Five Reasons to Be Pleased with Myself

I, quite often, have times when I don’t sleep well. Some of my best thinking and inspiration comes during the wee hours of the morning when I can’t sleep. A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking about things that are somewhat unique about me that I am proud of, or pleased with myself about.

Stating these things will only fan the fire of people’s perceived notion of my craziness or weirdness. But, that’s me.  So, I’ve decided to go ahead and mention a few. After all, I’ve never been one to care much about what people think of me.

1. I have never owned a cell phone. Yes, I am proud of that fact. Now, I must admit if circumstances were different now, I would probably own one. But, as things are, I have never owned a cell phone. One thing I have never understood about cell phones is, why would people want to be bothered when they don’t want to be bothered? Don’t you just want to get away sometimes? And not be able to be contacted 24/7/365. I know I used to like to go shopping or running to get away from the stress of everyday life. And get away from everybody. And, this coming from a single woman. I didn’t even have family life to contend with.

I’m even more proud of this fact because during my residency, out of the nine residents in my program, I was the only one sans a cell phone. I’ve always enjoyed being somewhat different. And, there was the dreaded on-call pager, so what did I need a cell phone for?

I understand the argument of convenience, and possible emergency helpfulness. But in all honesty, I think the negatives far outweigh the positives when it comes to owning a cell phone. How many times have you really used your cell phone for an emergency?

2. I have never seen “Titanic”. I know, this one is more obscure. But, the movie Titanic, was a big deal when it was released. “Everybody” was watching it. In fact, the big deal in Utah was to get your copy edited to remove “the bad parts”.

Well, besides the fact that I’m not really a big movie person, I had heard about “the bad parts” and decided not to watch it. It really wasn’t that big of a deal to me at the time . Since then, I have had several opportunities to watch the edited version. But for some reason I have prided myself in not watching this particular movie.

3. I have never had a Facebook account. I know most of you out there are Facebook freaks. And that’s one of the reasons I pride myself in not having a Facebook account, I like to be different. But more than that, I think social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace are a big waste of time. Not only that but are very detrimental to those who are addicted, and many families have broken up because of such addictions.

I know you want to argue that Facebook can be used for good also. And I’ll admit, I have thought about signing up for a Facebook account as a way to share my testimony. Plus it might be kind of fun to run across old friends and acquaintances. But in the end, I have stayed away for several reasons.

First, I don’t really care to know everything that goes on in everybody’s life. I don’t want to know that your baby just ate rice cereal and applesauce. I don’t care to know what stupid things my relatives, friends, and acquaintances do. It would probably just make me sad.

Second, cool people don’t do Facebook. I want to remain cool.

Third, I have heard of so many people wasting so much time and even money building pretend farms and growing pretend crops. A lot of people waste their life away living a pretend life. If you want to grow crops and raise farm animals, why don’t you do the real thing instead of pretending? Isn’t it sad how video games and living a virtual life can be so addicting?

4. I never attended a high school dance. You might think that this is something I would regret or be sad about. But the reality is that I’m very pleased and happy that I never attended a high school dance. In fact, I used to pray that nobody would invite me to a dance, because I didn’t want to have to turn him down. And thankfully, my prayers were answered. On the same note, I never attended any church youth dances either. And for that, I am also happy and pleased with myself.

My mom and I were talking yesterday and she mentioned that she had always wanted to become a dancer. I told her that dancing to me was like English. Something I dreaded, and avoided like the plague.

5. I have never run a road race. You might not think this is such a big deal because not too many people run Road races. But, in the family I grew up in, running road races was a typical Saturday morning activity. My dad and siblings have run many road races. And won many road races. And my mom and I have attended many road races especially during my teenage years. Running was a big part of our family life. In fact, my sister Juliet, was the high school state cross country champion in Utah her senior year. That’s a big deal because running is big in Utah and the competition is fierce.

I didn’t even start running until my mission and afterwards. And I only did it to stay in shape, and keep the weight off. Plus it was a great stress reliever. I wasn’t blessed with the running genes that my dad and siblings were blessed with. So, I guess I didn’t run competitively because I didn’t want to embarrass myself or the family name. “Stop embarrassing me” -U.R.. Plus, I never had that competitive fire.

These are a few of the things I thought about during my sleepless night , for which I am pleased with and proud of myself. None of which is really anything to be proud of, except in my own little world, for my own reasons.

So, think what you will, but I am happy that I never owned a cell phone, I never saw Titanic, I’ve never had a Facebook or MySpace account, I never attended a high school dance, and I never ran a road race.

That’s my two cents.

Relief Society Lesson -- Pride And the Priesthood

I wasn't going to post my Relief Society lesson this month. Because I already did a blog post for my family home evening lesson back in January which is much more detailed. But, I wanted to show a picture of the cute Easter egg soaps we made for the Relief Society Sisters as our lesson handout. We also attached a story called "The Empty Egg". I will attach the text to this blog post.

Since our lesson had nothing to do with Easter, I wanted to somehow tie Easter into the lesson. That's when I thought of doing the soaps with the story attached.

Come to find out, we weren't even supposed to teach yesterday. Nobody informed us otherwise, so I prepared my lesson as usual. I was assigned a General Conference talk for April. Anyway, I felt bad because someone else also prepared a lesson. Which probably would have been a much better lesson than the one I gave. Nonetheless, here are the notes from my lesson.

Pride and the Priesthood
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
October 2010 Gen. Conference

Every mortal has at least a casual, if not intimate relationship with the sin of pride.

I believe there is a difference between being proud of certain things and being prideful.

Pride Is the Sin of Self-Elevation

Alma 31:21-25
21Now the place was called by them Rameumptom, which, being interpreted, is the holy stand.

22Now, from this stand they did offer up, every man, the selfsame prayer unto God, thanking their God that they were chosen of him, and that he did not lead them away after the tradition of their brethren, and that their hearts were not stolen away to believe in things to come, which they knew nothing about.

23Now, after the people had all offered up thanks after this manner, they returned to their homes, anever speaking of their God again until they had assembled themselves together again to the holy stand, to offer up thanks after their manner.

24Now when Alma saw this his heart was agrieved; for he saw that they were a wicked and a perverse people; yea, he saw that their hearts were set upon gold, and upon silver, and upon all manner of fine goods.

