Of Worldly Terrors

Are you ever amused when someone not of your faith insists you believe or do not believe some crazy thing, especially when they're waaaay off? I can't help but chuckle at it sometimes!

And yet such insistence can have significant negative consequence. So many Muslim leaders condemn violence, condemn terrorism, and promote peace while many outside insist that they must be a warmongering people because their religion teaches them to be.

[sarcasm]
Surely the leaders promoting peace are just being deceitful!

After all, there are verses in the Qur'an that radical Muslim groups interpret to mean "go kill everyone that doesn't honor Mohammad and worship Allah!"

Obviously all Muslims are out to mass murder everyone!
[/sarcasm]

ugh.

In reality, don't most religions preach in world dominance at some point? That God will destroy the wicked and all will bow before Him in some form of united belief system?

And don't such groups often have radical outshoots that try to take such a work into their own hands, justifying all types of gross injustices?

I appreciate someone who honors and accepts what I say I believe, rather than dictating to me what I must believe because of ___fill-in-the-blank-here____. Perhaps we could honor the lives of so many peaceful Muslims by respecting what they claim they believe?

Side note: I'm persuaded that Donald Trump trolls The Onion for campaign ideas.

Are there some radical terrorists who also are Muslims who would hope to get into the U.S. with the many refugees? Indubitably!

As for me, I'm more concerned about the subtle terrors of our current society than I am about any myriad of radicals bent on shaping physical terror.

It is the demise of the fundamental unit of society that poses the much greater threat.

The demise of a family does not always look like divorce, by the way. Perhaps even more often, it is found in families yielding up the roles and responsibilities it is meant to provide.

That there are masses cheering after Trump and his boorish blathering is yet another evidence to me that too many families have been derelict in their duties.

Lessons From a Run

Today is Amy's eighth birthday. She's still asleep this morning, but I have exciting news for her!

I also have a few lessons learned.

As some know, I am running my first 5k in a couple weeks. My intent is to run it in under 30 minutes! This would be awesome for me!

Before a couple weeks ago it had been years and years since I'd been out running -- pretty sure the last time was in 2003 -- that's twelve years ago!

In my recent running efforts, the most I'd run is about 2.8k. What is that, about a mile and a half?

This morning as I went out, I decided with confidence that I'd run 3k. I had complete confidence I could do it, even if I ran slow.

As I began running, I began toying with the idea of running my first ever, uninterrupted 5k. After all, the race is coming up quick! "We'll see," I thought.

As I ran, I got more and more desirous to do it! And yes, I absolutely believe it was inspiration working in me.

It wasn't long when I decided I would. I was tempted at one point to cut it at four, but then I thought of it being Amy's birthday and thought, how cool would it be to run my first 5k on her eighth birthday! (Eighth is not a word I naturally type with correct spelling, by the way! Sheesh! Silly English!)

A little after the 2k mark, I remembered a recent video of Kris Krohn training and feeding awesome positive thoughts into Gary Norris. These are two friends who both inspire me regularly, and this morning was no different!

I began feeding my own thoughts with awesomeness like "my body was made to run," "one of my gifts from God is a body built for great running," etc. I thought of my inspiring and ever-positive friend Kevin Clayson who has impressed upon me the power of expressing gratitude! I began to express that gratitude for my body, for the chance to be running in that very moment, and more.

Running around a half mile track, half the run was into a slight breeze. My natural impulse was to feel slowed by this breeze, but my thoughts were too strong. I began welcoming the breeze and thanking it for bringing air to fill my lungs, for bringing refreshment to what otherwise would be stale, etc.

I began thinking of flow and speaking to my mind of the strength and wholeness of my heart and lungs, that my blood flows freely through my veins and brings life and vitality to my body. That air flows through my lungs, that energy, life, money, and emotion flow through me abundantly.

I regularly thought of Amy and her birthday and how cool it was that I was reaching this goal on her eighth birthday!

And I made it! I did it! I ran my first ever full, uninterrupted 5 kilometers this morning!

After breathing hard and walking a few steps, I felt SO excited! Was it in my mind or was it out loud that I said: "I did it Amy! I did it!"

The idea came of posting this on Facebook with pride for my achievement (which I will with a link to this blog post)! I felt so good! Then the thought creeped in: "posting it on Facebook? It's kind of pathetic really, this is your first 5k? You probably were really slow anyway. ...sure you want to do that?" And my excitement and joy faded a bit.

