I just found out that Randall Bennett is in my ward. Ok, I didn't just find out, since we have been in the same congregation for a long time and we frequently have ward council, elders quorum, and stewardship meetings together and talk in the hall. But he told me today that he is on the TWiT network every so often. He mentioned Tech News Today, which is not one of the TWiT shows I generally watch, but I looked it up and sure enough, he is semi almost famous.
Since I am a geek, this is almost more cool than when I was in a ward with Rob Morris, defensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts, and my wife use to go visit teach his wife each month.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
The Mission Field
I heard this term "The Mission Field" used a lot by people that would come to the mid west from Utah. When I first joined the Church I suppose it didn't bother me much, but it irritates a bit more as the years go on and as I hear it frequently here in Utah.
I was pondering today as someone said it. Where is the line where the mission field begins? Is it the Utah boarder. Is there some distance I can drive down I-80 and all of a sudden I find myself in the mission field? Is Oregon in the mission field.
What is the opposite of the mission field? I am assuming that the opposite that people have in their mind is Zion. As I understand it, every stake is a stake of Zion, which means Zion is everywhere that a stake is organized.
If one is envisioning Zion being established in the tops of the mountains, then I supposed the mission field would be anything outside the Rockies.
If one is envisioning Zion as "This is the place.", then clearly Ogden is the mission field. So is Provo and Orem and Logan and Brigham City and all the rest of Utah outside of Salt Lake City.
When I served my mission the impression I got was that once I left the Missionary Training Center property I was in the mission field. When we took a trip into Provo to get some clothing we were in the mission field. When we returned to the MTC we were not. When they took us to the airport to depart to our various assignments we were in the mission field. When we were on the planes or vans or buses, we were in the mission field. When we arrived at our assigned area, we were in the mission field. Some of those I was in the MTC with went to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Was that not the mission field? If not, why would missionaries be sent there?
The only reason I didn't consider the MTC the mission field was because it was a controlled environment where the only people we had to teach was other missionaries.
It is probably ridiculous for this to irritate me. I realize it is just an easy way to refer to places where the Church is less established than in Utah, but let's keep in mind that the mission field is white and it is everywhere, all around us, no matter where we live.
I was pondering today as someone said it. Where is the line where the mission field begins? Is it the Utah boarder. Is there some distance I can drive down I-80 and all of a sudden I find myself in the mission field? Is Oregon in the mission field.
What is the opposite of the mission field? I am assuming that the opposite that people have in their mind is Zion. As I understand it, every stake is a stake of Zion, which means Zion is everywhere that a stake is organized.
If one is envisioning Zion being established in the tops of the mountains, then I supposed the mission field would be anything outside the Rockies.
If one is envisioning Zion as "This is the place.", then clearly Ogden is the mission field. So is Provo and Orem and Logan and Brigham City and all the rest of Utah outside of Salt Lake City.
When I served my mission the impression I got was that once I left the Missionary Training Center property I was in the mission field. When we took a trip into Provo to get some clothing we were in the mission field. When we returned to the MTC we were not. When they took us to the airport to depart to our various assignments we were in the mission field. When we were on the planes or vans or buses, we were in the mission field. When we arrived at our assigned area, we were in the mission field. Some of those I was in the MTC with went to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Was that not the mission field? If not, why would missionaries be sent there?
The only reason I didn't consider the MTC the mission field was because it was a controlled environment where the only people we had to teach was other missionaries.
It is probably ridiculous for this to irritate me. I realize it is just an easy way to refer to places where the Church is less established than in Utah, but let's keep in mind that the mission field is white and it is everywhere, all around us, no matter where we live.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
Having Prophets and Apostles Close
This past weekend we had stake conference. The Saturday evening adult session was as usual at the stake center and the stake presidency spoke. The Sunday morning session was at the Dee Events Center and was for nine Ogden stakes. The prophet, Thomas S Monson, was there, as was Elder Neal L Anderson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. President Rosemary M. Wixom, the general primary president was also there as well as Elder Marlin K. Jensen, of the Seventy.
This was the same venue where we had come to see Elder Jeffrey R Holland speak for pioneer days in July. When we had gone to see Elder M Russell Ballard at the Browning Center on the Weber State University campus, it was not as personal of a setting as I would have liked, since I think there were three or four stakes at that as well, but I was able to pick a seat four rows in front of him and see him very well, just by arriving a half hour or early. I think we were actually an hour early, but it appeared that a half hour would’ve gotten us the same seats.In the Dee Event Center, they sit the bishops and stake presidents down on the floor where it would be possible to get a seat as good as we got at the Browning Center, but in the non VIP seats, it was difficult to get a seat less than nine rows up with having arrived an hour early.
All of this is nice history information of how things went down, but here is what I wanted to share. Every time I stand when the prophet enters the room it is very moving for me. I remember what it was like to live so far from Salt Lake City when we lived in Indiana. I hope I never forget how great it is to be in the same room with the prophet and apostles. To have the opportunity to be near 3 apostles and the prophet over the last four months has been so great.
Since my son and I also went to the priesthood session of General Conference at the beginning of this month, I should also include in this the great privilege I have had to be in the room with all of them, although in an even less intimate setting. Conference was always something to see on TV. The conference center, tabernacle, and temple square was always something almost exotic. Certainly something I imagined rarely seeing, if ever. Now every time we go down there and see the temple and the Church’s presence, it moves me. I look forward to when my other can go too and taking both my boys.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
The Joseph Smith Papers
I have been watching the video series that the Church did called The Joseph Smith Papers. It touted that it was going to chronicle the research done in preparation of publishing the Joseph Smith papers books, which are volumes of things that Joseph wrote or others wrote about his experiences.
I thought it was going to be a discussion of the methods they used to get the information and preserve the documents and all that, which it was. I was fascinated at one point where they talked of how they chose what to include. They were very careful to check sources. They classified the information they were considering into how reliable it was. I think they said they had several levels of reliability.
Additionally, the series covered the material that was in the papers. There were many episodes going through Church history and discussing what the project had found on those events.
