tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18091471235863800272024-03-13T04:14:03.424-07:00LDS SOF HandbookBlog for the Priesthood MEN who are ready to "arise from the dust and be MEN" (2 Nephi 1:21)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-3734011651194253402015-03-16T12:00:00.001-07:002015-03-16T12:00:34.628-07:00The Body and the Spirit are the Soul of Man<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">I was asked by the Bishop to give a ten minute talk in Sacrament Meeting on the importance of being Physically Prepared. The principle is based on a goal that we set as a bishopric 5 years ago and is summed up in this 'Mission Statement' that we created.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><u>So here is the body of the talk that I gave...hope it's useful. I didn't write the whole thing out...but most of it is here.</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Suppose
for a moment that you were suddenly given the car of your dreams.
Whatever it is that you dream of driving…it’s now yours. Ferrari, Lotus,
Grave Digger, Mini Cooper, M1 Abrams Tank…it’s your car, it’s in pristine
condition and It is beautiful!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Now
if you are like me, the first thing you’d do it hop in that car and take
off! Go for a drive. Those of you with the Ferrari’s are most
likely imagining yourselves on the autobahn driving at amazing speeds, feeling
the wind in your hair and enjoying the European countryside. If you have
something with 4WD, your in the mountains splashing in the mud and enjoying the
power climbing red rocks and having a blast. If you got a motorcycle like
me and you are racing down winding mountain roads...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Now
I'd like </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">you
to consider what you would do to take care of such an amazing gift. Would
you wash it regularly? Would you maintain it on a scheduled routine, changing
oil and making sure to keep it running smooth? Of course you would.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Would you EVER consider
doing something to this car that might cause it lasting damage?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Would
you dump turpentine on the hood or a milkshake in the back seat? Would
you even think about driving it out of the garage without any oil in the
engine? How about using Vegetable oil in it…it’s still oil right?
Would you pour sugar into the gas tank and expect it to run properly?</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Of course you wouldn't, it would
permanently ruin that car right?</span></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Now hold that thought and
think about this…</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">As
members of Christ’s restored Church we've received special witness to the
amazing nature of God’s plan of salvation. We know where we came from, we
know why we are here and we know where we are going after this life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">We
also know that God has given us some </span><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">amazing gifts</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> as part of this
plan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Ask
any primary aged child “Why we are here?” and they can answer you right off the
bat “To get a body and to be tested….duh.”</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A body and agency</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">! Two of the
greatest gifts that we have been blessed with by our heavenly father!
WOW!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Thinking
back to the gift of a car, allow me to ask: So what are we doing with those
gifts from Heavenly Father?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">How
are we using our agency? And what are we doing with our bodies? How well are we
maintaining these gifts?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">The
bishop has asked me to focus my remarks on the latter. How are we being
“Physically Prepared” for life and for eternity.</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Before I get to far into my
comments I want to make a couple of things very clear.</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">1)
I know that for any individual to get fit and be healthy requires that that
individual be very motivated. My sincere hope today is to help you find
ways to be motivated…</span><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">NOT WAYS</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> to feel bad about
yourself. We are all brothers and sisters and we are all here to help each
other. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">2)
It is also important to clarify that the standards of fitness vary from person
to person. People are built differently and MOST of us will never look like
models. What matters is that we are doing our personal best to be
healthy and fit. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So let’s talk about being Physically
prepared.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
From the document that the Bishop indicated, we’ve divided this physical prep
into four sub-categories that we hope to teach and address throughout the
coming year.<br />
</span><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A) Live the
Word of Wisdom</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">B) Be
healthy and fit</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">C)
Honest, hard work</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">D) Save
money for resources and emergencie</span></b><span style="color: #5f497a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">s</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">You
may ask “So what?”…we believe that one day we’ll pass on, we’ll be resurrected
and have glorified bodies anyway…so why worry so much about being physically
prepared? You may even think to yourself “Isn't spiritual preparation
more important anyway?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">I’d
like to focus my comments to address this question and hope to help you see and
understand </span><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">WHY</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> this matters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">The
simple answer is illustrated with this quote from US Olympian and Army General
George S. Patton who is quoted as saying </span><i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“An active mind
cannot exist in an inactive body.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> I've modified this statement a bit
to add </span><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“An active mind and spirit cannot exist
in an inactive body”.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">D&C 88:15</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> reads </span><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“The
spirit and the body are the soul of man”</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> this is a section that talks about how
we obtain resurrection and celestial peace and this short verse teaches a
priceless doctrine.<br />
</span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Our spirit and our body cannot be happy
without each other.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">
together they are our SOUL. Physical peace is not attained without the
spiritual influence and spiritual enlightenment cannot be achieved without
the body. Just like Gen. Patton said "An active mind (and spirit) cannot
exist in an inactive body". </span><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">They are
designed by the divine creator to work together</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Not
too long ago I had some concerns that I was trying to figure out, and as I
pondered what to do, I decided to go for a lunchtime run. So I’m out
running and as normally happens it starts hurting. I’m pushing
hard and eventually reach a point where my muscles are sore, my side hurts and
all my body wants to do is quit. That is when the spirit takes over,
drives you forward and keeps you moving. As this happened I suddenly knew what to
do about my problem. The solution came to me like the clouds parting and
the sun shining through. It was awesome! I believe I had a personal
revelation at that point and it’s happened many times while I’m doing something
physical outdoors.</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This is one of the keys to
understanding the relationship between body and spirit.</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> Isn't that
one reason why we fast? To allow our spirit an opportunity to control and
dominate the physical body...sort of show it who's the boss. But our
spirit could never have that experience without the body.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">The
two cannot be complete on their own. They need each other. It’s
like a marriage. One compliments the other…and</span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> neither can attain celestial glory without the other</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> With
that doctrine in mind…consider how we tend to treat our bodies as latter day
saints. We ALL know we could be healthier and more diligent in doing
our maintenance on this celestial gift.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Of
course this is not easy. It was never meant to be. IF it was easy,
it would not be worth doing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">In
D&C 59: 16-20 we are told:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> 16 ...</span><b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">the fullness of the
earth is yours...</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> 18 Yea,
<b>all things which come of the earth...are made for the benefit and the use of
man</b>, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> 19 ...to
strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> 20 And
<b>it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this
end were they made to be </b></span><b><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">used</span></u></b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">.</span></div>
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<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Heavenly
Father gave us this great big beautiful world to use and enjoy, not to watch
from afar, but to get out and <b>DO</b>…</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">In
the Duty to God program that our Young Men participate in, there is a pattern
of Learning, Acting and Sharing... I like to call it "Learn, DO,
Share" I believe that this is teaching us a Valuable pattern in that
we must combine Learning (Mental) with DOING (Physical) and then the Sharing
(Spiritual) is more effective and is strengthened.</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> In
the October General Conferernce in 2014 Elder Jörg Klebingat taught us:</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">"Take
responsibility for your own physical well-being. Your soul consists of your
body and spirit (see <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/88.15?lang=eng#14"><span style="color: #047ac6; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">D&C 88:15</span></a>). </span><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Feeding
the spirit while neglecting the body, which is a temple, usually leads to
spiritual dissonance and lowered self-esteem…(“Go find balance” Mr. Miyagi)</span></b></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Elder
Klebingat goes on to quote Pres. Packer:</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">President
Boyd K. Packer has taught </span><i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“that our
spirit and our body are combined in such a way that our body becomes an
instrument of our mind and the foundation of our character”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> <sup>(“The
Instrument of Your Mind and the Foundation of Your Character” [Church
Educational System fireside, Feb. 2, 2003], 2; </sup><a href="http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=180"><sup><span style="color: #047ac6; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">speeches.byu.edu</span></sup></a><sup>).</sup>
Therefore, please use good judgment in what and </span><b><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">especially
how much you eat</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">,
and regularly give your body the exercise it needs </span><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">and
deserves</span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">."</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Some
may now be saying "OK...so where do I start?"</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">One
of my biggest frustrations in starting out with a fitness plan was WHERE TO
START? What information to believe? some of it even seemed to be
conflicting...one person will tell you that running is the best thing you can
do...then another will tell you that running will make you a cripple...who do
you believe?</span></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">First of all, we have people in our ward that are involved with all kinds of activities. Running, biking, climbing, hiking, weight lifting, crossfit, etc...nearly any activity you can think of, there is someone sitting here right now that can help you get started. I'm sure than ANY of them would be thrilled to share their experience with you.</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">I
did a brief search on just what the Church had available and found a lot of information
on the church's web site in the Provident Living section on being physically
fit and healthy, there were even links to Ensign articles on how to start an
exercise program, how to incorporate weight training into your exercise program
and how to eat healthier. There are pamplets on creating balanced
diets.<br />
<a href="http://providentliving.org/self-reliance/health?lang=eng"><span style="color: #047ac6; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">http://providentliving.org/self-reliance/health?lang=eng</span></a><br />
<a href="https://www.lds.org/young-men/duty-to-god/deacon/health/learn?lang=eng"><span style="color: #047ac6; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.lds.org/young-men/duty-to-god/deacon/health/learn?lang=eng</span></a><br />
For the Strength of Youth and other youth programs have ideas of where you can
start as well.<br />
<a href="https://www.lds.org/youth/for-the-strength-of-youth/physical-and-emotional-health?lang=eng"><span style="color: #047ac6; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.lds.org/youth/for-the-strength-of-youth/physical-and-emotional-health?lang=eng</span></a><br />
the most important thing is to just get started on something. Get
going...you can always move on to something else as you move along.</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Keys
to success:<br />
1. Find an activity you enjoy or you won't do it. <br />
2. Motivation<br />
3. Find someone to help you (motivation, report to)<br />
4. Don't get discouraged. You will make mistakes. Learn from them.</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">5.
Make the Lord your partner. Pray for motivation and strength.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Flh4.ggpht.com%2F-NJdQKADiyxA%2FVQcm79hJc9I%2FAAAAAAAAGrg%2Fp87w8AmYnaA%2Fs640%2F2015-03-16%2525252012.53.23.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://lh4.ggpht.com/-NJdQKADiyxA/VQcm79hJc9I/AAAAAAAAGrg/p87w8AmYnaA/s640/2015-03-16%25252012.53.23.jpg" -->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-34188805560298524622015-02-27T09:45:00.000-08:002015-02-27T09:45:05.851-08:00Most Useful Skill? or The Value of Wood ShopThe other night my son, who is a senior in high school, and I were talking about going to college. He was commenting that he felt like he wasn't really learning anything useful in high school...and that it seemed that all high school was good for was to get you admitted to college where you'd learn real skills.<br />
<br /><br />
We debated that back and forth and he finally asked me "Dad, tell me one skill you learned in high school that you still use today."<br />
<br /><br />
I had to think for a while, but I finally came up with an answer...<br />
<br /><br />
You ready for it?<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The skills I learned in high school, that I still use today...were all learned in...<br />
<br /><br />
<strong><u>Shop class.</u></strong><br />
<strong><u><br /></u></strong><br />
Using tools. <br />
<br /><br />
Repairing engines. <br />
<br /><br />
Electrical wiring. <br />
<br /><br />
All those kinds of skills I learned from my dad, but I refined them in shop classes. I use them almost daily in my life doing repairs around the house, fixing kids bikes, maintaining cars, lawn mowers, etc...<br />
<br /><br />
What is truly sad about that is that when I was a kid, shop was required. Now it's mostly disappeared from the curriculum in favor of more 'academic' pursuits.<br />
<br /><br />
So I want to post the question to you. What is the skill you learned in high school that you've found that you use most in life?<br />
<br /><br />
<em>(Post answers in the comments.)</em>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-92088233727096547652015-02-06T07:35:00.000-08:002015-02-06T07:35:27.809-08:00Being Offended<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Men don’t get offended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Angry maybe, irritated at times and when things get really bad we might
knock some heads a bit to prove a point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But we don’t get offended.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why don’t true men get offended?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Being offended is a choice</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s an excuse made by people to cover up for
their failures and shortcomings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
human nature…if I can blame my faults on somebody else offending me, then I
don’t have to own that weakness or make effort to overcome it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
For example…somebody says something that hurts my feelings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can do one of two things: a) Fix it so that
my feelings aren’t hurt by resolving the situation or I can b) allow those
feelings to fester and rot my soul while I wallow and self pity and blame that
other person for offending me to justify that feeling. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Which do you think is the manlier approach?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn’t it obvious?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So we can agree that true men simply don’t get offended
because they <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>choose</u></b> not to
be.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Elder David A. Bednar gave a great talk about this <a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/10/and-nothing-shall-offend-them?lang=eng">here.</a> If
you’ve not read that talk…I highly recommend you do before you read the rest of
this post.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In light of that knowledge that being offended is a
conscious choice, I’d ask…</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do we really believe that the Holy Ghost can so easily
get offended?</span></u></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You hear people say it all the time. “Don’t do things that
offend the spirit”… I wonder at times if we really understand what we are
saying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because it sounds to me like we
are saying that the third member of the Godhead who has seen EVERYTHING and I mean
EVERYTHING (good and bad) from the beginning of existence…we are saying that
