That Time of the Year

For the past month, maybe even two for some, we have been hearing about Christmas. It is an incredibly exciting time of the year, full of increased media attention, sales, releases, and family. I love it! When I think of Christmas, I think of the fun times I've had with my family, the delicious food I've eaten, and the eventful stories I've been a part of (what childhood is complete without a flaming santa hat or Christmas dinner on the floor?). At the same time, I would be remiss if I didn't talk about what the Christmas celebration should be about as well as what it tends to be about.

I have often heard that we need to "remember the reason for the season." I agree, but I also want to emphasize a different angle than the standard birth of Jesus idea. I want to talk, rather, on the life of Jesus instead. Christmas is a wonderful celebration not because it's the celebration of our Saviors birthday but because it's a celebration of our Savior. Christ came to the earth, to "[descend] below all" (Doctrine and Covenants 122:8) so that he could raise us up at the last day. The best gift to all the earth, the Atonement, is the reason for the season!

The best part is that we can definitely keep this reason alive in our hearts throughout the year. Acts of service, following His commandments, and reading the scriptures. These are all ways to "feel the Christmas spirit" of Christ. I love the Christmas season, and more than that I love the Spirit I feel as I follow Christ. If you want to learn more about my beliefs in Christ, check out the Jesus Christ portion of mormon.org.

For the Beauty of the Earth

Hymn 92 in our hymnbook is For the Beauty of the Earth, a lovely song that reminds us of being thankful, of how beautiful the world we live in is, and of the universe as well. Today I wanted to talk about that beauty, and the many different kinds I've seen already in my life.

A view in Utah

My brother, fishing in a local river

I grew up in Maryland, living in three different towns over the course of about 18 years. I've also gone to school in Utah, and I've served in two different towns in Montana and Wyoming for the past 6 or so months. I can say that I've enjoyed being in every single one of those places. Each town, city, or area has beauty that makes me appreciate this wonderful earth a little more. For example, living in Havre de Grace, MD allowed me to enjoy being around trees and water almost constantly. Moving to Forest Hill gave me a chance to see the more rural area of the same county, as well as enjoying the close effect that hills and trees combined create. While Utah wasn't nearly as green, it did have mountains and views that lasted more than 2 or 3 miles. It was amazing, and something I hadn't seen before.

A Montana sunset I captured

Now I'm serving in Montana and Wyoming. When people hear I'm from Maryland, I often hear "You're a long way from home!" or "Oh, it's beautiful out there!" or something else. To these, I say that it's only a few thousand miles from home or I say that it's beautiful here, too. I've seen gorgeous sunsets, beautiful mountains, and my first double rainbow. I am so thankful for the beauty that surrounds us every day. I love this earth, and I'm happy to be on a mission. Please, take some time to enjoy the sites around you. If you have time afterwards, ask me about what else helps me to see beauty all around me, and I'll gladly talk about the truths that provide me with an eternal perspective.

What I Am Thankful For: Big Things

This last week (since Tuesday, up to Today) I've been saying things I'm grateful for. I've mentioned silly things, such as celery, and serious things, such as modern technology. I am thankful for each of the things I've mentioned, as well as many other things, but today I'd like to be thankful for the truly life changing things that come from my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I am thankful for the prophet Joseph Smith Jr. I am grateful for the faith and endurance that he showed and that God used to restore the true church again on the earth. I am also grateful for the early Church members, that suffered at the hands of others and that endured anyway and so built the foundation for the Church that I am a member of. I am grateful for the prophets and leaders that have since led us under Christ's direction. I am grateful for the history that has led up to me being here today.

I am grateful for the truths that I know. I am grateful for the revelations given to the living prophets and prophets of the past that help me understand my place in the universe, and tell me how I can best fulfill my purpose in life. I'm grateful for the knowledge of what my purpose in life is, and that it is good! I'm grateful for a religion that makes logical sense as well as spiritual sense.

I am grateful for a Brother that loves me perfectly. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to follow Him, and that He has opened a way that I can return to Heavenly Father. In the end, this is the truest thing to be grateful for. This I know, that I am eternally grateful to Christ for his infinite atonement. I hope you want to feel this joy as much as I love feeling it, and that you'll give the gospel, which has brought me so much joy, a chance in your life. Talk with missionaries, and start an amazing change in your life!

Try the links I've included. Most will take you to a place that will explain my word choice. Also, Mormon.org is a great website for explaining mormon related questions!

What I Am Thankful For: Modern Conveniences

Today is not Thanksgiving, and by some counts it is simply Christmas season. That's fine with me and my current blog series of thanks, for what greater thing do we have to be thankful for than Christ? Granted, I have only a limited ability to continue the same subject, but for a few days at least I'll be able to continue writing.

Something I've alluded to previously is that I'm thankful for the Internet, the vast series of connections between computers that allows me to write a blog entry and be read within moments by somebody days (walking distance) away. This is only one aspect of a world with incredible advancements in technology; not only can I share my testimony with you (who almost certainly isn't standing behind me) but we also have better materials, better education, and better entertainment than we did decades ago. I am grateful that I have the chance to grow up with pictures of the earth at night to enjoy as a youth and not just gazes at the stars.

About 11 years old, and still amazing to see. Source

I have grown up with conveniences that pioneers never could have imagined. Also, I have grown up with conveniences that pioneers made possible. It is impossible to be truly grateful with what I have today without being grateful for those that made it possible. I'm not a history buff, but I know that looking to our yesterdays allows us to appreciate our todays. I am also thankful for my God, who loves his children and has a plan in place to best help them. Remember as you go through your week, to "give thanksgiving daily" (Alma 34:38) for He really does send us blessings. This I know, and I am grateful for the idea a relative gave me to blog about being grateful.

