Hows your jersey?

For some of us Saints we proudly profess our faith to Saint and gentile a like but when we reflect on how our soul looks to God do we hold up? For some of us we are familiar with being a fan or patriot of our team (you know your team). We have the jersey, the colors on our bed spread and posters on our wall; we go as far as painting our faces and chests on game day to show out spirit for the sport and the team. The question I want to ask is what does our jersey for the countenance of Christ look like? Do we have bright colors and repent often so that it shines (like washing it and replacing it when it needs it). When we go out in public are we wearing the colors of a honest and forthright Saint? Is His image in our countenance? ….Or do we hide it under a bushel (as the scriptures term it). Are we ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ?

These were some of the questions asked while we were studying Malachi today. Oh sure there was reference of “Will a man rob God?' and 'Turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers' but I picked up a subtle message that screamed to me to write about. I know that there are Saints out there that dedicate their time, talents and energy to the building of the kingdom but are we also building our communities, neighborhoods and families? I know that for some their jersey offends the neighbors because they are gentiles or and you are Saint but for some of us we live in places where we all wear the same jersey but some are tarnished and ripped; there are holes and stains or all together hidden. Why? Why should they hold up their colors up when the neighbor holds the colors stronger and prouder than they? For example, living next store to the bishop or elders quorum president. It can sometimes be intimidating but we should show our spirit.

The song says “Who's on the Lords side, who? Now is the time to know.” When it comes to our jerseys, are we showing our colors; are we bright and shining examples? I am sure that when we root for our team that our colors do not dim, is it dimming for the Lord? We need to do some serious self examination.

There is a story (personal one of course) where I was keeping a 'clean' van all year long for the company that I was working for. I thought that the van could be a shining example of what vans should look like when they come back to the office for their annual visit. When I arrived I was met by a pal of mine who showed me his van and how dirty it was. It was spic and span. I almost felt ashamed thinking of my own van. I learned at priesthood this week that we are our worst critics and worst cheerleaders. On the other side of the coin is us being our most eager to pardon our sins and rooting for our success when we are complete failures. My company 'jersey' was dirty but it took seeing it from others point of view to see it because being alone on the road didn't show it. This leads to the importance of gathering together oft (partly so that you can see what clean is). No so that we can become the paparazzi and point fingers at our superficial surface to to point the finger at ourselves and see if we are holding up to our own standard and what we believe the Lord's standard for us is.

We have a unique opportunity to show who we are and while our jersey is not on our outside we can make it shine like it is. Let each day be a gauge for measuring ourselves so that we can become the better person. There are many things that the Lord has given us so that we can improve (tools if you will) its just a mater of using them. See you next week and Happy New Year. 

Image is located here. 

Lost and Found

Formula for Success

When you want a thing bad enough

To go out and fight for it,

To work day and night for it,

To give up your peace, your sleep and your time for it,

If only the desire of it makes you aim strong enough

Never to tire of it.

If life seems all empty and useless without it

And all that you dream and scheme is about it,

If gladly you'll sweat for it, fret for it, plan for it,

Pray with all your strength for it.

If you'll simply go after the thing you want

With all your capacity,strength and sagacity,

Faith hope and confidence, stern tenacity,

If neither poverty nor cold nor famish nor gaunt

Nor sickness nor pain of body and brain

Can turn you away from the aim that you want

If dogged and grin, you besiege and beset it,

You Get It.

Vaughn J. Featherstone

It seems that when you loose something that was a part of you, you find who you are underneath. Prior to being laid off I was all about getting home and sitting on my butt and enjoying the kids and wife with no real plan for change. Well that has changed a lot; a real lot. What I learned on the road and the life lessons that God has given me have prepared me for this and I didn’t even see it coming.

Alas learning and applying are two different things. We can learn how to drive through a training course and books all we want but until we get out there and risk it (even a little) we will never know what driving is about. The Lord knows that I talk a big game and am a great motivator but when it comes to motivating myself, I really need to listen to myself and go and DO IT. When Vaughn wrote that poem, I get the sense that he had applied the very things that he was inspired to write. He wanted to be close to God and there he was at a pulpit showing what had got him there. We should take that same spirit of go get it and become what we want. Life will get in the way but either you can use life as a crutch to pull you to your goal or complain that it is a weight to pull you down away from your goal.

Do you remember the movie Mulan? In it Mulan (now known as Ping) was asked to climb a pole to the top with two heavy weights on each hand. The Captain Shang demanded that they use those weights as a tool to get there. One represented strength and the other discipline, both were needed to get to the top.

