Christmas Miracles

Uh...that's root beer.

 First things first, I apologize to any and all who ever actually read this blog for the hiatus you have so long endured.  I learned quickly that life back in the world moves fast, and it seems that you have no time to do simple things like write a blog (even when you really don't have much else to do).  But due to happenings of late, I could no longer ignore the promptings to fire up the ol' blogspot, and so here we are.  Forgive me if I'm rusty. :P

 I believe that everyone, sporadically if not occasionally, has experiences with miracles.  And why wouldn't we? I mean, if there is anything the scriptures teach us, it is that throughout history, God has constantly and consistently shown us miracles.  "And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles." 

 Today I had the wonderful opportunity to go to a farewell of Grant Walker, whose family has long been friends with mine.  Grant's father was my bishop through a pivotal time in my life, and his guidance and influence was instrumental in me serving a mission.  While I was serving in my last area, just a couple months to go, I received word from my family that Bishop Walker had passed away.  To anyone who knew Bishop Walker, this was devastating news.  He was young, faithful, and one of the nicest men you could ever hope meet.  Grant shared that, at that point in his life, he was struggling and wasn't sure what to do. But, through a miracle, God strengthened and inspired Grant to serve a mission.

 Now, we learn in Ether that " ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." Basically, it tells us that we receive miracles according to our faith.  There can be miracles, if you believe. ;)

 However, in my experience in life, there are also miracles that are just the opposite: they occur to help your faith. Grant received a miracle that wasn't akin to parting the red sea or raising the dead, but for him, he knew it was from God and it helped him to serve a mission.  Throughout my own life, I experienced similar miracles that gave me strength, faith, and comfort to know that God is there. Recently, someone very close to me survived a serious car accident with (comparatively) minimal injuries.  There isn't a doubt in my mind that this was a miracle. 

 Yes, we can call down miracles by faith. But to me, the true beauty of miracles is how many of them simply happen because God loves us.  He reaches out to us each and every day, and I imagine we are very often completely unaware of miracles He performs in our day to day lives.

 This year, as Christmas approaches, may we all express our love and gratitude to Him who loves us so very much.  May we remember His Son who performed the greatest miracle of all in the Atonement.  May we strive to make this season a little brighter for those who may have little reason to celebrate, and perform miracles of joy and love in the name of our Father.

This is my Christmas wish, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Nerd's Eye View: Episode VI

Elder Williams has asked me, Elder Sharples, fellow nerd in the cause of righteousness, to finish out the “Nerd’s Eye View” saga with this, the sixth installment.  The task is, of course, a daunting one.  But how could I turn down the opportunity to write about one of my favorite things in the world, namely, Satan Star Wars?  I couldn’t resist.  So, I’ve decided to (hopefully) rise to the occasion, and bring you this post, a comparison of Darth Sidious, Emperor Palpatine, the Emperor of the Force, whatever you want to call him, and Satan.  I hope you enjoy.

 Of Sidious and Satan:


      Anyone who has seen the piece of cinematic history that is the Star Wars saga knows that of all the villains in history, none surpass the pure evil of Darth Sidious.  Yes, Emperor Palpatine is the embodiment of everything sinister, scheming, and slimy.  Is it any wonder, then, why the comparison between the Emperor of the Force and the prince of darkness is one so apparent?  In many ways, their existences and tactics parallel one another.
      While many of us recognize the Emperor as being a pale-faced, dark-robed, mysterious, yet powerful figure, such was not always the case.  He was once the unassuming Senator Palpatine, high in the echelons of society, and even trusted by the Jedi Council.  However, he wanted more.  He sought to gratify his pride by becoming the Emperor, an act that eventually proved to be his downfall. 
      Likewise, Satan was not always the adversary.  The scriptures tell us he was once Lucifer, the Son of the Morning, obviously high in Heavenly Father’s view (see Isaiah 14:12).  Unfortunately, he too had a problem with pride.  He sought to be more than he was, even placing himself above God.  As a result of this act of rebellion, he was thrust down from Heaven.
      The similarities do not end there.  The means of manipulation of the unseen adversary and “the Phantom Menace” are eerily nearly identical.  For example, let’s look at the life of young Anakin Skywalker, our favorite Jedi-turned-Sith.

      At an early age, Anakin adhered closely to the teachings of the Jedi Council, walking in the ways of his master, Obi-Wan.  However, this quickly changed when he began having visions of his wife, Padmé Amidala, dying in childbirth.  Now, this would make anyone distraught, and gave Anakin a weakness that Sidious was quick to exploit.  Sidious began to tell Anakin of a famous Sith Lord who had the power to restore life to those who had died.  Anakin began to trust less and less in the counsel of the Jedi, and more in the advice of his newfound “friend”.  Sidious seemed to offer Anakin everything he desired.  And so, without realizing it, Anakin had slipped into the grip of the evil Emperor.

