Utah Trip, 2013

Before this trip, I hadn't been back since I had graduated in August 2012. What I missed most about Provo were the people. I loved my classes and campus life, there are some good places to eat, but I really missed my buds.
Naturally, my agenda was: friends, eating, eating with friends, General Conference, friends. Because that's really all I did in Provo when I lived there. Besides watch basketball #gocougs
I drove with some peeps from my ward. I took the Frontrunner from SLC to Provo for the first time once we got there. Uhhh why did we get the Frontrunner, Chik-fil-A, AND H&M AFTER I move away from Provo????? Dumb planning on somebody's part.

I stayed with my most recent roommates, Kimberly and Hilary, (#224 #roomies4lyfe). I walked in to Hilary presenting me with Cafe Rio. Come to Oregon, you delicious barbacoa salads, you! In true fashion, we then went and saw "Gravity" at Wynnsong. Wynnsong really is our home away from home. Once we found out about $5 movies there one summer, we were there every week. I wish I was exaggerating, but I'm not.
Saturday was the start of Conference weekend for us Mormon folk. It was an uplifting weekend and I always look forward to it at least a month in advance. I stayed in my sweats, even when we went to breakfast at Kneaders (unlimited French toast, also a tradition), until we went up to SLC to meet with our fourth 224 buddy, Meagan. Meagan was getting married the next week and I was bummed that I couldn't stay for the festivities. But we ate yummy food at my favorite downtown, Buca di Beppo, and then helped Meagan choose her wedding shoes.

Sammy's pieshakes because duh.

Love these girls.

Allie happened to be in Utah that weekend, also, so she dropped by.

Photo c/o Allie

Sunday, I had tickets for morning session of Conference with my wardies, so we met up and enjoyed that amazing session together. "Music and the Spoken Word" is right before every Sunday morning session, so Asia and I made sure that we were there on time for that. If any of you haven't attended Conference, I HIGHLY recommend getting into a session, especially one where the Prophet speaks and when the MoTab sings. It's 1000000xs better than watching on TV.

Asia - Me - Roy

Lovely day in Temple Square

On the drive back to Utah, we drove until the wee hours of the morning. It would have been less painful if we hadn't blown a tire on the way back. Of course, I was driving (crazy things always happens when I'm involved) and we were in the middle of nowhere at 12:30 at night. Pitch black. Freezing cold. Thankfully, we had some studly men in our car who were able to fix it and get us going again. Always an adventure.

It's GONE.

As much as I was ready to move on from my time in Utah, I miss the times I had with the AMAZING people that I befriended while I lived there. You guys rock. Move to PDX so that we can hang out more, k?

Mormonism In America

I have this theory that any publicity for the LDS church is good publicity. It draws attention to our beliefs, whether it is accurate or not, and then questions are asked. For any religion/cause/movement it is good to have people who have no knowledge ask questions because they can know true answers. Having said that, there is a footnote to my theory. You need to ask the questions to someone who knows what they're talking about.
This goes for the CBS featurette that aired tonight called "Mormons in America." There were interviews that I liked because they were with actual members of the LDS church. And there were things said by non-LDS members that I was unhappy about, especially that Abby Huntsman chica. You don't ask ex-wives about their views of their former husbands, so why ask ex-Mormons about their views on the Church? If you want the truth, don't ask the people who don't believe in it. But, once again, we as honest viewers have been subjected to uncomfortable untruths promoted by prominent figures in society to further selfish causes.
Also, you missed some things about Mormons in America (recent--and positive--things, I might add):
1. Missionary work. We are not a "mystery" church. We have thousands of members going out to spread the word, so to speak. It doesn't have to be a mystery to people outside of the church. Just ask us and we're happy to answer! We can even send real missionaries right to your door who love to talk about the Church.
2. Humanitarian work. We are one of the leaders in humanitarian work for America and the world. We don't just help our members, like the show said. For example, we were the first on the scene of Katrina and Haiti.
3. We are not secretive; we are sacred. Referring to the part about walking across the street to St. Patrick's and just being able to walk in, but we are old fashioned and don't let anyone into our temples: First of all, anyone can enter our meeting houses, which are essentially what cathedrals are. Secondly, my mom had a good point about just walking into cathedrals. When we were visiting Sacre Coeur in Paris--a well-known public church--there were tons of people walking into this supposedly important religious space. People knew that it was holy to some, and we saw people praying in the pews and paying homage to the saints. Even so, people we disrespectfully loud and obnoxious. We couldn't figure out how these worshippers were able to feel spiritual or have a peaceful time to pray because people were so noisy! THAT is why we don't let just anyone walk into our temples; they are sacred to us and we like to be able to feel spiritual in peace and serenity. And you need to prove that you are willing to fully participate and take it seriously. Sacred isn't a word you don't hear too often, anymore, but we take it seriously.