In our lives I think that we are asked to carry the same weights and from it we will become the butterfly or swan that we were meant to be but some of us find it too hard and quit too early. We are not ugly ducklings or caterpillars for ever. The opportunity is always there, its a matter of finding who you are deep inside and pulling yourself from what you learned in training and applying it to what you want. Training is over for some of us and for others its just beginning. It is up to us to know where we are with the Lord and apply what we have learned and then go and get it!

So now back to the title that this article is written about. I think that we sometimes are lost or have lost something that we thought were a big part of us but its like a diamond in the rough, when what you thought was part of you is taken away you will see what you truly are. We have all the time in the universe but what are we doing with it? We should strive to acquire what we want and what we are so that when we show the Lord our talents at the end of our lives we will show that we doubled them. We are not lost; to the Lord we are exactly where we need to be but if you think that your life needs to change take time to assess your assets and see what you need to do to change your course and use the Lord as your compass (but that's for another time). Have a great week brothers and sisters. Oh and Merry Christmas!

Vaughn J. Featherstone's image. 

Reflecting pool

This last weekend was tough. There was cause for a lot of reflection as I was let go from my old job of eight years. As I reflected on the experience there was tears and comfort from the Spirit. As I was praying on what I should do (panicking) I was told by the Spirit that I should be still and know that my Heavenly Father has got this and has had it from the foundation of man. He knew that this was coming and that the experience would be to my benefit. But... enough about me.

This week we got the chance to study Ezekiel and the experience that he had with the Saints of ancient days. There was one particular experience that he had where he was crying repentance to the people and they just would not listen. Famine, pestilence, war and death threatened them all because they were so casual with their faith and to familiar with strange gods (I know its the Nephite cycle). They were doomed to have the scattering prophecy occur sooner than they thought.

During this time there was one experience where the prophet was able to get the waters to rise just by constantly dipping into it. This caused the Saints of those days to reflect on what was going on and who was in change. This caused me to reflect. What do we do to reflect on the success and failure that we have done for our Father in keeping his commandments? Are we so relaxed with our faith that we fail to see the constant flax cords that attempt to pull us away from those things that would be deemed holy?

In some of the early days of the Saints, we were asked to keep a journal and that was supposed to be our reflection pool so that we could look at ourselves as we were and once was. When I turned over my company phone, I failed to realize that this was the way that I was keeping a journal (silly me) so now I find that those photos and words of reflection are gone and its time to start over. The chapter that I am starting is such that I don’t know where I am going but I look forward to where it will land. I have God before me and behind me; to my left and to my right. If anything this will be a short chapter and I will be back to my old self with a new perspective. I have to say that this has been the most invigorating experience that I can ever say that I have had (and I have had brain surgery... eight times). This is my second firing from a job and this time (unlike the first) will have the Lord as a companion to the experience. I will not be alone. I'm so excited.

Reflection Pool

This last weekend was tough. There was cause for a lot of reflection as I was let go from my old job of eight years. As I reflected on the experience there was tears and comfort from the Spirit. As I was praying on what I should do (panicking) I was told by the Spirit that I should be still and know that my Heavenly Father has got this and has had it from the foundation of man. He knew that this was coming and that the experience would be to my benefit. But... enough about me.

This week we got the chance to study Ezekiel and the experience that he had with the Saints of ancient days. There was one particular experience that he had where he was crying repentance to the people and they just would not listen. Famine, pestilence, war and death threatened them all because they were so casual with their faith and to familiar with strange gods (I know its the Nephite cycle). They were doomed to have the scattering prophecy occur sooner than they thought.

During this time there was one experience where the prophet was able to get the waters to rise just by constantly dipping into it. This caused the Saints of those days to reflect on what was going on and who was in change. This caused me to reflect. What do we do to reflect on the success and failure that we have done for our Father in keeping his commandments? Are we so relaxed with our faith that we fail to see the constant flax cords that attempt to pull us away from those things that would be deemed holy?

In some of the early days of the Saints, we were asked to keep a journal and that was supposed to be our reflection pool so that we could look at ourselves as we were and once was. When I turned over my company phone, I failed to realize that this was the way that I was keeping a journal (silly me) so now I find that those photos and words of reflection are gone and its time to start over. The chapter that I am starting is such that I don’t know where I am going but I look forward to where it will land. I have God before me and behind me; to my left and to my right. If anything this will be a short chapter and I will be back to my old self with a new perspective. I have to say that this has been the most invigorating experience that I can ever say that I have had (and I have had brain surgery... eight times). This is my second firing from a job and this time (unlike the first) will have the Lord as a companion to the experience. I will not be alone. I'm so excited.