25Yea, and he also saw that their hearts were alifted up unto great boasting, in their pride.

Pride is a deadly cancer.

Pride is a gateway sin that leads to a host of other human weaknesses.

Every other sin is, in essence, a manifestation of pride.

Despite His magnificent abilities and accomplishments, the Savior was always meek and humble.

We don’t discover humility by thinking less of ourselves; we discover humility by thinking less about ourselves.

“Pride is the great stumbling block to Zion.” -Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, May 1989

“Pride is a very misunderstood sin, and many are sinning in ignorance.” -Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, May 1989

“Pride is a sin that can readily be seen in others but is rarely admitted in ourselves.” -Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, May 1989

“The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.
Pride is essentially competitive in nature.”-Pres. Benson May 1989

The proud stand more in fear of men’s judgment than of God’s judgment. “What will men think of me?” weighs heavier than “What will God think of me?”-Pres. Benson May 1989

“Some prideful people are not so concerned as to whether their wages meet their needs as they are that their wages are more than someone else’s. Their reward is being a cut above the rest. This is the enmity of pride.-Pres. Benson May 1989

"Most of us consider pride to be a sin of those on the top, such as the rich and the learned, looking down at the rest of us. (See 2 Ne. 9:42.) There is, however, a far more common ailment among us—and that is pride from the bottom looking up. It is manifest in so many ways, such as faultfinding, gossiping, backbiting, murmuring, living beyond our means, envying, coveting, withholding gratitude and praise that might lift another, and being unforgiving and jealous.-Pres. Benson May 1989

Story attached to the egg soaps:
The Empty Egg
By: Author Unknown

Jeremy was born with a twisted body and a slow mind. At the age of 12 he was still in second grade, seemingly unable to learn. His teacher, Doris Miller, often became exasperated with him. He would squirm in his seat, drool, and make grunting noises. At other times, he spoke clearly and distinctly, as if a spot of light had penetrated the darkness of his brain. Most of the time, however, Jeremy just irritated his teacher. One day she called his parents and asked them to come in for a consultation. As the Forresters entered the empty classroom, Doris said to them, "Jeremy really belongs in a special school. It isn't fair to him to be with younger children who don't have learning problems. Why, there is a five year gap between his age and that of the other students."

Mrs. Forrester cried softly into a tissue, while her husband spoke. "Miss Miller," he said, "there is no school of that kind nearby. It would be a terrible shock for Jeremy if we had to take him out of this school. We know he really likes it here." Doris sat for a long time after they had left, staring at the snow outside the window. Its coldness seemed to seep into her soul. She wanted to sympathize with the Forresters. After all, their only child had a terminal illness. But it wasn't fair to keep him in her class. She had 18 other youngsters to teach, and Jeremy was a distraction. Furthermore, he would never learn to read and write. Why waste any more time trying?

As she pondered the situation, guilt washed over her. Here I am complaining when my problems are nothing compared to that poor family, she thought. Lord, please help me to be more patient with Jeremy. From that day on, she tried hard to ignore Jeremy's noises and his blank stares. Then one day, he limped to her desk, dragging his bad leg behind him.

"I love you, Miss Miller," he exclaimed, loud enough for the whole class to hear. The other students snickered, and Doris' face burned red. She stammered, "Wh-why that's very nice, Jeremy. N-now please take your seat."

Spring came, and the children talked excitedly about the coming of Easter. Doris told them the story of Jesus, and then to emphasize the idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a large plastic egg. "Now," she said to them, "I want you to take this home and bring it back tomorrow with something inside that shows new life. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Miss Miller," the children responded enthusiastically-all except for Jeremy. He listened intently; his eyes never left her face. He did not even make his usual noises. Had he understood what she had said about Jesus' death and resurrection? Did he understand the assignment? Perhaps she should call his parents and explain the project to them.

That evening, Doris' kitchen sink stopped up. She called the landlord and waited an hour for him to come by and unclog it. After that, she still had to shop for groceries, iron a blouse, and prepare a vocabulary test for the next day. She completely forgot about phoning Jeremy's parents.

The next morning, 19 children came to school, laughing and talking as they placed their eggs in the large wicker basket on Miss Miller's desk. After they completed their math lesson, it was time to open the eggs. In the first egg, Doris found a flower. "Oh yes, a flower is certainly a sign of new life," she said. "When plants peek through the ground, we know that spring is here." A small girl in the first row waved her arm. "That's my egg, Miss Miller," she called out. The next egg contained a plastic butterfly, which looked very real. Doris held it up. "We all know that a caterpillar changes and grows into a beautiful butterfly. Yes, that's new life, too." Little Judy smiled proudly and said, "Miss Miller, that one is mine." Next, Doris found a rock with moss on it. She explained that moss, too, showed life. Billy spoke up from the back of the classroom, "My daddy helped me," he beamed.

Then Doris opened the fourth egg. She gasped. The egg was empty. Surely it must be Jeremy's she thought, and of course, he did not understand her instructions. If only she had not forgotten to phone his parents. Because she did not want to embarrass him, she quietly set the egg aside and reached for another. Suddenly, Jeremy spoke up. "Miss Miller, aren't you going to talk about my egg?" Flustered, Doris replied, "But Jeremy, your egg is empty." He looked into her eyes and said softly, "Yes, but Jesus' tomb was empty, too."

Time stopped. When she could speak again, Doris asked him, "Do you know why the tomb was empty?" "Oh, yes," Jeremy said, "Jesus was killed and put in there. Then His Father raised Him up."

The recess bell rang. While the children excitedly ran out to the schoolyard, Doris cried. The cold inside her melted completely away.

Three months later, Jeremy died. Those who paid their respects at the mortuary were surprised to see 19 eggs on top of his casket....... all of them empty.

Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

If you want to taste the best banana cream pie ever, try this recipe. I imagine this is how the pioneers made banana cream pie. Before Cool Whip, and instant pudding mix. The recipe actually uses flour as the thickener. I was somewhat worried about getting lumps but it turned out perfect. Deliciously divine. Superbly creamy. I have never tasted better banana cream pie.

It is slightly more difficult than using a boxed mix, but definitely worth it. Give it a try! Sorry no picture. :-(

Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 9-inch pie shell, baked
3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 bananas

Directions:
1. Have baked 9-inch pie shell ready.

