It is said that a prophet is never appreciated in his own time. We read over and over in Scripture how the prophets of old were persecuted, reviled, and slain by the people of their generation, and then are revered by later generations. I think it was because those prophets were not around anymore to disagree with the people, so they could be interpreted any way that suited the people.
I think by and large that while we don't revile and stone our modern prophets in such visible ways, many still turn a deaf ear to their words. It may not even be an active or wantonly purposeful decision to ignore them, but people let their lives get in the way. So much is going on that no lingering thought is given to their words.
President Gordon B. Hinckley passed away on Sunday, January 27, 2008. As I listened to KSL radio on my way to school the next day, I started to realize that while I loved hearing him speak at conference time and other occasions, I was just as guilty of ignoring the prophet as the people I have described. He was the prophet of my teenage years and early adulthood. I don't recall much of General Conferences before he was called. Much of my spiritual thought has been triggered and shaped by his words and deeds, and yet for all that, still I did not fully appreciate what it meant to have a living prophet. It was easy to say that I followed the prophet because I stayed away from much of the negative influences of the world while growing up. But President Hinckley was not really about the 'don'ts,' he was about 'doing'. And that's where I feel I have always lacked.
Recently I have posted that I want to break the lesser patterns of my life. To honor President Hinckley and his message is to continue with my goals. But I need to add to those goals. Within a few short days, the next prophet will be set apart. I challenge myself to follow the next prophet in the manner that I should have followed President Hinckley, not just at conference time, but everyday, in everything. If you feel a little bit like I have, then I challenge you to do the same.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Starting Over
I went to my first day of class today! I'm not in any classes that are specific to my program yet, but it is good to be back in class. My first two classes are Computer Fundamentals (mostly Microsoft Office), and Student Success. Neither will be very challenging, which is a good way to ease back into being a student again. I also picked up my brand new MacBook Pro at school. Maybe I should now consolidate all my Apple gear into one entry on my list of favorite toys. I'd like to add camping gear as a favorite toy come warmer weather, but I don't really own any besides a sleeping bag. I need to get in better shape so I can go hiking with friends and not be the last one to the top.
Speaking of which, yesterday the Masked Mallard and I went with Kristicity and her family sledding. We only went to a park in Sandy, but it was lots of fun. There were quite a few people there, which was good so the snow was already packed down. The Mallard has a bunch of sleds that really took advantage of the packed snow. One problem with so many people though was dodging the people coming back up. Some folks didn't seem to understand that they should climb back up the side of the hill rather than come straight back up the middle where everyone else wanted to go down. Oh well. Channel 2 sent a reporter and a camera man to the park while we were there, so if you were watching the local news last night, you may have seen us. Anyways, halfway through I started sucking some major air when climbing back up. I probably could have done a third more runs if I hadn't taken so long to climb up and then rest at the top. But it was a lot of fun, even though I was totally exhausted when we were done.
Speaking of which, yesterday the Masked Mallard and I went with Kristicity and her family sledding. We only went to a park in Sandy, but it was lots of fun. There were quite a few people there, which was good so the snow was already packed down. The Mallard has a bunch of sleds that really took advantage of the packed snow. One problem with so many people though was dodging the people coming back up. Some folks didn't seem to understand that they should climb back up the side of the hill rather than come straight back up the middle where everyone else wanted to go down. Oh well. Channel 2 sent a reporter and a camera man to the park while we were there, so if you were watching the local news last night, you may have seen us. Anyways, halfway through I started sucking some major air when climbing back up. I probably could have done a third more runs if I hadn't taken so long to climb up and then rest at the top. But it was a lot of fun, even though I was totally exhausted when we were done.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Tagged and Bagged
Five things I was doing 10 years ago:
1. Trying, unsuccessfully, to get into Top Band.
2. Trying out for my HS production of Annie Get Your Gun.
3. Starting my first art class and loving it.
4. Having my first vague notions of where I would go to college.
5. Hoping we could keep the Camry when we got the minivan, so I could have a car.
Five things I want to do in the next 10 years:
1. Start a family.
2. Travel to Europe.
3. Finally graduate.
4. Drive the Pacific Coast from the Puget Sound to San Francisco Bay, or vice versa.
5. Live somewhere green.
Five things I look forward to learning at my new school:
1. Graphic illustration
2. Digital photography
3. Flash animation
4. Keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop and Illustrator
5. Design aesthetics
Five movies I have watched recently that I really enjoy:
1. Stranger than Fiction
2. The Man Who Knew Too Little
3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
4. The Incredibles
5. Casino Royale
My favorite toys:
1. My iPhone
2. My iMac
3. My growing TV on DVD collection
4. My Car
5. Board Games in general
Five people to tag:
1. Kristi
2. John
3. Alison
4. Brent
5. Katey
1. Trying, unsuccessfully, to get into Top Band.
2. Trying out for my HS production of Annie Get Your Gun.
3. Starting my first art class and loving it.
4. Having my first vague notions of where I would go to college.
5. Hoping we could keep the Camry when we got the minivan, so I could have a car.
Five things I want to do in the next 10 years:
