Generosity

Jesus Christ said it best: "freely ye have received, freely give". (Matt 10:8)

A mark of a good person is generosity. I am struck by the sheer volume of humanitarian service that the people of The Church of Jesus Christ provide to their neighbors. Add to that the digital waves of teaching material, in the forms of music, video, and an extensively cross-referenced online form of the scriptures.

There is a growing media library of free images and videos for any non-commercial use. Musicians contribute their talents to a play list of contemporary songs that encourage youth and children to stay strong in the faith.

All of this is done without fanfare, by ordinary people. They are devoted to the life and teaching of that humble man from Galilee, Jesus Christ the Lord.

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." -Jesus, ( John 13:35)

Christmas Memories

For my sisters, brother, and I, Christmas morning had some unwritten ceremonies. I'm not even sure if our parents know about some of these traditions we had.

The first child to wake up after midnight had passed would quietly wake the others. We two boys were across the hall from the girls, and both bedrooms were upstairs. Down the stairs and to the right, the Christmas tree waited. We would all stand on the upper landing, and from there we could see our stockings lying on the bottom stairs, the littlest stocking on the bottom stair, the next size up on the next stair up, and so on. (They were laid on the stair because the stockings were too heavy to be held up by the masking tape we had hung them with the previous night!)

Then we'd line up, littlest to biggest, and go down the stairs single file. We stopped on our own stair, looking over the Christmas scene that had appeared in our living room, then we'd break file and rush to check our presents. Each of us would have been given an unwrapped present in the night, which we could play with until 6 o' clock, when we were allowed to wake our parents and unwrap the rest. The stockings were also opened while we waited for the grown-ups.

Those are some sweet memories. But a sweeter memory was created much more recently. Only two Christmases ago, I participated in a live Nativity. Beautiful music and soft lighting blended with carefully costumed volunteers to reverently re-enact the Christ Child's first night on earth. This picture was taken of this year's live Nativity. (Without me, I'm in Georgia, this Nativity was in California.)

I was dressed as a wise man. After each song from the CD player finished, we three men would shift places, each presenting his gift to the Savior in his turn, bowing down, holding still until the time came to rotate again.. So, about once every fifteen minutes or so, I would be almost moved to tears as I offered my little box to the Lord of All. I was able to use that time to think and pray and wonder at the love of a perfect Father, who sent a perfect Son for me and my whole family.

As a duly ordained minister of the gospel, I testify that God, our Heavenly Father, sent His Son to earth. His Son, Jesus Christ, lived a perfect life, and then sacrificed His life for us all. He now lives, and stands at the right hand of God. I bear this testimony in the sacred name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

Vocalpoint! Look, they're famous!

I really like the a capella group "Vocalpoint", and I've only heard four or five of their songs! I had heard that they were competing in some TV show, and now they have a video in the LDS Media News and Events! Watch it for me, I don't have sound where I'm using the computer.

Search Engine Doesn't Think I'm Special

Out of curiosity I searched for my own profile on Mormon.org by just my first name, Caleb. I had to hit the "show more results" button about ten times until I finally scrolled to my own profile. Apparently, I'm not very Caleb, for being a Caleb. Or, at least, all those other Caleb's are more Caleb than I am.

Good thing I have talks on video from Dieter F. Uchtdorf to boost my self-esteem!

Even if the search engine doesn't think I'm special, one of God's apostles obviously does. (Watch the video, you'll like it.) And if an apostle of God represents and speaks for God, then God must think I have great worth too.

And, He feels the same way about you!

The Inner Circle Builds...

I've only recently brought out this idea of a clean source of artistic insight. But I've always had a group of people that I planned to tell about it first, who I would lean on to help me create it, an inner circle.

Recently that inner circle made a vital aquisition: Elder T. Rhodes, from Texas. Position? Computer Wizard.













A local member wanted to make a profile on Mormon.org, but their laptop wasn't running. So Elder Rhodes sat down, opened about fifteen windows at once, and started talking to the computer in computerish. The computer sensed Elder Rhodes' power, and cowered in submission. Soon the members profile was successfully published.

I sought to forge an alliance with this new warrior. I told him of my quest, and he decided that my cause was just and pure.

So, now the team has a techie.      d(^_^ )    If, you are unsure, that thing is a smiley face giving a thumbs-up.

Dreams Do Come True! (So Happy!)

I've got this idea that I'm pretty excited about. It's a website that I'd like to create some day. To understand the idea and why I'm so excited for it, first understand that I like to draw. I would comb through libraries and bookstores to find how-to-draw books.

A few years ago a friend told me about how some people get together in online forums to compare art and offer each other tips and advice. I searched for one to join, but most of them did not have high enough moral standards for me. The ones that did have content standards were on a deteriorating trend, allowing more and more garbage to be posted.

I feel that art ought to be an expression of self, yes, but that self ought to have moral standards! Good, safe, "old-fashioned" standards. The standards Jesus taught, and one very blunt standard:

Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.    -Jesus

 So, I'd like to create a how-to-draw website that has those strong standards. And what do I find on the internet? A very similar idea, a budding Media Library with only material that is morally solid. My idea will compliment that pretty well, I think.

