Dan had to give the 5th Sunday lesson in churh on Nov. 29. It just so happened that it was the day of our Homecoming and Farewell so I was home feeding a house full of people and didn't get to hear him. Danielle had helped him create a nice handout and develop his subject of developing strong families and marriages. She shared a scripture reference that she had pondered while on her misison found in the first verses of Mosiah 18:
1 And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship.
2 Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.
3 And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.
4 And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship, according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was good, and that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine; wherefore, they did humble themselves again before the Lord.
He made the connection that in raising our families we should not do it after the manner of men, but after the manner that the Lord has shown us. How do we get those blue prints of parenting? By following the words of the prophets and His word in His holy scriptures.
We are often asked how we have raised such great kids. I believe that the best answer I can give is that we have tried to raise them after the manner of God, not following the ways of the world. We are far from perfect, but we have a strong testimony that if we follow the commandments and promises of the Lord and his mouthpieces upon this latter-day earth, we will be blessed.
Some of our "secrets to raising great kids":
1. Hold daily family prayer
2. Read the scriptures daily as a family and individually
3. Hold regular Family Home Evening
4. Eat dinner as a family every night gathered around the table
5. Get all the education that you can
6. Exercise
7. Serve others
8. Learn from the mistakes of others so you don't have to go through the pain and suffering yourself
9. Go to church and worship every Sunday
10. Attend the temple often
11. Cherish your family roots and history
A few other things that we have done as parents that are different from the ways of men:
We do not have cable TV and watch very little TV (basically just the news occasionally).
We have never owned a gaming system for the TV.
We very seldom go out to the movies because we usually find questionable material.
If we watch movies at home, we do it as a family event.
So what do we do with our time instead? See numbers 1-11 above!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Consider on the blessed and happy...
I went for an early morning walk around my neighborhood and was pondering the fact that my daughter had just returned from a successful 18 month mission and that my son was preparing to depart on a two year mission and I felt extremely happy and blessed and tears rolled down my eyes. I kept thinking of the words of a scripture "Consider on the blessed and happy state". I couldn't recall how the rest of the scripture went, but I felt such peace as I considered how blessed and happy I was right then at that very moment! Life is good.
Later, I shared that thought with my family at family prayer time and and started to recite it and both Justin and Lindsey our returned missionaries piped right up and finished quoting the scripture and its reference:
Mosiah 2: 41
41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
I am grateful that my children have chosen to keep the commandments. I, in no way, feel so qualified but the blessings promised in this verse are amazing. It certainly makes me want to try a little harder to be a little better. Knowing what great joy that I feel in this moment it makes me desire to have the promised blessing to "dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness!"
Consider...
Later, I shared that thought with my family at family prayer time and and started to recite it and both Justin and Lindsey our returned missionaries piped right up and finished quoting the scripture and its reference:
Mosiah 2: 41
41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
I am grateful that my children have chosen to keep the commandments. I, in no way, feel so qualified but the blessings promised in this verse are amazing. It certainly makes me want to try a little harder to be a little better. Knowing what great joy that I feel in this moment it makes me desire to have the promised blessing to "dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness!"
Consider...
Monday, October 26, 2009
So Blessed
In church on Sunday, Dan was conducting in sacrament meeting and was announcing the upcoming ward temple night. He remarked that Dawson would be receiving his own endowment at the next ward temple night and that our daughter, Lindsey, will have just returned from her mission the day before and would be with us. As he said these words I became over come with emotion and gratitude for my family. So blessed to have one child returning and one preparing to serve the Lord! I teared up as I felt the Love of the Lord envelope me with gratitude and joy! Sydne Davies remarked to me later that day that she experienced that same feeling of happiness when Dan spoke those words. She has a daughter serving in Canada as well.
I had told someone that I was glad that we get one month off in December from paying our $400. mission payment. When I considered that later, I realized that it was a priveledge to have a missionary serving and that $400. monthy payment is a small price to pay for the blessings that come from having a missionary serving the Lord.
With Andrew planning a mission in the future (he is age 15), it is joy to parents to have all four children choose to serve the Lord as missionaries.
Danielle Washington DC North and temple visitor center
Lindsey Vancouver Canada
Dawson San Jose California Spanish speaking
Andrew ?
I had told someone that I was glad that we get one month off in December from paying our $400. mission payment. When I considered that later, I realized that it was a priveledge to have a missionary serving and that $400. monthy payment is a small price to pay for the blessings that come from having a missionary serving the Lord.
With Andrew planning a mission in the future (he is age 15), it is joy to parents to have all four children choose to serve the Lord as missionaries.
Danielle Washington DC North and temple visitor center
Lindsey Vancouver Canada
Dawson San Jose California Spanish speaking
Andrew ?
