Lessons from Branding Cattle

One thing I've been lucky to have the chance to do while serving in Montana is branding cattle.  I remember first watching a calve being branded and thinking "what in the world is going on?!"  My first branding was with the branch president up here in Roundup, MT.  When it was time for me to wrestle the calve, I was probably a pretty comical sight for many of the people there, even little kids, who had been branding before.  My missionary companion at the time, Elder Owens, had already worked cattle and knew what he was doing.  He tried to reassure me that it would be no big deal and I would do fine.  I am glad that he couldn't see my feet shaking in my boots with fear!  We later talked to some members of the branch who would be branding that day with us.  They said they would bring a helmet for me to use.  "Wait, what?" I learned they were joking with me, but it may "come in handy." "Peachy."

My nerves were running for quite a while.  I questioned how this experience was gong to go down.  I was praying hard that I would be able to work hard, and not get run over by a horse or chased off by the calves.  Plus, I would be wearing a helmet.  What could go wrong?

      Well, now several hundred head of cattle later, i am very happy to say that I now know how to throw a calve (kind of) and I didn't get run over by a horse! 

This experience has brought a few gospel-related lessons to mind.  One is that of faith.  We are told in Ether 12:6 that we must, on occasion, take a blind step of faith and trust in the Lord.  James 2: 17 says "even so, faith without works is dead."  I could have prayed all day for the Lord to bless me to be a good worker, but unless I get out and give it my best shot after having said that prayer, I would get nowhere.

      Another lesson I learned is that of progression.  No matter what we do, our first shot at anything, whether it be school or branding cattle will not always be perfect.  That is why we learn.  Even the most perfect person to walk on earth, Jesus Christ learned while in this life.  Hebrews 5, 8-9 reads "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him."  Christ learned from His challenges, and so can we.  Every calve I try to wrestle, will help me to do it better the next time.

       Another lesson I learned is patience.  I was frustrated a few times that I hadn't done as good of a job that I wanted to with one calve.  I had to learn to be patient with myself when I didn't measure up to my own standards. 

     All in all, I am so very grateful that I was blessed with this opportunity to learn.  I love working cattle, now!  I am also very grateful for the people that showed me how to brand and were patient with me as I learned.  i am also grateful that the helmet was not needed! 

     This is one of the experiences I have been blessed to have while serving the Lord!  I hope I get to have more experiences like it!

The Refiner's Fire

Dahl fire
Location: Bull Mountains South of Roundup
Cause: Lightning
Acreage burned: +22,045 acres
Residences destroyed: +72
Casualties: 0

The past few weeks, my companion and I have been very busy as the Dahl fire threatened the residents of Roundup.  So many things have happened and so many people have been involved in efforts of relief for those affected by this fire.  This is my account.  Many people of the community are involved in this account, but all names will remain anonimous.

Tuesday, June 26.
Slow morning.  My companion and I were not having very good luck finding anybody home.  The appointments fell through and nobody was behind the doors we knocked on.  We sweated out in the Roundup sun until 3 in the afternoon when we ate lunch / dinner. 

Tuesday, driving twoards the fire: 15 miles away

It is usually mellow in the little cafe we went to.  Not today; the owner / cook had a phone on each ear and we found out that he was looking for a horse trailer to evacuate some animals.  He told us there was a fire growing like crazy, south of Roundup.  After we ate, we looked outside and sure enough, I was the biggest pillar of smoke covering the sun.  "Oh boy, " was my fist response.
About an hour later, the phone rang.  One of our frineds who we have been teaching called and in tears said "it's gone.  It's all gone.  Why would God let this happen?"
A question that a lot of people had.
We were calling everybody and anybody to find out more information.  We were supposed to help a family in the branch move, but learned that they were evacuating too.  We tried calling everybody, but nobody would answer the phone; Mission President, his Assistants, our Zone Leaders, were all busy.  After looking at my companion and sharing a look of "what do we do now?" we got tired of waiting.

LDS Church serving as a donation center

He went and put his work clothes on.  I put gatorades and a first-aid kit in my backpack, we said a prayer and got in the truck.  We headed out twoards the fire.  From 5 until 10 at night, we charged up and down the roads close to the burn, offering help to anybody that needed it.  After we had checked on members of the branch and helped as many people as we could find, we heard that another area had been put on stand-by evacuation order.  We headed up to that area and halped a member in the branch bring his horses down off the mountain.  We then helped his neighors do the same. 
After all that excitment, we went to the church building to see if any branch members had lost their homes.  There were no members there whoi had been displaced by the fire.  A member in the branch presidency spent the night at the church.

That was the first day.  For the next few weeks, my companion and I have been everywhere.  We have cooked meals at the Catholic church for fire victims and the National Guard, we have worked at our church which is serving as a donation center, we have worked with the fire and sheriff's departments and have helped anybody that needs it. 
During this entire event, I have been able to meet so many people and make so many new friends.  I have been able to work beside members of all faiths and shared beliefs while talking with them.  The entire community of Roundup has joined together during this disaster as opposed to pulling apart.  It is sad that a disaster has to be the cause of bringing people together, but at least it is doing that. 

