Months Later

It's hard to believe the last time I blogged was nearly six months ago. I've been busy with personal matters since middle of May. I know that doesn't explain my last post being April 22, but we'll just have to go with it. I could tell you more about them, but they aren't very exciting. They are also not relevant to the rest of Internet.

I can, however, list some obvious changes since the last time I wrote on this site.

1. I no longer live in Provo. I've decided to move closer to work and live on my own in a studio. Not having roommates feels different, but I do enjoy solitude for the time being.
2. I retook the MCAT in September just to see if I can get a better score.
3. I've figured out possible paths to take career-wise should I pursue more education in the future.
4. I now attend a family ward. It's nice not having multiple callings. Laying low for now.
5. I won't have to work holidays this year. That's something to get used to because I've always worked holidays since 2007.

The good news is, with me becoming more settled in my current dwelling, I can finally update this blog, among my other social media, like I used to. For those of you who are aware, I do have a Twitter and Pinterest account. Whether it's weekly or biweekly, expect some new content in the near future.

I often share my opinions and thoughts on topics ranging from daily routines to more serious topics such as spirituality and politics. The keyword here being opinion. I don't expect to be right or wrong, and I don't think I've ever had people confronting me with the said opinions.

One thing I do not like about the world we live in today is the dichotomous thinking our (global) culture (or perhaps education systems) has been promoting through the media. Apparently, there are ONLY two sides to every issue and the only viable solution is to go one way or another. Just check out any comment section. These minorities seem to make the biggest noise. No my friends, that's not the real world. That only happens in a roleplay.

Hilariously, the trends in the media also helped me to understand a bit more about how the Bolsheviks managed to convince the public that their opinions represented the overall sentiments. You know, revolution by the minorities for the minorities?

Anyways, I'm hoping to write more in the future. Blogging is one of my hobbies. It'll be fun.

Music, Songs, and Dances

Yes, dances. A new trendy subject after the Conference

"And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?" - Alma 5:26

We all have heard that expression one time or another. The word "song", whether metaphorically or literally, has appeared many times throughout the standard works. What does that entail? Even today, I am still trying to figure out the many expressions found in the scriptures.

For those of you who attend church, LDS or not, I'm sure you all have heard poetic expressions from the scriptures being used in discussions in Sunday School. They sound wonderful and all, but has anyone actually contemplated what they mean? It is easy to say The Lord is my strength and my song (Isaiah 12:2), but is it easy to understand what parallels we are drawing when we say it?

Throughout my YSA experience, one of the major topics among the leadership has been young persons going inactive after the mission, or stop believing altogether. Lamentable! But, is there some other underlying issue that is not being addressed or assumed to have been understood before the 180-degree turn?

These are all questions I don't think I can answer. All I can say is I have been and am still digging around in order to comprehend what's already been taught through the ages. What I can do is go on and on about random musings I have had with other people.

In the recent LDS General Conference, I believe it was a talk by Wilford W. Andersen, mentioned about a tribal medicine man's exchange with a medical doctor about songs and dances. The doctor asked if the old man could teach him how to dance. The key point the medicine man conveyed was that it was difficult to dance without the music.

Suppose we put things into metaphors. The dance is the outward expression of the rhythms we were supposed to move with based on the music. The lyrics are be the messages of which the composition is carrying. The music, then, is the word, the knowledge, the truth we have obtained through scriptures or realizations. More importantly, the WHY to the said actions. Sounds confusing? You bet. Writing is not easy business for the likes of me.

In my opinion, the greatest tragedy within the LDS culture (and perhaps across all cultures) is the fact that many youths are taught to dance and memorize the lyrics without knowing the music for themselves. Is it a wonder that some strayed and no longer sing the songs of redeeming love? Is it possible that they never sang at all?

The song, in its metaphoric sense, is a package. There are those who think going through the motion alone would justify them (Romans 4). There are those who understand, but chose not to perform and believe that is sufficient (James 2). There is a reason why it is written "it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23). For the Lord declares, "my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt 11:30). It is an unfortunate human tendency to seek the lowest common denominator in an attempt to further simplify His work. What's my point? It's like understanding the theory and practice of the Gospel. We can't succeed without one or the other.