At one point they discussed the events at Carthage jail and the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. I have been to Carthage when I was you and heard the story of the bullet being stopped by John Taylor's pocket watch and saving his life. They discussed in the program that they had recently discovered that the watch had not been struck by a bullet, but by the corner of the window. The back of the watch, I think they said, had the appearance of a bullet crushing it, but in reality was just parts of the watch that had been compacted by the window corner. I can't remember how they got on to chasing that. Perhaps they were doing a Myth Busters sort of thing and read through the papers finding no mention of this and then looked more closely at the watch. Nonetheless, it appears that John Taylor came out of the ordeal, never having been struck by any of the bullets. He just took a beating from the window.
The Joseph Smith Papers video series also discussed Emma and her family after the Saints headed West. I have always been very torn on what to think of Emma. She stood by Joseph through everything and was in key roles during the translation of the Book of Mormon and during the early days of the Church. Then to see her stay behind and not go West with the saints and to see her posterity start up this other Church with themselves as false prophets.
As I listened to the presentations I wonder if it wasn't God's will. Yes the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was not Christ's church, but perhaps it was necessary to preserve thing Church sites out East like the Kirtland temple. Perhaps it was to leave some contention behind. The project talked about times where the brethren would make a decision and some of the people would turn to Emma for what she wanted them to do. I guess there was a hymnbook she created and the brethren at one point made a hymnbook to be the official hymnbook of the Church and there was contention about not using Emma's.
Why did Emma join with her children in the other Church? Maybe she had gotten the revelation that she needed to stay behind and not go West with the saints and this other church was the closest thing she had to the truth.
There have been many generations of Joseph' descendants that were not members of the true Church of Christ and only recently have some of them joined the Church. This seems so sad and we want to say, "How can this be part of the plan?" How often do people say that a just God would not do this or that when there is pain or tragedy? He can see beyond the tears to the hope. He can see what good those tears brought forth and that would not have come forth without those tears. He can see that this life is just a blink and that death is not some vile abyss, but just part of our eternal existence. So for Him to use death for the benefit of man is reasonable. Death is not the end, just a change and our next step. All the same is true for what happened with Joseph's descendants. God has a plan for them to be saved, even though he left them in a hard situation.
I am still working my way through all of the episodes of The Joseph Smith Papers, but so far I find them very instructive and interesting, and I highly recommend them for viewing.
I thought it was going to be a discussion of the methods they used to get the information and preserve the documents and all that, which it was. I was fascinated at one point where they talked of how they chose what to include. They were very careful to check sources. They classified the information they were considering into how reliable it was. I think they said they had several levels of reliability.
Additionally, the series covered the material that was in the papers. There were many episodes going through Church history and discussing what the project had found on those events.
At one point they discussed the events at Carthage jail and the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. I have been to Carthage when I was you and heard the story of the bullet being stopped by John Taylor's pocket watch and saving his life. They discussed in the program that they had recently discovered that the watch had not been struck by a bullet, but by the corner of the window. The back of the watch, I think they said, had the appearance of a bullet crushing it, but in reality was just parts of the watch that had been compacted by the window corner. I can't remember how they got on to chasing that. Perhaps they were doing a Myth Busters sort of thing and read through the papers finding no mention of this and then looked more closely at the watch. Nonetheless, it appears that John Taylor came out of the ordeal, never having been struck by any of the bullets. He just took a beating from the window.
The Joseph Smith Papers video series also discussed Emma and her family after the Saints headed West. I have always been very torn on what to think of Emma. She stood by Joseph through everything and was in key roles during the translation of the Book of Mormon and during the early days of the Church. Then to see her stay behind and not go West with the saints and to see her posterity start up this other Church with themselves as false prophets.
As I listened to the presentations I wonder if it wasn't God's will. Yes the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was not Christ's church, but perhaps it was necessary to preserve thing Church sites out East like the Kirtland temple. Perhaps it was to leave some contention behind. The project talked about times where the brethren would make a decision and some of the people would turn to Emma for what she wanted them to do. I guess there was a hymnbook she created and the brethren at one point made a hymnbook to be the official hymnbook of the Church and there was contention about not using Emma's.
Why did Emma join with her children in the other Church? Maybe she had gotten the revelation that she needed to stay behind and not go West with the saints and this other church was the closest thing she had to the truth.
There have been many generations of Joseph' descendants that were not members of the true Church of Christ and only recently have some of them joined the Church. This seems so sad and we want to say, "How can this be part of the plan?" How often do people say that a just God would not do this or that when there is pain or tragedy? He can see beyond the tears to the hope. He can see what good those tears brought forth and that would not have come forth without those tears. He can see that this life is just a blink and that death is not some vile abyss, but just part of our eternal existence. So for Him to use death for the benefit of man is reasonable. Death is not the end, just a change and our next step. All the same is true for what happened with Joseph's descendants. God has a plan for them to be saved, even though he left them in a hard situation.
I am still working my way through all of the episodes of The Joseph Smith Papers, but so far I find them very instructive and interesting, and I highly recommend them for viewing.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Disneyland
We visited Disneyland last week and noticed that there appeared to be a lot of LDS members there.
We would walk around the park and the obvious ones were the ones wearing BYU hats or shirts. Of course there are BYU fans that aren't members, but I think they are a lot fewer.
Another thing we would notice is the way people would interact with their kids and even the people around them. Many times there was a calmness or maybe even a reverence. We would look more closely and generally find garment lines.
Another characteristic we could use to make our determination that they were members was the presence of long shorts and the lack of tattoos, extra piercings, profanity, and tank tops.
Often we tire of the same lessons on the same subjects at church, but I am convinced that even having the repetitive lesson weaves the fabric of our character and it is visible. The more we surround ourselves with those lessons and media drawn from those lessons and doctrines the more complete our tapestry of character become. We spend a lot of our times weaving the world into us through its media and such. If we let that go on too much it can obscure the picture of who we want to be.