Us and Pat Perrella at the St. Benedicts Catholic Church

I have been blessed to make many new friends while working and dispel rumors such as "Mormons have horns." I have met many firefighters, red-cross workers, Law Enforcement personnel, dozens of volunteers that worked for more than 50 hours a week, stayed awake for more than 36 hours without sleep; the heroic acts of the Roundup people and volunteers from outside continues on farther than I have room to write.
I have seen miracles and God's hand in protecting and preserving. 
I have seen amazing, even heroic, efforts by people everywhere.  Whether they were working in the kitchen at the Catholic church, overseeing donations at the LDS church, working on the fire department or for the sheriff, or the National Guard protecting homes.  It is especially amazing to see how generous the people of Roundup, Billings, and all over Montana have been as there are more donations than the LDS church has the capacity to store. 
I was touched by how generous people were.  People from Lewistown, Laurel, Billings and even fire victims were donating what they had to those who were affected.  One person spent $2,000 on clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc.  That was only one example among many.  
I saw God's hand everywhere I turned.
And everywhere I turned, I could imagine Jesus Christ himself working beside people, as they move donations, cook meals, deliver supplies or just give a hug.

And today, almost four weeks later, though the fire has been contained the acts of compassion haven't stopped.  God's hand is still visible.

"Why would God let this happen?"
It is easy for any of us to ask this question, most especially when one's home has been burnt to the foundation. 
I pose to you a similar question;
"How is coal refined into diamonds?"
In the Old Testament, Job understands how this works.  He was a man that demonstrated how pain brings growth, how stones in the river are tossed and turned until they become smooth.
This is the same concept of how pruning branches off of a tree brings about more productive growth.
Just as the Lord tells Joseph Smith in Doctrine and Covenants 122, adversity will give us experience and be for our good.  Not for our pleasure.  
We can rebuild homes, but we cannot replace lives. 
It sure hasn't been fun, but this experience is more valuable than we often care to see.
It may not be our homes burning down, it may be our hope or faith. 
Just like the pioneers, we must keep going, relying on God to help us.
I am sure that our Savior Jesus Christ did not enjoy the pains He went through, but He kept on going. 
And look at the good that came from it.
Whether it be a forest fire or a hurtful situation, keep going.  It will be for the better.

You'll make it.  He knows you can.
To all who were affected, sorry for your losses, thank you for your heroics, and may God bless you as you rely on Him during your life.  Though it may be rough right now, you will come forth as gold.

Sacrifice and Blessings

With Memorial Day, I was thinking a lot about the sacrifices that so many people make everyday to ensure the safety of the land I live in and the freedom i enjoy.  My cousin recently joined the ranks of those who sacrifice so much for what i am able to enjoy.  While he is in the Marine Corp, he will learn many things and gain a lot of good experiences, while giving up other things such as time with family and friends.  It reminds me of missionary life; how we sacrifice what may be comfortable and dear to us to come out and do some good.  It is interesting that these sacrifices bring about great blessings.
That is the way God works.
He asks to do some things, like pay tithing, go to church on Sunday for 3 hours, give up some habits that he knows will hurt us, etc. but always compromises us with many more blessings.
One of these sacrifices He asks of us is fasting. 
There have been many cases lately where my testimony of fasting has been built.
For example, lately there was a young man who wanted to receive the Priesthood.  He was ready and worthy to receive it, but some of his family were holding him back.  My companion and I fasted with him for a day to open the hearts of those holding him back from receiving the Priesthood.  About three weeks later, this young man was given permission to receive the Priesthood!  It was great to see that young man's face after he heard this good news!  He was glowing with excitement.
That is just one example of how fasting has helped build my faith.
We are told that obedience to God's commandments will always bring blessings.  He cannot bless us unless we are obedient (see Doctrine and Covenants 130: 20-21). 
It is the same way as with our country's freedom.  We will not have it if we do not work for it.
That is what our country was born on.  Had the early Americans not fought for freedom from England's oppression, we would not be the people we are today.  We may not even have the religion we have today.  it was necessary that the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullest happen on free soil.
I am so grateful for the sacrifices that have been made by the American soldier.  I am so grateful to those early Americans who had the courage to fight for what they knew was right. 
I hold a lot of respect to my cousins and family who fight for the freedom I enjoy and i know that God will bless them and watch over them. 
I am very grateful also to the early saints who went through the hardship to bring Jesus Christ's true church back to the earth.
I know that sacrifices bring blessings.  They may not be fun, but they are worth it.


Try it out!  Don't take my word for it.

