CUBA

Though I was but a lad, I recall the tension that followed the events pertaining to Cuba in the early 1960’s.  Our elementary school was near a military base in Arizona and we often practiced ‘air-raids’ just as we did ‘fire-drills.’ 

Everyone wanted one of these.  Just in case!!

As the years went by, it didn’t take much to recognize the evilness of Fidel Castro and his henchmen and to feel some pride in how the U.S. was dealing with their atrocities.

He promised freedom
but all his people got
was -- well, not what was
 promised.

Fast forward to today!!

President Obama has made a decision to change relations with Cuba – for whatever reason – and has opened the possibility of future interactions between the former enemies.  The politics of all this escapes me – much of what our President does escapes me – but I do see a bright side to the situation

.

If talks do result in normalized exchanges between the two countries, there is a strong possibility the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will one-day send missionaries to that formerly off-limits part of the world.  Here is an article that outlines things that have happened recently in that regard.

Eternally, he will have a connection with this situation.

Much like the events preceding the Berlin Wall coming down, it seems the Lord is doing His ‘mystery’ work once again.  To me, at least, it is evident that the work is accelerating and will not slow down until……well, until the END.

Who would'a thunk this would happen in our lifetime.

 But it did.

I wonder how long before something like this happens in China or Iraq, or a number of other places.

Eyes Wide Open!!!

YOUTH

Mine is gone, but that’s not what I’m here to discuss.

Yesterday, Right in the middle of a lesson, it dawned on me that the young people I associate with every day are more than exceptional.  They live in a world that has excessive evil (I suspect even more than during Noah’s time).  Despite that hindrance, the vast majority of those I know are amazingly good and kind and righteous. 

And chances are they will be much that way for their whole life.

These magnificent people have been held back until this time because they have shown, in their pre-mortal existence, that they are among the best God has ever created.

And they are trusted.

By God!

By Prophets!

And by me!

So maybe it is high-time I (and we) trust them to be what they have chosen to be. 

Really, really good people who will, one day, welcome the Savior back to the earth.

It is only through their obedience and willingness to serve that they were reserved for the days that lie ahead.  Our job is and will be to prepare them to take over – so we need to trust them to do what they were sent to do.

After all, it’s not like they are slackers when it comes to goodness. 

Oh, sure, there are negative examples of young people who struggle with life and how to make it work for them.  But I don’t deal with that group much.  Most of them have made choices that lead them different directions before they ever come to my classes.  Those who make it this far and still choose to be part of what I do are pretty committed to living a good life.

And, as I explained to them, they will be the Bishops, YM/YW Leaders, Scoutmasters, Relief Society Presidents, Apostles, Prophets and all else needed to lead my grandchildren back to Heavenly Father.

I realize that I DO trust them.

I just sometimes forget and let my ‘natural man’ see things poorly.

“Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.” D&C 58:3

Yes, these are special people and we must treat them as such.

And expect much from them as we help prepare for THEIR time.

WHY TRY?

Nothing is harder that deciding what you really believe in and what you don’t.  The challenges of faith can wear a person down and make life miserable.  Often folks give up because they can’t get the answer they are after.

Life is not meant for quitting.

All that is good comes as we keep trying.

This blog message has some interesting thoughts on how to deal with a crisis of faith.  We all have them and it helps to know how to hang on.  I recommend his method to some who struggle.

Much of what he says I can sympathize with – as a witness or partaker to similar events. 

I agree with Paul who taught that “… we see through a glass darkly.” (1 Cor. 13:12).

We won’t get all the answers in mortality, but what we do get, it’s best to hold onto like it means something important.

Because it does!!!

The sum total of our life will be how we are judged and rewarded in the eternities.  Thankfully, we have a very forgiving Judge.

Thanks Suzanne Campbell for the link.

STONES

I love that our Heavenly Father has allowed us to come to earth to experience mortality and learn all we can.

Sometimes I really hate the side-effects of said experiences.

Recently, I have had some lower back pains that have been rather intense.  I went to see a doctor and he suggested DRUGS, with a side of COLD on the affected parts.

They didn’t work!!!

After a while, I began to search through my struggling memory and came upon an experience I had nearly a quarter century ago.  The events were so horrific that I believe I repressed remembrance --- but now it is back

There was another time (in said past ¼ century) when a nagging back pain was actually found to be something even more terrifying.  Lo, it was beyond the pale of any experience I have ever been pained to endure.  This is stuff of major glory when it comes time to review the life lived on planet Earth.

And it seems to be returning.  

AAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!

For the uninitiated, the worst pain a man (and maybe a woman, but I suspect many would lay childbirth at the top of the list) can endure just might be the passing of a tiny crystalline shaped stone, yea, barely 4mm in size, through the urinary tract of his body.  Doctors have commented that this is as close as the male of the species will ever come to knowing what it is like to have a baby (side note: do animals get these little devils or is this only a human foible?).  Since babies are slightly larger than 4mm, I am grateful that God (or evolution if you believe that way) did not make arrangements for a couple to share the birthing duties in a family.

Imagine this in your body!

But I digress!!

For several weeks I have been tormented with this ‘bad boy’ and would really like to be separated from its existence.  I recognize the challenge this ‘rock of ages’ offers but since my life is on the downhill slope, most such experiences are not really appreciated.  According to the ‘all-knowing’ Internet, the time it takes to pass one of the little guys is around 31 days (give or take a month or two).  I’m past that limit so I guess it might be time to take drastic measures.

Someone tell me what drastic measures I can take at this point!!????

My sweet little wife has been after me to go see a doctor but last time I did that, he made the darn thing hurt.  Not really what I’m looking for.

Anyways, I guess I will just endure until ‘it shall come to pass’ and relieves me of my discomfort.  Keep you posted on any progress with my new friend.