What I Am Thankful For: Fun Activities

Every family has different things that they love to do with each other. I've heard of massive football games that come from family reunions around the holidays, and I've heard of board games, puzzle adventures, book reading, and many others. I may have mentioned my parents' love of certain geeky subjects, and that has affected what we do as well. My personal love of computers comes largely from my dad, and how he'd share his time with us in the form of either playing with us or letting us watch him as he played the games. We'd also play video games with each other; we hardly had a video-game in the house that we couldn't split screen with each other. Sometimes we'd get into conflicts over the games, but because that was against the goal of having games we would then lose gaming privileges and do something else instead.

Some people that put their picture on a Wiki site,
enjoying some good split screen fun.

A piece of modern revelation that we have received is the Family Proclamation. One of my dad's favorite line involves the fact that "wholesome recreational activities" are important for family unity. However, he points out that "work" comes before fun. It is good to have fun, to enjoy the time we have with our family, as long as we remember to not focus on the fun more than the work. I'm grateful for parents that love me, and for their example of work and fun that they have been to me.

What I Am Thankful For: Food

I remember having many family activities around the time of Thanksgiving where the goal was to get the kids to be grateful for something. We'd say many things, such as a home, family, the restored church, prophets, and other absolutely important things that affected our lives so deeply and for so much good. Eventually it would be my turn to say something I'm grateful for, and all the important things were taken so I would say I was grateful for something not too important at all, and, I'll admit, is rather silly to be thankful for. That something would always be celery.

This simple, sometimes disliked, sometimes bitter vegetable was my goofy addition to the pile of thanks. It reminded me of the simple things I'm thankful for, such as Old Bay spice (which includes celery seed), health (as celery is supposed to be a great diet), good tasting food (which celery sometimes falls under, and other times reminds me of how good other things are) and the simple beauty of green scenery. It also brought up comments directed at my love of eating that came from being a teenager, and a hungry one at that. And so, while I am thankful for important things and celery, I am also thankful for food and the great chance Thanksgiving is to enjoy good food with good people.

What Am I Grateful For?

In a few days I (and many others) will be celebrating Thanksgiving, a time of family, food, and festivities. It is also a time that can be used for what its name sounds like: giving thanks. This idea is nothing new, but I'd like to embrace it for this week (and perhaps longer).

To kick off this week of thanks, I'd like to share a talk by President Eyring. Found in the embedded video, he talks about taking time to be grateful, and how the simple act of trying to find something to be grateful for allowed him to see blessings that he had already received. I know I especially like the idea of writing down the blessings he noticed; I am not great at remembering specifics. I can only imagine what things I might realize have been happening to me if I simply started writing them down. Now, this week I will be writing down those blessings, counting what I can find, and sharing with the Internet.

 

Now here's one thing I'm grateful for; an Internet that allows me and many others to interact so quickly, and currently share my testimony across the world! Think a little about what you are grateful for.

Optimism

Nathan Fillion, actor
that plays Mal

One of my favorite TV series is Firefly, a sci-fi series that has been called a "space western" quite accurately. The captain of the titular ship, Malcolm Reynolds, is an interesting guy, somewhere between a scoundrel, a noble, an idealist, and an I-don't-care-anymore type of guy. One of the things he says, though, really got me thinking just recently. He states "It's a real burden being right so often." Out of context, it is a good description of his character; bold, self-absorbed, and rather humorous. However, in context it comes right after his doom-filled prediction comes true, and he is instead talking about how he doesn't want to be right like that all the time.

As I thought about it more, I realized that it really is a burden, being like Captain Mal. Instead of seeing the day as an opportunity to grow, hoping for the best, and being optimistic, he has the burden of expecting bad things to happen and then seeing them happen. I do not mean by saying this that it is better to always expect the good, because then unexpected trouble can really mess up a day, but I do mean that having an optimistic outlook on life brings quicker joy, longer mirth, and better happiness.

One of my favorite people, President Gordan B. Hinckley, had it right. He was described as optimistically realistic, or that he would see what is happening and find the reason to be happy and hopeful. This world is full of events that can cause real worry, but if we instead remember Christ and the amazing Atonement he has accomplished for us we can be hopeful of the future and ready to do work to make it happen. I hope you can remember the goodness that you've received, and if you're having a hard time, I'd suggest a classic hymn, Count Your Many Blessings.

Satan's Viruses, Fighting Back

This is the final on a series of posts about malware. Here is the introduction and here is the previous one.

It is easy to see the huge amount of malware out there and the hold that Satan seems to have on the world and get discouraged. Fortunately, we have ways to counter both malware and Satan! First would be being smart and not placing ourselves (or computers) in places where we could easily be harmed. To do this we need to learn where bad things tend to linger. On the Internet, there are many sites that are put up with the desire to trap users and infect them with malware. The smart way to use the Internet is to avoid websites that you don't trust, know what you're going on for, and not to fall for ads that don't promise you anything needful. For more guidance on how to use the Internet, ask somebody that knows more than you through experience or study. In real life this guidance is found is such forms as "surround yourself with friends who desire to be [trustworthy]" (President Packer), "avoid unnecessary debt" (President Hinckley), or to "seek after the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33). For the Internet you might ask an Internet-savvy friend, but with life you can ask God and listen through the scriptures and prophets.

Of course, we are imperfect and we might get caught through a clever trap or take a risk because we think we know what we're doing. This is where the second line of defense comes in. With the Internet, every connected computer should have an antimalware or antivirus program. This is a program designed to block access to malware, catch problems before they become too big, and keep a computer safe on the Internet. These programs function much like the Holy Ghost. He will guide us in our day to day lives as we allow him to, protecting us from Satan's attacks and help us change our ways before we become trapped. As long as we follow the guidance and direction of the Holy Ghost we will not be vulnerable to the wiles of the devil.