The Pioneer Challenge

We interrupt the area reports for this message.  Not to worry!  The area reports will continue after a few weeks.
In my last area, we knocked on a man's door who did NOT want to hear from us.
He talked of how Joseph Smith was a fraud, he talked of how he deceived millions of people, including ourselves.  He talked of the pioneers who crossed the plains walking to their death in a hope of reaching a land where they could pray in peace.  These pioneers, he claimed, were blinded and led to their death by a fraudulent book and its' author.
I heard the opinion of this man with sorrow, and disappointment.  However, I found it interesting how with his words, he proved true exactly what he felt was false.
The fact that the pioneers went through what they did is positive proof for me that they knew what they were sacrificing for was right and true.
For those who have a hard time discovering the truthfulness of this church, or at least have a hard time finding respect for those who gave their lives for it, below is a challenge I offer to you.
Put yourself in this situation:
You live a comfortable life.  You have a beautiful home in an area surrounded by friends and family that love you.  You have been blessed with a happy, comfortable life for which you are very grateful for and would be heartbroken if you left it behind.  The ties to your life here in this area are stronger than anything you have ever experienced before.
Until...
One day, a nice young man comes to you and your beautiful family with a book and a message.  This message fills your soul with more joy and more happiness than you had before, even when you thought your happiness could not increase.
However, your family, friends, community, government, nation, see this joy in a different way.
They see your joy as demonic possession.  You try to share it with your loved ones, only to have those whom you love and respect dearly, spit in your face, stab you in the back and make threats on your life.
This becomes much more than just hurtful words with no action.  They start to turn into what only could be thought of in nightmares.  People you had respect and love for now threaten the lives of you and your children.
Your family and all those who have discovered and accepted this new happiness and ideas are forced by the government to move away from your home.  The government, which was originally written for religious acceptance, treats you as hostile, doing the very thing they were designed not to do.
You have little or no frontier experience, which means you will be learning by trial and error.
You must travel across the country in a harsh and unfriendly environment.
You and your family must experience the most extreme conditions of
thirst, hunger, fatigue.  Your food per day will average 10 ounces of flour mixed with water, and will go below this average as you continue, becoming more and more weak.
Not to mention diseases that escalate your conditions, snakes and wolves, uncharted terrain, violent Indians and mobs, several experiences that strike fear into the hearts of you, or your little ones.
Did I mention that you will be doing this on foot?  The only things you can bring are those that you can carry.
All of this will be done in weather that chaps the hide of coyote and rattlesnakes.
Extreme heat, dust, wind.  Freezing cold, blizzards, hail.  The temperature will be well below freezing.  The snow will be more than 18 inches deep multiple times.  The only shelter you will find from this will be in natural mountain coves or under the contraption you built by hand to carry your supplies, or the bodies of those who have passed on.  You will find several rivers, streams, rocks, mountains, blocking your way.  In the middle of the harsh weather and living conditions you are suffering, you must cross these frozen rivers, climb these mountains, etc.  Doing so will most likely cause physical injury, disease and death.  Not only must you get your family and luggage across this river, but you must also help strangers you are traveling with to cross this river.
Not only must you take your family on this journey, but you will help others along the way out of kindness, not strength. Your clothing will have no technology to block out the weather.  It must be cotton or wool.  Your shoes will in no ways be ergonomic.  They will be built by hand.
All of these conditions will take the lives of your loved ones; spouse, children, parents, dearest and closest friends, etc.  The image of your loved ones lying dead by the side of the trail will haunt you for the rest of your life.
You will travel thousands of miles to a land you have heard nothing of, with people you have never met, arriving jobless and homeless at your destination, tearing your family and yourself apart all because of the book you read and the ideas you accepted.
You must do all of this willingly, relying on God to get you there.
Would you do this for something you knew were not true?
There is only one answer to the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ; it happened!
If it did not, those who believe it to be false must explain what caused so many people to pursue this journey, and it is not enough to simply declare so many good Christian people as possessed by demonic evils.
Have some respect for those who did this because they knew it was right.  They were guided by the hand of God on their journey, and they saw the miracles to prove its truth.

AREA 3- Belgrade!

Good ol' Belgrade!  I just came from you, and you will always hold a special place in my heart!
Well, this was my second area on my mission.  When i got the call, I was NOT excited to have to leave Kalispell, at all.  I was afraid of it being a place filled with scary people, unfriendly scenery, and I don't know what else I was afraid of while moving there.
However, when I got there, I was pleasantly surprised!  I had an awesome time at Belgrade!  I loved the mountains around us.  It seems that every morning there was another sunrise that was even more epic than the one I saw the other day!  The Gallatin Valley, where Belgrade and Bozeman reside, is one of the prettiest valleys I have seen in Montana.
I quickly made a lot of friends in Belgrade.  Just like Kalispell, the ward members were amazing.  I look up to the little wards in Belgrade and all of the people there.  I made good friends with our host family, the Bakers!  Joel Baker and I quickly became friends when he showed me his guitar and we had a short jampsession the first night I was there!  I had so much fun living with the good Baker family and will always be grateful to them, just as I was with the Moss family, my host family in Kalispell.
In Belgrade, I learned of perseverance.  When I first cam there, I was having a hard time with my mission.  I was wondering if I would make it.  I set the goal to go to my 6 month mark, take a look and inventory of myself and make a decision from there of either staying or packing up and leaving my nametag behind.  Well, in the 3 months of being in Belgrade, with the help of good friends in the wards, other missionaries including my mission president, and all of the fun I had with my companion, Elder Hokanson, I was surprised to find that 3 months in Belgrade went really fast because of the good times we had.
There were still hard days in Belgrade.  Those will happen no matter where you are!  One of the things that pulled me through those were visits with an elderly member of the Belgrade war, Helen Jensen.  This good lady has been a good friend to missionaries for a long time, and I feel very blessed to have met that good lady!  She made me laugh many times, sometimes when I most needed it.

