So, I would just like to make a comment on the swine flu vaccination.
I have an opinion about it.
I am very against the H1N1 vaccination.
Watch the following clip - it explains a little more.
To be honest, I don't agree with any vaccinations. I have never been vaccinated (except for my mission shots) and am just fine. The vaccinations cause more problems and shoot more junk into a person's body than do good.
I think, a small part of why people use vaccinations, is that they are excuse for poor health. People can eat whatever they want and just go and get the vaccination and think they are protected. Wrong! Good health is the best and only true vaccination. Eating fruits and vegetables, whole grains, plenty of protein, drinking water, cutting sugar out of your diet... and probably the most important thing of all: get enough sleep. This isn't a "hippie's guide to health." It is the way God created us. If we just lived according to the Word of Wisdom in DC 89, we would be set.
That is my opinion.
Eat well and sleep enough. No need for vaccinations. There are a million ways you can dispute this... but there are also a million ways to support it. This is my opinion - you have to do the research and see what is for you.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Office episode
Today, my life was an episode from The Office.
We had a meeting in our department (The Daily Universe) called The Sensitivity meeting.
We learned about the importance of not discriminating against others. Period. The presenter from the Equal Opportunities Office gave us examples using Sam, the statistics TA, and Andrea, a student in his class. Sam was interested in Andrea, so he asked her out. Andrea wasn't interested in going on a date with Sam, so she gracefully declined. Did that stop Sam? Nope. Sam persisted in asking Andrea out but she never consented. Pretty soon, Andrea's grades started to decline.
Uh oh! Discrimination!
The presenter talked about texting and how an unwelcome text can be discrimination. We all looked at one of our co-workers and started laughing, because he loves sending texts to all of us in the office and with discriminatory remarks... jokes of course.
We came back to the office, laughed, and then proceeded to talk to each other on our phones via conference call. You have to understand: our office is one big room... everyone has a station and a phone... and we talk to each other via conference call.
My day was an episode from The Episode.
We had a meeting in our department (The Daily Universe) called The Sensitivity meeting.
We learned about the importance of not discriminating against others. Period. The presenter from the Equal Opportunities Office gave us examples using Sam, the statistics TA, and Andrea, a student in his class. Sam was interested in Andrea, so he asked her out. Andrea wasn't interested in going on a date with Sam, so she gracefully declined. Did that stop Sam? Nope. Sam persisted in asking Andrea out but she never consented. Pretty soon, Andrea's grades started to decline.
Uh oh! Discrimination!
The presenter talked about texting and how an unwelcome text can be discrimination. We all looked at one of our co-workers and started laughing, because he loves sending texts to all of us in the office and with discriminatory remarks... jokes of course.
We came back to the office, laughed, and then proceeded to talk to each other on our phones via conference call. You have to understand: our office is one big room... everyone has a station and a phone... and we talk to each other via conference call.
My day was an episode from The Episode.
A toast to romance
I wish I could wake up to this every morning on my iPod! I go to work and my co-worker and I have our daily Michael fix. Love it. I dedicate this to Caitlin!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Building trust with stangers
In Matthew 4:19 it talks about Christ calling Peter and Andrew to come and be fishers of men. "And they straightway left their nets and followed him."
What kind of man must Christ have been to command their attention in such a powerful and persuasive way? What attributes did He have that persuaded Peter and Andrew to simply drop their nets and follow Him?
Faith?
Trust?
Love?
Peace?
Patience?
Plus many other things...
I volunteer for an organization once a week where the people I am serving have a hard time building trust with strangers, at least right away.
Last night, the group of students who volunteer together, came together for a quick spiritual thought. The guy was talking about spiritual gifts and recognizing those gifts within us so that we can cultivate them and use them to bless the lives of others.
I have definitely come to understand the power and importance of building trust. But more importantly, I think we have to ensure that we emanate love and peace so that others feel calm around us and that they CAN trust us.
Last night, that barrier with a certain person, was overcome. Trust was gained. Sincere love was established. There is nothing better, nothing, than sharing Christ's love with others and literally seeing the happiness come to their eyes.