2. Pour the milk into a large saucepan. Combine the sugar, flour and salt; gradually stir into the milk.

3. Over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook until thickened. Cook for two minutes longer. [The mixture will not be as thick as pudding yet, will thicken more when egg yolks are added.]

4. In a small bowl, have the 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten, ready; temper the egg yolks by stirring a small amount of the hot mixture into beaten yolks; when thoroughly combined, stir yolks into hot mixture.

5. Cook for one minute longer, stirring constantly.

6. Remove from heat and blend in the butter and vanilla.

7. Let sit until lukewarm.

8. When ready to pour, slice bananas and scatter in pie shell; pour warm mixture over bananas. [We tossed our sliced bananas in a couple splashes of lemon juice to prevent browning before placing in baked pie crust.]

9. If desired, make a meringue (you'll have 3 leftover egg whites) to top the pie, or just let the pie cool until serving. [Meringue: 3 egg whites, 1/3 cup sugar, pinch of cream of tartar(optional); beat until stiff peaks form. Spread on top of pie, bake in 375° oven 10 to 12 minutes until peaks turn golden brown.]

* For coconut cream pie add one cup shredded coconut to milk as it’s being heated, omit bananas.

** Do not substitute low-fat milk for whole milk. I'm told that it will be soupy if you do.(we didn’t have whole milk so we used 3 cups half-and-half and 3 cups skim milk, we doubled the recipe.) It turned out perfect.

*** Variation: For those of you who are pie crust challenged :-), make a simple Graham cracker crust, or use premade pie shells.

Relief Society Lesson -- Courageous Parenting

Courageous Parenting
Larry R. Lawrence
Of the Second Quorum of the 70
October 2010 General Conference

In these last days, what the world really needs is courageous parenting from mothers and fathers who are not afraid to speak up and take a stand.

“Parenting is not a popularity contest” -Elder Joe J. Christensen

“Sometimes we are afraid of our children—afraid to counsel with them for fear of offending them.” -Elder Robert D. Hales

Young people understand more than we realize because they too have the gift of the Holy Ghost.

It’s so important for husbands and wives to be united when making parenting decisions.

It is vital that parents have the courage to speak up and intervene before Satan succeeds.

"When morality is involved, we have both the right and the obligation to raise a warning voice.” -President Boyd K. Packer

Consider five fundamental practices that have the power to fortify our youth:
1. family prayer
2. Family scripture study
3. family home evening
4. family dinner together
5. regular one-on-one interviews with each child.

One of the most effective ways we can influence our sons and daughters is to counsel with them in private interviews.

Satan and his followers are striving to bring this generation down; the Lord is counting on valiant parents to bring them up.

Jimmer's Spiritual Side

Fredette About It

It’s a sad day. The Jimmer show is over. BYU lost to Florida in overtime in the Sweet 16 last night. I’m actually surprised at how close the score was considering what an off night BYU had. Nobody’s shots were sinking. Even the easy layups were missed. Yet it was tied at the half and also at the end of regulation. BYU put up a good fight, but in the end they lost. Sometimes things just don’t go your way. Jimmer was three for 15, or only 20% for three-point tries. But it wasn’t just Jimmer. The team as a whole did not play well. And that’s just the way it goes sometimes.

It is sad to see BYU’s best chance in 30 years end. It certainly was fun to watch the Jimmer do his stuff. He still made two or three amazing shots yesterday. Even on a bad day. And like Jimmer said in the postgame interview most people didn’t expect them to even get to the Sweet 16 after the adversity the team faced this year.

So, despite the abrupt end to a spectacular season, and the end Jimmer’s college basketball career, I am extremely proud of their accomplishments. Not only because of their obvious talent and hard work. But because of their individual values and standards, in honorably representing BYU and everything it stands for. As was mentioned in a recent sports article, if every college basketball player was held to the standards that BYU basketball players are held to, there wouldn’t be any college basketball players, except for BYU.

It’s refreshing to see a team excel because of their talent and work ethics. Despite not having the “most talent”, or best recruits. It’s refreshing to see an excellent basketball team without tattoos defacing their arms. It’s refreshing to see a clean cut, earring-less basketball team do well. It’s refreshing to see a university enforce rules and put morals and the welfare of its students above money and fame.

A recent news article I read called BYU “America’s team” partly because Jimmer is the best college basketball player this year, and partly because BYU’s ethics elevated college sports. Even if they wouldn’t admit it, a lot of people were rooting for the cougars.

So, despite the fact that Jimmer and the crew didn’t reach the elite eight, or the final four, or the national championship game, they are still winners. In my mind, Jimmer and the rest of the BYU basketball team are heads and tails above the rest.

In the end, basketball is just a game. And Jimmer and the boys know that.

That’s my two cents.

Gonzaga got Jimmered!

It was an awesome game. When BYU is on nobody can beat them. Jimmer was amazing tonight as was the rest of the team. All the media reports I read here in Washington were not giving BYU a chance against Gonzaga. That's what made the victory even more sweet. Gonzaga got Jimmered. BYU taught them how to Jimmer.

I'm not really a basketball fan but I jumped on the Jimmermania bandwagon when I saw the game against San Diego State University about a month ago. SDSU got Jimmered that day. That was before the much talked about suspension of one of BYU's star players because of an honor code violation.

I grew up in BYU's backyard and was a big BYU fan during my growing up years. I did not attend BYU but I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints and therefore a BYU fan by default.

I think it's awesome that a bunch of clean-cut, tattooless, college kids with values can make it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament. Especially since nobody gave them much hope after losing one of their star players to honor code violation suspension.

Now, go teach Florida how to Jimmer!

That's my two cents.

Teach Me How to Jimmer

Lyrics: Teach Me How to Jimmer By Feel-Good Music Coalition

Verse 1: Mighty Quinn

(Hey Mighty Quinn) Wassup? (Can you teach me how to Jimmer?)
Well sit back and relax and just let this thought simmer, cause it seems that these days even Utah fans be gushing, and a you, you, you, you’re all man crushin. (ok)
Jimmer Fredette, (hey) Nuttin but net, crazy in a daze, no defense can faze, 30 footers he raises, always amazes,
nuttin but praise, T.J. taught him in phazes.
Boy is the truth! (how do you know?) Cause Nelly said it, he’s the real King James (what should I do?)
Just Fredette it.
P.O.Y.’s comin go handle your business, supposedly the best, whatchu talkin about Willis?
Don’t be talking trash cause ya know that he’s a winner so Tre’von, Dairese, Kawhi, and Jiggy (GET JIMMERED!)
Even Wild Bill be blushin like a Portly Pirate Poet sayin (I’m in love and I just don’t care who knows it!)