Break the Silence

Been a long time since I last said anything on here, sorry. No excuses to give, but I'll do better from now on.

Silence is not always golden. There are things that need saying in this world. I quote one of God's living Apostles: 

Satan cannot directly take a life. That is one of many things he cannot do. But apparently his effort to stop the work will be reasonably well served if he can just bind the tongue of the faithful. Brethren, if that is the case, I am looking tonight for men young and old who care enough about this battle between good and evil to sign on and speak up.                                   --Jeffery R. Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in his address, "We Are All Enlisted"

We cannot be passive. We have too much stuff to do!

Get to the Point

A comprehensive purpose statement might well be based on a line of logic that Jesus used in an argument he had with the corrupt religious leaders of His day.

The leaders, called "Pharisees", were criticizing Jesus, and were questioning His right to teach the people about God and about religion. His statements of authority were bold and armor-clad, and their attacks of logic could not phase him.

After a few exchanges with them, He makes the following statement:

   When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

   And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.             -John 8:28-29

Because Jesus does "always those things that please" Heavenly Father, Father is with Jesus. Isn't that just about everything we want out of life? We want to live in a way that the Holy Ghost can accompany us. The presence of the Holy Ghost is the only sure way to tell if we are walking the way He wants at that precise moment.

How is it done? How do we invite the Holy Ghost to warm our heart? Please our Heavely Father.

So, my purpose might well become something along the lines of "Always seek to please Him". I haven't picked how to word it yet, but I'll let you know when I do.

My Purpose, With Cookies

A few weeks back I learned the local congregation's "focus", or vision and direction. I did that so I could teach it to members of the congregation and suggest ways for them to use it in their families.

But, I slowly came to realize that I didn't have a code, a creed, a personal one-liner to guide me. I read the scriptures and live my life by them, but had no short, quick spur-of-the-moment guide.

So I started looking. My purpose as a missionary is easy, it has already been written for me:

Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them recieve the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonememt, repentance, baptism, recieving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.            -Missionary Purpose

There's a lot in there, but really, the only things that it says directly for me are "invite" and "help". That's all the direction in there, summed up. Besides, in only a year I'll be released from my mission, so I need a purpose that's more far-reaching than that.

As I turned my thoughts to the future, I realized my creed had to be even more multi-purpose than I had yet imagined! It had to contribute to right choices in my life as I cycled through:
-single, unemployed live-at-parent's-house guy
-single, employed student
-married (urk!) employed student
-husband
-father
-And so on!

It had to be all-encompassing! It had to enfold new responsibilities while still fitting the old ones in. Well, I've used up a lot of space, so I'll continue tomorrow, but I'll tell you this: my first good step was to turn to the First and Great Commantment.

Purpose, Vision, Cheshire Cat

After Alice had been wandering around in Wonderland for a while, she came to a crossroads where the path she was on hit another path and stopped. The other path stretched from left to right, and she had to pick which way to go. The Cheshire Cat appeared, and she asked him, "Which path shall I take?"

"That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t really matter which path you take!”    -Cheshire Cat

The scriptures have a similar message, with a bite:

"Where there is no vision, the people perish."    - Proverbs 29:18

Over the past year, my thinking has turned often to the question of identity. I think I even blogged about it once or twice. Well, after a person figures out who they are, the next logical question could well be, "So, what do I do now?" Or, "What is my purpose?"

I have something to say about this topic, which might take a few posts to get out. It is very helpful to me to write out what I'm thinking. Not many of my blog posts have that much of me in them, but I think most of my best ones do.

Anyway. My focus on "focus", or "vision", or "purpose" got started a few weeks ago when I went to the leader (bishop) of the local congregation. I wanted to ask him what his "focus" for the ward was that year, or what direction he wanted to see the members take their lives and their worship of Jesus. He told me it was, "Find someone that you can help to take the next step."

That, combined with a few other events, made me realize that I didn't have a personal Vision. I didn't have a purpose that was my own. So, I prayerfully started looking for a good one, and in the coming days I'll explain what I came up with.

T-Shirt Drawing Competition

This is the drawing, partially inked.

I've made a drawing to submit in the missionary t-shirt contest! The due date is today. The drawing was pretty good in pencil, but I don't have very much experience in inking. I liked it better before I inked it, because it covers some of the details I wanted it to show.

The drawing has reference to John 21:8, part of the fishing trip of the Apostles. As they rowed in to shore, they had so many fish in the net that they couldn't pull them into the boat, but had to drag them behind as they rowed.

The drawing shows two missionaries, who have successfully brought so many souls to believe in Jesus that they have the same problem! It also could be related to retaining recent converts after their baptism, because the net did not break. (John 21:11)

Now, baptism is only a gateway, it is not a finish line. To relate to that, the shore is the start of a pathway that leads to distant mountains. I challenge those who read this to find out what I intended those mountains to represent! Try using the Topical Guide, Mountain. If that's too hard, try searching "mountain" in other places on lds.org, or ask someone for a hint. If you really can't find out, you can cheat by reading this.