But I caught it. Can we see here how comparison murders joy? I remembered this truth and rejoiced again in my pride of accomplishment! It is life and joy for me!

I'm so excited to tell Amy when she awakes! I don't expect a lot of reaction from her, but I'm excited to tell her nonetheless!

When I made it in the house, after walking around and breathing hard outside a bit, I looked at the app on my phone that tracked everything.

I saw the total time and felt a bit confused.

Previous runs often averaged around 6 minutes per kilometer. I figured with a run as long as this, I probably averaged around 7 minutes. My time was 29:20!

Say wha?

k1: 6:24 -- kind of what I'd expect
k2: 6:04 -- oh wow, I went a littler faster on that one, cool!
k3: 5:56 -- ...huh?
k4: 5:34 -- What the? How on earth?
k5: 5:21 -- A full minute faster than my first one??

This baffled me!

How could I have gone faster on these later ones? Isn't that completely backwards?!

My left brain didn't get it, and then I realized -- it was my self talk.

It wasn't just my self talk though, it was my belief in my self talk. I was choosing in, believing all that I told myself.

You see, no one is born a winner or a loser, we're born choosers.

What we believe affects what we create. Why? Because you will act as though what you believe is true regardless of its validity! We are living, breathing, self-fulfilling prophecies.

We choose what we tell ourselves and we choose what we believe.

I choose to believe. I choose to live!

An Observation of Reaction to Dissent

There are no inherently wicked people, only wicked ideas and people who promote and/or follow them. (And thus, we are all wicked to some degree.)

One of these wicked ideas is that when there is disagreement, the opposition must be wicked.

Another is that we must destroy wicked people.

Put these together and we see why the wicked shun, pursue, and hunt dissenters.

One better idea is that, when there is disagreement, those who oppose our view are people with hopes and dreams and worth just like us. Even if they are promoting wicked and evil idea, they are still people -- children of God.

Another better idea is that we love and care for the well being of those who pursue wickedness.

Put these together and we see why the righteous feel sorrow for the loss of dissenters.

Lest I be misunderstood, I am not making commentary about when war is appropriate. I am simply seeing understanding between the frequent reactions I see played out in scripture.

Choosing to Believe, Another Angle

"Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them." (Alma 33:20)

When I read this I generally think: "Really? I mean really? That's ridiculous! This is so sad to me!"

And then I wondered... how often am I not willing to look because I do not believe.

Verse 21 continues: "if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?"

How often is this me? How often do I simply not want to believe because it sounds like work? How often do I not want to change myself, who I am, what I believe about myself because I don't feel like it?

How often will I not be healed because I don't believe?

I choose to live!

Believing is a choice!

I choose to believe!

And when I falter, I choose to believe that He helps my unbelief.

Choosing to Believe

There was a change of schedule. I had a week's notice to put something together, which is far less than my preference. A month would be nice, a week? Stress.

The evening arrives. The night before I practiced my presentation with my family. It was a perfect presentation... for young children. It was not at all appropriate for my adult audience.

Walking down the stairs leaving my day job I feel weight on my shoulders. I know the content, but can I present it in a way that provides value, that's interesting, that is useful and helpful? I've had a few loose ideas about how to change it for an adult audience, but it's rather scattered. I begin reviewing it again as I get to the bottom of the stairs. My mind scatters around ideas as I traverse the hallway to the side door near where I parked the car.

As I push open the door and step outside a light, lovely rain greets y skin and a gust of refreshing wind -- you know, the kind that smells like heaven -- shatters my thoughts into a lovely calm. I look up to give thanks and feel a warmth in my heart.

I remember a recent realization -- God is fully engaged in supporting my life. I am the one lost sheep of the ninety and nine. He is dedicated to me. (John 4:19)

I take confidence in this belief. I choose it. By so doing, my way of being regarding this evening has shifted. I have become consciously aware for myself that it is believing, in this case, that will make the difference.

Yes, I still have a presentation to give, and yes, I still have last minute preparations to do. However, it is the believing, the trusting, that will make success of those efforts.

Doubts try to creep in as the evening progresses -- while I seek some details of information, while I print out my content, while I realize after printing I want to have a little more something at hand so I have to write it onto my paper -- but through all these activities I push out those doubts by choosing to trust, by choosing to believe.

