Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
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Sunday, October 11, 2009
Sabbath Day Observance
Today is Sunday. I believe it is a holy day. The scriptures refer to the holy day as the Sabbath. I believe that one of the best things that we can do for our nation is to properly observe the Sabbath. Many ancient prophets have designated this land as a promised land and have said that the inhabitants of this land must serve the God of this land who is Jesus Christ or be swept off. If the God of this land is Jesus Christ - and I believe that He is, then we must obey His laws. One of His laws is to "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
After God organized the earth, divided the light from the darkness and the water from the land, hung the sun, moon, and stars in the sky, and placed fish, fowl, animals, insects, Adam and Eve upon the earth, He rested. "God blessed the seventh day [or period of time] and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made" (Genesis 2:2-3).
The Law of the Sabbath was renewed with Moses when he received the Ten Commandments. The fourth commandment reads: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
"Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
"But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor they cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: [This pretty much covers everyone.]
"For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the Sabbath day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it" (Exodus 20:8-11).
The Law of the Sabbath was renewed again in modern days when the Lord revealed the purpose for keeping the Sabbath day holy and how to do it.
"And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day.
"For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High" (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-10).
Some definitions may be useful here: Sabbath is defined as a day of rest and worship. Hallow is defined as to make holy or sacred; sanctify; consecrate; to regard as holy; honor as sacred. Holy is defined as dedicated to religious use; belonging to or coming from God; consecrated; sacred. Blessed is defined as holy; sacred; consecrated. (New World Dictionary of the American Language, Second College Edition).
These scriptures tell us that there is a Law of the Sabbath and what the law is: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." We know that the Sabbath is to be used as a day of rest, worship and religious purposes. We know also that the day itself is blessed. We also know that we can use the Sabbath to keep ourselves clean from the "spots" of worldliness.
"The importance of a sacred day for man to rest from his temporal labors, contemplate the word of the Lord, and assemble for public worship is a major item in a person's spiritual development. Furthermore, a decay in the national religious life always follows any tendency toward carelessness in the matter of Sabbath observance. The existence of a weekly holy day is a most important safeguard; it leaves a constant reminder to the individual of his need for spiritual sustenance and his duty before God, and serves as a witness to the world that there is such a thing as revealed religion" (Bible Dictionary, 764-765).
Our nation has become a nation of Sabbath breakers. Grocery stores do their best business on Sunday. Many people use Sunday for their day of recreation and family picnics. Sunday has become a day for "business as usual" and has become a holiday instead of a holy day for many people.
What are some of the things that we need to do or to stop doing in order to keep the Sabbath day holy and thus help to safeguard our country?
1) Abstain from work and recreation. The saying "A change is as good as a rest" is very applicable to the Sabbath. Use the day to do something different than you do on the other six day of the week.
2) Stop buying, selling, trading, or supporting businesses who sell commodities or entertainment on the Sabbath.
3) The scriptures tell us that it is lawful to "do good" on the Sabbath. Doing good calls for constructive thoughts and acts such visiting the ill, the widow, and the fatherless, writing letters to men and women in the Armed Services, or spending extra time enjoying and communicating with family members.
4) The Sabbath is a day for attending our Church meetings, kneeling in prayer, studying the scriptures and other good books, spending extra time with children, meditating, taking a short nap.
For the good of our country, let's become a nation of Sabbath keepers rather than a nation of Sabbath breakers!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Liberty and Tyranny
Abraham Lincoln is quoted as making the following statement in 1864: "We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men's labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name - liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names - liberty and tyranny" (Mark R. Levin, Liberty and Tyranny A Conservative Manifesto (back cover).
Liberty and Tyranny are two great forces in the world that seem to be everywhere. The wars currently going on in Iraq and Afghanistan are being fought to bring liberty where tyranny once reigned freely. The Korean War was fought to keep South Korea free of the tyranny of North Korea. World War II was fought to stop the tyranny of Germany, Italy, and Japan from being forced upon the rest of the world. In The Revolutionary War the American colonists fought a war against their mother country for liberty.
Those familiar words in the Declaration of Independence state: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…."
The United States Constitution was written to put in place the laws that would maintain those unalienable Rights, including Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Right now in our country the Constitution is under attack. President Barack Obama has outright stated that the Constitution doesn't do what we want it to do. In particular, he thinks that the Constitution should tell us what the government can do for us rather than just what the government can't do to us (see the Bill of Rights).
I'll admit that I've been looking at the big picture, thinking of freedom for our whole country. What are we supposed to do when we live in a country that guarantees liberty, but in our own home and/or community there is tyranny? How do we recognize tyranny in our personal lives? What do we do about it when we see it? What are the characteristics we should be aware of? How do we teach and train our children in liberty rather than tyranny?
