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.

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

Guns and God

Last night I was talking to a good friend about our different points of politics which as it turned out was not that different on the subject of firearms. While my view is that men should be able to arm themselves with what they see fit and the government be damned, his view was that of arm yourself for defense only and military weapons should not be in the hands of civilians. The common thing was that we both believe in a armed citizenry. Now the Lord at that time after the conversation brought to mind that there was some parallel to the things that the Jews requested in times of the kings and that was more knowledge than they were prepared to understand let alone use. My friend made a strong point that it was important to know how to use a fire arm and what it was capable. He noted that most people are not aware of the power of military grade weapons and that it should not be given to them. At that time I was thinking of the power and knowledge that the Jews received. It overwhelmed them and caused their fall. Would I be overtaken by my lack of preparedness if I were to use something outside of my understanding to defend myself, say an AR15 like the deep doctrine of the kingdom. Would I be easily beguiled by Satan as a thief in the night?

Children are given a limited understanding of the gospel because to overwhelm them is damning. The Lord gives us power according to our understanding of the gospel and what has been given line upon line. We do not quickly give a shot gun to a child who doesn’t know the power of BBs. Those that would quickly assume that TV, radio and the internet will educate our children in the gospel as well as it has done about fire arms are bound to see children hurt spiritually or physically.

Our responsibility is to shelter first, educate second and then show through limited experience the emblems f the gospel like we do firearms.  The gospel is a powerful thing. It changes lives, hearts, enriches lives and brings us all closer to the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that this can be also damning but with a careful course, it is the most enriching experience. Why wouldn’t we expand the gospel to the world? If we do it right and allow the Lord to be our teacher and guide it has no limits. We want to insure though that we take the steps that we were taught much like the steps of using a gun, safety, education and limited use under the direction of a teacher so that we are duly prepared.

May we all find strength in the gospel, may we teach by example and may we bring others closer to Christ.

Image is located here. 

Mothers Day

It’s Mothers Day. On this day we cherish the very person that did more than someone that birth us but taught us charity and faith. The woman that would spend the rest of their lives loving and thinking about the success and welfare of each person that is part of her home. Friends and neighbors old and young alike are part of that. To some of us even that single woman that always took care of the neighbor kids is part of that roll as Mother and is a delightful memory that can be shared over and over again.

I want to extend my appreciation for the woman that was my mother (she pass away a few years ago) and let her spirit know that I am still attempting to be the very person that she knew that I could be. I attempt to daily think of what mom would want of me and how I can pass those precious lesions to my children.  On this day, I reflect on the various mothers in my life; my wife, my step mom, mother-in-law, sisters (all mothers each of them), Grandma and several of my cousins that are either mothers or husbands to mothers. We live in an age that allows us the opportunity to share our experiences about life and the experiences of rearing great kids and the lessons that they have taught us all.

Mom would say that it was the lessons that I would teach her but I know that she was being humble exemplary of a good teacher by giving me the credit for the great experiences in my life. I only wish that I could tell you of the many stories that have happened (I’m coming up blank). I do remember that mom always had a smile for everyone, was creative and energetic, she taught health and awareness and encouraged us to explore our world and learn what it had to offer. There was plays and music in our life. Talent was encouraged and exercised. Because of my mom I learned to act, play three interments and dance. That being great, more than that, mom taught me to love and laugh; she taught to roll with the punches and cry when it was needed. She taught courage and the power of prayer; faith in God and a strong testimony of the Atonement.

Mom you will be missed by me and my four siblings. You are a legacy that I hope that I can share with my children’s children. Thank you for all you did.

Nathan.

The image is of my mother Margot (1952-2011)

Tongue of Fire

 

Image from Amazon 

I have had the honor to real a great book called Tongue of Fire, a great read and real page turner that I could not resist. The book was so full of twists and turns, I was certain that John, a new resident and the only Mormon of Mayfield. Who of had seen that such a friendly and service oriented new member of the community would end up in so much trouble from offering service to a church that lost its pastor.

The simple act of service turns this simple mans life (and his family's life) into a crazy pile of secrets that become discovered and unfolded. The reading just becomes more and more intense when the antagonist finds out the great and giving John is a Mormon and his son is the high school's first string quarterback. Now what John did to save a church by preaching a sermon becomes a mark for becoming a pariah and the house of cards that are falling threatens Johns marriage, Jacobs career as a quarterback and could have the whole family ran out of town.

I read this book and really it was a page turner David McKnight really creates a book that keeps his reader excited for hours on end with a great piece of literature. Those that enjoy this blog will really enjoy this book and its a great gift for Christmas.

Go read this book, you will love it.

