Baffling Question Answered

I did a post back on December 5, 2009.  I titled it baffling questions.  Well, for some reason I was contemplating about this topic again recently. And almost 5 years later, I think I have an answer to my own question.

Here is my original post:

 "Why is it that mistresses are always so much uglier than the wife? Why is it that seemingly intelligent men throw their life in the trash for a few sinful moments with ugly women?

 "Perhaps I don't understand because I'm not a man. Perhaps I don't understand because I'm not stupid. Either way it still baffles me.

 That's my two cents."

Here's what I've decided.  People like to be comfortable.  People are comfortable with those who are similar to them.  For instance, I'm comfortable hanging around people who are Members of the Church.  Regardless of whether I know them or not.  We share a kinship because we share common beliefs and core values.  On the other hand, I'm not as comfortable around people with different standards than I have.  I'm certainly not comfortable around vulgarities/profanity, etc. Or in dark places like bars, clubs, and casinos.  On the flipside, I'm sure the profane, vulgar, crude people who are comfortable in dark places are not comfortable in churches or houses of worship, etc.

Here's an example that just popped into my head: when I was on my mission there was an inactive member who fed us weekly.  For whatever reason one day she stopped by our apartment and was extremely uncomfortable because our place was decorated with pictures of Christ and Prophets etc. I found that interesting (and somewhat surprising that she was so uncomfortable) because she knew she wasn't living the gospel standards -- I know she didn't live the Word of Wisdom -- therefore she was feeling guilty in the presence of pictures of her Savior and it made her uncomfortable.

People who lower their standards or whose beliefs and values have changed are no longer comfortable in the same environment and with the same people whose standards have remained unchanged.  I believe this is why men or women who commit infidelities and are unfaithful to their spouse tend to select floozies (male or female) who are much uglier than their spouse.  Because they have become ugly and dark and are more comfortable with those who are similar to themselves.

It makes perfect sense.  It's extremely sad but very logical.  I like to call it the "oke for an oke" philosophy.  :-) Only people who know me will understand that :-).  I could also call it the light for light and dark for dark philosophy.

Unfortunately, it is all too common in this world we live in where Satan so easily deceives. One spouse in a marriage succumbs to Satan's temptations/deceptions and loses their values/beliefs/standards that they once shared with their spouse.

Then they feel uncomfortable with and unworthy of their spouse whose values have not changed.  So they seek for someone who is on the same level as themselves which is always a much lower standard. And with whom they feel more comfortable because they are in the same dark place. People looking in from the outside are appalled and dumbfounded that the spouse whose standards have dramatically decreased would destroy their beautiful family for dark and ugly and much less desirable than what they already have.

That's the tragic reality.  I know 4 families personally who were destroyed by spouses who chose to leave their beautiful eternal families for dark ugly floozies.  Interestingly, it was two women and two men.  And in each case, the floozy they destroyed their families for is much uglier than the spouse they had. I mean shockingly uglier!  Darkness and sin also contribute much to a person's ugliness.

So, if you've ever wondered why unfaithful spouses choose ugliness -- it's because they themselves have become ugly. Oke for an oke.  Dark for dark.

That's my two cents.

Formula for Strengthening Families

It's always the small seemingly mundane decisions that we make multiple times a day that determine who we are.  Making small seemingly unimportant bad choices can easily snowball very quickly Into a downward spiral.  That's why it's so important to do the little things that keep us on the straight and narrow path holding to the iron rod.

The two major things we need to do daily to give us the spiritual energy to withstand the world and all the fiery darts that the adversary throws at us is personal scripture study and personal prayer.  It's such a seemingly small, easy thing to do every day.  Yet so many people struggle with this simple task.

And the best way to hold families together in these trying times where Satan so easily deceives is to hold daily family prayer and daily family scripture study.  And weekly family home evening.  These simple things only take a few minutes every day -- but are so powerful in strengthening families.  Many different prophets and apostles have spoken on the subject.

Here's just one, a quote I received in my daily messages yesterday.

"Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results."

