Then Elder Packer - Solving Emotional Problems the Lord's Own Way

So I was wandering around LDS.org and clicked on Gospel Classics and then later came to this article.  I found it interesting because it reiterated a principle I heard in church on Sunday from a returned missionary talking about how his job was not to answer all of the questions of those he was teaching about the church, but to help them have spiritual experiences of their own and get their own answers and testimonies through the Holy Ghost.

In particular, I really enjoyed this section of the talk:

[Fathers -  our responsibility to preside over our families]

Bishops, keep constantly in mind that fathers are responsible to preside over their families.

Sometimes, with all good intentions, we require so much of both the children and the father that he is not able to do so.

If my boy needs counseling, bishop, it should be my responsibility first, and yours second.

If my boy needs recreation, bishop, I should provide it first, and you second.

If my boy needs correction, that should be my responsibility first, and yours second.

If I am failing as a father, help me first, and my children second.

Do not be too quick to take over from me the job of raising my children.

Do not be too quick to counsel them and solve all of the problems. Get me involved. It is my ministry.

[Part of life is not being emotionally comfortable all the time]

We live in a day when the adversary stresses on every hand the philosophy of instant gratification. We seem to demand instant everything, including instant solutions to our problems.

We are indoctrinated that somehow we should always by instantly emotionally comfortable. When that is not so, some become anxious—and all too frequently seek relief from counseling, from analysis, and even from medication.

It was meant to be that life would be a challenge. To suffer some anxiety, some depression, some disappointment, even some failure is normal.

Teach our members that if they have a good, miserable day once in a while, or several in a row, to stand steady and face them. Things will straighten out.

There is great purpose in our struggle in life.

There is great meaning in these word entitled “The Lesson.”

Yes, my fretting,

Frowning child,

I could cross

The room to you

More easily.

But I’ve already

Learned to walk,

So I make you

Come to me.

Let go now

There!

You see?

Oh, remember

This simple lesson,

Child,

And when

In later years

You cry out

With tight fists

And tears

“Oh, help me,

God—please.”

Just listen

And you’ll hear

A silent voice:

“I would, child,

I would.

But it’s you,

Not I,

Who needs to try

Godhood.”

Bishop, those who come to you are children of God. Counsel them in the Lord’s own way. Teach them to ponder it in their minds, then to pray over their problems.

Remember that soothing, calming effect of reading the scriptures. Next time you are where they are read, notice how things settle down. Sense the feeling of peace and security that comes.

Now, from the Book of Mormon, this closing thought: The prophet Alma faced a weightier problem than you, bishop, will likely see in your ministry. Like you, he felt uncertain; and he went to Mosiah.

Mosiah wisely turned the problem back to him, saying:

“… Behold, I judge them not; therefore I deliver them into thy hands to be judged.

“And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled; and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of God.

“And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him. …” (Mosiah 26:12–14.)

That voice will speak to you, bishop. That is your privilege. I bear witness of that, for I know that He lives.

May God bless you, bishop, the inspired judge in Israel, and those who come to you, as you counsel them in the Lord’s own way.

Revamping a 90's webpage courtesy of Mozilla Thimble

I started with this.

Had fun making this.

Priesthood & Family

I enjoyed reading this talk today: The Power of the Priesthood

"The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is that a man and his wife and their children might be happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood."

Pres. Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Elias anyone?

So I was reading Luke 1:13-17 today and wondered about Elias.  Then I took all of the scripture references and put them in one file, including information from the Guide to the Scriptures and the Bible Dictionary.  I then sorted the scriptures based on whom they referred to (the Guide to the Scriptures gives four categories). There are some which do not directly fit or are not particularly relevant at the bottom of the document.

Anyway, should you care to review this document as a study aid for your own scripture study, it can be found  here.

October 2010

Okay, so when you look at your blog and see that you haven't posted in four months, it's clearly time for an update.  I am not an avid blogger. (I'm probably not even a blogger.)  Life is crazy busy.  However, I did feel like today would be a good chance to take some time to talk about what has been going on lately.

