Munk Family Update!

Well hi friends! Briana and I have had an eventful year so far. No one is pregnant, so if that's all you wanted to know than you don't have to be bored with the rest. We didn't really send the traditional Christmas family update, so why not now?

School!

Briana will be starting the Early Childhood Education Program at UVU in the Fall. She has been nannying over the Summer for 3 different families. She is awesome with kids and will be a great mom/teacher. 

I got accepted into the Information Systems program at BYU and will also be starting that in the Fall. I have been meeting with people at Microsoft and Amazon looking for internships, hoping to be in Seattle next Summer, or Virginia to be close to family. Briana's work has led to some connections with potential employers. She has been keeping her eyes open and helping a lot!

We are heading back to Utah on the 21st this month!

Health

We have been dealing with some health issues this year. I was diagnosed with Celiac, an almost completely dead thyroid, yeast infection and some oral issues that stemmed from a root canal done wrong a few years ago in the Philippines.

Briana has completely changed her diet to match my restrictions and has gone above and beyond to help me adjust. She is amazing!

I have made some big strides in regaining my health, I am still 140 pounds but have a lot more energy. I was able to have surgery on August 11th to remove one of my molars and have 5 inch long pretty deep incisions and lots of stitches. Even with my mouth cut up it feels better than before. And I have been able to get off the prescription pain meds after about 12 hours.

We have been able to maintain a gluten free diet for 6 months so far, and sugar free for 4 months. Gluten is going to be forever, hopefully sugar will only be a couple more months.

Work

Briana has been nannying this Summer as I mentioned above. She seems to land a lot of jobs taking care of twins. She is always appreciated by the parents of the kids she watches, and is making a positive impact where ever she works. 

I have been washing windows this Summer, enjoying some physical labor before I am stuck behind a desk. I really love my job, have an excellent boss and co-workers. I got commissioned to make the company website and social media pages while I am recovering this week. 

Babies!

Still no word here, but they are going to be too cute to handle. Briana has good genes, hopefully more of her's will get passed on. 

Most Successful Movie Franchises

I find this to be about what I expected, I am a little bit disappointed that Twilight was that high on the list, but at least none of that box office $$ came from me.




You will find more statistics at Statista

Save $53 on an oil change.

I am the kind of person that will usually get the cheapest available option that fills my needs, I love finding the cheapest options and finding the best deals on those options. Jiffy Lube typically charges between $36.99-$89.99 for an oil change. These are the prices before any discount, depending on the type of oil you choose to go with. The prices vary by location.

I usually go with the conventional oil change with and stack as many coupons as they will let me, it usually costs close to $25.

We decided to see if we could get the fully synthetic, top of the line oil change for close to the same price. We succeeded.

In Provo the Pennzoil Ultra Platinum fully synthetic oil change is about $82. You can get it done for about $29 and snag a free basketball while you are at it. If you have a pretty new car you can get it for $27.

First, you will need to by a $50 giftcard, here it will cost you $42 so obviously save you $8.

Second, you will need to have coupons ready, for Utah locations click here, and students can receive an addition $10 off with the code SSC10, you will just need to bring your ID.

Third, you will need to pick up a mail in rebate form from Jiffy Lube for pennzoil oil changes, or you can request one online here. It will save you $25 off your oil change and you will get a free basketball! (In the mail, and it takes about 6 weeks).

So effectively you start with an $82 oil change, (ain't no college student gonna pay for that!) you get $20 off with your coupon/student discount, you save $8 through purchasing someone else's unwanted giftcard, and you receive $25 back and a basketball a few weeks later. That all sums up to $29+tax and hopefully a happier car.

Oh, and it would cost you $50+tax to do this on your own with this type of oil.

I will have some more saving tips in the future, like ways to save on shoes, books, food and more! And a few tricks on getting 100's of dollars in free gift cards each year! We are on track for $700 worth with pretty minimal effort. Booyah!

Where do Students have the Most Debt?

My good friends know me as Mr. Random Fact, part of that reason is because I love charts and I enjoy learning about random things. It helps get my brain going in the morning.

D.C. leads the way in so many categories, carjackings, time spent in traffic, and probably a bunch of other things. They definitely take the cake here by a solid 10 grand.



You will find more statistics at Statista

Believing Christ

What is the difference between believing in Christ and believing Christ?

Celiac Disease

This has been a fun week, I had some blood work done about 3 weeks ago and got to see the test results on Tuesday. As my wife and I were driving up to the doctor's office I had one thing running through my mind, "Well, the worst it could be is Celiac Disease." I was praying for a parasite or yeast infection, those would have been fairly quick fixes.

The nurse came in and asked me what news I wanted to here first, at that point it was pretty apparent that the test results pointed towards something fun.

I get to join my siblings avoiding gluten and dairy like the plague. I am really looking forward to getting back to good health and taking the necessary steps, as hard as they will be. Working at a pizza place (even though it is the best worst place to work) has been pretty rough, and I didn't know it was contributing to my health problems. Along with the 12" pizzas I would bring home, so good.

I am lucky to have an amazing sister to help me along the way, and an awesome brother on a mission who will be back soon that have been a real support, they are a lot more patient then I am. And parents that are always there to offer love and support. I was a little bit selfish thinking that it could never happen to me.

