Pioneers of Salvation

What is a pioneer? A pioneer is one who goes before, showing others the way. There are many pioneers to whom I look for inspiration, including my parents, my ancestors, and the Mormon pioneers who crossed the plains. There are pioneers of ancient days, and pioneers of modern times. There are pioneers of the future, such as little children and those yet to born. As I consider the sacrifices and the accomplishments of past, present and future pioneers, there are three pioneers in particular whose lives I wish to acknowledge and commemorate.

Abraham was an early pioneer who was rescued from very unfavorable circumstances in Chaldea and led through foreign lands with his wife Sarai, from Haran to Canaan and eventually into Egypt. This great patriarch, a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and a high priest, was also called a Friend of God. As if his earlier journeys were not enough to endow him with pioneer status, Abraham made yet another trek in his old age, bringing with him his precious son. He arose early one morning, laid wood for an offering upon his son Isaac, and together they journeyed to the land of Moriah to offer sacrifice. As a result of Abraham's willing obedience, he paved the way for all the nations of the earth to be blessed.

Joseph Smith, like Abraham, was a friend of God. His path took him from the town of Sharon, Windsor County, in Vermont, through Palmyra, to such places as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. He lived great and died great in the eyes of God, translating the Book of Mormon, organizing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and becoming the instrument to restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth. Toward the end of his life he languished in a jail called Liberty, and he was finally martyred in Carthage Jail. As he was shot, Joseph leapt from the window exclaiming, O Lord my God! As result of his prophetic pioneering, all the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are now available to all.

But the greatest pioneer was, is, and ever will be the Lord Jesus Christ. Many centuries before the event, Isaiah prophesied of his birth:

6 For unto us a ^achild is ^bborn, unto us a ^cson is given: and the^dgovernment shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, ^eCounsellor, The ^fmighty ^gGod, The ^heverlastingFather, The Prince of ⁱPeace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Later, when his earthly parents sought him in Jerusalem, Jesus asked:

How is it that ye sought me? ^awist ye not that I must be about my ^bFather’s business? (Luke 2:49)


He increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Though he was sinless, he was baptized to fulfill all righteousness, and though he went about doing good (Acts 10:38), he was despised and acquainted with grief. Though earlier he was with Abraham in Moriah, and later he was with Joseph in Liberty and Carthage, in the meridian of time none were with him as he, the greatest of all, descended below all things in Gethsemane. He was the firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten in the flesh, and he rose from the tomb, conquering death, to become the firstfruits of them who slept. After his resurrection, he ministered to his other sheep on the American continent.  With his Father, he appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, and he will someday return to earth. 

There are many other pioneers that deserve to be remember today, but Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and the light of the world. He is the pioneer of our salvation.

Diamonds

The word "Diamond" comes from the Greek word αδάμας – adámas, meaning "unbreakable".  Diamonds are an allotrope of carbon, meaning that the element is bonded together in a different manner  than other types of carbon, such as graphite.  Diamonds are hard, highly thermally conductive, transparent, face-centered crystals made up of tetrahedral lattices that are held together by strong covalent bonds. The strongest diamonds can only be scratched by other diamonds.  For this reason, diamonds are often used in cutting and polishing tools.  Some of the hardest natural diamonds originate in New South Wales, Australia, which is, coincidentally, the place where my mother was born.

Diamonds are also tough, meaning they are highly resistant to breakage upon forceful impact.  In addition to such strong physical components, diamonds also have noteworthy optical characteristics, such as high resistance to contamination and impurities, and high ability to disperse multi-colored light, making them some of the world's most popular gemstones.

Diamonds are mostly formed under great pressure and heat over more than a billion years, and come to the earth's surface in the form of igneous rock by way of magma and volcanic eruptions, although other diamonds come from meteorites or are produced synthetically. There is even evidence that white dwarf stars are actually diamonds at their core.

Whether gem-grade or industrial, diamonds have innumerable interesting facets to consider.  Diamonds have been discovered in many countries, such as India, Brazil, Russia, Australia, and the Congo. Prospectors search the world over for traces of volcanic pipes that could contain diamonds.

I once visited a diamond store in Israel, and although I thought little of the excursion at the time, I later discovered that Israel is a major player in the wholesale diamond industry. Many centuries ago, a Jewish diamond cutter by the name of Lodewyk van Berken invented the scaif, a polishing wheel infused with a mixture of olive oil and diamond dust that revolutionized the diamond industry by enabling jewelers to polish every facet of a diamond symmetrically at angles that best reflected light.  Since that time, and even through the Shoah, many Jews have played a significant role in the diamond industry.

