“We must have the courage to be imperfect while striving for perfection.” –pg 369
“Competition and jealousy and envy now begin to have no meaning. Just imagine the powerful spirit that would exist in our … society if we finally arrived at the point where, like our Savior, our real desire was to be counted as the least among our sisters (and brothers).” –Sister Patricia T Holland (Eternal Marriage SM pg 370)
I couldn’t help but stop and think when I got to both of these quotes of Sister Holland’s. They both made me want to be better. The first one talking about perfection is a problem that many face including myself. The need to be ok with being imperfect while striving for perfection is almost contradictory in statement and is something that is very hard to do. We have to drop pride and the belief that we are better. This in turn leads to the second quote. Pride is the cause of competition and jealousy and if we can get rid of it then we can hope and desire to be “counted as the least among our sisters” and brothers. To desire to not be the best would be humbling indeed and is something that I fall woefully short in and definitely need to work on. I would encourage you all to do search for times and opportunities through the day where you can be counted as least and to take advantage of it. I believe that that action will cause you to partake of the fruit of the spirit in a greater proportion and you will receive milk without price (see 2 Nephi 9:50).
2.25.2010
2.23.2010
What Men Can Do
“The second question: What more can a husband do to support his wife, the mother of their children? First, show extra appreciation and give more validation for what your wife does every day. Notice things and say thank you—often. Schedule some evenings together, just the two of you. Second, have a regular time to talk with your wife about each child’s needs and what you can do to help. Third, give your wife a “day away” now and then. Just take over the household and give your wife a break from her daily responsibilities. Taking over for a while will greatly enhance your appreciation of what your wife does. You may do a lot of lifting, twisting, and bending! Fourth, come home from work and take an active role with your family. Don’t put work, friends, or sports ahead of listening to, playing with, and teaching your children.” –Elder M. Russell Ballard (Daughters of God)
In discussing what can be done to help mothers Elder Ballard says the above. I completely agree and don’t feel the need to expound on it other than to say that it’s a shame that it doesn’t actually happen often enough.
In discussing what can be done to help mothers Elder Ballard says the above. I completely agree and don’t feel the need to expound on it other than to say that it’s a shame that it doesn’t actually happen often enough.
2.21.2010
Those who wait for the Lord
"The people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah." - Jacob, 2 Nephi 6:13
I have probably read this scripture a dozen times and it never really struck me with anything of importance. But this last time that I read it I couldn't help but feel awe and wonder. I asked myself the question, "Do I wait for the Lord?" We all seem to go about our daily lives, living as if there is no end to come, we seek to recieve the glories of those around us and to increase our station in life. When was the last time we actually waited for the Lord to come. Maybe that is when He will come again the second time, when we are actually waiting for him. Right now when we are not waiting for him, it is like saying that we don't need him. Why would the Lord come to us when we reject even the fact that we need him. When we show the Lord that we want and need him by waiting for him then he will come to us in glory and power and deliver us from the powers of evil that beset us. Then we will be the people of the Lord, those who wait for the Lord.
I have probably read this scripture a dozen times and it never really struck me with anything of importance. But this last time that I read it I couldn't help but feel awe and wonder. I asked myself the question, "Do I wait for the Lord?" We all seem to go about our daily lives, living as if there is no end to come, we seek to recieve the glories of those around us and to increase our station in life. When was the last time we actually waited for the Lord to come. Maybe that is when He will come again the second time, when we are actually waiting for him. Right now when we are not waiting for him, it is like saying that we don't need him. Why would the Lord come to us when we reject even the fact that we need him. When we show the Lord that we want and need him by waiting for him then he will come to us in glory and power and deliver us from the powers of evil that beset us. Then we will be the people of the Lord, those who wait for the Lord.
2.20.2010
Apostasy: Men's Fault
“It is a remarkable blessing to be a daughter of God today. We have the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are blessed to have the priesthood restored to the earth. We are led by a prophet of God who holds all of the priesthood keys. I love and honor President Gordon B. Hinckley and all of our brethren who bear the priesthood worthily.” -Sister Margaret D. Nadauld SM pg 70
Reading this first paragraph of Sister Nadauld’s talk has really made me think. Men and women are very different and the difference, I believe, can be found first and foremost in the priesthood. We men need something to keep us in line whereas women are more Godlike in nature. We need responsibility to get anything done. Another thing that I thought was throughout the history of the church we often talk about apostasy, the falling away of the church from the path of that God would have it take. This in turn caused a removal of the Priesthood Authority. Why was it removed? Because there were no worthy men on the earth who could hold it. It is Man’s fault that the priesthood of God has left so often throughout the annuals of history, and when this happen the women of the earth raise their voices high in dread of a time with no one to bless them or their homes.
