Sorry about not writing any posts for awhile. I honestly haven't quite known what to write about. Sure, I've gone to the temple twice (once was my first time), and I've had plenty of missionary experiences, but...I don't know. I can't really write about the temple because no words will properly describe the feelings that I had while I was in the temple. The simplest way to describe how I felt would be "happy," but happy doesn't do my feelings nearly enough justice. I guess I could write about how people "slamming" doors in my face while I'm out tracting with the missionaries only makes me want to tract harder and longer, and doesn't dishearten me at all, but that's really about all I have to say about that.
Well, okay, that's not true. I just really don't understand why people are so unreceptive to hearing the Gospel. I mean, I know a lot of the goodness of the Gospel, but I'm still learning. But even still, I know that Lehi was not lying when he said that the fruit of the Tree of Life was "...most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted" (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 8:11). I have taken but small nibbles out of the fruit, and yet it does make my soul rejoice and fill with exceeding joy. I just do not understand why someone would turn down the best thing ever. I want to force-feed these people just a spoonful of the knowledge that I have, and I feel like that person would maybe listen at least for a little while. And the people that say they don't have the time...why?? Ah!! Seriously, 5 minutes is too much? "Sorry, we're just about to go out to dinner..." *closes door*. You are seriously so ravenous that you cannot stand to wait another 5 minutes to hear what just might be the most important message of your life?? Wow. It's just frustrating, that's all. Frustrating, but not disheartening. No, not disheartening at all. I know that someday, someone will need to hear what I have to say, and if I work my butt off for two years and only have one person let me in, then I will have succeeded, for, "...if it so be that you should labor all your days crying repentance unto this people, and bring save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" (D&C 18:15). My challenge to all of you is to stop and listen this week. If a pair of those nice young men in their white shirts and ties comes knocking on your door, let them in and listen, even if it's just for 5 minutes. Listen with your mind, and listen with your heart. Or even if you just know a Latter-day Saint, ask them to tell you a little bit more about what he/she believes in. I can guarantee you that it won't hurt you to listen, and most of us don't bite (hard, at least). Aaaand I just realized that most of my followers are LDS, but that doesn't matter! Maybe one non-member will see this and take it to heart, and just maybe, that person will get a bit more curious.
Ciao!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Well, this is a first.
A first has occurred!! I've had a request to write a blog post! I honestly never even thought about this possibility, but I am definitely open to suggestions. If you would like to give me a topic, I can certainly do my best to write my thoughts on it. Reader beware, the post may be anywhere from two sentences to an essay. Also, what I have said is true as far as I have understood it, and any mistakes are human error.
Tonight in Institute we had a lesson about forgiveness and a lesson about how faith must always come before signs/miracles. I think I'll talk about the faith one first.
I am so glad that I take notes, because otherwise I wouldn't remember many things that I'm taught. I'm not one that can hear something once and then remember it forever...except for with certain things, and those things occasionally change, so it's actually rather unpredictable. Anyway, I digress from my topic. Faith must always come before any sign or miracle is presented. Well, actually, what my teacher (we'll call him Brother G) taught was that tests come before faith, which comes before signs/miracles. He gave several good examples of instances that this happened. One of those examples was comparing Emma Smith, wife of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Lucy Harris, wife of Martin Harris. Emma was never allowed to look at the plates while Joseph translated them. As far as I remember, she was commanded by God to not look at the plates. She was allowed to be Joseph's scribe for a short time while he translated, but he was still not allowed to look at the plates themselves. While this must have been excruciatingly hard for her to not look at the plates, even when she was left alone with them, she never looked, and she always retained her testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. Lucy, however, was a far different story. Lucy actually obtained some parts of the translations from her husband, who had asked to take something home to show his wife. Lucy never gained a testimony of the gospel, and in fact she was one of the biggest thorns in the side of the Church while it was getting started. She eventually went insane, and believed that black snakes were constantly following her around. This example is only one of many.
Why would faith have to come before any miracles? You might think that seeing someone walk on water or heal a persons maimed limb would give a person an instant testimony that the Church is true. While a person may say that he believes in the gospel after he witnesses this miracle, he does not truly believe. One must receive his own testimony through careful study of the gospel, and from pondering the words of the Lord. In Doctrine and Covenants 63:12, the Lord says, "Wherefore, I, the Lord, am not pleased with those among you who have sought after signs and wonders for faith, and not for the good of men unto my glory." Basically what's being said in that scripture is that miracles will happen when you have faith because you want to further the work of the Lord. Sign-seekers want miracles for the wrong reason. They want instant gratification. They don't want to work to gain faith, they want faith right then and there. Faith does not come without an effort and a burning desire to know the truth. One must study the gospel and ponder the words in their minds and hearts before they can receive a true, deep testimony.