While I was reflecting on how diamonds reflect light, and considering that even the brightest, most scintillatingly radiant and luminescent diamond, began as a rough stone, I recalled that the Prophet Joseph Smith described himself as a rough stone rolling.  Even so, his teachings so often reflect the light of the Savior's love.  On one occasion he declared that “Souls are as precious in the sight of God as they ever were, and the Elders were never called to drive any down to hell, but to persuade and invite all men everywhere to repent, that they may become the heirs of salvation.” This charitable facet of the prophet's character reflected the light of the the Lord's injunction to "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God." (D&C 18:10)

Elder Neil A. Maxwell revealed another facet of this truth when he stated that "Disciples, like diamonds, are developed in a process of time and heavy pressures, and both the disciple and the diamond reflect and magnify the light that comes through them." (Press Forward, pg. 125)  Elder Maxwell also remarked that "Jesus was weary but never bored. He was ever tutoring, but never condescending. His doctrines are like glistening diamonds with many dimensions, displaying their verity and beauty, facet by facet, depending on the faith and preparation of the beholder." On another occasion Elder Maxwell demonstrated that the scriptures offer so many doctrinal diamonds, and "when the light of the Spirit plays upon their several facets, they sparkle with celestial sense and illuminate the path we are to follow."

Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life... the light of the world, whose gospel shines like a diamond against the black velvet backdrop of the world.  Modern prophets have testified that "His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world."

This diamond truth sheds light and color on every facet of life.

Vive la France!

Today is the day of La Fête Nationale, le quatorze Juillet, or Bastille Day.  The Bastille was a Medieval fortress and prison that had become symbolic of royal tyranny.  The fall of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 became a symbol of the French Revolution and French independence.  Today would be a good day to sing La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, and to thank a Frenchman... whether it be for the Statue of Liberty, for Democracy in America, La Tour de France, or Camembert (if you like French cheese). Vive la France! Vive la résistance!

Tips for the Romney Campaign

This election season has the makings of an epic battle, but the Romney vs. Obama contest pales in comparison to Pedro's victory over Summer for the high school presidency.  Pedro makes promises that he can keep, and when Napoleon follows his heart, they make a powerful team.  This dynamic duo has a lot to teach us all.


Here are a few gems from Napoleon Dynamite:


-Just borrow some from the school nurse. I know she has like five sticks in her drawer.


-Well, you have a sweet bike. And you're really good at hooking up with chicks. Plus you're like the only guy at school who has a mustache.


-My old girlfriend from Oklahoma was gonna fly out for the dance but she couldn't cause she's doing some modeling right now.


-Pedro offers you his protection.

Nathan:  Napoleon, give me some of your tots.


...and some noteworthy scenes:

1. Kip's Tupperware

2. Kip and LaFawnduh

and a personal favorite,

3. Tetherball scene

Rumor has it that the creators of Napoleon Dynamite will be speaking somewhere nearby this Sunday.  Any presidential candidate would do well to pay close attention.  

The Source of Good

Jesus Christ is the source of every good thing:


11 But he that ^abelieveth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall^bknow and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall ^cknowthat these things are ^dtrue; for it persuadeth men to do good.

12 And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for^agood cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will ^bnot believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the ^clight, and the ^dlife, and the ^etruth of the world. (Ether 4:11-12)

The Gift of Time

Tonight I have been pondering the gift of time. What is time? Why do we live in time? What is eternity? What is now? Fortunately, I have found good company with others who have thought about and written about time. Emily Dickinson once mused that "Forever - is composed of Nows."


Sometimes we wish time to stand still. Other times we wish the time to pass quickly. Here are a few poetic portraits of time:


"Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid?
Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back?" - Shakespeare, Sonnet LXV


"Thou still unravished bride of quietness, 
Thou foster child of silence and slow time" - John Keats, Ode on a Grecian Urn


"Had we but world enough, and time,
This coyness, lady, were no crime." - Andrew Marvell, To His Coy Mistress

"To Time it never seems that he is brave

To set himself against the peaks of snow" - Robert Frost, I Could Give All to Time

"Fly envious Time, till thou run out thy race" - John Milton, On Time

"Ô temps ! suspends ton vol, et vous, heures propices !
Suspendez votre cours :
Laissez-nous savourer les rapides délices
Des plus beaux de nos jours ! " - Alphonse de Lamartine, Le Lac

But alas, time moves swiftly ever onward. Perhaps only Quintus Horatius Flaccus (Horace) captured the truth of time when he wrote in Odes 1.11:

Sapias, vina liques, et spatio brevi
spem longam reseces. dum loquimur, fugerit invida
aetas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.

