Priesthood is always my favorite session. I don't know if it is because I get dressed up and have to physically get up and sit down and pay attention, or if it really is just extra super awesome. Here are a few of the things I remember from tonight.
Elder Nelson began by talking about missionary work. The missionaries were part of the choir, and he had them and any other missionary stand. Elder Nelson then said that we need more missionaries, more worth missionaries. He mentioned President Monson's remarks earlier of how missionaries should be preparing themselves. Paul wrote to Timothy and said, Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
We should all be examples of the believers. We can have the image of God engraven upon our countenance. We need to reach out to those that we don't know. Every week reach out and meet one more person that don't already know. We need to be ready and prepared for questions. Our response to these questions should be warm and cheerful, but relevant. We may be the one to open the spiritual door for someone to come to God. We need to invite people to church, many do not know that they are welcome to our church buildings. Share the Book of Mormon as another witness of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is the tool to gather the lost tribes and prepare for the last days and second coming.
Elder Nelson told a story of when he shared his copy of the Book of Mormon to a friend. The friend brought it back a week later and said, thanks a lot! Elder Nelson said, thanks a lot? That is a totally unacceptable response! You didn't read it did you? I want you to take it back and actually read it and then bring it back. Tearfully he later returned it after he had truly read it and prayed about it and felt it's power.
There are many new ways to share the gospel such as mormon.org, blogs, and social media. We can and should use these as well. There was a man named Zach who saw a TV add, went to mormon.org was intrigued, found where the nearest church was, attended that week, was invited to dinner that night, met with the missionaries and was baptized within 2 weeks. Serve with all your heart, might, mind and strength. We are preparing the earth for the second coming.
Elder K. (couldn't read his or the next guys names from where I was sitting) He talked about the healing and peace that comes from the Savior. He began with a story of when he was a child, living by the desert. His parents had told him to always wear shoes because of the dangers that could come from the desert. They were camping one day and he decided that flip flops would be OK, they are basically shoes. As he was walking he felt something sharp pierce his foot. He looked down and saw a scorpion.
Ye yelled for help and his parents came and they took him to the hospital 2 hours away. He thought he was going to die, but everything was fine. He learned an important lesson from this. Flip flops do not provide the same protection as a pair of shoes, and he paid the price for it.
Disregarding what we know to be right always brings consequences. Don't be rebellious or lazy. (I liked that he included lazy, I don't think most people are always trying to be rebellious or sin) When we chose the wrong path we justify our rebellious, or laziness. We cannot say that it is OK to stray from the iron rod, that everyone else is doing it, that we are the exception and immune. Exact obedience is needed or you will get stung.
Like the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's we must lay down our weapons of rebellion, you know what yours are, then He can heal you. If you try to cover your sins you are left to kick against the pricks. He quoted Elder Faust, "When obedience becomes our goal, it is no longer an irritation; instead of a stumbling block, it becomes a building block."
He finished with a story about soldiers that were driving through a mine field. One of the vehicles did not stay exactly in the tire marks of the vehicle in front of him and hit a mine and the driver was killed. We to cannot move to the left or the right of the path. There are no exceptions, but if we have strayed we can return. No one can find peace in a minefield, but as we follow God's path we will find peace and healing. Have you any afflicted in any manor? Bring them hither and I will heal him. Come unto God and you WILL find peace.
Second Elder that I couldn't read his name: He told a story of a family that was trying to have scripture reading. The dad was trying to make sure that it happened but his girl was not cooperating. He began to lose his patience and he proclaimed that in his house they were going to read the scriptures because it was what they were supposed to do. His little girl ran away and slammed her bedroom door. There went the spirit they were trying to have from reading the scriptures.
The father realized his mistake and went into his room and prayed. As he was praying he felt that he should go and say he was sorry. He continued to pray and was inspired again. So he went and knocked on her door, she didn't respond. So he opened her door and saw that she was crying. He told her he was sorry, she then pulled out her scriptures and flipped them to where it talks about how the natural man is an enemy to God and unless he must put off the natural man and become as a child. This father knew that scripture was meant for him. But his daughter replied in conclusion that she was sorry. She had read this scripture and likened it to herself. The two of them embraced and the spirit of unity returned to their home.
The home is the only place that can compare to the temple. As fathers we must not have contention in our homes, or amen to the priesthood. We must use persuasion, long-suffering, kindness... We must forgive one another our trespasses and yield to the will of the Lord. He teaches us to be meek, not easily provoked, humble, modest, submissive, patient, not to murmur and full of love. As we do these things our homes will be the place we want them to be.
