Family Dinner

Everywhere I go, I have family around, even down here in Provo.

Yesterday, Naomi drove down here from Pocatello where she's working on her nursing degree. I went to the temple in the morning while she was driving down here. We had lunch together. We got food to go at a nice Hawaiian cafe, Bamboo Hut, and then went up to Rock Canyon Park to eat it as a picnic. We came toured campus and played around at the Eyring Science Center. When we were in the bookstore, my mom tried to spot us on the Bookstore cameras, but could not see us.

We did homework for a while and had dinner together at my apartment. Naomi was upset that she was not allowed to use my bathroom and was supposed to go down to the multi-purpose building, two doors down, to use the restroom. The rules didn't stop her and she used my bathroom when my roommates weren't home. Last night we went to see Captain America in the campus theater. It was exciting but had a really sad ending. I enjoy it more when the guy gets the girl in the end. We came back here for a bit and then Naomi drove back to Pocatello and got there at 1am this morning.

I'm in the same ward as Janell's cousin Kaytlen. She lives in the apartment across the street from me. She invited me to come to the Jones' clan (Provo branch) family dinner. I made and brought crepes. My first time making an apple filling and it turned out perfect. They weren't expecting me to bring anything, even though everyone else did it potluck style. Hm. Had fun, but I really wish Janell was there. Wish I could throw prudence to the wind and go visit her every weekend. Janell's extended family already considers me family, since they are sure I'm going to ask Janell to marry me, and they are justified in making that assumption,

Apart from Janell's cousins, I have family in Orem, though I don't here from Sarah or her husband Kelvin. I also have family in Salt Lake and Tami and Dave Trujillo consider me family and they live in West Jordan.

I still have the referral center elders, past and current, who consider me family and would do anything for me. Those missionaries and RMs are amazing.

Today I also received a calling, was sustained, set apart, went to lots of meetings for it, and started doing it. I was called as the Assistant Executive Secretary.

My Testimony at Home

Since I'm no longer serving over the internet as a missionary full-time, it's been some time since I've been prompted to share my testimony online. When one of the new members of the church I helped sent me a request on Facebook to use the LDS App, I leaped on the reminder it was to share my testimony.

While I was a full-time missionary in the Referral Center, I calculated one afternoon that I shared testimony online over the internet or phone an average of every three minutes during the day. Fast Sunday is a perfect day to share my testimony, which is as follows:

I know that Jesus Christ is our Lord, Savior, Redeemer, and

perfect Example. Only through following him can we become like him and return to live with our Father in heaven. Jesus Christ overcame death and sin through his birth into mortality, his perfect life, suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the

I know that he has blessed us with this life as an opportunity to build our abilities to become like Him and have true joy. He's given us our families as a great tool to help us do this. Family relationships provide the best environment to practice following Jesus Christ's example. It is my family who taught me to consider "what would Jesus do?"

I know that the Book of Mormon contains Christ's ancient directions for us, as does the Holy Bible.

I know that he has again chosen prophets and apostles, like he did in the Bible, to direct us towards him. Those prophets and apostles give inspired direction and modern scripture in our times, such as is in the Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and Official Declarations. God's words never cease.

I know this because I have done my best to serve Christ, and hope through his enabling grace to be able to do better each day. I'm glad for the help and invitation of those around me to follow Christ and hope to offer my help to them.

I offer this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Great Blog Badges

This morning after studying in Ezra which was a great example of how important temples should be to us.  The Book of Ezra in the Old Testament accounts how the Jews returned to their homeland to rebuild the temple to the Lord that had previously been destroyed.

