Doing

It is never enough to simply believe in something. Simply believing will do nothing for you. Simply believing doesn't change the way you behave, the way you talk, the things you do on a daily basis. Simply believing is just that.... Now ACTING on a belief? That is something else entirely. There is power to be found in acting on one's belief. Action as a result of belief makes such a belief immortal.

You have faith in your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Great!

Now what are you going to do about it?

James 2:14-18

There Are Two Kinds of People in This World....

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. I am adding my own version to the "There are two kinds of people in this world..." bandwagon that everyone tries to jump on at least once in this life. I know, it's cliché. I know it gets overused and abused on a constant basis. I know that it has had an appearance in everything known to man.... whether it be Jurassic Park 3 (It's in there.... PINKY PROMISE. I know dinosaurs and movies about them that well... Ask my Momma) or jokes about Binary and other such things.

But I'm going for it, cuz my version is really that good. Hate to brag, but it is.

There are two kinds of people in this world. Examples, and Warnings. Essentially people that we should learn from and emulate and those who we should never follow because what they did was dumb and/or wrong. Pretty self explanatory right? And in case you haven't picked up what I've put down nor smelt what I'm steppin' in, I shall list a couple instances of such that I have noticed recently.

Example: My companion made my bed once while I was in the shower. He knew I would've done it as soon as I got out, but he decided to serve me. He was sensitive and compassionate. He was thoughtful and kind. Learning from him would be a great idea! Kindness: pass it on! I'll make his bed next time, or make him breakfast or something.

Warning: Random guy decides to jay walk across the insanely busy street and almost gets hit by a car. Then he makes a nasty hand gesture and begins to yell obscenities towards the far long gone driver; all of this while taking ZERO responsibility for his own actions and negligence to obey laws that were put there for his benefit and safety if he obeyed them. DEFINITELY not gonna do what he did....

Example: A family we visited recently let us in to join in on their weekly family activity night that was already in progress. We got to have fun, be spiritually uplifted, and see the love of parents for children and children for parents in a wonderful home setting. Hmmm... I like that. I wanna do that with my own future family!

Warning: We knock on a person's door to share a Gospel message with them. They answer, take one look at us, and say "Get the heck outta here. We don't accept your kind." Then they slam the door in our faces. Well that was kinda mean.... I didn't like that. I never want to feel that way again, and no one else deserves that either. I will never treat someone with indecency the first time that I meet them ever, no matter who they are.

Example: A man named Jesus Christ lived His entire life in the service of others and in teaching others the benefits of obedience and faithfulness to the laws and commandments of our loving Heavenly Father. Then, to seal the deal, He suffered for our sins and died for us so that we might receive a remission of our sins. And He lives still and leads and guides His Restored Church for the benefit of the whole human race and the salvation of God's children: US.

I won't provide another Warning for y'all. I think you get the picture already...

Will you be an Example or a Warning? And will you follow the Perfect Example, Jesus Christ? And who has been an Example or a Warning to you lately? Comment below!

Jalapeños

I did something really dumb last night.....

Last night us missionaries here in the Santa Rosa Spanish Branch got taken out to dinner at what is called a taquería (basically the Spanish name for a taco shop). A young couple from the Branch bought us the dinner and spent some time with us. The food was wonderful, the company was pleasant, and my stomach was full to bursting. I was content. We got to a little bit of chit chatting and the conversation touched on food for a moment. Someone made a comment about things we like and don't like to eat, and they also observed that I was one that typically ate everything that was ever put in front of me nowadays (this person knows me very well....). I agreed and said, "Since my mission, I have decided to eat what I am given. No matter what. I don't want to be ungrateful or wasteful. The food people give me as a missionary out of their own free will is a gift and a privilege." I was of course saying this out of all seriousness.

But someone at the table decided to test me. I still don't know who... no one will fess up. But the next thing I know, I have a little bowl with two jalapeños in it sitting right in front of me. Everyone at the table is looking at me expectantly as if to say, "Well, you did say you would eat everything and anything if put in front of you. Let's see if you'll really walk the walk after you've talked the talk." I of course, am extremely impulsive when it comes to peer pressure and fun little dares and stuff like that. So this is a horrible combination, ladies and gentleman.