this very powerful man of spirit is so easily offended that he storms off like
a small child and pouts every time we do something slightly/potentially
offensive.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I honestly don’t think we really mean that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do we?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Holy Ghost is a man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We know this because the scriptures refer to HIM as a HE and modern
revelation has told us plainly that he is a “spirit man”.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Holy Ghost has been around since the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has witnessed humanity at its worst.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has personally been a participant in some
of the most horrendous and wicked times in the history of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has been there to uplift and comfort good
men and women in their times of crisis and need and he has stood by the father
when the worst in mankind has perpetrated evil across the globe. He has been
there to offer courage to the righteous and help them to battle overwhelming
odds of evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was there as they
crucified the Savior of the world, and was personal witness to some of the
greatest wickedness mankind could perpetrate as he comforted Mormon during the
last days of the Nephites.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t think that when I stumble and make a mistake (i.e. I
hit my thumb with a hammer and curse) that it hurts his feelings so bad that he
leaves me alone because he’s been offended. I don’t think he abandon’s me when I
walk into a casino to get to my hotel, or when I’ve ended up in the wrong part of town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just don’t believe that
happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact personal experience
tells me that it doesn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The spirit is
with me as long as I personally try to keep him with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been in some dicey places and I’ve never
felt the spirit ‘leave’ me…I have felt the warning alert from it that I need to
remove myself from that place, but he’s never left me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Scriptures tell us that the spirit of God strives with us to help us do the
right things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>STRIVE</u></b> is a word that says that he works hard on a constant
basis and does not give up very easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Those of us who have received the Gift of the Holy Ghost…have the
blessing of that “STRIVING” companionship <u>all of the time</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a missionary I saw him striving with
people who had not yet received that gift, because they were tuned-in and had
“Ears to hear”.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That, I believe, is the key to understanding the spirit…it
is that we have to <u>actively listen</u>. That is also the key to the idea of
having the spirit removed from us is that we actively STOP listening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We deny the spirit…and that is what gets us
into trouble.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
I don’t think that the Holy Ghost ever stops ‘striving’ with us…but I do think
that we ignorantly stop listening to him<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">(OK…I will
admit that when we are wicked enough, and we are beyond hearing, that he does
stop ‘striving’ <u>as much</u>…but only after giving monumental effort to break
through…and even after he’s not <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘striving’ as much he still waits and watches
for an opening to come back in…he’s very clever that way.)</span></span></i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When we make choices that begin to deaden our spiritual
sensitivity, we slowly stop hearing what he is saying to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stop trusting that he has anything of
value to teach us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We lean into our own
understanding, trust the arm of flesh, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and cease to hearken to the spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We just tune him out. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He does not get offended…we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We take offense to the things of God and
don’t want to hear them anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the
Holy Ghost does not give up on us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s
still there…I don’t think we can drive him off that easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s a pretty tough dude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is US that choose to be offended and stop
listening…not him.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The good news about this is, that if we will be humble and
listen to him, we <u>will</u> HEAR him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
doesn’t take much to invite him into our lives because I don’t think he’s all
that far away most of the time anyway…remember we are the ones that stray…not him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have to focus our focus and listen to
him<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to invite the spirit into our
lives…not the other way around.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know that I’m kind of going against the ‘traditional
grain’ of gospel teaching...I just think that there is a better, more positive
way to teach people about the Holy Ghost and what this gift truly means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think that he gives up on us as
easily as we imply sometimes and I really do think that it’s on us to listen to
him better. We need to know how to listen better.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So rather than focus our teaching on the external things we should
not do that “drive away the spirit”…maybe we ought to focus on training people
on HOW to listen and hear the Holy Ghost and understand that it takes some
practice to hear, and then to continue to hear takes effort and that they need to focus inward. The effort is well worth
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe we’d have fewer people wander
into dark paths if we’d stop telling them all the wrong they are doing and
rather focus on encouraging the right things they are doing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stop telling people all the ways they are
‘offending’ the spirit and help them to find ways to hear him when they need him the most
because he is there in there darkest hours, if they will actively listen...even if they have done something wrong...he still speaks to them, urging them to fix the mistake and apply the atonement in their lives.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know that is what I’m going to teach in my calling and in
my home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>
NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS</strong></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-29095956369498689462015-01-27T14:13:00.004-08:002015-01-28T09:05:31.168-08:00My Smart Phone Is Making Me Stupid<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Help! My smart phone is making me stupid!<br />
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I recently was upgraded at work to the Samsung Galaxy S5. It’s a sweet phone. I can access nearly everything. I have both my work and personal email accounts accesable on there. I have some great fitness apps to track my calories, workouts, mileage…it even takes my pulse! I can get up to date, local weather forecasts and even animated weather maps for anywhere in the world. I have instant access to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter…you name it! Don’t even get me started on the camera! I have a photo and video suite in my pocket. I have the entire Gospel Library in there and have access to decdes of conference talks and church videos.<br />
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It’s truly the Tricorder from Star Trek come to life!<br />
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It’s a great device…and I hate it.<br />
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I like to think that I’m relatively in control of my technology use. I don’t put a lot of stuff out there (social networks). I don’t play video games or spend a lot of time surfing the net. I’m a fairly moderate tech user…but I’m finding more and more that I can’t seem to go anywhere without this device. I find myself checking email and social networks with greater frequency. I get antsy when I forget to take my phone somewhere and think that if I don’t use it to track my running and workouts that I’m going to miss out on vital information. What really got me thinking about this today though, is that whenever I walk somewhere, I have to pull it out of my pocket and check to see if I have any notifications.<br />
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I’m starting to feel somewhat enslaved by it…and that’s not good. <br />
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I also feel like I’m remembering things less and less. I think this is occurring because I can put reminders on my phone and it remembers for me. Only, it’s easy to ignore those reminders and I forget anyway. I don’t like feeling like my brain is locked into this device.<br />
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What to do?<br />
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I decided that I needed to come up with some ways to combat this growing reliance on technology. Here are a few things that I’ve come up with that I plan to implement:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Only check social networks once a day. I don’t post much and if I miss a thing or two…it’s bound to come back from someone else. I also need to “un-friend” people who post meaningless stuff that truly is a waste of time. It’s nothing personal…I still like you in real life…there is just too much being shared out there and I honestly don’t want to know that your puppy is cute or that your child pooped today…or…you get the idea.</li>
<li>Quit tracking my running automatically with Strava. It’s cool and everything….but I liked it better when I had to map out my run and know how far I was running then I timed myself and actually did math to figure out my pace. I feel more in control that way. Besides, I get to play with maps and that is cool! </li>
<li>Likewise, I’m not using my music player as much when I run. I like the music, but I also like to just hear my thoughts, the beating of my heart, the pounding of my feet and the sheer joy of the effort. It lets me be more in the moment.</li>
<li>Only access internet when I really need too. It’s too easy to go off on tangents. Get on, do what you need to do, and get off.</li>
<li>Read more out of REAL BOOKS. E-books are really cool but there is just something about having a book that is simply cooler. Same goes for scriptures.</li>
<li>Take handwritten notes on paper. Make sure to doodle on the paper…my notes make more sense that way. </li>
<li>Leave my phone sometimes. When I’m in the house, I don’t need to carry it with me. Even at work sometimes I can leave it behind. </li>
<li>Clean up my email accounts and get off a lot of junk mail lists.</li>
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The way I see it, my phone is a tool. A tool for my benefit and not my detriment. I need to use it as such. I don’t want to be one of those walking dead who never look up from their device because their entire life is contained on it. I want to look up, see what is around me and enjoy the awesomeness that is life.<br />
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<b>NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-17686497552859912162014-10-29T14:08:00.004-07:002014-10-29T14:22:35.804-07:00Fighting False BeliefsIn my area we are experiencing a phenomenon that I don’t think is isolated. It is that young people find facts out about Church history and such that catch them off guard and they feel “betrayed” and start to question their beliefs and then delve into a lot of misinformation or incorrectly portrayed facts about the Church…mostly published by people opposed to the LDS Faith…and these kids slowly and quietly slip away from faith and fall into apostasy.<br />
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There are tons of examples…here are a few: <br />
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<li>Joseph Smith practiced polygamy, even with married women</li>
<li>There never was a revelation that Black people could not hold the priesthood</li>
<li>Women used to be able to pass the sacrament</li>
<li>Joseph Smith used a seer stone to aid in translating a large portion of the Book of Mormon</li>
<li><i>There are many, many others...</i></li>
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Kids hear about this stuff for the first time from sources other than Church and when they bring it up in a Church setting, they are shot down by adults who don’t know how to deal with the questions…and these kids feel lied too.<br />
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In my area we are swimming in this problem.<br />
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I know it is a growing problem, simply because the Church is taking notice and has started to publish articles here <a href="https://www.lds.org/topics?lang=eng">https://www.lds.org/topics?lang=eng</a> (If the link doesn’t work, simply go to the Church’s web site <a href="http://www.lds.org/">www.lds.org</a> click on “Teachings” on the top bar and then select “Gospel Topics”) On this site, you can find information on a variety of topics that are very well written and even faith affirming. Unfortunately many people don’t know about this site (or worse, feel it is some kind of personal apostasy to delve into such things).<br />
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It is important to fight knowledge with knowledge. Our teachers and adult leaders need to be trained in dealing with these topics and how to handle questions that arise. I don’t argue with this stance at all. (the youth can detect a fraud…and they will know if you are buffaloing them)<br />
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I do however have a concern that few people seem to be addressing and it is this: that the REAL tool to combat this misinformation are the solid spiritual experiences that occur privately through prayer and study. No amount of knowledge can contradict the deep personal conviction that comes from a witness of the Holy Ghost.<br />
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Moroni promised:<br />
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<i>“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” </i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Moroni 10:5</span><br />
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The Holy Ghost bears witness to truth in a way that NO body of human knowledge can. A witness of the spirit is the only way to really have a convincing knowledge of truth. <br />
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It is through the Holy Ghost that a personal witness of the Book of Mormon is manifest. If you have that knowledge that the Book of Mormon is true…then it stands to reason that Joseph Smith (Flaws, human weakness’ and ALL) was a prophet. If he was a prophet then ALL that he revealed is true.<br />
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With that embedded testimony of the truth…you then read all this ‘stuff’ out there and are relatively unfazed by it…and you might even be strengthened by the fact that God uses flawed people to carry forward His very perfect work. That certainly gives me hope that with all my weakness’ and failings, I can be a tool in the hands of the Lord to bring His work to pass and bless others.<br />
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Look at Alma. He was a BAD BOY…he saw an Angel and had visions…but it wasn’t until he personally fasted and prayed that he obtained a testimony.<br />
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<i>“Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.”</i> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Alma 5:46</span><br />
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The KNOWLEDGE he obtained by vision and angelic visitors did NOT give him a testimony…but that still small voice of the Holy Ghost that came in personal moments is where his knowledge of truth was obtained.<br />
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The opposite of this is Laman and Lemuel. They had similar angelic visits and visions…but they failed to obtain a testimony.<br />
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Nephi writes: <i>“And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?<br /><br />And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.”</i> <span style="font-size: x-small;">1 Nephi 15:8-9</span><br />
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Laman and Lemuel were unwilling to pray and exercise faith and as a consequence they did not obtain a testimony. Eventually the vacillated and fell away from the truth.<br />
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This is what I see happening around me today. Young men and women who are unwilling or afraid to feed their faith. What keeps them from doing this? Maybe they are not taught to do this in their home, maybe it’s peer pressure, maybe they are afraid of the answer, maybe it’s an unresolved sin, maybe they know the answer but don’t want to believe and are ‘kicking against the pricks’…or maybe they just don’t know how to do it.<br />
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To be honest, no ward activity, no youth discussion, no priesthood lesson…will “give” them a testimony. They have to go and get it themselves. It’s a simple formula but one that strikes fear into the hearts of people. I saw this as a missionary. One of the hardest things to get people to do was to read, ponder and pray. They were so afraid to pray but when they did, miracles would happen! <br />
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All we can hope to do as youth leaders and advisors is to provide opportunities for people to feel the spirit and then we hope and pray that they will feel that influence strongly enough to try to change the course of their lives. To learn to trust their Heavenly Father and know that He will be there when they need Him.<br />
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Ultimately the MOST POWERFUL place to do this is in the home. Parents, it is your most basic job to teach the gospel to your children and to help them feel and recognize the Holy Ghost. NOBODY else can replace a good parent. Where there isn’t this kind of example in the home, Church leaders can try to compensate, but it isn’t nearly as effective…that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try.<br />
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So maybe we need to take a step back from trying to PROVE that things are true…and ask like Nephi “Have ye inquired of the Lord?”<br />