Unfortunately, simply having the guidance of the Holy Ghost is not enough protection. We can still choose to ignore him, just as we can choose to turn off antivirus protection. At times it may seem tempting to do so, such as experiencing an earthly pleasure or visiting a particular site, but in the end it leaves us open to attack. When we are attacked, we will be placed in a situation that is beyond our control and we will often be without the help or guidance of our protectors (Holy Ghost or antivirus). Fortunately, there is still help. If a computer is badly infected, there are steps to either restore it to an uninfected state or go through and fix all the infections. For our lives, we have our Friend, our Brother, our Savior Jesus Christ. He suffered for us so that we wouldn't need to suffer the full pain of our sins. I know that Jesus Christ has accomplished the Atonement for us, and that through his interposing and infinite sacrifice we are able to be forgiven of our sins and receive his loving help in our lives.

Satan's Viruses, Intent

This is second in a series about malware. Click here for the introduction, here for the previous, and here for the followup.

First, a look at the goal of a programmer. Malware is unlike most software because instead of helping the prepared user, it is designed to hinder the unprepared user. Goals range from almost innocent, a bored student seeing if it can be done, to outright malicious, a criminal stealing money, data, or even computer power. Innocent writers may be able to say it was all for good fun, but the general goal is still malicious and often times harmful. Understanding this thought helps prepare Internet users against foolish activities that put themselves and their computers at risk.

Satan has very few goals in "life." He has already failed to follow the plan of salvation, so now he simply tries to make everybody else as miserable as he can. Sometimes it is through causing people to exercise their agency to limit their happiness, other times he tempts people to choose to inflict pain and trials on others. His ultimate goal is to tempt people away from God, and he will do everything he can to do that. He authors temptations that lead to addictions, that hurt other people, and that satisfies temporary desires in exchange for lasting consequences. He also jumps on legitimate trials, and tries to argue against the natural process of overcoming challenges and growing from them.

Understanding the goal of something helps us know how to deal with it. Just as knowing that a company wants to make money will help you be skeptical of promises of unlimited cash in exchange for a down payment, knowing that Satan wants to hurt us will keep us aware that what he offers us is not going to help us out. The scriptures tell us that he teaches a man not to pray (2 Nephi 32:8), that he will not tempt us to do good (Moroni 7:12), and that he works according to the person (2 Nephi 28:7-9, 20-22). We need to realize that we are being tempted all the time, and that we can choose to resist this temptation. Knowing why things are happening to us won't automatically protect us from doubt, discouragement, or mistakes, but it will give us tools to overcome those trials.

Satan's Viruses, Types

This is first in a series about malware. Click here for the introduction and here for the followup.

The reason I sometimes use the term "malware" instead of "virus" is simply because there are several kinds of malware, only one of which is viruses. The most common is actually Trojan horses, named after the famous horse that led to the defeat of Troy. These bits of software are programs that are designed to look enticing, helpful,or sometimes just innocent, but in reality are terrible for your computer. This is perhaps the most striking similarity I've found while thinking about my grand analogy. So many sins are dressed up to look appealing, fun, helpful, innocent, or any number of adjectives that aren't bad. However, once activated or used they begin to afflict your life in  myriad of ways, from simply blocking the influence of the Holy Ghost to terrible consequences from the sin itself. Sometimes sin that looks appealing also opens us up to the influence of more sin (gateway sins, if you may), which is exactly like a Trojan horse subsequently downloading other malware without your permission (or opening the gate for the Greek army). Temptation is by far the most common way we are attacked by Satan, and also the kind that we have the greatest responsibility to avoid.

In addition to these traps for our souls or our computers, there is also malware that attacks before we do anything. Things like computer viruses don't necessarily need you to activate it before it starts wreacking havoc with your computer. Sometimes in our lives we are afflicted by the agency of others, by bad luck, or by accident. Very rarely are we rewarded in this life exactly according to our works and our desires (D&C 137:9). Instead we have opportunities to adapt to a variety of circumstances, to grow and become better. It is only Satan that wants us to suffer, and at times he'll instigate our suffering or try to persuade us to give up because of it. We cannot let him win. At times that we are tempted to give in to anger or misery because of our circumstances, we should instead seek to do our best and use the opportunity to come closer to the Lord.

Satan's Viruses, Introduction

I really enjoy computers, and I have definitely found the Internet to be a way to enhance my computer experience. The only problem with using the Internet is that there are frequently malicious pieces of software, or malware, designed to lower the quality of a computer or even to put them in some kind of harm's way. I was thinking the other day about Satan and the way he tries to get at us with temptations and then trap us with the effects of sin, and I suddenly realized that there are many similarities between computer viruses and the temptation to commit sin, and bam! Instant blog idea.

However, I started writing this "instant blog idea" and found that there were just too many similarities and that I could never include everything I wanted to and still write a post that was short enough to hold your attention. So I now am trying to split this idea into a series of posts, similar to what I did with thermite. Stay tuned for information on malware, why it gets written, what kinds there are, and what we can do about it. With every post there will be a piece of the analogy between malware and sin, and hopefully you'll leave this series more protected, mentally and spiritually, from the wiles of hackers as well as Satan.

Time Flies on Wings of Lightning

I like music. Not nearly as much as some of the people I've met (including my awesome brother), but I like the interesting methods that artists use to fascinate the mind and tickle the ears. Some especially important songs are hymns, or sacred songs, and I've decided to repeat what I did in a previous post and start with one of them.

Boom! Lightning, there for a brief moment.

Improve the Shining Moments is a hymn encouraging us to, simply put, improve our use of time. The second verse begins with the words found in the title to this post, and contains great wisdom in poetic form. Looking back on my life, I can say that time really has felt like it has flown by incredibly fast. Like the message of the hymn, we should not sit idly by while we could be improving our futures, others' days, or the world's destiny. While there is always a chance that things could get better on their own, the only way to affect that change is by being involved and changing what you can.

