Women

 Well, I said I would write next week about the second topic of President Nelson's talk and here we are, almost a year later. Either I was lazy or I felt the topic needed some more time to be able to expand upon. The women in my life are amazing. My wife, sisters, mother, aunts, grandmothers, cousins, and others are great examples. President Nelson invited the brethren to consider how we treat the women in our lives. I love the women in my life but openly admit that I have not always been the best in how I treat them. I could share countless examples of not being as good as I should be, but perhaps I will not go there, rather I will write about why it is so vital to me to treat the women in my life with love and respect. 

1. My dear mother not only gave me life and raised me, taught me correct principles, and saw me through good, bad, ugly, acne, school, college, and everything in between, but she is a cancer survivor. In 2019, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer that affects the bone marrow. She was fortunate to have a wonderful medical team who were able to treat the cancer and continue to treat it today. She lost her hair in the beginning of 2020 after chemo therapy and lost 6 inches of height during an 18 month period of time while it was still unclear what the cause of her spinal fractures was. Now the cancer is not gone, but it is managed and my mom is back to walking 5 miles a day and serving anyone and everyone she can.

2. My lovely wife of 90, going on 91 months has been my support through grad school, starting my career, buying a home, and countless other endeavors. She loves gardening and is the most organized person that I know. She loves her country, her family, and planning. She has also suffered from chronic back pain since she was 12 years old. She has had multiple surgeries to help with the pain. This is managed right now and even when in pain, she seeks opportunities to serve. She loves family history and in 2019, scheduled a trip for us to Switzerland for the purpose of looking up records of her ancestors who hail from the Glarus area. Additionally, she has had 4 miscarriages, one of which was twins. She longs to be a mother and we continue to pray that this will happen in this life. But if not, we trust in the Lord and His timing.

3. My sweet sisters and sisters in law. It has been amazing to see my 2 sisters blossom into their roles as wives and mothers. Hillary has 1 boy and another on the way. Ellen has a 4 month old girl. They love being moms and take time to share their children with us. Ashley is a loving mother to her daughter and loves all that she comes in contact with. Lisa loves animals and gives them care as often as she can. She is very observant of when others are in need and seeks to help when it is in her power to do so. Julie is a lovely southern belle who loves her family and loves being a mom. She has graciously hosted Molly and me on multiple occasions when we have visited in Florida. She always seeks to ensure that we are comfortable and well cared for.

4. My grandmothers are simply the best. In October of 2020, my dear Grandma Ellen passed from this life into eternity. I was blessed to grow up in the same town as her. Swimming in the pool at her house was a childhood experience that I cherish. She always had plenty of fo
od available for consumption. She loved her children and grandchildren. In her later years, her memory failed her, but her invitation to "Come sit with me" remains a constant reminder of her desire to spend time with those she loves. My Grandma Marilyn loves her grandchildren fiercely. I always remember being spoiled by her when we visited her in Washington. She would have sweets and take us to the toy store and loved to dote on her grandchildren. She had a serious heart condition a few years ago and was is so much pain that she wanted to die. She did not and felt vehemently that she did not die at that time so she could have more time with her grandchildren. Her memory is now fading, but she still expresses her love for each of her "sweethearts" be they children, grandchildren, or a stranger.

5. My aunts and cousins. I have too many to write of each of them individually and I do not wish to miss any of them. I have been blessed with such great examples of faith, hard work, and love in the sweet women of my life. I am grateful for the time I have with each one of them be that a few minutes as I was growing up, to living with others for months at time.

6. My Heavenly Mother. In the song, "O, My Father," there is a verse that reads:

"I had learned to call thee Father,

Thru thy Spirit from on high,

But, until the key of knowledge

Was restored, I knew not why.

In the heav’ns are parents single?

No, the thought makes reason stare!

Truth is reason; truth eternal

Tells me I’ve a mother there."

