Virginia Tech and Iraq--How to Find Peace

Reflecting upon the tragedy of today's events reminds me that we live in a world where people are free to choose between good and evil. So how can we find peace? How can we stop the evils we're witnessing in shootings, bombings, and other acts of terror and violence?

The only true and lasting way to peace is through the gospel of Jesus Christ. President John Adams, one of our founding fathers, stated, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." Only by changing the hearts of men so that they choose, of their own will, to live moral lives can we ultimately enjoy freedom from crime and terror. As we're seeing in Iraq, no constitution of the people can guarantee freedom from evil. Freedom, and therefore peace, can only come when a people live morally of their own accord.

How can we preach the gospel of peace that leads to freedom from evil? It must first begin in the home. Every killer had a mother and father. As parents, we must take the sacred responsibility to raise our children in such a way that they will seek peace, love their neighbors, and respect others' freedom. Not all children of good parents choose the right path, but if more parents made their children a higher priority, particularly above their own interests, fewer children would choose to harm others.

Parents can best help their children by raising them with the gospel. Whether LDS or not, Christian parents need to be active participants in their churches and ensure that their children are too. Mothers also need to make their children their highest priority, staying home full-time where possible. Parents must do all they can to love each other and avoid divorce. Finally, parents must treat their children with love, respect, and kindness and avoid abuse which can build up anger and teach destructive social skills.

Second, we must be better missionaries and do more to support missionary work around the world. The gospel of Jesus Christ can do more to change a person's heart than anything else (see Alma 5:12-14). We should pray continually that countries not currently open to the Church will permit missionaries to enter and legally share the gospel. Until that happens, we should do all we can to share the gospel ourselves. Many people from those countries come to the United States and learn of Jesus Christ and accept his gospel. They will do much in coming years to take the gospel to their own people.

Finally, until that day when the Lord reigns on the earth, we must stand united against those who would turn to violence. By so doing, the forces of evil will be more likely to choose peace. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan declared, "We live in a precarious world threatened by totalitarian forces who seek to subvert and destroy freedom. The peace we enjoy is maintained only by our strength and resolve, and it's our duty to fortify both." That council, given under threat of communism, applies today in the face of terrorism.

If we do not stand up to evil, it will continue to press us on every front. We must embrace peace wherever possible, but that peace must be backed up with the strength and will to oppose evil. If we are not united, evil will exploit our division. During his first inaugural address, President Reagan stated this position: "Our reluctance for conflict should not be misjudged as a failure of will. When action is required to preserve our national security, we will act. We will maintain sufficient strength to prevail if need be, knowing that if we do so we have the best chance of never having to use that strength."

America has demonstrated through its short history the peace and prosperity that accompanies righteous living. America has also proven its depth of compassion. Finally, America has shown in times past that it will not tolerate those who will hurt and kill the innocent. Satan wants the world to believe America is its enemy because in reality, America is the "the last best hope of man on Earth" (Ronald Reagan, 1964). Remember, Satan calls "evil good, and good evil" (Isaiah 5:20). If we stand united against evil and for peace and compassion, the world will see through the lies and stand with us in opposing terror. If, however, we criticize ourselves and highlight the exceptions and mistakes, Satan and his hosts of wickedness will exploit this criticism to take away our ability to stop terror.

So what is the plan to peace? First and foremost, live and preach the gospel in our families and around the world. Second, maintain our strength and unity to stop terror until that time the gospel floods the earth and the Lord reigns on it.

Free from Debt...Practical Ideas

Don't be a slave to debt. Uncontrolled debt can cause financial ruin and place great strain on individuals and marriages. President Gordon B. Hinckley of the LDS Church said, “To satisfy our desires, we go into debt, dissipate our resources in the payment of high interest, and become as slaves working to pay it off. Debt can be a terrible thing” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “‘Thou Shalt Not Covet’,” Ensign, Mar 1990, 2).

