the other.

Regarding the personal line—this is where we pray to Heavenly Father and He answers us—my Christian friends do, in fact, believe in this kind of revelation. Here's what Elder Oaks said:

On this personal line of communication with the Lord, our belief and practice is similar to that of those Christians who insist that human mediators between God and man are unnecessary because all have direct access to God under the principle Martin Luther espoused that is now known as “the priesthood of all believers.”

Knowing that most (if not all) Christians indeed believe in revelation, the confusion seems to rest on the priesthood line. The Joseph Smith story is a beautiful account of the bringing back of priesthood authority, and, therefore, the priesthood line of communication (revelation). For some reason, many refuse to believe that God can speak to prophets today as he did anciently. At the same time, some religions rely heavily on the priesthood line:

In respect to this priesthood line, our belief and practice is similar to the insistence of some Christians that authoritative ordinances (sacraments) are essential and must be performed by one authorized and empowered by Jesus Christ (see John 15:16). We believe the same but of course differ with other Christians on how we trace that authority.

Despite the confusion that exists in many regarding revelation and the lines of communication that are available to all mankind, the importance of such remains great. Elder Oaks reminded that "we must use both the personal line and the priesthood line in proper balance to achieve the growth that is the purpose of mortal life." Without these lines of confusion, many are left like the sign shown below, barely hanging on, missing what is really important:

I'm grateful for the knowledge and understanding that were restored and are available to all through both lines of communication as part of the Restoration.

Be an Example of the Believers

2011-03-06T11:35:00.003-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Be an Example of the Believers, by Mary N. Cook
First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency

Last night my wife and I watched a documentary exploring the increasing prevalence of digital media in our lives, particularly the lives of students (from elementary school on up to college). Digital Nation was an interesting program that raised questions about the fallacy of multitasking with digital things (e.g. attending a college lecture while chatting on facebook and watching YouTube videos really doesn't help retain more information from any of the individual activities than doing them serially). Also in the program was the plight of youth who are addicted to video games, and the frustration that parents feel by it all.

(You can watch the full program, for free, here.)

I was reminded of the parents' feelings as I read Sister Cook's talk this morning. As I watched the show, and again this morning, I wondered why the parents allowed their young children to become addicted to gaming—which took hours out of their lives and negatively affected their grades and learning.

What could these parents do?

What can I do?

In her talk, Sister Cook quoted Brigham Young:

We should never permit ourselves to do anything that we are not willing to see our children do. We should set them an example that we wish them to imitate.

We may argue that we don't play video games, use Twitter, chat endlessly, or spend countless hours online, but we can still be good examples for our children. After relating examples from the life of Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Smith's mother, Sister Cook remarked:

You may not be raising a prophet as Lucy was, but you are certainly raising tomorrow’s leaders, and your actions are just as tangibly linked to their faith.

In my response to a talk by President Monson from last conference (link), I shared a comparison between the For the Strength of Youth pamphlets of yesteryear and today. Similarly, Sister Cook extolled us to use the teachings of this pamphlet in our lives:

We must model that which is virtuous and lovely by our personal media choices. We must take care that the media we invite into our homes does not dull the sensitivity to the Spirit, harm relationships with our family and friends, or reveal personal priorities that are inconsistent with gospel principles. By example we can help our children understand that spending long periods of time using the Internet, social media, and cell phones; playing video games; or watching television keeps us from productive activities and valuable interactions with others.

The world and access to technologies that can bless our lives may change; however, there is comfort in knowing that we can be examples for our children as we look to the examples of others around us.

Regardless of what the future may hold, as we faithfully live our covenants, our lives will be blessed, as will the lives of those we love.

The Holy Ghost and Revelation

2011-03-05T10:20:00.005-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Holy Ghost and Revelation, by Jay E. Jensen
Of the Presidency of the Seventy

When you consider the Holy Ghost, what do you think of? In Sunday School lessons, typical answers may include:

He is the third member of the Godhead
He is a spirit; he does not have a physical body
He is known as the Spirit, or the Spirit of God
He is a testator of Christ
He teaches us all things
He testifies of all truth

I'm grateful for the many roles and duties of the Holy Ghost (read more here), but I was reminded of one of His aspects while reading Elder Jensen's talk:

The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead, and with the Father and the Son, He knows all things (see D&C 35:19; 42:17).

