Christmas Moving Forward

The year is about to go. Soon the trees that we have put up and the lights we’ve adorned our houses with will have to be taken down. The mistletoes, the wreaths, and lanterns will all have to go to their hiding places once again. It will not be until another year for them to be restored.

The jovial feeling of the season will take a step back and life goes back to its conventional mode. It’s somewhat forlorn that once in a year this poem comes along:

It's Christmas Time Again
(by Bob Lazzar-Atwood)

Put your problems on probation
Run your troubles off the track,
Throw your worries out the window
Get the monkeys off your back.
Silence all your inner critics
With your conscience make amends,
And allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

Call a truce with those who bother you
Let all the fighting cease,
Give your differences a breather
And declare a time of peace,
Don't let angry feelings taint
The precious time you have to spend,
And allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

Like some cool refreshing water
Or a gentle summer breeze,
Like a fresh bouquet of flowers
Or the smell of autumn leaves,
It's a banquet for the spirit
Filled with family, food and friends,
So allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

The Christmas season seemed to have become an excuse for not being deleterious. It has become a habit to think that once a year we become extra kind, helpful, & generous, and that we can only “allow” ourselves “some happiness” during Christmas time. What makes Christmas a time to place our misbehaviors on hold? What sets it apart from any other occasion throughout the year? What’s Christmas all about?

Over 2000 years ago, a child was born of Mary and Joseph. This child and event was seen & prophesied by a prophet named Isaiah long before it happened. It was declared by an angel (Gabriel) that this child will be called Jesus, and that he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. His birth was a manifestation of God’s love: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Isaiah declared: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: …
“… He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:4–5).

This is the lifeblood of Christmas. We all know the story, but sometimes the purpose of which becomes trifling.

The “reason for the season”, as the saying goes, is Christ. It is the time of year when Christians celebrate his birth. He is the personification of all uprightness & the source of goodness & love in the world. He has taught: “Love one another, as I have loved you…” (John 13: 34-35). “Whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him, as well.” When the woman taken in adultery was set before Jesus and the Pharisees ought to have her stoned, he reminded: “Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). It was He who also taught in parables.

Who has not become acquainted with Parables such as the “Good Samaritan”& the “Prodigal Son”? When it was time for him to be taken in by Roman soldiers, preparatory to his crucifixion, he restored a soldier’s ear which was severed by one of his followers, in his defense. Such act of mercy was culminated on the cross when he said: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). His ministry and life were replete with acts of kindness & forgiveness: “If your brother sins, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him”.

In the great Plan of Happiness, we must be saved from our sins. The perfect and sinless offering for sin was none other than Christ. He is the Son of God and the only Begotten of the Father, in the flesh. There was none other who could have possibly taken our sins upon him and suffered the way Jesus did. There had to be an atonement made.

Amulek, a prophet of the new world has spoken about this: “And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

“For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made” (Book of Mormon, Alma 34: 8-9).

Christmas should remind us of the mission and role of Jesus Christ in our lives. It is set apart from all other events & celebrations because it is by him and through him that we are saved and can receive eternal life.

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Christ has underscored the significance of his role when he said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

For us who believe and follow Christ, Christmas should just be another ordinary day in being the kind of people we ought to be. When he visited the Americas, Christ taught that we ought to be like him: “Therefore, what manner of men [& women] ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am” (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 27:27).

What then is the substance of being nice, forgiving, more loving, more kind, & more generous during Christmas season when these attributes should become natural to us and should be demonstrated at all times, in whatever season of the year. The adorning of the Christmas tree, and the setting up of lights and other Christmas decors had become symbolic of our behaviors in life, in that we always have to take them down after the holiday. We tend to go back being unforgiving, unkind, impatient, irritable, selfish, hateful, & miserable. The good things which adorned us throughout the Christmas season were taken down together with the material ornamentations we’ve set up for the celebration.

Howard Hunter once said: “When we take Christ into our lives as a moving, dynamic, vitalizing force, the real Christmas comes”. When we accept Christ and His teachings, and when we repent of our sins, we are baptized into His fold. That is the time when we start adorning ourselves with His (Christlike) attributes. We become living trees with ornaments such as humility, charity & love, obedience & diligence, faith and hope. These become a part of us and do not need to be taken down or suspended for another year. We grow into living examples of the Savior.

As we welcome the New Year, and as we take down those material and physical ornaments along the way, may we be reminded to keep the lessons of Christmas & retain the real Christmas within our souls.

I have thought about changing some phrases in the poem to make it sound more lasting.

It’s Christmas

Put your problems on probation
Run your troubles off the track,
Throw your worries out the window
Get the monkeys off your back.
Silence all your inner critics
With your conscience make amends,
And allow yourself the same happiness
Which Christmas always brings.

Work to reunite with those who bother you
Let all the fighting cease,
Understand all of your differences
And declare a time of peace,
Don't ever let angry feelings taint
The precious time you spend,
And allow yourself the same happiness
Which Christmas always brings.

Like some cool refreshing water
Or a gentle summer breeze,
Like a fresh bouquet of flowers
Or the smell of autumn leaves,
It's a banquet for the spirit
Filled with family, food and friends,
And allow yourself the same happiness
Which Christmas always brings.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Image taken from Reflections of Christ by Mark Mabry. Visit the site www.reflectionsofchrist.org

On Prop 8 Issue

The battle continues between supporters and opponents of Proposition 8 in the state of California, in the U.S. This proposition is a constitutional ammendment that ensures the protection of marriage between a man and a woman. This had to come out since recently, the California Supreme Court overturned the state's laws on marriage extending the same rights to gay people.

Proposition 8 came out as a petition to revert court ruling and bring back the definition of marriage to the traditional. Campaigns began and the division was labeled 'Yes on 8' and 'No on 8'. This issue had to be fought through an election.

The people of California voted in support of Prop 8, with 'Yes on 8' campaign winning by 52.5% compared to 'No on 8's 47.5%. Thus, the state's Supreme Court ruling allowing gay people to wed was overturned. With this, protests from gay-marriage supporters pushed up in anger, calling those who support Prop 8 as 'haters'.

I support Proposition 8 because I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, as prescribed by God, whom I have faith in. I do not hate people who oppose this belief. I have gay friends and I respect them. I believe I share this same feeling with those who stand with me in support of banning gay marriage.

To further discuss this issue, here's a good read from Orson Scott Card, a renowned writer.

State job is not to redefine marriage

The first and greatest threat from court decisions in California and Massachusetts, giving legal recognition to "gay marriage," is that it marks the end of democracy in America.

These judges are making new law without any democratic process; in fact, their decisions are striking down laws enacted by majority vote.