Today I've been forced to look at freedom from tyranny on a more personal level. I've spent the bigger part of the past two days reading a book called Escape by Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer. This book is the story of Carolyn Jessop, and her account is said to be "absolutely factual" (Jon Krakauer on back cover). In her book Carolyn tells the story of how she was born into a family that practiced polygamy for six generations. She accepted polygamy as the way life should be. When she was eighteen years old, she became the fourth wife of a fifty-year-old man. She had eight children in the fifteen years. Carolyn describes the tyranny that went on in her childhood home, schools, and later in her married life. She suffered physical abuse from her mother. She saw physical abuse on her bus when students assaulted other students and in her classroom when her principal "disciplined" students. She witnessed and suffered emotional and physical in her husband's home: husband upon wife, parent upon child, wife upon wife, child upon child. When she realized that life was becoming even more difficult, she began to plot her escape. After several years of planning, she was able to escape and take all eight of her children with her. Even though she was in a new community and receiving help, the results of all the abuse and tension continued to plague her. Little by little she was able to throw off the tyranny and become truly free.
As I read this book, I begin to recognize the signs of other tyrannies that are familiar to us, like that of the Taliban, Hitler, Saddam Hussein, etc.:
. The power was concentrated in one person who was the supreme head. In the family, father had absolute power. In the cult (the author's word) power was concentrated in the "prophet." In either case, there was to be no questioning of authority. The decision made by the person in control was permanent.
. The right words were used, but the meaning was changed to mean whatever the supreme head wanted.
. Laws were used to keep the masses under control, but the leaders had no laws.
. Schools were for indoctrination but were eventually closed. Education was determined to be bad. They didn't want anyone learning to think for themselves or to be influenced by anyone outside their group.
. Outside contact was eliminated. Television, radio, Internet, and newspapers were considered to be evil. Any information, such as the weather report, would be given by those in authority.
. Women and children were powerless. They were under the direct control of the father in the home and had to endure whatever he chose to inflict. For rebellious wives or children, husbands and fathers could go to the "prophet" for more support.
. Members of the family were encouraged to spy on each other and make reports to the father.
. Affection was non-existent, whether between spouses or between parent and child. Emotional support was missing.
. Personal control was taken away, such as type of clothing to be worn, hair styles, careers, etc. Towards the end of the book, even sex between husband and wife was being dictated.
Tyranny has been defined as cruel or unjust use of power. The following quote is attributed to William Pitt, "Where laws end, tyranny begins." Edmund Burke is quoted as saying, "Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny." Synonyms for tyranny are oppression, harshness, despotism. On the other hand, liberty has been defined as freedom; the condition of being free from captivity, imprisonment, or slavery; independence; the right or power to do as one pleases; power or opportunity to do something. (World Book Encyclopedia)
God gave us agency, the freedom to choose, and the U.S. Constitution guarantees the liberty to use that agency. Liberty always involves freedom to grow, to develop, to do as we choose; tyranny always involves oppression and force of some kind. Parents have the responsibility to teach and to train children in love and kindness, but they have no right to use harshness or unkindness in dealing with their children.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Paul Revere
We have all probably heard the story of how Paul Revere made a midnight ride, but did we hear the true story? I have been thinking a lot about Paul Revere lately so I thought I would do a historical post today. Much of the information for this post came either from the World Book Encyclopedia or America The Last Best Hope (both as quoted below).
Paul Revere was born on January 1, 1735, in Boston, Massachusetts, and was the son of a silversmith. His family descended from French Huguenots, and their family name was originally Rivoire. His father changed the name to Revere "that the Bumpkins should pronounce it easier" (James Kirby Martin, World Book Encyclopedia, Vol. 16, p 267). Paul learned the silversmith's trade and entered his father's business after schooling and marriage.
Paul became interested in obtaining liberty for the American colonists and worked with some of the leaders of the revolution, particularly John Hancock and Samuel Adams. He was a participant in the Boston Tea Party and served as a messenger for the Boston patriots. The British were well aware of him long before his famous ride.
When the British commander in chief, General Thomas Gage, was instructed by King George III to enforce order among the colonists, Gage sent an army of 700 men to Concord to destroy military supplies and to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock. The orders were secret but had been leaked to the patriots. Paul Revere rode to Concord to warn the patriots there to move the military supplies.
Two days later when the British army assembled to make the march, Joseph Warren, a patriot leader, sent Revere and William Dawes to warn Adams and Hancock in Lexington and patriots in Concord. Paul arranged for a signal to warn friends in Charlestown. It would be flashed from the Old North Church steeple in Boston. One lantern would mean the British were coming by land, and two lanterns meant they were coming by sea.
Somewhere around 10:00 p.m. on April 18, 1775, Revere left Boston by boat, going right past the British ship. He arrived in Lexington about midnight on a borrowed horse. According to William J. Bennett in America The Last Best Hope, p 78) "Revere shouted '… The regulars are coming out!' (Revere would only have confused colonists if he had yelled: `The British are coming,' since Massachusetts people still thought of themselves as British."
Revere, William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott left for Concord about 1:00 a.m. They were surprised by a British cavalry patrol, who captured Revere. The only one to get to Concord was Prescott. Revere was allowed by the British to return to Lexington but without a horse. Revere fled to Burlington with Adams and Hancock but returned the next day to Lexington to get important papers from Hancock's trunk.
Because of the warning, minutemen (thus named "because they could be ready for military duty in a minute" according to Bennett in America, The Last Best Hope, p 78) were waiting in Lexington when the British arrived.
