MT Stories: Go to Church, Clean Out Unwanted Ash From Your Soul

Like ashes in your pellet stove, your soul needs a weekly cleaning, too.  Another good idea is to change out of your white shirt and tie before you clean that stove!

Give the 44¢ Gift this Holiday Season

Write a friend, help the US Postal Service

Mail mail mail...  its a thing I love to see at the end of each day out here in Montana.  Waking up at 6:30 am, reading scriptures and studying, and heading out the door by 10 am to teach the Gospel until 9 pm makes for a long day.  There's a lot that runs through your mind as you give your all to help people find their faith in Jesus Christ.  To ease the stress, there's nothing like opening up a letter from a family member or friend encouraging you in the work and showing interest in what your doing.  Those letters do mean a lot to me, especially since you can hold them in your hand and read the personal handwritten messages over and over again.  While email's are great and I send one every week to my family back home, nothing can beat that of a letter received in the mail.

History Lessons: The Lesson from Pearl Harbor?

Don't ever let your guard down.

Today, December 7, 2011, marks 70 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor.  As we look back on it, the main reason it was so devastating was because all the warning signs had been ignored.  There was no lacking in the military's ability or firepower to face the impending threat, they simply did not have enough eyes and ears on the lookout to heed the warnings.  And the warnings were there, alright.  Its just that no one paid any attention paid to them.

Applying the Prophet Joseph Smith to Our Lives

What I discovered from Joseph's life is a model, a basic outline if you will, to find and follow Jesus Christ in any circumstance, trial, or situation.

On my first Sunday here in Helena, I was assigned to speak to one of the congregations.  The topic given to me was this, "How can we use (apply) Joseph Smith in our lives".  There is a lot to be said about this man's life and prophetic calling.  For some, many might say,  "I admire your church very much. I think I could accept everything about it—except Joseph Smith." Gordon B. Hinckley, 15th  President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gave a response saying that "that statement is a contradiction. If you accept the revelation, you must accept the revelator."  Joseph Smith's claim to have seen God and Jesus Christ was the beginning of what created the Church as it stands today and was, from the onset, a matter of harsh persecution for its members.  As for Joseph, the opposition never ceased up until his martyrdom by an armed mob on June 27th, 1844.

Doing Missionary Work in Montana's Capital - Hello Helena!

After spending ten months over in Eastern Montana, covering the towns of Glasgow and Sidney, I have now made my way back West, to where the mountains are.  I had been in Helena twice before, once when I was serving in Missoula and the other when I was making my way to Glasgow from Great Falls.  I remember during that drive from Missoula to Helena saying to myself, "You know, I could serve here.  I'd be alright with that".  And so it is.  Just over a year since that day and now I'm serving the people of Helena.  I didn't need much persuasion to accept the call to come here, I had always thought it would be a neat place to teach the Restoration of the Gospel. 

Helena - the capitol of Montana and a city of about 30,000 people - a big leap from where I have just come from but not as big as Missoula nor even close to Sacramento.  It has most of your modern day needs - the Walmart, the Costco, Safeway, etc.  It also has a lot more traffic and stop lights.  I seemingly had grown accustomed to Sidney's 10 or so traffic lights.  For most towns along Hwy 2 and in Eastern Montana, you might only find one or two traffic lights.  I don't think it will take long though for me to remember my California roots though, so bring it on Helena!

Seeing Helena's mountains gave me great excitement and hope.  I didn't grow up with them too close but I have found them to be a great comfort and place of resort.  They gradually became bigger and bigger as we approached them from Billings and it feels invigorating to have them now so close to my view.  Mountains to me carry a sense of power and majesty, something also that the Lord has always been very keen to point out to have us remember.

The Lord, speaking to the Prophet Joseph Smith a month before the organization of the Church in March of 1830, gives these words to his servants:

"I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord ...

Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.

Thou shalt declare glad tidings, yea, publish it upon the mountains, and upon every high place, and among every people that thou shalt be permitted to see.

And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost. (D&C 19:1, 23, 29, 31)

For any who have read the Book of the Mormon will find that its nothing too different from the Bible.  That conclusion would make sense because we believe the God is the same yesterday, today, and forever and that His eternal teachings never change. 

The Book of Mormon's message, from cover to cover, consists entirely of placing your faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, repenting, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.  That is the Gospel, always has, is, and always will be. 

The Book of Mormon declares glad tidings unto all and gives the reader a promise of hope and peace that none can take away.  I'm glad to be able to be publishing it from the mountains here in Helena!

When Lives Seem Cut Short

At a missionary conference in Billings, MT, we were visited by Elder Craig Zwick of the Seventy.  Having already hosted one other missionary conference for the other half of the mission in Helena on Tuesday, Elder Zwick finished his tour of the mission by addressing us on a very somber note.

