New Google tools and the Church

Google Labs has come out with a few interesting new search functions: Timeline view and Map view. Try these out these searches:

"Book of Mormon" view:timeline

LDS history view:timeline

"Brigham Young University" view:timeline

Mormon history view:map

utah national parks view:map

Some searches work better than others. Try this one:

Moroni view:map

It's clearly still in the experimental stage, but the mapping is still an interesting tool.

Though it's been available for some time, another fun tool is Google Sets. Try entering the following sets, click on Large Set, and see what Google comes up with:

Lehi, Nephi, Moroni
Jacob, Mosiah, Alma

I'm not sure how useful these tools are, but they're fun. That said, if anyone has ideas for how to use these tools in our gospel study, lesson preparation, etc., post a comment!

Alcohol, the National Hypocrisy

The government has heavily regulated and even withdrawn approval for many drugs because of the potential harm they can cause, even when they have a real medical benefit. However, despite the number of people who are hurt and die every year as a direct result of alcohol consumption, the government does not regulate it at all. That we Americans permit this is disgraceful and hypocritical.

Many people die every year as a result of alcohol. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that in 2001, the United States had 75,766 alcohol-attributable deaths (http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/ardi/Homepage.aspx). The causes of these deaths varied from drunk driving to liver disease. But sadly, many of these deaths were innocent people including children who suffered because others had been under the influence of alcohol.

These figures don't take into account the number of people who suffer alcohol-attributable disease, injury, or abuse. For example, studies indicate thousands are children are born every year with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), a “a set of birth defects caused by maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy.” According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Overall, the available literature points to a prevalence rate of FAS of 0.5 to 2 cases per 1,000 births in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s” (http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-3/159-167.htm). Approximately 4,000,000 live births were registered in the United States in 1994 (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/statab/t941x01.pdf). Using the estimates above, between 2,000 and 8,000 babies are born every year with FAS. Because of alcohol, these innocent children suffer from “deficits in general intellectual functioning, ... difficulties with learning, memory, attention, and problem solving as well as problems with mental health and social interactions” (NIH).

The U.S. Government regulates medications because of their potential harm to individuals. As a result, drugs are subjected to heavy testing to ensure an acceptable degree of safety before they are permitted to be sold. Even then, prescription drugs cannot be purchased without a prescription from a licensed physician who has verified that an individual can safely take the medication. In addition, the physician must tell the patient how much they can take and in what intervals.

In extreme cases where a drug has proven to be more dangerous than originally thought, the government has withdrawn its approval for the sale of the drug. In most cases, few people had to die before approval was withdrawn. Take Propulsid, for instance. This medication was approved for the treatment of severe nighttime heartburn in 1993. By 1999, the government decided to withdraw approval for Propulsid because it had been linked to the deaths of 80 people during that six-year period. (http://www.webmd.com/content/article/23/1728_56592)

While Propulsid provided a medical benefit to many people who took it, the drug was taken off the market because a small number faced a higher risk of death or illness. Despite the fact that alcohol plays a direct roll in the deaths of far more people than withdrawn drugs had, the federal government continues to permit its sale and distribution. Herein lies the hypocrisy. We won't tolerate something harming innocent people unless that something is desirable to ourselves. We Americans tolerate this hypocrisy because so many people don't want to give up alcohol with its non-medicinal, mood-altering benefits. Worse, most Americans ignore what alcohol does to the innocent and the rest of society so that they won't have to face this hypocrisy. Those who do face it use arguments of moderation or rights to deflect the argument away from those who suffer, pay, and die because of alcohol.

I am not arguing for a complete ban. We don't have the will to uphold it, and too many people would disobey the law anyway. Rather, I argue that the government must step in and regulate alcohol like it does other drugs in order to protect the the population, both users and innocent alike.

The Lord's warning in Doctrine and Covenants 89 is relevant today. We as a people are weak in protecting ourselves from alcohol; Satan knows this and is working hard to use it to bring us further into bondage. Of course, the best solution is to avoid alcohol and to encourage others to use their agency abstain from it. But given that alcohol is addictive and mood altering, and given that Satan is working hard to trap people with it, I recommend that the federal government treat it the same way it does other drugs in order to protect those who use it and the innocent.

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.