Revere continued to support the cause for liberty by commanding a garrison during 1778-1779. He printed the first Continental paper currency. When the war started he learned to manufacture gun powder. During and after the war he continued the silversmith trade. He made copper plates for printing and engraving, cast cannon and bells in bronze, and made copper fittings for the U.S.S. Constitution ("Old Ironsides").
Paul Revere the great patriot died in 1818 after serving his country well for many years.
I own a small fry pan made by Revere Ware. I wondered if there were any connection to Paul Revere and went to the company site to find the following information, which I find interesting. "Revere Ware Corporation began as a division of Revere Copper & Brass, a metal company based in New York. Revere Copper & Brass was formed in 1928 from a merger of six small copper and brass companies. One of the six firms in the 1928 merger traced its roots back to the famed American revolutionary and silversmith Paul Revere."
It always makes life a little bit more interesting when we know the history behind the experience. Did you learn anything new about the midnight ride of Paul Revere?
Paul Revere was born on January 1, 1735, in Boston, Massachusetts, and was the son of a silversmith. His family descended from French Huguenots, and their family name was originally Rivoire. His father changed the name to Revere "that the Bumpkins should pronounce it easier" (James Kirby Martin, World Book Encyclopedia, Vol. 16, p 267). Paul learned the silversmith's trade and entered his father's business after schooling and marriage.
Paul became interested in obtaining liberty for the American colonists and worked with some of the leaders of the revolution, particularly John Hancock and Samuel Adams. He was a participant in the Boston Tea Party and served as a messenger for the Boston patriots. The British were well aware of him long before his famous ride.
When the British commander in chief, General Thomas Gage, was instructed by King George III to enforce order among the colonists, Gage sent an army of 700 men to Concord to destroy military supplies and to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock. The orders were secret but had been leaked to the patriots. Paul Revere rode to Concord to warn the patriots there to move the military supplies.
Two days later when the British army assembled to make the march, Joseph Warren, a patriot leader, sent Revere and William Dawes to warn Adams and Hancock in Lexington and patriots in Concord. Paul arranged for a signal to warn friends in Charlestown. It would be flashed from the Old North Church steeple in Boston. One lantern would mean the British were coming by land, and two lanterns meant they were coming by sea.
Somewhere around 10:00 p.m. on April 18, 1775, Revere left Boston by boat, going right past the British ship. He arrived in Lexington about midnight on a borrowed horse. According to William J. Bennett in America The Last Best Hope, p 78) "Revere shouted '… The regulars are coming out!' (Revere would only have confused colonists if he had yelled: `The British are coming,' since Massachusetts people still thought of themselves as British."
Revere, William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott left for Concord about 1:00 a.m. They were surprised by a British cavalry patrol, who captured Revere. The only one to get to Concord was Prescott. Revere was allowed by the British to return to Lexington but without a horse. Revere fled to Burlington with Adams and Hancock but returned the next day to Lexington to get important papers from Hancock's trunk.
Because of the warning, minutemen (thus named "because they could be ready for military duty in a minute" according to Bennett in America, The Last Best Hope, p 78) were waiting in Lexington when the British arrived.
Revere continued to support the cause for liberty by commanding a garrison during 1778-1779. He printed the first Continental paper currency. When the war started he learned to manufacture gun powder. During and after the war he continued the silversmith trade. He made copper plates for printing and engraving, cast cannon and bells in bronze, and made copper fittings for the U.S.S. Constitution ("Old Ironsides").
Paul Revere the great patriot died in 1818 after serving his country well for many years.
I own a small fry pan made by Revere Ware. I wondered if there were any connection to Paul Revere and went to the company site to find the following information, which I find interesting. "Revere Ware Corporation began as a division of Revere Copper & Brass, a metal company based in New York. Revere Copper & Brass was formed in 1928 from a merger of six small copper and brass companies. One of the six firms in the 1928 merger traced its roots back to the famed American revolutionary and silversmith Paul Revere."
It always makes life a little bit more interesting when we know the history behind the experience. Did you learn anything new about the midnight ride of Paul Revere?
Town Hall Meeting
Tonight I spent a few hours attending a town hall meeting to hear our mayor discuss his city operating budget for 2010. In the ninety days since Mayor Dan Sullivan was sworn into office, he and his staff have actually created two budgets. They first had to fix a faulty 2009 budget left by the outgoing mayor and then create the budget for 2010.
Our liberal former mayor, Mark Begich, resigned as mayor to go to Washington D.C. as our new Democratic senator. One of Begich's last acts as mayor was to sign some contracts giving sweetheart deals to the city labor unions at a time when he should have been holding the line on expenses. There are some questions about whether the contracts are legal because Begich kept important information about the state of the city financial affairs from the Assembly, who approved the contracts. If the contracts prove to be legal, the city will be in a huge financial hole until the contracts come up again for renewal in five or six years.
Mayor Sullivan seems to be honest and sincere in his efforts to balance the city budget and keep our city out of bankruptcy. From the charts and figures shown at the town hall meeting, we have to cut spending now to even survive. Our city government will be back-to-basics with the bulk of the budget paying for police, fire and snow removal.