We were told that two missionaries, an Elder Strong from Utah and an Elder Walker from Idaho, had been killed in a head on collision while riding their bikes in Donna, Texas the night before.  He also added that one of the Elders had already completed his twenty-four months of service yet had chosen to extend his time.

Mormon Bishop Shares His Belief Of The Book of Mormon

 

The Book of Mormon is a book that is very important to me and is what sets the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints apart from mainstream Christianity.  We believe it to be more scripture that God has given to us through the calling of a modern day prophet.  A major purpose that the Book fulfills is that it shows how God is constant and never changing; that He is the "same yesterday, today, and forever" (Heb. 13:8).

Aladdin's Genie & God, Difference #2-4

Question: Who is God? What is He like and what are some of His characteristics?

• How is God different then Genie?

2) He Knows What Is Best For Us And, Despite Our Wishes, Can Say "No"

There's a talk that I listen to quite frequently by a man named Larry Chesley. He's a Latter-Day Saint who grew up in Idaho and fought in the Vietnam War. During that time, he was captured by the Vietnamese and spent seven years as a POW. He speaks a lot on how prayer got him through the whole ordeal but he also jokingly makes reference to a saying he had heard some years back.

"If God really wanted to punish His people, all He would have to do is answer their prayers" (unknown).

I find a lot of truth in that statement. By no means am I saying that God does not answer our prayers, but sometimes He doesn't always give us what we ask for. God loves us enough that despite our wishes, he can say "No".

As long as Aladdin kept his wishes within the guidelines of the rules given to him by Genie, Genie was obligated to grant them. Whether it would ultimately benefit him in the long run mattered not - Genie was bound to grant whatever his master wished for, again, so long as they remained within the set guidelines.

We know that God sets guidelines also that we must follow - you can see that similarity here in a previous post. Although, we also know that God does not restrict how many wishes we can make. There is no "3-Wish Limit Rule" when it comes to asking God for anything. With that said, that does not mean He will grant us everything we ask for.

One might respond, saying this,

"Even if I am keeping the commandments, or the guidlines that God has set down, He can still say 'No'?"

Yes, He can. We must remember why we are here. We are here to grow and learn about God. We are to follow the example that His Son, Jesus Christ, set for us. Within this scope of life, we make mistakes and though our prayers might be well intended, whatever if may be for, God knows what is best for us in the long run. This life is not the end is very short compared to what's ahead of us in the eternities.
Ever seen this symbol before? ∞ That symbol means "infinity" and most of you have probably seen it in math class some where through the years. Infitity is the best thing I can relate "eternity" to for you - its a very long time and never ending. This life is very short in regards to that time that we are meant to spend with God. God realizes this and wants us to return to Him. 

He will not do anything that would harm us or detract us from this long-term goal. Because we are not perfect, we sometimes ask for the wrong things. How terrible would that be to receive something from God that would actually injure out long-term progression!

However, that is not how God operates.  The following scripture illuminates that concept.

"All things which are good cometh of God ... that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God"(Moroni 7:12-13)

Thus God can say "No" to our prayers if it hurts our eternal salvation.  As we have read, God will only do that which will bring us closer to Him.  That course, one that I am doing my best to follow, will lead us to never-ending happiness with our Heavenly Father. 

To finish it up, the last two differences are summed up into single phrases:


3) God's Work Does Not Begin When The Lamp Is Rubbed, Its Only Manifested.


4) There Are None Greater Then God. He Is Not In Chains, We Are.



Aladdin's Genie & God, Difference #1

Question: Who is God? What is He like and what are some of His characteristics?

• How is God different then Genie?

1) God Is In The Form of Man.


"Say, you're a lot smaller than my last master. Either that, or I'm getting bigger. Look at me from the side. Do I look different to you?" - Genie

When Genie emerged from the lamp after a long time of waiting, Aladdin found something completely new.  It may seem that we discover something new when we find God but actually we really are just becoming reacquainted with Him and His plan.  A part of God's plan for us is to know who He is and what He looks like.

Aladdin's Genie & God, Similarities #2-3

Question: Who is God? What is He like and what are some of His characteristics?

• What similarities do Genie and God have?

2) They Abide By Rules And Laws

After Genie displayed his power and showed off everything he could do, Aladdin then asks him, "You're gonna grant me any 3 wishes I want, right?" to which then Genie responds, in a more hesitant voice, "Uh, ah, almost. There are a few, uh, provisos. Ah, a couple of quid pro quo."  Genie then gives Aladdin three rules that he must abide by when it comes to granting wishes.

Aladdin's Genie & God, Similarity #1

Question: Who is God? What is He like and what are some of His characteristics?

• What similarities do Genie and God have?

