Dear Conservative America,
What do we do? Our nation is in distress. The value of our dollar is in a tailspin. We have promised aid & borrowed so much from foreign nations that we owe nearly the sum total of our gross national product. If the Federal Government was held to the same rules of finance that we are individually, it would & therefore we would be bankrupt. Look it up. Don’t believe the politicians who gloss over or problems as if we are unable to handle or not entitled to the truth. How long can we continue in error? We do not have money for social security, Medicare, nationally funded health care, or education let alone a foreign policy which costs millions every day. The recent tax rebates are giving us money that they don’t have, thus increasing the debt. Overspending will never solve our economic woes. I cannot borrow my way out of debt and neither can the government. Although we may stall a recession we cannot avoid it & the more debt we accrue, the weaker the dollar gets the worse & harder the recovery will be.
In this election year we must consider who can best address this unavoidable issue. McCain has been educated on economics by the same institution that got us into this mess. He does not have a prayer of a chance to solve this, our nations most pressing problem & neither do the other democrats (just look at his voting record he is more democrat than republican). The only hope for America is truly Ron Paul. Laugh if you like but truth is truth & he is the only candidate speaking openly about our situation. He is the only one with a plan that may actually fix the economy. He can still win. Less than 30% of Americans vote in Primary elections & less than 15% attend their Caucus meetings. Those who go will get their candidate elected. Go to your caucus & vote to save our nation. Vote Ron Paul.
For what it’s worth
Ryan Nelson
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
The McCain Bandwagon, a Lost Cause
The value of the dollar is falling & the deficit grows every minute. 72% of Americans believe the economy is getting worse, yet none of the leading candidates have a clear solution. In fact all of them support programs or actions which increase government spending. On this issue there is no clear winner, they are all equally poor choices. Therefore despite the fact that most Americans believe the economy to be a larger problem than our foreign policy it will not be the deciding factor in this election.
The deciding vote will be cast for or against the war & our current absurd foreign policy. Roughly 60% of Americans are dissatisfied with the war in Iraq and believe that we should bring our troops home. Coincidentally primary / caucus exit polls indicate that approximately 60% of voters voted Democratic. Why is that? It is because the leading Republicans profess a 100 year commitment to an unconstitutional war. Republicans will not gain the Presidency with a pro war platform. A vote for McCain is a wasted vote. He cannot win.
The only hope, slim as it may be, for conservative America is Ron Paul. He seems radical only because the party majority has slipped so far from its intended course of constitutionally based limited government, free trade & personal liberty. Ron Paul is the only republican candidate whose platform is capable of beating the democrats, sound, clear economic answers & a plan to bring our troops home. Dr. Paul is the only candidate from either party w/ a vision of and desire for real change. He is still in the race, nothing has yet been decided. Most of the delegates have not yet been awarded. The Utah republican caucus will be held on March 25th. Unless Ron Paul gets the Republican nomination the democrats will win the presidency. STAND UP and make your voice heard.
For what it’s worth
Sources –
Total votes cast in primaries http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P08/tally.phtml
Bring our troops home http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/the_war_in_iraq/iraq_troop_withdrawal
Public opinion on the economy http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/indexes/rasmussen_consumer_index
The deciding vote will be cast for or against the war & our current absurd foreign policy. Roughly 60% of Americans are dissatisfied with the war in Iraq and believe that we should bring our troops home. Coincidentally primary / caucus exit polls indicate that approximately 60% of voters voted Democratic. Why is that? It is because the leading Republicans profess a 100 year commitment to an unconstitutional war. Republicans will not gain the Presidency with a pro war platform. A vote for McCain is a wasted vote. He cannot win.
The only hope, slim as it may be, for conservative America is Ron Paul. He seems radical only because the party majority has slipped so far from its intended course of constitutionally based limited government, free trade & personal liberty. Ron Paul is the only republican candidate whose platform is capable of beating the democrats, sound, clear economic answers & a plan to bring our troops home. Dr. Paul is the only candidate from either party w/ a vision of and desire for real change. He is still in the race, nothing has yet been decided. Most of the delegates have not yet been awarded. The Utah republican caucus will be held on March 25th. Unless Ron Paul gets the Republican nomination the democrats will win the presidency. STAND UP and make your voice heard.
For what it’s worth
Sources –
Total votes cast in primaries http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P08/tally.phtml
Bring our troops home http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/the_war_in_iraq/iraq_troop_withdrawal
Public opinion on the economy http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/indexes/rasmussen_consumer_index
Saturday, February 2, 2008
In Brief
For those of you uninterested in my lenghty ramblings. Here are a few similar thoughts expressed more succinctly.
"The probibility that we may fall in the struggle ought not deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just." - Abraham Lincoln
"There are no easy answers... but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know to be morally right." - Ronald Regan
"No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life, in a great cause." - Teddy Roosevelt
"Never give in ... never, never, never, never, in nothng great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense." - Winston Churchill
Difficult times & chalenging circumstances force us dig deep & find strength within to overcome. Great men are not produced by an easy life. The strongest amoung us grow slowly through adversity then rise to meet the challenge. I frequently wonder, will I be enough?
