Christmas (The True Meaning)

     I had my second Christmas away from home this year and it was great! It wasn't great because I was happy to be away from home, it was great because I was able to share the message of The Savior with so many wonderful people. I did get to Skype my family which was a way fun perk, but that isn't what I want to focus on. I want to focus on what I learned. I learned that my parents know how to give good gifts (what I want). I learned that God knows how to give perfect gifts (what I need). I learned that God has given us the greatest gift that we could ever want, A Savior, to help us get back once again to live with our Heavenly Father. I learned that we have family to spend time with, to learn and grow from, and to share the many joys in life. Most importantly, I learned that the true meaning of Christmas is Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas is Jesus Christ

     The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does a wonderful job of sharing what Christmas is truly about! Visit mormon.org/christmas and get a chance to see what the true meaning of Christmas is, or even get a free copy of the Holy Bible, or download free Christmas Music, and many other things. This website is awesome and is directed specifically to the why and what of Christmas. I hope you check it out! Feel free to share what Christmas is to you at the bottom as well.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

     I have been slacking in my blogging the past few weeks, so I hope to make up for it today! I have been thinking a lot about Christmas lately, probably because it is coming up pretty dang soon, and it will be my second one away from home in a row! I have really come to appreciate the true meaning or Christmas, which is the celebration of Christ's birth, while taking time to celebrate it away from the worldly aspect for a change. It is sad that it took this to really learn, but I am so blessed and happy to really know what it is all about. Being on a mission has helped me to learn about and to share the many gifts our Father in Heaven has given us on this Earth. One of my favorite scriptures is found in Matthew 7:7-11 (3 Nephi 14:7-11), because it tells me about how God knows exactly what we need and how He is willing to give it to us if we just ask. One of those blessings is our Savior, Jesus Christ. We are so blessed to be able to have a Heavenly Father who loves us so much that gave us His Son as a gift, and a Savior who was willing to give Himself as a way for us to return to life with Him and our Father in Heaven once again! It is such a blessing for me to be able to know this and I hope to share it with you. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!!!

Prayer and Miracles

     I was too slow to make a blog post to announce this, but tons of people around the country were praying for Sister McKee, my mission president's wife, today at 12:00 PM (CST). Now you may be wondering why all these prayers for just one person. This is why! Sister McKee is a very loved woman by her family, friends, mission children and many, many others. She is loved by so many due to all of the love and support she shows to EVERYONE she meets. She truly is a great woman! Ok so now to the reason we were praying. This is from my mission president: 

Dear friends and family,

     We thank you all again for faith, fasting, and prayer. Sister McKee continues to be in a self induced coma. We are all gathering on Thursday at 11AM Mountain Standard Time to kneel in prayer on her behalf. We know the Lord can produce miracles, and pray daily that His miracle will be for her to return to our family. At the same time, we have faith in Him, and trust Him, and will pray for (Thy will to be done) as we know that He knows what is best for all of us, eternally. We have strong faith in Him and testify of Jesus Christ and His atonement. The atonement blesses our lives daily as we use it to heal pain, suffering, and sorrow, and all kinds of affliction. We invite any who are willing to gather in prayer with us on Thursday, and thank you again for your loving support for the McKee family.


With love,
The William McKee Family

     She has had heart related problems for a while now and they have been really bad for over a week now. She has had quite a few tests done and a great deal of surgeries performed on her last week, which have all been successful to my understanding, and we are now in a sit and wait period because she has been in a self induced coma for a few days now. This is why we want your prayers!

     This woman truly is wonderful and just because it is after the set time to kneel in prayer for her, it does not mean it is to late to start praying for her. I love her a lot and it would mean quite a bit if you joined with us in prayer for her. God is still a God of Miracles. "And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles." (Mormon 9:15.)

     Expect a miracle! Have faith! "For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith." (Ether 12:12.)

Thanksgiving

     I have been thinking a lot this Thanksgiving of things I am grateful for. I would just like to give a small list of the things I am most thankful for. I hope y'all enjoy!

I am thankful for:

• My Family that loves and supports me in all that I do.
• My friends that help me be the best I can be.
• A roof over my head, food to eat, and a pillow to sleep on.
• Indoor plumbing.
• A car. (It sure beats a bike on a cold winter day.)
• Electricity.
• Email/Internet. (So I can speak with my family.)
• US Postal Service. (*I love to get mail!!!)
• Holidays. (Like this one, which gives my mom an excuse to send me packages.)
• The water. (As I love to swim sooooo much!)
• The soldiers out there fighting to maintain the freedoms I cherish.
• The time I have been able to spend on my mission and meet great people.
• The Earth and all the beauty that lies within.
• My Heavenly Father and the love that He has for me.
• The Savior, Jesus Christ, and His suffering for me, also His love for me and the relationship I have with Him.
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
• The Bible and the Book of Mormon.
• Agency. (The freedom to make a choice.)
• The Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• The plan that Heavenly Father has for me.

That is just a small list of the many wonderful things I love, enjoy and am so grateful for in this life.

*If you feel so inclined you should write me a letter:

          Elder Blair Moser

          105 West Park Dr. Ste. 190

          Brentwood, TN 37027

"Ask the Missionaries! They Can Help You!"

     I am going to end my conference talk theme with this talk called "Ask the Missionaries! They Can Help You!" I felt it was a proper talk to use to do this. I don't have much to say about it because it is the simple principle of "Ask the missionaries! They can help you!" that I really like so much. There are 2 underlying messages that I see here.
      The first one is simple. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns...well "ask the missionaries!" The Lord has called these young men and women and set them apart to help you grow through trials. They can find an answer or else find someone who can find the answer. Just do it. Ask them!
     The second on is a little harder. This promise puts a lot of pressure on the missionaries. We now have a responsibility to fulfill the promises of the Lord given to us by an Apostle. The Lord gives us the knowledge and ability to be able to do it but it is still a scary thought sometimes.
     I am so grateful to be a missionary right now and I hope to be able to help those who need it. I hope to be that missionary who they can trust enough to ask.