Back to the initial topic. Perhaps the biggest issue for the youth is not continuing the quest to understand the music, or knowing that it existed in the first place. Knowing facts is great, but meaningless without context. That can be said for any professional field. I do believe the same applies to spirituality. One can only dance without music for so long before it is forgotten in the distant past.

Does this answer any question? Probably not. Some things need to be experienced rather than put into words. The weakness of the written word is real.

Tommy's Burger

The west side entrance

A few years back, I've wanted to visit all the little food joint in Provo. However, I did not have the funds at the time...being a poor college student at all.

With a full-time job and an impossible-to-fix trend of spending around $100 a month eating out, I think I should put my money to better use and visit these hidden gems in Utah Valley.

This place is located at 405 W 100 N, Provo UT 84601.

My roommate, Kyle discovered this place during his delivery run. I regret not taking as many photos as I could have, I do apologize.

Tommy's seems like a typical fast food stop you'd see in inner cities. Well, it did remind us of home, only the roads are wider and buildings are shorter in Utah.

There aren't that many in-house seats due to its small size, but there is enough parking for a small company as well as outdoor picnic tables for nice weathers; shades included!

Basically, you have your standard burgers, hot dogs, etc. with a twist: the Texas Style. It is optional and I chose to try it out because it includes additional sauces. For me, nothing beats a double burger with good sauces. If you are feeling lucky, you may add some jalapenos to spice things up further.

When we visited this establishment, there was only one guy stationing the entire clockwork, but he was efficient. I was actually impressed.

I realized this is a short entry and doesn't do Tommy's justice, but I will definitely revisit this place to try out the hot dogs. So, please stay-tuned for a more comprehensive review.  If you do visit, don't forget to contribute into the tip jar!

Choices

Of course, all will be revealed at Judgment Day.

A common topic that comes up in most LDS meetings is agency and it is apparently one of the breaking points that eventually led to the rebellion of Lucifer.

Most of us have heard that Satan, who was Lucifer, offered to be the savior by forcing everyone onto the right path. However, is that an accurate statement? Is this another popular Mormon cultural myths being perpetuated for generations?

The scripture referencing the debate about agency can be found in Moses 4:1-4. As far as I understand, agency consists of the following elements:

1. Opposition (2 Nephi 2:15)
2. Personal choices (Abraham 3:25)
3. Consequences (Alma 42)

For those of you who are too lazy to look up the scriptures, here's the rundown:

Opposition in all things is necessary part of this mortality. Life is simply full of choices. Many times, we can't have them all. The Plan of Salvation, in part, is to have us make correct choices out of many possible options. Along with opposition comes with the liberty to choose. The Book of Abraham indicates that each person is required to make good choices out of his or her volition rather than divine coercion. The Book of Alma has a long sermon about justice and mercy in terms of consequences of our actions.

Let's compare this to Moses 4:1-4.

1 And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.

 2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thywill be done, and the glory be thine forever.

 3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;

 4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.

The keyword here is redeem. The popular answer in LDS Sunday School is Satan got shut down because of his pride in the idea that he could make people do good against their will. I disagree.

The fact that Lucifer offered to redeem mankind suggests that he also believed that people would make mistakes, and therefore, become imperfect. The Apostle Matthew outlined the Lord's mission in his record, stating that He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). This is further expounded in Book of Helaman when Amulek taught the common misconception that the Savior would save people regardless of their state of being (Helaman 5:10). The real difference between Christ and Satan, in my opinion, is that Jesus will save us FROM our sins whereas Satan will attempt the impossible and save us IN our sins.

Verse 3 of Moses 4 states how Satan sought to destroy agency. If we read it in another perspective, I believe it is saying that the Devil seeks to break agency after his proposal was rejected. Agency is one of the core elements in this mortal trial. To deny anyone of it is to halt that person's progression and even freedom for eternity. By redeeming mankind in their sins, that would violate the balance between justice and mercy, or remove consequences for our actions. If what I listed above holds true, then it is the first step to take away the gift of agency.

