I’LL GO, SEND ME!

 These are some pretty big words. Indeed, my older brother said them, and did them all for the glory of our father.

My mission is not nearly as pivotal as His, but he set the example for me to forget myself, to serve others, and to glorify the father.

I have been sent to a place where there are many thoughts of religion, but many are confused, which way they should go. I myself do not know which way to go many times, but the spirit confirms to my heart peace as I follow the invitation to serve and to testify.

One of my favorite hymns says, “I’ll go where you want me to go dear Lord…” I have moved from one calling to another, one home to another, one school to another, and one state to another. Ok, sometimes many times. All while following the next challenge. I can plan my own trip, but I always need to be ready for road closures. My personal travel app is the Spirit. He sees me through if I will continue holding to that iron rod. I will return home to my Father.

Change may still be coming because the journey is not finished. I am willing to go again even though it will assuredly be difficult.

AWAKE! NOT WOKE.

For those who think this might get political, let me state clearly this post is about love for my children and for all God's children.

If I have not listened enough for you to know that I understand and care, I am truly sorry. Often, because I want to relate I open up my mouth too soon and interrupt before common ground is established and prevent true understanding from being achieved. 

Life has been eclectic for me. I have had experiences that cannot be understood well by others and so the wisdom and or folly that flows from my mouth is often misunderstood even when I do say the words I am thinking. Simply put, "What I said, was not what you thought I said."

Sometimes a story tells the message best.

Once upon a time there was a baby bird that hatched when his mother was away gathering worms. He spent all day looking for his mother. "Are you my mother?," he asked everyone and everything he met. If you know the book this story comes from, follow along. In the end he returned and his mother did also and he was happy.

In today's world where black is white, good is bad, and men are women. It is acceptable to say I am a bullfrog and expect others to treat you that way. I am not Jeremiah. I learned long ago, this life is not about me. Oh, I have a role to play and a mission to complete. I am here to learn truth, apply it and proclaim it. Not my truth (as imagined on my own), but truth as it governs the universe. Most of the time in my search I have found I was wrong and today I am blessed with wisdom from many years of getting it wrong. I am also blessed from history and can learn from others what worked and what didn't so I did not have to make all mistakes to learn the truth.

I cannot tell gravity which way to pull nor get the earth to warm or cool. Aside from physical realities, I can not change biological realities such as changing a bird into a fish though there are fish that fly. Similarly, I cannot change genders. Some things are and some things are not.

Mankind has been given the gift to choose. With this gift comes power to manifest things by thought, word, and deed. Imagination is magical. Where allowed to flourish, much good can be accomplished. Where allowed to flounder, much can be destroyed. Wisdom is in knowing the difference.

With faith a mountain can be moved, storms can be calmed and men can be healed. I cannot be a woman. Oh, I can be a man who wants to be a woman, and have doctors mutilate my body to look like a woman's. I can take hormones to change my body chemistry and even make my moods to more closely emulate a woman's. It doesn't make me a woman. I can like things that women like, and do things a woman does, but that does not make me a woman.

In some great literature from the Americas I learned about the mists of darkness that keep us from seeing the way home to our Father in Heaven. I believe these mists are all around us and dark as sin. I see the perversion of predators and the insidious messages that are floated as spy balloons over our homes and infect every form of media. Truth is the only solid standard that can keep us safe on the path and truth is being attacked from every angle and with great force today. I am fortunate to know where to go for truth so that I do not lose footing and fall.

We have become so divorced from the family roles and relationships of men and women and the incredible ability we have to help one another, that today's children are confused by interests and urges and the need to conform to changing current views that some feel that they have always been in the wrong body, in the wrong family, in the wrong church or simply displaced from reality all together.

 I love you. I don't care what body you are in. I do care what you do, say and think, because there are consequences to following truth or error. I think everyone is unique and amazing. If I don't call you by a specific pronoun I am not trying to dismiss who or what you are. I am going to speak the truth the best I know how and I am not looking for your permission. Your gender/sex?, I'm not interested, I have a wife. Please don't tell me your proclivities, I am not in the market. These things are important to you, and your partner, and future family. You need to get that straight for yourself, but it does not stop me from loving you.

If you live in my house, we will serve the Lord, don't preach any unproven philosophies of man as immutable truth. Certainly, we can discuss them, and should! We can also disagree and still be civil to family and friends. I value that dialogue and disagreement and hope that you value me over my opinions while accepting me and loving me. I will do the same for you. Don't get me wrong, I will also celebrate when our agreements are in line with God's.

Confused? It's OK! We are not done learning yet.

THE LOVE OF GOD IS LIKE

A warm blanket, heated in the home and rushing over every crevasse in my wrinkled soul, refreshing as a waterfall over my shoulders

HEAVEN AND HELL ON EARTH

I have been there and back so often that it just makes sense that my current employment puts me in both places each week. I am learning so much. Working 7 days a week is taking it's toll, but it seems that the work of the Lord is needed in both places as well in our own homes. Here are some observations that you may find interresting.

The House of the Lord

Ok that looks like a church. Well it is and where I work is very simular to a church, but not exactly since I can't show you inside. Let's just say it is holy ground and photos are not appropriate. I can tell you about the patrons. They come from all walks of life, all adult ages, all ethnicities, all education levels. Something they all have in common is that they sat before a common judge and were recommended worthy to enter.

High security prison

Now that is a prison, but I can't show you inside. I'm just going to have to describe what it is like, but not everything is appropriate to share. Let's start with the inmates. They come from all walks of life, all adult ages, all ethnicities, all education levels. The one thing in common, a judge sent them there because the jury deemed the crime worthy of incarceration.

I hope to write a book about it some time, but for now lets just say that a whole lot of Jesus happens in both places. If you are interrested in what I learn I would love to email you to get your feedback as I write chapters, stories and reflections. Send me an email!

TRANSITIONS

 

The lens through which we see the world can be very powerful. I think that is why God created us with two eyes so we can get a better perspective. One eye is primary, and another secondary to give perspective.

Have you ever tried to go through the day with your primary eye closed? Just the slight perspective shift of a few inches can cause pain. Yes, you can retrain your eyes--even to the point of seeing upside down, but that is not the purpose of this post. I hope to point out the synergy of sight and how that teamwork maximizes the different points of view as we make transitions to a better society.

A little history about me. I was raised by some unexpectedly eclectic people in California. Thanks first to my good parents who taught me to love cultures, beliefs, and literature from around the world, then to my teachers who helped me investigate the world around me, and then the many students, coworkers and strangers I met and conversed with daily. I was not raised to be normal.

I did not look normal. I was short and scrawny. I did not have a normal name. I had glasses, but was not particularly bright. I was forced to find my place and stand up for who I was because I was not normal,  I did many abnormal activities. Also, I did not excel in what normal people would consider normal, but in the normal world I too had to make my mark. 

