Properly Preparing for a Prize-Winning Passage Past Prevailing Pathways

28 Saturday Mar 2015

Posted by in Preparation

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Last summer my 3 brothers and I met up for our annual “Brothers weekend” in Moab Utah to go mountain biking. As is my personal custom and personality I packed at the last available second procrastinating as much as humanly possible. This clearly flawed system has proven itself every time to be a horrible and negative preparation tactic, yet despite that fact I do it on EVERY vacation.

Quickly after the Brothers all met (Colby and Casey flew in) we planned to “hit the trail”. As we unloaded from the truck, I wish I could say that I was “shocked” to find I had underprepared but that would be a lie. My first mistake was my choice in helmet. I had brought my full face motocross helmet (because it looks totally awesome) yet failed to realize that wearing that type of helmet would be like 4 million times too hot for the weather and situation in Moab I knew I would be in.

I am grateful for my brothers. Not only did Tyson bring his own helmet and the helmets he agreed to bring for Colby and Tyson, but he also brought one more “just in case”. Tyson’s preparation insured my trip to Moab didn’t include multiple IV’s sticking out of my body due to heat exhaustion or any awkward mouth to mouth resuscitation by Colby or Casey. The bike riding was a success and super fun.

On the last day of the trip after bike riding all day I got cleaned up and ready to change. To my horror my preparation (lack of preparation) again reared its ugly and in this case stinky head. As you may or may not know, when men exert much physically in the heat of the day for hours on end and sweat profusely they surprisingly do not emit a pleasant rose like aroma. So the fact that I didn’t have a change or shorts was alarming. I was left with 2 options:

Option #1 – Wear gross shorts from day 1 that I’d warn all day while mountain biking in hot Moab.

Option #2 – Wear gross shorts from day 2 that I’d warn all day while mountain biking in hot Moab.

One of my favorite movie characters is Jason Bourne so with my back against the wall, I thought to myself “WWJBD” (what would Jason Bourne do). Sadly, after the tumbleweeds blew across my mind the only thing I could think of was created a new option, which was:

Option #3 – Wear no pants at all for the rest of the day and the entire drive home!

I feared option #3 would automatically revoke my invitation to any and all future events for the rest of my mortal life with them. So, in a last ditch effort I threw a “hail Mary” and asked “does anyone have an extra pair of shorts?” Again, Tyson answered the call! I was saved, as were the eyes and nightmares sure to come to my brothers. This also staved away the relentless retelling of this event at every family reunion for the rest of mortality.

Like the class did with my wood shop project in high School spoken of in my last post, I can often teach how to do something by providing the example of what NOT to do. The fact is, we need to be prepared.  Not just physically prepared, but spiritually prepared also. If this experience were compared to the parable of the 10 virgins I would have been found asleep without a lamp, at the wrong side of town, 2 days past the decided date, at 11 in the morning, thinking I was going to a birthday party.

My preparation was not good! It was awful! I could have done a lot better, yet I didn’t. It was my own fault and under any other condition I would likely have suffered the consequences for my lack of preparation. Yet through the preparation of my older brothers, I was saved.

In real life however and eternal salvation the parable holds true. We alone are responsible for our preparation and faith. I can help but I can’t make others read the scriptures, go to Church, do their home teaching, go to the Temple, or prepare in any way. In other words, I can’t prepare for you. We alone must do the work for ourselves. We can ask for the help of others of course, but we first need to have the desire to help ourselves or even their help is in vain. What we decide to start with, or continue with is up to us, we just need to start or continue! If I had any advice for myself or others, it would be to prepare spiritually in the exact opposite way that I prepare for vacations. We can’t afford to procrastinate, wait, under prepare, rely on others or not take serious our spiritual preparation. As with anything to do with Christ, there is always help. One of the most amazing things about growing stronger spiritually is that we can help and be helped by others along the way! We’ve all heard a story about righteous courage that spurs us with a desire to be better. We’ve all heard that testimony that raises us to another level. Words are so effective in our journey if we allow them to be. Hearing powerful words of testimony yet failing to act upon them is something I think we could all improve on. Let us strive to “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only”. Let us every day try to better ourselves and also uplift others. Let us make a commitment to be better, to do better, to treat others better and we will naturally find ourselves nearer to Christ than we were prior. After all, we know what’s coming… we just need to be ready for it. Oh, and don’t forget to “pack enough shorts”.

Building Faith

28 Saturday Mar 2015

Posted by in Faith

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Some people naturally have a knack for building things. They imagine a shelf, desk, or bed and in their mind create blue prints. Within a short time they have built the beautiful physical manifestation just as they’d envisioned. These people usually have a myriad of power tools, they can actually read a measuring tape, and they wear tool belts not just because they look cool. I’ve never been one of “these people”. In fact, I’m on the opposite end of the spectrum.

For example In Jr. High I had wood shop. My only project (a wood chest) was so unlevel and off center I could have put a backrest on it and called it a rocking chair. Wood shop in High School wasn’t any better for me. When I showed the teacher my final project (a simple shelf) to get his approval to take it home his first sentence was “that piece of crap isn’t leaving my shop, or people will think I taught you like that”. He then kicked it and the whole thing fell apart like a house of cards. He then called the entire class over for a demonstration on how “not to build stuff”. It was hilarious. My last attempt at building something was a work bench in the garage about 5 years ago, which if I could find the picture I would upload it… and your eyes would bleed when you saw it.

When it comes to building materials my talent is my ability not to “construct” but to “deconstruct”. Give me a couple of power tools and a sledge hammer and I’m tear the place apart like Godzilla in a china shop while feeling like a kid in a candy store. My slogan should be “if you can build it, I can break it”. I’m basically the Hulk when Captain America says “Hulk, smash” and Hulk smiles in the Avengers movie. For all these reasons and more, the next sentence will surprise you. It will shock you. You may in fact want to sit down before you read it.

On Saturday, March 21, in the year 2015 I built a shelf in my basement that is not only pleasing to the eye, but level, sturdy, and completely functional. I honestly have no idea how it happened. It’s like when Peter Parker wakes up the day after he’s bitten by the genetically modified Spider and all of a sudden his vision is improved, he’s more buff and he has crazy awesome reflexes. (That’s in the first Spider man movie with Toby Mcguire BTW). It’s a complete phenomenon and should be added to the great wonders of the world. I took pictures of it on Saturday on my phone and found myself staring at the pictures every day since then multiple times per day in complete disbelief and wonder and how the shelves happened. The only explanation I have is the shelves were for food storage so I think I may have had some heavenly aid. It’s truly remarkable.

My point is, I achieved something that for me what was beyond impossible. Something I didn’t think I could do. To take that one step further it was more in the realm of “don’t even waste your time thinking about it” type of thing. However, I was able to achieve it.

I liken this to us. Most of us likely have the mindset that we are pretty inconspicuous to the world. We aren’t even a ripple in the ocean. We might even doubt our abilities or possibilities. What I have learned is to doubt ourselves, is to doubt God himself. With God, even “little old me” can be a powerful force for good capable of incredible and even miraculous things!