"Of Regrets and Resolutions"

     The next talk I am going to share is titled, "Of Regrets and Resolutions." I was thinking about saving this for New Years Eve, but I decided to do it now because there is no real good reason to wait till then. All goals set then end up failing anyway. I would also probably regret not doing it earlier. ;)
     He begins with an interesting comment that "We are all mortal." It was kind of interesting to hear that and then it was followed with a question of "Do you have any regrets?" He gives three major regrets that are common among most people as they prepared to depart this life.
     The first one was "I wish I had spent more time with the people I love." He talks about how so many people spend so much of their life busy at work or some other project that isn't that important and how they wish they could go back and spend more time with the ones they love. He also talks about how, especially in our day, many people simply pretend to spend time with others, because "with the click of a mouse, we can 'connect' with thousands of 'friends'" without having to be with them. As this can be used for good, it should not replace those physical relationships with have with people. I love my family so much and I am grateful that I get to spend lots of time with them.
     The second is "I wish I had lived up to my potential." He is quick to define that he does not mean climbing the ladder of success in our various professions. He means we miss out on becoming the person our Heavenly Father intended us to be. "When it comes to living the gospel, we should not be like the boy who dipped his toe in the water and then claimed he went swimming." We need to be fully submerged in the Gospel and become that person that God knows we are capable of being. "The more we devote ourselves to the pursuit of holiness and happiness, the less likely we will be on a path to regrets."
     Lastly "I wish I had let myself be happier." I am not quite sure I can understand this one as well because let me tell you what, I love to be happy. I can't imagine what it would be like to keep myself from enjoying all the many things that I love so much. He uses an example of him and his wife biking (that you will have to read) to get the message across of, "it’s not a race; it’s a journey. Enjoy the moment...Sometimes in life we become so focused on the finish line that we fail to find joy in the journey." He makes the point of it is foolish to ruin the enjoyment of an experience, "because we are constantly anticipating the moment when they will end." My challenge to all is to enjoy the ride that you are on, even if it seems that you have more hills on your trail than the next guy. Take the time to notice the moments that matter most.

     So lets resolve to spend more time with those we love, resolve to strive more earnestly to become the person God wants us to be, and resolve to find happiness, regardless of our circumstances. Just remember "many of the deepest regrets of tomorrow can be prevented by following the Savior today."

"Where Is the Pavilion?"

     I really enjoy this talk and it has helped me significantly with how I have viewed my relationship with God. It is titled, "Where Is the Pavilion?"
     He begins by saying, "The pavilion that seems to intercept divine aid does not cover God but occasionally covers us. God is never hidden, yet sometimes we are, covered by a pavilion of motivations that draw us away from God and make Him seem distant and inaccessible. Our own desires, rather than a feeling of 'Thy will be done,' create the feeling of a pavilion blocking God. God is not unable to see us or communicate with us, but we may be unwilling to listen or submit to His will and His time." It is interesting to think about how much pride it takes to think that it is not our fault we don't hear from God. I am guilty of it myself sometimes. I then have to ask myself, why would God hide from us? He loves us. It only makes sense that we are the ones too proud to take down our "pavilion."
     He tells us that, "We remove the pavilion when we feel and pray, 'Thy will be done' and 'in Thine own time.' His time should be soon enough for us since we know that He wants only what is best." It is as simple as being patient. God knows what we NEED. Just as any good parent he will give us what we need when we need it, and the things that we may WANT may not be things that we will get quite yet or maybe not ever.
     He gives a couple of examples where the desires of men were not fulfilled in their time table, but as God promised they were fulfilled in His time.  I conclude with this, "For any of you who now feel that He is hard to reach, I testify that the day will come that we all will see Him face to face. Just as there is nothing now to obscure His view of us, there will be nothing to obscure our view of Him."

"Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything"

     I cam across an article called, "Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything." It is an awesome article that shares with us how to get though hard times, like it says in the title.
     One of the greatest questions in all of life is, Why do bad things happen, even to good people? Thanks to the scriptures we can answer that question. The first scripture, 1 Nephi 11:17, tells us we don’t have all the answers to explain all the tragedies in the world. "However, we know, we are sure, that God loves His children." So, instead of thinking, "Why did this happen to me?" think, “Well, I know God loves me; I know that. So what can I learn from this experience?”
     The next scripture, Moses 7:26–33, tells us that sometimes our trials are a direct result of someone using their agency to do evil. "Everyone on earth has agency, and sometimes those who misuse it have an impact on many innocent people." He asks a great question that really changes my perspective of tragedies. "Sometimes we see things on the news and ask, 'How could God allow this to happen?' Could it be that one day we’ll discover that God prevented much more than He allowed?"
     Scripture three, Alma 14:10–13, tells us not to let a tragedy define how we live. "You still have your own mission. Like Alma and Amulek, perhaps you were spared because your work is not finished!...Needless to say, Alma and Amulek witnessed an awful scene. I wonder if they were ever able to forget what they saw. How did they survive?"
     Scripture four, Alma 7:11–12, answers that question. "The words “sin” or “sins” do not appear anywhere in those two verses." However, it does say that, "Jesus took upon him: pains, afflictions, temptations, sicknesses, and infirmities." So, let the atonement help you through your personal tragedies.
     The last scripture, D&C 101:32–36, tells us that we might never get our questions answered in this life, but one day the Lord will return and answer all of our questions.
     The Ultimate answer is not that the scriptures can get us through hard times, it is that Jesus Christ can get us through them. He is the only one who will help us get through everything. And with Jesus we can get rid of the "almost" in the title.

     "We know that God loves His children. We know that part of His plan is to allow evil to exist in the world. We know that if we’re still alive, we have a work to accomplish. We know that the Savior suffered not only for our sins, but also for our pains and afflictions, and we know that one day He will conquer the evil one, answer all our questions, and bless us with a fullness of joy."

"Israel, Israel, God Is Calling"

     So the next talk I have decided to share is another talk by Jeffrey R. Holland called, "Israel, Israel, God Is Calling."
     It begins by talking about how "Israel’s history down through the ages [was that] when things got too sinful...the children of the covenant would be sent fleeing into the wilderness to reestablish Zion and start all over again. He then goes on to say "one thing that has changed is that the Church of God will never again flee." As Brigham Young said, "We have been kicked out of the frying-pan into the fire, out of the fire into the middle of the floor, and here we are and here we will stay." "We no longer think of Zion as where we are going to live; we think of it as how we are going to live." He gives us three lessons for the establishment of Zion.
     I will share with you the first example he gives of some very poor sportsmanship, to say so lightly, at a basketball game, and you can read the talk to find the other two. After this game "what was said and done and showered upon [a young basketball player] that night, and on his wife and their families, should not have been experienced by any human being anywhere anytime..." In a later event one young man said "Listen. We are talking about basketball here, not Sunday School. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. We pay good money to see these games. We can act the way we want. We check our religion at the door." He then replies to that story with, "'We check our religion at the door'? Lesson number one for the establishment of Zion in the 21st century: You never 'check your religion at the door.' Not ever." This is not the what we should be catching ourselves doing ever. We are to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places. If there is anything we need to make sure we are doing, it is standing as a witnesses of God, even if we are the only one. Before you make any rash decisions, stop and think, "Would I be comfortable if God caught me doing this?"

"Safety for the Soul"

     I have been thinking about the Book of Mormon and the role it has played in my life and decided to share this talk, "Safety for the Soul," by Jeffrey R. Holland, because of the powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon that is found in it.
     It starts of by talking about the vision Lehi has about the Tree of Life found in 1 Nephi 8. He says, "The principal point of the story is that the successful travelers resist all distractions, including the lure of forbidden paths and jeering taunts from the vain and proud who have taken those paths. The record says that the protected 'did press their way forward, continually [and, I might add, tenaciously] holding fast' to a rod of iron that runs unfailingly along the course of the true path...'I beheld,' Nephi says later, 'that the rod of iron...was the word of God, [leading]...to the tree of life;...a representation of the love of God.'" As it says in this story, the scriptures are what will guide us to return again to our Heavenly Father.
     He goes on to offer up a more modern testimony of this same principle by sharing the testimonies of Joseph and Hyrum Smith as well as his own. I invite you to watch it because I will not do it justice if I try to summarize it, and if you have time I would even invite you to watch the whole talk as it is that powerful.