And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy, [Ezra 6:16]

In response, I felt like displaying how important the temple is to me and my family in some way on my blog to celebrate a bit.  I admit, going there myself and walking the grounds or serving inside is a better way to show my gratitude for the temple, but I won't be able to go to see the temple at least until Sunday afternoon.  I looked online for a picture of one of my favorite temples and found a great blog with a ton of temple blog badges ready made to put on a blog.  I know it's called "One Cute Blog Blinkies" and that a lot of the badges are just too cutesy for me, but I still found some that were sufficiently manly.  :D
The Washington DC temple has always stood out to me as one of the most beautiful.  I chose it to show on my blog today, and also found a great badge with a quote by President Gordon B Hinckley about books.  See if there's a badge you'd like, especially about the temple.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38

Can anyone guess which language this is?  (Don't cheat and use something like Google Translate)
Here it is in English:

Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.
What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same. [D&C 1:37-38]

It's a great scripture that I sent to a gentleman and a Saint in Slovenia, who chose despite great opposition from family and friends to follow the voice of the prophets and be baptized into Christ's reestablished Church.

Keep Christmas Going

.Several weeks ago, my mother sent me a reminder of a story that we'd read at home for Christmas.  I've been thinking about it more after Christmas though than I did before.  I can't remember the story, so if anyone can find it, I'd be very grateful.  I give the details I can remember, and hopefully I'll be able to fill in the rest eventually.
Christmas eve, a miserly banker (think of Ebeneezer Scrooge) was tidying up his bank for the holiday after his clerks and tellers had gone home.  He locked the front door, and made a sweep of the whole bank.  Last of all, he stepped into the heart of his bank, the massive steel vault.  Soon after stepping over the threshold of the vault, he heard the heavy door swing and clank behind him.  Startled, he turned around to find the door had closed and locked.
Since the bank would not open the next day, no one would come and open the vault to continue business.  Neither would friends or family come looking for him, for he didn't have any.  He spent Christmas, lonely and miserable locked in his own vault, because he had not personally reached out to the world.  When one of his clerks opened the vault on the day after Christmas, the banker was a changed man.  He'd had a day and half alone to ponder over his choices, and the value of relationships he'd previously disregarded.

This year, I spent Christmas surrounded by friends and fellow missionaries.  I also called home and talked with my family, which was quite a highlight.  I spent the season inviting people to follow Jesus Christ, experience his love and to share it with others.
Without those relationships with friends and family, Christmas wouldn't be as special.  It's hard to think of Christ's love, without the love of others immediately at hand.  Those relationships and the love that's there aren't built up in a day.  They come from extending Christ-like love to others, all through the year and building those relationships.  This is why my mother keeps one Christmas ornament over the kitchen sink up all year long.  It reminds our whole family to keep the holiday Christ-like spirit with us all year and not just when Target is selling decorations.

How Many Mormons Does it Take to Change a Light-bulb

None, Mormons don't use electricity!

Oh, c'mon, I'm blogging.

Four.

One to say opening prayer.
One to switch the bulbs.
One to say closing prayer.
One to serve refreshments.

Read more: How many Mormons does it take to change a lightbulb? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/9344#ixzz15hGg5vxS


In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, even changing a light-bulb, can be a group effort.  To some, this may seem extreme, and it probably is, but we really do try to involve others in what we do.  It's strengthened my family so much, when everything from changing a light-bulb, to raking up all the leaves in our yard becomes a group effort.  At Church and in our homes, we try to include everyone so that nobody is left out when they need help.  I remember dozens of times when I went with my dad and brothers and I went to help other people move.  Didn't matter if they were Mormons or not.  True to form there would always be refreshments too, so that everyone got a treat for helping out.
The most important part, we say a prayer and ask for our Heavenly Father's help. It's not a good group, if you haven't asked for the most loving helper for his support.

What are some ways you've involved others in your project, or better yet, turned someone else's need into a project that supported everyone?

Our Canoe

http://www.mormon.org/videos/
I watched this video this morning and thought of my family's canoe.  When I was little, my mom surprised my dad with a new canoe that was big enough to hold the six of our family.  We stored it in the top of our barn.  Getting it down from up high in the rafters was a project that took most of my family, and was still a tough job that fell heavily on my dad.  Every time we would go camping, we would bring our canoe on top of our minivan.  As little kids, we did our best to help with carrying the paddles, picnic baskets, life vests, and other things we need to help our parents.  We had some awesome times in the canoe together.