Some things that bugged me:
1. "The Book of Mormon" musical. Why even mention it?!?! Again, written by ex-Mormons who consciously left for their own reasons. Not written by us. Has no affiliation with us.
2. Blacks. We love everyone and try to be as Christ-like as we can. You interviewed a man who, even though he said he didn't feel persecuted as the only black man in his congregation, lives in Utah. There are not many blacks in Utah to begin with. But I went to an LDS ward in London and that ward was mostly Nigerian immigrants. The two white girls from my program and I were probably 3 of 12 or so white people in the congregation. I wanted to tell the interviewer this and remind him that this is a global church and we accept all types of people.

I think it's awesome how Mitt Romney has stepped into the public eye as a solid, practicing Mormon because his example has got people talking. We are so ready to talk, but you need to ask us and give less face time to Abby Huntsman and the creators of South Park.

my thoughts on LBGT

I have been thinking about this for awhile and have been delaying blogging about it imply because it's such a heavy subject and I did not know enough.  I still don't know everything, but after tonight I have a pretty solid opinion and insight to the LGBT community and gay Mormons specifically.  Tonight, BYU had a gay BYU student panel where the sociology department had four people who were openly gay and attending BYU answer questions and talk a little bit.  They had a HUGE turnout and I was sitting on the floor.  It was very very interesting.
First of all, I want to give some background information on the LDS Church's and BYU's standing on gays in the Church and in general.
This is what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints says officially: look at lds.org and here and here.
This is what the honor code at BYU-Provo says:
"Brigham Young University will respond to homosexual behavior rather than to feelings or attraction and welcomes as full members of the university community all whose behavior meets university standards. Members of the university community can remain in good Honor Code standing if they conduct their lives in a manner consistent with gospel principles and the Honor Code.

One's stated same-gender attraction is not an Honor Code issue. However, the Honor Code requires all members of the university community to manifest a strict commitment to the law of chastity. Homosexual behavior is inappropriate and violates the Honor Code. Homosexual behavior includes not only sexual relations between members of the same sex, but all forms of physical intimacy that give expression to homosexual feelings."

Basically and overall, homosexuality and bisexuality is still a controversial subject that everyone, no matter who they are, are having to learn about for themselves.  We have standards in the Church that go for everyone.  Being sexually chaste is very important to us and so that is what we support.  PROP 8 and other political and religious movements that the Church supports is in support of chastity and the family unit.

Even though I have had lots of interaction with gays, I have not sat down with someone of gay sexual orientation and asked them questions, so tonight was a great opportunity for me.  They had an openly gay man who is married to a woman and has a daughter, a lesbian, a single gay man, and a bisexual man.  All are LDS and active in the Church.  They started out with telling their stories about when they knew for sure, what they did after they found out, and how they came out.  Then they answered questions from the students who were in attendance.  They wanted us to not be afraid about asking questions not just at the panel, but with their LGBT friends and family.  They truly believed that they were born this way and it wasn't just a "choice."  

The thing that stuck out to me the most about Mormons having to deal with being faithful members of the Church while struggling with their sexual orientation is that they all thought that they had failed the Lord as a person.  But they all emphasized that they all were at peace with their lives when they realized that their Heavenly Father loves them no matter what.  They all said that they grew closer to God and Christ while searching for answers.  I whole-heartedly agree with this because I have been there.  I haven't had questions about my sexuality, but I have definitely had to deal with other things in my life that not a lot of people understand.  But throughout the whole thing, I have never doubted my Heavenly Father's love for me. 

I think that homophobia is something that comes from ignorance and fear.  Homosexuality is a fairly new thing for a lot of people to deal with, since it has been taboo for so long.  I think that there is also issues with retaliation on both sides.  There are people who have been categorized as "Christian until homosexuality," where they are Christ-like people until they have to talk about homosexuality.  But there are people from the LGBT community who say that people are stupid for not fully supporting who they are.  Either way, it is just because not everyone knows everything about everyone else, just like every other controversial issue in this world.  My advice would be to talk to people who are homo- or bisexual and ask them questions.  Form your own opinion and stick to it.  Then love everyone and be Christ-like no matter what.