I look back after the presentation concludes. I didn't know exactly the course it would take, but I'm very pleased with it. Feedback tells me it provided significant value at least for some.

I feel so grateful.

Yesterday was my turn to speak at Weekly Whys.

I loved it!

I'm so glad I did!

Who did Christ live for?

We regularly hear that Christ died for us, and that even if there had be just one of us, He would have suffered the whole, infinite Atonement just for you or me. I believe that to be true... and I have another question:

Who did Christ live for?

Might I suggest that He lived the gift of His life for Himself? I believe He also lived for Himself -- for the purpose, meaning, and mission that was His.

How could I say that? I mean, didn't He give His life to all of us?

Let's consider a change to that common comment -- instead of asking: "if there was only me, would He still have done it?" might we consider the question: "if He were to know that no one would choose Him, would He still have done it?"

I believe yes. It was His mission. I believe that Jesus lived first and foremost for Himself and that only by so doing could He also live for us!

By living for Himself, He thus lived for His Father and also for us.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

Could it be that laying down your life doesn't mean dying for them? Could it mean you live your life mission and that only by so doing can you truly give your life to others?

He is our Exemplar. He lives!

Who are you living for?

Commands and Invitations from Authority

I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church; and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of invitation. Alma 5:62

When Alma says this, it may sound like he is trying to coerce those in the church. I do not believe this is so.

Rather, he is instructing, stating that under the terms of his stewardship there are consequences that he is in charge of administering upon disobedience. There are also some beyond his administration, but due to covenants made by those in the church, Alma is acting as mouthpiece for God who will administer them. That is, they will be held accountable to God for their maintenance of their covenants with Him, and Alma is authorized to command on God's behalf. (See verse three.)

To those outside his stewardship, there may be consequences, but the administration of such is beyond his authority and stewardship.

This is why parents have authority to instruct their children when they are being raised under their care.

Bishops, as judges in Israel, have this same authoritative stewardship to instruct or command. Prophets today do the same.

What makes the command different than the invitation is stewardship and accountability -- both, however, are best extended from a way of being of love and a desire to inspire rather than manipulate.

Manipulations and Inspirations

After the battles and devastation due to Amlici, we read the following verses:

Now it came to pass in the sixth year. . .the people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the loss of their brethren, and also for the loss of their flocks and herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain
. . .and they believed that it was the judgments of God sent upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations; therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty.
And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized. . .and it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that united themselves to the church of God and were baptized.
And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud
. . .And it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year, Alma saw the wickedness of the church. . .yea, he saw great inequality among the people, some lifting themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.

From this example, and I anticipate there are others much similar to it, it seems that the impetus for change here was effective in the short term, but not in the long term.

In other words, when someone believes the judgments of God are upon them, it may motivate them to righteousness, but only long enough to get out from underneath those perceived judgments.

Thus, this belief seems to create a manipulation of behavior that only maintains its effect while the manipulation is in place, not an inspiration of behavior that can change a heart for a lifetime.

Conferring Keys

I was struck this morning in my scripture study when I read the following verses.

And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church. Mosiah 25:19
Now king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church. Mosiah 26:8 

I read these and thought -- wait, what? Since when does God's church get authority from a government of men? Why did Alma need authority from the king to ordain priests and teachers, or to have authority over the church, etc.?

Then it occurred to me that Mosiah had been the prophet-king, just as his father before him had been! Alma didn't need authority from the King, he needed authority from the current leading prophet!

It's as in the old testament wherein there were multiple prophets at the same time!

What King Mosiah was doing here was conferring whatever prophetic office he held to Alma. I don't mean to say I think Mosiah was giving up his prophetic role. Rather, it's like a Bishop getting released -- the Bishop remains a Bishop, though his keys are no longer exercised as another takes the active calling.

Thus King Mosiah essentially creates perhaps the first official separation of church and state of the Nephite era.

This is totally a thinking out loud here (as are all my posts on this blog). I have *no* idea if this is doctrinally accurate, but it's one possibility for now.

Unbelief creates a lack of understanding

And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened. Mosiah 26:3

This verse intrigues me. What do I not understand because of my unbelief? An express causal relationship is portrayed here.

Now this doesn't imply that every lack of understanding is caused by unbelief, but that unbelief is indeed a cause of a lack of understanding.

Unbelief creates lack.