Elder Uchtdorf: He talked about how in 1989 President Benson's talk, Beware of Pride, was a topic that had weighed heavily on President Benson's mind. It to is weighing heavily on his soul as well. When he told his wife that pride was going to be his topic she said, "It is so good that you talk about things you know so much about." No one has avoided the sin of pride.
He said it is OK to have pride in some things. To have pride in your children, your country, your work. You are allowed to rejoice in righteousness. God introduced his Son saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Alma and the other missionaries gloried in the goodness of god and the work they were able to accomplish. Elder Uchtdorf is proud of this church and all that we accomplish for good everyday.
So what is the difference? Pride is sinful because it breeds hatred. It is a sin of comparison. It starts at look at how wonderful I am and ends with therefor I am better than you. This goes against the two great commandments of loving God and loving our neighbor. It is a sin of setting ourselves up, setting ourselves on our own ramiumtum (however you spell that). Pride is a deadly cancer, a gateway sin. Every other sin is a manifestation of pride.
He talked about sports, and how they can sometimes turn wonderful people into hateful ones. He asked, how can we hate each other and try to find any flaw in our opponent and magnify it then associate it with everyone associated with that team? We should hold ourselves to a higher standard in life. We all wear the same jersey, we are on God's team. We want all to return to Him.
One day Elder Uchtdorf was driving with, I think Elder Faust, to a Stake Conference and Elder Faust told him that a lot of church members will say wonderful things about him and church leaders. Be greateful for that, but do not inhale it. We must not be focused on our public image.
The Lord chooses the weak things of the world to confound the might. We are given the priesthood to work and serve. We like the Savior need to give the glory to God. We can become great tools through God, and with him all things are possible, but they are because of Him.
Pride is a switch that turns off priesthood power, humility turns it on. Charity is the answer to overcome Pride. Humility is not convincing ourselves that we are meaningless, or to withhold our talents and abilities. It is not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking less ABOUT ourselves. There are so many people in need that we could be thinking about instead. Don't forget about your family.
Elder Uchtdorf had a favorite pen he used as a pilot. It had 4 colors that you could click and choose from. The pen never complained and said you should use black instead of blue, it didn't complain if it had to work after 10:00, or would only work on important documents. It performed every task asked of it, and was always ready to serve no matter how important. We should be like this pen and serve wherever we are called. Blessed are those that humble themselves and do not have to be compelled to be humble.
Elder Eyring: My hand was getting really tired by this point... He talked about the power of the priesthood. He shared a story about some people who had been found by the missionaries in the early days of the church. As they were crossing the plains this man and women were talking to each other about what a miracle it had been that in Switzerland (I think) of all people the missionaries had found them, and how miraculous it was that they believed it.
These missionaries had the power of the priesthood, whose power to serve was magnified by the Holy Ghost to find those who were prepared. We as priesthood holders need to have the Holy Ghost. Never miss an opportunity to partake of the Sacrament. To take upon you the Name of Jesus Christ and to always remember Him, that you may have His spirit to be with you.
Read, Study, and Ponder the scriptures. You can gain some from reading the scriptures, as you study you can find patterns, but only as you ponder will you invite revelation into your minds. Then we lost the feed for about a minute... He then talked about how a deacon was asked to go and visit another deacon he did not know. He said that we need to respond with faith and to go forward. The spirit will calm our fears and we will have the words we need provided to us. We will feel God's approval no matter the outcome. The person we visit will remember that we cared enough to come, even if they don't immediately change.
He talked about a man who as a kid had this experience and many years later he still remembered the name of the deacon that came to visit. It only took up part of the boys day to make this visit, but it meant something for years to this man.
Elder Eyring hated going to hospitals when has younger. He never knew what to do or say to those there. Then one time when his own father was in the hospital Elder Kimball came to visit. Elder Eyring was excited to finally see a great example of what to do. Elder Kimball asked his father if he had had a blessing, he had so Elder Kimball leaned back in his chair and just sat and smiled for a while. He didn't say much of anything, then after 5 minutes he said, I will leave you to rest and left.
Later his dad said that of all the visits that lifted his spirits the most. He didn't say much, but his companion was the spirit of the Lord. May we each have that same companionship and fulfill our priesthood responsibilities.