It is easy to look back with regret and say "I wish I had [done something different]..." but this reminds me of a saying, which I can't find the original due to its popularity; "the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is today." Yes, it would have been better to have done a few things differently in the past. I wish I had applied myself more in school, to have tried more activities and to do my best more often. I can't change that, but I can change what I'll do next time such as striving for excellence in college, being active in class and outside of class, and not letting my past worry me more than pushing me to do better today.

Fortunately our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ do not judge the way man does (1 Samuel 16:7). They will judge us with perfect justice and mercy, considering the difficulties we've suffered through as well as our actions, our desires, and our faithfulness. One parable that explains this is the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). I like to notice that despite some laborers only working for one hour, they still received the same pay at the end of the day. I then compare this to our individual lives, that if at the end of the day we are laboring we will receive the same reward as those that have been laboring from the beginning of their lives. It is not too late, for you, your neighbor, me, anybody! My testimony is that you can change your life with the Book of Mormon. Try it out!

Pride's Many Faces

Pride is a tricky thing, something that most of us have in some form or another and gets in the way of so many important parts of the gospel. A prideful person will resist correction, be offended easily, and lack the guidance of the Holy Ghost, among many more consequences. What makes pride worse is that it can sneak up on us, seeming to be something harmless or even good. I know that I've had problems with pride more than any other thing, and that as I look closer at the things I'm doing wrong I recognize an element of pride in every single one.

A pride of lions. Clever, eh?

So, what is pride, and how is it so invasive? Pride is the placing of your will above that of another, or it is the thinking that you are more something than somebody else, or it is the thought that you can do something and get away with it. Pride is potentially many more things, but because I'm an imperfect philosopher I'm limiting myself to something I can handle. If we were perfectly humble, we'd obey God perfectly because we would realize that we are next to nothing without help. If we weren't prideful, we'd not be depressed at our shortcomings because we'd know ours are not the worst and we can all receive help as we need it. If we humbled ourselves, we would not be trapped by sins because we would realize that we are not entitled to stray from the righteous path.

I'm the sort of person that likes to categorize things and say more with less (not that I'm all that great at it). I've thought about pride a little bit recently, and I've recognized pride in my foibles that I need to overcome. It is because of pride that we are asked to "become as a little child" (3 Nephi 11:37), who is humble enough to obey the Father's corrections. As we correct our prideful tendencies, seek ways to humbly follow Christ, and seek His help through prayer we will become better people, of this I am confident.

One thing to be cautious with this topic is being too submissive to too many things. A certain amount of "pride" in righteous things, or happiness to do something in front of others, can help us make good choices, and resist the influence of people we do not want to follow. I've known people that through righteous pride have struggled through difficult times in order to accomplish important goals, and having pride in family members can brighten their day. Humble yourself to the Lord, and be stubborn to those that oppose him.

One request that I have for you is to humbly consider several things: the Book of Mormon, our message about the Restoration, and then meeting with missionaries. I cannot say this enough, because even sharing it constantly isn't enough, but I know that this is the truth and that you can know too.

Sacrifice Brings Forth the Blessings of Heaven

Have you ever seen or heard of somebody doing something ridiculously difficult, weird, or otherwise some kind of sacrifice? For instance, as a missionary I am basically sacrificing two years of my life, and two years that are normally highly productive for today's youth. However, there is also a saying that serving a mission is not a sacrifice because of the bountiful blessings received because of my service. Today I want to share my opinion on sacrifice and what it really means.

Painting of Joseph Smith Jr.

First, I'd like to talk about Joseph Smith the prophet. He went through many trials, and he undoubtedly sacrificed many things, from comfort to safety. The church he helped found, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, now honors him for the work he did and his worthiness to be the first prophet of this dispensation. One of the ways we do this is through the hymn Praise to the Man, from which this post gets its title. I feel that what Joseph Smith did was a great sacrifice, and because of his courage and call as a prophet we are all able to partake of the "blessings of heaven." I also feel that the idea of sacrifice can extend into our lives so much farther.

We gain nothing on this earth without some element of sacrifice. When we earn something, we sacrifice time, money, and sometimes more to receive that something. I know that many people that view things differently, preferring to view earning something as just that. In this regard, I disagree with them without wanting to change their point of view. Instead, I think that realizing everything we do is a sacrifice of some sort, either through lost time if we choose to relax or lost energy if we choose to work or some similar sacrifice, will help us make better decisions as we look forward at the consequences. We need to choose consequences, not actions, and we have been given advice on what actions have the best consequences through the prophets and the scriptures. I encourage you to seriously consider learning what they have to say and applying their teachings to your life. Ask me a question, or ask missionaries to visit you.

Geeks and Games

So I've been writing a blog as a missionary for about two months, with a blog title including three G words. I've talked about the Gospel and the restored Church several times, but I have yet to cover Geeks and Games as the title warrants. Today, I hope to fix that partially by talking about myself and my thoughts.

The reason I chose the name for my blog that I did was because I thought it described me rather well. When asked what I did for fun before my mission, I often say that I was a computer geek. I like computers, working with them, and playing games on them. I know how to take a computer apart and I can fix several problems that come up under regular use. I've used a computer enough to be frustrated at slow methods other people use and I try to use every shortcut I can find. I consider myself a geek, and I do not take offense at the term. Part of my geekiness includes playing computer games of various sorts, including old school DOS games like Master of Magic, newer games such as Portal, and stranger games like Dwarf Fortress. All the while I've developed my own abilities and joys, including wrestling for high school and my current call as a missionary, neither of which are "normal" geek things to do.

