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.