—David A. Bednar, "More Diligent and Concerned at Home"

This Is a powerful quote from Elder David A. Bednar, of the quorum of the 12 apostles. It really is a simple, yet powerful formula. Read your scriptures and say your prayers everyday and you will soon notice a dramatic increase in your spirituality. Do it together as a family and your family will be strengthened as you become united and your entire family will be elevated to a higher spiritual plane.

That's my two cents.

Third Annual Stone 5K -- Results

Saturday we held the third annual Stone 5K.  Here are the results:

Kids 1/2 Mile Race

1.  Dallas 3:42

2.  Elijah 4:12

3 Brandon 4:37

4 Cody 5:10

5 Richie 6:50

6 Kylee 6:53

7 Kingston 8:05

5K

1.  Michael 18:53

2.  Aaron 20:46

3.Juliet 25:25

Bicycle category :-)

1.  Dad 17:10

we didn't have very many participants this year.  No one from Lisa's family :-(.

Relief Society Lesson -- The Witness

Our ward boundaries got realigned so, by default, I have been released from my calling as Fourth Sunday Relief Society Teacher.  The bishopric of the new ward asked for volunteers to teach while they reorganize.  So I volunteered to teach one last time -- since I had already started preparing this lesson for the previous ward. So, sadly, this will be my last lesson posted.  :-(

The following are direct quotes from President Packer's April 2014 General Conference talk.

The Witness

By President Boyd K. Packer

President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

April 2014 General Conference

Like most things of great worth, knowledge which is of eternal value comes only through personal prayer and pondering. These, joined with fasting and scripture study, will invite impressions and revelations and the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. This provides us with instruction from on high as we learn precept upon precept.

One eternal truth that I have come to know is that God lives. He is our Father. We are His children. “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost” (Articles of Faith 1:1).

Parenthood is a sacred privilege, and depending upon faithfulness, it can be an eternal blessing. The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is that a man and his wife and their children can be happy at home.

Another truth I have come to know is that the Holy Ghost is real. He is the third member of the Godhead. His mission is to testify of truth and righteousness. He manifests Himself in many ways, including feelings of peace and reassurance. He can also bring comfort, guidance, and correction when needed. The companionship of the Holy Ghost is maintained throughout our lives by righteous living.

The gift of the Holy Ghost is conferred through an ordinance of the gospel. This ordinance alone does not change us in a noticeable way, but if we listen and follow the promptings, we will receive the blessing of the Holy Ghost.

A supernal truth that I have gained in my life is my witness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Foremost and underpinning all that we do, anchored throughout the revelations, is the Lord’s name, which is the authority by which we act in the Church. Every prayer offered, even by little children, ends in the name of Jesus Christ. Every blessing, every ordinance, every ordination, every official act is done in the name of Jesus Christ. It is His Church, and it is named for Him—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (see D&C 115:4).

 5 Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day;

 6 And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day.

 7 Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake. –3 Nephi 27:5-7

In the Church we know who He is: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is the Only Begotten of the Father. He is He who was slain and He who liveth again. He is our Advocate with the Father. …He is the anchor that holds us and protects us and our families through the storms of life.

Each of us must come to our own personal testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. We then share that testimony with our family and others.

In all of this, let us remember that there is an adversary who personally seeks to disrupt the work of the Lord. We must choose whom to follow. Our protection is as simple as deciding individually to follow the Savior, making certain that we faithfully will remain on His side.

To be faithfully devoted to Jesus Christ, we accept Him as our Redeemer and do all within our power to live His teachings.

After all the years that I have lived and taught and served, after the millions of miles I have traveled around the world, with all that I have experienced, there is one great truth that I would share. That is my witness of the Savior Jesus Christ.

Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon recorded the following after a sacred experience:

“And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! “For we saw him” (D&C 76:22–23). Their words are my words.

I believe and I am sure that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that He lives. He is the Only Begotten of the Father…I bear my witness that the Savior lives. I know the Lord. I am His witness. I know of His great sacrifice and eternal love for all of Heavenly Father’s children. I bear my special witness in all humility but with absolute certainty…

Reminder: Stone 5K

Just a quick reminder that this year's Stone 5K will be this coming Saturday at 10:00 AM.