P.S. For those accustom to me posting an image, I apologize. I was going to use the Lincoln Memorial reflection pool but the image would not come up. Image I wanted is here.

A day of prayer

We just celebrated Thanksgiving a holiday that was established by the first president of the United States of America. Originally it was called a day of prayer and that it was to be celebrated to honor our country and its freedom. It’s funny how time has passed and it’s evolved through the ages. Lincoln used it to bind the North with the South. So what has become of us?

When we take freedom for granted we tend to bastardize the very things that we hold dear. For a lot of us this is our faith. Just look at what we have done to the very symbols we hold for God and his people. Prayer is mocked and atheists are encouraging the removal of it. We are becoming (could be beyond the point) a people that have no gratitude for God or one another. It shows in our shopping habits after the holiday that we call Thanksgiving. We have become so numb from the commercialization of the holidays that we cannot see anything good nor hear it either. The songs and jingles flood our ears and images flood our eyes because we just will not turn it off.

What is to be done? Do you remember the call to listen to the still small voice. He is not in a shaking mountain or roaring river that we would call media. He can be found in the simple things of life; the very things that make us thankful for what we have. Let us take some time this week to give thanks to our maker for giving us a great country, faith to guide us and friends and family to hold dear. Let us remember those that have no friends, homes, warmth or joy. Indeed we really want to say every day “God bless us, everyone”. Be kind to others this holiday and extend a worm heart so that we all can enjoy the next holiday. 

Happy holidays.

Image found here.

Stains of the Mind

I was struggling on what to write about and it was in my priesthood meeting that I learned the most fascinating thing; one day you will have to stand before God naked. 

Let that soak in a little. Oh sure you will not be nude. I didn’t write nude; I said naked. There will be nothing you have done that you can hide and either you will go into judgment with your head held high or wish that you could hide under a rock and disappear. And what will determine that? You!

 

We are asked to daily repent of our sins and rise above what we were yesterday. We are asked to correct our course and ride down a strait and narrow path riddled with trials that will truly test the skills of navigation that our Father gave us before we left our heavenly home. At times we will make mistakes that will tarnish our spiritual apparel and we need to keep it clean. 

Here’s the real kicker. Will we forgive ourselves or will we let our stains get us because we will not let it out of our minds after the Savior has removed them? When we look at ourselves are we looking at stains that do not exist? Are we bound to put the stains back because we cannot move on beyond the experience that we have repented of? Do we insist on letting out past experience define how pure we are? Have we not forgiven ourselves when we went through the repentance process?

Do you think that perhaps the noble and great ones have not also been though the experiences that we think that they have not? Think of the great names, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Brigham, Peter, Paul Alma…. The list goes on and on. All of these brethren have been through a mighty change, a crucible if you will that asked them to be better men (and that’s just the men; think of the sisters that have gone through it too). Either sin can define us or refine us. Father has taught us correct principles so that we can govern ourselves and part of that governance is repentance. 

I’m not going to dwell on the rules of the church but stick to the principles of the gospel. When we repent we are made whole. Period. It is not like having a tattoo removed or removing a piercing where there is a scar or blemish left behind. We are made whole. Sin will change us, that’s true but you must use that experience to your advantage. You have a painful teaching tool as Alma (both of them) does. You have been asked to do great things and make sacrifices so that you could be the person that you are today. Now that you know this, can you ask yourself am I ready to meet God? Will I hold my head high? Will I wonder what I could have done more? Will I say that I was prepared with what I had at the time that the conflict occurred? 

It was said of Captain Moroni that if all were like Captain Moroni that the very gates of hell would shudder. I am certain that sometimes you scream at heaven saying that you are not Moroni but really are you? He was just a man and our brother who learned just like you and I line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little and there a little. His experiences didn’t define him but he created a definition through his experience; he was a child of God and God had sent him in his time and place to be a noble and great one in his moment. 

Ours is the moment to be the noble and great ones of our time. Do not let sin define you; do not let your experiences define you. Sure you will not be all prophets, seers or revelators but great home teachers or visiting teachers are needed. Define yourself based on your experience. Were you better yesterday? No? Well get up and get to work; build the kingdom! God has a work for you today! Hold your head high! You are a child of God; the maker of heaven and earth! Show it! Be it!