Tender mercies.
What kind of man must Christ have been to command their attention in such a powerful and persuasive way? What attributes did He have that persuaded Peter and Andrew to simply drop their nets and follow Him?
Faith?
Trust?
Love?
Peace?
Patience?
Plus many other things...
I volunteer for an organization once a week where the people I am serving have a hard time building trust with strangers, at least right away.
Last night, the group of students who volunteer together, came together for a quick spiritual thought. The guy was talking about spiritual gifts and recognizing those gifts within us so that we can cultivate them and use them to bless the lives of others.
I have definitely come to understand the power and importance of building trust. But more importantly, I think we have to ensure that we emanate love and peace so that others feel calm around us and that they CAN trust us.
Last night, that barrier with a certain person, was overcome. Trust was gained. Sincere love was established. There is nothing better, nothing, than sharing Christ's love with others and literally seeing the happiness come to their eyes.
Tender mercies.
Teaching Mission Prep
My dad is the mission prep teacher in my home ward... he asked me to come home on Sunday to help teach the second lesson (Plan of Salvation) in his mission prep class. A good friend of his was bringing his non-member daughter who is interested in the church.
I have to be honest - I was nervous. I read through Ch 2 of Preach My Gospel and felt the missionary mode seeping back into my brain. The excitement and nerves came back. I remember those feelings right before walking into a lesson and saying a quick but fervent prayer with my companion... woo! What a great feeling.
The father and daughter showed up, along with five future Elders and one future Sister.
She was fabulous.
Really fabulous. 27 years old, beautiful, well-dressed and very intelligent. A total firecracker. She sat down on the front row and we started teaching and she started firing away with questions... but these weren't dumb questions - she had been thinking hard and long about the purpose of her life and what is coming after. I was (still am) SO excited!
The only bummer thing is that lessons only can last an hour. The hour came and went quickly but was so powerful. The Spirit was so strong. She was a little hard-headed in a few areas of the lesson but as soon as my dad and I started talking about and testifying of the Atonement, she calmed right down. Not that she was riled up, but she was so much more peaceful.
We committed her to go back home (mother Texas) and find the missionaries and get a copy of The Book of Mormon. She said she already has a BOM and that she found a missionary - a co-worker of hers who has told her about the church. She said he served a mission in London. *Ha ha, that isn't going to cut it. An RM?!* I told her she needed to find the full-time missionaries... the guys with black nametags and suit coats. Those clues were enough of a visual reminder -- she smiled and nodded her head and looked me in the eyes and said, "Okay. I will." YES!
She gave me a hug as she left and told me how grateful she was for our time. I gave her my e-mail address and told her to e-mail me if she has any questions.
I hope she e-mails!
This was an amazing experience! I want to go on another mission! This is what matters -- these experiences are the ones that bring TRUE happiness.
I have to be honest - I was nervous. I read through Ch 2 of Preach My Gospel and felt the missionary mode seeping back into my brain. The excitement and nerves came back. I remember those feelings right before walking into a lesson and saying a quick but fervent prayer with my companion... woo! What a great feeling.
The father and daughter showed up, along with five future Elders and one future Sister.
She was fabulous.
Really fabulous. 27 years old, beautiful, well-dressed and very intelligent. A total firecracker. She sat down on the front row and we started teaching and she started firing away with questions... but these weren't dumb questions - she had been thinking hard and long about the purpose of her life and what is coming after. I was (still am) SO excited!
The only bummer thing is that lessons only can last an hour. The hour came and went quickly but was so powerful. The Spirit was so strong. She was a little hard-headed in a few areas of the lesson but as soon as my dad and I started talking about and testifying of the Atonement, she calmed right down. Not that she was riled up, but she was so much more peaceful.