Now, this is about the only place that I am aware of a reference to a Heavenly Mother. But it follows in my mind that if I have a Heavenly Father, then surely he has a Heavenly Mother at his side working and loving children together with Him. 

This post is my attempt at sharing my respect for the women in my life. They are truly wonderful and have contributed greatly to my wonderful life. 

From left to right, Grandma Marilyn, Grandma Ellen, and my mom, Martha

Exercise

    Last year, President Russell M. Nelson gave a talk entitled, "We Can do Better and be Better." It was delivered during the priesthood session of the April General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The talk was an invitation to repent as we all have a need to correct mistakes and errors in our lives. Two specific ways mentioned that those listening likely had room for improvement were in the way we treat our bodies and in the way we treat the women in our lives. I have sought to improve in both of these ways in my life. I still have a long way to go.

    As some background, President Nelson was a cardiac surgeon by trade. He has given many talks about the wonder of the human body. I agree wholeheartedly with President Nelson. The human body is remarkable. In my training as a physical therapist, it was remarkable to see how things and processes are in place that allow the body to function and repair itself and do all sorts of other things. The eye focuses, the heart beats, muscles move limbs, and bony and soft tissue injuries repair themselves. I have been involved in sports for most of my life. I enjoy exercising, moving my body, and helping others to do the same. Therefore, this aspect of President Nelson's talk stood out to me. Since hearing these words, I have been trying to do better and be better in how I treat and care for my body.

    Part of this endeavor involved going to the gym earlier this year. Then the global pandemic of Covid-19 hit, and the gym was shut down. Since that time, I have been attempting to exercise outside or in my home with the use of water-filled milk jugs. In the course of my exercising, my brother let me know about a workout called "The Murph." It is an intensive series of movements and is in honor of a fallen United States Navy SEAL, Michael Patrick Murphy. Upon hearing about this workout, I knew it was something I would eventually like to try.

    Well, this Saturday, I completed it. I did not have a 20-lbs weighted vest, and it took me over an hour and a half to complete, but I did it! Now, let me go back to President Nelson's talk. He shared something that has been on my mind frequently since hearing it and since I have been trying to exercise more regularly. Here's what he said:

    "Your care of that temple [the human body] is important. Now, I ask you, brethren, are you more interested in dressing and grooming your body to appeal to the world than to please God? Your answer to this question sends a direct message to Him about your feelings regarding His transcendent gift to you."

  This begs the question, "Why am I exercising anyways?" I want to believe that I am doing this in order to stretch my muscles, to improve my physical function, to improve my body and health, and because I enjoy exercising. That being said, I find that pride can very easily creep in and become my motivator. The quote above from President Nelson serves as a good "check-in" question for me with regards to my motivation. So, I will keep moving and exercising in an effort to improve my overall physical well-being.

    Exercising has provided a means for me to set and work towards goals. Goal setting is not easy for me and goal achieving is even more difficult. I appreciate President Nelson's invitation, as it is an opportunity for me to exercise not only my physical body but to exercise self-discipline and hard work towards meeting goals. I do not mean to be boastful in highlighting the Murph, but I hope it can serve as an illustration of how it is possible to work towards and achieve goals.

    Now, I know I have written a lot about the first part of President Nelson's quote regarding caring for my body. I have not forgotten the second part about treating the women in our lives with respect, love, and care. I will elaborate more about this topic in next week's post. Until then, keep living the Wonderful Life!

Here is a link to President Nelson's Talk and a link for a video of what "The Murph" consists of. Enjoy!

Slow Down

Molly and I were able to go camping this weekend and it was beautiful! Of course, we practiced social distancing and while we wanted to go kayaking, the kayaks were all rented by the time we arrived at the lake. That being said, the views were wonderful. It was nice to get away from home, even if it was for just a little while.

