Robbers Among Us

There was a time in my life when I was probably considered a Republican.  Not that I was a “party-line” voter, but the Republican party seemed to care about the things I cared about most, so I went their way.  But, as of late, I am finding that my political beliefs are not really covered by either of the major parties now in power.  There are some times when the Elephant gang advocates a particular ideal that meets my own personal creed and once in a while the Donkey guys support concepts I can swallow.  But over the last while I have found myself standing outside BOTH groups because the things they preach are so out of line that I can support neither.
The antics of our local and national politicians have reminded of a letter, written by a man of persuasive speech, sent to the leaders of a ancient nation:

And now it came to pass that in the sixteenth year from the coming of Christ, Lachoneus, the governor of the land, received an epistle from the leader and the governor of this band of robbers; and these were the words which were written, saying:

Lachoneus, most noble and chief governor of the land, behold, I write this epistle unto you, and do give unto you exceedingly great praise because of your firmness, and also the firmness of your people, in maintaining that which ye suppose to be your right and liberty; yea, ye do stand well, as if ye were supported by the hand of a god, in the defence of your liberty, and your property, and your country, or that which ye do call so.

And it seemeth a pity unto me, most noble Lachoneus, that ye should be so foolish and vain as to suppose that ye can stand against so many brave men who are at my command, who do now at this time stand in their arms, and do await with great anxiety for the word—Go down upon the Nephites and destroy them.

And I, knowing of their unconquerable spirit, having proved them in the field of battle, and knowing of their everlasting hatred towards you because of the many wrongs which ye have done unto them, therefore if they should come down against you they would visit you with utter destruction.

Therefore I have written this epistle, sealing it with mine own hand, feeling for your welfare, because of your firmness in that which ye believe to be right, and your noble spirit in the field of battle.

Therefore I write unto you, desiring that ye would yield up unto this my people, your cities, your lands, and your possessions, rather than that they should visit you with the sword and that destruction should come upon you.

Or in other words, yield yourselves up unto us, and unite with us and become acquainted with our secret works, and become our brethren that ye may be like unto us—not our slaves, but our brethren and partners of all our substance.

And behold, I swear unto you, if ye will do this, with an oath, ye shall not be destroyed; but if ye will not do this, I swear unto you with an oath, that on the morrow month I will command that my armies shall come down against you, and they shall not stay their hand and shall spare not, but shall slay you, and shall let fall the sword upon you even until ye shall become extinct.

And behold, I am Giddianhi; and I am the governor of this the secret society of Gadianton; which society and the works thereof I know to be good; and they are of ancient date and they have been handed down unto us.

And I write this epistle unto you, Lachoneus, and I hope that ye will deliver up your lands and your possessions, without the shedding of blood, that this my people may recover their rights and government, who have dissented away from you because of your wickedness in retaining from them their rights of government, and except ye do this, I will avenge their wrongs. I am Giddianhi. (3 Nephi 3:1-10)

The man writing the letter was neither a Republican nor a Democrat (at least not by our definition) but he was a man who felt he had a right to demand something of a people who did not trust him.  The people we we have sent to our nation’s capitol are offering a similar “opportunity” for conformity to us.  The elected leaders of this country have forgotten that they are sent to govern at our behest.  They have grown “fat” in their positions and believe that we are less than intelligent so they must save us from ourselves.

Current legislation before congress is known to be “BAD” for the people yet an ignorant (meaning those who ignore) sect of the government continue to propel us toward something they can’t even describe (because it isn’t finished).  Can their be any doubt that their intentions are not honorable but selfish in nature?

When politicians begin to rule as monarchs and not as elected representatives, it is time to remove the offending persons and replace them with trusted servants to the people.

The problem then becomes, who can we trust to do the job correctly?  Not an easy question to answer!!!  It will take a lot of work by a large group of people to find those who are interested in serving and not ruling.  

Our task is to find someone like Lachoneus who is more concerned for the welfare of his people than for his own political career.  It might be well if we all took a few minutes and read how this “JUST MAN” was able to preserve the liberty of his people in the face of overwhelming odds (read 3 Nephi 3:11-26).