For what it's worth
Remember the Alamo (Politics part two)
Have you ever noticed how you can live quite comfortably with your beliefs & opinions for along time and never realize just how strong you feel about an issue until your belief is questioned? When that happens one of two things result; either you bend your belief system to match the challenge or your existing feelings are cemented and become more firmly rooted than ever before. I read a book a while back that delivered this type of experience. I believe that I have mentioned it to some of you, “Profiles in Courage” by JFK. The first chapter did not make me question my beliefs it simply made me mad. I have rarely read anything which raised my dander to the level produced by Senator Kennedy’s explanation of what it takes to be a politician. I felt that he was promoting compromise over conscience. I really had a hard time with his position. The reminder of the book was outstanding! The portrayals of men for whom conscience & personal integrity meant more than popularity & prestige made my spirits soar. It is possible for men to participate in politics & not be tainted by the environment. I want to briefly summarize two of the biographies from the book.
Remember Sam Houston, the guy who left the Alamo to go for reinforcements but did not return on time to save the mission or her defenders. Soon thereafter Houston did beat Santa Ana & win independence for Texas. Sam Houston was her first president. When Texas was admitted into the Union Houston became a Congressman in the turbulent years leading up to Lincoln’s presidency & the Civil War. During this time of political turmoil, in spite of opposition from all sides Houston never waivered in his support of the Union. He once stated “think you, sir, after the difficulties Texans have encountered to get into the Union, that you can whip her out of it? No, sir… we shed our blood to get into it… We were among the last to come into the Union, and being in, we will be the last to get out. … (We) must stand firm to the Union, regardless of all personal consequences.” This was not a popular opinion for the representative of a Southern slave state. Public opinion gradually grew until he & his unionist views where voted out of Congress. He returned to Texas & somehow got elected as Governor where he continued to speak in favor of the Union. Here to he was eventually forced out as Texas succeeded. In his last official message as Governor he said “I am stricken down because I will not yield those principles which I have fought for…. The severest pang is that the blow comes in the name of the state of Texas.”
In like manner Thomas Hart Benton, the first Senator from Missouri, fought ferociously for the union while watching a 30 year career wither and die. As the battle lines began to form, dividing the North & South Benton found himself a vocal supporter of the Union representing a slave state. Like Houston Benton refused to change his mind or temper his tongue about the need for unity & reconciliation. Early in his life he determined that “if it should ever become necessary, for the good of the country, (I) would sacrifice (my) own political existence.” That is exactly what he did. He would not remain silent even to retain the seat he loved for future battles. Neither of these great men wavered in the defense of their beliefs. They would not compromise their values. They lived lives of integrity, courage & valor.
Compromise is a necessary & beneficial part of government. Rarely would anything ever be accomplished without it because whole hearted agreement among large groups is impossible. There is clearly a time for compromise. It is not however the right answer for every quarrel.
When the issue in question concerns revealed truths any compromise is wrong.
Revealed truths are principles and instruction given by God. The constitution is reveled truth. The scriptures contain revealed truth. The family proclamation is clear succinct revealed truth. Although we cannot force our beliefs on anyone our laws, leaders and government practices should be representative of the majority’s belief system. My personal liberty ends as soon as it infringes on someone else’s right to do the same. The problem we face today is that our judicial system has been so concerned with maintaining the rights of vocal special interest groups that many of these revealed truths have been compromised. A city no longer has a right to display evidence of Christian belief. We cannot pray in school. There is a movement to remove all reference to God from our Government, from our money, our pledge, everywhere. Abortion (Murder) is legal and homosexuality rewarded but if I stand up and speak out against the injustices of our government I can be named “an enemy combatant” and be stripped of my rights. I find it offensive that my beliefs, the majority’s beliefs, take second seat to a relative handful of vocal antichrists. Even more abrasive are those Christians who allow this to happen in the name of fair & equitable government. What ever happened to majority rule? Compromise happened. In an effort to resolve dissonant voices we have allowed minority beliefs to infringe on the revealed truths upheld by the majority.
Any compromise moves us away from truth. It dose not matter if we give a little or a lot me move away from our sure foundation. In compromise Satan always wins. He is just as intent on bringing down our government & stealing away or freedoms as he is on breaking up our families. Compromise enough and pretty soon the intent of the Constitutions is misread as individual freedom at the expense of the community. “Our Constitution was made only for a moral & religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other” - John Adams. We have compromised entirely too often. The general population has relinquished too much to minority rule. We need moral leaders who will fight to regain & maintain our God given rights; Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We need people who understand public virtue, the act of sacrificing oneself in favor of the public good. We are all entirely too selfish.
Voting for the lesser of evils is compromise, in doing so we distort the voters’ true desire. Morally we cannot expect more of our leaders than of ourselves. If we expect government officials to vote their conscience then we have to do likewise. Anything less would be hypocritical. Our form of elected government functions best when the elected officials truly represent the wishes & ideas of their constituents. “Now, it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it you law – to do your business by the voice of the people” (Mosiah 29:26 , (25-29)). If we do not vote our conscience than how do we express the goodness that is in our hearts? How can the right man get elected if we persist in lowering our standards for fear of casting an ineffectual vote? The only meaningless vote is the one not cast. A vote for the party leader will be but one of many. A vote for the best man will always be significant, if only to oneself.
