Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Return to Blogging?
I am considering a return to blogging. Not sure if I will get any in, but I want to journal a little bit about our last year or so in Houston. We'll see if I get anything done--ever. All my pictures on my camera are blurry (it is an old camera).
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
MLK, Service, Inspiration
Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to a lunch held at University of Houston commemorating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The theme was, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"
There were speakers and round table discussions about this topic of service in the community. However, I couldn't help but remember this speech they played. This competition was about a week ago and below is the winning student. He is in 4th grade. Please watch, listen, and learn from this young man. Although your circumstances may be very different to this child, try to apply what he is saying to your own life.
1. Kendall and I drive through the 3rd Ward (a geographic district, not church congregation) in Houston twice a day. It is an unfortunate situation, to say the least, full of poverty, crime, and hopelessness. For this young man to be in that situation and have this attitude is amazing. I am truly inspired by his desire to rise up and make a change. If he can do it, why can't we?
2. "Stop blaming your circumstances on your parents, your situation, and your background. Your circumstance does not make you." Just because life is inevitably hard and discouraging at times, we still need to become better people. We need to change and grow and develop Christlike attributes. We can always become better people. We can always live by faith.
3. "My dream is that our young ladies would aspire to be women of virtue, treasured wives and adored mothers." How can we teach this principle to the young women of today? Women of virtue, treasured wives, and adored mothers are much more powerful than women who do not respect themselves. It reminds me of when I heard Guardians of Virtue at a Young Women General Meeting in March 2011. Also, some of these (click on link to see I Believe video) young women show more courage that many women I know today. They know that life is hard and that there will be trials, but that we don't need to be afraid. They know that we can move past our trials to change the world, that the temple gives you peace, power and prepares you for life, that we choose to reach to the Savior and that he will never let us walk alone. We need to learn this for ourselves and be able to move forward in our lives, relying on the Savior to lift us up.
4. "As difficult and as painful as it is, we must walk on in the days ahead, with the audacious faith in the future." Elder M. Russell Ballard said, "There is one simple daily practice that can make a difference for every member of the Church, [...] That simple practice is: In your morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His precious children. Then go throughout the day with your heart full of faith and love, looking for someone to help. Stay focused, [...] If you do this, your spiritual sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to serve that you never before realized were possible." (Be Anxiously Engaged) We change our future.
This gave me hope for a better world.
There were speakers and round table discussions about this topic of service in the community. However, I couldn't help but remember this speech they played. This competition was about a week ago and below is the winning student. He is in 4th grade. Please watch, listen, and learn from this young man. Although your circumstances may be very different to this child, try to apply what he is saying to your own life.
1. Kendall and I drive through the 3rd Ward (a geographic district, not church congregation) in Houston twice a day. It is an unfortunate situation, to say the least, full of poverty, crime, and hopelessness. For this young man to be in that situation and have this attitude is amazing. I am truly inspired by his desire to rise up and make a change. If he can do it, why can't we?
2. "Stop blaming your circumstances on your parents, your situation, and your background. Your circumstance does not make you." Just because life is inevitably hard and discouraging at times, we still need to become better people. We need to change and grow and develop Christlike attributes. We can always become better people. We can always live by faith.
3. "My dream is that our young ladies would aspire to be women of virtue, treasured wives and adored mothers." How can we teach this principle to the young women of today? Women of virtue, treasured wives, and adored mothers are much more powerful than women who do not respect themselves. It reminds me of when I heard Guardians of Virtue at a Young Women General Meeting in March 2011. Also, some of these (click on link to see I Believe video) young women show more courage that many women I know today. They know that life is hard and that there will be trials, but that we don't need to be afraid. They know that we can move past our trials to change the world, that the temple gives you peace, power and prepares you for life, that we choose to reach to the Savior and that he will never let us walk alone. We need to learn this for ourselves and be able to move forward in our lives, relying on the Savior to lift us up.
4. "As difficult and as painful as it is, we must walk on in the days ahead, with the audacious faith in the future." Elder M. Russell Ballard said, "There is one simple daily practice that can make a difference for every member of the Church, [...] That simple practice is: In your morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His precious children. Then go throughout the day with your heart full of faith and love, looking for someone to help. Stay focused, [...] If you do this, your spiritual sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to serve that you never before realized were possible." (Be Anxiously Engaged) We change our future.
This gave me hope for a better world.
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