The pretext is that state constitutions require it -- but it is absurd to claim that these constitutions require marriage to be defined in ways that were unthinkable through all of human history until the past 15 years. And it is offensive to expect us to believe this obvious fiction.

It is such an obvious overreach by judges, far beyond any rational definition of their authority, that even those who support the outcome of the decisions should be horrified by the means.

We already know where these decisions lead. We have seen it with the court decisions legalizing abortion. At first, it was only early abortions; within a few years, though, any abortion up to the killing of a viable baby in mid-birth was made legal.

Not only that, but the courts upheld obviously unconstitutional limitations on free speech and public assembly: It is now illegal even to kneel and pray in front of a clinic that performs abortions.

Do not suppose for a moment that the "gay marriage" diktats will not be supported by methods just as undemocratic, unconstitutional and intolerant.

Already in several states, there are textbooks for children in the earliest grades that show "gay marriages" as normal. How long do you think it will be before such textbooks become mandatory -- and parents have no way to opt out of having their children taught from them?

And if you choose to home-school your children so they are not propagandized with the "normality" of "gay marriage," you will find more states trying to do as California is doing -- making it illegal to take your children out of the propaganda mill that our schools are rapidly becoming.

How dangerous is this, politically? Please remember that for the mildest of comments critical of the political agenda of homosexual activists, I have been called a "homophobe" for years.This is a term that was invented to describe people with a pathological fear of homosexuals -- the kind of people who engage in acts of violence against gays. But the term was immediately extended to apply to anyone who opposed the homosexual activist agenda in any way.

A term that has mental-health implications (homophobe) is now routinely applied to anyone who deviates from the politically correct line. How long before opposing gay marriage, or refusing to recognize it, gets you officially classified as "mentally ill"?

Remember how rapidly gay marriage has become a requirement. When gay rights were being enforced by the courts back in the '70s and '80s, we were repeatedly told by all the proponents of gay rights that they would never attempt to legalize gay marriage.

It took about 15 minutes for that promise to be broken.And you can guess how long it will now take before any group that speaks against "gay marriage" being identical to marriage will be attacked using the same tools that have been used against anti-abortion groups -- RICO laws, for instance.

Here's the irony: There is no branch of government with the authority to redefine marriage. Marriage is older than government. Its meaning is universal: It is the permanent or semipermanent bond between a man and a woman, establishing responsibilities between the couple and any children that ensue.

The laws concerning marriage did not create marriage, they merely attempted to solve problems in such areas as inheritance, property, paternity, divorce, adoption and so on.

If the government passed a law declaring that grey was now green, and asphalt was specifically designated as a botanical organism, would that make all our streets into "greenery" and all our parking lots into "parks"?

If a court declared that from now on, "blind" and "sighted" would be synonyms, would that mean that it would be safe for blind people to drive cars?

No matter how sexually attracted a man might be toward other men, or a woman toward other women, and no matter how close the bonds of affection and friendship might be within same-sex couples, there is no act of court or Congress that can make these relationships the same as the coupling between a man and a woman.

This is a permanent fact of nature.(In another column I will talk seriously and candidly about the state of scientific research on the causes of homosexuality, and the reasons why homosexuality persists even though it does not provide a reproductive advantage.)

There is no natural method by which two males or two females can create offspring in which both partners contribute genetically. This is not subject to legislation, let alone fashionable opinion.Human beings are part of a long mammalian tradition of heterosexuality. No parthenogenic test tube procedure can alter what we, by nature, are. No surgery, no hormone injections, can change X to Y or make the distinction nonexistent.

That a few individuals suffer from tragic genetic mixups does not affect the differences between genetically distinct males and females.

That many individuals suffer from sex-role dysfunctions does not change the fact that only heterosexual mating can result in families where a father and a mother collaborate in rearing children that share a genetic contribution from both parents.

Married people are doing something that is very, very hard -- to combine the lives of a male and female, with all their physical and personality differences, into a stable relationship that persists across time.When they are able to create children together, married people then provide the role models for those children to learn how to become a man or a woman, and what to expect of their spouse when they themselves marry.

When a heterosexual couple cannot have children, their faithful marriage still affirms, in the eyes of other people's children, the universality of the pattern of marriage.

When a heterosexual couple adopts children who are not their genetic offspring, they affirm the pattern of marriage and generously confer its blessings on children who might otherwise have been deprived of its benefits.

Some marriages are better than others; some fail utterly because of the malfeasance of one or both of the partners.

That only makes it all the more vital that the whole society combine to help husbands and wives succeed at marriage.

We need the same public protection of marriage that we have of property. If we did not all agree that people continue to own things that are not in their immediate possession, then you could not reasonably expect to come home and find your house unoccupied.We agree, by law, to make it a crime to take what belongs to others -- even when you need it more than they do. Every aspect of our lives is affected by this, and not for a moment could a society exist that did not protect the right of property.

If property rights were utterly abolished, and you could own nothing, you would leave that society as quickly as possible -- or create a new society that agreed to respect each other's property rights and protected them from outsiders who would attempt to take away your property.

Marriage is, if anything, more vital, more central, than property.Husbands need to have the whole society agree that when they marry, their wives are off limits to all other males. He has a right to trust that all his wife's children would be his.

Wives need to have the whole society agree that when they marry, their husband is off limits to all other females. All of his protection and earning power will be devoted to her and her children, and will not be divided with other women and their children.

These two premises are so basic that they preexist any known government. In most societies through history, failure to live up to these commitments has led to extreme social sanctions -- even, in many cases, death.

What used to be informally protected by the customs of villages and tribes is now supposedly protected by governments and laws.

Only when the marriage of heterosexuals has the support of the whole society can we have our best hope of raising each new generation to aspire to continue our civilization -- including the custom of marriage.

Seen in this context, we are fools if we think "gay marriage" is the first or even the worst threat to marriage.

We heterosexuals have put marriage in such a state that it's a wonder homosexuals would even aspire to call their unions by that name.

Divorce is "no-fault," easily obtained on any pretext.A vast number of unmarried men and women have such contempt for marriage that they share bed and home without asking for any formal recognition by society.

In an era when birth control and abortion make childbearing completely optional, the number of out-of-wedlock births shows the contempt that many women have for marriage.

Yet most of these single mothers still demand that the man they chose not to marry before having sex with him provide financial support for them and their children -- while denying the man any of the rights and protections of marriage.

Men routinely discard wives and children to follow the nearly universal male biological desire for diversity in mating. Adultery is now openly expected of men, even if faithful wives deplore it.

With "gay marriage," the last shreds of meaning will be stripped away from marriage, with homosexuals finishing what faithless, selfish heterosexuals have begun.Marriage, to be worth preserving, needs to mean not just something, but everything.