The thirteenth article of faith teaches "we believe all things." I've never thought that to imply gullibility. At the same time, the word used is all.

I've oft pondered what could be meant by this. I have a number of thoughts, none of which I am completely confident on, but I want this post to be short and sweet, so perhaps another day.

The Principle of Stewardship

I believe that we are stewards, not owners, of resources on this earth.

I am not saying I don't believe in private property ownership -- I certainly do. From a secular standpoint, we are owners; from an eternal perspective, we are stewards.

In the words of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin:

We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a physical experience.

Okay, so we're stewards. So what?

Well, lets look at just a few implications of that.

If we are stewards, then all that which we have is not ours, but the Master's.

A successful steward uses the resources entrusted to him (or her, but I've grown weary of writing him/her all the time) to create not just sufficient for the master, but also sufficient for himself and his family. Otherwise he becomes a burden to the master rather than an asset.

A wise steward does not hoard his master's possessions in fear they may be lost; that is the way of the slothful servant who buried his master's talent in the earth.

A wise steward also does not squander his master's possessions on his own gluttony; that is the way of the unjust steward.

Note that both lost their stewardships!

A wise steward uses his resources (including but not limited to his labor) to provide a good or service and generate an increase.

As a master may ask for a reckoning at any time, a successful steward stands in need of generating a continual flow of resources.

As Chris Miles states so well:

Money follows value and exchange creates wealth.

Providing value for an exchange means we use our resources to serve!

Let's consider the text of another brief parable for a moment:

And [Jesus] spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

Parables have many meanings and I make no intent to claim interpretive rights, so with that said, may I translate this parable into my view of modern culture?

The job of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
And he thought within himself, saying, What do I do with all this money? For I don't know how to manage it!
And he said, I know what I'll do: I'll hoard it all up in different accounts, and there will I put all my money.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much money laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

The following verse reads:

But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

I believe we are surrounded by a social epidemic of accumulation mindset.

Modern day retirement planning has been marketed in ways that promote this mindset.

Lest I be misinterpreted -- I'm not knocking any specific investment. It's not the vehicle so much as the mindset and intent.

Some questions to consider:
Am I using my resources to provide a valuable good or service?
Are my resources creating a continual, flowing return?
And perhaps the most important, am I providing a return for the Master?

Stewards do not hoard or squander, they administer their resources to create flow. And isn't that what a master does with his stewards? Is not a steward a master-in-training?

We are stewards and our resources are meant to be used.

I believe in the principle of stewardship.

Vision, Trust, and God : Beliefs, Productivity, and Values

Gratitude builds Contentment.

Humility builds Clarity

Contentment and Clarity invite Vision


Integrity and Intent build Character

Expertise and Results build Competence

Character and Competence establish Trust


Charity invites Relationships

Faith invites Miracles

Relationships and Miracles? Well, what did He do for you?

I could end there, but one further insight calls to me. I hope it adds, not detracts.


We call how we see the world our perspective. Our perspective is built upon the beliefs we have adopted throughout life. Generally we are good observers, but poor interpreters. Gratitude and humility help us analyze the belief windows through which we see, i.e. our perspective.

When you feel something is crucial, that it just has to get done, who will you ask to do it? Someone who you perceive as both competent and of good character? Or someone who is lacking in one or both of these areas? Confidence or trust is the key ingredient to lasting, and even most short-term, productivity.

What are your core, fundamental values? What or whom do you love purely and completely? Wherein or in whom do you place ALL your trust? What would you risk life for? Even more, what would you dedicate your life for? "Dedication is a whole lot tougher than risking, because it takes time." --Hryum W. Smith


You see, when you get all these three:

1. Your perspective is aligned with Truth and reality 
2. You have a deep sense of self trust 
3. Your thoughts, words, and actions are aligned with what you value most 

Then, you will find yourself filled with inner peace.


#3gaps #gratifuel #speedoftrust #arbinger #prophets #scripture

Think About Your Cans

If a number is not positive, we often say it's negative.

If something is not good, we often say it's bad.

If something is not red, we often say it's... um... wait what?

Well, these don't quite work.

If a number is negative, then true, it's not positive, and if something is bad, it's certainly not good, but the converse is not necessarily true.

Take zero, for example. Zero is neither positive nor negative, so to say that a number that's not positive must be negative is not quite right.

