I have a Mustache

"I will never grow a mustache."
-Me, just about every time I've seen a mustache on somebody my age.

Yet I am here now, writing a post about how I have a mustache. Does this make me a liar, or is this quote lacking context? I'm not a great fiction writer, so I'm hoping you don't think I've just been writing lies or have an inconsistent character, especially considering how heartfelt and sincere most of my posts are. Give me a chance to explain what I meant when I said the quote I opened with.

The full context of my quote up there goes something like "I will never grow a mustache. They look terrible for at least weeks while the attempt is happening, and all too often the result looks like a teenager proud of his first peach fuzz on his lip. If I wanted a mustache, I would have to simply not shave at all for a month and then shave down to a mustache." With all of the context, would I be a self-contradicting liar, or somebody that doesn't mind a facial-hair growing experience (with certain constraints)?

All too often the process of quoting somebody isn't done with pure intent. If I wanted to malign somebody that made a complex statement, I could take a portion of a statement that in context is a complete and rational thought and use it exclusively. If I then add some incorrect context, I could make the quote seem anywhere from foolish to downright evil. I am a mild mannered man, but I have to admit that this is a possibility in society and that I should be cautious of quotes or descriptions of somebody/something that comes from a potentially biased source.

So what is the point of this post? First, to announce a change of appearance to the people I haven't seen in a while that follow me here; my mustache has been around for months and isn't going anywhere fast. Second, to ask cynical naysayers to give things a chance. Something dear to my heart, which I've talked about extensively in previous posts and is the entire reason for this blog, is my religion. It sometimes gets flak for being what it is, but too often it is also criticized for untrue and unsubstantiated claims. If you have been turned away because of what you have heard from non-Mormon sources, don't be that person that believes the first bad thing said about somebody else. Ask a Mormon a question with the intent to learn.

Stay a while, and listen...

Stories make great blog posts. They are a chance to enter somebody's life for a short while and live an event, no matter how brief. So here is a story, nothing more than that. Except the news part, because this really happened today and it was exciting.

Brooms. Not my favorite.

I have been looking for a job so that I can have more financial security and know that I won't be a simple drain on my parent's finances. In the search I've had various twists and turns, including applying for a job without realizing I wouldn't be in the state for another two months and having one interview over the phone. My aim was to land a job in the computer division (it pays better, I like pushing mice better than pushing brooms, and it fits my resume better), but the interviews I got didn't pan out and anything is better than nothing and I was looking seriously at some janitorial positions when I got the call from the continuing education department about an application I sent in for a computer specialist.

"When can we set up an interview?"

"I'm available almost anytime, right now even if you were interested."

"Well, the interview is two parts but I think that should work for one of them."

"Great! I'll be there in 15 minutes."

I was already on campus for some summer classes, so I walked to where he was working and had a simple interview. He explained a few things about the position and asked me a few questions, along the lines of what things I can do. I confidently told him what I was able to do, we chatted a little bit, and he said he'd call me later about the second part of the interview.

I left excited, but a little worried I'd come off too confident or eager for the position. Evening came and went without a call, and since he had hinted at wanting to hire before too much longer I was planning on calling him sometime mid-morning or midday, but then I got a call around 10 in the morning asking me to come in around 12:30. Of course I accepted! I went home, made sure I was presentable and ready to go, ate lunch, and went to the meeting. My first time in a cubicle farm, I made my way to the back of the long room, had a brief chat with the interviewer's boss, then I was brought back to the interviewer's room and told to pull up my schedule on the computer. Simple enough. But this is where the fun began!

The computer was off, so I double checked the light and hit the power button. Nothing. Double check again, and then I check behind the computer. Hmm, the power cord isn't in. I turn to the other person in the office and ask, "Is this supposed to be unplugged?" 

"Hmm, nope, I guess you can plug it in." In goes the plug, and back to the power button. Easy, right? Except instead of showing anything on the screen, I get nothing and a clicking noise. Suspecting nothing, I turn to the interviewer and tell him something is wrong with the computer, and suddenly I understand.