I down them both. At the same time. I chew them relentlessly for about 30 seconds.

"Meh. This isn't so bad....." (cue intense burning of torment and fire that will not stop rising for the next half hour).

Yeah. I really regret it. "That was not smart. Thaaaaaaat was not smart..." (Quote from "What About Bob?"). It was so flippin' hot that I hyperventilated a little bit. I lost feeling in my nose and fingertips. And the thing is, I KNEW that something to that effect was going to happen! I KNEW that I was not going to enjoy the consequences! I KNEW it was going to be excruciating, horrific, would-rather-have-shards-of-glass-in-my-eyes bad..... but I still did it. I was fully aware of the consequences and I still caved.

TIE IN TO THE GOSPEL TIME: We all know what is wrong and what is right. We all know that there are negative consequences to giving into temptation and sin. No matter how fancy you dress it up, a pig is still a pig, and sin is still sin. So WHY on Earth would we give into it? Because we are not perfect. But we always have the choice to not give into it in the first place. So today, that is my invitation to y'all. Next time something you know is wrong, impulsive, dumb, immature, sinful, prideful, or WHAT HAVE YOU THAT YOU KNOW YOU SHOULDN'T DO OR SAY comes your way, DON'T DO IT. You will only regret it. Learn from my stupidity people; I know I sure have.

There Ain't No Substitute for the Real Thing People

Y'all are gonna laugh at me.

Hard.

So when you're a missionary, you are supposed to keep your hair nice and clean cut. You're representing the Lord after all; look the part! So every so often this missionary starts needing a hair cut ( he likes his hair nice and short ). Usually he grabs a pair of electrical clippers from another missionary and cuts his own hair and has his companion trim the sides and back. It always works out great and looks even better.

This time was wayyyyyy different people. Typical hair cut time protocol. Except this time the only available clippers have only belonged to the other missionary for about..... ten hours. The guy bought them that very morning. Didn't read the instructions or actually know how to use them really. But I didn't know that. I just knew he had clippers and I needed a hair cut. So the day comes to an end and I ask him for a cut before bed. The clippers go bad about halfway through cuz he messed around with them too much. He had cut me at a 3 length and I originally wanted a 1. So what happens? Another missionary present remembers he has a set of clippers of his own that are smaller and reserved for little things like edging and beard trimming, but he has used them before on full heads. So he gets them. Puts the 1 setting on, takes a swipe.... "Whoa....."

WATTAYA MEAN WHOA?!

Hands me a mirror. My hair is essentially about as short as it comes without shaving it with a razor. Nothing wrong with that length right? WRONG. Way too short. But of course, there's no helping that little detail now! So we are forced to cut the rest of it the same length. (Sigh of reluctant acceptance)

Lesson to be learned? Nothing beats the real thing. And not just in haircuts. In everything. If we desire the best results, we should go straight to the source and get the best we can. Here's the tie in to the Gospel people: If we want the most out of our relationship with our Heavenly Father, we must go to Him. We must pray to Him, study and search His word, heed the counsel of His authorized servants, and follow His Way. That way we don't get the short end of the deal. Get it? Short end of the deal... tying extra short haircuts into the Gospel... yeah I think y'all get it.

NOTE: This post was originally written approximately 2 months ago.... as in September. But for some reason my blog didn't post it when I pressed submit, and I just didn't notice. So I am now posting it, today being November 19th.... Oh well. Why waste a good post, right? Enjoy the funny story.

Peace In Spite of Trials

Numbah 1: I apologize for not having blogged in a really long time. My bad. I know the excuse of "I've been busy" (albeit true) is a lame one, so I won't tell you that I've been busy.

Lemme just catch y'all up on a few things that have happened: I was transferred to Sonoma. My new companion is Elder Kent. I love it here. It has been a pleasure serving here so far. Wonderful people. Great experiences. Good news right? Agreed.

But in other news, I have to have surgery....

Again.