Now, speaking of miracles, what is the greatest miracle of all time? The loaves and fish? Jesus walking on water? Jesus raising the dead? Healing the leper? I say to thee, nay! (Sorry, I couldn't help it.) The greatest of all miracles was the miracle of forgiveness. Think about forgiveness. Think about how difficult true forgiveness is. How difficult would it be for you to forgive someone who had killed your wife and two of your children because that person was driving drunk? Or how would you respond if you were a concentration camp survivor and was asked to be forgiven by one of the guards at your camp many years after you had been freed? And yet, we have been commanded to forgive all others; "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men" (D&C 64:10). Not forgiving someone of theirs sin against you is actually a greater sin than whatever sin that person made against you. No joke. "Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; fr he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin." Now these two commandments may upset some of you, but I ask you, what are you doing when you are refusing to forgive someone?
You are denying that person the Atonement. You are saying that that person is not good enough to be saved by Christ. Who on this earth has the right to deny another person the Atonement? No one. Now, I'm not saying that everyone has to forgive everyone else of everything that has happened to them right this very second. Forgiveness takes time, and it takes effort. It's not something that happens right away always. But it is something that must happen, no matter how hard it is. How can we forgive someone? Well, we have a couple of heavy-hitting resources at our disposal; our Heavenly Father, our Lord and Savior, His atoning sacrifice, and the standard works (the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price). We have the odds stacked in our favor so that no matter what happens to us, we will have the power to overcome and move on.
I would challenge all of you to start doing as much as you can to gain/regain/strengthen your faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, and in his gospel and church. And once you have done that, I would challenge you to pray about his gospel to find out for yourself if it is true. I know for sure that this is the true church of Jesus Christ, and I know that through his atoning sacrifice I will be saved. I know that if I do all that I can to understand his gospel and to follow in the footsteps of Christ that I will be able to spend eternity with my family and my Heavenly Father. I know these things to be true, and I say them in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Ciao!
Tonight in Institute we had a lesson about forgiveness and a lesson about how faith must always come before signs/miracles. I think I'll talk about the faith one first.
I am so glad that I take notes, because otherwise I wouldn't remember many things that I'm taught. I'm not one that can hear something once and then remember it forever...except for with certain things, and those things occasionally change, so it's actually rather unpredictable. Anyway, I digress from my topic. Faith must always come before any sign or miracle is presented. Well, actually, what my teacher (we'll call him Brother G) taught was that tests come before faith, which comes before signs/miracles. He gave several good examples of instances that this happened. One of those examples was comparing Emma Smith, wife of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Lucy Harris, wife of Martin Harris. Emma was never allowed to look at the plates while Joseph translated them. As far as I remember, she was commanded by God to not look at the plates. She was allowed to be Joseph's scribe for a short time while he translated, but he was still not allowed to look at the plates themselves. While this must have been excruciatingly hard for her to not look at the plates, even when she was left alone with them, she never looked, and she always retained her testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. Lucy, however, was a far different story. Lucy actually obtained some parts of the translations from her husband, who had asked to take something home to show his wife. Lucy never gained a testimony of the gospel, and in fact she was one of the biggest thorns in the side of the Church while it was getting started. She eventually went insane, and believed that black snakes were constantly following her around. This example is only one of many.
Why would faith have to come before any miracles? You might think that seeing someone walk on water or heal a persons maimed limb would give a person an instant testimony that the Church is true. While a person may say that he believes in the gospel after he witnesses this miracle, he does not truly believe. One must receive his own testimony through careful study of the gospel, and from pondering the words of the Lord. In Doctrine and Covenants 63:12, the Lord says, "Wherefore, I, the Lord, am not pleased with those among you who have sought after signs and wonders for faith, and not for the good of men unto my glory." Basically what's being said in that scripture is that miracles will happen when you have faith because you want to further the work of the Lord. Sign-seekers want miracles for the wrong reason. They want instant gratification. They don't want to work to gain faith, they want faith right then and there. Faith does not come without an effort and a burning desire to know the truth. One must study the gospel and ponder the words in their minds and hearts before they can receive a true, deep testimony.