I mentioned some time ago that I thought that there must be some corruption somewhere in order for a city of 300,000 to 350,000 to be nearly $50 million dollars in the red. Maybe it wasn't true corruption but just a case of wanting the unions' votes in a close election. Whatever the reason for the mismanagement, we now have a senator representing us in Washington D.C. whom I do not trust. I certainly hope that he is a one-term senator and that we can vote him out before the country goes bankrupt!
Because of Begich's mismanagement of city funds, there are somewhere between fifty and two hundred employees who will be out of work by the end of the year. One of those employees is a police lieutenant whom I have known for many years. He is a good man and a good police officer who was recently promoted to lieutenant; therefore, he is no longer protected by the union. His new position is being eliminated.
It is a sad day when people have to suffer because of the mismanagement of someone else. It is even worse to watch the one responsible for the mess to actually move on to more glory! Besides all that, my property taxes will be going up again!
Our liberal former mayor, Mark Begich, resigned as mayor to go to Washington D.C. as our new Democratic senator. One of Begich's last acts as mayor was to sign some contracts giving sweetheart deals to the city labor unions at a time when he should have been holding the line on expenses. There are some questions about whether the contracts are legal because Begich kept important information about the state of the city financial affairs from the Assembly, who approved the contracts. If the contracts prove to be legal, the city will be in a huge financial hole until the contracts come up again for renewal in five or six years.
Mayor Sullivan seems to be honest and sincere in his efforts to balance the city budget and keep our city out of bankruptcy. From the charts and figures shown at the town hall meeting, we have to cut spending now to even survive. Our city government will be back-to-basics with the bulk of the budget paying for police, fire and snow removal.
I mentioned some time ago that I thought that there must be some corruption somewhere in order for a city of 300,000 to 350,000 to be nearly $50 million dollars in the red. Maybe it wasn't true corruption but just a case of wanting the unions' votes in a close election. Whatever the reason for the mismanagement, we now have a senator representing us in Washington D.C. whom I do not trust. I certainly hope that he is a one-term senator and that we can vote him out before the country goes bankrupt!
Because of Begich's mismanagement of city funds, there are somewhere between fifty and two hundred employees who will be out of work by the end of the year. One of those employees is a police lieutenant whom I have known for many years. He is a good man and a good police officer who was recently promoted to lieutenant; therefore, he is no longer protected by the union. His new position is being eliminated.
It is a sad day when people have to suffer because of the mismanagement of someone else. It is even worse to watch the one responsible for the mess to actually move on to more glory! Besides all that, my property taxes will be going up again!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Basic Welfare Principles
I've been thinking for a couple of days about some ideas that I will simply call basic welfare principles. I understand that numerous foreign governments have sought information about the welfare program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints so I went to the Church's web site (lds.org) to find information for my post today.
The Church teaches that each individual has two basic welfare responsibilities: to become self-reliant and to care for the poor and the needy. It also teaches that each individual is responsible for his or her own social, emotional, spiritual, physical, and economic well-being. If the individual cannot care for themselves in any of these areas, the family is next in line to provide help. Parents are of course responsible to care for their children as well as to teach them how to become more responsible for their own welfare and to prepare them to become more self-reliant. Adult children become responsible for elderly or needy parents.
Self-reliance is the first of the two basic welfare principles and can be obtained by 1) gaining necessary education; 2) living good principles of exercise, hygiene, and nutrition; 3) gaining suitable employment; 4) storing food and clothing for future use; 5) being wise with personal resources, paying tithes and offerings, and avoiding debt; 6) gaining spiritual, emotional, and social strength.
I would like to discuss further the six self-reliance principles.
a. Education includes more than gaining a high school diploma or a college degree - both of which I consider to be absolutely essential. Education also includes reading the scriptures and other good books, improving reading, writing and mathematics skills, and becoming computer literate. Education should be a life long effort.
b. No one has more control over a person than that particular individual; therefore, each individual is responsible for keeping his/her own body as healthy and fit as possible. A daily exercise program is essential in maintaining strong muscles and bones. I am often amazed at the difference in my body when I am exercising regularly and when I am slothful. Cleanliness is very important, particularly now with swine flu in our midst and flu season approaching. We have been counseled to wash our hands often. Just as cars, trucks, and other vehicles do not run without the proper fuel, our bodies do not run well without proper nourishment. Just as we can overfill a vehicle, we can also put too much food into our bodies.
c. Unemployment is now higher than it has been in twenty-six years, and more jobs are being lost as time goes on. If you are employed now, try to make yourself indispensable to your company. Be the best employee that you can possibly be. If you are currently looking for work or trying to upgrade your position, work just as hard at find a job as you would to keep a job. Sometimes it just takes patience and persistence to find the right combination that will work.
d. Try to store enough food and clothing in your home to meet your needs for at least one month. This counsel is particularly important at times of natural disasters or personal crises, but it is very helpful in day to day living as well.
e. In order to be self-reliant, it is critical to avoid debt. Our current national economic crisis was caused by too many individuals and businesses living beyond their incomes. One very important way to conserve resources is to take good care of what is presently owned so it doesn't need to be replaced; this applies to clothing, appliances, carpet, vehicles, etc.
f. Spiritual, emotional, and social strength could very well be more important than physical strength. One very important resource is personal and family prayer; another is scripture study. Stay connected with people.