Image is here.

Catch the Vision

Back in my old mission days there was a great missionary named Elder Lance Warr. This visionary in the four to six months that I knew him (I can’t remember all the details; hey cut me a break it was 20 years ago) brought up a thought that was deep and impacting on my success as a missionary and now that I think of it should have been my life’s motto; have you caught the vision?

You see, Warr was a visionary man (to borrow from the scriptures description of Lehi). He saw things in a larger picture and could bring out the best in people; have them seek for something that they didn’t know needed to be seen. He wrote some inspirational stuff that I still have today (just wish it had it with me right now but Ill paraphrase).  He said things like, If you cannot see yourself with an investigator, you haven’t caught the vision; If you cannot see yourself knocking on a hundred doors a week, you have not caught the vision. Things like this inspired us all to change how we were teaching the gospel. I as a young missionary went from 0 or 1 convert a month to several a month. The excitement that we shared was contagious and exhilarating.

I have been thinking of what he taught these last few days and I wonder how such a simple teaching tool could apply to what I am doing today. I have wanted to change careers and be home more primarily so I can be a dad and husband more but I haven’t used Warr’s principal and was going about it wrong. Its similar to those that want to lose weight. See it in your mind and you can make it happen in real life. You might not know what to do to start but if you want it hard enough you will see (or God will show you) what needs to be done and you will be able to accomplish it.

There is a poem by one of the apostles that says if you dream about, if all you do is scheme about it, if you fight for it, work day and night for it, you’ll get it. Now I can’t remember the whole poem (again that was in my notes from Warr). The point I am attempting to make here is, there is a intense need for vision. It is not enough to put pictures of the temple on your walls or read words from a holy book; even attending church means nothing if you don’t have a vision of what you want and where you want to be. I realize that it might not apply to children but to us adult it must mean everything! You want the job, body, kingdom? You need to do the daily work. It will not be handed to you. You have witnessed though life how music, movie and tv stars work their whole lives to be where they are? That same type of vision needs to be part of us too. If we want to be part of a growing kingdom of saints, if we want to be in the Kingdom of God with those that we love, we must be part of it and make that our vision.

I am certain that I could not convey the message as much as the Savior or as Elder Warr but I am attempting to do it with all the muster I can (perhaps I could do better with his notes). Glenn Beck once said once that he was not a historian but a story teller; I am not a prophet nor have any keys to say anything that could be thought of prophetic but I do want to at least say that I am waking up. I am seeing a vision and as cloudy and opaque as it is I am reaching for it because I hear the voice of the Lord in it sometimes and it says you are almost there some days. That vision drives me, it feeds a hunger that I have for truth and direction. What I am going to do with my life, I don’t know but I am working on being a listener and not just a hearer, a seer and not just an onlooker. I believe that we all have that potential to either hide that talent that the Master has given us or make it into two. 

It can be done.

Image is located here. 

Our personal Phantom Menace

During our own personal tempering there are moments where the heat of temptation becomes unbearable (so we think) we can at times believe that we cannot endure the power of addiction or seduction. During these times is when we are truly being tested to show our true strength. I recall where there were moments where I was told by others (and perhaps myself too) that if the Lord asked for our lives we would give it but when the powers of hell rise against us and we are asked to live for Christ we falter.

Why?

There is an old Indian parable. In it, it talks about two wolves that are constantly wrestling inside us all. One is evil (natural man) and the other is good (our truly spiritual selves) and it was up to us to decide who was in charge; who was going to win. I am brought back to my earlier days of struggle and repentance. I was there when I sinned. I was there when I repented. I will be there when I have to choose the course that I am going to take daily to do good or evil; to serve God or manna (my hunger and desires).

For some of us we are on a clear and direct course of righteousness. We check with our compass every morning, during the day and every night. We avoid the rocks that would dash our lives to pieces and insure that we are in tip top shape for our journey. Some of us would say that this is only the example of prophets and apostles. Not so, brothers and sisters, we all have endured much and hope to endure all things so why not allow our personal example be our own Northern star. The prophet taught that ‘man are, that they might have joy’. If you are not having joy in your struggles in the name of Christ, you’re doing it wrong. We all have our personal devils that are constantly banging at our door but we must be strong against the winds and waves that beat at us and not let them beat us up.

