"Integrity is the courage to do right regardless of the consequences and the inconvenience."
—Tad R. Callister, "Integrity: Foundation of a Christlike Life", Ensign, February 2013
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Integrity
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
The Death of Cursive
Some things are just logical. Teaching cursive to children is one of them. I just read an article in the Deseret News that stated that the governor of Louisiana signed a bill requiring children to be taught cursive in Louisiana. They listed a handful of other states that now require cursive to be taught.
It's illogical that they would ever stop teaching cursive. That's one of the basic fundamentals that children should be taught.
I believe I've mentioned before about making a formal invitation for a YW activity and none of the teenage girls could read the invitation because it was written in cursive. My dad writes in cursive. None of the grand kids can read their birthday cards. It's pathetic. The dumbing down of society.
With all of the advances in technology people seem to be becoming more stupid. They become more reliant upon technology to get them through life. Anyway I could go on and on but I really just wanted to share a quote.
Learning cursive isn't just a good skill to have to be able to read birthday cards from your grandparents. Or formal invitations. Or anything written in history including your own family history. Those are reasons enough to learn cursive but studies now show that learning cursive improvements cognitive function.
Here's a quote from the article I read this morning:
"William Klemm, a neuroscientist at Texas A&M, recently wrote in Psychology Today that "cursive is an important tool for cognitive development, particularly in training the brain to learn 'functional specialization,' that is capacity for optimal efficiency."
"Brain imaging studies reveal that multiple areas of brain become co-activated during learning of cursive writing of pseudo-letters, as opposed to typing or just visual practice," Klemm writes, adding that there is a "spill-over benefit for thinking skills used in reading and writing. To write legible cursive, fine motor control is needed over the fingers. Students have to pay attention and think about what and how they are doing it. They have to practice. Brain imaging studies show that cursive activates areas of the brain that do not participate in keyboarding." --Deseret News, June 28, 2016
Science is always proving logic correct. Whether it be teaching children cursive or living the Word of Wisdom or floozationships are bad, or whatever other myriad examples you can think of.
It's nice to know that some states are coming to their senses and reestablishing cursive as a fundamental once again taught in schools.
That's my two cents.
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Article about Uncle Gary and Aunt Val
Elder Sabin: 'Six guiding thoughts'
By Sarah Jane Weaver , LDS Church News
Published: Thursday, June 23 2016 1:35 p.m. MDT
Sister Valerie Purdy Sabin and Elder Gary B. Sabin, General Authority Seventy (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News) In his lifetime, Elder Gary B. Sabin has had six “guiding thoughts.”
The first came at age 18 as he was contemplating missionary service: “What if it is all true?” As a result of this thought, he “committed to paying the price to find out.”
The second thought came after his mission and a marriage proposal to Valerie Purdy: “She said yes.” That thought changed the course of his life.
Following marriage, the third thought was an indication his life had changed again: “I am a father.”
The fourth came as his teenage daughter, who suffered from cystic fibrosis, prepared for a double-lung transplant just one year after her brother died from the same disease: “Nobody really dies,” he thought. Knowing “I would see my children again and that families are eternal” sustained him through this time.
“God is my Father,” was Elder Sabin’s fifth guiding thought. “Most people in the world have no idea who God is. ... Our true identity puts everything in perspective,” he explained.
And finally, the sixth thought: “Service sanctifies.” Elder Sabin said that a person serves because they love, but are in a wonderful way the ultimate beneficiary.
Today these “guiding thoughts” summarize the testimony and service of Elder Sabin, sustained April 2 as a new General Authority Seventy. Gary Byron Sabin was born in Provo, Utah, on April 7, 1954, to Marvin E. and Sylvia W. Sabin.
As a child, Gary — dubbed by some as a “freckled face Tom Sawyer” — was an active boy. He spent his youth in Orem, Utah, catching frogs, building huts and climbing trees. Once he tried to fly by tying a sheet to both arms and jumping off the roof of the house. “It didn’t work,” Elder Sabin recalled with a grin.
But he did have great success in baseball, tennis and swimming. He also liked to fish and hunt and ride dirt bikes and motorcycles. He had a newspaper paper route to pay for his electric guitar.