We will be putting together some recipes and different lifestyle changes here for those who are effected by Celiac, or gluten intolerance. Hopefully it will be something helpful.

On a side note, when I got home I researched a little bit more about gluten-free diets and products and came across this chart and man oh man it rubbed me the wrong way. There are so many positive aspects to having gluten in your diet, limiting yourself to gluten-free food cuts out so many healthy options and the biggest reason for cutting out gluten was for a reason other than intolerance or sensitivity! Are you kidding me!? If someone would have approached me and said they were going off of gluten for that reason I would have ripped out their intestines! (I have calmed down since then, it has been a rough week probably would still call them an idiot (no offense intended towards anyone) ). That is some serious double parentheses action going on.


Find more statistics at Statista

Anywho, I hope we can provide something useful in the future on here maybe some good recipes we come across or something.. We will keep you posted. I promise I won't pull out any intestines, no not one.

Charity for Those Different Than Us

           

           Several years ago, as a high school student in Seattle, I was one of 11 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was often invited to parties  in environments where I did not feel comfortable, and typically, I avoided these situations. Being born of goodly parents, I was taught to avoid sex, alcohol, drugs, and other immoral acts that were so common among my peers. It was easy to think less of people who did not live up to the same standards that I decided to live. Often those who lived different standards treated me like a lesser person and thought I was wasting my life by not going out and having fun while drinking and partying like the other students. I felt a little bit of a rift growing between my peers and me; even some of those who were my close friends were drifting further away. It was difficult to feel charity and love for people who were so different from me, especially those who treated me poorly.

As Christians, we have been counseled to “love one another; as [Christ has] loved [us]” (John 13:34). Along with other commandments from God, the commandment to have charity towards others can be difficult to follow, especially for those who dislike us individually or dislike the Church as a whole. Members of the Church have dealt with persecution at different levels in all dispensations and have been given a charge to do what is right no matter how difficult the circumstance. As Latter-day Saints, we have knowledge about the true and everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ, with a covenant responsibility to follow the Savior’s example.

  Learning from my own experiences as a member of the Church, and by observing the experiences of others, I have found that there are three difficulties we face in developing charity for others. First, we don’t truly understand the meanings of charity and how it is grown and shown; second, we don’t understand how to accept those with different beliefs and standards;  third, we don’t understand that in cultivating charity, we must continually develop and maintain this “pure love of Christ” throughout our lives. Let us consider each of these difficulties.

What is Charity? Grow it and Show it.

            To gain a knowledge of the meaning of the word charity, I find it helpful to understand it’s opposite. The Book of Mormon Prophet Nephi taught, “It must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter”(2 Nephi 2:15). From the studies in the scriptures, we know that charity does not envy, it is not puffed up, it is not selfish and not easily provoked, and it does not think or rejoice in evil, and it will never fail (1 Cor. 13:4). This scripture shows that charity is more than our thoughts and actions; it is a deep-down characteristic of our souls. When we have charity, we are willing and ready to serve, to be patient, and to be compassionate and understanding to others.  Charity encourages people to live together in love, not necessarily expecting the same in return, and makes the world a better place for us all.

Marvin J. Ashton taught:

“Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other.”¹

            We understand that charity is pure and selfless by nature, yet charity can be difficult to describe. In order for us to understand charity clearly, it must be felt and experienced. The Apostle Paul taught that if we have charity, the pure love of Christ, we will have good feelings towards all people. The Savior Jesus Christ is the perfect example of one who has charity for all mankind. Jesus Christ even loved those who committed horrendous sins, and condemned him to a brutal death. He forgave those who drove the nails through His hands and feet. Despite everything He suffered, He atoned for the sins of all mankind. He did not view His acts of service and kindness as a duty, but rather as a deep feeling of love for those He encountered. He always saw potential in others and did everything He could to make their lives better. Following the Savior’s example should be our goal as we work to show charity to others. When we are faced with decisions and choose to act in the way we believe Christ would act, we are being charitable. Striving to follow the example of Jesus Christ is the best way to develop charity. In order to do this, we need the guidance of the Holy Ghost. As we have the Spirit guiding us in our lives, we are able to gain a testimony of the love that Christ has for us. When we feel the Savior’s love, we begin to more fully understand our worth and potential in the eyes of God and also the worth and potential of all God’s children. We begin to see others differently through the eyes of charity.           

            Jesus Christ’s perfect example of love and charity can be best observed from His life and how He treated others. He did not limit His service to others based on their wealth, their relationship with Him, or even their righteousness. His pure love is illustrated many times throughout His ministry. While Christ was teaching people in the temple, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman unto Him who had been taken in adultery. Those who had brought her thought that she should be stoned according to the law. In response, Jesus taught:

“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her… And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:7-12).

The Savior rescued this woman from humiliation and almost certain death. He did not condemn her for the act she committed but did warn her to not sin again. This example shows charity without agreeing with the actions of the woman and while encouraging her, and us, to do better, to live a higher law.

Through the scriptures, the Lord also teaches us that we have a responsibly to serve with charity those who are in need, and he offers a warning against unrighteous judgment in choosing whom to serve. “Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just – But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent” (Mosiah 4:17-18).

