Our combined youth activity this month, planned by the beehives, was find your way to the temple. We first had to try and get there by rolling a die at each intersection to determine our course. After trying that for awhile we were given a map to follow. We then visited the temple grounds and had some leaders share thoughts on the temple and then we had some time to reflect and write goals for getting to the temple. It was a really good activity.  It was also a perfect evening, unfortunately I didn’t have a decent camera in tow.

At Stake Conference last week there was a lot of focus on the temple as well; mostly examples of how temple attendance has helped people in various situations. What a great time to live with temples being built like never before.

Last weekend I attended Stake Youth Conference at Aspen Grove. To be honest I wasn’t too excited to go. It was at the end of one of the longest weeks we’ve ever had. I had been gone to Salt Lake helping with our annual sales training event for several long days while Holli was at home dealing with the flu. However it turned out to be a really great experience.

Friday night was a fireside with Max Hall followed by a two Stake combined dance. Then on Saturday there was a 3 hour morning workshop on “I will go”, “I will do”, and “I will be”, followed by cross country skiing and a closing testimony meeting in the afternoon. For the workshop there were 3 different sessions. One was a returned missionary panel that turned out to be the high point for me (followed very closely by the Chambers excellent talks). They had 6 or 7 recently returned missionaries from our Stake, including one from our ward who had only been home from Russia for a week, and one guy who had been back for 10 years. Listening to their experiences, thoughts, lessons learned, and struggles to find the right English words brought back all of my mission feelings. It was truly the most spiritually uplifting experience I’ve had in a long time. I sat listening with my notebook open recording one thought and insight after another; just like in the old mission conferences.

Well the one missionary who had been home for 10 years shared three points with the youth, one of which was that just like physically we are what we eat, we actually become what we think. This is such a great concept that is so important to understand. Especially considering the constant stream of media and information that is found in our modern world. This is one of the great blessing of serving a mission; the opportunity to study and ponder every morning and then go out and apply what’s learned through teaching and serving others (or else spending many long hours walking which offers more time for reflection).  I thought about this a lot and decided to make it the focus of my lesson for the priests yesterday. Below you will find my notes for the lesson, complete with a pretty tough challenge at the end.

On a side note I think the back side of Timp offers the most spectacular mountain views in all of Utah, too bad I didn’t have my camera because the weather and light made for a perfect day.

Stake Youth Conference – You Are What You Think

What do missionaries think about?

“Neither take ye thought beforehand ^awhat ye shall say; but ^btreasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be ^cgiven you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.” – D&C 84:85

A few examples:

“Behold, my ^asoul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my ^bheart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.” – 2 Ne 4:16

“Never did any passage of ^ascripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed ^bwisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects ^cunderstood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.”  – JS History 1:12

“On the third of October, in the year nineteen hundred and eighteen, I sat in my room ^apondering over the scriptures;” D&C 138:1

What do you think about when you have nothing else to think about?

It was during President Eyring’s study of physics at the University of Utah and his father was explaining a complex mathematical problem when he stopped and said, “Hal we did the same kind of problem as this a week ago and you’re no better now than you were then at this.  Isn’t this what you think about when you don’t have anything else to think about?”  When President Eyring said “no,” a very solemn moment followed.  His father then said, “Well then, Hal, you’d better get out because you’ll be competing with people where this is their life and they’ll be as bright as you are.  You better go find something that you think about when you don’t have to think about it, when it’s just a joy to you.” – President Eyring

Why treasure up in your minds?

“Seek not to ^adeclare my word, but first seek to ^bobtain my ^cword, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my ^dSpirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the ^econvincing of men.” – D&C 11:21

You can’t teach what you don’t know. You can’t learn without study & effort.

“You can think about only what you know, so you ought to learn something;” – Arthur Schopenhauer

“It is true intelligence for a man
to take a subject that is
mysterious and great in itself,
and to unfold and simplify it so
that a child can understand it.”
– PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR
THE GOSPEL KINGDOM, SEL. G. HOMER DURHAM (1943), 270 – Found in Preach My Gospel

How to do it?