“I was a regular Utah boy who liked to be outdoors,” he recalled.
During high school he went on a double date. His friend’s date was Valerie Purdy.
“I thought he was really quite nice; we became acquainted,” she recalled.
But the teenage Gary “had an idea” that she was very special.
Still, he knew there was something he had to do before he could get to know her better. He sold his motorcycle and submitted his mission papers. A young Elder Sabin served in Belgium and the Netherlands from 1973 to 1975.
“We saw the work in [the mission] grow from nothing to little units of the Church,” he recalled. “It was a sweet experience. I was so fortunate to know the purpose of life and why I was here.”
When he returned from his mission, he called Valerie and the couple began dating. They married on Aug. 18, 1976.
“We knew so strongly we were supposed to marry each other,” said Elder Sabin, noting that this sure knowledge sustained the couple as some of their children were born with a life-shortening genetic disease, as mentioned above.
The Sabins are the parents of five children; a sixth child was still-born.
After their second child, Justin, began having health problems, the couple learned they were each carriers of the gene for cystic fibrosis. Each of their children had a 25 percent chance of inheriting the genetic disease. Three of the Sabin’s five children were born with cystic fibrosis. “We have great confidence in the eternal plan for our family,” said Elder Sabin.
Justin died of cystic fibrosis on April 22, 1998, at the age of 19. A year later, it became obvious his little sister, Jennifer, would need a double lung transplant. The Sabins’ bishop, Graham Bullick, and ward member, Jim Davies, offered to become live donors and give part of their lungs to Jennifer.
Their story is documented in an October 2006 Ensign article titled, “The Breath of Life.”
It was hard for the Sabins, who wanted to donate their lungs to their daughter but were not a match, to describe their gratitude for this life-saving act. “It is hard to put into words the gratitude you feel,” said Elder Sabin. The act was in many ways symbolic of the Atonement because a life-saving deed was done for the family that they could not do for themselves.
The Sabins will always remember how their ward and stake rallied to help their family through that time. The family also learned to view life with an “eternal view” and focused on enjoying each day.
“Life is sweet when you are grateful,” said Elder Sabin. “We have learned a lot more from our children than they have learned from us. They are our heroes.”
Elder Sabin said one thing that helped the family through those years was the sustaining influence of his wife, who shouldered much of the responsibility for the children’s health needs. Sister Sabin had graduated from BYU in elementary education and served a full-time mission in Taiwan.
Elder Sabin — who earned an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree from BYU, then a master’s in management from Stanford University — had many responsibilities outside the home. He started and ran several successful public companies, some of which were traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
He also served in numerous Church callings, including bishop, stake president and Area Seventy.
In 1993, Elder and Sister Sabin formed Sabin Children’s Foundation, an organization dedicated to addressing the medical needs of children across the globe.
“We know the Church is true,” said Sister Sabin. “We have always known that.”
Quoting the late Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Sabin said the family has tried to follow this inspired direction: “Don’t fear, just live right.”
Family: Born April 7, 1954, in Provo, Utah, to Marvin E. Sabin and Sylvia W. Sabin. Married Valerie Purdy on Aug. 18, 1976, in the Provo Utah Temple. Five children, five grandchildren.
Education: Earned an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree from BYU, and a master’s in management from Stanford University.
Employment: Founder/chairman/CEO of several companies, including Excel Realty Trust, Price Legacy, Excel Realty Holdings and Excel Trust.
Church Service: Bishop, stake president, Area Seventy, and full-time missionary in Belgium.
Community Service: Formed Sabin Children’s Foundation, an organization dedicated to addressing the medical needs of children across the globe.
sarah@deseretnews.com @SJW_ChurchNews
Copyright 2016, Deseret News Publishing Company
It was hard for the Sabins, who wanted to donate their lungs to their daughter but were not a match, to describe their gratitude for this life-saving act. “It is hard to put into words the gratitude you feel,” said Elder Sabin. The act was in many ways symbolic of the Atonement because a life-saving deed was done for the family that they could not do for themselves.
The Sabins will always remember how their ward and stake rallied to help their family through that time. The family also learned to view life with an “eternal view” and focused on enjoying each day.