Verse 2: KMC (Kalin Curran)

His mother named him Jimmer, he likes to bring the hammer, he kinda does a shimmer, he’s not much of a jammer, rise and shout they sing, he’s got you on a string,
he’s not much into bling , except for CTR rings,
Stopping, poppin, dudes blowing your mind,
Droppin dimes or even just getting to the line,
No comeback needed when Jimmers on the floor,
he’s ahead of the game fans storming the court,
Fellas think they can stop him talkin trash now you got your wish,ball don’t lie what you just heard was a swish,
nothing comes out when they moving their lips,
just a- just a- just a- just a bunch of Jimmer-ish.
They all love him, man woman and child,
Cause the 40 point games it be driving them wild,
best believe he’s getting 50, nifty, with a shifty flow,
Houston -Vegas -Provo welcome to the Jimmer show.

Verse 3: Definit (Sean Curran)

Jimmers in the game now ya really wish you wasn’t,
Now he’s hittin treys – Fredette about it cousin,
numbers don’t lie can’t bet against a winner,
Even Vegas sinners put their money on jimmer,
the fears in your eye so step aside junior,
Ricky Bobby couldn’t handle this cougar,
put you in a stretcher best believe you’ll need a suture,
Flying down the court somebody yell shooter!
Forget mountain dew I’m all jacked up on jimmer,
best scorer in the world check Kevin Durants twitter,
Coast to coast who loves him the most, huh?
Chuck Norris even has a Jimmer poster
32 your my hero yes yall heard me,
Superman sleeps in a (what) jimmer jersey,
now what I’m about to say just might sound crazy,
can you be the surrogate for my baby?

Verse 4: Young Sim (Simeon Lawrence)

Look I know I’m a UTE fan but let me get a few bars,
Never been a hater I admit he’s a true star.
Hardly agree when it comes to red & blue.
But on the real you could catch me doing the Jimmer too.
Fade away, jumpshot, off the pick, nice arch -
6’2″ guard he could take you off the dribble,
Probably shouldnt foul his free throw is official,
You could probably slow him down if you good with the officials, and 1 calls man i hardly heard the whistles,
So the fans – upset water bottles to the refs.
And im a keep it real, best guard in the west.
(WEST?! POY man, Jimmer Fredette)

Commentary on Elder L. Tom Perry's CES Fireside

I watched the CES fireside last night with Elder L. Tom Perry. I forgot I was going to post a reminder to everybody that it was on yesterday. Anyway, I'm just going off memory here but the thing that stood out to me from his talk was when he mentioned that nowadays most people will say they are spiritual instead of religious. They don't want to be tied to a specific religion. And if a principle of faith fits in with their lifestyle that they will abide by it. But if not, then they will toss it aside.

Anyway, that's what I got out of the fireside last night. Now for my commentary. You know, I have to put in my two cents. :-) After all, that's the name of my blog.

I think that is true, the part about only abiding by a principle of faith/commandment if it fits in with their particular lifestyle, even in the Church. How many times do people listen to General Conference and if something is mentioned that does not fit in with their lifestyle, such as mothers should not work outside the home, or President Packer's talk which caused such an uproar, they discard it or even protest it?

For some reason, people think they are somehow excluded or immune from obeying the commandments when it doesn't fit their lifestyle. For some reason that particular commandment does not pertain to them.

How many "active, good, strong members of the Church" pay good money to sit in a dark theater and be bombarded by profanity, promiscuity, violence and lies all in the name of entertainment? How many times have we been told in general conference and otherwise not only to avoid R-rated movies but to avoid anything that drives the spirit away? Which, in my opinion, is basically any movie that Hollywood puts out, or any television drama, sitcom, talk show, etc.

Why do we think the Prophet's/apostle's counsel doesn't pertain to us? Are we somehow immune to Satan's attacks on our spirit, while others are not? I don't think so. And if you think you are, you are a fool.

Let me just give you an example that one of my family members shared with me. Certain members of a Young Women's presidency were overheard discussing a certain television show in which a bachelor dates a bunch of different women, including "overnight dates" and then selects one woman to marry.

Basically, this show teaches that promiscuity is not only acceptable but good. Not only that, but it also teaches that we should use people, then reject them. Amongst other horrible things that the show teaches. Anyway, these members of the Young women's presidency were talking about a certain episode and what happened after the "overnight date" and what this bachelor should do and who he should pick and so forth. One of them made the comment, "I don't know why more people don't watch this show". All of this being said in front of the young women to whom these leaders are supposed to teach correct principles and be good examples.

I find that to be totally reprehensible and abhorrent behavior by these young women leaders. But this example illustrates my point that people, including church members, will only abide by principles of faith/commandments that fit their lifestyle. The saddest part of this whole story is that these particular leaders of youth apparently saw nothing wrong with their behavior because they were in the house of the Lord at a Young women’s activity, as they were discussing the scumbag show in front of the girls.

As a tribute to the youth of the Church, let me tell you what one of the young women who overheard the conversation of her leaders later said/did. This young woman was so disgusted that she literally walked away so she wouldn’t have to continue listening. And said, in a disgusted voice, “They’re talking about The Bachelor!”

Let me just leave you with a couple of quotes from Elder Perry's talk. (The transcript is not available yet so I obtained these quotes from a summary article written on DeseretNews.com)

"As I look to the future — as I look at your future — I pray that you will step forward and assume your responsibility of preserving the noble heritage of the past," he said. "I pray that in a future day you will be known as 'The Greatest Generation.' Your war is different. I am full aware that your challenge will be much greater than ours. We knew our enemy on the battlefield. They were shooting at us. The enemy today is more sinister. He does not always confront us in head-on battle. Instead, he hides in almost every device known to man."