Now, speaking of miracles, what is the greatest miracle of all time? The loaves and fish? Jesus walking on water? Jesus raising the dead? Healing the leper? I say to thee, nay! (Sorry, I couldn't help it.) The greatest of all miracles was the miracle of forgiveness. Think about forgiveness. Think about how difficult true forgiveness is. How difficult would it be for you to forgive someone who had killed your wife and two of your children because that person was driving drunk? Or how would you respond if you were a concentration camp survivor and was asked to be forgiven by one of the guards at your camp many years after you had been freed? And yet, we have been commanded to forgive all others; "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men" (D&C 64:10). Not forgiving someone of theirs sin against you is actually a greater sin than whatever sin that person made against you. No joke. "Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; fr he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin." Now these two commandments may upset some of you, but I ask you, what are you doing when you are refusing to forgive someone?
You are denying that person the Atonement. You are saying that that person is not good enough to be saved by Christ. Who on this earth has the right to deny another person the Atonement? No one. Now, I'm not saying that everyone has to forgive everyone else of everything that has happened to them right this very second. Forgiveness takes time, and it takes effort. It's not something that happens right away always. But it is something that must happen, no matter how hard it is. How can we forgive someone? Well, we have a couple of heavy-hitting resources at our disposal; our Heavenly Father, our Lord and Savior, His atoning sacrifice, and the standard works (the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price). We have the odds stacked in our favor so that no matter what happens to us, we will have the power to overcome and move on.
I would challenge all of you to start doing as much as you can to gain/regain/strengthen your faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, and in his gospel and church. And once you have done that, I would challenge you to pray about his gospel to find out for yourself if it is true. I know for sure that this is the true church of Jesus Christ, and I know that through his atoning sacrifice I will be saved. I know that if I do all that I can to understand his gospel and to follow in the footsteps of Christ that I will be able to spend eternity with my family and my Heavenly Father. I know these things to be true, and I say them in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Ciao!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
"On the road again..."
I have decided something! The newest addition to my bucket list is to drive the entire Pan-American Highway, from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Ushuaia, Argentina in one trip. Start to finish, that's roughly 29,800 miles. Snap. While I'm traveling this road, I plan on stopping by all the LDS temples that are on the way. There are actually quite a few, but I don't know all of them because I'll have to piece together a bunch of maps to make one surefire route. I am super excited about this, as I usually get about any new, exciting, spontaneous ideas that I have. It will probably be quite a long and potentially pricey expedition, but it would be an incredible experience. I would love to complete this trek with Girlfriend, but that depends on whether or not she'll be up for this almost 30,000 mile voyage. I'm sure I can probably convince her though.
As with many of my grand ideas, this idea requires a car, and I think I have already determined which car I should use. I've decided on the 2004 Subaru Forester XT with a number of after market add-ons. I read an article explaining how to basically turn the Forester XT into a Forester STi, which my car aficionado friends will recognize as a true wolf in sheep's clothing. The under-hood upgrades would run less than $1000, which is a heck of a deal. Subarus are exceptionally good at getting over most any terrain, which will come in handy when I'm traversing the frozen arctic tundra and the muggy rain forests. The Forester also has quite a bit of cargo capacity, which is useful for carrying spare car parts, food, water, and clothing. Going through customs will be a nightmare because of all the gear, but oh well. The experience will be so incredible, and to share it with someone as special as Girlfriend will be such a blessing. I cannot wait for this expedition.
Ciao!
Update: I figured I should write down all the countries that will be visited in the trek, so here goes:
1) Canada
2) United States
3) Mexico
4) Guatemala
5) El Salvador
6) Honduras
7) Nicaragua
8) Costa Rica
9) Panama
10) Colombia
11) Ecuador (hey!!)
12) Peru
13) Chile
14) Argentina
I believe that the highway will travel through the major cities in each country (well, in the US it goes through Denver, and that's about it), so the temple count goes to at least 18. Dang. That is wonderful. The list of temples includes:
Calgary Alberta
As with many of my grand ideas, this idea requires a car, and I think I have already determined which car I should use. I've decided on the 2004 Subaru Forester XT with a number of after market add-ons. I read an article explaining how to basically turn the Forester XT into a Forester STi, which my car aficionado friends will recognize as a true wolf in sheep's clothing. The under-hood upgrades would run less than $1000, which is a heck of a deal. Subarus are exceptionally good at getting over most any terrain, which will come in handy when I'm traversing the frozen arctic tundra and the muggy rain forests. The Forester also has quite a bit of cargo capacity, which is useful for carrying spare car parts, food, water, and clothing. Going through customs will be a nightmare because of all the gear, but oh well. The experience will be so incredible, and to share it with someone as special as Girlfriend will be such a blessing. I cannot wait for this expedition.