     He ends by echoing Nephi's witness in his "last days": "Hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ...and they teach all men that they should do good. And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day.” I invite all of you to take the challenge and read and pray from the Book of Mormon and gain a testimony of it's truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. I know it to be true. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

"His Grace Is Sufficient"

     This weeks talk is titled, "His Grace Is Sufficient." This is by far one of the best talks I have read in a long time. He begins by trying to explain to someone how much of getting to Heaven is what we do and how much is what Christ did in his Atonement. So basically, he was simply explaining what grace is. He uses an example in which there are 2 points, one representing God, and the other representing us. He asks her to draw a line,from us to God, representing how much is our part and and how much is Christ's. After some trial and error, he explains that Christ is the whole line. The girl is still confused now thinking that she doesn't have to do anything except accept Christ as her Savior. As this may have some truth to it, there is still more that is not so easily seen. He goes on to tell her "you have plenty to do, but it is not to fill that gap."
     He uses an example of a mom providing music lessons for her child. "Mom pays the piano teacher. How many know what I am talking about? Because Mom pays the debt in full, she can turn to her child and ask for something. What is it? Practice! Does the child’s practice pay the piano teacher? No. Does the child’s practice repay Mom for paying the piano teacher? No. Practicing is how the child shows appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift." That practice is similar to what Christ expects of us in the way we live. It will NOT get us to heaven, but it WILL make us grow and make Christ happy! He gives a bunch of other examples of how the practice applies to us, but I will let y'all read it to find them on your own. There is one, however, that I will share. He talks about how hard it is to practice and how it will take forever to get it perfect and how you might just be no good at piano. Let me ask you this; if someone hits a wrong note, does that mean they're no longer worthy to practice? No! We expect them to keep trying. "In all of these cases there should never be just two options: perfection or giving up. When learning the piano, are the only options performing at Carnegie Hall or quitting? No." Perfection may be the ultimate goal, but is not the only option other than quitting. Learning takes time. He closes by saying, "As we do, we do not discover—as some Christians believe—that Christ requires nothing of us. Rather, we discover the reason He requires so much and the strength to do all He asks (Philippians 4:13). Grace is not the absence of God’s high expectations. Grace is the presence of God’s power (Luke 1:37)."
     Christ has made a huge investment in you, so don't let him down. Become that master pianist by practice, practice, practice.

To see the whole speech view: http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1966&fb_source=message

"Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear"

     So, the next talk that I have decided to share with everyone is called, "Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear." It is another great talk on sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with friends by simply loving them. The message that is most clear to me in it is, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear...” (1 John 4:18).
     He begins by talking about how The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is growing and how the publicity and talk of the Church grows with it. A lot of news about the Church is great as "there are prominent members of the Church in government, in business, in entertainment, in education, and everywhere else, it seems." Unfortunately the publicity is often distorted in its truthfulness and clarity so he tells us that "there are a number of things that we can do to advance an understanding of the Church."
     The first thing we must do is "be bold in our declaration of Jesus Christ." His life and teachings are what make up the Gospel as well as the many holy books written in the Bible and The Book of Mormon. Only through Jesus Christ is it possible to make it back to our Father in Heaven. It would only make sense that Jesus is central to EVERYTHING.
     Second, we must "be righteous examples to others." Just as important as sharing our beliefs is living them. When questioned about why we do not have crosses as a symbol of Christ in any of our religious buildings, the prophet Gordon B. Hinckley said, our symbol of Christ is seen by the way our members live their lives. We need to live our lives as best as we can to resemble the life of Christ. It is one thing to believe in Christ and talk about Him but to actually be like Christ, now that is something!
     Lastly, we need to "speak up about the Church." We have the opportunity to share the gospel with friends and family every day. I have come to understand that the best way to do share the gospel is by just doing it. He says two things that I really like. First, "some members seem to want to keep their membership in the Church a secret." This is where the message that I love so much comes in. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear...” Just love your neighbors and you can do it. Second, "do not try to make the Church sound better than it is. We do not need to put a spin on our message." The Gospel is true. That is a fact. We do not need to speak anything but the plainness of the truth and the message will pierce the hearts of those who are honest seekers of the truth.

"Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet"

     The next talk I want to share is called, "Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet." Did you know it was possible to share the gospel while using the internet? Maybe you did, but just never thought about doing it yourself, or maybe you just don't have the courage to. Whatever the case may be I hope this helps you to be able to do it.
     He starts off by telling us how powerful new technology, especially the internet, is and gives a few great examples of how the church has been able to use it to spread the message of the gospel of Christ. He talks about how the internet is the modern printing press and how anyone can publish anything they want now. It is so true! There are two side of the spectrum too. There are bad things out there as well as good, and not just about the church but just bad in general. It is our job to increase the amount of good that is out there. Here are some examples of how I have shared the gospel using the internet: Pictures, Me!

     We are given a few great tips on things to avoid. He basically tells us there is no need to argue or be defensive. He says, "Our position is solid; the Church is true."  We just need to have a conversation like you would with a friend in the same room. As missionaries, online, we are told to avoid speculative, controversial, or contentious discussions and to teach by the Spirit just as we do when teaching face to face. We need not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. We need to stand firmly and speak with faith. Join the conversations that are already out there. There are lots of things happening that are making people interested in the church, and who knows how long that will last. Take advantage of that blessing!

     "With so many social media resources and a multitude of more or less useful gadgets at our disposal, sharing the good news of the gospel is easier and the effects more far-reaching than ever before...My dear young friends, perhaps the Lord’s encouragement to 'open [your] mouths' might today include 'use your hands' to blog and text message the gospel to all the world!" (Dieter F. Uchtdorf.) Think about the effect you can have if you share something like your testimony in a Facebook post. The effect will be tremendous! What other things can you do to share the gospel online?

"Waiting on the Road to Damascus"

     The next talk I want to share with you is titled, "Waiting on the Road to Damascus."Dieter F. Uchtdorf begins by talking about Saul and the road to Damascus. His experience is rather spectacular and changed his life forever. Christ appeared to him and asked him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:3-6.) He also briefly describes the experience Joseph Smith has in seeing God, The Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ. He says, "Nevertheless, there are some who feel that unless they have an experience similar to Saul’s or Joseph Smith’s, they cannot believe...They spend their days waiting on the road to Damascus." The truth is, that it is those who diligently seek to learn of Christ that will eventually come to know Him. That means we need to do our part to gain that witness, we can't just sit and wait.
     He gives us three simple principles; Hearken and Heed, Serve, and Share. Hearken means to listen with the intent to obey. We need to live to be among those whom the Lord can rely on to hear His whispering and respond, as Saul did on his road to Damascus, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” We need to serve those around us. President Spencer W. Kimball taught this concept when he said: “God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other.” We need to share the gospel to all those around us. He goes on to say, "[The Lord] entrusts a testimony of the truth to those who will share it with others."
     We need to not wait on the road to Damascus, but rather move forward in Faith, Hope, Charity, and Love and be blessed in being able to see the light of Christ in our lives.