Eliminating debt brings freedom and peace and leads to prosperity. Control your future by getting out of debt, spending less than you earn, and investing. As long as you're in debt, you're making other people rich by paying them interest. Instead of making other people rich, let other people increase your wealth by spending less than you earn and investing the difference.

The first step in gaining your freedom from debt, and the focus of this article, is to cut back on spending. The less money you spend, the more you can use to pay off your debt, especially if you're already living within your means. Most people would be surprised how much they spend and how easily they can decrease their monthly spending.

Here are some ideas for reducing your spending.

Quit Smoking. Give up smoking—or at least cut back! Cigarettes are a 100% unnecessary expense. If you average one pack per day at $4.00 per pack, giving them up will save you nearly $1,500 per year. In addition, if you stop smoking, your health will improve and your health costs will decrease. This goes the same for chewing tobacco.

Replace Alcohol and Soda with Water. Cutting back on beer and soda can save you hundreds of dollars a year—and cut inches off your waist too!

Cut Phone Costs. If you have both a cell phone and a home telephone, you may be able to save a lot of money by dropping one or the other. If your children have cell phones, ask yourself whether they really need them. Cell phone costs can be quite high especially if the kids go over their minutes or if you're paying for other things like text messaging. If you only have a home phone, decide whether you can live without services like caller ID. You may also want to shop around for cheaper long-distance companies.

Reduce Internet Costs. If you have broadband Internet access, consider dial-up instead which can be just a quarter of the cost of broadband or less. You can cut back on Internet costs completely by using free Internet access at your local library, or if you have a laptop with wireless capability, go to free hot zones to check your email.

Cut Cable Costs. Consider dropping your cable TV altogether. That can save you $40 per month or more for just basic cable. Not only will this save you hundreds of dollars a year, but it will be good for your family. If you can't live without the cable, consider a cheaper plan. For example, if you have digital cable, change to a basic cable plan. That could save you $20 or more a month plus the costs of a set-top box or DVR if the cable company charges for that too. You should also consider bundling your services with one company. You could save a lot of money each month if you consolidate your cable, telephone, and Internet with the same company. In many places, the local telephone and cable companies both offer all three services and will give you a discount for bundling. Finally, if you pay for TIVO or another service like it, consider eliminating it and just using your old VCR.

Eat out Less. Eating fast food and going to restaurants frequently may be adding thousands of dollars to your food bill every year. Cutting back even a little can save a lot. For example, if you spend $6 a day at lunch for fast food, consider making your own lunch at home for $2 and taking it to work. Eating your own lunch three times a week would save you $600 per year. In addition, your own meals will often have less fat and carbohydrates making you leaner and healthier.

Cut Your Grocery Bill. When shopping for food, reduce expenses by purchasing generic or store brands. Also plan your meals in advance so you know exactly what you need to buy at the store. Make as many of your meals as you can. Prepared meals like TV dinners will often cost you more than a meal made from scratch. Use coupons where you can, but watch those prices carefully. Even with a coupon, some name brand foods are still more expensive than the store brand alternatives. Finally, don't give in to impulse shopping. If it's not your list, don't buy it.

Sell a Car. If you have two cars, especially if you have two car payments, consider selling one car. This may be a sacrifice, but if you can coordinate your schedules and use public transportation, you can save hundreds of dollars a month in loan payments, gas, and auto maintenance fees. In many cities, commuting to work can cost half as much as a car payment. And in many places like Washington DC, you can take advantage of free alternatives such as carpooling or slugging.

Cut Up Credit Cards. Most people really only need one credit card. It makes sense to have and use one if used responsibly. Save the one that provides you the most benefits and costs the least, and cut up the others. Fewer cards will present less of a temptation to spend.

Make Do With What You Have. Do you feel like buying a new outfit? Try using your current clothes longer. Is your computer getting slower? Rather than buy a new one, consider adding more memory or cleaning it up with free antivirus and spyware tools. A low-cost solution could save you $1,000 or more on a new computer. Do you want a big new plasma TV? Hold off purchasing one another year if your current television works just fine. Many of our seniors remember the phrase, “Use it up; where it out; make it do; or do without.”