Ciao!
Update: I figured I should write down all the countries that will be visited in the trek, so here goes:
1) Canada
2) United States
3) Mexico
4) Guatemala
5) El Salvador
6) Honduras
7) Nicaragua
8) Costa Rica
9) Panama
10) Colombia
11) Ecuador (hey!!)
12) Peru
13) Chile
14) Argentina
I believe that the highway will travel through the major cities in each country (well, in the US it goes through Denver, and that's about it), so the temple count goes to at least 18. Dang. That is wonderful. The list of temples includes:
Calgary Alberta
Billings Montana
Denver Colorado
Albuquerque New Mexico
Ciudad Juarez Mexico
Colonia Juarez Chihuahua Mexico
Oaxaca Mexico
Mexico City Mexico
Tuxtia Gutierrez Mexico
Guatemala City Guatemala
Tegucigalpa Honduras
San Jose Costa Rica
Panama City Panama
Guayaquil Ecuador
Trujillo Peru
Lima Peru
Santiago Chile
Buenos Aires Argentina.
Bam. Now I really, really cannot wait. :D
Another update: Well, turns out I took a wrong turn just looking at Google Maps, so a couple of those ones in Mexico might not count, and there is at least one new one, Monterrey, Mexico. But still, that's a heck of a lot of temples. And it's still a heck of a trip. :D
Another update: Well, turns out I took a wrong turn just looking at Google Maps, so a couple of those ones in Mexico might not count, and there is at least one new one, Monterrey, Mexico. But still, that's a heck of a lot of temples. And it's still a heck of a trip. :D
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
"...that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son..."
Tonight was the first time that I've been able to go to my missionary prep class at Institute for about 3 weeks, and what a blessing it was to be able to go. It's actually because of Institute that I have anything to write on here at all! Woohoo!! Our lesson tonight was about preparing investigators to be baptized. One of the scriptures we read really struck me because of one part that was in it. I don't know why this particular part struck me so strongly tonight, I guess it was just a big nudge from the Spirit that I needed to focus on this part right now. The scripture that we read that inspired my thinking was from D&C 20:37; "All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church" (italics added for emphasis). That italicized part is such an important part, one that all Latter-day Saints who go to sacrament meetings will recognize as familiar. "...that they are willing to take upon them the name of they Son..." is in the blessing for the bread. But I wonder if we fully understand what this sentence means?
When we take the sacrament and agree to take upon us the name of the Savior, of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are basically agreeing to live like He does. We are agreeing to be like Christ. While it is not possible for us to be exactly like our Savior, that is exactly what we have been commanded to do, and that is exactly what we agree upon from the moment we are baptized. Think about that for just one second; we agree to live like Jesus. Not only is this commandment found in the Doctrine and Covenants, but it is also found in 3 Nephi, where Jesus, while speaking to the Nephites, says in verse 27, "...Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am." Straight from the Savior. We are to be even as He is. I believe that this one commandment pretty much sums up all of the other commandments. Jesus Christ was the one and only perfect being to ever walk this earth. That means that he followed all of the commandments to a 't.' And we've been commanded to be like him. Dang. That may be a bit daunting to many, but it really is actually a blessing to be commanded that. When you are striving to be like Jesus, you will be blessed to have the Spirit constantly guiding you. You will want to read the scriptures, you will want to preach the gospel, you will want to follow all of the commandments, and you will be worthy of receiving all the blessings that our Father in heaven has in store for us. I dunno about you, but I am definitely down for that. I know for a fact that following in the footsteps of the Savior will guarantee us untold blessings for us and for our families. I know that Christ lives, and that if I follow Him I will be able to return to see my Heavenly Father someday. I know all of this beyond a shadow of a doubt, and I hope and pray that someday you will also be able to know these truths, if you don't know them already. I leave you these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Ciao!