     What can you do to get off the Road to Damascus and become a disciple of Christ?

"Beware of Pride"

     Ok so before you all discount this talk just by the title I want you to just take a look at it anyway. Besides, if you are feeling guilty about it already, it is probably a good thing for you to read...haha. The title of the talk I am going to share with you is "Beware of Pride." Surprisingly, it was not as harsh as I was expecting it to be.
     It starts off by warning us of pride and telling us of the destroying power it has. There are three parts I want to quote near the begining that say, “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man…It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.” (C.S. Lewis), "The proud stand more in fear of men’s judgment than of God’s judgment. 'What will men think of me?' weighs heavier than 'What will God think of me?'" and "Pride is ugly. It says, 'If you succeed, I am a failure.'" He goes into depth about these statements, but they all hit home with me by saying how when we are prideful we forget God. It's really as simple as that.
     The best part of this talk is when he talks about humility. He says the antidote for pride is humility, meekness, and submissiveness. It is the broken heart and contrite spirit. A common misconception is that to be humble you have to be able to put yourself down, but in reality, “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” (C.S. Lewis) Now, I don't want you all to think that you are awful people, because if you are anything like me you probably thought you were the most prideful person on the earth. (There is even pride in thinking that...haha) However, I do want you to understand how destructive pride can be and how you can reverse it. I really love this video on unselfish service, which teaches me how to be more humble through service.

     I want you all to think of what things you can do to help get rid of your prideful desires. "Let us choose to be humble. We can do it. I know we can."

"Heavenly Homes, Forever Families"

     So I have decided that I am going try having a new theme again. I am going to share some of the my favorite conference talks given by some of the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints including the Prophet and his Apostles. I was reading a talk by our current prophet, Thomas S. Monson, called "Heavenly Homes, Forever Families" and I felt like I needed to share it.
     It talks about how we can build an "eternal home." What exactly does that mean? He starts off by saying "A home is much more than a house built of lumber, brick, or stone. A home is made of love, sacrifice, and respect. We are responsible for the homes we build. We must build wisely, for eternity is not a short voyage." He talks about how a family can be together forever. I think it is interesting that something as simple as a family is so important and sacred to God that he blesses it with the ability to be forever. God’s blueprint to make a house a home and a home a heaven is so simple.
     First, he says, we need prayer. "A prominent American judge was asked what we, as citizens of the countries of the world, could do to reduce crime and disobedience to law and to bring peace and contentment into our lives and into our nations. He thoughtfully replied, 'I would suggest a return to the old-fashioned practice of family prayer.'... There is real meaning behind the oft-quoted adage, 'The family that prays together stays together.'" The first step is so simple. Something as easy as saying a prayer can mean so much and help to build this "eternal home."
     Second, is service. He shares the example of Christ and his perfect selfless service. With the good Samaritan, He taught, “Love thy neighbor” (Luke 10:30–35).
     Lastly, is rescue. We all need to make sure we keep track of our family and make sure that we are to the rescue when our family needs it. We need to make sure we are showing love to our family, and for those that need to be rescued, showing our love for them is the most important thing we can do.
     I have been lucky and blessed enough that I have a great family that is always there for me. I know that they are always there for me and love me. I know that we have been able to build a fairly decent "eternal home" because my parents have tried their best to use God's blueprint to make our house a home and our home a heaven.

One-Year Mark

     So, a few days ago I hit a pretty big milestone in my mission, the one-year mark. So now, as everyone likes to point out, I am on the downward slope. A tradition that we have as missionaries is that when we hit our one-year mark we burn a shirt. I was able to do that and it was a very fulfilling experience.

     The weird thing was that I didn't feel any different still. Much like when I have a birthday, it felt like nothing was different. It is fact that one more year had passed by, but it still didn't feel any different than the day before. As a matter of fact, I even forgot it was my year mark until about half way through the day when I saw it written in my daily planner. All of this reminds me of a talk I just read titled "Always in the Middle." The part that I would like to focus on is this:
     "When I speak to our young missionaries, I often tell them they are in the middle of their missions. Whether they just arrived the day before or are to depart for home the day after, I ask them to think of themselves as always being in the middle.
     New missionaries may feel they are too inexperienced to be effective, and so they delay speaking or acting with confidence and boldness. Seasoned missionaries who are close to completing their missions may feel sad their missions are coming to a close, or they may slow down as they contemplate what they will do after their missions.
     Whatever the circumstances and wherever they serve, the truth is that the Lord’s missionaries are daily sowing countless seeds of good tidings. Thinking of themselves as always being in the middle of their missions will embolden and energize these faithful representatives of the Lord. As it is with full-time missionaries, so it is with all of us."

     I guess that means I have always felt that I have been at my year mark because really don't feel too different. I really like how he tells us that we are in the middle so that it gives us the ability to be bold and have energy. I am so grateful to be out here in Tennessee on my mission because it gives me that opportunity to spend my time serving the Lord on a full-time, day-to-day basis. 

20th Birthday!!!

     I had the great opportunity of getting out of my teens just a few days ago! Yes this post is gonna be a little random and may seem off topic but to me it is very important! I turned 20 on August 5th 2012. It was kind of a weird feeling to have a birthday out on my mission. It's not even that I usually have my birthday at home, because I don't. As a matter of fact I can't even remember the last time I had a birthday at home. I think the biggest thing that was weird was that I just really didn't know too many people. I mean don't get me wrong I had an awesome birthday but it was just not the same, it was weird...haha. Okay, I think you get the picture.
     To start off my day some of the other missionaries came by my apartment and showered my apartment with balloons! That was an awesome surprise. They hung up a banner, blew some air horns, and gave me cupcakes. It was the best way to start this roller coaster of a day. After our normal morning routine of study and getting ourselves ready for the day we went out to go talk to people before church. We started riding our bikes and as soon as we left it started to rain...yes here is where the roller coaster begins. We got to where we were going and they were only gonna be able to be home for like 20 minutes so we got cut super short. We went to church with some great members. At church a few people said happy birthday to me. We had dinner at one of the members houses and we had a great time there. They had brownies and ice cream for dessert. We went to another member's house and they gave me some cake. We tried to visit some other people and nobody else was home or available at the time. When we got home, I went to open the cards and other things I had for my birthday and didn't get anything from my family which was kind of a bummer. That pretty much wraps up my day.

