Family, does God Care? YES!

I'm going to be home in five days--that's a happy thought. Brigham Young University is great, but I still miss my family (even though I have some family out here too). Might as well write about why family is so wonderful, right?

In my church, we believe that Heavenly Father (the title we usually give God) is exactly who He sounds like He is. We believe that God the Father is not only the Savior's Father--He's also our Father. We lived with Him and ALL of our brothers and sisters (who are all humanity) before we came to Earth during a time we often call the Pre-mortal Existence. Like a good father, He loves us, and He wants the best for us. He created the world to allow us to experience things that were not available in the spirit world, and the climax of His creation (which may or may not have been done through means scientists theorize about, but that's another discussion) of Heaven and Earth was a family. His first commandment to Adam and Eve--to multiply and replenish the Earth--had everything to do with families. Two of the ten commandments--Honor thy father and thy mother & thou shalt not commit adultery--show a very fervent Divine push for wholesome families. The fact that the Savior of the World, the Only Begotten Son of God came to Earth as part of a family further shows the importance of families.

I'm grateful for my family. We have our flaws, and we don't always see eye to eye, but I'm glad to be the brother/son/uncle/cousin/nephew/grandson... of every one of them (especially the brother and son part! I'm also looking forward to being a husband and father--maybe five years from now!). Life is hard. And it would be impossible were it not for loving relationships. I realize not everyone has a family close to them, but I promise you that you always have a Father and a Brother (Christ, like all of us, is Heavenly Father's Son) who are cheering for you and longing to help you if you give them a chance. The power of prayer is real, and unlike the cell phone I use to talk to my family on the other side of the country, it is not limited by battery life, fuzzy reception, limited minutes, or payment plans.

I'm going home to my immediate family in five days. A very large and glorious family awaits many years (probably) from now. And to make it all the better, my family in this life will still be together there! The family is indeed "ordained of God," and if you want to see where that quote comes from, just look at this last piece of evidence for how important families are to God:

Little Blessings/Tender Mercies

I've been having a tricky time staying on top of things lately, and I just wanted to make a quick post about something (Well, a few things really) that happened on Thursday.

1) It was 10:30, and I had a chemistry exam to prepare for and take, about 1.5 hours of reading to do before my psychology class, and three hours until said class. Part of the preparation for the exam included an online quiz that didn't technically have to be done until about midnight, but I figured it would hurt more to miss that preparation for the exam than it would to miss some of the questions on the in-class quiz in psychology. I got onto the quiz, and I was able to answer a few questions before I hit a wall. Being a Latter-day Saint, I reflexed with a prayer, and then I stopped, thought, and said another, more sincere prayer, thanking Heavenly Father for helping me through the day so far. I went back to the quiz and the answers flowed to me like ink from a pen. I was a little uncertain about a couple of them, but I had neither the time nor confidence to go back and do battle with them, so I offered another brief prayer of thanks and clicked 'submit.' I aced it. I was expecting to miss a few of them, but every question was marked 'correct.' I almost felt like there was someone patting me on the back, saying "You're okay James. Keep going. I've got you covered." I offered another prayer of thanks.

2) After a little more studying, I went to the testing center, feeling a little rushed by the rapidly-approaching class. I felt pretty good about most of the test, but there was one question that I literally had no clue about. After finishing the rest of the test, I went back to the question, which I had answered based on a clue I thought I had found. About ready to stand up and turn it in, I suddenly saw something I hadn't seen before and I had a guess I felt halfway-certain about. Figuring "halfway-certain" was better than "eh, I'm leaning-toward-this," I changed the answer and turned it in. I left the testing center, stunned that I had only missed two questions on an exam I had taken feeling unprepared and rushed. Feeling very elated, I more quickly than I thought I could, finishing about two minutes before class. The in-class quiz turned out very well, and I left psychology feeling very blessed.