When we take the sacrament and agree to take upon us the name of the Savior, of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are basically agreeing to live like He does. We are agreeing to be like Christ. While it is not possible for us to be exactly like our Savior, that is exactly what we have been commanded to do, and that is exactly what we agree upon from the moment we are baptized. Think about that for just one second; we agree to live like Jesus. Not only is this commandment found in the Doctrine and Covenants, but it is also found in 3 Nephi, where Jesus, while speaking to the Nephites, says in verse 27, "...Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am." Straight from the Savior. We are to be even as He is. I believe that this one commandment pretty much sums up all of the other commandments. Jesus Christ was the one and only perfect being to ever walk this earth. That means that he followed all of the commandments to a 't.' And we've been commanded to be like him. Dang. That may be a bit daunting to many, but it really is actually a blessing to be commanded that. When you are striving to be like Jesus, you will be blessed to have the Spirit constantly guiding you. You will want to read the scriptures, you will want to preach the gospel, you will want to follow all of the commandments, and you will be worthy of receiving all the blessings that our Father in heaven has in store for us. I dunno about you, but I am definitely down for that. I know for a fact that following in the footsteps of the Savior will guarantee us untold blessings for us and for our families. I know that Christ lives, and that if I follow Him I will be able to return to see my Heavenly Father someday. I know all of this beyond a shadow of a doubt, and I hope and pray that someday you will also be able to know these truths, if you don't know them already. I leave you these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Ciao!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
W00t!! A new post!
Hello my faithful followers!
So I don't actually have a lot to say tonight. I'm mostly just bored and trying to do a little something to make me un-bored. It may or may not work, and I may transfer my bored-ness on to you, my faithful followers. For that I would like to apologize in advance.
I have decided, and since I am writing it here it shall be in the records of the Keepers of the Internets forever, that I am going to start running every day for 30 minutes. I've decided this because I basically hate being out of shape, which I am very much a subject of now. So I'm thinking that 180 minutes of running each week should be plenty of exercise to get back into at least a pseudo-in-shape condition. This training should also help me with my back problems and my boredom problems. At least for a bit. And when the Ecuador kids ask me to play soccer or whatever, I won't be horribly embarrassed by wheezing and panting the whole time.
More good news!! I got my temple recommend tonight! It's not quite final, because I still have to visit with the stake president, but it's still very exciting! It's definitely quite a big event for me. I cannot wait until I can actually go to the temple. I'm really looking forward to the peace that there is in the temple. I'm hoping to go at least once a week until my mission (thank you wonderful Girlfriend for the suggestion). That way I will be good and spiritual when I get to the MTC.
I hope all of you had an awesome Thanksgiving, and that your turkey comas didn't hit you too terribly hard. I'll try to make my next post much more exciting, but I don't promise anything.
Ciao!
So I don't actually have a lot to say tonight. I'm mostly just bored and trying to do a little something to make me un-bored. It may or may not work, and I may transfer my bored-ness on to you, my faithful followers. For that I would like to apologize in advance.
I have decided, and since I am writing it here it shall be in the records of the Keepers of the Internets forever, that I am going to start running every day for 30 minutes. I've decided this because I basically hate being out of shape, which I am very much a subject of now. So I'm thinking that 180 minutes of running each week should be plenty of exercise to get back into at least a pseudo-in-shape condition. This training should also help me with my back problems and my boredom problems. At least for a bit. And when the Ecuador kids ask me to play soccer or whatever, I won't be horribly embarrassed by wheezing and panting the whole time.
More good news!! I got my temple recommend tonight! It's not quite final, because I still have to visit with the stake president, but it's still very exciting! It's definitely quite a big event for me. I cannot wait until I can actually go to the temple. I'm really looking forward to the peace that there is in the temple. I'm hoping to go at least once a week until my mission (thank you wonderful Girlfriend for the suggestion). That way I will be good and spiritual when I get to the MTC.
I hope all of you had an awesome Thanksgiving, and that your turkey comas didn't hit you too terribly hard. I'll try to make my next post much more exciting, but I don't promise anything.
Ciao!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Old Habits Die Hard
Today I had the opportunity to spend most of a day with the elders while they went to their various appointments, and even got to join them while they went tracting a bit. Our first stop was at the home of a member who had recently moved into one of the wards here in Monument. The member (we'll call her Sally) and her mother (we'll call her Betty) were in attendance. Betty is a devout Catholic, but she is investigating the LDS church. Betty has the utmost respect for us Mormons, and she agrees with many of our beliefs. However, Betty has been raised Catholic, and has practiced Catholicism all of her life. Because she has been raised with these beliefs her entire life, she has some troubles with some ideologies that we teach, even though we have many of the same beliefs as Catholics.
One thing that Betty was having trouble with was the idea of three degrees of Heaven. We eventually were able to explain this idea sufficiently for Betty, but one question that she still had kinda struck me. Her question was, "If all of this is already in the Bible, why have I never been taught this before?"