Monday, August 31, 2009
Apryl Flake Troyer Youth Missionary Story
Apryl,I did not know about your father's passing. Jim told me about your father's illness when we saw each other at Lois Wheeler's funeral, but I had no idea his time to cross the veil would come so soon. I sent your parents a Christmas card last December and your mother wrote back at that time. Please give her my love and best wishes next time you see her. I really thought a lot of your folks, and your father probably taught me as much or more of the gospel as anybody did, including the General Authorities who wrote books that I read.Tell Art I'm jealous that he gets to teach seminary full-time, but it's a good jealous and I'm glad for him.I plan to catch up more later, but for now I'll let you know our address:Ken & Martha Hurst1256 Norman DrLeeds, AL 35094(205) 699-3731We don't travel much, but if we're ever within half a day's drive of you, we'll certainly try to see you guys.Love and thanks,Ken H.---------- Original Message ----------From: Apryl Troyer <ateam8@yahoo.com>To: "kenwhurst@juno.com" <kenwhurst@juno.com>Subject: Re: New Era submissionDate: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:20:01 -0700 (PDT)Ken. . .that is really a neat story, I never knew your side of it. It was so good to hear from you and to learn life has treated you well. Good ole Northwest High wasn't one of my favorite memories but there were some cool things about it. Sounds like you have a neat family and an awesome testimony. I forgot where you said you were living now. We're in St. George Utah, Art teaches Seminary and loves it, I got a Real Estate license at a very bad time to start selling houses. All our crazy kids are grown and married, one of our sons is my Broker so that's kind of fun. My dad passed away in January this year and we have mom out here living next to the Temple where she serves. If you're ever in Utah come visit; winter is the best time, as it sure gets hot here in the summer. Thanks again for sharing your story. Take CareApryl________________________________From: "kenwhurst@juno.com" kenwhurst@juno.comTo: ateam8@yahoo.comSent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 5:59:35 PMSubject: New Era submissionDear Art & Apryl,Here is the text of what I sent to the New Era. (What they print is another matter, of course. I sent a page and a half to the Ensign once, and they accepted 2 hugely edited paragraphs of it.)I plan to send you guys a second e-mail in the near future to catch up on what's gone on since we last saw each other -- when was that? Was that the time we went to SLC together to see President Carter get an award from President Kimball? Gosh, that was 30 years ago!Ken HurstHere's the article text:An Example, An Invitation, and the Book of Mormon “So what do Mormons believe?” Dale asked Apryl. “Do you believe in the Bible?” “Yes,” Apryl answered, “we believe in the Bible and in the Book of Mormon.” What in the world, I wondered, was the Book of Mormon? This was during study hall my junior year of high school. Those of us who took driver's education together during the first semester stayed together at study hall the during same period the second semester. Apryl's family moved into our Tennessee community shortly after second semester began, and Apryl was assigned to our study hall. We driver's education alumni decided to sit at the same table she was sitting at, and quickly absorbed her into our group. There was something different about Apryl, and it was a good difference. We eventually discovered she was Mormon. When Dale asked about believing the Bible and Apryl answered about believing the Bible and the Book of Mormon, I was too shy to ask what the Book of Mormon was. I expected someone else in the group to ask for me, but no one did. A few days later Apryl brought a paperback copy of the Book of Mormon to school with her so that she could mark selected passages for the missionaries. “Wonderful!” I thought. “Now I'll get a chance to learn about this thing.” However, that was the moment a teacher approached me with an errand to to for him. By the time I returned, study hall had ended and lunch had begun. I got my lunch tray and sat down at a vacant table -- vacant except for Apryl's books in a small stack. On top of the stack was the missionary Book of Mormon. I reached over and picked it up. “I'm looking at your book,” I told Apryl when she arrived a few minutes later with her lunch tray. “Okay,” she said, looking a little surprised. School lunch periods are not very long, and I did not get to see much of what was inside the book. I did manage to read the section titled “Origin of the Book of Mormon,” which told of the visitation of the angel Moroni to Joseph Smith, and the translation of the gold Book of Mormon plates. I was fascinated. I believed in God, but I also I considered myself a science-oriented type of person, and I normally would not give much credence to modern angel tales. What I read, however, had a ring of truth to it. It really could have happened. And if it did, then – what? It stirred my soul to think about it. Lunch period ended all too soon. I returned Apryl's book to her and went to my next class. I was excited about the possibilities presented by the Book of Mormon's existence, but I was still too shy to talk to her about it. A few weeks later I was working on homework during study hall. Apryl suddenly appeared beside me, an unusually serious look on her face. “Are you really interested in learning about my religion?” she asked me. I was, and I told her so. “There's going to be a special meeting this Friday that's for people who want to learn about our church,” she said. “I'm taking some of my friends. My father's driving. I wondered if you might want to go.” The special meeting was a presentation by the president of the Kentucky-Tennessee Mission describing the basic teachings of the church. Some issues he raised, such as what happens to infants who die unbaptized, were things I had wondered about before. Others, such as eternal marriage, were completely new to me. All of what he said made seemed to make good sense. I began taking the missionary lessons. On the one hand, what I learned was easy to believe. The apostasy, the need for a restoration of the gospel, and the way the restoration was carried out were all logical. The doctrines felt true, and were consistent with my understanding of the Bible. On the other hand, I was not instantly converted. I was reluctant to make any commitments. It took weeks and months of pondering and study before I was ready to consider leaving my protestant heritage and officially joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It wasn't until after fasting and prayer that I received my testimony and was baptized into the church. Since that time I have served a mission, married in the temple, and served in a variety of callings. For years I have told people that I was brought into the church by a member who was both a good example and who also had the courage to open her mouth and invite me to church. But I see now that there was a third factor: the Book of Mormon. Would I have accepted Apryl's invitation had I not peeked inside her Book of Mormon? I don't know. What I do know is that the story of its divine origin made me want to know if it was really true. When the Lord confirmed the truthfulness of it to me, I knew that I could trust what was written in the Book of Mormon to be the words of the Lord every bit as much as the words in the Bible were, and that they would show me all things that I should do (see 2 Nephi 32:3.) My life is very different from what it would have been had I not embraced the restored gospel, and it's a good difference.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
School of Life
The School of Life: Learn to school your toughtest opponent.
