Talents buried

My most marketable skills I always imagined were those related to technology. However, while I may be quite skilled in that field, my knowledge is hardly limited. I was once well practiced in the arts of illusion have have done much personal study into the ancient ayurvedic therapies, homeopathic remedies and even aromatherapy and beauty. Most people are amazed when even some of those come out and tend to question me at length in that regard. I have been gifted with a plethora of talents. Perhaps I should advertise those skills more to help all those whom God would have me assist. Maybe I could even capitalize on that just a little bit, too.

That's not how it works.

It has been far too long since my last post... I am sorry to all those who follow. I write and post stuff to inspire all who read. I also do it as a record of my thoughts and feelings. To sort of remind myself...

I've been thinking a lot about Mark and Molly Mormon. You know... Those perfect members that do not exist. Just because perfect seems out of reach, should we not bother striving to obtain it? Is the effort in vain? What fruits will it bear to try for what is not within reach?

Do you think it isn't worth bothering with trying to be Mark or Molly? Do you think it is okay to settle for being imperfect?

Do you think yer a Mark or Molly? Does that make you perfect or better than others?

Let that all sink in....
Just think about that all for a minute.

You pondered all that and maybe even asked yourself? Good. I shall carry on now.

Silver spoon momos. Those Mormons who grew up in the faith, went to BYU, served a mission... Those Mormons who shame nonmembers for whatever reason... May as well build yerselves a rameumpton and speak repetitive prayers on Sunday and forget about God... Just cuz you sin differently... Sin is sin. And guess what? There is no greater sin than pride. Pride... The one sin everyone commits but few confess. Remember what killed the nephites all off? If yer answer was the lamenites, you guessed wrong. The correct response is PRIDE. They figured God would always favor them. They were chosen do they didn't need to remember God. Heavenly Father forsook them and let them die because they were prideful and should have known better. The lamenites were always wicked. That's why God preserved them. they didn't know better.

Mark and Molly Mormon.... Now there's a concept. Am I perfect? Nope. I still try to better everyday. Better and repenting, better at compassion.... Better with my skills and exercising my priesthood righteously. I know I'm not perfect but I still try. Making "mistakes" that I should know better about is not an option.
"Oh, its okay. I'll take the sacrament and it'll be fine."
Yer doing it wrong. That's not how it works. Repentance is not wanting to do things that require forgiveness. It's one thing to want to be holy and trying to overcome addiction. When you imbibe once in a while, you have no excuse. You should know better. However the choice is yours alone.

Be still, and know that I am God

"Be still, and know that I am God..."
-Pslam 46:10

I have not often thought of this scripture but I find it applies in all daily things. I find gratitude even for my trials. I often speak about this and say that overcoming our trials is how we progress and without hardship and and opposition there can be no progress.
That being said, in our trials, may be remember that we are loved by a powerful and merciful Heavenly Father. May we remember that He knows us each individually and can call us by name.
His power is as great and mighty as His love is true and boundless. I find myself often in the midst of His testing. I do my best to do what He wants and still is my life rarely easy. I do not wish for an easy life, however. That would be boring and without growth. Despite these times, I know that God knows me and cares about my life and my family and my ever changing situation. Other people may worry. I remain still and know my Father loves me and will take care of me. My faith has never waiverd and He has always shown that my faith is never misplaced.

Book of Mormon translated to Arabic

Muslim translates Book of Mormon back to Egyptian and is converted.

http://www.rogerknecht.com/2010/11/07/muslim-translates-book-mormon-egyptian-converted/

"Being a newcomer into our community, he felt the Mormons were a bit of a curiosity. Upon learning the name Mormon came from our belief that the Book of Mormon is divine scripture, he was intrigued by the existence of the Book of Mormon. He had erroneously thought this was American literature. When he was told that the Book of Mormon was translated from the ancient Egyptian or modified Hebrew type of hieroglyphic into the English language by the prophet Joseph Smith, he became even more engrossed, for this was his native language and he knows much about the other Semitic languages as well as the modern languages.