That is what an in-game dwarf looks like, that
little guy on the right. Amazing graphics, right?

I am an odd individual, and I enjoy my oddness. I do not limit myself to others' expectations, and I try not to limit myself to my expectations. Improvement is the way of life, and the way we become more like Jesus. It is natural to want to be perfect right away, but it is also natural to not be perfect at all. Since this is the case, we cannot wait for our preparation to be perfect before we start our change, since there will always be something wrong. Going and doing will often get you through the learning curve faster than waiting and studying. Do not let the imperfections of today worry you away from accomplishing the partial perfection of tomorrow.

Remember, I am here to share something that can improve everybody's life. I hope that as you get to know me better, you can feel more comfortable doing what I suggest that you do. I know that The Book of Mormon can help you out, and that meeting with missionaries will start you on a path towards purest joy.

Constant Communication

The top line is the transmitter, bottom the receiver. Despite
knowing this, it took me forever to even transmit numbers.

In the field of remote controls, I know very little. However, I have taken a class where one of the projects was to use an infrared (IR) transmitter and receiver that taught me a little bit about how it could work. The IR light source blinks at a certain frequency for certain amounts of time, with the time the frequency was active determining what is being transmitted. After the information was transmitted, I had a few options: keep transmitting, stop and hope the message got through the first time, or throw your hands up in frustration because the microchip instructions weren't clear enough to understand the first twelve times you read it. I eventually got that project done, but another activity I took a part of was a FIRST Robotics competition that taught me a bit more about electronic communication. In each match, there were two periods, one where the competitors could use a remote control similar to what I'd already done and another where competitors could use wireless to directly control a robot. The differences between these two periods and what happened was stark.

When a remote control was used, because it was not constant communication, weak, or poorly designed the robot often would start doing what the driver wanted it to do and then either stop or do something completely wrong. Meanwhile, when the second period of play was active the robot did almost exactly what the driver expected due to the much higher quality of communication. In our lives, we also have a driver of sorts and lines of communication between us and Him. Instead of the communication always being started by the driver, however, in our lives we are the controllers of how we communicate, and (because we can't choose consequences) also how we fair on the playing field of life.

If we only communicate with God occasionally, waiting for when his prophets speak to us or when we feel like it, we will likely find ourselves going an entirely different direction then the one that is best for us. Likewise, if we exercise constant prayer we will be much more sensitive to the instructions we receive, either through personal revelation or a more general message. In the end we always have a choice in the matter, just as the robot is still programmed a certain way and acts according to how the program directs before the driver does, but if our hearts are correctly tuned we will find ourselves on the correct path that our Driver knows will best help us. We have just taken part in General Conference, a wonderful opportunity to receive concentrated revelation from the prophets, but we still need to keep listening, and continue to pray and read. Just as constant communication helps robots work and fulfill their goals, so will it bless our lives with clarity and ability.

I Know

While reading this blog, you may notice that I occasionally use the phrase "I know..." when I start talking about about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. How can I say "I know" when I am just one person, not acclaimed in the world as a great scholar or philosopher? How can I say "I know" when there are people that aggressively attack what I say is true or insist that I can't know? How can I say "I know" in the face of opposition, temptation, and apathy where even not saying anything would be not just easy, but comfortable? I say that I know because of one simple word that stands for a wonderful concept: "revelation."

When I say revelation, I am not referring to a dream or a vision. I have never been visited by a heavenly messenger, heard a mysterious voice, predicted something that happened, or any of the things that are often thought of when revelation is talked about. Instead, I went through a gentler, gradual form of revelation that has grown into a testimony strong enough to support me saying I know when I might have no other support. I shared some details of this conversion previously, but I want to emphasize the power that the gradual, slow, common revelation has had on me and that every person can experience it as well.

This man speaks truth. Be sure to tune into General Conference!

During the April 2011 General Conference, President Uchtdorf gave a talk on a similar principle. In it he compares revelation gained all at once, such as Paul's (then Saul) conversion on the road to Damascus, to those rare moments where everything makes sense. He then goes on to say that this kind of revelation is rare, and instead the more common way to receive insights and guidance from heaven is gradual. We should not wait to improve our lives just because we haven't had that single moment of clarity. I can say "I know that The Book of Mormon is true" because of my actions based on the slow, steady, life-changing kind of revelation.

Prophets and Scriptures

First, a quote from Joseph Smith. "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe The Book of Mormon to be the word of God" (Articles of Faith, number 8). I understand that for many people, the Bible is the greatest book on the earth, filled with God's revealed words to his prophets. I, and all of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, consider the Bible to hold the gospel of Jesus Christ and an accurate rendering of history. However, we also know that it is imperfect. One religious scholar wrote on the history of the Bible as we know it today, and any historian can tell you that the Bible has been translated many times. One example of a famous mistranslated line is in the Latin Vulgate version, which says that Moses grew horns while on Sinai (further reading). While scholars are certainly going to do their best to fix mistakes, the wear of time makes it more and more difficult to know what the Bible originally said.

As members of the LDS Church, we know that there is a prophet on the earth today. We do not need to rely solely on a Bible that was written thousands of years ago when we have a prophet speaking to God today and telling us what we need to hear, just as prophets did while the Bible was first written. The idea of prophets is not a new one, and it confuses me that people will be reluctant to accept our message as true just because we say that Jesus Christ has called a prophet on the earth again. Not only does God not change (2 Nephi 29:9), but humankind does change. Just as there was a prophet after Abraham (Isaac), Moses (Joshua), and so many others, we need a prophet to help us deal with credit cards, computers, universities and other things that are unique to our day (3 topics I chose and then searched for relevant talks. You can do it too at lds.org).