I have been using this program in my teacher adisory class at Millcreek High School for several years. It is great, simple advice for all ages. Attached is a news clip about the program featuring myself and several of my colleages commenting abaout the program.
http://www.kcsg.com/news/local/35781284.html?video=YHI&t=a
I have been using this program in my teacher adisory class at Millcreek High School for several years. It is great, simple advice for all ages. Attached is a news clip about the program featuring myself and several of my colleages commenting abaout the program.
http://www.kcsg.com/news/local/35781284.html?video=YHI&t=a
Monday, August 17, 2009
Tender Mercies from the Lord
I just received this email from a former student that I had taught last year. I had filled out a referral card with her name on it and given it to the sister missionaries that I had been working with earlier this summer. The timing turned out to be just right as I had forgotten to give it to them a few times. The Lord knows and loves Jamie and her young son Raymond. As I read this email to my family, I choked up and was overcome with the love and tender mercy of the Lord.
hey mys flake its me jamie brinkerhoff.
you might want to sit down for this cause i have some wierd news to tell u that u might be shocked about.
well i got a call from the st george temple 2nite (june 25, 2009) they called and told me u went there and that u thought about me the whole time u were there. well this might sound wierd to you but tuesday night (june 23, 2009) i talked to my parents about wanting to go back to church and going through the temple. so thanx for telling them to call me and getting me signed up for the missionaries. it means alot to me that u did that so thanx. i think this can help me reach my goal.sincerely jamie brinkerhoff :) thanx again love ya
hey mys flake its me jamie brinkerhoff.
you might want to sit down for this cause i have some wierd news to tell u that u might be shocked about.
well i got a call from the st george temple 2nite (june 25, 2009) they called and told me u went there and that u thought about me the whole time u were there. well this might sound wierd to you but tuesday night (june 23, 2009) i talked to my parents about wanting to go back to church and going through the temple. so thanx for telling them to call me and getting me signed up for the missionaries. it means alot to me that u did that so thanx. i think this can help me reach my goal.sincerely jamie brinkerhoff :) thanx again love ya
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
On Becoming a Mother for the First Time
As I anticipate the birth of my first grandchild, I reflect on my experience of giving birth to Danielle on March 28, 1984. (Dan and I were married on July 28, 1982. I was 21 years old when I got married and 23 years old at the time of her birth. This worked well for us.) The following is what I recorded in my journal after her birth.
“What a beautiful baby! Boy, you sure had a lot of hair, real dark. I kind of knew from the start, that you would be a girl. I even bought your blessing dress before you were born. (Ultra sounds were not common then.)
The day we’d been anticipating for so long, finally arrived. I had a real easy pregnancy—a few bad headaches and a little nausea but nothing compared to a lot of women. I didn’t get real big and people always commented about that. You were a real mover. I told people you’d be a good dancer. I loved it.
When you were born, it was hard to imagine that you had actually been what had been making me fat. How did you ever survive in there and that exhilarating delivery?
No words can describe a mother’s feelings when she gives birth to a living child. It is so special. I feel excited for the next one.
I tried to nurse you for a month, but you weren’t gaining weight like you should have, so we put you on formula. You were a very good baby. You didn’t sleep through the night very good, but Daddy was always really good to take turns getting up with you. We are always so proud of you. I like to take you with me just because I can show you off. I am so glad that you are really pretty. I guess parents always worry about that!”
I’ll try and find what I wrote after each of the other children was born…Good luck Steve and Danielle. You will be great parents!
“What a beautiful baby! Boy, you sure had a lot of hair, real dark. I kind of knew from the start, that you would be a girl. I even bought your blessing dress before you were born. (Ultra sounds were not common then.)
The day we’d been anticipating for so long, finally arrived. I had a real easy pregnancy—a few bad headaches and a little nausea but nothing compared to a lot of women. I didn’t get real big and people always commented about that. You were a real mover. I told people you’d be a good dancer. I loved it.
When you were born, it was hard to imagine that you had actually been what had been making me fat. How did you ever survive in there and that exhilarating delivery?
No words can describe a mother’s feelings when she gives birth to a living child. It is so special. I feel excited for the next one.
I tried to nurse you for a month, but you weren’t gaining weight like you should have, so we put you on formula. You were a very good baby. You didn’t sleep through the night very good, but Daddy was always really good to take turns getting up with you. We are always so proud of you. I like to take you with me just because I can show you off. I am so glad that you are really pretty. I guess parents always worry about that!”
I’ll try and find what I wrote after each of the other children was born…Good luck Steve and Danielle. You will be great parents!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Remember Gratitude
January 27, 2008
Offering Gratitude
O Remember, Remember by President Henry B. Eyring
Today’s fourth Sunday Conference talk was given by Cindy Thompson. It was the first talk given by Pres. Eyring after he was named a counselor in the first presidency.
He tells of how he was told in his mind—not in his own voice—these words: “I’m not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down.”
He says, “I went inside. I took out some paper and began to write. And as I did, I understood the message I had heard in my mind. I was supposed to record for my children to read, someday in the future, how I had seen the hand of God blessing our family. And so I wrote it down, so that my children could have the memory someday when they would need it. I wrote down a few lines every day for years. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.
More than gratitude began to grow in my heart.
Testimony grew
I felt more gratitude for the atonement of the Savior
I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance
Cindy Thompson commented that you have to learn to ponder and that it’s fun. Pres. Eyring concludes that it can change our natures as we keep our part of the promise from the Sacrament prayer to always remember Him, keep His commandments and take His name upon us. He says that “it brings me joy to remember Him!” I agree…
I shared a special experience that I had this week in Maui. It is three hours later in Hawaii so I woke early every morning, because I was used to waking up at 6:00 am which was really like 9:00 am and sleeping in there. I would go down to the beach in front of our Condo and walk along the beach to exercise and enjoy the beauty. Some days, Dan and or the children would come along, but on this day, I was alone. I had walked out on the street a few blocks and then was drawn to the beautiful ocean. I took off my walking shoes and enjoyed the feel of the sand in between my toes as I walked along the beach.