Flat Tire?

 While I was fixing a flat tire a week ago, I flipped the tire inside out so I could check it for whatever glass or metal that had punctured my inner tube. I just about stabbed myself on this nail! Somehow it got flipped at just the right angle to stab my tire.

Then, a few minutes later, I found a little bit of plastic, not too big, not too sharp, but wedged right into my tire. It stuck out just enough that, over time, it may have worked itself into my inner tube.

If the bit of plastic had been left there long enough, it would have punched just as good a hole as the nail. It didn't matter that it wasn't as long or sharp. A hole is a hole.

Some sins don't seem serious. They may not be as obvious to other people. They might not be taught about as much as other, bigger sins. But they can do the job just fine. A sin is a sin, and it distances us from God. It doesn't have to be "big", or "serious", to put a  hole in our lives.

So be careful! And when things go bad, use the Spiritual Patch Kit!

Still More On Indiana Jones

When Indiana Jones takes a flying leap and smacks into the camouflaged bridge in "The Last Crusade", what do you label it? Blind faith? No! But why?

Well, remember that before he had even reached the "invisible bridge" test, he had succeeded in several other tests already! The hidden blades, trap floors, and whatever else was there (I can't remember) were all forewarned in the journal, which had given specific counsel for what to do when he encountered these challenges.

By the time he had gotten to the bridge, he had learned that it was safe to trust that journal. When he made his leap, he was expecting to make it - somehow. He just wasn't sure how, yet.

So, when the jeerings of the world mock our "blind faith", we can confidently tune them out! By the time we come to our individual leaps of faith, we have already learned whether or not we can trust Him. The question that remains is whether we will trust Him, and jump.

We might call this “faith obedience.” With faith, Abraham was obedient in preparing Isaac for sacrifice; with faith, Nephi was obedient in obtaining the brass plates; with faith, a little child obediently jumps from a height into the strong arms of his father. “Faith obedience” is a matter of trust. The question is simple: Do we trust our Heavenly Father? Do we trust our prophets?                   -R. Conrad Schultz

I share my individual testimony that Jesus Christ lives, that He loves me (and you!). Faith obedience is real. Every time I have had to trust Him and jump, He has caught me. And he always will.

Indiana Jones and Faith (2/2)

The more I thought about this analogy, the more closely it began to fit!

Okay, first off, I don't remember "The Last Crusade" perfectly, so if I mis-quote it, bear with me.

Indy is just walking down yet another ancient tunnel when he comes to an enormous chasm. He can see that the tunnel continues on the other side, but has no idea how he'll ever be able to get there. Similarly, we sometimes come to a decision, and we know which choice God expects us to make to proceed, but we have no idea how to go through with that choice, or what will happen once we commit to it.

But, remember, Indy wasn't walking this tunnel armed with just his own reasoning. He remembered some instructions that he had read, written by someone who had already traveled the path. We also have written instructions: the scriptures. Our instructions were written by the Lord, or servants of the Lord. Jesus already traveled this path, so he knows the way.

Indy had already learned to rely on his instructions. By heeding its warnings closely, he had survived other booby-traps and had gotten this far. We learn to trust in and rely on the scriptures by remembering how well they have served us in the past.

Well, Indy finally decided. He couldn't see how he would make it, but he took a running start, committed to his choice, and jumped. When we make a decision, it is so important to commit to our choice!

After landing on the hidden bridge with his face, Indy could stand up, shake it off, and look back and finally see the bridge. Only after we make, and go through with, some decisions, can we look back and see why it worked.

There's going to be a third half to this post thread, because I really like this analogy.

Indiana Jones and Faith ( 1/2 )

First off, I love serving the Lord as a missionary.

That said, I have been trying to persuade a particular disciple of Jesus Christ who has been investigating this church to continue in his/her progression and joining the church! (Nothing new there.)

Now, this has been the obstacle: this disciple wants to understand every point of doctrine of the Church first. That's a long, long list. In fact, the task is probably not possible in just one lifetime.

So this has been my job: persuade this disciple that the fundamental doctrines I teach are true, and would you please take a leap of faith and trust the Lord and seek baptism into His Church?

There is a bridge of truth that connects learning that a doctrine exists and understanding that doctrine entirely. It cannot always be seen from the starting point, but after you trust the Lord and step out, you can turn around and see the way that it all fits together.

I was trying to think of how to explain that, when I remembered that Indiana Jones already taught it! Next time I'll explain how that scene in "The Last Crusade" can teach a true principle. Who would have thought that Hollywood could be useful?

Fundamental to Faith

Some stuff in Christ's gospel is nice to know, and some is fundamental. It is the fundamental stuff that we bear testimony of first. For example, it's nice to have the Word of Wisdom, but before there's any reason to live it, a person must accept the fundamentals that it is built on, like the fact that Joseph Smith is a prophet of the Lord.