Cut iPod Costs. This counts for any of the new devices like MP3 players, Blackberries, etc. Do you really need them? For some, you may be paying monthly fees to download music, send messages, or access the network. Even if there aren't monthly fees, don't buy music. Buying ten songs a month can cost you an extra $10. If you have an iPod or other MP3 player, there are many free things to list to. Your public library may have free audiobooks you can check out. You can also find free songs at places like LDS.org (http://www.lds.org/churchmusic/). Many websites also have free podcasts.

Stop Buying Books and Newspapers. You can check out the latest books for free at your public library. Never buy a book again. Buying one hardcover book a month can cost you $250 per year or more. Stop paying for a newspaper, especially if you have Internet access. You can get a wide variety of local and national news on a host of websites like CNN.com, FOXNEWS.com, and Google News.

Pay Tithing. If you're a person of faith, pay tithing. This may seem counterintuitive, but paying tithing may help you eliminate debt in the long run. First, you can you often deduct the donation. Second, paying tithing helps you to learn to sacrifice—a key to reducing debt. Third, great promises are made to those who pay tithing. Malachi 3:10 reads, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Many faithful tithe payers have found great financial blessings come to them in unexpected ways.

Conduct a Spending Inventory. There are so many other ways to cut your monthly spending. Take an inventory of everything you spend by recording all your expenses for one month. Review your expenses; you may be surprised where your money is going. Decide where you can cut back. Also do research to find less expensive alternatives to your current essentials expenditures. Some hard work can result in big savings.

Make a Plan. Set some goals and create a budget. If you've done your homework, you'll see how much you can save each month. Set a goal to limit your expenditures to those essentials you've identified and to reduce costs by through alternatives. Decide to live within your means and set aside a certain amount of money each month for savings or investments. Finally, commit to paying off your debts as soon as possible starting with those that charge the highest interest.

The benefit of becoming free from debt is greater than the savings in interest. You will have learned to enjoy life on a smaller budget, your future will become more secure, and you may be healthier and enjoy better relationships with your family.

The Source of Charity, the Perfect Love of Christ

More than anything else in this world of war and sorrow, we need charity, the pure love of Christ. Mormon teaches us how we can be filled with this love, and through the downfall of the Nephite nation, we can see the consequences of losing this love. From that story, it's easy to see parallels in the world today. But there is also hope that man can change and be filled with the charity toward one another.

The key to experiencing the pure love of Christ is the Holy Ghost. In an epistle to his son Moroni, Mormon writes, "And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer..." (Moroni 8:26). Therefore, the key to feeling the love of Christ is to do that which will permit the Holy Ghost to dwell in our hearts. This can take place as Mormon explained, through repentance and a remission of sins and through a meekness and lowliness of heart or humility.

Prayer can also invite the Holy Spirit to be with us. Mormon teaches that we can pray to be filled with the pure love of Christ. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ..." (Moroni 7:48).

If the visitation of the Holy Ghost will fill us with love, then driving away the Holy Ghost will cause that love to depart as well. The story of the Nephites' downfall demonstrates this principle. Mormon describes for his son what he sees happening to the Nephites as they deny the Holy Ghost. He writes, "I fear lest the Spirit hath ceased striving with them; and in this part of the land they are also seeking to put down all power and authority which cometh from God; and they are denying the Holy Ghost" (Moroni 8:28).

Without the Holy Ghost, the Nephites are no longer filled with the love of Christ. The resulting void is filled with anger. Mormon tells his son that the Nephites "do not repent, and Satan stirreth them up continually to anger one with another" (Moroni 9:3). Worse, because "the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving with them" (Moroni 9:4), "they have no fear of death; and they have lost their love, one towards another; and they thirst after blood and revenge continually" (Moroni 9:5).

