Don't be in a hurry

When I was reading through the June 2010 issue of the Ensign, I was struck by an article called "Don't Be In A Hurry".  Here are some relevant excerpts:

The year 1845 was a busy one for Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois. Still mourning the violent death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Saints continued their efforts to complete the Nauvoo Temple, spread the gospel, and gather believers even as conflict with critics and dissenters hastened plans for an exodus to the West. On a Sunday in August 1845, Brigham Young (1801–77) paused from the demands of leadership to record a dream he’d had the previous night. “I dreamed … I saw Brother Joseph Smith,” he wrote, “and as I was going about my business, he said, ‘Brother Brigham, don’t be in a hurry.’” President Young said Joseph repeated the counsel twice more with “a degree of sharpness”: Brother Brigham, don’t be in a hurry. Brother Brigham, don’t be in a hurry...


Missionaries honor Nephi’s injunction every morning, consecrating their day to the Lord in prayer and study. What about the rest of us? Decades after that dream of Joseph, Brigham Young asked a congregation in Utah if they had prayed that morning as families. Observing that many had not, he proposed an all-too-familiar reason: “I was in too much of a hurry.” Then President Young gave us wise counsel. “Stop! Wait!” he pleaded, “When you get up in the morning, before you suffer yourselves to eat one mouthful of food, … bow down before the Lord, ask Him to forgive your sins, and protect you through the day, to preserve you from temptation and all evil, to guide your steps aright, that you may do something that day that shall be beneficial to the kingdom of God on the earth.” That counsel will bless our lives as it reminds us each morning to kneel in prayer before we tackle the tasks ahead...


Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917–2008) of the Quorum of the Twelve observed how easily we fill our lives with “appointments, meetings, and tasks” and then act frightened at the prospect of some quiet time. Why would that be? He feared that we might “feel that the busier we are, the more important we are—as though our busyness defines our worth.” On another occasion, he reminded us that “being busy is not necessarily being spiritual”—for in fact, noise and busyness can actually crowd out the still, small voice of the Spirit.


President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) prescribed a remedy for this fever of busyness: meditation, or pondering, or introspection. President Hinckley recalled that his father “never ceased growing” because he made time for “thinking, meditating, [and] pondering.” You may have to turn off your TV, computer, cell phone, or MP3 player, but it’s worth it. As Sister Bonnie D. Parkin, former Relief Society general president, put it: “Take time to slow down and ponder so that you can feel the Lord’s love for you...”


“There seems to be little evidence,” Elder Richard L. Evans (1906–71) of the Quorum of the Twelve once said, “that the Creator of the universe was ever in a hurry. Everywhere, on this bounteous and beautiful earth … there is evidence of patient purpose and planning and working and waiting...”


Perhaps all this was summarized in eight words by the Psalmist long ago: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). 

In general, I'm in far too much of a hurry on a daily basis.  I'm also in too much of a hurry to accomplish things that simply need time and patience to accomplish.

That's my boy

Just got an interesting email from my son JD.  He certainly doesn't lack in self-confidence although he needs to work on his spelling.  =)

Subject: Don't look til fathers day!
Body: Hi dad,sorry the title is cindav silly. Just  wanted to say Happy Fathers Day! I think your think your the 2nd best dad 1.me (future). I love you. JD

I'm sure JD will be a wonderful father in the future - much better than me I hope.  Same goes for AJ.

Who's Awesome?

Someone at work sent this image around as part of a larger message. Wanted to keep it for future reference. =)

Two Horses

A friend sent this to me by email and I really liked it...

There is a place in the countryside with a field that has two horses in it.

From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse, but if you'll stop your car, or go walking by, you will notice something quite amazing....

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner, however has chosen not to have him put down, and has made a good home for him.

This alone is amazing.

If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. Then looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.

Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell. It lets the blind friend know exactly where the other horse is, so he can follow.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, completely trusting that he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, it stops occasionally and looks back, making sure that his blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, GOD does not throw us away just because we are not perfect, or because we have unique problems or challenges.

He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need..

Sometimes, we are like the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those whom God places in our lives.

Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way....

Good friends are like that... You may not always see them, but you know they are always there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.

And remember... Be kinder than necessary, because

Everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly......

Leave the rest to God

Old Farmer Advice

A co-worker sent this to me recently. I especially like "If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'."

Old Farmer's Advice:
Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.
Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.
Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.
Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.
Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads.
Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
You cannot unsay a cruel word.
Every path has a few puddles.
When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
The best sermons are lived, not preached.
Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.
Don 't judge folks by their relatives.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life.. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.
Don 't interfere with somethin' that ain't bothering you none.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a Rain dance.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.
If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.