"My young friends, as you see the weakening of Christian faith in society your own faith must become even more firm and sure. You are the generation the Lord has saved for this day," he said.

As our world becomes more evil, and Satan becomes more sinister and deceptive, I hope we can all remain strong in our values, and stand up for our beliefs, and defend truth.

That’s my two cents.

Honor Code

BYU’s basketball team is ranked third in the nation. They were on track to become a number one seed in the NCAA tournament. But unfortunately, one of their students who happens to be a star player on the basketball team was suspended for the rest of the season because of an honor code violation. As result, the basketball team lost to an unranked New Mexico team on Wednesday. I personally think it had more to do with the mental stress of losing their friend/teammate and all of the national attention that has been brought to the team because of the mistake of one young man.

I am purposely not mentioning the young man’s name. Because I think his name has been dragged through the mud enough. But I applaud him for owning up to his mistake and admitting to his wrongdoing. From what I’ve read, he seems remorseful, and will hopefully be able to get through this hard time and go through the necessary steps to stay at BYU and be on the basketball team again next year.

BYU did not disclose what this young man’s honor code violation was. But of course, certain “sources” disclosed to the media, specifically the Salt Lake Tribune, what the specifics were and it’s been dragged through the media circuit.

I understand people’s curiosity. And the fact that most people in this country see nothing wrong with what this young man did to violate the honor code. For this young man’s sake, I wish the details of his transgression had not been disclosed. I’m sure he’s suffering enough without having the national media jump all over this story.

I do find it refreshing that most of the news articles I have read have applauded BYU for sticking to their values, even though it will likely cost the university a lot of money.

Even though most of the people writing the articles are not LDS, and would personally not abide by BYU’s honor code, most agree that BYU is correct in treating this athlete as they would any other student who violates the honor code.

I did not attend BYU. But I am a Mormon. And I fully understand the honor code that every student must sign at the beginning of each year of their schooling at BYU. Everybody makes mistakes and unfortunately for this young man on the basketball team, this particular mistake couldn’t have occurred at a worse time. Not only for the school, and the basketball team, but for him.

For every choice there is a consequence. Our choices not only affect us, but many people. In this case, it has drawn national attention. BYU will most likely not fare as well in the NCAA tournament as they would have before the honor code violation suspension. Not because they lost a star player but because of the media circus and mental distraction to the remaining players on the BYU basketball team.

But, in the end, basketball is just a game. BYU’s integrity and consistency in upholding the honor code is more important than money or the fame and glory of doing well in a basketball tournament. Although it may appear that BYU is treating this young man unfairly, he knew what was expected of him when he signed the honor code to attend BYU. And it would be detrimental to him, if he did not have to pay the consequence of his mistake. Hopefully he will learn from this experience and become a better person.

That’s my two cents.

Relief Society Lesson -- The Transforming Power of Faith and Character

The Transforming Power of Faith and Character
Elder Richard G. Scott of the quorum of the 12 apostles
October 2010 General Conference

When faith is properly understood and used, it has dramatically far-reaching effects.

Faith and character are intimately related.

We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day.

Righteous character is more valuable than any material object you own, any knowledge you have gained through study, or any goals you have attained...

Strong moral character results from consistent correct choices in the trials and testing of life.

What are some of the empowering principles upon which faith is based?
• Trust in God and in His willingness to provide help when needed, no matter how challenging the circumstance.
• Obedience to His commandments and a life that demonstrates that He can trust you.
• Sensitivity to the quiet promptings of the Holy Spirit.
• Courageous implementation of that prompting.
• Patience and understanding when God lets you struggle to grow and when answers come a piece at a time over an extended period.

Be thankful that sometimes God lets you struggle for a long time before that answer comes. That causes your faith to increase and your character to grow.

The bedrock of character is integrity.

Your happiness on earth as well as your eternal salvation require many correct decisions, none of which is difficult to make.

A consistent, righteous life produces an inner power and strength that can be permanently resistant to the eroding influence of sin and transgression.

Your faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His commandments will strengthen your character.

You cannot be passive in life, or in time the natural man will undermine your efforts to live worthily. You become what you do and what you think about.

This mortal life is a proving ground.

Humility is the precious fertile soil of righteous character.

Four principles that when they are applied with diligence and consistency, produce strength of character, increasing ability to convert the challenges of life into stepping-stones of happiness now and forever. They are:

• Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His program to acquire the power to achieve.
• Repentance to rectify the consequences of mistakes of omission or commission.
• Obedience to the commandments of the Lord to provide strength and direction in our lives.
• Selfless service to enrich the lives of others.

Life may seem difficult now, but hold on tightly to that iron rod of truth. You are making better progress than you realize.
*End of quotes from Elder Scott*

I like to use analogies when I teach. The analogy I thought of for my lesson today is as follows:

Think of your body and your spirit separately. Ask the class what is necessary to keep the body alive and thriving. Mention that most of us are very good at feeding/nourishing our bodies. Most of us haven’t gone more than 24 hours without food or drink. In fact, most of us feed our bodies three times a day, if not more including snacks. Ask the class what feeds or nourishes our spirits.

Answers included things like reading our Scriptures, going to church, saying our prayers, etc. then asked the class, “do we feed our spirits as often as we feed our bodies?” Using the reading of scriptures as example. Do we read our Scriptures daily? Or several times a day? How long have we gone without reading our Scriptures. I would venture to guess that most of us have gone long periods of time; weeks or months, without reading our Scriptures.

The next example I used was comparing poisons of the body with poisons of the Spirit. I mentioned two types of poison to our bodies. The first, ethylene glycol, has a sweet taste. And therefore might not be recognized as a poison. Whereas most poisons taste bad or smell bad and therefore are easily avoided. The second type of poison I mentioned was poison mushrooms. While they may appear nourishing, and are not easily distinguished from edible mushrooms, they are deadly. I told the story I learned in medical school of a family who liked to eat wild mushrooms. They went into the woods and picked some wild mushrooms. Put them in their spaghetti and ate them. The entire family started becoming quite ill, went to the emergency room, and unfortunately they all died.

None of us would deliberately ingest poisons. But sometimes they appear desirable. This is how Satan tempts us. He makes things look desirable, when actually they are poisonous to our spirits. Ask the class to name things that are poisonous to our spirits. Answers may include: watching movies or television laced with profanity, violence, sex, etc., not obeying the word of wisdom, lying, fornication, adultery, pornography, and so forth.