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<b>NO FEAR - NO WHINING - NO REGRETS</b></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-6358495648736168732014-10-20T14:11:00.000-07:002014-10-20T14:11:28.548-07:00The "Low-Testosterone" DebateWe are hammered by it on a daily basis! Testosterone therapy is the new miracle fountain of youth for middle aged men. Feel fatigued, unhealthy, low sex-drive? Take a pill, use a gel, get a shot…and you will feel young again, heal faster and have more energy! It’s amazing! Right?!?<br /><br />But should you really do it? If you are like me, you are cautious about using a substance to fix something that may or may not be broken. I don’t like to take medication that I really don’t know much about. Well, never fear! I did the work for you and am going to report on it here. (I mentioned this briefly in a previous post, but felt like it deserved a bit more room.)<br /><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />In short, taking an artificial testosterone supplement is a TERRIBLE idea! For 99% of us it is totally unnecessary and might even be dangerous! (there are some who have a diagnosable problem and for them this is a great medical breakthrough.)<br /><br />I’ll explain why in a bit.<br /><br />First of all let me say that it is somewhat normal for your body to produce less T (testosterone) as you age. You can slow this though with some lifestyle changes. So let’s address a few things in this blog. 1) How can you tell if your T is low? 2) Why don’t I want to supplement my T with supplements? 3) So how do I raise my T levels without supplements?<br /><br /><b>#1 So how can you tell if your T is low?</b><br /><br />The ads for supplements would like you to believe that if you feel tired that you need to buy their product. I had a relative ask me about that and I asked him “how much sleep are you getting at night?” he said about 5 hours. I said “that is why you are tired. Get more sleep and you’ll feel better.” Amazingly it worked! Most Americans do not get the amount of sleep that they need…still fatigue can be an indicator that your T isn’t where it ought to be.<br /><br />One other really simple test you can do on your own is this (I’m not trying to be graphic here) if you regularly wake up in a ‘state of arousal’ then you are probably fine. This should be happening naturally a few times a week. If it isn’t then you might be low.<br /><br />If you think you might be on the Low T scale, there is a blood test that your doctor can perform to determine if you are in need of some remedy. Which leads to the next question:<br /><br /><b>#2 Why should I avoid supplements?</b><br /><br />There are a few reasons for this:<br />a) There has been very little studying done on long term to determine side effects. There have been a few reported but extensive research is still not conclusive. That makes me leery. Some reported side effects are: acne, heart problems and difficulty sleeping.<br />b) Once you start taking a supplement, your body will stop making it on its own. So you can’t go off without experiencing some BAD side effects.<br />c) Lastly, there are really good ways to increase your natural testosterone production all on your own without spending a lot of money and taking artificial substances. Which leads us to #3<br /><br /><b>#3 How do I raise my T levels naturally?</b><br /><br />I already talked about the first one…<u>GET MORE SLEEP</u>. The average adult needs 7-8 hours of sleep. Some of us need less, some need more. I’ve found that my magic number is about 6-7. So get the rest you need for starters.<br /><br />Second, <u>get in shape</u>. Being overweight has VERY negative effects on T production and actually increases the amount of estrogen in our bodies (estrogen is the ‘woman’ hormone that women want more of and men don’t). So get exercising on a regular basis. If you need ideas see my posts on fitness. The other benefit of regular exercise is that you will sleep better at night. <br /><br />You also need to <u>eat right</u>. This is key not only to lose weight, but also to help in testosterone production. Men need protein and fat. Both of these things are key to your body’s ability to produce testosterone on its own. By FAT I mean natural fats and oils, and animal fats. Not the artificial fats. Cut as much sugar out of your diet as possible…you will be a happier/healthier person if you can do this.<br /><br /><u>Cut down on stress</u>. Stressing out produces CORTISOL. Cortisol is the sworn enemy of testosterone and has many harmful effects on your body. Cortisol can increase the production of estrogen. So learn to NOT WORRY so much, don’t stress so much. Learn to accept outcomes of your efforts and have some faith. God does not give us fear, or stress. He gives us faith and hope. Accept that gift from Him.<br /><br /><u>Avoid plastics</u> with BPA in them. It’s another estrogen producer.<br /><br />Have a <u>healthy sex life</u> (for married men). <u>Avoid Porn</u>. Some interesting studies have linked excessive porn use with decreased T levels and even infertility.<br /><br />Take <u>COLD showers</u>. I think this idea terrifies more men than anything else on my list. I am here to tell you it works! Besides it REALLY wakes you up in the morning! I LOVE taking a freezing cold shower!<br /><br />Lastly, <u>think manly thoughts</u>. Guys who foster cowardly, discouraging thoughts actually produce less T than guys who think more manly things.<br /><br />I did an experiment on myself with these things. I wasn’t necessarily LOW…but wondered if I’d notice a difference in how I felt if I tried to increase my T. After making some changes in my life I noticed BIG differences in how I felt, how strong I was, my energy levels and how I healed from injuries. I’ve never had my levels tested (mostly because I don’t want to pay for it), but feel pretty confident that they are much higher than previously. <br /><br />Bottom line, these remedies work! If we all were just healthier this probably wouldn’t be a problem. Of course, that could probably be said for many aliments that plague our age…if we just were more fit, ate better and generally took better care of our bodies…we’d be a healthier people in general. <br /><br />So get off the couch, turn off the TV and get moving. The time to get fit is NOW!<br /><b><br /></b><b>NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS</b><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-28311318817223248132014-10-09T12:33:00.000-07:002014-10-09T12:33:01.913-07:00Men's Fashion (snicker)I saw a piece the other day about Men’s Fashion and fall trends. It kind of made me laugh. The ‘trends’ that they were showing caused me to say “What kind of man would wear that?”.<br /><br />To be frank the term “men’s fashion” makes me sort of chuckle. Not that I don’t think that a guy should care about how he dresses and looks, because I do. I think it is very important. I also think that if you were to ask a guy what designer suit he is wearing, the correct answer should be “I don’t know”. Because that should not matter to a guy.<br /><br />All decisions I make regarding the clothes I wear follow these basic five rules:<br />
<ol>
<li><u><b>Dress Right</b></u> for the occasion</li>
<li><u><b>Look your best</b></u> for that occasion</li>
<li>Your clothes should <u><b>fit</b></u> </li>
<li>Clothes should <u><b>match</b></u></li>
<li>Your attire should <u><b>present the best possible YOU</b></u> that it can.</li>
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<a name='more'></a><br />With that in mind…here are my PERSONAL rules about fashion. These are my OPINIONS and don’t really carry any weight beyond my belief about what a man should and should not wear or do with clothes. <br /><br />I don’t like to follow fads or hipster trends. I tend to stick with classic, timeless looks and styles. I also don’t like to follow the crowd and the fact that “everybody is doing it” is no endorsement in my book. With that in mind…here are some of my rules about ‘men’s fashion’…<br /><br /><br />
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<li><u>Bow ties</u>: I firmly believe that there are only two acceptable occasions where a man may wear a bow-tie. A) If you are a professional circus clown or B) when wearing a tuxedo. Otherwise…NO…your bow-tie does not look cool. You look like Pee Wee Herman. If you insist on wearing a bow-tie…NEVER use a clip-on. </li>
<li><u>Novelty Ties</u>: I man I really respected once told me: <i>“Novelty ties are for novelty people”</i>. I tend to agree with this statement. A good, clean looking tie, says enough about your personality and tastes. </li>
<li><u>Overalls</u>: I have similar beliefs about overalls (Dickies)… unless your full time employment is being a farmer or you are under the age of 5 then overalls just don’t look good.</li>
<li><u>Pockets</u>: Men’s pants should have pockets. We should use those pockets. Where else are you going to carry your <u><b>pocket</b></u> knife? </li>
<li><u>Ill fitting suits</u>: this is one you see at Church a LOT. People don’t want to spend money to get a good fitting, tailored suit. Believe me it is well worth it. When we go to Church we are supposed to look our best, not just ‘adequate’. Spend the extra $ to get a suit that fits right (…you can also tailor your dress shirts and they will look WAY better…no blousing when you tuck it in.). While I’m on dressing for Sunday…here are a few more do’s and don’ts</li>
<ol>
<li>Never wear a short sleeved shirt with a suit. Just don’t do it.</li>
<li>Wear either suspenders or a belt…NEVER both at the same time.</li>
<li>All leather should match. Belt, shoes, watch band…all should be the same color.</li>
<li>Brown/black athletic shoes are NOT dress shoes…and white athletic socks are not ‘dress’ socks either.</li>
<li>Metals should match too. Belt buckles, tie pins, metal watch bands, etc… (however, metal spikes in your belt or jacket are for rock concerts…not Sunday worship)</li>
<li>Dress socks should match your tie. (and both should match your suit or pants)</li>
<li>Patterned ties do not go with patterned shirts. </li>
<li>Black shirts with black pants and a red/white tie make you look like a Mafia Hit man. It’s fine if you want to wear that to the dance Saturday night, but it looks stupid at church.</li>
<li>I know you spent a lot on that prom tuxedo, but do not come to church in it and NEVER bless the sacrament wearing it. This too looks pretty bad and is a major distraction at the sacrament table. </li>
<li>One tie pin is nice. More than that (this includes lapel pins) is too much. I don’t wear collar bars.</li>
<li>BYU/U of U logo attire. I don’t care which team you root for, leave the game on Saturday and come to Church without that chip on your shoulder.</li>
</ol>
<li><u>Scrubs/sweats/pajamas</u>: unless you are a doctor/nurse just off work…there is no reason for you to appear in public wearing scrubs. Same principle goes for sweats, you are not in the NBA so put on some pants. Lately I’ve noticed a popular trend to wander around in public in pajamas and slippers. You can wear them at home all you want. In public have some decency to put on some clothes. (same goes for workout clothes)</li>
<li><u>Flip-flops</u>: for use at the beach, for lazy summer days and around your home. Not acceptable foot wear for a man on a date or a night out on the town. I was at a movie and some guy behind me took his flip flops off and put his nasty, stinky feet up on the chair next to me. I’m sure he was comfortable…but I sure was not. When I asked him to put his feet down he acted as if I’d asked him to do something horrible. As far as socks with sandals: No...just no.</li>
<li><u>Crocks</u> (those big foam shoes) I firmly believe that these should not be sold as ‘men’s shoes’.</li>
<li><u>Hats:</u> I like hats…for the right occasion. Fedoras look great on Indiana Jones and my grandpa. They are a formal style hat and don’t really go with today’s more informal styles. Ball caps are generally cool. I don’t really care for the ‘flat brim’ style or the latest trend of tucking your ears into your hat??? I don’t understand why guys wear beanie hats in summer and indoors. Cowboy hats look odd anywhere in city limits unless a rodeo is in town. I also believe that generally hats should be removed indoors. My one exception to this rule is wearing ball caps to work because you didn’t do anything with your hair that day or you’ll be working outside and have the subsequent ‘hat head’. I’m OK with this. </li>
<li><u>Printed T-shirts</u>: Where I work, dress standards are pretty lax and I can come to work in T-shirt and jeans. This works well for my personality and style. Still, I try to dress a notch above. For me personally I try to avoid t-shirts that have something big and loud printed on them. Graphic T’s are cool as the designs are more subtle. This is just a personal thing. I like the clean look of a plain t-shirt and jeans. (I will break this rule to support my kids’ teams and activities)</li>
</ol>
<br />I’m sure that many people strongly disagree with these fashion rules. That’s fine. You are entitled to your opinion…as I am entitled to mine. These are just my personal rules for fashion. <br /><br />Ultimately you have to go with what you have decided looks good on you and what you like. BUT…(this is a big BUT)…you also have to be willing to live with and accept the message you are sending by how you appear and dress. You have to acknowledge that people will judge you, rightly or wrongly, on how you look. You have to be willing to accept and deal with that. You can’t dress like a clown and then whine about how nobody takes you seriously. Likewise…if you are overly concerned about ‘fashion’ people will judge you on that too. It is a fact of life. Deal with it.<br /><br />One note of caution…don’t ever confuse being “comfortable” with “looking good”…usually these terms are not compatible. If something is comfortable to wear then odds are it doesn’t look that good. Too often people act as if it’s all about comfort and appearance be ‘damned’. This reflects not only in and attitude of personal laziness, but also of a disrespectful manner. When I go out with my wife, I want to look good for her and as a matter of personal pride. Comfort takes a back seat to wanting to look good around her. To me it’s a way to show her that she is important enough to me to dress up for.<br /><br />Besides…I believe that you can choose to be comfortable in whatever you are wearing…if you are wearing it right. (P.S. if wearing a tie makes you feel as if you are being strangled…maybe your dress shirt doesn’t fit right. If your clothes fit, then you shouldn’t feel stifled in them.)<br /><br />So I guess the challenge of this article is to assess the way you dress and try to look your best.<br /><br /><b>NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS</b><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-70713890797749538342014-10-02T15:16:00.001-07:002014-10-03T06:40:16.528-07:00People vs. Programs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lately I’ve had time to consider the various programs of the church and to, quite honestly, evaluate their worth and value to the members. The conclusions that I’ve come to have surprised me.<br />
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It all started with a meeting that I had regarding the status of our YM. To be brutally honest, our ward has not had a good track record of cranking out worthy, temple bound young men who are ready to serve in the Melchizedek Priesthood, go on missions and marry in the temple. I’d quote you the statistics, but they are too depressing.<br />
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So we held this discussion as to what to do about it. After discussing all the programs we have available to the YM and what we might be able to do…we didn’t come up with any good ideas. One comment that was made really struck me to the core though…it was made by our Bishop when he stated “When I’m sitting in the front of the chapel and I look over the congregation, I don’t see happy people. Living the gospel should make us happy, shouldn’t it?”<br />
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Of course the reply to that is <b>YES</b>! We should be the happiest people on the earth. We have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ…we should be ecstatic! <br />
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So what’s the deal?<br />
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To answer that, let me tell you more of the above story.<br />
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That statement by the bishop really resonated with me. I thought to myself…It’s true. Even I’m not all that happy. Meetings are a drudgery. There are Sunday’s when the idea of going to church is almost unbearable. Extending callings is something that I dread. Home teaching is just frustrating…all of it just seems to be frustration mounted on top of frustration, and NONE of it is bringing me happiness.<br />
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Luckily I had time to walk home from my meeting and ponder this a bit. I got home still with no conclusions…but I was ready to learn something.<br />
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Earlier in the week was my son’s birthday. He is a fan of Bear Grylls…not necessarily his TV shows…but the man himself, and as a gift I had bought him this book…<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honestly, if you've never read about Bear...his life story is impressive, and he's an entertaining writer.</td></tr>
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So my son comes to me and says “Dad, have you read this book?” I told him I hadn’t but that I was looking forward to it. He said “You need to read chapter 36 tonight.” And handed me the book.<br />
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I opened the book and read “<b>Chapter 36: Find a Good Guide</b>”<br />
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He opens this chapter with this statement:<br />
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<i>“When you pursue an exciting path through life, you are inevitably going to have moments of hardship, doubt, struggle and pain. It comes with the terrain of being a champion of any field.<br /><br />So accept that fact.<br /><br />For me, my simple faith has so often brought light to a dark path, joy to a cold mountain and strength to a failing body.”</i><br />
He then points out that if you are going to find someone to guide you through the mountains, you pick someone who knows the mountains, likewise, if you are going to navigate the pitfalls of life <i>“who better to have as a guide than the person who made the path or the mountain in the first place.” </i><br />
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None other than Jesus Christ.<br />
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He then talks about how important faith in Christ is the central point of navigation through life and talks about his faith. <br />
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Then I read this paragraph that blew me away:<br />
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<i>“…finding a faith should help you to be freer, more full of life, more filled with joy, peace and love than you would ever imagine. And those qualities, in abundance, will only make you stronger and more capable of living a wild and adventurous life.”</i><br />
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<b>WOW.</b><br />
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I read that a few times and then wrote it down because he hit the nail on the head…and it brought suddenly to my mind the heart of the problem that we were witnessing in our congregation.<br />
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We are entirely focused in the wrong place! All the programs that we have in place are taking precedence over our faith in Jesus Christ…and that is why people are not happy, because their faith is rooted in success of programs rather than Jesus Christ.<br />
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You see in the Church we have the three P’s of needs or priorities. <b>People, Principles and Programs</b>. People are the highest priority, and teaching them correct Principles is key to happiness. The Programs are there to help us teach those Principles of salvation to the People. <br />
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Principles can change by revelation but are otherwise pretty much set. The doctrines of salvation are not going to change.<br />