3) I had another chemistry assignment that was mostly done but was still a little behind schedule. I had to finish by midnight, but when I went to work on it, the questions proved to be rather difficult. After feeling like I'd been beating my head against a wall for half an hour, I realized that I hadn't prayed for help yet. So I did. I went back to work, expecting guidance and hoping to finish by 11:59. As before, the answers started flowing to me, and I even finished fifteen minutes early. Again, I went to my knees and thanked Heavenly Father for His mercy. One more cool thing before I went to bed: I decided looked up the topic of the question I had struggled with on the exam. As you may have guessed, my final answer (which was not mine at all) was correct.

Blessed be the Most High God, and praise be unto Him forever for His love and the fact that He cares enough about His children to help them in their little times of need! I love these tender mercies.

My 2 Greatest Passions are Improperly Labeled as Oil and Water

I'm studying neuroscience at Brigham Young University. BYU apparently has the largest undergraduate neuroscience program in the United States. I've always had a passion for science, and sometimes people wonder how that can mix with the faith I profess to have in my religion. For a while now, I've been working on my philosophy of how science and religion are more compatible than most people realize. In fact, a desire to express this belief was one of the determining factors in starting this blog.

Science is wonderful; it has allowed us to gain a great deal of understanding about the world as we create, test, and alter theories through an endless chain of research and discoveries. However, these are all theories and one of the fundamental bases of true science continues to be the fact that things can and should be proven wrong if possible, change is good, and new understanding will eventually replace or re-define what we currently understand. Hence, we cannot claim that we know for certain how the world around us operates because the very theories we base our so-called "knowledge" on are set up to change as we gain further intelligence.

I will continue in my passion for science, but even true science can never match up to true religion in terms of bringing understanding to mankind. While a temporary theory may enlighten us on how to operate a little better in this life, a testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ's Atonement can provide profound motivation and edification in this life and eternal life with God after we finish our mortal sojourns. One may call me foolish, but I sincerely believe that the philosophy of a solely scientific approach to life, where we point our fingers at an article and say "this is truth, this is right, we must abide by this" one day and then a week later point at the same article and say "this is old, this is out of date, we know better now" and then refuse to believe that we will one day say exactly that about our current "knowledge."

This is probably not my most refined or even understandable blog post (I'm more than a little tired), but I hope I'll eventually do this concept justice. It's so important, and the world teaches contrary so often...

Significance in Pie? I Think So

I ate a lot of pie the last few days, and I had a difficult time deciding what to write about today. I'm a firm believer that there is symbolism and significance everywhere around us, if we're willing to look for it. As I've said before, I'm not the greatest writer ever, so if this turns out cheesy or incredibly un-profound, I'll apologize in advance, but I've challenged myself to find and explain why Pie is significant, so here goes:

Let's establish a few things first.
Pie falls under a wide variety of definitions, from cherry tarts to pizza, but the variations typically share a few elements: often a round shape, some sort of bread-like or at least grain-based crust, and fruit or meat set in or on the crust. Pies are classic means of conveying delicious and messy food from a pan to our bellies. They're often associated with celebrations (especially the dessert pies, often containing things like pumpkin, apples, berries, or cream), and they give a powerful impression of comfortable, homey life.

What interpretive leaps can we take from these details?
If Pie is a well-established means of sustenance, comes in many varieties, and carries with it a powerful connotation of peace and comfort, am I remiss in saying that Pies are like religions?
Consider for a moment how religions, like Pies, nourish people.
While Pies can bring many sorts of nutrients to one's body, depending on whether it's a meat-and-vegetable pot pie or a fruit-and-sugar dessert pie, different religions have provided entire cultures a sense of comfort, understanding, and purpose. From a Latter-day Saint (Mormon) perspective, while most of the religions do not contain the absolute truth (or complete nourishment), we believe that virtually every religion contains some degree of truth. We believe that God frequently enlightened people throughout history with various amounts of light to prepare them and those they influenced to eventually receive a fullness of His Gospel. Even if they didn't have a chance to receive His complete Gospel in this life, we believe that missionary work takes place in the Spirit World (where we go after death), and everyone will receive the opportunity to be nourished by the good word of God. As far as mortality goes though, the repercussions of their philosophical and theological evolutions were felt and magnified through generations, preparing their children for the Word as well.