October was full of lots of adventures.  Lex was gone for a weekend to visit her dad for his birthday.  I had a trip out to CO and UT later in the month to do some recruiting for my law school.  It was fun to get to see family and friends.  I had some free time in Colorado and got to watch a lot of football with my family, do leaf rubbings with Ashley, play pool and Super Mario Bros. on the Wii with Ryan and Todd. Mom got some cute new clothes, including a hoodie, for E.  I didn't get to see much of my family in UT as I had three law fairs to go to and had to get right back to DC for school.  I loved being on BYU's campus again. It was great running into and meeting up with friends and seeing how they are doing. I even picked up a cute cheerleader outfit for E.  (I can't let Lex's enthusiasm for U of M go unchallenged :P  )

My favorite night in October was when Hyrum and Tristen took care of E so Lex and I could have a date night.  After some yummy food at Noodles & Co., we went to a local law fundraiser that featured GMU's Jazz Ensemble and some other jazz musicians.  It was wonderful to be able to have that time together.  Within a day or two, I got to see Lex play the trumpet for the first time.  She even let me have a go.  Needless to say, my embouchure is severely lacking.  I think it's great that she can play the trumpet and the piano.  I have great hopes that our kids will take to music like she has.

Good Things to Come

Stumbled across this from Elder Holland just now.  Really enjoyed reading it.  I love being a dad.

Good Things to Come

 Elder Jeffrey R. Holland recalls his days as a young father and testifies that for those who embrace the gospel, there are good things to come.

________________________________________

Every one of us has times when we need to know things will get better. My declaration is that that is precisely what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers us, especially in times of need.

Thirty years ago last month, a little family set out to cross the United States, every earthly possession they owned packed into the smallest trailer available. No money, an old car, they drove exactly 34 miles up the highway, at which point their beleaguered car erupted.

The young father surveyed the steam, matched it with his own, then left his trusting wife and two innocent children—the youngest just three months old—to wait in the car while he walked the three miles or so to the southern Utah metropolis of Kanarraville, population then, I suppose, 65. Some water was secured at the edge of town, and a very kind citizen offered to drive back to the stranded family. The car was attended to and slowly—very slowly—driven back to St. George for inspection.

After more than two hours of checking and rechecking, no immediate problem could be detected, so once again the journey was begun. In exactly the same amount of elapsed time at exactly the same location on that highway with exactly the same pyrotechnics from under the hood, the car exploded again. Now feeling more foolish than angry, the chagrined young father once more left his trusting loved ones and started the long walk for help once again. This time the man providing the water said, "Either you or that fellow who looks just like you ought to get a new radiator for that car." He didn't know whether to laugh or to cry at the plight of this young family.

"How far have you come?" he said. "Thirty-four miles," I answered. "How much farther do you have to go?" "Twenty-six hundred miles," I said. "Well, you might make that trip, and your wife and those two little kiddies might make that trip, but none of you are going to make that trip in that car." He proved to be prophetic on all counts.

Just two weeks ago, I drove by that exact spot. For just an instant I thought perhaps I saw on that side road an old car with a devoted young wife and two little children. Just ahead of them I imagined that I saw a young fellow walking toward Kanarraville, the weight of a young father's fear evident in his pace.

In that imaginary instant, I couldn't help calling out to him: "Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead." Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.

"Need to find a job? Stop looking so hard"

Saw this on a friends status. It's definitely worth reading!!

"Need to find a job? Stop looking so hard" by Peter Bregman on the Harvard Business Review blog.

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2009/02/need_to_find_a_job_stop_lookin.html

Tebow's Super Bowl Commercial and Freedom of Speech

Tebow's Super Bowl ad isn't intolerant; its critics are

By Sally Jenkins
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 2, 2010

"Let me be clear again: I couldn't disagree with Tebow more. It's my own belief that the state has no business putting its hand under skirts. But I don't care that we differ. Some people will care that the ad is paid for by Focus on the Family, a group whose former spokesman, James Dobson, says loathsome things about gays. Some will care that Tebow is a creationist. Some will care that CBS has rejected a gay dating service ad. None of this is the point. CBS owns its broadcast and can run whatever advertising it wants, and Tebow has a right to express his beliefs publicly. Just as I have the right to reject or accept them after listening -- or think a little more deeply about the issues. If the pro-choice stance is so precarious that a story about someone who chose to carry a risky pregnancy to term undermines it, then CBS is not the problem." (italics added)

In particular, I liked this paragraph where she makes it clear that she disagrees with Tim Tebow, but supports his right to express his beliefs publicly.

Christmas Gifts

The past two weeks of church have been interesting. Last week we weren't able to attend church as we were snowbound due to the nearly two feet of snow that fell in about 24 hours. This week we got to go, but were visiting a different ward. It was a nice break from the usual routine of taking care of a bunch of 2-3 year olds. Usually, we don't get to attend sunday school with the rest of the adults.

Today we had a great lesson about the gifts that Heavenly Father has given us. We talked about how He has given us the opportunity to obtain eternal life through the gift of His Son Jesus Christ.

