Alma 17:23

And Ammon said unto him: Yea, I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die.

This was another one of my themes that motivated me throughout my mission in Japan. This scripture was shared by another companionship in my district at the Missionary Training Center during a District Meeting and it has stuck with me ever since. Indeed, Ammon is among my favorite missionary role-models and his determined desire to dwell among the Lamanites for a time, and perhaps until the day he dies stirred up an attitude within me. Back then, I was dwelling among a certain group of people (namely the Japanese people) and I did have a desire to serve them. And my heart would always be with them long after I would transfer out of an area or leave the mission field at the end of my service.

Though times are different now and missionaries only serve for two years or eighteen months, not to mention that I've been off my mission for well over two years now, I still hold on to that sense of Ammon's spirit and determination-filled attitude. I like to think that no matter where we go, even as we leave those we come to love and hold dear, our hearts will always be with them, even until the day we die and perhaps afterwards... This has become even more my case since the events of last year when two of my relatives and a former mission companion died. And though I've been off my mission for over two years now, my heart is still with the people I served and worked with. Same goes to the people I've met and associated with recently, and those who I am currently among.

Alma 13:24

For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory.

While I was at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, one of my teachers there shared this scripture with me. She said she thought of me and my family circumstances when she read this scripture, so that's why she shared it with me. I come from a part-member family and my my mother is not a member of the Church. I was also going to Japan for my mission and my mother is actually a native Japanese; I don't think it was coincidence. My MTC teacher testified to me that I too am an angel, being a missionary I was going to declare the word of God to the Japanese people. She also in a way, comforted me in a sense that my family would be alright during my two year absence because angels were going to administer to them as well.

Long story short, this scripture was something I needed to hear and it pretty much became my backbone and long-term theme throughout my mission. Being an angel to my family, being an angel to the people I was going to serve and be amongst to administer... I like to think that we all have angels around us watching our backs. Angels are not just some divine being sent from heaven or something out of fictional movies or fantasy. Angels can be regular people like you and me; we all have that ability to touch the lives of those around us and we all do it differently, in our own unique way. And for most of the time, we have no idea how much of an impact we are making. I also like to think that when we're away from those who are dear to us, we shouldn't have a need to worry because they'll be taken care of and watched over. And who's watching over all of us more than Heavenly Father?

Frustrations of a Sunday School Teacher

Be warned: Read this post at your discretion.

The semester is nearly over and I'm glad because for the past two months or so as a Sunday School teacher, I've been really frustrated. Out of all my callings that I've served in at various places, never have I been more frustrated than here at the ward I'm at now. Everything about the Sunday School organization in particular has been really disorganized; I just found out that our Sunday School President wasn't even set apart by a member of the Bishopric or have any counselors. Why that hasn't happened all semester long is beyond me and frankly, none of my business.

But to be even more frank, this inability in some people to take initiative to get things done and solidified is having an effect on me and how our Sunday School class has turned out. I am frustrated with how disorganized the Sunday School is. I am frustrated about how pathetic attendance in my Sunday School class has been in particular. We have three separate Gospel Doctrines classes to help balance things out but my class apparently has the least number of people attending while the other two seems to be the classes everyone else is going to. We also had classrooms assigned by apartment but that hasn't been well enforced; from what I've heard, the classroom assignments were listed on the program we hand out for Sacrament Meeting just once and then it just blew away into the wind, figuratively speaking. It is simply mind-blowing about how incompetent some people can be at accomplishing the simplest of tasks to allow for smoother function of Sunday School.

I'm frustrated that I am not able to fulfill my calling because these simple things are not taken care of first. I am sick of wasting time out of my day preparing for a lesson that I end up not teaching. I'm frustrated about how this is having an effect on my team-teaching partner, who has become rather discouraged about our pathetic classroom numbers. I am trying to help someone build confidence in her teaching skills so that she'll have no problem doing so in the future when she teaches a Church class on her own. But I can't do that if we don't have a Sunday School to teach. We ended up not teaching this past Sunday so I don't even know how the rest of the semester will turn out. I seriously question whether or not we're actually needed as Gospel Doctrine teachers when two other classes are doing better than we are. And I feel terrible that my team-teaching partner is discouraged; I fear that this experience will give her a bad first impression of what it's like to teach Sunday School. Never have I been more frustrated and underappreciated serving in the Church.

The gospel and this Church is true. And I understand that this gospel and Church is run and utilized by imperfect people. And I know I'm imperfect and that has shown in past lessons I've taught, even though I did my best. And I understand that we're a brand-new Ward that was established at the beginning of the semester but for crying out loud, that "we're a new ward" excuse has gotten old. Do we lack THAT much common sense? Haven't we been entrusted by the Lord to fulfill the callings we're extended? And are we seriously going to allow the fact that we're a new ward handicap us and hold us back for the rest of the semester? If there's ANYTHING I've learned about these past few frustrating weeks, it's that not everybody is perfect and not everyone is reliable to some extent. I've also learned that when you want something done, you gotta do it yourself to make it happen.

I hope we all see ourselves trustworthy not only with our leaders but also in the eyes of the Lord to fulfill our callings during our lifetime service in the Church. If not, then make sure to take the steps necessary to become trustworthy.

"Stay Humble and Teachable"

"Stay humble and teachable." -Dad

That's the simplest advice my dad gave to me while I was out serving my mission in Japan. To him, a successful missionary is humble in a way that he or she is willing to submit to the will of the Lord and able to obediently follow the instructions of his or her leaders. While a missionary does teach most of the time, they still have to be teachable, meaning that can be molded by the Lord, learning new things, sometimes by repetition, and sometimes from mistakes made because one learns best that way.

I'm in a new ward for the Spring Semester and I mean quite literally about the "new" part. It's a newly organized ward, approved by the First Presidency because the ward boundaries were altered due to the influxes between changing student population and number of new missionaries departing since the lowering age requirements. I was called by my new Bishop for this semester to be a Sunday School teacher. Now, I've had experience serving as part of the Sunday School Presidency back home and I've taught quite a few class lessons so I had no trouble in accepting this calling. The only curve ball coming out of left field about this is that I'm team-teaching with a sister from Relief Society as my team-teaching partner every week. And according to my Bishop, my team-teaching partner is new at teaching Sunday School, so buckle up! But seriously, I look forward to this new ward experience and hope to learn a few things from this calling as well as from my team-teaching partner. We are called to these capacities because the Lord willed it and He wants us to learn something from the experiences we gain from serving. Once again, I take that attitude as I am now called to serve as a Sunday School teacher for a brand-new YSA ward here at BYU-Idaho. Gospel's true!

"They were still my brethren in the Lord"

"Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God." (Alma 17:2)

Yesterday afternoon, while staying with my aunt in the Salt Lake-area, I drove down to Provo to visit my sister, who's going to school there, as well as to attend a mission reunion with my first mission president (the Travellers) later that evening. After spending quality time catching up with my sister, she graciously accompanied me to the mission reunion (and photo creds go to her!). I only had about a transfer and half with President and Sister Traveller before the changing of the guard happened so I haven't seen them in four years and I've been home from my mission for two of those years; having a car this year while attending school of course, afforded me the opportunity to go; so needless to say, I'm grateful I got to be there this time.