But now, back to Pie.
I may be oversimplifying things, but I'm a little excited about this connection I've never seen before! Some Pies are hearty, life-sustaining, and pleasant to behold and taste. Others are bland, sticky-sweet, overcooked, undercooked, unhealthy, or rotten. While some may look great, with latticed tops and shining contents, they may be full of substances that will strain your system and eventually lead to physical issues, just as some religions may put on a great show to the world but provide very little in terms of real spiritual nourishment. Perhaps the best pies are the ones made by those who know what they're doing, who know what to do to make the Pie worth eating and don't worry about appearance because they know that Pies are meant to be used. The best religions, as the comparison goes, are those inspired by God (the One who truly knows what He is doing in regards to managing mankind), that exist for the saving of souls and not the glorifying of their Earthly administrators.

I feel like I could ponder and rant about Pies and Religions for a few more hours (and I sorta want to), but in the hope of being a little concise and clear, I should probably wrap up. Dear reader, when you look at the philosophies and beliefs of the people around you (whether as part of a literal religion or a passive persuasion about life), do you see the differences between what is uplifting and nourishing and what is self-defeating and even dangerous though it may be pleasing to behold or experience? Are we feasting upon junkfood Pie? or do we dig into sources of nourishment that will keep us strong and capable in the face of life's countless difficulties? To think that a religion is just what you do when you go to church is to defeat the purpose of the religion. The way we live our lives provides us the spiritual nourishment we need so much, but we're much less "health-conscious" about our souls than we used to be. As stated before, there is a "Pie-maker" who knows what He's doing, and we would do well to find out what He would have us do with our lives in order to be nourished and prepared for the eternities to come. Just one last comparison. Remember that Pies have a bread base that helps convey them from the pan to our bellies? The Savior Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the Bread of Life... should we not indeed use Him as the vehicle to carry nourishment to our souls. How would that change the way we live, the nourishment we choose to take into our bodies, hearts, and minds?
Think about THAT next time you eat Pie.

Gratitude, how we Need it!

It might be cliche, but in the spirit of Thanks giving, I'm going to share some beliefs on gratitude.
One of the famous scriptures in my church is from a book of revelations given to modern prophets, called Doctrine and Covenants. It is section 59:6, and it reads "And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments." God has blessed His children with so many comforts and pleasures, and we take His works for granted far too often. I think it would be a worthwhile and appropriate challenge to try, in every setting we find ourselves in, to find one thing we are blessed with in that situation. It's important to realize our blessings, otherwise we become proud and "offend God," as the scripture above warns.
Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers! I hope you find those little parts of life that make it so worth living!
(Oh by the way, I am grateful for the technology that allows me to practice writing in a semi-public situation so easily. I'm also grateful for the relatives who were so willing to let me and a few of my siblings leave college and stay at their place for the Thanksgiving break!)

Man's Theological Evolution

(I was writing another post, but my mind shifted to this and I think I like it better, so here goes!)
It's interesting to see how societies and people are shaped and prepared by various influences, especially religious ones. For example, the Law of Moses was given to help the children of Israel prepare for the coming of Christ and His gospel. The sacrifices they were required to make, the reverence they were commanded to give to God and the Sabbath, and the basic moral commandments they were given to live (thou shalt not kill, steal, take the name of the Lord in vain, etc) prepared a social philosophy that would allow at least some of the population to accept Christ and His teachings when He came. They were directly involved in sacrifices done for the cleansing of their sins, setting up for an easy transition into understanding that Jesus Christ's atonement and crucifixion allowed them to be forgiven of their sins. Christ taught that whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath already committed adultery in his heart, a law significantly higher than just "thou shalt not commit adultery."
Evidently, much of mankind still wasn't ready for the Gospel, seeing as they still chose to murder the Man who went among them working miracles and preaching glorious doctrines.
Then, during the Reformation Era, valiant reformers like Martin Luther, John Wycliffe, and William Tyndale brought the Bible to the people in their own languages, and when kings and clergy realized this displaced much of their authority and control over the people, they arranged for their executions. After hundreds of years of bloodbath (literally; "Bloody Mary," daughter of King Henry VIII's first wife, averaged several dozen protestants executed each year of her reign), the concept of religious freedom became strongly enough established that the Restoration could finally occur (at least in America) without Joseph Smith and every other advocate of the restored Gospel being burned at the stake. They were still persecuted, and many were killed for their beliefs, but the Lord had spent the previous 1700 years moving mankind toward a state where they would allow themselves to feel His Spirit and be led to the truth. The church was successfully established, and little by little, changes are still taking place to allow God's word to again be received in its fullness by His children. The world is in the process of preparing for Christ's Second Coming, and I don't know everything that preparation entails, but I know that missionaries and faithful members of Christ's restored church are in high demand.