 The Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us to treat everyone equally, regardless of our differences in belief, race, financial standing, education, and culture. We must learn to feel towards others as the Savior feels towards all of us.

            I learned through experience, and through great teachers, that charity is a gift from God that He will grant unto His children who seek it. The Prophet Mormon taught, “Pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ” (Moroni 7:48). How inspiring is that? Similar to a missionary learning a new language or someone praying to gain a testimony of the Gospel, individuals can develop charity and love through the powerful tool of prayer. Each day we have the chance to pray for the gift of charity to grace our lives.

            One man I know set a strong example for me as someone who has charity. He grew up in a traditional Catholic family and married the daughter of a local Mormon bishop. He has met with the missionaries for about 20 years and read through The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ multiple times. He is very open about his testimony of Jesus Christ and true to what he feels to be right. He believes that he has not yet retained a witness that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, but he continues to learn and study because of his love for his family. In 2011, construction began of a new Latter-day Saint chapel that would house their ward. This man usually worked overtime to provide for his family, but he made time daily to help with the construction of the chapel during the year that it was built. Through his service, he has developed meaningful relationships and charity for members of the local ward. He serves them and is a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

            As the pure love of Christ grows within us, as it did with this man, we begin to realize there are many opportunities in one’s life to exercise charity. President Monson taught, “Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.”² We can compare these limitless opportunities to airplane travel. Planes have a high seating capacity and can take many passengers at once over great distances in a short amount of time. They can be the means of providing convenience and help to the passengers on board. The services provided through planes are also perishable. If the plane has empty seats on a flight, they go to waste. Passengers who could have been taken to their desired locations now have to wait for a new plane. Life is similar. We can use or waste chances to show charity. If we wait too long or fail to follow the promptings of the Spirit, we, too, can miss an opportunity to exercise charity for someone who needed it.

            Going to high school in Seattle, I experienced times where it was difficult to have charity toward others. As mentioned previously, it can sometimes be easy to think less of people who do not share the same standards. I worked hard my whole life to follow the example of Jesus Christ, and I didn’t understand why this wasn’t important to others. At times I was more concerned with what others were doing than whether I was acting with charity. I missed opportunities to show concern and love for others in need. While I will not be able to get those opportunities back, my mistakes have taught me the importance of having charity. Joseph Smith taught, “The nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs.”³  Simply knowing the principles of the Gospel is not enough. We must focus on following the example of the Savior so we will not condemn others based on their actions. Instead we will focus on living His teachings and helping others to understand the blessings of following Christ. We will “remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (D&C 18:10).

How do we learn to Accept People who are Different?

             Each one of us has grown up under different circumstances and in different environments. Even as members of the Church, we have a wide range of differences and opinions. Those outside of our faith have an even wider variety of opinions and circumstances. Such varying worldviews can make it difficult to see similarities in each other and can create barriers to accepting those who are different than us, whether through belief, standards, race, religion, culture, or any other attributes.

            Humans tend to group themselves based on beliefs, needs, and race almost automatically. This creates a system of ingroups and outgroups. A recent peer reviewed article in Science Magazine gave good examples:

“The targets of outgroup prejudice vary from culture to culture and over time—

Sidanius refers to them as “arbitrary set” prejudices. In Sri Lanka, it may be Tamils; in Northern Ireland, Catholics or Protestants; in India, the Untouchables.”⁴

Among Latter-day Saints, we classify ourselves as members and non-members. Members of the Church typically reach out to members in need and show more kindness. Non-members (the out-group) are less privileged, especially in highly populated LDS communities. This division can even be found amidst the members of the Church.

            Years ago, a new family moved into a small town in Southern Utah, where the father began his new job. The family went to the local schools, attended church, and were respectable God-fearing people. While this family was treated with civility, and were never the target of crimes or hateful words, they weren’t accepted by the community. This family was the only African-American family in town. Though the town’s citizens never subjected the family hateful acts, they were excluded, never being invited to any community activities and even some church activities. These people were American citizens, participated in Church, and lived the Gospel, yet still not accepted by the community of mostly Latter-day Saints. Race became both an ingroup and an outgroup, and most significantly, a barrier to charity.

             In high school, I had a very good friend who I spent most of my time with during my junior and senior years. She was very respectful of my beliefs and out of this respect, decided to change the way that she dressed, spoke, and acted around me. One of her best friends gave her a difficult time and encouraged her to go back to (what I considered) wearing immodest clothing, swearing, and partying. I was not accepting of her friend. I thought less of this girl and even tried to avoid her and get my friend to do the same. Their friendship was damaged because of my actions, and this girl developed a bad view of the Church that I hold dear to my heart. I had an opportunity to explain my beliefs and to be a good example, but instead I was unaccepting of someone with different beliefs than mine. Clashing standards became a barrier to charity.

            While it can often be difficult to accept others who share different beliefs, we are taught to be unwavering in our faith and to “love [our] neighbor as [our]self.” (Matt. 22:39) President Monson taught, “Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.”⁵ Leaders of the Church, especially Jesus Christ, teach us through example how to be charitable and loving towards our fellow man. President Benson taught, “I have in my heart a love for all of God’s children. I have no ill feeling toward any human being. With you, I hate sin, but I love the sinner. We all have need to repent.”⁶ Regardless of the color of a person’s skin, a person’s beliefs, a person’s standards, or a person’s culture, we are all children of our Heavenly Father who loves us. Through my high school experiences, I have come to understand the importance of showing Christ-like love. I have apologized to my friend and seek to be an example of Christ. Christ showed His love for mankind through the way He lived His life; He “went about doing good” (Matt. 4:23). The biggest example of Christ’s charity was manifest through His Atonement. Even as the Jews were crying out to crucify Him, Jesus Christ was in the very act of saving them, along with all of mankind.  