I paused and reflected on the beauty of the masterpiece painting before me as I watched the moon set and the reflection of the sun rising to the East. The clouds on the horizon looked like cotton candy with their hues of soft pink and violet against the soft blue sky.
I was overcome with gratitude for the beautiful sight before me. As I stood there, I closed my eyes and said my morning prayer, giving thanks for the beauty of the world.
When I opened my eyes, I was delighted and surprised to see a see lion (sea monk) just a few feet straight ahead of me in the shallow ocean waves having his morning bath. He frolicked in front of me for several minutes, enjoying the beautiful morning with me before swimming back into the sea. The thought ran through my mind that Heavenly Father had heard and acknowledged my prayer of gratitude and simply wanted to send me another moment of pleasure to let me know that he was happy that I enjoyed his beautiful creations.
Because of Pres. Eyring’s talk and Sis. Thompson’s lesson, I’ll record this memory for future reflection.
Offering Gratitude
O Remember, Remember by President Henry B. Eyring
Today’s fourth Sunday Conference talk was given by Cindy Thompson. It was the first talk given by Pres. Eyring after he was named a counselor in the first presidency.
He tells of how he was told in his mind—not in his own voice—these words: “I’m not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down.”
He says, “I went inside. I took out some paper and began to write. And as I did, I understood the message I had heard in my mind. I was supposed to record for my children to read, someday in the future, how I had seen the hand of God blessing our family. And so I wrote it down, so that my children could have the memory someday when they would need it. I wrote down a few lines every day for years. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.
More than gratitude began to grow in my heart.
Testimony grew
I felt more gratitude for the atonement of the Savior
I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance
Cindy Thompson commented that you have to learn to ponder and that it’s fun. Pres. Eyring concludes that it can change our natures as we keep our part of the promise from the Sacrament prayer to always remember Him, keep His commandments and take His name upon us. He says that “it brings me joy to remember Him!” I agree…
I shared a special experience that I had this week in Maui. It is three hours later in Hawaii so I woke early every morning, because I was used to waking up at 6:00 am which was really like 9:00 am and sleeping in there. I would go down to the beach in front of our Condo and walk along the beach to exercise and enjoy the beauty. Some days, Dan and or the children would come along, but on this day, I was alone. I had walked out on the street a few blocks and then was drawn to the beautiful ocean. I took off my walking shoes and enjoyed the feel of the sand in between my toes as I walked along the beach.
I paused and reflected on the beauty of the masterpiece painting before me as I watched the moon set and the reflection of the sun rising to the East. The clouds on the horizon looked like cotton candy with their hues of soft pink and violet against the soft blue sky.
I was overcome with gratitude for the beautiful sight before me. As I stood there, I closed my eyes and said my morning prayer, giving thanks for the beauty of the world.
When I opened my eyes, I was delighted and surprised to see a see lion (sea monk) just a few feet straight ahead of me in the shallow ocean waves having his morning bath. He frolicked in front of me for several minutes, enjoying the beautiful morning with me before swimming back into the sea. The thought ran through my mind that Heavenly Father had heard and acknowledged my prayer of gratitude and simply wanted to send me another moment of pleasure to let me know that he was happy that I enjoyed his beautiful creations.
Because of Pres. Eyring’s talk and Sis. Thompson’s lesson, I’ll record this memory for future reflection.
Please View the following link:
Service
Dan has been in the Bishopric of the Little Valley II ward for two months now. As he has had increased opportunities to speak publicly, I am hearing new stories from his life that I have never heard before. When asked to speak about service, he told the story of when he went to work on the Stake Beehive Farm in the Nashville stake as a youth. They had run out of protective clothing but he still wanted to help, so he buttoned up the cuffs and neck of his collared shirt, put a net over his face and went forth to help retrieve the honey from the busy honey bees.
Suddenly he felt and heard a bee frantically buzzing and stinging under the back of his shirt. Instinctively he panicked and tried to free the venomous bee from underneath his shirt. He bent over and grabbed the tails of his shirt and ripped if off his head to avoid further stings from the attacking bee as he ran from the hives toward freedom. What was left when he got far enough away and could no longer hear the buzzing of furious bees were just the tightly secured cuffs from his shirt and a few bee stings!
The moral of this story is make sure that you are prepared with the “whole armor of God” when facing a hive of bees and more importantly it is to always be willing to serve when asked and do so willing and make it fun. We have enjoyed being able to spend many hours thinning and picking peaches and apricots at the Hurricane church fruit farm and helping at the local cannery. We make a game of the situation, enjoy in lively conversation and make new friends as we enjoy the blessings of service. You can throw a few hard unripe apricots at an unsuspecting coworker or share lives experiences as you work side by side and help the hours pass far too quickly. So what if you have to arise before dawn on a Saturday morning or don a hairnet and gloves in high fashion. Service always brings more blessings than the sacrifice offered.
Suddenly he felt and heard a bee frantically buzzing and stinging under the back of his shirt. Instinctively he panicked and tried to free the venomous bee from underneath his shirt. He bent over and grabbed the tails of his shirt and ripped if off his head to avoid further stings from the attacking bee as he ran from the hives toward freedom. What was left when he got far enough away and could no longer hear the buzzing of furious bees were just the tightly secured cuffs from his shirt and a few bee stings!
The moral of this story is make sure that you are prepared with the “whole armor of God” when facing a hive of bees and more importantly it is to always be willing to serve when asked and do so willing and make it fun. We have enjoyed being able to spend many hours thinning and picking peaches and apricots at the Hurricane church fruit farm and helping at the local cannery. We make a game of the situation, enjoy in lively conversation and make new friends as we enjoy the blessings of service. You can throw a few hard unripe apricots at an unsuspecting coworker or share lives experiences as you work side by side and help the hours pass far too quickly. So what if you have to arise before dawn on a Saturday morning or don a hairnet and gloves in high fashion. Service always brings more blessings than the sacrifice offered.