Tell the class that it would be absurd for us to say that just a little bit of that poison mushroom won’t hurt us. And slice little bit off and eat it. Or put a few drops of antifreeze on our food. But, how often do we poison our spirits with bad movies or music, etc.?

Not doing things that feed our spirits (sins of omission) and doing things that poison our spirits (sins of commission) are both detrimental and will make ill or kill our spirits. Just like not feeding or poisoning our bodies will make us very sick or kill our bodies.

Even at Church

I did a blog post a while ago about people parking in handicapped loading zones. Well, today after church was over, there was a vehicle parked in the wheelchair loading zone right next to our van.

Unbelievable! Don't people realize that when a van is parked in a handicapped parking space that perhaps there might be wheelchair that needs to load in the loading zone?

I think there are about five or six handicapped parking spaces at our chapel. Even with both wards there at the same time, I doubt there are that many wheelchairs, who need to use the loading zone.

I find it to be extremely rude and selfish for someone, especially a member of the Church, to park in the loading zone between two handicapped parking spaces.

When our ward is on the later schedule we usually end up parking in the street because all of the handicapped parking spaces are taken. Why can’t the person who parked in my loading zone do the same thing?

Because that vehicle parked in the loading zone there was no way for me to get down the ramp (the car parked right in front of it). And there definitely wasn’t room to load. So, Dad had to back up and move the van to the curb where I could load.

I know the vehicle that parked in the loading zone was not carrying a passenger in a wheelchair. There’s no way that a wheelchair could have loaded or unloaded. Because they parked in a loading zone, it was very tight between vehicles.

The loading zones between handicapped parking spaces are there for a reason. To make loading and unloading wheelchair passengers possible. I get irked enough when people park in handicapped parking spaces who are not wheelchair-bound, and jump out and walk or run in to the building. But, to park in a wheelchair loading zone right next to a van, which most likely carries a wheelchair passenger, is inexcusable. Especially at Church.

That’s my two cents.

At Home Mom

A week or two ago I received a nice comment on a blog post I published over a year ago. It was the talk by Ezra Taft Benson entitled, “To Mothers in Zion”. The comment was presumably from a young mother thanking me for publishing that talk.

Since then, I have received several hits from Facebook on that particular blog post. I’m assuming, that someone put a link to my blog from their Facebook account.

Anyway, I think that’s pretty cool. I’m glad that people are reading the words of the prophet on my blog.

I was thinking about this particular subject today. So I thought I would do another post regarding this topic. I found a good talk from the Ensign. I was going to only publish the few quotes but I decided to publish the whole thing because I think the stories are quite relevant still today. The talk was published in 1989. I will put my two cents in after you read the talk.

Mom—at Home By Derin Head Rodriguez
Derin Head Rodriguez, "Mom—at Home", Ensign, Oct. 1989, 13

The transition from career woman to stay-at-home mother often requires a leap of faith.

President Ezra Taft Benson has reminded us that the Lord’s way to rear our children is “different from the world’s way. … In the beginning, Adam—not Eve—was instructed to earn the bread by the sweat of his brow. Contrary to conventional wisdom, a mother’s calling is in the home, not in the marketplace.” (To the Mothers in Zion, pamphlet, Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1987, p. 5.)

He is not the first prophet to urge mothers to stay at home; for years, others have stressed the importance of a mother’s influence—an influence too vital to be left to others.

President David O. McKay promised, “She who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters, whose influence will be felt through generations to come, … deserves the highest honor that man can give, and the choicest blessings of God.” (Gospel Ideals, Salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1953, pp. 453–54.)

On numerous occasions, President Spencer W. Kimball urged mothers to “come home … to your children, born and unborn. Wrap the motherly cloak about you and, unembarrassed, help in a major role to create the bodies for the immortal souls who anxiously wait.

“When you have fully complemented your husband in home life and borne the children, growing up full of faith, integrity, responsibility, and goodness, then you have achieved your accomplishment supreme, without peer, and you will be the envy of all through time and eternity.” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982, p. 327; italics added.)

Of course, some mothers with children at home must work outside the home as a matter of necessity. Such need our understanding and help and appreciation for all that they do in behalf of their families.

Following are several accounts of mothers who did have a choice to be at home—and how they made the decision to be with their children.

Lynette: “Quality Time” for Her Children
Those who know Lynette, a 35-year-old mother of three, considered her a “career woman” whose job as an office manager for a large real estate company was very important to her. Whenever the topic of working mothers would arise, she spoke up defensively, citing her need for intellectual stimulation, association with other educated adults, and the daily reassurance and satisfaction of a job well done.

Besides, she would add, her two boys loved their sitter—she’d had the same one since her first son had been born—and Lynette always made sure she gave her sons “quality time.” Told in her late teens that because of a physical condition she would never be able to have children, Lynette planned to have a career instead. But when marriage and children came, her job was a big part of her life—a part she didn’t want to give up.

“The night Mark told me it had always been one of his goals for me to quit working and be home full-time, I was furious,” recalls Lynette.” ‘Fine,’ I yelled, ‘but what about my goals?’”

But gradually she began to change her mind. Although eight-year-old Greg was behind in his reading, she had little time to help him; TV and the sitter were bigger influences in her children’s lives than she was; and trying to keep up with everybody’s schedules made their lives hectic. “I didn’t feel we really had a home—it was more like a launching pad where Mark, the kids, and I stopped off on the way to somewhere else,” Lynette says.

Still, the decision to quit her job was one of the most difficult she had ever made. Lynette had developed close personal relationships with her colleagues at work, and the many job “perks” she had were hard to give up. Financial matters were also a worry. Mark owned his own business, and his income was erratic.

In spite of her misgivings, Lynette was surprised how easy the adjustment to being at home full-time was. “There is a feeling of absolute relief—in being there for my family and away from the stress, competition, and traffic. I do miss getting dressed up, going out to lunch, and being good at my job, but I don’t miss them enough to go back. Now we have a more organized home.

“Before, I would cry every time I’d hear a Church leader say I should be home with my children. On February 22, 1987, when President Ezra Taft Benson spoke at a fireside for parents and told mothers to stay home, I felt so guilty and miserable that all I could do was cry.