      In similar fashion, Satan tempts us with things that we think will bring us happiness.  He knows our weaknesses and seeks to use them against us.  He offers us the temporary promise of satisfaction, with little regard to what this satisfaction will or will not bring us in the long run.  When we give in to these temptations, we fall into the grasp of our Adversary.  The scriptures illustrate this point very well:   
      22 And there are also secret ^acombinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the ^bdevil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and ^cworks of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever. (2 Nephi 26:22)
      The devil and Darth Sidious both lead using flaxen cords.  To lead us, the devil gets us to do little things, like cheat on a math test, illegally download a song, or entertain impure thoughts.  Anakin allowed himself to be led by the small acts at first.  He told Palpatine the plans of the Jedi Council, spent a little more time with Palpatine than he should have, and ever so subtly, his allegiances changed. 

      Unfortunately, these small acts grew, as they often do, into horrific deeds that Anakin probably never thought himself capable of doing.  He betrayed the Jedi by cutting off Mace Windu’s hand, leading to his death, rather than finishing off Darth Sidious. He then killed everyone in the Jedi temple, a despicable act. He even eventually kills his own master, Obi-Wan.  All of this could have been avoided, had Anakin nipped his relationship with the Dark Side in the bud.  While our actions may not be as drastic as those of Anakin, surely the principle applies.  When we grow too dependent on our little sins, we will do more and more to cover them up, or we will justify ourselves in taking the sin to the next level.  We can find ourselves doing things that we once never even considered.  In this manner, Satan binds us with his strong cords.

      Now, while it is always easier to cut off sin in its infancy, or better yet, never give in to the buffetings of Satan, there is a way out.  After Anakin became “Lord Vader”, he told his son, Luke, that it was too late for him.  There was no escape from his past.  I think we can all feel that way sometimes, that there is no hope for us.  However, that was not the case for Anakin, nor is it the case for us.  In one of the most touching scenes of the Star Wars saga, Darth Vader is redeemed.  He abandons his past and sacrifices his life for his son.  Now, whereas Vader was redeemed by his son, we are redeemed by the Son. 
      Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven of our past transgression.  We can turn from our ways, and abandon and forsake Satan.  With the aid of Christ’s Grace, we can become new men and women.  This is the most hopeful aspect of the Gospel.  Through Christ we can be cleansed from sin.  However, it does take work, it takes sacrifice, but the sacrifice is always, always, worth it.  The Son of God feels the same way about us as Luke did about his father, that within us is the potential to give up the natural man and become something better.  And, through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can echo the statement of Anakin to his son as we stand at the judgment bar and say, “You were right.”  So, let’s prove that Christ is right and take hold of His Sacrifice for us, and not give in to the subtle temptation of our adversary.  God speed, and may the Force be with you.

Fear Not

"Fear not," said the Father
 at dawn's brilliant light
 as we first left Heaven
 and He left our sight.

"Fear not," said Mother
 as we cried in the morn,
 "I'll hold you close, always
 my precious newborn."

Fear not," said Brother
as tears began to swell
and he bandaged the scrape
from where you had fell.

"Fear not," said Sister
 in a loving warm embrace
 when it seemed like this world
 was just too hard of a place







"Fear not," said your Love,
 "I'll help carry the load
 as we make our way down
 this life's rocky road."

"Fear not," you whisper
 as the night draws nigh
 and all those you love
 stand 'round your bedside,

 "The smiles and the frowns
 and the laughs and the tears
 are worth so much more
 than the number of years;
 we can't understand, now,
 the prices we pay,
 but just trust in the Lord
 and be not afraid."

Progressive Post: The World/Ward Family

 Hey everyone, my name is Elder Trey Williams. The baton has been passed to me by the unstoppable Elder David Mahrt, and so the progressive post brings you to my humble page.  I too am a missionary serving in the California Santa Rosa mission, and I would like to echo the sentiments of my peer in that I truly believe this is the best mission in the world.  I have loved every second of my time here, and my heart is only growing fonder for my mission as my time here matures.  Nowhere else in the world will you find the towering redwoods along the misty coast, the vineyards blooming on the rolling hills as far as the eye can see, coupled with the sun setting on the San Francisco bay.  Without a doubt, some of the most breathtaking vistas in the world can be found within the boundaries of our mission.  If there is anything better than the landscape, it can only be the people.