Gaining Charity is a Process, so is Maintaining it

            As  mentioned earlier, charity is not a thought or an action; it is a gift from God bestowed on those who are true followers of Jesus Christ. When we seek to obtain the gift of charity, we strive to follow all of God’s commandments and do what we can to serve others in our sphere of influence. As we continue to serve those around us, our love for them will grow, and we will gain an interest in their lives and happiness.

            Gaining charity is, however, an uphill battle. It often requires a mix of service, prayer, fasting, and strong faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. It can be developed as we look for opportunities to serve others and give of ourselves freely and selflessly. It can be developed as we petition God in prayer each day. It can be developed as we fast for the grace to act in charity to someone who may be antagonistic towards our faith. It can be developed as we nurture a firm belief in Jesus Christ as the Savior, knowing His perfect love for us will help us develop the same selfless love for others.

Charity, or the pure love of Christ, is a circular love. When we focus our attention on serving the Lord, we can maintain the cycle. When we strive to love others, we will become more like our Heavenly Father; when we strive to become like God, we will be strengthened in our love of others. In the book of 1 John we are taught, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8) Praying fervently, studying the scriptures daily, and following the promptings we receive will help us continue this cycle of charity. Jesus Christ expanded on this doctrine of charity saying, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40). Even through simple acts of kindness, smiling at someone, or giving a compliment, we are following the example of the Savior and acting as He would. 

            There are many ways that we can better live the commandment to love one another. Elder Oaks has taught us the importance of raising our children with love and respect for others of different faiths:

“I begin with what our young children learn in their play activities. Too often non-Mormons here in Utah have been offended and alienated by some of our members who will not allow their children to be friends with children of other faiths. Surely we can teach our children values and standards of behavior without having them distance themselves or show disrespect to any who are different.”⁷

The most important place that we can set an example of charity is within our own homes. Differences of opinion will always be present even in our families. Some will be relatively insignificant and others will be of a more important nature. Sometimes there will be a conflict between showing love and keeping the commandments of the Lord. It is important to be firm in the truth while continuing to show love and respect.

            The gift of charity comes one step at a time. This gift grows when we do our best to show love for those around us, when we offer service and extend a helping hand, when we pray for those in need, and when we exercise our faith in Christ. Other times we go down the wrong path, and the gift of charity is weakened in our own lives. The Atonement of Jesus Christ has been provided for us so that when we make mistakes, it allows for us to get back on the right path. Through repentance, we can receive forgiveness of our sins. Repentance is more than an acknowledgement of our wrongdoings; it is turning away from sin and growing closer to God. When we have bad feelings towards other individuals or treat them poorly, we are able to repent and strive to gain love for them.

            It can often be easier to have charity and love for those similar to us. I have close friends who share my same faith, religious beliefs, and standards, and it has not been difficult to have love for them. When we come into contact with those who have different beliefs –  and may even be antagonistic towards our own beliefs – we can still be charitable and avoid contention. When we pray for the grace of God to help us, the Lord will grant us strength of character to be immovable in what we know to be right, while being charitable to those who hold different beliefs. He will also bless us to make stands and communicate in a way that is not contentious but respectful, yet full of conviction. Although it can be difficult to stand up for our beliefs, the New Testament teaches, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Phil. 4:13). Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is key as we strive to exercise charity towards are fellow men. When we share our beliefs and respect the beliefs of others, we will be blessed with love for others.

Conclusion

            Charity is a Christ-like attribute. When one has charity, he or she will “avoid negative feelings such as anger, envy, lust, or covetousness.”⁸ Charity provides a way to be understanding of others and their points of view regardless of their differences. This love will help us develop a more Christ-like life and avoid judging and criticizing others. Making quick judgments rob us of the opportunity to show the pure love of Christ.

            The Lord has provided a way for all of us to have charity, even in a world where hate, animosity, and fear are abundant. The example of Jesus Christ is the path given to us in order to develop pure love for others. This principle of the Gospel is illustrated simply in a children’s hymn, “Jesus said love everyone; Treat them kindly, too. When your heart is filled with love, others will love you.”⁹ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands as an ensign to the nations and a light unto the world. I believe that members of the Church who have charity radiate with the light and love of Christ.

            Having charity should be a primary goal among Latter-day Saints. With all of the different views and perspectives on life inside and outside of the Church on gay marriage, drinking, drugs, women’s roles, abortion, and many other topics, there is no other time where charity is more important. Elder Oaks recently taught that, “We should love all people, be good listeners, and show concern for their sincere beliefs. Though we may disagree, we should not be disagreeable. Our stands and communications on controversial topics should not be contentious.”¹⁰ Regardless of the outcomes of these social and religious issues, let us follow the example of the Savior and have charity and love for all mankind. We do this by truly understanding what charity is, by understanding we can bridge differences, even if at first it is uncomfortable to us, and by understanding that daily actions of kindness and love are the key to the process of gaining and maintaining charity.  