"That's fine, we've got some spare parts if you need them."

This simple project of pulling up my schedule was a test to see if I could find and overcome some common, planted errors that will disrupt a work sequence. They already had the schedule I gave them when I applied, I was just getting a chance to prove the skills I said I had.

Not Actual Photo

So open up the case, look inside, and I immediately see a cable hanging unplugged. Plug that in, think I'm done, but then consider to look a bit more. Lo, there is a hard drive cable and power cord! 'Tis not proper for such to be laying about! So I located the hard drive, and after 5 minutes of trying to get access to it I got it out, plugged it in, and replaced it. Knowing there was more to check for, I looked through the case another time and saw that the RAM wasn't locked in, just placed in their slots. Alright, that was everything inside the case. I power it up, and happy there weren't any angry noises I was confronted with a screen without any input. So I check the connections of the video card and the cable, and was certainly relieved when it worked.

Then came a pause. I wasn't supposed to know it yet, but there was a network problem that prevented my supervisor from logging in with his credentials so he needed to find out what the local admin account was. Eventually that was sorted out, and welcomed by the windows screen I breathed a sigh of relief, opened up Chrome, and typed in my schools website.

Only I didn't type in my website. I typed in gibberish letters, every key leading to the wrong character. Anybody that has fallen pray to the second part of prank #7 will know what that means. While I didn't know immediately what to do, I found it and resumed my quest for my schedule. Only this time when I tried to go to the website, I got nothing but a "couldn't load page" error.

This was the low point of this test. I tried everything I could think of. Checking cables. Restarting the switch. Restarting the driver. ipconfig, ping, and IP addresses. From my research, I could tell I was connected to the network (I managed to bring up a connected printer by it's IP) so the switch and the connections were working, but I couldn't do it. After 15, 20 minutes (maybe it was less and I was just stressed) of flailing, I gave up and asked for help. After a grudging "I give up," he did a few tests, went into the settings for the device, and turned of the static, custom IP, which should only be used for certain reasons because otherwise it will do just what it was doing for me. After a mental "Duh, of course! I've even fixed this before for myself!" I got control back, once again ready to capture that elusive schedule!

Guess what? It didn't work. I mean, the network was working and I could get to the Internet, but upon trying to access the secure website we got a screen that was a lovely shade of red with a warning of an out of date security certificate. Fortunately, this was a quick fix that I have also had to do for a personal fix. A quick glance confirmed my suspicions, it was currently October 1st, 2016. Glad for the simplicity, I changed the clock and continued on my merry way, with my supervisor at my shoulder saying "And now we get to the hardest part." Expecting something, maybe a trap door with fire breathing crocodiles to open up or something, I got to the schedule to hear "That's a good looking schedule. Would you like to work for us?"

Yep, I just used a meme to express myself.

Everything after that can be summarized with "And then I did the paperwork part of getting hired." A process

I'm still going through, but I should be working before too long. In a word, "Yes."

For bonus points, read the title to this post again after you listen to this clip.

Birthdays

The celebration of the day one is born is a big deal to some people in some cultures. I know that my family has used it as a time to celebrate the person, celebrate the good they have done in our lives and let them know how much we love them. I've always thought this was just the way things went; for my siblings birthdays I would compliment them, give gifts to them, do some of their chores, etc. On my birthday, I'd enjoy the displays of love that I'd receive. I think this is a rather standard view on birthdays, a day of self indulgence and joy.

A birthday cake, the universal symbol of growing older and having fun

One December birthday, while celebrating my father's birthday, my dad did something that changed how I think about birthdays. It was my dad's day; we kids were trying to be nice to each other, by good to our mother, and making my dad's day worthy of being called as such. Then, at the birthday party where everybody was gathered (including my grandma, his mom), my dad produced a bouquet of flowers to give to my grandma. He then proceeded to thank her for all the things she had done in his life, not the least of which was giving him life. After all, we didn't do all that much on our first birthday; it was almost all our mother's work.

