Walk The Talk

Good, Better, Best

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Good, Better, Best
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I found Elder Oaks talk directly applicable to me this week. I’ve been in a what may be termed a “spiritual tailspin.” And it’s just so easy, much easier that I ever thought possible, to just keep doing everything the same and little by little lose my faith. Pretty soon the very things that the Lord has provided for me to feel his love (church, scripture study, journaling and prayer) no longer have appeal and I consider them “a thing of naught” and “trample them under my feet.”

Sure, I would may never say it quite like that to those around me, myself, or even my God, however, by my actions, or rather lack thereof, I confirm my disinterest in feeling God’s love. It’s all so very subtle and nearly imperceptible it’s scary. When I don’t hold onto the iron rod I get distracted and wander on over to all the “cool” things and end up “amusing [my]self to death-spiritual death.”

I have struggled nearly my whole life with distraction. It wasn’t until my mission that I learned seriously about planning and prioritizing. Even then I would spend so much time picking everything apart and getting distracted by the details that I would eventually feel that nothing was getting done, stop planning and continue on in the week with a very shaky plan.

When I returned from my mission I took a class on Steven Covey’s book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It was great class, but distractions still abound to get me off task. Noise and distraction from the BEST things may just be a plague of our generation. There’s so much time that’s filled with sound that we can’t hear the quiet voice of the Spirit.

Elder Oaks said something that I found very pointed and applicable to myself. I’ve made some minor edits so that I don’t miss its meaning for me:

“[Playing on Facebook, Youtube and the internet] is not better than serving the Lord or strengthening the family… [Be careful Ryan, you are] amusing [yourself] to death-spiritual death.”

My good friend Heather talked to me last week about simplifying and said that we almost have to think “What can I plan out of my life?” A good institute teacher and friend, Brother Bassett has also talked to me on a personal level about this same concept. He said the secret is not to learn to juggle everything, but rather it’s to prioritize things and learn to do what’s on top, and drop what’s on the bottom.
Ryan, what can you cut out? How will you decide? You have so many passions, hopes and likes. Trying to accomplish it all leaves you unfulfilled and you may just find that you never fully accomplished any, but rather sit in pile of undone dreams.

I’ve tried for so long to get it right with planning and prioritizing. I think that one key is to always be reviewing your priorities as they are known to change in different seasons of life. Another thing I’ve learned is to seek for the spirit, so that rather than Ryan’s priorities I have God’s priorities to work from.

Faith, Walk The Talk

Live by Faith and Not by Fear

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Live by Faith and Not by Fear
Elder Quentin L. Cook
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

“When we choose to follow Christ in faith rather than choosing another path out of fear, we are blessed with a consequence that is consistent with our choice (see D&C 6:34-36).”

Recently in my life I’ve been identifying fears that are keeping me from really diving into life and experiencing and enjoying all that it has to offer. It’s amazing how much fear is behind each one of my bad habits, my disobedience and my short comings. But it’s equally amazing just how much love there is that heaven offers to me on a daily basis. It is as if multitudes of angels sit waiting to help me, to bless me, to guide me and all I need do is ask to see it!

I’ve seen the doubt and hopelessness that comes from living in fear. I’ve also seen the confidence, hope, peace and love that comes from sharing love with others and in serving my fellow man.

There are so many things to fear in this life: “This person won’t like me if I tell them about the gospel.” “I won’t ever graduate.” “I won’t ever get married.” “I’ll never heal from this emotional pain.” “I’ll never be loved.”

But there are so many things to love! All the people in my life are such beautiful people. I only wish that there were enough time in the day to spend ample time with ALL those I’ve come to love. People, nature, music, learning…I am grateful for so many things!

Lastly, on my cruise I realized that sharing the gospel holds special treasures that can come from nearly no other source. As I thought today about the people that I met on the cruise and of ways to share my testimony with them I felt the sweet peace that only the Spirit of God can bring.