Don't Give Up What You Want Most, for What You Want Now!
I first found this thought on a sign hanging in my room at the old Millcreek High School in Washington when I first started teaching there. It became my motto as a teacher to share with my students the secret of how to find success and make it to the finish line of high school graduation. It hangs in my current classroom and on the bulletin board in my son’s room.
When asked by a classmate if you want to sluff next period and go get breakfast, think about what you want most. Is getting a sluff and a potential No Grade taking you closer to your goal of graduation? If it is not, be tuff and say no, let’s wait for the lunch break and then go.
When the alarm goes off in the morning and you haven’t had much sleep, overrule the idea of turning off the alarm and going back to sleep with the notion that going to school is going to get you closer to your dream.
When you are tempted to drop out of college and take a job that pays pretty decent money, DON’T! Think of the 40 plus years that you are going to spend in the workforce and increase in salary that you will get if you have a degree on your resume! Put off the temptation to give up and go for the diploma!
When you want to give into satisfying that sweet tooth and indulge in massive calorie intake while dieting, don’t! Remember what you want most is to fit into that summer swimming suit without feeling uncomfortable.
When you are dating that someone special and are tempted to become a little too intimate, Don’t! Remember that goal of being sealed for all time and eternity in the House of the Lord will bring far greater pleasure and happiness.
Remember what you want most and don’t give in to the short term pleasure! The long term goal is worth waiting for.
When asked by a classmate if you want to sluff next period and go get breakfast, think about what you want most. Is getting a sluff and a potential No Grade taking you closer to your goal of graduation? If it is not, be tuff and say no, let’s wait for the lunch break and then go.
When the alarm goes off in the morning and you haven’t had much sleep, overrule the idea of turning off the alarm and going back to sleep with the notion that going to school is going to get you closer to your dream.
When you are tempted to drop out of college and take a job that pays pretty decent money, DON’T! Think of the 40 plus years that you are going to spend in the workforce and increase in salary that you will get if you have a degree on your resume! Put off the temptation to give up and go for the diploma!
When you want to give into satisfying that sweet tooth and indulge in massive calorie intake while dieting, don’t! Remember what you want most is to fit into that summer swimming suit without feeling uncomfortable.
When you are dating that someone special and are tempted to become a little too intimate, Don’t! Remember that goal of being sealed for all time and eternity in the House of the Lord will bring far greater pleasure and happiness.
Remember what you want most and don’t give in to the short term pleasure! The long term goal is worth waiting for.
Take Time to Live Your Life
Probably no other complaint is voiced more often than not having enough time.
“I don’t have time to pursue my dreams or to even know what my dreams are. I don’t have time for me, for my family and friends. Basically, I don’t have time to live my life.”
Passion is the ultimate time management tool for two reasons. First, when you are doing what you love, who cares about time? When you are with someone special, or listening to a great piece of music, or painting or volunteering, doesn’t time just fly by? Second, when you are doing what you love it often gets done faster.
The way we spend our time is the way we spend our lives. Can you slow down enough to get “in synch” with life, nature, and most importantly, yourself? Tune in to your rhythm and natural pulse. Take off your watch and give yourself a day off. Eat when you’re hungry and sleep when you’re tired so you can discover who you are, what you need and what works best for you.
Make a date with yourself, every day if possible. Even if for only a half hour, carving out time for you is a great act of generosity. Your work can usually wait a half hour, but your soul can’t.
Whether we like it or not, the clock keeps ticking so live fully, every single second of every single day. Learn the true joy of doing less and having more as you experience each day as priceless. Fill your life with as many precious moments and experiences of joy and passion as you humanly can.
(An excerpt from Dreams Are Whispers from the Soul)
“I don’t have time to pursue my dreams or to even know what my dreams are. I don’t have time for me, for my family and friends. Basically, I don’t have time to live my life.”
Passion is the ultimate time management tool for two reasons. First, when you are doing what you love, who cares about time? When you are with someone special, or listening to a great piece of music, or painting or volunteering, doesn’t time just fly by? Second, when you are doing what you love it often gets done faster.
The way we spend our time is the way we spend our lives. Can you slow down enough to get “in synch” with life, nature, and most importantly, yourself? Tune in to your rhythm and natural pulse. Take off your watch and give yourself a day off. Eat when you’re hungry and sleep when you’re tired so you can discover who you are, what you need and what works best for you.
Make a date with yourself, every day if possible. Even if for only a half hour, carving out time for you is a great act of generosity. Your work can usually wait a half hour, but your soul can’t.
Whether we like it or not, the clock keeps ticking so live fully, every single second of every single day. Learn the true joy of doing less and having more as you experience each day as priceless. Fill your life with as many precious moments and experiences of joy and passion as you humanly can.
(An excerpt from Dreams Are Whispers from the Soul)
Lesson from The Can Lady
When I was in high school there wasn’t that much to do for excitement if you didn’t drink, get high, or break the law. I’m talking living on the edge excitement. Well, one thing that we found to do, I am not very proud of. In the Logan area in 1977-79 ish, there was a homeless lady that everyone called ‘the can lady.’ You would see her around the area with a big sack that she used to collect cans in. I’m sure that she turned these in to the recycling place for cash so she could have a little money to sustain herself with.
Well, on nights when we were bored with dragging main and wanted to do something else exciting, we would go in search of ‘the can lady’ and try to sneak up close to her and snap a picture of her. It is not like we thought that she might hurt us, it was just the adrenaline rush of getting into someone’s private space and stealing a picture.