Faithful sexual monogamy, persistence until death, male protection and providence for wife and children, female loyalty to children and husband, and parental discretion in child-rearing.

If government is going to meddle in this, it had better be to support marriage in general while providing protection for those caught in truly destructive marriages.

Because when government is the enemy of marriage, then the people who are actually creating successful marriages have no choice but to change governments, by whatever means is made possible or necessary.

Society gains no benefit whatsoever (except for a momentary warm feeling about how "fair" and "compassionate" we are) from renaming homosexual liaisons and friendships as marriage.

Married people attempting to raise children with the hope that they, in turn, will be reproductively successful, have every reason to oppose the normalization of homosexual unions.

It's about grandchildren. That's what all life is about. It's not enough just to spawn -- your offspring must grow up in circumstances that will maximize their reproductive opportunities.

Why should married people feel the slightest loyalty to a government or society that are conspiring to encourage reproductive and/or marital dysfunction in their children?

Why should married people tolerate the interference of such a government or society in their family life?

If America becomes a place where our children are taken from us by law and forced to attend schools where they are taught that cohabitation is as good as marriage, that motherhood doesn't require a husband or father, and that homosexuality is as valid a choice as heterosexuality for their future lives, then why in the world should married people continue to accept the authority of such a government?

What these dictator-judges do not seem to understand is that their authority extends only as far as people choose to obey them.

How long before married people answer the dictators thus: Regardless of law, marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down, so it can be replaced with a government that will respect and support marriage, and help me raise my children in a society where they will expect to marry in their turn.

Biological imperatives trump laws. American government cannot fight against marriage and hope to endure. If the Constitution is defined in such a way as to destroy the privileged position of marriage, it is that insane Constitution, not marriage, that will die.

-=-=-=-=-

Orson Scott Card is a writer of nonfiction and fiction, from LDS works to popular fiction. “In the Village” appears Thursdays in the Deseret News. This article is taken from mormontimes.com.

Image in this blog article was taken from www.whatisprop8.com.

"Angels Round About You"

General Conference, what a weekend!

I love General Conferences because they remind me about beauty in simplicity & that the Heavens are open. The meetings are usually composed of talks & singing of sacred hymns. It has remained that way since its inception—a simple program, yet profound in effect. Here is when the will of the Lord is revealed because His prophets and apostles speak.

The messages, the music, the prayers, the ambiance were so reminiscent of how I’ve been raised up—a clear reflection of my parents’ principles. It reminds me of my childhood days. It’s wonderful to find the church still the same in a world of shifting values & eroding morals. President Hinckley used to liken the church as a solid rock standing amidst the ravishing storms of the day—that regardless of the immensity of changes around us, the church holds up the values and standards the Lord has given as never changing.

This past weekend, I’ve been enthralled by the powerful messages of the Lord’s servants & the lasting effects of the music rendered. All contributed to an ultimate retreat from the world.

One specific talk I loved was Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s “The Ministry of Angels”. It gave this scripture an intimate meaning: “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88).

This promise meant so much during my 2-year full time missionary service for the church. I could not even begin to imagine what I would have been like without the Lord’s assistance in such a magnanimous endeavor. This scripture was intended for missionaries—that they wouldn’t have to worry on how to go about their missions, because the Lord will be with them.

After listening to Elder Holland’s conference piece, the last part of that verse began to glow with a special implication.

Here’s part of Elder Holland’s talk:

In the course of life all of us spend time in “dark and dreary” places, circumstances of sorrow or fear or discouragement. Our present day is filled with global distress over financial crises, energy problems, terrorist attacks, and natural calamities. These translate into individual and family concerns not only about homes in which to live and food available to eat, but also about the ultimate safety and well-being of our children and the latter-day prophecies about our planet.

More serious than these—and sometimes related to them—are matters of ethical, moral and spiritual decay seen in populations large and small, at home and abroad. But I testify that angels are still sent to help us, even as they were sent to help Adam and Eve, to help the prophets, and indeed to help the Savior of the World Himself.

Matthew records in his gospel that after Satan had tempted Christ in the wilderness “angels came and ministered unto him.” Even the Son of God, a God Himself, had need for heavenly comfort during His sojourn in mortality. And so such ministrations will be to the righteous until the end of time. As Mormon said to his son, Moroni , who would one day be an angel:

“…Has the day of miracles ceased?

“Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?

“Behold I say unto you, Nay; for…it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; for behold, they are subject unto [Christ], to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mine in every form of godliness.”

I ask everyone within the sound of my voice to take heart, be filled with faith, and remember the Lord has said He would “fight [our] battles,…[our] children's battles, and [the battles of our] children's children.” What do we do to merit such a defense? We are to “search diligently, pray always, and be believing. [Then] all things shall work together for [our] good, if [we] walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.” The latter days are not a time to fear and tremble. They are a time to be believing and remember our covenants.

He then went on to speak about mortal angels. He talked about how an angel his mother was to him—that in our lifetime there will be people who will bring so powerful & meaningful an influence that they, too, can be regarded as angels in their own right.

I couldn’t help but think of the angels who had gone my way along the paths of life. It is true that once a person lifts off from being a child into becoming an adult, that the “dark & dreary” circumstances come. Childhood fears become insignificant, but are replaced with consequential ones—e.g. financial stability, building a family, etc. Sorrow & discouragement almost always take over emotional strength. It’s a struggle. Life will always be filled with battles, but angels do come to the rescue. They may not necessarily be immortals. My parents were angels to me. They have such an overwhelming influence in my life.

Now, angels continue to come. When the Lord said, “…mine angels [will be] round about you, to bear you up”, He really meant that, especially in these difficult times. Despite how strong we think we had become in facing the challenges and troubles of our time, there will be unhappy or near to the ground moments. These circumstances will merit our friends’ and family’s support.

I’ve always looked up to myself as being strong since my Mission. The conditions after my missionary service really tested me. Grateful will I always be for the powerful influence of angels in my mission, such as my Mission President & his wife, my 10 companions, and all of the member friends I gained. The people I’ve met whom I was able to share the gospel to, were also angels. Without them, I would not have been able to appreciate and realize the purpose of service & the real meaning of charity or the pure love of Christ.

In this time of day, I wouldn’t deny that fear, sorrow, & discouragement still take over my human side. My friends, both in and outside the church, take the role of angels. Without their watchful reinforcements & constant reminders, being alone, without a family, may take its toll in me and would possibly drive me nuts. Along the way, angels seem to come to the rescue. I am aware that in spite of having been able to govern myself accordingly in conjunction to the correct principles taught to me, and while I battle or struggle to walk in righteous paths, the adversary will always look for ways to distract my determination. My principles, the fortress that I take refuge from—the church, & the covenants that I made with the Lord, will be rallied against. I know it is difficult.