Or money. Money is neither good nor bad, and not being one does not imply that it is the other! Money just... is.

Colors? Well shoot, there's a whole spectrum!

I got thinking about this concept with a few other words: can, can't, will, won't.

Can't makes will or won't moot, while can makes will or won't a choice.

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right" said Henry Ford.

Of course, this is bound by natural law, but how much of natural law do we understand, and how much do we just think we understand? I'm pretty sure most physicists could show us a think or two that would make us second guess some of our understanding of natural law! But I digress.

What I noticed here is that focusing on what you can't do limits your options, while focusing on what you can do makes options and choices available to you.

Could it be that just focusing on what you can do will open doors for you? Yes, I believe so.

So any time you're tempted to tell yourself I can't, try asking yourself this question: what can I do? What options do I have?

We're here on earth to learn to be more like our Heavenly Father. I don't think He goes around thinking "ah, I can't do that." I mean the idea of it is just beyond silly!

Now I fully recognize that no, we're not Him, but I do think He likes it when we think more like Him. I mean, we're His children, you know?

So what can you do? Don't talk or even think about can'ts; talk and think about your cans. 

Power Struggle

In any power struggle there can be no victor, for while one may conquer the behavior of another, the character and souls of both are degraded and diminished.

The only way to come out unscathed if coerced into struggle is to struggle not for power, but for the liberty of both parties.

A power struggle is a symptom of individual hearts at war, be they parent and child, spouse and spouse, or nation and nation. A heart may even be at war with oneself.

Hearts at war and their symptomatic power struggles serve only to pull down the human race; when one of us is degraded, all of us are degraded, and when one of us improves, we are all better off.

A body may be at war while the heart is at peace and a heart may be at war while the body is at peace, nonetheless where the heart is the body will eventually follow.

A heart at peace strives for meaning while a heart at war strives for lust, usually a lust of power.

A family with hearts at peace lift each other while a family with hearts at war resist each other. Phrased another way, a family with hearts at peace pull together (i.e. pull with each other in a constructive manner that lifts the whole) while a family with hearts at war pull against each other.

This is all nice and good, but how do we maintain a heart at peace? How do we resist a power struggle?

Much could be said here, and I recommend the following two books:
* The Anatomy of Peace by the Arbinger Institute
* Parenting a House United by Nicholeen Peck

At this time I will only add that clarity helps. If we know what we want most -- peace over power, kindness over being right, love over fear, calm over frustration -- and we have faith and confidence regarding what to do in any given situation to obtain these, then we will obtain them.

Others may continually invite us to a power struggle, but in our hearts we can always choose a peaceful engagement.

Everyone Is My Teacher

Often my posts here are inspired from an insight during scripture study, and as this is no different, I begin by quoting the scripture of note:

And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.

And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.

And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.

(1 Nephi 16:1-3, emphasis added)

 This intrigues me.

Has anyone ever criticized you? How did it go? Let me dig in a little more specific.

Has anyone ever criticized you for something so ridiculous, you sincerely laughed it off without a care because you knew they had no concept of what they were saying -- you knew the criticism was completely baseless?

Has anyone ever criticized you for something utterly ridiculous, yet it still stung?

I believe the following two thoughts are principles of happiness, i.e. if we live by these principles, we must be happier, and if we do not, we must be less happy:

1. Accept in your mind that you live in a world where others get to make their own choices
2. Make everyone your teacher

I'll skip the first one for now, but would like to take a moment with the second.

When we hear something that we "take to be hard," a common reaction is to shoot the messenger. That is, we begin saying things like: "Who are they to talk?", "They ought to look at the beam in their own eye first!", or "I can't believe she said that, did you hear that? That was the rudest..." and on and on.

However, what we often will not do, is look inward and ask, is it true of me?


Because we take it to be hard, we want to murmur against it rather than consider it. Yet President Dieter F. Uchtdorf shared this fantastic insight: "seeing ourselves clearly is the beginning of wisdom." (General Coference, October 2014)

What I see in these verses is this concept: if someone says something that triggers us to temper, even if not an outright accusation, this indicates a flaw inside of us that we are likely trying to hide from the world... and even more likely, from ourselves.

If we will make everyone our teacher, however, then we can recognize that initial flare as guidance leading us to introspection, seeking what weakness is hidden within us. This will lead us to greater wisdom as we take that weakness before the Lord and seek His enabling grace.

