The Beautiful Provo YSA 35th ward

     I got an iPhone this week and let me say this this is just absolutely amazing! There is so much that you can do with it! You know I was thinking about it and the amazing technology that we have today (like the iPhone) have changed us from people who study and memorize and learn to people who just simply need to know how to asked the right question and google it! Honestly if ever I have a question I don't need to go to the library, check out a book that talks about the subject the read it, alls I have to do is simple type it into the search bar on safari and choose which site I want to get the answer from. Really, it makes life so much easier. Other exciting things this week: my parents are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary this week with a cruise to some beach with hot white sand and shady palm trees. Last I heard from them they both were sick trying to get their sea legs but optimistic that it would turn out alright. Bless them. Also happy birthday to little shelder roony the lad turns 18 today, officially an adult yet still not viewed as responsible enough for the perks of being 21. So maybe not quite an adult but closer to an adult then a child.
     Today was the first Sunday in my new ward the BYU 35th ward covering the Yorktown and Madison buildings in liberty square. It was funny to watch people. Of course is didn't know anyone in the ward so I got the chance to quietly sit by myself and observe everyone else. Super interesting. I highly recommend it for anyone that feels they have a boring life. It was like being at the state fair auction. All these marriage hopefulls running around sniffing out the new fresh meat that they be around for the next 9 months. What I really found interesting was the selling points that people would try to use , I guess you can learn a lot about people by observing how they put their best foot forward. There was a couple of young gentlemen sitting just before me in sacrament meeting who both had a set of pipes. Every time we would begin a hymn they would raise their voices high above all the others and with a sweet harmony serinat the young women sitting around them. Lucky for them they had really good voices and after each song the same couple of girls would turn around and remind them of how amazing their voices were. At then end of the meeting I even heard on of these twitterpated girls reserve the seat just in front of them for the rest of the semester! Other selling points are for the most part able to be catagorized under the following heads, flashy dress and appearance, relations, catchy humor ( this was usually the best to observe because more often then not it was the most butchered and awkward) and the ever Mormon unique spirituality, who can have the best comment in Sunday school?

     Any guesses on the topics for the bishopric as they spoke today? Yup that's right! Marrage, the wife's talked about meeting their dream men and the husbands talking about how stupid they were for delaying the proposal because they wanted to enjoy the bachelor life. It was cool to see all the poor women's hearts melt during the sisters stories then seeing the brothers either nod in agreement or stare at the floor according to what point the bishop was making. Apparently the idea of being this too cool for school bachelor is a really popular idea among the men in our ward. Little do they know that when that pretty little thing smiles their way it will be game over for their plan.

Single wards are great!

Brighton

19/08/2012

A while back I gave a shout out to  pesto on my blog and now I feel like another shout out to a great little fruit that makes kitchen life so much better. Key limes. Wonderful little inventions they are. A squeeze of one of these can make an old dry piece of meat a great burrito filler. I also have found that slicing a handful of them in half and  dropping them into your water bottle for the day can really improve things. Key limes make me happy. So recent stories from my life... Well I think that the most exciting things that have happened recently have to be the times I've got to spend with the Nicholls family. So for those who are out of the loop I meet the Nicholls while I was serving in the Basildon ward in the England London Mission. I spent six months in that area and eat at their house every other Sunday. Also they were gracious enough to invite me and Elder Potts over for a wonderful Christmas day. Martin is also the bishop of the ward there so we were privileged to spend extra time with him doing the Lords work. They are absolutely some of the most wonderful people I have ever met. Going to their home was like a bit of fresh air at times. Anyhow we went to the Brigham City Temple open house yesterday. It was stunning! Only the best for the Lord right? I am so grateful to be part of a temple building people. I'm just grateful that we understand the significance of a temple! I have made it a habit to attend the temple weekly and this is one of the greatest way for me to keep a more long term perspective. I can not say that every time I go I receive an earth shattering revelation or learn something magnificent but I do feel different. I feel a peace that surpasses any other substitute peace. Its hard to describe but I feel the assurance that there IS something greater out there and that the covenants that we make through the priesthood will help us to obtain it. I feel there that families are eternal. I just love the temple. So work is going great for me! I'm starting to pick up a little bit of Spanish here and there. Also I'm just about accustomed to the physical demands of the job. Its really funny the tan lines that I am developing because of my personal protection equipment. From my check bones up my face is a lighter shade because of the safety sunglasses and hardhat that I am required to wear and also my hand are a shade lighter then my arms because I have to wear gloves. I think I'm just a funny sight to behold! I've learned a few good things about landscaping that might prove to be useful one day when I own my own city and have to plant trees on the side of the freeway. Well I took a look at the syllabus for the class I will be starting tomorrow, not exactly what I expected! I guess I have forgotten what is expected from you as a student. You have to study the text book, read the teachers commentary, have discussions with classmates, formulate your own ideas about it, write essays, and take exams. I can not believe I paid money for the opportunity to do this. I did decided earlier this week that I did not want to dig ditches for the rest of my life but its beginning to look like that will be the easier option! But as Elder Holland has said you might find on the Highway to Hell the chamber of horrors banner 'welcome to the ethics of ease'. Well the easy course isn't ever really the best one so I guess I'll just have to tighten up my belt, put my thinking cap on and go to work! Its just hard for me to fully imagine that I have to take at least three times as many classes as this for at least four more years! And they say this is the best time of my life... Well you got to start somewhere I guess right? Last Sunday I taught the Elders quorum lesson, well I didn't really teach I just kinda oversaw and directed a great conversation between the class. The topic was about maintaining spirituality as a student in this world. It was amazing how much the "little things" such as prayer and scripture study can help accomplish this. I had an interesting thought which i shared with the class. I feel that all to often we approach prayer as a drug addict may approach his next hit. We will have a deep craving, pray till we feel the God's love, then almost in an instant leave and come down from our high until our next wave of withdrawals hit. It doesn't have to be like this! We all can order our lives so that we can live in an environment of the spirit! This is one of the foremost goals of my life. You know they say that those who are found standing in holy places will be spared at the last day. If we can live in an environment mental and/or physical where the spirit can reside the we will be found in a holy place. i guess these holy places are not always chapels, temples and homes but mentalities and life styles that are arrived at by living the standards of the gospel and following the teachings of Christ. I'm definitely not perfect at it, but the idea of living like this is very appealing to me and I hope that one day I can arrive at it.