For ^aGod so ^bloved the ^cworld, that he ^dgave his ^eonly begotten ^fSon, that whosoever ^gbelieveth in him should not perish, but have ^heverlasting ⁱlife. John 3:16

Our teacher spoke also of the gifts that Jesus Christ has given us. Through His Atonement, we can choose to repent, and He can cleanse us of our sins. Thanks to Him, we will be resurrected and overcome death.

My family has a tradition of having a "birthday party" for Jesus on Christmas Eve. The idea was to help the kids in the family, especially the little ones, understand that Christmas is more than Santa and reindeer and presents we get to unwrap. We read the story of Christmas from Luke 2 and then instead of thinking of what we can get, we each come up with something that we can give Jesus in the coming year.

I heard a variation of that tradition today that I liked. The idea was to decide what you can give to Jesus during the coming year, but to write it down and keep it in a present that you keep around all year in a place where you will see it and be reminded of what you have decided to give Him.

I have decided what my gift will be. I hope that you will give Him one too. Merry Christmas!

Elder Dallin H. Oaks on Religious Freedom

I came across this speech today. Here is one of my favorite excerpts.

"We must not be deterred or coerced into silence by the kinds of intimidation I have described. We must insist on our constitutional right and duty to exercise our religion, to vote our consciences on public issues and to participate in elections and debates in the public square and the halls of justice. "

More info may be found at: http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/apostle-says-religious-freedom-is-being-threatened

Ukraine's Got Talent

My wife pointed this out to me. It's an animation of the Nazi occupation of Ukraine during WWII. I loved it. I hope you enjoy it too!

A new season

Do you ever get excited for the fall? I do. I like going back to school in the fall. There's the excitement of a new year ahead. New adventures. New friends. This fall I'm taking Property, Constitutional law, and Appellate Writing. I've got a supervised externship during the day that keeps me busy. It's exciting to be working at a place that I want to be working at and, at least for the present, could see myself working at in the future. My wife is a champ. She picks me up from school and makes sure I get my calories :D In recent news, I obtained a normal BMI for perhaps the first time in my adult life. This is an accomplishment for me if you know my metabolism's efforts to undermine it. To top it all off, BYU beat Oklahoma and crushed Tulane. Also, Michigan beat Western Michigan and pulled off a thrilling upset against Notre Dame. Office bragging rights baby!

Ahoy!

"Dr. Marvin, Dr. Marvin, I'm sailing, I sailed, I'm a sailor on my very first try!"

Okay, so I needed a fun greeting and I can't help but think about What About Bob whenever I hear "Ahoy!"

It's been ages since I've said anything. All manner of good stuff has happened since my last post in April.

I'm now married. Whoa. How cool is that! I'm digging it. My wife is wonderful. (And I'm still getting mad utils from just calling her my wife :D ) We had a wonderful wedding and many of our family and friends came to support us. For those of you who could not make it, you were missed! The ceremony was simple and beautiful. We are sealed together for time and all eternity. None of this "till death do you part" stuff. I'm serious when I say that.

We had a crazy busy couple of weeks, what with my finals, me moving, Lex's graduation (She's a Master now :D ), the family mixer over dessert (I got a yummy sandwich, I was starving) the night before the wedding, and the wedding, picture taking, and reception, before the honeymoon. The actual day of the wedding was the best day of my life so far. This in spite of the fact that I slept about 3 hours that night next to a chainsaw (sorry Dad!).

Lucky for us, the weather held; It had been starting to rain as we were pulling up to the Washington, DC temple in our rented "Chariot for Hire" (bus) with family in tow. We took a bunch of pictures on the temple grounds and then piled into the bus and headed down to the monuments. We took pictures at the Jefferson and Lincoln, despite the best efforts of DC police to prevent us, notwithstanding our permits (yeah, you have to pay to take pictures in front of the monuments in your wedding garb). Alia, our photographer, was great. So was her husband. I needed help knowing when my smile was in need of renewed energy (i.e. I was smiling, but not showing any teeth).

After the photo shoot around DC we cruised back to the hotel and got ready for the reception. The reception was a blast, for me personally, and at least from appearances, to those in attendance. I had so much fun dancing with Lex, my mom, my little sister, and watching others dance and have fun. Lex and her dad had a wonderful surprise built into their daddy-daughter dance. Slow dance ---> tap dance ! :D In case you're wondering, Lex and I were sedate in how we helped each other taste the wedding cake. None of the mashing the cake in your beautiful wife's face. I think we finally called it a night around 10:30pm or so. The party was still going strong thanks to the folks of the Langley Ward :D.

Okay, so this is far from all, but I'm sure Lex will post more on our blog :)

Things I like about Virginia, Ch. 1

1. Alexis (yup, she's here and it's a better place because she graces it with her presence)

The rest are in no particular order.