“Life is sweet when you are grateful,” said Elder Sabin. “We have learned a lot more from our children than they have learned from us. They are our heroes.”
Elder Sabin said one thing that helped the family through those years was the sustaining influence of his wife, who shouldered much of the responsibility for the children’s health needs. Sister Sabin had graduated from BYU in elementary education and served a full-time mission in Taiwan.
Elder Sabin — who earned an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree from BYU, then a master’s in management from Stanford University — had many responsibilities outside the home. He started and ran several successful public companies, some of which were traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
He also served in numerous Church callings, including bishop, stake president and Area Seventy.
In 1993, Elder and Sister Sabin formed Sabin Children’s Foundation, an organization dedicated to addressing the medical needs of children across the globe.
“We know the Church is true,” said Sister Sabin. “We have always known that.”
Quoting the late Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Sabin said the family has tried to follow this inspired direction: “Don’t fear, just live right.”
Family: Born April 7, 1954, in Provo, Utah, to Marvin E. Sabin and Sylvia W. Sabin. Married Valerie Purdy on Aug. 18, 1976, in the Provo Utah Temple. Five children, five grandchildren.
Education: Earned an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree from BYU, and a master’s in management from Stanford University.
Employment: Founder/chairman/CEO of several companies, including Excel Realty Trust, Price Legacy, Excel Realty Holdings and Excel Trust.
Church Service: Bishop, stake president, Area Seventy, and full-time missionary in Belgium.
Community Service: Formed Sabin Children’s Foundation, an organization dedicated to addressing the medical needs of children across the globe.
sarah@deseretnews.com @SJW_ChurchNews
Copyright 2016, Deseret News Publishing Company
Thursday, June 23, 2016
The Ark of the Covenant
Yesterday the phone ring at 8:00 AM. I said, "Who is calling at this hour?" Lisa went and looked at the caller ID and said, "It's ark of the covenant". We both busted a gut. It was actually Arc of Washington.
I said, "Pretend that when you answer the phone they start repeating the 10 Commandments." "Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother" "Thou shalt not commit adultery" "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain", etc.
We decided it wasn't a bad idea. People need to be reminded of the 10 Commandments. Even as basic as they are, many people don't even try to live them anymore.
For completeness sake and as a reminder, here are the 10 Commandments straight from the Scriptures (Exodus 20: 3-17)
Arc of Washington should change their angle. Perhaps if they did start repeating the 10 Commandments to people instead of asking for clothing donations, they might actually get more donations!
That's my two cents.
I said, "Pretend that when you answer the phone they start repeating the 10 Commandments." "Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother" "Thou shalt not commit adultery" "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain", etc.
We decided it wasn't a bad idea. People need to be reminded of the 10 Commandments. Even as basic as they are, many people don't even try to live them anymore.
For completeness sake and as a reminder, here are the 10 Commandments straight from the Scriptures (Exodus 20: 3-17)
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God:in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowedit.
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s." -- Exodus 20:3-17
Arc of Washington should change their angle. Perhaps if they did start repeating the 10 Commandments to people instead of asking for clothing donations, they might actually get more donations!
That's my two cents.
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Tell Me 'bout the Good Old Days
I've been on a bit of a Judds kick the past couple of days. "Grandpa" was always one of my favorite Judds songs. It was released back in 1985 but its message is even more pertinent today.
In a world that is ever increasingly diverging from morals and values, the questions posed in this song seem more valid today than ever.
"Did lovers really fall in love to stay? And stand beside each other come what may?"
"Is a promise really something people kept? Not just something they would say? (And then forget)"
"Did families really bow their heads to pray? And daddies really never go away?"
Unfortunately daddies do go away. Fewer families bow their heads to pray. Promises are something people just say -- and then forget. Lovers don't stand beside each other come what may-- only when it's convenient.
People are becoming more and more selfish. Nobody wants to take responsibility for their actions or choices. It's always somebody else's fault. A person's word, vows, promises mean nothing. Like the song says, they are just something people say and then forget. Fathers think nothing about walking out on their families and destroying their children. Sadly, it's much worse now than it was 30 years ago.
Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days.
That's my two cents.