Why have I never been taught this before. It's such a simple question. My first reaction was to explain about how the Bible has been translated by men without the help of divine power. Men are prone to mistakes, prone to corruption, and always will be. That's just how our race is, and that cannot be changed. The Bible was translated from original transcripts to Greek, then to Latin for the Catholic church. Along the way the monks who were translating each page lost pieces and mistranslated other pieces. Over the course of the time, clergymen selected specific passages to base their teachings off of, relating all questions and answers back to those passages. Additionally, most people who were taught from the Bible could not understand the Bible because it was written in Latin, and most people during the time (1300s-ish and on) could not read Latin. They were forced to completely rely on what their priests and clergymen were teaching, and many priests left out information that they decided that they didn't want the general population to know. The Catholic church realized that they could better control the thoughts of the people if they left the Bible in a language that the commoners could not understand. And now that you've been bored with this little history lesson, let me get back to my point.
I just find it incredibly interesting how all the questions we could ever want to any question can be found in the complete collection of God's words, but because man has decided to take his own path and to achieve his own goals, many of us will never know the fullness of the gospel in this life. This also makes me incredibly sad. The gospel is so incredible. God's words can provide comfort and guidance to even the most downtrodden and outcast people. If I was able to, I would teach every person the gospel. I feel like if only people could hear the goodness that is in the gospel they would be so much happier.
It was also fascinating to see how hard it is for someone to accept new ideas. Betty has been taught by the Catholic church her entire life. She went to Catholic school and attends church most, if not all, Sundays. While she eventually was able to understand our teachings, it took a considerable amount of proof from the scriptures to convince her that what we were teaching was true. It's hard for me to understand why someone would not want to accept these ideas right off the bat, but that's because I have a firm, unshakable testimony in the truthfulness of the gospel. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that all the teachings in the Bible are true to the extent that they have been translated correctly, and that the Book of Mormon is truly another testament of Jesus Christ. Because of this testimony, I can't quite understand why someone wouldn't want to completely accept what is being taught to them. It's just so true! Ah!! Anyway, I just hope that those who are exposed to the gospel will realize that it is true, and that they will want to learn more. I basically cannot wait to get out on my mission (if you haven't guessed that already).
Ciao!
P.S.- These historical "facts" are factual as far as my mind can remember them, and I apologize for any mistakes that have been made.
One thing that Betty was having trouble with was the idea of three degrees of Heaven. We eventually were able to explain this idea sufficiently for Betty, but one question that she still had kinda struck me. Her question was, "If all of this is already in the Bible, why have I never been taught this before?"
Why have I never been taught this before. It's such a simple question. My first reaction was to explain about how the Bible has been translated by men without the help of divine power. Men are prone to mistakes, prone to corruption, and always will be. That's just how our race is, and that cannot be changed. The Bible was translated from original transcripts to Greek, then to Latin for the Catholic church. Along the way the monks who were translating each page lost pieces and mistranslated other pieces. Over the course of the time, clergymen selected specific passages to base their teachings off of, relating all questions and answers back to those passages. Additionally, most people who were taught from the Bible could not understand the Bible because it was written in Latin, and most people during the time (1300s-ish and on) could not read Latin. They were forced to completely rely on what their priests and clergymen were teaching, and many priests left out information that they decided that they didn't want the general population to know. The Catholic church realized that they could better control the thoughts of the people if they left the Bible in a language that the commoners could not understand. And now that you've been bored with this little history lesson, let me get back to my point.
I just find it incredibly interesting how all the questions we could ever want to any question can be found in the complete collection of God's words, but because man has decided to take his own path and to achieve his own goals, many of us will never know the fullness of the gospel in this life. This also makes me incredibly sad. The gospel is so incredible. God's words can provide comfort and guidance to even the most downtrodden and outcast people. If I was able to, I would teach every person the gospel. I feel like if only people could hear the goodness that is in the gospel they would be so much happier.
It was also fascinating to see how hard it is for someone to accept new ideas. Betty has been taught by the Catholic church her entire life. She went to Catholic school and attends church most, if not all, Sundays. While she eventually was able to understand our teachings, it took a considerable amount of proof from the scriptures to convince her that what we were teaching was true. It's hard for me to understand why someone would not want to accept these ideas right off the bat, but that's because I have a firm, unshakable testimony in the truthfulness of the gospel. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that all the teachings in the Bible are true to the extent that they have been translated correctly, and that the Book of Mormon is truly another testament of Jesus Christ. Because of this testimony, I can't quite understand why someone wouldn't want to completely accept what is being taught to them. It's just so true! Ah!! Anyway, I just hope that those who are exposed to the gospel will realize that it is true, and that they will want to learn more. I basically cannot wait to get out on my mission (if you haven't guessed that already).