     Ok so here is the reason I wrote all of this: "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." (2 Nephi 31:20). This was an easy way I could get this message across. The way we deal with things entirely depends on the way we look at it. The way I described may day made it seem like a roller coaster of a day that was a not so great birthday. In reality, It was amazing! I had a couple of other missionaries come over to my apartment in the early hours of the morning to be with me for a little bit. I was able to share the Lord's message with some people on my birthday, even if it did mean I got a little wet. People at church that really don't even know me too well thought it was important to wish me a happy birthday. A couple members thought it was important for me to have a proper birthday celebration by having me over for dinner, having brownies (with a candle) and birthday cake ice cream, and then cake (with a candle). I was able to spend time with people who like to just love people and that is awesome! I got letters and other goodies from a whole bunch of people from back home that cared enough about me to wish me a happy birthday from all the way across the country. I matter to people! Sure I may not have had anything from my family on my actual birthday but a few days later I got WAY more than I could have asked for. When we have an outlook like the second one it just makes everything better. My invitation is to look for the positive things in your life!




When you look back on your day with a positive attitude how do you see your day change?

Independence Day

     Today is the forth of July. It is a very special day for us as American Citizens. Two-hundred and thirty-six years ago our country adopted the Declaration of Independence which declared our independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Because of this we became a free nation. In the first sentence of the famous preamble it states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." The men who created this declaration were truly inspired men. In the first sentence they tell us that our Creator gave us certain rights and that we were to be able to enjoy them. One of these rights was the freedom of religion.
     Thanks to the freedom of religion Christ was able to restore his church on the earth today through his prophet Joseph Smith. Only in a country that granted religious freedom, like the newly formed US, could this marvelous work be brought forth. I am truly grateful for the great blessing it is to live in this country, the United States of America, especially because of the great truths which were able to be restored to the earth.

 

     I also want to thank all those men and women who have given their lives in order to bring about this great privilege of having religious freedom, as well as, those who have given and are giving their lives to defend it.

God bless the USA!

The Carmichaels

     On my mission I have come to be very close to many of the members of the church that I have served around. There was one family in particular that I grew very close to. At the meeting where I found out I would start my mission off in Hopkinsville, KY, Sister Carmichael gave me and 3 other missionaries a ride all the way to our new home in Hop-Town. Not only did she drive us that 2 hours, but she also took us out to lunch on the way home. That same day, after we had gotten all settled in our apartment and went out to see a few people, they had us over for dinner. These are definitely not the only reasons I love them so much, but these first few experiences on my mission truly made a huge impact. Brother Carmichael was assigned to be in charge of us missionaries in Hop-Town so that meant we spent a lot of time with him. Whenever we needed anything they were always ready and willing to help. Lets just say we never went without anything we needed. Because of this awesome family, I have truly learned what charity means. They made me want to be a more selfless person, just by being around them. Whenever we tried to return the favor to this family they would turn right back around and do for us double of what we had just done for them. I will forever be indebted to this family.

Daddy!

     I am going to take another quick little break from my normal routine to devote this post to my dad. I love you dad so very much. You have been my biggest role model for ever and I look up to you for all things. I hope I can be as good a father as you one day! Thanks for all of the time you have spent with me throughout the years. I will always cherish those nights growing up, when you would spend time with just me, and we would go out to get an ice-cream cone or go check out the toys in the toy store (I bet you thought I didn't remember that). I loved those long car rides to various water polo games or whatever it may have been where I had the chance to just be with you and talk. Thanks for being my biggest fan and supporting me through all my sporting choices, even if I was not very good at some of them. I am so grateful to have you as my dad, because you are the best one out there and I love you so much. Thanks again for all that you do for me. Happy Father's Day, Dad!

I love you dad!

Arriving in Nashville

     Leaving the MTC was a rather interesting experience. I woke up at about 3 AM to pack up our last minute things and get dressed. The bus that was taking us to the airport was supposed to leave at 4:30 AM so we could get to the airport on time and not miss our flight. That was a little stressful because some of the other missionaries that were traveling with me were a little late due to faulty alarm clocks. Needless to say, we made it on time and actually had a little extra time before we had to board the plane, so we were allowed to call home. It was great to be able to talk to my family for that short little bit and see how they were all doing. Even though I hadn't even been gone for 3 weeks it still felt like so much had already changed. We had a layover in Atlanta, GA, which was about 2 hours long and then got on the next flight and finally, after hours of travel, arrived in Nashville, TN. We were immediately greeted by our mission president, President McKee, and his wife and a couple other missionaries. As we waited for our luggage at the baggage claim we were told to go talk to the people around us and that is exactly what I did. I handed out my first copy of the Book of Mormon to a man in the Army who was just getting home for his R and R. It was a very cool experience and afterward we got our luggage and headed to the mission home. The minute I stepped outside it felt like I walked into a swimming pool because it was just so hot and humid. We got to the mission home, ate dinner, and then were given a bunch of papers to fill out. Presdient McKee gave us some instruction on what our mission was gonna be like and then we heard a great musical number by his 5 daughters that still live with him, he has 10 kids, and saw a great presentation by some of the missionaries about the area. We wrapped up the night and went to bed. It was good because I was so exhausted and ready for some sleep. I was also super happy to finally be in Nashville and ready to start my mission for real!

MTC

     So I have decided I am going to continue this chain by talking about some of the many experiences I have had on my mission. I will start off with the very first thing, the Missionary Training Center. The 3 weeks I spent in the MTC were very interesting and a great experience as well. It was great because there were hundreds of missionaries just like me being taught and prepared to go out all around the world to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. It was so great to be able to have this experience, so I could get the real preparation I needed to be doing this full-time. We were blessed to have some of the Apostles of the church come and talk to us while we were there and give us the encouragement that we all needed and sought after. Unfortunately, it was not all a cake walk. Don't get me wrong I loved my MTC experience, but sitting in those small classrooms and being taught for 3 hours in a row, twice a day made it feel just like I was back in school. I am grateful now for it, because I am definitely a lot better of a teacher than I was before going there.

Entering the MTC

     My last experience leading up to my mission was going into the MTC, Missionary Training Center, on August 17, 2011. This was a very bitter-sweet day. My entire family traveled all the way to Utah with me so they could be with me up until the very last second. We had to take a bunch of pictures before they dropped me off at the MTC. That was not my favorite but whatever makes mom happy right? We walked around the Temple grounds there and then headed to the MTC.

     When we got to the drop-off spot at the MTC we didn't really get much time to say goodbye, but I did get to hug everyone. It was a little hard but I was ready to go. I walked away with all my luggage and that was the last time I saw my family since I started my mission. Since a mission is only two short years, I will be able to hug them again in no time at all. I am grateful to have a family that I love so much. I can't wait to be with them again, but at the same time I don't want this time to go by too fast, as I love what I am doing here and know it is very important.

Setting Apart

     That same Sunday that I gave my farewell talk at church I was set apart as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Getting set apart basically means that I was given permission to be a minister for the Lord in preaching the Gospel to all the world, well technically just the Nashville Tennessee area. Anyway, this was an awesome experience because my dad and a few of my leaders that I respect so very much were able to be a part of it. My dad was able to give me the blessing which sealed the deal. I guess that is not very common, but I thought was pretty cool. After the actual setting apart, which consisted of the blessing, everyone in the room was asked to give me some advice for how to be the best missionary I could be. Some were silly like not forgetting to email my mom every week, which I may have done once already, but they were all very helpful, that is another story. The room was filled with all sorts of emotions and tears, but overall very happy feelings. I am happy to say that at that moment I was officially a full-time servant of the Lord and that was very exciting for me.