1) They Expect Us To Act

"Merchant: Do not be fooled by [the lamp's] commonplace appearance. Like so many things, it is not what outside, but what is inside that counts. This is no ordinary lamp. It once changed the course of a young man's life. A young man, who, like this lamp, was more than what he seemed. A diamond in the rough."

Once Aladdin retrieved the lamp that he was sent in to recover for Jafar, it seemed like any other lamp until he rubbed it and out came Genie who offered him three wishes. Had Aladdin, or anyone that came across it, never rubbed the lamp, they never would access that wonderful power and intrigue of having three wishes granted. For Aladdin, rubbing the lamp saved his life as Genie helped him escape from the Cave of Wonders that had caved in.

In the same way that Aladdin approached Genie we too must approach God. It requires action! For Aladdin to find Genie, he had to rub his lamp. For us to find God, we too must do the things that will lead us to God like praying, reading the scriptures, going to church, serving other people, and following the commandments.  When we begin doing these things that God institued, our faith begins to increase because we begin to feel and know that we are doing what's right.  It will change the course of our lives forever  when we discover our need for God.  In so doing, He will help us realize, depsite what we've done in the past, that we are all a diamond in the rough.

A good saying to live by is this:

“When our wagon gets stuck in the mud, God is much more likely to assist the man who gets out to push than the man who merely raises his voice in prayer—no matter how eloquent the oration." - Dieter F. Uctdorf

Aladdin's Genie & God, Introduction

Question: Who is God?  What is He like and what are some of His characteristics?

“It is true intelligence for a man to take a subject that is mysterious and great in itself, and to unfold and simplify it so that a child can understand it.” - John Taylor

God truly is great and loving but at certain times, He can be quite mysterious.  What I want to do is to unfold the "mystery of God and His greatness" so that even a child can understand it and remember it.  To help me in this task, I am going to borrow Genie from the Disney movie Aladdin.

Yall remember him, right?

Of course!  How could we forget when Aladdin was sent down into the Cave of Wonders by Jafar to retrieve a mysterious lamp?  Then, after being whirled away to safety by a magic carpet once finding it, Aladdin rubbed the lamp and out emerged a big blue Genie.  As he would do for Aladdin, and anyone who rubbed his lamp, he would grant them three wishes of their choice.

"Oi! Ten thousand years will give you such a crick in the neck." - Genie

Though you may not have known it, Genie can actually teach us a lot about the characteristics of God through a comparison of how he is like God and how he isn't - simply, their similarities and differences.  So just sit back and enjoy the ride to a whole new world as you develop stronger faith in who God is.

"Aladdin: Provisos? You mean limitations? On wishes? Huh. Some all-powerful Genie. Can't even bring people back from the dead. I don't know, Abu. He probably can't even get us out of this cave. Looks like we're gonna have to find a way outta here.

"Genie: Excuse me? Are you lookin' at me? Did you rub my lamp? Did you wake me up? Did you bring me here? And all of a sudden you're walking out on me? I don't think so, not right now. You're getting your wishes, so SIT DOWN!" 

Aladdin's Genie & God, Similarity #1


Aladdin's Genie & God, Similarities #2-3


Aladdin's Genie & God, Difference #1


Aladdin's Genie & God, Difference #2-4

What Is Truth? And Who Decides It?

Recently I asked a question to a number of individuals about who they thought was the best player in a few popular sports.  The question was worded as this:

"Who is the best player ever (past or present) in the sports of basketball, baseball, and football?"

While thinking about their answers some stated, prior to answering, "that their choices were based on their opinion", while others just simply stated their answers. 

Here are some of the responses I received:

Watch Your Step

We've all heard lights and sirens before - sometimes they pass our homes or while we are out driving. Sometimes, they might even be coming to our own aide. Based on the perceived severity of the call, lights and sirens are used to alert and warn others that there is an emergency somewhere that needs a prompt response and is priority over their needs at the moment.   A common term for that type of response is called "Code 3".  While I know all of our curiosity is pinpointed on where and what the emergency response is all about, have you ever considered what is going through those responders minds during this time?

Flipping perspectives to that of an EMT/Paramedic, there are a lot of factors that are running through their heads while responding to a Code 3 call.

He Will Give You Help

To whom this is written to,

I hope it helps all of us know that there is more to life then death.

"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." (Mosiah 4:9)

One of the most sure facts of this life is that we will all die someday. We never know when that day will visit us and take us away from our earthly cares and worries. Unavoidably the time will come in which our "limbs . . . must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave, from whence no traveler can return" (2 Nephi 1:14).

The words of God, which speak comfort and peace to us at all times, give us a great reassurance that there is life after death. The scriptures, in which those words are contained, are written for us. Whether in happiness and joy, or in misery and anguish, they are given for our benifit to know that God loves us and has prepared a wonderful plan for us.