I think sometimes of the movie Star Wars: Phantom Menace (personal feelings aside of the movie).  Here was a story where good men and women let their pride get to them that they ignored prophecy, were blinded by their own ‘righteousness’ to miss a building threat within and without their world of peace and (within the span of two more films) watch as their lives become destroyed and friends die because they were not watchful of evil. I know that for my personal experience I think of my own government here in the States but also in a microcosm I should reflect on my own life. The Prophets have said that if the watchmen failed to watch that thieves would come into the town at night and lay ruin the town and its people. Likewise if we do not keep our guard in check and are ever mindful of the slings and arrows (of sin) thrown at us daily we will succumb to the temptations of the adversary. 

We are good and for those that are ‘hoping’ to be good, you’re on the right path. Siblings, this life is hard but remember we chose it. We shouted from the rafters in heaven how excited that we were to be here in this moment. I know that for some of us spirits who were told of what was to come there was a question will it be harder than when we kicked Satan from heaven and the answer was 'yea'. We then smiled and said 'bring it on; I am ready'. Now that we are here we have come to realize how tough it is.

 For some our tempering is really tough and our spirits have screamed from the heat. Our cries have gone straight to our Father and like the teacher who is silent during the test, He only pats us on the shoulder and whispers that we can do it. When we do accomplish it, we thank our teacher for teaching us the way to go so that we could keep our course straight and our spirits strong. Sure there are things that are ahead that will be hard but we are the children of the God of heaven. We can do it and we have great parents and brother who are with us all the way. We were taught in heaven, reminded here on Earth and we can return home. We just need faith and endurance (2 Timothy 2:10; 13^th Article of Faith). 

Image is provided by popcornmonster.com and Lucus Films (now owned by Disney)

My Trail Blazer, Morris

Last week I gave an insight to blooming where you were planted. I dont think I was done with the topic because I didn't show a great example to me, my great-grandfather Morris Johnson. Morris grew up in Sweden; had ten brothers and sisters and some great inspirational parents. I would have to say that Morris was born to goodly parents. He and his family were all deeply religious God fearing people. Do you want to know what changed his life? The gospel of Jesus Christ's message brought by two missionaries (one of which would be Thomas S. Monson's ancestor).

The story of Morris is one that was forged in courage, strength of character and faith. When he and his brother Frank arrived in America, as new members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, they went to work quickly and attempted to get money so that they could help get their sisters and brothers (11 in total; including themselves) and their parents to America and that meant getting and working a trade. The biggest hold back was that they spoke one language Swedish but they were determined to be part of the American dream and be part of the tapestry that is America. These two devoted brothers became roof gutter cleaners and worked on their English from their fellow workers. As a 'joke' the others taught these two brothers to greet people with the phrase, "Good morning you son of a...' you know the rest. These two brothers when they learned how offensive they were, they quit their job and started working for themselves and earned new friends. They raised the money to help their siblings and parents get to America.

It's a simple story but one that I cherish because Morris was an average person who did extraordinary things. His son was no different; a poor boy who wanted to be a rebel and rebel he was. While his father and mother were in California, his son Gaylen built a motorcycle and left home. He was going to see the world. He didn't want anything to do with his father's religion... until he met a girl in Salt Lake City. Some years later, he served a mission and came home to Salt Lake City and married that girl.

The point I am attempting to make is first the gospel changes people and second rooting where you are planted you can change the world. Morris found roots in America. Gaylen found roots in Utah. It wasn't about acquiring wealth or power, it was about changing lives for the better.

My biggest regret is that I didn't know these guys better. Morris died before I was born and Gaylen died after the turn of the century. I was so busy with my life that I didn't get to know theirs. Luckily I have their record that was published and can read it. My luck is that Morris and Gaylen were avid journal writers and kept a history of what happened in their 'mundane' lives.

Perhaps you are the trail blazer. Your testimony is simple and your story too but I would beg to differ. While you may think that you get up day to day, read your scriptures daily, go to work, come home and play games on the weekend with your wife and kids; to your grand kids and great grand kids, hearing stories of how you were born in a world that had only three channels on TV that was black and white because you could not afford a color tv is astounding. Your trail might have stories that could never be read unless they were written by you; your childhood, mission (if you served one) your service in the military (if you served one) your boss, your first time meeting with your wife/husband; you could hold an audience with those stories. its just your responsibility to make sure that that story is told because when you are gone, it might not be as well told as when it was done by you.

Take some time and challenge yourself to write your journal for forty days. See if that indeed changes the way you look at yourself. See if you have been the person that you wanted to be and the example that you wanted your children, grandchildren etc... to read about. If you are not that person, you are alive! Change your course. Let your mistakes be a reminder of what you were and then set a new course adjust your compass to the new direction.