President Monson: The 3 R's of Choice: Right of Choice, Responsibility of Choices, and the Results of choices. Next to the gift of life the gift of how to live that life is the best gift. Satan tried to take that gift from us. If he had, none of us would have been any wiser or stronger. We knew it would be difficult, Jesus offered to sacrifice himself for all so that we could have the choice. We will always have the right to choose.
We cannot be neutral, there is no middle ground. Each of us has the tools to make correct choices. We cannot afford a detour from which we may never return. Don't be indecisive. He talked about Alice in Wonderland when she was trying to decide which path to take. The Cheshire-Cat said, "It depends where you want to go, If you don't know, it doesn't matter which path you take." We do know and it does matter which path we take!
Decisions determine destiny. Do not deviate from the path that leads to eternal life. All choices have consequences. If we make a bad choice we have nobody to blame but ourselves. Salvation is an individual operation. There is a way to correct bad choices, it is repentance. Our Savior died to provide us that gift. Our sins can be as white as snow and He will remember them no more. The sooner you make your way back the sooner you will receive peace and joy.
A basketball player decided not to play on Sundays. His team ended up making it to the Championship game which was to be played on Sunday. He prayed to ask if just this once it would be OK, but before he finished he knew he already had the answer. He didn't play even with all the pressure from all sides. He said that this decision was the most important of his life. Even though he had a extenuating circumstance that he stuck to what he knew was true.
It was the most important because now late in his life he has realized that he has had a lot of extenuating circumstances and that if he had made an exception once it would have been easy to keep making that decision. It is easier to keep the commandments 100% of the time than to keep them 98% of the time.
I know that was really long, but there you go! I hope you enjoy conference as much as I have!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
The Gambler
Gamble: to take a chance on; venture; risk.
I have been thinking the last little bit about taking chances. There are two major lines of thought on how to live life. One is to play it safe, and the other is to take risks. My friends and I have been discussing this, mainly in regards to BYU football, and their strategy to keep things simple and disciplined. We personally think that they should take a few more chances and get more creative. I would love to see both Nelson and Heaps in at the same time and see some trick plays, or at least keep the defense guessing. I admire the coaches and program, but they drive me crazy sometimes. They have stuck to their guns though, and I suppose you have to admire that.
How easy it is to look at others and say that they should take a chance. Looking at all the talent and potential that they have and wish they wouldn't hide it in fear of making a mistake. Maybe they will be less likely to throw an interception with this strategy, but mistakes can still happen and you miss out on some spectacular moments.
Then I began to think about myself. I think I am pretty great, I am very happy with where I'm at and who I am. I live life without many struggles, without fear. I try to work hard and be disciplined, and life always seems to find a way of working out. But like BYU, sometimes I don't really let people see the whole me. I play it safe and hope that as I take care of myself, I can handle anything that comes my way. Most of the time I come out on top and if I lose I can say, well I stuck to my guns and played a disciplined game.
I fear that at times, even though I love life and have not thrown many interceptions, that I too sometimes miss out on those amazing plays that life can and does provide. Luckily, this weekend I took a chance and when invited to go to a concert, with a few people I didn't know very well, I accepted. I could have easily said I didn't know the band, or said I had plans. (Several other people had in fact invited me to do stuff) But I went and had an amazing time and got to meet some new people, as well as get to know others better. I also found out I really like the band fun.
Some people may look at things in life and call it a gamble. But I have found that very rarely do I lose when I take a chance to venture out and take a risk. Life is meant to be lived, not discussed and diagrammed. There is so much potential in each one of us, don't hide your life, share it with anyone and everyone you can. I am glad someone was willing to give me that chance and that I "gambled" and came out a winner. Hopefully I can start calling more plays that lead to touchdowns, or be ready whenever my name is called. Now if we can just get BYU to understand this...
I have been thinking the last little bit about taking chances. There are two major lines of thought on how to live life. One is to play it safe, and the other is to take risks. My friends and I have been discussing this, mainly in regards to BYU football, and their strategy to keep things simple and disciplined. We personally think that they should take a few more chances and get more creative. I would love to see both Nelson and Heaps in at the same time and see some trick plays, or at least keep the defense guessing. I admire the coaches and program, but they drive me crazy sometimes. They have stuck to their guns though, and I suppose you have to admire that.
How easy it is to look at others and say that they should take a chance. Looking at all the talent and potential that they have and wish they wouldn't hide it in fear of making a mistake. Maybe they will be less likely to throw an interception with this strategy, but mistakes can still happen and you miss out on some spectacular moments.