"Be wise, strain the wine; and since life is brief, prune back far-reaching hopes! Even while we speak, envious time has passed: pluck the day, putting as little trust as possible in tomorrow!"

So, without further ado... CARPE DIEM, because as Virgil once wrote... TEMPUS FUGIT.

Make Good Popular

"It is our duty to concentrate all our influence to make popular that which is sound and good, and unpopular that which is unsound." ― Joseph Smith Jr., History of the Church-Boxed Set

The Pursuit of Happiness: A Tribute to America on the Fourth of July

As I have been pondering the blessings of liberty that God has granted to this great nation, and the purposes of those blessings, a specific perspective on patriotism impressed itself upon my mind. In Shakespeare's King Henry the Eighth, Cardinal Wolsey lamented his loss of power and possessions:

Had I but served my God with half the zeal
I served my king, He would not in mine age
Have left me naked to mine enemies.
(King Henry the Eighth, Act 3, Scene 2, lines 456-458)

I am also reminded of many examples in holy writ when the Lord delivered those who put their trust in Him, whereas those who relied on their own strength, placing confidence in the arm of the flesh, in wealth or in armies, were sorely disappointed.

Patriotism may be a virtue, but any virtue taken to an extreme can quickly become a vice. I am perhaps more distrustful of vehement Anti-Americanism or American self-loathing than I am of well-meaning but overbearing patriotism, but I am persuaded that both extremes are destructive.  On this Independence day, when we celebrate the blessings of liberty and the privileges that we enjoy as citizens of the United States of America, perhaps it is fitting and proper that we remember where these blessings come from, and for what purpose they were granted.

I do not claim to fully understand God's purposes in establishing the United States of America as a free nation, but it is clear to me that, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, God is the source of all blessings.  The blessings of liberty and the privilege to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience are certainly among the greatest gifts that God has bestowed.  Many have given the ultimate sacrifice to preserve these blessings and privileges, but even these are only a reflection of the Eternal Sacrifice made by the Savior Jesus Christ.

One of the best summaries of the history of America that I know of was given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland a few months before I was born.  I highly recommend this short tribute to the United States of America because it reveals not only the source of the aforementioned blessings, but also the purposes for which those blessings were given.  In this tribute, Elder Holland quotes the young Marquis de Lafayette who understood that... "the welfare of America is closely bound up with the welfare of all mankind".  (For those interested in the topic patriotism, I also recommend a speech given at BYU by Elder Alexander B. Morrison entitled God in History, Elder Maxwell's freedom festival speech from 1993, and Elder Oak's 1992 talk The Divinely Inspired Constitution).

B.H. Roberts also understood and taught about the destiny of America. In a speech delivered in the Salt Lake Tabernacle in 1932, Roberts asked the penetrating question: "Do we have any right to be pessimistic in relation to America...?" His speech answers this question with a resounding "No". In spite of negative views in the media, and in spite of corruption, wars, violence, calamities, disaster and a seemingly endless array of problems, America will not fail.

One of the oft repeated maxims of the Book of Mormon is that as long as the people will keep the commandments of God they shall prosper in the land.  I am grateful for soldiers who fight to defend our freedoms, and for veterans who have fought.  I am grateful to those who have given their lives to preserve freedom, and to the founders of this country.  I am grateful for this day in which to celebrate independence and freedom. Most of all, I am grateful to Heavenly Father, the true author of liberty.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"What do we mean by patriotism in the context of our times? ... A patriotism that puts country ahead of self; a patriotism which is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." - Adlai Stevenson20

Reflections on Ring Making

I have always had a strong desire to create. Recently, I decided to take a class on silversmithing in order to learn how to make a ring. Besides the Raku class that I took in high school, and a few rare encounters  with other 3-dimensional art forms, such as glass blowing, most of the art work that I have produced has been 2-dimensional... sketches, drawings, paintings, and the like. Producing a ring was a process unlike any other that I have encountered thus far.

I first sketched out several designs on paper, and chose the one that I liked the best. I took the design proposal to the studio where Brittany Golden began to guide a few students and I through basics of ring making.  Each student received a thick wax ring, and with different tools we began to carve our designs into the wax. We took the wax home to work on it, and returned to the studio when we were ready to begin phase two. Brittany took our wax rings to Salt Lake where they were placed into a mold.  The wax was melted away and the mold was with filled in with silver.