We live in a blessed land and have rights and privileges given to us because we have been a nation of faith.  The blessings of God will not remain with us if we are not faithful to Him and His Son.  There are people in this country who know how to be true to the things of God.  They do not have to be Latter-day Saints—They only have to be JUST.  Look for them and support them so that we might save this wonderful land we love.

Some Unrelated Musings

It’s Parent/Teacher Conference tonight and I don’t have any parents visiting so I’m going to use the time to throw out a few thoughts.  Nothing earth-shattering, but some ponderings I have had over the last while.

On the 26th of Feb, one of my heroes (Elder Oaks) was at Harvard Law School to share a few ideas.

Here is the link to his message: http://tinyurl.com/yefksfg

If people would just listen to these inspired men, there would be fewer problems in the world.  Of course, we know that isn’t going to happen with most people because what our Prophets teach is not what they want to hear.  There’s just too much “fun” in what the world wants to do and they can’t be bothered with what is right. (OK, maybe that’s a little judgmental and I should be more careful….sorry World!)

 

Joel is in California now (San Luis Obispo) and is working at one of the colleges.  We have been posting some of his letters and sending them to family.  If you aren’t getting them and would like to, please Teresa know.

 

One of my favorite authors, when I was young, was Robert Heinlein. 

Most of what he wrote was science fiction for young people.  To me, his best book was called Starship Troopers.

 

I always wanted someone to make a movie of that book but when it finally came out, it was rated R and (as I understand, not having seen it) was nothing like the book. 

I really hate it when people ruin perfectly good stories by adding worthless junk. 

Don’t know how Mr. Heinlein felt about the movie cause he was dead but I hope he was very upset and sent scary ghosts to those who perpetrated this horrible travesty.

 

One last thing before I go!!

Someone just came in for P/T conference and now I can’t remember the last thing.  I guess that will have to be all for this entry.

OUR Army of Helaman!

 In Alma 27:27, there is a phrase which has intrigued me for some time.  As Mormon quotes from the records before him, he describes the Lamanites who had been converted by Ammon (of the arms) and his brothers as:

…perfectly honest and upright in all things…

These folk were former enemies of the Nephites and had been the cause of much misery for those who were followers of Christ.  Yet, when they saw the light themselves, their nature changed in such a way that they were completely honest and unwilling to do anything that might be regarded as sinful.  Many even went so far as to give up their lives rather than take the chance they might be guilty of murder through defense of the same (Alma 24:21-23). 

Years later, these same repentant enemies, now accepted members of Nephite society, were considering violating the covenant they had made (no warring with others) to assist in the defense of their neighbors and friends.  Helaman, a warrior Prophet to these people, encouraged them to maintain the covenant rather than risk the judgments of God (Alma 53:10-15).  Let me quote what happened next:

But behold, it came to pass they had many sons, who had not entered into a covenant that they would not take their weapons of war to defend themselves against their enemies; therefore they did assemble themselves together at this time, as many as were able to take up arms, and they called themselves Nephites.  And they entered into a covenant to fight for the liberty of the Nephites, yea, to protect the land unto the laying down of their lives…(Alma 53:16-170)

Now, listen to the description Helaman shares about these wonderful young men he comes to call his “sons”:

And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.  Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him.  (Alma 53:20-21)

Notice how the goodness of these young men is described in the same way the character of their parents is shown.  The boys had become what their parents had sacrificed to be.  I doubt any of the parents were perfect (in fact I’m sure that is not the case) but they did all they could to create the proper atmosphere for growth in their families and the results were all they had hoped.

Teresa and I have been blessed with five exceptional children who have given and will continue to give us great joy.  They are not your normal children: they are truly touched by God and given abilities and desires that are righteous in nature.  And the four who have chosen mates have reached into families founded in the same principles so that the traditions of goodness will continue.

Our hope is that a small part of the goodness they have become is a reflection of the foundations we tried to build in our home.  As we watch them with their own children, we see many of the same practices and teachings that helped them find their own faith in Christ and His work on earth.  But we also see an extension of those things to a greater level than we were able to achieve.