Then I began to think about myself. I think I am pretty great, I am very happy with where I'm at and who I am. I live life without many struggles, without fear. I try to work hard and be disciplined, and life always seems to find a way of working out. But like BYU, sometimes I don't really let people see the whole me. I play it safe and hope that as I take care of myself, I can handle anything that comes my way. Most of the time I come out on top and if I lose I can say, well I stuck to my guns and played a disciplined game.
I fear that at times, even though I love life and have not thrown many interceptions, that I too sometimes miss out on those amazing plays that life can and does provide. Luckily, this weekend I took a chance and when invited to go to a concert, with a few people I didn't know very well, I accepted. I could have easily said I didn't know the band, or said I had plans. (Several other people had in fact invited me to do stuff) But I went and had an amazing time and got to meet some new people, as well as get to know others better. I also found out I really like the band fun.
Some people may look at things in life and call it a gamble. But I have found that very rarely do I lose when I take a chance to venture out and take a risk. Life is meant to be lived, not discussed and diagrammed. There is so much potential in each one of us, don't hide your life, share it with anyone and everyone you can. I am glad someone was willing to give me that chance and that I "gambled" and came out a winner. Hopefully I can start calling more plays that lead to touchdowns, or be ready whenever my name is called. Now if we can just get BYU to understand this...
Sunday, September 12, 2010
A Change of Heart
I am LOVING this school year! Which is very good, because I went into it worried about the upcoming year more than ever. This summer I worked really hard at trying to progress as a teacher and learn more and more. I earned 8 credits for my efforts and came across a few things that will benefit me and my class this year. Unfortunately, it did not leave me a lot of time to actually focus on getting ready for the year. Then I found out my scores from last year and I felt like they did not reflect how much I improved my second year. In fact, my scores dropped in everything, except for science, which once again was the top score.
That does not look good, to do worse your second year of teaching. It took me about a day or so to come to grips with it and to stop dwelling on something I could no longer do anything about. I was worried though, maybe I was not as good of a teacher as I had thought. I am used to being at the top, and am very competitive. I always want to be the best, and I wasn't. So I was a little apprehensive for school to start.
Then I met 33 of the most amazing people I have ever known. Some of them were excited to see me, some were very nervous to have their first male teacher. But they quickly realized that I am not scary and that if nothing else, I care about them. In fact, one of my boys told me that the first day of school I made him feel so special that he almost cried. I have also had several parents thank me for the things I am trying to do. As a teacher you can always do more, but I am trying my best. I feel, with more confidence than I have ever had, that this year is going to be something very special.
My best is all I have to give. I have nothing to worry about, because I know that I am a great teacher. I care about my students and I have the knowledge and skills to back my heart up with. Now, a week into school, when I have a dream that I got fired (I honestly had to stop and check when I woke up to see if it was real or not) my dream ended with my student's parents being so angry that they all signed a petition to keep me. So even subconsciously I have an army to back me up.
The brain can only hold one thought at a time, make it one worth having. So far this school year my thoughts have all been ones worth having and I don't plan on that changing anytime soon. I think to many of us get down on ourselves. We aren't doing as bad as we think we are. I am one of the most positive people you will ever meet, but even I forget sometimes. If you too have forgotten, I give you permission to have the same change of heart I did. Life is great! Live it that way.
That does not look good, to do worse your second year of teaching. It took me about a day or so to come to grips with it and to stop dwelling on something I could no longer do anything about. I was worried though, maybe I was not as good of a teacher as I had thought. I am used to being at the top, and am very competitive. I always want to be the best, and I wasn't. So I was a little apprehensive for school to start.
Then I met 33 of the most amazing people I have ever known. Some of them were excited to see me, some were very nervous to have their first male teacher. But they quickly realized that I am not scary and that if nothing else, I care about them. In fact, one of my boys told me that the first day of school I made him feel so special that he almost cried. I have also had several parents thank me for the things I am trying to do. As a teacher you can always do more, but I am trying my best. I feel, with more confidence than I have ever had, that this year is going to be something very special.
My best is all I have to give. I have nothing to worry about, because I know that I am a great teacher. I care about my students and I have the knowledge and skills to back my heart up with. Now, a week into school, when I have a dream that I got fired (I honestly had to stop and check when I woke up to see if it was real or not) my dream ended with my student's parents being so angry that they all signed a petition to keep me. So even subconsciously I have an army to back me up.