We will also have a race to the gate and back, approximately 1/2 mile, for the kids- and adults- who don't want to run the 5K :-).

After the races, we will have a make your own pan pizza party for lunch.  I'm sure everyone will be hungry after running your guts out :-).

See you all this Saturday!

John Bytheway Quote

I read this quote yesterday in an advertisement in my junk mail :-).   I emptied my junk mail so I lost it.  But I was thinking about it this morning and thought it was profound so I wanted to try to find it again.  So after a little research, here it is:

"What are the biggest problems facing the members of the Church today? Immorality? Pornography? Drugs? Worldliness? Idleness? No. Those are secondary problems. Those temptations lose much of their power if we solve the real problem. The real problem is weak testimonies." -- John Bytheway, How Do I Know If I Know?

Light

As I read the Ensign this month, one article stood out to me.  It is entitled, "Becoming Children of Light" by Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Presidency of the 70.  Here is a link: Becoming Children of Light

I have always really enjoyed sunshine and the warmth that it brings.  I guess it's apropos that I served my mission in the Sunshine State.  :-) Contrarily I have never liked the darkness and cold that comes with it.  I think that's just human nature --we are all born with The Light of Christ and are hardwired to seek light.

It has been scientifically proven that light elevates mood in people. There is a medical condition called SAD -- seasonal affective disorder. This is when people's moods are depressed because of lack of sunlight generally due to shorter days during winter.  The treatment?  Light therapy. I believe the theory is that it is the light absorbed through the eyes that affects mood, not through the skin.

Light also has been used -- and I believe it is still being used to treat certain types of cancer.

And let's not forget exposure to sunshine producing vitamin D through absorption of sunlight in the skin.

Light is the source of energy that sustains life on earth.

So it's not much of a stretch to see the correlation between the Savior and light.  There are multiple places in the Scriptures which state that Jesus is the light of the world.  Here's just one:

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." --John 8:12

Speaking about light absorbed through your eyes elevating your mood-- it's not hard to see the correlation between the light in your eyes -- in other words the brightness or sparkle that others can see when they look into your eyes -- and your level of conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and obedience to His commandments.

"And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?" -- Alma 5:14

To quote a popular song by Janice Kapp Perry:

Have you received His image in your countenance?
Does the Light of Christ Shine in your eyes?
Will he know you when He comes again because you will be like Him,
When he sees you will the Father know His child?

We seek for light and learning as followers of Christ
That all may see His goodness reflected in our lives.
When we receive His fullness and lose desire for sin
We radiate His perfect love, A beauty from within.

The ways of man may tempt us and some will be deceived,
Prefering worldly beauty, Forgetting truth received,
But whisprings of the Spirit remind us once again
That lasting beauty, pure and clear must come from deep within.

I was only going to quote the chorus but the other two verses were pertinent so I included them.

Anyone who has ever watched a football game on TV has seen this sign in the audience "John 3:16".  You probably know that Scripture and can quote it.  But have you ever read the verses that follow?

John 3:16-21

"16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

Have you ever noticed that places of ill repute or anywhere people go to commit sin or do things contrary to the will of God are always dark establishments?  I personally am uncomfortable in those kinds of dark dingy often smoke filled places such as casinos or bars, etc.. But as the Scripture states above, men -- meaning people in general -- whose deeds are evil -- meaning those who sin and do things contrary to God's commandments -- love darkness rather than light.

I really think that's a good way to measure your level of conversion/spirituality/dedication to the Lord and His gospel -- where are you most comfortable?  Are you more comfortable in darkness or light?

Along the same lines, I was watching the priesthood session of General conference (April 2014) yesterday and in President Monson's talk he quoted the father of the popular basketball star, Jabari Parker.  Jabari's father is not a member of the Church but gave his son some wonderful advice.  I will paraphrase.  "Are you the same person in the dark as you are in the light?"  Or maybe it was "be the same person in the dark as you are the light" something to that effect.

Are we the same person in the dark as we are in the light?  In other words, does our behavior change depending on who we are with or where we are?  Are we like the young man in President Monson's talk who gave a spiritually uplifting talk in church one Sunday and later that evening was seen walking down the street smoking a cigarette?