For those of you who don't know, back in April I had to have an emergency surgery to remove a staph infection from my chest. The infection was..... really bad. There really is no way to sugar coat it. I very nearly died. And since then, I have been "fine". No symptoms. No fevers. No throwing up. No body aches or chills. Zero indications of sickness like last time. But however, the wound that got infected hasn't been healing and continues to drain. Just peachy right? So I have to have corrective surgery to fix it and stop it. It's the only solution to take care of this problem. But other than that, I know pretty much nothing. I only know that my operation will be soon, that recuperation will take a couple of weeks, and that this is all I got to fix my health problems.

You must be wondering: How are you taking this? How are you feeling? Are you coping alright with this? Aren't you scared? What if this ends your mission because it's worse than you thought? How can you possibly go through surgery again while on your mission and keep going?

My answer to all of these questions and the myriad others that I am sure you are thinking and I know I have already asked myself is this: For some odd reason, I have no worries. I have no fear or doubts. I have the oddest sense of calm and serenity in regards to this whole situation. I know hardly anything that could be considered reassuring; on the contrary, everything that I know about this and what the possibilities are should be extremely disconcerting to me. And yet they aren't. Why?

Because I know without a doubt that my Father in Heaven is watching over me, just as He did the last time. Because I know without a doubt that I have a Savior who will be there no matter what happens.
Because I know without a doubt that no matter what happens, the Lord is in it.

This knowledge gives me peace and comfort in this time of obvious turmoil and trial. This knowledge keeps me going. It pushes me forward because I know that I will be taken care of no matter what as I exercise my faith and trust in God and His Son Jesus Christ. I know this to be true. And I invite you to ponder this as well. I'm sure you have trials in your life right now. Very possibly more daunting and frightening than my own (after all, my life isn't threatened or anything like that right now). And yet, in spite of such things, you can feel the serenity and calm that I feel. All you have to do is trust in your Father in Heaven. Pray to Him if you must. Ask for His help and support. Seek for refuge in His loving embrace. You will find it; just as I have. I testify of the reality of the relationship we have with our Father in Heaven. He loves us; we are His children. He is always there for us. Go to Him and His Son Jesus Christ. There is only peace and comfort in Them and Their Divine Help. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Tribute to Our Loved Ones

Every Monday I get to email my family. Other than two calls per year at Mother's Day and Christmas and handwritten letters every so often, it is the only communication we have for the two years that I am serving as a full-time missionary. Normally our weekly emails are full of great news: what wonderful things I am up to and what wonderful things they are up to.

This past week was different.

My momma informed me yesterday that our dog, Roxy, had to be put to sleep last Friday. I would be lying if I said that I didn't cry. Roxy was a part of me. She had been our beloved dog and family member for something like ten years. Maybe more. We always said that where other dogs might be the cutest, funnest, goofiest, or whatever dogs in the world, Roxy was definitely the sweetest. She had a heart of whatever on this Earth is of better quality than gold. She had this habit of walking up to you while you were sitting down on a chair or the couch and sitting down right in between your legs with her back to you and then looking back and up at you as if to say, "Well! Come on! Show me some love! I'm here aren't I?" She would sometimes be so keen on getting love from someone that she would sit on their feet or sit so close as to invade their personal space a little. But it didn't matter; EVERYONE loved her. It wasn't obnoxious, annoying, or frustrating. It was sweet, heart melting, and wonderful. I loved her like a member of my family, because that's what she was.

It's hard to think that she's gone. I didn't even get to say goodbye for reals. I hugged her the day I left on my mission, but at the time it was a "see-you-later" and not a "goodbye" hug. I was fully expecting to see her after a little time away. Now I can't. She has gone from this life. I remain. Without her. I feel kind of empty.

And then I remember the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. I remember what He did for us so that we could be with our families for eternity. I remember that with His sacrifice He made it possible to break the bands of death in order to reunite with our loved ones in the Resurrection. I remember that the pain and sorrow that I feel is swallowed up in the joy and comfort that comes with that knowledge. I remember that I will see Roxy (as well as all those whom I love that have gone from this life) again. I remember this, and I am filled up with Light and Hope and a spirit of gratitude. I am whole again. No longer empty.