Looking at terrorism in the world today, we can understand why the prophecy is being fulfilled that in the last days "the love of many shall wax cold" (Matthew 24:12). With so much wickedness driving the Holy Ghost out of the hearts of men, they are being filled with anger and hatred. Terrorists do not fear death and even "thirst after blood and revenge continually."

What can we do? Share the gospel which leads to a mighty change of heart. Alma the Younger teaches of people who received the gospel and experienced this change of heart, and as a result, they "humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And behold, they were faithful until the end..." (Alma 5:13). That humility, trust in God, and faithfulness will bring the Holy Ghost into the hearts of men. Pray that doors will open around the world for the preaching of the gospel. And wherever you are, set an example of righteous living and share your testimonies that Spirit can work on those around you and lead to their hearts being filled with the pure love of Christ.

Obscure Book of Mormon References

I love the Book of Mormon. I know it's God's word and that it was written for me and for our day. I also love it because it's so varied in its stories and so rich in its detail. Having read the Book of Mormon cover to cover at least 20 times, I've repeatedly run across many interesting references to events, people, and other curious details that raise more questions than they answer. In some instances, these obscure references help testify of the divine role of our Savior and our need to have faith in him. In others, they just leave me scratching my head.

Mostly for the sake of entertainment, I list some of these obscure references here. I'm not looking for answers or trying to prove the Book of Mormon true. I do hope that these interesting tidbits will lead some individuals to read the Book of Mormon more, even if it's just to explore its dustier nooks and crannies.

The Brother of Jared Moved the Mountain Zerin by Faith

Ether 12:30:

30 For the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, Remove—and it was removed. And if he had not had faith it would not have moved; wherefore thou workest after men have faith.

This seems like a rather significant event of “Biblical proportions” like that of Moses parting the Red Sea, yet its only mention in the Book of Mormon is this obscure reference.

Aminadi Interpreted the Writing on the Temple Wall and Written by the Finger of God

Alma 10:2-3:

2 I am Amulek; I am the son of Giddonah, who was the son of Ishmael, who was a descendant of Aminadi; and it was that same Aminadi who interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of the temple, which was written by the finger of God.

3 And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by the hands of his brethren.

With regards to the Brother of Jared moving a mountain, at least he was mentioned prominently elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. In this reference we have two obscure elements: the man and the event.

Cureloms and Cumoms

Ether 9:19:

"And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms."

Orson Pratt identified cureloms as mammoths, but we have no record of a Church leader explaining what a cumom may have been. According to the Wikipedia entry for cureloms, some Church members have speculated the cumoms may have been an alpaca, llama, or some other animal.

Emer

Ether 9:16, 21-22 (14-23):

16 And the Lord began again to take the curse from off the land, and the house of Emer did prosper exceedingly under the reign of Emer; and in the space of sixty and two years they had become exceedingly strong, insomuch that they became exceedingly rich—

21 And Emer did execute judgment in righteousness all his days, and he begat many sons and daughters; and he begat Coriantum, and he anointed Coriantum to reign in his stead.

22 And after he had anointed Coriantum to reign in his stead he lived four years, and he saw peace in the land; yea, and he even saw the Son of Righteousness, and did rejoice and glory in his day; and he died in peace.

Emer is probably the least known of all the Book of Mormon personalities who were privileged to see the Savior. Interestingly, another of our obscure references—the cureloms and cumoms—are mentioned during Emer's reign.

The Prophets Zenock, Neum, and Zenos

1 Nephi 19:10:

10 And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the house of Israel.

These prophets are quoted for their testimonies of Jesus Christ. Zenock and Zenos are quoted elsewhere in the Book of Mormon by other prophets (see Jacob 5:1, Jacob 6:1, Alma 33:15, Alma 34:7, Helaman 8:19-20, Helaman 15:11, 3 Nephi 10:16). Neum shows up only in this verse. Who were these men? The footnote for Zenock refers readers to the Bible Dictionary entry for “Lost Books.”