I believe in the promise of the Lord that He will send His angels. They are “round about” me. If I do my best “walking uprightly” & doing my part in keeping the commandments of the Lord, I need not tremble and fear in this “dark & dreary” place & time. The immortal angels will surely come if necessary, but the mortal ones will be there to bear me up and keep me on my feet.

Joseph Smith's First Prayer: In Search For Truth

In the mission, we used to have 6 discussions to share with those we came in contact with who were interested to know more about the church. My favorite has always been the first discussion where we talk about the prophet Joseph Smith. I’ve often felt the spirit every time we quote his very own words about his first vision.

"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me... When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other--This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (see Joseph Smith History: 1:15-17).

That first vision of Joseph Smith was a remarkable event. I know of no other person in history who claimed to have seen and spoken to God and His Son, Jesus Christ, as intimately as Joseph did in that grove of trees. However, as phenomenal as it was, to some, it was incredible.

One of my favorite testimonies about the prophet Joseph given by a modern prophet was that of Heber J. Grant. He said: “I’ve heard hundreds of men say if it wasn’t for Joseph Smith, I could accept your religion. Any man, who doesn’t believe in Joseph Smith as a prophet of the true and the living God, has no right to be in this church. The foundation stone: If he who did not make that interview with God and Jesus Christ, the whole Mormon fabric is a failure—it’s a fraud, it isn’t worth anything on earth. But God did come. God did introduce His Son. God did inspire that man to organize the Church of Jesus Christ, and all the opposition of the world is not able to withstand the truth”.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has blossomed like a rose & has come out of obscurity. It is now the 5th largest church in the U.S. and one of the fastest growing in the world. It is the 2nd largest in the state of California. Many people admire our devotion to family and the church’s program towards the family. They are impressed with our law of health, on how we take care of our youth. Many are overwhelmed with our welfare program, in our ability to help our own and others not of our faith at the same time. No other religious organization has a missionary program as successful and as structured as our missions in the church. The church, for some, is too good to be true—a perfect organization which so many admire and would want to emulate. But when the discussion comes in about Joseph Smith and his first vision, people become disinterested, simply because the story is unbelievable.

This great church, brothers and sisters, is a product of young Joseph’s first vocal prayer. The significance of that prayer is that, the truth came out in the open.

Every time I read the personal history of Joseph Smith as found in the Pearl of Great Price, I am amazed at the events that happened before he made the attempt to pray vocally. It also teaches us how to receive answers to our prayers & experience our own sacred grove.

1st, Joseph had the desire to know the truth. The religious revival during Joseph’s time was so intense that churches would advertise their beliefs as if in the marketplace. Joseph was confused as to which church he should join.

He said: "During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.

"My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.

"In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?" (JSH 1:8-10).

Notice his statements of desire when he said: “What is to be done”? & “how shall I know it”? He wanted that something be done about the matter & he wanted to know how. If we are to read between the lines, his desire went together with study. Along the way, he was studying the different Christian denominations—the result of which was that his “mind became partial to the Methodist sect”.

The word “desire” in simple terms, means “to want something very strongly”. Because Joseph wanted, very strongly, to know the truth, he had to do some study about the issue he was facing. He studied the scriptures and he talked often with his parents about religion.
In the course of his study, he came across a verse in the book of James in the Bible which read: "If 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" (James 1:5).

Joseph did just what James suggested. He was only 14 years old. Early one morning, in the spring of 1820, Joseph went to a nearby grove of trees. He was alone. He knelt in solemn and humble prayer. All he wanted to know was which church was true. His faith was such that he believed he would receive that answer, just as was promised in the book of James. What he did not, even could not expect was the appearance of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Of this momentous occasion in his life as well as the history of mankind, he said:

"After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

"But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

"It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

"My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.

"I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof." (JSH 1:15-19)

What a glorious and straightforward result that was, to receive a specific answer to a specific question. The truth of the matter is, not only did the great restoration take place after that event, in its own humble setting; it was also a powerful example that our personal prayers can be answered, if we desire, study, believe, & not give up or give in if we are faced with adversity. I could not even begin to imagine the kind of opposition young Joseph came across with in that grove of trees while he was praying. He said: "I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction".

That moment was so significant that it would mean the end of the dark ages of Christianity & the start of the “restitution of all things” as prophesied by the holy prophets in the Bible, such as Amos & Peter. NO wonder the prince of darkness would react with such terrible demonstration.

For the remainder of Joseph Smith’s life, regardless of how many painful and difficult ways his enemies tried, Joseph Smith, Jr. never ever denied his testimony. Denying truth does not make it any less true, and he never denied truth.

Joseph lived a thousand lifetimes in his scant 38 years on this earth. His first prayer resulted to more accomplishments than any other prophet who lived on this earth, save Jesus only. The truth came out. The glorious gospel was restored. The meaning of the atonement was realized. The reality of the Godhead and the characteristics of each of its members were instinctively revealed.

I am obliged to Joseph Smith, who, prior to the coming forth of The Book of Mormon, became a prophet by virtue of his vision of God the Father and His Son. I know, regardless of personal acquaintance with Joseph, that he is a prophet of God; that even though I wasn't there to witness his experience with Deity, I know that it happened. What he said he saw, I know that he saw. When he related that he talked with God and Jesus Christ personally, I know that he did!

2008 UAAP Cheerdance Competition: Post-Mortem

Each year, UAAP cheerdance squads become more creative. Although stunts and tosses had become familiar, choreography and originality make each annual competition worth anticipating for.

The UP Pep Squad captured their back-to-back glory, their 5th UAAP Cheerdance title, including 3 straight from 1999-2001. Their routine showcased a tribal-inspired theme, a fusion of creativity and gymnastics moves. Their theme set them apart from everybody else. It was some sort of a sequel to their profound opening ceremony for this year’s UAAP. They host it in this 71st season.

Aside from the unique incorporation of a theme in their routine, the UP Pep squad demonstrated an above average degree of difficulty in their dance technique, tumbling, tosses, lifts/stunts, and building of pyramids. I had to give it to them in those departments. Auspiciously, looking at the body build of the squad’s members, they were able to dynamically execute their routine.


Another highlight in the UP Pep’s program was its choreography. There was a story in their routine and they were able to prudently integrate the story line into the flow of their presentation. It was transparent that anyone who was watching intently could identify that a theme was already being featured. That was unique and profound. It definitely seized the nod of the judges.

At one point I wrote about a transformation in cheering, and that UP spearheaded that revolution. The UP Pep’s routine this year is reminiscent of their 3-peat championship in the past. It was a wise choice to bring back that sort of signature which obviously surprised the judges and led them to score abundantly.


