Run For It!!!!

Joseph of Egypt is the man!  He goes from being a boy that is picked on by his brothers to the head honcho of Potiphar's house.  Pretty cool right?  Well, he has one problem that he faces day after day.  That problem is Potiphar's wife.

Potiphar's wife, to put it in modern terms, has a MAJOR crush on Joseph.  It's no secret crush, she flat out tells him.  "And it came to pass, ...she spake to Joseph day by day."  She continually tried to get him to "lie with her."  Joseph, being the stud that he is, "hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her."  He held strong and said "no" to sin.

source

Sadly, this woman didn't get it.  Nor was she going to take "no" for an answer.  What does she do?  She formulates a plan.  Potiphar's wife made sure that the house was empty, no one else around.  When Joseph came in to do his job, she cornered him.

"1And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.

 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and FLED, and got him out."(emphasis added)





It goes on with Potiphar's wife lying and Joseph being put in jail.  But, the part I want to focus on the most is what Joseph did in the face of sin.  He didn't just say "no", he FLED from it!  No hesitation, second guessing, or lingering. He booked it!  When I picture someone fleeing from something, I picture someone running for dear life in a frantic manor.

We can all learn from Joseph.  When we are faced with sin or temptation, we should flee.  Get away from it as soon as possible.  Why stick around and "see what happens?"  Pointless.  Stay as far away from sin as possible!  Light years if possible. 

So, question for you now: what has helped you to "flee" from sin?

Fighter Pilots and Capone's Lawyer

There are a two stories that were shared this past Sunday during sacrament meeting.  I would now like to pass them on to all of you.

"Story number one:

Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare.

He was a fighter pilot assigned to an aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific.

One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship. His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet. As he was returning to the mothership, he saw something that turned his blood cold.
A squadron of Japanese bombers were speeding their way toward the American fleet. The American fighters were gone on a sortie and the fleet was all but defenseless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor, could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet.

From the Mouth of Teenagers

Who is Heavenly Father (God)?  What is He?  How do you know if He is real or not?  These questions have troubled many great minds and the simple ones (such as mine).  Obviously, I know what my own answers would be to these questions and could write a novel about them.  But, to shake things up a tad, I asked the youth (ages 12-18) from home to answer them for me.
First question, who and what is Heavenly Father?

Ahhh! A Bird!

Back when I was in high school (sounds like something my grandpa would say....anyways) I had a special....incident occur.  Picture your usual Mormon high school friend's birthday party.  Cake, balloons, silly games, and all sorts of immature things.  After we had our cake the friend decided he would show us all his bird.  He brought the bird out and a few of us decided to hold it.  Big mistake!

Fathers=Awesome!



Paul Nestman



My dear 'ole dad is one of the biggest heroes I have in life.  Aside from being my father, which automatically makes him cool, he is someone to look up to.  His whole growing up years were spent in Bountiful Utah with his 4 brothers and 2 loving parents.  From all the stories that I have heard, he was typically the "good child" that didn't do much wrong.  Not that he was perfect.  There's a few people with some stories to tell, but he usually knew what was right and did it.



At the rightful age of 19 he was off to serve a mission in the Coventry England mission.  At that time Elders served for 18 months.  After the mission it was off to BYU for accounting school.  While at BYU he played for the soccer team and his claim is that he "killed the BYU soccer program."  His last year playing was the last year that they were NCAA and not club.  I'm pretty sure it wasn't his doing...but don't tell him that.  After a little he found my beautiful mom and they were married.  They finished their time at BYU then moved to San Diego where he got his masters degree at San Diego State University.While in San Diego, they had 3 wonderful children.  Moved a bunch of times and ended up back in Utah and finished the family off with 4 more children.  Oh yeah!  There's 7 of us.  A whole cavalcade of fun.

During my whole life my father has always worked extremely hard to provide for our family.  We have been very blessed.  He has also worked hard to teach all of us the gospel of Christ.  It has always been the main focus in our home.  I can't remember a time where we didn't have family prayer, scripture study, or spent time together on Sundays.  Christ has always been the center of our home, of which I am very grateful for.  It has allowed me to make the proper choices in life and know where I can turn for advice or help.