An illustration of spotting members happened at our motel one evening. I took the kids swimming. It was getting chilly, so I only wanted to soak my feet after a long day of standing in lines. There was a family swimming there. I watched them a bit as I watched my kids. The mother was sitting on the side and she appeared to have long shorts on. The father was swimming with the kids. I keep using the word reverent, which may not exactly be the right word, but there was something like that as he interacted with his children. perhaps a better word is selfless.
There was no profanity and the kids were polite to each other. The father was very attentive to playing with the kids and keeping them safe. The father had no tattoos or piercings.
As we got up to leave I asked him where they were from. He said Provo, Utah. We talked a little bit that night and ended up meeting up with them at other times and places. We never asked them if they were members, but we noticed garment lines at some point and the conversation floated to temples we had visited on the way and to other church stuff.
We went to Huntington Beach one afternoon to swim in the ocean and get a break from amusement parks. As I was swimming with a couple of my kids I noticed a couple come into the water. The guy had a long swim suit on and had a Utah look about him, which I can't really describe. The young woman had a bikini on, which made me doubt the assessment I was starting to make, but she had shorts over it. Later she put a tank top over the top. I was still doubting due to the bikini, but neither had tattoos or piercings. There was also a little of that reverence about them. A little while later I noticed an older couple sitting behind my wife and the husband had a BYU hat on. Eventually the young couple I had been watching went and sat with them. I went and asked the older guy if he was from Utah or just a Cougar fan. He said both. I only talked to them briefly and told them it was nice to see them. I then took my kids back out to the water as my family looked at me strangely for talking to strangers.
It is just so nice to have members around me. I grew up only having members around me at church. I would go to school and work and for the most part not have the saints around me. People obviously will say that there are good people of other faiths and whatnot, but it is different. It is just different.
Indiana Jones was the first ride we went on when we got to Disneyland. We went again on our last day or so. In front of us was another young couple. He had a bit of a Utah Mormon look to him. He did have a t-shirt collar hanging out of his shirt, but I could not tell about her. She looked a little worldly, but was dressed modestly. There was more of that calmness in their interactions together.
He was noticing the teenagers making a fuss behind us. I was getting irritated, but he took the opportunity to mess with them. He seemed to have been on the ride before and knew the tricks in the cave entrance to the ride. He walked by a place when you could yank on one of the fake supports and make the cave rumble like there was a cave in happening. The teen-aged girls freaked out.
I have heard things about liberal practices creeping into Disney, so I was surprised that the Mr. Lincoln display lives on, since it speaks positively and in favor of God.
We would walk around the park and the obvious ones were the ones wearing BYU hats or shirts. Of course there are BYU fans that aren't members, but I think they are a lot fewer.
Another thing we would notice is the way people would interact with their kids and even the people around them. Many times there was a calmness or maybe even a reverence. We would look more closely and generally find garment lines.
Another characteristic we could use to make our determination that they were members was the presence of long shorts and the lack of tattoos, extra piercings, profanity, and tank tops.
Often we tire of the same lessons on the same subjects at church, but I am convinced that even having the repetitive lesson weaves the fabric of our character and it is visible. The more we surround ourselves with those lessons and media drawn from those lessons and doctrines the more complete our tapestry of character become. We spend a lot of our times weaving the world into us through its media and such. If we let that go on too much it can obscure the picture of who we want to be.
An illustration of spotting members happened at our motel one evening. I took the kids swimming. It was getting chilly, so I only wanted to soak my feet after a long day of standing in lines. There was a family swimming there. I watched them a bit as I watched my kids. The mother was sitting on the side and she appeared to have long shorts on. The father was swimming with the kids. I keep using the word reverent, which may not exactly be the right word, but there was something like that as he interacted with his children. perhaps a better word is selfless.
There was no profanity and the kids were polite to each other. The father was very attentive to playing with the kids and keeping them safe. The father had no tattoos or piercings.
As we got up to leave I asked him where they were from. He said Provo, Utah. We talked a little bit that night and ended up meeting up with them at other times and places. We never asked them if they were members, but we noticed garment lines at some point and the conversation floated to temples we had visited on the way and to other church stuff.
We went to Huntington Beach one afternoon to swim in the ocean and get a break from amusement parks. As I was swimming with a couple of my kids I noticed a couple come into the water. The guy had a long swim suit on and had a Utah look about him, which I can't really describe. The young woman had a bikini on, which made me doubt the assessment I was starting to make, but she had shorts over it. Later she put a tank top over the top. I was still doubting due to the bikini, but neither had tattoos or piercings. There was also a little of that reverence about them. A little while later I noticed an older couple sitting behind my wife and the husband had a BYU hat on. Eventually the young couple I had been watching went and sat with them. I went and asked the older guy if he was from Utah or just a Cougar fan. He said both. I only talked to them briefly and told them it was nice to see them. I then took my kids back out to the water as my family looked at me strangely for talking to strangers.
It is just so nice to have members around me. I grew up only having members around me at church. I would go to school and work and for the most part not have the saints around me. People obviously will say that there are good people of other faiths and whatnot, but it is different. It is just different.
Indiana Jones was the first ride we went on when we got to Disneyland. We went again on our last day or so. In front of us was another young couple. He had a bit of a Utah Mormon look to him. He did have a t-shirt collar hanging out of his shirt, but I could not tell about her. She looked a little worldly, but was dressed modestly. There was more of that calmness in their interactions together.
He was noticing the teenagers making a fuss behind us. I was getting irritated, but he took the opportunity to mess with them. He seemed to have been on the ride before and knew the tricks in the cave entrance to the ride. He walked by a place when you could yank on one of the fake supports and make the cave rumble like there was a cave in happening. The teen-aged girls freaked out.
I have heard things about liberal practices creeping into Disney, so I was surprised that the Mr. Lincoln display lives on, since it speaks positively and in favor of God.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Distracted
I am increasingly seeing a trend within myself where at times I am distracted and get little out of my church services at times unless the speaker or teacher really grabs me something.
One week I was completely preoccupied with something stupid I had said in priesthood opening. It consumed me the rest of the morning at church and somewhat into the afternoon at home.