In 20 years Ron Paul’s record is consistent, predictable. He always votes against tax increase in any form. He always advocates smaller national government. He votes for fiscal responsibility. He consistently defends personal liberty and cries for a return to old fashion constitutional principles. He is a man of integrity who like Benton & Houston is not afraid to follow his conscience. He is very electable all he needs is your vote.
Ron Paul, The only “HOPE for AMERICA”
For what it is worth
Remember Sam Houston, the guy who left the Alamo to go for reinforcements but did not return on time to save the mission or her defenders. Soon thereafter Houston did beat Santa Ana & win independence for Texas. Sam Houston was her first president. When Texas was admitted into the Union Houston became a Congressman in the turbulent years leading up to Lincoln’s presidency & the Civil War. During this time of political turmoil, in spite of opposition from all sides Houston never waivered in his support of the Union. He once stated “think you, sir, after the difficulties Texans have encountered to get into the Union, that you can whip her out of it? No, sir… we shed our blood to get into it… We were among the last to come into the Union, and being in, we will be the last to get out. … (We) must stand firm to the Union, regardless of all personal consequences.” This was not a popular opinion for the representative of a Southern slave state. Public opinion gradually grew until he & his unionist views where voted out of Congress. He returned to Texas & somehow got elected as Governor where he continued to speak in favor of the Union. Here to he was eventually forced out as Texas succeeded. In his last official message as Governor he said “I am stricken down because I will not yield those principles which I have fought for…. The severest pang is that the blow comes in the name of the state of Texas.”
In like manner Thomas Hart Benton, the first Senator from Missouri, fought ferociously for the union while watching a 30 year career wither and die. As the battle lines began to form, dividing the North & South Benton found himself a vocal supporter of the Union representing a slave state. Like Houston Benton refused to change his mind or temper his tongue about the need for unity & reconciliation. Early in his life he determined that “if it should ever become necessary, for the good of the country, (I) would sacrifice (my) own political existence.” That is exactly what he did. He would not remain silent even to retain the seat he loved for future battles. Neither of these great men wavered in the defense of their beliefs. They would not compromise their values. They lived lives of integrity, courage & valor.
Compromise is a necessary & beneficial part of government. Rarely would anything ever be accomplished without it because whole hearted agreement among large groups is impossible. There is clearly a time for compromise. It is not however the right answer for every quarrel.
When the issue in question concerns revealed truths any compromise is wrong.
Revealed truths are principles and instruction given by God. The constitution is reveled truth. The scriptures contain revealed truth. The family proclamation is clear succinct revealed truth. Although we cannot force our beliefs on anyone our laws, leaders and government practices should be representative of the majority’s belief system. My personal liberty ends as soon as it infringes on someone else’s right to do the same. The problem we face today is that our judicial system has been so concerned with maintaining the rights of vocal special interest groups that many of these revealed truths have been compromised. A city no longer has a right to display evidence of Christian belief. We cannot pray in school. There is a movement to remove all reference to God from our Government, from our money, our pledge, everywhere. Abortion (Murder) is legal and homosexuality rewarded but if I stand up and speak out against the injustices of our government I can be named “an enemy combatant” and be stripped of my rights. I find it offensive that my beliefs, the majority’s beliefs, take second seat to a relative handful of vocal antichrists. Even more abrasive are those Christians who allow this to happen in the name of fair & equitable government. What ever happened to majority rule? Compromise happened. In an effort to resolve dissonant voices we have allowed minority beliefs to infringe on the revealed truths upheld by the majority.
Any compromise moves us away from truth. It dose not matter if we give a little or a lot me move away from our sure foundation. In compromise Satan always wins. He is just as intent on bringing down our government & stealing away or freedoms as he is on breaking up our families. Compromise enough and pretty soon the intent of the Constitutions is misread as individual freedom at the expense of the community. “Our Constitution was made only for a moral & religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other” - John Adams. We have compromised entirely too often. The general population has relinquished too much to minority rule. We need moral leaders who will fight to regain & maintain our God given rights; Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We need people who understand public virtue, the act of sacrificing oneself in favor of the public good. We are all entirely too selfish.
Voting for the lesser of evils is compromise, in doing so we distort the voters’ true desire. Morally we cannot expect more of our leaders than of ourselves. If we expect government officials to vote their conscience then we have to do likewise. Anything less would be hypocritical. Our form of elected government functions best when the elected officials truly represent the wishes & ideas of their constituents. “Now, it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it you law – to do your business by the voice of the people” (Mosiah 29:26 , (25-29)). If we do not vote our conscience than how do we express the goodness that is in our hearts? How can the right man get elected if we persist in lowering our standards for fear of casting an ineffectual vote? The only meaningless vote is the one not cast. A vote for the party leader will be but one of many. A vote for the best man will always be significant, if only to oneself.