Some may think that death is the end of all life, that the time spent here is just an experience to enjoy and when death comes, that is the end of it all. In our moments of deepest reflection and saddness, we plead that there is more to life then just death. Often, we wish that there might another way, that there might be another chance given. If you are one that wishes and hopes and desires that there is more to life then just death, do not fear any longer, soon your hope will come alive and it will be real.  This matter is one that concerns everyone. In particular, it troubled greatly a son of a Book of Mormon prophet. The following words are from Alma the Younger, a prophet whom God had called to teach the Gospel.  He spoke these words to his son, Coriaton, while he himself not being far from the end of his own life.

Remembering 9/11, Part 2: My Eyes Were Opened

I was no where near New York on September 11th, 2001.  In fact, I was on the complete opposite side of the U.S. when it happened.  9/11 affects knew no bounds though, and it changed everything.

I was 10 years old at the time and I remember waking that morning and going into my mother's room.  Like any other school day morning, it started off fairly early, around 6-6:30 am.  It was common for my mother to have the news on in her room, most often playing Good Morning America.  This morning was different however.  As I entered,  I could feel tension in the atmosphere, the mood back dropped with stress and disbelief.  As I intently listened, it didn't take long to learn that a commercial sized plane had hit one of the World Trade Center towers in New York City. 

New York was somewhere I have always dreamed of going.  During my elementary years, I couldn't pronounce certain phonetics and many people asked me if I was from New York because of it.  Sometimes I liked to entertain the thought, but I'd gladly inform them I was from San Francisco eventually.  My parents had talked about a trip there a few years before but with the then recent birth of my sisters, those plans were no longer realistic.  I would like to go.  Sadly, one of the highlights of my future trip will be to visit where the Towers once stood and see what is replacing them.

  

I recall the news announcers talking very rapidly.  No exact remarks are remembered but the gasps and horror in their voice and facial expressions remain clear as we all watched the second plane strike the other tower.  Our fears were confirmed.  This was no accident.  America was being attacked, and I had never known fear quite like I had 
now.

Sure, I had feared things.  I remember cutting my head open on a glass table and breaking my finger after falling off my bike.  For that time of my life, those were my little, innocent fears.  Fearing that the land I lived in would come under attack wasn't something that had crossed my mind.  I wasn't concerned with my world surroundings.  Granted, I was only 10 but even at that age in some countries, the realization of how fragile mortality is very real to them.  It wasn't to me, especially since death was not an event I was exposed to.  I had watched the news coverage of the bombing of the USS Cole in the gulf of Aden a year prior while at school.  This had sparked some interest but it did not last.

Remembering 9-11, Part 1: "Where Were You"

In a similar aspect to that of July 4th, September 11th brings about a strong sense of patriotism and nationalism.  As we near the 10th anniversary of that fateful September morning, it is and always will be, a time spent remembering and reflecting the events of that day.  The effects of 9/11 stretch and continue to stretch all over the world.  Whether you were fleeing the scene of those doomed towers, a fireman heeding the call to serve, or watching or listening to it miles and miles away, it has affected you.  Whether you are a believer or not, it has brought you closer to the realization of the fragility of mortality.  In some way or another, 9/11 has meant something to you.

September 11th means much to me and has changed my outlook on the world.  Rather, I might say, it opened my eyes to the world and its calamity.  In a following post, I will write about how 9/11 changed me and my perspective on life.  I remember where I was and what I was doing.  I remember who I was with and where I was going that day.  Do you?

W H E R E   W E R E   Y O U ?

If Jesus Came To Your House

When I first came to Montana and learned that it was nicknamed "Big Sky Country", I never understood why it had received such a name.  Arriving in Billings, MT back in August of last year, my stay there was fairly short as I was shipped off on a Greyhound to Missoula, MT to begin my missionary service there.  Being amongst all those mountains made the sky look like any other normal sky.  Moving on the Great Falls and then to Glasgow, the sky seemed to progressively get larger.  Now serving in Sidney, MT and having traveled around most of Eastern Montana, I definitely feel that the "Big Sky Country" title is very fitting.  You can see from horizon to horizon and the sunsets are so intense and appealing that they almost seem fake.

The picture above is of a sunset coming back from a dinner at a member's house just over the North Dakota border, east of Fairview, MT.  A couple hours prior to this, we attended a baptism of an 8 year-old that had made the great choice to make a promise to keep God's commandments and follow Him.  We had a couple that is learning about the church attend it with us.  Following that, they joined us for a dinner and a lesson out at a member's house.  We asked them how they enjoyed the baptism and they noted a number of things that were different than what they had done or were used to - one of the main one's was that the practice of baptism by immersion.  That took us into a discussion on how Christ set the example for us by being baptized Himself to be completely obedient to His Father's commandments and to show the path to return to Heaven.