I hope we all strive to be as Job who said, "till I die I will not remove my integrity from me".  I hope we are not hypocrites like the young man who portrays himself as an upstanding member of the church who preaches the Gospel to people over the pulpit and then goes against everything he has just taught hours later.

The following Scripture really struck a chord with me.  I know it's long and I was going to only include a couple verses but I think it flows better to read the entire excerpt.  These are the writings of the apostle Paul speaking to the people of Thessalonica.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-23
"2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake.And be at peace among yourselves.

14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly,comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

19 Quench not the Spirit.

20 Despise not prophesyings.

21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

I think that is beautifully written.  It is full of hope and good counsel. The apostle Paul tells us in the above scripture that we are all the children of light.  I like that he clarifies that we are all the children of light.  My interpretation of that is that we are all given the light of Christ when we are born. We all naturally gravitate towards light.  But it's also very easy to let Satan pull us away from the light towards the darkness.  That's what Paul is warning us of in the above scripture.  It takes work to stay on the straight and narrow path.  It's easy to get lost in the mists of darkness if we let go of the iron rod. But if we do falter,  As we all do at times, let's remember that there is a way back.  It may not be an easy road-- in fact it may be very difficult--but through our Savior's atonement, repentance is possible. We are all children of light.

Anyway that's what I got out of the scripture in Thessalonians.

well, this has taken me three days to write and so I hope it's not too disjointed. I really just wanted to write this to tell you my favorite article in the Ensign this month -- and I got a little carried away :-).

As evidenced by my overly tanned arms and face -- I really enjoy being out in the sunshine.  I love the warmth I feel on my face and it really does elevate my mood.  Similar to the happiness I feel when I am trying hard to follow the Lord's commandments and live the gospel to the best of my ability.

That's my two cents.

Answers

Thank you to all who participated in the quiz.  I hope you had fun trying to guess.  Here are the correct answers:

1--B butterfly
2 --C Mark Chesnutt
3 --E bearded iris,Oriental Lily, hydrangea
4 --A fish
5 --B Marie Osmond
6 --A young women's advisor
7 --C cherry
8 --C four
9 --B Oh My Father
10 -- D osteology -- nobody got this one right :-)

Apparently nobody knows me very well.  The best score was 60%.  That would be failing.  :-( I guess I was too good at trying to make it hard for you.  I really thought everybody would do little bit better than that :-).  Anyway I had fun seeing your answers.  I was surprised at how few people knew my favorite singer. Or my favorite food for that matter. Thanks for participating!  :-)

How Well Do You Know Me?

I've decided it might be fun to see how well you know me.  I know I did a quiz a few years ago when I started my blog.  So I hope I don't repeat anything.  I don't remember what I asked so you probably don't either :-).  If you want to take the quiz, you can either e-mail me your answers or post them in the comment section and I will score them.

1 -- Which insect do I NOT like?

A.) dragonfly
B.) butterfly
C.) honeybee
D.) all of the above
E.) none of the above

2 -- Who is my favorite vocalist?

A.) Elvis
B.) George Strait
C.) Mark Chesnutt
D.) Tim McGraw
E.) Steve Wariner

3 -- What are my top three favorite flowers in descending order?

A.) bearded iris, Rose, hydrangea
B.) Oriental Lily, hydrangea, tulip
C.) Rose, Oriental Lily, bearded iris
D.) hydrangea, bearded iris, begonia
E.) bearded iris, oriental lily, hydrangea

4 -- Which of the following would be my first choice to eat?

A.) fish
B.) steak
C.) pizza
D.) spaghetti
E.) chicken

5 -- Who is my favorite female vocalist?

A.) Martina Mc bride
B.) Marie Osmond
C.) Faith Hill
D.) Reba McEntire
E.) Tanya Tucker

6 -- Which of the following is a calling I have never had?

A.) young women's advisor
B.) primary teacher
C.) Relief Society teacher
D.) stake missionary
E.) Relief Society compassionate service leader

7 -- Which of the following is my favorite flavor?