Stopwatch application

The other day at work, we had to do a presentation in a fixed amount of time.  As part of the practice sessions for the presentation, we used this stopwatch application. Posting it here in case I need it in the future or in case others are interested.

Family Night Notebook

When I was reading through the June 2009 issue of the Ensign, I pulled out this tip:

You're thumbing through a Church magazine and see a great lesson idea. But by Monday night you've either forgotten about it or can't find it without a lot of searching. It's a good thing there's an easy solution: sumply cut out or copy the article or picture and slip it into a binder or notebook kept specifically for lesson ideas. Using a few tab markers, you can easily organize a growing collection of lesson material by basic gospel topics.

Early in our marriage, my husband had an erratic work schedule that left him little time to prepare family home evening lessons. But with the binder, he could quickly select a topic he felt we needed to study. As a result, we enjoyed consistent lessons and established a good Monday-night habit. Now that our children are old enough to take turns leading family home evening, we still have plenty of lesson ideas in the binder if they choose to use it.

It's easy to update our lesson notebook whenever we read the Church magazines. We cut, copy, and save as we go so we are always prepared for family night.

Seems pretty easy.  Perhaps we can get a binder going and make FHE a more regular thing in our house. (Note: the fact that it's not a regular thing is my fault ... need to work on that)

What have you done with your life?

I was just going through a stack of papers in my work bag and came across a church program from June 14, 2009. On it, I had jotted down a brief story that one of the speakers shared since I felt it offered an important perspective on life.  I won't get it totally right here but you'll get the message. In her talk, the speaker told the story of a woman who had had a number of hardships in her life ("bad" parents, many challenges, etc). After she died, she went before Christ and He asked her "what have you done with your life?" She got really aggravated with the question and pointed to all the hardships and obstacles from her life. Then Christ clarified, "what have you done with your life with what you've been given?"  And she understood.

Ya right!

Sometimes I get down on things but it's important to keep perspective, remember our blessings, and realize that things could be way worse.  Here's a humorous cartoon that a co-worker that sent me as a reminder.

LDS material for kids

I just came across two resources for kids that I thought I'd file away for future reference.  The first are illustrated scripture stories and the second is the Friend web site.  Here is another web site that my wife used the other day.

The Mormons in India

Just read an interesting article regarding Mormons in India.  There are about 7,500 Mormons in the country - a very small minority of the population but continuing to grow.  I was also surprised to hear of statements that there will be a temple in New Delhi at some point in the future.

More Holiness Give Me

Hymn #131 in the LDS Hymn Book is called "More Holiness Give Me".  Here are the lyrics:

More holiness give me, More strivings within,

More patience in suff'ring, More sorrow for sin,

More faith in my Savior, More sense of his care,

More joy in his service, More purpose in prayer.

More gratitude give me, More trust in the Lord,

More pride in his glory, More hope in his word,

More tears for his sorrows, More pain at his grief,

More meekness in trial, More praise for relief.

More purity give me, More strength to o'ercome,

More freedom from earthstains, More longing for home.

More fit for the kingdom, More used would I be,

More blessed and holy--More, Savior, like thee.

I was just reminded of this hymn by an old church program that I found in a stack of papers.  I had marked the closing hymn on the program since the lyrics accurately captured what I often long for these days.

Hope: The Misunderstood Sister

In the June 2009 issue of the Ensign, there was a good article entitled "Hope: The Misunderstood Sister". The by-line for the article is "Hope is anything but wishful. It is expectation based on experience." Here are some excerpts:

I think of them as three famous sisters whose names are frequently linked, always in the same order: Faith, Hope, and Charity. They are mentioned several times in the New Testament and with remarkable frequency in the Book of Mormon.

Of the three, Faith may be the most well known and popular, the one whose companionship is sought most often. She’s active and energetic, definitely the can-do type. Faith can move mountains, if necessary.

I picture Charity as being modest and refined, beautiful and gracious. In her presence you feel genuinely loved and accepted. She’s unfailingly kind and generous, patient, empathetic, aware of every need, and responsive without being asked. How could you not want the companionship of someone like Charity?

Then there’s Hope, who seems to have a problem with the way people perceive her. It may be her name and the way it’s commonly used: “I hope the car passes inspection.” Or, “I hope the weather will be nice for the wedding.” Used this way, the word hope is the verbal equivalent of keeping your fingers crossed. Consequently, many seem to think Hope is unsure, even fickle—she may or may not grace you with her companionship. But surely that’s not the kind of hope our Father in Heaven commands us to have. Nor would it be the kind of hope our Savior offers...