We are confident that each of these special souls was called and set apart to become great leaders in the Kingdom of God.  I don’t mean leaders like Prophets or Apostles, but leaders like Scoutmasters and YW Presidents and Primary teachers.  That is where the real leading is done in this life.  And that is where the changing of hearts takes place. 

We have our own “army of Helaman” growing right before our very eyes.  What a joy it is to see such strength coming from all the work and sacrifice given through the years.  Thank you all for who you have become and who you are yet to be.

Fanatics Among Us

I suppose I am one of those “fanatical” Mormons who just can’t understand why more people don’t jump on the wagon with us and enjoy the fruits of the Gospel.  There seem to be some in the world that will not see anything good that we do, no matter how honorable, right or beneficial it is to our fellowmen. 

A comment on a web-site discussing “Mormon Funerals” caught my eye just for that reason.  This person (a disaffected member) was really offended that the Bishop, who was conducting the funeral, would spend so much time teaching Doctrine concerning the Plan of Salvation .  The writer was put out because more wasn’t said about the accomplishments and life of the deceased. 

I guess my thought would be that by teaching where the deceased has gone and what life will be for him/her, we are doing a great service to those who will follow.  And for those who are unsure about the different parts of the Plan, this might be a chance to get some bearing on what to expect.  Yes, some might consider a Bishop’s funeral talk to be a form of missionary work (but then, what isn’t in the Gospel?) but it is also a message of hope and peace for those who are left behind in this world of sorrow and distress.  Maybe a little hopeful counsel is just what a person needs during their time of grief.  (And if you want to review the deceased’s life, there is usually a video montage in the foyer that gives a good accounting of the events of mortality.)

Elder Neal A. Maxwell spoke of the relevance found in the gospel for all matters of this life:

There is no human circumstance to which the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ cannot bring either remedy or reassurance.

There is no human challenge to which the gospel cannot respond specifically and effectively if applied.

There is no life it cannot ennoble and enrich and enlighten.

There is no mortal uncertainty that its light will not clarify ,and no darkness it cannot dispel. 

(CES Symposium, 19 Aug 1983)

My firm belief is that everything taught in the Gospel of Christ, as we have it in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is for the betterment of all men, everywhere.  Those who will listen and follow the counsel of the scriptures, the Prophets, and the Holy Spirit, will eventually find the joy that comes from being followers of Christ.  There are truths in all religions but only one has all the ordinances, truths and powers of God to help men become what God expects us to be. 

I quote C. S. Lewis and his vision of who we are and who we can be:

"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, ….  It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no 'ordinary' people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilisations -- these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. (From The Weight of Glory)

As a people, we desire all to come and see what we have and what we can do to help.  We condemn no one (despite what some may say about our practices) but encourage all to sup at the table of Christ.  Our meetings are open to all and our hearts reach out in love to any who will accept (and even to those who don’t, but they can’t tell). 

If all these things make me a “fanatic”, then I will gladly accept the appellation.  And I will continue to fanatically live in such a way that I can have hope in the power of the Atonement of Christ to deliver me from the effects of this mortal world.  May we all do likewise and find joy in our earth-life experience. 

(I expect some might consider this a missionary message…and you would be right!!!)

The Last Chick Has Flown The Coop

Wednesday we took Joel to the MTC so he could begin his 2 year adventure serving the Lord.  He was a little nervous

so we tried to let him get his wits about him.  He wasn’t due until 1:30 so we finally left about noon time and made the trek to Provo. 
We have done this twice before and were ready for the drama of the big event…..but we were surprised by the new way they do things.  O, we had heard that the family didn’t go in anymore but even that warning wasn’t quite enough prep for what we found.

As we stopped the van, we were met by a nice elder who watched as we unloaded the bags and got Joel squared away.