Four Quesitons You Must Reslove About the Book of Mormon

T  h  e    4    Q  u  e  s  t  i  o  n

B   O   O   K      O  F     M  O  R  M  O  N

c   h   a   l   l   e   n   g   e

 ____________________________________________________________________

The Prophet Joseph Smith said:

“I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”

WE INVITE YOU:

“TO READ THE BOOK OF MORMON,

TO PONDER IN YOUR HEARTS THE MESSAGE IT CONTAINS,

AND THEN TO ASK GOD, THE ETERNAL FATHER,

IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, IF THE BOOK IS TRUE.”

1.Did the people of this Book really live?

2.Could any unlearned boy have written such things or, did they come forth as Joseph Smith said they did?

3.If it is “Another Testament of Christ”, what does it testify of him?

4.If the Book was written for us, what is in there for us?

Why Mormon.org Was Made for You!

I'm a Mormon.

Having grown up in the Bay Area for the first half of my life and continuing it on in Sacramento, CA for the last 10 years, being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has always provided me with some interesting questions, comments, and trials.  From grade school extending on into college, there never has been a large concentration of members attending the same school as I.  During my elementary school years in Pittsburgh, CA, I might have been one out of three members.  Although there was an increase as I attended middle school and high school in Sacramento, it wasn't by much.  Consistently having those few of numbers has given me the great opportunity to be an example of what I believe. 

Although I might have done a fair job at showing what I believe, I was not the best at telling others what I believed in and why.  Now serving a full-time mission for the Church, I have increased my opportunities to tell others about those beliefs - that is my focus! and I'm learning now that it should always be my focus.  Many people tell me, "Oh, you just want to convert me" or "It's only a matter of who you think is right or wrong".  I appreciate those comments and I am glad when these concerns come up because that is not why I am telling them about my beliefs at all.  Rather, I am sharing them because it is what I have found to be true, its what has helped me know who Jesus Christ is, and how I can follow Him to the very end.  It has brought my family closer together then anything else I know and it really does work!  (This is why I love missionary work so much)  The message which we share is applicable to anyone and everyone.

Scripture Is Written For Us

From being rejected on the door step, to canceled and no-show appointments, my mission's had a lot of struggles that has allowed me to to grow closer to Jesus Christ.

Last week I had, put simply, just a down-right terrible day. Unlike other downer days, this one was not caused by anyone but myself. I woke up in a mood in which I will label as "numb".  I didn't feel energized, I didn't feel like getting out to playing our usual morning game of basketball - although, watching me play would bring a severe case of depression upon anyone - and I was not looking forward to any of the plans that we had made for that day.  I had no enthusiasm and no desire to really accomplish anything.  It was, as I'll put it, a very "nothing" feeling - I felt numb to anything and everything that morning.  I felt entirely empty.

A Statement: Our Pledge, Our Allegiance, Our God

  
As an American, that is my pledge to my country.

"The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by the socialist minister Francis Bellamy (1855-1931). It was originally published in The Youth's Companion on September 8, 1892. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would be used by citizens in any country.  In its original form it read:

"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

In 1923, the words, "the Flag of the United States of America" were added. At this time it read:

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

In 1954, in response to the Communist threat of the times, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words "under God," creating the 31-word pledge we say today." (ushistory.org)

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

As a child of God, this is my pledge to my Heavenly Father!

Of Things That Matter Most!

My FAMILY - Biglers and Nuttalls

"Brothers and sisters, indeed we have great reason to rejoice. If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most.

Strength comes not from frantic activity but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light. It comes from placing our attention and efforts on the basics of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most.

Let us simplify our lives a little. Let us make the changes necessary to refocus our lives on the sublime beauty of the simple, humble path of Christian discipleship—the path that leads always toward a life of meaning, gladness, and peace. For this I pray, as I leave you my blessing, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen."

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
"Of Things That Matter Most"

 These Are Moments That Matter Most

knowing the love of GOD... now that's life!

I had an interesting experience today while we were out trying to find people that would receive us and desire to know more about the Gospel. 

While we were walking towards a house, a man who was holding the door open half way yells out, "I am not interested". He continues, "I'm agnostic. Get out of here". We told him we were here to increase his faith in God but we wouldn't have anything of it. While walking to the next house, others from inside followed us around to their windows and, once opening, squealed like pigs at us. I'll tell you, it sounded like it came straight from the devil himself.  The screech was heart-wrenching and cold, and if you have ever wondered what it might sound like to be held captive by Satan, this sound would have summed it up.  Clearly, they don't see eye to eye with God. They continued until we left the area and from that brief encounter, I learned so much.

Wilber may be cute and all, but certainly not when he's squealing.

So, Your A Missionary Huh? What Do You Do Then?

When you hear the word missionary, what do you think?

If you don't already have a thought stirring in your head, hear are some objects that might get some of those gears of yours turning up there a little faster.