Farewell Talk

     On August 14, 2011 I had to get up in front of all the members of the congregation of my church and a bunch of my friends and family and give a talk the Sunday before I left on my mission. They have everyone do this who is going to be leaving on their mission. I was asked to speak about 15 minutes on whatever topic I wanted. That is not always a good thing for me because not only do I have to prepare a talk but I have to find out what I want to talk about, and then give it. I had a bunch of friends from out of town that I have met at various times in my life come to hear me speak, wish me luck and say goodbye. This was definitely a hard but great day and really put things into perspective for me once again; I was going on a mission.

Farewell Party

     The Saturday before I left on my mission, August 13, 2011, I had a huge group of friends come over and just chill one last time before I left for 2 years. This really had nothing to do with preparing for my mission but it did show me a lot of the support I have from my friends. Quite a few of those people were people that I worked with as well as other friends from the more distant past. I think the biggest reason I wanted to write about this is because a few of my friends that are not members of the LDS faith came and were dressed as what they thought a missionary was.

     When they knocked on the door and I saw them standing there I could not help but just laugh. I had to get my mom and show her who showed up. She couldn't help but laugh and of course had to take a picture. I am glad she did. I know I have some great friends because they care enough about me to dress up like a "missionary" to my party. It was quite funny. I am so grateful to know that there are people back home that truly do care about me. It was pretty hard to say goodbye to all my great friends.

Mission Prep. Class

     Every second and fourth Sunday after church we had what was called a missionary prep. class for all of us guys who were preparing to serve a mission. I went every once in a while when I turned 17 and pretty religiously the summer before I came out on my mission. I remember always getting an assignment to teach a specific principle the next time we met and I always dreaded it. It is funny now to think about how hard it was for me to teach about a simple principle such as faith back then, and how easy it is to teach something like that now. I am very grateful to have such great leaders and teachers who have taught me so much and helped me be able to teach like I do now. I know that this has helped me a lot in being able to share what brings such great joy and happiness into my life with all those I come in contact with.

Exchanges

     When I was back home I loved to go out with the missionaries and watch them teach and help them in any way I could. Looking back on it, it was probably one of my favorite things I did during that summer. I really enjoyed seeing them bare their testimonies to all those they came in contact with. I even enjoyed the time that we spent knocking on doors and the few times they had me do the talking. It was a very fun experience and I would not trade it for anything. It also helped me a ton to understand what being a missionary is really like; some of the best preparation I did while still being at home. Elders Anderson and Castillo were the greatest missionaries I was able to work with that summer and I learned a lot from them.
     Now that I myself am a missionary I think I understand how much they appreciated me, or at least I would like to think they did. I know that I love it when members come out with me and help me with the work so I can only assume it is the same for all missionaries. I know that when I get back home I will continue to help the missionaries with all that I can.

Packing

     Everyone loves packing! Let me be the first to tell you that packing for a mission is just as stressful as packing for anything else, if not worse. I had to make sure I had everything that I would need for the next 2 years in 2 suit cases and a backpack. Oh, and they both had to be less than 50 pounds. You know, in all seriousness the packing wasn't too bad because my dad did most of it for me and let me just say, if anyone knows how to organize it is him. It also might have been a little less stressful if I wouldn't have waited till about a week before I left to really start worrying about it.

     This was also one of those moments where I had to stop and think about how close I was and really make sure I was ready to go. It was definitely too late to start preparing so luckily I didn't wait to do that. All my stuff was packed up and ready to leave, but was I? I don't think I was ever completely ready, nor do I think I could have done anything to be completely ready. Needless to say, I was so excited to finally be packed and can honestly say I was so excited to be going. 

Mommy!

     So I have decided to take a quick little break from my normal routine and devote this post to my mom whom I love so very much. Like I said before, I love my mom so very much. Without her I would not have come into this world. I would not know how to tie my shoes. I would not know if there were snakes in the park. I would not know why Ben, my brother, had a crayon. I would not know how to do dishes. I would not know that sitting inside all day is not okay. I would not know how to make Macaroni and Cheese, and the list could go on forever. Yes, some of those were inside jokes that I have with my mom and others were just silly, but no matter what I still appreciate all those little things as well as the many other things I did not list. I am so grateful to have the best mom out there and I love her so dearly. Thanks for all that you do for me. Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

     I Love you so much, Mom!

Sacramento Temple

     A few weeks before I left on my mission I was able to go to the Sacramento California Temple and see the beauty of the house of the Lord there a few times. In the temple we make sacred covenants (promises) with God and I was able to go do that for the first time on July 13, 2011. It was a great feeling to go there because it really feels like you are removed from the world for a bit and you can just focus all of your thoughts on our Heavenly Father. It is a blessing to have such a beautiful place to worship God and have the Spirit with you without any distractions. I was also very happy to be able to go with a bunch of friends and family that I look up to very much. I love the temple and can't wait to go again when I get home!

Wisdom Teeth

     In order to go on a mission, you need to make sure you get all your shots done as well as any other medical procedures needed to be taken care of. Yes, that includes getting your wisdom teeth pulled if it was necessary for you. I was one of those people that had to do it. My dad is my dentist so he was able to do it for me and because of that I was also able to plan it on the my least busy day that summer. It was the Tuesday right after my last swim season ended, August 2, 2011. I had to pray that all would go well because I would be going into the MTC 2 weeks later and didn't want to have any problems. All went well and surprisingly enough there was actually no pain...well, at least until the next day, which lasted for about 2-3 days. I don't remember it very well and I have no real funny stories, unless my family is hiding them from me and laughing at me behind my back...very possible.

     Anyway, the reason I wanted to include this is because this was technically the day that I really had nothing left to do until my mission. I was off work for the whole week, swim team was over, and I really had nothing much left planned for the summer. I was coming down to the wire. I really had to cram now. It felt exactly like waiting for the last few weeks of the school year to study for your final exams. The worst part about it all was, I was stuck on this stupid couch and couldn't even enjoy some of my last few days at home in fear I would get a dreaded dry socket. Oh well, It makes for a great picture...haha.

Spencer's Call

     My best friend Spencer received his nice big white envelope on August 8th 2011. He was just as excited to get his call as I was. He had a much bigger group of people come over to his house to watch him open his call. He was lucky, unlike me, and got to open his the same day he got it. The hype was just as big and when he opened the envelope and read the letter and said South Dakota Rapid City Mission the cheers were just as crazy if not more so than when I read mine. He is also going to be speaking English and he went into the MTC on December 28th 2011.

     Being there for this was so awesome because I was able to support my best friend in getting his mission call just like he did for me. I was also going to be leaving for my mission in just a few weeks after that so it reminded me of how much I still need to prepare to be completely ready to go (the funny thing is I was never completely ready to go). I am so grateful to have friends out around the world serving missions and for the examples they are to me which also gives me the added strength to continue mine and work my hardest till the end.