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Programs, however, come and go based on the needs of the people. If a program doesn’t meet the needs of the people then it’s time to re-evaluate it and try to do something else…only we don’t often do that, or we are not willing to do that. Honestly, what do we do when someone isn’t following the program? Often we seek to place guilt on that person for not doing the program…don’t we? Think about it. For example…If a kid isn’t doing scouting, do we ask if the program is working for him or do we seek to make him conform to the program? If people don’t attend a dull meeting, do we ask how the meeting could have been improved or do we lament that people are not faithful enough and willing to sacrifice to attend? One of the most broken programs in the church is home teaching. It has never worked very well (church wide home teaching numbers are abysmal), but how often are we told what terrible people we are because we aren’t doing the program well? Has anyone ever asked “how could we achieve similar ends with different means? (I’m not casting dispersions on the prophet here, it just seems to me that we’ve developed a lazy habit of trying to guilt people into adherence to programs rather than honestly asses the needs of people and revise programs to better serve those needs.)<br />
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What am I getting at here?<br />
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I heard someone say once that the gospel of Jesus Christ is beautifully simple and simply beautiful. It is this.<br />
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The GOSPEL of Jesus Christ is literally the “GOOD NEWS” of his atonement and resurrection for the salvation of ALL MANKIND! That is it. Every single sin, mistake, pain, heartache or stumbling block we will encounter has been felt by the Savior of the world and has been atoned for. It’s done. That is the meaning of being saved by grace. This is the knowledge that should make us abundantly happy and feel the joy, peace and love that Bear talks about in his book. <u>The worth of our souls is dependent on our application of that knowledge and repentance of sin and daily seeking to be perfected in Christ.</u> ALL OF THAT OTHER STUFF (programs) and our adherence and practice of it is secondary. BUT, that isn’t how it works in a typical ward is it? Don’t we all sit there and say “I should do more family history, I’m not going to the temple enough, I’m not supporting that meeting, I’m not 100% home teacher, I’m not reading my scriptures every day, I’m struggling to fast today, I’m not the perfect mom, I’m…(fill in the guilt phrase)” and we focus so much attention that, that it overwhelms our happiness in Christ. We forget the heart of the gospel and focus on the extremities.<br />
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Consequently we are not very happy and our priorities are misplaced.<br />
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Let me pause here for a second and state very clearly that all those programs are for our good and benefit. They are here to assist us on our path back to our Father in Heaven. BUT there is a key in that thought that the programs are here to serve us…not the other way around. They are all things we should be doing and if we are truly following Christ we will be doing those things and getting better at them every day. <br />
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All those things are there to help us…but if they are making us unhappy…then we need to step back and reassess what it is that we are doing and WHY we are doing it. We also need to refocus ourselves and center all that we do on Christ.<br />
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BUT…I’d also tell leaders that we also need to reassess what it is that we are asking people to do…and honestly ask “Is it helping them to focus on Christ…or is it a distraction and a burden?”<br />
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if we are just piling up activities and then guilt-ing people into unhappy compliance…then are we truly representing the Savior?<br />
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<b>NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-80321744059947318062014-09-10T14:02:00.004-07:002014-09-11T06:21:38.361-07:00Rules for Fitness and NutritionI consider many things to be completely bogus when it comes to fitness and health. I decided to make up a list of them. <br />
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SO…<br />
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<u>Here is my list of what I consider bogus, harmful and plain old silly health practices and fads:</u> (feel free to disagree with me…but know that I’ve done some fairly extensive research of <b>FACTS</b> as well as having a lot of experience regarding several of these and find no legitimate reason to believe or follow any of it. This list is by no means complete, there are lots of fitness frauds out there, these are just the most popular that I have a particular level of disdain for.)<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chiropractic in all its forms</li>
<li>Acupuncture (both this and Chiropractic can make you feel good for a short time, but neither will cure you of anything…unless you are looking to be rid of $$)</li>
<li>Essential Oils</li>
<li>Veganism/vegetarianism</li>
<li>Yoga (this includes elaborate stretching programs BEFORE exercise)</li>
<li>Claims of special anti-oxidants for certain, over-priced foods (hint: nearly all leafy green veggies and dark berries contain a load of anti-oxidants)</li>
<li>Paleo-diets, Atkin’s diet, XYZ diet…basically ANY diet other than one that advocates a PERMANENT change to a healthy, well-balanced way of life, for the rest of your life.</li>
<li>Any exercise that claims to target or isolate specific area of body fat…belly fat is a particular target with these</li>
<li>Any piece of odd exercise equipment sold on late night TV (Shaker Weights anyone?)</li>
<li>Diet pills</li>
<li>Exercise machines in general. (though they are useful for physical therapy and rehab…they are useless for legit exercise)</li>
<li>Magnet bracelets or any piece of jewelry that claims to improve balance or any other health aspect. </li>
<li>Elaborate and expensive shoes (like those horrible “Strength Training Shoes” with the big disc on the front under the ball of the foot)</li>
<li>Expensive supplements. I will confess that I use a whey protein powder in my recovery drink, but unless you are a fitness model you don’t need all that other stuff if you just eat healthy. I also take Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Calcium.</li>
</ul>
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With that, I’m sure you are asking… “so what do you believe in then?” (if I haven’t offended you and you’ve stopped reading at this point)<br />
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SO here is my list of fitness and health maxims that I personally adhere too. <br />
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<ol>
<li><b><u>Dieting doesn’t work.</u></b> I’m an advocate of the “USE YOUR HEAD” diet…it’s heavily based in COMMON SENSE, you just eat healthy all the time. Any diet that advocates severely altering or restricting what you eat for a period of time isn’t going to work in the long run because a) you do lose weight really fast but it’s mostly muscle weight and b) when you go off the ‘diet’ and back to old eating habits you will just put it back on. There are no days off, you just eat healthy. <u>Restricting food intake actually makes people fatter in the long run.</u> The more you deprive your body of food, the more it will learn to store up reserves in fat cells. Muscle cells provide more long term energy so the body will start to consume those first and weight drops, all the while storing up more fat so in the long run people get fatter when they do a lot of dieting. </li>
<li>The essential <b><u>key to any weight loss is to consume less than what you burn </u></b>but not too much. I’m a strict believer in the <b>“Calories in vs. Calories out”</b> model. Losing weight is simple math. Burn more than you consume. It’s a tried and true, scientifically proven model backed up by the laws of physics. There are good calories and bad calories but the OCCASIONAL consuming of some bad calories isn’t going to ruin your entire diet.</li>
<li><b><u>Sugar is public enemy #1</u></b>. Our American diet is so crammed with sugars that it’s hard to avoid and easy eat too much. Products can call themselves ‘Low-fat’ and still add a bunch of sugar to compensate for the taste. Don’t worry so much about FAT content and worry more about Sugar content.</li>
<li><u><b>Carbs are over villianized</b></u>. CARBS ARE GOOD. We need them…just in the right ways. You should consume 1.1 grams of carbs per pound per day. Bread is loaded with carbs, but often it’s also loaded with sugar so be careful there. Otherwise GET YOUR CARBS from healthy sources.</li>
<li><u><b>The more natural the food the better it is</b></u>. Buying ingredients and making stuff for meals will ALWAYS be the healthiest way to eat. You eat a LOT less sugar and salt that way and the fats are the good kind. It does cost a bit more to buy the fresh veggies and stuff, but your health will benefit in the long run.</li>
<li><u><b>Control PORTIONS</b></u> and know when you’ve had enough to eat. We overeat at nearly every meal in our culture. Even our plates are bigger now than they used to be. We don’t know when to stop. If something tastes good we just keep eating it and eating it. It doesn’t matter if we are full, we still eat and that is REALLY bad. We also have a love affair with food. We don’t “Eat to live” but we “Live to eat” and as a consequence we get fatter and fatter. I can remember when I was a kid that ‘desert’ was just a Sunday thing…today we have it with nearly every meal… I heard someone the other day say “you mean to tell me that in America you have so much food that you actually have people that get paid to tell you to eat less of it?” That is how gluttonous we’ve become.</li>
<li><u><b>Only exercise can change metabolism.</b></u> There are lots of claims out there that certain things we eat will alter our metabolism (Green tea comes to mind) but the reality is that food has a very small impact on metabolic rates. Only exercise can really affect metabolism. And it has to be the right kind of exercise. You have to build lean muscle to have a real impact on metabolism. Too many guys spend way too much time doing cardio and as a consequence don’t see the results they’d like. Cardio should not be the main part of our workouts, the majority of exercise for men should be strength training (weight lifting). I noticed this when I tried the “Insanity” workout once. I dropped ten pounds pretty fast, but I was also weaker. My muscle density dropped and I could tell that even though I was skinnier, it was muscle mass I was losing not necessarily fat. The only cardio I do is running and sprinting AFTER I lift weights. </li>
<li>There are<u><b> two key pieces of exercise equipment every guy MUST HAVE</b></u>: Free Weights (lots of heavy ones with bars) and a good pair of running shoes. I would also include a good weight bench with a squat rack. Avoid weight machines like the plague. Using free weights with a few key exercises is all you’ll ever need. For cardio, put on the running shoes and go outside and run! Especially if the weather is bad. Go RUN! It’s the only cardio workout you’ll ever need.</li>
<li><u><b>Guys need fat and protein</b></u>. Both of these items have gotten a bad rap in our culture. Bottom line, if a guy is going to do strength training for exercise he needs both fat and protein to rebuild the muscle and get stronger. (you should eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight every day, and .4 grams of fat per pound per day.)</li>
<li><u><b>Increase your Testosterone levels</b></u> I’m glad that there is a growing awareness of this hormone going on. It has to be done naturally (In rare cases you may need a supplement..like if you have a Thyroid problem) and is something that guys should really pay attention too. It’s the chemical that makes us MEN. Be very skeptical of trying to increase T levels with medications or lotions. If you artificially enhance your testosterone your body may stop making it on its own and that is BAD. There are 5 important keys to maintaining T levels naturally 1) Lose weight and eat healthy (body fat kills T) 2) Rest – getting good sleep 3) Exercise – lift heavy, work hard, lose weight 4) A healthy sex life and 5) Thinking manly thoughts. That last one seems odd, but it’s been shown that guys who foster cowardly, discouraging thoughts actually produce less T than guys who think more manly things.</li>
</ol>
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<u>There is also a lot of talk out there today about Cortisol.</u> This is a chemical released in our bodies when we are stressed. It has a negative impact on testosterone and overall health. Many people claim that excess exercise (like distance running) actually produces more cortisol and is consequently really bad for you. This is only partially true because exercise also releases endorphins to combat stress and they can negate the effects of the cortisol. In fact studies show that people who regularly exercise are capable of handling greater amounts of stress and they eliminate cortisol faster than people who don’t exercise as much. This is why you feel so amazing after you run or work hard! It’s the endorphins! Feeling great helps in the production of Testosterone. So don’t worry about Exercise related stress…it’s good for you.<br />
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So if you’ve stuck with me this far…I appreciate it. I hope you found something useful in this rambling. I want to help men be fit. If you want to be a body builder, or a model then you are probably not reading the right blog for tips on that. But if you want to be a healthier, more fit husband, dad and man of God then I hope these tips help you out.<br />
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<b>NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-59583640261358839002014-09-09T11:57:00.001-07:002014-09-10T07:25:43.670-07:00Crushing It...and Paying for It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I always feel like the HULK when I lift hard.</td></tr>
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I crushed my workout this morning.<br />
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I’ve been sidelined by a knee injury. And I’ve been slowly working my way back to full strength.<br />
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How did I hurt my knee? I’m not 100% sure. I probably just overdid my summer. Running, mountain climbing, backpacking, canyoneering, mountain biking, more hiking, more backpacking…somewhere in that mix it started to hurt and swell, and for a long time I couldn’t kneel or go down stairs very easily. The condition I have is most commonly referred to as “runner’s knee”. It isn’t painful as much as it is frustrating. <br />
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So I’ve been icing it, working it carefully to get it back to where I can really work it again.<br />
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It’s slowly coming back. Recovery at the age of 45 is a much slower process than it was at 20 and it takes a lot more patience.<br />
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Today I was able to do a good HARD lower body workout all the way through without a lot of pain. Like I said…I crushed it. Squats (grrr), Deadlifts (Argh!) leg extensions (GRRROOOWWWLLL) caped off with a 2 mile run (in the rain, with thunder and lightning all around…)…what more could I ask? (OH yeah, I did have a close encounter with a momma deer! Luckily she decided to back down and run away…whew)<br />
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That’s nice, you say…but why should it matter to you?<br />
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Turn on your spiritual ears…it’s time for my family night lesson.<br />
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I need you to consider two things. <br />
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An arm sling and a dumb bell.<br />
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What is the sling for? If you injure your arm or break it, you’ll need that sling to help immobilize it while it heals. But what else happens to that arm while it’s immobile? The muscles atrophy…the tendons weaken and the joints will stiffen up. The arm becomes weak and in many ways useless.<br />
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Now consider the dumb bell. What it is for? To exercise. If you take that arm and lift that dumb bell what will happen? It gets stronger. Does exercising just one time make it stronger? NO, you have to make a habit of it. You have to make yourself go lift that weight and continue to work your arm. When you stop exercising what happens? You atrophy again.<br />
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You are either getting stronger or weaker. You can never become complacent or say “I’m strong now…so I’m done.” It requires constant work and effort to get strong and stay strong.<br />
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This is what I’ve had to do with my knee. It’s tempting to just sit in my recliner and put that leg up and just rest it. Give it time to heal. But I know that it will heal faster and stronger if I work it carefully, rehab it and get back out there as soon as I can tolerate it. <br />
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Keep this in mind…I’d like to deviate for a minute with a personal story.<br />
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I’ve had a bit of a ‘faith crisis’ lately. Don’t worry…it’s not the kind that has made me question the gospel. I have a firm testimony that remains unshaken. I know who I am and what I stand for. That has not changed…nor will it, EVER.<br />
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No my crisis lies in the repetitive, dull and mundane world of meetings, meetings and more meetings. I look at all the meetings that I have to go to, and the process of it all and I’ve found myself asking the question “Why? What is it for?” a lot. We seem to recycle the same old things and rehash the same old topics. We bring up a lot of concerns and offer precious few solutions. We spend hours talking about who is sick and NEVER talk about what we can do to help that. We form committees, plan activities and rehash the same problems with the same people over and over with almost nothing ever changing or improving or having a purpose. I’ve begun to wonder if we know anything else. There seems to be a lot of complaining, gossiping and lamenting going on…but few solutions. A lot of the discussions we have seem that they could be handled more efficiently with an email or a phone call and not having a meeting at all. <br />
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It’s ironic to me that in a church that places the family at the pinnacle of existence seeks to create so much time to pull people away from their families though meetings…<br />
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It just seems to me that we could be more efficient and that if something isn’t working…we shouldn’t blame the members for not doing it but rather look at what isn’t working and ask “Why are we doing it that way?...is there a better way?”<br />
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With that in mind, there are times that I really don’t want to go to meetings. Last Sunday was a perfect example. <br />
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As a member of the Bishopric, it was my turn to conduct Testimony meeting…which meant that I would start the meeting off by sharing my testimony. I was not feeling it, and was really begrudging the fact that I had to do that. I simply didn’t want too. I was not in a very spiritual frame of mind and was kind of having a pity-party for myself. I wasn’t in a good place.<br />
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I decided that that was one of the things that I needed to be fasting about...my faith needed a workout...i needed to lift some spiritual weights.<br />
