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.