Election day is over and the votes have been counted, recorded, and winners announced. Barack Obama is our new president and many of the faces in congress have changed from one party to another. What it all means for our nation is still a mystery but I 'm sure we will find that the tenor of rhetoric will change with the new leadership. I will truly miss Pres. Bush and the firm stand he took to keep our country safe. Many have accused him of being out of touch but I believe he has sought the best interests of our country in all the decisions he has made. When he decided something needed to be done, he did it and never worried about what the consequences might be. Someday in the future it will be decided that George W. Bush was one of the better presidents to lead our nation. Oh, he has his faults but he is a man of honor and has done all he can to protect and lead this country in a difficult time. I only hope the new President will be as certain and unwavering in his efforts.
This morning I was reading our local newspaper online and came across an article concerning some happenings in Los Angeles at the site of our Temple. It seems that a large contingent of protesters were gathered to proclaim their dislike for the LDS Church involvement in the recent Proposition 8 efforts (http://tinyurl.com/6m8g3c). If you look at the photos that accompany the article, you will notice that the protesters have written graffiti on the gates of the temple saying "bigots" and "liars". Having had some interest in this whole Prop 8 business, I have followed the dialogs of each side and have noticed that most of the rancor and name calling have come from those who are advocating tolerance for views outside the norm of society. Those who believe in the values of marriage between a man and a woman are scorned because we have the audacity to want to keep that sacred union sacred. This is not a political or social issue (as the gay-rights forum would have us believe) but it is an issue of doctrine and belief in the teachings of God. Unlike the civil-rights movement, the gay-activists are not seeking to right a wrong that has been perpetrated by the wickedness and greed of men, but, rather, they are seeking to impose immoral behavior on a people who are seeking to live moral lives.
I was interested to read that there were a group of protesters who stood at the gates of the Temple, waving signs and shouting obscenities at those who were trying to attend. Another case of this also took place at the Oakland Temple a few weeks before the election. In both instances, it was noted that the experience by those who were being mocked reminded them of the vision Lehi had of the 'great and spacious building.' If you recall, the people in the building were seen laughing and shouting in derision at those who were trying to reach the Tree of Life. My guess is that we will see much more of this behavior in the future and we will have to decide how we will respond. Will we opt to try and make peace at all costs with those who believe differently than we do. Or, will we stand firm and 'hold to the rod' as we move closer to the Tree. I, for one, hope that I find myself closer to the Tree than the building when all is said and done.
Enough politics for now!!! Our family is all healthy and happy. Joel just finished the musical for his school. They performed Pirates of Penzance and he had a dual role: a pirate and the Police Sergeant. He was hilarious in both roles and seemed to have quite a good time. I will include a picture or two at the end. I have also added a video of Joel's swimming efforts. This is his first year so he is constantly improving. He is having fun and we enjoy watching him.
That's all for this post. We have grandkids over for a "sleep party" so I need to help get them to bed. See you next time.
(the video didn't work so I will try again later)
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