Today, we were able to go to church and then spent the day at home. During the course of the day, we listened to a prerecorded broadcast from the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. One of the songs featured an artist named Sissel. The name of the song she and the choir performed was called, "Slow Down." These 2 experiences, namely the camping trip and the musical number served as a good reminder for me to take time to see the beauty around me. In this time of uncertainty, it can be very easy to focus on things that are scary. It can be easy to focus on what is going wrong. When I decided to start this blog, one of the purposes was to show that there really is a lot of good to be seen in the world. I think taking to heart this phrase can be helpful in seeing the good that is all around us:
"Slow down and hear His voice And know that He is God." 

What a powerful reminder! I think it is okay and even encouraged to acknowledge when things are not going well. I think we are all going to have disappointments and hardships in life. But, never forget who is watching over you, namely a loving Heavenly Father. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a talk entitled, "Things That Matter Most." In it, he highlights that trees and pilots alike, when facing difficult circumstances, slow down to get through the hard times. He said, "If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most." What better time to take stock of how we are doing, than now. In a time of global pandemic and social distancing, why not look to the Lord and seek His guidance about what matters most? I know He will answer and if you listen, He will share with you what He would have you do. Isn't that a wonderful thing to consider?

Have a wonderful week!

-Russell

PS Here is the video of Sissel singing with the choir

Thoughts from the week...

Again, breaking tradition here. I have usually stuck with one topic when writing, but this week, I am going to just write about things that have been on my mind.


First, pride. I watched a video this week that highlighted and reminded me that pride is the "universal sin" in the words of President Ezra Taft Benson. Yep. I can testify the truthfulness of that statement. I struggle with pride all the time. From comparing myself to others, to not celebrating the success of others, to not being grateful. Its all there. So, what can I do? Well, I pray a lot. I have heard it said that the first step to recovery is recognition that there is a problem. When it comes to pride, I seem to constantly be made aware of my pride. I call on my Heavenly Father for help and He hears me and assists me in the challenges I face. I also try to be more grateful. I find this to be a great antidote for pride. Being grateful lifts me and it lifts the person I thank. In the spirit of gratitude, thank you for reading this!

Second, the power of the scriptures. President Russell M. Nelson has said, ""In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, and comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost." I believe that to be true. These are hard times we live in. Between the pandemic, racial injustices, riots, individual spiritual, physical, or emotional concerns and a host of other trials, life is hard. But, when I study in the scriptures, I feel the Holy Ghost's presence. One of the names and roles of the Holy Ghost is "comforter." I feel comforted when I read the word of God in the scriptures. There have been many times when what I read correlates with what is going on in my life. For instance, those thoughts about pride came as I was reading about a prophet named Jacob who was teaching his people about pride.

Last thought. Prayer. I pray every day. But the nature of my prayers is not always as sincere as I would like for it to be. Especially when I am tired, I find that my prayers are lacking the conviction and communication that I would like them to be. Heavenly Father loves us all and I know He hears every prayer I utter. But I wonder about myself listening to Him. I often speak a prayer and talk at or to God, but what about listening? What about what He wants to share with me? I get to say my piece, but what about His piece? Or should I say His peace? I am going to share a video that struck me this week regarding prayer and provides a good contrast between two very differing prayers. The part of the video that stands out to me the most is when the man in the video points out that too often today, people are trying to be loud so that others can hear them, rather than seeking to have their prayers heard by God. What a difference it would make to pray more to God.

The wonderful thing for this week is that in spite of my pride and imperfect prayers, I can rest assured that the Lord is there. He loves me and whenever I turn to Him, He listens to me.

 Here's the video I referenced earlier. Have a wonderful week!!

Mere Christianity

               Happy Independence Day!! I guess I’m breaking from tradition here. Lately I have been writing about topics from the Gospel of Jesus Christ that have stood out to me during the week. Today, I am going to just write some thoughts about C. S. Lewis’ book Mere Christianity. I have the opportunity of listening to books throughout the day when driving from appointment to appointment. This week I was able to listen to Mere Christianity. What an enjoyable and insightful book it is!