Me with the Travellers

I got see two of my former companions from the mission field, a few other fellow return-missionaries I got to see and work with numerous times, and even one of my MTC teachers:

Me with some of my "mission homies"

And like the scripture reference I included above, this reunion to me was a joyful occasion because the people I knew there, the people I had the privilege of working with during the course of my mission "were still my brethren (and sisters) in the Lord." As we took the time to catch up with each others' lives, reflect, and enjoy each others' company, I had affirmation in my heart that serving a mission was the right thing to do. Had I not, I would not have met such wonderful people over the course of two years of missionary service. Without a doubt, the people I shared this night with (along with everyone else I worked and interacted with throughout my mission) has touched my life not just for good, but for the better.

All brethren and sisters of the Lord

I'd say we are one happy Nagoya family!

Conference-style Talk/Research Paper: Families, Why I am Who I am Today

This winter semester, I'm studying parts of the New Testament in the Bible as part of my religious studies at BYU-Idaho. As is customary, I was required to write up a sort of research paper in the form of a talk on any gospel topic of my choosing for the midterm. This time, I chose to write about families, entitled "Families, Why I am Who I am Today", supported with some experiences, scriptures, and quotes from past General Conference talks to meet assignment criteria. Needless to say, I aced this assignment and now I'm publishing it here: 

I love my family! It is probably one of the most cliché things one can ever say amongst Latter-day Saints (and probably among much of society), but out of everything I will ever say in my lifetime, that is probably one of the truest, short statements I can ever make. However, unlike most Latter-day Saints families, I, along with a considerable chunk of the Church membership come from a part-member family; my mother, as well as her side of the family are not members. Growing up in a part-member family has made the topic of “families” that much more precious and important to me as a result. But just because I come from a part-member family doesn’t mean I’m any different from many of you. Like many of you, I found enjoyment and spiritual nourishment from the various activities and callings associated with the Church. I am who I am today because of my family, and because of the way my parents raised me. I am privileged to hold a current Temple recommend and be able to attend the Temple. I was also able to serve an honorable full-time mission. And thankfully, my non-member mother has been very supportive of me in the various activities of the Church, including my missionary service to Japan (which also happens to be the country she is from!). And I love my mother regardless!

Speaking of mothers, one of the best accounts in the New Testament that hits me the most is at the end of the Savior’s mortal life. As He is hanging upon the cross on Calvary, He sees his mother, Mary and tasked one of His disciples to care for her: “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.” (John 19: 26-27) President Thomas S. Monson said of this account, “From that awful night when time stood still, when the earth did quake and great mountains were brought down-yes, through the annals of history, over the centuries of years and beyond the span of times, there echoes his simple yet divine words, “Behold thy mother!”” (‘Behold Thy Mother’, October 1973)

As all of you know, the gospel is centered on the family. We know from studying the missionary lessons in ‘Preach My Gospel’ that families are considered the most important social unit because they are ordained of God. President Boyd K. Packer said, “We focus on the family in the Church, and we counsel parents everywhere to raise their children in righteousness.” (‘The Key to Spiritual Protection’, October 2013) It is through the gospel that parents, through heavenly guidance, inspiration, and revelation are able to successfully raise their children, even in troubling times the world faces today. Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, “There is no area of parental action that is more needful of heavenly guidance or more likely to receive it than the decisions of parents in raising their children and governing their families.” (‘Love and Law’, October 2009)

Looking at myself and where I’m at in life, I think it’s safe to say I’ve turned out okay for the most part so that tells me my parents raised me right! I hope someday, I can at least be half as good as they were when I start raising my own children as a parent. I remember it wasn’t always easy as a family, considering some of the things we went through. But at the same time, we got through those hardships together as a family. I remember my dad being unemployed for a few years and I was old enough to recognize that it was a scary thing; I cannot even begin to imagine what was going through my dad’s mind during those times. I was also old enough to know that I should be supportive of my parents, especially during those tough times we endured. I especially heeded the scriptural advice found in the sixth chapter of Ephesians: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3)

With my non-member mother, I have come to find that it’s important that our relationship be built on the grounds of mutual respect because we don’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. I certainly have a great deal of respect for her and her family’s Japanese culture and beliefs. I remember at the end of my mission, my family picked me up and went to my mother’s hometown to visit relatives. They took notice of my missionary name badge almost immediately and asked about it. I was completely caught off guard when my mother described to her siblings, her mother, and here nieces and nephews what an LDS missionary does and what I have been doing in Japan for two years. The best part, she described it perfectly! Elder Quentin L. Cook said, “Our leaders have consistently counseled us “to live with respect and appreciation for those not of our faith. There is so great a need for civility and mutual respect among those of differing beliefs and philosophies.”” (‘Our Father’s Plan-Big Enough for All His Children’, April 2009) So even though I come from a part-member family, I feel confident that we as a family share a strong bond in our relationship regardless. I am who I am today because of that bond we share as a result of that mutual respect for our differences.

It should be well-noted that families are important, even in ancient times. A reliable account that supports this can be found in The Book of Mormon when the righteous Nephites was at war with the wicked Lamanites: “And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed. Therefore for this cause were the Nephites contending with the Lamanites, to defend themselves, and their families, and their lands, their country, and their rights, and their religion.” (Alma 43:47) The Nephites probably wanted to avoid going to war but were forced to do so in defense of themselves and their families. Though modern day circumstances are different compared to Book of Mormon times, that shouldn’t diminish the fact that our families are important to us.

For many, it’s important that there is quality time to be spent with family members. Families are to “live together in love.” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:45) Now, my family (both immediate and extended) is a little unorthodox when it comes to a few things and we’re okay with that. And I’ll tell you why by sharing an experience we had recently: My grandmother passed away late last year just before Thanksgiving and my parents and I drove out Eastern Idaho to be present for the funeral arrangements. This is where we Wynn’s are bit unorthodox. Some longtime family friends coming to pay their respects said to my dad, “We just walked in the door and heard laughter down the hallway and we figured, ‘Yep, it must be Wynn funeral!’” Another one of those “unorthodox Wynn-moments” occurred after the funeral services concluded: My dad and his brothers (who were the pallbearers) were carrying my grandmother’s casket out to the waiting hearse when the metal lid of the casket made a loud popping sound. Everyone in the family heard it and we were all thinking the same thing. We all tried to bite our lips, although unsuccessfully. My dad, in an effort to prevent the inevitable, quietly said, “Don’t say it!” Then one of my uncles went ahead and said, “I think she [my grandmother] wants out!” That’s when we all lost it and busted out into laughter! But we were okay with that because we were gathered together as one big, united family. And as somber as that funeral may have been, it is thanks to our belief in the gospel that this occasion was also a celebration, a time to be happy for a life well-lived and life now progressed into the eternities.