When we endure tribulation with faith and patience, what we experience is the Savior’s awareness of us and His love for us. We experience them through the ministrations of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. We receive this witness after the trial of our faith (see Ether 12:6).

In my own life, when I patiently endure trials, the Savior, who took upon Himself all of our ills and sorrows (see Alma 7:11–12), ministers to me through the Spirit. I experience the Savior’s tender mercies. My trials may continue, but having taken upon me the yoke of Christ, I find Him sharing my yoke, making my burdens bearable, and giving me hope. I then have strength to endure. I have assurance that all will be made right, not just in eternity but also for eternity. Hope is anything but wishful. It is expectation based on experience.

I see Hope more clearly now. She is serene. Her eyes have the deep, knowing look of someone well acquainted with sorrow, the luminosity of recently being wet with tears. Hope has the confidence of one who clearly sees a bright future even when the next hours seem fog shrouded. Hope is steady and strong, a friend I am glad to have beside me during my own trials.

Run and Not Be Weary

In the June 2009 issue of the Ensign, there was a good article containing testimonies of the Word of Wisdom.

Home-teaching - June 2009

For June, the home-teaching message in the Ensign was entitled "Prayer and the Blue Horizon" (link). Here are the excerpts that I circled:

In order to get an airplane off the ground, you must create lift. In aerodynamics, lift happens when air passes over the wings of an airplane in such a way that the pressure underneath the wing is greater than the pressure above the wing. When the upward lift exceeds the downward pull of gravity, the plane rises from the ground and achieves flight.

In a similar way, we can create lift in our spiritual life. When the force that is pushing us heavenward is greater than the temptations and distress that drag us downward, we can ascend and soar into the realm of the Spirit...

Prayer is one of the principles of the gospel that provides lift. Prayer has the power to elevate us from our worldly cares, to lift us up through clouds of despair and darkness into a bright and clear horizon...

Prayers that ascend beyond the ceiling are those that are heartfelt and avoid trite repetitions or words spoken with little thought. Our prayers should spring from our deepest yearning to be one with our Father in Heaven ... If you ever feel you cannot pray, that is the time you definitely need to pray, exercising faith...

Are prayers answered? I testify that they are. Can we receive divine help, wisdom, and support from heavenly realms? Again, I testify with certainty that such is the case ... The answers to our prayers come in the Lord’s due time...

Daily simple, sincere, and mighty prayers lift our lives to a higher spiritual altitude. In our prayers we praise God, give thanks to Him, confess weaknesses, petition needs, and express deep devotion to our Heavenly Father. As we make this spiritual effort in the name of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, we are endowed with increased inspiration, revelation, and righteousness, which bring the brightness of heaven into our lives...

In the same way that aerodynamic lift can transport us above the outer storms of the world, I know that the principles of spiritual lift can take us above the inner storms of life.

Home-teaching

In the LDS Church, every family is assigned a pair of "home teachers" who are responsible for their temporal and spirtual welfare - more on this topic here. It's a responsibility that I try to take very seriously. Writing about it briefly here mostly to archive that link.

Home-teaching - May 2009

For May, I selected this General Conference talk as my home-teaching message (link).  Here are the excerpts that I highligted:

True faith must be centered in Jesus Christ. “Faith is a principle of action and of power” (Bible Dictionary, 670). It requires us to do, not merely to believe. Faith is a spiritual gift from God that comes through the Holy Ghost. It requires a correct understanding and knowledge of Jesus Christ, His divine attributes and perfect character, His teachings, Atonement, Resurrection, and priesthood power. Obedience to these principles develops complete trust in Him and His ordained servants and assurance of His promised blessings ...

“Strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ” (Bible Dictionary, 669). Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: “Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness. It is always given when righteousness is present, and the greater the measure of obedience to God’s laws the greater will be the endowment of faith” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 264). If we desire more faith, we must be more obedient ...

Personal righteousness is a choice. Faith is a gift from God, and one possessed of it can receive enormous spiritual power ... Faith and fear cannot coexist. One gives way to the other ...

We do have a choice. We get what we focus on consistently. Because there is an opposition in all things, there are forces that erode our faith. Some are the result of Satan’s direct influence. But for others, we have no one but ourselves to blame. These stem from personal tendencies, attitudes, and habits we can learn to change. I will refer to these influences as the “Six Destructive Ds.” As I do, consider their influence on you or your children.