Ciao!
P.S.- These historical "facts" are factual as far as my mind can remember them, and I apologize for any mistakes that have been made.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Hark! a Solution!
During my times of media perusing, I have noticed that there seem to be some trends with most problems that I see. Most problems I see revolve around a couple of different things; alcohol, drugs, premarital sex, and pornography. However, I believe I have discovered a solution to each of these problems! I'll give you some problems and the appropriate solutions for them.
Situation 1: In a web comic that I saw in passing, two of the main characters got into an argument, and are possibly breaking up, because the female character looked at the male character's porn collection, which he had specifically asked her not to do. Feelings were hurt on both sides, and what was once a wonderful relationship is now crumbling down around the characters.
Solution 1: Just don't do it! This whole problem could have been avoided had the characters decided to not look at porn. Porn is always more hurtful than not, so just not looking at it in the first place will save many people an enormous amount of heartache and trouble.
Situation 2: A man or woman decide to go to a bar and have a few drinks. A few turns into several, and before that person knows it, he/she is roaring drunk, and all personal restraint has gone out the window. The person wakes up the next morning with a raging headache, wearing clothes that don't belong to him/her, and in a foreign place. Or perhaps this person wakes up in his/her best friend's bed, and the female in the situation calls the guy a bit later to inform him that she's now pregnant. In the following months, this couple must now determine what to do with the child, how to raise it, or if they want to give it up for adoption. There can be child support claims filed, loss of trust and respect, and a loss of respect for one's self. The child will also have a much lower chance of being raised in a nurturing environment (okay, I know, there were a couple of situations there, but they're similar and lead to a similar solution).
Solution 2: Just don't do it! If this person had decided to not drink alcohol in the first place, it is highly likely that none of these situations would have happened. Perhaps that person would have just had some laughs as his/her friends got drunk. Perhaps that person would have gone home, gotten a good night sleep in a familiar bed, and scored well on that o-chem midterm he/she had in the morning. In my opinion the risks of drinking alcohol far outweigh any short-term fun that is to be had.
Situation 3: Now this situation most of you will recognize if you watch TV. A person goes out with his friends with no intent of doing anything wrong or out of the ordinary. A friend compels this person to partake in a drug. This person accepts, thinking it'll just be one time. Before this person has any idea that an addiction is forming, he is selling his grandma's engagement ring (which she gave to him "just in case that special person happens to walk by") to buy more drugs. His entire life now revolves around drugs, and he has forsaken his family and his friends in the pursuit of his next high.
Solution 3: Can anyone guess it? That's right! Just don't do it! If this person had just said, "No thanks bro," he would still have friends, a job (most likely...hopefully...), his family, and his grandma's engagement ring, which might even be on the finger of some lucky girl. The chance of getting addicted to drugs is way too high for doing them even once to be a good idea. Those D.A.R.E people actually knew what they were talking about, folks.
Guys, just don't do it. Any of the aforementioned things. It just isn't worth it in my opinion. The heartbreak, suffering, and pain that is inherit with these actions is never worth the momentary gratification. I find it amazing that 177 years ago there was already a proclamation warning people of the dangers of what I have talked about. In February of 1833, revelation from God was given through Joseph Smith warning of the dangers of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco, long before the harmful physical side-effects of these substances was known to professionals. This proclamation is known as the Word of Wisdom. Additionally, in the 10 Commandments, given through Moses from God to the world, it is stated that "Thou shalt not commit adultery," which includes premarital sex. Having tried my hardest to follow the Word of Wisdom and the 10 Commandments, and having failed at times, I have a firm and unshakable testimony of the truthfulness of these words. I know that if we follow the words that God has given to us that we will be able to lead lives that are not more restrictive, but rather more liberating and happier than any life we could live without His words. I know His words are true, and I intend to follow them to the best of my abilities.
Ciao!
Situation 1: In a web comic that I saw in passing, two of the main characters got into an argument, and are possibly breaking up, because the female character looked at the male character's porn collection, which he had specifically asked her not to do. Feelings were hurt on both sides, and what was once a wonderful relationship is now crumbling down around the characters.
Solution 1: Just don't do it! This whole problem could have been avoided had the characters decided to not look at porn. Porn is always more hurtful than not, so just not looking at it in the first place will save many people an enormous amount of heartache and trouble.