The Helmet - for safety of course..



The Bike - its fun to race!

A "Birth" Day Story : A Mother and Father's Lifeline Through Prayer

We had just celebrated Memorial Day by having a picnic in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and enjoying the lovely weather. We were 7 months pregnant with our first child in what appeared to be a "normal" pregnancy. Despite having several previous miscarriages, this pregnancy appeared to be okay.

Later in the week I began to not feel good, but continued to go to work despite feeling under the weather. By the weekend, I was worried that something was wrong with the pregnancy and called the doctor, explained my symptoms and was reassured that I simply had "a flu bug". With my previous history in mind, I continued to feel worried throughout Saturday.

Hospital in San Francisco.

 By Sunday morning I was more concerned and called the doctor's office again - only to be told to come in on Monday to get checked out. A short time later, Derrall and I felt a strong impression to call the doctor again and insist on being seen on Sunday. To appease us they asked us to go to the hospital where our doctor was on call and he would check me out.


We arrived at the hospital shortly after 7:00 am and were taken into an exam room where I was checked out by the nurse. We immediately knew something was not right since the nurse quickly left but said she would be right back.

Immediately thereafter the room was filled with all sorts of medical professionals, an IV was started, papers were signed and many questions were asked. I was so overwhelmed that I didn't immediately understand what was happening. I still had 10 weeks left in my pregnancy and just wanted them to tell me why I didn't feel good. The doctor then explained that I was dilated to 7 cm and that there was nothing they could do to stop the eminent delivery of our baby, but they could try and delay the birth for as long as possible.

Faith Like Making a Phone Call

Can you remember the first time you ever used a phone?   Now, maybe if we can go back far enough, some might remember the first time they ever used a cell phone but that's a different story!  If I was asked that question however, I know I wouldn't be able to pinpoint when I first started to use a phone.

The function and purpose of a phone has been around me my whole life, as it has been for the majority of us.  I can't ever think of a time that I have questioned whether or not it would actually work - meaning that I never doubted that when I talked into one end of the phone, that someone on the other end would be able to hear me and then when they respond, I would be able to put my ear to the other end and hear them.

Dialing the number, hearing the ring, and waiting for someone to respond - that all was very clear to me, I never questioned it.  And if it didn't work, I would then figure that it was due to a problem with my phone, or maybe theirs, or possibly my service was down, or it could have been theirs.  Never would I think though that there was a problem with the invention of the telephone, I've witnessed it work and have used it myself time and time again.  I did not doubt that I could use some sort of device to communicate with others all over the world - I knew it worked.

How does it work though?  How can I speak into this device that runs off of electricity, emitting frequencies received by cell towers, that then direct my call to the number I have dialed?  How does it work?  Well, go ahead! Take apart your phone and look at all the pieces in it, the computer chip and the wires, and figure out how it all works.  I don't recommend it but dropping your phone into a pool or toilet usually gives a person such an opportunity (luckily I've only experienced the first one!). 

How does it work?  I don't have a clue.  Even after skimming over this good article, "How Cell Phones Work", I still feel like I'm in the dark.  I was hoping to be able to describe simply how it works and then shift that into how prayer works but it just was not working out for me.  I did narrow it down to these few things:

• Make sure the phone is on with a charged battery and/or have it plugged into the wall
• Check your cell phone coverage (may require standing on chairs, waving the phone around, running around the house or leaning out windows).  If its a land-line, make sure you have a dial tone.
• If that's all in order, punch in your number and hope its right.  Best of luck to you if you are still using a a rotary dial phone, your going to need it.
• If someone answers on the other end, say "Hello".  Now that's some good advice to heed because  it can be quite awkward when you call or receive a call and nothing is said, all you can hear is just breathing. 
• Have a great conversation, talk about whatever you want, say your goodbyes and then close the phone, press the red button, or hang it up.  This is one of the most important steps!  Don't get caught having the line still connected and then go rant and rave about how much a person talks.  "He/She just wouldn't stop talking....".  That could get you in trouble.

You might have noticed that you learned nothing new from what I "narrowed" it down to.  If so, then good!  Because I know just about as much as how a phone actually works as I do about how my prayers and thoughts are actually heard in Heaven.  But this much I do know: prayer, like making a phone call, works.

Let's switch up the words here.  Can you remember the first time you ever prayed?  Like above, some might remember but most - if you had it around you - probably will not.  Folding your arms, bowing your head, closing your eyes, and praying became a normal process, especially at the dinner table, since it was your ticket and que to begin eating while maintaining your politeness.  As my uncle always jokingly said, "Bless this mess, Amen!".  Usually though, we like to include a little more dialogue then that to express our thanks and love, but it sure would have allowed us to eat our food hot on many occasions, Thanksgiving to name one of them!