Some fundamentals include the fact that God lives, and that Jesus does too. They love us and want us to return to heaven. Joseph Smith is one of their prophets, and the Book of Mormon's truthfulness is the evidence of that. Most important in a testimony is the idea that Jesus Christ completed the Atonement, which enables us to repent of any sins and to change our nature for the better.

That is my testimony. In the coming weeks I'll explain what having that testimony does for me. Till then, be safe!

Healing and Haiti

This web page contains a short video describing the efforts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Haiti, and the healing that has happened there. The Lord's Healing: A Year Later.

In addition to physical and emotional healing, I testify that Christ can provide us with spiritual healing. I have felt that healing in my heart and mind, and have seen it in the lives of others.

Visit that webpage!

Brake Pads and Almost-Crashes

Yesterday I got myself a brand new set of brake pads for both my front and back tires of my bike. It has been a year since I bought the thing, so a tune-up had been way overdue. My old pads weren't working anymore, so I was used to squeezing the brakes hard just to coast to a stop.

It was only a matter of time before I forgot about the pad replacement. I went to squeeze the brakes like I was used to, and suddenly found my bike didn't want to go any farther with me. It stopped, but I kept going. Fortunately, with a loud yell to scare the gravity away and a little fancy footwork, I scrabbled to a stop without any injury.

I had grown used to having those worn out brakes, and the nice grippy ones took me by surprise. How often do we let gradual changes escape us, so subtle that we don't notice? When we reflect on the way things were before (or are forced to remember, like me with my pads) are we surprised?

I have been changing gradually for about a year now. The changes in myself are surprising! I can't pick out a particular time that my testimony of Jesus Christ grew, but it has. By the constant scripture study, prayer, and partaking of the Sacrament, I have placed my soul in spiritual sunlight, and it has grown. It worked for me. Let it work for you.

Beware the Lightning Sand

Lighting sand is the fictional super-quicksand that Westley almost loses his damsel-in-distress to. If I'm not careful (and it goes for you too!) I could waste my whole day in a time trap.

The time trap is computers, electronics, and games. These things are not inherently evil! I'm using the internet to communicate with you right as you read this! In a few days, living Prophets and Apostles will speak out to the world by these same technologies. The use of internet, video games, and so on is not necessarily evil.

But I'm not interested in just avoiding evil. I want to accomplish good! I want to be good. And that means that sometimes the question I ask myself isn't "is it okay to do this?" Sometimes it's "would Jesus spend His valuable time doing this?"

If you watch the five-minute videos of people's stories on this page, Meet Mormons, these are people of accomplishment! They all are doing something with their lives! They push, try, and win! And they do it in this world, the real world, not a world that you can only look into through a screen, that some game designers made up. This world has the most brilliant, most inventive, and most compassionate Game Designer ever! (It also has great graphics!)

I have just said something. I'm going to go do something now. AFK. (away from keyboard)

P.S. If you liked this, David Bednar said it all first in his article Things as They Really Are.

Knight In Shining Armor

Do you want to know how to fight evil in this day and time? Does it seem that the struggle between right and wrong has been resolved, and peace has been won? It hasn't. There are people enslaved today. Children without protection, families without shelter, and lives on the line. This battle has barely begun.

I mean the theater in the war on sin that is devoted to defeating pornography. There are many places where the war on sin is being fought, but perhaps no battlefront is as extensive or as subversive as this one. A frontline - or a family - that is infiltrated by pornography is compromised, and unless countered, successive defeats on other levels of battle are sure to follow; a disruption of the love for one another that once was strong, addictions to things besides pornography, and breaking other of God's laws, all begun by one secretive sin.

If you're not sure whether or not pornography really hurts anybody besides yourself, I invite you to take a look at a video that shows a textbook story of a pornography addiction, shown side by side with the same people, but without the pornographic weakness. It's called Watch Your Step.

CombatingPornography.org

The First Two Commandments (Matt 22:35-38)

I remember one fight I got into with my brother, when I was 12 or so, and he was 8. We had both had a long day at school, and one of us had said something to the other that rubbed just a little too much. I was throwing jibes and mocking, and because he was so much younger and couldn't compete verbally, he was pushing and shoving.

"Why don't you stop?!"   -shove-
"Oh, yeah, ouch, that hurt so much!"
"Rrrrr!"  -shove-
"Ouch, you're hurting me so much!"

Dad entered the room and separated us. He dismissed my brother with a warning and took me, the older brother, aside. He asked me:

"Do you remember telling me about that older boy who would provoke you, then make fun of you when you tried to make him stop? That's what you were doing to your brother just now."

I didn't show much of a reaction when he said that, but it shook me. I had done the exact same thing that other boy had done. I don't remember apologizing to my little brother, but I do remember deciding right then that I would never do anything that I wouldn't want others to do to me again. I mess up a lot, but this experience has helped me to keep my drive to someday reach that goal.

 Thanks for the lesson, Dad.

Be Thou An Example

Today I got on to talk about how great of an example some of my friends have been to me while I've served the Lord in the past few months. But when I tried to look up a scripture to illustrate my ideas, one of the search results struck me so much that I decided to use the idea it talks about instead.