I know that God showers us with his love and that through the very personal atonement my Savior made for me I am able to have faith in the goodness of mankind. I am able to look ahead, put my fears behind and become all that I know I can be and more.

Attention & Focus, Goals

Come to your senses man!

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So, I’ve been thinking ever since I got back from the cruise, “This room is so messy that it’s clogging your brain!” It makes me think of how our surroundings, when clean, and organized can help lead us to similar thoughts and lay the foundation for the same in our actions.

I am realizing too just how important ongoing planning and review of my life is if I’m to come to any sort of control over where I want it to go. I’m sure that I’m not the only one that gets distracted by this and that. Our modern world provides for us so many ways to go and so many options of just about everything. There was a study done that suggested fewer options presented to shoppers would actually increase sales. The implication here is that too many choices can inhibit action.

I think there’s something there that can help us understand life better. This morning when I woke up, as is common for me recently, I was in a bit of a daze. I wasn’t sure what to do. I think a word that describes it best is aimless. So quite habitually I arose and began to do the first thing that came to my mind and then the phrase “first things first” popped into my mind. Immediately a list of my goals and priorities filled my mind and I again had direction.

I also had an accompanying glimpse into my future this morning. I was the same as I was now. Still had the same problems. Still had the same patterns and thoughts. Combining with the clarity of my hopes, desires and goals this little picture prompted the question, “When are you going to change?”

I could not hide from the answer that seemed to stand outside of myself with confidence and authority. The answer was, “the only time you have is now.” I couldn’t deny that if I wanted to. The reality of that moment was inescapable: Now is the time to DO. If I dispise the future I saw, then it’s time, even now, to change it!

I thank my Father in Heaven. I’m so spacey at times. I feel His loving hand reach me at times that I am stubborn and foolish. My thanks to him is my action. I pray it’s holy and sacred and lets him see my desire to serve him.

Faith, Questions

Am I an Enemy to God?

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In the same vane as the apostles of old who each asked the Savior, their master, “Lord, is it I?” to the statement that one of them would betray him, I wish to start asking more soul searching questions to assess my own dedication to the Lord and His work. This first question was posed to me by a friend and counselor, “Am I an enemy to God?”

This question comes from Mosiah 3:19

For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit , and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child , submissive , meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Starting where I often like to start, the dictionary, I kept seeing the word “hostile” come up. When first thinking on this question I simply thought that an enemy to God is one that doesn’t keep his commandments, the natural man. And while I still believe this to be so, I gather that to be a natural man means holding hostilities towards God.

In President Benson’s landmark address “Beware of Pride ” he talked said that pride meant enmity or hatred towards our fellowman and God.

The central feature of pride is enmity-enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.

Here are some questions that I believe are appropriate to ask in the light of these several thoughts:

  1. When someone doesn’t understand me do I get upset an/or hurt?
  2. Do I plan so as to give my morning time with God a top priority or do I just wake up late and rush to work?
  3. Do I actively think, whom can I serve? Or do I just wait for someone to come to me with their problems?
  4. When I am in pain, do I find myself complaining or praising God for the chance to have a body?
  5. Do I fail to give others compliments where they deserve them?
  6. When tempted, do I think of Christ and the mansions he’s prepared for me? Or am I “quick to do evil”?

When all is said and done, I wish not to be an enemy to my Father who, knowing all, has prepared blessings and joy untold for me if I will but let his peace and light into my heart daily.

I love my Savior, for he understands all my shortcomings, pains, and emotional struggles. I know that he died for me, but more importantly, I know that he was resurrected and lives even now for me. I know that his word is not forceful and only those who choose to slow down and be still will hear his voice.

Today, I will be a friend to God by honoring him in my thoughts and progressing his work in my actions.

Groovy Tunes, Just for Laughs

Latest Spoof Candidates

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So, Here’s a small list that Ashlee and I came up with for our next big debut. If ya can think of any others or have one that you wanna hear, let us know!!

thoughts & musings of a would be king