But not all families are the same and some are worse off than others, especially those who don’t know the joy we know and have. I feel sorry for those who don’t have the gospel in their lives. I feel sorry for those who don’t know what it’s like to have the bond I share with my family. President Dieter F. Uchtodorf said, “Many had lost out on choice memories that come from spending time with family and friends. They missed developing a deep connection with those who meant the most to them.” (‘Of Regrets and Resolutions’, October 2012) There are many reasons why we as Latter-day Saints should share the gospel; bringing families together should be one of those reasons. Compared to my part-member family circumstances, I feel fortunate that all is relatively well with us. Without going into too much detail, I have seen other families torn apart, dysfunctional, unable to work out differences and things ended badly for the family members, especially the children. If we’re doing things right with our families we desire nothing but the best for our family, like Lehi demonstrated in the vision of the tree of life: “And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.” (1 Nephi 8:12)

I know this is the true Church of Jesus Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ also is true; it focuses greatly on the family and I know that when we raise our families around gospel standards, those relationships will become stronger and each family member will also be better individuals as well. Because of the unique experiences I have coming from my family circumstances, I have a testimony on the importance of families. I also know that no matter what the differences in culture or belief, things can work out. Furthermore, I know that families can be eternally together forever. I also testify of the importance of mutual respect; you can appreciate one’s culture and beliefs different from yours better that way, especially when it’s from a family member who is close to you. I am who I am today, because of my family. I know God loves each and every one of His children regardless of culture or belief. My thoughts and testimony I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Callings: Déjà vu

Quite literally. I've been back at school for a little over a month for another round of Winter/Spring semesters. And as the title states, I've experienced déjà vu. I'm in a different (and newer) apartment complex from last year so that means a new Ward for a BYU-Idaho student such as myself. This semester's load of classes are typical but it seems a little bit on the heavier side also. Plus, it's still winter time and it's been sort of hard to get out and broaden my horizon a little when I'm usually socked in by mother nature... that is, until I got my calling a couple weeks ago.

And that's the déjà vu part; I've been called to be the male group leader for my Family Home Evening group (AGAIN!). If you recall, I had this same exact calling in my college Ward from last year's spring semester (along with a couple of other callings, and you know how I felt about that!). Once again, I've been given a little more responsibility and I have reason to be here (which I am grateful for!).

I'm also a little bit intrigued because I'm actually looking forward this time around to get to know the people around me in my new Ward. I'm hoping to fulfill my calling to the best of my abilities so once again, I take it on with the mindset that I have been called for a reason and I have something to learn and something to gain from this. I said it before and I'll say it again: We get called to these capacities for a reason by way of revelation. At the same time, in regards to my calling in the Church, the people I'll come into contact and get a chance to work with (especially my FHE family) will no doubt touch my life in a way and vice versa.

It's going to be an interesting semester nonetheless. But that gospel's still true!

All-Time New Years 2014 Highlights: Great Friends from the YSA

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends..." (John 15:13-14)

No joke, this is how I feel about these people:

I just love being around them!

I'm still not fond of living in Oregon but I did meet and befriend some great people. We had our multi-Stake Young Single Adult New Years Party and this time, it felt different. It wasn't about those New Years resolutions that we were going neglect and toss aside anyways (although it would be great that we DO see through to those resolutions all year long!). This year, I met people. I got to know better people I met before. And most importantly, I met Saints; my brothers and sisters. People who I have the privilege of sharing commonalities with. We all come from different backgrounds and circumstances but that didn't mean we couldn't enjoy each others' company! We are friends, and brothers and sisters from the same YSA Branch we've been blessed to have!

Happy New Years, my dear friends! The gospel's true!

Christmas/New Years Highlights

I want to wish you a merry Christmas, for those of you who celebrate it. And if not, Happy Holidays! And a Happy New Year to you all!

As of last year, I started dreading the holiday season not because of the typical stresses that is normally included with it but mainly because since I am on the Winter-Spring track at BYU-Idaho, that means I start school as soon as the holidays are over. So naturally, I'm a little reluctant to leave the comforts of home... The one silver lining about that is I already have a year of college done so I know what and what-not to do this time around. Plus, I still have relatives close by (and they're always happy to take me in! Benefits!).

But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the holidays. Christmas time for my family at least is pretty low key; we got the tree and some decorations out so at least we were attempting to show some holiday spirit. But surprisingly, this year I found it a little difficult to have that spirit; I can't pinpoint on an explanation as to why... Some of us were a little under the weather unfortunately, and that probably contributed to it. I also tried to listen to Christmas music at home and while driving around town but that seemed to do little to remedy the lack of Christmas spirit. Of course we're one short in our family this year, with my younger sister currently serving her mission in Singapore; she was pretty good at bringing in the Christmas spirit at home in the past.

But we tried to have a good time and all. We're low key because well, we're poor. But that's okay because we realized a few years back that we don't really need a lot of material objects. The holidays officially start at Thanksgiving. The Friday after Thanksgiving is Black Friday; I am still appalled at how people would be celebrating a day meant to have a heart full of gratitude and then get all materialistic afterwards all in an attempt to get their shopping done with some of the lowest discounted prices around. The holidays have become overly commercialized; some places worse than others.

For the last couple Christmases since moving to Oregon, we've been so poor that what we would get for Christmas couldn't even compare with what a lot of people usually get. Again, we were alright with that; my sisters and I are old enough and grown to understand the true meanings of the holidays and we're okay with very little material things received on Christmas morning. For our family, the Christmas season is where if we find something for somebody that we know they're going to enjoy and use, get it but don't overdo it. The first time around was actually pretty sad because my dad was unemployed at the time and we didn't get any Christmas decorations out; we lacked any real motivation due to the fact we had just moved across the country and a list of other reasons I can't think off the top of my head. We even went to have lunch at Burger King on Christmas Day (mainly because it was the only place even open). That's sad, isn't it? But believe it or not, that has become a tradition for us to repeat. Again, we were fine with that because we were just grateful to be together as a family.

I wish I could say the same of this year with my sister currently serving a mission but I'll say it again: she is where she needs to be. Speaking of my missionary sister, of course we would get to talk to her on Christmas via Skype (technology is amazing). It was just nice to see her face and know that she's doing well and she's finding joy in the service of the Lord. We also tried to find time to play games as a family and that's always pretty fun. We had a lot of fun playing rounds of Rummy, something my parents taught us all to play years ago.

From a Church standpoint, I found time to meet new friends and get to spend time with them, which I am also grateful for...

All great people!

Truth is, I haven't even heard from or seen a lot of my old friends from high school so I went out and made new friends to do fun things with. Most of them are in the YSA Branch I attend while at home so I spent time with them at Church activities and Family Home Evenings regardless. And then there's always the annual YSA New Years party to close out the year. For me the holidays have become much more than just traditions and materialism. For me, it's about the quality of it from different aspects and going the extra mile a little bit more, year by year. "Going the extra mile" meaning trying something new and spending time with different people when opportunity allows.

With school around the corner, it's time to enjoy the opportunities at hand and make preparations for greater opportunities packaged with the new year. With an attitude like that, the possibilities are endless. As one of my favorite Reno Air Races t-shirts say:

"Fly low, fly fast, turn left!"

"No limits!"

 Happy New Years everyone!

To My Late-Grandmother: Years of Experience and Wisdom Passed On

This past weekend has been one of the more harder ones... Not only that, but this is the third time this year I had to go through this, these emotional roller coasters (second time for family).  It was Wednesday morning and we had just finished up the first of three jobs of the day cleaning air ducts of people's homes. My co-worker was collecting payment while I was waiting outside with the work truck when my Dad forwarded me a text message he received from one of my uncles, informing us all that my Grandmother, Thayle Beckstead Wynn died. Reading that message made my work day a whole lot harder; I cried for about five minutes but I focused on getting back to the days work ahead and tend to these family matters after I got off work. My parents and I were able to get work off for Friday which we spent half of driving over to Idaho, just in time for the viewing service; my youngest sister drove up with relatives from Provo to join us as well.