In 20 years Ron Paul’s record is consistent, predictable. He always votes against tax increase in any form. He always advocates smaller national government. He votes for fiscal responsibility. He consistently defends personal liberty and cries for a return to old fashion constitutional principles. He is a man of integrity who like Benton & Houston is not afraid to follow his conscience. He is very electable all he needs is your vote.
Ron Paul, The only “HOPE for AMERICA”
For what it is worth
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Politics part 1
“Even this nation shall be on the verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground and when the Constitution is on the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation will lean and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction.” Joseph Smith
In most locations across America it is an accepted fact that our system of government has deteriorated. Just how far it has drifted is the only real discussion. Few of us believe that our national leaders truly have our best interests at heart. Too often I, like so many others, worry that they sell out my interests in favor of a higher bidder or louder voice, whatever it takes for another term in office. It is easy to sink into despair, to accept what the media feeds us as the whole story & allow someone else to determine the course for our country. But there is hope. There is finally a candidate who has real plans for real change. Smaller Government , more liberty & more freedom.
A prominent TV talk show host encourages couples to fight fair, don’t allow yourselves to get caught up in topics. Identify & stick to the real issue. Topics generally stem from issues. Multiple topics can be solved by addressing one central issue. When applying this concept to the Presidential primary race we find that there are several topics but few issues being discussed and even fewer candidates willing to address them. In fact, the only issue I hear about is the growing gulf between our laws & the Constitution. Think about it, most of the sound bites we hear are topics addressed by the Constitution & even if an item is not specifically mentioned it is covered by this phrase; “powers not delegated to the united states by the Constitution, … are reserved to the states respectively,…”
Not long ago I read somewhere about the rise of the third reich in Europe & how it effected the Jews. At first all they had to do was carry with them their personal identification papers that progressed to a 5 pointed star forcibly worn as a sign of inferiority. Later they were taken to work camps, branded with an ID number & eventually lead to the gas chamber. The story pointed out that there was apparently little resistance, particularly in the early stages when a small effort could have made a huge difference. Right here in America, land of the free, a personal ID card, with not only a barcode & picture but a tiny micro chip, will be required at all federal inspection stations as of May 2008. Airports, post offices & other federal buildings will have limited access to unidentified citizens. The FDA has also approved a small chip & transmitter for insertion under the skin. Now we don’t have to worry about losing or leaving our ID & big brother can track us 24/7. So now…. which line do I stand in for my yellow star?
Despite the fact that the Constitution clearly states that “The Congress shall have power to … regulate Commerce with foreign Nations… to coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign Coin,” President Bush with out Congressional approval, signed an agreement with Canada & Mexico effectively dissolving our borders. By agreeing to the future formation of the North American Union, the use of a monetary unit called the amero & allowing the Union to tax us, he has at the very least abdicated our fiscal autonomy & probably more.
The Patriot Act was pushed through Congress in one night. The Congressmen had the 300 page document for less than 12 hours before they were required to vote. Does that smell fishy to anyone else? What is in it that Congress was not supposed to read about? The Patriot act is in reality very unpatriotic, it abolishes Habeas Corpus rights, it authorizes torture & allows a captive to be held with out trial. Is this American? Presidential Candidates give sixty second speeches about a variety of things why don’t we hear about stuff like this?
The issue is abuse & disregard for the Constitution by our leaders & apathy as Americans. Everything else is diversionary discussion which keeps us agitated & focused on single topics. We will never fix what is wrong with our Nation one topic at a time we have to address the issues. It is time for more than a change of face; we need something other than a new poster child for big business. We need a statesman instead of a just another politician. A statesman votes his conscience consistently. He is not beholding to any man let alone a corporation or special interest group. He fights for the best interest of his nation even when it is inconvenient for his state. For the first time in generations there is a Statesman running for President. There is a chance for serious change, for reformation.
All the candidates have made some claim about being the one able to deliver change. Only one of them is brave enough to speak truth about these and other issues. Only one of them can actually begin to make a change. He is the only one who sees a need for real change.
The question is not “will the nation endure?” The question is how far down will it go before the people wake up. The longer they wait the further down it goes and the greater will be our problem. If we don’t wake up soon enough only blood – human blood – will buy it back. (Reportedly spoken by President Ezra Taft Benson)
All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
Where do you stand?
Ron Paul for President 2008
In most locations across America it is an accepted fact that our system of government has deteriorated. Just how far it has drifted is the only real discussion. Few of us believe that our national leaders truly have our best interests at heart. Too often I, like so many others, worry that they sell out my interests in favor of a higher bidder or louder voice, whatever it takes for another term in office. It is easy to sink into despair, to accept what the media feeds us as the whole story & allow someone else to determine the course for our country. But there is hope. There is finally a candidate who has real plans for real change. Smaller Government , more liberty & more freedom.
