College and Change

Your first year of college is an odd and exciting time, or at least it has been for me. I don’t think I was ready for all the changes that have come my way in the past year, but I’m glad they have happened. I used to complain about high school and all the homework I had to do… and then I came to BYU and I realized how easy I had actually had it. In high school I never did an assignment earlier than the night before the due date, or better yet the class period before, and I still managed to get a decent amount of A’s. Now I can barely stay on top of it all. This is the first time in my life I have actually used a planner, which I feel is one of the only things that is keeping me sane when it comes to my school work. Don’t get me wrong, there are still plenty of days where I don’t do my reading for class until the hour before, but I am starting to get better. Coming to college has taught me a lot about responsibility, because no one can force me to do my assignments or go to bed at a reasonable hour, except for me. 

Carnival Cruise Chaos

This week on the news…

The carnival cruise ship triumph broke down and passengers were stuck on the ship for 5 days with no power, limited food, and only makeshift toilets (which were just red biohazard bags). There are pictures of sewage leaking down the walls of the ship after its leaning caused all the toilets to overflow, and of the top deck turned into a camping ground of tents. I feel bad for all those who had their vacations ruined, but I feel even worse for the employees on the ship. I mean, they had to go through all the same things as the passengers plus some. They had to use the biohazard bags and then they had to dispose of them all; it didn’t sound very pretty. I also feel for the staff because as an employee in the food industry I know how easily customers can get upset, and how often they overreact. In an interview on CNN a man was infuriated with Carnival Cruises because they didn't get generators and other supplies more quickly. I think that the crew was honestly trying to make the best out of a crappy situation (literally), and people should have recognized that. 

Helaman 10:4-5

The most important lesson I learned while reading the Book of Helaman is the humility that is required in missionary work. Nephi gave up the judgment-seat and all the power associated with it, in order to “preach the word of God all the remainder of his days.” Similarly, modern missionaries give up two years or 18 months of what the world often calls the “prime of their lives” to bring souls unto Christ. I know the task is not always easy, but I also have seen the blessings of serving a full-time mission within my own family. A mission teaches individuals that in order to truly live the Gospel you must lose yourself in the service of your God. Among trials and persecution Nephi continued to declare the word of God with “unwearyingness,” teaching that even if we do not go on full-time missions, we can all be missionaries by sharing the Gospel with a bright and hopeful attitude. The Gospel is a great thing, and as members of the Church we should share our message of love with gladness. It is our job to do as Nephi does in Helaman 10:4, and seek not for our “own life” but always seek His will. 

Helaman 4:15

A lesson I found among the book of Helaman was the insignificance of our own strength compared to God, and the danger of pride in our lives. As God continued to bless the Nephites they began to think that they were prospering because of their own skills and hard work, and that they did not need God to succeed, and they waxed it iniquity. Helaman 4:13 says “and because of their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper.” This verse teaches us that although hard work is essential in our progression, any blessing in our life truly comes from God. For without God we are nothing, and without God’s strength we cannot prosper. The scriptures teach us that the Lord doesn’t give us trials or duties that we cannot handle, but there should be a disclaimer that says: with Him. It is true that God will not present us with trials that we cannot handle, but he often gives us trials that we can only make it through as we cling to Him. Once the Nephites pushed God out of their lives, they began falling quickly. I know that the same is true today, when I rely upon the Lord He will never let me down, but I must first use my agency to choose Him.

Helaman Chapter 6

            I have always learned in Sunday school that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (a concept I fully believe), but I had never thought the same sentence was applicable for Satan. Satan is the same yesterday, today, and forever— and that’s a scary thought. I say this in the sense that since the fall of Adam and Eve, Satan has sought our destruction, and he will continue to seek our destruction until the judgment day. In chapter 6 Helaman says that secret oaths and covenants of the Gadianton robbers did not come from their own minds, but from “that same being who did entice our first parents.” The Gadianton’s Satan is the same Satan as Cain’s, who is the same Satan that tempted the building of the tower of Babel, who is the same Satan who tempts us today. As 2 Nephi 2:11 says, “there must needs be opposition in all things,” so as long as God is the same forever, you better bet that Satan is just as unchanging. But the good news is that since Satan’s temptation is constant in our lives, we can quickly understand his tricks and protect ourselves against them. We know that Satan will always try and tempt us, but we also know what happens if we give in, and the misery that lies in sin. So, as we go throughout our lives, I have learned that we can meet Satan’s pestering with Helaman’s question: Why should we give in to him who is seeking to “hurl away [our] souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo?” 

First Time Donor!

So I finally did it; I finally donated blood! And I can honestly say that the anticipation was the worst part. All of yesterday Kiersten and I were freaking out about our first time donation because we had heard so many mixed reactions. While we were waiting in line for the microwave in the Wilk two guys overheard us talking about it and they both chimed in with their personal experiences. One made it seem like the scariest thing ever, and kept telling us to make sure we did this and that. The other guy was the complete opposite, saying he wrote his bike right after and felt fine, that it was nothing to worry about.

With both of those reactions I really didn’t know what to expect! I braced myself for the needle, and was surprised that it didn’t feel like much more than a pinch. I thought I was in the clear then and started to relax, but then I heard the nurse politely call over her supervisor in that fake calm tone medical personnel use when they don’t want you to know something is wrong. Turns out they missed the vein and after some fumbling around they decided they better try on my other arm. So there I am sitting there and the supervisor is asking my nurse if she thinks she’ll be able to do it the second time, she says “I think so…” Not exactly comforting. Nevertheless she did get the second arm without much fuss and the rest of my appointment was great! Even though I had a little bit of a scary moment, I can’t wait to give blood again!

02/01/2013

I have to say that I am loving my special project so far! I have learned a lot over the past few weeks although not all of it has been useful knowledge. Today when I was scrolling through CNN’s website I caught up with world events, but I also saw some stories that were pretty “out there.” I saw Shetland ponies that received hand-knitted sweaters to attract tourists and a young school teacher who posted pictures of herself doing drugs on her twitter account. All I have to say is that there are some crazy people out there!

One story that was really interesting to me though, was on a man in Arizona whose ranch lies on the Mexican/American border. He said he doubts that a day has gone by where illegal immigrants haven’t crossed his land, which was a scary thought to me. The story also showed the fences along the border- which are probably 10 feet high in some places and then small barbwire annoyances in other places. The reported said that the high fences are very effective at keeping out immigrants but the large barbwire sections definitely aren’t. I know it would be impossible to create huge barriers along the entire border, but I definitely think we can do better than barbwire.