I loved sports and played basketball, football, baseball, and soccer, but was nearly always picked last. I tended to gravitate to individual sports like track, wrestling, boxing, badminton, frisbee, tennis, trampoline, diving, swimming, and worst of all dance. Sure, climbing trees, going camping, playing with kites, skateboarding, playing with Legos, and model building were normal, but passions like origami, pottery, macramé, crochet, sewing, embroidery, bicycling, calligraphy, choir, and computers (back in the day) were not normal. You could say I was confronted with normal expectations every day and had to find my place in them.

I retreated whenever possible, but fortunately in the long term, retreat was not always possible and I forged a strong backbone for who I was. I was often mistreated, misrepresented, mispronounced, misaligned, and misunderstood. It got so bad that I simply would not express what I liked, because odds were more likely that I would like something everyone else was doing and instead would join in. Oh yeah, except for pranking, swearing, smoking, drinking and drugs. I was the ultimate outsider, but that gave me amazing perspective on things and acceptance of people who were different. Truly different.

I loved to listen to people, and "hang" with people of all ages. I could instinctively feel what they were feeling and understand what they were saying. This helped me learn languages later in life too. I cannot pretend to know what I have not experienced, but the relationships I have built and the interactions I have had with so many various peoples gave me the ability to empathize deeply with people that look nothing like me. I grew up as the minority (religiously, culturally, linguistically, athletically and later in work environments even manifested as the minority according to gender and race). In spite of this isolation, I learned to love people of all stripes and work well with them to maximize our contributions.

I have always believed that the most precious beliefs and feelings I had were to be shared with people of all nations, creeds, and kindreds. My differences made me strong and able to relate to practically anyone. As I learned other cultures and practices, I found the truth that deep down, we are all brothers and sisters of the same universal creator. We all shared in the common attributes that helped us live, love, learn, and leave a legacy. Though different, we all have infinite value and are loved. I learned that we can share that love and by doing so become one enlightened people. There have been several times in my life where I have felt that love around me, encircling me and encouraging me, and at other times I have been that light for others through the contributions I have made to get involved, break down barriers, open dialogs, make a difference and encourage that spark in others.

As a wearer of glasses, I have always needed to see things as clearly as possible, because I know what it is not to see, or to be seen. In my attempts to see people for who they were, I was in return seen for who I was and have valued and been valued greatly over the years. I was also aware, because my skin burned easily, that too much exposure to the sun can damage me in other ways, so I wore transition lenses to protect my eyes. These lenses would get darker when I would get in the sun. I was so used to them that I did not even notice the transition. In life I have had transition lenses on my mind and heart. Through my relentless and habitual search for meaning in differences and acquiring many of others' attributes, I had become blinded to many of those differences in how I relate to others. Being the minority was not difficult, because to me everyone was my friend and family. I had effectively developed a race, creed, nationality, gender, religion filter that allowed me to be myself and be with others effortlessly. I am not normal.

I see a new transition away from acceptance and compassion for people to one of oblation and subservience toward classes and divisions. The world today is intent on pointing out every difference and treating people according to ever changing stereotypes. World organizations insist, that these differences must be acknowledged and apologies, priorities, patronage, and performances are to be offered up as sacrifices to appease these new man made gods to honor every possible faction fracturing our society to the point of negating the obvious and denying the truth. Indeed to these gods the individual does not matter. Borderless understanding and sharing are not acceptable. Love and compassion are only accepted if one bows to the new names, new genders, new nationalities, new minorities, in the name of our newly installed leaders. This transition is one that no longer protects and clarifies for the individual to gain better understanding and unity. It is one that seeks to divide and gain power over the individual by first issuing promissory notes of equity that never will nor ever can be cashed, second seizing power amid the confusion of multiple crisis, and finally resetting our societal structure with a new normal made in their own image to ensure that balance may never again be restored.

I am not normal and believe that prosperity comes from liberty as just individuals are free to seek and be better. Without good and moral people no movement of equity will feed the poor without slavery of the masses. Slavery was all about division and power. Our nation did away with it, and now like a dog is going back to eat it's own vomit in the name of equity. We do not need these new lenses that obscure our view of one another. We do not need new evangelists to tell us of privilege. 

We need the abnormal unique society set in this land by providence to preserve liberty. We need free speech, open hearts, and sound minds. Don't allow haters to label, malign, or stereotype you! Be true to truth! Align yourself with it. Listen to every sincere person and we will heal the rifts that have cut through our nation and our families before the new leaders can perform their reset and sterilize the ground for future generations.

I HATE MOVING

I know this blog is supposed to focus on the good and character-building issues of life, but moving is a pain.  Let me tell you why–STUFF.

Stuff happens while you are not looking and invades every crack and crevasse of your life. Mostly, because it is not important, or not urgent. It slips quietly into every place of low pressure like dirt in a vacuum bag (I used to sell vacuums). Our wise ancestors had a tradition of spring cleaning to deal with this. Oh, there is the physical stuff, but we also have mental, emotional, and spiritual stuff that needs to be cleaned out from time to time too. New Years Day is no longer used to the extent it should be to take care of these problems. Today we let it build up until there is a crisis. It still needs to be dealt with.

One drastic way to accomplish this is by moving. Did I mention, "I hate moving!"? Each time I do, I vow never to do it again and then I do anyway. The longer between moves the more painful it is.  This last move was after living in a home longer than any other in my married life. I found that I was doing months of family archeology as I dug deeper through the boxes of things we never unpacked during the previous move. Every scrap had a story that had never been told. I tried to piece together these things and sort them out of the meaningless piles of paper.

Unfortunately, time ran out again and though I made some progress we ended up moving boxes of stuff that had not been seen in decades. Also, precious memories were lost to weathering and disintegration. It seems more important than ever to record history in a format that will not be lost. Most of my electronic history is long gone due to upgrades and failing equipment. It is so easy to put history in digital formats, but there is a real possibility that future generations will never be able to retrieve it. Scrapbooks are better but have also had serious damage in the last 10 years. No wonder Nephi wrote important things on golden plates that would not canker over time.

Fortunately, there were angels to help us out and others to help us back into our new house and there are youngsters still at home with energy to unpack and make our new home livable. My work is still cut out for me. For a year now I have been trying to preserve stories as I am unemployed for the moment. The best solution I have used from time to time is, "deal with it the first time." Take the extra second or minute to record and discard anything that will not last. Place it in one place that will not be disturbed. Buy only things that will last over time. I will spend my remaining life cleaning up the mess my life has accumulated. The good that comes of it will be an appreciation for what matters most, in that I have a different perspective in life looking back on the wonders the Lord has worked in my development.

To all my children, if you have extra time, come over. It is fun to reminisce together over a meal. All my love. Dad

FOR THE CHILDREN

"For the children" is an excuse used by many to justify things that have nothing to do with the children.

