Yes I try to do a personal study everyday...and in the mornings too. Sometimes I fail and end up reading my scriptures in bed. But today I did ok...and I was so glad I did. I am reading talks from the most recent General Conference of our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). And this is what I read in the talk entitle The Costs and Blessings of Discipleship by Elder Jeffery R. Holland:

Sadly enough, my young friends, it is a characteristic of our age that if people want any gods at all, they want them to be gods who do not demand much, comfortable gods, smooth gods who not only don’t rock the boat but don’t even row it, gods who pat us on the head, make us giggle, then tell us to run along and pick marigolds.¹¹

Talk about man creating God in his own image! Sometimes—and this seems the greatest irony of all—these folks invoke the name of Jesus as one who was this kind of “comfortable” God. Really? He who said not only should we not break commandments, but we should not even think about breaking them. And if we do think about breaking them, we have already broken them in our heart. Does that sound like “comfortable” doctrine, easy on the ear and popular down at the village love-in?

And what of those who just want to look at sin or touch it from a distance? Jesus said with a flash, if your eye offends you, pluck it out. If your hand offends you, cut it off.¹² “I came not to [bring] peace, but a sword,”¹³ He warned those who thought He spoke only soothing platitudes. No wonder that, sermon after sermon, the local communities “pray[ed] him to depart out of their coasts.”¹⁴ No wonder, miracle after miracle, His power was attributed not to God but to the devil.¹⁵ It is obvious that the bumper sticker question “What would Jesus do?” will not always bring a popular response.

Oh I LOVE THIS!!!!! I think is so important that we don't make God how we want Him to be, but really seek after Him and find out who He is.

Try it.

Love,

b.

My 50 Days of Summer

One of my professors who was recently diagnosed with cancer gave a speech this semester. He is a wise man that simply didn't let other put him down. He has an amazing sense for adventure and admirable respect for every human being, culture, and religion that exists. In his final speech two things really stuck out to me: learn languages and read. I am starting with the reading one, knowing I will get to the language one as soon as I can. This professor would often tell us about a student that would ask him how he knew the random facts that he spurted off. He said...YOU READ. 

So that is just what I am going to do READ. 

My goal is to finish 50 books by the end summer. 

Here is my list so far:

1. Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

2. The Book Thief by Markus Zuksak (Thank you Cedar)

3. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared M. Diamond

4. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (Thanks Codie)

5. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (Thanks again Codie)

6. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Thanks Tara)

7. The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu (also known as the world's first novel)

8. My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel by Ari Shavit

9. A Tale of Two Cities (Read before, but love it!)

10. Animal Farm (George Orwell)

11. Iran Awakening by Shirin Ebadi

12.  Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changqing China by Leslie T. Chang

13. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Annie Fadiman

14. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan

15. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser

16. Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health

That is all I have so far.

I NEED HELP.

I welcome any suggestions. 

Thanks,

b.  

Our Burdens

Our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) has a semi-annual meeting called General Conference. During General Conference our leaders have sought the help of heaven in deciding what they need to talk about in order to meet our needs, comfort, and inspire us. This conference, April 2014 General Conference, one of our leader Elder (it's a title) David A. Bednar spoke of how we need burdens to keep us on track. He related it to a truck stuck in the snow. We are the truck and we need a load (a burden) in the back of our truck to give us traction so we can get back on the road. I am still learning what this means, but today I was reading in Judges 7. Gideon was supposed to face the Midianite army, but the Lord had him decrease his numbers until it was impossible for them to defeat the army. I feel like this a lot of the time. Like I am facing a losing battle. But the Lord is so wise. This is what he says:

 2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with theeare too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

I think that the challenges that I face right now are to remind me that I really can't do anything on my own. I need to be humble and realize it is the Lord that is doing everything and just get to be a part of it.

Thank goodness for scripture.

b.

Inspiration

I saw this today and it is just what I needed. Lately, I have been feeling, actually for a while now, that I need to change. I don't quite know how I am going to do it. I do know that it is a process and takes time. DANG IT...one of my weaknesses is impatience. But what I do know is that I need the Lord to help me.

So here I am starting and there is one thing that I just can't get out of my head. It is in our church's (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint) guide for missionary service: Preach My Gospel (aka PMG). It is in a chapter entitled How Do I Use My Time Wisely? I think this is a great question and is the root of all of my lack-of-change-and-progress. Here is what one of our beloved apostles, Russel M. Ballard, said:

“I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.”

When I read this I think about accountability. This is really how I am going to change. Setting goals...and then following up with myself about where I am on my progress...and then making a plan for how to get there...then following up again...and again...and again... There is this girl that I work with that is really good with this. She has her goals for the year...or for work or for school and she reviews them. I have goals too, but I forget about them :(. 

So this is my goal. To write every morning and every night...at minimum everyday and share my goals and plans, and then follow up on them. 

It's springtime right...that means new life..a new start.

HERE WE GO.

b.