Come What May, and Love It

I thought I would post the outline/visual aids that I used in my Relief Society lesson on Sunday. I chose to use Elder Wirthlin's talk from the October 2008 General conference. Because it is the last time I was able to use one of his talks since he has already graduated this life.

Come What May, and Love It

“The way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.”-Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

“If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness.”-Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

Learn to laugh.

“The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable.”-Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

Seek for the eternal.

“Sometimes the very moments that seem to overcome us with suffering are those that will ultimately suffer us to overcome.”
-Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

The principle of compensation.

Trust in the Father and the Son.

“The simple secret is this: put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him.” -Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

“Adversity, if handled correctly, can be a blessing in our lives. We can learn to love it.”
-Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

President Teleprompter

Is this really the commander-in-chief of the United States of America?

A Good Debate

I enjoy a good debate. Whether participating or observing, I like to hear both parties bringing up valid points/arguments. It brings out the spirit of competition in me. Those who know me, know that I am quite a fighter. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be alive right now.

It is no fun to debate someone who is not intelligent enough to bring valid points to the argument. For instance, the other day I got into a debate with someone. Let me give you an example of one of their arguments. "It is okay to [fill in the blank] because a lot of people do it." I mean really, is this the best they can come up with? Is this really an argument that an intelligent adult member of our species would pose? Could you try to be serious? This argument is laughable. And then, this same person tells me that they don't understand my rebuttal. It was no fun at all. Could you please at least give me some competition?

I could say a lot more about this topic but I will leave it at that. I have intentionally left out names and specific arguments to protect the guilty. Suffice it to say, if you want to start a debate with me, please at least think through your argument before you make a fool of yourself.

That's my two cents.

Walk a Mile in My Shoes

I have been criticized and accused by someone who doesn't even know me, whom I have never even met. So I want to take this opportunity to post the lyrics to one of my favorite Elvis songs, Walk a Mile in My Shoes. And I would like to say, before you go pointing out the mote in my eye, take a look at the beam in your own eye first.

"Walk A Mile In My Shoes"
Joe South

If I could be you and you could be me for just one hour
If we could find a way to get inside each other's mind
If you could see me through your eyes instead of your ego
I believe you'd be surprised to see that you'd been blind.

Walk a mile in my shoes, walk a mile in my shoes
And before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Walk a mile in my shoes.

Now your whole world you see around you is just a reflection
And the law of common says you reap just what you sow
So unless you've lived a life of total perfection
You'd better be careful of every stone that you throw.

Walk a mile in my shoes, walk a mile in my shoes
And before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Walk a mile in my shoes.

And yet we spend the day throwing stones at one another
'Cause I don't think or wear my hair the same way you do
Well I may be common people but I'm your brother
And when you strike out and try to hurt me its a-hurtin' you.

Walk a mile in my shoes, walk a mile in my shoes
And before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Walk a mile in my shoes.

There are people on reservations and out in the ghettos
And brother there but for the grace of God go you and I
If I only had the wings of a little angel
Don't you know I'd fly to the top of the mountain, and then I'd cry.

Walk a mile in my shoes, walk a mile in my shoes
And before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Walk a mile in my shoes, shoes.

(c) Copyright 1969 by Lowery Music Co., Inc.

That's My Two Cents.

Sad State of Society

It was brought to my attention a few days ago, via e-mail, that Oprah Winfrey's Magazine has an article in it about women leaving their husbands and children for other women. Now, first of all, I would like to comment about Oprah Winfrey. For some reason, she is wildly popular, and has the reputation of being a do-gooder. On the contrary, she is a horrible example of glorifying immorality both in her personal life and on the show. I must admit, I haven't seen her show in about three to four years but the last few shows I did see were representative of what I just said. This is why I quit watching her. I could elaborate but I will leave it at that.

The reason why I decided to do this post today was to comment on the sad state of our society. Why is it that mainstream society embraces sinful behavior at an increasingly alarming rate? I mean really, women and mothers forsaking their husbands and children for a lesbian lifestyle! This is absolutely absurd. And what is equally absurd is that people like Oprah Winfrey glorifying such behavior on her television show and in her magazine. It is obvious that Oprah Winfrey has a huge influence on the American people, look at the current president. That is still unbelievable to me. But I digress.

Now, you might say, that these are a few isolated incidents. But, the more it is in the news and on television and in magazines, etc. the more it will be accepted as normal behavior and more rampant it will become.

I heard through the grapevine several years ago about two women in Utah, both members of the church, one of whom was a Relief Society President, who left their families to live a homosexual lifestyle. I cannot confirm this story but if it is true it is a reflection that even members of the Church are not immune. This is why we are taught to be in the world but not of the world. The more we try to fit in with society, the more likely we are to fall.

This is why we should try to avoid such seemingly harmless influences such as the Oprah Winfrey show, any scumbag television which promotes immorality, movies, magazines, etc.