We committed her to go back home (mother Texas) and find the missionaries and get a copy of The Book of Mormon. She said she already has a BOM and that she found a missionary - a co-worker of hers who has told her about the church. She said he served a mission in London. *Ha ha, that isn't going to cut it. An RM?!* I told her she needed to find the full-time missionaries... the guys with black nametags and suit coats. Those clues were enough of a visual reminder -- she smiled and nodded her head and looked me in the eyes and said, "Okay. I will." YES!
She gave me a hug as she left and told me how grateful she was for our time. I gave her my e-mail address and told her to e-mail me if she has any questions.
I hope she e-mails!
This was an amazing experience! I want to go on another mission! This is what matters -- these experiences are the ones that bring TRUE happiness.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Heart of Life
This song makes me want to take a fall drive up the mountains with the windows down, bundled up in a jacket, boots, a chunky scarf and matching gloves.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Around the corner
I found this blurb on a blog... I wanted to keep and share it:
"What's around the corner? Who knows? But, I used to have this intense need to know...everything...all the time. I wanted to know what was in store for me tomorrow...next week...next year...Now, I've discovered that much of the enjoyment in life comes from surprises...and patiently waiting for them. Happily, life is full of them. Let go of expectations of what should be coming around the next corner and just get ready for what is...or what might be...
"You cannot behold with your natural eye the design of your God concerning those things which shall come...." That I'm certain of."
"What's around the corner? Who knows? But, I used to have this intense need to know...everything...all the time. I wanted to know what was in store for me tomorrow...next week...next year...Now, I've discovered that much of the enjoyment in life comes from surprises...and patiently waiting for them. Happily, life is full of them. Let go of expectations of what should be coming around the next corner and just get ready for what is...or what might be...
"You cannot behold with your natural eye the design of your God concerning those things which shall come...." That I'm certain of."
She's a big girl
So, I'm sitting at work right now listening to one co-worker tell another co-worker a story from his experience at a haunted house this weekend.
He was describing a girl he was with and said the following: "She got so scared and jumped on me and you know, she's a big girl --
I mean, she's
Jonesy's* size and..."
Enough said.
The greatest thing was that no one even caught it. I was biting my lip to not laugh.
*My nickname is Jonesy in the office where I work.
He was describing a girl he was with and said the following: "She got so scared and jumped on me and you know, she's a big girl --
I mean, she's
Jonesy's* size and..."
Enough said.
The greatest thing was that no one even caught it. I was biting my lip to not laugh.
*My nickname is Jonesy in the office where I work.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Sunday study
I studied a talk this morning before church -- all based on the Atonement and Sacrament.
"The Very Root of Christian Doctrine" is an extremely powerful talk based on bringing the focus of the gospel back to the suffering and empowerment of Christ's Atonement.
My favorite part of the talk is the example that Brother Griffith shares from his experience as a stake president of a BYU stake:
Years ago Elder Boyd K. Packer gave a general conference address titled “The Mediator.” In that address Elder Packer said:
[The Atonement of Christ] is the very root of Christian doctrine. You may know much about the gospel as it branches out from there, but if you only know the branches and those branches do not touch that root, if they have been cut free from that truth, there will be no life nor substance nor redemption in them. [Boyd K. Packer, “The Mediator,” Ensign, May 1977, 56]
I will confess to you that I have participated in—indeed, I have taught—many lessons that, although interesting and motivational, according to Elder Packer’s guide had “no life nor substance nor redemption in them” because they weren’t directly linked to the Atonement of Christ. That’s a serious criticism of much of what we do, and I believe it’s on the mark. I believe that one way—the best way, and possibly the only way—to meet President Hinckley’s challenge to do better at getting the gospel down into our hearts and the hearts of those we love and serve is to focus all we do on the Atonement of Christ. And so, as a newly called stake presidency, we tried to do just that.
