I talked to a man tonight who told me about his conversion to the gospel. He started off his story by saying that it all began in 1938 when his father was placed in a foster home. When his dad was twelve, he entered a foster home on a farm in central Utah. After bouncing around from home to home, he finally settled with an LDS foster family. Although he never converted, he appreciated the kindness and acceptance shown by this family. At the age of 18, he moved to Chicago where he settled down and had a family. When his own son reached the age of 9 (the man telling me this story), his father sent him to this same farm in central Utah to work during the summers. His son was also touched by the kindness and generosity of the LDS family. After a series of events and trials, at the age of 17 this young boy felt like it was right for him to join the gospel. That teenager went on to marry in the temple and have four kids of his own. The majority of which have served missions and gotten married themselves.

Through the courageous and selfless decision to accept a foster child into their home, this Utah family unknowningly triggered a series of events that would bring many lives and future families into the gospel.

I've seen it in my life several times, but this is another testament to me. How the Lord often works in small ways to bring about great things. I hope to continually make myself available to be a tool in the Lord's hands just like this family was.

Think Deeper

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for supporting any country or people that would ever tragically be terrorized. But can we really say that overlaying a French flag over your profile picture really supports the French people? I'm not entirely sure. I'm afraid that this kind of passive "support" leads us to believe that we are actually doing something, and afterwards we feel proud of ourselves and sit back comfortably. In reality, we did nothing of substance and the self-gratification ends any further action.

Also, what about the other countries that day and the days before and after. What about Nigeria, Lebanon, and Iraq? Do we only care because a western country full of white people were attacked? Maybe it hits closer to home because of that.

I don't like looking at this situation pessimistically, but we have to think deeper than profile pictures and feel more for the people in non-westernized countries.

Up in the clouds

It feels cliché nowadays to talk or write about living in the present. Countless motivational speakers and self-help books present the dangers on focusing too much on the past or the future. We know we shouldn't, but we do.

"I should have said this to her before it was too late."
"I wish I had studied harder."
"Will I be successful in my career?"
"What's my 5 year plan? My 6 month plan? What should I do Friday night?"

Personally, my time break-down is as follows: 1% in the past, 2% in the present, and 97% in the future. Perhaps this is the reason that I have such an awful memory. Events come and go, and either I don't think about them afterward or I never even fully process them as they happen. I'm always looking forward, worrying, planning, dreaming, wishing.

I want to #liveauthentic and #liveinthemoment and any other number of trendy Instagram hashtags that tell us how we should be, but its tough. Any tips out there?

Online Interview

Fellow classmate Sarah Taylor and I conducted short online interviews this evening. Fortunately, our interviews turned into discussions of how to best answer various questions. We backed up our discussions with personal experiences and all in all it was a helpful exercise!

Virtual Meeting

Dunder Mifflin got together this week and had a virtual meeting via Google Hangouts. After some initial technical difficulties, we pushed on successfully despite conistently poor wifi connection. The odds were stacked against us, yet we did superbly.

Relativity

Recently, I've been consumed with the idea that there are potentially billions of other people in the world who are just as or more convicted in their religious or spiritual beliefs than I am. I don't feel the need to discuss or defend the strength of my personal beliefs here, I am simply playing devil's advocate (coincidence?) and entertaining the idea that there are many muslims or jews or (fill in the blank) who also have undeniable spiritual experiences that have changed them to their cores--experiences that have driven those believers for lifetimes, and usually for good. So why is my spiritual experience and testimony more correct than theirs? I believe that it is, but if the strength of my conviction is based solely on emotions I have felt at times, it is hard for me to argue in toddler fashion that "I felt it stronger than you!" and get away with it and maintain any real sense of self respect.

It has to be deeper than that.

Why do families grow apart? Why do siblings not even send so much as a Christmas card in 23 years? Was it worth it?

I'm currently undertaking a project about family ties--or maybe the absence of family ties would be a more accurate description. I recently contacted a family member I do not know very well and went for a visit. I was actually 6 last time I had seen her, and meeting her was almost like meeting a stranger for the very first time. I should have felt something toward her. I should have instantly felt trust, loyalty, and any number of other things. We share the same blood after all. But I didn't, at least not at the start.

Staying close with my extended family has never been a priority and I wonder how much I've missed out on so far.