A.) grape
B.) lime
C.) cherry
D.) Orange
E.) watermelon

8 -- How many areas did I serve in on my mission in Florida?

A.) three
B.) five
C.) four
D.) six
E.) seven

9 -- Which of the following is my favorite hymn?

A.) I Know That My Redeemer Lives
B.) Oh My Father
C.) Let Us All Press On
D.) How Great Thou Art
E.) I Stand All Amazed

10 -- Which of the following is a class I have NOT taken?

A.) histology
B.) biochemistry
C.) neurology
D.) osteology
E.) pharmacology

To make it easy I think I will stop at ten.  It's harder than I thought to think up things about me :-).  Perhaps I will put more thought into it and make another quiz about me sometime later.  anyway I thought it would be fun.  E-mail me your answers and I will tell you how well you know me :-)

Third Annual Stone 5K Announcement

I wasn't going to put on the Stone 5K again this year.  There didn't seem to be much demand for it.  That was until my sweet little nephew, Elijah, was asking about it and said he wanted to do it this year.  I asked some of the other kids if they wanted to do it and they did.  So it's on again for this year.

The third annual Stone 5K will be held Saturday, August 23, 2014. let's tentatively say 9:30 AM. Same course -- starting at the top of our driveway. :-) kids race will be to the gate and back as usual. 

Elijah requested red and gold-- 49ers colors :-) -- so below is the unveiling of this year's design.  They will go on red T-shirts.

  It had been so long since I used Photoshop that I forgot how to edit the design.  I eventually figured it out.  Although it did take me to the majority of the day to complete the above design.  :-) The things an aunt will do for her nephew.  :-) Well it's not just for Elijah. Hopefully everybody will like the design this year.

Back by popular demand :-) -- all participants who finish the race will receive one dollar.  First-place finishers received five dollars :-) and everybody gets a T-shirt!  Hope to see you all there!

By the way, anybody who reads this blog is welcome to participate :-).

How to Fortify Your Family

I was reading ahead in the Sunday School manual for our next lesson.  And I came across the following quote:

• President Ezra Taft Benson taught: “Often we spend great effort in trying to increase the activity levels in our stakes. We work diligently to raise the percentages of those attending sacrament meetings. We labor to get a higher percentage of our young men on missions. We strive to improve the numbers of those marrying in the temple. All of these are commendable efforts and important to the growth of the kingdom. But when individual members and families immerse themselves in the scriptures regularly and consistently, these other areas of activity will automatically come. Testimonies will increase. Commitment will be strengthened. Families will be fortified. Personal revelation will flow” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 44).

It seems quite simple really -- establish regular Scripture study and you will be blessed.  But it seems like many people and families struggle with this simple commandment.

This is something that's reiterated many times in General Conference talks.  In fact the pattern is so simple and consistent that I can rattle it off from the top of my head.  The keys to raising righteous children and having a successful family are as follows:

1 -- regular personal and family scripture study
2 -- regular personal and family prayer
3 -- weekly family home evening

sometimes also included:
4 -- daily family dinner together
5 -- regular periodic personal interviews with your children

So if you want a successful family with righteous children, establish a pattern in your home of Scripture study, prayer, and family home evening.  It's that simple.  According to President Benson, if you just do the first one -- Scripture study -- the blessings you will receive include: increased testimony, strengthened commitment, fortified families, personal revelation.

Anyway, that quote resonated with me as I read it and I wanted to share it with you.  Along with a reminder of a few simple commandments that will help to strengthen your families and bring many blessings into your home.  If you don't already, I hope you will heed the counsel of Prophets and establish regular scripture study, prayer, and family home evening in your home-- that you may reap the promised blessings.

That's my two cents.

21 Years Ago Today!

Today is the 21st anniversary of my missionary homecoming.  21 years ago today -- July 23, 1993 -- I flew home to Orem, Utah from Tampa, Florida.  It was a bittersweet day -- but more sweet than bitter :-).  I was a little sad to leave my mission and the lifestyle that I had lived for the past 18 months but I was certainly ready to go home and move on with my life.