She could usually be found in a park or public street looking for those inestimable cans. We’d take our little Kodak 110 $20.00 cameras and proceed with our investigative photography. We’d sneak close, snap a picture and then take off. We found that when we got close to her and saw her face that she resembled a deer. Obviously she had been in some kind of an accident and had somehow had her face deformed by fire or other life changing event. She always wore a scarf around her head so it was very difficult to see her deformed face. Thus the excitement of the mission.
We probably had five or six successful missions over a two year time frame. This was just a random Friday or Saturday night past time. On one particular evening, my view of the ‘can lady’ changed as I snuck up close on my prey, secured my picture, and proceeded to make my departure. It was when I was close enough to catch the view of a small watery glimmer running down her face, below her eye, that I realized that she had a tear on her face. She was a human being, not an animal to be stalked! Here I was a Young Woman of Excellence who Stands for Truth and Righteousness, a Child of God; torturing another of our Heavenly Father’s creations. I took a giant step backward! I was slapped in the face with my unkindly acts. How could I be so demeaning and cruel?
I ran back to the waiting getaway car, reported my findings and immediately felt repentant. How could I possibly make up for my actions? My only thought for the moment was to go and give her something and ask for forgiveness. I took the few dollars that I had for my late night slurpee run and took the long, uneasy walk back to my fellow ‘sister’, the can lady. I spoke to her back and told her that I was sorry and dropped my small token of penance and left a changed person, never to harass a less fortunate person again.
Last night I attended the movie “The Soloist.” It is the true story of a homeless man in downtown LA. He was a gifted musician who happened to be plagued with mental illness. The movie was very powerful and again reminded me that all these people are children of God.
The lesson to be learned is to never judge another human being. Reach out with a lifting hand to all. Yes, they may take your small donation and go buy liquor or they may be able to buy a hot sandwich off the value menu and receive a small sustenance that will help them face another lonely day.
Well, on nights when we were bored with dragging main and wanted to do something else exciting, we would go in search of ‘the can lady’ and try to sneak up close to her and snap a picture of her. It is not like we thought that she might hurt us, it was just the adrenaline rush of getting into someone’s private space and stealing a picture.
She could usually be found in a park or public street looking for those inestimable cans. We’d take our little Kodak 110 $20.00 cameras and proceed with our investigative photography. We’d sneak close, snap a picture and then take off. We found that when we got close to her and saw her face that she resembled a deer. Obviously she had been in some kind of an accident and had somehow had her face deformed by fire or other life changing event. She always wore a scarf around her head so it was very difficult to see her deformed face. Thus the excitement of the mission.
We probably had five or six successful missions over a two year time frame. This was just a random Friday or Saturday night past time. On one particular evening, my view of the ‘can lady’ changed as I snuck up close on my prey, secured my picture, and proceeded to make my departure. It was when I was close enough to catch the view of a small watery glimmer running down her face, below her eye, that I realized that she had a tear on her face. She was a human being, not an animal to be stalked! Here I was a Young Woman of Excellence who Stands for Truth and Righteousness, a Child of God; torturing another of our Heavenly Father’s creations. I took a giant step backward! I was slapped in the face with my unkindly acts. How could I be so demeaning and cruel?
I ran back to the waiting getaway car, reported my findings and immediately felt repentant. How could I possibly make up for my actions? My only thought for the moment was to go and give her something and ask for forgiveness. I took the few dollars that I had for my late night slurpee run and took the long, uneasy walk back to my fellow ‘sister’, the can lady. I spoke to her back and told her that I was sorry and dropped my small token of penance and left a changed person, never to harass a less fortunate person again.
Last night I attended the movie “The Soloist.” It is the true story of a homeless man in downtown LA. He was a gifted musician who happened to be plagued with mental illness. The movie was very powerful and again reminded me that all these people are children of God.
The lesson to be learned is to never judge another human being. Reach out with a lifting hand to all. Yes, they may take your small donation and go buy liquor or they may be able to buy a hot sandwich off the value menu and receive a small sustenance that will help them face another lonely day.
A Mission Changes Your Perception of Yourself
One thing I remember about my mission was how it gave me a perspective on myself. You can learn a lot from other missionaries that you can try to incorporate in your life to help you improve. Quite often you can see others mistakes and avoid making them yourself. It helps to make you a better missionary and prepares you for your future life. It will help you to make good decisions in the future that will lead you to achieve your goals. A lot of growth comes from the experiences of your mission.
The most valuable lessons often come at a high price. Sometimes you have to be very patient to learn patience, or you may have to be very humbled to learn humility. Many of the great attributes that we know the Savior has must be experienced to become your strength as well. A mission is a great controlled environment to give you these opportunities for growth that will define you for the rest of your life. You may never get this kind of training again. It’s like a one on one training relationship with the Savior in an environment where he can give you the most attention.
It’s like in the movie Karate Kid where Daniel is painting Mr. Miyagi’s fences and sanding his decks and washing his car so that he can learn Karate from the Master Miyagi. All the time he is doing this waiting for Mr. Miyagi’s great lessons, he doesn’t realize he is already being taught. While you are experiencing some really great lessons and also some trying lessons you are being prepared for the even greater lessons that are to come in an environment that the Savior can best teach you in. You are in his loving care, and he is very mindful of you and how he is preparing you for many great things to come. You will learn so much.
Enjoy your training as you learn from the greatest master teacher you can have while in the exact place he wants you to be doing exactly what he wants you to do. I love you and know that some of the lessons you learn are difficult, but I have confidence in you and I know how tough you are. YOU WILL BE GREAT.