A prominent TV talk show host encourages couples to fight fair, don’t allow yourselves to get caught up in topics. Identify & stick to the real issue. Topics generally stem from issues. Multiple topics can be solved by addressing one central issue. When applying this concept to the Presidential primary race we find that there are several topics but few issues being discussed and even fewer candidates willing to address them. In fact, the only issue I hear about is the growing gulf between our laws & the Constitution. Think about it, most of the sound bites we hear are topics addressed by the Constitution & even if an item is not specifically mentioned it is covered by this phrase; “powers not delegated to the united states by the Constitution, … are reserved to the states respectively,…”
Not long ago I read somewhere about the rise of the third reich in Europe & how it effected the Jews. At first all they had to do was carry with them their personal identification papers that progressed to a 5 pointed star forcibly worn as a sign of inferiority. Later they were taken to work camps, branded with an ID number & eventually lead to the gas chamber. The story pointed out that there was apparently little resistance, particularly in the early stages when a small effort could have made a huge difference. Right here in America, land of the free, a personal ID card, with not only a barcode & picture but a tiny micro chip, will be required at all federal inspection stations as of May 2008. Airports, post offices & other federal buildings will have limited access to unidentified citizens. The FDA has also approved a small chip & transmitter for insertion under the skin. Now we don’t have to worry about losing or leaving our ID & big brother can track us 24/7. So now…. which line do I stand in for my yellow star?
Despite the fact that the Constitution clearly states that “The Congress shall have power to … regulate Commerce with foreign Nations… to coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign Coin,” President Bush with out Congressional approval, signed an agreement with Canada & Mexico effectively dissolving our borders. By agreeing to the future formation of the North American Union, the use of a monetary unit called the amero & allowing the Union to tax us, he has at the very least abdicated our fiscal autonomy & probably more.
The Patriot Act was pushed through Congress in one night. The Congressmen had the 300 page document for less than 12 hours before they were required to vote. Does that smell fishy to anyone else? What is in it that Congress was not supposed to read about? The Patriot act is in reality very unpatriotic, it abolishes Habeas Corpus rights, it authorizes torture & allows a captive to be held with out trial. Is this American? Presidential Candidates give sixty second speeches about a variety of things why don’t we hear about stuff like this?
The issue is abuse & disregard for the Constitution by our leaders & apathy as Americans. Everything else is diversionary discussion which keeps us agitated & focused on single topics. We will never fix what is wrong with our Nation one topic at a time we have to address the issues. It is time for more than a change of face; we need something other than a new poster child for big business. We need a statesman instead of a just another politician. A statesman votes his conscience consistently. He is not beholding to any man let alone a corporation or special interest group. He fights for the best interest of his nation even when it is inconvenient for his state. For the first time in generations there is a Statesman running for President. There is a chance for serious change, for reformation.
All the candidates have made some claim about being the one able to deliver change. Only one of them is brave enough to speak truth about these and other issues. Only one of them can actually begin to make a change. He is the only one who sees a need for real change.
The question is not “will the nation endure?” The question is how far down will it go before the people wake up. The longer they wait the further down it goes and the greater will be our problem. If we don’t wake up soon enough only blood – human blood – will buy it back. (Reportedly spoken by President Ezra Taft Benson)
All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
Where do you stand?
Ron Paul for President 2008
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Defining Moments
In light of Christmas, the day in which we celebrate Jesus’ birth, the natural topic for December fairly leaps at you. So much has been said of his life & mission that I have been unable to settle on a better way to teach of Christ than to praise him through testimony. I begin by sharing spiritually defining moments from my own life &close by attempting to express my feelings for my elder Brother. These defining moments are occasions or events in our lives that forever alter our view of the world, moments after which we are never the same. In a spiritual sense these moments equate to periods of clarity, or of testimony, brief glimpses of things as they really are or ought to be, an occasional peak into the eternities. Through these experiences and others like them I have gained a personal witness of my Savior Jesus Christ.
My earliest recollection of such a moment was an evening at home with my family. I must have been 10 or 12 years old, we were gathered in my parents’ room and I was lounging on the floor alongside their bed with everyone else either on the bed or near me on the floor. Although I don’t remember just what was asked, I do remember it being a question regarding testimony & how we know the church is true. The clearest part of this memory is my emotional response that “I don’t know how I know, I just do.” I remember fondly the warm pleasant confirmation that accompanied the teenage embarrassment associated with exposing my soul. I also recall a few years later sitting on a pool table in the back of a large common room at the hotel where we held that years youth conference. One of the speakers instructed us as to the powerful influence of music on our minds & lives. Sometime in the same meeting reference was made to Job & his suffering. His testimony was quoted “though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” (Job 19:26) As I repeated those words tears filled my eyes & the spirit taught me more than any guest speaker about the truthfulness of that statement. I knew then that I will indeed be resurrected & in this body be brought to stand before God the Father & Jesus Christ to be judged.
I never questioned weather or not I would serve a mission, not going really was not an option. I had a testimony unproven as it was & I had been taught that a mission is what young men of faith do. If you believe, if you have received a witness that God lives, that Joseph Smith was a Prophet, that he restored the true church of Jesus Christ to the earth and, translated the Book of Mormon then you serve. My belief in what qualifies one for service has not changed. If you acknowledge Christ as your Savior a desire to serve comes naturally.