Health problems related to age finally caught up with her but she went peacefully, didn't linger, was in no pain, and was surrounded at home with family members. She is now free from the pains of this world and reunited with her parents, siblings, son, and friends... Having lived until the age of 85, my grandmother had a life well-lived, having been through and being a witness to so many iconic moments in the history of the 20th Century. Earlier this year one my uncles (my grandparents' oldest son) died unexpectedly and that was really hard for my grandparents. I'm pretty sure my uncle was one of the very first people to greet my grandmother on the other side, along with a whole lot of others meaningful in her life back in the day. Heaven received an incredible angel.

She served a total of three missions with my grandfather as her companion; first the Eastern States Mission in the late 40s, then the Ohio Akron Mission during the late 80s, and most recently as Family History Center Missionaries in Mesa Arizona around the turn of the century. She also raised nine children, including my Dad. She was also a strong advocate for having good music in the home, which my Dad mentioned in his tribute to her during the funeral services. As a Piano, Trumpet, Baritone, and Ocarina player, the fact I can play these instruments and read music (along with my two younger sisters) is a part of my Grandmother's legacy. I suppose I should also credit her for the fact that I listen to a lot good genres in music, including the things my Dad grew up listening to and not so much with the crap this current generation listens to!

Though she is gone now, it is only a temporal 'good-bye'. I know there were a lot people waiting for my Grandmother on the other side. Though it was a somber occasion, this was a life with an incredible legacy to celebrate. And my grandmother touched the lives of many in the Ashton, Idaho-area. We Wynn's are slightly unorthodox when it comes to handling death and that's usually the result of having the gospel in our lives. During the viewing someone coming to pay their respect said, "We walked in the door and hear laughter down the hallway and we all thought, 'Yep, this must be a Wynn funeral.'" My Dad and my uncles were the pallbearers for the funeral. As we moved from the Church to the hearse en route to the cemetery, the lid of metal casket bearing my late-grandmother made a popping sound. Family members in hearing distance of that sound all had the same thought, at the exact same instant. We all had to bite our lips, not very successfully, a quiet laugh. In an effort to prevent the inevitable, my dad said in a low voice, "Don't say it!" But then there's my ever-so-awesome uncle Sam, in a not-so very low voice said, "I think she wants out!" And that was it, we all lost it, bursting into laughter! Again, "It must be a Wynn funeral!" But we were fine with that because that's how we were all raised. My grandmother would've laughed with us.

The weather for this occasion was absolutely gorgeous. My grandmother would've loved it... And many, many family members were present. The only downside was that my grandmother would have loved to have been among her many extended family members... I was extremely privileged to be part of the funeral service in accompanying the closing special musical number on the piano with my aunt and sister in a flute duet, playing a Hymn well-loved by my grandparents, 'Sweet Hour of Prayer'. According to my Dad, we put the exclamation point on his tribute to having music in the home. Our only regret with this musical number is that it wasn't a flute trio, with my other sister currently serving in the Singapore Mission, but she is where she needs to be and my grandmother would've wanted it that way. I loved what my dad said to my sister in an E-mail detailing the occasion: "I'm sure she's smiling down on you right now and will be another companion for you for the rest of your mission."

It's times like this when your testimony is truly strengthened and you're more grateful than ever for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the promises made to each and every one you in the Plan of Salvation. As my 'favorite' sister missionary in the Singapore Mission so eloquently put it, "The Atonement of Jesus Christ fixes everything that's unfair about life. I was thinking, grandparents are supposed to die. Dads and brothers aren't. Young missionaries aren't supposed to die on their missions. But that's okay because Christ already took care of everything that will ever hurt us." I echo the words of my sister. This gospel is true. Jesus Christ did suffer for each and every one of us so that the very things that will ever hurt us would have less of an impact. The Atonement works; it has worked for our family and will continue to do so. And of course, it can and will work for you as well. Families can be together forever. I leave these thoughts, these experiences, and my testimony with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen

On the left is my grandfather and on the right is my late-grandmother.

Don't wait up for me Grandma! I'll see you on the other side!!!

Missionaries: You Need Them and They Need You!

Granted, there are more things you can do other than the ones mentioned here, depending on local circumstances.

Recently, the Salem YSA Branch got sister missionaries in place of the Elders who transferred out. After a while, I overheard a conversation where someone said, "These sister missionaries are the best! They're better than any Elder I've known."

Where have I heard THAT before?! And THAT got my blood boiling. I know many great young men (friends and extended family) who served their missions faithfully and did their best. I even had the privilege of working with some of them, both during and after my mission. One thing I despise and resent is favoritism, especially in the Church and I'm afraid many members do it more often than we realize. I've seen it way too often on my mission between Elders and Sisters. Sister missionaries seemed to get pampered with extra "luxuries" such as a ride to the mission home from the subway station on a rainy day en route to a mission meeting.

I served in the Japan Nagoya Mission (Central Japan) and Japan overall is a harder place to do missionary work than other parts of the world. Generally speaking, sister missionaries seem to get more baptisms and lessons in a transfer mainly because their investigators are mainly women and they don't have problem visiting them. There are opposite sex rules that every missionary has to abide by. One of the most frustrating parts about my mission was the difficulty of getting Priesthood holders to go with us to our lessons because of their work schedules. Our tracting/housing led us to mostly female investigators and we had a hard time meeting them often due to the rules regarding the opposite sex. From my mission experiences, male investigators were hard to come by because from a cultural standpoint, they were always at work and weren't home until late in the evening, a time when all missionaries need to be home in their apartments getting ready for bed. That of course, led to criticism from members and mission leaders alike, who felt we weren't giving it our all when we were in fact trying to make the best of being stuck between a rock and a hard place. It also led to some missionaries being more favored than others and it shouldn't have been that way at all. And it didn't stop there; at mission meetings, the Elders often get grilled for the supposed "lack" of success.

Why do you think sister missionaries are much more "successful" than the Elders? It's because their investigators and converts are mostly female and they don't have a problem meeting with them.

Why do you think sister missionaries are so much more better than "any Elders you've known?" It's only because of those "higher success rates."

Now, I have a younger sister who is currently serving in the Singapore Mission. She has my full support in doing what she's doing and I couldn't be more proud of her. And mind you, she is in a place that's equally as difficult to do missionary work due to varying culture and religions. She's doing many good things. And for your information, Elders can be just as successful if YOU, the member help them. You don't measure success just in the number of convert baptism missionaries get. You measure success in their obedience to mission rules and in their faithfulness. Some missionaries will and have gone through their entire mission without seeing a single baptism and some feel like a failure as a result, but that's only because those around them who are critical make them feel so. Elders for the most part have a greater vision in mind for their investigators: worthy Priesthood holders. The Church stands in need always of worthy Priesthood holders and that potential lies within the new converts of the Church. And that's why we need to support our missionaries.

Missionaries, whether they are full-time Elders, Sisters, Senior Couples, Mission President and wife, or member missionaries, we need them and they need us! I challenge you to step up to the plate and give the full-time missionaries who are serving in your home Ward or Branch a helping hand in whatever way you feel inspired to do so. Stop playing "favorites!" Every missionary has a reason for serving and they're out there to touch different peoples' lives.

You should expect nothing more out of them than for them to do their best, obey the mission rules, and be faithful to the Lord. And that applies to us members as well:

• Do your best
• Obey the commandments
• Have faith

Changes in the Air... AGAIN!