Today I was excited about my son getting the priesthood and being ordained a deacon. I was also nervous about being the one to ordain him. I was hoping to do it in quorum meeting, which in our ward is first, but I found out he had to be sustained by the congregation first. Then I was sad that he wouldn't get to pass the sacrament, which he has been bugging me to do since at least the beginning of the year.
The good news is that there is a temple trip scheduled for Tuesday night. He has been looking forward to doing baptisms with me.
So between the thought of doing baptisms this week, of ordaining him after church, and the fact that we just got back from vacation at 9PM last night, my head was buzzing. I heard and absorbed many things that were said in Elders Quorum and Sunday school, even though my notes were not very good, but by the time sacrament service rolled around I was zoned out. The excitement was exhausting me.
I don't know if I need to prepare better before church or if I to do some exercises to better control my concentration, but very frequently I find that my notes are lacking due to having spaced out for periods of time.
One week I was completely preoccupied with something stupid I had said in priesthood opening. It consumed me the rest of the morning at church and somewhat into the afternoon at home.
Today I was excited about my son getting the priesthood and being ordained a deacon. I was also nervous about being the one to ordain him. I was hoping to do it in quorum meeting, which in our ward is first, but I found out he had to be sustained by the congregation first. Then I was sad that he wouldn't get to pass the sacrament, which he has been bugging me to do since at least the beginning of the year.
The good news is that there is a temple trip scheduled for Tuesday night. He has been looking forward to doing baptisms with me.
So between the thought of doing baptisms this week, of ordaining him after church, and the fact that we just got back from vacation at 9PM last night, my head was buzzing. I heard and absorbed many things that were said in Elders Quorum and Sunday school, even though my notes were not very good, but by the time sacrament service rolled around I was zoned out. The excitement was exhausting me.
I don't know if I need to prepare better before church or if I to do some exercises to better control my concentration, but very frequently I find that my notes are lacking due to having spaced out for periods of time.
Sunday, May 01, 2011
LDS Employment Services Mentor
I received a phone call today from a member of the bishopric. He wanted me to be a mentor, since I am the ward employment specialist. I was not familiar with the concept in the context of ward employment specialist. The bishopric and former ward employment specialist had no experience with mentoring in this context either.
I did some searching and found the following resources that gave a little more description of what is entailed in being a mentor to someone looking for employment. I hope these links will be of use to bishoprics and ward employments specialists to understand the concept of mentoring in the context of LDS employment services and Deseret Industries.
I did some searching and found the following resources that gave a little more description of what is entailed in being a mentor to someone looking for employment. I hope these links will be of use to bishoprics and ward employments specialists to understand the concept of mentoring in the context of LDS employment services and Deseret Industries.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Memorization
We were talking in Teacher Development class a few weeks back about always having the scriptures with us. We talked a little of more and more people having their scriptures on their phones or music devices or pocket organizers. We then talked that a better way is to have them in our minds. Mostly with a familiarization, but also to some degree through memorization.
When I was a kid I had to memorize various things for school. I didn't care for it because it was a lot of work. My dad had to memorize the Gettysburg address when he was a kid and he also did not care for it. At the time he expressed that he didn't see the value in it and I agreed.
Memorizing still takes a lot of work. Whether there is value in memorizing the Gettysburg address or other things from school, I know not, but what I do know is that memorization is a good brain exercise and brains need exercise just like muscles. I also know that the more of the scriptures and words of the prophets we have memorized, the better teachers we can be to our families, our ward, and the world at large. We will be able to more easily recall them impromptu when we are teaching or when we are answering people's questions in life.
When I was a kid I had to memorize various things for school. I didn't care for it because it was a lot of work. My dad had to memorize the Gettysburg address when he was a kid and he also did not care for it. At the time he expressed that he didn't see the value in it and I agreed.
Memorizing still takes a lot of work. Whether there is value in memorizing the Gettysburg address or other things from school, I know not, but what I do know is that memorization is a good brain exercise and brains need exercise just like muscles. I also know that the more of the scriptures and words of the prophets we have memorized, the better teachers we can be to our families, our ward, and the world at large. We will be able to more easily recall them impromptu when we are teaching or when we are answering people's questions in life.
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Breast Cancer Awareness
I have been very concerned over the years on the focus on Breast Cancer "Awareness". I think the amount of talking about it and the way it is being talked about is making people aware, but it is making them aware that they are annoyed, offended, or wearied by the conversation.
I'm not sure what raising awareness means. I think most people we very aware of breast cancer and that it kills people or make it necessary to remove a breast surgically. This is likely because it is widespread and they likely know or have heard of someone who has had it.
Because of the over publicizing of it and the vulgar way that breast cancer awareness is being promoted, I am less likely to contribute to the cause or participate in events the cause is organizing.
Perhaps everyone passionate about curing brain cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, or cancer anywhere in the body should unite their resources, rather than having their own private battles.
Our Bodies and Sexuality are Sacred
Even if a good cause is being promoted, doing it by speaking irreverently about our body and sexuality is inappropriate.
Focusing on Our Bodies Diminishes Our Self Worth
This is likely why many are so devastated after a mastectomy. They have tied a too much of who they are to their breasts. It is also likely why many girls and women or so self conscious about their breasts being "too big" or "too small". When our "sex appeal" is what defines or is our biggest too to stay ahead in life then we are devaluing ourselves.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Memory and Knowledge
I have trouble at times with memory and focus. Below are some scriptures and thoughts I have found.
Sunday, September 05, 2010
We Are the Body
Later that very morning that I posted my previous post on a contemporary Christian song that was giving me cause to ponder I was presented with another one in priesthood opening.
Someone was called on impromptu to give a scripture as is the way things are done each week. The person giving the scripture today told of how his friend had given him a bunch of contemporary Christina music. He was slowly going through it finding things he liked. He came across the song “If We Are the Body” by Casting Crowns. The chorus of the song is as follows.
But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
There is a way
I have pondered on this song several times in the past as this was not the first time I had heard this song, being I was raised in a predominantly protestant community. I had attended several protestant churches before my family joined the Church when I was 14 and my wife was raised protestant.