Works Cited:

1.      Ashton, Marvin J. “The Tongue Can Be a Sharp Sword,” Ensign, May 1992, 19.

2.      Monson, Thomas S. “The Gifts of Christmas,” Ensign, December 2003, 2.

3.      Culotta, Elizabeth. “Roots of Racism,” Science Magazine, May 2012, 826.

4.      "Charity, the Pure Love of Christ." Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, 2007. 428-429. Print.                       

5.      Monson, Thomas S. “Finding Joy in the Journey,” Ensign, November 2008, 86.

6.      "Living Joyfully in Troubled Times." Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, 2011. 75. Print.             

7.      Oaks, Dallin H. "Loving Others and Living with Differences." LDS.org. Intellectual Reserve, 1 Oct. 2014. Web.                                                                                 

8.      Preach My Gospel. Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2004. Web.

                                                                                                                       

9.      Renstrom, Moiselle. “Jesus Said Love Everyone.” Children’s Songbook. Salt Lake City, Utah. Intellectual Reserve, 1989. 61. Print.

10.  Oaks, Dallin H. "Loving Others and Living with Differences." LDS.org. Intellectual Reserve, 1 Oct. 2014. Web.         

            

Take My Yoke Upon You

What does it mean to you to have rest?
What do you need rest from?
What takes away from your ability to rest?
What kind of rest do you require?

These verses helped me to understand a little bit better the rest offered by the Savior.

Matt. 11:28-30
 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

There are a few church leaders and scholars who encourage followers of Christ to take 'literally' the Lord's invitation. It has been extended to everyone. Christ has shown us the way to receive rest, but it requires a little bit of action on our part.


Christ is inviting us to do three things in these verses:

1. Come unto Him
2. Take His yoke upon us
3. Learn of Him.

Following these teachings leads to three promises:

1. Give us rest
2. Find rest unto our souls
3. His yoke is easy and His burden is light

What does it mean to take upon the yoke of Christ? It is referring to a double yoke alongside Christ or a single yoke? Double yokes allow two individuals to pull more than they both could pull separately, single yokes allow for balance, larger loads, and it makes sense that the yoke would be broken in by Christ.

I think it is something worthy of a little bit of thought and personal contemplation. 

Living a life for Christ is infinitely easier that just living a Christ-like life. I have found that it does lead to rest and ease from the burdens that are ever present, not rest in the way we typically think of it.  If we take a look at the burdens that are weighing us down and keeping us from the rest that we need, are they worth it, do they help us become better or just make our life mediocre? If we are following Christ and taking upon His yoke our lives will never fall into that category. 

What does it mean to you to have rest?

What do you need rest from?
What takes away from your ability to rest?
What kind of rest do you require?

Captain America

Recently in books I have been reading, lessons taught in church and in thoughts floating around in my head I have been hearing a lot about potential and striving to become better. It seems to be human nature to not be willing to change and become better until we are discontent with who we are. Often times we do not become discontent until we are disgusted with how lazy we are, and when we realize how little we are actually accomplishing. Then we typically take little steps to get back into the 'content' range and start the process all over again.

I love the phrase 'good is the enemy to great.' When we become satisfied and settle for less we are robbing ourselves of time, potential growth, and many other things. When we take baby steps towards our goals I feel like we are hindering our performance.

Steve Rogers is a great example of someone who gave his all in times of weakness and in times of strength. I am sure we have all seen the movie when he is trying to get into the army to fight for his country. He failed physicals and was not allowed to go, but he kept trying. The effort he put into his goal was not hindered by his lack of strength or ability.

Rogers was used to test an experimental serum that gave him great strength, physically and mentally. He was able to accomplish great things, mainly because of the effort he put in beforehand. He used his strength and abilities to compliment his integrity and effort in doing what he felt to be right.

Chances our we will not be given an experimental drug that will make us reach the peak of human strength and intelligence. As we put in effort and time our abilities will increase, we cannot wait until we are good at something to start working. We cannot reach our full potential either if we are riding on the excuse that we need to take baby steps in order to stick with it. If we truly want to be great at something (or many things) we need to put in the effort consistently and our ability will grow.

Some of us our in the frail wimpy part of our Steve Rogers experience, some are skilled and are in the Captain America part of life. No matter where we are at, lets strive to put in 100% effort and be great!


 

Ask God, and Google.

The generation that we live in is different than any other time in history, information is not scarce. In fact knowledge about various subjects can be only one 'search' away. Having such easy access to information is a powerful blessing, it can also help create laziness and reliance. Despite the easiness of access to limitless amounts of information I tend to put more trust in teachers, textbooks and other sources. 

Just yesterday I saw a meme that said "Ask God, not Google." It made me think pretty hard about the things I have been able to learn just sitting here at my desk. I have searched through scholarly journals, magazines, books, blogs, essays and countless numbers of written materials, videos, audio books and probably spent too much time reading about different sports teams and watching funny videos. 