But in this case, it does. I attempt to put my knowledge and advice on this Blog for them. If you are one of my children, one of theirs, or simply like what I wrote, this blog is for you from me with all of my heart. It is not meant to be limited to fathers nor their sons. It is meant to present values and knowledge I feel would be helpful to you.

Today was a strange father's day. I only had one child home with me. It may soon be the case that none may share this day with me. It was nice to hear from my other children and talk on the phone. I love you all very much and pray for each of you.

Dad

LET NOT MAN PUT ASUNDER

This sacred topic of marriage I do not address lightly. I believe it was ordained of God to bless us, teach us, and lead us back into His presence. I believe what was spoken by the scriptures, prophets, and apostles and I do not believe that more wisdom can be had than to listen and obey their admonitions. I seek to fully understand its divine role in my life as I follow the wisdom detailed in The Family: A Proclamation to the World.

I love my children and though my example has been less than perfect, I desire that they should know and their children should know that marriage with all its struggles is worth doing, and it is worth doing right (this does not necessarily include a huge reception or cake). That said, the temporal needs of companionship can be met by others in a myriad of ways other than through marriage and no one should be alone. I recognize that there are ways this world marginalizes marriage and its importance to the point that it seems useless.


Some have devised ways to counterfeit many aspects of marriage. I won't go into them all and I cannot condone what God does not. They preach self-satisfaction and have proposed wide-spread divorce as a way to escape marriage when things get tough. Other groups are proud to venerate personal sexual preference coupled with a lack of regard for life above the institution God himself established. Just look at all the forces that seek to dissolve family ties and set themselves up as institutions of learning, development, and virtue while denigrating the synergistic role of mothers and fathers in the home and then financially rewarding infidelity through social programs. They are wrong. I understand that there are varying forms of marriage that are currently recognized. (i.e., common-law unions, same-sex unions, marriage of convenience to obtain benefits otherwise not available to them such as citizenship, social acceptance, political power, etc). I do not have a problem with them and believe companionships are vital to health and wellbeing and I encourage all unselfish unions that do not violate the laws of God.

Here are some truths I want my children to understand about marriage.

1. To start with, marriage in the temple for time and all eternity, entered into by a worthy man and woman, and performed through His priesthood sealing power will give the most blessings and the most opportunities to obtain a fullness of joy in this life and in the life beyond. Any marriage including those performed outside the temple contains the power to change one's life for the better until you die or until someone gives up. I believe it is the best institution one can enter into and it is important to prepare all you can for it. Obeying the commandments is the best way to prepare. Develop good habits: physical, spiritual, mental, and social. Humble yourself and repent quickly every time you are off track, we all get off track from time to time. It doesn't make you more pious but you allow yourself more time to receive God's infinite blessings and refining power to overcome your own weaknesses.

2. There is no way to completely prepare so don't spend too much time on your own. Start somewhere and keep at it.  The reward will grow over an entire lifetime together. Don't get me wrong, there are many good things one can do in life without marriage, but none can have a more lasting effect. However one gets there, marriage has endless benefits that improve the soul. Giving yourself to someone is a 100% commitment and that kind of commitment yields rewards that cannot completely be calculated. One of the biggest blessings is love. Love for another person above yourself, otherwise known as charity, is the foundation of a good marriage. Love is who God is and who we are meant to become. Marriage is the best place for that love to take root and grow into life and regeneration regardless of the institution that legitimizes the union.

3. Marriage is not whole without morality. So, no one is perfect–start with your best and leave the rest. Marriage is a place to give up one's vices. They don't belong and will only strengthen a marriage if they are removed together. Bad habits can be hard to break, but the rewards are sweet. Be kind to each other. Put the other person first. Make a habit of doing good together. D&C 38:27 I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.

4. Don't leave God out. He has a vested interest in your success and He will be there to support you as you cry out for His help to have the humility, patience, wisdom, and love you need. If you don't believe me, believe Him. He has promised it. He will bless those who seek Him. Make your worship a priority daily.

5. Kids are a huge part of your success without them everything stagnates. Don't wait too long to have them and don't listen to what the experts say. Children are the teachers–custom made for you. Each is unique and without trying to be a good example to them, you can only go so far. They are your biggest investment, greatest joy, only legacy, most lasting hope, and eternal glory if your marriage moves beyond this earthly realm. Learn from them. Help them. Love them and don't spoil them. That's my job.

6. Don't give up. There is no secret I can tell you because from here on out it is about learning by doing, wisdom comes naturally through hard work. Get old together no matter what it takes until you are ready to return home. I love you and will be waiting for you, Dad

TENANTS OF MY FAITH

Joseph Smith summarized the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in beautiful simplicity in the Articles of Faith. 13 Statements about our beliefs. I once expounded upon them and this is my understanding. If you are a member of my family and have not learned these on your own, I present them to you as worthy of your consideration. For those who are not of my faith, you may find similarities with what you believe. You may find differences. Know that you are my brother and I love you. God loves all of His children more than I could. Perhaps this will lead you to want to talk with me about your beliefs.

1 We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

"We believe" means we must first recognize and then have confidence in.  Recognizing God in all things requires the Holy Ghost who testifies of the Father and the Son.  We must be in tune with the Spirit in order to recognize God at all times and in all places and in all situations.  Without this awareness, it is impossible to good without being told what to do.  

I believe in God and His Son and follow the Holy Ghost to bring me to a greater understanding of their love and plan for me each day as I pray to the Father in His Son's Name.

D&C 58:26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

2 We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.

We are individually responsible for our actions and will reap the consequences of them. The laws, or commandments, keep us from sin that we may be clean and receive the rewards promised through gospel ordinances. It is how we exercise faith in Jesus Christ.

I know that I will not be punished because Adam partook of the forbidden fruit. I will, however, answer to Christ who is my judge for my thoughts, words, and deeds. I know that my sins are real and separate me from God.

3 We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. 

We believe that Christ has atoned for all sin and pain and by his power, all will be resurrected and live forever. That said, without faith in Jesus we cannot be saved in the kingdom of His Father nor can we receive glory above that which is deserved for God is also just. If we do not obey Christ we will not be exalted as he is. It is through His grace that we are saved after all we can do.

I have faith in Jesus Christ and that through his Grace I may forsake my sins, follow His commandments, and honor my covenants to Him and have received forgiveness in the very hour of my dispair, not once, but each time I have turned from my ways and remembered to try His ways. I know the miraculous power of healing that comes from his perfect sacrifice for sin and from his love for me.

4 We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

This is the gospel of Jesus Christ and there is none other. It is comprehensive in that the gift of the Holy Ghost is our guide for all things that we must do in this life to complete our mission and return with honor. We must receive it to hear Him and follow His promptings all our lives.

I am not perfect, the gospel is. I live the gospel as I exercise faith in Christ and repent of my folly. I was baptized and renew all my covenant promises each week when I partake of the sacrament in remembrance of his atonement and I vow to live as He would have me do and follow the Holy Ghost as I am prompted to do good through the week.