For example take Enoch. At one point he asked God “why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, I am but a lad, and all the people hate me, for I am slow of speech, wherefore am I thy servant”? Enoch doubted himself and saw himself as we likely see ourselves. However, God saw him how God sees everything both then, now, and forever… perfectly. Even though Enoch didn’t see or know what God saw and knew, he had faith. Sure enough, with God and that faith pretty soon Enoch is leading the people in war, causing the earth to tremble, the mountains to flee, rivers to change course, Lions to roar in the wilderness and causing land to rise from the depths of the sea and has caused all nations to fear him and God.

How about another example:

Joseph Smith. You want someone “weak” that God made mighty… he’s in the running for the poster boy of that catagory. God chose a boy, not a man, but a boy, who lived in Podunk farmland to bring back, organize and spread the Gospel and Priesthood and temporarily lead the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as a Prophet in this, the last dispensation to start a work so great, so wonderful, so powerful it will never again be taken from the earth. We are aware of the story of Joseph Smith and what he endured for this work which ultimately ended up in his martyrdom and all the amazing things he was able to do… so, what do I think the biggest similarity between these two examples is? The main reason they were both able to do so much? Faith.

We are capable and able of so much more than we think or know we are. If God can temporarily turn me into a hybrid of Handy Manny and Tim the Tool Taylor for a couple days to somehow build a shelf with an ability I’ve never even dreamed I’d have, he’s capable of anything. Do we allow him to change us? Is our faith sufficient? We know his love and abilities surely are, so it’s up to us. Sure, most of us are just “normal people” but that doesn’t mean God doesn’t have a bigger plan for us.

We all have talents and abilities. We all have a purpose and a part to play. Think of how incredible it is that we were saved and chosen for this day and age. That alone speaks volumes. We know Christ is coming again and we know it’s crunch time. Just like a coach doesn’t put his bench players in with the game on the line with time running out neither does God! We are all capable of so much! Maybe it’s the gift of patience and understanding to work with troubled youth. Maybe our calling is leadership, or being able to understand various situations to bring aid to those in need. Maybe we are able to communicate with a certain group of individuals extraordinarily well which facilitates the changing of lives. Maybe we can inspire or uplift? Maybe we can see visions, or alter the courses of rivers?

Moroni Chapter 10 is my favorite chapter in the entire Book of Mormon because it talks about just this thing. The culmination of that chapter for me is verse 23 which reads:

And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me.To me, that says it all. God can help you do ANYTHING. Not what you think you can do, not only what match your capabilities, but ANYTHING. We just need the faith.

Going Global

25 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by in Language, Poems, Portuguese

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In an attempt at placating the mighty demands of our vast readership in Brazil, Portugal, Angola, and Mozambique, I’ve constructed a small token for their enjoyment in their native tongue. For all the readers confined to English (not Tyson) google translate is awesome.

Cristo Redentor

O! Meu Mestre, Bom Senhor!
Meu amado Redentor!
Me resgate da fraqueza
À tua casa tão beleza

As marcas, sinto em tuas mãos
Trazem minha salvação
E teu espírito me diz
Se eu te sigo, serei feliz!

3 Days

24 Tuesday Mar 2015

Posted by in Easter, Jesus Christ, Poems, Resurrection

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In honor of the Easter season, and in the spirit of recognizing its significance, I’d like for us to think of how much the Savior was able to accomplish in such a relatively short amount of time. His ministry started when he was 30 years old, and lasted only 3 short years, culminating in his crucifixion and resurrection. 3 years to change the course of human history. We can also break those 3 years down even further, His most lasting and meaningful moments could be highlighted in 3 different days or events.

 

 

3 Days

Three greater days have never passed before the eyes of men,
In all of God’s created worlds, from when all time began.
They came in chaos, strife, and pain, with peace left far behind,
the crucial fulcrum of mankind’s meridian of time..

Day 1

First of three, that night foreseen, His sacred supper blessed.
The Christ, betrayed, retired to pray, find peace, and quiet rest.
But peace came not that night at all, but blood from every pore,
As our Brother, all alone, atoned, our sins He bore.

While crushed with pain, for sins not his, He prayed on bended knees,
an angel came to comfort give, His strength in hour of need.
He drank the bitter dregs from cup o’erflown with sin of man.
His love for us the reason for fulfilling Father’s plan

First darkened night of storm and quake then fear from nature’s wrath,
For man had seen the Son of God, yet heeded not His path,
And Christ alone, bore all the weight of justice through that night,
And Evil thought its victory won, delighted in His plight!

Through deep humiliation’s path, He walked, but did not speak,
He bore our burdens, felt our pain, passed through our trials bleak.
And then descended far below what man could take, and live.
So he could succor us in need, true empathy He’d give.

He hung upon the cross, and felt completely left alone,
For God the Father, left him in that moment to atone,
He drank the cup, fulfilled his calling in our Father’s plan
The single greatest moment in the history of man!

God’s anger at the wickedness of man was then displayed,
as lightning, thunder, quakes, and storm brought forward man’s dismay,
But soon the darkened skies of angered God would be replaced,
By dancing sunbeams in the garden, welcoming the day.

Day 2

The second day on earth was still, disciples left behind,
were left to wonder how it was that man had been so blind,
to fail to see the miracles of Gods begotten son,
they crucified their only hope, The Lord, the Chosen One.

But though the battered body of our Lord lay in the tomb,
His spirit lifted from the confines of the little room,
And gathered with the other spirits in God’s paradise,
He taught that broken were the bands from evil’s deadly vice.

And all who’d follow Him would have the chance to be baptized,
For mercy, love and justice rule,  His law not compromised,
Three days in heaven’s paradise instructing all who’d died,
Before returning down to earth as He had prophesied.

This short time in paradise gave hope to countless souls,
creating need for those alive to bring into the fold,
their loved ones who had died without the knowledge of the Christ,
nor of His loving message of atoning sacrifice.

And now His temples dot the earth where veil is thin at times
Between the seen and unseen souls who truly follow Christ
And ancient are the blessing giv’n to all who enter there,
While rescuing those hopeful souls from endless dark despair

And by this link to fathers gone our hearts to them do turn,
And through the Spirit’s sealing power, their hearts to us return,
For all God’s children have the power of choice to follow Him,
Whether born in priesthood light, or circumstances grim.

For Christ enabled on that day, the worthy ones below,
To act in proxy, for the spirits who had come to know,
And then accepted gospel truths, but with no flesh and bone,
Could not fulfill the ordinance nor covenant on their own.

Day 3

The third day was the brightest one, renewed in spirit’s fire,
For resurrected was our Lord, no longer He required,
Any mortal thing on earth, For He had conquered death,
Became the way, the truth, and life, for hope, he gave new breath.

The morning light on that third day had symbolized anew,
That light had overcome both dark and sorrow from the tomb.
And equal as the deepest pain from loss of God’s own Son,
Was hope and love and confidence for victory was won!

No longer would the chains of hell or death be absolute,
For Christ had Risn’ in perfect form, though marks in hand and foot,
Remained for all to feel and look with tears and trembling hands
Reminders of the pain he felt fulfilling Father’s plan.

His gift to us, without condition, none to be deprived,
Was that of immortality; if earned, Eternal life.
He conquered death by taking up His mortal body’s frame,
But now exalted, quickened, by the power in His name

Three days of mighty consequence in many different ways,
For dark they were before with storm, now lit with heavens rays
And all mankind will struggle to fulfill our hearts on earth,
Unless we follow Jesus Christ, The One who gives us worth.

