In Remembrance of President Hinckley

President Gordon B. Hinckley, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints passed away this evening. I am sad. I always considered President Hinckley to be "my" prophet because it is his influence and counsel that I remember most throughout my youth; he spoke to my generation with love and concern and served as the mouthpiece for my church.

The following is an excerpt from a talk given in general conference in 2002, I have used parts of it in various lessons and talks of my own since then and I think that sharing it would be the best memorial I could offer.

Do we as Latter-day Saints really understand and appreciate the strength of our position? Among the religions of the world, it is unique and wonderful.

Is this Church an educational institution? Yes. We are constantly and endlessly teaching, teaching, teaching in a great variety of circumstances. Is it a social organization? Indeed. It is a great family of friends who mingle together and enjoy one another. Is it a mutual aid society? Yes. It has a remarkable program for building self-reliance and granting aid to those in distress. It is all of these and more. But beyond these it is the Church and kingdom of God established and directed by our Eternal Father and His Beloved Son, the risen Lord Jesus Christ, to bless all who come within its fold.

We declare without equivocation that God the Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, appeared in person to the boy Joseph Smith.

When I was interviewed by Mike Wallace on the 60 Minutes program, he asked me if I actually believed that. I replied, “Yes, sir. That’s the miracle of it.”
That is the way I feel about it. Our whole strength rests on the validity of that vision. It either occurred or it did not occur. If it did not, then this work is a fraud. If it did, then it is the most important and wonderful work under the heavens.

Reflect upon it, my brethren and sisters. For centuries the heavens remained sealed. Good men and women, not a few—really great and wonderful people—tried to correct, strengthen, and improve their systems of worship and their body of doctrine. To them I pay honor and respect. How much better the world is because of their bold action. While I believe their work was inspired, it was not favored with the opening of the heavens, with the appearance of Deity.

Then in 1820 came that glorious manifestation in answer to the prayer of a boy who had read in his family Bible the words of James: “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).

Upon that unique and wonderful experience stands the validity of this Church.

In all of recorded religious history there is nothing to compare with it. The New Testament recounts the baptism of Jesus when the voice of God was heard and the Holy Ghost descended in the form of a dove. At the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John saw the Lord transfigured before them. They heard the voice of the Father, but they did not see Him.

Why did both the Father and the Son come to a boy, a mere lad? For one thing, they came to usher in the greatest gospel dispensation of all time, when all of previous dispensations should be gathered and brought together in one.

Can anyone doubt that the age in which we live is the most wonderful in the history of the world? There has been a marvelous flowering of science, of medicine, of communication, of transportation, unequaled in all the chronicles of mankind. Is it reasonable to submit that there should also be a flowering of spiritual knowledge as a part of this incomparable renaissance of light and understanding?

The instrument in this work of God was a boy whose mind was not cluttered by the philosophies of men. That mind was fresh and without schooling in the traditions of the day.

It is easy to see why people do not accept this account. It is almost beyond comprehension. And yet it is so reasonable. Those familiar with the Old Testament recognize the appearance of Jehovah to the prophets who lived in that comparatively simple time. Can they legitimately deny the need for an appearance of the God of heaven and His resurrected Son in this very complex period of the world’s history?

That They came, both of Them, that Joseph saw Them in Their resplendent glory, that They spoke to him and that he heard and recorded Their words—of these remarkable things we testify.

I knew a so-called intellectual who said the Church was trapped by its history. My response was that without that history we have nothing. The truth of that unique, singular, and remarkable event is the pivotal substance of our faith.

But this glorious vision was but the beginning of a series of manifestations that constitute the early history of this work.

As if that vision were not enough to certify to the personality and the reality of the Redeemer of mankind, there followed the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Here is something that a man could hold in his hands, could “heft,” as it were. He could read it. He could pray about it, for it contained a promise that the Holy Ghost would declare its truth if that witness were sought in prayer.

This remarkable book stands as a testimonial to the living reality of the Son of God. The Bible declares that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established” (Matt. 18:16). The Bible, the testament of the Old World, is one witness. The Book of Mormon, the testament of the New World, is another witness.

I cannot understand why the Christian world does not accept this book. I would think they would be looking for anything and everything that would establish without question the reality and the divinity of the Savior of the world.

There followed the restoration of the priesthood—first, of the Aaronic under the hands of John the Baptist, who had baptized Jesus in Jordan.

Then came Peter, James, and John, Apostles of the Lord, who conferred in this age that which they had received under the hands of the Master with whom they walked, even “the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” with authority to bind in the heavens that which they bound on earth (see Matt. 16:19).

Subsequently came the bestowal of further priesthood keys under the hands of Moses, Elias, and Elijah.

Think of it, my brothers and sisters. Think of the wonder of it.

