Chosen E're to Witness For His Name

Cool story from our backyard:

I went to my cousin's mission farewell today, and I was talking to my aunt afterwards. She told me that there is a family that lives down the road from her, and the mother is from Japan (where her husband served his mission, coincidentally...) and because of this the kids grew up bilingual, speaking Japanese and English. So the whole family kind of thought that their son would go to Japan on his mission, since he's already fluent. But they were surprised when he got called to Brazil, speaking Portuguese. But hey, what can you do, right? Never plan on stuff like that, that's what. Anyway, at some point he gets transferred to this small mountain village...a village with a random (well, random to me, I don't know their lives) little community of Japanese people, many of whom were happy to hear the good news of the Gospel, especially because there was a man there who could teach it to them in their own language. Which I thought was really cool! It's things like that that stay with you and really make you feel important and worthwhile. Not to mention the fact that he was able to help out other people in a way that probably not many other people, if any, who would pass through there could. And I like that it happened.

"Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion. We should know the gospel is true and be true to the gospel."

-David A. Bednar, "Converted Unto the Lord," 2012

Maybe Someday I'll Stop Watching Videos on the Internet

These people. The Westboro Baptists. I'm guessing that, after Nazis and maybe the KKK, they might be the most hated organized group of people I can think of, probably because they seem to hate everyone else (no, wait, even the KKK has a history of denouncing and protesting them.) And while Russell Brand is a comedian who does make fun and antagonize a bit in this interview, sometimes in a way covered up by by politeness and intelligence, he does make some really good points here that I kind of respected him for. He handled these people without losing it, which is the outcome I've seen before when other people have tried to interview them. They are 100 percent stuck in their mind-boggling ways, and they make me really sad.

Since You Appreciate A Good Stache

As well as good humor.
Or at least the type of humor that I do as well.

Dedicated to you

I really hope today was a good one for ya; 20 is a big one! Here's to a year full of happiness and progression and getting what you want and need out of it. Cheers!

The Formal Rules of Karaoke

Knowledge from my world music class:

Apparently when karaoke first started, in Japan, it was not to be messed around with. There are serious rules, both that "circulate formally in karaoke journals and informally through oral tradition." Here are seven taboos that are included in this set of rules:

1.  Do not sing when you are drunk.
2. Do not sing too loudly.
3. Do not abuse the echo effect too much.
4. Do not monopolize  the microphone.
5. Do not sing songs written for the opposite sex unless you want to surprise the audience.
6. Do not sing songs composed by very gifted writers because they are usually too difficult for lay persons.
7. Do not be too narcissistic.

This brought to mind an interview of Aubrey Plaza I heard once where she said she got kicked out and banned from a karaoke bar for getting really drunk, singing "Only Time" by Enya, and then throwing down the microphone.

Karaoke, of all things. Who knew?

"A man and his tutu"

http://www.thetutuproject.com/

Alma 17 is a great "how to be a full-time missionary" chapter.

And this verse is one that will be coming true for us before we know it.

13: And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of their harvest, for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken.

We will be like sons of Mosiah! Except girls. And with safer living conditions.

But the, the idea still remains. I suppose that ours will be a great work too.

Unrelated internet find:

http://iwastesomuchtime.com/on/?i=58873

There's some good in this world yet, Mr. Frodo.

a disgruntled college student

I am the titular character of this story. So there's this phenomenon that's been going on in my classes and I just realized I don't like it. Not. One. Bit. I was wondering why some of my professors don't put their lecture slides on line/disable them as soon as the class hour is up/if they do post them, take them off during finals week. It's because they don't want the students who don't come to class/students who cheat on tests to be able to do well in the class. I'm all for discouraging being lazy and unethical, but where do these professors get off trying to force people to be good? Especially when it hurts the students who are trying to do well in their class/life (that was a lot of slashes. sorry). I hate to break it to you, professors, but if someone has these kinds of problems, they've had them for a while now, and it's not your fault, but there's not too much you can do about it. K I'm done venting. Good luck with finals!

Every Member A Missionary

So I had my first real missionary experience today...actually, I'm kind of in the middle of it since the "investigator" is still here and asking me questions as I write this.