Tradeshow Discernment

23 Monday Mar 2015

Posted by in Discernment, General

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The company I work for offers PSM software and services.  That won’t mean much to any of you, so here is a brief description of PSM (please don’t go to sleep): it stands for Process Safety Management.  It is a single regulation found in the massive OSHA Code of Federal Regulations (29 CFR 1910.119).  It requires companies that store or use hazardous chemicals to comply with a number of different elements in order to protect worker safety, maintain the integrity of the actual process (piping, etc.) and continually ensure that updates, changes, and additions are done appropriately.  Within this single regulation, there are 14 elements, each of which integrate and overlap each other (on purpose) so that the overall chemical process is kept up to date.  Some of these elements include employee participation (the need for everyone to be involved and on the same page), process safety information (technical information related to the process, calculations, drawings, etc.), operating procedures, management of change, incident investigation, emergency response planning, major studies and analysis, and at the end of the day, it really is quite a bit of work that is required of each plant location to comply with the regulations.  On top of this OSHA retains the right to show up at any time (to any location) and perform an inspection to verify compliance with this regulation.  If any deficiencies are found, there could be citations, notices of violation, and potentially forced closure.

The point of our software is to capture the work that any one plant or group of plants has already done to address this regulation, process and analyze that data, provide the individuals with email notifications to address upcoming and overdue tasks, notices and/or approvals, track recommendations to closure, and manage any and all changes properly so that the various elements truly work together in a way that is efficient and effective.  Simple right?  We certainly think so.

This regulation has been in place for over 20 years, but the majority of plants that we deal with, still struggle to meet the intent of this regulation.  There are some plants that don’t really try at all – they just try to avoid being inspected by OSHA, and look exhaustively for any way possible to be exempt or hide from the regulations.  There are others who give a fair effort and do some of the basics, expecting OSHA to  ‘justify them in committing a little non-compliance’, thinking ‘there is no harm in this’, and only ‘beat them with a few stripes’ and ultimately extend leniency in the event of an inspection (see 2 Ne. 28:8).  There are companies who try pretty hard, but are limited in their resources, so they never really meet the standard, and then there are still others (the vast minority) who make it a top priority and don’t settle for anything less than the best that they can do.  To be fair (and honest) the majority of those who are honestly trying may be motivated by fear (hefty fine or even worse nowadays is bad publicity) more than the motivation to be the best that they can be and just do what is right, but there are a few who are motivated for the right reasons.

Since I am in the thick of an annual conference where PSM is a factor, this divisive topic brings up the following question to most of the attendees (at least where I am concerned); “what kind of feelings are stirred up within us when we hear the word PSM?”  Imagine with me for a moment, the interactions that I get to see daily when I am representing my company at this industry trade show.  The name of my company (APSM), and our slogan (PSM Software and Services) is displayed on our booth and scores of the end users walk by and silently answer that question based on their reaction to just reading my sign.  It breaks down to something like this…

75% pretend that my booth doesn’t exist.  They see the word PSM and they feign ignorance or disinterest (some might even actually become angry inside).

10% view the booth, see what we offer and actually move further away from me.

10% see my booth and our literature, watch the looping PowerPoint slide for a moment, and appear to be somewhat interested, only to then meander away avoiding eye contact at all cost hoping that I don’t speak to them.

5% read the slogan, watch the PPT, start to look at the brochures that explain our product, and think to themselves; ‘this software is totally awesome and could really help me in my ongoing quest to keep up with my PSM program’. 1

The reasons as to why the 95% don’t express any interest at all in our product are likely many – but here are a few possible explanations…

  1. They see the words PSM and ‘fear exceedingly’ because they know that their existing PSM program is in horrible shape – but them even considering talking to me (or us) would be an acknowledgement of their failure in that regard.So, they stay away from help, not realizing that by staying away from help (my company, our software) they actually are making things increasingly worse as time goes on.  Ignoring the problem doesn’t seem to fix it.  Then, in a panic they call us when they get audited by OSHA and ask for a miracle….
  2. They see the words PSM and don’t worry because they have been ‘pacified or lulled away into PSM security’ by someone who has little to no actualPSM knowledge.  These are they who actually think that their 3rd grade PSM program is good enough to stand up against OSHA’s inspection criteria.  These are they who were ‘flattered away’ by the cunning and false words of others.
  3. They see the words PSM, and are at least semi-interested.They watch the video thinking to themselves – “I should probably know about the things that this slideshow is outlining, and I should probably investigate this product to see if, what, and how it can help me” only to then reach a point where it seems to require too much of their time and attention and reach one of two conclusions 1) someone else has probably taken care of it, or 2) that’s a good product for others, but it would never work for me (budget reasons, more work than I want to think about, etc.).
  4. They see the words PSM and avoid us because they already have a PSM vendor (or even worse another PSM software product).They see us and yell in their minds “PSM software!  PSM software!  We have got a PSM software and there cannot be any more PSM software vendors!” This is a difficult customer to talk to because they are completely against anything that would upset this thought – no matter what we try.2

On the positive side, there are the 5% that are interested, ask good questions, take my business card and a brochure with real intent.  Of those 5%, maybe 1% will respond to follow up and actually progress past the tradeshow – in order to see if our product really could help them, and these are the ones we like to talk with anyway.  Even though only 1% will really progress, we still applaud them for pursuing the idea of betterment.

There is yet another category of conference-goer that I have not included in the percentage breakdown, and they are existing clients (or clients that have progressed from interested conference-goer or software product investigator to existing client at some point in the past).  These clients come over confidently, we greet each other by name, and then we proceed to discuss how much the software has helped them over the months or years.  They invariably indicate how much they’ve learned, how many things have improved, and how much of a difference it really has made.  Sometimes this even bleeds into a discussion of what exciting changes are coming to the software in the future.  Without fail the more the software is utilized by an individual or a plant, the more successful the PSM program and that company have been.  If the software product is unused and/or misunderstood it will quickly be tossed out and forgotten.

That’s great Tyson, but what does PSM have to do with anything?  I was bored 10 minutes ago.

A few weeks ago in Elder’s quorum, we had a lesson on repentance and the first question the instructor asked was “what kind of feelings are stirred up within us when we hear the word repentance?”   It was an interesting question, and the answer is different for each of us as it is directly related to the level of our individual confidence ‘in the presence of God’ (see D&C 121:45) and our current need for repentance.  If the word repentance immediately forms beads of sweat on our brow, and brings on visions of Spencer W. Kimball’s book (you know the one I’m talking about) we may naturally have some panic at the mere word – but, if we are honestly striving to do our best, and have repeatedly and humbly embraced repentance  – we will have a different, much sweeter reaction to it.3

In other words, how we respond to the word repentance is the same to how my conference-goers respond to the sign PSM Software and Services at my booth.

Do I see or hear the word repentance and ‘fear exceedingly’ because I know that my existing repentance program is in horrible shape – and by thinking about it I acknowledge my deep failure in that regard?  Do I then stay away from help and true repentance, not realizing that by staying away from help (bishop, family, the Lord) I am actually making things increasingly worse as time goes on.  Ignoring repentance (or guilt which is the natural encouragement the spirit gives us to repent) will not make it’s necessity go away and problems can’t get fixed until they are identified and acknowledged (as problems).