There were a few missionaries in an ancient land who wanted to convert the people there to believe in Jesus Christ. The people of that country were hostile to the country that the missionaries were from, but the Lord whispered a comforting message to these men that echoed in my mind when I read it.

And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.                  Alma 17:11

I can preach the gospel just by setting an example of how a person who has faith in Jesus should act. The Lord is all-powerful, and can use me as an "instrument" to help other people even in times when I don't know I'm helping anyone at all. So I don't have to be discouraged!

No matter how insignificant you feel, all that you have to do to make a difference is do your best. People can see it, and it will leave an impression. That is what I aspire to be. If you do too, I recommend that you visit "Missionary Work", which will help us to see what we have in common.

Living Water

Once, on a hiking trip, I was super, super tired. I could actually feel how much stamina I had left, almost like you can read how much battery run-time is left in your laptop. As I ate meals or stopped to rest, I could feel the gauge go up, and on a steep trail I could feel it drain. Now, as a missionary, I am more closely tuned to how much spritual stamina I have in me. I can feel the recharges I get when I read the scriptures or go to church.

Jesus once called his own teachings "living water". He lived in a day where poor planning of a simple day trip could mean running out of water and dying of thirst. It was just that easy to suddenly find yourself without water and in danger of heat stroke or worse. People made trips every day to wells or rivers, the only sources of water that was clean and safe.

That is how important He wants His scriptures to be to us. People used to take a huge vase or urn to a well and carefully take the time to fill it up. We ought to approach our daily (yes I said daily >.< ) time reading in the scriptures with the same care and think of it as being at least as important. If we do, we can be sure that we won't die from spiritual thirst.

P.S. Here's an update on my last topic! You can visit this site to see dozens of video clips about the New Testament world that Jesus lived in, the customs of the culture, and so on, all on LDS.org. The selected video talks about the Bible Story where Jesus teaches about living water! Ahh, connections within connections!

Getting Hungry

In my Mom's e-mail today, she said my family has considered having a "simple meal night". So I told them that I was already doing that, ha ha! I take a tasty kind of bread, like tuscan roll or focacelli [sp?] and dip it in pasta sauce. Tasty and fast.

In fact, that's a common meal in the culture that Jesus lived in during his mortal lifetime. You can learn a lot about the teachings of Jesus by learning more about the culture He comes from. If you asked me where I would start learning about ancient culture in the Holy Land, my knee-jerk response would be Jesus Christ, Our Savior. Beyond that, I would try chatting with the online missionaries at Mormon.org or searching about the topic on LDS.org. Like this video of the parable of the good samaritan!

Going a little link crazy.

Is That Your Final Answer?

Today, in personal scripture study, I read a verse that really jumped out at me. Here's the part that hit me:

...blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more...   -2 Nephi 28:30

This is the Lord speaking, and when He talks, I try to listen. It's good for me to know that no matter how much I learn, no matter how far I can see, God has yet another challenge, yet another puzzle, yet another joy for me. Hoo-rah!

Chemistry, an Excuse to Blow Stuff Up

The stuff that we pile up in this life isn't "portable", or in other words, you can't take it with you! Bah-dum-bump-kshh. Seriously, though, what becomes important on the other side, if all of the stuff we get here doesn't count for anything there?

I'll tell you! Family, friends, and learning. That's what we can take.

Personally, I like chemistry and math, especially when I can use them to predict how much explosive I can get to go off without blowing myself up!

Joseph Smith taught that “whatever principle of intelligence we attain in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection,” meaning the things we learn now will stay with us, and benefit us, even after our mortal lives end.   -Lifelong Learning on mormon.org

If it seems I quote mormon.org a lot, and I do, it's because just about anything I have to say (that isn't specific to me) was said there first. Good site.

 Anyway, I've been learning lots and lots about bugs here! Georgia is just full of bugs! I actually have some sort of spider bite on my leg right now. Maybe I'll post a picture of it tomorrow and gross everybody out.

 

That spider laid an egg sac in our back doorway. It still hasn't hatched.

That's all I can come up with for now. Visit that website if you liked what I had to say!

Music and International Affairs

I love music. I love to listen to it and I love to make it. There's a Trans-Siberian Orchestra album with a line in the written narration, something like "Music is a heavenly language, because it doesn't need to be translated."

Right now, my favorite song is probably "Nearer, My God, to Thee". There's a place to listen to it for free here. My favorite version of it is probably the one on the allbum "Reflections Of Christ", it's number 11 on this page. The version by Voice Male is good, too.

I see music as evidence that we are spiritual beings. The idea that something as simple as sound can affect a persons emotions is crazy to me! Think about it; why does music touch us? Now granted, music affects different people to different degrees, and some just don't enjoy music much anyway, but that goes to show individuality.

There is a passage in a book called the Doctrine & Covenants that says:

 For [Heavenly Father's] soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto [Him], and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.  -Doc & Cov 25:12

In other news, this blog has had 10 pageviews from Austria, 3 from Germany, and 1 from Ukraine! Technology allows for some crazy stuff.