When God told Adam "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread…" (Genesis 3:19), he was telling Adam that he would have to work for what he got. The principle of work has never been revoked and is still very important in becoming self-reliant. Work is required for doing well in school as well as providing a living. Any honorable work can be a source of happiness, self-worth, and prosperity.
The second basic welfare principle is caring for the poor and the needy and helping them to gain the necessities of life (food, clothing, shelter, medicine, etc). The poor and the needy consist of the homeless, disabled, widow, elderly, sick, and those in poverty or experiencing hardships or natural disasters. Each individual and family are expected to meet as many of their own needs as possible before expecting others to help.
There are numerous ways that we can serve the poor and the needy including giving time, sharing talents, donating money, and providing child care - but our first responsibility is to be self-reliant so we don't need help!
The Church teaches that each individual has two basic welfare responsibilities: to become self-reliant and to care for the poor and the needy. It also teaches that each individual is responsible for his or her own social, emotional, spiritual, physical, and economic well-being. If the individual cannot care for themselves in any of these areas, the family is next in line to provide help. Parents are of course responsible to care for their children as well as to teach them how to become more responsible for their own welfare and to prepare them to become more self-reliant. Adult children become responsible for elderly or needy parents.
Self-reliance is the first of the two basic welfare principles and can be obtained by 1) gaining necessary education; 2) living good principles of exercise, hygiene, and nutrition; 3) gaining suitable employment; 4) storing food and clothing for future use; 5) being wise with personal resources, paying tithes and offerings, and avoiding debt; 6) gaining spiritual, emotional, and social strength.
I would like to discuss further the six self-reliance principles.
a. Education includes more than gaining a high school diploma or a college degree - both of which I consider to be absolutely essential. Education also includes reading the scriptures and other good books, improving reading, writing and mathematics skills, and becoming computer literate. Education should be a life long effort.
b. No one has more control over a person than that particular individual; therefore, each individual is responsible for keeping his/her own body as healthy and fit as possible. A daily exercise program is essential in maintaining strong muscles and bones. I am often amazed at the difference in my body when I am exercising regularly and when I am slothful. Cleanliness is very important, particularly now with swine flu in our midst and flu season approaching. We have been counseled to wash our hands often. Just as cars, trucks, and other vehicles do not run without the proper fuel, our bodies do not run well without proper nourishment. Just as we can overfill a vehicle, we can also put too much food into our bodies.
c. Unemployment is now higher than it has been in twenty-six years, and more jobs are being lost as time goes on. If you are employed now, try to make yourself indispensable to your company. Be the best employee that you can possibly be. If you are currently looking for work or trying to upgrade your position, work just as hard at find a job as you would to keep a job. Sometimes it just takes patience and persistence to find the right combination that will work.
d. Try to store enough food and clothing in your home to meet your needs for at least one month. This counsel is particularly important at times of natural disasters or personal crises, but it is very helpful in day to day living as well.
e. In order to be self-reliant, it is critical to avoid debt. Our current national economic crisis was caused by too many individuals and businesses living beyond their incomes. One very important way to conserve resources is to take good care of what is presently owned so it doesn't need to be replaced; this applies to clothing, appliances, carpet, vehicles, etc.
f. Spiritual, emotional, and social strength could very well be more important than physical strength. One very important resource is personal and family prayer; another is scripture study. Stay connected with people.
When God told Adam "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread…" (Genesis 3:19), he was telling Adam that he would have to work for what he got. The principle of work has never been revoked and is still very important in becoming self-reliant. Work is required for doing well in school as well as providing a living. Any honorable work can be a source of happiness, self-worth, and prosperity.
The second basic welfare principle is caring for the poor and the needy and helping them to gain the necessities of life (food, clothing, shelter, medicine, etc). The poor and the needy consist of the homeless, disabled, widow, elderly, sick, and those in poverty or experiencing hardships or natural disasters. Each individual and family are expected to meet as many of their own needs as possible before expecting others to help.
There are numerous ways that we can serve the poor and the needy including giving time, sharing talents, donating money, and providing child care - but our first responsibility is to be self-reliant so we don't need help!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
A Seer's Counsel
We all know that we live in troubled times. It is no secret that unemployment in our nation is now at a twenty-six year high, banks continue to fail, and the State of California is on the verge of collapse. Outside of our nation there have been earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods as well as wars and other political problems. Every day we hear of some new problem or some person or group that needs help.
I have often wished that I could see into the future in order to make wise decisions today, but I have not yet gained this power. I did however have the opportunity to listen to a man who has the power to discern hidden things, whether in the past, present, or future. Such a person is called a seer.
Thomas S. Monson is sustained by the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as president of the Church and as a prophet, seer, and revelator. I was anxious to hear his message today, and I was listening for counsel for what I should do to survive the troubles of our time. I don't really know what I expected, but I was a little surprised at his counsel. I was impressed with the way he began his message by telling us that he felt inspired to give this counsel to us. He was confident in his delivery as well as positive and upbeat in his message.
President Monson told a story about a man who has made great accomplishments in the medical field. This man grew up in a home where he was asked every day by his father, "What did you do for someone today?" The father's question inspired the man and his siblings to help other people.