In a world that is ever increasingly diverging from morals and values, the questions posed in this song seem more valid today than ever.
"Did lovers really fall in love to stay? And stand beside each other come what may?"
"Is a promise really something people kept? Not just something they would say? (And then forget)"
"Did families really bow their heads to pray? And daddies really never go away?"
People are becoming more and more selfish. Nobody wants to take responsibility for their actions or choices. It's always somebody else's fault. A person's word, vows, promises mean nothing. Like the song says, they are just something people say and then forget. Fathers think nothing about walking out on their families and destroying their children. Sadly, it's much worse now than it was 30 years ago.
Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days.
That's my two cents.
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Emery boards
This morning we were discussing emery boards. Namely why anyone would name their child after such. Whenever I hear the word Emery I think of a nail file-- and this song:
"She was sitting crosslegged on the hood of a Ford, filing down her nails with an emery board..."
Daily Message
"Selective obedience brings selective blessings, and choosing something bad over something worse is still choosing wrong."
—Jörg Klebingat, "Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence"
Sunday, June 19, 2016
Fathers
"Fatherhood is much more than a social construct or the product of evolution. The role of father is of divine origin."
—D. Todd Christofferson, "Fathers"
Far too many fathers shirk their responsibility of fatherhood. It's a sad state of society that so many fathers choose their selfish desires over their children. To be called father is a sacred honor and responsibility. Of all the names God could choose to be called, he chose Father. He is our Heavenly Father.
I'm extremely grateful for my Heavenly Father and all the fathers out there who don't shirk the responsibility of fatherhood. And choose to sacrifice daily for their children. And honor their sacred responsibility and calling.
On this Father's Day I'm especially grateful for my own dad. Thanks Dad!
Happy Father's Day.
That's my two cents.
Friday, June 17, 2016
Skeletons in the Closet
I have recently found a couple skeletons in the closet. Tom Acousti would be proud. :-)
I wasn't looking for any skeletons-- but I certainly found them. DNA has a way of bringing out deep dark family secrets that have been held for years. You can run but you can't hide from DNA. DNA always tells the truth.
A little over a year ago I submitted my DNA for testing. When I got the results I noticed a fairly close DNA relative that I didn't recognize. After asking just a few questions and putting all the pieces together, I discovered I have a maternal second cousin whose mom is the illegitimate child of my great uncle. My mom has a first cousin she didn't know existed.
Just recently I discovered another close DNA relative. I have again solved the mystery. This time it was on my paternal side. Once again after asking some questions and analyzing the DNA data, I discovered I have another second cousin who, this time, is the illegitimate child of my dad's first cousin.
I'm deliberately not giving much information about these individuals to protect the innocent -- and guilty.
People can keep secrets for decades, and even carry them to their graves. There may even be other family members who know the deep dark secrets who are very secretive and refuse to submit their DNA. But guess what? There are many other family members who share the same DNA who are willing to submit their DNA and learn about themselves and their family. And their DNA will tell the same story. I love it when truth comes out. I'm a big fan of truth.
I love solving mysteries. Especially DNA mysteries. :-) I enjoy knowing stuff that no one else knows that I know. :-) Especially when they think they're hiding a deep dark secret that is now out in the open. But they don't know it yet. :-) Keep looking over your shoulder but the secret is out.
It's also satisfying to know that I have helped an adoptee discover who their biological parent is whom they have been searching for for years. Most people want to know their biological roots. And I feel that they deserve to know that information. If it happens to tarnish the family name, well, people should've thought about that before they made bad choices.
Most families have skeletons in the closet. Many of those dark secrets have been held for decades or even centuries. Now with DNA evidence and a little elbow grease those secrets are being exposed.
If you share DNA with me and are hiding a DNA secret, watch out, your secret isn't safe for long. I'm digging up bones and there will be no more skeletons in your closet. Truth will prevail.
That's my two cents.
I wasn't looking for any skeletons-- but I certainly found them. DNA has a way of bringing out deep dark family secrets that have been held for years. You can run but you can't hide from DNA. DNA always tells the truth.