2. Trees (I come from Colorado, Utah, and Arizona....I thought I knew what trees were before I moved out here. I was wrong. I love how the trees out here flower before they get their leaves. The fall is just beautiful. )
3. Richmond (We just took a trip down there. For more on our adventures, see Lex's blog)
4. History (I love how central Virginia was to the Founding of the US. I've got a class right now on the Founders' Constitution. It's wonderful learning of those who lived here and their efforts to create a good system of government. It's even better to just drive around and see how many places there are where that history happened. I need to go exploring this summer and see more of it)
5. Virginia really is for lovers!! (Hahaha, that's right I'm being sappy again. But its true, this is where I met Lex and fell for her. :D )
6. The Red Wings never come here :D (This is to redeem myself for number 5. :P )

Insanity!

Okay, so I'm not sure I meet the criteria for insanity yet, but just to test things here's the latest. I decided to apply for GMU's MA in Economics program. It's something I've been thinking about since before I applied and now is the time to apply. Actually, the time to apply was 3/15, but I went and talked to the staff at GMU's campus in Fairfax and they said that if I got the app in by this week, the admissions board would take a look at it. If you're curious, here's what I told them about why I want to do the MA in Econ.

I left out some preliminary stuff about my background, but here's the rest:

III. Why the MA in Economics?

First, I enjoyed economics as an undergraduate and want to learn more. Intermediate Price Theory 2 was one of my favorite classes at BYU. I loved the models we used for auctions, cartels, monopolies, risk taking, and the time we spent on game theory. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to take Econometrics and loved working with data sets and running regressions in STATA. I am eager to take Econometrics as part of the MA in Economics and hope to become more familiar with and adept at using quantitative methods.

Second, economics provides a set of tools that will inform my analysis of legal questions. Some of the most influential jurists have been those who have used economic principles to analyze the law. The skills I would gain from the MA in Economics would inform my application of legal principles and give me a broader set of tools with which to evaluate legal outcomes and human rights policies.

Finally, An MA in Economics will give me greater economic expertise without the commitment of a PhD program. While I was at BYU, I was a teaching assistant for a Statistics for Economists class. I loved teaching students how to solve problems. It was the greatest feeling to see students go from following you to figuring it out for themselves and applying it in new situations. I have often thought that at some point I would like to enter academia and teach. In the meantime, the MA in Economics would give me practical skills and provide me with more insight about whether I want to pursue a PhD.

IV. Economics at GMU

After graduating from BYU and moving to the DC metropolitan area, I decided to enroll in law school at George Mason University. I came to GMU for both a law degree and economics degree. The law degree will give me the credentials necessary to prosecute human rights violators. The economics degree will help me develop a better understanding of incentives and work with the market to create incentives that protect human rights. With respect to human rights violations, exhortation is not enough. There are people in power, both political and economic, who will not do the right thing no matter how much you ask. I hope to be able to give them reasons to use their power to benefit, rather than abuse, those subject to it. To that end, a law degree will help me have the skills to prosecute those who have already violated human rights, while the economics degree will help me see how to give people, governments, and corporations incentives to avoid human rights violations going forward.

Summer Plans

Alright, so today I got some good news.  I found out that I've been accepted to the GW/Oxford International Human Rights Law study abroad that will be in Oxford from mid-July to mid-August.  I've been interested in that program since before I began law school, so I'm pretty stoked about getting in.  GMU doesn't offer those classes and to be able to take them at Oxford.   With the caliber of people they have teach and lecture, I'm sure it will be fantastic.  They bring in people who are doing the real work out there in the various human rights tribunals.  I'm not sure who they have lined up for this summer, but I'm excited all the same.  Yes, Casey, I know you're rolling your eyes as you read this.  That's okay, because David Crane is my hero!  So there!   :)

What else am I doing this summer?  Glad you asked :)  First and foremost, I'm marrying Alexis.  I am counting the days, trust me.  We're going on a cruise for the honeymoon the following week.  I've never been on one, Lex has, and we're both so excited!!  After that, we'll get back and try to find some sort of rhythm.  We're looking at apartments in Alexandria and will likely be in the Mount Vernon Stake.  I've got an unpaid internship lined up at the Potomac Legal Aid Society.  My understanding is that will be part-time.  I'm also talking to a local firm that primarily works with Eastern European clients.  I hope they take me on for a part-time (paid) internship.  We'll see.  Other than that, the plan is to spend as much time as possible with my lovely wife.  :D

Fun with Friends

I woke up this morning and was excited to see that it hadn't rained.  Well, at least it looked like it was dry outside.  I got to go play some tennis with Kristine.  That was so much fun!  I haven't run around like that in ages.  Amazing how good it felt to be out on the tennis court :)  

After that, I got to go help Darin and Melanie move into their place.  I'm so excited for them.  I loved their place.  I think they are going to be all sorts of good once they get unpacked.  As for the move, we had a bunch of helpers and there really wasn't that much stuff.  They even treated us to pizza and pop when it was over!   The apartment is in a complex that's similar looking to the one Darin used to live in and I live in now.  It was funny, because four of the guys there had lived in my current apartment at one time or another.  Soon, I'll be passing my spot on to some fresh grad who will, more likely than not, be coming here from Utah.