That being said, I would like to reflect on the true power of the Tongue of Fire given to us by God. He has asked us to open our mouths not giving though as to what we shall say. Talk about risky. Our finite knowledge and wisdom cannot fathom the insight that the God omnipotent knows about his children. Perhaps I should of known better when I was a young missionary. I witnessed that every time that I 'opened my mouth' that miracles happened. I watched as gangsters, stoners and those that would of been though of not, turn their lives around. Not because I knew all the scriptures or spoke contentiously about theology with others but spoke with the power and majesty that is only the Lords and his alone. I barely grasped that I was his mouth piece. I thank God though that I was somewhat teachable and saw a glimpse of heaven in the eyes of those touched by the Spirit of the Lord. I now hope that I can pass that on to other Saints and my children as well.

Thank you.

Happy to be damned?

Image is located at In Gamer
 
Some have asked themselves (inside and outside the church),'why should I care about what faith I belong to'? To those that have this question in mind I would ask about your favorite place to take your car, why care? Aren't they all the same? Of course you would tell me about the product and service that they provide and the extension on the life of your vehicle, maybe even talk up a technician or two. The same principal applies to religion. The fact that we are called to dig deep into our souls for the purpose of life and meaning there of means that we have an innate desire to know the unknown, to see beyond ourselves and discover what is out there and what is next. Such stretches have allowed us to create science, math and other things but has also rooted us in whom or what is god and what does he have for us next.

Now the Mormons (LDS faith) are unique in that they dare say that there is a place for everyone and that this place is a place of happiness. To some this is hard to believe, a Muslim or Buddhist or Hindu (or any other religion other than Christian) would find happiness, but it’s true. Why not? God who is the creator of all things wants all his creation to be happy as he his. To some, they want to be as he is, a God; reasonable request from a child of God. Doesn't every parent want their child to have it all? Just look around you children are given more and more than what their parents had as children all the time. These children grow up to be as their parents, mature full grown adults with all the privileges and powers of being an adult. Mom and Pop look at their offspring and show pride that they got the child to where they were and allowed them to progress from there on their own.

Now comes the part where this title comes from. There are those that want to play house, pretend to be adults and frankly rely on the merits, money and abilities of their parents. Some ask themselves, 'why would God want that kid around; all they do is mooch of their parents?' God wants happy children, period. Many a parent has watched as their child plays the play-boy (girl) all their growing up and when they are pushed out of the nest, let’s faces it they almost kill themselves. God knows that some of his children will want to worship an attribute/ideal of God or even God himself but they do not want the responsibility of being a God because they feel either inadequate or unworthy or better yet satisfied where they got in life. All of that is fine (sad but...). The God of Israel has a place for someone of that caliber, HELL!! Just kidding. It would not seem right for God to damn that kid to be with Satin and his angels who are murderers and deny the Holy Ghost. No God would have to find (create) a place where those kids can be in their own little piece of heaven. Why you ask? Why not be with God and those that want to be Gods. I believe that its best described like this. Imagine you were a silver winner of a race. Now there had been several contests though out the day and many metals given out. Those that had won a gold metal gravitated together, those that had won the silver gravitated together and so on. Not necessarily because of their achievement but because of comfort. If you were to be rewarded to hang out with the Gold winners for all eternity knowing that you were only Silver you would begin to feel uncomfortable, whether or not you were treated differently. To know your place in life would be discouraging.

That is why Mormons believe what they do. We know that God wants to put us in our own winning circle where there is pleasure in what we have accomplished and where we feel great. God does love us. Sometimes looking around yourself you may not realize it but he put you here for a reason. Be happy and when you are not be comforted in knowing your creator.

Daniel's king and the dream

I recently was listening to a Protestant radio show and they made an analogy of the statue that was in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. In the discussion they compared the statue to the progression of government built on a foundation of clay (people). In it they showed that initially government is built with a gold ideal and a golden viewpoint. Given time that golden viewpoint turns to a stronger and denser government that abandons its gold and settles with a stronger government that controls the clay but is still valuable and desirable (silver). Time passes again and the silver is now not strong enough or the clay surrenders their freedom for a stronger government and then something as strong as bronze comes along. The golden viewpoint is now distant and the less then imposing government of silver is shrouded by the skirt that is bronze. Given the weight of the golden ideal, the strength of silver and the overpowering power of bronze the clay eventually shatters bringing down the government that was once very desirable.

As I contemplated that, it occurred to me that we have been through that change. At first we were a golden government envied by everyone around us and even some wanted to destroy our golden government. Then along came our silver age where the country began to splinter and war with itself. We the clay called for a stronger government to control the pieces that were splintering. That did well for us but special interest groups and minority groups wanted more than the general public and demanded that the government take away freedoms that capitalism offered us all in the name of segregation and racism. The powers that were the government become hungry and greedy for power and money and watered down the control that the states shared equally and voluntarily surrendered.

And now, the question is are we are destined to collapse under the weight that was once a golden government because of our departure from our golden origin? Will it stop? As soon as the clay steps out from under the weight and reorganizes again or war again breaks out in this country. I just pray to God that we will survive this change.