We laid down a rule that every sacrament meeting talk and every lesson in Sunday School, Relief Society, and priesthood meetings must be related to the Atonement of Christ in a direct and express way. Our goal was to have all of our meetings filled with “life [and] substance [and] redemption” by having them connected to “the very root of Christian doctrine”: the Atonement of Christ. We told the bishops that if they wanted a sacrament meeting about the principles of emergency preparedness—important principles, to be sure—that meeting would be about “Emergency Preparedness and the Atonement of Christ.” If you cannot figure out the link between the topic you are to teach and the Atonement of Christ, you have either not thought about it enough or you shouldn’t be talking about it at church. Your topic may be fine for the city council, your neighborhood organization, or the commercial break during SportsCenter, but in our limited time in church, we must be talking about the Atonement of Christ.
This is what they did in the church in Alma’s day, the first church described in detail in the scriptures. They were given a mission similar to ours: prepare a people for the coming of the Risen Lord. Their experiences have special meaning to us as we try to fulfill our latter-day responsibilities. Note how the Book of Mormon describes their teaching:
And he commanded them that they should teach nothing save it were the things which he had taught, and which had been spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets.
Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people. [Mosiah 18:19–20]
They taught only from the scriptures and the words of the prophets, and they taught only two principles that are inextricably intertwined: “repentance,” that we have the constant need to improve; and “faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people.” This was not faith in general—and not even faith in Christ as Friend, Good Shepherd, Prince of Peace, or any one of a number of important roles He plays—but faith in a very particular aspect of Christ’s mission: faith in His ability to redeem us, to improve us. He did that through His atoning sacrifice.
We thought we’d try what Alma’s church did. We tried to link every principle taught in our meetings to the Atonement in a direct and express way. Now that isn’t hard to do in sacrament meeting, because the bishopric can pick the topics. And it isn’t hard to do when the study guide lesson is on the Atonement or repentance. But what do you do when the study guide lesson is on tithing or visiting teaching or the value of education? That’s a little tougher.
We made it clear that we expected the teachers to teach the approved curriculum. There is strength that comes from teaching materials approved by priesthood leaders. But it isn’t always obvious how the assigned material relates to the Atonement. To address that challenge, we had two suggestions.
First, we urged teachers to find examples of the principles being taught from the life of Christ. When we are talking about His life and using the words He said, we are remembering Him, and a power comes into our teaching that is otherwise not present.
Second, we encouraged teachers to see how the principle taught was either part of Heavenly Father’s effort to draw us closer to Him through Christ (the vertical pull of the Atonement) or a principle that could draw us closer to our fellow humans through Christ (the horizontal pull of the Atonement).
So, how did it work? Pretty well. People got excited about this approach. We didn’t think there was any way that we could—or even should—try to measure its value, but it seemed right, so we pressed forward.
Why did it feel right? Why did it taste so good to—using the words of Nephi—“talk of Christ, . . . rejoice in Christ, [and] preach of Christ” (2 Nephi 25:26) in all of our meetings? Because when we are speaking of what the Savior has done for us, we are at the core of the meaning of life, we are connected to “the very root of Christian doctrine,” and we are doing what Christ and His prophets have asked us to do.
Joseph Smith said:
"The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it."
Isn't that amazing!? What a difference it would make if all the members in the church had this same outlook on teaching the Atonement. Satan is working as hard as he can to take the focus off of the Savior's Atonement -- sure the world still focuses on Him, but in a variety of less-than-appropriate ways; focuses not meet for The Son of God. We need to put the appropriate focus back on Him and the roles He plays as Savior and Redeemer.
"The Very Root of Christian Doctrine" is an extremely powerful talk based on bringing the focus of the gospel back to the suffering and empowerment of Christ's Atonement.
My favorite part of the talk is the example that Brother Griffith shares from his experience as a stake president of a BYU stake:
Years ago Elder Boyd K. Packer gave a general conference address titled “The Mediator.” In that address Elder Packer said:
[The Atonement of Christ] is the very root of Christian doctrine. You may know much about the gospel as it branches out from there, but if you only know the branches and those branches do not touch that root, if they have been cut free from that truth, there will be no life nor substance nor redemption in them. [Boyd K. Packer, “The Mediator,” Ensign, May 1977, 56]
I will confess to you that I have participated in—indeed, I have taught—many lessons that, although interesting and motivational, according to Elder Packer’s guide had “no life nor substance nor redemption in them” because they weren’t directly linked to the Atonement of Christ. That’s a serious criticism of much of what we do, and I believe it’s on the mark. I believe that one way—the best way, and possibly the only way—to meet President Hinckley’s challenge to do better at getting the gospel down into our hearts and the hearts of those we love and serve is to focus all we do on the Atonement of Christ. And so, as a newly called stake presidency, we tried to do just that.