So challenged was he by this book that he embarked on the project of translating the Book of Mormon from English to Arabic. This translation was different from other translators, for this was to be a translation back to the original language of the book. To make a long story short, the process of this translation became the process of his conversion; for he soon knew the Book of Mormon to be a divine document even though he knew virtually nothing of the organization of the Church or of its programs. His conversion came purely from the linguistics of the book which he found could not have been composed by an American, no matter how gifted."

Go read about it.

Why I like cats more than people

Now, I've attended a few funerals, wakes, memorials, etc but today would have been a perfect study in contrasts. I attended a memorial service with a friend whose husband recently passed away. Though I was only there as support, since I had never met her husband, I was prepared for the worst from the warnings I had received from my friend. I was hoping to find that she had been blowing her family's “problems” out of proportion and that I would find out they were actually genuinely nice people. I should not have been shocked to find that she was completely justified in everything she had told me. Her family did not hide their animosity toward her, they blatantly showed their rude and disrespectful natures to myself and the two sisters also attending for support. The memorial service itself was tacky and overdone. The “eulogies” given by the deceased's children were a combination of blatant lies and overacting. It was a travesty and a disgraceful excuse for a memorial. After the service my friend's children bullied and further disrespected her by demanding their father's ashes and the memorial book.

I feel so outraged and emotionally drained from attending a service for a man I never knew. All the services I have attended were usually respectful affairs, loving and supportive family members surrounding the immediate family. Normally love is felt in every corner of the room, the mourners are respected, it is understood to be a time for mutual grieving and healing. Funerals are not meant as a way to “show off” or “belittle” your family. Today I was reminded of how different some families interact and how grateful I am to have a loving family. We are not perfect, but we LOVE each other. We tease each other, but we are not hateful or purposefully cruel. We may disappoint each other or get mad at each other, but in the end we always forgive and keep loving. I don't know what I would do without my family and would not trade them for any other family.

I grieve for my friend, not just for her loss of her spouse, but for her unfair and disgusting treatment by her so called “family”. Her trials serve to remind us to be forgiving even when the world or our family is being unreasonable. No matter what her family tries to do to her she always manages to get through it. Her silence is admirable. She has been bullied and beaten by these children of hers. Still, she attended a memorial service she knew she was not welcome at despite it being held for her own spouse. I hope to never have to deal with the heartache her children have caused her. I will strive to raise my daughter in a loving environment. I hope to give her as much love as she is willing to receive, and someday maybe we can be friends as my mother is my friend.
~Beverly

Impossible Team

I do not claim to be a rapper. I am not here to make records. I don't try to impress. My art is wordsmithery! Praise God!


impossible team? watch me!

Words by Ekadasi Newton

when i spit verse, my words are clean
i fast the first sunday, its why im lean
i give all my love, im never mean
my work is so magical its unseen
i dress so sharp, i look pristene
i quit drugs cold turkey, i dont ween.

Jesus loves cuz heavenly father cared
i love jesus for all that he had dared
nailed to the cross for our sins he bared
while all around him stood and stared
the ultimate sacrifice he rightously fared
so all our souls may possibly be spared
after teaching us so to be prepared
when judgment comes to not be scared

when i stroll, me and jesus roll tandem
i give thanx in prayer, sing praise in hymn
they intimidate me and he handles them
powers so divine hes gargantuan
when i feel blue, he makes me grin
forgives and loves all cuz pride is a sin
his heart of gold is worth more than tin
so much to do to empty the bin
gotta keep at it, the works never fin
team never impossible, we always win
in the end, give him the standing ovation

When i speak, i speak of god
when i give thanx, i thank the lord
when i make friends, there from abroad
when i garden, i till the sod
when i work, i work very hard
when i think, i think aloud
i know the truth, im not a fraud
a smile will do, no need to applaud

Music: Dubmood - Cydonian Sky

Believe in yourself

I do what I want, and you can, too!