One typical trend we always see in any Young Single Adult Ward or Branch is changes in membership with people coming and going, whether it's for school, careers, marriages and the list might go on... That also means constant changes in many callings in the Church for us YSA members, including leadership. It's inevitable that I've been on the radar for some time now and that means my callings in the Church, particularly in the YSA Branch are subject to change in order to accommodate said changes. That being said, I was recently extended a calling to be a counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency. I was also released from my duties in the Sunday School Presidency. It was funny how all this played out; I first a got a phone call from a member of the Branch Presidency, who asked if he could meet with me before the block on the upcoming Sunday. About 15 minutes later, I get ANOTHER phone call, this time from a member of the Stake Presidency. He asked the same thing, if he could meet with me sometime before the YSA block hours on the upcoming Sunday. Immediately I got that feeling; my thoughts went "Greeaat, they want me to do more things for the Church."

Sunday came and I first met with the member of the Branch Presidency who called me previously. He extended the calling of Sunday School President to me, which I accepted. Soon after, I met with the member of the Stake Presidency who called me earlier in the week and he extended the calling of Second Counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency to me. Was I surprised? No, considering how lacking the Salem YSA Branch has become. But this caused a little confusion and some quick last-minute shuffling on the part of the leaders. How typical... My initial calling as Sunday School President was now null and I would get the calling to be part of the Elders Quorum Presidency. Personally, I am feeling a little under-qualified to be in this capacity. And even on a more personal note, I have become a little fed-up with how things have been going for the Branch, in terms of membership attendance in both Church and Family Home Evening activities and in leadership meetings. I have attended a few Branch Council meetings and honestly, it's all talk and not a lot of results. Anything I felt inspired to say either gets shot down or I get an earful of something in response. All I want to do is fulfill my duties in the calling(s) that I have and help move the overall progress of the Branch in a forward direction. If there's one thing I don't like about a leadership capacity in the Church, it would have to be going to additional meetings, especially ones where it's almost pointless to go to if things are not going to get done. Nothing against the Church and the people who help make it up but there are WAY too many redundancies.

Once again, I take my new calling with the attitude that I have something I need to learn out of it. I don't know why the Lord put me in this position but I'm confident that He knows what He's doing and I'll put my trust in Him and His guidance. And most importantly, I will do my best.

Back on the Bandwagon...

Well, it was my first day back in the Young Single Adult Branch here at home and needless to say, I got a calling right off the bat! I've been called to be the First Counselor in the Sunday School Presidency for the YSA Branch. I think this is a good time to mention that it's been a few years since my calling(s) involved being part of a presidency... Once again, I feel like a chicken with it's head cut off. You'll recall on my previous blog post that my name was brought up thanks to my uncle, who has no doubt touched the lives of so many members in this Stake through his previous callings as both a Bishop and then a Stake President. Being related to him and sharing the same last-name, I certainly feel some pressure to not screw things up. Some people have already told me that they're looking for people who are reliable to fulfill these callings; I'm not one for considering myself to be reliable!

So it is what it is. Once again, I take this calling with a sense that I have something I need to learn from it. And no doubt I'll get something out of fulfilling this calling that will benefit me for the rest of my life, hopefully. Frankly, responsibilities through Church callings is the LAST thing on my mind right now. My biggest problem/worry right now is finding a job so I can earn some money to pay for school and have some available finances for some additional necessities. This happens from time to time throughout the various callings, but they can sometimes get in the way of other priorities; some busier than others. But perhaps this calling will allow me to gain some necessary experience. I guess we'll wait and find out... So I'm back on the bandwagon of callings and responsibilities to be juggled with other priorities.

I know we are called into these positions for a reason. It is through these callings that we are put into a refining process, to better ourselves, for us to learn, and maybe, perhaps maybe touch the lives of others. When we serve others, we are in turn serving as the Lord's disciples.

"If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

Underappreciated? Yes. Beaten? No.

I've been home for about five days now. A lot of things worked out and a few things didn't but that's the way life rolls. I was officially released from the callings of a Ward pianist and FHE co-group leader I held at my college YSA ward; you'll probably recall that when I wrote a blog post about that a few months back... Needless to say, I am happy to be home and not have to worry about school, at least for a season. And of course, I had some great and memorable experiences during my first year of college. One mistake (and I mean this half-jokingly and half-serious) I won't be making next year at school is accepting a calling to be a Ward pianist for a college ward. Personally, I felt there were quite a few people who were well-qualified like me (if not, better) to at least take a week to play the music for Sacrament Meetings. But they were either chickens or busy with other callings. This semester I was pretty much doing playing piano full-time because though I originally alternated weekly with another member of the Ward, for some reason that stopped happening. Another nail to the coffin: the Bishopric called in a replacement but that individual was AWOL so I was called back into playing every Sunday... I certainly felt underappreciated ESPECIALLY after stepping up to try to fill in some voids. That's why I won't accept that same calling again because personally, I feel that there are people better suited than me because my repertoire of Hymns are limited. They just don't want to do it because they claim to feel the same way.

Typical of my family and how we roll, I HAD to come home in the midst of many things going on here at home. My sister's getting ready to leave on her mission in a few short days and my cousin just got married. What else? I have to find a job and work... The list goes on and on and I'm embarrassed to add any more to the list. Typically, I would see my aunt and uncle stopping by at home. Of course they would ask me if I was coming back to the YSA Branch here at home (because they're serving in it). I really couldn't give them a straight answer. My aunt is (in my opinion) exceptional at music so her calling involves a lot of the musical stuff that goes on in this Branch. After just getting done with my calling as a Ward Pianist in Rexburg, I would totally expect everyone else here at home to suggest and hint at my so-called musical abilities. I'm not even that good... My uncle mentioned that my name has come up several times in Church meetings over at the YSA Branch I suppose I should be returning to...

My initial reaction: "Crap! I'm back on radar..."

Did you expect this blog where I express my feelings and testimony of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when appropriate to be all sunshine and rainbows? Well, I hate to break it to you but if your life is all sunshine and rainbows, then you're learning nothing. The Church is true. The members are not. Yes, the positive experiences you have help you learn things; it even reinforces the things you've already learned. But for me, a lot of the more "negative" or less-joyful experiences are where I learn the most. Those are the moments where I've learned some really great and important life-lessons. You make mistakes so you can learn not to repeat any of them again. You learn from your mistakes. It's not easy and sometimes it hurts, but because of these experiences, I'm a lot happier now than when I was back then. You fall and get hurt because you need to learn to pick yourself up. That's how it's supposed to be in mortality and this is part of the great plan of happiness our Father in Heaven set forth for us. We're here today because we chose to follow Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. By choosing to follow Christ, we've allowed trials and challenges to test us along with our faith and testimony. For me, I cannot simply build up my faith and testimony purely off of "sunshine and rainbows" taboos and cliches. I'm not implying that we should have pessimistic outlooks on things. But we need to be in a sense of learning when we go through difficult and trying times. Part of the reason why some become pessimistic is because they start to feel underappreciated for the efforts or contributions they made.

As for me, I do feel underappreciated for the things I do, the things I accomplished that for me seemed to have gone unnoticed, the good-faith effort I try to put forth. But I am far being beaten and admitting defeat. That's what the gospel does to us; it keeps us going. So it's gonna get old (and maybe a little cliche) when I say this but:

The gospel's true!

