Who reads this thing anymore?
I have a lot on my mind, and I actually have no idea what I want to write. But I feel like writing. So I am going to do it. Because I want to, and I can.
The Four Freaks (a club of which I personally belong) are living the dream. Like I talked about in my last blog post, I made it a goal to help prepare my little brother Timmy and our friends Skyler and Levi prepare to serve missions. I think it's been something that very few people understand, but as stated in my last blog post...I know without a doubt that it has been the right thing to do. Timmy and Skyler are still in the early days of their missions, but they continue to press forward with a lot of faith and humility. The day after Skyler left us for the MTC, our good friend Levi received his call to Spain. I am so proud of all three.
Many of you (if you're still reading this) might remember my obsession that came along with my many viewings of The Dark Knight four years ago. And as I am sure you're all aware, the Batman trilogy is now complete with The Dark Knight Rises. Like I did with The Dark Knight four years ago, I'd like to label this gran finale as another masterpiece. Although, I must admit that I have been troubled and disgusted the last couple of days by the massacre that took place during the midnight showing of that very masterpiece in Auora, Colorado. It's hard for me to understand how someone could do such a terrible thing. It saddens me. My hearts and prayers continue to go out to the seventy people and their family members who were affected, and my only desire is that justice is served on behalf of the twelve innocent lives that were taken.
Today while I was working at the Las Vegas Convention Center, I experienced something that I haven't experienced since I was a missionary. I won't go into specific details on what was said, but to make a long story short...I was helping a co-worker haul a shelf across the gigantic building that is the Convention Center, and as we are carrying this big old thing, I learn that he is a Seventh Day Adventist, and he learns that I am LDS. And out of no where (as I experienced many times in my mission), this co-worker of mine tries to convince me that I am living a lie. Again, I won't go into detail about what was exactly said, but I will say this: I said a silent prayer as soon as he started bashing my religion, and I am grateful that I did because my prayer was answered. I wasn't afraid, I didn't panic. I held my ground. In the end, he wasn't very pleased with what I had said. He didn't believe me that I received an answer from God Himself that The Book of Mormon is indeed true. And although he didn't like or appreciate what I had to say, I was just grateful for that opportunity that I had to open my mouth and testify of the truthfulness of the Gospel.
I will end with this: I look forward to Matt and Jessi's wedding next weekend. I am in great need of a break/vacation, and it will be great to spend some time with my family as we celebrate this new life that Matt and Jessi are beginning. After the wedding, I will be spending a few days with my brother Brent and his family in Seattle. It'll be an exciting way to end the summer! :)
Monday, July 23, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
God Is In Charge
I've had the opportunity the last few weeks--perhaps months--to kind of just sit back and look back on my mission. Almost every single time I've done so, a similar question has popped up. Again and again and again. "What now?...Okay, now: How? When? Where?" The valuable lesson that I have learned by pondering these things is this small, but powerful truth that an excellent seminary teacher once taught me: God is in charge. He does indeed have a unique plan for each and every one of His children.
Tonight I feel impressed to share a few of my thoughts/feelings about what God's plan has been for me personally since arriving home from my mission. As many of you know, one of my life's goals is to attend and graduate from BYU. It's been a dream of mine since I was kid; it started small, but my desire to reach that dream/goal has only grown throughout the years. And so naturally I was a little upset when BYU didn't accept me before my mission. And then at the end of my mission--when I was working on my personal five-year plan--I decided I would apply again for BYU. I was confident that they would accept me this time around. Well, to my surprise I was declined again. And then I was rejected a third time once I applied when I had arrived home
However, I have remained fairly confident that I will eventually achieve my goal of graduating BYU. I know it will happen, and I won't accept defeat. At the same time, I've always known that the Lord has a special assignment (for lack of a better word) for me to accomplish before arriving to my dream destination of BYU. Since being declined by BYU, I've felt strongly that I was to stay here in Vegas--despite other opportunities to leave and go study at other locations. But for months I was clueless as to why.
A few weeks ago it finally hit me. I don't say it to boast or brag, but I share the following experience with everyone to add another witness that God is in charge, He loves us, and He knows what is best for each and every one of us. The simple answer that I finally received was this: The Lord has had me stick around here in Vegas to help my little brother Timmy and our two best friends Skyler and Levi prepare for their missions. If you're reading this, you might not understand how powerful this answer was for me when I received it.
I know without a doubt that my purpose since arriving home from my mission has been to love, support, and get these guys excited for their own missions. And words cannot describe the joy that I have felt as I've seen each of them progress toward that goal of serving a mission. Timmy is out there in Nebraska giving it his all. Our good friend Skyler departs to England next week and Levi will receiving his mission call either this week or next.
I am so grateful for God's love and for His unique plan that He has had for me. I can now honestly say that I understand why a dream such as graduating from BYU has been put on hold. And I am so grateful that I was rejected those three times.
Tonight I feel impressed to share a few of my thoughts/feelings about what God's plan has been for me personally since arriving home from my mission. As many of you know, one of my life's goals is to attend and graduate from BYU. It's been a dream of mine since I was kid; it started small, but my desire to reach that dream/goal has only grown throughout the years. And so naturally I was a little upset when BYU didn't accept me before my mission. And then at the end of my mission--when I was working on my personal five-year plan--I decided I would apply again for BYU. I was confident that they would accept me this time around. Well, to my surprise I was declined again. And then I was rejected a third time once I applied when I had arrived home
However, I have remained fairly confident that I will eventually achieve my goal of graduating BYU. I know it will happen, and I won't accept defeat. At the same time, I've always known that the Lord has a special assignment (for lack of a better word) for me to accomplish before arriving to my dream destination of BYU. Since being declined by BYU, I've felt strongly that I was to stay here in Vegas--despite other opportunities to leave and go study at other locations. But for months I was clueless as to why.
A few weeks ago it finally hit me. I don't say it to boast or brag, but I share the following experience with everyone to add another witness that God is in charge, He loves us, and He knows what is best for each and every one of us. The simple answer that I finally received was this: The Lord has had me stick around here in Vegas to help my little brother Timmy and our two best friends Skyler and Levi prepare for their missions. If you're reading this, you might not understand how powerful this answer was for me when I received it.
I know without a doubt that my purpose since arriving home from my mission has been to love, support, and get these guys excited for their own missions. And words cannot describe the joy that I have felt as I've seen each of them progress toward that goal of serving a mission. Timmy is out there in Nebraska giving it his all. Our good friend Skyler departs to England next week and Levi will receiving his mission call either this week or next.
I am so grateful for God's love and for His unique plan that He has had for me. I can now honestly say that I understand why a dream such as graduating from BYU has been put on hold. And I am so grateful that I was rejected those three times.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Voicemail: From Father To Son
Three months ago we were dropping my little brother Timmy off at the MTC. My good friend Kyle Birchall (my trainer) found out I was there somewhere in Provo and left me the following message. It gave me a pretty good laugh, so I thought I'd share it after all these months.
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