In order to break agency, it appears that the formula is the exact opposite:

1. False sense of security (2 Nephi 28:7-9 and 1 Cor. 15:32)
2. Bondage/captivity (2 Nephi 2:27 and Galatians 5:1)
3. No more options (2 Nephi 2:29)

To summarize, it would appear that the ever-popular Sunday School answer is not entirely inaccurate, but rather, oversimplified. Satan didn't necessarily plan on forcing people to do good, but serving his own interests. My cynical synopsis is that getting the lead role in the Plan of Salvation was an attempt to become the sole sovereign of all God's children. Perhaps if Lucifer were to be successful, we would have become unprogressive for all eternity. The worst case scenario being everyone subjugated to his will due to the fact we were saved in our sins. Or perhaps the pattern I observed to break agency is simply a spiteful move to hinder as many souls as possible so they cannot return to their Heavenly Father?

Either way, I hope you all enjoyed this little tidbit of thought.

And He Did No Miracles

Modern rendition of the baptism of Jesus

It is not often I get to go to the temple. The reasons have always been a mixture of time on hand and laziness. However, I did have a chance to go to the Provo Temple two weeks ago and performed vicarious ordinances.

The journey was not without any personal enlightenment. I came across a passage in the New Testament that helped gain a better understanding about the Lord's servants and what we can do in our lives that's applicable even today.

It is said by the Apostle Luke that there's no greater prophet than John the Baptist except for the Savior (Luke 7:28). He is, after all, the man who prepared the way for Christ's ministry. John was not only a prophet, but also the cousin of Jesus. The genealogy of that family can be found in detail in Matthew.

I don't claim to be a scripture guru, so feel free to correct me if I get the context of the biblical passages wrong. I am merely sharing my experiences.

Of course, that is not the passage I read in the temple. The verse I came across was John 10:41-42. "And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man (referring to Christ) were true. And many believed on him there." Note the phrase "John did no miracle". That caught my eyes as soon as I opened up the Bible at a random spot.

(For those of you who don't know, I usually go for the random shot in the dark when I pick a spot to  read the scriptures in the temple.)

For many, the days of Christ-like healings and earth-shattering phenomenons have passed. The distant past is where all the well-known prophets dwelled. I know I have had my own definition of what prophets are supposed to be like, and I admit, I used to think they should be able to perform mighty miracles because of their faith.

Depending on your definition of a prophet, it may affect your expectations. Even the LDS Bible Dictionary recognizes the fact that the designation of a prophet includes a person with testimony of the Lord (Rev. 19:10). In that sense, John was probably not a seer, but he was nevertheless a preacher of righteousness.

What did John do? He taught people about the coming of the Savior. We don't have all the details of his ministry besides baptism unto repentance to his humble exit and eventual execution at the hands of the Jewish puppet government.

Bottom line is, great things can be accomplished without grandiose deeds. If we feel otherwise, we are misguided. In popular culture, this idea is reflected by Gandalf in the Hobbit movies. Little things that we do together tend to have more effect than one tremendous deed once in a blue moon. Refer back to the Nephites after Christ's visit. They lived in harmony and prosperity because everyone did the right thing.

As for the miracles, that's another story. Mark and Moroni has some interesting commentaries about the lack of miracles in our days (Mark 6 & Mormon 9).

The Scattering

Oh yeah, them late night conversations.

The past two and half years had been some of the best in my entire university experience. Much of it had to do with the great people I was able to befriend and live with during that time. Like every great party, there has to be a conclusion, and the time has come for the Pinecone group (or Smash Saints) to disband. We are all at different stages in life. Some want change. Some want more financial stability. Some are graduated, etc.

The men I've come to know and love have taught me much about myself and those around me. Not to knock on my roommates before this dashing group, but these are truly some of the best friends I've made since living on my own. I want to share some great things about each and every one of them by order of appearance in my life.