Conference-style Talk: Evaluating Your Own Integrity

Once again, for another semester, I was required to write a research paper/talk thingy for my religion class. This one is entitled, 'Evaluating Your Own Inegrity'. Graded, this did really well. Due to time constraints, we were unable to share our full talks as a class so I will publish it here.

I was on a small plane flying from St. Anthony, Idaho to Pinedale, Wyoming this past April during the week break in between semesters. The aircraft we were flying on is capable of reaching altitudes beyond 15,000 feet thanks to a turbo-charged engine, which is probably a good thing because there were mountains and rugged terrain to stay clear of on this flight. This particular aircraft has some history though. You see two years prior to my flight, this aircraft was involved in a landing incident where its retractable landing gears collapsed upon touch-down.

Here’s a little more background information: Depending on the aircraft-type, all airplanes are required by FAA regulations to go under a rather scrutinizing inspection called the annual-inspections after achieving a certain number of flight hours. This aircraft recently had its annual-inspection prior to this incident. It was during that inspection that a metal rod about two feet long in length designed to handle the stresses of a landing aircraft was discovered to have hairline cracks visible only under an electron microscope. The mechanic contracted to replace the needed parts rationalized that this metal rod was still good and did not replace it despite instructions clearly stating the need for replacement. Just like that, the landing gear system of the aircraft was compromised. It was only a matter of time after a number of landings that this metal rod would fail, causing the incident, damaging the aircraft, putting lives at risk, not to mention a financial headache for the owner to get additional repairs that weren’t previously necessary done. The incident was preventable.

There is a reason why air travel is considered the safest mode of transportation in most parts of the world; it’s because the industry and the agencies in charge of overseeing them scrutinize heavily on quality standards of safety and structural integrity. From my personal experiences being around planes and the knowledge gained about the aviation industry, I have discovered spiritual parallels with it regarding the principle of integrity. Like those industry standards we hear about for structural integrity or quality control, we too have our own personal integrity to keep in check. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Twelve once said, “To me, integrity means always doing what is right and good, regardless of the immediate consequences. It means being righteous from the very depth of our soul, not only in our actions but, more importantly, in our thoughts and in our hearts. Personal integrity implies such trustworthiness and incorruptibility that we are incapable of being false to a trust or covenant.” (April, 1990)

It’s possible that this mechanic who was contracted to tend the incident aircraft I mentioned was trying to saving money for the company he worked for. In this case, the innocent decisions and rationalizations made could have led to potentially disastrous consequences for the people flying that day, not to mention an otherwise perfectly-working airplane. Like an aircraft and its required inspections it has to go through, we too must assess our own personal integrity. So the question now is: How? In The Book of Mormon, Nephi exhorted his brothers with the following: “And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.” (1 Nephi 16:3) That is sound advice for us all.

We should all strive to live up to “Temple Recommend” worthy status in our lives. President Marion G. Romney once said, “I need not belabor the fact that the world is at the present time in desperate need of men of integrity. The proof of this statement may be read in every publication, heard on every radio, and both seen and heard in every visual and sound production. Our very civilization is in jeopardy. If it is to be rescued, it must be done by men of integrity.” (October, 1974) I echo the words of President Romney. Today, we live in a world where social standards continue to decay as sin and unrighteous behavior contrary to Church standards become the accepted norm of society. In a world where it’s easy to cheat and lie in our dealings with our fellow man, it’s more important that we stay clear of the worldly hazards and keep our personal integrity intact. We will stand out as a beacon to the world when we stay upright and righteous in our dealings. Our neighbors around us will notice how we stand out among the rest. And most importantly, think of the blessings you will receive and be eligible for when you do so.

However, what if your personal integrity wasn’t up to what it should be? The landing incident I mentioned earlier was preventable had that metal rod been replaced as instructed. And you can prevent a lot of grief in your own life by staying on that strait and narrow path. Stray from the path and you could potentially crash and burn and require spiritual repairs that would’ve been otherwise not necessary had you been obedient from the beginning. Said our Prophet Thomas S. Monson, “We simply cannot afford the luxury of a detour from which we may never return.” (October 2010)

Now we’re not perfect. All of us eventually hit a stumbling block, or two, or three, or more. Mortality is supposed to be full of trials and difficulties where sometimes our personal integrity is challenged. For some, these challenges are harder than it is for others. It was never meant to be easy. And it’s easy for us to get discouraged and even throw in the towel. But that is no excuse for you not to make things right. Please understand there is a path back; you can make things right. In the words of Alma: “But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice. For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved.” (Alma 42:23-24)

Integrity is often the indicator of our personal character and desires. I typically notice a connection between integrity and the armor of God. However, unlike traditional shields or pieces of armor typical of knights you see portrayed in the movies, the armor of God is only effective when our personal integrity is strong and upright in harmony with obedience of the commandments and Church standards. Ephesians 6:13-18 describe what I feel are the requirements needed to live a righteous life where our personal integrity can stand out and shine: “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (Ephesians 6:13-18)

We know what we need to do. We have the necessary knowledge to know where we need to be in our lives. Our personal integrity, our armor must not have a single chink in it. May we always strive to stand upright before God. May our lives be full of enriching and righteous deeds to our fellow man. May we always, for those worthy and eligible, maintain a current Temple Recommend and strengthen our faith by going to the Temple often or when we’re able to. Temple attendance can shelter us from the world and strengthen personal resolve and discover answers that can help us.

I testify to you of the importance of personal integrity. It is the indicator of our lives that will determine whether we have a smooth landing or a rough landing. It defines moral character in which how others around us will see who we really are. I also have a testimony of the truthfulness of the restored gospel; it was restored by God through the prophet Joseph Smith. The Church today is led today by a man of integrity, even Thomas S. Monson who is our Prophet, Seer, and Revelator in these latter-days. I know he is the mouthpiece of God, from where we are able receive divine instruction. And most importantly, I’m grateful for the one who displays perfect integrity; our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know He came to this earth to atone and die for us. I know he was resurrected and has given us the opportunity to do the same. In times of trial, difficulty and repentance, when our integrity needs work, it is my hope and prayer that we turn to Him and the continuing works of the Atonement. My thoughts and testimony, I leave with you in name of Jesus Christ, amen.

"Each Life That Touches Ours for Good"

Midway through this week, I received some sad news regarding one of my mission companions. He was killed in an automobile accident. I couldn't believe it but pretty soon, everyone I served with in the Japan Nagoya Mission was talking about it. I was of course heartbroken because he was too young. Adding to the tragedy, he got married to a lovely woman in the Church last November. In short, hearing that news really put a damper on my day. His name was Masashi Imaizumi and he was my very first Japanese companion in the mission field. We proselyted in the city of Toyohashi located in Aichi Prefecture together for a little over a transfer before I got sent to Suzuka in the Mie Prefecture. In essence, our time was short but we had a lot of great memories and experiences. I couldn't help but look through my mission pictures and find the ones of me and him...

Together we were two goofballs, but we were like brothers...

Music has always brought comfort to me during times like this and once again, I think of the lyrics to the following Hymn:

Each life that touches ours for good

Reflects thine own great mercy, Lord;

Thou sendest blessings from above

Thru words and deeds of those who love.

What greater gift dost thou bestow,

What greater goodness can we know

Than Christlike friends, whose gentle ways

Strengthen our faith, enrich our days.

When such a friend from us departs,

We hold forever in our hearts

A sweet and hallowed memory,

Bringing us nearer, Lord, to the.