 We learn from the gospel of Jesus Christ that relationships are the most important things we can have in this life.  Whether you are religious or not, your loved ones likely mean as much to you as mine do to me.  We all have people we trust, people we care for, people we want to keep in our lives forever.  Regardless of relation or not, I call these people family.  These people that have touched my life, and they are people I will never forget. Like Elder Michael McBride, I am thankful for the blessing that all these people have been to me.

 When I got to my first area, Napa, I was astonished at how close the ward was.  Everyone knew each other!  They grew up together!  Their parents grew up together! Their kids were now growing up together!  Everyone cared for each other, and I knew that if ever there was a crisis in any family in the ward, the rest would instantly close ranks.  I learned so much from them, and I was so grateful to have become a part of that family.  Though my time there was only a few months, I feel like I had forever gained family.

 When I was transferred from Napa, I wondered if I would ever find a ward like that again.  I pondered back on words given to me from one of my branch presidency in the MTC.  I don't remember his name, but I confided my fears and doubts to him about being on a mission.  I was so worried, and felt incredibly alone in this calling.  He told me, "You will meet people on your mission that will be so close to you, they will become family.  And from what I've seen of you, Elder Williams, you will have plenty of family." 

 My next area, Fairfield, completely assuaged my fears.  The people were just incredible!  The more I met, the more I loved them!  As I was transferred to Davis, Petaluma, Vallejo, and now McKinleyville, I have come to realize the truth of what that loving councilor had told me not so long ago.  I had come to truly love my people, and I had truly gained a family.  The greatest blessings we receive in life not only come through other people, they are the people!  Be it members, investigators, companions, fellow missionaries, or just people we met on the street, I am so grateful to, and for, all of them.

 The important lesson I've learned, and am still learning, is that there are truly no bounds between us as children of God.  We are all family!  When we let the "scales of darkness" fall from our eyes, and see people as Christ does, we will finally learn what he has already taught us: "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." 

 I am so grateful to be here, and for all of the wonderful people here in California!  Now I pass the torch of the progressive post to the capable hands of Sister Gorder!

The Gospel: A Nerd's Eye View

,

 Star Wars.
 Those two simple words bring a flood of memories to me, and, I'm sure, to you as well.  What is it about this epic saga in space that causes people to dress in white plastic shinguards with suffocating helmets (in public), swing multicolored-retractable-plastic sticks at each others heads, and casually use in a sentence otherwise incomprehensible things such as, "let the wookie win"?


  Yes, if you are guilty of any or all of these aformentioned attributes, you are likely a fan of Star Wars.

 Star Wars has a place in my heart, not only because it warps me to a galaxy far, far away with planets, aliens, and ships from the nether regions of my childhood (and, admittedly, my adulthood as well), but because it magnificently touches on many things much closer to home.  Star Wars, at its core, is a story of family, choices, and redemption. It is a story that we all relate to, regardless of how many parsecs separate us from Tatooine.

My "CT-R2" :)

  In exactly that same vein, the gospel of Jesus Christ is something universal to everyone: one could even say "it surrounds us, it penetrates us, [and] it binds [us all] together."  The gospel can be applied to everything in life. And so I'm going to write a series of posts that combine two things I love, the Gospel and Star Wars, to show how we can see the spiritual side in that galaxy far, far away; and maybe even a little closer to home as well.
 
EPISODE 1: Light vs Dark

 In the course of the series, Luke is led to a choice to follow the Light side of the force and be a Jedi, or succumb to the power and temptations that the Dark side offers.  We hear from Nephi a similar dilemma:
"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." ~2 Nephi 2:27

 If we are to learn anything from the tragic story of Darth Vader, it is that if we allow our emotions to control our actions, we will surely succumb to the Dark Side of the force.  We all face that same decision in real life; will we choose to follow the Way, the Truth, and the Life, or will we lose ourselves to the Father of All Lies?
 As with the force, you do not simply one day decide to go over to the dark side. Your actions lead you there, step by step, until you are held captive by the darkness.
 "yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever..and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell."

Satan entices us to do wrong, slowly, carefully, until we are bound down by his chains of hell. 
On the other hand, we know that God works in light.  Just as Luke chose not to give into temptation, but to stand for good and hope, we too can choose the right. Our lives are marked by choices; we either succumb, or overcome.  If we choose the right, we will find ourselves in the side we all want to be on.  We all want to follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
 
  I pray we will all remember Jesus Christ a bit more, and why we follow Him. Every decision is crucial to who we will become, and where we will end up. If we keep His commandments, and follow the path He has laid for us, we will become more receptive to the whispers of the Spirit. We will find it not only clear, but easy, to choose light over dark. We will become like the Master.