These are 12 of the 15 men that lead this Church through divine guidance

There are so many instances in the Old Testament of prophets because it covers such a large period of time. However, even the New Testament has examples of prophets in the form of the Apostles of Jesus Christ. Peter, the primary Apostle, filled a similar if not the same role as Thomas S. Monson does today. When there was an issue that individuals couldn't solve for the early church (gentiles and more), they appealed to Peter and he answered their questions. Apostles helped the church grow and taught true doctrine. This pattern has returned to the earth today, and is ready to bless your life. You don't even have to take my word for it. Just start with The Book of Mormon and meeting with missionaries.

Grace and Works

A previous post I mentioned a topic that I've heard much discussion about, grace vs works. Often, somebody will complain (erroneously) about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as requiring its members to work for their salvation. This idea comes from a misunderstanding of a verse in The Book of Mormon, which states that "we know it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23). I know that it is through grace that we are saved, and that it is only through the infinite atonement that we can experience exaltation, resurrection, or even joy. I also know that many people misunderstand the idea of grace, and I hope to eliminate that misunderstanding today.

Joule, namesake for joules, SI unit
 for a different type of work.

First: what are works, and what is grace? Works (in this instance) are the actions we take in this life, and grace is the "help or strength given through the Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ" (source). The entire disagreement can be solved by realizing that grace is not a magic moment that makes us perfect, but is instead a constant companion that helps us become better or strengthens us during trials. Since this is the case, of course we are going to do "works" in this life because we are applying the grace of Christ throughout our lives. It is not the grace that comes from works, but the works that comes from grace. It is not through donating a certain amount of time or money, nor is it only breaking a few commandments. It is through having enough faith to repent and apply grace to our lives that we receive exaltation. Does that make enough sense?

However, it is only sometimes that naysayers of works simply mean that all our sins are covered by grace. Other times what they are really attacking is the doctrine of baptism. This is a complex topic that can involve priesthood authority, modern day revelation, and a discussion of the Godhead; instead, I will deal with it simply and direct you to more devoted sources. Baptism is a commandment and an essential ordinance, and so just as with other commandments we won't be truly repentant until we follow it. This reason is good enough for me because of a simple word: testimony. I know through personal revelation that Jesus Christ restored his true church through Joseph Smith, so I know that our modern prophet is also the mouthpiece of God and only tells us the truth. I know this from my experience with The Book of Mormon. I know the true way to be happy.

Feedback Loops and Repentance

Simple diagram of a loop. A is the action, B is the change.

This requires two definitions, the first of which is a feedback loop. This is a system that takes action based on what its previous action's result was. So, if there's a spring and a motor, and the motor wants to be a specific place but the spring is resisting, a feedback loop would have the motor push until it is at its destination. They are used extensively in many environments, as instead of programming something to go exactly so far (and potentially falling victim to error of various kinds) the designer just needs to program something to go until it gets there. All that is required is action, measuring the result, comparing it to a goal, and taking action to get closer to the goal.

The second definition for today is what repentance is. Repentance is the faith driven change of heart that results in a change of actions from sins to acts of righteousness. There is a debate concerning grace in relation to works, but that is a thought for another day. Instead, suffice to say that having faith causes us to change who we are and obey the commandments, eventually becoming like Christ.

And now to combine definitions! The ultimate goal of repentance is to become perfect, something that is no easy goal to achieve. If we were required to become perfect in one day, that would be like the non-feedback loop program. Not only is it difficult to reach the goal, but it would be difficult to make sure you got there in the end. Instead, we go through repentance, changing each day a little bit and progressing towards perfection. The reason feedback is important is so that we know if we are heading in the right direction and feel the joy of success. All that's needed is to have somebody else to report to, and we achieve goals because of the small steps we take and we receive the recognition of those we hold dear. President Thomas S. Monson says that "When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported, the rate of improvement accelerates." These two principles, measuring our performance (and making changes to improve the performance) and claiming responsibility for the performance (by telling somebody about our changes) will help us improve our lives, whatever the field we apply it to.

Choice

So, you are sitting there watching a movie, playing a game, or reading a book. There is a villain that is trying to rule the world, make money, or just be evil and the good guys of the story are doing their best to stop this nefarious plot. Of course, the villain isn't working alone and has several mooks working for him. This is where today's lesson is: how is the mook reacting to the treatment the villain is sharing?

The villain's pictures are copyrighted.
Enjoy this one instead.

Often, in order to characterize a villain as a true scumbag, writers will have it treat the underlings (also called mooks) with utter contempt. Sometimes I've wondered, "why does [insert mook here] keep following [insert villain here]?" it would be the logical choice to quit the job, maybe even go to work for the good guys. After all, the hero treats his friends kindly, and the cruel boss won't be bothering you anymore. Sometimes this does happen, and it's called a heel face turn (or mook face turn with a bit of help face turn). These are the smart mooks that we should try to be like. (Confused by the terms? Follow the links or visit TVTropes.org to learn more.)
A scripture I've shared before is in 2 Nephi 2:27, and reminds us that we have the same choice presented to the mooks. How often do we make choices that puts us in Satan's camp instead of God's, when one leader will treat us so much better than the other? Just look at the evidence of people being happy, comfortable with who they are, filled with hope and joy as they follow what is found in the scriptures. I know that the presence of Jesus Christ in my life has provided me with more instances of joy than all my game playing, meme consumption, or trope following. I know that you can have the same joy, all starting with investigating The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you want to try it out, mormon.org is the best place to start.