5 We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

These ordinances are what brings hope to our hearts and keep us on the path which leads to eternal life with our Father in Heaven. Yet, none can assume the priesthood and its authority. It must be bestowed by one having that authority. It is not a position or title, it is a power to serve as the Lord would serve within our responsibilities or callings. No man may exercise the power or work of God of their own valuation.  To do so is priestcraft.  

In the days of Mosiah this was punishable by death. 

Alma 1:12 But Alma said unto him: Behold, this is the first time that priestcraft has been introduced among this people. And behold, thou art not only guilty of priestcraft, but hast endeavored to enforce it by the sword; and were priestcraft to be enforced among this people it would prove their entire destruction. 

            13 And thou hast shed the blood of a righteous man, yea, a man who has done much good among this people; and were we to spare thee his blood would come upon us for vengeance. 

            14 Therefore thou art condemned to die, according to the law which has been given us by Mosiah, our last king; and it has been acknowledged by this people; therefore this people must abide by the law. 

            15 And it came to pass that they took him; and his name was Nehor; and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti, and there he was caused, or rather did acknowledge, between the heavens and the earth, that what he had taught to the people was contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious death.

Currently, I am a High Priest and minister in a calling to assist the Bishop and lift the people within the boundaries of my ward to come unto Christ and follow Him. I have been regularly called by prophecy, confirmed by the laying on of hands by those whose authority is passed down directly from the Lord Jesus Christ, sustained by the members of the church, ordained to an office, set apart to perform in that office by His priesthood.  

6 We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth. 

We believe in Christ and his organization as he sets it up and leads it. He leads that organization personally today through his prophet. And, man, women and children are lay ministers under his direction and serve all God’s children. Our God is a God of order and his church is directed for the perfecting of the Saints. Administrations may change to meet the needs of his people in their hour of need, but the gospel remains unchanged.

Tomorrow I may receive a calling to serve in the nursery, where my status and position would be equal to the calling I am now assigned. I do not aspire to offices nor titles. I am a servant and follow the will of Him who sent me and purchased me through His blood. Even if I had no specific calling I would remain a servant of the Lord, there is much that can be done to serve others and God without a specific calling. I believe all people in the church are to serve one another as Jesus would and do not need a calling to bless others.

7 We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.

Miracles are again active on earth and are recognized and utilized daily as the work of the Lord, the gathering of Israel, continues. Not only do we believe in these gifts, but we understand that each gift is given to us to exercise within the boundaries of our stewardships to bless others and that there is a purpose for every gift and always they are given to help bring souls unto Christ. God is not dead nor are his works.  Each day there are miracles and the priesthood is active.

I know that through Him I can do all things He needs me to do for I have been blessed by the Holy Ghost with miracles in Christ's service and have witnessed his power many times to strengthen me in my weakness and accomplish His work.

8 We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. 

These books were written for us and should be used together to dispel all falsehoods and will deliver us from the destroyer as we carefully read, understand, and apply the knowledge we gain in our daily lives. Some have confused passages of scripture in the Bible to mean that the heavens are closed and all of God's words are to be found in the Old and New Testaments.  In the Book of Mormon, the Lord had a few words to say about this. 

2 Nephi 29: 7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?

    8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.

    9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.

    10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.

    11 For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.

    12 For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it.

    13 And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews.

We believe all the words of God wherever they are found.  In literature, songs, scriptures, conference talks, ancient writings, answers to prayer, words of our ward leaders, scout handbooks, etc.  We can do this because we have the Holy Spirit to testify to the truthfulness of all things.

I know these two books to be of God and read them. I love the spirit I feel when I do. I love the understanding of things I get when I study them. I believe that they have the power to heal individuals, societies, nations, and indeed the world if we will abide by the words of the Lord as written by his prophets.

9 We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

Yes, there is more, the revelations given to Joseph Smith and the succeeding apostles and prophets contain many of these things. There are also records that we look forward to receiving as the Lord sees fit to reveal them. The sealed portion of the golden plates and other testimonies from each of the tribes of Israel as they are presented.

I attend the temple to receive revelation in my own life and to know the mysteries of God. I know there are more writings that will be revealed as we prepare ourselves for them through obedience to the word that we have already been given. I know that God will not withhold knowledge from me if I seek it and live by it. I believe in due time, if I don't give up, I will be able to learn all things.

10 We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

We are preparing and preparing our children for the restoration of Zion.  In fact, we are helping to bring it to pass through missionary work, perfecting the saints, and redeeming the dead.

Prophecies related to the second coming of the Lord will indeed all be fulfilled, but in God's time and according to His understanding and not the imaginations of men. We may speculate personally, and in fact, we are encouraged to study our questions out in our mind and ask God for knowledge, but the truth will be revealed by God through his prophets and the Holy Ghost will confirm these things to our hearts. They will not come by a scholarship of man or through a man claiming to know of himself.

I am personally called to prepare those I come in contact with to know what they must do to build Zion in their hearts, families, communities, and our nation in preparation for Christ's return and reign. I believe there is a great work that is needed and it will engage all the willing to accomplish it.

11 We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

We do not discount people’s beliefs. We seek to rejoice in those areas where we are similar and live together in harmony, regardless of another’s differences. We believe in the liberty God gave all people. Worship is important in all cultures and in diversity God created our world.  As people worship in truth they will be led unto Christ. All men have the Spirit of Christ to judge between good and evil. Moreover, we have been instructed not to exclude others, but to include them in our daily lives regardless of their beliefs.  Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are living the Gospel are the most open, caring, friendly individuals on the planet.

I seek to be open and listen to people of all backgrounds and encourage them in worshiping God and, when asked, share the light Christ has given me. I will fight for the freedom they need to worship as they chose and have taught my children the gospel and yet they are encouraged to work out their faith personally and act for themselves according to their conscience. I have faith that all knees will bow and confess Christ, but I honor all who are learning and following their own conscience regardless of faith traditions.

12 We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

This does not mean that we do not seek to throw off tyranny. We seek to protect the rights of a free people, for God made us free. Governments that do not uphold basic liberty or that place their populations in bondage and servitude will receive their just compensation from God. We seek to uphold righteous and just rulers who will serve the public with honor and uphold just laws and due process. It is our duty to fight for those freedoms when abused. D & C 134 is very clear to our relationship with temporal governments and our support of them.  That section is also explicit in how we should conduct ourselves in spreading the gospel.  Any young man preparing to leave on a mission should know section 134 very well.  To summarize would not be appropriate and to read the entire section here would ensure slumber.  I challenge you to read it today.