One day that stands out to me when I considered this song was as I was eating lunch at a Chinese buffet with some folks from work in Indianapolis, Indiana. Next to us I heard someones phone "ring" and the ringtone was this song. It "rang" with "If we are the body, why aren't His arms reaching" and so on. I am not a fan of a phone doing anything but actually ringing when it needs you attention, but I found it admirable that she had this on her mind and wanted the song to frequently remind her to be Christ-like.
The women then picks up the phone and begins her conversation with an F bomb followed by whatever other profanity she could squeeze between the words necessary for the conversation.
Needless to say, my admiration faded and a spiritual moment was lost.
I have been with people and seen them help someone load their car with groceries or some other service that needed doing and I often think, "Why didn't I do that? Why didn't it even occur to me until I saw them doing it?"
Someone was called on impromptu to give a scripture as is the way things are done each week. The person giving the scripture today told of how his friend had given him a bunch of contemporary Christina music. He was slowly going through it finding things he liked. He came across the song “If We Are the Body” by Casting Crowns. The chorus of the song is as follows.
But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
There is a way
I have pondered on this song several times in the past as this was not the first time I had heard this song, being I was raised in a predominantly protestant community. I had attended several protestant churches before my family joined the Church when I was 14 and my wife was raised protestant.
One day that stands out to me when I considered this song was as I was eating lunch at a Chinese buffet with some folks from work in Indianapolis, Indiana. Next to us I heard someones phone "ring" and the ringtone was this song. It "rang" with "If we are the body, why aren't His arms reaching" and so on. I am not a fan of a phone doing anything but actually ringing when it needs you attention, but I found it admirable that she had this on her mind and wanted the song to frequently remind her to be Christ-like.
The women then picks up the phone and begins her conversation with an F bomb followed by whatever other profanity she could squeeze between the words necessary for the conversation.
Needless to say, my admiration faded and a spiritual moment was lost.
I have been with people and seen them help someone load their car with groceries or some other service that needed doing and I often think, "Why didn't I do that? Why didn't it even occur to me until I saw them doing it?"
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Home Teaching and Missionary Thoughts From Contemporary Christian Song
I was listening to the song Saving Grace by the Contemporary Christian sing group Point of Grace.
The song tells the story of a girl whose father left before she was born. Her mother named her Grace. The girl ran away when she was fifteen. It talks of how the girl doesn't see the point in going to church, so we have to be where she lives. I don't think that just means going to her home, but there are many other parts of her life. When we see her where she works whether that is where we work or where we buy groceries or where we get lunch.
The songs says "Being Jesus to those he came to save. Sharing life and giving our own away. It's all about serving God, all about saving Grace " It goes on about showing who Jesus is. Not telling, but showing. Helping people who feel pain to feel His spirit and His love.
I have indicated that the subject of this post is missionary work and home teaching, but it is about living our life. It is about receiving His image in our countenances.
Alma 5:14,19
The lyrics for this song can be found at http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Saving-Grace-lyrics-Point-Of-Grace/508F53D9DD46D10A48256A5600150582
The song tells the story of a girl whose father left before she was born. Her mother named her Grace. The girl ran away when she was fifteen. It talks of how the girl doesn't see the point in going to church, so we have to be where she lives. I don't think that just means going to her home, but there are many other parts of her life. When we see her where she works whether that is where we work or where we buy groceries or where we get lunch.
The songs says "Being Jesus to those he came to save. Sharing life and giving our own away. It's all about serving God, all about saving Grace " It goes on about showing who Jesus is. Not telling, but showing. Helping people who feel pain to feel His spirit and His love.
I have indicated that the subject of this post is missionary work and home teaching, but it is about living our life. It is about receiving His image in our countenances.
Alma 5:14,19
14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye aspiritually been bborn of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty cchange in your hearts?
19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having theaimage of God engraven upon your countenances?
The lyrics for this song can be found at http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Saving-Grace-lyrics-Point-Of-Grace/508F53D9DD46D10A48256A5600150582
Monday, August 16, 2010
Being the Only Latter-day Saint in Your High School
A friend of mine posted on Facebook yesterday about how he was the only member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in his high school when he was growing up in Goshen, Indiana. He still lives in that same town and now his kids are the only members of the Church there.
Another friend commented that for years she and her siblings were the only members of the Church in their school system in Middlebury, Indiana. I joined the Church my freshman year and the oldest sibling in her family was a grade younger than me. My freshman year and my first year as a member of the Church I went to school as the only member. It worked out okay, since I was pretty use to not fitting in, so being a member of a religion that many have misconceptions about was not horrible, but it would've been nice to have someone there with that common life experience. The following years, one by one her siblings trickled into the high school and another family of members moved into town with high school aged kids. Although, since they were in the younger grades, we didn't have classes together and were generally in different parts of the school, so it was still like being the lone Mormon.
By the time I graduated high school there was still me as the only member of the senior class, a couple of girls in the junior class, a couple of girls in the sophomore class, and a freshman girl. I believe the freshman class of a couple of years later, that my brother was in, filled out a little more. More people were moving to Middlebury to commute to the bigger towns.
As I heard from the kids in the Elkhart and Concord school systems, where our chapel was located, I perceived that having a few more members in their school wasn't much of a comfort to them either since the class sizes were much bigger, everyone had different things going, and there were a lot of pressures that perhaps I didn't have to deal with in my small town.
Another friend commented that for years she and her siblings were the only members of the Church in their school system in Middlebury, Indiana. I joined the Church my freshman year and the oldest sibling in her family was a grade younger than me. My freshman year and my first year as a member of the Church I went to school as the only member. It worked out okay, since I was pretty use to not fitting in, so being a member of a religion that many have misconceptions about was not horrible, but it would've been nice to have someone there with that common life experience. The following years, one by one her siblings trickled into the high school and another family of members moved into town with high school aged kids. Although, since they were in the younger grades, we didn't have classes together and were generally in different parts of the school, so it was still like being the lone Mormon.