Now let me just briefly touch on the biology of homosexuality. I understand, probably better than most, the argument that some people are "just born that way" referring to being born homosexual. I'm not going to go into details here but suffice it to say that there probably are people born whose brains are hardwired to be attracted to the same sex. But, just like any normal heterosexual person, they have control over their bodies and their actions. Regardless of who you are attracted to, promiscuity is always wrong. And of course, any form of homosexuality is wrong, depraved, and disgusting.

I mentioned the biology because in the above-mentioned cases of women leaving their families for other women, this is generally not because they were "born homosexual" but because they choose to "try something new".

It is very sad and disheartening that our society has degraded to this point. And, unfortunately, it is only getting worse.

That's my two cents.

Counsel for Sisters

"Sisters, find some time for yourself to cultivate your gifts and interests. Pick one or two things that you would like to learn or do that will enrich your life, and make time for them. Water cannot be drawn from an empty well and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children. Avoid any kind of substance abuse, mistakenly thinking that it will help you accomplish more. And don't allow yourself to be caught up in the time-wasting, mind-numbing things like television soap operas or surfing the Internet. Turn to the Lord in faith, and you will know what to do and how to do it."
M. Russell Ballard, "Daughters of God," Ensign, May 2008, 110

Facing Challenges and Difficulties

"Mortality is a period of testing, a time to prove ourselves worthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. In order to be tested, we must sometimes face challenges and difficulties. At times there appears to be no light at the tunnel's end -- no dawn to break the night's darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts, the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea 'Is there no balm in Gilead?' (Jeremiah 8:22). We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. If you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our Heavenly Father in faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face."
Thomas S. Monson, "Looking Back and Moving Forward," Ensign, May 2008, 90

Comments and Congratulations

As a blogger, I live for comments. I think I got more than I bargained for on my last post about mutant bulldogs. That was fun. I enjoyed the debate. I thought I would be getting more comments like that on all of my posts. But most people tend to agree with me or keep their mouth shut. If the success or popularity of a blog posting is reflected by the comments made, then my last post was by far the best. Or at least perhaps the most controversial. If anyone reading this blog disagrees with what I say, feel free to leave me a comment. If I don't like it. I can always delete it :-). Hopefully I will be able to continue to voice my opinions, and perhaps stir up a few debates. At the very least, I hope I get people thinking about different topics.

On another subject, I would like to congratulate Juliet and Aaron. Their adoption of Kingston became final today. Congratulations!

That's my two cents.

Mutant Bulldogs

This isn’t going to be very popular post with my sisters, who both own bulldogs. But this is something that has been on my mind recently, and since this is my blog, I’m going to speak my mind. I have never been one to care much about popularity contests.

I feel that it is irresponsible and ethically wrong to unnaturally select for deleterious mutations in animals. Specifically, I’m talking about English Bulldogs. Having spent a little time with two different English Bulldogs, I have come to this conclusion. I feel pity for these two animals who are bred for certain traits, that apparently are desirable to humans. I don’t see it myself but apparently there are many people who believe the English Bulldogs are “cute”.

English Bulldogs have been bred to select for an extremely short snout, so much so that it interferes with breathing. Both of these Bulldogs sound like they are struggling to breathe all the time. You can hear them coming a mile away because of their breathing. Other traits for which they have been selectively bred include: severe underbite-which makes it difficult for them to eat. Wide hips, which I guess makes them look stout but actually they are much more prone to dislocation. Extremely short legs, a large boxy head. Etc. These animals are such mutants that they cannot breed naturally. The puppies heads are so big they will not fit through the birth canal and must be delivered via cesarean section. To me, this is cruel. Not to mention the fact that English Bulldogs cannot swim. I found this out firsthand Friday. They sink to the bottom like a brick. I have never heard of a dog that cannot swim. I cannot speak for all bulldogs on this next comment but the two that I’ve gotten to know don’t seem to be very bright. One of them attacks people for no reason and is unpredictable. And the other one picks fights with a dog much bigger than himself, who could easily kill him, and almost did. But he doesn’t learn his lesson. He continues to be aggressive towards my Great Pyrenees.

Dogs are interesting species simply because of the diversity. There is no other species with such a wide variation within the species, among the different breeds. From a tiny teacup toy breed that probably weighs two or 3 pounds to the very large Irish wolfhound or St. Bernard, which can weigh more than an adult human. All dogs descended from wolves, but with humans selectively breeding for certain traits, many dog breeds have developed which don’t even resemble their ancestors, the wolves.

Genetic mutations are an interesting phenomenon. Now it’s time for the biology lesson. :-) Mutations occur naturally, some of them being deleterious, which I think is the stigma associated with mutations. But mutations can also be advantageous. Let me give you an example. Sickle cell anemia. In populations where malaria is rampant, people who are heterozygous, Ss, for sickle cell anemia are resistant to malaria. Therefore, those who carry the gene, s, which is for sickle shaped red blood cells, but also carry a normal allele, S, which is for normal round red blood cells, are more resistant to malaria. I should say, more resistant than those who are homozygous dominant, SS, no sickle cell mutation. But, on the downside those who end up with ss, homozygous recessive, end up with sickle cell disease. So, for argument’s sake, let’s say that everyone in the population is heterozygous Ss, and therefore resistant to malaria. These people have the dominant gene, therefore have normal red blood cells, and suffer no ill effects. But the children of this population will have a 25% chance of being homozygous recessive,ss, for sickle cell disease, 25% will be homozygous dominant SS, completely normal but not as resistant to malaria, and 50% will be heterozygous Ss, completely normal red blood cells but more resistant to malaria. Therefore, the mutation will never die out because those who carry it have some advantage over those who don't. Even though those 25% who end up with homozygous recessive, ss, sickle cell disease, are much worse off.