1. Start a family.
2. Travel to Europe.
3. Finally graduate.
4. Drive the Pacific Coast from the Puget Sound to San Francisco Bay, or vice versa.
5. Live somewhere green.
Five things I look forward to learning at my new school:
1. Graphic illustration
2. Digital photography
3. Flash animation
4. Keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop and Illustrator
5. Design aesthetics
Five movies I have watched recently that I really enjoy:
1. Stranger than Fiction
2. The Man Who Knew Too Little
3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
4. The Incredibles
5. Casino Royale
My favorite toys:
1. My iPhone
2. My iMac
3. My growing TV on DVD collection
4. My Car
5. Board Games in general
Five people to tag:
1. Kristi
2. John
3. Alison
4. Brent
5. Katey
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Transfer Credit
I picked up my transcript from BYU this week and took it to Stevens-Henager to see if any classes would transfer. Looks like I get credit for 12 credits, or three different classes. I won't have to take Philosophy, History, or Math at S-H. I would have hoped that I wouldn't have to take the writing class either, but this is still good news. This cuts 3 months off of my program and saves me $4300 in tuition! Now I just have $5800 to pay to the school, which will be a lot more manageable. Once I get back into the swing of being in classes again, I will probably look to work for some company that will help pay my tuition. This will be real good, because the school will match dollar for dollar what the company pays, up to $5000. That'd be great!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
High Resolution
So I posted things I was looking forward to a few weeks ago, some were short term, some long. I have accomplished some of the things I was looking forward to, and now wanted to somewhat qualify the long term goals I had.
1. Go back to school: I went to Stevens-Henager last week to get more information about their Graphic Arts program, and ended up filling out all the preliminary paperwork for enrollment and financial aid. I have until the fifth day of class to back out with no obligation to pay anything, and then after that I will be up to my eyeballs in student debt. I was all gung-ho until we were almost done with all the forms when the weight of what I was taking on started to set in. But I still want to do it and think that it is worth it. My BYU education was paid for primarily by sources outside myself, and I don't think I appreciated that enough. Now that most of it will be paid by me, I have a larger ownership, or investment if you will, in my own education. I think this is good. And of all the things to go into debt for, one's education is the most acceptable. There will still be a lot that will not be covered by loans and grants, but I have a feeling that that won't be a problem, which brings me to...
2. Get active in church: Like I posted earlier, ever since I went away this summer I have let myself slip in spiritual things. I have some things to do yet to get back on track, but I have had the feeling lately that if I do, my education will be paid for, one way or another. I went to my brother's singles ward and requested my records be transferred there. I was having second thoughts in Sunday School however (some obnoxious people were getting on my nerves), but by the end of the block I was ok again.
3. Get in shape: I gained a lot of weight on my mission, and I never lost it all, and then during my time in New York I gained some more. I think for my height I should be about 180, but I think getting down to 200 is an achievable goal. I think if I can do that a lot of things will be better in my life.
4. Date more: I think working on the first three goals will help me out on this one. I am interested in a certain kind of girl, and the specifications aren't in height, weight, body style, or hair color, but in how she lives her life, and what kind of expectations she has. And I generally feel that, at the moment, I don't meet a large portion of those expectations. Which means either I change myself, or I change my own expectations. But a Groucho Marx quote comes to mind, "I will never join a club that will have me [as I am right now] as a member."
1. Go back to school: I went to Stevens-Henager last week to get more information about their Graphic Arts program, and ended up filling out all the preliminary paperwork for enrollment and financial aid. I have until the fifth day of class to back out with no obligation to pay anything, and then after that I will be up to my eyeballs in student debt. I was all gung-ho until we were almost done with all the forms when the weight of what I was taking on started to set in. But I still want to do it and think that it is worth it. My BYU education was paid for primarily by sources outside myself, and I don't think I appreciated that enough. Now that most of it will be paid by me, I have a larger ownership, or investment if you will, in my own education. I think this is good. And of all the things to go into debt for, one's education is the most acceptable. There will still be a lot that will not be covered by loans and grants, but I have a feeling that that won't be a problem, which brings me to...
2. Get active in church: Like I posted earlier, ever since I went away this summer I have let myself slip in spiritual things. I have some things to do yet to get back on track, but I have had the feeling lately that if I do, my education will be paid for, one way or another. I went to my brother's singles ward and requested my records be transferred there. I was having second thoughts in Sunday School however (some obnoxious people were getting on my nerves), but by the end of the block I was ok again.
3. Get in shape: I gained a lot of weight on my mission, and I never lost it all, and then during my time in New York I gained some more. I think for my height I should be about 180, but I think getting down to 200 is an achievable goal. I think if I can do that a lot of things will be better in my life.
4. Date more: I think working on the first three goals will help me out on this one. I am interested in a certain kind of girl, and the specifications aren't in height, weight, body style, or hair color, but in how she lives her life, and what kind of expectations she has. And I generally feel that, at the moment, I don't meet a large portion of those expectations. Which means either I change myself, or I change my own expectations. But a Groucho Marx quote comes to mind, "I will never join a club that will have me [as I am right now] as a member."
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