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