I achieve me dreams because I don't let people tell me what I can and cannot do. I have unique skills because I strive to practice, practice, practice despite what the majority may say. If I wanna learn how to do something, I pick it up and play and practice until I figure it out and get the hang of it. I scored a job as a toy demonstrator simply because I was walking by a cart in a mall playing with AstroJax and I was the most talented that anyone had ever seen. I saw this thing advertised on TV and was so fascinated. I bought one and played and played and got bruises and looked up videos and practiced and played... I've been Juggling the stars with my AstroJax for 16 years now. I build things people think would be dumb to build or think I can't. Everyone wants to talk about how cool this thing called the hoverboard is and I am not impressed. It has wheels that touch the ground. That makes it an UNhoverboard. These things called Rocketskates? Well they are legit skates and while they may not be rocket powered they do move fast and are powered. I live my life against the grain called society. I make AstroJax look cool. I make DIY look cool. I'm gonna make these rocketskates look cool and I'll do it while making AstroJax look cool at the same time.

WE ARE ALL LIMITLESS!!! Let not one person or many people ever tell you that you cant. CANT is a 4 letter word I hate the most!!!

Day 2

Day 3

Moral of this story is keep yer chin up (but dont lean back) and your nose clean.

Practice + Persistence = Progress

(Practice + Persistence) + Patience = Perfection 

"Be excellent to each other."   - Bill & Ted

Testimony

I do not claim to be a rapper. I am not here to make records. I don't try to impress. My art is wordsmithery! Praise God!

testimony : words by Ekadasi Newton

i speak of Christ everyday
i praise the Lord in all i say
others test my faith as they may
i look to god and pray and pray
the faithful god will always aid
i thank him every time i'm paid
he inspired everything i made
and every milestone i've ever laid
from where i was, i've come so far
traveling on foot without a car
stepped out of flames with barely a scar
tough times then but now i hardy har
to god we are all brothers and sisters
to the world we are misses and misters
we push past despite our blisters
then laugh after all like we're jesters
all i want is for all to know
it is a gift wrapped with a bow
share it high and share it low
ill give this even to my greatest foe
even our enemies need our love
hearts so hard they deny gifts above
there's no need to push or shove
hear the spirit even formed as a dove
we know whats right after we're seven
apostles formed till after eleven.
in the name of his only son in heaven,
i testify our redeemer's Jesus Christ, Amen.

music by ratatat

Keep'n it REAL

I do not claim to be a rapper. I am not here to make records. I don't try to impress. My art is wordsmithery! Praise God!

keep'n it real : words by Ekadasi Newton

Life is always hard, cant you see?
I dare not let it get the best of me.
Got to survive the test to gain a testimony.
It helps to see the struggle through eternity.
Knowing we can learn and grow makes us really free.
Good advice is to live God's word faithfully.
Heavenly Father wants to give us every blessing.
We must be faithful as he is continually testing.
Must keep moving forward, there's no time for resting.
Teach my family proper in the early years of nesting.
I try so hard to stay aware so I can be ever vigilant.
Have to study and pray everyday, my practice is diligent.
Trying to live light like Christ so I can be to others, a flint.
Share my love to broken hearts like a nurse who can bandage on, a splint.
The struggle is real, what more can we do?
Shows us we can feel, keep our hearts true.
Each challenge is different, we can learn something new.
any one can teach me, even someone like you.

music by ratatat

Sounds Like Rubbish

I do not claim to be a rapper. I am not here to make records. I don't try to impress. My art is wordsmithery! Praise God!

sounds like rubbish : words by Ekadasi Newton

I barely remember when music meant something.
couldn't even use it to make your phone ring.
music used to be rated by how it made your heart sing.
now it only matters by how it makes the cha-ching.
this music is so bad it gives my ears a rash.
if they ain't taking about pot then it's hash.
if I talked like that back in the day, I'd get a lash.
rappers come off of candy bars and go in the trash.
I don't care but what yall think or even say.
God, not you, listens to me when I kneel and pray.
offer me a chance to make it big and I'll say nay.
I rather work hard and sweat and every single day.
I know my lord above has a righteous plan.
if God tells me to do something, then I know I can.
His son died so I can live, that's why I'm a big fan.
I try really hard to be an even more dependable man.