I have been told, by some, to rely on knowledge that I can gain from books, experience, taste, touch and smell. These teachings have concrete evidence and can be tried and tested to better understand if they are true. I have enjoyed learning throughout my life, from understanding simple war strategies used by American minute-men in the Revolutionary War to the valuation of companies through determining their Net Present Value based on forecasted future cash flows. There is more out there to be learned than we can in a lifetime, but so much of it is fun and interesting. 

'Searching' for answers to different questions we have is a valuable tool, if used correctly it can be a very quick and effective way to gain knowledge on particular subjects. 

On the other side I have taken open-note quizzes where the answers can be Googled and plugged in within seconds. It requires next to no thought and little effort to receive 100%. It is a situation where the professor has allowed outside sources to be used, but it does not reflect true understanding of the subjects that are supposed to be learned. 

I have heard many people also teach to put your trust in God and rely on Him for answers that you are seeking. I have been guided and directed in my life through studying the life of Jesus Christ and through prayer as I make important decisions. 

I truly believe that God answers prayers and wants the best for each of His children. I do believe that He makes His answers known in many different ways. And it is not always a good comforting feeling. 

One such example from my life happened just over a year ago. I had been taught my whole life to pray over big decisions and trust in the Lord to help me make the right ones. When I was dating young miss Briana Hales I felt like it would be good for me to pray and ask God if she was the right girl for me to marry. I kind of liked her a little bit and was hoping the answer would be a straight forward "Yes!" I prayed multiple times before I fully understood the answer. It took me a little while to process that it did not matter at all who I married; but it mattered the kind of person I married and the kind of person I was willing to be for her. (She succeeds at being awesome more than I do, but I try.)

If you Google the phrase 'Who should I marry?' you will find a whole bunch of lists describing qualities that are important when deciding who to marry, similar long term goals, liking the other person's family, not having to look nice for each other all the time and many other things. 

Luckily for me Briana was the kind of person who I should marry, she exhibits qualities that compliment my weaknesses, she is kind and is the best person I know. (And she is a total babe.)  Even before I meet her I had thought of many qualities to look for in a potential partner, but those rational thoughts can easily fly out the window when you are dating someone new. Fully understanding what I wanted through trusting God and learning from various sources helped me make the best decision of my life.

Not all the decisions we make will be quite as important as who we choose to marry (or who not to marry, but that is a whole different blog), but many decisions that we make can and should be influenced by our knowledge of the different options available and by the influence of a loving Heavenly Father. 

The information available is a blessing, immerse yourself in it. God can only work with what is there, if you do not know jack squat and expect a profound answer you probably will not get it. If you take the time to learn and educate yourself and ask God what you should do, you will receive powerful answers and confirmation. The information is there, learn it! God is there, ask Him for help.

Ask God, and Google.

or Bing.

Physical Well-Being

Physical fitness is something that seems to be overlooked and undervalued, especially in comparison to one's spiritual or education well-being. I have always felt that taking care of our bodies is one of the biggest responsibilities given to us by our Heavenly Father. Keeping ourselves in good physical condition allows us to grow closer to Him and be more successful and confident in everything that we do. 

Physical fitness encompasses a little bit more than most people typically think, it is achieved through proper nutrition, adequate rest, exercise and hygiene. It is being able to perform work and enjoy recreational time without being overburdened.  

We all know it is important to exercise and stay fit, I encourage you all to make it a priority. If you are having trouble making the time or need someone to exercise with shoot me an email, I will gladly go to the gym, or on a jog, or even do an embarrassing dance video with you! Lets take the time to take care of this gift our Heavenly Father has given us. 

I included a couple paragraphs from this past General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by Elder Jorg Klebingat:

2. Take responsibility for your own physical well-being. Your soul consists of your body and spirit (see D&C 88:15). Feeding the spirit while neglecting the body, which is a temple, usually leads to spiritual dissonance and lowered self-esteem. If you are out of shape, if you are uncomfortable in your own body and can do something about it, then do it! Elder Russell M. Nelson has taught that we should “regard our body as a temple of our very own” and that we should “control our diet and exercise for physical fitness” (“We Are Children of God,” Ensign, Nov. 1998, 87; Liahona, Jan. 1999, 103).

President Boyd K. Packer has taught “that our spirit and our body are combined in such a way that our body becomes an instrument of our mind and the foundation of our character” (“The Instrument of Your Mind and the Foundation of Your Character” [Church Educational System fireside, Feb. 2, 2003], 2; speeches.byu.edu). Therefore, please use good judgment in what and especially how much you eat, and regularly give your body the exercise it needs and deserves. If you are physically able, decide today to be the master of your own house and begin a regular, long-term exercise program, suited to your abilities, combined with a healthier diet. Spiritual confidence increases when your spirit, with the help of the Savior, is truly in charge of your natural man or woman.

Help the Poor, with added Benefits for College Students

I have been working with the Brick Oven in Provo over the past few weeks and have been developing a charity to help benefit the homeless in Utah County.

College Students can go into Brick Oven and purchase a $20 gift card within the next couple weeks and receive a College Loyalty card from the restaurant, this gives you 50% on takeout pizza as long as you are a student.

You will receive $20 worth of gift cards that you can use for $40 worth of pizza, and $5 will be donated to help provide a meal for someone in need.