Bike Ride

My brothers, me, and my dad at the end

I'm the type of character that thrives in a challenge. On a normal day I'd be all too happy to sit around doing nothing too hard, having fun and relaxing. However, I know that if I don't do anything I know that I won't progress, increase in ability, learn, or any of those good activities that help us achieve success. So every once in a while, when I get the chance to do something difficult, I take the opportunity so that I can become better in one way or another. One of my favorite challenges I ever did was a bike ride from Ohiopyle, PA to Washington D.C. (approx. pathway). It was over a period of a week that we (my scout troop) traveled from a small town on the Youghiogheny (which we rafted down before starting), over a continental divide, and finally finished near the Lincoln Memorial, all on bikes that weren't designed for the use or wear we put on them. The trip involved enduring the pain that comes from biking for extended periods of time (both in muscles and posture), supporting others in their difficulties, and trying to keep enough bikes for everybody in mostly working order. I don't say this to brag or anything because I know there are many more difficult things done every day, but for me and my usual stance of sitting it was a great accomplishment.

Every day in life we have opportunities, great or small. Some are chances to do a great physical feat, where we can gain exercise, experience, confidence, and stories, all of which are things I gained from my bike ride. Other times they are much smaller, perhaps holding the door open for somebody. I know that something like this rarely comes back with realizable rewards, but it does bring a small blessing into some other person's life. I also know that little things add up, and that striving for the small opportunities to do good and increase the blessings in someone's life definitely matters. The scriptures state that serving others is the way we serve God (Matthew 25:40, Mosiah 2:17), so if you could make a difference, why not? Don't only look for the large opportunities to do service (like I did for exercise) but be willing to use those small opportunities to better somebody's life. After all, if I had instead been biking 5 miles each day and then went on this massive trip, not only could I have been more prepared but I also would have gained more because I was more prepared.

Euler's Identity

Screen cap of the Identity,
by way of WolframAlpha

If you were to name the single most beautiful equation, what would you say? Would you say the first thing to come into your mind, such as 2+2=4? Something a bit more complex but still conceivable, such as the Pythagorean Theorem? Or would you agree with the readers of The Mathematical Intelligencer and name Euler's Identity as number one?

So, what is Euler's Identity if it's so great? Simple explanation, check Wikipedia. It is based off of Euler's Theorem, and combines 5 amazing numbers, as explained in the article. I've seen the proof, yet it still boggles my mind a little bit to think that numbers as hard to understand as e and π could be reconciled into a simple, logical number, let alone throwing i into the mix. Despite the difficulty of fully understanding this concept, I still hold it as a fact and I think that this is a wonderful example of math working despite our lack of knowledge of how it works.

I've mentioned this idea of knowledge based on faith before. Just as I have seen the proof of this identity and can tell you that it is good, I've tested The Book of Mormon and can tell you it is true. You need to do this for yourself, since that is the only sure way you can learn of the truth. You will discover a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and learn that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the restored church on the earth. You have my testimony before you, and now you need to test it out for yourself.

Wrestling

One of my first real moments of applying the scriptures to myself happened a few years ago, after I'd been wrestling for a while. It involved taking something I'd heard in the scriptures countless times, and applying it to something that was new in my life in a way I hadn't though of before.

I'm on the left, crossing my feet. Still need to learn.

For those that know a bit about wrestling, there are many facets of the sport that are required to be mastered before you can be even a little good, such as how to stand (stance), how to attack (shoot), how to defend (sprawl), how to win (pin or score points). The first thing that I learned was that this was going to be hard, after 45 minutes or so of near solid running during the first practice. The next thing I'm not sure, but one of the early instructions was on how to improve my stance. Stay low, stay on your toes, don't cross your feet, and keep a stiff neck. Another time I learned how to improve my defense and avoid being pinned. Control my center of gravity, stay off my back, and be ready to keep my neck stiff. With offense, the key was speed, form, and using my neck at times to control where I was going.

Do you see the common thread? During a sport like wrestling, having a strong neck will help you go where you want to go and prevent you from being subject to the wiles of your opponent. When almost on my back, I could keep going if I just had my neck rigid and keeping my shoulders off the mat. When facing somebody better on his feet than I was, if I kept my neck strong I'd be able to shrug off some of his attacks and not be whipped around by him. I was then reading in the scriptures and remembered all the times that "stiff necks"(2 Nephi 28:14) or "stiffnecked people" (Mosiah 13:29) where mentioned and condemned. Why would something so essential in one activity be condemned in religion? Because of the person we are being stiffnecked against.

In wrestling, having a stiff neck is you resisting your opponent's will and going your own direction. This is the idea and goal. In scriptures, having a stiff neck is resisting the will of God and instead striving to do your own thing. This is being prideful and will only result in frustration and humbling experiences. What we need to do is to shake our necks out, relax them for a while, and follow the directions of the prophets, both ancient and modern. As we do that we will find greater peace and ability in our lives, for we know God "will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13) and bring us happiness. I know that I've experienced my truest joy as I follow the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that you can too.

This was not my first moments of "applying" scripture to myself. I've often read 1 Nephi 3:7 and thought to myself "Yeah, I just need to go and do and the Lord will provide a way," and that is certainly a way to apply the scriptures to our lives. The next step is to see how anything we do can be related to the scriptures, and so our scripture study becomes meaningful and significant every day. I know that you can find similar mental bridges between the scriptures and yourself, and that in doing so you will find your scripture study personally significant every single day.

Star What? Firewhy? My Take on Sci-fi

Science fiction. What does it mean to you? Does it mean stories of far off worlds, speculative guesses into mankind's future or aliens? Does it just mean Star Wars or more? Is Star Trek the only television show or does Doctor Who ring a bell through time and Firefly make you mad at Fox? Science fiction is an amazing genre, one that I've grown up with (my parents met at a certain magazine's meetings). I've read about "utopias", outright dystopias, and spaceships. I've seen classics, westerns, and giant blue people. It is a genre of speculation and adapting to circumstances. It has concepts interesting for the simple imagination, and others for their value applied to us.