By the time I graduated high school there was still me as the only member of the senior class, a couple of girls in the junior class, a couple of girls in the sophomore class, and a freshman girl. I believe the freshman class of a couple of years later, that my brother was in, filled out a little more. More people were moving to Middlebury to commute to the bigger towns.
As I heard from the kids in the Elkhart and Concord school systems, where our chapel was located, I perceived that having a few more members in their school wasn't much of a comfort to them either since the class sizes were much bigger, everyone had different things going, and there were a lot of pressures that perhaps I didn't have to deal with in my small town.
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Modest Clothing
I think it is some times missed that just because you are dressed modestly does not mean you are dressed appropriately or reverently. I think this is much like sometimes it is missed that even though you are not doing anything "to have to go to the bishop for" doesn't mean that you are acting properly by long and/or heavy make out sessions.
Examples might include wearing jeans in the chapel or shedding you Sunday clothes the moment you walk in the door from church.
Justification/Sanctification
I have struggled for years to understand what the difference between justification and sanctification was. I found some clarity the other day while I was reading. Here's what I think the definition of the two are.
Justification is being saved from past sins.
Sanctification is the process of being repeatedly justified, through repentance, until one learns perfection.
Justification is being saved from past sins.
Sanctification is the process of being repeatedly justified, through repentance, until one learns perfection.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Live Up to Your Privilege
"If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates."
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith (1977), 226.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Logan, UT Temple
We went to the Logan temple yesterday. It was nice to be there, but it was a bit confusing.
Getting Lost
I often get turned around in the temple and even more so when it is my first time at that temple, but Logan was especially difficult for some reason.
The confusion started a block or two away from the temple. The road we came in on turned into a one way to make room for a scenic walkway or something. The confusion came more upon leaving since we had followed a friend in and the road was one way going the direction we needed to get in. We were entirely lost on how to get back since our friend was gone.
Then we moved to the parking lot. Our friend told us that it is frequently over flowed. Fortunately this time it was not, but was still a very oddly shaped parking lot. I did find the gates around the temple to be unique and ascetically pleasing.
Once we got out of our vehicle and headed to the door we were unsure where the entrance was. We followed some people, but they appeared to be confused as to where the bride would come out for a wedding that appeared to be happening.
There were tons of people standing around in the entry ways and around the front desk. We weren't sure who was waiting to check in and who were just loitering.
The hallways always seemed to draw me in the wrong direction and I would end up in a corner that went no where.
There were several other confusions as well with various seating situations, but I feel constrained to give too many details there.
Noise and Loiterers
As I mentioned previously it appeared that there was a wedding going on. There were several people milling around out side the entrance, making it difficult for others to enter. They seemed to be so caught up in visiting that they were oblivious to others outside their party. This sort of thing continued once we entered.
There were people stacked in the entryway. All of this may have been exacerbated because it was cold and raining outside. The people in the entryway were much the same as those under the overhangs outside. They were just standing around visiting and not paying attention to being courteous and that others were there to attend the temple and not to party.
The noise was like the rumble in a reception hall, rather than a temple. People were mingling all around the front desk and into the seating areas in the temple foyer. One of the matrons apologized for the noise. I would've figured someone would ask the people to keep it down, but I often find it noisier than it should be as people stand and visit in celestial rooms at times as well.
Architecture
I do not advocate the temple being overly ornate, but I was surprised that such a unique looking temple was very non unique on the inside. This is not a complaint. As with most of my commentary, other than the discussion of misbehaving patrons, this is just an observation. I enjoyed going to the Logan temple.
Getting Lost
I often get turned around in the temple and even more so when it is my first time at that temple, but Logan was especially difficult for some reason.
The confusion started a block or two away from the temple. The road we came in on turned into a one way to make room for a scenic walkway or something. The confusion came more upon leaving since we had followed a friend in and the road was one way going the direction we needed to get in. We were entirely lost on how to get back since our friend was gone.
Then we moved to the parking lot. Our friend told us that it is frequently over flowed. Fortunately this time it was not, but was still a very oddly shaped parking lot. I did find the gates around the temple to be unique and ascetically pleasing.
Once we got out of our vehicle and headed to the door we were unsure where the entrance was. We followed some people, but they appeared to be confused as to where the bride would come out for a wedding that appeared to be happening.
There were tons of people standing around in the entry ways and around the front desk. We weren't sure who was waiting to check in and who were just loitering.
The hallways always seemed to draw me in the wrong direction and I would end up in a corner that went no where.
There were several other confusions as well with various seating situations, but I feel constrained to give too many details there.
Noise and Loiterers
As I mentioned previously it appeared that there was a wedding going on. There were several people milling around out side the entrance, making it difficult for others to enter. They seemed to be so caught up in visiting that they were oblivious to others outside their party. This sort of thing continued once we entered.
There were people stacked in the entryway. All of this may have been exacerbated because it was cold and raining outside. The people in the entryway were much the same as those under the overhangs outside. They were just standing around visiting and not paying attention to being courteous and that others were there to attend the temple and not to party.
The noise was like the rumble in a reception hall, rather than a temple. People were mingling all around the front desk and into the seating areas in the temple foyer. One of the matrons apologized for the noise. I would've figured someone would ask the people to keep it down, but I often find it noisier than it should be as people stand and visit in celestial rooms at times as well.
Architecture
I do not advocate the temple being overly ornate, but I was surprised that such a unique looking temple was very non unique on the inside. This is not a complaint. As with most of my commentary, other than the discussion of misbehaving patrons, this is just an observation. I enjoyed going to the Logan temple.
The Secret to Getting Kids to Sit Through Church Quietly
I keep seeing parents stumped as to why their kid won't sit quietly in church. At times it appears as though they are sabotaging themselves.
The chapel is sacred and kids are very capable of being reverent. They can be trained that there are places to play and there are places to sit quietly.
Dogs are less developed creations than humans, yet dogs can even be taught to sit and not take food when they are hungry or sit and not chase distractions, even though it is their natural instinct. It takes a long time to teach them to be obedient and the same is true of children, but it can be done if one is diligent.