On the other hand, the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe earned a runner-up finish. Coming from a back-to-back 1st runner-up rank, this squad should not be put on the back burner as it has in its sleeves 8 UAAP Cheerdance titles—3 straight from 1995-1997, and 5 consecutive from 2002-2006. This year, the Salinggawi made the most of what they do best: synchronization, stunts/lifts, tosses, and trouble-free assembling of pyramids. Best bits were its clean execution, fluid transitions from one formation to another, and synchronicity of tosses and lifts. They presented classic cheerdancing with members resembling those American cheerleaders we see in ESPN—in costume.

I would concur to the judges’ verdict placing the UST Salinggawi 2nd in rank. Had their tosses seen more height, tumbling elements picked up, and degree of difficulty pushed a notch higher, they would have come really close to UP’s performance (I believe body build has a lot to do with being able to execute vigorously). I say “really close” since UST’s choreography and originality aren’t the same level as it used to demonstrate in the previous years.


The FEU Cheering Squad consistently remained on the 3rd spot. This group emerged as a dark horse in the cheering arena when it bagged its first and only championship in 1998. Since then, it has become reliably skillful each passing year. It has come to be known for its tidy routine implementation. It has mastered the knack for synchronization and difficult pyramids.
This year, the squad showcased Mohawk-styled male constituents and a blazing fire-inspired theme. This theme, however, was not sustained in the routine and was a little bleak if the whole picture is taken. Nevertheless, its degree of difficulty was noticeable in building pyramids and formations were impressive.

The Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion came in with a spectacle of tosses, near to perfect tumbling elements, and a mixture of dance and lifts. This team is also dynamic in execution of lifts and stunts as their body build show. It is incredible how this squad turned from all-male cheerleading into modern cheerdancing—now a blend of males and females. They have improved in gymnastics skills and definitely caught on to the trend.

This year, the degree of difficulty and choreography drew the line between the top 3 and the other squads, including the Ateneo BBB. Synchronicity, a huge 10 pts in the overall judging system, was not on the side of most squads.


The Adamson Pep Squad displayed a variety of stunts and difficult pyramids, yet lacked in the departments of dance technique, choreography, and formations, which affected its overall effectiveness.


The same can be observed with the Animo Squad of DLSU. They improved as exhibited by their firm lifts and swift tumbling elements, but tosses and stunts were lacking. The level of difficulty and choreography weren’t too imposing. Their routine, however, was redemption of their cellar finish last year.


The UE Pep Squad came running with a striking choreography and instantaneous display of pyramids and tosses. Lifts and stunts, however, blurred the impact of their routine. Because of the fast-paced program, synchronicity and dance technique were almost no where to be found.

My utmost respect is vested to the NU Pep Squad in their routine this year. They’ve come prepared with their basket tosses, stunts, and even standing back tucks. I like the part when one showed off his tumbling skill doing some sort of an aerial. They hit their routine and executed in simplicity with a touch of difficulty.

Images courtesy of UBELT.COM

The Dying Man Who Taught Me How To Live

This week I’d like to write about Randy Pausch. I never heard of the man until yesterday when a friend, Rafael Osumo, introduced the name & talked a little bit about the person. It was during Sunday school that I saw a shortened version of his renowned “Last Lecture”. It was presented in the Oprah Winfrey show.

Randy Pausch was a Computer Science Professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He died last month of pancreatic cancer. When he gave his “Last Lecture” at the University, he had only months to live.

I would like to share excerpts from his lecture as they relate to life. You can watch the full version in this blog article.

It somewhat came as a surprise for a Computer Science professor to talk about “Childhood Dreams” in a classroom lecture. Then again, it was a personal preference in response to the question: “If you only have months to live, and is asked to lecture on something, what would it be? What would you talk about”?

It was ironic for a man who’s dying to talk about life and how to live. Randy said he didn’t want to be the object of pity. He didn’t like what he was going through because he has 3 little children. He couldn’t do anything about the fact that he was going to die. He said he couldn’t control the cards he’s dealt, just how he plays the hands.

CHILDHOOD DREAMS

In the lecture, he talked about his childhood dreams. He related that he couldn’t find any childhood pictures where he wasn’t smiling. He had a great childhood. He said as a child he dreamed. It was an easy time to dream when you turn on the television and see man landing on the moon: anything is possible. He said we should never lose that spirit.

He dreamed to be a part of the National Football League (NFL), which never happened. He said that “if you don’t achieve your dreams you can still get a lot by trying for it”. That’s important to know. He quoted an expression that he loves, “experience is what you get when you don’t get what you wanted”.

He talked about how his football coach “rode” him all the time during practice. He thought that was a good thing. It meant that he cared. “When you’re doing a bad job and nobody points it out to you, that’s when they’ve given up on you”, he said.

Next he talked about his other dream: A Walt Disney Imagineer. When he was 8 years old his family took a pilgrimage to Disneyland in California. He described it as an “incredible experience”. He was impressed with the rides, the shows, and attractions. He wanted to make stuffs like the ones he saw in Disneyland when he gets older. When he graduated from college, he tried to be an imagineer. Imagineers are the people who “make the magic”. His applications got rejected. He tried again after graduate school and still got rejected. He jested about how he kept those rejection letters and thought they were inspirational.

He worked hard until he became a junior faculty member. He specialized in doing research. There was one “Virtual Reality Research” that he was involved in. By so doing, he developed a skill that was valuable to Disney. That was his chance. He became part of the imagineering team and they worked on something called “Alladin’s Magic Carpet Ride”. It took him over 15 years to finally get a start in Disney. What he learned from that experience is: The brick walls that are in our way are there for a reason. They’re not there to keep us out. They’re there to give us a way to show how much we want it.

GOOD PARENTS: Key to having childhood dreams
He also recommended that we need to have good parents in order for us to have childhood dreams. He said he had great parents. He went on showing slides of his mother and father in their 70’s and 80’s. His mom was riding a go-cart and his dad, a roller coaster. He said there is that notion of “have fun all the time. Have a sense of fun and wonder. That should never go away”.

His dad fought in World War II. He died a little over a year ago. Randy said that while his mom was going through his things, she discovered that her husband was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor, during World War II. In 50 years of marriage, it has never come up. That is a great lesson in humility.

Randy went on to talk about his mother. He described mothers as “people who love you even when you pull their hair”. Her mother was also an example of humility to him. He recalled when he was going through graduate school; she was always there to keep him on check. He said when he was taking really hard examinations, he would go home and whine, complain about how hard those PH. D tests were. His mother would just pat his arm and say “we know how you feel. Just remember that when your father was your age, he was fighting the Germans in World War II”. Finally when Randy got his PH.D, his mother introduced him to everyone saying, “this is my son, he’s a doctor, but not the kind that helps people”.