I Found A Bug!

A couple days back, I found a cicada shed. A cicada is a big bug that makes a lot of noise in certain seasons around here. They grow to almost adulthood underground, then come up to shed off one last layer of shell and fly away.

Well, I took that shed and hid it to use later! One evening my victim was busy doing something in town, and I got the shed out and stuck it to the side of his dresser with wall putty. I put it at just the right height so that when he laid his head down to sleep, he'd be looking straight at what looks like an inch-and-a-half long bug!

I didn't see his reaction, but I'm told it was pretty good. Muah hah.

 The shed is about halfway down the picture, right above the asterix.

*   <------the asterix            

Now, what does that have to do with Jesus? Well, here's the easy connection: Just like that cicada shed it's skin and became a totally different kind of bug, with wings and everything, we can become new people through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us! I was silly earlier, but I'm serious about that. It's the truth, He is real!

On another note, I got my first comment a few days back! Whoooo hoooo!

Georgia, USA

When I opened the letter that told me where I would serve my mission, my whole family and a lot of my extended family was there. I read it out loud, and when I said "Georgia", people asked, "Oh, you mean the little country next to Russia?"

Some of them worried that I'd be disappointed I didn't get called to a foriegn country. But, I like it here. Southern hospitality is a reality! And I have learned things here that wouldn't have been taught to me anywhere else.

No matter what weird, crazy stuff happens in our lives, it's not coincidence. God will micro-manage our lives, if we don't fight Him!

That Was Close!

Hurricane Irene is going to miss me. We thought for a few days that we were going to have to evacuate!

"Should we buy only granola bars when we go shopping this week?"
"How are we going to figure out whether we should evacuate or not? We can't use the radio!"
"Is it true I can put stuff in the dishwasher and it won't get ruined if it floods?"

All these questions and more as we went about our everyday stuff while Irene kept getting bigger and bigger. By the way, since dishwashers can keep water in, they can also keep water out! They are a quick, easy, emergency water-proof safe, if you have to leave important documents or whatever behind. Just don't run the thing until you pull them out again!

But anyway, we thought we would be called on, after Irene hit here, to help pick up the pieces. Humanitarian aid is a big deal to Mormons, and if it's a big deal to you too, see "Humanitarian Aid" on Mormon.org for easy ways to start contributing to the cause!

In one small city in Georgia that I served in, men were called from the local congregation to help in Kansas after the tornado there. They dropped everything to go! And they came back with those yellow "Mormon Helping Hand" shirts! I wanted one of those shirts! Oh well.

Not Much Time

I don't have a lot of time to post today, because the other missionaries are ready to leave the library and are waiting on me. But there is another way in which none of us have very much time. In the words of a song that was playing on the radio a few months ago,

You only get just one time around/ You only get one shot at this/ One time, one life, to find out what you don't wanna miss.

After the end of the day, the end of summer break, the end of senior year, what's something that almost everyone says? "Wow, that was fast." If we're not careful, we'll move to the next part of existence without having done all the important stuff, because we wasted time on fluff.

One was to be sure you're not wasting any time is to live life the way Jesus asks us to. He knows that when we stick to the basics, family, friends, and things like that, the rest will take care of itself.

Mail From Home

 
Twenty-four months is a long time to go without seeing your family. A missionary like me might get to talk to his Mom on the phone twice a year, sometimes less. Now, that's something we choose to do, leaving family for a little while so we can go spread the good news we've heard.

And the letters help. The golf ball in those pictures was sent out in a care package that I got back in the winter time. It's because when the weather is cold, and a person knocks on one door after another, their knucles can split open. So, to fight that, you can carry a small, hard thing in your pocket to hit the door with, sparing your knuckle!

My Dad got a new golf ball, signed it, and then got my two siblings and Mom to sign it. (These are just three of the five signatures.) It was a great present. I used that golf ball untill the ink started to wear off, then I put it in a safe place. I think I'll pull it out again to look at when I get home today.

I'm so grateful for a God that wants every kind of righteous love - for a friend, a brother, a parent, a child- to continue after this life is over. He will never do anything to diminish the love and care we have in us for each other. Even after the brief separation of death, my family can be reunited, whole and complete, because Jesus is so powerful that he can preserve that bond through any external obstacle.

If you think that family comes first, you'd like the webpage Strengthening Families, on Mormon.org.

I Miss the Mountains

Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hands have wrought...Then sings my soul.



One of my favorite things to do was hike. These pictures were taken on a trip to Utah. My Dad and I usually backpacked in the Sierra Nevadas, closer to home in California.

Being so close to the raw materials that God made for man to use - rock, wood, water - helps me to put my problems and worries into their proper perspective.

I love the sound of a mountain stream, the smell of a meadow green with young grass. And it provides plenty of time to be with people I care about, without distractions.