The chapel is heaven. Anywhere else that you have to take them because they are misbehaving is hell. When they throw a fit, swiftly take them out and find a spot where you can make their time outside of the chapel more uncomfortable than their time in the chapel. Often finding a spot where they can throw their fit without disturbing the chapel is useful. I generally use a class room, but if they are especially vocal you can take them out to your vehicle.
Outside of the chapel must be exponentially more boring and painful than inside the chapel. Just letting them sit and play is not painful.
I say take them out swiftly, because this shows that their behavior will not be tolerated for any length of time and if they are noisy enough to get your attention, then there is trouble coming. Eventually because they know the trip to the hall is immediate and painful, many times just a stern look is enough to put their seat back in the pew and to button their lips.
Disturbing Others
Turning the pew into a playground can also disturb those around you even if the kid isn't screaming. You may tune them out, because you have giving them something to play with and they aren't screaming. While at the same time, no one around you can focus because the kid it scraping their toys along to back and side of the pew or is staring at the people behind you or are kicking the pew or are grabbing the people in front of you.
The chapel is sacred. It is not a playground.
When to Start
I'm not sure that any age is too young to start training. Obviously you must tailor it to each child, but even babies can be taken to a plain room to be quieted, rather than the hall. You can hold them and rock them, facing a dull wall in a quiet place, which will make the chapel seem entertaining with things going on their.
Missing Spiritual Instruction
Some may think that they will miss out on the lessons and talks by taking their kids out of the chapel and out of the hallway where the parents can hear. You will miss less by taking a few weeks to train the child. Besides that, training the child is your top priority. In reality, how much are you getting out of the meeting out in the hall with noisy kids and chatty parents? Once your kids sit quietly you will get more from the meeting and you can leave the chatty parents in the hall.
As you have more children the process will be helped along as they learn by example of the others.
Teaching Them Reverence for Sacred Things
If they learn reverence for the chapel, they will learn reverence for other things in life and respect for people that are speaking to them.
Just like Sunday is different than other days, the chapel is different than other rooms. There are things we don't do on Sunday that we do on other days. There are things we don't do in the chapel, like play and eat, that we do in other rooms.
Just like we dress differently on the sabbath, we all dress different in the chapel.
The chapel is one step closer to the temple than any other room in the church meeting house and it should be treated as such.
The chapel is sacred and kids are very capable of being reverent. They can be trained that there are places to play and there are places to sit quietly.
Dogs are less developed creations than humans, yet dogs can even be taught to sit and not take food when they are hungry or sit and not chase distractions, even though it is their natural instinct. It takes a long time to teach them to be obedient and the same is true of children, but it can be done if one is diligent.
Placating Is Your Worst Enemy
Just like with anything, training a child takes work. Procrastination and laziness makes the problem worse.
Giving in to the child teaches them they can keep throwing the fits and get what they want.
I heard recently of a primary teacher that was sitting with a child in primary. The child was saying they wanted to go to their mom for food. The teacher told her it was not the time. The mother was in the room and looked to the child and told her to stay there. After several minutes they were winning. Then the child started to cry. The mother immediately gave in and reinforced with the child that if she behaved badly she would be rewarded.
I heard recently of a primary teacher that was sitting with a child in primary. The child was saying they wanted to go to their mom for food. The teacher told her it was not the time. The mother was in the room and looked to the child and told her to stay there. After several minutes they were winning. Then the child started to cry. The mother immediately gave in and reinforced with the child that if she behaved badly she would be rewarded.
Hopping Them Up on Sugar
Feeding them sugar cereals or carbohydrates like crackers and Cheerios, which the body immediately turns into sugar isn't going to help the situation. It also makes a mess that you have to take time to clean up after church and you will never find all the places the child has dropped food or ground it into the carpet, which then make work for someone else later and until someone does clean it up, everyone has to sit in your mess.
The chapel is sacred. It is not a buffet.
Elder Robert C. Oaks, Worship Through Reverence, Ensign December 2009
"Often we equate the reverence of a congregation with the behavior of the children present. True, young children can provide a special challenge to reverence. But the first rule with respect to children is to bring them! They can be taught, they can be taken out, and they can be brought back into the meeting. And in the teaching it is better to minimize the number of training tools that are brought to church, such as toys and food."Making the Hallway or Pew a Playground
Of course a kid doesn't want to sit in a boring pew when they can through a fit and get to go out and play in the hall or run their cars up and down the pew. If the kid can play on the floor in the hall, often with other kids, then they will scream in order to go every time.
The chapel is heaven. Anywhere else that you have to take them because they are misbehaving is hell. When they throw a fit, swiftly take them out and find a spot where you can make their time outside of the chapel more uncomfortable than their time in the chapel. Often finding a spot where they can throw their fit without disturbing the chapel is useful. I generally use a class room, but if they are especially vocal you can take them out to your vehicle.
Outside of the chapel must be exponentially more boring and painful than inside the chapel. Just letting them sit and play is not painful.
I say take them out swiftly, because this shows that their behavior will not be tolerated for any length of time and if they are noisy enough to get your attention, then there is trouble coming. Eventually because they know the trip to the hall is immediate and painful, many times just a stern look is enough to put their seat back in the pew and to button their lips.
Disturbing Others
Turning the pew into a playground can also disturb those around you even if the kid isn't screaming. You may tune them out, because you have giving them something to play with and they aren't screaming. While at the same time, no one around you can focus because the kid it scraping their toys along to back and side of the pew or is staring at the people behind you or are kicking the pew or are grabbing the people in front of you.
The chapel is sacred. It is not a playground.
When to Start
I'm not sure that any age is too young to start training. Obviously you must tailor it to each child, but even babies can be taken to a plain room to be quieted, rather than the hall. You can hold them and rock them, facing a dull wall in a quiet place, which will make the chapel seem entertaining with things going on their.
Missing Spiritual Instruction
Some may think that they will miss out on the lessons and talks by taking their kids out of the chapel and out of the hallway where the parents can hear. You will miss less by taking a few weeks to train the child. Besides that, training the child is your top priority. In reality, how much are you getting out of the meeting out in the hall with noisy kids and chatty parents? Once your kids sit quietly you will get more from the meeting and you can leave the chatty parents in the hall.