This is the restored Church of Jesus Christ. We as a people are Latter-day Saints. We testify that the heavens have been opened, that the curtains have been parted, that God has spoken, and that Jesus Christ has manifested Himself, followed by a bestowal of divine authority.

Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of this work, and it is built upon a “foundation of … apostles and prophets” (Eph. 2:20).

This wondrous Restoration should make of us a people of tolerance, of neighborliness, of appreciation and kindness toward others. We cannot be boastful. We cannot be proud. We can be thankful, as we must be. We can be humble, as we should be.

We love those of other churches. We work with them in good causes. We respect them. But we must never forget our roots. Those roots lie deep in the soil of the opening of this, the final dispensation, the dispensation of the fulness of times.

What an inspiration it has been to look into the faces of men and women across the world who carry in their hearts a solemn conviction of the truth of this foundation.

When it comes to divine authority, this is the sum and substance of the whole matter.

God be thanked for His marvelous bestowal of testimony, authority, and doctrine associated with this, the restored Church of Jesus Christ.

This must be our great and singular message to the world. We do not offer it with boasting. We testify in humility but with gravity and absolute sincerity. We invite all, the whole earth, to listen to this account and take measure of its truth. God bless us as those who believe in His divine manifestations and help us to extend knowledge of these great and marvelous occurrences to all who will listen. To these we say in a spirit of love, bring with you all that you have of good and truth which you have received from whatever source, and come and let us see if we may add to it. This invitation I extend to men and women everywhere with my solemn testimony that this work is true, for I know the truth of it by the power of the Holy Ghost. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Farewell iPod, I barely knew ye

That might be an exaggeration. I have gotten two very fulfilling years out of the lovely iPod nano I received as a Christmas gift a few years ago. However, our relationship was to be cut short when my little friend was misplaced (or so I thought) on Thursday of last week. Sadly, I found my little white nano outdoors and near my car, lying helplessly on the ground. The past month and a half of snow and freezing temperatures ensured that it had gotten wet, rendering it unceremoniously dead. Dear little nano, I loved you. You kept me company on my walks to school, long nights studying in the library, and some really good drives. Farewell, good friend, farewell.

Tagged!

Torrey, this is for you!!!

I was tagged weeks ago and have been slow in my response. It's really hard to think of 7 interesting facts about yourself! Be warned, I'm playing it fast and loose with the word interesting...

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.



1. I am a habitual driver.

When I need a little space, or time to think, or am even just bored I will always want to go on a drive. There’s something about being in constant motion and seeing a lot at once that is really relaxing to me. However, it can quickly become a time-consuming (not to mention expensive) habit; the last time I took off I ended up 90 miles from home. I generally forget that I eventually need to turn around and start heading back to wherever I’m coming from.



2. I would rather be hot than cold.

Seriously, there is very little in the world that makes me more agitated than being cold. Winter is one long ordeal to me and I don’t handle it like a trooper. If I had my way, I would "winter" in Florida and keep a heated blanket near me at all times. My theory is this: if you get too hot, you can always just sit for a minute and your temperature will balance. BUT – once you are cold you will stay cold until you manage to find a thermal sleeping bag or are cool with running in place while at school or work. Plus, cold hurts. Honestly, I feel bad for the people I am around all day because I complain constantly about the stupid snow and stupid ice and stupid wind and why can’t global warming start working like NOW because I am tired of being so damn cold all of the time.



3. I don’t talk on the phone without pacing.

I so dislike being on the phone that I usually take a walk to keep my body occupied while I chat. If I am indoors and it’s too cold or late to go outside I will literally walk back and forth in a straight line until I’m off the phone, at which point I am totally fine with sitting. People (who may find it maddening) have pointed this out to me on numerous occasions. So, if I seem distracted while talking with you on the phone please realize that I’m probably playing GPS in my head and thinking of a new route to take between my bed and closet door. Apologies.



4. I have a weird phobia about fish.

It’s not the actual creature that bothers me so much, but the fact that they reside in the same body of water all of the time. For example, I hate looking at the average-sized fish bowl because it grosses me out to think that anything will spend the better part of its life just swimming in it. I am most bothered by bowls/tanks that don’t have any lid or are open on top. Why is this, you ask? It is because I know that at some point when I am walking by it, the fishy will jump or splash or something and the water from that open container will end up in my mouth and I would rather be dead than have that happen, thank you very much.



5. I sleep with one of these at night:

I grind and clench my teeth so hard when I sleep that I have torn the ligaments in my jaw a few times as well as woken myself from the sound. So, I've had a sleeping mouth-guard thing since I was in junior high. I always feel like I'm playing dress up with werewolf or vampire teeth when I get ready for bed at night.