When I think that God, my Father in Heaven, made this mountain scene, and this world itself, I thank Him. There's a drive to creativity that God built into us, too. Brother Dieter F. Uchtdorf talks about this creativity in this link to a video called Create (It is 1:54). God loves me so much that he made an enormous Earth for me and my whole family to come and live on. And he loves me so perfectly that he made this Earth very, very beautifully.

Busy Busy Busy

Life as a missionary moves fast. Tomorrow my current mission companion is being shipped out to who knows where. I'll have a new one to replace him (we always work with two or three). It can get stressful. It helps that, in general, missionaries are some of the nicest people there are, so you are surrounded by friends. And you're doing the work of the Lord, teaching about Jesus, which makes it worth it.

But some of us need a little extra to help us unwind. And missionaries find creative ways to unwind.

I don't like computers. They're too hard to use. These pictures are supposed to be all lined up. Blah. So, anyway, what keeps me going and living this stressful life is the joy of helping people.

Sometimes I meet people who need to find why they can't connect with their children. Sometimes I meet people who can't leave the past behind them, and they're haunted by their old decisions. Addictions. Fears. Wounds. The Enemy, Satan, doesn't want us to be at peace.

But Jesus does. And I know how to find it. I can tell other people how to get to where I am, and I find inexpressible joy in watching them shed those chains and gradually become whole.

It starts with Jesus Christ, Our Savior.

So, that's why I do this. This is why I am one of the most blessed men on earth.

His Truth I Will Proclaim

I could talk about this topic all day! Missionary work. Or, as I think of it, sharing what I have.

So, what counts as missionary work? Well, it starts by living what you believe. Untill I practice what I preach, I certainly can't expect anyone to take what I have to say seriously. How can I say that some specific "message" can bring additional happiness into someone's life if I haven't tried it out myself? How would I know if I haven't lived it?

After you start to live it, you need someone to share it with. Friends are an excellent place to start. They know you are trustwothy and value your opinion. They'll keep listening when you stumble on your words or don't explain yourself well. They'll be touched that you thought it was important enough to you to bring this up with them.

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every living creature" -Mark 16:15. Jesus said it. So I do it! If this was interesting, try "Missionary Work" on mormon.org.

(Intro 10/10)

I'll Follow His Light

What does God want our motivation to be? Or, what does He wish we thought about every time we face a choice?

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.     -Matthew 22:37-40

Love! God wants us to "follow His light" out of love, not out of fear, and not by blind obedience. He wants us to understand Him and His will for us. And the beauty of His doctrine is that we can understand it!

On that note, I'd like to share a video, "Even a Child Can Understand".

When I made my choice to "follow", and came to Georgia from California, my home, it was because I felt and honestly believed that God wanted me here, now. I never felt any pressure to serve a mission. I knew why I was coming, and I wanted to! I wouldn't trade my mission for anything.

(9/10)

I'll Do What Is Right

How important is it to be nice? Do I need to be nice to everybody? I mean, some people I know can be a huge pain when they feel like it!

Hmm. To start to answer this, I'll steal a quote from someone.

Jesus Christ said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). This doesn't mean we have to die to show our love for our friends. We lay down our lives every time we put someone else's needs before our own. (And the “friends” mentioned in the scripture above can be understood to be everyone we meet, since Jesus also commanded us to “love one another.”)                       -"Service To Others"

Jesus doesn't want us to leave anyone out of our circle of friends. And the way we show that we are sincere friends is by the things that we do for them. Take, for example, these delicous-looking breakfast burritos! (Never mind the dirty dishes.) When Elder Hunter made these (one for me!) it was sincere service for me.

Yum! Anyway.

Intro (8/10)

I'll Honor His Name

Yesterday I mentioned taking the name of Christ upon me. Today I'd like to explain myself a little.

We covenant [or promise] that we are willing to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. By this we show we are willing to be identified with Him and His Church. We commit to serve Him and our fellowman. We promise that we will not bring shame or reproach upon that name.                               -Gospel Principles ch 23

When an athlete joins a team, he takes that team's name. Whatever he does reflects on that team, whether it's good or bad. It's the same with an employee at a business, a student at a school, or any time a person becomes a part of something bigger than themself.

So, when I take Christ's name upon me, I devote myself to His ideals, His standards, and His goals. There are a couple of scriptures that talk about it, and when I figure out how to use the computer better I'll include direct links. For now, look for Mosiah 5:7-12 on lds.org.

(7/10)

I Believe In The Savior, Jesus Christ

"Are mormons christian?"

When I was eight years old I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I did that by being baptized, to take His name upon me. I try to live my life the way He would want me to: treating people right, helping where I can, and trying to make myself a better person. I read the scriptures to learn what He was like, and to learn how I can to something, anything, to repay Him.

But some people have heard mis-information about my church before they ever met me. Sometimes they do not accept me as a fellow Christian. That isn't easy to shake off. That is the sort of thing that happens when one person refuses to communicate with another. They shut off anything I might say in defence of myself.

But you, reading this, have not shut me off. You are listening. So know this: Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He was sent here to earth to sacrifice Himself for you and for me. He wants us to come home again. He was perfect. Jesus did everything that God asked Him to do. He was killed, but he rose from the dead and is alive today, with God. I love Him.