Ammon Sarver: the man who started all. He was my first roommate when I first returned from my mission in 2010. He was the main driving force behind forming the group in 2012. The big brother figure in my life who has, time and again, dragged me out of my own mental maelstrom of self-doubt, loathe, and out of control wrath when under pressure. He made me realise that I'm not a bad person...just an idiot trying to figure things out.

Ammon is now married and striking out in the world with Julie. He is easily one of the best friends I've ever had.

Klint Metcalf: much like Ammon, this man has seen more sides of me than most people have in this life. My interactions with him included the man as a pre-missionary, on a mission, and post-mission. Throughout our communications, I learned that challenges can be overcome whether we notice that triumph or not. Moreover, our imperfections don't make us any less lovable.

Klint is now married as well (to Rachel). He's working on his nursing degree and hopefully advance in medicine in the future.

Our one of many frustrating Smash Bro games.

Dalin Russell: the co-driver behind the gathering of the group. He is the most laid-back person I know. True, I was constantly puzzled by many things he did, but he is a man of patience. I've never heard him say anything negative about anyone or anything. That's one of the most impressive feat I've yet to learn. I still lose it when enough buttons are pressed (which aren't that many).

Like most of my roommates, married (to Kris) and gone to the next adventure. In case no one knew, he is an engineer.

Jonathan Schuler: my "actual" half brother. A quirky and hilarious character with great intellect. Jon was a great listener. I can't remember how often I wind up having extended conversations with him about various topics until we finally hit the sack for the night. If it weren't for him, I don't think I would have come across many of the great classics in the world of arts and entertainment. Above all, nothing is impossible. Even though he's long gone, I still miss his guitar-playing and gadget building-days.

Jon is now in the Marines. He's pursuing the dream of working in aerospace related subjects he felt a physics degree at BYU couldn't provide.

Speaking of man of many talents...

John Connor: the man of many talents. A video game and anime aficionado. He may look like your stereotypical white guy who locks himself in his room and socially closed off (well, he can be like that), but he's like us, we couldn't be stuffed in one single stereotype. Aside from his obvious interests, he knows three languages as well as expertise in crafting, handiwork, and martial arts. Bet you didn't see that coming! John has always been the logical one in the group. It was not difficult to include him in a discussion or a "dilemma" you are having and he plainly talks you through what appeared to be a tricky situation. The lesson I learned from him is that I can have many talents if I choose to develop them. The real limiting factors are time and dedication.

John chose to delay graduation by one year so he could receive his masters in information systems at BYU. This guy will most definitely make more money than any of us for years to come.

Nick Ritter: was the "baby" of the group; simply because of his age. Nick has a passion for film and has chosen the path to become a director. We've watched him getting accepted into the BYU film program and even participated in a few of his productions through various contributions. Among his other notable achievements, his most brilliant decision was the Honey Badger. Now, that's a story for another time. This guy, with his many quirks, probably had the most patience out of all of us. I could scarcely believe anyone would take the crap I dish out from time to time and still manages to not hold grudges. And thus we see, we choose to take offense and we choose to love or forgive those who have done us wrong. It's a hard attribute to come by.

Nick got married to Amanda and is still finishing up his film degree. His future works can be known if you talk to him. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them involved sloths, a long-time running gag in our experience.

Tyler Potts (T.K.): the spontaneous decision-maker. Many people have asked why we call him T.K. You'll have to ask him about it, it's a fun story. As far as I could remember, T.K. came out of nowhere and he became one of us. Full of hopes and ideas, there were times we had to ground him to make sure he doesn't go way off the path of reasoning. We've witnessed good times and bad times, but he never gave up and kept on making the best of every situation. We have always had good conversations about various subjects and T.K. and I tend to speak candidly. On top of that, this man helped me through several key points in life such as getting my driver's license, etc. I learned that now is the time to explore possibilities before we are too set in our ways and brotherhood can exist between friends.

T.K. is studying neuroscience and hopes to go into the consulting side of the medical industry.