Love, Dad
(Dan’s advice to Lindsey while serving in the Vancouver, BC, Canada Mission, 2008)
The most valuable lessons often come at a high price. Sometimes you have to be very patient to learn patience, or you may have to be very humbled to learn humility. Many of the great attributes that we know the Savior has must be experienced to become your strength as well. A mission is a great controlled environment to give you these opportunities for growth that will define you for the rest of your life. You may never get this kind of training again. It’s like a one on one training relationship with the Savior in an environment where he can give you the most attention.
It’s like in the movie Karate Kid where Daniel is painting Mr. Miyagi’s fences and sanding his decks and washing his car so that he can learn Karate from the Master Miyagi. All the time he is doing this waiting for Mr. Miyagi’s great lessons, he doesn’t realize he is already being taught. While you are experiencing some really great lessons and also some trying lessons you are being prepared for the even greater lessons that are to come in an environment that the Savior can best teach you in. You are in his loving care, and he is very mindful of you and how he is preparing you for many great things to come. You will learn so much.
Enjoy your training as you learn from the greatest master teacher you can have while in the exact place he wants you to be doing exactly what he wants you to do. I love you and know that some of the lessons you learn are difficult, but I have confidence in you and I know how tough you are. YOU WILL BE GREAT.
Love, Dad
(Dan’s advice to Lindsey while serving in the Vancouver, BC, Canada Mission, 2008)
To a Child, Love is Spelled T-I-M-E
In the faint light of the attic, an old man, tall and stooped, bent his great frame and made his way to a stack of boxes that sat near one of the little half-windows. Brushing aside a wisp of cobwebs, he tilted the top box toward the light and began to carefully lift out one old photograph album after another. Eyes once bright but now dim searched longingly for the source that had drawn him here.
It began with the fond recollection of the love of his life, long gone, and somewhere in these albums was a photo of her he hoped to rediscover. Silent as a mouse, he patiently opened the long buried treasures and soon was lost in a sea of memories. Although his world had not stopped spinning when his wife left it, the past was more alive in his heart than his present aloneness.
Setting aside one of the dusty albums, he pulled from the box what appeared to be a journal from his grown son's childhood. He could not recall ever having seen it before, or that his son had ever kept a journal. Why did Elizabeth always save the children's old junk? he wondered, shaking his white head.
Opening the yellowed pages, he glanced over a short reading, and his lips curved in an unconscious smile. Even his eyes brightened as he read the words that spoke clear and sweet to his soul. It was the voice of the little boy who had grown up far too fast in this very house, and whose voice had grown fainter and fainter over the years. In the utter silence of the attic, the words of a guileless six-year-old worked their magic and carried the old man back to a time almost totally forgotten.
Entry after entry stirred a sentimental hunger in his heart like the longing a gardener feels in the winter for the fragrance of spring flowers. But it was accompanied by the painful memory that his son's simple recollections of those days were far different from his own. But how different?
Reminded that he had kept a daily journal of his business activities over the years, he closed his son's journal and turned to leave, having forgotten the cherished photo that originally triggered his search. Hunched over to keep from bumping his head on the rafters, the old man stepped to the wooden stairway and made his descent, then headed down a carpeted stairway that led to the den.
Opening a glass cabinet door, he reached in and pulled out an old business journal. Turning, he sat down at his desk and placed the two journals beside each other. His was leather-bound and engraved neatly with his name in gold, while his son's was tattered and the name "Jimmy" had been nearly scuffed from its surface. He ran a long skinny finger over the letters, as though he could restore what had been worn away with time and use.
As he opened his journal, the old man's eyes fell upon an inscription that stood out because it was so brief in comparison to other days. In his own neat handwriting were these words:
Wasted the whole day fishing with Jimmy. Didn't catch a thing.
With a deep sigh and a shaking hand, he took Jimmy's journal and found the boy's entry for the same day, June 4. Large scrawling letters, pressed deeply into the paper, read:
Went fishing with my dad. Best day of my life.
It began with the fond recollection of the love of his life, long gone, and somewhere in these albums was a photo of her he hoped to rediscover. Silent as a mouse, he patiently opened the long buried treasures and soon was lost in a sea of memories. Although his world had not stopped spinning when his wife left it, the past was more alive in his heart than his present aloneness.
Setting aside one of the dusty albums, he pulled from the box what appeared to be a journal from his grown son's childhood. He could not recall ever having seen it before, or that his son had ever kept a journal. Why did Elizabeth always save the children's old junk? he wondered, shaking his white head.
Opening the yellowed pages, he glanced over a short reading, and his lips curved in an unconscious smile. Even his eyes brightened as he read the words that spoke clear and sweet to his soul. It was the voice of the little boy who had grown up far too fast in this very house, and whose voice had grown fainter and fainter over the years. In the utter silence of the attic, the words of a guileless six-year-old worked their magic and carried the old man back to a time almost totally forgotten.
Entry after entry stirred a sentimental hunger in his heart like the longing a gardener feels in the winter for the fragrance of spring flowers. But it was accompanied by the painful memory that his son's simple recollections of those days were far different from his own. But how different?
Reminded that he had kept a daily journal of his business activities over the years, he closed his son's journal and turned to leave, having forgotten the cherished photo that originally triggered his search. Hunched over to keep from bumping his head on the rafters, the old man stepped to the wooden stairway and made his descent, then headed down a carpeted stairway that led to the den.
Opening a glass cabinet door, he reached in and pulled out an old business journal. Turning, he sat down at his desk and placed the two journals beside each other. His was leather-bound and engraved neatly with his name in gold, while his son's was tattered and the name "Jimmy" had been nearly scuffed from its surface. He ran a long skinny finger over the letters, as though he could restore what had been worn away with time and use.
As he opened his journal, the old man's eyes fell upon an inscription that stood out because it was so brief in comparison to other days. In his own neat handwriting were these words:
Wasted the whole day fishing with Jimmy. Didn't catch a thing.