Later, we ground away the small protrusions on the rings using a sanding wheel. We refined, polished and buffed the silver with different tools until our rings were as shiny as mirrors. We washed off the excess grime and polish until we were fully satisfied with the final product. I still have the option of adding color to my ring, as well as a small jewel, perhaps even a diamond.

This process took several days to complete, and I spent several hours at home and in the studio with my ring. Now that it rests comfortably upon my finger, I feel a sense of joy and satisfaction in the work. Another benefit of ring making is that the process afforded me several hours of concentration and undistracted meditation. As I worked with my little ring, I let the solemnities of eternity rest upon my mind.

Although my ring, like any material possessions, will eventually be corrupted by moth and rust, it's shape and design are symbolic of eternity. Unlike rings, our spirits are eternal. We are each unique, and we bear the imprint of God, because we are created in His image, male and female. In order to become complete and finished, the wax, protrusions, rough edges, scratches, bumps, and grime of our lives need to be eliminated. We are all in God's hands, and sometimes carving, melting, grinding, and polishing touches come through adversity. The heat and friction of adversity provide necessary refinement and polishing.  Add to that the various colors of personality, and the precious stones of experience, and the finished product is beautiful...

                                                                                    ... at least I like it.

"Hello Seattle, I am a Mountaineer..."

For those of you who haven't ever listened to Owl City, here is one song that is fitting for any trip to Seattle.  I like the free flowing and jovial sound, as well as the care-free lyrics.  There is something ethereally enjoyable about the electro-musical style, and every once in a while the somewhat puerile poetry actually makes more sense than any contrived or somber love song. For example, in Vanilla Twilight:
"The silence isn't so bad, 'til I look and my hands and feel sad, 'cause the spaces between my fingers are right where yours fit perfectly." The music video, with cameo appearances from Shaquille O'Neil, is not the worst music video that I have ever seen.

I don't think that I could listen to this all of the time, but there are moments in each day when a catchy Owl City song (such as Galaxies) might appropriately capture a feeling of awe or wonder.  Walking under the bright and vast expanse of stars at night on the beach or in the mountains might kindle an awareness of how we humans are simultaneously both infinitesimally small and infinitely loved. As a wise man once said: "God has no distracting hobbies."

I couldn't quite put my finger on why I was intrigued by this happy go-lucky musical talent until a few lyrics surfaced that satisfied my suspicion that the artist Adam Young may have received personal inspiration to write some of these songs:

"Dear God, I was terribly lost when the galaxies crossed and the sun went dark,
 But dear God, you're the only North Star I would follow this far...
 Hercules, you've got nothing to say to me,
 'Cause you're not the blinding light that I need,
 For He is the saving grace of the galaxies."

Well done. (see also In Christ Alone)

Two scriptures to remember...

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for ^apeace, and things wherewith one may ^bedify another. (Romans 14:19)


32 For behold, this ^alife is the time for men to ^bprepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of ^cthis life is the day for men to perform their ^dlabors. (Alma 34:32)

The Miracle of Bern

The Miracle of Bern is a movie that I recommend not only because it involves soccer and Switzerland, good acting and spectacular scenery, but because of the insights it provides into family relationships.  The miracle of Germany's victory in the World Cup seems to grow out of the more intimate victory of strengthened family bonds, especially the bond between a father returning from war and his youngest son.  Even if you don't like exciting soccer matches and breathtaking European landscapes, you would have to be a stone not to weep just a little at this beautiful story of reconciliation.

Duck Beach 2012

Our lives at Duck passed away as if it were a dream.  The yearly migration to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, affectionately referred to as Duck, has become a tradition for single members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints LDS from all over the United States, as well as other countries.  Most of the activities take place in Corolla, but since the early LDS vacationers first occupied the town of Duck, the appellation has remained.

As in years past, Duck has attracted some of the best and the brightest of the East Coast graduate students, young professionals, entrepreneurs, and other movers and shakers, as well as their Western and Mid-Western peers.  Others arrive from as far aways as Europe, Brazil and Australia, seeking respite, relaxation, and possibly romance.  The Memorial Day weekend is jam packed with parties, beach games, and socializing, interrupted only briefly on Sunday morning by LDS worship services.  This year the congregation held a sacrament meeting at a middle school in Kitty Hawk in order to accommodate the large number of vacationers.