Do I see/hear the word repentance but not worry because I have been ‘pacified or lulled away into carnal security’ by someone who has little to no real repentance knowledge.  These are they who think that 3rd grade repentance program is good enough to stand up against God’s inspection criteria.  These are they who were ‘flattered away’ by the cunning or completely wrong advice of others or our own rationalization or justifications.

Do I see/hear the word repentance and act semi-interested?  Do I think to myself – “I should probably know more about the things that this class/instructor/book is outlining, and I should probably investigate this topic to see what and how it can help me” only to then reach a point where it seems to require too much of my time and attention and reach one of two conclusions 1) someday later I will probably take care of it, or 2) that’s a good idea in theory, but it would never actually work for me (personal reasons, family wouldn’t approve, more work than I want to think about, I’ve done too much wrong, etc.)

Do I see/hear the word repentance and avoid it because I already repented?  Do I yell in my mind “repentance!  repentance!  We have repented and there cannot be any more repentance!”

On the positive side, if we find ourselves in the percentage that is continually interested in repentance, and we are currently asking good questions, let’s take it to the next step and get a business card and a brochure.  Then, let’s continue to be the 1% that will actually respond or even initiate some follow up and actually progress the sale past the tradeshow – in order to see if repentance really can help us.  Even though that progress might be slow, tedious, and potentially painful.  Remember, we can’t know real joy or peace unless we know real misery and turmoil.

Then, we can count ourselves a part of the category of conference/church-goer that was not included in the percentage breakdown, (let us be existing and continuous repentance clients).  Then we (as existing repentance clients) can come over to the Lords booth confidently, He will greet us by name, and then we can proceed to discuss how much repentance has helped us over the years.  We can invariably tell him how much we’ve learned, how many things have improved in our lives, and how much of a difference it really has made – somehow much more than we ever thought it could.  Without fail, the more repentance is utilized, the more successful the life program and that person will be.  If however, the repentance process (just like PSM software) is unused and/or misunderstood it will quickly be ignored and forgotten.

Notes

1 You may ask how I came to arrive at these very scientific numbers and/or percentages, and there is no answer.  I have no scientific studies, data, charts, or even lists to substantiate the percentile claims in this blog post, but they are correct.  I just know.  I liken this to how your bishop and/or other priesthood leaders or your parents just know if/when you’re lying about worthiness or preparation or tithing or anything else important.  I have been doing this job for 8 years now and have attended over 30 tradeshows and every single one of them has the same people who give me the same runaround.  I am not fooled.  I have developed the talent of PSM discernment (a coveted gift in the pre-existence to be sure).  I know very easily when our software solution could help someone.  I know how much it could help them, and I know how thankful they would be for it IF they just listened to me and implemented it.  Fathers and mothers feel this way about their children when they give them advice and the same fathers and mothers are not fooled when their children try and tell them that they brush their teeth every night before bed.  We just know better.

2 I have (on many occasions) had to explain to people that there is more than 1 software provider out there, and just because you have one PSM software in use at your company doesn’t mean you have the best one, or even a good one at all.  They should know that ‘there are more softwares than one’….and they should not ‘murmur because that ye shall receive more of my software [help].  They need not suppose that their software contains all the requirements for PSM; neither need they suppose [that He hath not] caused more to be written’ (see 2 Ne.29:6-12).

3 See ‘Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence’ by Elder Jorg Klebingat of the Seventy from the October 2014 Conference.  It is amazing.

Big Brother

17 Tuesday Mar 2015

Posted by in TV, Types

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A few years ago, my wife and I used to watch ‘Big Brother’ pretty regularly.  Hopefully most of you are familiar with the show (or others like it) – only because it will allow this comparison to be clearer, but for those of you who are not familiar with the show, I will include a brief summary.

Big Brother is a reality TV show (but it’s also very much a game).  The premise of the show involves a select group of people, called ‘houseguests’, living together in a specially constructed large house. During their time in the house they are isolated from the outside world and are not commonly aware of outside events (no TV, no internet, no social media, no letters, etc.).  In-house television cameras as well as personal audio microphones continuously monitor the contestants during their stay and record every word and action between contestants. Each game (involving the house guests) lasts for about three months, with at least ten contestants entering the house. To win the final cash prize, a contestant must survive periodic (usually weekly) evictions and be the last housemate or houseguest remaining in the house by the series’ conclusion.  Similar to other game shows like survivor, biggest loser, etc. there are challenges, competitions, and prizes for various events, but the basic idea is to be the last one standing at the end.

This show (similar to other TV game shows) was developed primarily for TV viewers, so naturally it is jam-packed with drama (intrigue, deception, alliances, conniving, lies, false promises, and every other tactic that contestants can come up with) in order to win, which obviously gets people to watch.

The fundamental purpose of every single contestant is to win the $500k prize.  Let’s be clear on that point.  Otherwise, why enter the game?  A subtle secondary purpose might be to become famous, so let’s just assume that’s a part of the overall purpose). Each individual is trying to win the individual prize.  There are no team prizes, as it is not a team game.  It is every man for himself, yet as it has always been (and always will be) the contestants enter into ‘alliances’ with other contestants in order to improve their individual chances, help eliminate other strong contestants, or to create some type of a team.  This is where it gets tricky – and exciting.

Once the alliances start to form (which is usually right away), the viewers have an advantage over the contestants, because the viewer can see the entire game all at once (at least what the network wants to show us – which if we are honest is just enough to make the drama reach it’s absolute maximum point).  The viewer is privy to both sides (or all sides) of the story.  The viewer can see that the alliances that are formed don’t have an ounce of loyalty – at least not when it comes down to ‘you or me’.   Because we can see one contestant enter into 2 or 3 alliances and promise or (or swear) loyalty to each.  The viewer knows (and can easily see) that each contestant is only loyal to the alliance if (or as long as) it is beneficial to him/her.

Inevitably, we all see the episode where one of the alliance members is ‘blindsided’ and voted out, and then acts hurt or emotional and completely surprised about it.  Let’s remember our first fundamental here – each contestant entered the game to win.  The contestant cannot be surprised when another contestant turns on them can they?  Is that possible?  How is that a difficult concept for the contestant to understand?  That doesn’t make it easier to swallow when you’re the one that was blindsided, but you had to expect it at some point right?  It’s not even strange to see an alliance within an alliance – or alliances all over the place, because every contestant is trying to put him or herself in the best position overall – to end up on top.

After the contestants are eliminated, the orchestrator(s) of the eviction is always found saying something like this: ‘no hard feelings (contestant name), I had to get you out before you got me out’ or ‘you were such a strong competitor, we had to get you out as soon as we could’.   Meanwhile, the eliminated contestant is sitting there in shock (while watching this all play out)– angry and bitter and hurt – wondering what happened.  Then the show host asks that question “what happened”?  “Didn’t you see this coming”?  With rare exceptions they quietly sob and say, “no, I guess I trusted them.  I thought we were a team.  I really did believe that they had my back, and that they would look out for me.  I thought that we had an alliance.”

If the orchestrators and schemers could hear those words (of the dejected contestants) – they would likely laugh and say something like this; “oh that’s cute, you actually thought I cared about you”.  Or if they are honest it would be something like this “that is so cute that you actually thought I had any plans of bringing you with me, because I didn’t.  None.  I used you just like I plan on using everyone else here to get what I want.  But I’ll take it as a compliment that you believed me, because that means I played a good game”.