“But your mind has been on the things of the ^aearth more than on the things of me, your Maker, and the ministry whereunto you have been called; and you have not given heed unto my ^bSpirit, and to those who were set over you, but have been persuaded by those whom I have not commanded.  Wherefore, you are left to inquire for yourself at my hand, and ^aponder upon the things which you have received.” – D&C 30:2-3

1) Study & ponder scriptures each morning

2) Mark scriptures using multiple color system – take time

3) Think about scriptures during breaks throughout each day

4) Take quiet time to reflect each night

5) Tune out the world (tv, video games, Internet, ipods, cell phones, radio) during quiet times

What do you want to be?

“My earnest hope for each of you young men is that you will not simply go on a mission—but that you will become missionaries long before you submit your mission papers, long before you receive a call to serve, long before you are set apart by your stake president, and long before you enter the MTC.” – Elder Bednar – Becoming a Missionary

Solitude of the Savior

“And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to ^apray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.” – Matt 14:23
Challenge – 1 Week

1 hour study/ponder/reflect/journal time each day (no distractions)
No Ipods
Report on (verbal or written)  What Are You Thinking

http://rustysblog.com/about-this-blog/

Is Mormonism Christian?

The Sermon at the Temple (full book here)

Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon

Glenn Beck: Financial meltdown is an absolute disaster

Paul Newman

Portrait in patriotism — Friberg painting of Washington honored at Valley Forge exhibit

One of the great teachings from the Savior’s ministry is that spiritual understanding is a gift from God. When Simon Peter testified that Jesus was the Christ we have this enlightening response: “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17).

On a recent trip to Southern Utah I encountered a preacher from another faith one evening and we had quite a long conversation. It reminded me of so many similar conversations I had while serving a full time mission in Rio. The ones that lead to countless sleepless nights because I felt that if I could just explain things a little more clearly, then they could believe and understand.

The truth of the matter is that if the person is open to believing then the Spirit will offer the necessary guidance . This is taught most plainly in Doctrine and Covenants (D&C 84: 85):

“Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.”

My visit with the preacher was interesting because he wanted to have an intellectual conversation. I’ve learned a lot in the 11 years since returning home from Rio. I’m much better prepared today to have an intellectual discussion than I was as an 19 year old kid. But it didn’t matter, the result was the same now as it was then. We had a cordial conversation, but neither of us budged from our original positions and I doubt either of us really learned anything from the other.

Upon reflection I realized that perhaps the only good part was when I took opportunity to share my testimony. Which I did by explaining that when you’re a teenager and mostly interested in cars, sports, friends, and the like, that it’s a tough thing to leave home and share the story of the restored gospel with complete strangers. Especially the fantastical story about a 14 year old boy who in the early 1800s saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ and then later received gold plates from an angel and translated them by the gift and power of God. I explained that it’s not possible to do such a thing unless you have received witness by the Holy Spirit that it’s true. At this point the preacher interrupted with his opinion that we must “believe” it’s true in order to serve missions. I responded that it went beyond belief, you just can’t do it unless you know it’s true.

Given the chance to redo the whole conversation I’d still share that testimony, but I’d also look for ways to steer things towards some areas where we might find common ground. Certainly we both face similar issues: raising children, serving others, strengthening marriages, educating the youth, and supporting sound politicians and public policies. Perhaps next time we can come more to an understanding of those things we share in common. Doing so would actually allow the Spirit of Understanding a chance to participate in, rather than flee, the conversation.

A great talk that explains this in more depth was given by Elder Oaks at the April 2008 conference.

President Hinckley will be remembered for so many great things. For me it’s a big change in Church leadership; I have no memory of a time when he was not a member of the First Presidency. President Hinckley’s life accomplishments are far too many to completely list here. His legacy will certainly continue to affect people for good for generations to come. Some of the programs he implemented are really changing the world. The perpetual education fund is a modern day miracle; who can tell the far reaching effects that may come of it? The temple building under his direction was unbelievable. Among all these accomplishments and the amazing qualities his life stood for, the one thing that will always stand out is his enduring optimism. Even with prophetic insight into all the problems facing the world today, he had nothing but enthusiasm for living in this day. It’s no wonder he lived to be the oldest prophet to ever guide the church. This is the example that is most important, and often the most difficult, for us to emulate. No matter what challenges are encountered in life, following his example to do as we’re commanded and do it with hope and good cheer will serve any us well.

“I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life we ‘accentuate the positive.’ I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good…Look for the sunlight through the clouds”. – President Hinckley

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