We are none of us perfect, and these verses offer us an insight into finding our blind spots -- finding our wickedness -- that through Christ, we may root it out.

Tempted Above what we can Bear

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Cor. 10:13)

An intriguing verse to be sure. Many people find comfort in this verse and, while I do as well, I also find responsibility in it.

First, as we grow in intelligence, spiritual strength, and stewardship, we will be exposed to greater temptation.

Second, God will make a way to escape temptation, but we must choose to take it! And note that the escape is such that we may well still bear the temptation, but we will escape from succumbing to it.


Expounding on the First:

When I was baptized at eight years old, I remember having a sense of disappointment thereafter because I didn't notice any mighty change or difference in my day to day life. I expected that, since Satan could tempt me, and that I had the Holy Ghost, I would suddenly become vividly aware of a great war! The idea somewhat excited my eight year old boy imagination. Instead, everything seemed, well, normal!

I suspect that this is largely aligned with this verse in Corinthians. It's as though Satan can only tempt us to the degree we are able to act. For example, he can't tempt you to read something naughty if you don't know how to read. He can try to whisper an evil idea into our minds, but if we are unable to comprehend the concept, there will be no temptation.

truth and Truth

It is to my surprise that I have observed two kinds of truth. One I would refer to as Truth with a capital 'T', and the other, truth with a lower case 't'.

Now if this rubs you wrong at first, as it did for me the first while that I had heard references to such, just know that it is simply a distinction of semantics -- a distinction that I find helpful in understanding.

Truth
I describe Truth as natural law and principle. I spoke somewhat on natural law in this post.

Gravity is an example of natural law, as is the law of lift which allow birds and airplanes to fly.

Truth can stand on its own. It is absolute and eternal.

truth
To distinguish Truth from truth, the best way I know to do it is to illustrate it with a story.

Consider a young waiter, we'll call him Joel. Joel's friend commented to him one day that she had read an article that said, for whatever reason, people tip less on Wednesdays and asked him if he had observed this in his work.

Joel said he hadn't and brushed it off. However, the thought lingered in his mind to the point that, on Wednesday, his mind was replaying the question and he was beginning to doubt his original response. He got a bit annoyed with himself about it because it seemed so ridiculous, but still, he felt a little frustrated about it.

Later, he had to see if there was any merit to it and, indeed, that Wednesday produced a slightly less tip percentage than usual.

The next Wednesday, Joel hardly wanted to go to work. He couldn't seem to shake this sense that he just knew people were going to tip less. It still seemed ridiculous to him, but he couldn't shake it. When a customer later accidentally spilled a water all over his table, Joel felt like throwing his hands up in frustration and saying "see!"

It wasn't long before Joel's service as a waiter waned on Wednesdays. A couple of months later, Joel told his friend -- "You know what? I've found on Wednesdays, I only get about 65% of the tips I get on other days. How weird is that?"

So, is it true? Do people tip less on Wednesday's? Well for Joel it became true. ...but why?

Is it the result of some natural law or principle that on Wednesdays, people will tip less? No! Of course not!

It was true because Joel believed it to be true. His belief led to a different set of actions which led to a different result!

This is the kind of truth that I call lower-case 't' truth. It is self-fulfilling prophecy, true only because of our own beliefs and choices.

Hopefully this also helps portray an interesting concept: there is no truth without context.

Why are you doing this?

It seems every time I tell someone about putting on Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day I get asked, "why are you doing this?" My answer? Because I love it! I love the ice cream, I love sharing it, it makes me happy, and it's fun! The amount of joy it brings me is seriously immense.

Of the numerous business events I've put on, I don't think anyone has ever asked me "why are you doing this?" I wonder if it's assumed, "well, it's a business, so it's to make money of course!"

Of the business people I know, money is not a sufficient drive to do what they do.

When my Dad was put in a serious financial predicament in his construction business, working literally 20-22 hour days, people would ask him "why don't you just declare bankruptcy?"

Did he say "I've got to make it work for the money?" Are you kidding? No, not at all. He would walk the person out of the office and point up at the sign above the door that said "Lyle Parks Jr. Inc." and say, "you see that? That's my name. I don't declare bankruptcy -- my dad just didn't teach me that."

To build and run a business takes more drive than money alone can provide.

So next time you chat with someone building a business, someone who has refused to give up even in the hard times, pay them a complement -- ask them what drives them! And be prepared to feel inspired.