We laid down a rule that every sacrament meeting talk and every lesson in Sunday School, Relief Society, and priesthood meetings must be related to the Atonement of Christ in a direct and express way. Our goal was to have all of our meetings filled with “life [and] substance [and] redemption” by having them connected to “the very root of Christian doctrine”: the Atonement of Christ. We told the bishops that if they wanted a sacrament meeting about the principles of emergency preparedness—important principles, to be sure—that meeting would be about “Emergency Preparedness and the Atonement of Christ.” If you cannot figure out the link between the topic you are to teach and the Atonement of Christ, you have either not thought about it enough or you shouldn’t be talking about it at church. Your topic may be fine for the city council, your neighborhood organization, or the commercial break during SportsCenter, but in our limited time in church, we must be talking about the Atonement of Christ.
This is what they did in the church in Alma’s day, the first church described in detail in the scriptures. They were given a mission similar to ours: prepare a people for the coming of the Risen Lord. Their experiences have special meaning to us as we try to fulfill our latter-day responsibilities. Note how the Book of Mormon describes their teaching:
And he commanded them that they should teach nothing save it were the things which he had taught, and which had been spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets.
Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people. [Mosiah 18:19–20]
They taught only from the scriptures and the words of the prophets, and they taught only two principles that are inextricably intertwined: “repentance,” that we have the constant need to improve; and “faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people.” This was not faith in general—and not even faith in Christ as Friend, Good Shepherd, Prince of Peace, or any one of a number of important roles He plays—but faith in a very particular aspect of Christ’s mission: faith in His ability to redeem us, to improve us. He did that through His atoning sacrifice.
We thought we’d try what Alma’s church did. We tried to link every principle taught in our meetings to the Atonement in a direct and express way. Now that isn’t hard to do in sacrament meeting, because the bishopric can pick the topics. And it isn’t hard to do when the study guide lesson is on the Atonement or repentance. But what do you do when the study guide lesson is on tithing or visiting teaching or the value of education? That’s a little tougher.
We made it clear that we expected the teachers to teach the approved curriculum. There is strength that comes from teaching materials approved by priesthood leaders. But it isn’t always obvious how the assigned material relates to the Atonement. To address that challenge, we had two suggestions.
First, we urged teachers to find examples of the principles being taught from the life of Christ. When we are talking about His life and using the words He said, we are remembering Him, and a power comes into our teaching that is otherwise not present.
Second, we encouraged teachers to see how the principle taught was either part of Heavenly Father’s effort to draw us closer to Him through Christ (the vertical pull of the Atonement) or a principle that could draw us closer to our fellow humans through Christ (the horizontal pull of the Atonement).
So, how did it work? Pretty well. People got excited about this approach. We didn’t think there was any way that we could—or even should—try to measure its value, but it seemed right, so we pressed forward.
Why did it feel right? Why did it taste so good to—using the words of Nephi—“talk of Christ, . . . rejoice in Christ, [and] preach of Christ” (2 Nephi 25:26) in all of our meetings? Because when we are speaking of what the Savior has done for us, we are at the core of the meaning of life, we are connected to “the very root of Christian doctrine,” and we are doing what Christ and His prophets have asked us to do.
Joseph Smith said:
"The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it."
Isn't that amazing!? What a difference it would make if all the members in the church had this same outlook on teaching the Atonement. Satan is working as hard as he can to take the focus off of the Savior's Atonement -- sure the world still focuses on Him, but in a variety of less-than-appropriate ways; focuses not meet for The Son of God. We need to put the appropriate focus back on Him and the roles He plays as Savior and Redeemer.
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