We are familiar with the omniscience of God, but I seem to personally only think of the Father and the Son as being all-knowing—at least at a cursory glance. Perhaps the reason I do this is because the Holy Ghost is often billed as a messenger, and we don't typically think of messengers as knowing all that the message-sender does. Despite this association, the Holy Ghost does know all things.

In addition to knowing all things and acting as a messenger, the Holy Ghost reveals truth. In his talk, Elder Jensen referred to cornerstones of the Church; I really liked this illustration:

President Gordon B. Hinckley called the Book of Mormon one of the four essential cornerstones of the Church, the others being Joseph Smith’s First Vision, the restoration of the priesthood, and of course our testimony of Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone (see Ephesians 2:19–21). “These four great God-given gifts,” he explained, “are the unshakable cornerstones which anchor The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as the individual testimonies and convictions of its members.”

I'm grateful for the Holy Ghost and revelation. The four cornerstones of my testimony, as illustrated above, are the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith's First Vision, the restoration of the Priesthood, and my testimony of Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone.

At the start of his talk, Elder Jensen spoke of the experiences that led him to follow Alma's counsel to "experiment upon the word" (see Alma 32:27-28). This experiment, nourished by faith, leads to the word growing from a seed. We're familiar with this comparison, but I enjoyed the looking back that Elder Jensen alluded to:

These words or seeds have grown into trees, indeed giant trees of testimony. The process continues with more experiments upon the word, resulting in additional trees of testimony, now a veritable forest based on revelation through and by the Holy Ghost.

We may think of the seeds growing, but it's another thing entirely to look back and see the once seedlings as strong, giant trees of testimony.

So, take your pick: nature or structure. Do you prefer the reference to trees or buildings when referencing the testimony that comes from the Holy Ghost and Revelation? It's a difficult decision, but I'm grateful for both!

Cleansing the Inner Vessel

2011-03-03T19:44:00.005-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Cleansing the Inner Vessel, by Boyd K. Packer
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I've been trying to be more healthy (and lose weight). Despite the successes I've seen, I'm still tempted to overeat or have too many desserts. It's so persistent, in fact, that when I hear others say that they're no longer tempted to indulge, I cannot believe them.

My goal of healthy living—or rather the temptation to not eat healthy things—seems closely related to the temptation to sin. There is likely a big difference in that I don't expect that Satan is tempting me to eat that cookie, whereas I do think he's all for sinning. Despite this difference, it's in the exercise of my agency (the choices I make) that makes all the difference:

The old saying “The Lord is voting for me, and Lucifer is voting against me, but it is my vote that counts” describes a doctrinal certainty that our agency is more powerful than the adversary’s will. Agency is precious. We can foolishly, blindly give it away, but it cannot be forcibly taken from us.

We all have temptations that we do or should struggle with. In his talk, President Packer spoke of life-giving powers and the full expression of love. It seems that whenever Church leaders even hint at marriage and love, many people automatically assume they're coming out with fire against homosexuality. This just isn't the case; consider the following, noting the use of the word "any":

We teach a standard of moral conduct that will protect us from Satan’s many substitutes or counterfeits for marriage. We must understand that any persuasion to enter into any relationship that is not in harmony with the principles of the gospel must be wrong. From the Book of Mormon we learn that “wickedness never was happiness."

Some suppose that they were preset and cannot overcome what they feel are inborn temptations toward the impure and unnatural. Not so! Remember, God is our Heavenly Father.

BYU and its honor code have entered the news stories because of something to do with a player on the basketball team. While I don't know much about athletics, I do know about the honor code. In fact, my colleagues and I discussed it at length at lunch today. There is a section on "Homosexual Behavior" in the honor code where homosexuality (same-gender attraction) is stated as strictly not being forbidden. The distinction lies in the action, as it does with every other temptation (see full honor code here).

BYU can make these regulations—regardless of how others may perceive them to be archaic—because it is a private school. Taking it up a step, the Church likewise teaches the same. In his talk, President Packer reminded that there are moral and physical laws from which we cannot escape the consequences, regardless of changing legal status:

History demonstrates over and over again that moral standards cannot be changed by battle and cannot be changed by ballot. To legalize that which is basically wrong or evil will not prevent the pain and penalties that will follow as surely as night follows day.