As a somewhat reluctant but now fully satisfied third year veteran, my experience at Duck may not be uncommon, but it is unique in that I did not sleep in the party houses, and I had the opportunity to spend quality time with a few close family members, as well as with friends both old and new.  The Outer Banks feels like home to me because my ancestors and my paternal grandfather hailed from Harker's Island, a small community located several miles south of Duck Beach and Corolla.  My ancestors made their living by fishing and whaling in the Atlantic Ocean, and my grandfather did the same until he met a pair of LDS missionaries who promptly baptized him and inspired him to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he met his wife, my grandmother.

Over the years my family has travelled many times to the Outer Banks, and it is to this region of the earth that many of my fondest memories can be traced.  When I discovered that there was a Mormon migration to Duck Beach, I was as much drawn to my ancestral roots as I was to the exciting prospect of meeting beautiful and eligible LDS girls.

This year my father, sister and I visited my grandmother in the Greenville hospital.  My father also organized a fireside and mini-conference at Duck Beach for the John Adam's Center, an educational institution designed to encourage people of traditional morality in their quest for truth, and to support the voices of people of faith in the public square.  Distinguished scholars and authors participated in the conference and panel discussion on topics such as religion, the so-called "Mormon moment" and politics.  With these good incentives to spend memorial day weekend on the Outer Banks (faith, family and fun), I embarked on yet another adventure to Duck.

Of course, like most who flock to Duck, there remained a glimmer of hope in my heart to meet that special someone and to kindle a relationship to last forever.  The swimming, dancing and socializing provide ample opportunities for single adults to meet new and interesting people, but not every encounter results in marriage.  In fact, I suspect that most return to real life without a new romance, but at least having formed new friendships and created good memories.

Although I had time to rest and to enjoy the beauties of nature (including the beautiful Mormons), this year at Duck was more eventful than I would have imagined it to be.  One night after driving back to the Beach house from an excursion to find wild horses, a deer bounded out of the bushes and onto our rental car windshield, and then hopped away on the other side of the road.  Fortunately, no one was injured (except perhaps the deer), but the vehicle sustained serious damage to the windshield and one of the windshield wipers.  It could have been a lot worse.  We were very fortunate indeed.

The next day I had the car towed back to the rental store, and a few of my friends and I headed to the nearest beach for a dip in the ocean.  After a swim and a conversation with a friend, a young man alerted us that two of our other friends seemed to be swimming out too far into the ocean.  We turned around to look for them, and away in the distance we saw two small heads bobbing up and down, and a hand waving.  We couldn't tell if they were in distress, so rather than risk their drowning, we decided to call 911.  Within minutes emergency responders were on the scene, and a couple of life guards with floating devices swam out to save them.  They had ventured quite far out into the ocean, but as it turns out, they were not in distress.  In fact, they were perhaps more distressed to have their romantic swim in the Atlantic broken up by the life guards.  Several people had gathered to watch the would-be rescue, and still others observed the spectacle from their beach houses.

In spite of the dare devil deer and the dangers of drowning, most of the Duck experience was relatively calm.  There was the usual dancing, music and partying.  There was beach volleyball and beach flirting in the mornings, followed by more parties and excursions to historical sites such as Kitty Hawk (where Wilbur and Orville Wright launched their first successful flights) and trips to the lighthouses, such as the Currituck lighthouse.

Late one night, a group of friends and I brought flying lanterns out to the beach.  We lit them and released the glowing miniature hot-air balloons into the starry night over the ocean.  The brightness of the stars over the ocean was spectacular, and the breeze carried the flying lanterns even further out over the ocean than our friends had swum, until the flames were extinguished or until we could see them no longer.  It was a beautiful sight: candles under the bright stars soaring out over the ocean like so many luminescent birds in flight.  These lanterns did not return, but I suspect that many LDS singles will return to Duck again next year, with bright hopes and great expectations.

All in all Duck 2012 was a great experience.  I had the privilege of meeting many fun and interesting people.  I wasn’t disappointed at all that many of the fun and interesting people that I met also happened to be intelligent, articulate, and beautiful young ladies, any one of whom would make a more than suitable match for marriage.  Whether I would make a suitable match has yet to be determined, but at least I can admire the ladies for their commendable qualities.

Will I return to Duck next year?  Perhaps like most of those who embark on the adventure, I certainly wouldn’t mind returning to Duck, although it would be preferable to do so accompanied by a spouse.  Some may call it quackery, but in the future, I believe it would be even more fun to bring along some cute little ducklings.