Conference Weekend

General Conference is a bi-annual event in the LDS Church where the leaders of our Church speak for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday.  I believe that God wouldn't just leave us in this world without any further guidance beyond the Bible (and, for us, The Book of Mormon).  This is why I just love hearing what our modern-day prophets have to say.  Look at it this way: in a world where technology is booming, would you want guidance on how to build an ark?  No...that's prevalent for Noah's time. What is prevalent for our time is instruction on how to battle the evils and hardships that we encounter today (pornography, death, divorce, etc.).  So God continues to give us guidance through His prophets (right now, it is Thomas S. Monson).  If you're interested in learning more, click here.
To top it all off, it was a gorgeous weekend. Hilary made a yummy breakfast for us Saturday morning and that afternoon, we went to try to get tickets at the conference center in SLC.  We couldn't, but we discovered that they play Conference over the loud speakers in Temple Square.  Since it was just lovely, we laid on the lawn outside the Tabernacle and listened.  Then we hit up the new City Creek mall right across the street.  That place is insaneee.

Ricky-Hilary-Kimberly in the sun at Temple Square

so beautiful!

Sunday morning, I made cinnamon rolls for us (first time ever=SUCCESS!).

After the afternoon session, I went over to Annie and Bryce's for an Oregon dinner with my favorite peeps.  I just love those guys and I'm dreading this summer when we will all part to do our adult things.  Let's not think about it.

embarrassing flashback time! seth--lindsay--me--annie, circa 2007

check

I completed a task off of my bucket list.  My bucket list is composed of mental notes of goals that I want to accomplish before I kick the bucket.  Meet someone famous.  Get published.  Go to Italy.  Stuff like that.
I have been learning Spanish since my sophomore year in high school and I took a few classes in college.  I consider of level of proficiency to be I-could-survive-in-another-country-like-finding-the-bathroom-or-ordering-food-but-couldn't-discuss-politics.  What does this have to do with my bucket list?  I have wanted to finish an entire book in a different language.  So I read the Book of Mormon in Spanish.  I just finished last night and, though it took some time, I'm so happy I did it.  Not only did I prove to myself that it could be done, but it helped to further prove the truthfulness of the book to me.  There were well-known scriptures that I read that used words that meant slightly different things in Spanish than they do in English.  This helped me to gain new insight into scriptures that I had heard multiple times.
For example, in Moroni 10:32, it says: "32  Sí, ^avenid a Cristo, y ^bperfeccionaos en él, y absteneos de toda impiedad, y si os abstenéis de toda impiedad, y ^camáis a Dios con toda vuestra alma, mente y fuerza, entonces su gracia os es suficiente, para que por su ^dgracia seáis perfectos en Cristo; y si por la gracia de Dios sois perfectos en Cristo, de ningún modo podréis negar el poder de Dios."
The phrase "y ^camáis a Dios con toda vuestra alma, mente y fuerza" in the English version means "and love God with all your might, mind, and strength."  The word "alma" in Spanish literally translates to "soul."  So we are commanded not only to love God with all of our might, but with all of our soul.  I thought that made that statement even more powerful.  And this is just one example of many.   This was a fulfilling task to accomplish.

warm fuzzies

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." -Mosiah 2:17

I'm taking a Living Prophets class this semester, which means that we study the living prophets of the LDS Church.  This includes their lives and their teachings.  I believe and know that there are living prophets, seers, and revelators on the earth today, just as there was in Biblical times.  I know that Thomas. S. Monson was called of God to act as His mouthpiece for the Lord and that he is the hand for the Lord to direct His work on the earth.  Many have said that prophets stopped being ordained when the 12 Apostles of Jesus' time were killed and the Great Apostasy commenced, but I believe that Joseph Smith was then called of God to restore communication between His people and Himself through a living prophet.  Why wouldn't we need a prophet today?  We don't need to learn how to build an ark or how to free the people of Israel.  So we need modern-day revelation in order to know how to apply the basic doctrine that the prophets of old proclaimed to our day.  I am a Christian through my belief in Christ that I have discovered for myself through tears and work, complete joy and peace.
This is President Thomas Spencer Monson, 16th prophet since the Restoration of the Truth on the earth.
I love this :)
http://youtu.be/8u9bt1Jjk5M

look at me and politics!

I think as members of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints, we are different than others. But I don't view us as a cult.  I understand when those not of my faith are not fully informed of what we believe as members of the LDS Church, but I think before you give information about us to thousands of people, you should do a little research.

I  found this today and thought it was interesting:


As a citizen of the United States, I will inform myself about all candidates, both Republican and Democratic, and make a vote based on their platforms and on their characters.  I always try to vote for people in local and federal political positions who have a solid family life and who have good values because they will be good people to have in office.  I'm not supporting Mitt Romney because of his religious beliefs, per se, but I know from experience that LDS members have great values and strong family backgrounds. I'm looking forward to this upcoming election and what it has in store for the members of my Church.

Truth and Tolerance

This CES fireside talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks and his wife had me nodding and thinking.
What an appropriate discourse on 9/11/11!
http://bcove.me/fwfey36m