Come unto Me, O Ye House of Israel

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

"Come unto Me, O Ye House of Israel", by Larry Echo Hawk
Of the Seventy



I wonder if I've ever received special treatment because I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What immediately comes to mind are experiences I had while serving a full-time mission for the Church.

I served in Boise, Idaho, where approximately forty percent of the population were also Mormon (or so we were told). As missionaries, we were often greeted with smiles and sometimes free meals from others whom we assumed were also members of the Church. When riding our bicycles, many people would honk and wave at us, so I got used to smiling all the time and waving whenever I heard a honk. Granted, some of those honks were followed by unfriendly yells and unkind gestures, but most of the time the honks were honks of kindness.

Elder Echo Hawk shared an experience from the Marine Corps where his drill instructor ridiculed and yelled at all the other recruits, but spared him after seeing his copy of the Book of Mormon and learning that he believed it was true. He shares that he doesn't know why he was spared the ridicule and disparagement of his fellow Marines, but that he is grateful for what he believes.

As a missionary in a heavily-LDS area, when I was greeted with kindness, I simply assumed it was from a fellow Mormon who had compassion for me. However, after thinking about Elder Echo Hawk's experience, I'm reminded of the very many people who were loving and kind and either welcomed us into their homes to listen to our message, or politely said, "No, thank you."

I've had encounters where I perceived I was treated kindly because of my Church membership, and I've had encounters where I thought my poor treatment was due to my Church membership. What I'm concluding from Elder Echo Hawk's message and my own experiences is that regardless of how you're treated, the important thing is to keep smiling while you ride, and wave whenever you can. Regardless of how I'm treated by others, I want to be grateful for the things I know are true.

This probably isn't the intended message Elder Echo Hawk set out to deliver, but it's what I heard! Who knows, maybe through kind living, regardless of how I expect I'll be received, I can help others come unto Christ.

Be Anxiously Engaged

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Be Anxiously Engaged, by M. Russell Ballard
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles



My wife and I celebrated our eleventh anniversary this weekend (our children called it our family's birthday). This is probably why when I read the title of this talk, "Be Anxiously Engaged," I thought of my life eleven years and one week ago when I was looking forward to something wonderfully amazing: I was anxiously engaged... to be married!

What does a couple or family do on an eleventh anniversary? Wikipedia says that the eleventh is the Steel Anniversary (link), but we didn't do anything steely; our family plans were for gleaning. We learned that each year, our local church congregation goes to a corn field and hand-harvests corn that is delivered to a local service organization to provide food for needy individuals/families to consume that very weekend. We were all set to do something as a family to serve others.

However, due to recent rain and the wet season, our gleaning activity was cancelled because the roads to the fields were soggy. With no Saturday morning plans, we didn't just lie around, though, with the help of my children, I dug up and maintained or replaced old sprinkler heads in the yard. I traded one service for another!

Friends did tend our children in the evening while we escaped to enjoy Indian food together as an anniversary dinner, but their service was consistent with our service-oriented anniversary.

In his talk, Elder Ballard spoke of honeybees.

In addition to saying that "honey contains all of the substances necessary to sustain mortal life," he told of how in its short life, each bee will only contribute one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey to the hive collective. I don't know how many drops that would be (if even one drop), but it does illustrate the idea of collective hard work to achieve great things.

How do we become like the service-minded honeybee? Here's the "one simple practice" that Elder Ballard recommends:

In your morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His precious children. Then go throughout the day with your heart full of faith and love, looking for someone to help. Stay focused, just like the honeybees focus on the flowers from which to gather nectar and pollen.

Earlier I mentioned that when our service trip was cancelled, I nobly went to the yard to do work on our sprinklers. What I probably should have used as an example of the principle is the never-ending prayers and result-of-prayers service that my wife lovingly gives to our family and others. When I'm feeling particularly Christ-like, I'll remember to pray for opportunities to bless or serve others; I imagine, though, that my wife never forgets to do this—she acts like blessing the lives of others is her sole-purpose, much like a honeybee and its pollen-collecting.

I'm grateful for the past eleven years of bliss I've enjoyed with my wife. She lovingly reminds me, through her example, that lives are blessed through loving service given day after day after day!

I might try to make comparisons between conference talks and my life, but my sweet wife's whole life is a living example of everything good we hear and feel each conference. With how hard-working and sweet she is, you might think she's a lot like a honeybee. She's not, though; she's more like a whole hive of honeybees! (Only she probably won't sting you if you get too close.)

Instead of steel, it sounds like our eleventh anniversary theme should have been honey!

Becoming Goodly Parents

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Becoming Goodly Parents, by L. Tom Perry
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles



While waiting for the school bus the other day, a friendly boy was talking with my children. Somehow, the topic of parents came up. My children said something about me and what their daddy does; they then asked the boy about his father. When he reported that he didn't have a dad, my children couldn't process that information, "What do you mean? Everyone has a dad?" Their back-and-forth continued a little more, with the other child trying to explain that it was just him and his mom at home, and my children not understanding. When my children's probing questions were becoming entirely too personal, my wife intervened with the standard, "We'll discuss this later."