Regardless of the opposition, we are determined to stay on course. We will hold to the principles and laws and ordinances of the gospel. If they are misunderstood either innocently or willfully, so be it. We cannot change; we will not change the moral standard. We quickly lose our way when we disobey the laws of God. If we do not protect and foster the family, civilization and our liberties must needs perish.

Whenever rules or commandments are discussed, there is a need to emphasize the role of Christ's Atonement in providing a way to return. I liked President Packer's comparison of repentance to a detergent: "Even ground-in stains of sin will come out."

I'm grateful for the understanding I have of agency and consequences. In big decisions (e.g. morality) and small (e.g. cookies), I can know what will happen—good or bad—based on my decisions. When I do make mistakes, there is a way back through the detergent of repentance. As with weight loss, mistakes can be overcome, but it will take some work, and the temptation may remain, but I know that with perseverance and trust in the Lord, I can overcome mistakes of the past and triumphantly march toward the future!

Trust in God, Then Go and Do

2011-03-01T19:56:00.005-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Trust in God, Then Go and Do, by Henry B. Eyring
First Counselor in the First Presidency

Politics is a dangerous playground on social media sites. I imagine that the more political reference one makes on facebook, the more that person is blocked by "friends." Nevertheless, politics—at least tearing at others' political beliefs—seems to occupy much of the current news headlines and discussions.

I thought of this as I read President Eyring's talk. Why can't we be happy with elected leaders?

After sharing examples of faith and trust from the scriptures (both good and bad), President Eyring shared examples of individuals and groups who showed Trust in God and then went and did. After these examples, two phrases stood out to me:

The Lord did not run the city, but He changed a part of it for the better.
. . .
God does not rule in nations, but He is mindful of them. He can and does place people in positions of influence who want what is best for the people and who trust in the Lord.

What I got from this is that the Lord can use us to make the world a better place. Perhaps more profound, God can use others who may not share our religion or even political affiliation to make a difference in the world.

As I considered this—particularly the latter part—I wondered if I could look at local or world leaders through a different lens; instead of seeing them through the view that cable news may portray (left or right), can we see the good in those who "want what is best for the people and who trust in the Lord"?

I want to take a step back and see my life through God's eyes to see how he can use me, or has been using me. I also want to look at local, national, and world leaders to see the many good ways that so many are making the world a better place because they "want what is best for the people and. . . trust in the Lord." As I do this, I imagine I can see the 11th and 12th Articles of Faith (link) as being more connected, and in a whole new light.

The Three Rs of Choice

2011-02-27T19:39:00.003-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

The Three Rs of Choice, by Thomas S. Monson
President, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

I always seem drawn to talks that discuss agency (or choice) for some reason; it's as if I have no choice on the matter. . .

I was asked to give a talk years ago on agency and adversity. I had a great time preparing the talk, but decided to leave a chunk of the talk out because it was too opinion-based; I thought it would be more appropriate in Sunday School, to throw the class off on an irreparable tangent. Because this is a blog, I thought I would revisit the omitted portion of the talk. It turns out that I found it in less than ten seconds! Here are/were my thoughts on agency, which I share to give some explanation to my fascination with the topic:

Before this life, while in the premortal council, Satan “sought to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:3) with a proposed amendment to Heavenly Father's plan for His children. Agency is central to that plan, being requisite “otherwise there is no existence” (see D&C 93:30-31); the destruction of agency would ultimately make salvation impossible. While we do not know exactly by what means Satan sought to destroy agency, theories abound.

Many maintain that Satan’s idea was to force all the children of our Father in Heaven to live righteous lives, and somehow he (Satan) would have all of the glory. Personally, I feel that this idea is not in harmony with the many manifestations of Satan’s methods currently being employed to lead us astray. Rather, I propose that Satan wanted to somehow eliminate the negative consequences of agency. I imagine that his idea was that he would suffer—yes, there would be a Savior who would take all of the glory to himself—but he wanted somehow to alter the prescribed rules of the universe such that with him as Savior, his role would be sufficient to save all, regardless of their actions. This idea is seen too prevalently in today’s societies. Here are two examples:

Many religions teach that all that is required is to confess the name of a savior, yet give no standard of living in everyday life (e.g. consequences of wrong choices cannot keep us from our salvation); and,
Too often we try to somehow pass the blame of our actions to others; somehow trying to eliminate the consequences of our actions. This reminds me of the young man who came home with a quite pitiful report card. He finally shared the results with his parents and asked where they thought the blame lied, “What do you think the cause is: heredity or environment?”