I LOVE Belgrade!  I will be returning for sure; partly because of the 3 ski resorts that surround the Belgrade/Bozeman area.  But until then, Belgrade and the good people that live there, will always have another special place in my heart!  The one right next to Kalispell.

AREA 2- Kalispell

So, technically, this should be AREA 1, but then I would have to change the MTC to AREA .5 and I don't want to do that. 

This is where my mission began!  My first area, and I can't imagine a better place to start out!\

Kalispell is special to me for many reasons.  I guess this sentimentality caame from the trials I had of adjusting from the life I was living and the life I would be living. 

Some of the hardest of trials and gloomiest of times happened here in Kali.  However, those dark times cannot hide the light!  Just as you can't darken a room with a "flash-dark" instead of a flashlight.  Darkness is simply the absence of light.  And there most certainly is light in beautiful Kalispell.

And this is the place where it all began.  This is the starting line, the beginning of the runway, the first stage of the flight. 

Were there rough times?  Of course.  There are rough times everywhere.  Apparently, they weren't rough enough to make this airplane crash though!

One of the things that really pulled me through, and that I miss about Kalispell, is the friendships I formed there.  The members and nonmembers of the church that I was able to talk with and laugh with will always hold a special place in my heart.  That is one thing that kept me there!

\I have learned from Kalispell that no matter how different we all are from each other, we can still be friends.  I learned to be patient as a missionary.  I learned that miracles happen every day!

I spent Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas up in Kalispell.  Each holiday was spent with a member family to whom I will always be grateful for their hospitality and letting us be a part of their lives for the time we were there.

I had a hard time leaving Kalispell.  That is something about missions that I am not fond of; how we have to say goodbye to so much, so often!  The time I spent in Kalispell, I will not have it again, but I will always remember it and smile!

Kalispell was great!
And they opened a Panda Express while I was there too!  Can't complain about that!

Mission Briefing - AREA 1

This morning, I was thinking about how much I love the area I am serving in.  I thought of transfers (tomorrow) and how much I hope that my companion and I get to stay here.  I thought of how much I have loved every area I have served in, how much I have learned in each area, and the friends I have made.  So I have discovered a grand idea!  I shall do a report of each area that I have served in!
And it begins now!
And here is a picture of a jet.

AREA 1: Missionary Training Center, Provo, UT
This place was only 7 miles away from my house (also known as home-base!).  I could have run to my grandparent's house for lunch and made it back in time.
I have a love-hate relationship with this place. 
I had a hard time staying inside for so long, reading so much, trying to learn as much as I could while there.  It was a hard adjustment for me.  I think of it as the pre-mission briefing on an aircraft carrier.  I was nervous, uncertain and unaware of what would happen.
That is why I have this picture of an F-14 tomcat on an aircraft carrier.  That's something I wanted to do if I grew up.
What I loved about the MTC (aside from free BYU ice cream on Wednesdays) is the spirit that was there.  I learned and grew so much from that not-so-fun experience.  I learned how to fully trust in the Lord; it would have been hard not to!
That was the takeoff point of this mission.
What can be learned is that we as people can do ANYTHING if we trust in God.  We may not think that we can do it ourselves, but if we just move forward with our trust in the Lord, one day we will look back and see how far we have flown!

Fruits of Living the Gospel: Cafe Rio!

Okay, so I wrote a post about the temptations of the devil and Chinese food.  It is now time to write about the opposite end of the spectrum; how the gospel of Jesus Christ has blessed the lives of those who live by it and Cafe Rio! 
Do you have a friend from church or school?  Do you look up to them?  Can you see how happy they are because they are living the gospel of Jesus Christ?  What makes them that happy?  What is church doing for them? 
And is it doing the same for you? 
Christ tells us to "come unto" Him.  In exchange, He will give us relief from the things that drive us crazy down here on earth.  He will "ease our burdens" and help us find happiness and purpose in this life. (see Matthew 11: 28-30)
In the Book of Mormon, the prophet father Lehi tells of a dream he had in which he partook of fruit from the tree of life.  He said that the fruit would make one happy.
"10 And it came to pass that I beheld a ^atree, whose ^bfruit was desirable to make one ^chappy.

 11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the ^afruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted....

 12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great ^ajoy;.."

