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!!!"

Joy in Sorrow

Three years ago I was able to experience one of the hardest and greatest moments of my life.  So many torn emotions running through me. 

February 2008 I was up in the frozen tundra of the north (aka, Rexburg Idaho).  For those that don't know much about BYU-Idaho, just know that it's extremely windy and cold (okay, it's frigid).  One Friday, after a swim meet, I went to check my cell phone and found that I had missed a barrage of phone calls.  They were all from home.

Tangled Lies

 The ultimate story of a tangle of lies that crumbles and falls to pieces is Aladdin.  Almost the whole movie is a lesson on honesty, but we will focus on Aladdin himself.

To impress Princess Jasmine, he makes a wish to be a prince.  After some exciting theatrics, a little magic, humor, and a bit of music Aladdin is a "Prince."  He's got golden camels, purple peacocks, a zoo, white Persian monkeys, elephants, llamas, bears, lions, a brass band, cooks, bakers, and birds that warble on key.  You name it he's pretty much got it.  But, as we all know, none of that did the trick to winning the young girls heart.  It was all in his personality.

We all know the story.  Aladdin lies over and over.  At one point he receives some sound advice from Genie. 

Genie: "All right, sparky, here's the deal.  If you wanna court the little lady ya gotta be a straight shooter.  Do ya got it?"

Aladdin: "What?"

Genie: "Tell...her...the TRUTH!"

Still, he continues to lie.  At first, it was all good.  The lies took care of things and made life easy.  But, after a while, the web becomes almost too hard to handle.  He begins to hurt the ones he loves and the happiness he found at the beginning is lost in the sea of lies and deception.  "What if they find out I'm not really a prince?  What if Jasmine finds out?  I'd lose her.  Genie, I can't keep this up on my own."

It is so easy to get caught in a mess such as this.  Sometimes it seems easy to lie and portray ourselves as someone different.  Someone more "cool" or "interesting."  What actually happens to us is quite the opposite.  As the lies slowly unwind we are left with shame, humiliation, and sorrow.  Not one of which is a desirable feeling.

The Church's thirteenth article of faith states, “We believe in being honest.”  It's no fluke that two of the Ten Commandments deal with being honest.  When we are completely honest we are able to enjoy self-respect, peace of mind, and become trustworthy individuals. 

It took time for Aladdin to hone up to his lies and try to make amends.  But he did it and the story ended with a "happily ever after."  Each of us can have a happily ever after.  You don't have to stay stuck in a web of lies.  It is possible to untangle the knot.  Untangling may be painful, hard, and take some serious repenting, but it is worth it.  The peace that comes from living an honest and trustworthy life is incredible!

Be Persistent

"Gee, Brain. What are we going to do tonight?  The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world."  Day after day, week after week, these 2 little rodents kept at it.  One day the world would be under Brain's control.  If there was an award for being persistent, it would go to these 2.

Being persistent is something I have either a) really gotten and beaten to a pulp or b) non-existent (or asked just once).  Certain things were easier to be persistent about, like asking my mom if I could go hang out with a friend or when dinner was.  Just ask my mom, being persistent wasn't an issue.  But, when it comes to asking our Heavenly Father, I was lacking. 

I was in the habit of asking maybe once or twice for something, but not much past that.  God loves us.  If you have gotten anything from reading my blogs, I hope it is that simple truth.  Because He loves us, He wants to hear from us.  He wants to know the desires of our hearts.  He wants us to ask Him for things.  The infamous James 1:5 says it all.  "1If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."  If we have a questions or lack "wisdom," we can ask God and He will give us the answer.  No question is a dumb question to Him.



Now, back to being persistent.  How does this apply to prayer?  It is essential!  Okay, in my mind, if someone only asks for something once, I'm not as inclined to think it is important to them.  It's like a phone call.  If someone calls me only once, and doesn't leave a message, I tend to not call them back.  But, if they leave a message, I probably will.  If you call a million times, leave messages, text me, and call from other phone's, I'll definitely call you back!  At that point you are either dying or have something extremely important to say or ask.  It is the same with God.

We have to continue to ask and pray for things.  He will answer in His own time and in His own way, but He will answer.  So, "are you pondering what I'm pondering?"  Be persistent and be ready for the answer, whatever it may be.