In my Proud Humility/The Reason I Have Hands

Last night, I attended a dance ensemble entitled "Transformations." BYU contemporary dancers performed a series of dances under such themes as "Call of the Soul," "Epiphany," and "Ascending Horizons." Usually, this style of dance is lost on me. I used to just be confused by it because I couldn't interpret what they were really going for. I decided to try to think with just the creative side of my brain and see where that took me. They had some thought-provoking quotes and titles that helped make a framework for my perception of the dances. I came away feeling like I had discovered (or perhaps re-discovered) something about myself/life, and when I got back to my dorm, I had an idea for a poem. I'm by no means a literary artist, but I enjoyed writing this, so I thought I'd share. It may eventually undergo some editing, who knows? I guess that's appropriate for something inspired by a dance ensemble entitled "Transformations."

In my Proud Humility/The Reason I Have Hands

Am I ready for this knowledge? Am I allowed to take this path?

Will it elevate and groom me to receive that which thou hath?

I do not understand it, but someday I think I will.

Oh Father, grant me guidance and with light my person fill.

My son, I have not sent you to raise yourself on high;

You must go and serve your brothers and help them where they lie.

Your purpose is not to travel to feared and noble lands.

I did not give you wings, my son. Instead, I gave you hands.

The seraphim of heaven, with hands and sev’ral wings,

Can fly ‘round worlds and do God’s will, through far and distant flings.

And the birds you see are fair and skilled, and through the air they soar,

But an impact they can hardly have without fingers worked and sore.

Thou art given only hands right now, with which to work and give.

Your place is not up in the sky, but the world in which you live.

My job is not to raise myself, but to bring about a change.

The world has need of willing men, peculiar and strange.

So with my Father’s sound advice, my soul now understands:

He did not give me wings to fly, but blessed me with two hands.

(Epilogue!?)

“Forget yourself and go to work,” a prophet’s father said.

“Those who lose their life shall save it,” this wisdom we must spread.

To have “so much the advantage,” we labor hard and long,

But to truly be God’s servants, pure love must be our song.

Breaking Ground!

Good afternoon Blog-Readers!
I've decided that I need to get better at self-expression. I've always felt like I can understand concepts and situations but can't figure out how to share with those around me. I'm going to try to exercise my verbal expression muscles by posting about some of my deeper-set beliefs every so often. I'm not asking you to agree with everything I say, but I hope that through this blog you, dear reader, and I will learn and grow together.

For my first post, I'll try to briefly share some of the truths that have made the greatest difference in my life.
In my church, we teach that Heavenly Father has a plan for His children, a plan that, if followed, will allow us to receive Eternal Life with Him when our mortal experiences are done. The base, power source, and implementer of that plan is Jesus Christ. Unless He came to Earth, lived a sinless life, atoned for the sins of all mankind from all times and places, and conquered death in the resurrection, the plan would fail and all mankind would be doomed to eternal damnation. It may sound extreme and even bizarre, but I stand by the claim because its veracity is frequently communicated to me through the Holy Ghost. I have a passion for science, and I cherish the understanding we frequently build and develop over years of scientific practices. I can bear testimony though, that all human learning and philosophizing, as remarkable as they may be, are but a candle next to the supernova of truth restored to the Earth in modern days. I speak of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--Christ's own church restored to mankind after 1700+ years of world-wide apostasy. No mortal has the answers to all of life's questions, but God still gives direct guidance to His children through prophets, the Holy Ghost, and sacred scripture.