The image is of Morris Claus Johnson in his younger years.

Bloom where you are planted

In life we are asked to bloom where we are planted. That is to say that we need to be part of what we our community and environment is. We have a unique opportunity to give something to our place of living that no one else can; ourselves. In my home state, we talk a lot of our forefathers who blazed the trails and created cities; it didn’t start like that.  We as a people started stuck in out old ways. We were neither trail blazers nor earth movers. 

Persecution caused us to stand tall or fall. For some, it was the later. We didn’t catch the vision of what we could become and were all too complacent to stay where we were.  The Lord moved us and we created cities and societies that shaped the American continent. To this day, we, the children of a great people enjoy the hard work that was done by so few.

For some the names are forgotten, their name is a street sign or a park. For others though, their stories are told at family home evening and the excitement of their lives of where they were planted by the Lord is invigorating and inspiring. For me in this life it has been a real experience. When I served the Lord in the early ‘90’s, I am increasingly grateful that he asked me to move very little (I served in three areas). As time moved on he asked me to move more and more frequently. I now work in a job that has me moving as fast as a week to as long as a month. I get little time to be with my beloved wife and children.  I almost feel like the soldiers and missionaries of ancient and modern times who see little of their families.

There in this calling of life I have learned that I need to find where I am planted; what is my calling in my ward that is 200 to 700 miles away? How can I serve my wife and children as their father and husband?  To these questions I have wrestled with the Lord to know my place in the world and in his plan. I have been blessed to give blessings to brothers and sisters, give money to the poor and needy, and receive opportunities to be at the temples of the Lord in many parts of the country. For my family though I feel that I am lacking. While I am a provider to my family and work hard to produce a product that is used by everyone who owns a cell phone, I feel that I do not produce a product that can be used for my family’s soul. I struggle to keep a strong relationship with my kids and wife and though there is various avenues of communication there is nothing like having your son sit on your lap and rest his head on your chest.

Here and now my calling is to be a blogger (it’s not an official calling by the ward but…) I take the role very seriously. It grounds me and keeps my skill as a writer strong and well practiced. It has opened opportunities to meet a lot of people and talk about some great experiences.  I am still looking for a chance to combine my skill and my home life because I think that it will soon be time to be a dad that is home more than on the road. I pray daily to know the path so I can be planted at home. One day I will make it but in the meantime I will work hard where I am planted.

Image is found here.

Recipe vs. Alchemy

During priesthood we had the discussion of prayer and our communication with God. The speaker brought up a pint perhaps by accident or in attempts by passing but he said that prayer was like a recipe. To some it is a mechanics skill; opening; thank you; we ask for; closing. Much like a home cook, this is what prayer is like for the young and inexperienced. To the older and more experience, prayer is more like what a master chef would do. There is some jenesequa where you have a full relationship with our Father in such a way that He hears and listens because you hear and listen; the exchange is thorough and complete.

Because prayer is a learning experience, to some this happens early in life. We have heard children talk to go in such a way that the Spirit cannot do anything but carry the message straight to heaven. Under that same breath we have seen others who are much older who, not without lack of sincerity, cannot get out of communicating but through the mechanics, either because of lack of experience or lack of relationship.

In my personal life I have had such experiences. When I first started out as a missionary I had to learn to stay on my knees to know I was communicating with God. It took weeks to really learn to show true appreciation and really listen to get success in the truly ready field that I had not seen in the beginning. There have other times in my life when I have learned that I could say even a few seconds of prayer now and know that the Lord would hear and answer my prayer in seconds.

The Lord's miracles are endless and while he answers your prayers in his own time, sometimes that time is so fast because you have mastered how to talk to the Master; you have developed the trust and love for the Savior that allows us to do as Nephi did, talk to God and receive an answer every time. To say that you are not like the Prophet Thomas S. Monson or the general Moroni or young David, the slayer of the giant, would be correct. You are you and that’s all the Father is asking of you. Talk to him like you would talk to him. Your relationship with God is a personal one. No one can mimic your relationship so you should not attempt to think that you should mimic the relationship of others. Prayer is your way to talk to God. He loves us all in ways that only apply to ourselves; there is only the two of us in that very personal relationship. Prayer strengthens that relationship.