With a deep sigh and a shaking hand, he took Jimmy's journal and found the boy's entry for the same day, June 4. Large scrawling letters, pressed deeply into the paper, read:
Went fishing with my dad. Best day of my life.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Life's Little Annoyances Can be Great Blessings
Christmas just passed and the new year is almost here. I hope nobody stressed too much and that you are all relaxed from celebrating this most beautiful, wondrous time of the year. And that you are ready to welcome 2007 with all of its promises. If you're the teeniest bit stressed, I'd like you to stop for a few minutes and contemplate the points in the following message that one of my daughters received from her mother in law who'd received it from someone else. The original sender has been lost on the electron highway.
"The head of a company survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten. Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts. A woman was late for work at the twin towers because her alarm clock didn't go off on time. One person was late because an auto accident closed the New Jersey Turnpike. Another missed his bus.
"One spilled food on her clothes and took time to change. Another's car wouldn't start.
"Another went back to answer the telephone. One couldn't get a taxi, another had a child that dawdled.
"One man put on a new pair of shoes which gave him blisters, so before he arrived for work at the Pentagon, he stopped to buy a Band-Aid.
"Now, when I'm stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephone, all the little things that annoy me, I think to myself, 'this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment.'
"The next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow at getting dressed, you can't find the car keys, you hit every red light, don't get mad or frustrated; God is at work watching over you. May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things and may you remember their possible purpose."
I think this message about the little annoyances in our lives, especially as we begin a new year, should remind us that our reactions to whatever happens to us are the key to feeling God's love.
"The head of a company survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten. Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts. A woman was late for work at the twin towers because her alarm clock didn't go off on time. One person was late because an auto accident closed the New Jersey Turnpike. Another missed his bus.
"One spilled food on her clothes and took time to change. Another's car wouldn't start.
"Another went back to answer the telephone. One couldn't get a taxi, another had a child that dawdled.
"One man put on a new pair of shoes which gave him blisters, so before he arrived for work at the Pentagon, he stopped to buy a Band-Aid.
"Now, when I'm stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephone, all the little things that annoy me, I think to myself, 'this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment.'
"The next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow at getting dressed, you can't find the car keys, you hit every red light, don't get mad or frustrated; God is at work watching over you. May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things and may you remember their possible purpose."
I think this message about the little annoyances in our lives, especially as we begin a new year, should remind us that our reactions to whatever happens to us are the key to feeling God's love.
Friday, May 1, 2009
The Meaning of Life
Everyone needs to have meaning in life—a reason to get out of bed. As a generally optimistic person this comes fairly easy to me. But the times that I feel that I have no meaning or purpose, I get a small glimmer of what it is like to be depressed and otherwise in wonder of what the meaning of life is.
I have just completed reading Viktor E. Frankl’s book, “Man’s Search for Meaning”. I have wanted to read it for years after hearing it quoted from on many occasions. I finally bought it while killing time at the UVSC bookstore while waiting around for Lindsey’s Miss UVSC practice. It was a great bargain for $6.99.
Viktor tells the story of his experience while in the concentration camps during the Holocaust. As a psychotherapist he states that “it is a peculiarity of man that he can only live by looking to the future. And this is his salvation in the most difficult moments of his existence, although he sometimes has to force his mind to the task”.
He also quotes Nietzsche, “He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how. This could be the guiding motto for all psychotherapeutic efforts.”
‘Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.’ Therefore, tasks give purpose, and purpose gives us a will to live and get out of bed the next day.
Sometimes this will is from just looking forward to the next meal, or a craving for something. It often comes to me as I look toward the weekend, or a special event. Thus, we need to place items in our lives that we can look forward to: a trip in the future, a get together with friends or loved ones, or a chance to sit down and read a book or do something that we enjoy.
Latter day saints have a built in goal to look forward to and that is eternal life to be spent with loved ones in a celestial world with a promise of a painless existence with a perfected body. On a whole, we should be optimistic with this hope at all times, but after a big event, I tend to get that let down feeling. I’ve accomplished something, completed a trip, finished up a major project and now what. I can lie in bed and feel lazy and wonder what I should get up and do. I’m glad that this feeling doesn’t come around too often. May we always find meaning and purpose in life.
I have just completed reading Viktor E. Frankl’s book, “Man’s Search for Meaning”. I have wanted to read it for years after hearing it quoted from on many occasions. I finally bought it while killing time at the UVSC bookstore while waiting around for Lindsey’s Miss UVSC practice. It was a great bargain for $6.99.
Viktor tells the story of his experience while in the concentration camps during the Holocaust. As a psychotherapist he states that “it is a peculiarity of man that he can only live by looking to the future. And this is his salvation in the most difficult moments of his existence, although he sometimes has to force his mind to the task”.
He also quotes Nietzsche, “He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how. This could be the guiding motto for all psychotherapeutic efforts.”
‘Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.’ Therefore, tasks give purpose, and purpose gives us a will to live and get out of bed the next day.
Sometimes this will is from just looking forward to the next meal, or a craving for something. It often comes to me as I look toward the weekend, or a special event. Thus, we need to place items in our lives that we can look forward to: a trip in the future, a get together with friends or loved ones, or a chance to sit down and read a book or do something that we enjoy.
Latter day saints have a built in goal to look forward to and that is eternal life to be spent with loved ones in a celestial world with a promise of a painless existence with a perfected body. On a whole, we should be optimistic with this hope at all times, but after a big event, I tend to get that let down feeling. I’ve accomplished something, completed a trip, finished up a major project and now what. I can lie in bed and feel lazy and wonder what I should get up and do. I’m glad that this feeling doesn’t come around too often. May we always find meaning and purpose in life.
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