6. I am the most claustrophobic person you know.

It takes practically nothing for me to feel super-confined. I dress in layers so that I can ditch something easily and can’t stand the thought of socks (this may contribute to my temperature issues.) I never wear bracelets or rings and rarely wear necklaces. Turtlenecks need not apply. If it isn’t a flat or pump, I don’t want it near my feet. If there is too much clutter around I have a hard time focusing. I can’t sleep until I’ve washed any makeup off because my face feels like it’s suffocating otherwise. These neuroses are all on top of the obvious fact that I don’t like being in tight spaces with too many people. So, if I ever duck out while we’re somewhere that is too densely populated, don’t worry – I’ll be right back. I’m probably just out with my head between my knees, counting to ten, and searching for my normalcy.



7. I am just learning to ski.

Even though I spent almost all of my childhood in Utah, I haven’t had an active interest in skiing until this past year. I (read: my Dad) signed me up for a half-day lesson last winter in hopes that I could at least stop myself from crashing into other human beings on the mountain. On my first run down the big-kid hill, I had to have him literally pull me up from the ground at least four times. I think that that first run was the longest consecutive stream of profanity that I have ever heard in my life, and it came straight from my mouth. I’ve improved both my language and balance since then.



8. I was expelled from the seminary program twice in high school.

Not because I was rebellious, mind you, but because I couldn’t be bothered with consistently showing up. After many warning letters from the secretary to my home (and none-too-pleased parents) I would go through the process of getting my name back on the rolls and would then complete enough make-up work to pass. I don’t think I ever received lower than an A- grade in four years. The final irony was that I was asked to say a few words at the graduation ceremony during my last year; I have no idea what I said that didn’t get me sent straightaway to hell right then and there.


So there you have it. Some of the obscure I do so love. Get ready, because I tag:
Melissa, Sara, Sarah, Ashley, Kaylene, Tara, and whoever else would like to play!


PS - The last fact was just for fun - I consider myself a fraud in the church educational system. Sadly, my only teenage defiance...

Bouquets of Freshly-Sharpened Pencils

School started again today, my first classes on campus since last winter. I was surprised last night when I had a hard time falling asleep; as a kid I used to stay awake for hours every night before I started a new school year. However, I don't think I've subscribed to this behavior since I began a university education. When I was younger I think I must have been worried about the new students, teachers, and schedules that came along with every grade. Of course, it stands to reason that it was the increase in responsibility and demands on time that caused my apprehension as a child. I think that it is for these reasons and more that I found myself restless last night, worrying about the next "grade" I would encounter.

Had I known that I would see some dude wearing a short kilt on the way to class this morning, I would have spent my time losing sleep over that instead.

Reading Review - December

This is new - I'm not committing, just trying it out.

I read a lot; my major in college was chosen mostly because an English major is allowed and encouraged to read everything. I'm paying BYU for the privilege of being graded on reading and erudition and I love it.


The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Sometimes hard to read, forced me to learn about pre-"operation freedom" Afghanistan. I am so, so lucky.

Atonement by Ian McEwan
Probably better than the film. Beatiful language and style.

Hypocrite in a Poufy White Dress by Susan Jane Gilman
Cover art is young girl in sparkly princess dress and black combat boots. Really, really funny.

Young Goodman Brown and Other Short Stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Allows me to apply my knowledge of American Romanticism and criticism. Should be given a chance.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Coming-of-age story that is well written. Also, you will learn a lot about bees.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
Vaguely related to Will Smith blockbuster. Biowarfare is unnerving and I hope to avoid it. Unlike most, I liked the ending.

The Plague by Albert Camus
Took three months to finish, longer than Moby Dick even. Original in French - maybe I would like it more as a first edition.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
No excuse exists for not reading this book. The best (of the shorts) of Hemingway, should be used as a lead into the entire library.

Time's Arrow by Martin Amis
The most original premise and style I've come across in a long time, the story reads backwards from conclusion to introduction. Takes some time, but is worth the effort.

The Witches by Roald Dahl
I love this. It is simple and morbid and wonderful.

The How To Herb Book by Velma Keith and Monteen Gordon
Read in an hour or so, will probably be helpful if I'm ever poisoned outside the realm of modern medicine or decide to give herbal veganism a try.

Even As I Am by Neal A. Maxwell
This book deserves the effort of complete sentences. I took this from a bookcase at my parents house while I was writing a talk for Sacrament meeting earlier in the month. Elder Maxwell was always way above my head as a kid, but I've come to appreciate his discourse as my favorite both in style intellectual vivication. 'Even As I Am' refers to our progression towards a higher standard and draws heavily from the scriptures as well as human tendencies that Elder Maxwell recognizes as being decisive to both our divinity and decline. Although it is currently out of print, I would recommend that anyone find a copy and dedicate some time to studying - I now consider this to be a crucial text in my collective religious literature.