He remembered how his parents let him paint his bedroom. He drew a rocket ship. They lived in a ranch so he wanted an elevator—he painted one. He also painted the quadratic equation on the wall. He said that the great thing is that his parents let him do it. They let him express his creativity. They thought that was “more important than the pristine nature of the walls”.

PEOPLE VS.THINGS
His parents also taught the importance of people vs. things. He recalled buying his first car when he got older. On weekends he would take his niece (Laura) and nephew (Christopher), with him so his sister would get a little break. They would go on adventures. His sister would explain to the kids how it’s a no-no to get Uncle Randy’s new car dirty. The kids were just cracking up laughing because over her shoulder, they were casually emptying a can of soda over the back seat of Randy’s car. His sister was like, “what are you doing?” and Randy would respond, “It’s a thing. It’s just a thing”. He was glad he did that because at the end of the weekend as he was driving the kids home, Kris who was 8 at the time had a flu and he threw up all over the back seat of his car. Take note of this: Randy said, “I don’t care how much value you get out of owning a nice shiny pristine thing. It’s not as good as I felt knowing that I made an 8 year old boy not feel guilty just because he had the flu”.

DECIDE WHAT YOU ARE
Next he said that we have to decide early on if we’re a Tigger or an Eeyore. Tiggers are energetic, optimistic, curious, and enthusiastic. They have fun. He said not to ever underestimate the importance of having fun. He said he’s dying soon and he’s choosing to have fun “today, tomorrow, and every other day I have left”.

WORK AND PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS
Tell the Truth
Randy continued by saying that if we want to achieve our dreams, we must work and play well with others. Live with integrity—simple advise that we’ll find hard to follow: Just tell the truth.

Apologize (properly)
He admonished that when we screw up, apologize. There are a lot of bad apologies in America, if not the world. He said that a good apology has 3 parts: 1. I’m sorry, 2. It was my fault, and 3. How do I make it right? He lamented that most people skip the 3rd part. That’s how one can tell sincerity.

Wait, and people will show you their good side
There are people that we don’t like—that have done things we don’t like. Randy emphasized that he found out that no one is pure evil. He said that if we wait long enough, people will show us their good side. We can’t make them do it in a hurry, but we can be patient.

SHOW GRATITUDE
When he got tenure, as a young faculty member, there were about 15 young kids who had been working in his research lab. He took them out to Disney World for a week. He paid for the expenses. One of his colleagues said that that might have cost him a fortune. How could have he possibly done it? He responded: “These kids work day and night for years so that I could get the best job in the world for life. How could I not do it”? Gratitude is a very simple and powerful thing.

DON’T COMPLAIN; JUST WORK HARDER
Most of the time we hear our colleagues talk negatively about how things aren’t going the way they should in the company. They rub that attitude to us and we tend to complain about our work, as well. Then someone would say “don’t complain, just do your job”, but here’s a better advise I’ve never thought of for a long time.

Randy didn’t think that complaining and whining really solves the problem. He talked about Jackie Robinson, the first African-American Major League Baseball player. He had in his contract not to complain if people spit on him. It doesn’t matter if we’re Jackie Robinson or like Randy who only has couple of months to live. We can choose to take our finite time, energy, and effort, and we can spend it complaining or we “can spend it playing the game hard”—which is probably going to be more helpful in the long run.

WHY RANDY GAVE THE TALK
The lecture was part of a series given at Carnegie Mellon University. Randy said that his talk isn’t just about how to achieve our childhood dreams. It’s much broader than that. He said it’s about how to live our life. If we lead our life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to us.

“If you live properly, the dreams will come to you”. – Randy Pausch

It was so stirring to find out that Randy didn’t just give this lecture to the 400 people in Carnegie Mellon who came, and so many have benefited from it. He wrote the lecture for 3 people—his kids. He hopes that when they get older, they could watch it.

In Anticipation of the UAAP Cheerdance Competition: UST SDT Redemption?

The UST Salinggawi's routine last year showed the squad's vulnerability. Several evident errors cost them the dream of a double grand slam. Regardless, cheerdancing standards and essentials were met and exceeded. Had the team executed without errors, it would have still kept the coveted cheerdancing title.

In about 2 weeks, another cheerdance showdown will occur in the Araneta Coliseum. I’ve already booked my flight just to see this spectacular event. None of its kind had been as celebrated as the UAAP Cheerdance Competition.

The UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe (UST SDT) will make its first attempt to recover its interrupted dynasty. During the 3-year drought, when UP had its good fortune to win the title, I was a pessimist for the SDT. I was a critic of its halftime performances. I was doing so in comparison to the SDT of the 90’s. When the group snatched the title from UP in 2002, I was dumbfounded. I thought what the heck were those halftime boo-boos for? The group made it up in the actual competition.

Since then my confidence in the SDT went up, although most of its halftime performances remained as practice sessions. They would, nevertheless, compensate for the mediocre halftimes, in the competition. They did this for 5 consecutive years prior to UP’s ‘thank God she fell’ chance for the championship last year.

As each team from the 7 universities now understand and are fully ripe for a chance for the cheerdance title by virtue of their year by year experiences, only UP has come close to Salinggawi’s legacy of cheering in the hard court. I applaud UP for coming this far in its quest to dominate the cheering arena. Every year I look at the competition only between UST and UP. The others fall behind as merely exhibition pieces. UP’s routine last year was a blast, I must admit. They were synchronized for the very first time, although not throughout the routine. Still, there were some parts where they scrambled and seemed incoherent towards the end.

UST on the other hand, capitalized on what they’re known for: excellent choreography, good choice of music, unparalleled synchronicity, perfect poise and grace. These remain to be seen in the other squads programs. Stunts and pyramids had become common ground for all, when UST used to own bragging rights for astounding execution. In fact, it has toned-down in that department as year after year, the same pyramids (although with variations) are used to the dismay of others who look forward to a certain height of caliber from these ‘used to be’ acrobatically trademarked cheerleaders. Besides, they’ve pioneered stunts and pyramids never before introduced in the country. Through the winning years, they’ve come out triumphant nonetheless.

The SDT used to be known as the fastest pyramid builders. Others caught on. UP and FEU can now brag of effecting difficult pyramids. Will this year be a comeback for the SDT in redemption to the banished marks and impressions? Can I anticipate a routine full of stunts and pyramids—another wow experience? Or will they remain compliant to the standards set up by the league and be safe in just accomplishing the requirements? If so, then I look forward to a routine similar to the one in 2004 and 2006. There were formations or parts in the routine that showed their agility and exceptional skills. No other teams were equal in that specialty. I believe that if this year’s routine involves an element where only the Salinggawi can do so well, they can seize the trophy back into their hands.