As you have more children the process will be helped along as they learn by example of the others.
Teaching Them Reverence for Sacred Things
If they learn reverence for the chapel, they will learn reverence for other things in life and respect for people that are speaking to them.
Just like Sunday is different than other days, the chapel is different than other rooms. There are things we don't do on Sunday that we do on other days. There are things we don't do in the chapel, like play and eat, that we do in other rooms.
Just like we dress differently on the sabbath, we all dress different in the chapel.
The chapel is one step closer to the temple than any other room in the church meeting house and it should be treated as such.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Limited Focus
We often find that lessons in Church only focus on some portions portions of the doctrines that are contained in the lesson manual. In turn it is often the case that the lives of many members also only focus on parts of the doctrine.
Here are a few examples:
Here are a few examples:
- Word of Wisdom - What seems to stand out to people is we don't drink and we don't smoke. We often leave out of our lives the other parts of the code of health like how to eat properly.
- Sabbath - Generally we as members of the Church focus on Sunday being a day that we don't work. Some forget to not make others work and most forget that even though it is a day not to work, it is also not a day to play.
- Earrings - Most everyone heard President Hinckley say that if women are going to wear earrings they should only wear one in each ear. Many missed that he said if you felt the need to wear earrings that they should be modest earrings.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Is It a Prayer, a Testimony, or a Talk?
Testimony
Elder Rasband spoke to us in stake conference in the Browning Center at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. He mentioned that he was instructed as a youth that I talk should have three things: a scripture, a story or experience, and a testimony. He showed us how to do this. He gave a scripture and a story and a testimony and closed.
Elder Rasband spoke to us in stake conference in the Browning Center at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. He mentioned that he was instructed as a youth that I talk should have three things: a scripture, a story or experience, and a testimony. He showed us how to do this. He gave a scripture and a story and a testimony and closed.
It made me consider my ongoing desire to differentiate between prayers, testimonies, and talks. Since Elder Rasband listed story/experience and testimony as two different items, one can deduce that a testimony does not contain stories or life experiences.
Elder M. Russell Ballard - Pure Testimony
My experience throughout the Church leads me to worry that too many of our members' testimonies linger on "I am thankful" and "I love," and too few are able to say with humble but sincere clarity, "I know." As a result, our meetings sometimes lack the testimony-rich, spiritual underpinnings that stir the soul and have meaningful, positive impact on the lives of all those who hear them.
...
"Again, please keep in mind that we are talking about sharing real testimony, not just speaking generally about the things we are thankful for. While it is always good to express love and gratitude, such expressions do not constitute the kind of testimony that will ignite a fire of belief in the lives of others."
Elder Jay E. Jensen - Bearing Testimony
"Using the scriptures and the words of the prophets, let us examine what a testimony is and how we should bear it."
"Using the scriptures and the words of the prophets, let us examine what a testimony is and how we should bear it."
"A testimony is usually defined as knowledge or assurance of a truth that a person declares by the convincing power of the Holy Ghost."
"A testimony can be identified by the use of powerful verbs such as know, testify, believe, certify, declare, affirm, bear witness, bear record.""Generally speaking, a testimony is short, precise, and concise."
President Boyd K. Packer - Teach Ye Diligently, rev. ed. (1991), 323–24.
“We held a series of zone conferences to improve the spirituality in the mission. Rather than schedule instruction on the mechanics of missionary work, we determined to have a testimony meeting. In the last conference, in the testimony of one of the humble elders, I found the answer to the problem. There was something different about the brief testimony of this frightened new elder. He stood for less than a minute, yet I learned from his expression what it was that was missing.
“The testimonies we’d heard from all the other missionaries went something like this: ‘I’m grateful to be in the mission field. I’ve learned a lot from it. I have a fine companion. I’ve learned a lot from him. I’m grateful for my parents. We had an interesting experience last week. We were out knocking on doors and …’ Then the missionary would relate an experience. His conclusion would be something like this: ‘I’m grateful to be in the mission field. I have a testimony of the gospel.’ And he would conclude ‘in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.’
“This young elder was different somehow. Anxious not to spend an extra second on his feet, he said simply, in hurried, frightened words, ‘I know that God lives. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that we have a prophet of God leading the Church. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.’
“This was a testimony. It was not just an experience nor an expression of gratitude. It was a declaration, a witness!
“Most of the elders had said ‘I have a testimony,’ but they had not declared it. This young elder had, in a very few words, delivered his testimony—direct, basic, and, as it turned out, powerful.
“I then knew what was wrong in the mission. We were telling stories, expressing gratitude, admitting that we had testimonies, but we were not bearing them.”
Summary
To illustrate what was talked about in these talks I have created a couple of bullet list inspired by the bullet list in Elder Jensen's talk, but with points gleaned from all of the talks.
What a testimony is not:
- A list of things that we are thankful for.
- A list of things that we love.
- Story, travelogue, lecture, talk, or sermon.
- A testimony can be identified by the use of powerful verbs such as know, testify, believe, certify, declare, affirm, bear witness, bear record.
- An admission ("I have a testimony").
- An exhortation.
- A public confession.
- Not a long explanation of how you know.
- A testimony is a witness or confirmation of eternal truth impressed upon individual hearts and souls through the Holy Ghost.
- Simply stated, testimony—real testimony, born of the Spirit and confirmed by the Holy Ghost—changes lives.
- Anchored very early to the first principles of the gospel.
- Centered on the Savior, the doctrines of the gospel, the blessings of the Restoration, and the teachings of the scriptures.
- A declaration ("I know").
- Brief and concise.
Elder Russel M. Nelson - Lessons from the Lord’s Prayers
"The concept of 'too much and unnecessary' could also apply to the length of our prayers. A closing prayer in a Church meeting need not include a summary of each message and should not become an unscheduled sermon. Private prayers can be as long as we want, but public prayers ought to be short supplications for the Spirit of the Lord to be with us or brief declarations of gratitude for what has transpired."
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