I support the constitutionally limited government of this land and am blessed to live in Texas where we stand for the God-given liberty proclaimed by the declaration of independence and honor the memory of so many who have bled and died to protect it. I denounce abuses as I see them and encourage all to come together regardless of political divisions to uphold those freedoms. I look for win-wins when others want to make one side lose. I believe it takes all of us to choose good over evil, liberty over tyranny, free trade over governmental or monopolistic interference to fight the progressive encroachment of those who seek power over us and our liberties. I believe people in the United States do not have to be victims and can choose good if they are not deceived and I support those who seek to make the truth known and I resist propaganda from all parties.

13 We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. 

These are acts of true Christians.  If we are thinking, speaking, and living according to only what is good.  Others will delight in our company.  Our testimonies will be born in every action.  Others will know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a living Gospel and will want to be partakers with us.

I humbly seek to act according to these standards in my personal life when no one is looking and in my public life when others may try to smear my reputation. God knows I am imperfect, and I do not pretend to be any better than any other person, yet I will do my best to be my best regardless of what others think. I recommend a daily review of these standards each night. I have made covenants in the holy house of the Lord with God to obey his commandments and I renew them each week as I partake of the body and blood of Christ.

These statements guide much of who I am and are foundational to what I believe. You too may come to know, as I do, that they are true as you exercise faith in Jesus Christ and earnestly seek to join His saints in this marvelous work and a wonder. I testify this is true by His name, Jesus Christ.

MOM

I have never called my mom her first name. She has always been "Mom." Likewise in my house, my wife is "Mom" because she is the mother of my children and holds that title in my current home. That said, my wife is not my mom. It is a title for the head woman of the house. It probably does not make sense, but somehow I keep it straight in my head and so should you. It is an honored title befitting a queen.

Kids, here are some things you should know. This is important for all of my family's children, and my children's children so listen up. Mom gets to wear what she likes and she is always good looking especially when she doesn't think so. Mom gets to say what she wants and you better listen without rebuttal and do it right. This is not a command–it is your way to happiness.

She doesn't have to be a nag before you act your part. In fact, if you know what she wants and have not done it before she asks, you are too slow. Repent and apologize immediately as you simultaneously begin moving in that direction. No task she asks is too tough, nor is it beneath you.

When you see her face in the morning, think to yourself, "Am I clean?". If not, don't wait! Get clean.  When you see your mother writing or editing you should be writing in your journal or doing homework. When you see your mother in the kitchen, you should assist her. When you see her praying you should bow your head in silence and join in especially if she is not saying a word. When she is exercising, exercise with her. If she is doing something kind for someone, join her in the service. When she comes into the room you are in, you should stop what you are doing and give her your full attention in the event she needs something. If it helps to stand, that would be OK too.

She is to receive hugs from you multiple times each day. You don't have to have a reason. If you no longer live at home, your hugs can be received through the phone, facetime if possible. She deserves to hear from you regularly too. Take 5 minutes out of each day and talk to her.

You are to be the best person you can to show honor to her. You should always be improving yourself to one day be the kind of person who will raise your children with love and respect for God, spouse, your children, and country, in that order and by example.

No one is perfect and as her husband, I know this all too well, yet I too will attempt to do all these things. Not because I have to, but because I do desire to be happy.

She loves you more than you could possibly know–and always will, regardless of how stupid you have been. Oh yes, stupid is not a word we use. I apologize.

LIVING WATER

Jesus is the living water. Where do we find Him? 

Follow the road down to the lush fields of happy people and find their source of strength. When you find the clean pure waters that feed them fall in. Then with all your strength, climb up the hill, through dark forests, and between many obstacles, over sheer drop-offs, to the top of the mountain of the Lord. Then will the waters of heaven distill upon you and you will come to know that you will not get there without being lifted up and sanctified through obedience and sacrifice, leaving all that is earthly to obtain the promises of God. God’s love will wash over you and as you open your heart you will be filled and be converted and His love will flow through you as you serve others.

PANDEMIC

With all the surprise of an exploding balloon. A virus spreads from a city that has been studying all forms of deadly diseases halfway 'cross the world during the busiest time of the year for travel in the area and coincidentally the best time for a virus to spread unimpeded. No, it could not be intentional because communists are no inherent threat to the west. It was let out in a country that is currently facing heavy financial tariffs that have been crippling their economy. Now, after the world reels from their silent attack, a narrative spread on every sympathetic media outlet that they are ready and waiting to help the world overcome the threat we are all now facing. How can we swallow the pill designed to treat the disease they created, one they are making to control, influence, and dominate US. Probably an accident?!  

What can we control? Unanticipated vs. Unprepared

CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM THE FATHER

“At this time of Christmas,
this season when gifts are given, let us not forget that God gave His
Son, and His Son gave His life, that each of us might have the gift of
eternal life.”
—President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008)

THE GOOD EGG

It has been 6 years since I have outlined a very old idea.  I have recently begun the online version of this learning place on-line. https://thegoodeggblog.com I will be including all participants in design and development of their own dreams.

MEANINGFUL MEMORIES

I have many memories, some I wish I did not have and others I wish I could remember better.  This section I hope to update with my memories that have changed my life for the better, have given me hope, helped me overcome adversity, or are premonitions of the future that should be shared with my family.

To start let me explain my struggle to know God. I was young when a desire to know the Master had manifest in my heart. I knew intuitively that he loved me, but I knew that I needed to be more like Him to know him better. A pretty wise thought for a youngster. I could not have been more than 10 when I realized the need to think as God would think and desire to do right by those thoughts. I knew that anger, a trait I was gifted with, was strong in me and blinded me to being able to see things as the Savior would see them. What would Jesus do? plagued my thoughts, because it was not my first thought and I didn't want to be a hypocrite and do things I didn't believe in or desire myself. I came to the realization in time that LOVE was the only power that kept me from anger and fear. Only when love in me for God and His children on this earth was strong was I free from thoughts that would bring me down. Gratitude, love, and light encircled my heart in those times.

Some of those times were on my baptism day, while on vacation on a church history tour with my family, at Galena Street East firesides, my farewell for my mission, preaching in Germany and Austria, my days serving the young adults in Sacramento at Cosumnes River College, leaving home for Brigham Young University and putting my fate in the hands of God, studying in Europe, courting my wife, delivering my children and blessing them,  serving in the church and in the Boy Scouts of America. These were all meaningful times when the good in my life outweighed the bad and gave me the confidence I now have that indeed I can and will do all things the Lord asks of me.

It is through His miraculous providence that my meager abilities multiply to meet overwhelming challenges and with His Grace that allows me to fulfill the purposes He leads me through. I can claim little credit for the education and experience I have attained. Providence was there at every step to guide my path or even to dig me out of my self-made spiritual grave and give me new life in Him. The credit is His, but the lessons are for me to share. That said, as a youth, I developed a trigger that accompanied my anger--an immediate reflex to reflect, and humble myself because of the shame I felt for that rage. Oh, I can rage, but in short order and now in less time than it takes to write an email my mood sobers and I search for any way to think from another person's perspective. I have developed great empathy for people who are different from me and also tolerance for those who are like me. I feel what others are feeling and regardless of language or race find common ground. It has been a real blessing for me.