President Monson quoted a few scriptures about helping other people, including the following:
"… when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17).
"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 16:25).
He also quoted David O. McKay as saying, "man's greatest happiness comes from losing himself for the good of others."
He counseled us to step back and take a good look at how we spend our time and efforts. He said that we are too often involved in things that don't really matter, things that he called "the thick of thin things."
He told us that the ideal gift that anyone could give to him was to find someone who is ill, lonely, or just having a hard time and do something to help them. He then told stories of some of those gifts.
He closed by quoting the words of the following hymn by Will L. Thompson (1847-1909):
"Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone's burden been lighter today because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?"
I am reminded of a movie that I really like which is called Pay It Forward about a junior high student who came up with an idea that could result in a global outpouring of kindness and decency. His idea was to do a favor that really helped someone and to tell that person to pay the favor forward to three other people rather than pay him back. The three other people would, in turn, each pay the favor forward to three more people. He started the project by helping three different people. The project mushroomed into a giant service project and changed the lives of many people, especially the lives of members of his family.
I have learned by experiences in my own life that when I am engaged in a good cause of helping other people, I have far less time to spend thinking about myself and my own problems. If everyone in our nation would do at least one daily act of service for someone else, our country would become a far better and stronger place because it would lessen the amount of selfishness and greed that is among us.
I challenge each of us to follow the advice of this wise seer and ask ourselves each day, "what did I do for someone today?" and then be inspired to do a favor that can help someone.
I have often wished that I could see into the future in order to make wise decisions today, but I have not yet gained this power. I did however have the opportunity to listen to a man who has the power to discern hidden things, whether in the past, present, or future. Such a person is called a seer.
Thomas S. Monson is sustained by the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as president of the Church and as a prophet, seer, and revelator. I was anxious to hear his message today, and I was listening for counsel for what I should do to survive the troubles of our time. I don't really know what I expected, but I was a little surprised at his counsel. I was impressed with the way he began his message by telling us that he felt inspired to give this counsel to us. He was confident in his delivery as well as positive and upbeat in his message.
President Monson told a story about a man who has made great accomplishments in the medical field. This man grew up in a home where he was asked every day by his father, "What did you do for someone today?" The father's question inspired the man and his siblings to help other people.
President Monson quoted a few scriptures about helping other people, including the following:
"… when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17).
"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 16:25).
He also quoted David O. McKay as saying, "man's greatest happiness comes from losing himself for the good of others."
He counseled us to step back and take a good look at how we spend our time and efforts. He said that we are too often involved in things that don't really matter, things that he called "the thick of thin things."
He told us that the ideal gift that anyone could give to him was to find someone who is ill, lonely, or just having a hard time and do something to help them. He then told stories of some of those gifts.
He closed by quoting the words of the following hymn by Will L. Thompson (1847-1909):
"Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone's burden been lighter today because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?"
I am reminded of a movie that I really like which is called Pay It Forward about a junior high student who came up with an idea that could result in a global outpouring of kindness and decency. His idea was to do a favor that really helped someone and to tell that person to pay the favor forward to three other people rather than pay him back. The three other people would, in turn, each pay the favor forward to three more people. He started the project by helping three different people. The project mushroomed into a giant service project and changed the lives of many people, especially the lives of members of his family.
I have learned by experiences in my own life that when I am engaged in a good cause of helping other people, I have far less time to spend thinking about myself and my own problems. If everyone in our nation would do at least one daily act of service for someone else, our country would become a far better and stronger place because it would lessen the amount of selfishness and greed that is among us.
I challenge each of us to follow the advice of this wise seer and ask ourselves each day, "what did I do for someone today?" and then be inspired to do a favor that can help someone.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Montague Island
I am back from my trip to Montague Island where I spent a few days deer hunting with my husband and a couple of long time friends. This trip was a spur-of-the-minute one, giving us another opportunity to exercise our Second Amendment rights as well as other American liberties.
My husband spent most of Tuesday helping our friend remove the floats and install the tires on our two aircraft. Removing the floats is a big job and an important one to complete before the lakes freeze. While working on their aircraft, the two friends decided to go to Montague Island the next day to hunt for deer. We spent a few hours getting equipment, food, and clothing ready for the trip - and then waited on the weather.
The weather in Anchorage was mostly clear on Wednesday with temperatures around 50 degrees, but thick clouds were hanging around the mountain tops and had completely closed Portage Pass over to Whittier. The two pilots kept a watch on the weather, which cleared enough to take off from Lake Hood air strip about 3:00.
We took off first and flew across Cook Inlet where our friends caught up with us and passed us. We flew through the mountains at around 2000 feet to Seward. The weather was better at Seward so we were able to fly at 3000 feet across the water. We saw about 20 mountain goats on the mountain tops and the cliffs around the water.
By the time we arrived at Montague Island, we were seeing rain drops on the windshield and lower visibility. When we arrived we could see that our friends were already on the ground and setting up a cooking shelter. Their Maule flies about 30 miles per hour faster than our Super Cub so they always arrive long before we do. We flew around for five minutes or so to look for deer but didn't see any.
