Brother Shannon, second councilor in our bishopric, (and ironically only mere months older than I am) called at 8:49 pm. I rolled my eyes at the unknown number on my phone, wishing that I didn't have to answer. I had to get up at 3:30 the next morning so that I could be to work for the early morning shift a 4. I was already in bed. I answered the phone politely. "Is this Sam?" "Yes." He then introduced himself and asked how I was doing. "Fine. Thank you." I decided that I would use his facebook page to get his information to add to my contacts later. He asked if I would be willing to speak in sacrament meeting on Sunday. "Yes." He apologized that it was short notice, especially since he was sure that I had homework and classes now. I didn't tell him I am off track this semester, and not taking any classes. Maybe that was a little cruel. Maybe it wasn't. But at 8:49, I didn't care.
"Can I give you a topic?" I hate when church leaders leave the topic to you to figure out for a lesson or a sacrament meeting talk. "Please." "We would like you to talk about Christlike attributes."
Christlike attributes; that's a broad topic. I almost feel like they didn't give me a topic for how broad it is. Thus far, I have spent over five hours studying and reviewing material. I have a lot of thoughts about what I might share, but still don't know where I am supposed to begin. When the I'm writing a talk, my pattern is study, study, study; then at some point I will discover where the talk is supposed to start. From there, the rest of the talk will almost always unfold quickly. Still not sure where I should start. But I still have a few days to prepare.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jan 9, 2014
Jan 6, 2014
To Love and Support Someone
I worry when we let ourselves believe that loving and supporting someone who makes poor decisions means loving them and supporting them in their sins. We weaken ourselves and our relationships when we condone by silence or "understanding" their poor choices.
Loving and supporting a person means having those difficult discussions, asking those hard questions, and learning to love people while unequivocally standing on those principles of truth and righteousness which govern eternity and happiness. It also means that we recognize the moral agency of those around us and refuse to take guilt upon ourselves when those we care about refuse to associate with us because we are unwilling to yield the principles of truth.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Loving and supporting a person means having those difficult discussions, asking those hard questions, and learning to love people while unequivocally standing on those principles of truth and righteousness which govern eternity and happiness. It also means that we recognize the moral agency of those around us and refuse to take guilt upon ourselves when those we care about refuse to associate with us because we are unwilling to yield the principles of truth.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jan 4, 2014
Moving Out
Well, it has happened. I have moved out. It is a strange feeling; one that, I admit, I didn't expect or prepare for. But let me explain a little, especially for those of you who know that I haven't lived consistently at home for several years now.
When I first moved up to Idaho to go to school, my apartment was my apartment, and home still meant that place where I was raised and family lived. I decided that. It was a conscious thing. And so it stayed for those first two semesters away from home. Then came the call to serve a mission for the Lord. And there too, home was still in Salt Lake with family. All through the mission the apartment was usually "the apartment." On those rare occasions when I called our apartment "home," my heart knew that home was not there. I kept always on my key ring the key to my parents home; a simple way to keep connected with home.
Returning from the mission, I lived at home for a time in order to save money for the coming semesters at school. Then I again left home to live in an apartment while I attend school. Two semesters continued this way. Through the course of the second semester, I began to feel increasing that I was being impressed to remain in Idaho more permanently and not return to live at home between semesters, as I had always done before.
Following prayer and a confirmation of my feelings, I decided that I was going to stay in Idaho without moving home intermittently. Once that decision was made, it bought about a change which at first was subtle, but has grown over time. Things like referring to what had been home as "my parents house" began to be manifestations of my changing feelings. And now, sitting writing this here in my new apartment in Idaho, I find that what was "home" before no longer seems fit to hold that title, since I don't intend to ever return there to live. And yet, this new apartment and these people and Idaho, they are not yet home either. Thus I find myself homeless, so to speak. Fearful? No. But I find myself feeling perhaps as Corrie ten Boom has recorded in her book; that it is in Jesus that I must now make my home.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
When I first moved up to Idaho to go to school, my apartment was my apartment, and home still meant that place where I was raised and family lived. I decided that. It was a conscious thing. And so it stayed for those first two semesters away from home. Then came the call to serve a mission for the Lord. And there too, home was still in Salt Lake with family. All through the mission the apartment was usually "the apartment." On those rare occasions when I called our apartment "home," my heart knew that home was not there. I kept always on my key ring the key to my parents home; a simple way to keep connected with home.
Returning from the mission, I lived at home for a time in order to save money for the coming semesters at school. Then I again left home to live in an apartment while I attend school. Two semesters continued this way. Through the course of the second semester, I began to feel increasing that I was being impressed to remain in Idaho more permanently and not return to live at home between semesters, as I had always done before.
Following prayer and a confirmation of my feelings, I decided that I was going to stay in Idaho without moving home intermittently. Once that decision was made, it bought about a change which at first was subtle, but has grown over time. Things like referring to what had been home as "my parents house" began to be manifestations of my changing feelings. And now, sitting writing this here in my new apartment in Idaho, I find that what was "home" before no longer seems fit to hold that title, since I don't intend to ever return there to live. And yet, this new apartment and these people and Idaho, they are not yet home either. Thus I find myself homeless, so to speak. Fearful? No. But I find myself feeling perhaps as Corrie ten Boom has recorded in her book; that it is in Jesus that I must now make my home.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
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