So how about prayer?  How does it work?  How can folding our arms, bowing our head, closing our eyes, and then, whether aloud or by thought, form into a spiritually audible dialogue that can be heard by someone we cannot see?  How does it work when all we can do is just say a prayer in our head?  Is either heard differently?  Are they heard at all?  If so, then how?

It all starts with your own, personal faith.  Think about what Jesus Christ taught that if we but had the faith of a mustard seed, we could move mountains.  When the wind blows, what do you see?  You can see it carry objects in the air and move dirt and dust from the ground, and you can feel it.  What other description do we have but to describe this action called wind as just moving air?  How do you know it exists?  You know its real because you can feel it.  You've felt the breeze on a nice summer day cool you and you might have felt the wind chill you to the very bone, bringing on a wind chill factor in the negatives.  No we cannot see it, but we feel it.  We know its there.

What of God?  The same applies.  No we cannot always see him, but I know He is there, I have felt His love, peace, and guidance and I know you can too.  How can we build our faith then to have such a conviction that just as we expect our call to go through on a phone, that our prayers can be answered?  Might I offer three suggestions that will increase your faith in Jesus Christ in making prayer seem more real and pertinent to your daily activities?

1. You must first begin praying.  Click Here for a "How-To" Guide to start that prayer.  If someone hands a phone to you for the first time in your life, of course you would be doubting or confused on how or if it would even work. Especially if you have never seen it work before, you would question it entirely. We can't say there is no God if we have not tried praying.  "They said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which our father hath spoken . . . And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord? And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us" (1 Ne. 15:7-9).  Its like saying you don't like eating a kind or type of food without even trying it.
2. You must pray with a firm belief that you will receive an answer from God.  "Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name; And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you." (3 Ne. 18:19-20)
3. Once you pray, pray again, and again, and pray some more.  Don't stop at just one.  "I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul." (2 Ne. 32:9).

Strive to lead a daily, prayerful life and I can promise you that the reality of prayer will become more and more meaningful to you as you apply these principles and place your faith and trust in the Lord.  And remember, all He requires of you at first is for you to have as much faith as a mustard seed.  Looking at that picture above, that's not too big.  If you have as much faith as that, imagine what you can achieve with your faith in Christ as it begins to grow.  It is because of a humble and sincere prayer, that we can return to our Heavenly Father.

A "How-To" Guide For Prayer

It has become surprisingly apparent that many feel they do not know how to pray or are uncomfortable with praying aloud.  Some also have feelings that they are not worthy to pray or raise their petition to Heaven. If you count yourself one among these many, then I first want to let you know that your Father in Heaven loves you and needs to hear from you daily!

No matter who you are, what circumstance or situation you may be in, whether in happiness and joy or in misery and distress, God wants to hear from you.  There is no distraction, loud overtone, or sound that can drown out His ears - a prayer to Him will always receive attention and notice; your prayer will be heard.  Now before we get ahead of ourselves, we have to come to terms that there foremost is a catch in this process.  What, a catch?  Yes there is a catch, a "small print" to the matter ( I suppose that might depend on your scriptural text size though, it says it right in there).  You might begin to say "Wait a second, I thought God was a loving God!  Why is there a catch?".  Don't stop here because I will tell you what that catch is.  Ready?

 Here it is (and don't over-complicate this for yourself): you have to begin praying!  That's it folks.  There's the catch, nothing more to it until you have first begun.  How do you begin?  Its as easy as 1-2-3!  I guess you could say its a guide for dummies, but that's not a nice word.  Let's say a guide that a child can understand. Here is your "How-To" guide of how to pray.

1. Address your Heavenly Father (for example, start by saying "Dear Heavenly Father, or Dear Father in Heaven, or however you see fit in addressing God) 

2. Express the feelings of your heart (gratitude and thanks, questions for any truth, comfort, guidance, help, support, etc)

3. To close the prayer, say "In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Now remember, there is no wrong prayer - all are alike unto God and all are children of Him.  Every prayer is heard and answered by Him.  I hope these steps can help you feel more confident in praying to him, both day and night and all throughout the day.  If you are struggling with your prayers, I promise you that following these simple steps will help you out!

A Mother's Day Tribute: "I'll Love You Forever"

Aren't Mother's just the best?  Proverbs 15:20 sums up my thoughts completely on how invaluable and irreplaceable a mother can be in someones life, especially mine - "a foolish man despiseth his mother".  At times, I have been that fool that did not realize how great things really are because of her hard work and unyielding love.

Think on the Savior, Jesus Christ, when he was performing the act of the Atonement.  Who, since he was a babe, was right there beside him, even to the very end?   "And they took Jesus, and led him away.  And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him ... Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother ..." (John 19:16-18, 25)

Just as Jesus Christ stands by us, his mother stood by him.  And my mother has always stood by me at all times, and in all places, and in all things.  Even during my own, personal Gethsemane's, her guidance and love has never left.  Indeed, she has "loved me forever".