Reading this first paragraph of Sister Nadauld’s talk has really made me think. Men and women are very different and the difference, I believe, can be found first and foremost in the priesthood. We men need something to keep us in line whereas women are more Godlike in nature. We need responsibility to get anything done. Another thing that I thought was throughout the history of the church we often talk about apostasy, the falling away of the church from the path of that God would have it take. This in turn caused a removal of the Priesthood Authority. Why was it removed? Because there were no worthy men on the earth who could hold it. It is Man’s fault that the priesthood of God has left so often throughout the annuals of history, and when this happen the women of the earth raise their voices high in dread of a time with no one to bless them or their homes.
2.14.2010
Covenant Hearts by Bruce C Hafen
Having read this book has not really changed my mind concerning much, but has more reinforced what I already believed. As a reinforcement, I believe that it has changed the amount of desire that I have to do what I know to be correct and true. The world is a harsh place that doesn’t value true family relationships and I found it strengthening to find it put in words the feelings that I have felt for some time. The one major thing that did change in my opinion is what I thought of as the state of the natural man. I will discuss both of these issues in my paper and hope that you will come to the same conclusions that I came to. Seeing as how the state of the natural man will back up what is reinforced I will talk about that first.
“For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticing of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord,” (Mosiah 3:19). This scripture is a fundamental belief that I have held throughout my life. I have studied philosophy and history which have backed it up. “The life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short,” (The Leviathan by Thomas Hobbs). These ideas and philosophies have led me to believe that we are naturally evil and thus cannot and do not desire anything really good.
But this is completely contrary to my “natural” feelings. I have often felt for and longed for stable relationship. The search for love, I guess you could call it, a place to call home. I naturally want and desire for a family, how then does this work with what is presented in scripture and modern philosophy? A little while back in class we talked about this scripture in Mosiah and compared it to a quote by Brigham Young, “We are the natural sons and daughters of our natural parents, and spiritually we are the natural children of the Father of light and natural heirs to his kingdom; and when we do an evil, we do it in opposition to the promptings of the Spirit of Truth that is within us. Man, the noblest work of God, was in his creation designed for an endless duration, for which the love of all good was incorporated in his nature. It was never designed that he should naturally do and love evil” (in Journal of Discourses, 9:305). This was my first step into what I would call further truth and light.
How I understand it is as follows. The natural state of our physical being is one that is characteristically flawed, and as such often attempts to persuade our other part of self to succumb to the will of the world. That other part is our spiritual being, and it by nature is an advocate of the Father, having dwelt in his presence for close to one hundred percent of Eternity that we have currently lived through. As such it is a constant struggle between an age old being and a young and carefree existence. The natural man is an enemy to God, but the natural son or daughter is an advocate of the Father. With this in mind it helps to explain the feelings that we have that seem to contradict what I have previously taken as truth.
Because of our inner spirit and its immense power of sway that it holds through emotion and heart, the yearnings of love and family are actually quite natural. They are what the Father would desire and so what our spirits would desire. At the same time our physical selves seek to satisfy this yearning for love and acceptance through personal gratification, in whatever form that may take. It is selfish while the spirit in seeking for completion is charitable. “Charity, suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). Our natural spirits are charitable and unselfish while our natural bodies are selfish and seek the now.
All of this in a way leads to the other aspect that I already knew to be true but which was reinforced by the book. Again as above there is no real spot in the book that can adequately describe what I search to say, but it is the spirit of the entirety of the book that has taught me these simple truths. I will describe them in a way that I feel them to be best applicable.
Marriage has always been a bit of a mystery to me. There have not been many marriages that I have seen in my life, none that have been real examples to me of what it is that I feel needs to happen in a marriage. Those major ones that have been part of my life have often fallen woefully short of expectations that I have felt need to be part of it. For example my parents marriage ended when I was still a little boy, about 12ish. My mom got remarried and that only lasted for about 4 or 5 months before it was over. She has remarried again and this time it is working out but only after a rough and rocky start. It has been a great opportunity for me to watch and observe, to see and to conclude what I feel a marriage should really be about.