As you've read through the questions in the first paragraph, you may have chuckled at recognition with some of the mentioned items, thought "why even mention that trash," or each of the things I've mentioned might be completely new to you. This is true for most genres or things that people disagree on, but as a missionary my duty is to bring the Book of Mormon to your attention. This is a book that you likewise may have good, bad, or nonexistent experience with. I tell you now, that this is a book that is true and that your previous experience doesn't matter. Instead, your future experience is what can change your life and it all starts with reading and being ready for a mighty change of heart. Trust me, my experience is not something that I could lie about.

Challenge

This blog post as I write.

Blogs are a challenge. Writing, even before throwing a blog into the mix, can be challenging. It involves coming up with ideas, editing them into a readable format, and going through the time and skill it takes to turn the ideas into text. Then comes blogs, with the necessary pressure of writing something for potentially everybody on the Internet, be they dearest of friends or strangers with malignant intent. I don't mean to simply complain; writing this blog is requiring skills and thoughts that I have never used before, and so I write without the full amount of confidence I would like. However, I know a few things that make this easier. I know the truth of the message I share. I know how it can help your life. I know what it's like to read something online. I know that you are at the potential beginning of wonderful things to come.

I now submit a challenge to you: read the Book of Mormon (it's free!). I can't make you do it, but I can tell you that if I am writing a blog, you can do the simple thing and read a book with the hope to learn something new and true. If you truly desire for a better understanding of things or how you can have more happiness in your life, you will find what you are looking for in this book. I know that the message I share is true, has blessed my life, will bless yours if you allow it, and all you need to do to know for yourself the same thing is to start by reading the Book of Mormon.

On Infinite

If you were asked to describe infinity, what would you say? The basic definition is "An unbounded quantity greater than every real number" (WolframAlpha). If you follow the link, you'll see that there is a more in depth answer given as well, which includes some mathematical stuff. However, can you grasp it in its entirety? For example, take an infinite amount of something. Take a finite amount away, be it 1 or 10^100000000  (that's a 1 with 100000000 zeros after it) or even more, and you still have an infinite amount. This is something that is basically impossible for the human mind to grasp, since when we think of an amount we almost always can think of a larger amount.

Now, there are many scriptures that reference infinite or a similar word, eternity. What is an unfortunate fact of being human is that we cannot fathom what eternity means, yet we are told to be "even as [Jesus Christ]" (3 Nephi 27:27) and to be "perfect, even as [our] Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). How can we, imperfect humans that we are, become perfect?

The yellow is what is being measured

Instead of answering that immediately, try out a thought experiment and think of the largest number that you can think of. Now, add one to it. You now have a larger number. You can keep going forever. Now, think of the smallest (absolute value) number you can. Then divide it by 2. Same problem. Yet the smallest numbers, when added together, can still be greater than the largest. Don't believe me? Take it to a calculator. What this link is doing is taking 1/1 plus 1/2 and so forth until it is 1/∞(which equals 0), or is the area under the graph of 1/x (represented by the yellow just above), and comparing it to 1000000. The smallest numbers added together are infinite, and so they are naturally bigger than any number you can input.

How does this apply to us becoming perfect? Each step we take towards perfection is small in the scheme of things. We become better people "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little" (2 Nephi 28:30). It is through the combination of all the "lines," "precepts," and "little" things that we eventually become perfect. Just as the integral of 1/x eventually becomes infinite, so too do our lives eventually become perfect as we use Christ's strengthening and infinite Atonement to better our lives a little bit each day.

Faith and Knowledge

I consider myself relatively well educated. I enjoyed learning, be it from books or from experiments. One of my early goals in life was to read every book in the non-fiction section of the library. I did not accomplish this goal, but I did learn much including the fact that most books on the same subject hold the same information (there's only so many ways you can say that sharks are endangered or what the boiling point of water is). Almost all the things I learned, however, I had to take in faith. I have never touched the sun, but I can read that the surface temperature is around 5500°C. How can I learn this if I've never seen the test done? By trusting that the scientists who have done it wouldn't lie to the world. Furthering this dilemma, how can those scientists know that the test was successful? It's not as if they can verify it completely without a bit of doubt. They can only repeat the test enough times that the law of large numbers comes into effect. This is the way science works, because otherwise it would only be guessing perpetually without any facts to build and work on.

Many people partially apply principles of science to religion. They want some sort of proof, be it a sign or evidence in the world that there is a god, just like scientists are required to cite their reproducible experiments. A common response is that "all things denote there is a God" (Alma 30:44) but this is not good enough for them. They want a proof that these things denote God, or some thing they can test themselves. This is where they tend to stop applying science, giving up on understanding instead of finding a test they can do. They then hide behind the idea of science, when they haven't even followed through! This frustrates me to no end.

Gravity in action.

For example, do you know exactly why gravity works? You can research and learn from experts and get a good idea, but you can't do the same experiments unless you have the same equipment laying about (one test included 4 atomic clocks on 2 plane rides. Another measured Mercury's apparent shift in orbit by a few inches). You can do simple tests, such as dropping a tennis ball and a bowling ball, and find the results are consistent with the experts' opinions, but rarely will you be able to do the same tests. Since you are being a scientist, you accept this limitation and use the experts' published facts.

The same should be done with religion. You can research from the experts by reading scriptures and modern-day revelation, understanding what it is about and how you can apply it to your life, but you won't have the same experiences since you probably don't have the full measure of faith or responsibility they have. You can, however, try out the simple tests that are available to you and decide based on your personal results what to believe. Just as you wouldn't say gravity is a lie because you don't know the full truth, the same should be true of religion. And just as you can know for yourself if gravity affects your daily life, the same happens to be true of religion. So, are you going to be a scientist to the end and base your opinions on your results, or hide behind somebody's opinion instead of forming your own?