We’ve all seen it a hundred times right? And as a viewer of the show it is so easy to see it coming.  We can yell at the screen, we can groan and ask them if they are blind, and we can even wonder to ourselves if they’ve every actually watched the show before (because it happens every single season, literally over and over again).  But then we see the face of the dejected and evicted houseguest and realize – they actually believed the schemer.  They really did think that he had their back.  They actually and honestly believed it.  And then you understand – and you get a little sad for them.

Now, if we have ‘eyes to see and ear to hear’ we can see the exact same things happening in our game of life.  We can hear those who would like us to join their ‘alliance’ and they speak softly and encouragingly: “Unite with us and become acquainted with our secret works, and become our brethren that ye may be like unto us – not our slaves, but our brethren and partners of all our substance” (3 Ne. 3:7).  Come and be part of our alliance.  It looks like you don’t have many on your team, and/or your team is made up of weak old-timers and stiffs.  We are strong and you can be a partner with us.  We have money, we have power, and we have a solid backing of sponsors and supporters.   These are the orchestrators, who claim to have our back, yet will toss us away as soon as it fits their (unspoken) strategies.  And, as I mentioned, if we have eyes to see, we too can see it coming from a mile away.

There will be many who will speak ‘flattering words’, and yet are full of ‘cunning devices’.  They have learned this art from the master liar and if we don’t think that’s true – then we are naïve.  So, to illustrate the past in order to understand the present and future – let’s encapsulate the entire big brother premise in a single concise statement – based on someone playing that game in 72 B.C. – which happens to be a chapter heading from the Book of Mormon (Alma 47) which reads “Amalickiah uses treachery, murder, and intrigue to become the king of the Lamanites”.    Since there is no way to adequately capture or explain all of that intrigue – I will encourage you to read chapters 46-51 of Alma for the full story as it’s much better than any season of big brother. 1

In summary: Amalickiah dissents from the Nephites (because they didn’t elect him to be their king) – so he became ‘wroth’ and convinced his cronies (who happened to be lower judges in the land who also “were seeking for power” which is the hallmark of bad guys.  He led his ‘alliance’ with flatteries that “if they would support him and establish him to be their king that he would make them rulers over the people”.  So they run away and convince the (existing) king of the Lamanites to go to battle against the Nephites  – because if that happened (war with the Nephites) it would be beneficial to Amalickiah  – so he (Amalickiah) “being a very subtle man to do evil”… laid a plan in his heart to dethrone the king of the Lamanites”.  He takes the army that the king gives him (the king gave him orders to compel the other Lamanite armies to go to battle), but had absolutly no intention of actually fighting (or compelling the other Lamanite armies to fight with them) because he actually surrenders to Lehonti (a Lamanite chief) as a ploy to become #2 in charge (of now two armies), poisons Lehonti to become the chief commander of both armies, and then comes back with a larger army to the real king and under the guise of  ‘bowing down as if to reverence him because of his greatness’ has one of his cronies stab the king, cause a distraction, blame the existing servants of the king and become the king of all the Lamanites.  “Thus, by his fraud, Amalickiah gained the hearts of the people”.  It was quite the show.  He was able to ‘gain the hearts’ of people with false promises and cunning treachery.  Another telling truth about this ‘leader’ is found in the statement that Amalickiah “did not care for the blood of his people”.  He was in it for himself.   As I read these stories I wonder how the Lamanites missed it…

The Book of Mormon is literally full of examples just like this.  How many times do we read about individuals and/or groups that dissent or revolt because they (the dissenting group) want to see themselves in power?  Like 683.  It seems that every few years there is another group that wants to have a king (which is code for “I want this guy to be king so that he can give me more power”).  And in each case, this revolt starts with a fancy talker who convinces many by flattery, that if they elect him to be the king he will put them in power, somehow convincing everyone that they really will defeat everyone else (even though everyone else is the whole city) and somehow take over (sound like big brother yet)?  They honestly believe that when the battle has been won, they will share the loot or that they really will be put in power and everything will be awesome.  Not likely.

The point of all of this is to highlight the fact that these secret bands, or alliances that promise security and protection are so ridiculously unloyal.   Because truth is truth, and truth says that (speaking of the devil) “the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell”  (Alma 30:60).  Interestingly enough, this scripture comes after a fancy talker was left on his own after joining an ‘alliance’ with the sweetest talker of them all.  If you think I’m joking, just imagine the devil in the diary room after your eviction from heaven (because you joined his alliance because of his ‘pleasing words’ only to then be stabbed in the back when you needed him most) where he says something like this: “oh that’s cute, you actually thought I cared about you”.  Or if he’s brutally honest it would be something like this “that is so cute that you actually thought I had any plans of bringing you joy, because I didn’t.  None.  I used you just like I plan on using everyone else here to get what I want – which happens to be your misery.  But I’ll take it as a compliment that you believed me, because that means I played a good game”.

The best example of these ‘alliances’ being made of lies, comes from the book of Helaman, when the prophet Nephi is lamenting the people’s wickedness on his garden tower and the people wonder what he’s doing.  He tells them in chapter 8 (among other things) to “go ye into the judgment seat, and search, and behold your judge is murdered, and he lieth in his blood; and he hath been murdered by his brother who seeketh to sit in the judgment seat.  That pretty much sums up the whole reason that alliances don’t last – because everyone that belongs to that alliance is after the same thing – power (or in this case, the judgment seat).   Yet Nephi continues “behold, they both belong to your secret band”.   What?  How is this possible?  How is it that everyone in our secret little band is not loyal to the cause?  Especially to one’s own brother within the secret band…oh yeah, it’s because every single person who belongs to our secret little band wants to be in charge of our secret little band, and as soon as they see a window of opportunity – they will throw their ‘oaths’ out the window and do whatever they can for their own individual benefit.

The hard part is trying to figure out how they ever think their deception and scheme will last.  They were part of the same ‘alliances’ when they schemed to murder the chief judge, but somehow think that other ‘alliances’ within their overall alliance will somehow stop trying to ‘get gain’ once they have become the chief judge.  Only to be disappointed (put this cycle on repeat) because the people in this alliance are only interested in themselves.  Shocker right? Yet, we see it over and over again and we want to scream at the TV or the book – how did you not see this coming?

These secret bands are the people who will do “all in their power, by whatever means available, to bring us down, to woo the people with sophistry, and to take control of the society”. 2   These are the people that will step on others to get on top.  These are the people that will say anything and everything (knowing full well that it’s not true) in order to get ‘followers’ or people to believe in their cause, their projects, or their purposes (code for give them money), while having completely different intentions all along the way.   These are the people that do not care for the blood of their followers.  And, if we think that secret bands or alliances are only to be found in reality TV game shows, we are naïve.  These secret bands are found everywhere in life.  They have been for a long time (see Moses 5:51) and they are among us now (see Ether 8:20).