JRCLS Dinner and Fireside

So, I went to the J. Reuben Clark Law Society dinner and fireside tonight.  Last year was my first time.  It was fun to actually be a law student this time around.  The catered food was decent.  I sat at a table with Aaron M., a UVA alum who is clerking for a DC Circuit Ct.  Also there were Levi and Bonnie and their son Clark.  Levi's a 3L at GW who is looking for public service work for the next year.  His firm will still give him an office and pay him half salary.  Across the way was Troy and Debra W.  Debra's a 3L at GMU who will finish up in December.  I'd seen her their before.  Her husband's a Harvard alum who's doing Native American law on his own.  Rick and Elyse P. were there too of course.  It was good to see them.  

I had a brief conversation with Jon J., one of the Pro Bono Comm. co-chairs.  He remembered me from the lunch at Patton Boggs a few months back.  I told him I was going to be interning for the Potomac Legal Aid Society this summer and that he should feel free to give me anything a 1L can help out with.

The JRCLS Distinguished Service Award was given to Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  He had been a managing partner at a law firm in San Francisco before working in health care and later being called to church service.  His message focused on two pieces of the Constitutions: 1) pursuit of happiness and 2) religious freedom.  The pursuit of happiness portion was about not comparing yourself to everyone who is the best at a particular skill.  Instead, he encouraged us to strive to develop Christ-like attributes.  The religious freedom portion was focused on encouraging lawyers to actively participate in conversations about the Church in public fora with thoughtful, reasoned responses.

It was a good evening.  Would have been better if Lex were here.  She's off in her homeland playing with friends and family.  She's also got a bridal shower up there this weekend.  

Legal Memorandum in Support of 12(b)(6) Motion to Dismiss

If you're thinking to yourself "Huh?!", then you know my pain for the last week or so. I turned it in this morning at 9:56am, just 4 minutes before the electronic submission deadline. We had to write one about some copyright claims for contributory infringement and vicarious liability. We did it using case law from the 9th Circuit as the Plaintiff brought the case in the Central District of California.

It's become clear to me that I stress over things I've never done before. I stress about them and don't really want to start them. Then at some point, my stress about the rapidly approaching deadline overpowers the fear of doing whatever the task may be incorrectly.

In the future, I definitely need to start sooner. Any recommendations for how to approach tasks you've never tackled before without getting overwhelmed?

George Mason School of Law - Comments and Suggestions

There are a number of things that would improve the George Mason School of Law's facilities.

In no particular order:

1.  Double doors in the basement to prevent all of the cold air from permeating the first two floors of the law school.

2.  More lounging space for students.

3.  More study space for students.

4.  Better vending machine offerings.  As far as pop goes (yes, it's pop, don't even get me started :P ) most everything in the vending machines is Coke.  Oh yeah, there's also iced tea and water.  There is one vending machine that has Sprite.  Good luck getting the credit card swipe to work, or even getting the product you chose.  I've had the machine randomly issue me a Coke when I pushed Sprite.

 - For a comparison, go take a look at the vending machines in the Original Building (where the School of Public Policy is housed).

5.  Hardware that allows you to secure your laptop to the carrels in the library.

6.  Reference Desk hours on Saturday.  They have Sunday hours.  Doesn't help me.

7.  SBA meetings not on Sunday.  Yeah, 3 LDS students who would have run for SBA did not because the meetings are on Sunday.

8.  Alcohol-free tickets for the Barrister's Ball.  Some of us don't actually drink, why should we pay for alcohol we're not going to drink?

9.  Better bookstore hours.  The bookstore closes at 4:00pm or so on Fridays.  Night students have class until 8pm on Fridays.  Also, the bookstore is not open at all on Saturdays.  Good luck picking up that study aid you need over the weekend.

10.  Another fridge for students to use for lunches.

11.  Another TV besides the one in the Mason Cafe.

12.  Cheaper prices at all of the vending machines on Arlington Campus.  Monopoly pricing anyone?