Knowing that a mission was the right thing to do did not make it easy. I went to sleep many nights on a pillow wet with my own tears. These times of intense emotion brought me closer to my Savior & allowed me to experience, maybe for the first time, the comforting power of the Holy Ghost. I grew to trust the Lords hand in my life. The most poignant was afternoon in Zaragotha, my easy going companion was content to spend an hour at the church waiting for a ward activity. Normally I would not have been opposed to this as it was winter & the other option was street contacts, which are rarely productive & not much fun even in the best of weather. On this particular day however I was terribly agitated & could not hold still. I wanted to be out on the street, I felt like there was someone we needed to meet. At length my companion consented under duress to accompany me back out on the streets for a few more minutes wasted in the cold. So we walked. After about 45 minutes of aimless wandering we headed back to the ward activity, I still had not felt inclined to approach anyone & I was becoming frustrated. Finally in desperation I attempted to stop a thin blond woman hurrying in the opposite direction. In answer to my equally hurried & less than perfect introduction of who were & what we intended she blithely answered that “I know who you are & where you meet, I will come by tonight” at which she continued on her way. Neither I nor my calloused companion believed for an instant that she would be a woman of her word. So in defeat we returned to the chapel without making much of an effort for additional contacts. I was sure that I had somehow failed again to meet the Lords expectations of me, or so I thought. Midway though that evening’s activity the unexpected happened, SHE CAME! Maria Luisa was baptized 2 weeks later. The Lord does work miracles through the “weak things of the world” and “by small & simple means.” My mission was a defining spiritual experience.
Children require change. Your life changes from the first moment you see hold & hear them. Very little is ever the same again. Meals are different, the home is different. Silence becomes a coveted rarity & sleep, a cherished dream. Yet I could not be happier. I love each of my children in ways impossible to express. There was a night 5 or 6 years ago when the power of God was directly manifest in our home. Nearly eight months pregnant Tammie awoke in pain. Her water had broken 6 weeks early. Due in large part to the subsequent blessing Curt came to us unharmed. I have never been more grateful for the priesthood & Gods willingness to bless & protect my family than I was that night.
The Lord continues to show me mercy by touching my life with his love. There will yet be defining moments in my future. These times are when significant spiritual growth occurs. The Lord loves us to much to abandon us on an eternal plateau.
Alma the younger once exclaimed “Oh that I were an angel & could have the wish of mine heart.” Alma wanted to speak with the voice of God, to cry repentance unto all men every where & bring souls unto Christ. He wanted to share the joy in his heart. I too wish to share the admiration, gratitude & love in my heart. I want you to know, to feel, that I have a testimony of Christ, that I love him. I trust him & that although I too often cause cloudy communication he does answer my prayers, even those as yet unspoken. He speaks & teaches while I try to listen & obey.
Jesus Christ lives, today. There is grandeur in that statement. He lives! The resurrection happened, it is for real. Jesus suffered & died on the cross. For three days his body lay in a borrowed tomb while he organized missionary work among the dead & then he reunited his body & spirit perfect for ever. Because he did this I too will be resurrected. Born to Mary his mortal mother he is the only direct physical offspring of God the Father. Christ was therefore a God in the flesh. His life is the perfect example of how we should live, act & serve. He is “the way the truth & the life.” His way is the only way, all that we may achieve on earth means nothing if we do not allow our will, or desires to be swallowed up in his. His way is the only way. Anything else will in the end be meaningless. He was tempted beyond what any mortal man could have withstood; he knows well what it is to be buffeted by Satan & how it feels to be left alone with out the spirit. In spite of this he fulfilled his mission. He knew what was in store for him, he knew the suffering & pain that awaited. Fully aware of the task at hand, he first asked if there was no other way, said he, “if it be possible let this cup pass from me” and then the words which show his faith, his commitment, his character, “not as I will, but as thou wilt.” The most powerful man ever to walk the face of the earth was also the most humble.
Hymns have always been a conduit to my heart for gospel truths. You will recognize these next phrases; they are verses that have touched me, truths that have reached my heart or expressions of testimony. “I believe in Christ; he is my King! With all my heart to him I’ll sing”, “He lives! All glory to his name! He lives, my Savior still the same. Oh sweet, the joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!”, “And when I think that God, his Son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in, that on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, he bled and died to take away my sin. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee, how great thou art, how great thou art.”, “The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes. That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”, “I need thee, oh I need thee, every hour I need thee! Oh bless me know my savior, I come to thee.”
It pains me to know that I contributed to his agony. His suffering was bad enough without my stupid mistakes. He chose to suffer for me, for me. God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. Zero tolerance. Absolute perfection is the standard. I fail to attain such a level of performance. I am considerably less than perfect. Even as we progress beyond sins of commission and more clearly recognize our responsibilities as sons & daughters of God, we become accountable for the things we don’t do & even for our attitude in doing. “Oh how great the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth.” (Helaman 12:7) The dust obeys every time, do I?
Because I do not, it was “expedient that a an atonement should be made ; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened ; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement…. For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice … an infinite and eternal sacrifice.”(Alma 34:9&10) Jesus Christ was that sacrifice. In Gethsemane he bore the punishment for every sin & wrong doing of every person who ever came to earth. “Which suffering caused (Christ) the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit – and would that (he)might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink-” ( D&C 19:18). I am humbled by his action. His personal sacrifice allows Jesus to intercede on my behalf with the father. Because justice has been served Father can extend me the mercy I so desperately require. Because Jesus Christ has already accepted the punishment for my sins I can be redeemed & live forever with my family, in the presence of God. This is my ultimate goal, Life Eternal, to live forever with God.