I think that parenting has its difficult moments, regardless of how many parents are in the home. Nevertheless, I'm grateful to be a dad. Each night, my oldest son tells me, "You're the best daddy in the world!"

Superdad!

He's sweet boy, but now I'm thinking of the many variants of "World's Greatest Dad" merchandise I've seen for sale through the years. There's no way that all those mugs, balloons, shirts, hats, and trophies were manufactured just for me; I suspect the title either isn't absolute, or there's an unseen asterisk in there somewhere.

World's Greatest* Dad!
*that I've ever had

There are definitely times when I don't feel up to the title of best, let alone greatest! I saw my sister post this on facebook recently; it really spoke to me:

While I don't feel like the best, and I hope I'm better than okeyest, I guess what I really want is to be a goodly parent.

The thing that stuck out to me in Elder Perry's talk was the concept of culture. He defined culture as "the way of life of a people." Having recently moved to Florida (sure, it's been over a year ago, but we're still getting used to it!), we notice that there is a South Florida culture, or rather, many different South Florida cultures. We each seem to be part of many cultures; for example, I'm American, Mormon, an engineer, frugal, and I live in a particular neighborhood, which has it's own culture.

There is a unique gospel culture, a set of values and expectations and practices common to all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This gospel culture, or way of life, comes from the plan of salvation, the commandments of God, and the teachings of living prophets. It is given expression in the way we raise our families and live our individual lives.

I'm grateful for the cultures I'm part of, particularly my church and family cultures. They provide friends, acceptance, growth, purpose, and help me try to be a better me—a goodly parent. With all the support I get from friends and family, I sometimes even feel like "the best daddy in the world!"

The Sustaining of Church Officers

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



Here's a shot taken during the sustaining of Church officers. The children raise their hands in support while enjoying deviled eggs (a family conference tradition).

We're still teaching the youngest what sustaining means; right now he'll only raise his hand if he's sitting in your lap. (But there's more to sustaining than raising a hand!)

Of Regrets and Resolutions

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Of Regrets and Resolutions, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency



When I read the title of this talk, a recent regret came to mind. We had a Christmas party a couple of weeks ago. Because our youngest was ill, my wife wasn't with me. The older children and I ended up leaving the party early because it was going later than anticipated, and in doing so, we forfeited the cheesecake that was planned for dessert.

Yes, my biggest regret of the past few weeks is not eating a piece of cheesecake.

Coincidentally, this regret should be something I champion as a success because I'm always flirting with unhealthy eating and weight gain. In fact, I have a blog post from two years ago where I committed to lose weight and track my progress (link). You'll notice that the numbers are my weight below that resolution point, and that I still keep track. You'll also likely note how much the line jumps up and down!

Now do you understand hw cheesecake relates to my personal regret and success?

I'm sure I could force President Uchtdorf's message into one about healthy eating, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight, but I'm sure I would regret it. (See what I did there!) Instead, I'll do a summary of his message, include the bits that stood out to me, and conclude with a lame joke.

The key to this message, for me, was this quote:

The foundational principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ can affect our life’s direction for good, if only we will apply them.

The following are three common regrets people approaching death relate:

I Wish I Had Spent More Time with the People I Love

Jesus Christ, and His short life among the people of Galilee and Jerusalem. I have tried to imagine Him bustling between meetings or multitasking to get a list of urgent things accomplished.
I can’t see it. . .

Let us resolve to cherish those we love by spending meaningful time with them, doing things together, and cultivating treasured memories.

I Wish I Had Lived Up to My Potential

When it comes to living the gospel, we should not be like the boy who dipped his toe in the water and then claimed he went swimming. As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we are capable of so much more. For that, good intentions are not enough. We must do. Even more important, we must become what Heavenly Father wants us to be. . .

The more we devote ourselves to the pursuit of holiness and happiness, the less likely we will be on a path to regrets.

I Wish I Had Let Myself Be Happier

Sometimes in life we become so focused on the finish line that we fail to find joy in the journey. I don’t go cycling with my wife because I’m excited about finishing. I go because the experience of being with her is sweet and enjoyable. . .

No matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges or trials, there is something in each day to embrace and cherish. There is something in each day that can bring gratitude and joy if only we will see and appreciate it.

My one-sentence summary of this message is: Spend more time happy time as a family, being who God wants you to be.

Returning to the scene of my recent regret—the Christmas party: I had a good time with my three oldest children, and I even helped all the children put on a special Christmas program. Three birds, one party (or stone). NOTE: no birds were harmed at the party; the meat was cooked beforehand.

Seeing the party through the lens of President Uchtdorf's talk helps lessen the regret of missed cheesecake opportunity. Now I just need to convince my wife that we should have cheesecake this weekend to celebrate our anniversary—the birthday of our family! (We have a history with cake, link.) We can eat it together (time with loved ones), I'll happily make it myself (God-like service?), and we'll be happy when we eat it (resolve to be happy)!

Besides, I don't think my weight-tracking graph will mind a little upward spike from regret-free cheesecake.