The Power of Love

My journey to knowledge and wisdom has stemmed to great truths, but has ultimately lead me back to examine my roots...and to realize what defines me.

God loves and cares for man.
God loves and cares for me.

How do we know God has such a love for us?

Over the years, we have been told time and time again that God loves his children.  We hear it over and over, but we don't really understand until we listen.  Many things have contributed to my understanding of the validity of this truth, but I will share the scripture that made me listen.

"Behold, doth he cry unto any saying: Depart from me?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price." (2 Nephi 26:25)

My God, is a God of love.  He guided our founding fathers to create this great nation.  We are free, and He knows that in this freedom, we can find joy and happiness.  He has given us a family.  My family is one of the things that gives me true joy and I'm thankful to have them.  God has given us this beautiful world to enjoy and a body to convert all of its splendors.  He constantly directs us, teaches us, reminds us, and loves us. We are completely reliant on the Lord.

Why then does he love us?

How can such a great being, who created the heavens and the earth, love ones so small and inferior?  What worth do we hold?  We, that have a capacity for great evil.  Just take a look at the examples around us and in our history. Without God's light, we would be in utter darkness forever.

2 Nephi 4: 16-35

16 Behold, my a soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.
17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.

19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.

22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.

23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.

24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.

25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.

26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?

28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.

30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?

32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!

33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.

34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.

35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.

Why would God spend so much time helping us progress if he didn't believe we could someday become great?

Once we have come to the knowledge that God loves and cares for us all individually, don't you think it would be enough to combat this cruel battle over self that we are facing?  With all of this evidence around us, you would think that there wouldn't be any reason to doubt our self worth.  If this great being loves us, then why can't we love ourselves?  The world only finds worth in us if we are beautiful or intelligent.  We are made to believe that if we don't look a certain way, that there is something wrong with us.  If we had God's great perspective of who we are...these fleeting worries would have no affect on our progression.  Little cares would vanish and we would be pressing ever more to reach our potential.

Goal:

1. Feel God's love for you
2. Love yourself
3. Love God

When we feel God's love for us, love ourselves, and love God, we have more power and strength to make it through this life.  Trust in God, because he trusts in you!

It can be said that none of my words of testimony have changed over the years, but the meaning behind the words are much deeper and express the fine details etched in my heart...by a loving father.

Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve.

Willy and the rake - (to the summer that never came)

I'm not all,

and if you want,
I don't want,

There is much more to learn and do,

I will become,
but without you.

Heavy on the heart, heavy on the mind

What to do...what to do... There are so many choices to make in life. One often thinks, "Am I making the right choice, and If I'm making the right choice, how will I know that it's right?" (mm...). Well, what do we do during these times? Goal: to make a logical decision that will effect our life in the best possible way.

What to do...what to do...

These three words are repeated throughout our lives at various times.  What to do?  And once we decide, it's often followed by.. "Is it best for me?" Ugh.

What to do...what to do...

No worries, be happy.

Who's the Corn Popper, Price?

Sometimes I feel like a corn popper. I like learning and sometimes I talk to people that confuse the daylight out of the sky. I get going so fast that my insides get jumbled and fumbled inside. I need to take it slow and let the kernels pop one. at. a. time.

(Corn Popper in action)

Picture 2009

This beauty was taken in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  My roommates and I were attending the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and the sun was shining right!

Picture 2008

This picture was taken in Ogden, Utah.  Some friends and I were sledding and this glorious sunset decided to grace us.

Question #2

Question:

What makes us individuals?  What makes up our personality and character?  Let's say we make it and become Gods and Goddesses.  We now have a perfect knowledge and therefore have the highest level of intelligence; we have acquired all of the God like attributes and have a perfect righteousness; and we are able to see in every perspective...what then sets us apart from each other?

Answer:

A Great Beauty Secret

“We have been taught that ‘the gift of the Holy Ghost . . . quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections. . . . It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features’ (Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, 10th ed. [1965], 101; emphasis added). Now, that is a great beauty secret!”


Elaine S. Dalton, ”Remember Who You Are!” Ensign, May 2010, 122

Word to the G to the O to the E (Greatest wOrd on Earth)

FACT: This is my favorite word.

Fusion [fyoo-zhuhn] : A process where nuclei collide so fast they stick together and emit a great deal of energy. In the center of most stars, hydrogen fuses together to form helium. Fusion is so powerful it supports the star's enormous mass from collapsing in on itself, and heats the star so high it glows as the bright object we see today. Scientists here on earth are trying to make nuclear fusion in the laboratory a useful energy source.

or..