Another one of TK's stunts

Tyler Reese: my homie from back East. Tyler was one of the many "Tylers" that you could find in the IX. He found his way into the group thanks to Nick. He is a humble man. Being from the East Coast, it is easy for me to feel an affinity towards him. He is perhaps the easiest person to get along with due to his relaxed nature. He is, by no means, lazy because he works very hard to put himself through school, etc. The biggest lesson I think all of us could learn from him is that it's okay to question your faith and the methods we use to accomplish things. It is a necessary process to solidify who we are and what we do.

Tyler is deciding a path to go down in terms of his education. It's easy to have a major, but it's quite another to jump on a career.

Alex Teela: the car fanatic. This man is the living-proof of how you could change your life by the work of your two bare hands, with a little divine intervention, of course. Sure, our personalities clashed, but one would be foolish to think you'd never meet someone that fits that hat. He is also a hard worker who's got many options before him. Personally, I think he will succeed in whatever he pursues. The moral of Alex's life? The only thing that can keep you down in life is yourself. Once you have a different mindset and outlook, everything is awesome all of the sudden because the world is not out to get you (usually).

Good question, what is Alex's next step? That's for him to know and all of us to find out!

Yeah, I totally did not ask for permission with this photo.

In the end, The Smash Saints (Aug. 2012 - Dec. 2014).

Behind the Jokes

A typical ward, most likely in Utah

We all have heard of people who make jokes and engage in light-hearted talks during the sacrament and other church meetings. There's nothing inherently wrong with bringing out the smiles in otherwise stern processions. There are, however, painfully overused lines that make one wonder. Are the speakers desperately trying to entertain the audience in order to not appear straight-edged, or there's some underlying truth about how they feel about the situation?

First of all, I apologize for my lack of posting in the past month due to my busy schedule at the hospital. This topic actually came up weeks ago during Elder's Quorum from one of my roommates, Ty Reese. His point of view brought some noteworthy points, at least for me to notice. I'm sure many of you have heard things similar to the following examples during church:

"I was minding my own business when the bishop called and gave me the talk assignment...[time filling stuff that basically says how much he/she doesn't want to do this]."

"I'm here because of my wife...[fill in some ridiculous reason]."

"I didn't want to get up here, [reason x, y, and z here]."

Generally, following these statements, there are always some chuckles, etc. What is the significance of these in terms of our mindset other than my usual cynical observations about people? I don't mean to offend (actually, I don't care) the readers, but I think you may find some interesting insight to this potentially disturbing trend among our peers.

Yes, understandably, we all know the speakers are utilizing humor to assist their points. Can it all be jokes and giggles when they tell you they didn't want to do stand up in front of the congregation? Most people have a healthy fear of public speaking. Frankly, the culture in the Church often places a stigma on individuals who turn down an assignment unless they have a "legitimate" reason. Or is that the perception of what would happen to someone who feels he/she is not adequate for the job?

Okay, that wasn't a great coherent thought because the Lord chose us before we reciprocated (John 15:16).

What about the man that says the reason he was there was because of his wife? Is that a joke or some underlying truth about it? If that's the reason, shouldn't we be worried about the brother's testimony or perhaps the motives behind the spiritual facade?

I don't know if I can justify this at all. I've heard it all too often in some family wards.

The testimony rush is generally less mind-boggling compared to some of the statements we hear elsewhere during our three-hour meeting block. Many people are generally spiritually-motivated. Sometimes people want to sell themselves (I mean, come on, I'm currently attending a YSA ward). There are times I'm not sure why the person is up there, especially when I can't understand the gist of his/her testimony thanks to the outburst of emotional sobs that chokes up any audible words coming out of the mouth.

Is that judgmental? Well, you better read Preach My Gospel because there's a great quote by Howard W. Hunter in regards to this on page 99.

Of course, as usual, I write down things I've found amusing or intriguing. A serious lesson we can learn from this is that the above-mentioned cases do happen. The relative frequency of their occurrence is beyond the scope of this blog post. One thing we do need to keep in mind, though, is that we need to make righteous judgments before labeling everyone in negative light (Matthew 7:1-3).