One of the major things that I have seen is all the lovey dovey courtship that occurs during premarital relationships seems to fade off and disappear with the onset of married life. This I believe is wrong, with the onset of life it should in a way increase. There should now, after those covenants have been made, be an increase in expressions of love. The fighting and anger should never be allowed in the home. Keep the “wolves” at the door. They do not belong in the house and should not be invited into our lives. There are times for discussion and opportunities for expression of opinion, but more importantly there should be expression of love and charitable action. When entered into a covenant that nobody is forcing you to enter, you quite literally do so of your own free will. Because of this choice that you have made you should continue in the expression of that love that got you to that point. There is no need to stop telling your significant other that you love them. Continue to surprise them with small things including gifts and acts of service. Don’t look for opportunities to get away as you use to look for opportunities to spend time together. You have made a covenant of marriage that you will spend all time, that means now, and eternity, that means tomorrow, together. If you don’t then your breaking you covenant with your spouse and with God. It has in reality been a contractual marriage, and such marriages cannot be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise and thus you cannot inherit the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom, Exaltation.
One thing that I touched on earlier in talking about this is the lack of place for anger in your home. A wolf that I guess in all reality should not even make it to the door, let alone in it. Why would anybody want to fight or argue with someone who they have pledged every practical of their being to for all time and eternity? This is someone who you love and cherish and any amount of raising the voice or verbal and physical abuse is completely inappropriate. If you justify yourself in saying “well we only argue on occasion,” just think about God, I’m sure he doesn’t argue with his wife on occasion. I’m sure it never happens. He says in Jacob 2: 7, 9 through his prophet that our wives and children have “feeling (that) are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God… (who) instead of feasting upon the pleasing work of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds.”
Let us be sure that we are not the placers of daggers. Do not follow the nature of the physical self but follow the spiritual and we shall have the strength that we need to be obedient to the commandments of our Father. By so doing we remove the “wolves” from our homes and in their stead leave room for charitable acts of love and the Holy Spirit of Promise.
“For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticing of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord,” (Mosiah 3:19). This scripture is a fundamental belief that I have held throughout my life. I have studied philosophy and history which have backed it up. “The life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short,” (The Leviathan by Thomas Hobbs). These ideas and philosophies have led me to believe that we are naturally evil and thus cannot and do not desire anything really good.
But this is completely contrary to my “natural” feelings. I have often felt for and longed for stable relationship. The search for love, I guess you could call it, a place to call home. I naturally want and desire for a family, how then does this work with what is presented in scripture and modern philosophy? A little while back in class we talked about this scripture in Mosiah and compared it to a quote by Brigham Young, “We are the natural sons and daughters of our natural parents, and spiritually we are the natural children of the Father of light and natural heirs to his kingdom; and when we do an evil, we do it in opposition to the promptings of the Spirit of Truth that is within us. Man, the noblest work of God, was in his creation designed for an endless duration, for which the love of all good was incorporated in his nature. It was never designed that he should naturally do and love evil” (in Journal of Discourses, 9:305). This was my first step into what I would call further truth and light.
How I understand it is as follows. The natural state of our physical being is one that is characteristically flawed, and as such often attempts to persuade our other part of self to succumb to the will of the world. That other part is our spiritual being, and it by nature is an advocate of the Father, having dwelt in his presence for close to one hundred percent of Eternity that we have currently lived through. As such it is a constant struggle between an age old being and a young and carefree existence. The natural man is an enemy to God, but the natural son or daughter is an advocate of the Father. With this in mind it helps to explain the feelings that we have that seem to contradict what I have previously taken as truth.
Because of our inner spirit and its immense power of sway that it holds through emotion and heart, the yearnings of love and family are actually quite natural. They are what the Father would desire and so what our spirits would desire. At the same time our physical selves seek to satisfy this yearning for love and acceptance through personal gratification, in whatever form that may take. It is selfish while the spirit in seeking for completion is charitable. “Charity, suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). Our natural spirits are charitable and unselfish while our natural bodies are selfish and seek the now.
All of this in a way leads to the other aspect that I already knew to be true but which was reinforced by the book. Again as above there is no real spot in the book that can adequately describe what I search to say, but it is the spirit of the entirety of the book that has taught me these simple truths. I will describe them in a way that I feel them to be best applicable.