I am a Thomasian who believes in the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe. But then again, as their mentor, Ryan Silva once said: We perform with no thought of winning. We do our best, have fun and make sure that the Thomasian crowd enjoys it.

With that in mind, win or lose the UST Salinggawi remains in the Hall of Fame for cheerdancing and cheerleading. They set the trend—they made everybody stand up and get better. They spearheaded cheerleading and made everyone eager to improve. This is the legacy of the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe. Too bad, not everyone see and know this fact.

Video Uploaded in YouTube by sixthon07.

In Memoriam: Rue Ann "Jagurl" Salvador

January 1, 1979-August 18, 2008

A confidant.

An adviser.

A counselor.

A friend.

A girlfriend.

A best friend.

A sister.

A daughter.
A loved one.

These are but a few descriptions of Jagurl in our lives. She has even been more than the designation.

Jagurl was an extraordinary person who had a knack in making friends. I got acquainted with her in the company I'm working at right now. We were transferred from different accounts to a newly opened Line of Business (LOB) in a Sales/CS account. I was a newbie in this call center industry and I was only a week old in my previous account. I was nervous to take calls & terrified by the fact that I have not fully internalized my product knowledge. She was a veteran. At that point in time I was somewhat standoffish. I only talked to my batchmates who were transferred along with me. I couldn’t forget how she started talking to me & making me feel comfortable. She was an initiator, a proactive type of person—especially when it comes to friendships. She was thoughtful & very sensitive to one’s feelings.

Eventually we became good friends. We had a great time being team mates in the first part of the LOB we pioneered in. I learned from her. She was a very good communicator. With that talent, I looked up to her & did my best to communicate with my callers in the same way that she did. I had the opportunity to listen to her calls many times and her callers just loved her. She knew how to build rapport in a timely manner. She brought gladness to her calls the same way she brought sunshine to the team.

She was a happy person—someone you can take on to brighten up any gloomy day. She can also be a wacky kind of individual. She can take you out of depression & bring you to a totally different world of excitement & fun. She was much uncomplicated—very simple, yet she could always dress up in style, & can be classy. With that, however, you could notice her innocence to subjects carnal in nature. She was a very religious person. She valued spirituality in a different level—a higher level than those who share the same lifestyle. She employed life with great sensibility, maturity, & responsibility.

She did not deserve the kind of passing she stumbled upon. Those cruel bandits didn’t have to kill her. She died in the arms of cold blooded, selfish individuals who disparaged her plans, obligations, & loved ones—let alone the value of her life.

We see and hear about crime all over. Murders, fatalities, all manner of horrible exploits flash through media every day of our lives—even accidents that involve the loss of thousands of lives. Every time we see the remains of the victims & reactions of those left behind, we feel an affinity with them. We feel for them. We ultimately pray that none of the same nature will happen to our loved ones.

If it does happen, even to a beloved friend, it can be as heartbreaking as losing a dear family member: painful & distressing. Once you hear the news, you wouldn’t believe such brutality would occur to someone we dearly love. At times like these, we come to realize how subtle life is—that in one quick & small moment, it can be taken away from us. How evil are those perpetrators who played in being god in taking away somebody else’s life. They didn’t have the right to do so.

It was Edwin Markham who said: There is a destiny which makes us brothers; none goes his way alone. All that we send into the lives of others comes back into our own.

Those who did this merciless act to Jagurl will have no where to run. If their conscience had been numbed with their repeated commission of crime, they will surely be pursued by life’s boomerang.

Speaking about the subject, the apostle Paul in Romans 13 discusses that this type of crime can not be set aside. In verse 4 he explained about God’s avenging authority: that He “executes wrath upon him that does evil”.

We, the friends and family whom Jagurl left behind, can only be consoled by the fact that she had already passed on to a better life. She lived a life of principle. She feared & loved God & devoted a considerable portion of her life demonstrating that love. In modern scripture found in the Doctrine & Covenants 42:46, the Lord said: And it shall come to pass that those that die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them.

I couldn’t even bear to imagine the details of how Jagurl died. It must have been physically grueling and painful; but I know as soon as her spirit left that mortal body, a feeling of sweetness & joy enveloped her soul as she was taken back to God who gave her life.

Jagurl had finished her earthly journey and has moved on to the next sphere in the eternal scheme of things. We are all part of this journey together. We were born, as was Jagurl, to experience mortality—to obtain physical bodies & to prepare to meet God. Now that our dear friend, Jagurl had passed on, may we make her memory our inspiration to live our lives in such a manner that we may be worthy & be granted the privilege of meeting her again in the eternities. This reality, therefore suggests that that we consider the real meaning of “goodbye” as an interjection. It means “see you later”. The word “goodbye” or “farewell” appropriately, should be succeeded by phrases such as, “we’ll see each other again”, or “we’ll meet again, some time”.

However, no matter how we look at it, the word “goodbye” is a sad word. I would rather look at it the way Tasha Yar of Star Trek: Next Generation, explained it—she said: Death is when we exist only in the memories of others. So this is not goodbye, but good memories.

Good memories, Jagurl! We love you. We will miss you. We shall see each other again.

I Stand All Amazed: An Apostle In Our Midst

“I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me…. Oh it is wonderful that He should care for me, enough to die for me”.

This is the central point of the hymn our choir sang during Stake Conference this morning. Sally Deford’s arrangement of “I Stand All Amazed” is definitely moving. If you listen to it, you can’t help but exclaim, “wonderful”, “amazing”.

Having the hymn rendered by a youth choir is even more significant.

It wasn’t an easy task to help these young men and women learn their parts in the choir. It took 8 weeks (Sundays) to have them fully internalize the hymn. It wasn’t a perfect rendition, but the spirit of the hymn made up for the lack. These were young people ages 13-17. During practice one can say that these kids aren’t too interested in singing, that they’re too indolent & would rather do something else. Most of the time, they’d talk and talk & not focused on what they came for. Ate Neng, our choir directress, had some grueling moments with them along the way.

I was privileged to accompany the choir in the piano. During the week, we were worried as to how the choir would turn out. The last practice was last Sunday and that meant a full week of no follow-up practice. However, when the time came to perform, the choir sounded great! There’s a part in the music where the choir sings a capella. I usually play the notes in the piano during practice so the choir wouldn’t lose their bearing. At times when I don’t play their parts, they’d get lost. This morning I was thinking of playing their parts when they sing a capella just so their tunes are guided. I also thought of just playing their first notes. I didn’t. They sang exceptionally well in the first part of the song that I trusted they’d be able to make it throughout, even through the part when they sing a capella. That was an incredible moment! The a capella part was the most moving moment of the song:

“I think of His hands, pierced and bleeding to pay the debt. Such mercy, such love, and devotion can I forget? No, No, I will praise and adore at His mercy seat. Until at the glorified throne I kneel at His feet”.