I have a real feeling for highs and lows in life and struggled with my share of depression and worthlessness.  I tried to limit my anger and lusts during highs by focusing on being productive, serving others, and practicing skills.  During lows, I learned to look to God and found that this time was best used for reflection and learning patience.  When my thoughts were out of control, I was not in a good place emotionally and eventually prayed for relief from my shame.  In time, the Lord became my only salvation and truly my savior in all things.  Without Him and His forgiveness and power, I would be a slave to evil and self-destruction.  In high school, this was also accompanied by serious migraine headaches.  I was always very active and had significant physical challenges on my paper route each morning and in a performing group from the time I was eleven. At fifteen, I was good enough to join the main performers in Galena Street East.  We danced and sang and had long rehearsals and performances all weekend and at least once during the week.  So most of those formative years were filled with continual physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental pain and exhaustion.  I learned to push through and pain and in time and with the proper nutrition (spiritual and physical), all things healed and become stronger.

My ability to see things from many aspects has been developed into curiosity, creativity, problem-solving, communications, and many other skills as they were needed. You see, if there was a skill I did not have I sought to learn it. If there was a personality that was needed in a group I naturally sought to serve my best to fill the gap. Sometimes that gap was served best with leadership, sometimes as a record keeper, sometimes as an instigator, sometimes as a teacher, often the gap was filled as I became the patient and devoted follower, sometimes as a repairman, and at times I became the arbiter, the facilitator, the committee chair, the presenter, the counselor, the puzzle solver. Oh, I seriously doubt I was the best at any of these, but at the time my abilities were sufficient to get the job done and I gained a great deal of perspective from my experiences. A perspective that now is unbelievable to some and unimportant to others. To me it is everything.

OK boring right. How about those stories. Well, I am a novice storyteller, but I hope these stories may be interesting to you. They were to me and if I present them well perhaps they will be of worth to you.  <time lapse>

It has been 15 years since I promised stories, so it is about time that I realize life is quickly slipping away.  Many of my stories may never be told.  I had included my life history and nearly broke the site so, it is important for me to remember the meaningful stories first so I have removed the life history and I will endeavor to include only those stories that may be meaningful to my posterity.

My Conversion to Christ.  As I said, I always knew of God, but at some point, a person has to know something for themselves.  Living the gospel I had been taught as a child only brought me to know of its goodness, but I did not have a personal witness from my own seeking.  I trusted that God answers prayers, but I had never asked the specific question that would confirm to me beyond doubt that Christ had indeed restored his church on the earth.  Everything already fit in my mind, but I felt I needed to ask. When I was 16, my parents decided to take all 10 of the children across the United States in a van and tent trailer to see the sites on a church history tour.  At the end of the tour, we ended up in the upper state of New York at the Sacred Grove.  I found a quiet place alone and knelt down to pray.  I prayed to have revealed to me if Joseph Smith was actually visited in this grove by the Father and the Son according to the account I read in the Pearl of Great Price.  I waited and listened.  An overwhelming feeling of peace and clarity came to me that I cannot deny and will never forget.  It seemed like a voice talking to me in the affirmative in a language understood by and directed to my own heart.  It was brief, but I had never had that feeling so strongly before and I could no longer doubt that Jesus' church had truly been restored to the earth.  The Father lives.  Jesus lives.  Joseph was His prophet and brought to us the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, to guide us and the true church of Jesus Christ authorized by Christ Himself to administer salvation through His priesthood and prophets. All the rest of my testimony has been revealed and continues to be revealed to me line upon line according to my faithful experiences and the fruits of obedience to the commandments.  I just have to follow Jesus and continually repent of my weakness that He can sanctify my efforts and my soul to be a profitable servant and return with all my family to live with the Father again.

The Gift of Tongues is real.  I know it because I experienced it.  My family has had an aptitude for languages; my parents were both fluent in German and Spanish and dabbled in many other languages.  My father even taught German and Spanish to high school kids. I, on the other hand, was a little slow for some reason.  I got a "C" in my father's classroom despite getting an A on the final exam.  In the missionary training center, I was a chapter behind my fellow companions.  The Lord encouraged me with a dream, where my companions awakened me and told me that I had been talking in my sleep in German and bearing my testimony as if I was giving the lesson that they were learning.  I had not even started learning that discussion.  The dream did not seem to help with my actual lessons. I didn't even recognize German when we went to Europe after training.  I thought Dutch was German at the airport in Amsterdam.  When we arrived in Munich, I listened to a local for nearly an hour and did not understand one word he said.  It took me an extra month of singular study to pass off my discussions.  I was sent the next month to a university town and while there was set up to meet and be questioned by students in the Campus Crusaders for Christ (a notoriously anti-Mormon Christian movement).  The professor who sponsored the organization led the charge at the meeting with every question he could to make us look dumb.  Well, I did not understand much that he said, because he was speaking German at a collegiate level.  My companion had been out in the field only one month more than I.  We were at a severe disadvantage and it was our intent to do the best we could.  All at once my mouth started speaking German words I did not know, in structure, I did not know, and simultaneously in my mind, the interpretation of what I was saying streamed into my thoughts in English! It was as if my mind had been opened to God's knowledge of this man and his intents, and God was using my mouth to address the professor personally.  Now, I personally could have known nothing of this stranger, but it was all true.  Without a word, the professor stood and left.  Afterward, the sincere questions of the student were given attention, and the spirit was felt by all.  I have not had such a gift since, but in the time that it was needed the Lord was able to use me.

The Lord's work continues to spread throughout all the nations of the earth.  On my mission, I was able to teach many peoples from other lands.  Yes, we taught Germans, but in Germany in the early 80s, there were many people from foreign lands, escaping their homelands for political, economic, and religious reasons. In Fürth, Germany, we were able to teach people from Nigeria, Lebanon, and Ghana. At the time these lands did not have the gospel and there was much persecution of Christians.  I remember sitting in a circle and reading the Book of Mormon together and each would read in a different language. Sometimes we had to stop and use their bible to translate words they did not understand in English or German. We would use our index to find the word in our English New Testament and then locate the word for them in an Arabic New Testament.  The spirit was strong and one man from Ghana was baptized. He vowed to take it back to his country despite the danger it would mean to his own life.