(1 Nephi 8)

He compares this fruit to living by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So, are you partaking of the fruit?  Or are you just standing by the tree?  If you aren't tasting this awesome fruit, what is holding you back?

You can see how this gospel has blessed the lives of those around you.  I know I can.

Jump in line here at the Cafe Rio of the gospel!  Don't fall for the easy or bad way of the Chinese buffet!  Here lies true happiness!  This food will not give you stomach cramps!  You won't regret coming here.

Open your eyes and taste the fruit!  Decide to follow Jesus Christ!  Have faith in Him.  Turn away from the things you are doing that would make Him sad!   Be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost!  This is so much better than living without!

Despite how our faces look, we are VERY HAPPY

Forget about the things that hold you down.  They may be appealing now, but they won't last.  They will leave you faster than Chinese food and leave you in pain!  Cafe Rio will stay with you and enrich your life forever.

It may seem silly of me to compare the gospel of Jesus Christ to food, but it makes sense to me.

I invite everybody to come and partake of the fruit of the gospel.  This is His true church!  I know it!  I can see it as I see how others live, as well as in myself.

Come find out!

The Temptations of the Devil: Chinese Food

Strawberry milk is another temptation, also.

I have always liked Chinese food.  That doesn't mean it always likes me.  I find it interesting how I love to eat it, but then it causes my digestive system so much grief.  You would think I would stop eating it after a while.  I have been pretty good about avoiding it, but every once-in-a-while I give into temptation.  When this happens, I often have instant regret.  I sacrifice my stomach's well-being just to please my own cravings.  Why do I do this to myself?  Why do we all do things like this to ourselves?
In the same way that I am tempted by delicious, salt-filled chicken and rice, Satan tempts all of us, all of the time, in different ways.  He will always make it look appealing and desirable.  He tells us that it won't hurt us or anybody else.  News flash; Satan is a LIAR.  He will ALWAYS leave us empty and in pain.  The best way to not feel this way is to have the self-control to say NO.  It will be difficult.  If it weren't difficult, there would be no point in making decisions.  We must have the strength to say no and turn away from the darkness and into the light.  Through our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can have the strength and motivation to make decisions that won't give us spiritual stomach cramps.
I am not saying that Chinese food is of the devil, I am just likening a temptation of mine to temptations we will all have.  When facing a decision, look in the long term.  Getting a tattoo now may not look like it will hurt anybody, but what will that look like when you have to tell your children why they should not get a tattoo?  That is just one example.
Jacob 6: 12 "Oh be wise, what can I say more?"

It's OK to be Goofy

Two or three years ago, I was skiing with my cousins.  Skiing is always a grand-ol' time for us, and a little friendly competition never hurt anybody.  What does hurt is when my ego gets in the way of having fun.  Sometimes, and i have been guilty of this, we are so concentrated on being the FIRST, the BEST, the FARTHEST, that we forget why we are here (-enter your favorite activity here-)-ing.  If you ski, it's OK to not be the best.  Are you having fun?  If you play basketball, it's OK to not be the best player there.  If you ride motocross, it's OK to not win all the time. 

I see a common issue coming here.  A little thing I call pride gets in the way of fun every now and then.  As human beings that aren't perfect, we sometimes let pride take over and we become so focused on satisfying ourselves and our own ego that we will forget why we are even doing our favorite activity other than to beat our neighbor at it.  All through the Book of Mormon, we see how the Nephites go through a cycle of pride over and over again.  So, what is OUR pride cycle?

So, what is a good way to diffuse our pride?  Well, from my approach (that of a skier / motorcycle-rider / whatever) a good way to forget about who's winning is to be goofy.  Laugh!  If you aren't having fun, why are you doing what you're doing?  It is our choice to have fun or not.  Are you smiling?  Are you laughing?  Are you laughing at yourself?  Are you laughing at your own mistakes?  Why not?

NOW THEN, this does NOT mean that you should be ANNOYING!  Help others have a good time too!  Don't make them hate riding up on the chairlift with you! 

-(I apologize to anybody I have annoyed on Sundance Arrowhead chairlift.  If you don't forgive me, get over it)

Another thing, I am not discouraging pushing ourselves and developing our talents.  That is one of the reasons we are down here on earth.  What I will encourage is to have fun and enjoy that process of learning and growing.  Don't get discouraged or angry when a horse bucks you off, get right back on and try again having learned from the previous fall and a sore back.  Click into ski bindings, kick-start that bike, put on a helmet and be ready to laugh and have fun!  It's OK if you make a fool of yourself once in a while.  It helps you learn.

As I write this, my cousins come to mind.  They are a good example of "it's OK to be goofy."  I will not lie, they are VERY silly.  I am also.  We have a lot of fun together.  One of the many things that they have all taught me is what I have written to you today.  I will always be grateful for their good example to me and how they help me learn that pride should never get in the way of your fun.  While being with them, I have learned all of these things and for all the laughs we've had. 

May you have fun in your jaunts through the forest, down the mountain, in the desert or wherever you be.