There is nothing save denial of the Holy Ghost for which I may not be forgiven. The Love of God, the charity which Christ has for me, expressed Gethsemane & on the cross, guarantees me a place in heaven if I but do one thing, Come unto Christ, accept his offering, his gift. To do so I must repent & rededicate myself to more fully keep his commands, to “rise from the dust”. When I stumble, fall or fail all I must do is come unto Christ & once again rededicate myself to keeping his commands. The price has already been paid, the blood spilt. I love Jesus Christ. He is my personal Savior. I must not let his suffering be in vain.
For what it's worth.
My earliest recollection of such a moment was an evening at home with my family. I must have been 10 or 12 years old, we were gathered in my parents’ room and I was lounging on the floor alongside their bed with everyone else either on the bed or near me on the floor. Although I don’t remember just what was asked, I do remember it being a question regarding testimony & how we know the church is true. The clearest part of this memory is my emotional response that “I don’t know how I know, I just do.” I remember fondly the warm pleasant confirmation that accompanied the teenage embarrassment associated with exposing my soul. I also recall a few years later sitting on a pool table in the back of a large common room at the hotel where we held that years youth conference. One of the speakers instructed us as to the powerful influence of music on our minds & lives. Sometime in the same meeting reference was made to Job & his suffering. His testimony was quoted “though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” (Job 19:26) As I repeated those words tears filled my eyes & the spirit taught me more than any guest speaker about the truthfulness of that statement. I knew then that I will indeed be resurrected & in this body be brought to stand before God the Father & Jesus Christ to be judged.
I never questioned weather or not I would serve a mission, not going really was not an option. I had a testimony unproven as it was & I had been taught that a mission is what young men of faith do. If you believe, if you have received a witness that God lives, that Joseph Smith was a Prophet, that he restored the true church of Jesus Christ to the earth and, translated the Book of Mormon then you serve. My belief in what qualifies one for service has not changed. If you acknowledge Christ as your Savior a desire to serve comes naturally.
Knowing that a mission was the right thing to do did not make it easy. I went to sleep many nights on a pillow wet with my own tears. These times of intense emotion brought me closer to my Savior & allowed me to experience, maybe for the first time, the comforting power of the Holy Ghost. I grew to trust the Lords hand in my life. The most poignant was afternoon in Zaragotha, my easy going companion was content to spend an hour at the church waiting for a ward activity. Normally I would not have been opposed to this as it was winter & the other option was street contacts, which are rarely productive & not much fun even in the best of weather. On this particular day however I was terribly agitated & could not hold still. I wanted to be out on the street, I felt like there was someone we needed to meet. At length my companion consented under duress to accompany me back out on the streets for a few more minutes wasted in the cold. So we walked. After about 45 minutes of aimless wandering we headed back to the ward activity, I still had not felt inclined to approach anyone & I was becoming frustrated. Finally in desperation I attempted to stop a thin blond woman hurrying in the opposite direction. In answer to my equally hurried & less than perfect introduction of who were & what we intended she blithely answered that “I know who you are & where you meet, I will come by tonight” at which she continued on her way. Neither I nor my calloused companion believed for an instant that she would be a woman of her word. So in defeat we returned to the chapel without making much of an effort for additional contacts. I was sure that I had somehow failed again to meet the Lords expectations of me, or so I thought. Midway though that evening’s activity the unexpected happened, SHE CAME! Maria Luisa was baptized 2 weeks later. The Lord does work miracles through the “weak things of the world” and “by small & simple means.” My mission was a defining spiritual experience.
Children require change. Your life changes from the first moment you see hold & hear them. Very little is ever the same again. Meals are different, the home is different. Silence becomes a coveted rarity & sleep, a cherished dream. Yet I could not be happier. I love each of my children in ways impossible to express. There was a night 5 or 6 years ago when the power of God was directly manifest in our home. Nearly eight months pregnant Tammie awoke in pain. Her water had broken 6 weeks early. Due in large part to the subsequent blessing Curt came to us unharmed. I have never been more grateful for the priesthood & Gods willingness to bless & protect my family than I was that night.
The Lord continues to show me mercy by touching my life with his love. There will yet be defining moments in my future. These times are when significant spiritual growth occurs. The Lord loves us to much to abandon us on an eternal plateau.
Alma the younger once exclaimed “Oh that I were an angel & could have the wish of mine heart.” Alma wanted to speak with the voice of God, to cry repentance unto all men every where & bring souls unto Christ. He wanted to share the joy in his heart. I too wish to share the admiration, gratitude & love in my heart. I want you to know, to feel, that I have a testimony of Christ, that I love him. I trust him & that although I too often cause cloudy communication he does answer my prayers, even those as yet unspoken. He speaks & teaches while I try to listen & obey.