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Then I came under attack…my body tried to convince me to stay in bed and ‘call in sick’…I got out of bed and got ready for the day. My heart said ‘why pray…it’s pointless’…so I knelt and prayed. I was under an assault from all sides… “don’t go to your meetings…don’t go” So I walked out the door and headed to the Church.<br />
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As usual…the meetings were just OK. I was kind of in my own world. I was pondering a lot and praying in my heart for something, ANYTHING that I could share that day. Some way to do some good that I felt so strongly wasn’t happening. I wanted to get out of there and go into the mountains. I had to force myself to stay put.<br />
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I watched my family come into the chapel and I longed to sit with them. But I had to stay in the front. I don’t really recall any announcements or other things I said. I was like a robot going through the motions. Then it was time.<br />
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I stood to speak, and felt moved to address commitment and doing our duty. I spoke on overcoming fear and doubt and walking righteously. It felt good to share my testimony and I felt the spirit. I sat down and felt at peace. <br />
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Later that day, things really turned around as I spent time with my family and we discovered blessing after blessing in our lives. Even today, I’m still getting some answers to questions that I had been pondering and fasting about. <br />
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I don’t tell this story to ‘over-share’ or make myself look holy or better than anyone. I simply tell it to make this point: Just like I have to exercise my stiff knee and work it when it would be easier to just rest it…so too do I have to work over my spirit sometimes. I have to make myself get out of bed in the morning to exercise when I’d rather sleep. I also have to drag my reluctant spirit along sometimes to do things that I’d rather not be doing, and to serve. One exercise that is good for both my knee and my soul is to kneel…to stretch my knee…and while I’m there I pray.<br />
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it takes work. Nothing of worth in this life comes the easy way, it requires work. We all have to make a dedicated effort to get it. Whatever it is that we seek…but especially in spiritual realms. If we are to be spiritual warriors, we have to be relentless and dedicated to doing the difficult things. <br />
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So get out there and CRUSH IT!<br />
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<b>NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-65561119274885246862014-08-20T09:15:00.000-07:002014-08-20T09:48:45.768-07:00Where Are The Men?I’ve heard a few statistics of late that have left me scratching my head and asking “What’s up with men in the Church?” or better yet “Where are the men?”.<br />
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Consider these numbers:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Nearly 80% of the population of the Church is either female or under age 18.</li>
<li>In the recent missionary surge from roughly 55,000 missionaries to nearly 90,000 missionaries the majority of that additional 40,000 missionaries are women.</li>
<li>In any given ward there is nearly a 70/30 ratio of women to men (active).</li>
</ul>
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As I thought about these statistics I asked myself: <u>Why are men not coming to church?</u> Why are men not being active at church and often falling away from the church in such large numbers? As I considered this, it occurred to me that <i>we have (as a Church) actively and subconsciously driven men away.</i> Our actions, words and activities methodically chase men away from Church in droves.<br />
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How? Think about this:<br />
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<ul>
<li>How often have you heard in a talk or a lesson where the speaker or instructor told all the men present that they are spiritually inferior to women? We are always saying how men will never be as holy as women, or that the sisters are way more spiritually in tune than men. We even say that men are given the priesthood because women are vastly superior and don’t need it. If women ran the church it’d be way more efficient. Sister missionaries are way better than elders. The overwhelming message is “You will never measure up because you are a guy and are a lost cause”. Even when we talk about things like modesty and the law of chastity the overwhelming message is “men are perverts and they can’t control themselves so you sisters have to do it for them.” I don’t know about you guys, but I get sick of hearing this kind of talk. </li>
<li>From an early age we tell boys that if they want to feel the spirit in their lives then they need to be more like the girls. Sit still like the girls. Sing songs like the girls. We associate feelings of love, peace, calm, beauty, joy, etc…with the feelings of the spirit and don’t talk about the more masculine spiritual moments of power, intelligence, courage, competition, energy, and even the ability to strike down an enemy. We imply that these feelings are not good, not of the spirit and that for boys to feel them is bad. When reality is that they are very much of the spirit.</li>
<li>We value an invented conformity and greatly discourage individualism. We discourage debate and discussion and instead say “if you are following the spirit then you wouldn’t ask questions. Our church was founded by a young man with a question who sought an answer! </li>
<li>I don’t know about you brethren but I find most Church music to be tediously dull and uninspiring. Frankly I could live without a lot of it. I do, however, find my soul stirred by a great mens chorus of “Rise Up O Men Of God” or “High On A Mountain Top” or “Praise to The Man” and such hymns. Sadly we tend to avoid those kinds of hymns in favor of the less rousing and calming ones. </li>
</ul>
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I’d also suggest that the <i><u>quality and quantity of our meetings is a deterrent to many men.</u></i> <b>Most of our meetings are truly a waste of time</b>.<br />
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Just this last week I heard some men lamenting how poor attendance was at a Stake meeting, and then in the same breath these same guys said how they had a hard time staying awake during the meeting, alluding that it wasn’t holding their interest. If the meeting was so dull that people were falling asleep, then how can you blame people for not going? Especially the youth. If I’m bored in a meeting, I can only imagine how the young men are feeling. I also hardly expect them to return as a result.<br />
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Look at it from a business marketing perspective. If people are not buying your product, do you blame the consumer or do you try to figure out a better way to sell it to them? You either change the product or change the message to sell it...right?<br />
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The product that we have been given (the gospel of Jesus Christ) is <b>AMAZING</b>! So why are our marketing tactics so dull? If our meetings are not attracting people…then the quality of our meetings should be questioned, not the finger of scorn and blame pointed at the men who didn’t come. Look at it this way: If John Bytheway was coming to speak, we know we’d fill the entire building. Why? Because people know they are not wasting their time in attending. Now some people would respond to that with a “well, not everyone can speak like John Bytheway…” and that is true. Few people can. <u>BUT we can try</u>. We can do our best to improve our teaching, our public speaking and our presentation abilities. If we identify good teachers and speakers…then use them! We have an aversion to using the same speaker too often in the church and I don’t understand why. If that person can give a great sermon…then use them!!! Don’t continue to offer a sub-standard message and then complain that nobody wants it.<br />
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Men have to attend a lot of meetings in Church (<i>too many if you ask me</i>) and when the meeting is dull, slow, boring, uninspiring or pointless too many of them will begin to opt out. I know that is not the right thing to do…but honestly, when your time is limited between full-time job, Church calling and family obligations…pretty soon you begin to weigh options and determine where the best use of your time is (we call this “opportunity cost” in the business world). Frankly I don’t feel like I get to spend enough time with my family, especially my young children. So if the choice is between another dull and pointless church meeting and reading to my 7-year-old. Sorry church leaders, but my 7-year-old trumps you. I think that is occurring with many of the adult men around us.<br />
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We are called to do what Christ would do if He were here. He was a master teacher. He was an inspired leader. He didn’t do anything without a purpose (including holding meetings simply because it is on the schedule). He cared for the souls of people and he inspired them to a better cause…one they would be willing to die for.<br />
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How can we do anything less? Our task is clear. We are teachers, leaders and inspirers. Ours is the task to get the gospel into the hearts of the people in such a way as their burning testimonies will light up the world and people will want that light in their lives.<br />
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We can’t do that if we are hiding from our potential both as a speaker and as a hearer. <br />
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Let’s stop driving men away and rather inspire them to come follow us and be warriors in the kingdom of our Father. Let’s find new ways to be inspiring. Let’s think of some ways we can light the fires of faith and kindle ACTION among our men. Let’s have purposes to all that we do (meetings and activities).<br />
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<b>NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-86482392244538233582014-07-31T07:55:00.003-07:002014-07-31T09:46:07.711-07:00I Now Have A Reason to Watch TV Again<a href="http://www.nbc.com/running-wild-with-bear-grylls" target="_blank">http://www.nbc.com/running-wild-with-bear-grylls </a><br />
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So I'll confess right here to being a fan of Bear Grylls. I've said many times that my perfect vacation would be to spend a few weeks in the wild with Bear. That, to me, would be the ultimate vacation and it would be a <u><b>LOT </b></u>of fun.<br />
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So when I saw that he had a new show coming on I was pretty excited. When I learned that it would be him taking celebrities out into the wild for an expedition I was really pumped. I couldn't go on vacation with Bear, but I could vicariously see what it might be like.<br />
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After watching the premier I can say I was not disappointed.<br />
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Now before I get 'haters' telling me that his shows are all contrived and that it's more about drama than actual survival situations. I know full well that most of his stuff is staged and that in REAL survival situations a lot of what he shows wont work. I get that. But you have to admit that it's a TON of fun to watch him. He is a genuine, hard-core, survivor and his real story is pretty amazing. If you haven't read his books, I can highly recommend them, in particular <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Kid-Who-Climbed-Everest/dp/1592284930" target="_blank">"The Kid Who Climbed Everest"</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mud-Sweat-Tears-The-Autobiography/dp/0062124137/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=02P8N84E4T87ASPKK6P1" target="_blank">"Mud, Sweat and Tears"</a>.<br />
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Bear is a genuinely good man and his life is guided by values of faith, family and doing good. One of my favorite quotes in guiding my life comes from Bear:<br />
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<i><b>"Live a wild, generous, full, exciting life - blessing those around you and seeing the good in all."</b></i><br />
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I'm excited for this new show. I'll be watching all six episodes and hoping that NBC orders more. Hope you all will enjoy it as well.<br />
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<b>NO FEAR - NO WHINING - NO REGRETS</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-19572528154267782942014-07-10T08:36:00.002-07:002014-07-10T08:36:23.020-07:00What do YOU think?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I recently had the opportunity to be the driver for the High School Boys Cross Country team as they ran in and competed in the <a href="https://www.ragnarrelay.com/" target="_blank">RAGNAR</a> Wasatch Back Relay. (this is a 196.5 mile relay race that spans 2-3 days) It was a great experience and one that I have fond memories of. <br /><br />There were many experiences there that I could relate and teach with but one that really struck me was the following.<br /><br />I had 6 boys in my van, ranging in age from 15 to 18. They were all members of the Church and all of them pretty active. Throughout the entire trip I never heard anyone swear or put another person down. There were no dirty jokes or off color statements. They spoke with respect about the girls they knew and when we did encounter females they showed that respect in their actions.<br /><br />It was an honor and a joy to associate with them. I never had to remind them WHO they were or what they represented.<br /><br />The same cannot be said of the YM of my ward when we go on activities. Some groups are better than others, but I think that I’ve always had to remind them at least once of who they were and what they stood for. <br /><br />I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Why it is that way? Why do some YM feel the need to push boundaries? Why did the XC team behave so well while other Aaronic Priesthood bearers need so many reminders? How can we make it different?<br />
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<b>NO FEAR - NO WHINING - NO REGRETS</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-49173816773265864802014-06-26T07:57:00.001-07:002014-06-26T07:57:20.579-07:00So I’m watching the news while I ate my lunch and this woman comes on who has written a book called “Other-Hood: Modern Women Finding a New Kind of Happiness” by Melanie Notkin. The basic jest of her book is based around the fact that many women today are deciding that marriage and family is not for them and that they can lead ‘happy and fulfilling lives’ without all that…’Other-hood’ instead of Motherhood.<br /><br />I was floored. <br /><br />Aside from odd premise that so many women believe that happiness is to be found in NOT fulfilling the ‘measure of their creation’…there was something even more fascinating about the argument that Melanie presented (something that actually seemed to contradict the initial premise of ‘women being happy all alone’). After some discussion with the news caster it was pointed out that the majority of women would like to find a good man, marry and have a family…BUT…they are very underwhelmed with the choice of men they encounter and ultimately don’t really want to marry them. Basically she said that the MEN of today are wussies. As she spoke I surprisingly found myself starting to agree with her.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />In today’s world there has been such a push for equality of the sexes that in order to achieve it, we’ve told women to be more aggressive with the side effect message (intentional or not) to men to be less and less aggressive and decisive. So when women date these men;, who make no decisions, the woman must take charge. They guy is trying to be ‘politically correct’ and conform to what society has told him to do, but instead comes across as lazy. Women start to wonder what the guys are good for. This then becomes a huge turn-off, and women question “why do I need a guy at all?”<br /><br />Think about it, how often do you guys go on a date (single guys or married guys taking their wives on a date) and you leave it up to the woman to choose the restaurant or the entertainment? How many of you let her plan the date entirely? How many of you let her pick out your wardrobe that you will wear? Is it any wonder that she has a lower and lower opinion of you?<br /><br />When was the last time you planned the date, picked her up, OPENED THE CAR DOOR FOR HER, chose the food/ activity, OPENED DOORS FOR HER, seated her before yourself, ordered the food for her, paid for the date, then took her home, OPENED HER CAR DOOR, walked her back to the front door of her home, and then kissed her without asking for permission?<br /><br />From personal experience I can assure you that when you plan the date and make it happen, it is a HUGE deal to your significant other. My wife is SO MUCH happier when I plan our dates. Even when it’s her birthday and I want her to eat where she wants to. I KNOW what she likes to eat so when I chose the place where I know she wants to go to, she LOVES IT!<br /><br />The author of the book actually pointed out that most women WANT their guy to be chivalrous, decisive and to be a ‘take-charge’ kind of guy. That doesn’t equate to being a bully. It does mean that you pay attention and KNOW what she likes and dislikes. It means that you learn to read her and determine what kind of mood she’s in and act accordingly. That is what MEN do…but it seems that in today’s world we are doing it less and less. <br /><br />I get it. I understand the hesitation on the part of men to do this. We’ve been brainwashed to think that we’ll be upsetting women if we are decisive or worse, that we are being abusive. Reality is that nothing could be farther from the truth. Here is my advise…BE A MAN. Be a man that a woman would want. Be the guy that she will think to herself “This guy would be an amazing husband and father.” <br /><br />Too many men are happy to remain boys and instead of wives and girlfriends they’ve found ‘mommies’ to take care of them. Too many women have been OK with this and it has set an uncomfortable precedent. This is a trend that must stop.<br /><br />Men, grow up.<br /><br />Women, expect more.<br /><br />
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<b>NO FEAR - NO WHINING - NO REGRETS</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-48765401209060076612014-06-17T08:14:00.002-07:002014-06-17T08:14:42.979-07:00Techno-BabiesAfter my post yesterday, I had someone say to me <i>“but we have to teach our kids about technology, they have to learn this stuff to be successful in the world today.”</i><br /><br />I thought about this idea and I’ve come to the conclusion that they are <u>100% wrong</u>. Here is why:<br />
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<ol>
<li><b>Personal Experience</b>. My personal experience is that when I was a kid we had almost no access to technology. It wasn’t until I was in my teen years that we actually purchased a Commodore 64 and you had to write some type of code to get it to work. We adapted. I learned keyboarding in Jr. High on a typewriter and I adapted. I now type upwards of 90 WPM. I didn’t learn anything about Photoshop until I was an adult…the job I do (3D Animation/Video) didn’t even exist in its current form until I graduated from college. My point is that learning Tech isn’t something that MUST BEGIN when kids are small. Anybody can learn at any time if they are willing to dive in and try.</li>