–noun

1. The act or process of fusing; the state of being fused.
2. That which is fused; the result of fusing: A ballet production is the fusion of many talents.

3. Politics .

a. A coalition of parties or factions.

b. ( Initial capital letter ) The political party resulting from such a coalition.

4. Also called nuclear fusion. Physics . a thermonuclear reaction in which nuclei of light atoms join to form nuclei of heavier atoms, as the combination of deuterium atoms to form helium atoms. Compare fission ( def. 2 ) .

5. Ophthalmology .

a. Also called binocular fusion. the correct blending of the images of both eyes.

b. The perception of rapid, intermittent flashes of light as a continuous beam.

6. Popular music that is a blend of two styles, esp. a combining of jazz with either rock, classical music, or such ethnic elements as Brazilian or Japanese music.

7. Linguistics . the merging of linguistic elements, esp. morphemes, usually accompanied by a change in the form of the elements.

–adjective

8. (Of food or cooking) Combining usually widely differing ethnic or regional ingredients, styles, or techniques: a restaurant serving French-Thai fusion cuisine; a fusion menu.

Sold?

The Truth About Diamonds...

And no!  I'm not talking about Nicole Richie's captivating teeni bopper novel.
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Diamonds are the hardest naturally forming material on Earth, renowned for their beauty, strength, and durability. They have been known and hoarded by humans for thousands of years, and their names from the Greek word for invincible.

Diamonds come from deep within the Earth’s crust, formed there by the incredible pressure and relatively manageable temperatures. They form beneath the continental crust, from pure carbon. This carbon may either come from exclusively non-organic sources, organic sources, or a blend of the two. Diamonds formed from inorganic carbon are called harzburgitic diamonds, while those formed from some amount of organic carbon are called eclogitic diamonds.

For many centuries India was the world’s top source of diamonds, but eventually these sources were mostly depleted. In the modern world, nearly half of all diamonds mined come from mines in southern and central Africa. The bulk of these mines are owned and operated by various companies of the De Beers Group, which is responsible for more than 40% of diamonds by value worldwide, and has held a virtual stranglehold on the world diamond market since its formation in the 1860s. Large-scale mines also exist in Brazil, Australia, Siberia, and parts of Canada. Once mined, these diamonds travel the world to be cut and polished to create the beautiful gems we are all familiar with. Most cutting takes place in a few areas of the world, most notably New York, Antwerp, and Tel Aviv.

For more info on the creation of the invincibles check out this website. 

The following bits of information are taken from an article on the African People’s Solidarity Committee website written By Penny Hess, Chair.

Most of us blithely take for granted the resources available to us in our daily lives. We don’t give much thought to the brutality and suffering it takes to extract those resources for our use at the expense of the people to whom they belong.

Even as the U.S. war against the Iraqi people rages on, we continue to mindlessly pump gas into our cars without thinking of the deadly violence in the Middle East being waged so that the American people can continue to use all the oil we want.

The same holds true for diamonds, the glittering rocks of crystallized carbon worn by millions.

Long revered as rare, benign gems symbolizing the ideals of beauty and everlasting love, diamonds are the desired gift for engagements, anniversaries, graduations, or simply as an expression of love. Diamonds are thought to be the makings of heirlooms, something to pass down from generation to generation with ever appreciating value.

These myths about the diamond trade, however, couldn’t be further from the truth. This is a look into the reality of diamonds and the real price of this seemingly innocent stone for millions of African people and others who live on the other end of the equation.

Perhaps these facts about the diamond trade can help open our eyes to the deeper reality of an entire social system built on violence, slavery, genocide and the degradation of others in order to create a generous lifestyle for us, the white people.

The story of diamonds is just one of them.

How could we have been/are SO blind to what is going on!  According to The Washington Post (there is a lot of good info on here, please read it!) there are 5 myths to why this is so:

1. Diamonds are rare.
2. We've solved the problem of "blood diamonds."
3. Diamonds have long been symbols of love and marriage.
4. People will always buy diamonds.
5. The famous Four C's are the best markers for determining a diamond's value.

 You're going to have to read the descriptions as to why they are in fact MYTHS. We are soo blind! Ahh!
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Diamonds, the ads say, are forever. Whether or not that's the case, diamond jewelry is a powerful symbol of status and love, and a $72 billion-a-year retail business worldwide. Diamonds can also be a key source of funding for violent conflicts in Africa. A series of wars bankrolled by "blood diamonds" in the 1990s prompted the United Nations to pressure De Beers and other jewelry industry giants to set up a program known as the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme to track the origins of each stone and assure customers that their diamonds are free of the stains of war and misery. But late last month, a four-day Kimberly Process meeting in Tel Aviv foundered over the question of whether to approve the export of diamonds from the Marange fields of Zimbabwe, where torture and murder go unpunished and profits fund the repressive party of President Robert Mugabe.