For worthy friends whose lives proclaim

Devotion to the Savior's name,

Who bless our days with peace and love,

We praise thy goodness, Lord, above.

(Hymn #293 'Each Life That Touches Ours for Good')

The two of us in shades. We were so cool!

I never thought that someone I knew, someone I had a chance to work with and get to know better would suddenly be taken away from us in less than two years time... Granted, I remember him as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But he was a mighty fine missionary serving as the Lord's representative in his home country! Though our time together in the mission field was shorter than initially expected, we had great times together. He was quiet and very observant, but he served with all his heart, might, mind, and strength. He knew the Japanese people better than me. He knew the missionary efforts in Toyohashi very well. And he was a great companion to proselyte with. It was an honor and privilege to have been able to work with him, even though our time together in Toyohashi was cut short unexpectedly. We biked through the rain and humidity and we were blessed to have been able to finish our missions together near the beginning of 2012.

The two of us standing in the left at the end of our missions.

Now that he's gone, I value the friendship and camaraderie we shared even more. And even though his sudden passing brought a painful sting to those of us who knew him, the knowledge we have through the gospel of Jesus Christ brings assurance and comfort to us to know that it's all for the best... Yes, I'm sad that he died at a young age. And I'm sad for his widowed wife; I can't imagine what she is going through in the wake of this tragedy. God allows things to happen for a reason and we can't always comprehend the will of God. But no matter what, we're better off putting our trust in Him. I have a testimony of that. It isn't easy but it's the best way to deal with it. And I know we'll run into each other again. We know about the Plan of Salvation and we are a part of it. And I know for a fact my former mission companion, my brother, Masashi Imaizumi is one who touched my life good as well as the lives of many others. He and I were like brothers and I looked up to him often. My deepest thoughts and testimony of these things I leave with you, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Callings

I'm coming up on week three of my second semester of school. Church-wise, I've been given more responsibility. I've already been serving as one of the ward pianists since last semester. For this semester, after getting our groups organized, I was extended a calling to serve as a co-group leader (a sort of "FHE dad", in addition to an "FHE mom" as some would refer to it) for our Family Home Evening Group, composed of myself, five other guys and six ladies from our Young Single Adults Ward. If you've been a longtime reader of my blog(s), you might recall when it was the last time I actually served in some kind of leadership capacity. You might also recall on how I feel about certain callings when taken into certain perspectives. If you've followed my blog up to this point, you'll know that not all the feelings I had about these topics were positive experiences.

Needless to say, I'm on pins and needles right now. I've got butterflies in my stomach. Last semester, there were times I had to take the lead on FHE group lessons/messages. Despite my attempts to be professional and maintain composure, I felt those times were next to borderline-disastrous (not complete disaster, mind you). Thankfully, the Lord doesn't expect anyone including myself to be perfect at anything.

On a similar topic, my family and I experienced good news as my younger sister received her mission call; I am a strong supporter for having more sister missionaries now that the age of eligibility for missionaries have been lowered. My sister has been called to the Singapore Mission, Malay-speaking. Where she is going was somewhat a surprise for all of us because no one in our family that I'm aware of has served a mission anywhere around that part of the world yet. Her call to serve has put me into a state of reflection as I looked back at my time in the mission field in the Japan Nagoya Mission. If I were to summarize my mission experience in less than ten words, I would say "A lot of things turned out unexpectedly." Unexpected things such as:

• The 2011 Touhoku earthquake and tsunami disaster affecting the country
• Having to cope with an influx of missionaries from the neighboring Tokyo Mission when it had to be shut down along with other consequences that were the results of the disaster
• Being sent to areas where the focus was Spanish or Brazilian Portuguese instead of my assigned language of Japanese
• Not becoming involved in some leadership capacity when all my mission I strived in the hopes to be one

To be honest, I had many ups and downs on my mission. There were numerous times when those experiences were by far the most frustrating moments. With regards to leadership (or resentment), well, I don't think I have to mention or repeat anything I clearly stated previously. I clearly remember my dad's E-mail that he wrote me during the height of those frustrations: 

"In missions and in life we are given assignments. You have been given assignments, and you have done them to the best of your ability. We don't always understand the reasoning behind those assignments... So take your assignments and continue to do them the best way know how. The other stuff will take care of itself. We all have jobs, they are all important. Sometimes they aren't "prestigious" or "high-profile", but they are all important, and not everyone can do them. So take pride in the fact that you can do them, and do them well and with success. You have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. You should be proud of your accomplishments and proud of yourself as an individual. I am. Take a new perspective. Don't worry about your peer group, you only have to measure yourself by what YOU know you are capable of, by YOUR yardstick (and maybe a little bit of MY yardstick). I measure you, and I see the good stuff you do. I couldn't be prouder of you, or prouder to be called your dad."

These words from my number one father figure really helped me to carry on especially this past year, as the going got tough. As I think about my dear sister my pride as her older brother is shining. I can see her facing new a host of challenges and feeling frustration and disappointments from time to time. But I know she can tackle them and overcome every time. Whether it's a mission, a calling, or in life, we do these things to grow. Oftentimes, we serve in our church callings and leadership capacities because we need to grow and learn something. And that's what mortal existence here basically winds down to: growing and learning. 

Going back to my recent calling I received to serve as a group leader for our Family Home Evening group, I expect to grow from serving in this calling; I expect to learn a thing or two. Since having a hiatus in leading in ANYTHING this last year, I hope to fulfill my responsibilities to the best of my abilities. If you read one of my earlier posts, I repeat what President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:

"Certainly you are not overlooked or unwanted by your Heavenly Father. He loves you. And I tell you with certainty that you are needed by your Church... But when God works through us, no one and nothing can stand against us. This is why you are needed. You have your own special contribution to make, and God can magnify that contribution in a mighty way."

I can't say I'm confident in any of my abilities but that's not going to stop me from striving to make my contributions and learn and grow. I have a testimony of the importance in our church callings, assignments and obligation. Fulfilling them usually leads to new discoveries in one's own abilities and is a major opportunity for personal growth. Oftentimes, there are those set aside to fulfill certain tasks and only they can accomplish them because the Lord sees it fit to be so. Let the Lord's will be done.

The Priesthood: Benefits of Father Figures

I'm now back in Rexburg and classes start tomorrow. Before driving back, I asked my uncle Sam to give me a father's blessing. It is highly encouraged for us to get blessings from our fathers prior to specific moments of our lives; for example, it's appropriate to get one before leaving for a mission or embarking on military service and even before a term of school. I'm pretty sure there are other specific situations that I can't think of off the top of my head where receiving a father's blessing would be appropriate.

Even though my uncle Sam is not my dad, he is a worthy Priesthood holder and I see him as a father figure like how my dad is; I feel that way with all of my uncles in addition to my own father. I feel very blessed to have this quality within my family because not all extended families are close to each other like mine. In the absence of my dad, my uncle stepped up and administered to my needs and help me find comfort and confidence as I prepared once again to face fears of the unknown and battle to control my emotions at the start of another semester of school at BYU-Idaho.

You probably noticed the term "father figure" in the title is plural. Well it's because I believe in multiple father figures. At the same time, I realized how much I've taken for granted the benefits of the relationships I share with my extended family. I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's a real benefit in having family close to where I'm going to school.

I love my family (immediate and extended). It takes priority in my life over everything else and nothing is going to take that value away from me. I have a testimony in the importance of families. In tough times when good friends aren't around, members of family will be the best friend.