The Gift of Young Adult Service. I met with my Stake President in Sacramento South Stake and during my return interview, he expressed his desire not to release me from missionary service, but to reassign me to be a stake missionary. I have always understood that every member is to be a missionary, so the assignment was gladly received as were my new mission rules to get a job, date, and go to school.  While at school, at Cosumnes River College, we had not had an institute class, so three of my friends (Rob, Mike, and Shawn) and I formed the LDSSA on campus and arranged to have institute instructors come down to teach us.  We were able to have great teachers. As a representative to the student council for the club, I found many opportunities to serve and lead in clubs, on CRC Student Council, the Los Rios Community College District, the region 10 student association, and state student council CalSACC.  I was also very busy with young adult activities all over Sacramento and always had somewhere to go and serve. In addition, I helped with Galeana Street East performing group from time to time as well.  With school, church, work, practices, and dating I rarely saw home. When I did, I made it a point to be the best brother I could be. I learned that the Lord qualifies who he calls and is able to do His work as we are willing to serve Him. These were miraculous times.

The Lord's University. At graduation from Cosumnes River College, I received several leadership awards, one of which was a half-tuition scholarship to Brigham Young University. I had not thought that I would be able to be accepted to the school, so it came as a surprise to me. I felt inspired to go so I bought a bus ticket to Provo, UT, and with $65 dollars in my pocket left home behind.  I had no acceptance letter, no job, no place to stay, but I had a friend pick me up at the bus station and drop me off at some apartments near BYU and let the Lord do the rest. I was a month early for the start of classes and during that month was able to find room-mates, a job on campus, join in church, and register for classes.  Starting school in the third year was a little overwhelming for me, but all of my credits transferred. I didn't have a major yet, I just started taking classes that interested me.  I did understand that not all college classes resulted in career opportunities so I avoided some of my interests in music and art and instead went into political science. What I did not realize was that some majors appeared serious, but also did not lead to careers. I let my interests and inspirations control my course choices and studied hard. I felt I should go on the Vienna study abroad program and with more miracles was able to attend. My courses serendipitously led to an international relations BA and I completed it shortly after attending to the most important reason for coming to Brigham Young. At BYU education is all about balance (intellectual, spiritual, physical, and social) All I had to do now was to date.

Finding My Other Half Took Awhile. The romance started for me late in life.  Ironically, I was so attracted to girls that I could not speak to them so I really didn't date much until after high school graduation. I met some great girls and got over my fears to the point that I was dating steadily, before my mission, but cut off the relationship right before leaving. We didn't write, but she was there when I returned. After much prayer, it was revealed to me that we should not marry and I dated others. I was feeling old by the time I went to BYU so I felt it was time to get serious. I was really diligent about home teaching an apartment of ladies and before long they were asking me out. I asked several others out and things seemed to be going really well but in all kinds of directions. I even went on blind dates. Finally, one of my blind dates asked me to preference. We went to the Springville Art Museum for a dance and I was stricken. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and she loved to dance! At the end of the school semester, we were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for eternity. Too short? My life history details the amazing miracle.

Children Take Over. It was once said by a happy mother on the side of a mountain with a handcart and 15 children scattered all around that children are the path to happiness.  I asked how she did it.  She summarized for me the stages of family development from her perspective. 
The first child, she said changes your life completely. The second is more of the same but may only change the husband's life as he is required to be part of the transformation.

The third is again, life-changing because you realize that your fasted and most destructive child is now loose. The fourth is more of the same—you are not in control.

The fifth requires a fundamental change at home and order is required. After this the oldest children begin helping the youngest and, if you taught them well, will continue teaching their siblings making everything easier. From then on joy continues to fill and multiply in your lives. I only had 5 at the time, but my parents had 10 and I saw these principles at play. I recommend the process highly to my family. 

I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go.  Oklahoma!? ... OK Nephi, What! Texas?? Wherever.
So it has ever been important to me to go where the Lord would send me. Now that I had begun building my family I desired to know where the Lord would send me to build his kingdom. I studied and prayed and came to the conclusion that the Lord wanted me to go to Oklahoma. I shared it with my wife and family and one of my siblings said in her heart, "Oh, H*** no!, I served my mission there and we did not really want to move there". I don't know what she thought exactly when she found out that I intended to move my family there, but she offered to have us come live with her family.  We did so until we could find a home of our own in Utah. We did find a home in Nephi, but shortly thereafter, I lost my job and I was forced to work two jobs and there was much insecurity. We also had increasing struggles with Emma's safety. While helping at a leadership training course, my wife escaped to Katy, Texas where we have together set down roots.  The Lord has blessed us with much though we have had many trials and were unable to own another home for many years. After 9 years, we sought to know where God would send us now that I have lost my job again. Sometimes, I think it is better to follow the Lord rather than our own understanding. We continually received locations North of Houston, until one stood out. We have moved to Cleveland to a humble home and have been welcomed by neighbors and the Ward. We await the coming of Christ and do not anticipate moving again until then.

Serving in the Church of Jesus Christ with the Saints. I am always at home wherever I am because the Lord's kingdom is worldwide and I have always been at home with the saints. Whether for one day or for decades, it does not matter. The gospel is the same everywhere, and we are all preparing for Him to come and reign. I am a High Priest and once served in a bishopric and I look back upon my service in all the church's organizations with gratitude. The callings are all the same to the Lord. Greeter the same as Bishop. God pays us all the same for working in His kingdom. There is no praise of men nor honor that will reward us in the eternities for our service. The Lord continues preparing me for service in his kingdom in every way. There are too many stories to detail here and my children may follow by their own activity in the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints and learn the lessons they need through faith, repentance, baptism, and obedience to the Holy Ghost, as I have, and by accepting through prayer and diligence all callings and assignments offered them by the servants of the Lord. Here are the ones I remember having, some of which no longer exist or were not regular assignments: Hometeacher, ward choir member, Deacon, Teacher, Priest, Elder, missionary, stake missionary, LDSSA secretary, LDSSA president, young adult representative, temple and family coordinator, committees coordinator, Elder's Quorum Second Counsellor, nursery leader, gospel doctrine teacher, Sunday school teacher, ward choir director, ward music leader, chorister, primary pianist, primary teacher, new scout leader, scoutmaster, troop committee member, Dallas temple veil worker, Provo temple veil worker, high priest's quorum second counselor, bishopric second counselor, building cleaning coordinator, minister. I also had some external to church calling that participated in for God and his children. Soccer Coach, Scout leader Trainer, OA brotherhood, Brigham Young Academy President, and best of all friend.

Grandchildren are the best. We love them. They are the fruit that you hope for–the posterity that was promised. At first, all they can do is look at you when they hear your voice. Then they can grab your glasses and hair. Slowly, they learn to move around and before you know it they are walking. Poof! as if magically, they are talking and no-one can tell what they are saying, but before long they are talking to you. They grow so much faster than your own children did. The little time you spend together is so much more precious as is your time with your grown children. You just want to embrace them and never let them go, but life continues more and more without you until you wait on the other side to see them again.
Stephany Jane Valencia 6/2/2019

Jacob Eldon Thornock 2/1/2020

Empty Nester

DIVISION

I have already blogged about who I believe one should choose to follow in order to ensure that we remain one nation under God, but I have not identified the enemy of our liberty.  Suffice it to say that there is opposition to good.  What I want to address is one of the most potent weapons used against us--DIVISION.