The promises of the Atonement aren't extended solely to me my friends. They are extended to each and every one of us. I invite you to ponder your losses. Think on those that you have lost that you once loved and talked with and held in your arms. Now ponder the joy you will feel when you are reunited with them again because of what your Savior did. Ponder what it will be like to embrace them in His Light and Radiance on that wonderful day when He returns. I testify that it will happen, and that the Atonement is real. I testify that He lives, and made all of this possible. I do so in His Sacred Name. Amen.

See you soon Roxy. Love ya.

Waging War With Weeds Part 2: Warnings

So we know what we can learn from the good examples weeds can give us. Y'all must have thought that I was a little off when I wrote about all the GOOD things I think about weeds. Well now y'all can read about what y'all have been waiting for: all of the BAD things I have to say about weeds. I mentioned how much I hate them; how I hate that they always come creeping back into my life no matter how hard I try to eradicate them. I hate how they look and cut and slice when you touch them - they aren't very soft or inviting plants. I hate how they have this uncanny ability to grow in the most hard to mow places. I hate them. Period. So let me discuss the things that I have learned from them that are to be considered warnings.

NOTE: In this post, let us consider weeds as sins, temptations, vices, and addictions. Let us consider mowing comparable to the process of repentance.

Warning #1: Don't let them get out of hand. Eradicate and annihilate them as soon as you see them. Don't put things off. A little while ago, because of a busy day, I was unable to mow the lawn. The lawn was left un-mowed for an additional week. The day that I chose to skip mowing, I looked out to make sure it wasn't so bad that I was truly required to mow. I said to myself, "The lawn doesn't look so bad. There are only a few weeds growing around the edges. No worries. Next week I got it taken care of." How wrong I was. In that extra week more weeds grew than at any other time previous. When I returned for my routine mowing, the task was immensely daunting. I had let them go crazy on their own.
Now apply this principle to our sins. When we put off repenting of them, they grow out of hand almost without us noticing by the time we have "appointed" for our repentance process. They come back stronger than we thought. We underestimate them, and they threaten overrunning everything. They add up. We are left with the problem of all those sins and mistakes and errors to fix. Don't let that happen to YOU. When there is something in your life that needs repenting of, take care of it immediately.

Warning #2: Last post I mentioned how deeply they plant their roots and how that can be a desirable trait in our own lives. Conversely, it can be a bad thing. The roots of our sins and mistakes must be removed completely if we are to rid ourselves of the problem. Dig deep. Pull them out all the way and don't spare an inch, lest they grow back just as badly. Repent completely and fully so as to unburden yourself of all regret, shame, guilt, and fault. Why not be free? Why not be whole? Why not be liberated of your sins? Exactly. Dumb questions right? Then why don't we pull out the entire root sometimes? I say we should. Every time we repent we should do so fully and thereby enjoy the fullest measure of joy that comes from being healed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Warning #3: Keep trying, and rely on the Great Gardener. Keep cutting down the weeds. Keep repenting. True repentance is a daily process. Don't give up because it seems hard. Turn to your greatest source of help and strength in the face of so many weeds and sins. Turn to Christ. Let Him help you cut them down. Let Christ work through you in order to remove all of the weeds completely. It is only through Him that it is possible. We can't do it alone, and we can't stop trying. Never give up in the War on Weeds, because Christ never gave up on you.

So there you have it. A few Do's and Don't's, Good's and Bad's, that we can learn from weeds. All of it relevant to our spiritual well being. All of it meant to help us in our journey here on this Earth back to our Heavenly Father. I know these little lessons didn't pop into my head by accident. They have taught me so much and helped me immensely in the past couple of weeks. I understand so much more now about the repentance process, and enduring to the end faithfully. My thoughts have been turned to my Savior, and I am so grateful for that. I invite you to ponder these things, and to take them even further. If there is something spiritual you have learned from weeds lately, I invite you to apply it to your life. Turn to Christ. Turn to that Great Gardener who stands ready to receive you. Such is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Waging War With Weeds (That's a LOT of W's Isn't it?) Part 1

My last two posts have been a little serious. My mind was in a "serious" funk for a little while (not bad every so often). But right about now I feel like y'all need to get to know me a little better. Of course, I can't sit down and have a conversation with all of you at this time (much as I'd love to); so this post will have to do.