This act of humility, of taking something I had been taking for granted and looking at the source of the blessing, will forever make me think of the things my mom has done for me. My birthday, while certainly a fun time to hear well wishes, is a time to thank those around me, to thank my mom, but to also thank my God. I am thankful for my life, both its basic existence and also for the bountiful blessings I've experienced. I am grateful for the many reminders I have of my own inadequacies, and the chance I have, through Christ and His Atonement, to perfect myself and become a better person. My birthday was yesterday, but every day I have the chance to be thankful, be humble, and be faithful. I hope you use your time to look for the good things, and then your life will be filled with them.

Canoes and Crows

As a youth, I was fortunate enough to enjoy several "aquatic excursions" on the rivers found in the mid-northern Appalachians. These have ranged from simple tubing trips down a creek or a river, to whitewater rafting with multiple intense moments. One particular trip involved a mild river, traveled with the aid of canoes. It was a shallow river, and several of our group wound up on rocks and tipped their boat as a result of it. Fortunately, my boat never did force us to test our floatation devices, but I would be a fool if I took the credit for that.

I've always lacked a bit of coordination in a boat. Most of that is because I've lacked coordination on land; I simply do not consciously control every place my body is. I can paddle hard and use my strength, but if I'm not careful that very strength is what tips me over. So, if I where placed in a canoe all by myself I would have been swimming down half that river. Instead, I had the help of another that was much better at boating. It was him that would guide the canoe, dodging rocks and finding channels. I would listen for his instructions, and then do my very best to follow them, be it paddle hard, back paddle left, switch sides, etc. Because of the teamwork, we were able to reach the end of the trip and take an enjoyable swim (instead of a forced one). This entire experience reminds me of a poem, About Crows by John Ciardi.

The old crow is getting slow; 
the young crow is not.
Of what the young crow does not know,
the old crow knows a lot.

At knowing things, the old crow is still
the young crow's master.
What does the old crow not know? 
How to go faster.

The young crow flies above, below, and rings
around the slow old crow.
What does the fast young crow not know?
WHERE TO GO.

I was like that young crow. I knew how to paddle hard and so we were able to speed past some obstacles. However, I didn't know where to paddle or which direction would keep us safe. My boat-mate did. The only reason we were able to get to the end was because we combined our abilities; I wasn't proud in my strength, and he didn't try to go by himself. In our daily lives, we need to remember that we are imperfect. Sometimes we are the young crow, full of talent or ability but not yet wise. We need to listen to the old crows, those that know more than we do and instruct us. Those leaders, family members, or perhaps wise friends may have greater wisdom than we do and can help us best us our strengths and abilities. Of course, their are plenty that don't have the same wisdom we do; it to these that we need to be the old crows, guiding those we are able to and helping them rise to their potential. I know that as we strive to be better, both in accepting help and helping others, we can all get down the river of life with minimal swimming trips.

Opposition, Wrestling, and Training

When I wrestled, my usual weight class was 189. This is the 3rd heaviest weight class in high school, and so I was a good deal larger and stronger than most of my teammates. If I wanted an easy match-up for practice, I could choose the 112 or even 145, and I'd be able to go through practice hardly breaking a sweat while my foe would be straining, trying to move more mass than he ever would need to in a match. However, we didn't get to choose our practice partners. Our coach would pair us up with whoever he wanted us to, and for me that was quite often our heavyweights (which could weigh up to 285). In these practices, I'd be the one pushing hard and straining to move mass greater than I normally would be called on to endure. This might not seem fair, but the fact that I normally practiced with heavier opponents allowed me to be stronger and more prepared for match day. This is the greatest reason we have for why opposition is so crucial in this life; having more required of us allows us to grow more and to become stronger for it.