Division is toxic to the human family.  Fear, oppression, tyranny and eventually war are the results if Americans allow our enemies (foreign and domestic) to divide us.  For this reason, I feel I must write (and break my standard of relatively short posts).

Prejudice Divides US-Judging intent is a dangerous thing, especially when judging incorrectly or worse yet only to satisfy one's own bias or world view.  Jesus warned that we will be judged with the same judgment with which we judge.  Media sources, politicians, and corporations know the power of playing one side against another to motivate and effectively marshal their influence to protect their power and wealth--divide and conquer.  Their marketing is becoming more and more focused on targeting individuals to exploit their differences. They will use any wedge issue they can and have developed algorithms to tailor what information is shared in order to amplify the effect of name-calling, taking offense, accusation, endless opinion pieces, character assassinations, etc.  They filter out information that may be contrary so only the approved message remains and then progress to more and more extreme means to divide people wherever possible.  We have a worldwide movement that employ these tactics to rewrite history to fit their twisted narrative and encourage their foot-soldiers to militate against any who might disagree.  If you do not see examples of this, just listen to political debates, or news broadcasts today.  With an "us vs. them" mentality humans have been known throughout history to justify horrific acts of oppression such as terrorism, murder, robbery, burning of books, mob violence, human trafficking, and even genocide.  We were once encouraged to study history to learn what caused such events, as painful as it was to witness and prevent these atrocities from returning, but today it seems like we are intentionally being steered toward ignorantly reliving history.

Stereotypes Divide US-Some can be helpful in understanding general trends if they are based on fact, but interpersonally unless stereotypes are questioned we cannot know the truth nor the intent. In truth, we are all more the same than we are different.  Rather than talking about our differences to learn from each other and grow closer, we are allowing organizations and governments to use our differences against us to promote races, promote beliefs,  promote genders and discourage common understanding.  Media sources, educational institutions, and other organizations unabashedly guilt us into blindly accepting false ideologies that further divide us.  They promote offense and discourage forgiveness.  They promote isolation and segregation rather than teamwork and cooperation.  They shame people for reaching out to others to gain understanding.  They promote false narratives to instill fear and further expand social programs, regulations, etc.

Injustice Divides US-There are those who will be caught in this world of words where black is white, good is bad, and there is no truth (only your own personal truth, that is if you believe what you should).  We have allowed society to control us more and more and with this emphasis on division, we are allowing it to oppress the majority into submission to a fictional minority (insert specialty group of your choice based on the audience) that is only being used for purposes of maintaining power over the people. This movement has infiltrated our institutions and nearly completely controls our government bureaucracies.  This division is designed to unjustly accuse dissenters, discredit them, hide them or even physically silence them.  This is not the first time it has been done.  Millions have been slaughtered because of such oppression.  Socialism has at its root control of the masses, not liberty. Progressives, as they call themselves, seek to impose socialism by degrees and will use anything we might value to bait us and then use our outrage to employ more and more restrictions on our liberty and ability to change back.

Civility Rebirth is Needed-Peace can exist only if we as Americans coexist in harmony.  None will stand if America falls.  There must be a baseline of respect. Innocence until proven guilty of malice. The government was established to hold this line, to punish crimes against others, crimes against natural law–simple laws.  But, in order to grow stronger governments never stop seeking to gain power.  Our US Declaration of Independence (original draft that decries the evil of slavery), the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights were the best attempt in history to limit this power.  Sadly, all our branches of government have overstepped their bounds so often that these documents are nearly powerless now.  Criminals have organized to exploit our civil society and have used fear to rob and plunder.  They have been so successful that the government has also joined in through taxation, and regulation with the threat of imprisonment.  Our educational institutions have combined to promote godless corrections to history, science, and civil society, hiding the very god given and blood sanctified liberty that has bought us such prosperity.

Free Speech Must be Preserved-We as humans have found it difficult to distinguish which God/s is/are the right one/s and as a result, history is riddled with humans making and worshiping their own imaginations of god and once in power those humans have shut down anyone whose divergent thought may threaten their authority.  So, after millennia soaked in blood, our nation sought to establish a new standard of liberty to prevent abuse, by restricting the government from interfering with free speech and religious expression.  Perhaps we should also have protected our education from governmental influence as well, but that said, religion and education are critical to true progress and liberty and should not be infringed or limited. Once our government extended its power enough banks, universities, corporations, and yes religions too, have found it useful to seek special privileges from our government to secure power over their competition and their customers. Lies and misinformation whose purpose is to deceive or harm should not be included in free speech because they harm, but honestly, our courts and society have looked the other way too long to correct the corruption.

Understanding-We can still learn the truth; we can still go to the source.  We don't have to wait to investigate.  We can reach out to our neighbors, friends, congregations, clubs and other associations to share information and debate.  We can reach out to people that are different in civil ways and learn from them.  We do not have to agree, but we can grow together even when we disagree.  Friendship does not mean we have to be the same.  Far from it.  Our differences can become shared experiences and ways to open our minds to new and better possibilities.  Some may do this to their own detriment in that they forget what they once knew and once benefited them, but this does not need to happen when we synergize together (win-win).

Offense-I don't usually let things get to me but, when someone is offended by me, I try to understand and sincerely apologize.   This is no longer acceptable behavior today in today's PC world.  People are treated differently based on special groups.  Only the perception of offense is necessary to render a guilty verdict for non-protected classes and a sentence that will blacklist them will follow.  It is systemic and designed to divide our nation.  All organizations seem to be playing by these rules now.

Forgiveness is Needed-I believe this is essential to healing our nation.  Seeking forgiveness is equally as important as giving forgiveness.  Both are critical to healing.  Neither can be done without compassion.  It's like a deep wound.  It must first be cleaned so it does not fester.  We must encourage people to talk things out and reward the courage to talk about what hurts, so the dirt can be removed.  Then we must bind the wound together with a salve to prevent reinfection and cover the wound to prevent further harm.  We must also allow time for the division to heal.  Pulling it apart repeatedly or separating the individuals will not allow the wound to heal.  Looking the other way won't help either.  I pray that we will be able to come together as a people and address the things that divide us and remove those who seek to divide us.  The vote is just around the corner to check our government.  Our spending determines what companies provide.  Our participation influences organizations.  Just be aware of what your actions are saying and who they are saying it to.

Governmental Protections-Government is the worst way to grow things.  It is clunky and wields too much power.  It's like using a rototiller to pick carrots.  It sure loosens the soil around them, but the carrots are useless when it is done.  Of course, the government needs a heavy hand to protect basic liberty and protect us from our enemies, but those should be the limits in my opinion.  Thanks go out to all those who serve and protect our nation and its constitution.  We could use a few million government bureaucrats to do those jobs that no-one else will do, to feed the hungry, lower prices and taxes.

I'm tired of ranting.  Good night!