<li><b>Changing Technology</b>. Computers used to fill entire rooms. Now I can hold more computing power in my iPod than what was used in the Apollo space missions. What you learn today may not even exist in 10 years. So mastering technology in Elementary School is only going to have to be replaced with new knowledge anyway. The only certain and sure thing with technology is that it’s never going to stay the same. You have to always adapt to something new. My son pointed out to me the other day that it is silly to teach keyboarding at all since 99% of the typing kids do will be on smart phones and tablets where keyboarding rules fly out the window…he’s right…in fact ‘swiping’ and voice recognition may replace traditional typing altogether for the near future.</li>
<li><b>Today’s kids know instinctively how to operate technology</b>. Nobody needs to teach it to them. All you have to do is hand an iPad to a toddler and watch them take off. It’s nearly instinct with them. If you ask me it is a spiritual gift that they are born with. Today’s generation of kids don’t need instruction on tech…they can do marvelous things with it if adults would just get out of the way.</li>
<li><b>There is far greater benefit gained from teaching handwriting that from keyboarding</b>. There is greater cognitive development, improvement of fine motor skills, increased critical thinking skills and research has shown that brain development is directly linked to the teaching of handwriting as opposed to keyboarding and other tech related fields <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/memory-medic/201303/what-learning-cursive-does-your-brain">http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/memory-medic/201303/what-learning-cursive-does-your-brain</a> . Not to mention the fact that our current crop of students (who did not learn cursive writing) can no longer read the Constitution of the United States or letters written to them by their Grandparents…that is truly a shame.</li>
<li>As the current generation of “Techno-babies” enters adolescence, there is an <b>epidemic of obesity and childhood diabetes</b> that has some experts saying that this generation may be the first in history that will die before their parents do! This is due in major part to the fact that they do nothing but sit on the couch and get lost in virtual worlds. They have become entirely disconnected from reality and their physical bodies have been destroyed.</li>
<li>Technology use <b>hampers social development</b>. This is an actual scene from my life: at a store one evening and I see a family there with one of those strollers that will seat three kids...the baby is in the front with an iPad, the second seat is a girl who is about 2 or 3 years old with some kind of tablet and in the back is a girl who is maybe 5 or 6 with a smartphone. The mom is walking along texting on her phone and the dad is pushing the stroller. Dad is trying to get the attention of the oldest girl but she is totally ignoring him. Finally he swats her head to get her attention and is furious at her for not listening to him. The wife finally puts down her phone and chastises the dad for doing what he did. I was stunned. What did they expect? If you hand a kid a screen, they will tune you out. Anyone who has a child will tell you that handing them a screen turns them into a zombie and they will not hear you until that screen is turned off. Your kid may be a wiz at texting or Facebook, but completely backward when it comes to actual conversation. </li>
</ol>
<br />Here is where I get to become a spiritual drill sergeant… <u><b>Satan hates your body</b></u>, he hates it with a passion! He is insanely jealous of what you have that he does not. All his temptations and lies are aimed at getting you to misuse and abuse that which he hates the most…<b>YOUR BODY</b>. Think about it. The Spirit and Body are the soul of man (D&C 88:15). The body and the spirit work in union to achieve the highest glory of the Celestial Kingdom. <u>You cannot get there without both</u>. Satan cannot corrupt your spirit without first corrupting your body. If he can get you to misuse it in any way, your soul is crippled and your spirit will suffer as a consequence. Disconnecting from reality, being slothful and lazy and doing things that take us away from developing and growing physically will ONLY be detrimental to our spirits.<br /><br />I am a huge fan of technology. My entire job revolves around cutting edge technology. I use computers for everything I do. I have a tablet that I use in my Church Calling, to read my scriptures, to track my fitness and to plan my life. There are new genealogy tools that are astonishing! I LOVE TECHNOLOGY! The good that can be done is astounding, and the way that we can use it to improve our lives is incredible!<br /><br />When something has great potential for good, there is always a dark side as well. I hold the knowledge of the world in the palm of my hand…but I also hold some of the most vile wickedness that will destroy our souls. <br /><br />Don’t let your kids get wrapped up in the dark side. Teach them to draw, to write, to explore their world. Show them the joy of finding bugs in the dirt. Make them turn off the iPod and the Movies in the car and take the time to look out the window. Kids are naturally active…encourage that! Let them run and play. Teach them the joy of playing in the yard. Limit their use of technology to things that are useful and help them to learn. NEVER squander time with technology…it will take hold of you and lead you down paths that you never intended to walk.<br /><br />Of course this must all be done by example! If we want our kids to put down the screens and get out…we must do the same. They do what they see us do and if we can’t get off Facebook, we can’t expect them to do what they don’t see us doing.<br /><br />We must be MEN OF ACTION…for only then are we truly men.<br /><br />SO GET OUT AND MOVE!!!<br /><br /><b>NO FEAR – NO WHINING - NO REGRETS</b><br /><b><br /></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-84629289887850133962014-06-16T12:57:00.002-07:002014-06-16T12:58:46.175-07:00Putting On ChainsFirst off, I have to apologize for neglecting this site. Life sometimes requires more attention and writing has to take a backseat. I'm hoping to post at least once a month though.<br />
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So here is my thought for this week.<br />
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I went to visit my doc the other day for my BSA physical that is required so that I can go on back-country camps with our scout troops. (according to my doc I’m the healthiest 45-year-old he’s seen in a long time…<b>BOOM</b>!)<br />
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That isn’t the story I wanted to tell though…it’s another thing that came out of my doc visit.<br />
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My doc is a Varsity Coach in his area and he loves it. We like to swap stories of our high adventures and what we are doing. It was during this conversation though that he said a few things that got me thinking.<br />
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The first comment was how about half of the boys in his group are totally afraid of guns. They went on a shooting activity and they would not touch the guns. Oh they will shoot all kinds of guns in video games, but when it comes to the real thing, they wouldn’t have anything to do with them.<br />
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While I pondered on the oddity of that (boys being afraid of guns) my doc brought up a second item that really made me think. He told me that a couple of his patients are Stake Presidents and they both separately told him that the number one reason that boys are being sent home from missions in their stake was Video Game Addictions. Not pornography, not worthiness issues, not laziness but it was the fact that this generation of boys have learned to deal with stress by blowing away hundreds of zombies every day and when they were sent to the MTC and no longer had their video game console to help them cope with stress they freaked out. Add to this their complete inability to converse with another human being about the problem the only thing they could do was to pack up and go back home to the basement and their beloved game console.<br />
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I’ve stated it before and I’ll say it here again. I believe that one of the most powerful and potent tools that Satan has to bind us down with his chains and lull us into false security is the ‘screens’ in our lives. He carefully places seemingly innocent ‘devices’ in our hands and says “it’s OK…it’s just a game…it’s just an image…it’s just a video clip…this won’t hurt you…” In fact, he can get some ‘professionals’ to try to get you to see the wisdom of allowing our kids to get wrapped up in these things.<br />
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I’m here to warn you all to not give in. <br />
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Virtual reality is detrimental to spiritual growth. Don’t become enslaved to it.<br />
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I see more and more men around me becoming like those boys who are so in love with virtual guns, but can’t be near a real one. So it is with so many things. I even had a dad tell me about how he was going to go Jet Skiing with his son, but the boy decided that he’d rather stay inside and play a jet skiing video game instead! That one made MY HEAD SPIN!!! But it’s happening more and more every day. Texting and Facebook take the place of real face to face communication. <br />
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So here is the challenge for the day. GET OUT! Get sweaty! Get dirty! Then go find someone that you haven’t talked to in some time, or even someone that you’ve never talked too and strike up a conversation with them. Shoot a gun, climb a mountain, learn something new, play with your kids, DO SOMETHING REAL.<br />
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Turn off the screens (this includes phones) and get real.<br />
<b><br /></b><b>NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS</b><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-62469651718120000512014-04-29T07:34:00.001-07:002014-06-17T08:19:48.275-07:00High Five<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This story comes to me from a close friend who for the sake of telling the story I’ll call ‘Jack’, and I share this story with his permission. I share it because I think every man needs to hear it. Especially the guy who ‘high-fived’ <i>Jack</i>…don’t worry…that will make sense in the end.<br />
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You see, <i>Jack</i> (like all of us) has some struggles in life. Most of the time, he’s feeling good and doing great. Sometimes he gets down on himself and feels the power of the adversary tugging away at his mind and soul. <b>Sound familiar?</b> Yeah, I thought so. Like I said, we all have struggles.<br />
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Well, over the weekend, <i>Jack</i> found himself at a crossroads regarding these feelings and decided that despite the terribly cold and rainy weather he’d go for a run instead of giving in to the negative feelings and urgings of Satan. <span style="font-size: x-small;"> (let me just say right here that going for a RUN is one of the best things you can do to fight Satan off. He <b style="color: red;">hates</b> running and will quickly give up pursuing you on the run.)</span> As <i>Jack</i> ran, the rain worsened and as the weather got worse the harder he drove his body. In his own words “It felt <b>GREAT</b>!”.<br />
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As he ran he noticed another male runner coming toward him. The man cut a large and formidable shape and seemed like a very solid and strong guy. Almost scary big. As they got closer, this man edged his way toward <i>Jack</i>. Thinking that this guy needed more room, <i>Jack</i> edged closer to the side of the road to make room, but the oncoming man changed course again to intersect directly with him. This was somewhat startling to <i>Jack</i> and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. As the man approached he was feeling just a little bit apprehensive. When the man was close enough, he held up his hand in a ‘high-five’ gesture and <i>Jack</i>, smiling, responded by lifting his arm and returning the high-five to the stranger. They passed each other, high-fived with a good smack, and then they ran their separate ways and nothing else was said.<br />
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According to <i>Jack</i>, this gesture from the stranger sent a message to him. The message was one of “way to go” and an emotional pat on the back for his willingness to get out in the rain and cold and to RUN and push his body and be determined to improve. It was acknowledgement from a brother-in-arms to help him fight against Satan. I was a simple gesture that was powerful in its meaning and message of brotherly love.<br />
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My friend doesn’t know who this guy was and has never seen him before nor since, but this simple gesture has filled his soul with light and gratitude. It was the encouragement he needed to carry on and continue in the fight for righteousness. To stand in holy places and shake of some chains.<br />
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This story made me pause, as I’ve had my own personal struggles and even as recent as today felt like I wasn’t doing much good…this story reminded me that the simplest of gestures can brighten a day. <br />
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So my challenge to you and to me is to <b>LOOK FOR</b> opportunities to high five someone <span style="font-size: x-small;">(or you can fist bump if that is more your thing, I like both)</span> as a way of showing brotherhood and solidarity t<u>hat we are all in this fight together.</u> We are all trying to be better men and when a guy is out there doing it, killing it and otherwise being a warrior…recognize him for that effort and acknowledge to him just how very cool it is that he is ‘doing it’. Give him that high-five.<br />
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The power of a high-five to inspire is something that is hard to describe. It’s a great way to say “way to go, man…you are killing it…you are an inspiration…etc” to another guy…one that he will truly appreciate.<br />
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Be careful not to overdo it though. Really, you don’t fist bump someone for doing something average…but at the same time don’t be too stingy with your high fives. Don't hold back! You never know who is really in need of that boost from a Brother. Like my friend <i>Jack</i>...you may just save a guy from falling victim to our common enemy.<br />
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Remember too that the power of the Priesthood is manifest through our hands...weather it's a priesthood blessing, performing manual labor in service, in administering to someone who is ill, in teaching or in high-fiving a brother who is in need of a pick-me-up. We can perform miracles with our hands.<br />
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<b>NO FEAR – NO WHINNINg – NO REGRETS</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-39282122237814057702014-04-04T13:46:00.003-07:002014-04-04T13:46:51.300-07:00Is a Man-Cave Really All that Manly? (for fun)I love my garage. In fact that was a major deciding factor in buying my house. It is a genuine two-car garage, which means that you can comfortably park two cars in it and there is still room for bikes, mowers, snow blowers, tool benches, refrigerator, weight bench, TV…etc. and you can still walk around the cars. It’s a great garage. It’s a great place to be doing manly things.<br /><br />I exercise out there in the mornings. My Saturday’s are spent out there. I am out there frequently during the week. It’s a manly place to be…as garages have been for years. What is more manly than a great garage?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iron Man's garage is the greatest garage ever. (the Batcave is a close second since it is more of a cave than a garage...)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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This is part of the reason why I hold a certain level of disdain for the modern invention of the so called “Man-cave”. In fact, I question just how manly these places are.<br /><br /><b>Is the modern “Man-Cave” really all that manly?</b><br /><br />My response is a definite <b>“NO” </b>based on the following assessments.<br /><br /><u><b>Interior Designers</b></u>… The words “Interior Designer” and “Man-cave” should not be used in tandem. There is even a TV show featuring guys who design and build ‘man-caves’. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I suspect that the target audience for this show is women who wish their husband was the guy on the left and could actually build his own 'man-cave'.</td></tr>
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<br />So my question is…how manly is it to have someone else design, color coordinate, and construct your man cave? (some people may argue that they are too busy to do the work on their own home…and if that is the case then I’d say YOU ARE TOO BUSY (period). Pick up a dang hammer and be a man for crying out loud...it makes you feel like THOR!)<br /><br /><u><b>You can buy accessories for it at a craft store</b>…</u> Seriously, there are whole lines of crafty things available at boutiques and craft stores to decorate your man-cave… <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Block of wood with letters all over it...usually found next to the tampons.</td></tr>
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The only thing that is acceptable to buy at a craft store to do any kind of manly decorating is some type of model kit. (preferably of some kind of military vehicle).<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">(along with the above point)</span> <u><b>If you post ‘rules’ on the door of your ‘man-cave’…what are you? Four-years-old? </b></u><br /><br /><u><b>Vinyl lettering on the wall</b></u>… really? <br />
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<u><b>Walls that are made to actually look like a cave?</b></u><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WILMA!</td></tr>
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Do you also have costumes? Where do you put the TV?<br /><br /><u><b>E</b><b>ntire rooms dedicated to a single sports team</b></u>… <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What do you do when your team looses all the time?</td></tr>
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<br />Oddly enough…most man-caves of this sort are dedicated to American football teams, which begs the question “What does this say about your average football fan?”<br /><br /><u><b>You have to use coasters</b></u>…<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">uh...NO!</td></tr>
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Here are some other factors that lead me to conclude that the modern ‘Man-cave’ represents the opposite of what real manliness should be.<br /><br />1) Most man-caves cost more than a car to put together.<br />2) If you put photos of it on Pinterest.<br />3) They are so packed with memorabilia that it is more of a museum than a man-cave.<br />4) The purpose of most ‘man-caves’ is to sit on a big soft chair and do nothing more than watch TV while also avoiding family responsibilities.<br />5) Since the appearance of the interior of the home will typically result in the woman of the house being judged by it…almost every man-cave must meet her expectations of décor, cleanliness and present-ability. If SHE doesn’t like it…it isn’t going to happen. If she doesn’t bless it, then there will be no man-cave. So doesn’t that really make it HER room?<br />6) Vikings, Aztecs, Gladiators, Samurai, EVEN Cave men didn’t have designated “Man-Caves”… <br />
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In all seriousness though...<br /><br />