Marriage has always been a bit of a mystery to me. There have not been many marriages that I have seen in my life, none that have been real examples to me of what it is that I feel needs to happen in a marriage. Those major ones that have been part of my life have often fallen woefully short of expectations that I have felt need to be part of it. For example my parents marriage ended when I was still a little boy, about 12ish. My mom got remarried and that only lasted for about 4 or 5 months before it was over. She has remarried again and this time it is working out but only after a rough and rocky start. It has been a great opportunity for me to watch and observe, to see and to conclude what I feel a marriage should really be about.
One of the major things that I have seen is all the lovey dovey courtship that occurs during premarital relationships seems to fade off and disappear with the onset of married life. This I believe is wrong, with the onset of life it should in a way increase. There should now, after those covenants have been made, be an increase in expressions of love. The fighting and anger should never be allowed in the home. Keep the “wolves” at the door. They do not belong in the house and should not be invited into our lives. There are times for discussion and opportunities for expression of opinion, but more importantly there should be expression of love and charitable action. When entered into a covenant that nobody is forcing you to enter, you quite literally do so of your own free will. Because of this choice that you have made you should continue in the expression of that love that got you to that point. There is no need to stop telling your significant other that you love them. Continue to surprise them with small things including gifts and acts of service. Don’t look for opportunities to get away as you use to look for opportunities to spend time together. You have made a covenant of marriage that you will spend all time, that means now, and eternity, that means tomorrow, together. If you don’t then your breaking you covenant with your spouse and with God. It has in reality been a contractual marriage, and such marriages cannot be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise and thus you cannot inherit the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom, Exaltation.
One thing that I touched on earlier in talking about this is the lack of place for anger in your home. A wolf that I guess in all reality should not even make it to the door, let alone in it. Why would anybody want to fight or argue with someone who they have pledged every practical of their being to for all time and eternity? This is someone who you love and cherish and any amount of raising the voice or verbal and physical abuse is completely inappropriate. If you justify yourself in saying “well we only argue on occasion,” just think about God, I’m sure he doesn’t argue with his wife on occasion. I’m sure it never happens. He says in Jacob 2: 7, 9 through his prophet that our wives and children have “feeling (that) are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God… (who) instead of feasting upon the pleasing work of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds.”
Let us be sure that we are not the placers of daggers. Do not follow the nature of the physical self but follow the spiritual and we shall have the strength that we need to be obedient to the commandments of our Father. By so doing we remove the “wolves” from our homes and in their stead leave room for charitable acts of love and the Holy Spirit of Promise.
2.11.2010
Family Communication: A Sign of Love
“It takes personal sacrifice to communicate when conditions are right for the other person—during the meal preparation, after a date, a hurt, a victory, a disappointment, or when someone wants to share a confidence. One must be willing to forego personal convenience to invest time in establishing a firm foundation for family communication.” – Elder Marvin J Ashton SM pg 32
I really like this quote, when I read it; it seemed to strike deep into the heart of my life. My family has a lot of communication problems, as long as I can remember it has always been difficult to talk to them about things of importance. I know that it is a two way road and so a lot of the problem lies in me, but I’m trying to be able to communicate with them more. To do this I have started talking to my Mom on almost a daily basis, usually about nothing but more often than not about something important that has happened in my life. It is really hard but with work it is able to be done. I testify of the importance of proper communication in family as a true and difficult expression of Love.
I really like this quote, when I read it; it seemed to strike deep into the heart of my life. My family has a lot of communication problems, as long as I can remember it has always been difficult to talk to them about things of importance. I know that it is a two way road and so a lot of the problem lies in me, but I’m trying to be able to communicate with them more. To do this I have started talking to my Mom on almost a daily basis, usually about nothing but more often than not about something important that has happened in my life. It is really hard but with work it is able to be done. I testify of the importance of proper communication in family as a true and difficult expression of Love.
2.09.2010
Being Self-Sustainers
“This is one of the more interesting stories we have in the scriptures because it tells of an instance in which the Lord provided help but then stepped aside to allow one of His sons to exercise his own initiative. I have sometimes wondered what would have happened if Nephi had asked the Lord for tools instead of a place to find the ore to make the tools. I doubt the Lord would have honored Nephi’s request. You see, the Lord knew that Nephi could make the tools, and it is seldom the Lord will do something for us that we can do for ourselves.” –Elder L. Tom Perry SM pg 308
We see lots of examples of this same principle in the scriptures all the time, including Abraham, the Brother of Jared and even Christ. The Lord wants us to do all that we can do because this gives us the opportunity to exercise the agency that He has so freely given to us. If he did everything for us he would be taking away our agency and in effect fulfilling that alternate plan presented by our other brother Lucifer. Moses 4:1 “Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.” Here we see the clear expression that he, Satan, would do it, not us. If all we ever do is beg and plead for the Lord to take care of our problems then we are also telling him that at that moment we would rather that Satan had been the chosen son. This also reminds me of another quote, not sure where it’s from but it’s good, “Why do we fall down, so we can learn to pick ourselves back up.” If the Lord took care of everything for us there would be not learning or experience. This is why we need to prepare ourselves. When we have prepared for all our needs then it is much easier for the Lord to help us out because he can direct us to that which we have already prepared.