Don't forget to laugh.

The Gospel From Behind Ski Goggles

I am a skier.  (big surprise, eh?)  That is one of my favorite things to do.  I have had some of the greatest experiences, talked with some of the greatest people-family and friends, made some of the strongest memories and felt the presence of the Holy Ghost while ski boots were hurting my feet.

There is a LOT that I have learned from skiing and more that I can learn.  I feel the urge to share some of those things on this blog-thing today!

The first thing, is that with our Heavenly Father's help and the help of those around us, we can accomplish anything.  I used to NOT like skiing very much.  I didn't have confidence in what skills I had.  I didn't want to push myself.  I was held back by fear.  And guess what... IT WASN'T FUN!  I felt like this until I decided to let myself be pushed.  I decided to not let that fear get in the way of broadening my skills.  I saw how much fun other people were having and realized that I was missing out because I wouldn't let myaself be pushed!  This is applicable to ANYthing in life.  The Lord says in Ether 12:27 that any weaknesses we have, or anything that holds us down, can be overcome as long as we trust in Him.



Wyatt and Drew



The second thing I learned -or applied rather-is that we truly are ALL brothers and sisters.  As the Sundance resort's chair lifts are fairly slow I have had many conversations with people; both people I don't know at all, and people that I am extremely close to.  People confuse me.  They always will.  But from talking and, more importantly, listening to them, what they like, what they are concerned about, what they have learned, I can really see how unique every different person is and that they are all children of our Heavenly Father that loves us.  He tells us that we are His children and He loves us (Romans 8:16-17)!  For some, this is difficult to grasp.  Look at everey person on this world; how unique and special every person is individually, then try to tell me that they did not come from a loving creator.  I believe that we can all grow closer together and learn to love each other as we do things together (like skiing!). 

The third thing that I would like to share that I have learned, is how much Heavenly Father loves all of us.  Sometimes, I have been alone on a chair lift and felt like the world, friends, family, myself, were being torn apart.  At such a moment as this, while sitting in a white-out blizzard, I was able to feel that, though things are CRAZY and may never be the same again, Heavenly Father DOES love us all, and as long as we don't lose trust in Him, everything will turn out for the better (D&C 122:7).  As hard as things get, they will get better.  Heavenly Father wants us to make the most of this mortal experience.  Although it may not be "fun" all the time, he does want us to enjoy it as much as we can. 

-That is why he gave us the mountain.

-That is why the whole earth doesn't look like Oklahoma.

-That is why we have families.

 

And those are some of the reasons I love skiing. 

-Wyatt

Happ 135 Feb 28, 2012. Part 2 With Professor Crazy



I am so smart!



Welcom back to the class taught by the greatest and latest genius mind in our mortal existance; ME!  Are you all ready to learn?!  I trust you all stayed out of trouble this weekend.  Since almost all of you are in class I assume you had a safe time partying.  I know you are all probably wanting to fall asleep.  Know that if you do, you are not missing much, just THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS part 2! 

So, last week, before we were so rudely interupted by that silly class bell, we had covered 2 of the 5 secrets to having a happy life.  Today, we will be talking about the last 3 secrets to a happy life.  Hey put that cell phone down!  Modern media must not distract us from the secrets to being happy!

So what do we have?

1- Gratitude: Yes, very important

2- An adventure- I am so excited for... !

3-

(Pause for dramatic effect)

The ability to LAUGH.  That is right.  How often do we as humans take things too seriously?  How often do we create excess stress?  How often do we take things too far?  The ability to laugh at one's self and to laugh at things that happen, as opposed to getting offended, is something that will bring us an added measure of happiness and appreciation for every day of our lives.  Now then, this does NOT justify any filthy, foul, fiendish pranking or practical joking that others could easily be offended at.  Neither does it justify disrespect to wonderful and brilliant college professors (such as myself).  I do not want to find out that some of you who are listening to or reading this, have decided to use the ability to laugh as a way to insult other people.  That is NOT what it means.  It is the ability to accept one's accidents, find the humor in our lives, and strive to enjoy that humor.  This will yield a higher appreciation and gratitude for every day we wake up alive.

Number 4- Family.  You heard me correct!  What good is our life on earth in which we spend every day being surrounded by fellow beings, if we are not able to enjoy each other's company?  I am sure that many of you can agree with me that some of the happiest times you have had in your life have been in the company of good family or friends.  There is a reason we have families people!  God didn't give us families for the simple task of raising more hooligans for the world population!  Those hooligans will most likely stay out of (serious) trouble when raised in a home where they feel safe, loved, and have been taught to have respect for those who raise them.  Life IS better with families and NO,  I don't want to debate it!

And now the moment you have all been waiting for.