It seems so easy for us to see these things playing out when we read them in the Book of Mormon, or we watch big brother on TV, but for some reason it is a bit more difficult when we are ‘in the game’.  Somehow we miss the ‘tells’ or some of the seemingly insignificant things that help us realize that these groups may not actually have our best interests at heart.  In fact, they may be out to abuse us entirely – regardless of what their slogan(s) or outward appearances may be.   When we watch the game from the outside – we are able to see the true intent of the schemers, and wonder with that same prophet Nephi – “HOW could [these participants] have given way to the enticing of him who is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo?”… “Behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts” (Hel. 7: 16-21).  How indeed.  Doesn’t everyone know that Satan an his followers do not have good intentions – despite what they are telling you?  Somehow everyone seems to miss it – perhaps because we are trying so hard to ‘play the game’ to get our own schemes in place – that we miss out on the fact that we’ve been hooked.   How many movies have this as a premise?  Lots.

This same amazing prophet (Nephi), includes a phrase that I absolutely love in verse 25 of chapter 7 (still in Helaman) which says “wo be unto you because of that great abomination which has come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea, to that secret band…”.  I cringe when I think of all of us who are so busy getting on with life, constantly making choices, choosing sides on hot button issues within and without the church, aligning ourselves with the ‘right’ people, groups, or activities (playing the game of life) only to realize that the greatest evil in the entire world (that great abomination) has quietly come among us and has become the most pervasive thoughts, groups, organization, or ideas in our society and not only have we allowed it, but we have ‘united ourselves unto it’ because they sounded so reasonable and logical (not to mention the social pressure, conforming thoughts and the widespread acceptance they receive).  What an awful thought.  Imagine sitting on the wrong side of that eviction (after being completely blindsided) and wondering how this all came to be (asking yourself – what happened?).

So, let us have ‘eyes to see’ so that we “suffer not that these combinations get above [us], which are built up to get power and gain.  When we shall see these things come among us (and they are among us now), that we shall awake to a sense of our awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among us…. For whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies.” 3  

Let us not think that these groups, people, ideas, organizations, thoughts, etc. will be labeled as clearly as we would hope.  No doubt they will come packaged in very enticing ways that seem to fit the mold of goodness and justice and rights and fairness and privileges.  They will all claim to be good, and they will all claim to lead us to safety.  Let us be ever dependent upon the spirit and the truth, and the chosen leaders of the church.

Notes

1 When you read these chapters, I have found it very helpful to see the ‘types’.  For example, Amalickiah is a fascinating ‘type’ for Satan and how he fought in the premortal world, and how he works today, and Moroni is a type for Christ and/or Michael in leading the forces against Satan both then and now.  I think we can learn a lot by assuming that these ‘types’ are some of the reasons the war chapters are included in the Book of Mormon for us to read – today.

2 Gordon B. Hinckley, ‘The Times in Which We Live’ – January 2002

3 See Ether 8 (the whole chapter)

What You Know vs. Who You Know

12 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by in Knowledge, Testimony

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When I was in college (and then after I graduated and was looking for a job/career), several people used to say “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”.  I knew that pretty well, since that’s how I had secured 4 of my 5 previous jobs up to that point in time. But once I was a college graduate, and had the ever-impressive initials B.S. (Bachelor of Science) that I could use as a deal-breaker I thought the world would treat me differently.  It didn’t.

I applied for like 87 jobs and had about 15 interviews (it seemed like that many) – which all resulted in my continued employment at Questar Gas.  This also increased my frustration with the true statement above; “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” – until at long last someone else that I knew (my grandpa), asked me if I would be interested in a job opportunity.  Bingo.  This means that now of the 6 jobs that I have ever had, 5 of them came because of who I knew.

The fact that I knew stuff certainly mattered, and as time passed (in each of these jobs) it was and is a continual and increasing use and reliance upon what I know, combined with a continual and increasing network of who I know that leads to salary increases, bonuses, efficiency, productivity, expansion, new clients, increased responsibilities, etc.  So, the fact of the matter is that both what you know and who you know make all the difference, yet the familiarity of who seems to be extremely significant – especially if that’s the factor that allows us to get in the door.

This thinking may help us to understand two important and related gospel topics, which are really 6 gospel topics in similar sets of 3 progressive steps.  The first 3-part topic is the relationship between knowledge, understanding, and intelligence (based on Elder Bednar’s exhaustive treatment of these principles).  These 3 words are sprinkled throughout the scriptures in various ways, and we can study them in great detail in order to fully grasp their intended meanings, but for our purposes, let’s list the basics.

Knowledge is what we know.  It is the facts, stories, principles, and items that we have learned about.  Knowledge is based in our minds, and is largely made up of things that we have learned through books, schooling, classes, etc.   Knowledge (by itself) is not sufficient, just ask Laman and Lemuel (they were taught and knew tons of stuff), or many of the Lamanites who ‘dissented’ from the Nephites (after they had knowledge of the ways of God).   There are a lot of people on earth who are ‘learned’ or ‘educated’.  See 2 Ne. 9:28 (when they are learned they think they are wise…supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not).

Understanding occurs only when knowledge (as defined above) is confirmed by the influence of the Holy Ghost in our hearts.  It happens when we pray for an answer, or when we feel the spirit testify of truth when someone else is teaching or testifying.  In essence, understanding helps the truth (our knowledge) get copied from our minds and pasted into our hearts so that it resides in both places – essentially becoming twice as strong in us.  Understanding helps us to know the Holy Ghost and Him who sent the Holy Ghost – and thus can be likened to who we know and is a confirmation of what we know since any understanding is a manifestation of the reality of the Lord, his spirit, and everything else that entails.  See Mosiah 12:27 (ye have not applied your hearts to understanding).

Intelligence is the repeated and consistent use of knowledge and understanding.  It is both knowing and understanding, and acting upon that knowledge in a repeat pattern.  It is knowing that tithing is a commandment, feeling the truth of it in our hearts, and then paying it consistently.  It is knowing that home teaching is important, feeling the benefits in your life and/or the lives of those you teach, and then continuing to act as a home teacher in a consistent way (forever).   It is the repeated acting on gospel principles.  Take Nephi vs. Laman and Lemuel – Nephi knew, understood, and was intelligent.  Laman and Lemuel knew, understood (at least once they indicated that they had ‘felt’ the power of the Lord – See 1 Ne. 17:55) but I’m not convinced they ever let that feeling take hold – and certainly weren’t too intelligent about it’s staying in their hearts by repeatedly following it’s promptings.  See 1 Ne. 17:45 (ye were past feeling) and 2 Ne. 9:29 (to be learned is good IF they hearken unto the counsels of God).

Even though these three principles are in a progressive order, sometimes intelligence may actually be required before a full understanding comes.  As Alma explains in chapter 32:27 (of Alma) “even if you have no more than a desire to believe, let this desire work in you” – or in other words – act on your knowledge to gain an understanding.  He promises results “for it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me”. Once we’ve tried this experiment a few times, you’ll understand, and the repeated acting will result in increased intelligence.   This is a trial of faith – or when we are asked to act on something (demonstrate at least one or two instances of intelligence) before we have a full understanding.  Then, once we have felt an understanding, we can demonstrate our ongoing intelligence by repeating those actions over and over and over.  If we think of our faith as intelligently acting in order to perform an experiment it doesn’t seem so abstract does it?  Let us “awake and arouse our faculties”.

Now we come to the second 3-part topic, which is a listing of the elements that make up our testimonies (based on Bruce C. Hafen’s explanations in his book ‘Spiritually Anchored in Unsettled Times’).  These three elements are reason, feelings, and experience.  It shouldn’t take us too long to make the connection between the first three elements (knowledge, understanding, and intelligence) and these later three, (reason, feelings, and experience) and in many cases they reference the exact same idea/principle but I think that too often we think of our testimonies as what we know, but forget how it is that we know it (all of the parts) – or who we know that makes the what so important.