We see lots of examples of this same principle in the scriptures all the time, including Abraham, the Brother of Jared and even Christ. The Lord wants us to do all that we can do because this gives us the opportunity to exercise the agency that He has so freely given to us. If he did everything for us he would be taking away our agency and in effect fulfilling that alternate plan presented by our other brother Lucifer. Moses 4:1 “Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.” Here we see the clear expression that he, Satan, would do it, not us. If all we ever do is beg and plead for the Lord to take care of our problems then we are also telling him that at that moment we would rather that Satan had been the chosen son. This also reminds me of another quote, not sure where it’s from but it’s good, “Why do we fall down, so we can learn to pick ourselves back up.” If the Lord took care of everything for us there would be not learning or experience. This is why we need to prepare ourselves. When we have prepared for all our needs then it is much easier for the Lord to help us out because he can direct us to that which we have already prepared.
2.08.2010
Law of Chastity
The doctrine of the Law of Chastity can be summed up in just a few verses. The first is in Exodus 20: 14, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” This scripture compounded with the second one in Matthew 5: 27-28, words spoken by Christ, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” I love these verses because they so clearly set forth the law. Fornication outside the bonds of marriage is against the Law of Chastity and to even look at women to lust after her is in effect the same.
This doctrine can seem quite confusing at times, why give two laws both of which are at the opposite ends of the Law of Chastity Spectrum? On the one side we have actual physical sin of fornication and on the other side we have thoughts. What about everything else, all the stuff in-between. Why can’t everything be simple and clean cut, like kissing is good but making out is bad. Wouldn’t things be so much easier if were all put out there so simply. You would think so, but the truth is that if all the answers were there then we wouldn’t ever have to make any decisions and our agency wouldn’t be able to be properly expressed. That combined with the fact that since we are all different we all have different needs and limitations.
You might wonder what I mean by that. Well let me tell you. Let’s say that there is someone who has had problems with looking at pornography in the past, now we both know that that is against the Law of Chastity. Anyways, say that someone had that problem and that the mere idea of kissing a girl brought to mind images that if dwelt on could cause him to want to break the Law of Chastity again. Should he in all honesty kiss the girl? Probably not. We wouldn’t want to put someone in a position that would cause him to sin. So why then do we not just ban kissing altogether if has the potential to cause someone to sin? Because kissing is an intricate part to a developing relationship. There are plenty of people who don’t have the problem previously described and they shouldn’t be punished for the sake of others.
This is why there are so few rules in the Law of Chastity, the things that we have are guidelines and principles to help us to develop our own personal sets of rules. Why is this important; for the reasons stated above. We are all different and we all have our own trials and temptations. Because of this we need to be aware of and set limitations on our own. These limitations that we self-impose are our opportunities to use our agency wisely. It is for this reason that we do not have a strict list of rules but instead a set of principles. As the Prophet Joseph Smith said in response to a question of the civility of the Mormon settlers in Nauvoo, “I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.”
This doctrine can seem quite confusing at times, why give two laws both of which are at the opposite ends of the Law of Chastity Spectrum? On the one side we have actual physical sin of fornication and on the other side we have thoughts. What about everything else, all the stuff in-between. Why can’t everything be simple and clean cut, like kissing is good but making out is bad. Wouldn’t things be so much easier if were all put out there so simply. You would think so, but the truth is that if all the answers were there then we wouldn’t ever have to make any decisions and our agency wouldn’t be able to be properly expressed. That combined with the fact that since we are all different we all have different needs and limitations.
You might wonder what I mean by that. Well let me tell you. Let’s say that there is someone who has had problems with looking at pornography in the past, now we both know that that is against the Law of Chastity. Anyways, say that someone had that problem and that the mere idea of kissing a girl brought to mind images that if dwelt on could cause him to want to break the Law of Chastity again. Should he in all honesty kiss the girl? Probably not. We wouldn’t want to put someone in a position that would cause him to sin. So why then do we not just ban kissing altogether if has the potential to cause someone to sin? Because kissing is an intricate part to a developing relationship. There are plenty of people who don’t have the problem previously described and they shouldn’t be punished for the sake of others.