music by ratatat

Be continually impressive

I was looking for a reason to show off the gizmo I made. Allow me to tell you why I made it in the first place and what inspiration it could offer to you. I always seek to make a lasting impression. I always try to reset the bar ever higher. This whole obsession I have with impression has little to do with vain ambition. I've been this way since I was young. I would say I started to notice it when I was eighteen when I started dating the woman I would eventually call my wife. Not a single person, other than ourselves, thought the relationship would last. That was 14 years ago. I was so driven to impress her. Not just on the first date or two or three, but every time we hung out and started living together, as a husband then as a father and even now I still try to impress. I have to be really innovative and find new ways to do that. This drive I take with me to work, in my community with my friends, at church, in cyberspace and everywhere. This may be viewed as an attempt to gain greater acceptance. That may be true in some small degree, but I prefer to see this as a means and motivation of improving myself to be a better today than yesterday and even more so tomorrow. I can use this as leverage when negotiating a raise. It is probably also one of the bigger reasons why the love of my life still adores me. All that said and done, having a nice business card is impressive all by itself. However, having a means to show off your skills while giving people a means to contact you is probably even more impressive. A great looking card is important, but the way they receive it will probably be remembered long after it is gone. Improve your skills. Seek new talents. Try harder to be better. Leave an everlasting impression that is always new and improved. Most importantly, be yourself and try to be the you that God sees.

The Cure

I may look like a caster of disaster. You think im moving slow, but im like a master who keeps moving faster and faster.  So quick your eyes dont register that im like mercury cuz just a messenger with a message of the cure. A cure for the soul except theres no chicken soup in this bowl. Fills you up more than an all you can eat plus an extra roll. Ponder that while you stroll wondering how yer gonna pay that toll. Whats that cure cost? Should we take a poll? Fear not cuz for you the cure is free. What, you dont believe me? Go ahead and adk that guy on that tree. He hangs there to pay for you and me. His father sent him, dont you see? Jesus Christ of the divine trinity. i propose a toast. The father, and the son and the holy ghost. Its only with them that we can have the most. Think about that cuz thats the end of this post.

I know that I am nothing, but I will boast of my God

I often ponder on Alma 26. When I bear testimony or share something spiritually profound and I am thanked or told how spiritually strong I am, I give credit to God. Sometimes I am told to take a little credit. I really don't think I can. Even if the words are my own, the message is hardly mine. Everything I am, everything I know or feel... it is thanks to my Heavenly Father. If you wanna think I am great, I cant stop you. If I am great, it is only because my Father is even greater. I only try to do His will and work things that please Him. I need no praise now. I only hope my praise will come from Him in the end.

Every breath, every dollar, every talent and skill... none of it is mine. I wanted Beverly to be my wife long before we were born.... I asked Him for that privilege!

My earthly father is a good comparison, even. The values and morals I have, the encouragement I received. I was not spoiled but yet I wanted for nothing. If I have ever a need,  there he is helping out in any way he is able to. Not everyone may have had a life to see the way I see things, but if you ever had faith, look and try to see God's hand in your life. Know that He was and is always there and always will be. Teaching you hard lessons with discipline when you need it and doting on you like the prized offspring that you are when you deserve it. This is why my life is filled with gratitude. Should yours be any different?

Transform

We come into this world all shiny and new.
We get older and we polish ourselves and skills that we learn.

We think we are awesome all crisp and smooth like a new sheet of paper.


What we don't realize is how rigid and sharp we are...


We come to realize that we need to be softer and more relaxed like a towel.


But even a towel is a little rough and can easily absorb both good and bad.