Israel, Rome, Aztecs, and America?

I've got a bone to pick and a bit of venting to do. Please bear with me then we can get to the good stuff! Right so I saw a picture posted of Facebook earlier this week that said a few things to the effect of: 'if you don't like gay marriages don't get one, if you don't like abortions don't get one...... yodda yodda then ended with if you don't like taking away peoples right then don't take mine! I about lost it. These people are so selfish and might I add thick (yea a bit strong and opinionated). Here is why. Rhetorical question time. Don't take your rights away? What about your unborn child's rights? Does that child not deserve to live because it would discomfort you? I understand that sometimes there are extreme cases and the decision will scare people for all time. What I am speaking out against is the flippant disregard towards morality and humanity. And especially those people who jump on the band wagon to support a cause that will only justify them in an attempt to easy the guilt of poor decision making. See what really got me is that they assume that it is their 'right' to disregard morality. Honestly do people not look at history? Look at the fall of the greatest empires. Can't see a direct connection between their abandonment of morals and the demise of civilization? Rome became bread and circus with sexual immorality all intertwined, then Mongols and Germanic tribes picked them to pieces. The might ancient Americans civilizations thought it was a good idea to cut the hearts out of their people. Just think what that does to the moral of civilians. Then there was the Israelites we all know their story running after strange gods and strange women. I fear the Modern day Americans are heading down the same path. I love democracies for the fact that they build good people. I mean let us take another look at history. Through out the World Wars the American people (each one) had to come together and make great sacrifices and work really hard and then followed some of Americas greatest years being propelled ahead to be a world power. Conversely our communist anti thesis, Russia also a world power had a Strong Government, Powerful influence but when it came down to the individuals they were weak. Behind the Iron Curtain was starvation, deprivation, depression and death. Soon the bubble popped and and now thirty years later they are still picking up the pieces and this rein of governmental has changed nations of peoples attitudes to be cynical and bitter with little regards to Deity and morals. I'm not sure if you can find happier people then Americans because they work hard and have great meaning to their lives. This I feel is fostered by our structure of government. Democracies build strong people. Now this were I'm concerned. When the voice of the people choose wickedness then the whole nation is standing on shaky ground. Religious or not this is truth. I hope that anyone that have any desire for a good future for themselves and their children will take an unyielding stand to defend the basic standards of morality that protect humanity. OK hope I don't leave anyone to offended in the wake of that tangent.
This week I was reading the Book of Enos from the Book of Mormon with a dear friend who shared some wonderful insights that I've been thinking about for a couple of days. Ill share the insights as my own just know that they are not.
First I never realized that the first few verses are a powerful lesson on parenting. Look at the influence that Jacob had on his son Enos 'Behold, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that he was a just man' I feel they had a great relationship. Enos felt that he knew his father which shows that Jacob was transparent, he allowed his children to know who he was and what he cared about. Well the Jacob was also 'just' trustworthy I'm sure is a big part of this adjective. The righteous have no need to fear proximity therefore Jacob could be a powerful influence because he was righteous and he allowed his kids to see into his character and they desired to emulate that. 'for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord-' best part of Jacobs example of parenting is that he did it the Lords way! And might I add from his own testimony. "for he taught me in his language" Jacob used his own words to teach Enos. and he taught him so that he could understand. He must have been an amazing teacher because after his death his words still resonated with his son so much that they sunk into his soul causing him to have a hunger for its salvation. A blessing I'm sure his father taught him about. This hunger leading him to 'wrestle before the Lord'. I love the use of that word, because it accurately describes the effort and process behind gaining a testimony and standing on or our own spiritual feet. Again another evidence of a great parent. Jacob couldn't control Enos's desire but he did give him the tools and the knowledge of how to gain this precious gift. These insights all come from the first few verses of the chapter. This amazing book has greats of insight some of which I'll probably visit later. Let me just end by saying how grateful I am for my parents. I'm thankful they were strict on me and not just taught me good principles but helped me to adopt them for myself. I guess parents are the best defense we have to moral demise. How thankful I am to have the expert parents I do. They'll probably deny it but I strongly believe it!