How did these glittering shards of compressed carbon become such a profitable business in the first place? The answer, it turns out, is complicated -- and many of the things we believe about diamonds aren't exactly true.

It is crazy to think that this still goes on today.  It is amazing the lengths we would go and how much suffering we would inflict upon a people for our own selfish purposes.  Man!  We have such a capacity for evil!  It is supposed to symbolize love and yet the whole thing is completely ironic.  I had NO idea that this was the story of diamonds, who would have thought?

Pain and Suffering

"Pain and suffering, they are a secret. Kindness and love, they are a secret. But I have learned that kindness and love can pay for pain and suffering." — Alan Paton (Cry, The Beloved Country)

It was my understanding that pain and suffering is self inflicted. My take on pain and suffering was indeed wrong, or better yet, incomplete. I was reading Alan Paton's Cry, The Beloved Country and came upon the above passage. This made me reflect on pain and suffering. It is true that suffering is self inflicted and that we choose what causes us pain, however, it does not mean that pain and suffering is wrong or bad.

"For our Lord suffered. And I come to believe that he suffered, not to save us from suffering, but to teach us how to bear suffering. For he knew that there is no life without suffering." — Alan Paton (Cry, The Beloved Country)

Suffering is part of the divine plan and is essential to our exaltation. This life is “a preparatory state given to finite beings, a space wherein they may improve themselves for a higher state of being.” Those unwilling to withstand adversity will not be exalted. “Hatred and persecutions have been the lot of every man that ever lived on the earth holding the oracles of the Kingdom of Heaven to deliver to the children of men.” We must pass through the refining experience of sorrow as did Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob if we are to enjoy with them the blessings of the celestial kingdom. (Kenneth H. Beesley, "What Is the Purpose of Suffering?", New Era, April 1975)

So then what causes you pain and suffering?

"More important than what happens to us (or the reason why it occurs) is how we react to it."

People in pain—especially people we love—test that dimension of us. Their need forces us to decide how much of us we’re really willing to give, how much of our time and emotional and physical resources we will sacrifice for them. I think often of my sister-in-law, Judy. Her daughter Stephanie was born with severe cerebral palsy. She can do almost nothing for herself, nor can she communicate except in grunts and cries. I have watched Judy feed her daughter, now twelve years old. She must patiently spoon each bite into Stephanie’s mouth, replacing the same morsel over and over again because Stephanie has so little control over her swallowing. Judy cares for Stephanie constantly and lovingly.

Stephanie’s need serves to reveal much goodness in Judy, demanding depths of patience and self-sacrifice that perhaps Judy was unaware she possessed. Suffering in others can serve as a mirror, reflecting the best—and worst—qualities within us.

Such suffering stirs our souls. But it also stretches our faith, tests our compassion, allows us necessary reexamination of our values, and teaches us that death, far from being a dreaded specter, can also come as a welcome friend, carrying our loved one to another sphere where life can again be meaningful and fulfilling.

Be a little more kind and give a little more love. Endure with courage and grace.

This is what happens when you....

Get on the back of a motorcycle with the MAN  you don't know..
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What started out as a harmless ride..turned into a Bear Lake Singles Ward Activity nightmare.

Here's how it went.  There were guys there that had motorcycles.  Me being me, wanted to ride on one.  So, I did.  Jordan, that's his name, graciously accepted my request and off we went! Oh the joy of riding.  It made me tear up...because we were going so fast.  Right as I was getting off I....touch the exhaust.  Ouch!  Nope, didn't see that coming.

Now, I'm on the road to healing.  I took a trip to the doctor so I could prevent infection.  They stripped away my dead skin with scissors and tweezers. 
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oOw..
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They also gave me a tetanus shot, just in case it was a rusty little bugger. Everyday I get to apply bacitracin (instead of neosporin),
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..and examine the wounded area to find any unwanted hairs (they tend to increase the risk of infection) {Ya, oh hana it hurts mucho..}

...and wrap that sucka up.
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Last of all, to minimize the scarring, I must keep it out of the sun for a YEAR.

LESSON LEARNED?

Don't get a motorcycle with a guy you don't know and don't touch the exhaust.

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