The brain can only hold one thought at a time, make it one worth having. So far this school year my thoughts have all been ones worth having and I don't plan on that changing anytime soon. I think to many of us get down on ourselves. We aren't doing as bad as we think we are. I am one of the most positive people you will ever meet, but even I forget sometimes. If you too have forgotten, I give you permission to have the same change of heart I did. Life is great! Live it that way.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Faith, Hope and Charity
I hadn't blogged all summer and then I had 3 all in a row. My last two were average and don't seem to be sparking much commenting. I am worried that hidden behind those is my previous post which many people may have missed. So I am posting it again:
Today marks the beginning of a new era. Even though I moved into my house 4 months ago I still had one foot in my old apartment. I felt like I never really left because I had so many friends there. Apartment 30 was still like my home, I even had a toothbrush I kept there.
There had been a group of us who had been there for 3 years or so and now everybody finally went their separate ways. Many of my new friends are also going other places this fall. Luckily, I still have many that I can call my friends there and will continue to visit and keep in contact with. But today Sparks II Apartments died a little.
Today two of my best friends moved in with me. It will be really nice to have people around here. I LOVED having my own space, but being alone wasn't always amazing. I learned a lot this summer and felt that one benefit of having a summer by myself was getting to see who I was. I wasn't going through my day doing what was convenient or just following other people around. I had to actively choose what I was going to do, who I was going to be. Would I just sit at home by myself or go and be somewhat social.
I remember the first Sunday here I decided to go to the family ward, so I could meet my neighbors. It was really weird as I was getting ready. Nobody else would know if I went, nobody was expecting me to be there, I don't think I had ever gone to church by myself before that. I tried to start good habits this summer, unclutter myself from the world a little bit and become a little better. I was far from perfect, but I felt like I had a very productive summer and am a better person than I was 4 months ago.
Now that I have had more time to think and work on myself individually, I get to see if I can take those small improvements and continue to work on them while surrounded, again, by others. Luckily I surround myself with people that make that easy. Sometimes you look back and realize how far you have come. Sadly, there are times when you realize you haven't done as much as you would have liked or have let yourself go in the wrong direction. I hope that this is a stepping stone and that I can return to where I want to be.
Another thing I also got more into this summer was politics. Once I had DVR one of the programs I had it save was Glenn Beck. For those of you who haven't actually watched him, and have only heard about him, good or bad, you are missing out. I especially love his Friday episodes where he has been talking about our founders and other people who have been taken out of our history. I love being able to sit and learn about our American history. The reason I bring this up is that this also helped me in improving myself. He issued a 40 day and 40 night pledge to to practice faith, hope and charity. From his website:
For the next 40 days and 40 nights, I pledge...I COVENANT to practice faith, hope and charity by doing these things.
First...faith. I will pray on my knees every night for the next 40 nights...starting TONIGHT. Pray for guidance, inspiration, peace...pray for the leaders of our country. Pray for their safety, and that they will receive wisdom. I will re-establish my relationship with God.
Hope...hope comes from truth. You can't have hope based on lies. If you go to the doctor and you're in the early stages of cancer, but the doctor tells you that you just have the sniffles...that's false hope, and it won't help you, in fact, it would kill you. So, we have to have honesty, to have real hope. So, I will stop all lies for the next 40 days. That includes lying to myself. I will establish a pattern of honesty and make it become habitual. I will question with boldness...everything...even the things Glenn Beck tells you every night...I will do my own research...and then pray for my own confirmation on the things I have learned. I will find out what is true in my life.
And third...I will have charity. Charity begins at home. I will do something kind for every member of your family at least once a week. I will write it down, and then do it. Also, I pledge to take notice of how blessed I really am. I live in the greatest country the world has ever known...and even the least prosperous among us, are among the wealthiest people in the world...I will be grateful.
It continues if you want to read the rest and make this pledge you can go here: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/39452/
I don't understand why so many people hate Glenn Beck. I have watched every episode from his show the last few months and all he talks about are finding truth for yourself and trying to be a better person. Because the "Change" everybody is hoping for can't be one made by the government, it has to be individual. What makes America great are the people, not those looking at Americans as foolish and unable to take care of their own problems and managing our lives for us. I have taken this pledge and feel I am better for it.
I know this has gotten really long, but the point of it all is... I am grateful for all of the amazing friends I have. I am glad that I was able to see how strong I really am and that I truly have a desire to improve and that I can and will succeed in doing so. I have come closer to God and whenever that happens you always have a desire to share that and bring that joy to others. So I invite you to do so. We need to return to God, His is the only way that will lead us to peace and joy, there is no other way.