                So, I guess this is sort of a book review, but I want it to be an expression of my beliefs as well. I found Lewis’ assessment and breakdown and description of Christianity to be fascinating. I also found him to be a master of analogies. He was able to describe a principle and then provide an example of how that principle can be outlined or viewed. He touches on everything from sexual morality to faith, hope, and charity.

                I believe that God is our Heavenly Father and like every father, he wants what is best for his children. Now, he has the advantage of being perfect and we have the disadvantage of being imperfect. Lewis talks about the fact that God does not live in the same sense of time as we do. This is an important concept. He has perception that is perfect. He sees the beginning, middle, and end. I am grateful for this, though it is often difficult for me to grasp, as I often want to be over bad things quickly and want good things to last forever. God knows what is best for us and when we turn our lives over to Him, he can and does make so much more of us than we can on our own.

                So, what is God’s goal for us? I believe it to be for us to live with Him and to live as He does. Lewis also addresses this thought. He talks about how God wants us to be “little Christs.” Obviously, we cannot be Jesus Christ, neither should we be Him. But we can become like Him. And the great part, is that we do not have to do it alone. As I turn my life over to Jesus, He helps me to become more like Him. My life can begin to look like his, in the sense that I will do things in a like manner as He does and did.

                But this process of becoming like Christ is not easy. Lewis writes how when we turn our lives over to the Lord, we begin to change. He begins to change us. These changes vary. The best way I can think to describe it, is in Lewis’ own words:

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

I don’t know how to elaborate on that quote very much.  I think it sums up my thoughts on the matter pretty well. I wrote an earlier post about change and mentioned repentance. I think that “knocking the house about” is how repentance changes us. The Lord assists in this process and I am grateful for that help. He loves us. He wants us to have all that he has. The question is, do we want it? I imagine it will be wonderful to be there with Him one day. What’s more, I believe it is wonderful that He helps us now and forever.

Sharing the Gospel

I heard a man this week share an experience regarding the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Two men of different Christian faiths were speaking about this topic, and one of them said to the other that the reason for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ is not about trying to convert others but rather done because we are converted. The Savior invited his apostles at the end of his life to share the gospel with others saying, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19) and “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Elder Bednar shared an experience that he had that illustrates why sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ is such an integral part of being converted to Jesus.

“One evening Susan and I stood near a window in our home and watched two of our little boys playing outside. During the course of their adventures, the younger of the two boys was injured slightly in a small accident. We quickly recognized that he was not seriously hurt, and we decided not to provide immediate assistance. We wanted to observe and see if any of our family discussions about brotherly kindness had sunk in. What happened next was both interesting and instructive.

The older brother consoled and carefully helped the younger brother back into the house. Susan and I had positioned ourselves near the kitchen so we could see what next took place, and we were prepared to intervene immediately if additional bodily harm seemed likely or a serious accident was imminent.

The older brother dragged a chair to the kitchen sink. He climbed up on the chair, assisted his brother onto the chair, turned on the water, and proceeded to pour a large quantity of dishwashing soap onto the scratched arm of his little brother. He did his best to gently wash away the dirt. The reaction of the little brother to this procedure can only be described accurately using language from the holy scriptures: “And they shall have cause to howl, and weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth” (Mosiah 16:2). And did that little boy howl!

After the scrubbing was finished, the arm was carefully dried with a towel. Eventually the screaming stopped. The older brother next climbed up onto the kitchen counter, opened a cabinet, and found a new tube of medicated ointment. Though the scratches on his little brother were not large or extensive, the older brother applied almost all of the ointment in the tube to the entire injured arm. The screaming did not resume, as the little brother clearly liked the soothing effect of the ointment much more than he appreciated the cleansing effect of the dishwashing soap.

The older brother returned again to the cabinet in which he had found the ointment and located a new box of sterile bandages. He then unwrapped and put bandages all up and down his brother’s arm—from the wrist to the elbow. With the emergency resolved, and with soap bubbles, ointment, and wrappers all over the kitchen, the two little boys hopped down from the chair with bright smiles and happy faces.