Ziff

Mosiah 11:3:

3 And he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of their ziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a fifth part of all their grain.

The wicked King Noah laid a heavy tax on his people of one-fifth of their valuable metals including ziff. The footnote indicates “HEB related words: adjective, “shining” verb, “to overlay or plate with metal.”

Neas and Sheum

Mosiah 9:9:

9 And we began to till the ground, yea, even with all manner of seeds, with seeds of corn, and of wheat, and of barley, and with neas, and with sheum, and with seeds of all manner of fruits; and we did begin to multiply and prosper in the land.

After Zeniff a small group of Nephites to repossess the land of Lehi-Nephi, they planted many different fruits and grains including neas and sheum. The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) reports, “As it turns out sheum is a perfectly good Akkadian (ancient northern Mesopotamian) name for a grain dating to the third millennium B.C.” At a Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS) symposium, one botany professor indicated neas and sheum were “perhaps grains but possibly tuber crops.” An archaeobotanist concluded that these foods “were most likely native crops new to Lehi's people.”

Conclusion

There isn't really a conclusion since this blog entry is more a fun diversion than it is a discussion on a serious gospel topic. However, it's safe to say that many of these obscure references are like other mysteries like the nature of the dinosaurs. We may have to wait until the Millennium to know the truth.

Is BYU Football A Waste of Tithing?

In recent years, particularly after the huge new indoor practice facility was funded and built, I've heard some people question the legitimacy of spending so much money on sports at Brigham Young University. As is evident from the name of my blog, I'm a huge fan of BYU sports, especially football and basketball. I believe that the funds spent on BYU sports are not wasted.

Let me first state that I don't know whether tithing monies are used to support BYU sports. I know that a lot of people have donated money to build the Indoor Practice Facility, Larry H. Miller Field, and other facilities. I also know that the sports programs raise money through ticket sales, advertising, and concessions, and I know that companies like Nike may help supply uniforms. I don't know whether the sports programs pay for themselves. If they don't (and the point of this post is not to debate the profitability of the various mens and womens programs), I don't know whether tithing funds are used to make up the difference in revenues and expenses.

For the purpose of this post, let's assume that some tithing funds are used to support BYU sports. If you disagree (and you may be right), then at least we can agree some people donate huge amounts of money which arguably could be spent on more humanitarian or gospel-related projects.

Given those assumptions, I still believe that the money spent on BYU sports is well-spent for many reasons. In my mind, the primary reason is that BYU's sports programs, especially football, are an indispensable missionary tool which reaches many people other missionary programs are less likely to reach. Take this recent article on the San Francisco Chronicle website, for example. The author talked to the well-known Reverend Jerry Falwell. They talked about football. Reverend Falwell said, "My respect for Catholicism and Mormonism goes straight up watching Notre Dame and Brigham Young play." Sure, I don't think BYU football will convert Jerry Falwell, but it shows what a positive effect BYU sports can have on people who probably wouldn't listen to the missionaries.

We are aware of the many players who came to BYU from various backgrounds and later joined the Church. Many are now serving as member missionaries in various parts of the world.

Other former BYU players and coaches now at the professional level also continue to spread goodwill about the Church in countless ways. Take a look, for example, at this Philadelphia NBC 10 story by Vai Sikahema about Andy Reid, both Church members who were formerly involved with BYU football.

Funds spent on BYU sports also help to reach countless youth, members and non-members alike, in a positive manner. So many LDS young men and women are involved in high school sports and want to continue on at the collegiate level. Others want to attend a university where they can be involved in different ways from the marching band and cheerleading to rabid fan and supporter. Without strong programs, many of these students would go elsewhere and participate in programs that are not as tolerant of missions nor as strong in upholding the values we believe in.

Whether or not tithing is used to support BYU football and other sports, I believe the money spent on BYU's sports programs is worth it. These programs play a significant role in the missionary efforts of the Church and its progress.