I have grown up around mostly LDS people so I haven't been presented with a lot of these opportunities. And a lot of the nonmembers in Utah know at least something about the religion. But today I had the chance to talk to my Israeli neighbor about my faith, and it was a really good experience.

I learned one main lesson:

Just because I'm going on a mission doesn't mean that I will automatically be good at it (not that I was in any way expecting that before). I will for sure make a lot of mistakes and struggle to express myself. But in doing so, I will learn a lot about myself and what I know.

It started when we were setting up Christmas in our apartment, and he asked me (I actually don't know how he even knew I am Mormon) if I celebrate Christmas since my religion is not Christian. This led to a discussion on everything from the temple to CTR rings to premarital sex to gambling to the Prophet to birth control to South Park's interpretation of Mormonism to my interpretation of God (my roommate: "oh my heck did you just ask her who her God is?") to Israelites coming to America. And so on. It was really kind of fun and less scary than I was expecting to answer questions asked by someone with the lowest amount of knowledge about my religion. And it was really great to learn about his native religion, even though he is atheist.

And he is definitely not getting baptized anytime soon, but I hope I at least answered some questions, cleared up some misconceptions, and left him with a positive impression of Mormons as a whole. Which I think is the most important first step. And I think a lot of people who live in less LDS areas get these sort of opportunities all the time,  but as for me, it was a memorable conversation.

Because We Were Talking About Careers

I want to have a job that matters. Not the job that takes the most schooling, or has the most prestige, but one where I am actually making a positive impact on the world. Some of the jobs I respect the most maybe don't always get the respect they deserve. Like car mechanics, or any sort of repairmen, or builders of things. I appreciate them building up a better world, and fixing it if something goes wrong.

I lost all respect for one of my chemistry professors when I overheard her ripping on construction workers, first complaining about things they had done wrong in building her lab, and then moving on to saying things about all construction workers like "You have to have a low enough IQ to be a construction worker." Just because you are a doctor of chemistry and went to school for a long time does not give you the right to talk people down like that.

Here's a quote that I really like (no disrespect meant for anyone who doesn't fit this criteria):

"If your job wasn't performed by a cat or a boa constrictor in a Richard Scarry book, I'm not sure it's.....necessary."

Let's take it back to basics, people. We don't really need all the things we think we do. And in fact, we might be better off with less than we have now. So go plumbers! Go teachers! And everyone be nice.

Sorry this was a little scattered. But that's how my thoughts come out.

If You're In The Mood For Something Patriotic

It's not really the time of year for this video but I thought I'd forget about it if I didn't just post it.

I think some of the things can also apply to the Gospel, and living righteously versus not.

He's a good man.

Missions Are for Learners

I hope it's okay for me to say this, but I'd like to hear a devotional given by Mumford & Sons. Or maybe, just have Marcus speak the lyrics to some of their sings. Besides Hymns, most of their songs (when they're not dropping the f-bomb) have given me some of the many spiritual experiences I've had through music. The one on repeat right now is "Hold On To What You Believe." [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3aaTaDIvOo] The chorus goes like this: "Hold on to what you believe in the light/when the darkness has robbed you of all your sight." Beautiful. 

I'm actually amazed at how quickly I forget the incredible experiences that I've had in coming to where I am at spiritually today (not that it's anything to brag about; I still have a long way to go). I think being a part of the True Church of God involves constant upkeep. Once you get complacent, you need to get uncomplacent. I have these instances where everything makes sense and I realize what a miracle every minute of life is and I want to go out and change the world. And then, maybe even as quick as a couple hours later, I seem to forget that wonderful outpouring I just received. It's an every day conversion process we need to master. Every day should be the day we get better and reach some of those goals we were inspired to do. Otherwise we're just stuck; we're not progressing. This also only happens through a lot of courage. It seems it would take a great strength to be able to put yourself out there day after day only to have what appears to be minimal success. But I know that, even though I don't have all that strength right now, I can borrow it, until one day it does come from me. And that's a very empowering thought.

Here are some of the bravest people that I know...of. I guess everyone is brave in their own way, in that we all face each day, but two people just did and do things that I sadly probably never could, especially Malala Yousafzai, who is probably one of the people I respect the most who is living on the Earth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malala_Yousafzai

http://www.peacefuluprising.org/tim-dechristopher/tims-story