Situation 2: A man or woman decide to go to a bar and have a few drinks. A few turns into several, and before that person knows it, he/she is roaring drunk, and all personal restraint has gone out the window. The person wakes up the next morning with a raging headache, wearing clothes that don't belong to him/her, and in a foreign place. Or perhaps this person wakes up in his/her best friend's bed, and the female in the situation calls the guy a bit later to inform him that she's now pregnant. In the following months, this couple must now determine what to do with the child, how to raise it, or if they want to give it up for adoption. There can be child support claims filed, loss of trust and respect, and a loss of respect for one's self. The child will also have a much lower chance of being raised in a nurturing environment (okay, I know, there were a couple of situations there, but they're similar and lead to a similar solution).
Solution 2: Just don't do it! If this person had decided to not drink alcohol in the first place, it is highly likely that none of these situations would have happened. Perhaps that person would have just had some laughs as his/her friends got drunk. Perhaps that person would have gone home, gotten a good night sleep in a familiar bed, and scored well on that o-chem midterm he/she had in the morning. In my opinion the risks of drinking alcohol far outweigh any short-term fun that is to be had.
Situation 3: Now this situation most of you will recognize if you watch TV. A person goes out with his friends with no intent of doing anything wrong or out of the ordinary. A friend compels this person to partake in a drug. This person accepts, thinking it'll just be one time. Before this person has any idea that an addiction is forming, he is selling his grandma's engagement ring (which she gave to him "just in case that special person happens to walk by") to buy more drugs. His entire life now revolves around drugs, and he has forsaken his family and his friends in the pursuit of his next high.
Solution 3: Can anyone guess it? That's right! Just don't do it! If this person had just said, "No thanks bro," he would still have friends, a job (most likely...hopefully...), his family, and his grandma's engagement ring, which might even be on the finger of some lucky girl. The chance of getting addicted to drugs is way too high for doing them even once to be a good idea. Those D.A.R.E people actually knew what they were talking about, folks.
Guys, just don't do it. Any of the aforementioned things. It just isn't worth it in my opinion. The heartbreak, suffering, and pain that is inherit with these actions is never worth the momentary gratification. I find it amazing that 177 years ago there was already a proclamation warning people of the dangers of what I have talked about. In February of 1833, revelation from God was given through Joseph Smith warning of the dangers of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco, long before the harmful physical side-effects of these substances was known to professionals. This proclamation is known as the Word of Wisdom. Additionally, in the 10 Commandments, given through Moses from God to the world, it is stated that "Thou shalt not commit adultery," which includes premarital sex. Having tried my hardest to follow the Word of Wisdom and the 10 Commandments, and having failed at times, I have a firm and unshakable testimony of the truthfulness of these words. I know that if we follow the words that God has given to us that we will be able to lead lives that are not more restrictive, but rather more liberating and happier than any life we could live without His words. I know His words are true, and I intend to follow them to the best of my abilities.
Ciao!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Hello to all y'all!!
Hey guys!
So, I don't quite know what I'm doing here. I guess if I had to give you a preview of what will be here I'd say it's going to basically just be random thoughts that I have. Posts will most likely be fairly short, and you'll probably see a trend in topics, but hey, it'll be about who I am and what I think about. You should also know that on January 26, 2011, my beloved madre will be taking over for me while I serve a church mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Quito, Ecuador, for two years. I am fairly super excited for that, and, seeing as I've actually had a mission call since July of this year, I cannot wait to get out there. It's definitely going to be the best time of my life thus far.
If you want to learn more about me and what makes me tick, check out the about me part, though most of you will probably know me, so this shouldn't be too much of a shocker. Anyway, that's about all I know for now. Check back semi-often and see what I'm up to, if you care to.
Ciao!
So, I don't quite know what I'm doing here. I guess if I had to give you a preview of what will be here I'd say it's going to basically just be random thoughts that I have. Posts will most likely be fairly short, and you'll probably see a trend in topics, but hey, it'll be about who I am and what I think about. You should also know that on January 26, 2011, my beloved madre will be taking over for me while I serve a church mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Quito, Ecuador, for two years. I am fairly super excited for that, and, seeing as I've actually had a mission call since July of this year, I cannot wait to get out there. It's definitely going to be the best time of my life thus far.
If you want to learn more about me and what makes me tick, check out the about me part, though most of you will probably know me, so this shouldn't be too much of a shocker. Anyway, that's about all I know for now. Check back semi-often and see what I'm up to, if you care to.
Ciao!
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