When we were first married my wife and I agreed that she is in charge of decorating our home. I help to paint, repair, remodel and I do input ideas of how things will look but ultimately the home is where she lives, works, plays and is MOM. I fully support her in what she wants to do to make our house a HOME. We do the work of it together. Because of my work and efforts to provide, I don’t really need a separate place to ‘escape’ my family. I want excuses to be with them. So we create spaces where we can be together…not apart. <br /><br />So, I’m making a call for the real men to return to the garage. Go fix your car, get oil on your hands! Repair a bicycle! Play with your kids in the back yard! Get Dirty! Work hard! Get away from the TV and LIVE life (don’t just watch it) Remodel places in your home. Work with your wife to make your house your PALACE. <br /><br />Make the world your ‘man-cave’.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's also my 'man-cave'</td></tr>
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<br /><b>NO FEAR - NO WHINING - NO REGRETS</b><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-58409911509186913222014-03-26T14:53:00.003-07:002014-03-26T14:54:51.605-07:00Life is Tough...And That is AWESOME!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The following is in response to a conversation I had with my son about how life is hard, and sometimes it seems like when you are working really hard at accomplishing something and it doesn’t go your way, you feel like giving up.<br />
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Enjoy.<br />
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Dear Son, <br />
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I can understand and feel your pain. I’ve been there many, many, many times myself. You struggle and work to achieve something of worth and value and for some reason, you fail. It’s even worse when it seems that everything in your life is failing at the same time and it becomes very easy to say “why try anymore?”. You want to throw in the towel and give up.<br />
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Believe me when I say that I’ve experienced this a lot throughout my life.<br />
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But let me tell you this…and if you don’t remember anything else I’ve told you…remember this quote: <b>“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”</b><br />
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It’s important to remember that because life is <b>tough</b>, life is <b>going</b> to knock you down, life is going to <b>hurt</b>, I can guarantee that life will hurt you a LOT…<u>and that is awesome! </u><br />
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Why do I say that? Because every time you get knocked down, you have a choice to make. You can choose to stay down, give up and give in. You can even take the low road and blame other people for your misfortune, wallow in self-pity and let it destroy your faith and confidence…<b>OR</b> you can choose to rise up, stand on your own two feet, look life in the eye and say “is that all you’ve got?” When life knocks us down, we get to determine our fate, our destiny and we get to show what we are made of.<br />
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So what are you made of?<br />
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I hear a lot of people complain that life is hard and I always think to myself “why would you want it easy?” What would you learn, how would you grow, how could you get stronger if you were never tested? Of course most people want it easy…that is why there aren’t more Olympic champions, professional athletes, successful businessmen, Navy SEAL’s, successful writers, fast runners, inventors, etc… in the world. Because becoming exceptional takes <b>WORK</b>, it takes <b>EFFORT</b>, it takes the determination to <u>never, never, never give up</u>. Words like: sacrifice, pain, heartache, diligence, discipline, etc…are words that are a part of daily life to those who choose to rise. Those same words strike fear into the heart of those who would rather not.<br />
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There are surely going to be times when it seems overwhelming to continue to try. Giving up would surely be less painful, right? Maybe…but probably not… because I know you, I know your personality and I know that giving up would lead to a lifetime of regret. Regret is one of the saddest words in the English language. The pain that accompanies regret is something that will sting for a long time.<br />
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Sometimes our best effort will not result in what we want. We work really hard and still don’t quite achieve our goal. That can be a hard thing to deal with. It’s times like that when we have to step back and say “yes…but look how far I’ve come?” Look at what you have achieved. You may not have reached your goal, but you did something amazing. You worked hard, you made some friends, you learned discipline and achieved far more than those who didn’t try. You gave it 100% and that is something to be proud of, and something that will serve you throughout your entire life.<br />
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Faith is knowing that Heavenly Father does love you and knows what is best for you. Usually we can’t see his purpose until later. He knows what we need and when we need it. Learning to trust that is part of the test of this life.<br />
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I wrote a quote at the top of this letter…do you still remember it? If not, go read it again. Do you know who said that? It was Nelson Mandela. Now you tell me, do you think that there was a time while he sat in prison when he felt discouraged? Do you think he ever thought to himself “why should I bother trying?” Of course he did! Joseph Smith did, Mormon did, Even Jesus Christ appealed to his Father in the Garden of Gethsemane that if there was another way, could he try that? Remember?<br />
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Life is hard. It is especially hard to those who would attempt great things. Would you want it another way? <u>Life was hard for Jesus Christ</u>…<b>do we deserve to have it better than him? </b> Why would you want to? <br />
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I know that you will rise and not let life beat you down. I know that you will stand with courage, square your shoulders and with conviction and a smile on your face say “Bring it on!”. That is who you are and that is who you will always be.<br />
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And that is awesome!<br />
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I love you.<br />
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DAD<br />
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P.S. <span style="font-size: large;"><b>“NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS”</b></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-34622944498073246272014-03-26T13:26:00.002-07:002014-03-26T13:34:30.142-07:00Stretching Before Exercise is A Waste of Time<a href="http://saveyourself.ca/articles/stretching.php%20" target="_blank">http://saveyourself.ca/articles/stretching.php </a><br />
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I read this interesting article on stretching before exercise and if you want to read the whole thing go to the above link…It's pretty long so for those who don't want to read here are some of the highlights that I thought that can be helpful.<br />
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His whole article can be summed up with the following sentence: <u><i>“Stretching as we know it — the kind of typical stretching that the average person does at the gym, or even the kind of stretching that most athletes do — is mostly a waste of time.”</i></u><br />
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The article examines stretching from the stand point of “Why do people stretch?” and does stretching actually achieve those goals? So why do people stretch? The top 5 reasons are:<br />
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1) Warming Up<br />
2) Prevention of injury<br />
3) Prevention of Muscle Soreness<br />
4) Flexibility<br />
5) Performance Enhancement<br />
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In the article the author takes these things one by one and shows that there is no credible scientific evidence to back any of them up. So what is stretching good for? The only benefit that can be shown from stretching is that it makes you a good at stretching. Even in the case of flexibility there is no scientific proof that stretching actually makes you more flexible…but rather makes you more tolerant of the pain of pushing your muscles beyond a comfortable point. (Greater Flexibility is more Neurological than Physiological) The author even asks why anyone would want to be more flexible beyond the normal range of motion. He points out that only gymnasts, ballerinas and martial artists need that level of flexibility and that this greater range of flexibility DOES NOT make them healthier. The opposite is true.<br />
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So what does he recommend?<br />
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Well, for <b>Warming Up</b>…you simply start out your workout by doing a slower, toned down version of the exercise. For instance, if you are going to run, start out at a slow jog until your body warms up, then run. (you know your body is warmed up when you start sweating) You do the same for a cool down…the same workout just slower and easier. I do this with weight lifting. I’ll start out with about 50% of what I intend to lift and just start lifting and build up from there.<br />
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<b>Prevention of injury</b>. This has more to do with technique than anything. If you are going beyond what is wise, or your skill level, you run a much higher risk of injury. If you sit at a desk all week, then go run 10 miles on the weekend. Odds are heavy that you are going to get injured. In some studies, stretching before exercise was actually shown to increase your risk of injury because it pushes cold muscles too far too fast. You are better off taking it a bit slower and working on technique of what you are doing. Realize too that being active will increase your risk of injury…but that is the fact of life. It’s also dang manly to get injured doing something super cool.<br />
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<b>Prevention of Muscle Soreness.</b> To quote the author <i>“Muscle soreness is the TAX for exercise.”</i> If you exercise, your muscles are going to be sore. The more your body is accustomed to exercise, the more likely you are to not be sore. Even massage is shown to NOT necessarily decrease muscle soreness. Deep tissue massage will actually make you more sore in the long turn. It feels good to massage sore muscles but it does not decrease how sore they will be.<br />
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<b>Flexibility.</b> If you have a normal range of motion, why do you need to have more? What is the need for it? How does greater flexibility make you a better athlete? If you are doing exercises beyond the normal range of motion…you are just asking for injury…so why are you doing it? The bottom line is that you really don’t need to be that flexible to be healthy or even a good athlete.<br />
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<b>Performance Enhancement.</b> Studies have proven that stretching before exercise actually reduces performance. He cites a few of these in the article. But the cold scientific fact is that stretching does nothing to enhance performance and in most cases actually makes it worse.<br />
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Some stretching does feel good and all of us will stretch when we first wake up…after sitting for a long time…etc. We do it because it simply feels good and provides a bit of a energy boost by getting blood and oxygen to your muscles. There is nothing wrong with that. Even animals do that, but…<br />
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<i>“You ever see a lion limber up before it takes down a gazelle?” </i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Woody Harrelson in Zombieland</span><br />
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If you ask me, I believe that stretching before a workout is a complete waste of time, and is actually more harmful and dangerous than it is helpful. I never stretch before exercise. Why should I? I’ve got better things to do with my time.<br />
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<b>NO FEAR - NO WHINING - NO REGRETS </b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-73154717689576661532014-03-10T13:27:00.002-07:002014-03-10T13:27:54.781-07:00Teach Me To Be A ManI have a few blogs that I like to follow. One of my favorites is from Chad Howse. He recently posted this article on raising men that I highly recommend:<br />
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<a href="http://www.chadhowsefitness.com/blog/2014/03/3-lessons-in-manhood/" target="_blank">http://www.chadhowsefitness.com/blog/2014/03/3-lessons-in-manhood/ </a><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-71475027063171991062014-02-24T14:08:00.003-08:002014-02-25T12:19:39.563-08:00Rise of the Un-MEN<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FOO97QF3j-w/UwvABa5C1NI/AAAAAAAABOU/aNecpWjglEs/s1600/00293631-840960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FOO97QF3j-w/UwvABa5C1NI/AAAAAAAABOU/aNecpWjglEs/s1600/00293631-840960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>By now I’m sure that nearly everyone has heard the statistics. The ones that put numbers to the increasing failures of the male gender. We are being outperformed by women on all fronts; education, profession, religion and being responsible adults. What gives? <br />
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I even read recently that the oft touted statistic that women earn 77 cents for every dollar that men earn may not be all that true and that reality is that women soon will be earning as much as 8% more than men!<br />
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<b><u>Boys are failing on an epic scale!</u></b><br />
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Up front let me state that I’m all in favor of equality and I hope I do not come across as slighting women in any way with what I’m going to say here. The success that women are having is well earned and deserved, they have worked hard and sacrificed a lot to achieve it (men take note…this is the formula for success). <br />
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I also firmly believe that we play very specific gender roles for a reason and that it all part of a divine plan.<br />
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More and more it seems that men are opting to forgo the role of the breadwinner to stay home and let mom fulfill the divinely appointed role of <b>protector, provider & presiding</b> for their family. Is it any wonder that men are reporting increases in reporting depression, anxiety and suicide? When a man isn’t living up to his divine potential he cannot be satisfied and he cannot feel good about himself. <br />
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On average men now spend more time in the bathroom grooming themselves than women do, spending nearly as much as women on cosmetic and beauty products.<br />
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Men today even produce less testosterone (the chemical that makes us men) and each generation declines even further. Literally making us less and less manly with each passing generation. We are very LITERALLY becoming more feminine.<br />
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<u><b>What really scares me:</b></u><br />
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But you know, none of these statistics scare me much…what really scares me is that so many men and <b><u>boys don’t really seem to care</u></b>. Apathy abounds and seems to be growing. In fact many seem happy at the prospect of having less responsibility and possibly being taken care of by a woman. More and more men seem to WANT to avoid responsibility and refuse to stand up, <b>man up</b> and get ahead with life. <br />
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Failure to launch syndrome has become the “I don’t even want to think about launching” syndrome!<br />
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Men are not failing, they are <u>giving up</u> and voluntarily making themselves extinct. They have become <b>AFRAID</b> to be men.<br />
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<b>THIS IS CRAZY!</b> How did we come to this depraved state and what makes us think this is OK? Do we honestly think that a loving Father in Heaven put us here to fail? Do we think that we can ‘gain all that the father hath’ (D&C 84:38) if we aren’t willing to step up and be our best selves?<br />
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<u><b>WE ARE MEN! </b></u><br />
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We build things, we invent things, we make mistakes because we are willing to dive in, take risks and try things. We fix things, we get our hands dirty and we drive civilization forward! We work with our hands bending steel to our will and lead armies to defeat evil. We stand between our homes and the screaming hordes of Satan…at least we used too. Now we simply don’t care.<br />
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Uninspired, unmotivated, unworthy and unimpressive. We’ve become the ‘<b>UN-Men</b>’…it’s like we are the exact opposite of superheroes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What the Un-Men would look like if they had a comic book.</td></tr>
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I look around me and I see grown men spending inordinate amounts of time playing video games. I see young men staring into 4” phone screens while life happens all around them. I see men expending loads of energy on pornography. I see men who are incapable of hearing the promptings of the Holy Ghost because their ear buds are cranked up too loud. I see boys in need of good examples to follow who’s fathers have checked out of family life and I see daughters craving the attention of their dads, and not getting anything. I see women who wish their husbands would take a stand for righteousness but afraid to rock the boat and upset him and hurt his feelings. I see men under the age of 40 who are not physically fit enough to join their sons and the Boy Scouts on a hike. I see young men who are too obese to go on the same hikes. I see priesthood leaders who are too timid to speak truth out of fear of being Politically Incorrect. I see men who are <b><u>not</u></b> men. I see lots and lots of <b>UN-MEN</b>.<br />
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1 Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”<br />
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<b><u>Satan is waging war specifically on the men of the church and he’s doing it methodically through politics, media and technology. Here is how:</u></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In my minds eye, this is what it looks like to do combat with the forces of evil and stand for righteousness.</td></tr>