Yes, I am a Christian.

If this post has been meaningful to you, I think you'd like another webpage, called Jesus Christ, our Savior. It's on Mormon.org. And so is a lot of other good stuff about Jesus!

(Intro 6/10)

I'll Follow Him In Faith

Jesus Christ said to the people he taught, "Come, follow me." The way that we show our love for Him is to do the things he asks us to do. (John 14:15) So when I think of faith, I think of it as an action word.  My faith makes me want to do something!

Faith is like a muscle: it gets stronger through use. And it's important for my faith to be as strong as I can get it! In fact, a prophet told his son to teach the people to "withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ". (See True to the Faith, also Alma 37:33). So faith isn't just an idea, it's a defense and a way to fight!

If you are still unsure what I think of faith, see Faith in Jesus Christ, a short article on faith.

(Intro 5/10)

I Know God's Plan

It's hard for me to get to a computer on Sundays, so most often there probably won't be a post that day.

Anyway! Whenever a person makes a decision, they have some perspective on their environment that is a part of that decision.

Let's say we have two high school students. One is paying close attention to the teacher, taking good notes, and asking questions when he doesn't understand something. The other is using his cell phone to do facebook. He stopped paying attention before he sat down.

Why? Well, both are doing what they think is the most important right then. But they are doing totally different things! And, whatever individual reasons they might have, because everybody's different, both of their decisions are affected by their perspective.

The guy taking notes has a perspective that sees to the end of the school year. He knows his grades will depend on him knowing this stuff. He decides that he wants good grades, so he puts out the effort he has to so he gets them.

The guy on facebook has a shorter perspective. He's not thinking about his grades. He's not interested in what the teacher is talking about, but he does like seeing his friends, so that's what he uses his time doing. Maybe he'll get to studies, later.

In order to make the best choices, I want to get the best perspective. Because I know a little about what happened before this life and what will come after, I can make solid choices that might mean work now, but will pay off later.

I know I didn't share very much about what God's plan is, but I wanted to focus on why I care about it, so I can come back and talk more about the plan itself later. If you don't want to wait, see what I believe for yourself at these links! If you like hearing people's stories, see God's Plan of Happiness. If you like short, cheesy videos, see "The Plan of Salvation". (Both are names for the "plan" I was talking about.)
I believe in the things I talked about here, and the plan presented by those links.

(Intro 4/10)

I Know Who I Am

Identity is a big deal to me. Some people I know identify themselves with a certain activity, like surfing or playing football. Some people identify themselves with how they dress or how they act. I've learned that there is a deeper level to who I am, though.

You are a spirit child of Heavenly Father, and you existed as a spirit before you were born on the earth. During your life on the earth, your spirit is housed in your physical body, which was born of mortal parents.     -True to the Faith  see the section on "Spirit"

Because I know I am a son of God, I feel both more empowered and more responsible. I will be held responsible by God for what I do in life, but He wants me to succeed and will help me if I let him. So I act appropriately, the way Heavenly Father would want me to.

Let me say it this way. Whenever I have a decision to make, I look at what it does for me: does it

• forge (or fake, facade, pretend) my identity to something that I'm not?
• forge (or create, refine, sharpen) my identity into a better version of myself?

If you liked this, you'll love this talk, (or sermon), called Identity, Priority, and Blessings.

(Intro 3/10)

I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

On the 6th of April, 1830, a little congregation met in a little log house, about twenty feet square. They had gathered to officially organize a church. Some of the key points in that church were modern-day revelation, God's love and support for families, the need for Heaven's authority in a church's ministry, and Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, the Son of God.

Those key points still remain, but the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has grown since then. It moved from that little log house in Fayette, New York, across the United States, growing as it went. The Church's headquarters eventually came to rest in Salt Lake City, Utah. From there its unique message of revelation and authority sprouted and flowered until coming to the present day. This church has touched every continent and has congregations that blanket the world.

I was born into this church. I was baptized and became a member at age eight. Now, at age twenty, I am grateful to the Lord, Jesus Christ, for moving the events that led to that little congregation's meeting. Because of His hand in the Church, and the decisions and the sacrifices of those people and the people in the Church ever since then, I have had the privilige of truly belonging to this Church. In the next few weeks I plan to explain a little bit about what all that means to me.

(Intro 2/10)

Let Me Introduce Myself

My name is Caleb Crites. I am a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My purpose in writing this blog is to invite others to understand me and members of my church. More than that, I want to be an uplifting influence for anyone who visits this site. If anything I say ever makes your day a little better, please spread it around and do something good for someone else!

My first week (or so) of posts will be expanding on the lyrics of a kid's song I learned in church when I was little. It's simple, it covers a wide range of ideas, and besides, I like the song. It's called "The Church of Jesus Christ"


Hear it!(Intro 1/10)

A Word On Patience

Marshmallows, small children, an uplifting message. What else can I add to that?
Here is a link for the mormon.org website. You can use it to learn more about my faith!

Mormon.org