We landed without any problems just after 5:00 on a wide, sandy beach with the tide going out and taxied as close to camp as possible. Immediately upon exiting the aircraft, we broke out our rain gear. The rain gear apparently had magical powers because the rain stopped as soon as we were suited up. All the grass, bushes and trees were dripping with rain so we needed the rain gear to stay dry even without rain falling.
We unloaded our airplanes and set up camp. We were eating dinner by 6:30. The temperatures were still quite warm and enjoyable. We spent a leisurely evening and went to bed about 9:00.
A cold front came during the night, leaving a thin layer of frost on everything. Knowing that the frost would melt, leaving the grass, bushes and trees wet again, we again donned our Healy Hanson rain gear. My husband and I chose to hike in our Danner Winter Light hunting boots, and our friends chose rubber boots and hip waders. We like our boots because they keep our feet dry and are easier to hike in; however, we have to be careful where we place our feet and how we cross streams. Our friends like the rubber boots because they are better for crossing streams and boggy marshes.
Montague Island appears to be volcano based. At least, most of the rocks I've seen appear to be made of lava. The beaches are nice and sandy with occasional places with lots of rocks. The moss-covered ground on the inner island is very spongy and water logged with many small streams and holes filled with water, some of them hidden in the grass. The trees are thick except in the many meadows. The middle of the island contains very tall mountains and cliffs.
We were just heading out of camp about 8:00 a.m. with our friends going up the beach past the aircraft and us heading the other direction. We had gone about 50 feet when our friends called to us and wanted us to go back. We returned to where they were and saw the very large tracks of a brown bear that had walked down the beach sometime during the night, going the same direction that we were heading.
I was kind of spooked to be walking into thick trees and tall grass with a known bear in the area. I made sure that I stayed right on my husband's heels for two reasons. I wanted to be close enough for him to protect me plus I figured that two people together would look larger and perhaps cause a bear to think twice before attacking. I was somewhat relieved a couple of hours later when we crossed the bear trail going down the middle of a meadow - heading in the opposite direction to where we were going.
We hiked up through a pass in the mountains and down the other side to the beach. We found a very large rock and climbed to the top of it to eat our lunch. We took our time with lunch, watching the beach in both directions for deer as well as enjoying the ocean waves as they crashed against the rocks at high tide.
The deer on Montague Island are Sitka Black Tails, which are quite small, about the size of a large dog. They flourish well on the islands but don't survive the deep snow of the mainland the few times that they have been seen there. Most of the deer on Montague spend the summers and early fall in the high mountains and cliffs until they are driven down lower by snow. We have often seen deer on the beach so we hoped to find success there. They seem to like eating the kelp washed up by the waves.
We were just finishing lunch and repacking the pack when I looked down the beach and saw a deer a few hundred yards away. My husband grabbed his rifle and told me to come with him. I took my time and loitered behind him. He got close enough to the deer that he thought he might scare it into the trees. The deer was in a little dip on the beach so only the head and chest could be seen. My husband took a first shot from a standing position but shot low. The deer just stood there looking at him so he took a second shot. The deer jumped and ran towards the grass and trees. I had a difficult time believing that my husband had missed twice. When I got to the spot where he waited for me, I could see blood on the sand. The deer was hit in the heart/lungs and ran about twenty feet before dying in the grass.
In the fifty plus years that my husband has been hunting deer, he has become professional in the way he cares for and handles the meat. Since we moved to Alaska and began hunting for moose, he has perfected his skills at removing the four quarters, back strap, and any other usable meat without the need to clean out the insides of the animal. Within a very short time, we had the meat harvested and in our pack.
We headed back towards camp, all the time looking for more deer. I was carrying the pack with the deer meat. The main reason was because it seemed to be the lighter of the two packs. A second important reason was that I preferred to have the meat on my back and the rifle in my husband's hands rather than the meat on his back and me trying to shoot a bear. A few years ago, one of our family friends was killed by a brown bear while carrying deer meat so I'm a little sensitive in the matter.
Our trip ended after a couple of days and nights of clear weather. Our group harvested four deer - far fewer than the legal amount of sixteen deer between the four of us. The weather was clear enough that we flew back at 8000 feet, over the tops of the mountains containing the Harding Ice Fields - glaciers that stretch for miles and miles and miles. We had a 35 mile per hour tail wind and were back in Anchorage about an hour after leaving the island.
I have just one question: how could I hike up and down mountains, climb over log jams, and carry heavy loads for the better part of three days - and end up gaining two pounds? My husband always comes home from hunting trips several pounds lighter so why did I gain weight? Even in a free country life isn't always fair!
My husband spent most of Tuesday helping our friend remove the floats and install the tires on our two aircraft. Removing the floats is a big job and an important one to complete before the lakes freeze. While working on their aircraft, the two friends decided to go to Montague Island the next day to hunt for deer. We spent a few hours getting equipment, food, and clothing ready for the trip - and then waited on the weather.
The weather in Anchorage was mostly clear on Wednesday with temperatures around 50 degrees, but thick clouds were hanging around the mountain tops and had completely closed Portage Pass over to Whittier. The two pilots kept a watch on the weather, which cleared enough to take off from Lake Hood air strip about 3:00.