I cannot understand how someone (Satan) who was so gung-ho about righteousness that he was willing to ultimately leave the presence of the Father with a third of the hosts of heaven could immediately begin teaching us on earth to:

Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God. (2 Ne 28:8)

To me, this sounds more like the result of someone wanting to get rid of consequences, rather than force others to do right.

In his talk, President Monson categorized the various aspects of agency/choice into three categories:

The Right of Choice
This aspect was referred to earlier: agency is central to Heavenly Father's plan. In fact, President David O. McKay's famous quote reminds: "Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God's greatest gift to man." When Lucifer proposed his amendment to the Great Plan of Salvation, "he seemed not to recognize—or perhaps not to care—that . . . none would be any wiser, any stronger, any more compassionate, or any more grateful if his plan were followed."

Because the Plan includes the Atonement of Christ, this great universal gift of agency (or choice) is operational; "within the confines of whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we will always have the right to choose."

The Responsibility of Choice
President Monson is known for being well-read and using sometimes-humorous references in his talks. Such is the case with the responsibility of choice. Funny as the reference is, it is spot-on.

He reminds of the classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which many may be familiar because of the film adaptations (I am). When lost and at a crossroads, Alice meets the Cheshire cat and asks the cat which path she should follow. You'll remember the rest:

The cat answers, “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take.”

President Monson provides the connection:

Unlike Alice, we all know where we want to go, and it does matter which way we go, for by choosing our path, we choose our destination.

Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed—the courage to say no, the courage to say yes. Decisions do determine destiny.

The Results of Choice
Life can be thought of as one choice after another. Some have more significance than others. President Monson reminds of what is really important:

May we keep our eyes, our hearts, and our determination focused on that goal which is eternal and worth any price we will have to pay, regardless of the sacrifice we must make to reach it. . . Eternal life in the kingdom of our Father is your goal. Such a goal is not achieved in one glorious attempt but rather is the result of a lifetime of righteousness, an accumulation of wise choices, even a constancy of purpose. As with anything really worthwhile, the reward of eternal life requires effort.

Despite what some individuals and societies may believe, decisions do have consequences, and we cannot escape them. Please note, however, that the use of the word consequences does not necessarily carry only negative implications; eternal life is a consequence of a lifetime of righteousness!

I'm grateful for agency and choice. While we may sometimes wish we could escape the immediate results of our mistakes or bad decisions, there is comfort in knowing that forgiveness comes through Christ, and that because of Him we can ultimately obtain eternal life through the right, responsibility, and results of choice!

Serve with the Spirit

2011-02-22T20:21:00.003-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Serve with the Spirit, by Henry B. Eyring
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

My son, Andrew, is named after two of his ancestors who first heard, accepted, and embraced the restored gospel.

Andrew Lafayette Siler was born in December of 1824 in Sweet Water, Tennessee, was baptized on Valentines Day in 1850, and died in Kanab, Utah in 1898. Between those times he lived a full life.

William Dickinson Pratt (elder brother of Parley P. Pratt) was born in September of 1802 in Wooster, New York, joined the Church and went through the temple in Nauvoo in December 1845, and died in Salt Lake in 1870. He, likewise, lived a full life among these few events.

What ties these men together is their connection to our family. They both served the Lord with the Spirit, helped lead their families in righteousness, and because of their influence (and others'), five generations later, my wife and I met in an English class, fell in love, and were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.

President Eyring tells the stories of two of his ancestors who accepted the gospel because missionaries served with the Spirit. These two met on the trail to Utah, fell in love, and were married. Unlike President Eyring, I don't know how many descendants the two in our family histories have, I am grateful for them:

I am among the tens of thousands of descendants of that boy and that girl who bless the names of two priesthood holders who brought the ministrations of the Spirit of God with them.

We named our youngest son after the two mentioned above (the others were also named from individuals in family history). It's fun to think that those two men set in motion part of something great the ultimately led to the creation of our little family (of course they were just two of many ancestors). I'm grateful for them and what the many things they did—much of their lives are a mystery to me! Despite the unknowns, I'm grateful for what I do know: that they had many times when they went forward doing what the Lord called them to do. The self-application of their example is President Eyring's message:

My message for us tonight is this: let us do whatever is required to qualify for the Holy Ghost as our companion, and then let us go forward fearlessly so that we will be given the powers to do whatever the Lord calls us to do.