Number 5-

A knowledge of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and what He has done for all of us.  For much of our existance here, life will NOT he huckleberries and ice cream or any other kind of fruit with dairy.  We will all have hard times.  That is part of the deal.  That is what we all signed up for when coming to this earth.  Sometimes, life feels like sheer despair.  We cannot really help this.  We will all feel these kinds of feelings.  And we will all have challenges that are unique to us individually, so we will not be able to fully comprehend what somebody else is feeling.  However, there is somebody who does know how we feel, because He felt that same way at one point in time.  Only by having faith in our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and doing all the things that He has asked us to do, can we truly find full and complete happiness.  He is the only reason why our life does not end when we close our eyes.  I make this promise to all of you; if you turn to him, He can rescue you when you find yourself sinking into the raging seas of life's problems. 

Well my dear friends, our time is already up.



Albert Einstein



Hopefully you have learned something from this class here today.  If you haven't, it's your own fault and you should go to sleep earlier tonight! 

Please keep in mind that all of the theories discussed during this class came from my own scrambled head.  They will, hopefully, bring added joy and happiness to your daily lives.  I am still testing them out!

Class is dismissed. 

Go ski down a mountain!

Happ 135. Feb 21, 2012. With Professor Crazy

Okay class!  It is time to begin.  Today, we will be discussing, THE SECRET TO LIFE'S HAPPINESS!  This is important, so keep your hands to yourself, quit throwing garbage and PAY ATTENTION!

-Note: the professor reserves the right to claim the following theories as applicable to himself and are not guaranteed to work with everybody, but they are a pretty good outline.

    Okay, so, happiness.  The most sought-after thing in the history of our degrading existance down here as specks of dust on the earth.  People strive for this all their lives.  Some pass on without obtaining it.  And to many, it has different meanings.  Take a moment and ask yourself this question; "what does happiness mean to me?" I know some of you are probably thinking family and friends, maybe sports, maybe peace.  I also know that some others of you are thinking "anything but attending this class" right now.  Don't think that though because you will have plenty of time to think that in Chem 105. 

Doesn't that just look fun?!

    Alright. Have you decided what your happiness is?  If not, please continue to do so.  Maybe you will be enlightened during this seminar.  Since this is a religious (Latter-Day Saint) seminar, we will call happiness a variety of things.  Sometimes it may be referred to as Zion or other similar terms you may have heard.  Just keep up.  If you don't like any terms like that, or the fact that this IS a denominational seminar instead of non-denominational one, well,     TOUGH!  Either get over it and grow a harder neck, or leave a complaint with whatever governmental agency would shut me down.  You can choose what terms to and not to use when YOU write a seminar. 

    So, in your eyes, what does happiness, or Zion, look like?  You may have met people that you feel have achieved this state of being.  Do you wonder what their secret is?  You may wish you were in their shoes so that you could feel that happiness.  Or, you may be thinking of what would make you happy.  You may wish for the things that you feel would make you happy, because for some reasons, they seem to be "unachievable."  Or so you think.  Well, what if I told you that, to be in their shoes, or to have those things you want, though they may be pleasing and fun, will most likely NOT bring you happiness.  What now?  Those people are different from you, and those things, are just that, things.  What are you going to do now?

    Don't get me wrong.  There are a few things I would be very pleased to own!  If you happen to have an extra 2011 KTM 350 XC-F ithat you need to be rid of, I will gladly take it off your hands!  I would have a lot of fun on that machine.  But, is fun the same thing as happiness?

    Do you want the secret to happiness?  I can list it right here right now.

1- Grattitude.  That's right.  How come the most poverty-stricken people in the world seem to be the most happy?  It is because they are grateful for the things they have.  We all need to work on this trait.  No wonder there is an article in the Ensign every month about grattitude! 

2- An adventure.  If we don't have anything to look forward to, what is the point in moving forward/  Now, this doesn't mean we go chase after Indiana Jones on a broken mine-cart track through the temple of doom.  This can be as simple as going to a doughnut shop.  For some of you it may be skiing with your family.  For others, as strange and sad as it sounds, it may be moving to the next level on Angry Birds or something like that.  What makes you smile?  If it is genuine and good, it must be GOOD!  So seek after those things.

3-

(RRIIIINNNNNNGGG!)

Well, sorry to keep you in suspense!  Looks like the rest will have to wait til next week!.

Have a nice day.

Every little thing is gonna be alright

It is very common for people to become more stressed than is necessary.  I am guilty of that too.  When things don't go exactly as planned, we tend to lose our minds.  We let so much traffic go through our brains that we soon get a headache.  Too much stress sometimes causes depression.  Sounds like the "good-ol' college years" doesn't it?

Today, I am going to write about somebody that I have a LOT of respect for.  Who many people see as a pot-headed no-good Jamaican bum, and who others see as one of the music industry's greatest genius', Robert (Bob) Nesta Marley, 1945-1981.  I don't admire Bab Marley for his morals or fame, but I admire Bob Marley for his relationship with God.  Setting the "Rasta" culture aside, Bob has immense faith in God and a trust that, in the end, "every little thing is gonna be alright." 