Reason is reason.  It makes sense.  Heavenly father loves his children (is there anything in the world that makes more sense than this)?  He wants us to be happy.  He wants us to be a family forever.  The fall required an atonement.  Mercy can’t rob justice.  Wickedness never was happiness.  A child can grow to be a parent.  Reason is something that we have ‘studied out in our mind’ or given serious thought and pondering.  It is something that we’ve investigated, something that we’ve read about, something that we’ve learned about, or something that people have taught us.  It is a vital component to any testimony and has a striking similarity to knowledge (as described above).  Every testimony is made up of some reason AND similar to knowledge, reason is not enough by itself. We need more.  Examples are D&C 88:47 and Alma 30:44.

Feelings are the ‘inward parts’ that Jeremiah (and Christ) spoke of (see Jer. 31:33, Luke 11:39, Ps. 51:6) and is ultimately represented by our hearts.  Our emotions and how we ‘feel’ about something is hard to deny, and maybe even harder to explain.  It’s just something that we feel.  This is an integral part of our testimony, and builds off of our reason and our knowledge.  We teach our kids, and they feel good about it, and we hope that we put them in many situations where the spirit can confirm that truth.  We also help reinforce and recognize feelings when they come.

Experience is the compilation of both positive and negative feelings over time.  In other words, experience is the sum total of all of our acts of intelligence (or non-acts of intelligence).  How many years of choices (good, bad, better, worse, leaps of faith) and feelings (anger, resentment, forgiveness, peace, anxiety, depression, joy, love) do we have under our belt?  Where did these feelings come from?  As we grow older (and hopefully more intelligent) we certainly become more experienced, and these experiences absolutely play a part in our testimonies.  A testimony made up of 35 years of home teaching experience carries a bit more weight than a testimony of 1 month of home teaching experience – even if the feelings of that one home teaching moment were ‘off the charts’.  Since all of us are going to make mistakes, we all should have good and not so good experiences that have helped shape our testimonies.

Although these three topics are also progressive, the idea that some experience may be required prior to our working through our confirming feelings is consistent with this thought.  Many times we need to take a step in the dark before we are blessed with the light.

With all 6 (both sets) of these gospel topics, the idea is that there are several interrelated things going on with our minds, our hearts, and our overall beings that make up our testimonies and our conversions.  No two of us are the same – and we can begin to understand the process (and help others) when we better understand the pieces that are involved.  After all, that’s the point of going to church, family home evening and scripture study, and girls camp, and the temple and home or visiting teaching, and everything else that we do – to feel the spirit confirm the truth that we’ve taught (or been taught) and participate in the ordinances that we need and then repeat that process over and over and over again until our actions are consistently intelligent, which means that we have become something better.  Something that the Lord intended us to become all along, and the only way to get there is by learning, feeling, and acting as he would.  That is the intended process of mortality.

I Can, I Will, I Must

04 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by in Motivation, Sports

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1

When I was a sophomore in high school, we were playing a basketball game at Provo High.  Their teams always seemed to beat us.  Call it better coaching, call it better players, call it better facilities, support, boosters, etc.  Call it whatever you want, but they always beat us – always.  I remember one particular game in which they were beating us just like normal and we limped into the locker room for our half-time pep talk.  Our coach (Jared Nielson), bless his heart was a 18 year old recent graduate and pre-mission friend of our varsity head coach (he had finished his high school career the previous year), and was likely frustrated with us for a million different reasons.  He tried to give us some strategies, some motivation, and some encouragement (and also a little tough love), but then something happened that had never happened before; the head coach came in and started yelling at us.  He usually didn’t even come in the locker room, and he never came in to get after us. sophomores.  Yet, on this particular day he asked/yelled a certain question for all of us to answer.  He said “how many of you came into this gym today, knowing that you were going to win?” Only one hand went up in the air – just one.  And it was not mine.  For reference, there were 10 players on the team (plus the assistants and maybe a ball boy).  The head coach couldn’t believe it (he also let us know how disappointed he was), and that was all he needed to say.  Needless to say, we lost by about 320 that game but I will never forget the lesson that taught me.  If I am being honest with myself, I probably thought (at that time) that our team could win, but I also knew that our team would lose.

2

A couple of years later, when I was a senior and was in yet another basketball game – the game was coming down to the wire.  It had been close all game long, and with 7 or 8 seconds left in the game PG had scored a bucket to tie the game.  Rather than call a time out our coach let us wing it and our point guard brought the ball up the court.  I flanked to the left wing and yelled at him to pass the ball, because I knew 2 things without any shadow of a doubt; 1) I was going to shoot it, and 2) It was going in.  He heard me scream, passed me the ball and then I shot it.   It went in and we won by 3 (it was a 3 pointer).  I knew I would make it.  There was not an ounce of doubt in my mind.

3

Many years later (2007), when I was washed up, old, and carrying more adipose tissue than I care to admit it was my privilege to play in the Class D softball world championships in Detroit, Michigan.  During our first game, there were some jitters, and some tightness that were uncharacteristic of our team.  We were normally a very loose and very good team, and we expected to go quite far in the tournament.  Imagine our surprise then, when in the last inning we were down by a run with little to no momentum going forward.  The thought of losing our first game was terrifying for all – which only made the tightness worse.  This is probably another symptom of nerves since there is not a bigger tournament that the world championships and unless you’re a 15 year softball tournament veteran, I imagine there are some nerves.  This is to say nothing at all of the ridiculousness of a softball world championship).  I was slated to be the first batter of that last inning and it was my responsibility to get on base and start a bit of a rally so that we could avoid losing.  I distinctly remember thinking to myself as I walked up to the plate – I absolutely have to get on base – not that I can do it, not I will do it, but there is no alternative.  I must get on base.  I would rather have died than been retired in that at bat.

There must be a point to these amazing sport stories right?  Yes, and not just to reflect upon my former days of semi-glory.  The point is that there is a very big difference in the attitude and confidence of thought – and preparation.

When any of us are placed in a situation that is challenging, we are stepping up to the plate, or we are given the ball in the last few seconds.  In essence – it’s up to us and I hope that we’ve already gone over that scenario in our minds (hopefully several times).  Because if that situation is just thrown in our lap, we will likely find ourselves in the locker room at Provo High, convincing ourselves that we could have handled temptation, adversity, trials, or challenges differently, but we didn’t because of any number of factors.

If, on the other hand, we visualize ourselves rising to the occasion, coming through, being victorious, etc. well in advance of the actual event, it seems to create a confidence within us that cannot come except from planning and experience.

This is NOT to say that visualizing an event in our minds, and then actually experiencing it are the same – they are not.  Imagining yourself parting the red sea is very different than actually doing it – especially when the opposing armies are hot on your heels with their angry faces.

