Revelation Received - Changes Are a Coming

I feel like with my life that I don't know beforehand what I will do, in some senses (1 Nephi 4:6). I don't know what career I will end up with. The Lord revealed strongly through two impressions, during President Uchtdorf's Sunday talk, that I should be a cop. I've started the process, talked to a RCMP recruiter and there might be possible hindrances with that because I've been lazy with the paying of debts that I have. So, if I was to give advice to posterity: stay out of debt and when you are in debt get out as soon as possible because it could have long-lasting repercussions. That advice works with spiritual debts as well (those caused by sin and yes I know we can never fully pay the debt we've incurred-hence the Atonement). Anyways, so I will pursue being a cop, but if I'm stopped by this debt thing, then that's why I don't know where I'm going to end up. The impression of being a cop came when President Uchtdorf spoke of driving around Canada and seeing that not all was beautiful with our landscape or houses(paraphrase). Also, when speaking of reaching out to others, he said we shouldn't care about what we see or smell. I thought about how cops would see and smell much that would be nasty. On the previous example, the vision that came to my mind is that cops go into the worst areas of a town, both spiritually and physically-thus by having, carrying the Spirit into such places as a torch, perhaps some might come out of their holes of despair. Please help me, O lord, lead me, guide me. I hope it can be said of me, that "Nevertheless I went forth" (1 Nephi 4:7).

Conan's Last Show - Be of Good Cheer

Did you see Conan's last show a couple months ago? I was pretty interested in the whole Jay Leno/Conan thing and definitely felt that Jay was not an innocent victim as he said. Perhaps NBC is the big bad orchestrator, but Jay could have walked away from his contract too. He could have stood up to NBC if he really didn't want the show back. I don't even know how Jay's show is doing now, but I know I've become less of a Jay fan as a result of that whole thing

Anyways, I mention Conan's last show because at the very end of the show he gave his heartfelt feelings of his leaving. During this whole Jay/Conan debacle he started harping harshly on NBC's stupidity and perhaps rightly so, but on this last night, he was positive towards NBC and his long history with them. He asked fans to "not be cynical. I hate cynicism. For the record, it is my least favorite quality. It doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But, if you work really hard and your kind, amazing things will happen - I'm telling you, amazing things will happen..."

I really like that. Not only because it was heartfelt but because what he said is true. Though I believe that us Mormons have the fulness of the truth and that through living the restored gospel true, eternal happiness can be found, I also believe that truth is independent of religion and that any time we live by truth happiness can come into our lives. A scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 93:30-31 says the same thing:

"All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.

Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light."

It is true that if we have hard times if we just stay away from negativity, keep working hard, and be kind to others amazing things will happen. When I saw Conan say this I thought of President Monson, the living prophet of God today, and how he said:

“It would be easy to become discouraged and cynical about the future—or even fearful of what might come—if we allowed ourselves to dwell only on that which is wrong in the world and in our lives. Today, however, I’d like us to turn our thoughts and our attitudes away from the troubles around us and to focus instead on our blessings as members of the Church. The Apostle Paul declared, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

None of us makes it through this life without problems and challenges—and sometimes tragedies and misfortunes. After all, in large part we are here to learn and grow from such events in our lives. We know that there are times when we will suffer, when we will grieve, and when we will be saddened. However, we are told, “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”

How might we have joy in our lives, despite all that we may face? Again from the scriptures: “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you.”

...My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith."

President Monson said essentially the same thing as Conan work hard and be positive. Would Conan want to be equated with the teachings of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Probably not, considering they dogged on Orrin Hatch and Mormons for Hatch's Hannukah song. Yet, I love how truth can be found anywhere.

December 23rd a la Pope

Having spent some of the Christmas in Palmyra, New York I've decided to do write a bit about our time there and some thoughts a la Alexander Pope. Above is us in the Sacred Grove. I received feedback that my previous post was a bit wordy. Hopefully this is a bit shorter:

I served my mission in Upstate New York
I say Upstate 'cause it's not the City, dork
I met a lady said he was all 'bout girls and cash
It's sad to see when people believe trash
Prior the mission I never really been east
Called the Cradle, it has a spiritual feast
Here Joseph saw God and and His Son
It's either true or just a big con.

His Vision tells Father and Son are separate
Them as all one confusing to contemplate
Easier to think of Them like Abe and Isaac
Idea of Abe and Abe requires Provasic.
He learned They have bodies of bone and flesh
Else Jesus would not have ate honey and fish
After Ascension Jesus did not leave body on shore
But like Paul said, He "dieth no more."
Jo learned God speaks to man today
Why? Hugh B. queried it this way
Does God love us the same today as then?
Has He the power today as way back when?
Do we need Him as much today as then?
Yes! Yes! Yes! The world is such a lion's den.
Smith found that Christ's Church was no more
Thus rather than Reform, God was to Restore
Of course many loved God and tried their best
Yet for years man told God He was a jest.

So God called Joseph as a prophet
Was he really in it for the profit?
The best proof is the Book of Mormon
Read it, you'll find it not common
It gives peace to those who read
It testifies Jesus is the Christ in very deed
Pray to know and you'll feel the Spirit
Just like science, requires you try it.