I remember stepping off the plane in Salt Lake City and see my family waiting for me at the terminal.  It was a wonderful reunion.  I remember Juliet commenting on my long blonde hair -- I had brown hair when I left :-). Interestingly enough I never dyed my hair on my mission.  It was a combination of the hot blazing Florida Sun and tracting for at least 15 hours every week, with a little help from some Sun In ;-) that turned my hair blonde.  I liked it so much that I kept it up the rest of my life.  :-)

Anyway, interestingly enough this anniversary makes my mission the center of my life at this point.  I was 21 when I left on my mission and I've lived 21 years after my mission.  I thought that was interesting fact.  I'll tell you, the 21 years after my mission sure seem to have gone a lot faster than the 21 years before my mission. It's hard to believe that I've lived as long after my mission as before!  That's just too crazy.

I know we have pictures of when I came home from my mission at the airport and stuff. but I don't know where they are and don't have them scanned into my computer :-(.  Maybe I will go find a couple of pictures from my mission to post on here even though I've already posted them previously :-).

An interesting sidenote -- when we got back home to 192 after picking me up from the airport, Lisa's missionary call was waiting in the mailbox.  So that was cool that I was home when she opened it. For those of you who might not know, Lisa was called to the Iowa Des Moines mission.  She completed her mission in Tempe Arizona.

 Lisa and I were able to have a combined missionary homecoming/farewell sacrament meeting program.  This was back in the day when they did such things.  Anyway it was cool.

Just as my life bookends my mission-- here are some pictures from both ends of my mission.  Did I change much in 18 months?

pictures from the beginning of my mission -- MTC

pictures from the end of my mission -- my last area: Seminole, Florida

 

  I certainly did change a lot during those 18 months!  Even though it was challenging at times, I wouldn't trade that experience for anything!  It was a privilege to be able to serve the Lord full-time for 18 months.

It's hard to believe I came home from my mission 21 years ago today!  Time sure flies.

My Boys

Lisa took this picture of my two boys, Abinadi and Samson, overlooking the hill as she was leaving one morning a few days ago.

I thought it was super cute!  :-) Thanks Lisa.

Elder Scott Quote

This was the quote in my inbox this morning as my daily message that I subscribe to from the Church. I thought it was very apropos and fitting and a good reminder for all of us.  A good missionary and member of the Church will always sincerely love and care for those they want to help.  And sometimes that's all we can do.  I really love this reminder/example from an apostle of the Lord.

"How can each of us become such a significant influence? We must be sure to sincerely love those we want to help in righteousness so they can begin to develop confidence in God’s love. For so many in the world, the first challenge in accepting the gospel is to develop faith in a Father in Heaven, who loves them perfectly. It is easier to develop that faith when they have friends or family members who love them in a similar way."

—Elder Richard G. Scott, Of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, "I Have Given You an Example" -- April 2014 General Conference

Can you tell I'm in a better mood than I was last week?  :-) Juliet understands.  :-)

Boycott Costco -- part two

Okay this is going to be really quick.  I just noticed that I had several hits on my blog from my "Boycott Costco" post.  I thought it was rather odd that I was getting so many hits on that today. Since it was written a couple of years ago.

Then, I looked at Rush Limbaugh's website really quickly and noticed that one of the things he talked about today was that Costco has pulled a book from their shelves called "America" by a guy named D'Souza.  I know nothing about the book -- never heard of it.

But Limbaugh said that the founders/owners of Costco have given hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Democrats.  They are Liberal Democrat loyalists and Obama lovers.  This much we know, as evidenced by past behavior.  If you recall the liquor initiative that Costco was behind several years ago.  They kept pouring money into it until it finally passed.  That was what my initial blog post was about that I titled, "Boycott Costco".

Anyway Limbaugh said that one of the co-founders named Sinegal is behind pulling the books from his stores. Apparently it's too patriotic for him. I really don't know what the book is about but it obviously goes against the Liberal/Democrat/Socialist agenda.

I'm happy to report that I'm still boycotting Costco and intend to continue doing so.  Anyway this is just another reason to boycott them, or continue to do so.

That's my two cents.