A mother held her new baby and very slowly rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she held him, she sang:

 I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be. 

The baby grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was two years old, and he ran all around the house. He pulled all the books off the shelves. 

He pulled all the food out of the refrigerator and he took his mother's watch and flushed it down the toilet.  Sometimes his mother would say, "this kid is driving me CRAZY!"

But at night time, when that two-year-old was quiet, she opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor, looked up over the side of his bed; and if he was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:

                  

I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always,

As long as I'm living

my baby you'll be. 

The little boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was nine years old. And he never wanted to come in for dinner, he never wanted to take a bath, and when grandma visited he always said bad words. Sometimes his mother wanted to sell him to the zoo!


But at night time, when he was asleep, the mother quietly opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep, she picked up that nine-year-old boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:

 

I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always,

As long as I'm living 

my baby you'll be.

 

The boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a teenager. He had strange friends and he wore strange clothes and he listened to strange music. Sometimes the mother felt like she was in a zoo! But at night time, when that teenager was asleep, the mother opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. 

If he was really asleep she picked up that great big boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:

 
I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.


 

That teenager grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a grown-up man and was called on a mission. He left home and now lives all across the state of Montana, teaching people about Jesus Christ.  But sometimes on dark nights the mother would get out of bed and on her knees.

With all the lights out in the house, she opened her heart to the Lord.  No longer could she crawl across the floor, and look up over the side of his bed. No longer could she tell if he was really asleep or pick him up and rock him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth; like she had always done.  Despite all of this, her song carries on:

 

 I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always,

As long as I'm living

my baby you'll be. 

My Father's Baseball Glove

The first sport that I got involved in during my early years was baseball.  When we lived in the Bay Area, we had both the A's and the Giants  to watch and going out to a ball game was a common outing for us.  My mother's company offered her free box tickets to A's games and my father often worked at the S.F. Giants games as a paramedic on standby.  There even was one night when my Mom and I were watching the Giants play at Candlestick Park when we saw my Dad on TV assisting a woman who had been hit in the head by a foul ball.  Luckily, she turned out to be alright.

From the age of about 5, our spring time activities were controlled by little league baseball practices and games.  My father was always there encouraging and teaching me techniques and skills that were needed on the field.  In addition, he was also the head coach for a number of teams that I played on.  He had grown up playing baseball and I suppose I decided to follow suit.  Dating back to the days when he played baseball, he always used a good ol' tan, Rawlings baseball glove.

If you know much about baseball gloves, then you might understand that when you first purchase a new glove, it is very stiff and hard to bend.  Catching baseballs with it is next to impossible.  The glove requires conditioning - lathering it in Vaseline, Saddle Soap, or running it over with a vehicle ususally does the trick.  My father's glove seemed as if it had gone through all of that and then some.  The glove was very comfortable and did its job well - at least as well as its operator could use it.  It was this very glove that I would always throw into my father's lap and beg him to play ball with me.

Since my Dad had coached me often during my younger years, it was not uncommon for me to keep my father's mitt and bat in my own bag, seeing that we were going to the same place.  This carried on as I continued playing, even when my father was no longer the coach of my team.  Occasionally, if someone had forgotten their baseball glove, I would let them borrow my Dad's and require it back afterwards.  This didn't happen too often but when I allowed it, I supposed it was alright and thought nothing bad would come of it.

One Saturday morning, as I was preparing for a game, I wanted to warm up and play catch with my Dad.  Looking in my bag, I could not find it.  Scrounging around our garage, the glove still remained lost.  I can't recall telling my Dad at the time, but I knew I didn't tell him I had lost his glove.  Over the course of the next few weeks, I went around to players and coaches, asking if they had picked up a tan, worn, Rawlings glove.  This might fit the description for most gloves, but I knew I would be able to recognize it.  Despite searching through many teams' equipment bags for a number of months, the glove was never found.

Eventually I had to admit to my father that I had lost his glove and expected punishment.  Indeed, I felt I had rightfully deserved it - I mean, I had lost my father's baseball glove from when he was a kid and that's tragic news there!  Losing it made me feel very bad and despite my efforts to find it, I was never rewarded with discovering it. 

Losing his glove and allowing it to be used by others without his permission was wrong and I have learned my lesson.  But my father, instead of reacting as he rightfully could have, decided to teach me about what "matters most". 

Surprisingly, he was not angry and the impending consequences I feared never came.  While I knew he was disappointed, he forgave me for losing it.  Better yet, he taught me that we should "never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved." (Thomas S. Monson) 

I am grateful for the lessons I have learned from my father, even when it involved losing his prized baseball gloved.  Through his example, he has taught me the true power and way to love a son, no matter the situation.