All you need to do is:

1. Go into the Brick Oven and go to the Takeout counter.

2. Purchase gift cards and mention you want to help feed the homeless (gotta say it or it will not help.), and $5 will be given to this cause and you will get discounted pizza as long as you are a student!


There is a limited time to do this, it is really easy and it will benefit you and help families in need. Please take the time to do this and invite you friends, roommates and classmates to participate. We will keep you updated on what we are able to raise!

The gift cards take about 24 hours before you can redeem them. But the 50% discount with the College loyalty card is available immediately. :)

Thank you so much for your help!

Life is not Meant to be Appreciated Only In Retrospect

I, like quite a few other people I know enjoy being happy. As a young person, it always seems like life will go on forever, the world is my canvas and I can accomplish anything and everything that I want to do.

I recently read a talk by President Uchtdorf entitled Of Regrets and Resolutions. I have heard/read this talk many times, I can truly say that it has inspired me and helped me to become a better person each time I have read it.

A simple story is told of a nurse who asks individuals, who are close to passing into the next life, "Do you have any regrets.?"

The most common answers were as follows:

1. Perhaps the most universal regret dying patients expressed was that they wished they had spent more time with the people they love.
2. I wish I had lived up to my potential... We certainly cannot do this with a dragging-our-feet, staring-at-our-watch, complaining-as-we-go approach to discipleship.
3. I wish I had let myself be happier.

To avoid some of the deepest regrets of life, it would be wise to make some resolutions today. Therefore, let us:

• • 
  Resolve to spend more time with those we love.
• • 
  Resolve to strive more earnestly to become the person God wants us to be.
• • 
  Resolve to find happiness, regardless of our circumstances.

Earnest and sincere prayer can be a powerful guiding tool to help us know what we need to do in this life in order to become like the Savior. I know that if we resolve to live the best that we can with an eye to the future we will be able to eliminate some, and hopefully all, of the regrets we otherwise would have. 

I have come to know for myself that we are in charge of determining our own happiness. Through the choices we make, the people we choose to spend time with and especially the attitude we develop towards life will helps us live happy and fulfilling lives.

"How do we do this? By following the example of the Savior, by incorporating His teachings in our daily lives, by truly loving God and our fellowman. "

I want to look back without regrets, and live life to the fullest. I know that through following the Saviors example and teachings that it is possible, I love life and my Savior Jesus Christ.

If you are interested in watching the full talk given by President Uchtdorf it is here: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/of-regrets-and-resolutions?lang=eng

You can check out my other blog as well at: http://munksentrepreneurshipjourney.blogspot.com/

The goal poster blog is worth checking out, its pretty sweet.

Church Position on Illegal Immigration (LDS/Mormon)

Over the past week or so I have done a little bit of research on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' position on illegal immigration. It is something that I have not really looked into before. But the Church just does things right, the information I found was not shocking, it was interesting to me though. 

Research

            Illegal immigration has many effects on different countries around the world. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released its official position regarding this issue, along with several statements about the importance of family, honoring and sustaining the law, and treating everyone as a loved child of our Heavenly Father. The church supports efforts to help undocumented citizens square themselves with the law in order to continue to work without necessarily leading to citizenship. The foundation of the stance of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and “fully consistent with its tradition of compassion, its reverence for family, and its commitment to law.”(Immigration, 2011) The church will continue to support the actions it deems to be right, however, the responsibility regarding illegal immigration needs to be handled by the Federal Government.

                    One major concern with illegal immigration is the separation of families. One reason some families get separated is because of deportation. Another frequent cause is fathers leaving their families for a time to work in a different country in order to provide for their families. Many mothers are left to support their families when a father is deported, and U.S. born children often end up in foster-care when their parents are deported. The priority of the church is to keep families together and have their lives centered on our Savior Jesus Christ. When families are separated the church provides many tools to help in these situations. One of these tools in helping separated families is the “Supporting Military Families” guidebook. This material provides help concerning finances, maintaining communication, helping children cope, and avoiding temptation and sin like pornography. This resource is mainly used for military families, however, it is also encouraged for other periods and causes of separation (Supporting Military Families).

                    As members of the church we believe in honoring and sustaining the law. A statement from the First Presidency says, “As a matter of policy, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints discourages its members from entering any country without legal documentation, and from deliberately overstaying legal travel visas” (Immigration). From the early days of the church it has been made clear that it is a commandment to keep the laws of the land and to be subject to rulers of the land. The commandments given are not suggestions and should be followed by followers of Jesus Christ.

                    Even though entering a country without proper documentation is illegal, members of the Church should not judge undocumented citizens. Bishops in the Church have a responsibility to be judges in Israel through following guidance of the spirit and interviewing members. Bishops determine the personal worthiness of the member. Determining worthiness is the role of specific priesthood holders and is not for regular members to decide. In the recently issued statement of the church the First Presidency with regards to worthiness as a member of the church:

“The First Presidency has for many years taught that undocumented status should not by itself prevent an otherwise worthy Church member from entering the temple or being ordained to the priesthood. Bishops are in the best position to make appropriate judgments as to Church privileges.  Meanwhile, Church members should avoid making judgments about fellow members in their congregations.” (Responsibly of Church Members)

Temple worthiness in the church is based on personal worthiness and it opens the door to the house of the Lord. Personal worthiness is determined by consistent behavior and the goodness of one’s life. The responsibility of members is to avoid making unrighteous judgment of those with undocumented status.