Jesus Christ lives, today. There is grandeur in that statement. He lives! The resurrection happened, it is for real. Jesus suffered & died on the cross. For three days his body lay in a borrowed tomb while he organized missionary work among the dead & then he reunited his body & spirit perfect for ever. Because he did this I too will be resurrected. Born to Mary his mortal mother he is the only direct physical offspring of God the Father. Christ was therefore a God in the flesh. His life is the perfect example of how we should live, act & serve. He is “the way the truth & the life.” His way is the only way, all that we may achieve on earth means nothing if we do not allow our will, or desires to be swallowed up in his. His way is the only way. Anything else will in the end be meaningless. He was tempted beyond what any mortal man could have withstood; he knows well what it is to be buffeted by Satan & how it feels to be left alone with out the spirit. In spite of this he fulfilled his mission. He knew what was in store for him, he knew the suffering & pain that awaited. Fully aware of the task at hand, he first asked if there was no other way, said he, “if it be possible let this cup pass from me” and then the words which show his faith, his commitment, his character, “not as I will, but as thou wilt.” The most powerful man ever to walk the face of the earth was also the most humble.
Hymns have always been a conduit to my heart for gospel truths. You will recognize these next phrases; they are verses that have touched me, truths that have reached my heart or expressions of testimony. “I believe in Christ; he is my King! With all my heart to him I’ll sing”, “He lives! All glory to his name! He lives, my Savior still the same. Oh sweet, the joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!”, “And when I think that God, his Son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in, that on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, he bled and died to take away my sin. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee, how great thou art, how great thou art.”, “The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes. That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”, “I need thee, oh I need thee, every hour I need thee! Oh bless me know my savior, I come to thee.”
It pains me to know that I contributed to his agony. His suffering was bad enough without my stupid mistakes. He chose to suffer for me, for me. God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. Zero tolerance. Absolute perfection is the standard. I fail to attain such a level of performance. I am considerably less than perfect. Even as we progress beyond sins of commission and more clearly recognize our responsibilities as sons & daughters of God, we become accountable for the things we don’t do & even for our attitude in doing. “Oh how great the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth.” (Helaman 12:7) The dust obeys every time, do I?
Because I do not, it was “expedient that a an atonement should be made ; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened ; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement…. For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice … an infinite and eternal sacrifice.”(Alma 34:9&10) Jesus Christ was that sacrifice. In Gethsemane he bore the punishment for every sin & wrong doing of every person who ever came to earth. “Which suffering caused (Christ) the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit – and would that (he)might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink-” ( D&C 19:18). I am humbled by his action. His personal sacrifice allows Jesus to intercede on my behalf with the father. Because justice has been served Father can extend me the mercy I so desperately require. Because Jesus Christ has already accepted the punishment for my sins I can be redeemed & live forever with my family, in the presence of God. This is my ultimate goal, Life Eternal, to live forever with God.
There is nothing save denial of the Holy Ghost for which I may not be forgiven. The Love of God, the charity which Christ has for me, expressed Gethsemane & on the cross, guarantees me a place in heaven if I but do one thing, Come unto Christ, accept his offering, his gift. To do so I must repent & rededicate myself to more fully keep his commands, to “rise from the dust”. When I stumble, fall or fail all I must do is come unto Christ & once again rededicate myself to keeping his commands. The price has already been paid, the blood spilt. I love Jesus Christ. He is my personal Savior. I must not let his suffering be in vain.
For what it's worth.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
filled to overflowing
I wish I was capable of the words to express what is in my heart. It is filled to overflowing w/ the love I feel for my lovely wife. Coherent speech evades me when I think of how wonderful it is that I can spend not only the rest of my life with her but eternity. What an awesome concept. What a goal. I strive daily to live my life in such a way as to be worthy of her affection, trust, loyalty & love. I know that I frustrate her, my bad habits & poor choices do little to help our relationship. I love her even more because of the way she tries so hard & sometimes fails to be patient with my failings. I love to hear the contented tone of her voice speaking to me when she has nothing particular to say but still wants to visit. She makes me feel that all is right with the world when she is around. It is fun to see her interests growing as she reads a wider variety of books. She is opinionated & at times stubborn but I wouldn’t have her any other way. Although it rarely happens that like tonight she is the 1st one asleep I do love the peaceful look on her sleeping face & her muted silhouette beneath the covers. I seldom miss giving her a soft kiss goodbye in the morning. Most days it is still quite dark & she is typically unresponsive but leaving feels empty without the gesture. I have always liked her in red. However despite her many enticing physical features the attributes I most cherish are those of the heart. Hers is very very large. She strives so diligently to be obedient to the word of the Lord, to listen to his voice & do his will. She is truly inspiring.
Tammie, I love you. I LOVE YOU. I know that words of affirmation are not anymore your love language than physical touch but it felt right to do this tonight. Know that I am trying to be the man you need me to be. You deserve it.
Good night sweetheart
For what it’s worth
Tammie, I love you. I LOVE YOU. I know that words of affirmation are not anymore your love language than physical touch but it felt right to do this tonight. Know that I am trying to be the man you need me to be. You deserve it.
Good night sweetheart
For what it’s worth
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