A simple illustration of the match-ups

That makes enough sense. If our life is a time to grow, then we'll be given exercises and practices that will expand our abilities, test our skills, and develop our characters. So why does life seem so unfair at times? Even when we have the comfort that our trials will be for our benefit, it is still no fun to go through them. Let me share with you another wrestling trial: since my wrestling team was short a few members, I would often wrestle up a class; while still weighing in at 189 or less, I'd wrestle those in the 215 weight class. On match day, not just during practice, I'd be put up against somebody heavier and (often) stronger than I was. This is no longer time to grow and develop, a practice with no affect on my record; I was simply having a match that was tougher than those around me and that I didn't feel prepared for. Our trials in life often look like this; we are under-prepared, under-weight, under-skilled, and we don't have the freedom of mistakes that comes with practice. How can we grow when we are in such an predicament?

It is these instances that we learn what we can't anywhere else. In my matches, I learned endurance, humility, and occasionally self-confidence. In life circumstances we learn similar things; endurance through trials, humility to trust in the Lord, and self-confidence when we finish our trial. In every match I wrestled up, I was able to go in with confidence and cheer because I knew that simply winning wasn't all; if I could resist the pin, I'd help my team with points. If I failed, I could learn to be better next time. Life's trials might not be changed simply by how we feel when we go into them, but we will be changed by our approach to difficult times.

The Choice of Faith

The topic on my mind lately has been an interesting one, and something that I think is rather difficult to talk about. It has to do with the thought "how do I know I'm right?" It stems from my natural tendency towards skepticism. When new information is presented to me, I first disbelieve it before accepting it. If I have a new idea, I second guess myself. If I see new research, I feel like it will be a while before it's useful. If I hear a conspiracy theory, I'll doubt it. And yet I present myself before the world, saying that I know the Book of Mormon is true. This brings us back to the previous question: "how do I know I'm right?"

Questions. I have a few.
But I don't let that stop me.

The skeptic in me would like to say that nobody can truly know of personal correctness. However, then I would dwell in an unfortunate state of not knowing what to trust, and that is not acceptable to me. The truth is, having faith is a choice, just as not having faith is a choice. This I can do. I can choose which influences that I receive, either internal (my thoughts, my doubts, my conclusions) or external (what I read, what I hear, what I feel), and I can choose which ones can convince me. I have chosen to place the highest priority on the spiritual witness I have received, or the powerful feelings of peace, joy, and certainty that I receive from following through with my responsibilities in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Because I've given these experiences priority, I don't let other things (such as controversial history, angry shouts, or moments of confusion) have an effect on me. Even my existential doubts have lower priority.

I have sometimes wondered that maybe I'm "drinking the Kool-Aid," or blindly following something I haven't completely proven to myself. If the fact that I choose in this world to trust something I've never seen before seems weird to you, I invite you to to consider the following. Consider the happiness that I enjoy when I think about Christ and His church on the earth today. Consider how you feel right now. If I, with all my skepticism and worry that I might be wrong, can say that this is true, that I have received more joy from following the principles and ordinances of the gospel, and that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's kingdom restored on the earth, what is to stop you? Do you want to have joy? I know you can overcome your doubts, your questions, your angst. I know because I have felt the Holy Ghost testify to me of truth and I have chosen to listen, and I have overcome my doubts, my questions, and my angst. The Bible says "by their fruits ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:16,20). Well, this joy and peace is mine.

Enduring to the End and Power Stance

For the newcomers, I wrestled in high school. I still think it is one of the great contests of skill and strength, even after the intervening time that I've been able to play basketball and other popular sports with fellow missionaries. I also still think it has some of the greatest teaching opportunities. I remember one wrestling match I had, against another team with a history of winning and the specific guy I was against was ranked much higher than I was. This story will involve some terms specific to wrestling, and to save space here I will direct you to an article on the rules.

Amazingly, I was able to get ahead during the first two (of three) periods and most of the third. Not only was I ahead, but I had three points on this guy and I was feeling good. There was only 30 seconds left, and we were both on our feet. Since the guy I was wrestling had much more experience than I did (I had at most one year and he surely had three or four years, if not more, under his belt), winning by a small margin would be all I could hope for. I didn't need any more points, and if I got too adventurous I could easily have put myself in disadvantageous position and maybe even have gotten pinned. All I needed to do was endure without making a mistake, but also not retreat (that's called stalling and costs points). I needed to "power stance."