                    There is a high moral standard of treating each other as children of God an if the government only focuses on enforcement of the law they will fall short of that standard. It can sometimes be difficult to take a step back and fully understand what the love of God truly is. Our Heavenly Father knows all of our weaknesses and trials, yet he has a perfect love for all of His children. When we get to know and understand Him we begin to see that He is a forgiver, a helper, and a friend.

“It is by achieving this gift, this love of God, that we are able to crowd out contention, discord, and judgments. It recognizes the power and goodness innate in man and how totally inconsistent it would be for one having these feelings.” (Paramore, 1981)

Following this guidance to put our focus on loving our neighbor will help members of the church to follow the council given from the First Presidency to not be judgmental of individuals based on their undocumented status. 

                    The stance of the church in recent years has been to build up the kingdom of God in our own native countries. It is not influencing people to come to the United States. In the October 2008 General Conference Elder Christofferson taught how to build up Zion in the latter days, “In our families and in our stakes and districts, let us seek to build up Zion through unity, godliness, and charity.” (Christofferson, 2008) As opposed to the instruction of church leaders to come to Zion in a physical sense, the church leaders are commissioning us to build Zion where we currently are.   

When it is possible the church supports the government in helping illegal immigrants get squared away with the law in order to stay and work. The Church has stated that the main purpose for helping individuals stay in the United States is to decrease the number of separated families. When illegal immigrants are able to make things right with the law they should attempt to do so and in these situations the Church is not necessarily encouraging them to become citizens.

What to do with the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States is the most significant challenge in the immigration debate. The responsibility of handling illegal immigration rests on the shoulders of the Federal Government. Modern revelation tells us, “Governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and … he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society” (D&C 134:1). The church encourages members to be involved, as responsible citizens, in the obligation of good citizenship to their country. Good citizenship requires involvement, including researching political issues and prayerfully participating in the voting process. Likewise, the government was instituted for the benefit of man, the good and safety of society.  The Church acknowledges that there is a need for immigration reform in the United States and supports a “balanced and civil approach to a challenging problem, fully consistent with its tradition of compassion, its reverence for family, and its commitment to law” (Immigration).

Conclusion

From my research, I find the position of the church on the issue of illegal immigration to be: focused on the individual and families rather than on the governmental problem to be solved. It is based on the foundational doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that families are central to the plan of our Father in Heaven and is influenced by the importance of keeping families together. The Church has released its stance on illegal immigration on more than one occasion with the central focus being to love individuals regardless of their current undocumented status. The Church encourages its members to uphold the law, and discourages members to enter into a different country without proper documentation. The Church has stated that it is the responsibility of the Government to handle the illegal immigration issue, and the biggest concern from the Church leaders is that state legislation only containing enforcement provision is likely to fall short. Citizens have a responsibility to influence the Government to act in ways that will resolve the issues at hand without failing to treat others as children of God.

Personal Insight

            I believe that this topic is of significant importance and that the Church addresses this matter in the best way possible. As I have studied this topic and compared different stances both inside and outside of the Church, I have seen a significant difference between showing love for God’s children and focusing on only enforcing the law. Following the teachings to love your neighbor as yourself and treat others with compassion are central to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As an individual I have learned that love and compassion are the most important aspects of the Church’s position on illegal immigration. A majority of people that immigrate to other countries do so with a hope for a better life and a way to provide for their families. I believe the Church is taking the appropriate stance in supporting the cause of helping those who are illegally here in the United States square away with the Government to legally stay and work here. When families are split up due to deportation, or any cause for that matter, they tend to struggle financially and in spiritual matters. With just one parent struggling to make ends meet, or children who have lost both parents due to deportation, families can be broken. I feel that the Government needs to heed the council of the Church especially when families are involved. It can take years, if not over a decade, for close relatives of U.S. citizens to obtain immigration visas, keeping families apart or encouraging people to find some other way into the country. I believe that making it difficult to bring family into the country and making it difficult for individuals to stay in the U.S. for long periods of time is a big cause of illegal immigration. This responsibility, to resolve the illegal immigration issue and protect the country’s borders, rightfully rests on the shoulders of the Government. The Government was founded to benefit the people and requires participation from its citizens. We all have a responsibility to vote and fight for what we believe to be right. Citizens of the United States have the ability to make an impact for good and influence Government leaders to act in a beneficial way towards undocumented immigrants.

Works Cited:

Christofferson, D. Todd. “Come to Zion.” October 2008. Web. 20 September 2014.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Pearl of Great Price. Salt Lake City, UT: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1989.

“Handbook 2: Administering the Church.” LDS.org. 2010. Web. 20 September 2014.

“Immigration: Official Statement.” Mormonnewsroom.org. 10 June 2011. Web. 20 September 2014.

Mcconkie, Bruce R. “Come: Let Israel Build Zion.” LDS.org. April 1977. Web. 20 September 2014.

Paramore, James M. “Love One Another.” April 1981. Web. 20 September 2014.

“Responsibility of Church Members: Avoid being Judgmental.” Mormonnewsroom.org. 10 June 2011. Web. 20 September 2014.

 “Supporting Military Families.” 2010. Web. 20 September 2014