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He offers us a wide variety of distractions to lure us into fake worlds and out of the real one (see Elder David A. Bednar’s Talk: Things As They Really Are). He disconnects us from reality with more and more interesting fantasies. He tells us it is OK because it’s just a game, a virtual world. In the real world he convinces media producers, governments and others to punish manly behavior to demean it and to promote any possible way to tell men that they are oppressive, mean and useless. His carefully coordinated attack successfully makes us want to retreat into fantasy even further. He offers us pornography to distract us from real relationships with women that not only desensitizes us but devastates the real women in our lives. Then he tells us it is OK because it doesn’t hurt anyone (can he offer a bigger lie?). He confuses sexuality with love and demeans marriage and family into a mere love contract. He lies to us and says that we don’t have control over who we fall in love with and that when we are not longer in ‘lust’ we can simply discard marriage in favor of someone or something new. As he gets us to spend more and more time with technology we lose connections to the physical world, we get fatter and fatter and our bodies cease to function in MANLY ways. Men are designed to be physically powerful and active. This reduction in fitness levels results in a decrease in the hormones that make us men. The ultimate conclusion to this plan is to make us so emasculated that we stop functioning, and slowly the priesthood will wither. We cover this up with a pretended apathy and act like it’s no big deal when it really is. No guy really wants to be a loser…but we are effectively filling that role more and more.<br />
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To top it off, Satan has the audacity to try and convince us that through all this, we are evolving into a higher life form! WOW!! I’ve actually heard other ‘men’ make this argument! REALLY?!? We put on his chains and tout that we are in fashion with the rest of the world! We buy the lie and flaunt it about!<br />
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You see how he has lured us into removing the armor of God and is hitting us with so many fiery darts that we don’t even feel them anymore? Is it any wonder that our boys don’t care? They are just following our example and taking it to the next logical step – total failure.<br />
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We all need to put a stop to it right now.<br />
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<u><b>Go ahead…make my day.</b></u><br />
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Men it’s time to stand up! Arise from the dust! Shake off your chains and get engaged in life. <br />
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<u>Turn off the TV</u>; the video game console, the phone and turn on life. You will be astonished at what you can get done when you aren’t wasting hours with TV and video games. I become more and more convinced every day that video games are the worst use of time out there and they are destroying men and boys at an alarming rate. <br />
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<u>Get in shape,</u> loose that gut. Learn some self control and eat healthy…then teach your kids the same. There are some great articles on this <a href="http://ldssofhandbook.blogspot.com/2012/08/working-it-out.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://ldssofhandbook.blogspot.com/2012/04/eating-right.html#more" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<u>Read your scriptures</u> and start honoring your priesthood. It starts with you dads if real change is going to happen. Like the sons of Mosiah, your gospel teaching will have true power (Alma 17:2-3) and your righteous living will have an effect on those around you that will astound you!<br />
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<u>Learn this word:</u> “<b>NO</b>”. It is OK to say it to your child, in fact it will do them some good. They can’t have everything in life and they might as well learn early that sometimes life does not go your way. <u><b>SEVERELY</b> limit the time they spend with media</u>. My wife teaches preschool and she is finding that she has to teach 4-year-old kids how to hold a crayon! More and more she is finding that they don’t have the finger strength to hold a pencil correctly…but they can launch Angry Birds with precision all day long. Putting a pencil to paper has a proven effect on cognitive development and kids who can write and draw are at a significant advantage over those who cannot write well.<br />
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<u>Think Manly Thoughts:</u> read the war chapters of the Book of Mormon and ponder on what that means to you. See yourself for the Spiritual Warrior you are in the eternal conflict between good and evil. <br />
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<u>Put away fear</u> and take a hard look in the mirror, be honest with yourself and dare yourself to change. Repent where needed and keep moving forward!<br />
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2014 is the year to <b>RISE UP</b>, take up the sword of the spirit, follow the prophet and lets all march into battle and to VICTORY! This is how we ARE the Latter Day Saint – Special Operations Forces of the Lord (LDS-SOF). Here I will continue to post ideas of what we can do together, and I invite your feedback, ideas and sincere comments.<br />
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<b>NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS</b><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-8865600118333144132014-02-17T13:20:00.001-08:002014-02-17T13:20:16.870-08:00SPRINTINGLately I’ve been trying to add some new things to my workout to get a little extra “<i>Umph</i>” in my day and I discovered something that I think deserves sharing…it’s a little exercise known as <b>Sprinting</b>.<br /><br />Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a big advocate of Running. I’ve been a steady runner now for about 15 years and I love it. I’ve always enjoyed running 3-6 miles on a regular basis and the health benefits I’ve enjoyed are amazing. Running has even saved my life <span style="font-size: x-small;">(a story that I’ll have to share here someday)</span>.<br /><br />I’m also a big fan of really simple exercises that work multiple sets of muscles simultaneously <span style="font-size: x-small;">(which is why I’m a big advocate of free weights over machines, or simply doing body-weight work, and only doing three or four exercises for an entire workout)</span>. <br /><br />As I looked around for some good, simple, efficient exercises I started reading about the benefits of Sprinting, and I decided to add it to my workout routine as a finisher <span style="font-size: x-small;">(meaning that I finish my workout with this activity) </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />Here’s how I do it. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday when I finish my weight lifting workout, I head to the parking lot of the elementary school next to my house and I sprint across it 10 times. This amounts to about a 500 M sprint. I sprint in one direction <span style="font-size: x-small;">(roughly 50 M)</span>, then jog/walk back to the starting line, then sprint again…repeating this 10 times. It takes roughly 7-10 minutes and it a GREAT finisher for my workout. <br />
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In one 10 minute session can burn nearly 250 calories <span style="font-size: x-small;">(about the same as running three miles)</span> and I get a <b>MASSIVE</b> finish to my workout. <br /><br />I’m trying to build up to do more sprints. The problem I have is that I have to catch a bus to get to work, but as I get faster I add one more sprint to my workout.<br /><br />I’m still doing my distance running for the pure joy of it, but the results from sprinting are remarkable. I initially dropped about 10 lbs. and went down nearly two inches on my pants size. <br /><br />You’ll want to make sure that you are ready to do this. Sprinting has a higher risk of injury to thigh muscles than jogging, and if you are not in pretty good shape already you can injure yourself doing high intensity sprints. You need to have a good place to do it <span style="font-size: x-small;">(this is why I choose the parking lot at the school, it’s well lit early in the morning and normally clear of garbage and debris. I know of some guys who do it on a local football field as well since it is well maintained).</span><br />Keep exercising and get fit for 2014. <b>Physically fit men make better priesthood men.</b><br /><u>Here are a few interesting facts on fitness and men:</u><br />- 71 % of men admit that they should exercise more.<br />- Muscles are 3 times more efficient at burning calories than fat<br />- 69 % of men consider themselves physically fit<br />- Only 13% of men are actually physically fit<br />- Over half of young people aged 12-21 are NOT vigorously active on a regular basis.<br />- If you are 25 lbs overweight you have nearly 5000 extra MILES of blood vessels that your heart must pump blood through<br /><br /><b>NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS</b><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-42422039545525441592014-02-04T09:25:00.001-08:002014-02-04T09:25:30.708-08:00What IS Your Excuse?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I see so many people who are unwilling to do what it takes to improve their lives for the better. Everyone can come up with an excuse as to why they "can't" do any better...the validity of those excuses on the other hand are questionable.<br />
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The truth is that the only limitations are in our minds.<br />
<br /><b>NO FEAR - NO WHINING - NO REGRETS</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506684363455171079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809147123586380027.post-19968064133277124972014-02-03T14:12:00.003-08:002014-02-18T06:23:19.399-08:00Determined DisciplineWe all do it.<br />
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Every single one of us is guilty.<br />
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We all know what is good for us…spiritually, physically, etc…we know the right things to do, but we just can’t bring ourselves to do them most of the time.<br />
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For instance. I know that if I get out of bed when my alarm goes off and go exercise I’m going to have more energy, feel healthier, be stronger and just have a way better day. I know that if I do get up on time that I’m 100% more likely to make it to the bus on time to get to work. I just know that will happen. Yet <u>EVERY SINGLE DAY</u> when that alarm goes off, I have to make myself get up. I don’t want to get up. I grumble and groan about it and often I’ll talk myself out of it and lay back down and sleep some more. What’s wrong with a little more sleep? Nothing really, but I know that my day will not go as well if I don’t discipline myself and exercise. <br />
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The same can be said for lots of things in our lives. We know what is good for us and what is not…yet somehow it is always way easier to choose that which is not good for us and doing the thing that IS good for us is always more difficult.<br />
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Why is that?<br />
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It’s because the Natural Man lacks what I’ll call “<b>Determined Discipline</b>” and in fact he really hates it. The Natural Man seeks the easy, lazy path of least resistance. The path that appears to have low levels of difficulty and the one that will bring pleasure NOW…not defer it for later. This short sightedness leads to problems later, but the Natural Man doesn’t care, he wants pleasure NOW.<br />
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So what is wrong with the easy path? The path of least resistance? Why can’t we be lazy once in a while?<br />
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You know the answer. <b>Do I really need to tell you? </b><br />
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Remember the poem <b>“<a href="http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15717" target="_blank">The Road Not Taken</a>”</b> by Robert Frost? Here is part of it...<br />
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<i>“TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood, <br />And sorry I could not travel both <br />….<br />Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— <br />I took the one less traveled by, <br /><u>And that has made all the difference.</u>” </i><br />
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<b>Determined Discipline – the way of the Warrior</b><br />
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So the real question is: how can a person, the warrior, develop this determined discipline and put it to work in their journey?<br />
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There isn’t a really simple answer and like most things worth doing, it will require a great deal of effort, patience and work to make it happen. Here are a few ideas that I have that might help:<br />
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<b>STEP 1 – Acknowledging Weakness and the Need to Change</b><br />
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<b>First</b> you have to be brutally honest with yourself and admit your weakness. You have to man up and take on those weakness'. You can’t place any blame anywhere else. It all goes squarely on your shoulders. I don’t care who did what to you. It’s yours now so own it. <i>(in my exercise example, sometimes I have to stay up later with work, honey-do tasks, church calling work, kids homework and other things beyond my control, so it would be easy to blame someone else for me not getting enough sleep…but is that really doing me any good? I didn’t get enough sleep, period. It’s my problem. Now get off your butt and work it out.).</i><br />
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<b>Second</b>, you can’t beat yourself up with your weakness. You simply acknowledge that it is yours and then start figuring out ways to overcome, defeat and otherwise get rid of it. Moaning and whining just makes you bitter and makes you look stupid. <u>We are men…act like it</u>.<br />
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<b>Third</b> be prepared for the counter attack. As you start to make changes to improve, realize that you are going to meet with a <b>LOT </b>of resistance because our common enemy is going to do all he can to stop you from making a positive change and he will attack from all sides even from other people. Some people are funny that way, for some reason when they see someone trying to improve they instantly feel that it makes them look bad so they will attempt to put a stop to it to. Being prepared for this, is the only way to overcome it.<br />
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<u>T</u><u>hose three steps will have to be repeated often</u> as well since you will most likely not succeed the first time you try and if you are successful, you’ll encounter other weakness’ that need to be corrected along the way. This doesn’t end by the way, it’s a constant process that we all have to get used too. Better start now.<br />
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<b>STEP 2 - Using Goals & Measuring Success</b><br />
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To accomplish anything, you need to set goals. When you set goals it’s important to remember a few things.<br />
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a) To accomplish a long term goal you need to break it down into a series of short-term, quickly-achievable goals. This is important to help you stay motivated.<br />
b) You need to be able to measure your goal in some way. Goals that cannot be measured are doomed to fail…here is an example of a bad goal and a good one.<br />
a. <b>BAD GOAL</b> – I want to do better at saying my prayers<br />
b. <b>GOOD GOAL</b> – I want to make sure that I am saying my prayers every morning and every night<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(A goal to say your prayers isn’t a bad goal, but the second one puts a number to it and allows you to asses it every day)</span></i><br />
Making goals measureable takes a little more effort…but more effort is a good thing. That is what we are all about here: finding the hard way to do something.<br />
c) Beware of setting too many goals at once. If you set too many goals you will most certainly get discouraged and quit. Simplify!<br />
d) Rely on others. Have someone that will check up on you and encourage you to keep going. In turn, do the same for somebody else. <br />
e) Use rewards effectively. I read about a guy once who hated to run but he wanted to find a way to like it. So he came up with this idea: Before he went to bed he would put his running shoes on a chair next to his bed where he could see them when he woke up. On top of the shoes he’d place a small piece of chocolate. Every time he got out of bed and put the shoes on to go for a run, he got to eat the piece of chocolate. After a period of time his brain would associate the joy of eating chocolate with going for a run and he was able to form a positive habit. The reward helped establish a good habit. (Yes, he did eliminate the chocolate after some time and the joy of running replaced it as a reward.) <br />
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<b>STEP 3 - Seek out Hardship & Practice Self Control</b><br />
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Doing things the easy way isn’t always the best way. In fact it can be harmful and result in us becoming more lazy in our lives. Sometimes we need to place challenges on our own shoulders just to increase the effort and thus increase the reward. The harder you work for something, the better it feels to accomplish it. So seek out the path of difficulty and you will find greater rewards and greater levels of discipline in your life.<br />
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Our bodies crave activity and exercise. They are designed for it. To deny our bodies of hard work will result in decreased mental and physical function. This becomes more and more difficult to do in a world that has most of us sitting in offices all day typing on computers. We have to look for ways to break it up and get some activity. It’s worth it though. <br />
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This is also true when it comes to eating healthy. This is one great way to learn some self-control. Knowing when enough is enough and when to limit sweets. Our culture is slowly killing itself with food that is terrible for our bodies and we continue to let food control our lives more and more. It’s time to take control of life and start eating with wisdom. <br />
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I’ll also add that our brains need exercise too. So turn off the TV and go read.<br />
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In fact, if you really want some control of your life I’d advocate completely eliminating (or very nearly eliminating) video games, social media, youtube, TV, smartphones, etc… I don’t think these things are evil…just very sense dulling and time consuming for all the wrong reasons. These “screen’s” need to be treated just like any other form of recreation. They are not the purpose of existence and need to be used sparingly. Again, I go back to my old Monopoly analogy. Would you play Monopoly for hours and hours every day? So why play any other game that way?<br />
<b><br />REMEMBER - A Warrior is ALWAYS ON</b><br />
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True warriors are always training, always on the alert and always sharpening skills. Can we afford to do less? <br />
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We must be constantly on the lookout for ways to improve and hone our skills in all aspects of our lives. The minute we stop learning, we stop living. <br />
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Does this mean we can never have down time? Of course not. Even Navy SEALs need a break. BUT: when it becomes the focus of our existence to seek recreation and laziness then we need to alter what it is that we are doing. Occasional breaks are good. Too many breaks make us weak and destroys discipline.<br />
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The secret is to learn to love the work that you do be it school or a full-time job. Learn to love it then you don’t need as many breaks.<br />
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Keep the faith!!<br />
<b><br /></b><b>NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS</b><br />
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