As much as he may not know, my dad has always been my hero.  He puts his whole heart and soul into following Jesus Christ and His example.  I have grown up seeing him read his scriptures on his own daily.  It wasn't uncommon to walk in on him while he was on his knees praying.  For about 6 1/2 years he served as a bishop for the church and I know he put 200% into that calling.  He truly loved everyone and was willing to do anything for them.  He is an "example of the believers" if ever there was one.

I may be his daughter, I may be with him forever, but my dad is my hero! 

Why Are You Yellng?!

Myself and Sister Gorder

Many eons ago, when I was serving in Vacaville with Sister Gorder, I had one of the most memorable moments of my mission.  Okay, this event wasn't really a fond memory, but it taught me a lesson I will always treasure.

As many of you may know, Sister Gorder and I learned a lot together.  I didn't train her, we trained each other.  We were both fresh into the mission field and still learning the ropes.  It was a very humbling experience.  For those of you that haven't been to Vacaville in the summer, I'll explain what it's like.  In the words of Darla, you feel "..like a popsicle on the fourth of July."  It's hot!

On one of these blisteringly hot Vacaville days, Sister Gorder and I were out doing our thing.  We went from appointment to appointment.  As a missionary, life doesn't get much better than that.  At one of the houses the girl asked if we could do the lesson outside.  Of course, we said yes.  We took our places on the front patio and were about to start our lesson when, he came.

The Chicken or the Egg?

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?  The question that has puzzled so many minds.  Many reasonable arguments can be made for both cases.  The egg first, because that is how the chicken was born.  Chicken first, because someone had to lay the egg.  It is an endless cycle of which one actually came first.

 

This whole cycle thinking happens a LOT in the world.  One such example of this endless circular thinking was brought up between my companion and I; faith and works, which one comes first?

Constantly we are taught that we need faith.  Faith is confidence.  Faith leads us to action.  As it says in James, "1Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."  A-ha, so faith before action.  Right?

Well, later in that same chapter it says "Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?"  So, works perfect our faith.

As my companion and I pondered all of this.  We kept thinking "okay, so we need faith to take action.  But our actions can lead us to faith."  We then thought of another scripture in James that says: "1If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."  Action that helps us to have faith. 

So much confusion!  Which is it!

Well, we came to a conclusion.  Simple and true.  The two are so inseparable that you cannot distinguish between them.  Just as Elder Lynn G. Robbins said in his talk this last conference, "to be and to do are inseparable."  As we work on both, we are strengthened.  Whichever one comes first doesn't matter too much.  Both are great! 

But, I would love to hear your thoughts on which came first for you.  Post a comment!

Progressive 2.0

I am still learning.  I am not perfect.  There is a TON I have to change within myself.  These are facts that I know.  But, I also know that I am not alone.  We are all still learning.  Ask any one of the missionaries and they will tell you the same thing.  The California Santa Rosa Missionaries are combining in a series of post's about what we have learned while on our missions entitled: "Still in Progress... A Progressive Post."  Seeing as I have previously shared a great deal of what I have learned while in my previous areas, it is indeed time that I share a bit about my Eureka experience thus far.

As you have probably heard from Elder Menasco, Eureka is an amazing place!  Okay, it's phenomenal!  I love it!  Aside from the outer beauty and splendor of this city there is a deeper beauty that has captivated me.  That beauty is found in the love of the people.

Six weeks ago I left Cordelia California, which was hard for me.  I really came to love and adore the people there and everything about Cordelia.  It was hard to leave, but I knew it was what the Lord had in store.  When I got to Eureka, things were a bit chaotic.  My companion and I were both new up here and didn't know our way around at ALL.  Our first night here we realized we were late to a dinner appointment and skedaddled on over there. 

The wonderful member we were eating with directed us all the way to their home via phone.  We didn't even get the chance to knock on their door when we arrived because they were outside waiting for us.  Now, people waiting outside the door with excitement is not the usual response missionaries get.  But there they were, right outside smiling and waving us in.  Believe it or not, this response happened again.  Not just once, twice, or thrice, but four times!  All Hermana Haslam and I could think or say was "WE LOVE EUREKA!"