We took off first and flew across Cook Inlet where our friends caught up with us and passed us. We flew through the mountains at around 2000 feet to Seward. The weather was better at Seward so we were able to fly at 3000 feet across the water. We saw about 20 mountain goats on the mountain tops and the cliffs around the water.
By the time we arrived at Montague Island, we were seeing rain drops on the windshield and lower visibility. When we arrived we could see that our friends were already on the ground and setting up a cooking shelter. Their Maule flies about 30 miles per hour faster than our Super Cub so they always arrive long before we do. We flew around for five minutes or so to look for deer but didn't see any.
We landed without any problems just after 5:00 on a wide, sandy beach with the tide going out and taxied as close to camp as possible. Immediately upon exiting the aircraft, we broke out our rain gear. The rain gear apparently had magical powers because the rain stopped as soon as we were suited up. All the grass, bushes and trees were dripping with rain so we needed the rain gear to stay dry even without rain falling.
We unloaded our airplanes and set up camp. We were eating dinner by 6:30. The temperatures were still quite warm and enjoyable. We spent a leisurely evening and went to bed about 9:00.
A cold front came during the night, leaving a thin layer of frost on everything. Knowing that the frost would melt, leaving the grass, bushes and trees wet again, we again donned our Healy Hanson rain gear. My husband and I chose to hike in our Danner Winter Light hunting boots, and our friends chose rubber boots and hip waders. We like our boots because they keep our feet dry and are easier to hike in; however, we have to be careful where we place our feet and how we cross streams. Our friends like the rubber boots because they are better for crossing streams and boggy marshes.
Montague Island appears to be volcano based. At least, most of the rocks I've seen appear to be made of lava. The beaches are nice and sandy with occasional places with lots of rocks. The moss-covered ground on the inner island is very spongy and water logged with many small streams and holes filled with water, some of them hidden in the grass. The trees are thick except in the many meadows. The middle of the island contains very tall mountains and cliffs.
We were just heading out of camp about 8:00 a.m. with our friends going up the beach past the aircraft and us heading the other direction. We had gone about 50 feet when our friends called to us and wanted us to go back. We returned to where they were and saw the very large tracks of a brown bear that had walked down the beach sometime during the night, going the same direction that we were heading.
I was kind of spooked to be walking into thick trees and tall grass with a known bear in the area. I made sure that I stayed right on my husband's heels for two reasons. I wanted to be close enough for him to protect me plus I figured that two people together would look larger and perhaps cause a bear to think twice before attacking. I was somewhat relieved a couple of hours later when we crossed the bear trail going down the middle of a meadow - heading in the opposite direction to where we were going.
We hiked up through a pass in the mountains and down the other side to the beach. We found a very large rock and climbed to the top of it to eat our lunch. We took our time with lunch, watching the beach in both directions for deer as well as enjoying the ocean waves as they crashed against the rocks at high tide.
The deer on Montague Island are Sitka Black Tails, which are quite small, about the size of a large dog. They flourish well on the islands but don't survive the deep snow of the mainland the few times that they have been seen there. Most of the deer on Montague spend the summers and early fall in the high mountains and cliffs until they are driven down lower by snow. We have often seen deer on the beach so we hoped to find success there. They seem to like eating the kelp washed up by the waves.
We were just finishing lunch and repacking the pack when I looked down the beach and saw a deer a few hundred yards away. My husband grabbed his rifle and told me to come with him. I took my time and loitered behind him. He got close enough to the deer that he thought he might scare it into the trees. The deer was in a little dip on the beach so only the head and chest could be seen. My husband took a first shot from a standing position but shot low. The deer just stood there looking at him so he took a second shot. The deer jumped and ran towards the grass and trees. I had a difficult time believing that my husband had missed twice. When I got to the spot where he waited for me, I could see blood on the sand. The deer was hit in the heart/lungs and ran about twenty feet before dying in the grass.
In the fifty plus years that my husband has been hunting deer, he has become professional in the way he cares for and handles the meat. Since we moved to Alaska and began hunting for moose, he has perfected his skills at removing the four quarters, back strap, and any other usable meat without the need to clean out the insides of the animal. Within a very short time, we had the meat harvested and in our pack.
We headed back towards camp, all the time looking for more deer. I was carrying the pack with the deer meat. The main reason was because it seemed to be the lighter of the two packs. A second important reason was that I preferred to have the meat on my back and the rifle in my husband's hands rather than the meat on his back and me trying to shoot a bear. A few years ago, one of our family friends was killed by a brown bear while carrying deer meat so I'm a little sensitive in the matter.
Our trip ended after a couple of days and nights of clear weather. Our group harvested four deer - far fewer than the legal amount of sixteen deer between the four of us. The weather was clear enough that we flew back at 8000 feet, over the tops of the mountains containing the Harding Ice Fields - glaciers that stretch for miles and miles and miles. We had a 35 mile per hour tail wind and were back in Anchorage about an hour after leaving the island.
I have just one question: how could I hike up and down mountains, climb over log jams, and carry heavy loads for the better part of three days - and end up gaining two pounds? My husband always comes home from hunting trips several pounds lighter so why did I gain weight? Even in a free country life isn't always fair!
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