However, if we rely on Jesus Christ and his atonement, he can try us and teach us. Over time we maintain the core of who we were while becoming more like him.


Hence the divine power is able to work us and mold us and make us even softer than we thought we could be. Fragile yet resilient. Unchanged yet transformed. Unique and timeless.


To all those who wish to see this work, I ask that you study God's holy word, pray on it for truth and ponder it's teachings.

For those who wish to test this example with a sheet of paper to see the example work, take a sheet of paper and crumple it up. wad it into a ball. now carefully uncrumple it. then crumple it and uncrumple it. make new creases. flip it over. gentle roll it. do this many many many many times and you will see it change just as we can change in the hands of the master.

Welcome to the new year.

One chapter has come to an end.
We just turned past a new bend.
What new help can we all lend?
To where our hearts can we send?

T'is a season of progress anew.
Fresh trials to work on through.
Great improvement for me and you.
Strengthen our faith, keep it true.

Now is the time to greatly prepare.
Do not doubt or fall into dispair.
Remember your God is always there.
Rely on us for we really do care.

Christ will bless for he gives love.
He was crowned both below and above.
A promise fufilled for a new cove'.
A gospel that fits all like a glove.

We welcome you with cheer.
Dispel all of your fear.
Together we are all here.
Welcome to the new year.

Blessings require BOTH faith & hard work!

“Get on your knees and pray, then get on your feet and work.” ~Gordon B. Hinckley

That means you can't just pray and lazily expect to be blessed. Heavenly Father expects us to do our part, which is all that we can do.

We have been trying to get our first loan for a little while now. Our first Auto-Loan even. I had a small debt to pay, We needed to wait a little longer so we could show some more proof or residence and employment history. Then we needed to figure out what we wanted. We had to compromise. She wants something small and I want something a little bigger. We did some research on a few local used vehicles and talked to a few local dealerships. Patience, Honesty and Diligence was required of both of us. The first car we got was a steal of a deal and everything we both wanted. It was just what I was praying for and God delivered when His time right for us. However, as our relationship, family and jobs evolve, situations change. I feel the same applies here. I did what I needed to be able to get a loan, we were honest with our needs, desires and circumstance and we found what just felt right for us. If this is not divined than I don't know what is.

Gratitude begets gratitude

My daughter has been not feeling well all day, I imagine. She did not sleep well nor did she nap well. She even threw up a few types during the evening. So here I am trying to figure out how to comfort her. I looked up where we hang out keys and thought about the container I keep my consecrated oil in. I then felt prompted to give her a blessing. Me and Bev prayed, then I anoited and blessed my daughter while she lay in bed. I felt grateful to be worthy to hold and use the priesthood that has been entrusted to me. Eva is 3 and may not always speak in English, but she understands what prayer is. She also understands Amen. After I was done, I saw tightly close her eyes and she started babbling, like she does. I got the impression that she was offering her own prayer. I think that was her very first prayer, like her very own prayer. I am also sure that whatever she was trying to say had something to do with being grateful. Like she was thanking Heavenly Father for us and for my abilty to bless her. I praise Him for offering this most sacred opportunity to watch over her and to teach her. God, you know I take this responsibility seriously and will do the very best I can. Thank you!

If you only knew...

Utah is very new to me. Yet it is so very familiar at the same time. You see, I was born and raised on the East Coast. In RI, driving more than 20 minutes is considered a road trip. That never made sense to me and I grew up there. You can drive from south to north in about 45 minutes. I brought my family here on a whim. No job or apartment set up for us, just a command from God and a trust He would provide. I got here and I found a job and a place to call home. My faith was well placed. Our good friends live in Riverton and we often visit them. Their company is well worth the hour drive. I know my Father in Heaven seeks to bless me, my family and all those who cover the Earth. If you listen and obey, every hardship can be endured and will be to your benifit.

LGBT, Apostasy, Kids and Baptism

LGBT Mormon Contraversy blog post on lemmony things.

This post makes every point I wanted to make and does it better than I could have.