 If I may slightly alter the immortal words of Obi Wan Kenobi,
 "May the [spirit] will be with you."

James and the Giant Speech

 Now that I have your attention, no that is not a typo!  I meant "speech", NOT "peach"!
  Alright, this morning I was excited to find that, in my venture through the New Testament, I had reached the book of James.
 Now, James is a very important book for many reasons.  As missionaries teaching the message of the Restoration, we are all very familiar with James' admonition to "ask, and ye shall receive." This verse would touch the heart of a 14-year old boy in just a way that inspired him to turn to God for his answer, and in so doing, changed Christianity forever. 
  Five verses in, and James has already changed the world. 
 But who exactly was James?  We may be inclined to think of James the apostle, as in Peter, James, and John right?
 That's a fair assumption; the only problem is that it's wrong!

 The writer of the Epistle of James is not James, brother of John.  It is James, the brother of Jesus Christ. At least, that is the widely held belief.
 This too, piqued my curiousity regarding the book of James.  As I continued reading, I found many pearls of wisdom and knowledge that struck chords with me.  These include:
 ~ A verse on not being "double minded", but firm in our loyalty and beliefs.
 ~ A blessing upon those who endure tempations and trials, and a reminder that God does not tempt man, only the adversary.
 ~ An admonition for us to not "err", and to remember that all gifts come from God.
 ~ Gently imploring us to be quick to listen to others, and slow to anger as well as to speak.
 ~ And lastly, a beautiful definition of what "true religion" really is: comforting those who need it, and rising above the stains of the world.

  And that was just the first chapter!  I invite you all to read what James has to say, and ponder the message he shares, even as the Prophet Joseph Smith did.  If his words could bring about the restoration of the fulness of the gospel, who knows what more we could learn from the wisdom of James?

King of Hearts

Today brought the wonderful opportunity to go to Zone Conference.  It was even extra special, because it was held in my (mission) home town of Napa!  As we cruised through the familiar streets, I had the opportunity to ponder on the time that has past since I had called that place home.  That, coupled with the message President Bunker had for us at Zone Conference, caused me to ponder the changes I could see in myself since those days.
 As I stand in the mirror, I don't look too different from back then; my hair is still short, I'm still about 6' even.. I'm even still wearing the same outfit! I guess the place I've changed the most is a place the mirror can't show.
 There's a quote I heard once that has stuck with me since the day I heard it:

"What you are is God's gift to you, but what you choose to do with yourself is your gift to God."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 Where I see the most change is in my desires, my heart.  That's a metaphor we hear all the time, isn't it?  "He's had a change of heart," "She is heartbroken," or even, "I Heart NY!."  It's a well known scientific fact that our brains are the center of our bodily functions, ranging from things as simple and unconscious as breathing to things as complicated as releasing chemicals that produce a vast array of emotions, such as anger, joy, and (to get to the point) love.  The heart merely pumps blood through our circulatory system( which is still very important, because our brain needs oxygen to function).   But why, then, is the heart so critical in who we are?

  Christ said, "..I, the Lord, require the hearts of the children of men." You can find hundreds of verses in the scriptures referring to the heart.  This doesn't literally mean our beating hearts, as you've probably figured out by now, but what our desires are.

 The man I see in the mirror now is different than the younger version of a year ago.  He's soared many highs, weathered many lows, and trudged through the no-man's land of the mundane in between.  He's felt the joy of seeing brothers and sisters accept Christ's message, and give everything they had to try to follow him.  He's felt the sorrow of losing yet others as they fell away from the light put before them, fading into obscurity.  He's had struggles overcoming his own pride, selfishness, and disobedience. He's had times of peace, strength, and hope as he steadily learned to trust more in the Lord, and not in himself.
  His desires have changed.  He isn't perfect, but he knows that through the Savior, he someday can achieve his potential.

 The man I see is a new man. Or rather, the same man with a new heart.

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh."

Christ sees our hearts. He knows us perfectly, inside and out.  He knows every good intention, and every secret lie.  He loves us.  He beckons us to Him; to learn, grow, change, and follow the path He has paved for us.  He knows the way,  He is the way.  To do this, we must change our desires.  We must change our hearts, and hand our stubbornness and pride over to Him.
 When we do this, we will become as He is, and we will finally understand the mysteries, and capacities, of the heart. We will see ourselves, finally, as He has always seen us.

 He is the Lord of Salvation, the King of Hearts.