A little over a year ago I submitted my DNA for testing. When I got the results I noticed a fairly close DNA relative that I didn't recognize. After asking just a few questions and putting all the pieces together, I discovered I have a maternal second cousin whose mom is the illegitimate child of my great uncle. My mom has a first cousin she didn't know existed.
Just recently I discovered another close DNA relative. I have again solved the mystery. This time it was on my paternal side. Once again after asking some questions and analyzing the DNA data, I discovered I have another second cousin who, this time, is the illegitimate child of my dad's first cousin.
I'm deliberately not giving much information about these individuals to protect the innocent -- and guilty.
People can keep secrets for decades, and even carry them to their graves. There may even be other family members who know the deep dark secrets who are very secretive and refuse to submit their DNA. But guess what? There are many other family members who share the same DNA who are willing to submit their DNA and learn about themselves and their family. And their DNA will tell the same story. I love it when truth comes out. I'm a big fan of truth.
I love solving mysteries. Especially DNA mysteries. :-) I enjoy knowing stuff that no one else knows that I know. :-) Especially when they think they're hiding a deep dark secret that is now out in the open. But they don't know it yet. :-) Keep looking over your shoulder but the secret is out.
It's also satisfying to know that I have helped an adoptee discover who their biological parent is whom they have been searching for for years. Most people want to know their biological roots. And I feel that they deserve to know that information. If it happens to tarnish the family name, well, people should've thought about that before they made bad choices.
Most families have skeletons in the closet. Many of those dark secrets have been held for decades or even centuries. Now with DNA evidence and a little elbow grease those secrets are being exposed.
If you share DNA with me and are hiding a DNA secret, watch out, your secret isn't safe for long. I'm digging up bones and there will be no more skeletons in your closet. Truth will prevail.
That's my two cents.
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Daily Message
"Put God first, regardless of the trials you face. Love God. Have faith in Christ, and entrust yourself to Him in all things."
—Koichi Aoyagi, "Hold on Thy Way"
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Don't Shoot the Messenger
I started listening to The Book of Mormon again yesterday morning. As I was listening, a particular scripture -- one I've heard many times before -- struck me. Here is the premise. The Prophet Lehi is telling his son Nephi that the Lord commanded him (Lehi) that he (Nephi) and his brothers are to go back to Jerusalem to get the plates of brass (scriptures) from Laban.
Lehi goes on to relate the following to Nephi:
"And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord." -- 1 Nephi 3:5
When I heard that Scripture I immediately thought of the past few general conferences where angry apostates have vocally opposed the sustaining of our modern-day prophet and apostles. These men have done nothing except dedicate their lives to serving the Lord and teaching His gospel.
The prophet and apostles don't create the Commandments. They teach them. It is the Lord himself who gives us commandments. The prophets and apostles just relay that information to us. They are the Lord's mouthpiece.
So why shoot the messenger? Why be so angry towards the Lord's servants when all they are doing is the will of the Lord?
If you don't like a particular commandment, or any of them, then take it up with the Lord. Not His servants.
Don't shoot the messenger.
That's my two cents.
Lehi goes on to relate the following to Nephi:
"And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord." -- 1 Nephi 3:5
When I heard that Scripture I immediately thought of the past few general conferences where angry apostates have vocally opposed the sustaining of our modern-day prophet and apostles. These men have done nothing except dedicate their lives to serving the Lord and teaching His gospel.
The prophet and apostles don't create the Commandments. They teach them. It is the Lord himself who gives us commandments. The prophets and apostles just relay that information to us. They are the Lord's mouthpiece.
So why shoot the messenger? Why be so angry towards the Lord's servants when all they are doing is the will of the Lord?
If you don't like a particular commandment, or any of them, then take it up with the Lord. Not His servants.
Don't shoot the messenger.
That's my two cents.
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Daily Message
"The power of a converted woman’s voice is immeasurable, and the Church needs your voices now more than ever."
—M. Russell Ballard, "Men and Women in the Work of the Lord", New Era, April 2014
Friday, June 3, 2016
The Best Time to Plant a Tree
"An old proverb says, “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” Now is the best time to start becoming the person we eventually want to be—not only 20 years from now but also for all eternity."
—Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Best Time to Plant a Tree", Ensign, January 2014
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