God doesn't give us anything we can not handle... without him

I have been through some trouble times mentally, as at times that I feel that I have been picked on. I like you all realize that God doesn't pick on people or that the trouble that we get should not be our own. Sometimes, I believe, we create our trouble. It's hard at times to eat right, work hard, be kind, etc. when the world you live in seems to be picking on you. For some, people have sickness or disease, others it's debt or no job. All the while we are told that when the end of our lives comes we will be blessed with peace, but what about right now. I love the country I live in and the people I live near as neighbors and friends. I love my family but at times my trials (which are more mental and spiritual) can be tough. I realize that I am not trailblazing to a new and uncharted land or climbing the tallest mountains. No, the harder pains that are part of my life are more mental and spiritual 

Crap writing this is hard. I just needed to say that at times when you feel that you are alone in your troubles and trials you must realize that God wants to be with you but you must be willing to open to suggestions from a loving parent that is attempting to help you build an experience that will be part of the life that you need to have not the one the want. 

Plastic for Real Pearls

I was sitting in sacrament today and I realize that some of the things that I am asked to give up are small and insignificant while other things I keep in my life are things that I would never give up for the life of me. For example, I was a trumpet player and would never give my trumpet for the life of me, one mission later, that instrument was sold and I have never picked up the instrument again. Its not to say that the experience is forgotten, its to say that each experience as it comes and goes is showing me that life is more fluent. Some talents are relevant in its time but then later in life needs to be reevaluated.
A while ago there was a talk given in General Conference (I cant remember the talk) but here is the reference. In it was a realization that the things that we desire most should be something that we can sacrifice for better and greater from God. The talents that we have, the wealth we acquired it is all a learning for something greater.
It was hard at times to realize that the temporal things that we are desperate to hang on to, are perishable and meaningless. The experience with that 'stuff' though is eternal and its important that we screen and decern what we are willing to allow into our lives. Like the trumpet, a skill, appreciation of music, joy from the experience and the friends made, that's valuable.
Mortals are going to go through a lot of stuff. If we follow the prophet and scriptures, pray often and really attempt to do the will of God, we will see that the 'stuff' we acquire is the stuff that we want to put in our mansions in the next life.

The True Measure of a Man

While this is late for someone so valiant I wish to convey a few words about a great man, father, husband and uncle. Ken died recently and has joined his angel and sweetheart Maralee. I was reflecting on what I would of said had I attended his funeral and they asked me to speak. I have known Ken for a very long time. When he was younger he had to learn to be a father very quickly but as time went by I watched through his sons a man become more then a father to sons but a real dad.

That reminded me of tempered steel what was one a man who knew nothing of being a husband and father through being put to the fire and gently molded became a tool that his family and God could use to raise a family and be a true patriarch. 

I watched as seven valiant boys mimic a great example of virtue and character and become the men that they are today. From Kens example he showed more then how to treat a woman but how to love one too. He showed a reverence for his maker by going regularly to the house of his God. His testimony was shared and likewise his priesthood. His home was more then a house or home but it was a house of God and a home of love. He and his companion worked hard to show that family was very important. 

I do not know what else to say about my dear sweet uncle but I was always cherish the experience and opportunity to know him. To my cousins I encourage to follow his legacy. Be men of valor and virtue. Be men like your dad who did his best to be like Christ.

Best 2 years of my life

-- This post is dedicated to my Aunt and Uncle; two dear love ones that have been great parents to some great guys that I proudly call family. This is their picture. --

This life should be the best time of our immortality. In our world we spend so much time emphasizing our experience as missionaries that perhaps we have forgotten that although for some missionaries, that time is the best; you know what? This life should be though as the best in our immortality. Think about it, we have spent time in the presence of God and we prepared for this over and over. We talked to each other on the subject, perhaps we had a vision of what it was going to be like, like a missionary, bring thousands back home to God, bear children by the hundreds, smelling everything, seeing the world, etc. etc.

Then mortality shows us a uphill battle that is full of experiences that no picture, no artificial smell, no video of the action (essentially no experience as a spirit watching) could ever compete with what we do as angels helping others, not knowing that when we are mortals we will have a full range of emotions sights, smells touches, pain and joy that would never exist if we had not taken the time to be here. Here is our greatest joys and sorrows will be experienced. We learn about the fun of children and pain of death of others. 

Now when we come to the end, I am sure that God says "How was it?" and with tears of joy and of pain we all can say it was the best time of my life. Now there is family in that post life that see us and we all talk about that time blah blah blah... The memory of what we left behind might come immediately, like a missionary that left their old stomping grounds, especially those who left suddenly but I am certain that there those that left in a more planned fashion that perhaps look at it with a more after thought, after all of the congratulations and high fives, hugs and kisses given.

After think about all of this for myself (I came to the though on Wednesday of last week), I wondered if I am making my experience the best that it can be. I am a husband, a dad, son, cousin, uncle, student teacher, etc. etc. and I have though to myself, have I done my best to make this the best ever for my experience; to make this the best X years of my immortality. Honestly I am concerned that I haven't been that guy. Sure I have spent time with family (extended and immediate), I have taken time to be a better student and teacher but like Oskar Schindler, who wondered if he had done enough for the Jews of WW2, I wonder have I done enough for others. Not that I will be remembered, but that what I will do enough that it will mean enough for those that I leave behind and will it be something that those in the next life will appreciated by those spirits that eagerly want to show me the world that I once knew.

I digress. What I am getting to, sure I am now taking time to date my sweetheart and play with my children; I take time to do genealogy write and play games with friends and finally I take time to be myself and learn more about myself. I encourage everyone to read more, write more, sing more and perhaps dance more. Please take time to have fun but work hard here because this is the best time in your immortality.