This is why there are so few rules in the Law of Chastity, the things that we have are guidelines and principles to help us to develop our own personal sets of rules. Why is this important; for the reasons stated above. We are all different and we all have our own trials and temptations. Because of this we need to be aware of and set limitations on our own. These limitations that we self-impose are our opportunities to use our agency wisely. It is for this reason that we do not have a strict list of rules but instead a set of principles. As the Prophet Joseph Smith said in response to a question of the civility of the Mormon settlers in Nauvoo, “I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.”
"I AM AN ADULT!!!"
“I am not quite sure who has the right or responsibility to declare someone an adult, but I am quite certain that often the least qualified to make the declaration would be the individual himself. If a person is mature, he or she will not need to announce it. Personal conduct is the only true measurement of maturity.” -Marvin J Ashton SM pg 198
I really enjoyed this quote because it is I believe at the heart of the issue. Nobody can ever say that they are humble because so doing expresses pride. Having pride is a sign of immaturity, and when we say that we are an adult we are in a sense saying that we recognize that there times to give way to a more logical or correct argument. By using “I am an adult” in an argument is to deny yourself that attribute that so much desire.
I really enjoyed this quote because it is I believe at the heart of the issue. Nobody can ever say that they are humble because so doing expresses pride. Having pride is a sign of immaturity, and when we say that we are an adult we are in a sense saying that we recognize that there times to give way to a more logical or correct argument. By using “I am an adult” in an argument is to deny yourself that attribute that so much desire.
2.03.2010
OverComing the Natural Man
“How pitiful a sight is a man who is strong in many ways but who loses all control of himself when some little thing, usually of no significant consequence, disturbs his equanimity.” Pres Gordon B Hinckley SM pg 332
This is a sad thing to see these days, that men and boys who are strong often succumb to the idea that their strength gives them right or influence over others. Then when things do not go how they envisioned or in complete noncompliance to their will they explode in a rain of uncontrolled negative energy that brings pain and sadness to those they hurt. I was once like this and I found and discovered the source of this anger, and subsequently was able to overcome it. It is sourced in video games. The purpose in a video game is instant gratification for accomplishing a task; most of which center around violence. When one plays on a regular basis they come to believe that to when they do something they should be rewarded for it, this is a very selfish idea. When the rewards do not come they get frustrated and turn to what does give them this gratification, video games. Eventually the frustration with real life causes small outbursts of anger in which they get the attention that they desire. This in turn leads to a reinforcement of the belief that since violence in the video game worked to get rewards and the couple of times that anger, which is a form of violence, worked to get a reward, that what is true in video games must be true in life. So this leads to further outbursts in a spiral of destruction that can bring much sorrow and pain to those that they love. Having experienced this cycle I can say that nothing is further from the truth and that to overcome the natural man takes a lot of prayer and time. Time because that is the element that they disbelieve in, preferring instant results to patience and persistence to accomplish tasks, and prayer because I don’t think that it can be done without God.
This is a sad thing to see these days, that men and boys who are strong often succumb to the idea that their strength gives them right or influence over others. Then when things do not go how they envisioned or in complete noncompliance to their will they explode in a rain of uncontrolled negative energy that brings pain and sadness to those they hurt. I was once like this and I found and discovered the source of this anger, and subsequently was able to overcome it. It is sourced in video games. The purpose in a video game is instant gratification for accomplishing a task; most of which center around violence. When one plays on a regular basis they come to believe that to when they do something they should be rewarded for it, this is a very selfish idea. When the rewards do not come they get frustrated and turn to what does give them this gratification, video games. Eventually the frustration with real life causes small outbursts of anger in which they get the attention that they desire. This in turn leads to a reinforcement of the belief that since violence in the video game worked to get rewards and the couple of times that anger, which is a form of violence, worked to get a reward, that what is true in video games must be true in life. So this leads to further outbursts in a spiral of destruction that can bring much sorrow and pain to those that they love. Having experienced this cycle I can say that nothing is further from the truth and that to overcome the natural man takes a lot of prayer and time. Time because that is the element that they disbelieve in, preferring instant results to patience and persistence to accomplish tasks, and prayer because I don’t think that it can be done without God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)