So if you want to know that alchemy of your relationship with Heavenly Father, take some time to really pray and get to know him in a way that only you could ever know. Pray with all your heart and really talk to him. You will learn something about yourself and your Heavenly Father. He cares for you personally and would really like to hear from you. 

Image is found at http://www.picadillylillydiner.com/ 

Fedangled Cool Stuff

Last week was the great and powerful day of Oz… ok it wasn’t but like the return of the Lord wouldn’t it be cool? General Conference was last week and it was really awesome! We got to hear young Tommy Monson's voice (he is never going to be old to me, he is too awesome). Now for some it is a time to see if the flesh is weak while our spirits are willing but I discovered this last conference in the spring; tweeting while in conference. I paid so much attention to conference and could not imagine how much I wanted to quote the prophets first. Twitter has changed the ways that I do Conference. I am engaged and really want to share the pearls of wisdom that come from the prophet’s mouth. It was like an online party with hundreds of people that really wanted to engage in the conversation. I will not say that it was all uplifting with the tweets of those that spoke foreign language or the rehash of jokes but for the most part it really was a good conference because many people were eager to share their experience in 144 characters or less.

It seems that technology has changed the way that we look at spiritual things; we blog about it, chat online about it, tweet about it Facebook about it etc. There is no medium that has not been removed from the opportunity to share the gospel. Back in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, I never thought that I would ever see such things when I was involved in Pacman and other 8 bit games.  Technology was still cassettes and then the new thing was CD and DVD. I recall that I refused to buy a CD of a favorite artist because I thought it really was going to go away. Several years later I was buying the CD because the tape that I had was ran into the ground by being played over and over.

The access to the gospel has changed too. Over the last few years I have seen elders show up with their smart phones and such with the scriptures loaded on their apps and it seems that ten years ago that would have been the farthest thought from my mind. I loved my quad from my mission and the more recent quad that I had bought back in the early 2000’s. I shake my head just thinking about it. I mean, really what is next?

The passage of time has done us great things. In the last 100 years we have moved from a society that started to allow women to vote (1919) and wear bikini’s (1950’s) (though is that really an improvement; the idea of smaller and smaller, less and less clothes) to being able to vote online and store photos of those bikinis on our phones. Our agency has is up for grabs and is being manipulated.

Someone once told me that the spirits of yester-year would not want the temptation that comes with all this new fedangled tech and rapid accessibility but when I think of what it has done for the good and focus on those things, I become excited to share my testimony via email and tweet good things about my country and countrymen. I revel in good things and teach my children ways to seek for good things and warn them about the seduction of evil. I don’t know if I could do what my grandfathers did or their fathers before them. My wife says that she is sure that she waited for indoor plumbing before coming to earth and I cant blame her. 

So with all that said I want to encourage you to appreciate what you have, take time to smile, turn off your electronic stuff for an hour and finally be happy, the Lord is with you; when you have done all of that you can turn back on all your seductive cool stuff and listen to a prophets voice again.

Have a good week. 

Image found at LDS.org.

The Importance of Prayer

It has been a while since I did a log so I some writing so I first apologize for not being there for my readers. I have had a dry spell in inspiration but I am back. I wanted to talk about what matters. The prophets, apostles and, well, church leaders have all made special reference to being out there and serving your fellow man without neglecting the very thing that holds you together the gospel and your family.  I find that hard sometimes being on the road a lot. I am here in Bothell WA today and Tacoma WA tomorrow. I still don’t know how other priesthood brethren are able to do this.

Among some of the things that I have learned is communication. I still am a real stinker at it but being isolated so often has caused me to work on it almost daily so that I can keep my family, job and friends. Your ‘A’ game is necessary. Perhaps that’s what our Father sometimes is telling us. We need to communicate with him because our brothers and sisters with him keep him company at home but we are away in a very isolated situation. If we want to keep good ties with him we need to call him often. We know how often for ourselves, daily, twice daily, thrice daily etc; as often as our eager child like minds will allow.

I remember a time when I was on a mission in California how I and one of my companions would pray for what seemed a long time yet so short. We would really communicate with God not just text him and jump into bed (you all know what I mean). It seemed silly at the time because he was such an example of prayer to me. When we first as companions he got on his knees and was praying for about 10 to 15 minutes. He really wanted Father to know how he was doing. We were already praying in the morning for both companion and individual prayer, we prayed over all our meals but at night when we are quiet and alone he really touched based with the Lord. I attempted to follow that example and at first I was not used to even being in prayer for such a ‘long’ time. Five minutes into it The prayer was really awful (‘um well you know me hee hee…’). I really didn’t know what to say. I really had not talked to him like a father but more like Santa Cause (... and I want converts.. and a good day.. etc.). I suppose that it was pathetic.