I don't usually think of my accomplishments and my daily life from the lens of those five generations out, but if I did, I might imagine them looking back thanking me and my wife for what we did for them (along with others). This is a new and interesting way to consider service in the Church and doing what the Lord asks me to do!

Pride and the Priesthood

2011-02-21T20:23:00.006-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Pride and the Priesthood, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency

As I saw the title of this talk, "Pride and the Priesthood," I thought of another P&P. I think I may be a strange husband in that I enjoy the Austen-esque films like Pride and Prejudice. Sometimes when we have an evening to share (a rarity), my wife will ask what film I would like to see, and I will pull one of our many films of this genre out of the cupboard (we even have multiple versions of some titles). She usually asks, "You really want to watch that?", and then she smiles at my sheepish grin.

Watching the effects of pride in others' lives can be painful, cathartic, or even funny, if put in the right plot line; however, recognizing pride in ourselves can be another thing entirely! While I don't remember the actual talk that President Benson gave in 1989, I did live through its aftershocks. I well remember the scorn and, well, pride shown by some whenever they heard another use the word pride in a sentence. "Beware of pride. . ." was a common reply, even in instances where the word was used entirely appropriately. President Uchtdorf noticed this, too:

For a while it almost became taboo among Church members to say that they were “proud” of their children or their country or that they took “pride” in their work. The very word pride seemed to become an outcast in our vocabulary.

President Uchtdorf listed scriptural examples showing good uses of pride. He also pointed out that "there is a difference between being proud of certain things and being prideful." The difference, he reminded, is in comparison. It seems that as soon our attitudes drift into the "therefore I'm better than. . ." area, we are flirting with being proud in a bad way.

I enjoyed the caution against pride:

It is a gateway sin that leads to a host of other human weaknesses. In fact, it could be said that every other sin is, in essence, a manifestation of pride.

Realizing how dangerous pride is and can be, what can be done?

Here is the answer:

Pride is a switch that turns off priesthood power. Humility is a switch that turns it on. (See D&C 121:34-37)

The switch imagery makes it all seem so simple; perhaps it is. Here's President Uchtdorf's views on discovering humility:

We don’t discover humility by thinking less of ourselves; we discover humility by thinking less about ourselves. It comes as we go about our work with an attitude of serving God and our fellowman.

The final comparison to pride and humility that resonated well with me had to do with a four-color pen. This is a kind of pen he used as an airplane pilot, and it's presumably the same kind my own father used for his work when I was a small child. I well remember the magic of this pen—when one color was selected, you just had to slide the lever for another color and the first would pop inside the pen just in time for the second to descend; hours of entertainment!

President Uchtdorf used this pen as a comparison to humility in that the colors had no preference to which was used for what or how frequently. Here's what he said of his pen and the comparison pride:

With greatest reliability it performed every task I needed, no matter how important or insignificant. It was always ready to serve.

In a similar way we are tools in the hands of God. When our heart is in the right place, we do not complain that our assigned task is unworthy of our abilities. We gladly serve wherever we are asked. When we do this, the Lord can use us in ways beyond our understanding to accomplish His work.

This was a great talk with many points that I found quotable. I've gone from the works of Austen, to the outlawing of saying pride, to its burgeoning reuse, to the peril of comparison, to gateway sins, to switches, and to four-color pens. That's quite a lot for one topic. In fact, I'm pretty proud of this blog entry. Don't worry, though, I don't think I'm any better than any other blogger because of it; I'm just grateful for the ride!

He Teaches Us to Put Off the Natural Man

2011-02-19T22:30:00.002-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

He Teaches Us to Put Off the Natural Man, by Juan A. Uceda
Of the Seventy

The bulk of Elder Uceda's talk centers on an experience when a family lost harmony in a scripture reading session because two members (the father and a daughter) made poor choices. Tempers were lost, and feelings were hurt.

Although our family scripture times are usually great, I can see something similar happening in the future if I don't learn the lesson that Elder Uceda wants to teach. The condensed message seems to be two parts: a quote, and two scripture passages.

The quote:

Our homes have to be places where the Holy Spirit may dwell. “Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.”