Heroes, Villains, and Victims

A brief insight.

Both a hero and a villain work hard, even tirelessly. One produces creation while the other destruction -- but they both produce.

You’ll notice that interesting stories rarely if ever have victims has their main characters. Why? Victims don’t do anything at all -- they just whine and complain. It's not that main characters haven't been victimized, they just don't accept victim-hood.

Perhaps this is the concept behind the verses in Revelation that say:

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Joshua said "choose you this day whom ye will serve," and the choice of victim-hood makes you irrelevant to your own story because you are no longer striving to be the main act-or in it.

Two Words

I love the temple! I know, that's not two words, but I love the temple nonetheless!

Today I got to go to the Jordan River temple.

I recently read this post by Stephen Palmer. Again.

And while at the temple, I was able to connect more clearly with my core life mission. It is, as you've guessed, two words: Inspire Righteousness.


Why Righteousness?

I strongly considered the word goodness. My perception is that the word goodness is perhaps more acceptable or politically correct; it has less of a judgemental connotation in today's world than righteousness. But why is that? If it's because much evil is considered good and good evil, then the message is more susceptible to individual interpretation and ambiguity.

We all have good judgement in our own eyes, so what is there to be inspired about? It becomes the principle that everyone needs but me, since I've already got it.

Righteousness however has some clear implications. To me these include:
* Continual development of one's relationship with God and family
* Continual development of one's character
* Purity and virtue in mind, heart, and soul
* Seeing people as people -- respecting individual sovereignty and worth


Why Inspire?

Righteousness is impossible to coerce because it is not an action -- it is a willful determination of heart and mind. Actions are merely an evidence or fruit of whatever determination one's heart and mind hold.

One could attempt to manipulate righteousness, but this will not persist when the manipulation is past.

Inspiring righteousness is indeed the only way to make a lasting impact.

Purpose
As I consider how this mission plays out in my life, I find that inspiring righteousness is my fundamental why -- it is the reason I do all I do. When my actions are not aligned with this standard, I want to investigate what within me is the root of this misalignment and change it!

Whenever considering a decision of any significance, my goal is to make inspiring righteousness as my core standard upon which to judge.

Why do I strive to be a good husband and father? To inspire righteousness in myself, my family, and perhaps others who might be quiet, unknown observers.

Why do we homeschool? We (or at least I -- I haven't asked Bont) feel it is the best way to inspire righteousness in our family.

Why do I serve in my church? It inspires righteousness in my own life, in the life of my family by example, and I hope, in those I teach.

What motivates what I do in my assigned church service? My drive to inspire righteousness.

Why do I engage in scripture study and personal development? To seek my own inspiration to righteousness and become more effective at inspiring righteousness.

Why do I promote Strongbrook? To inspire righteousness. It is my platform of choice for generating Peaceful Prosperity.

Why do I promote Peaceful Prosperity? You can see previous posts about it, but Peaceful Prosperity comes down to having a relationship with God, seeing people as people, and creating significant financial wealth so that this influence can reach further and wider than it would without such wealth.

Joseph Smith taught "A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race." I promote Peaceful Prosperity to inspire righteousness throughout the earth.

Perfection
Are my actions always the most inspiring? Definitely not! I am far from perfect! Fortunately, there is no rule that states one must be perfect to inspire another; I have oft been inspired by imperfect men and women. Christ is perfect, and to inspire righteousness eventually comes back to Him. Always.

Jesus said "but he that is greatest among you shall be your servant." Matthew 23:11 What makes one great? I believe it is the capacity to inspire men and women to devoting their best selves to a worthy cause. Service -- being a Go Giver -- is one of the most powerful ways to become great.

Jesus' life and mission is, when understood, the most powerful inspiration to righteousness that exists -- there is no coercion or manipulation in it. He, in securing our immortality and enabling our salvation, is the greatest Servant of us all.

Purpose of Life

I believe that Heavenly Father truly wants us to become like Him.

I really do.