Hermana Haslam and I were welcomed here with open and loving arms.  We have become one of the family.  All of this within six weeks!  I feel like Jasmine when she sings "Unbelievable sights, indescribable feeling."  The love here can't be explained through words.  The only way my simple mind can describe it is that it's how Christ would love.  Perfectly, wholly, and eternally.

I am so grateful that I have been given this chance to come to Eureka.  The term "ward family" has a whole new meaning to me now.  The members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints really are a family here and are accepting of all.  They are willing to love and embrace anyone.  Boy or girl, young or old, Elder or Sister, member or not.  Christ's love is felt here and emulated in the way He would expect it to be.  Thank you and I love you!

Now, the "Still in Progress... A Progressive Post" is due to continue on Elder McBride's blog on Thursday.  Go check it out!  For In Thee Is My Joy.

Words of Wisdom from Elder Chase Jackson (departing missionary)



Elder Jackson & Elder Ram



As a young 19 year old boy, I set out on what was to become the greatest experience of my life. I entered the mission field not knowing before hand what lied ahead in my journey.  Many grand experiences were found that came with a lot of hard work and pain. If I was to know before hand all these experiences would take place, I could honestly look back and say with excitement and joy, "BRING IT ON!" I would do this all because of one man who changed the world.

Terran to Zerg, Huh?

On the colony world of Mar Sara, and being the Confederate magistrate, you face all sorts of problems.  Zerg, the insectoid aliens, have been invading for ages and it has been a never ending battle to maintain the colony.  Not only is Zerg a giant pain, but you have Protoss nippin' at your heels.  For an Earth exile, Terran, life isn't easy.

As time goes on and you grow more familiar with the species (Terran), you start to really detest those insectoids.  They assimilate everything, use all the minerals and vespene gas, and the creep....Yikes!  You're goal is to wipe them off the face of the planet (literally).

After you get to a certain point in this game (yes, if you haven't guessed it, I'm talkin about StarCraft) the tables turn.  You go from Confederate general master to controlling the Swarm.  That's right, you are now the insectoids.

As quick as I was to dislike this alien race, I soon came to understand them.  Zerg is a race that is in pursuit of genetic perfection and obsessed with assimilating other races.  They too are just trying to find their place in the Koprulu Sector.

"Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes."  We are all quick to criticize.  Quick to decide that we know better or could do things better than someone else.  Our pride gets the better of us far too easily.  President Ezra Taft Benson said:

The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.


We create enmity between us and others.  Place ourselves in a "mightier than thou" type of mindset and can't see the bigger picture. 

It's hard to see what's really going on in someone's life.  That girl that doesn't ever talk to anyone and seems so stuck up, she's actually extremely shy.  The boy that doesn't seem to care about bathing, his family had the water shut off and can't shower regularly.  Things are always deeper then they appear.

So, before you go wiping out an entire alien species or go off criticizing someone, take a step back.  Picture what it would be like to "walk a mile in their shoes."

No!!!!!!!!!!!

"NOOO!"  No.  A simple two letter word that we have all heard, said, and been told.  It is a word all of us learn early on in life.  Most parents can attest to the fact that as soon as a child has learned to say it, they wish they hadn't.  My youngest sister, Amanda, tends to struggle in the speech department, but she has been able to say "no" for a very long time.  Actually, it was the only word she could clearly say for a while.  Drove my family nuts!  Any question we asked her she responded "no!" 

So, with such an easy word (seriously, two letters!), how is it we all seem to stumble a bit in saying it as we get older?

Things we know to be wrong, such as drugs or immorality, come a knockin' and we struggle to say no.  Some excuses to not saying this short little word are (but not limited to): "Everyone is doing it."  "I don't want to hurt their feelings."  "Just once..."  "It's not cool."  Frankly, they are all lame.

We are promised in Luke that "1...with God nothing shall be impossible."  All of the temptations we face are obsolete when we have this promise.  If nothing is impossible, then saying "no" just moved up in the easy department.  Another promise He gives us is:

"2There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

That right there tells us that it is possible to say "no."

Good or bad, yes or no, righteousness or evil, we can choose.  When you find it hard to say no to temptation, dig deep and find that two year old within you.  Guarantee they still know how to give a loud and triumphant "NO!!!"