When you hear these words sang & expressed by these young men and women, ages 13-17, with such emotion & conviction, you’d forget about how uninterested & unruly they were during practice. You can say that they love the Savior, after all; that they KNOW what & Who they’re singing about—that they’re actually communicating their testimonies by their singing about Christ’s atonement.

This brings me to relating a truly wonderful spiritual experience this weekend.

I learned much about the Atonement of the Savior, among other things. This is one subject I want to focus on because it brought so much light to my understanding. What’s more remarkable about it is that it was taught by an apostle of the Lord.

The last time I saw an apostle, in person, was in 1996. 6 months before I left for my mission, Gordon B. Hinckley, who was then the President of the Church, The Prophet, visited the country and held a special conference in Manila.

Now that an opportunity to be in the presence of another apostle has come, I wouldn’t let it pass. In fact, this is a very special situation because I, together with the other members of the Stake, will have the occasion to be in the presence of Elder David Bednar up close and personal at Stake Conference. Such intimate setting to be with an Apostle of the Lord is rare. We are blessed in the Stake to have an apostle preside over our conference.

What I enjoyed the most this weekend is the abundance of the influence of the Spirit. One wouldn’t miss it around a special witness of Christ.

I learned from an Apostle today, about the 2 elements of the Atonement of Christ. The first element is common knowledge: The atonement brought about cleansing from sin. The second, however, can only be pointed out & explicitly explained by a true servant of the Lord. It is the strengthening & enabling power of the Atonement.

Christ paid the price for our sins. Because of who he was and how he lived, he became the perfect offering for sin. The truth of the matter is, he did not only pay for our sins, he also suffered our afflictions.

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
(Book of Mormon, Alma 7)

This is comforting knowledge, unequivocally explained by Alma, a Book of Mormon prophet.

As we obey, strive to be good, and become better, we increase our faith in Christ and make use of His atoning sacrifice to strengthen us. The Lord knows perfectly how to strengthen us because He knows what we’re going through & because he experienced our pains and infirmities. But what does strengthening means?

Elder Bednar made use of Nephi’s suffering from his brothers Laman & Lemuel as an example.

16 And it came to pass that when I, Nephi, had spoken these words unto my brethren, they were angry with me. And it came to pass that they did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.
17 But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound. (Book of Mormon, 1st Nephi 7)

Most often than not, we have the habit of asking the Lord to get us out of a difficult situation, or trouble. Sometimes He does, but most of the time he operates by not taking the trouble or difficult situation away, rather He gives us the wisdom and strength to overcome, according to our faith.

In the example above, Nephi understood the atonement of Christ can make him stronger. He knows that in order for the Lord to deliver him “from the hands of his brethren”, he had to do his part, but with the help of the Lord. Thus his plea—“O Lord, according to my faith [which is] in thee…. give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound”.

18 And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold, the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet…

Elder Bednar emphasized that the bands weren’t taken off or loosened just like magic. Nephi had to do his part—he had to struggle & work according to his strength & the extra strength that came from the Lord before the bands were loosened.

In Mosiah 24 we find Amulon persecuting Alma and his people. The suffering became so hard that they “poured out their hearts” unto the Lord. This is His response:

13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

Notice how covenants come in, in the process of the how the Lord delivers his people from bondage, suffering, pain, etc. A covenant is a promise from the Lord that He will do His part as we do ours. He made the terms and conditions of that covenant, not us. This is why keeping our covenants is very important if we ever need the help of the Lord.

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

How did the Lord ease the burdens of the people?

15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

If one becomes stronger, the burden is still there, but has only become light.

Understanding the atonement of Christ not only gives us hope & knowledge of repentance and forgiveness. It also brings about strength to overcome.

It was amazing how Elder Bednar linked this magnificent lesson of the Atonement to President Montera’s (Stake President) message. He said that if we LISTEN, UNDERSTAND, & OBEY, our lives will change, to a better life, more than we can imagine.

What a timely message it is from an apostle of God, in this most difficult moment in our lives. His coming is a manifestation of God’s love. It shows that our Heavenly Father is mindful of His children, that He sent one of His apostles to raise a warning & teach a lesson about being strengthened in the midst of adversity.

I learned again that this life isn’t about the pursuit of worldly success; it isn’t about doing what I want to do. All around me is the threat of temptation, the voice of peers, the cunnings of the Devil—all these can mislead and confuse me, & can eventually take me off from my purpose & mess up my sense of direction.

One other substantial lesson I learned this weekend is about the Gift of the Holy Ghost. This is different from the power of the Holy Ghost. The power or influence of the Holy Ghost can be available to all people, regardless of religion. The Gift of the Holy Ghost, on the other hand, is only given to those who are baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ. Once this gift is bestowed, one is entitled to the constant companionship of this 3rd member of the Godhead. What a reassuring thing this is, to have the 3rd member of the Godhead be a constant companion. This would mean in every second of every minute of every hour of every day, one can receive guidance from the Holy Ghost. However, this can be only true to one who keeps his baptismal covenant, puts off the natural man & become a saint through the atonement of Christ. As one uses his agency to listen, understand, & obey, he can attain happiness in this world, that kind of happiness that lingers in the eternities.

Elder Bednar said that the sole purpose of the church is that through the atonement of Christ, families can live faithfully & inherit eternities together. All roads lead to the temple. It is the capstone of all the things we do in the church. When a couple understands & put into effect the atonement in their lives, they can kneel across each other in the temple and be married for time and for all eternity. Covenants dominate the lives of families & individuals borne out of the temple. By keeping these covenants & by living worthily, there comes a protecting power.

Elder Bednar reminded us of the temple that’s being constructed here in Cebu. He admonished us to attend regularly & keep our covenants & live worthily so as the protecting power of the Temple can keep us away from harm & from the fiery darts of the adversary.

My weekend was a singular experience. It was spiritual in nature because I got to see and be with an apostle of the Lord & fed by the words of Christ. It was reassuring to hear this apostle bear his testimony as a special witness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. Secure in the promise of life in His victory. Thus, ransomed from death I will live to my Savior’s praise and sing of his goodness and mercy through endless days. Oh it is wonderful that He should care for me, enough to die for me. Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me”. (“I Stand All Amazed”, verse by Sally Deford, original words & music by Charles H. Gabriel)