Mr. Mac

     Something I had to do to prepare for my mission was get clothes. I don't know many teen guys that have enough white shirts and ties to last them every day for at least a week, and since I am not one of them I had to go get some stuff. It's also one of those things that helped me to know that I was really doing this. My mom, dad, friend and I went to Mr. Mac to get my suit, and other things. My friend's aunt works there so she helped us out quite a bit and gave us a good deal, so we got all of the clothes I needed. Suits, nice shoes, ties, and shirts are not cheap so knowing someone helped us out a lot. The guy that helped us out with all the sizing and what not told me that I was going to go to Boston Massachusettes. He told me if he was right I had to buy him lunch but he was wrong so his loss. Getting my clothes was a huge step that made me realize I was a lot closer than I thought. Tennessee here I come!

Swim Team

     Another thing I did over the summer to keep me occupied was swim team. This helped me stay busy quite a bit. I rode my bike to practice most of the mornings which required me to get up around 6:30 A.M., great preparation for my mission, and in the evening when I wasn't working. Unfortunately I am not able to swim while being on a mission, so this did not condition me for anything really, but it did help make the summer go by faster so I could start my adventure as a missionary. I included this in my series of experiences because like work this was a great experience in which I was able to answer a bunch of questions people had and what not.
     I was also able to live my beliefs like I do every year by not participating in the Sunday events of our end of the season Championship meet. Every year Championships lands on a Saturday and Sunday and every year my family and I do our best on Saturday to help our team but we never show up for the Sunday events. Without fail we will lose to the team that got the next place up by 2 or 3 points, which is hardly any for championships. This and the fact that my favorite and best race, breaststroke, is on Sunday makes it very difficult for me to live this principle each year because I know that my team is going to tell us at the awards ceremony the next day that if we were there we would have gotten the few points needed to go up a place. With all of that we still miss it anyway and find that it is never as important to us as we thought it would have been. It was great to be able to be that example of living out my beliefs to all of my friends.

Lifeguard

     After I got my call, and since missions don't pay for themselves, my need and desire to go to work every day increased. Well, maybe not so much my desire, but it did get me to work every day and even pick up a lot of shifts that I probably normally wouldn't have under any other circumstance. I worked as a lifeguard for one of the pools in the city. I know, I know; working as a lifeguard is sooo hard. All you do is sit in the sun with your shirt off and tan and watch people swim. I have heard it all, but you have to think it is still a job and it is still not the most exciting thing. Well, it gets pretty exciting when you have to get in and save some little kid from going into a spot that you told them 3 minutes earlier not to go in, and when you do save them the parent comes running over at you yelling at you that their kid was fine and didn't need help. That gets old fast. Plus, where I worked the exciting stuff only happens once in a blue moon.
     I bet you all are wondering why the heck I included this in my experiences. Well there were a couple reasons. First, like I already said, because of the money so that I could afford to go. The second reason is that I rode my bike to work almost every day. As many people know and have seen, us missionaries ride our bikes quite a bit so I had to get some practice to make sure I was in shape enough to be able to do it on my mission. As good of a reason as that might have sounded that in shapeness that I might have had when I left is all gone now so all that work was in vain. The real reason I included this is actually because this is where I technically started my mission. Every day at work I would be overwhelmed with hundreds of questions about what I can and can't do as a missionary and what I believed and all sorts of other questions. As annoying as they got some days, I look back now and realize how fun it was and how much I was able to help those people I worked with understand a little better about what it was that I was going to be doing. Let me tell you, some of those questions were pretty dang out there, but I am glad that I was able to experience all of that back home before I came here to the good ol' Bible Belt.

Called to Serve

     So I have decided that for this month I am going try something new. I am going to share some of the experiences that I had while preparing to go on my mission. I am going to start of with getting my call to serve in the Tennessee Nashville Mission.
     As many of you know, young men in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, at the age of 19, generally go on a 2 year full-time mission to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who will listen. For as long as I can remember I have wanted to serve my mission. At a very young age, so young I couldn't tell you how young I was, I decided that I wanted to be one of these cool guys that were called "Elders," and what do you know, here I am in the good ol' Bible Belt. Sometimes I as myself, "How did I get here?" Well, about one year ago exactly at BYU, I was approaching the time where I needed to send in my papers, a bunch of forms that you need to complete and send into the Church Headquarters so they can know a little bit about you, in order to get my call to go on a mission. (For further detail about this process read this link.) Well, I got my papers finished and got all the interviews I needed and my papers were sent off.

     Most people get there call letters withing 2-3 weeks of sending their papers in. The few weeks before I got my call letter, my mom made this big map and had everyone and their dog guess where I was going to go. Well, I was one of those many people who got their calls 2 weeks later on a Thursday afternoon and I was so happy, but then it hit me... My parents were on a field-trip to Yosemite with my little brother, Blake, and they would not be home till Friday evening and I promised my mom I would not open it without her. That large white envelope sat on my counter all day and all night and all day the next day and the only thing I could do was read "Elder Blair Vernal Moser III" on the front. There were times where it was just too tempting so I had to just walk over the my best friends, the Smiths, and hang out with them, but still all I could do was think about those few words on the front address and where I could possibly be going.
     My parents finally got home but I still had to wait even longer. The Smiths came over and we used just about every phone and cell phone we had in order to get a hold of all the different family members and what not that were not close enough to come. This is probably just as exciting of an event for us members of the church as is the last minute of the world's greatest super bowl game. I finally got to open it. I pulled out the many papers and other such things in the envelope and found the letter. I guess it is tradition that you have to read the whole thing you can't just skip to the place you are going to serve. I started reading and my hands were shaking, even my voice was shaking, and I don't even know what I read until I said the words "Tennessee Nashville Mission." After that all I can remember is screams from everyone all around me. After about 5 minutes of straight cheers I finally got to continue. I was going to speak English and I would report into the MTC (Missionary Training Center) on August 17th 2011.
     I am going to be honest, at first I was a little bit bummed because I wanted to serve in Australia or in South America and learn a new language, but the more time went on, the more excited I got. I also came to realize that I am serving in Southern America and I have to learn how to speak Southern English so God did give me what I wanted...haha.

"It's 'Only' Violence"

     I read another article that applied to me quite a bit and I would love to share some of it to y'all; it was called "It's 'Only' Violence." It begins with an eye opening story that really caught my attention.

     "Not long ago I decided to conduct an informal survey to find out about Church members' views on television and movies. When I asked members what makes some movies and TV shows objectionable, the most common response was sexually explicit scenes, followed by profanity. Nobody mentioned violence. When I asked about specific movies, a common response was, 'That movie had only one bad scene.' I asked, 'What happened? Did someone get killed?' The answer was always the same: 'No. It was a sex scene.'" When I applied myself to this I realized that not very often do I consider violence as something that makes a movie objectionable. I often find myself enjoying a good little battle between good and evil and don't even raise a thought to how it may be offensive for God to see us enjoying that. Now I am not saying that your classic Jerry smashing a pan in Tom's face is what is being talked about here. I think it is more of a Jack Bauer tearing some terrorist's guts out to get some information, or a Jason Bourne fighting with a hand towel to win the fight and chokes a guy with a power cord type of thing, both of which I have enjoyed. 