Then the same elder, politely asked if he could help Elder Whitmer with his bags while his mom hugged him one more time. 
Continuing to talk to Elder Whitmer, the nice elder began to walk away with his bags and…what choice did a young man have but to follow all his stuff.  And with a final wave, Elder Joel A. Whitmer was on his way to becoming a full-time servant of the Lord in the California Ventura Mission.
The whole process took about 5 minutes and we were on our way out of the MTC parking lot.  One of the older gents watching the whole thing said “Sort of like taking a band-aid off.  The quicker you do it, the less it hurts.”  Never truer words were spoken.  Mom sniffed a bit and asked to be taken around to the front for a picture

and then it was over.  Our last son is on his way and we aren’t in mourning or weeping or anything of the sort.  I really believe the Missionary Department was inspired in making this change in the process. 
One last thing!  Thanks to all those who helped get Joel ready to become Elder Whitmer.  It was a long process and we worried about the outcome but in the end things went just as they should.  I will try to keep you updated on his progress and experiences for the next two years.  Keep him in your prayers and write when you can.  His address in the….never mind, by the time you read and respond, he will be in California.  Just watch and we will post his address when he gets to the field.  Love you all.  

Farewell To Joel and His Youth

Today was Joel’s “Farewell” in church. 

We had quite the crowd in the meeting.

It seemed there were lots of girls but that may have just been my impression.

Joel gave a great talk on the Atonement.

We were all impressed with his maturity and insight.  There is a real deepness to him that comes out when he puts his mind to the effort.  Afterwards we had a gathering at our home for those who came.  The house was packed for most of the afternoon and all seemed to have a great time.  Most of the food was gone (Teresa was worried there wouldn’t be anything people liked but it was consumed) and no one complained.  I am including a selection of pics to show how it all went.  For those who missed, we missed you and hope you get a chance to say hi before Joel is off (next Wed. morning Feb 3). 

Wendy, Troy and kids

 

A small group hanging out in the big room----------------------

 

 

Joel partaking of some good grub.

Old folk visiting.

Friends from College who came up to wish Joel well.

And, of course, what would a farewell be without a visit from Elvis.

Hurray for Brian

Some time ago I opined that it would be nice if one of my sons was to help me solve a few problems I had with blogging.  Unbeknownst to me, Brian entered my blog and made a few adjustments to the look and feel of what I had.  He also informed me that there was a program called Windows Live Writer that would let me insert pictures without the misery caused by Blogger.  Thanks to Brian, I am now functioning much better and hope to improve the quality of all my future blogs.

On the other hand, I am discovering that Live Writer does not have all the same functionality of Word so I have to learn to type again.  Such is the price of progress.

Just for giggles, here is a photo I am inserting the new way.

That’s little Katie and Aubrey at the Christmas party. 

Happy Day, Teresa

BTW, so no one else forgets:

   Today is the celebration of the

  33^rd year since Teresa knelt with me and said YES.

                    Way to Hang in there Little Girl.

       I love you and hope for 33 more good ones.

                                      Mikey

Never Give In

Last night I went to Provo for our weekly visit with Brian and Paula.

Teresa didn't go because Matt (Josh & Heather's boy) had a little encounter with some "Orange Glo".

(Nothing serious but we weren't sure until we waited a while for symptoms)

So I spent the evening alone with Becca and Katie and had a great time.

Not sure Katie did cause she cried while Mom and Dad were gone. But I got to watch the BYU game and time passed pretty well.

On the way home, I decided to stop and get a burger and drink.

Tiredness and worry about sleeping while driving made me consider and then approve the purchase of a small caffeine
laced drink. I admit that it was a moment of weakness, founded on a rationalization. I HAD A DR. PEPPER!!!

And boy did I pay for it. It did its job. The caffeine penetrated my system and kept me awake.

ALL STINK'IN NIGHT!!

What do we learn from this little encounter with the dark side?

Don't give in to temptation and NEVER let rationalization get you out of where you should be. I have repented and hope I never repeat this mistake again. I saw every hour and many of the ½ hours throughout the long and dreary night. Finally decided to give up and get out of bed at 4:30. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

New Years Misery

Just a quick entry to welcome the New Year.

We are in the midst of a party that will go all night. Not my choosing but Teresa let Joel do it last year so he is doing it again. Hopefully it will settle down about 3am and we can relax a little. Right now it is pretty loud and crazy.

I'll post some pics when I get them 

off the camera.

Girls and boys having fun.

Didn't quite make it all night.