 What happened next is most important. The injured brother gathered up the remaining bandages and the almost empty tube of ointment, and he went back outside. He quickly sought out his friends and began to put ointment and bandages on their arms. Susan and I both were struck by the sincerity, enthusiasm, and rapidity of his response.”

                This story serves as a good analogy, I believe, for the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The soothing medication is like the Gospel and the sharing of the medication with others is like the missionary work that goes on throughout the world. I know for me, it can be overwhelming and shocking to have someone come up to me suggesting I try something new to fix a problem I might have. I believe it is probably the same way when talking with others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 I think I saw this particularly in Germany as a young man. I served for a period of 2 years trying to tell people about the joy I had felt from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many times people were not interested, and I believe this was in part due to their past experiences in their country. They had heard of the wonderful things that were supposed to be happening under a previous governmental regime only to have the reality of those wonderful things come crashing down after the war. I believe this happens with others as well. Sometimes, something that can sound too good to be true turns out to be just that. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ has turned out to be as good as advertised for me.        

                I know that I have been changed because of my conversion to Jesus Christ. I still have much to learn. I still have much I can improve on. I struggle with sharing the gospel with others even though I know it will bless and help and lift the lives of those around me. I try to live my life in a way that reflects my belief in the Savior. I try to share what I believe and will continue to seek to do so. I know God loves all of us. He is looking out for our well-being.

Fathers

                The chorus of a favorite primary hymn of mine goes: “Fathers are so special with a very special love. They watch us and protect us. They guide us and direct us back to our home above.”  And I believe that to be true. Today is Father’s Day. I, like Nephi of old, was blessed with goodly parents. My Dad taught me the importance of work and always provided for me and my family. My Dad is strong and did not cry very often. One of the few times I remember him doing so was when a cousin of mine was bearing his testimony after returning home honorably from a mission to Idaho. I asked my Dad why he was crying. He answered that it was because of the change that had taken place in my cousin during the course of his mission.

                

                  Dad helped me with homework, a lot; particularly with my math homework. He would look over the chapter regarding the problems we were working on and then try to help me get the answer and understand the concepts. I remember one time when I had an assignment over Christmas break that I procrastinated to do until the day before I was scheduled to go back to school. My Dad asked me why I had waited so long to start on the project. I didn’t have a good answer but with his help, I got it done. This is just one of many examples of patience that Dad had with me.

                I love sports and that love has grown, in part, due to my Dad’s love for sports. I remember playing catch with Dad once right after he arrived home from work. We were only about 10 feet away, but I felt it necessary to throw that ball as hard as I could. Dad blocked the ball as best he could, but I knocked the lenses out of his glasses. He could have been quite angry with me, but I don’t recall that being the case.

                That song I quoted earlier has a verse about a fathers in our home, fathers in our church, and our Heavenly Father. I am grateful to have a Heavenly Father who listens to us. One day while I was pretending to be a person taught by the missionaries I was working with in the MTC, I was asked to say a prayer. I began by saying, “Heavenly Father” and stopped. In that moment of praying, although I was pretending to be someone investigating the church, I felt the power of being able to speak with my Father in Heaven. Sometimes when I forget who I am or what Heavenly Father has done for me, I remember that experience and it strengthens me.

   

             My wife and I have not yet been blessed with any children on this earth. We have had miscarriages and during the first of those, I wrote some words to our unborn child. It was a good experience for me to be able to do so. To articulate some of the feelings I had toward my unborn child. I felt such love and desire for him/her to be alright. I felt the weight of the responsibility to care for that child.  I do not know Heavenly Father’s plan for me and my wife regarding children in this life, but I do know that I love those children of mine and I look forward to the day, in this day or the next, when I get to be their Dad.

 

I know Heavenly Father loves me. I know He loves you. I hope that on this Father’s Day you remember what He has done for you.


This is a video that I enjoy about  Fathers. I hope you enjoy it as well!