“‘He doesn’t understand,’ I thought. ‘Things were different when he raised his children.’

“But when I stayed home, I found out that he does know. I used to feel I was making my kids independent, but now I am making them feel loved. Five-year-old Jared will stop his play and holler through the door, ‘Mom, I love you.’ ‘I love you, too, Jared,’ I respond, and he’ll be off again. When the kids are sick, I can be with them. Greg tested it a few times when he called from school to see if I would really come and take him home. Now he knows I’m here whenever he needs me.

“The ‘quality time’ I thought my children were getting was just a rationalization to make me feel better. Kids don’t care about ‘quality time’ as much as they do about having a lot of it. My relationship with Mark has also improved. I’m a nicer person and more of a calming influence; I have greater peace of mind.”

Similar convictions are echoed by many families in vastly differing circumstances. A mother’s choice to quit a job is difficult at best. Often the decision to work has been prompted by many motivations—financial necessity, emotional fulfillment, intellectual stimulation, the desire to provide advantages and opportunities for her family, and the need to help others. Fathers as well as mothers become torn between conflicting forces.

But for many, the time often comes when, whatever the reasons for continued employment, the reasons for Mom to be home become even more compelling for the well-being of family members—including Mom.

Debbie: Overextended?
If the transition between employment and full-time motherhood comes easy for some, for others it is painfully difficult. Debbie, thirty-two, was working full-time as a teacher specialist and serving in a Relief Society presidency when she decided to go back to school and get a master’s degree. She had always placed a high value on education and felt that a graduate degree would further her career goals.

“It was just craziness,” she admits. “Every minute was so full. I remember sitting on the edge of the tub bathing the kids with one hand and studying from a book held in the other.”

When health problems forced Debbie to slow down, she had the opportunity to evaluate her priorities. “Is this madness—spending the rest of my life like this?” she asked herself. “Enough already,” she and Bruce decided. The family needed someone to “keep the home fires burning,” and that someone would be Debbie.

So with great reluctance, Debbie, now pregnant, withdrew from the graduate program and quit her job.

“It was a real leap of faith for me,” she confesses. “I sure didn’t want to do it, but I felt it was the right thing for us.”

Debbie’s adjustment to being at home full-time was difficult. “Every morning for months I watched Bruce drive away for work, and then I cried with unhappiness and frustration,” she recalls. The role of stay-at-home mother was totally foreign to her. But she had always told the new schoolteachers she trained to give themselves a year to feel comfortable with the job; she decided to give herself that same year. Immersing herself in her new job, Debbie talked to women whose homemaking skills she admired, took related classes, and read books on the subject. Gradually things began to change.

Bruce’s support was invaluable during Debbie’s transition. One day baby Julia was sick and Debbie spent the whole day rocking her. When Bruce came home he found a frustrated wife and mother because of so much left undone. “He pointed out that that’s why I decided to stay home, to nurture our children,” says Debbie. “‘How would you feel if Julia had cried all day because you’d cleaned the house?’ he asked me. He really helped me put things in perspective.”

Although the family’s income was cut substantially when Debbie quit work, they have not noticed a major difference in their standard of living. With extra expenses—such as day care at $250 a month per child, a working wardrobe, lunches out, transportation, and fast-food dinners—dropped from the budget, the monthly income stretches further than they thought it would.

Debbie realizes she has had to make changes for her future. “It is unrealistic to expect to stay home for several years and then move right back onto the career fast-track. Many of those opportunities are gone,” she admits honestly. “But other opportunities will come. I will have plenty of years after my children are grown to do some of those things.”

Peggy: Finances and Faith
For many, financial matters are the real concern. Although Peggy and Cody knew their family income would be cut by more than half without Peggy’s paycheck, it was an easy decision for her to quit and stay at home with their three children, ages three, eight, and eleven. Peggy, thirty-four, had begun working as a secretary a year and a half before, when Cody had gone back to school.

“We felt going to work was the right decision at the time, even though it was hard on our family,” Peggy explained. During the summer they didn’t want to leave the children alone all day, but they couldn’t afford a sitter. So on Monday mornings Peggy took the children to her mother’s house about fifty miles away and often wouldn’t see them until she picked them up on Friday evening. Though it seemed the only solution, the separations caused a severe strain on parents and children.

When Cody finished school and found a job, although not as lucrative as they had hoped, Peggy knew the time had come for her to quit. What had already been a tight budget was cut drastically. “We didn’t know how we would make it, but we knew somehow things would work out.”

Once before when Cody was between jobs, they had been faced with a choice of paying their tithing or their bills. They knew that obedience to Heavenly Father’s commandment would take all the funds they had, but Peggy wrote out the check with trembling fingers, and the balance in the checkbook stood near zero. “Heavenly Father,” Peggy prayed, “you have told us that if we pay these obligations, you will take care of us. That’s what we’ve done, and the rest is up to you.”

Two days later, the family received a check that they had expected to be less than $10; the amount was $270. It was enough to carry them through until regular paychecks started coming in again.

Having relied on the Lord before, Peggy and Cody are willing to do so again. But to them, leaving their temporal welfare in the Lord’s hands doesn’t mean sitting on their own. Peggy has started babysitting and teaching piano lessons, and the family has taken on an early-morning paper route.

“We don’t have money for music lessons, Little League, soccer, and other interests such as horses and travel. We have had to sacrifice,” Peggy admits. “But we have gained so much more than we have lost.” The conviction in her voice underscores her quiet words. “We had such a difficult time before, and we felt like the windows of heaven were closed to us. Now they have been opened, and the blessings are pouring through.”

Although giving up a second income may seem almost impossible, those with an eye on the eternal perspective fond that the extra paycheck sometimes can cost more than it’s worth. It is a decision that must be faced uniquely and prayerfully by each family. While one cannot model his course of action on someone else’s solution, neither can one judge what is right or wrong for anyone else.

Eileen: Should I Return to Work?
“President Benson’s counsel to ‘be at the crossroads when your children are either coming or going’ (To the Mothers in Zion, p. 5.) is especially important to me,” Eileen says. “When you send teenagers off in the morning, you never know how they’ll come home. You have to be there for them.”