One chapter of my life may now have ended, but I have a feeling this next chapter in my life is going to be a great one! Don't worry sparks, I'll still come and visit you, at least whenever I come down to watch BYU football and when you invite me to awesome things you are doing.
Today marks the beginning of a new era. Even though I moved into my house 4 months ago I still had one foot in my old apartment. I felt like I never really left because I had so many friends there. Apartment 30 was still like my home, I even had a toothbrush I kept there.
There had been a group of us who had been there for 3 years or so and now everybody finally went their separate ways. Many of my new friends are also going other places this fall. Luckily, I still have many that I can call my friends there and will continue to visit and keep in contact with. But today Sparks II Apartments died a little.
Today two of my best friends moved in with me. It will be really nice to have people around here. I LOVED having my own space, but being alone wasn't always amazing. I learned a lot this summer and felt that one benefit of having a summer by myself was getting to see who I was. I wasn't going through my day doing what was convenient or just following other people around. I had to actively choose what I was going to do, who I was going to be. Would I just sit at home by myself or go and be somewhat social.
I remember the first Sunday here I decided to go to the family ward, so I could meet my neighbors. It was really weird as I was getting ready. Nobody else would know if I went, nobody was expecting me to be there, I don't think I had ever gone to church by myself before that. I tried to start good habits this summer, unclutter myself from the world a little bit and become a little better. I was far from perfect, but I felt like I had a very productive summer and am a better person than I was 4 months ago.
Now that I have had more time to think and work on myself individually, I get to see if I can take those small improvements and continue to work on them while surrounded, again, by others. Luckily I surround myself with people that make that easy. Sometimes you look back and realize how far you have come. Sadly, there are times when you realize you haven't done as much as you would have liked or have let yourself go in the wrong direction. I hope that this is a stepping stone and that I can return to where I want to be.
Another thing I also got more into this summer was politics. Once I had DVR one of the programs I had it save was Glenn Beck. For those of you who haven't actually watched him, and have only heard about him, good or bad, you are missing out. I especially love his Friday episodes where he has been talking about our founders and other people who have been taken out of our history. I love being able to sit and learn about our American history. The reason I bring this up is that this also helped me in improving myself. He issued a 40 day and 40 night pledge to to practice faith, hope and charity. From his website:
For the next 40 days and 40 nights, I pledge...I COVENANT to practice faith, hope and charity by doing these things.
First...faith. I will pray on my knees every night for the next 40 nights...starting TONIGHT. Pray for guidance, inspiration, peace...pray for the leaders of our country. Pray for their safety, and that they will receive wisdom. I will re-establish my relationship with God.
Hope...hope comes from truth. You can't have hope based on lies. If you go to the doctor and you're in the early stages of cancer, but the doctor tells you that you just have the sniffles...that's false hope, and it won't help you, in fact, it would kill you. So, we have to have honesty, to have real hope. So, I will stop all lies for the next 40 days. That includes lying to myself. I will establish a pattern of honesty and make it become habitual. I will question with boldness...everything...even the things Glenn Beck tells you every night...I will do my own research...and then pray for my own confirmation on the things I have learned. I will find out what is true in my life.
And third...I will have charity. Charity begins at home. I will do something kind for every member of your family at least once a week. I will write it down, and then do it. Also, I pledge to take notice of how blessed I really am. I live in the greatest country the world has ever known...and even the least prosperous among us, are among the wealthiest people in the world...I will be grateful.
It continues if you want to read the rest and make this pledge you can go here: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/39452/
I don't understand why so many people hate Glenn Beck. I have watched every episode from his show the last few months and all he talks about are finding truth for yourself and trying to be a better person. Because the "Change" everybody is hoping for can't be one made by the government, it has to be individual. What makes America great are the people, not those looking at Americans as foolish and unable to take care of their own problems and managing our lives for us. I have taken this pledge and feel I am better for it.
I know this has gotten really long, but the point of it all is... I am grateful for all of the amazing friends I have. I am glad that I was able to see how strong I really am and that I truly have a desire to improve and that I can and will succeed in doing so. I have come closer to God and whenever that happens you always have a desire to share that and bring that joy to others. So I invite you to do so. We need to return to God, His is the only way that will lead us to peace and joy, there is no other way.
One chapter of my life may now have ended, but I have a feeling this next chapter in my life is going to be a great one! Don't worry sparks, I'll still come and visit you, at least whenever I come down to watch BYU football and when you invite me to awesome things you are doing.
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