My topic for our one-sided discussion today is obvious. WEEDS. I hate them. I want them all to die. I've always wished that I had supahpowers (yes, I say it like that), and usually I want something cool like supah strength or flight. But recently all I've wanted is Weed Extermination Beams to come out of my eyes or Weed Killer Lightning to come out of my finger tips. Why? Lemme 'splain. No. Too much. Lemme sum up.

My missionary companion and I live with a lady named Georgia. She is a sweetheart. I love her to death. I would do anything for her. That's why I mow her lawn every Monday. Now, by way of information, I think over the past few weeks that I have been mowing her lawn I have become acquainted with every type of weed known to man. I make no joke here folks. Georgia's backyard might be the place where our Heavenly Father decided to start growing noxious weeds, thistles, briars, and thorns when He cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. And so, since having become so familiar with weeds, they have of course done their job impeccably well: they are back for another round every Monday no matter how well I have mowed and cut and whacked and sprayed the week previous. They also seem to have figured out how to weed their way into my brain and my thoughts. OBNOXIOUS RIGHT?!

Wrong. I have learned so much from these little buggers. Examples that they set in today's post. Warnings that they give in my next post. Tell your friends.

Example #1: Perseverance. No matter how much cutting down and pesticide spraying and mowing happens, they stand strong. They spring back up. They face adversity (and lawn mower blades) head on without so much as flinching. If we are to weather the weekly mowings of life, I think we should demonstrate such perseverance as well.

Example #2: They plant their roots deep. Have you ever tried to pull out those spindly weeds that are really thin and seem to spider all over the place and about every inch or so they clamp down to the ground? Once you get to the real root and not the little clamps you find, you gotta pull hard. The other day I pulled one that had a root the length of my forearm. That's long! So too must we plant our roots deep in the Gospel soil where our Father in Heaven desires to plant us, and there we will flourish.

Example #3: There is strength in numbers. They gather in groups of similar weeds. They wrap themselves around each other and mingle their roots and stems to forge a seemingly insurmountable wall of weedy-ness. There have been times when I look out at an especially large congregation of crabgrass and I think, "This is IMPOSSIBLE!" Likewise, how easy is it to withstand  tribulation when we surround ourselves with those who are equally uplifting, faithful, and dependent on the Gospel of Jesus Christ? One might say that the Adversary will look at us and say "This is IMPOSSIBLE!".

These are just a few of the many lessons I have learned from my longtime enemies, sometimes friends the Weeds. As I have pondered these things, I have been strengthened and lifted up by what they mean. I invite you to do the same. Persevere, plant your roots deep, surround yourself with those of similar belief and faith, and you shall prevail against the Lawn Mower of Life just as well as the weeds seem to do against me every week.

Bringing in the Light: A Remedy for the Overshadowed Soul Part 2

Okay. So last time I wrote about how it can be so easy for us to fill our hearts with Darkness. Satan has found a way to sneak in when we let our guards down or be stagnant in our progression. He has placed deceptive lures in our paths that we might mistakenly use as replacements for what we truly desire: God's presence. Satan does not want us to experience joy when we are close to God and filled with the Light of His Son Jesus Christ.  As I mentioned before, it can be a daunting task to have to be constantly striving to fill our "rooms" with Light when we have so much stacked against us. But as I said before, and as our Heavenly Father has promised us, there is cause for great hope. Jesus Christ is the foundation of that hope, and in the Doctrine & Covenants, He provides us with some things that we can do in this life to constantly be feeding ourselves with the Light that He is.

Now, the Doctrine & Covenants is a collection of the revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith in these modern times while he was restoring the Church of Jesus Christ according to the dictates of our Heavenly Father. The times in which Joseph Smith was receiving these revelations were difficult; persecution was raging and the forces of Darkness were assailing the fledgling Restord Gospel with all of their might. But! The Lord Himself stated 3 things that would lift us up, banish the Darkness, and bring in the Light (Jesus Christ) more fully into our lives and more importantly, our hearts. I call them the 3 L's: Look, Learn, Listen. The first is found in the first reference and the second and third are found in the second reference.

Doctrine & Covenants 6:36 - " Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."

Doctrine & Covenants 19:23 - " Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me."