One of the ways I see this is through his music.  Bob's music just has a way to slow the brain's RPM from the red line to the green line.  And something that I also look up to is that when he writes and performs his music, it is in a way of giving to us.  As all good people do, Bob Marley had opposition in his life.  In 1976, two days before he was supposed to perform, he was shot.  Injured but alive, he was on that stage performing his record, Smile Jamaica.  His reasoning was "The people who are trying to make this world worse aren't taking a day off.  How can I?"

In this crazy crazy CRAZY world down here, there is plenty of opposition.  These events either lead people to or away from God.  Sometimes, people go so far as suicide.  We all have this stuff, and we all get stressed out once in a while.  I'm sure even Bob was stressed.  What we need to watch for is that we don't get too stressed.  We cannot let ourselves shut down because things are going wrong. 

Here's a good solution.  When you're working on a problem and just can't get it to work, listen to some Bob Marley, go outside, look at all the things that God has created for us and enjoy them for a little bit.  Whether it be food, the outdoors, or just chillin', make sure you get your brain to slow down.  Then go back and try the problem again.  That works for me most of the time.

Shane McConkey; savour the flavor

Shane McConkey, dressed as Saucer Boy

                                                Any freeskier knows the name Shane McConkey.  Comparable to the Travis Pastrana of skiing, Shane was well-known in freestyle skiing and the ski-film industry.  Many of the skis we use today have technology that came from Shane's innovation and pioneering.  In particular, powder skis went from the bottom shelf to the top because of the tweaks that Shane made in the design.

He was also famous for his antics!  He would often make fun of himself with his alter-ego character "Saucer Boy." He made sure that he did not let his ego get in the way of what was important.  He wasn't afraid to make fun of the competition that comes from being a pro skier.  He is a very good example for me to do the same, and not let my pride sour the flavor of life.

I first learned who Shane was when i watched a ski movie that he starred in.  I really admire Shane McConkey for his zest for life, his innovational creativity, and his comedy.  In many of the films I watched, Shane McConkey would impersonate James Bond on skis (this wsa just one of his MANY antics).  He was the kind of person that would make you smile or laugh even if your entire day was going "Kaput!" I admire how he did not let the cares and troubles of the world take the joy and happiness out of his life.  That is not saying that he was irresponsible.  It is saying that he knew how to have a good attitude even in the darkest situations. 

Shane McConkey as 007

Sadly, I never got to meet Shane McConkey.  I actually learned of him AFTER he had already passed away.  During one of Shane's stunts, he had an accident.  He was performing a wingsuited, ski-base jump.  Shane's skis never released after he left the ground, causing him to not be able to deploy his parachute properly.  Shane McConkey died.

    I respect him immensly for the lesson he taught me.  I have learned from Shane McConkey to remember to smile.  Everybody has challenges and rough times in life.  We all have difficulties that are unique to us.  We cannot choose all of the challenges that are thrown to us, but we CAN choose our attitude.  Some of the people I look up to the most are those who find the flavor and fun in a life full of challenges and complications.  I also learned to think outside the box.  It is because of Shane's creativity that I ride the skis I have today.  One thing I also learn from him is gratitude.  When we are ungrateful, we cannot see all of the beautiful blessings that heavenly father has created for us.  By being grateful, we can Savour the Flavor of the good life we all have.  I cannot wait to meet Shane McConkey in the next life.  My heart and sympathies go out to Shane McConkey's familty. 

Thank you, Shane for being such a good example to me, and to skiers across Montana, and the world!  We miss you more than you know.

Skiing has changed for the better because of you, and I have learned so much from your example.  God bless you, Shane McConkey!

Shane McConkey: 1968-2008

Motocross in the Celestial Kingdom

Yep that's the real title. 

I do not know if there will be Motocross in the Celestial Kingdom.  That isn't really up to me.

But motocross, that is one of my favorite things ever invented, and always will be one my favorite things ever invented!  There is nothing like wrestling (or just hanging onto) a 200+ pound motorcycle around a track, on a mountain trail, or across a desert.  I cannot get enough of the boost of energy and crazy sensations that come with flying through the air or across the sand on a man-made, fuel burning horse.  I can recall a trip to the Little Sahara Sand Dunes with my dad.  As we were racing each other around one of the large, natural sand bowls created by the wind, I thought about how every crazy feeling, sensation, experience, surrounding and opportunity that people like me are so enthralled and satisfied with, came from our dear Heavenly Father.  Everything that made the motorcycle underneath me came from Him.  Every amazing and beautiful place I am able to ride in came from Him.  Every amazing person I am able to be around and enjoy the "Greatest Sport Ever" with, were created by Him.  I find a LOT of joy in this life from the saddle of a motorcycle.  So, if the Celestial kingdom is a place of Joy, perhaps we will be able to ride motorcycles with family, friends, maybe even with the Savior.  Like i said, that isn't MY decision to make.  And even if there isn't, whatever we will be doing up there will probably be more important.  Until then, I shall continue to cherish every opportunity that I have been given to be in the saddle of a motorcycle.