First is doubt. Doubt is not a principle of the gospel. It does not come from the Light of Christ or the influence of the Holy Ghost. Doubt is a negative emotion related to fear. It comes from a lack of confidence in one’s self or abilities. It is inconsistent with our divine identity as children of God.

Doubt leads to discouragement. Discouragement comes from missed expectations. Chronic discouragement leads to lower expectations, decreased effort, weakened desire, and greater difficulty feeling and following the Spirit (see Preach My Gospel [2004], 10). Discouragement and despair are the very antithesis of faith.

Discouragement leads to distraction, a lack of focus. Distraction eliminates the very focus the eye of faith requires. Discouragement and distraction are two of Satan’s most effective tools, but they are also bad habits.

Distraction leads to a lack of diligence, a reduced commitment to remain true and faithful and to carry on through despite hardship and disappointment. Disappointment is an inevitable part of life, but it need not lead to doubt, discouragement, distraction, or lack of diligence.

If not reversed, this path ultimately leads to disobedience, which undermines the very basis of faith. So often the result is disbelief, the conscious or unconscious refusal to believe.

The scriptures describe disbelief as the state of having chosen to harden one’s heart. It is to be past feeling.

These Six Destructive Ds—doubt, discouragement, distraction, lack of diligence, disobedience, and disbelief—all erode and destroy our faith. We can choose to avoid and overcome them.

Challenging times require greater spiritual power. Consider carefully the Savior’s promise: “If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me” (Moroni 7:33).

Home-teaching - April 2009

Each month, I print out the home-teaching message from the Ensign and mark the parts of the article (or talk) that I think are the most pertinent. It occurred to me that it might be useful to capture those excerpts on my blog so I'm going to do it from here forward. The home-teaching message for April was from President Henry B. Eyring and it's called "Teaching True Doctrine" (link).  The portions that I highlighted are:

There has been a war between light and darkness, between good and evil, since before the world was created. The battle still rages, and the casualties seem to be increasing. All of us have family members we love who are being buffeted by the forces of the destroyer, who would make all of God’s children miserable. For many of us, there have been sleepless nights. We have tried to add every force for good we can to the powers swirling around the people who are at risk. We have loved them. We have set the best example we could. We have pled in prayer for them. A wise prophet long ago gave us counsel about another force which we may at times underestimate and thus use too little ...

Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God” (Alma 31:5). The word of God is the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ and by His prophets ...

The need to open eyes and hearts tells us how we must teach doctrine. Doctrine gains its power as the Holy Ghost confirms that it is true. We prepare those we teach, as best we can, to receive the quiet promptings of the still, small voice. That takes at least some faith in Jesus Christ. It takes at least some humility, some willingness to surrender to the Savior’s will for us. The person you would help may have little of either, but you can urge that he or she desire to believe. More than that, you can take confidence from another of the powers of doctrine. Truth can prepare its own way. Simply hearing the words of doctrine can plant the seed of faith in the heart. And even a tiny seed of faith in Jesus Christ invites the Spirit ...

Because we need the Holy Ghost, we must be cautious and careful not to go beyond teaching true doctrine ... One of the surest ways to avoid even getting near false doctrine is to choose to be simple in our teaching ... We can teach even a child to understand the doctrine of Jesus Christ. It is therefore possible, with God’s help, to teach the saving doctrine simply.

We have the greatest opportunity with the young. The best time to teach is early, while children are still immune to the temptations of their mortal enemy and long before the words of truth may be harder for them to hear in the noise of their personal struggles ...

The question should not be whether we are too tired to prepare to teach doctrine or whether it would be better to draw a child closer by just having fun or whether the child is beginning to think that we preach too much. The question must be, “With so little time and so few opportunities, what words of doctrine from me will fortify them against the attacks on their faith which are sure to come?” The words you speak today may be the ones they remember. And today will soon be gone ...

Two doubts may creep into your mind. You may wonder if you know the doctrine well enough to teach it. And if you have already tried to teach it, you may wonder why you can’t see much of good effect.

Seldom right but never in doubt

Our CEO at work has a great saying. He says that there are some people who are "seldom right but never in doubt". Certainly, self-confidence is important. But sometimes it can hold us back from approaching situations with an open-mind, listening attentively, and being willing to say "I don't know" or "I trust your opinion on this more than mine".

What does $1 trillion look like?

A little while ago, my brother-in-law DE posted me to this interesting analysis that helps put into perspective what $1 trillion (i.e., the rough size of our stimulus package) looks like. Scary stuff.