A standard wrestling match for me

Power Stance is what my coaches would tell us to keep pushing, be aggressive and make your foe understand that you aren't done, but don't do anything that might compromise your win. It takes power and endurance in the last period, and is not easy. You are tired, you've just used all of your strength and agility to get ahead, and after everything is left on the mat you need to leave a bit more. It might be the hardest thing you've ever done, yet it is essential to keep going in order to win.

Unfortunately for my record, I did not power stance properly. I was overconfident and my foe took advantage of a foot that slipped too far and I was too weak in bringing it back. He took me down, and even got near to pinning me, and in those last 30 seconds I gave up 5 points and lost the match. I now look back, and though I know that that one match wouldn't have changed too much of my life I still wish I could have endured a little bit better.

All of us have the opportunity every day to endure, be it well or not. Our life is much like a wrestling match, one where we are ahead at the start and as we apply Christ's grace into our lives. However, we are still constantly under attack, and if we slip up we are always in danger of falling under the influence of Satan. We too need to use a "power stance," or a certain method of aggressively protecting ourselves from his attacks. As we listen to the words of God, found in scripture or the words of His prophets, we will be educating ourselves as to how to power stance. As we apply the things we learn, we'll be properly holding the power stance. And as we execute the power stance all the way to the end of our life, we will hear those blessed words: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).

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.

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.

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.

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.

First Writing

Welcome to my blog. It is new (as of writing) and it is untried, much like your opinion of me is. To help change that unfortunate condition, why don't I tell you a little about me? Then you can form your opinions with a grain of truth behind them, and hopefully you'll understand why I am willing to share my personal thoughts and feelings on a subject that I hold so dear.

If you didn't know yet, I am a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that I am writing to a generally unfriendly and opinionated group (the Internet), but I hope my sincerity and ideas are interesting enough for you to stay and consider. I don't want to ignite the fiery malice of those that troll. I don't want anybody to feel attacked by my ideas. I also don't want anybody to attack my ideas offhand. However, I do want you to consider your life and ask yourself if you have what I have, an absolute knowledge of my worth and how I can experience the love of God. Then, ask yourself if you are willing to change once you find that knowledge. I hope the answer is yes, but if you haven't been scared or offended yet, now you can get to know me.

I am at the beginning of two years during which I am voluntarily giving up many of the things that I hold dear in exchange for something more dear, the ability to serve the Lord with all my energy. For example, I enjoy video games, especially computer games. Now, I only touch a computer to communicate and share this message over the Internet. I would enjoy sleeping until I no longer felt tired. Now, I wake at a set time and have work to do the rest of the day. I want to gain all the education I can to secure opportunities in life. Now I work full-time as a missionary and have no time to learn anything that won't help me teach. I have sacrificed to be here; don't reject me as just another nerd or young ne'er-do-well. However, despite the massive way my actions have changed, I am still shaped by my past and almost the same person I used to be. I might not be playing computer games for hours a day, but I remember the fun I've had. Don't reject me as just another missionary, either. Get to know me as a person, and then get to know the message I share.

Quick rundown of me: I've enjoyed many years playing video games of various sorts. I enjoy the effects of chemistry and know a little about how it works. I like computers and the things that can be gained from them. I like sci-fi, in literature, television and movies. I care about the difference between "geek" and "nerd". I am a human with real experiences and (often) amusing quirks. As you continue to read, you will learn more about me and what I did in the two decades before I became a missionary.

Despite all this, I am also a missionary for the LDS church. I have gained, through nothing short of personal revelation, a sure knowledge of the truth of the Book of Mormon and of the prophet that leads us today. I want to share with everybody the blessings I have received from this testimony, including what I have learned about my savior Jesus Christ. I invite you to continue reading this blog with an open and curious mind.