If someone asks "what is the purpose of life?" there are really many answers one could give. The main one's I think of are:

1. To obtain a physical body¹
2. To be tried and tested to see if we will obey God²
3. To progress³ -- I feel like this is broad and a few specific key things are worth mentioning here:
• To have joy⁴
• To put us in a situation where we may exercise agency -- needing to be enticed by at least two options, thus needing to be without memory of our pre-earth life.⁵
• To gain intelligence by study and by faith, i.e. to learn, grow, develop talents and gifts⁶
• To put us in a situation where we can be stewards and learn to be wise stewards.⁷
• To provide a time wherein we can repent and prepare to meet God⁸
• To become more like Him -- Personal development comes in many forms as well. I include developing attributes such as charity, humility, faith, compassion, meekness, etc. as well as developing our skills of creation.⁹
4. To build His kingdom through fulfilling the missions and callings that were conferred or preordained.¹⁰
5. To create eternal familial bonds, including multiplying and replenishing the earth.¹¹

All of these hail back to becoming like Him.

The first one is done -- we're here on earth, we have bodies, and Christ's resurrection ensures we will be so as well.

All the rest, however, require our participation, work, and effort.

The life of a full-time missionary seems like a type here. A missionary studies and strives to develop Christ-like attributes while simultaneously going out to live the mission of directly sharing and teaching the gospel.

It seems the purpose of life, too, is to simultaneously become the person we need to be and fulfilling our life missions the best we can along the way. There's no "once I'm good enough I'll start fulfilling some of my life mission." It's prepare and do at the same time. It's practice.

So a purposeful life is one where we have a clear sense of mission, we strive to fulfill that mission, all the while striving to become our best possible version of ourselves.

To me this means actively seeking out mentors and classics (books, movies, etc.) from which to learn principles, natural law, and to see ourselves clearly, for this is the beginning of wisdom.¹² It also means seeking out our life missions and striving to live them all along the way.

Why? Because God wants us to become like Him, and that's how He is.

1. "We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the Celestial Kingdom" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith TJPS, p. 181)
2. See Abraham 3:24-25.
3. See 3 Nephi 12:48, Matthew 5:48.
4. See 2 Nephi 2:23.
5. See 2 Nephi 2:15-16.
6. "A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge." (TJPS, p. 217)
* See also D&C 130:18-19, D&C 88:118 (repeating 88:118 - D&C 109:7,14).
7. See the parable of the talents, Matthew 25:14-30.
8. See 2 Nephi 2:21, Alma 12:24.
9. "If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses, for if we are not drawing towards God in principle, we are going from Him and drawing towards the devil." (TPJS p. 216)
* "By faith the worlds were made." (TPJS p. 270)
* See also Matthew 5:48, 3 Nephi 18:16, John 14:6, Moroni 7:46,
10. See Jeremiah 1:5-8, Abraham 3:23-26,
* "There is neither man nor woman in this Church who is not on a mission. That mission will last as long as they live." (Brigham Young, "Remarks", Deseret News, July 3, 1867 as quoted here)
11. "Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and. . .the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children." The Family, A Proclamation to the World
12. "Seeing ourselves clearly is the beginning of wisdom." (President Uchtdorf, Priesthood Session, October 2014 - link)

How to Map a Windows Network Drive in Linux

I use Linux at work. I'm the only one. I need to access docs on a shared network drive. Everyone else simply drops the path beginning with \\ into their windows explorer at it works. What about me?

One thing Windows does is it auto-logs in since you had to use your ldap login to get on the work machine in the first place. So, first thing to overcome is credentials.


1. I create a credentials file at my home directory, so /home/username/.ldapcredentials

In it, I have:
username=myWinUsername
password=thisismysecret

2. Now I go create the directory where I want to mount the mapped drive. I like to put it under /mnt.

$ cd /mnt
$ sudo mkdir zdrive

3. Now the confusing stuff. I go into /etc/fstab and create an entry. I knew why once, not anymore.

Let's say the path I'm given for a file looks like this: \\zapo1\liciousVol2\teams\documents\how-we-work.xls

I will type an entry at the bottom of fstab that looks like this (remember to use sudo to open the file so it's not read only):

//zapo1/liciousVol2 /mnt/zdrive cifs noauto,credentials=/home/username/.ldapcredentials,iocharset=utf8,file_mode=0666,dir_mode=0777 0 0

You can go look up what all those mean as I don't really remember. I'm just making note of this here in case I need to use it again for quick reference.

4. Now mount the drive
$ sudo mount zdrive

5. Navigate to the drive
$ cd /mnt/zdrive
$ ls

You should now see the files and directories in the drive and be able to navigate it.