If you don’t think that’s true for everyone, just ask anyone who looks cool and calm in the face of adversity, or who acts like they’ve been there many times before.  Chances are – they have.  Those who have won a championship seem to be better prepared to win another one because they know what it takes. Those with life experience, and gospel experience, and wisdom, and the spirit can provide some excellent examples of faith in action – but many things can only learned by actually experiencing them.  That’s in large part why we are here on this earth.  We need to actually feel the pressure of a screaming crowd, chants of “hey batter batter” or the thunder sticks while we shoot our free throws while we struggle to control our own emotional turmoil, fear of failure, hopes for success, etc. all while realizing that how we fare in that situation affects much more than just my own little universe.

How we act, how we perform, how we control ourselves in that moment defines who we are, it defines what we want, it defines what we love, and over the process of time (repeated situations) – we become who and what we are.

There were likely some that thought that they could traverse mortality with its plethora of choices and experiences and make it back to our father’s presence.  No doubt there were others who knew that they would succeed.   Then, there may have been others of us still, who thought as we learned, lived, loved, and started to comprehend what was at stake here in mortality that I must get back.  There is no alternative.  I will absolutely do whatever it takes to get back here.

Ask the savior, who no doubt visualized Himself in the garden of Gethsemane thousands (if not millions) of times prior to actually walking there that awful and most glorious night.   He had known for as long as we can imagine that He was the one that we all relied on for salvation.  He had known in His mind the logistics of the situation, and as Elder Maxwell termed it “the arithmetic of the atonement”.  He had known in His mind all along and had prepared Himself for that moment, but when it actually came, and He began to experience it, He became “sore amazed, and very heavy”, and His soul was “exceeding sorrowful unto death” (Mark 14:33-34).   This means that even though Christ had gone over the situation in his mind before, and He had prepared as well as anyone had prepared for anything ever – it still made Him “awestruck” when he actually experienced it.

Luckily for all of us, the savior not only knew that He could atone for us, but He also knew that He would atone for us.  To further the point – especially when we consider his plea to the Father – he knew that he must atone for us.  There was no other way.  His love for us won.

The question then for each of us to answer is “How do I feel”?  Do I know I can make it?  Do I know I will make it?  Or have I ruled out the possibility of failure and working under the thought that I must make it?

Shake it Off

28 Saturday Feb 2015

Posted by in Humility, Pride

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So… every once in a while, I think of a gospel principle that would really help me or someone close to me.  If I am being honest, I am much from quick to judge others than I am myself.  I can see faults in others from miles away, but fail to see the exact same faults in myself.  Ironically enough, I have been thinking about forgiveness for the last few days and thinking of a couple of people that just need to let some things go, you know?  When President Uchtdorf’s talk “Lord, Is It I?” came into my remembrance.

A brief refresher:

“It was or beloved Savior’s final night in mortality, the evening before He would offer Himself a ransom for all mankind.  As He broke bread with His disciples, He said something that must have filled their hearts with great alarm and deep sadness.  “one of you shall betray me,” He told them.

The disciples didn’t question the truth of what He said.  Nor did they look around, point to someone else, and ask, “Is it him?”  Instead, “they were exceedingly sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto Him, Lord, is it I?”

I wonder what each of us would do if we were asked that question by the Savior.  Would we look at those around us and say in our hearts, “He’s probably talking about Brother Johnson.  I’ve always wondered about him,” or “I’m glad Brother Brown is here.  He really needs to hear this message”?  Or would we, like those disciples of old, look inward and ask that penetrating question; “Is it I?”

… some are convinced that their busy schedules or unique circumstances make them exempt from the daily acts of devotion and service that would keep them close to the Spirit.

Brethren, none of us like to admit when we are drifting off the right course.  Often we try to avoid looking deeply into our souls and confronting our weaknesses, limitations, and fears.  Consequently, when we do examine our lives, we look through the filter of biases, excuses, and stories we tell ourselves in order to justify unworthy thoughts and actions.

Brethren, we must put aside our pride, see beyond our vanity, and in humility ask, “Lord, is it I?”  And if the Lord’s answer happens to be “Yes, my son, there are things you must improve, things I can help you to overcome,” I pray that we will accept this answer, humbly acknowledge our sins and shortcomings, and then change our ways by becoming better husbands, better fathers, better sons.”

– Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Why thank you for the humble pie, President Uchtdorf.  It is delicious.  Please, may I have another slice?

D&C 64:9-10 “Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin.  I the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.”

My natural man is screaming inside.  I have to forgive no matter what?  No matte the attitude of the wrongdoer?  I have to forgive even when the offending party has not apologized, hasn’t begged and groveled at my feet? I must forgive even when my enemy remains indifferent?  When my foe continues to hiss and spit hatred or unkind words?  I must forgive even when my adversary knowingly and intentionally hurt me knowing full well that he/she was to blame?

Yes.  And one step further – if I don’t forgive, the greater sin is on my head.  Wow.  That is hard.

But, I guess that is the point.  Once again we witness the need for opposition in all things. We have to understand the bitter to appreciate the sweet.

It gets better… Forgiving is only the first step.  When we finally get around to forgiving others, we must forget it as well.  We know that after repentance, the Lord remembers our sins ‘no more.’ Now, we don’t have to send flowers.  We don’t have to hold hands or hang out on the weekend.  We definitely do not have to invite destructive influences back into our lives.  However, we cannot hold onto our negative feelings.  Spencer W. Kimball is pretty much the expert on this subject.  He has a way of expressing forgiveness with the subtlety of a hot iron pressed firmly to one’s face. He said: “Many people, when brought to a reconciliation with others, say that they forgive, but they continue to hold malice, continue to suspect the other party, continue to disbelieve the other’s sincerity.  This is sin”

I know that I have made many, many mistakes.  I have hurt others, and at times I knew that I hurt them, I wanted to.  I also know, that I am sorry, and I want them to forgive and forget and much as I want to forget.  There cannot be a double standard.  I cannot seek mercy and forgiveness of others and look forward to the suffering of those who have hurt me.  I cannot feel the need to withdraw the same level of sympathy that I myself request of so many others.

We can only see and hear the actions and words of others.  We do not know the thoughts, intents, or circumstances of anyone else. That being said, even when we know that someone has intentionally hurt us, we need to give him or her the benefit of the doubt and know that they can change – just like we all can.  I know that I am not the same person that I once was.

WE need to become as little children.  How often has a child come to you in tears, hurt by another, only to be happily playing alongside the same person minutes later as if nothing has ever happened?  It’s too bad we learn how to hold grudges.

Matthew 5:43-45: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of the Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”

3 Nephi 27:27: “Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.”

Embark for Him

22 Sunday Feb 2015

Posted by in Poems

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Embark for Him

A mighty ship before us lies in harbor, patiently,
Needing crew and captains too, before it sets to sea.
It’s destination? Beautiful, Celestial, peaceful rest,
It’s journey long, through weather strong, and sea so treacherous-

That all aboard will question why we chose this ship at all?
For waves of fierce resistance come, hoping we will fall,
They’ll beat relentless on the bow, with pounding wind and rain,
forcing us to doubt if we will see the land again.

And in that hour of dark and dread – Remember! Hold on tight!
Our promise made, to serve with strength, to give our heart and might,
We’ll serve our Captain, do His will, our Father’s aid implore,
So that blameless we will stand upon the Heavenly shore,

For Christ has paid our ransom, and our fare upon this sea,
He guides us through the wind and rain, and shields us carefully,
And asks that we return His love, and His commands obey,
Embark for Him. Draw near to Him, and in His arms we’ll stay.

See Doctrine and Covenants 4:2