Since I’m on the subject, I will mention something else you probably never thought of about genetics. People who have the ability to store fat, and have a low metabolism, are actually more fit than those who have a high metabolism and can’t gain a pound. This seems counterintuitive in our well fed, inactive society. But in times of famine those who have energy stores, and don’t require as much food, will survive much better than those with a high metabolism, who don’t have the reserve energy stores. Lest you be confused, when I speak of fitness, I’m talking about genetic fitness, not someone who exercises and is physically fit. You’ve probably heard the term, survival of the fittest. This is what it’s referring to, genetic fitness. Those who are able to survive to reproduce because they are genetically superior, or more fit, to other individuals in a population. In genetics it’s all about the offspring.

In animal populations is generally the female who selects a mate. She tends to select the male who is most fit (genetically). In other words, she looks for a mate who will give her offspring the best chance for survival. This is what is referred to as natural selection. For instance: the zebra who can run the fastest and is more agile can escape the lion, and live to see another day, and reproduce. Therefore, speed and agility are naturally selected for in zebras. Another example, the giraffe with a long neck who can reach the tallest leaves has a better chance of survival than a giraffe with a shorter neck. Therefore, long necks are naturally selected for in giraffes.

Well, it appears as though I’ve gone off on a genetic tangent. My whole purpose was to explain natural selection in nature as opposed to humans who are unnaturally selecting for certain traits in dogs, specifically English Bulldogs. As I’ve said before, I feel it is irresponsible and unethical, and even cruel to select for such traits that are deleterious to the animal, just because it makes them “cute”. English Bulldogs would not stand a chance to survive in the wild. In fact, if humans didn’t care for dogs, most of the breeds would die out very rapidly in the wild. The breeds that would survive, or would stand the best chance of survival, are those who most closely resemble the ancestors from which they came originally, the wolves. Because these are the traits and characteristics which have been naturally selected for over many years in the wild.

I feel sad for English Bulldogs as a breed. And actually for each individual animal. The poor dogs have to deal with the mutated bodies they’ve been given. It isn’t right. I blame the breeders but I also blame the consumers because it is all about supply and demand. Everything comes down to money. I understand that most people who purchase a bulldog just think they are cute and don’t consider the deleterious genetic mutations that have been unnaturally selected for by humans. English Bulldogs are a prime example of unnatural selection for deleterious mutations. The result, is perhaps "cute" to humans but detrimental to the bulldog.

In the words of my dad, “poor little guy” (referring to the English bulldog). That pretty much sums it up.

That’s my two cents.

Dad Rescues Kekoa from Drowning

A little while ago dad and I went out to the pool house to check on the filter cell. Dad had his back turned opening a new bottle of chlorine/pH sticks. I noticed kekoa walking around then he turned to face the pool looking at it as if he was deciding whether to venture out onto the pool cover or not. The next thing I know kekoa jumps in. I yelled at dad. Dad ran over to the side of the pool to try to grab kekoa out. But before he could get him, kekoa sank to the bottom of the pool. Dad jumped in fully clothed to rescue kekoa. Thankfully, dad was able to grab him from the bottom of the pool and saved his life. Unfortunately, dads wallet, flashlights, and electronic keys for the Dodge truck and Van got ruined. Dad's glasses also got broken. One of the earpieces came off. Anyway that was quite the excitement for the afternoon. Kekoa now thinks that dad tried to drown him I guess because he doesn't want anything to do with dad. He doesn't realize that dad saved his life. Ironically, a few minutes before kekoa jumped in, I mentioned to dad that Lisa had told me that bulldogs cannot swim. So I hoped that kekoa didn't jump in. I guess Bulldogs are not too bright. Thankfully kekoa is okay and dad just has some bruised/cut knees. Never a dull moment!

Happy April 3rd!

April 3 has become my day. I don't really know why. Three has always been my favorite number. And I don't really know why I chose April except perhaps because diamond is the birthstone. Or maybe because of its significance in Church history. Or perhaps because it signifies new life. Easter season. I love to see the new blossoms on the trees and spring bulbs popping up. I am not a big fan of winter. I love to see pretty flowers and new growth. And warm weather! At any rate, I have always liked April 3.

April 3, 1836 was the day that Elijah appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple to restore the sealing keys. Moses also appeared to restore the keys of the gathering of Israel. Elias also made an appearance. You can read about it in Doctrine and Covenants Section 110.

Anyway, I would like to wish everyone a happy April 3!