When Eileen married Mike nine years ago, she had three children from a previous marriage. Although Mike was willing to support her children, Eileen felt it was asking too much of him, so she resigned herself to working outside the home. Besides, the independence and earning power she had enjoyed while she was single were hard to let go of completely. But four years later, when Eric was born, Eileen was ready to stay home.

After a few years, the financial pressures became almost unbearable, and Eileen and Mike decided that perhaps the time had come for Eileen to return to work. She found a position that seemed perfect for her and went for an interview, then was called back for another. Finally, at her third interview on a Friday afternoon, she felt the job was practically hers and was told she would be notified the following Monday.

On Sunday, Eileen and Mike heard President Benson’s fireside address urging mothers to stay at home. They listened with tears in their eyes, and it seemed that the prophet of the Lord was speaking just to them.

When the job offer came the next morning, turning it down was one of the hardest things Eileen ever did. But as she and Mike prayed together, the peace that engulfed them testified that they had made the right decision. Somehow, things would work out.

“I still get out that talk and read it periodically just for the affirmation that always comes,” says Eileen. When their oldest daughter started college, Eileen began working one day a week as a legal secretary to help meet added expenses, but she staunchly resists the temptation to increase those away-from-home hours.

“I explained to my employer that I couldn’t work more because I would miss too much ‘love time’ with my five-year-old. I described the half hour reserved for us every morning to just cuddle and be close. Now I know that sometime almost every day each of the older kids will need some ‘love time,’ too. Even my college freshman says, ‘Mom, when I’m home, I really need you to be there, too.’”

Giving up employment for full-time motherhood at home doesn’t preclude getting involved in other activities. In fact, it often frees a few hours here or there for a mother to spend in church work, community service, political causes, educational pursuits, or other interests or hobbies. Also, many women have income-producing activities—whether out of necessity or desire—that they can pursue at home or that take them away for only a limited number of hours.

Diana: No to “Parenting by Committee”
“I used to long to be out in the world working with adults, using my brains and my education,” says Diana, a 34-year-old mother of five. “But one day I realized the flip side of that argument—does that mean that only someone without any brains or education is suited to rearing a family? That wasn’t the kind of person I wanted to raise my children. I wanted them to have the smartest, most educated, most spiritual person I could find. That realization became an incentive for me. I stopped feeling that my skills were being wasted at home and started to make myself worthy of this important calling.

“Besides, I didn’t want my children to be raised by a committee of sitters, teachers, relatives, older siblings, and parents. Sure, I need help occasionally, but I wanted to be the principal player here.”

Making major life-style changes is not easy. The leap of faith required to alter established routines and familiar patterns is scary and uncertain. We rush about, frantically striving to purchase what cannot be bought from the many who claim to have it to sell—ignoring the Lord’s formula for eternal peace and joy.

But he has promised that he will not abandon us to make these choices alone and that the rewards will follow a display of our faith.

One afternoon Debbie, the former teacher specialist, was returning from a swimming outing with her children. She realized that if she were still working she would just be getting off work. Then she would have to stop at the grocery store, pick up the kids at the sitter, rush home and fix dinner, clean up the dishes, do the laundry, and try to finish some of the work she’d brought home. “I could feel my stress level rising just thinking about it,” she states.

As she glanced at the sunburned children asleep in the backseat of the car and remembered the day’s fun, a peaceful, contented feeling came over her. She realized—much to her own surprise—“This is the best job I’ve ever had.”

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 [end of talk ]

Working outside the home is a lot easier, in my opinion, than raising children. Therefore, it's not surprising that some women would rather work outside the home than stay home and raise their children.

Not only that but, some men, ask or tell their wives to get a job outside the home to supplement or enhance their income so they can afford the finer things in life. Which, most of them rationalize as necessities. Really, the only necessities of life are food, shelter, clothing, and love.

Satellite or cable TV, name brands, soccer, football, piano lessons, and even a car are considered luxuries. Now I know, in today's society reality is skewed.

And, of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. Such as a single mother who is the only means of support for children.

But, if there is a father who is employed, there is no need for a mother to work outside the home.

Now you might argue, the father's income does not sufficiently provide for the needs of the family. If that's the case, then perhaps he should get a better job or a second or third job. The mother should not be working while the father stays at home with the kids. This is not the Lord's design.

It is a mother's job to nurture the children. And it is the father's job to provide for the family. If you don't believe me, go read the family proclamation. It's posted on my blog.

It may be necessary for the mother to temporarily support the family while the father is furthering his education, so that he may attain a job where he may be able to better provide for the family. I know when I was in medical school quite a few of the wives of my fellow classmates worked to support their husbands in medical school. But again, this was a temporary situation. Designed to improve the father's education/skills so that he could be a better provider.

I just feel like a lot of people rationalize away the prophets counsel for mothers to stay home and raise their children and not work outside the home.

I feel that if a man asks his wife to work outside the home while he stays home with the children, then he’s not honoring his priesthood.

That's my two cents.

I Looked out the Window and What Did I See?

Should I Have Gone into Marketing?

Best Self Storage has been taken over by a national chain, and is now Extra Space Storage. Our family is mourning the loss of BSS. It was a family run business for about eight years. It was my home for four years. Our family, especially my parents, put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into building and running BSS. When we moved to our new house three years ago, my brother took over and moved his family into the apartment above the office. I have many cherished memories of sitting in the office with my brother, mom, and dad.

Anyway, it’s time to start a new chapter in our books of life. A chapter which, sadly, does not include BSS. There will be no more Best Self Storage track and field team. No more stories about tenants and their antics. No more 2 AM calls from Mountain alarm. No more fire trucks rolling because of some dust in a smoke detector. No more over locks, ballast replacement, bioswale, etc.

In the process of changing hands. The ESS people were getting rid of everything BSS. They replaced the cute squirrel rug with a plain black rug. Juliet actually found the rug rolled up in the dumpster.

The pass along cards were immediately removed from the desk which was their home for many years. Anyway, there were some signs that I had made up back when we were still living at BSS. I had forgotten how cool they were :-). Thankfully, somebody recovered them before ESS threw them in the dumpster.

Perhaps I missed my calling in life. You be the judge.

To drum up business, I had the idea to have someone dress up in a gorilla suit and dance around while holding these signs:

RIP BSS.

That's my two cents.