The scriptures:

King Benjamin's reminder that men can put off the natural man and become Saints through the Atonement (see Mosiah 3:19); and
Part of the revelation Joseph Smith received in response to his plea for help in Liberty Jail, where the Lord outlines that the priesthood should be used only in righteousness (see D&C 121:37, 41-42)

As much as I don't want to make mistakes as a parent, I seem to continue to do so (often the same mistakes over and again). Just as the father in the story that was relayed was prompted, I often feel the same counsel: "Go and say, 'I'm sorry.'"

I'm grateful for the words of Christ and the promptings of the Holy Ghost that teach me to put off the natural man. I want to continue to improve so I have fewer and fewer times when I need to apologize; in other words, I want to be submissive, meek, humble, patient, and full of love. I'm happy that Christ teaches me how to do this and to have peace in my home!

Come unto Me with Full Purpose of Heart, and I Shall Heal You

2011-02-18T20:50:00.005-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

“Come unto Me with Full Purpose of Heart, and I Shall Heal You”, by Patrick Kearon
Of the Seventy

Imagine living in the Arabian Peninsula as a child. Life there may have been quite different from where you were actually raised. For example, I remember running around the neighborhood barefoot; however, Elder Kearon tells of a time when he learned the importance of obeying his parents' consistent warnings to always wear shoes. While camping, he "wanted to go exploring, but [he] did not want to bother with putting on [his] shoes." He tells of rationalizing and wearing only flip-flops.

As he went off alone, he felt a sting in the arch of his foot and saw that he had been stung by a scorpion! Calling for help and rushing to the two-hours-away hospital, he thought he was going to die. He said:

I disregarded what I knew to be right. I ignored what my parents had repeatedly taught me. I had been both lazy and a little rebellious, and I paid a price for it.

As you can tell, this story has the makings of a great analogy to obedience and safety. In fact, my wonderful wife recently put together the felt board pieces shown above (and below) and presented this story in our family home evening!

Telling of another powerful story, Elder Kearon shares an experience of an old WWII veteran. This man survived a mine blast (but the driver of the vehicle they were in was killed). The moral of the story:

He learned that to survive in a minefield, you must follow exactly in the tracks of the vehicle moving ahead of you. Any deviation to the right or left could—and indeed did—prove fatal.

Have we, through rebellion or justification, been stung or wandered off of the path of safety? I take comfort in Elder Kearon's words, "Not one of you has thrown away your last chance. You can change, you can come back, you can claim mercy."(Compare to D&C 112:13)

I'm grateful for the safety and protection provided by the Atonement. I'm also grateful for the healing after stings and blasts which result from our own wrong choices. Even when we think that we're going to die (perhaps spiritually), there is a way back to safety.

Be Thou an Example of the Believers

2011-02-17T20:09:00.006-05:00

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Be Thou an Example of the Believers, by Russell M. Nelson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Just this morning, before reviewing Elder Nelson's remarks, I shared a status on facebook. Here it is:

Although it's no surprise that "I'm a Mormon," what makes it timely is that in his talk, Elder Nelson encouraged us to do just that! Look at this optimism for technology:

Now in this day of the Internet, there are new and exciting ways you can do missionary work. You can invite friends and neighbors to visit the new mormon.org Web site. If you have blogs and online social networks, you could link your sites to mormon.org.

For those of us that are nervous about vigorously proselytizing among our neighbors and friends, here is an additional way to share the gospel: through blogs and facebook!

We like to feed our local missionaries in our home. Not only does it expose our children to full-time missionaries, but it's fun to get to know them and get tips and advice on how to be better missionaries ourselves. When we fed them this month, they echoed Elder Nelson's charge to create a profile on mormon.org (but we didn't realize they were echoing him). My wife and I did, and we also linked our profile to our blogs (you can see it here; look to the right, underneath my written testimony). Here is another link, just for fun:

In addition to encouraging us to use the new mormon.org, Elder Nelson reminded us to "extend a hand of fellowship to at least one person you did not know before" each Sunday at church. I've been doing this, and it's great fun! I like when others ask to know more about me, and it turns out that I also enjoy asking.

There are two scriptures that were shared in this talk that I would like to repeat here:

Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you (1 Pet 3:15).

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity (1 Tim 4:12, emphasis added).

I enjoyed the reminder to stand as an example and always be ready to share my belief with others. I don't need to wait for full-time missionaries to find, teach, and baptize others so I can simply get to know them at church. I can share what I believe and who I am with others, every day, in fun and exciting ways!