     It continues, "Sex outside of marriage is a serious sin. In fact, Alma taught that it was among the most grievous of sins. But what did Alma rank as the two most serious sins? Denying the Holy Ghost and 'shedding … innocent blood,' or committing murder (Alma 39:5–6). I was puzzled that many [people] did not feel concerned about watching people being murdered on the screen. And many seemed to consider profanity to be more objectionable than violence in movies and TV programs." I, myself, have never really thought of violence as something that was that bad too watch, like I said before, but when you consider the fact that to God the only thing worse is denying the Holy Ghost it changes my perspective a bit. 

     But why could this possibly be so bad for our society? "The Spirit is offended when we pollute our minds with harmful, violent material, whether or not such material causes us to commit violent acts. Consuming violent media makes it more difficult to keep ourselves 'unspotted from the world' (James 1:27). It is troubling that so many people consider it entertaining to view violence or play violent video games." He says that even if the violence we see does not make us more violent it does keep us from having the Spirit. Now the fact of whether violence actually causes someone to be more violent is questionable. However, it is much more feasible and realistic that seeing violence causes one to be more violent, as displayed in many of the studies from the article.

     If I was to address every point in the article this post would be huge so I will end it here and recommend that y'all read it. I would however like to end with one quote to get those gears in your head spinning. "By the time the average American child graduates from elementary school, he or she will have seen more than 8,000 murders and more than 100,000 other assorted acts of violence, such as assaults, on network television. The numbers are even higher if the child has access to cable television or a videocassette or DVD player, as most do."

Modesty

     My last post was mostly directed towards the men so this one is directed mainly towards the women. Why is it so important to be modest? I don't believe women understand the influence they can have over a man just by the things they wear. I would like to start off with an address that an Apostle of the Lord gave to use.
     "Worldly trends in women's fashion are always inviting extremes. With their latest styles many fashion designers appear to be trying to make two or three dresses out of the amount of fabric necessary for one. Mostly, they are taking too much off the top and too much off the bottom of women's clothing, and occasionally they scrimp in the middle too." -L. Tom Perry (Nov. 2008 Ensign, Let Him Do It with Simplicity.)
     The world's changing morals are spinning out of control as to where the general opinion seems to be the less you are wearing the "hotter" you are. I would love to tell y'all the coined phrase "modest is hottest," but it is unfortunately not always viewed that way. The fact of the matter is that men are naturally attracted to what women have and vice versa. The more that women show generally the more men are attracted. My message to all is to dress modest and help us all out in being virtuous. It is so important to be modest because it shows the respect you have for others as well as yourself.
     It continues, "Many of you are trying too hard to be unique in your dress and grooming to attract what the Lord would consider the wrong kind of attention. In the Book of Mormon story of the tree of life, it was the people whose 'manner of dress was exceedingly fine' who mocked those who partook of the fruit of the tree. It is sobering to realize that the fashion-conscious mockers in the great and spacious building were responsible for embarrassing many, and those who were ashamed 'fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.'"
     Are you one of those "fashion-conscious mockers in the great and spacious building [whom] were responsible for embarrassing many?" I am in no way saying that being fashion-conscious is a bad thing. However, I am saying it is not okay to not accept or even make fun of those who are not as fashion-conscious as you may be. Everyone is different and we should accept all for how they are. Let us not be too caught up in our pride to disassociate ourselves from those who may be less fortunate.

"Leave It Alone"

     I want to talk a little bit about an article I was reading that struck me as important to write about; it was called "Leave It Alone." I am not sure why I felt it was important, but I did so hopefully it touches and helps someone.

     I would like to start off with a little excerpt. "I plead with you to leave it alone. Stay away from any movie, video, publication, or music—regardless of its rating—where illicit behavior and expressions are part of the action. Have the courage to turn it off in your living room. Throw the tapes and the publications in the garbage can, for that is where we keep garbage."

     My advice to all would be "Don't Start!" However, if you already have, "Stop It!" The path it takes you on is not worth it. People may think they are casually watching and listening to this type of so-called entertainment. They think they are spiritually strong and will be immune to its influence. They do not realize that they are trapped or else soon will be. It will relieve you from the troubles of your day and it will give you immediate pleasure. In reality, it is only relieving you of your spirituality and your capacity to draw on the powers of heaven in times of need. The consequences are eternal. "Satan has slyly and slowly lowered the social norms of morality to a tragic and destructive level." I plead with y'all to not let this spiritually destructive disease get you. Avoid it like the plague, for it is just as destructive.

     "The secret to cleansing our spirit of whatever the impurity is not very complicated. It begins with sincere, heartfelt prayer every morning and ends with prayer every night. This is the most important step I know in the cleansing process. It may simply be a prayer for strength to turn from bad habits, or a prayer that sin will be distasteful to you.

     Meanwhile, remember that not all prayers are answered the same day or even the next day. Sometimes it takes a long time. If you have tried and have given up, I plead with you to try again and again and again. Our Heavenly Father will not forsake your efforts if you persist.
     The second step in this plan of attack is to gain an added measure of spiritual strength through a daily study of the scriptures. Your study need not be long, but it should be every day. If I were you, I would read the scriptures tonight and never let a day pass without reading in them, even if only for a few minutes. The scriptures assist us to overpower darkness with light.
     The third step that I would counsel is: when necessary, receive the blessing that comes in the confession process. Too many are harboring the inner feeling of guilt resulting from unrepented mistakes. Part of the repentance process is confession. If you happen to be one of those who has this need, I plead with you to go see your bishop before the sun sets tomorrow."

     I know that this is inspired of God. We have no need to let this destructive enemy get us. If you are in this trap, I plead with you to get help. The lack of the Spirit in your life is too great a price.

Learn to Laugh

     Sometimes in life stuff happens. There have been many times in my life where I would love to just go back in time 5 minutes or so to redo something, or even times when I just want to wish my problems away. Obviously that doesn't usually happen so I just have to do something else. I really enjoy this talk about how to handle these bad situations whenever they arive. I will share with you a part that I really enjoy.
     "The first thing we can do is learn to laugh. Have you ever seen an angry driver who, when someone else makes a mistake, reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors all the way back to Adam? Or have you had an encounter with an overhanging cupboard door left open at the wrong place and the wrong time which has been cursed, condemned, and avenged by a sore-headed victim?
     There is an antidote for times such as these: learn to laugh." -Joseph B. Wirthlin (Nov. 2008 Ensign, Come What May, and Love It.)
     I know that if we can just look for the positive in all aspects of life we will be able to make it through without too many cuts and bruises. I know that God loves us all and wants us to be happy so "Learn to Laugh!"