I am sure that some of the learning experiences that we go through are like that and I even see that with my kids. I know what’s going on in their lives but I want to hear them express it. The sheer joy that they express is what I want. I am certain that Father wants that from us. We are discovering our lives over again here in our probation but like children at a new playground we forget to tell our parents how much fun we are really having here. We have fun and success; we find joy and really go to town here but when we talk to Father about it we are so vague and short.

That being said perhaps we need to get back to our roots and really pray; not just cliffs note it. Talk to Him. He’ll really appreciate it. 

Image is located here. 

I want to be like Alma II

When I was a child I thought that being the translated Alma must have been awesome. Here this guy was that had converted thousands and seen angels and finally when his life was over was translated and given the chance to be with the Lord. I had forgotten that this man had been through his own Gethsemane. He had to go through a change that I cannot fathom.

Alma grew up under a father who was on the run from a tumultuous king who thrived on women wealth and perhaps the death of those that opposed him. When the government was openly attacked after his father had left with him and his family, the king’s priests through rape victims, gained the trust of the Lamanites. Some years later found Alma and his family and I supposed that the young Alma II who had only known the gospel and running was quite relieved of the chance to stop running. Satan had a good hold of those wicked priests and had taught them a thing or two about seducing children and Alma II bought into their narrative hook, line and sinker.

Some years later when they all escape the turmoil, Alma II hooks up with some roughnecks who are the king’s sons. Finally he thinks he has freedom.  I can’t blame him. For years he had been taught to pray in his heart for fear of death by Noah’s priests and their legion of dark bare skin warriors. He turned to the gods of the Lamanites over the God of his father. 

Today I had the opportunity to talk about Israel and the prophet Hosea. It seems that Israel is so easily seduced by the coolness when it offers relief from pain and suffering and as much as we hear our parents tell us no we fail to listen to their warning. We become like Gomer (Hosea’s wife) or Alma II and think that we are going to be ok because either we believe that God will not punish us because we are the chosen ones of Abraham or that beat us with only a few stripes and tell us to go on our way. Some of the saints here in Medford OR tell a different story. They remind us that God doesn’t change and that should you be drowning in your own gull of bitterness, it is you that needs to call out and reach out to the Lord because you have turned your back on Him and not the other way around. 

When Alma II went though his change he was like many other prophets that have that experience that asks them to be a man over a childish destroyer. Alma II was shown his own personal hell. The scriptures say that for days he was in that gull and it took three days before he either believed what he was calling out to or that he was eager finally to be something better. The sons of Mosiah didn’t need that but apparently he did. Jonah went through it when he was in the belly of the whale so I am not surprised when someone is in a coma for three days suffering his own guilt and anguish. 

I love the Living Scriptures depiction of what he went through after as he attempted to convert those that he had seduced away from the church. It was not enough to say that he had repented until he had attempted to restore the faith of those that he had convinced to turn from their God. He had to go through more pain of rejection and it didn’t end there because later in his life he would go with the sons of Mosiah and attempt to convert the Lamanites for the next fourteen years risking life and limb so that someone could hear the word of the Lord. 

Times like those I stop my envy of the prophet and reflect inward on the things that I have done in my life. Have I converted the righteous to wickedness through my actions or lack of action? Have I been a good husband and father to my family and attempted to bring them closer to God as Alma attempted for his son (and perhaps whole family). Have I hidden my sins? Have I gone through a Gethsemane as Jesus has so that I could progress to my next level? Am I ready for my cross? Could I die for my religion or convictions? 

I am not sure that I am ready for such commitment. Sure as Gomer hit rock bottom in her life, so have I (I think) but I am as young Alma II climbing back up so that I can come to God with clean hands and a smile on my face. I look forward to my Father saying that I have done well and that he is well pleased with what I have done. I hope that no man’s blood is on me because of what I neglected to do or from the things I showed a lack of remorse for. 

My time will come one day and I am glad that Heavenly Father continues to show his mercy and miracles to me so that I can testify that He lives and so does His Son. I may have never beheld their faces but I don’t have to, to know that they live.  I am a son of God the Eternal Father and have been reborn though Christ my Savior. Could I ask for anything more? That is the greatest knowledge I could ever know or share. My life, as hard as it is, is awesome.

Image comes from Living Scriptures