Here is very simple language from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ telling us exactly how it is that we can fill ourselves - our hearts, minds, souls, and lives - with the Everlasting Light that He is. This process of Looking, Learning of, and Listening to our Savior has helped me so much throughout my own life. Whenever I feel Darkness threatening or creeping into my life, I can go through this process and come out on top. I can Look to my Savior and think of Him when in any moment; doubt and fear (a couple of Darkness' greatest tools to attack our ability to have Light in our lives) melt away and hope and faith replace them. Learning of my Savior from the Holy Scriptures, the Prophets, and through prayer has helped me to know what He would do in any given situation so that I can follow His example and use it to influence who I am and what I become as my life moves forward. And finally, Listening to Him and His words gives me the comfort, strength, and support that I need to continue doing what is right and keeping my life as close to His as I can. These three things - all from the Savior Himself as counsel to us in order to be able to constantly fill ourselves with Light and banish the Darkness - are true principles of eternal happiness and peace.

I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that He loves us, and desires nothing more for us than happiness, joy, peace, and most importantly to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father after this life. To help us on our way, He suffered and died for us and then rose the third day. I know that He lives. I know that we must fill our lives with His Light in order to fully overcome the Darkness that so often besets us in this mortal state. I know that if we choose Light over Darkness, if we Look, Learn, and Listen, we can and will return to our Heavenly Father. I know this with all of my heart. I invite you to do as I have done and feel His Light chase away the Darkness, no matter how overshadowed your soul may be. In His Sacred Name, even Jesus Christ. Amen.

Chasing Away Darkness: A Remedy for the Overshadowed Soul Part 1

Everyone in this life is missing something. We all have a hole, or as I like to call it a "void", to fill . Our souls and our hearts yearn for something that we don't have. There is a longing for and a calling out to that something. As taught to us in the scriptures, the thing that we are missing is the presence of our Heavenly Father. Because of the Fall of Adam we are cut off from His presence. We have been sent here to this probationary state in order to prove ourselves worthy of returning to God's presence. But not everyone knows this or understands this. Not everyone realizes that the puzzle piece that fits perfectly in the hole of their hearts is the presence of God; they go looking for something else to fill it in. They search the world over for that one thing that will ease the aching and the yearning. As I have observed this process in my own life and in the lives of many, many others, I have come to the conclusion that the things we as Children of God choose to fill that void with can be classified under two different categories: the first is Light, and the second is Darkness. We all have the ability to choose for ourselves at any and all times what we want to fill ourselves up with.

But here is the interesting thing: when we are complacent, lazy, neutral, or stagnant in our search for things to fill that void, darkness creeps in. The adversary fills those holes with the things of the dark - sadness, agony, loneliness, anger, bitterness. And then there are a myriad number of things in this world that the adversary places in our paths so that if we are earnestly seeking for something to fill our souls with, we might mistakenly take one of his deceptions. Things such as immorality, drugs, alcohol, inappropriate music, and other such distractions.

It's like a room in a house. This room has a single solitary lightbulb in it: God's presence. It is a lightbulb that if turned on by constantly feeding it with electricity, it will envelop the entire room in sweet, breathtaking, powerful Light. All shadows are chased away. The Darkness is banished. If we choose not to feed the Light with fuel or do anything at all in order to maintain that Light, the Darkness overcomes the room. And then, there are those things that Satan places in our path to pick up and bring into our lives because to us they seem like they will suffice in fueling that need. When we choose these things, we are effectively placing a cover over the Light. A cover so dark and heavy and impenatrable that the Light has no chance of escaping. And so the Darkness fills the room again. Only one of the two can exist in the room at the same time.

So it seems that the odds are stacked against us; whether we do something or do nothing, it seems that Darkness will always creep in! But THERE IS HOPE. The odds ARE NOT stacked against us. Our Heavenly Father did something to make sure of that. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to Atone for our sins. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to lead the way and provide a means for us to ALWAYS banish the Darkness with His Light so long as we follow Him and trust in Him. This Light and Gift that is Jesus Christ always satisfies our need. It always fills us up. It is more than enough to fill our hearts as we need it.

ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS USE IT. Find out how to do so in Part 2.