April 2013 General Conference Highlights

Well, among all the studying going on for classes (and final exams coming up), this weekend was General Conference weekend. I had to multi-task in order to listen... Well, I take that back; I was hardly listening at all while I was getting my homework done so I really can't go off on much. But I managed to attend Priesthood Session at the Ashton, Idaho Stake Center while staying with my relatives over the weekend. I think my all-time highlight came from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's address. The following words are the things that stood out to me the most:

"Serving God and our fellowmen will challenge us and transform us into something greater than we ever thought possible. Perhaps you might think that you are not needed, that you are overlooked or unwanted, that you are nobody. I am sincerely sorry if any priesthood holder feels this way. Certainly you are not overlooked or unwanted by your Heavenly Father. He loves you. And I tell you with certainty that you are needed by your Church. Do you not know that “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to [put to shame] the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to [put to shame] the things which are mighty”? Perhaps it is true that we are weak. Perhaps we are not wise or mighty. But when God works through us, no one and nothing can stand against us. This is why you are needed. You have your own special contribution to make, and God can magnify that contribution in a mighty way."

I've certainly felt somewhat useless and even under appreciated from time to time. During my missionary service in the Japan Nagoya Mission, my Mission President emphasized repeatedly with passion on the the subject of gratitude and I suppose his influences have helped me to be a little more grateful for a lot of things taken for granted. There have been many times I've done things for people and even the church and I never got a single "Thank you" out of it. And a simple expression of gratitude can be enough to make a person's day worth while. While attending the Salem, Oregon Young Single Adults (YSA) Branch, I had three callings: Branch Missionary, Sunday School Pianist, and Family Home Evening (FHE) Photographer. 

As a Branch Missionary, I found myself working with the full-time missionaries often and I have certainly enjoyed it. We even had an Elder from Japan serve in our Branch for a few months and I certainly felt blessed (and I'm pretty sure he felt the same way!) to have been able to work and communicate with each other in our native languages. As for my other two callings, I fulfilled them to the best of my abilities.

I'm almost embarrassed to mention this, but my skills as a pianist are limited. There are only a handful of Hymns I can play off the bat; any others I want to learn will take me time and practice, but mostly a lot of time. I absolutely hate it when people in charge of the music ask me to play something I don't know or can't read. I hate it when people expect me to play something because personally, I don't care about "their" expectations; they just don't matter to me in the long run. I mentioned this before, and I'll mention it again: the only expectations that matter the most are one's own aligned with God's will. 

I really had fun serving as the Branch FHE photographer mainly because I got into the hobby of aircraft spotting and aviation photography. A result of this little hobby of mine is posting those photos up on my online aviation photo gallery through social media. My YSA Branch also utilized the social media so at least once a week, I've been able to put up photos of our weekly FHE activities. 

As I said before, I really enjoyed this calling. I will admit however, feeling somewhat under appreciated from time to time for showing up every Monday night to take photos for the sake of memories. As a photographer, I rarely end up being in the photos. I can recall maybe two or three people thanking me directly for my efforts. Regardless of that, I made the effort to be selfless by fulfilling my callings to the best of my abilities.

This is one of many reasons why I believe in this saying: "The church is true. The members are not." And for the most part, I believe in that saying because we're all imperfect. From experiences in the mission field, I have witnessed and heard of this far too many times, especially to fairly new members of the church over there. The things they have to do in order to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are of great sacrifices, or more in a country where cultural barriers serve as part of the problem. And I'm most definitely not the perfect member of the church as well. I even get frustrated with a few things about the church. Taking the importance of callings of fellow members for granted is one of them.

Despite my personal frustrations and weaknesses, I want you all to know the importance of having a heart full of gratitude. A simple "Thank you", the two most important words of the English language can make someones day. Even when feelings of under appreciation hits me from time to time, I know I am needed. And you fellow members are needed in the church as well. I encourage you to look for the things you are grateful for often. I also highly encourage you to be grateful for the righteous actions and service of others. Don't just be grateful for them; verbally express your gratitude to them and let them know you're grateful! The two most important words of the English language can make the difference between a good day and bad day. Strive to make someones day with two simple words and help them feel needed. I could have used it on certain days. But President Uchtdorf's words helps in some ways and therefore, became the highlight of my conference weekend.

Familes Can Be Together Forever

Last Thursday evening, I received a text message from my dad informing me that my uncle Paul passed away. He was 63 years old; too young in my opinion by today's standards... I was able to visit him in the hospital the weekend prior to his passing and I am so grateful to have been able to see him one last time. His passing came as somewhat of a surprise to us all. I can't help but reflect and think about him now that he's gone. The news brought me to tears as I tried to accept the fact he really was gone... Thankfully, having family here in the region, not to mention the ones here at school (and my awesome roommates), brought some form of comfort. The viewing and funeral services were carried out this past Monday and Tuesday respectively. Both were just beautiful. There was a slide show compilation depicting the life of my uncle. Again, it brought tears to our eyes.

We as a family were gathered together; I saw cousins who I haven't seen in a couple of years. My aunts and uncles, second cousins, my dad, as well as my grandparents were also in attendance. We cried together. We celebrated his life together. We were there for each other. It was a much needed thing to have so many family members present, as we rendered to each other mutual support during these tough times. It was heart-warming to have all that.

The day of the funeral, the weather was absolutely gorgeous; we couldn't have asked for better weather. The things said about my uncle were just beautiful and spot-on. It was hard to accept the facts of reality. It was hard to say good-bye. It was hard to observe others as they wept. Sadness has been in the air but it would eventually be overcome with hope and a better resolve. It was a time to appreciate the blessings each and every one of us had. The memories we have gained are now a treasure...

Being in this gathering also caused many of us to realize how much we really should appreciate the things we take for granted. Life and death is a natural part of our existence. But still, I found it hard to believe that my uncle was gone. Now, we as a family are all touched by the memories we shared with him. There is a hymn I love and I thought about it as I reflected on how my uncle touched our lives:

Each life that touches ours for good

Reflects thine own great mercy, Lord; 

Thou sendest blessings from above

Thru words and deeds of those who love.

What greater gift thou dost thou bestow,

What greater goodness can we know 

Than Christlike friends, whose gentle ways

Strengthen our faith, enrich our days.

When such a friend from us departs,

We hold forever in our hearts

A sweet and hallowed memory,

Bringing us nearer, Lord, to thee.

For worthy friends whose lives proclaim

Devotion to the Savior's name, 

Who bless our days with peace and love,

We praise thy goodness, Lord, above.

(Hymn #293 'Each Life That Touches Ours for Good')

I am sad that he is gone now but I know I will see him again someday. Our savior Jesus Christ through His Atonement made it possible for us to return to Him and to reunite with our families. There's another hymn I just love to sing and play on the piano and the promise made in the first verse is comfort enough. I think the lyrics to this hymn is self-explanatory:

I have a family here on earth.

They are so good to me.

I want to share my life with them through all eternity.

Families can be together forever

Through Heavenly Father's plan.

I always want to be with my own family,

And the Lord has shown me how I can.

The Lord has shown me how I can.

(Hymn #300 'Families Can Be Together Forever')

For those of you who are close to your family and relatives, be sure to spend quality time with them. Tell them you love them, no matter how cheesy it may sound. Be grateful for their influence they had on your life. And never, ever forget about the things that they have done for you. Because, one day all of this will become nothing but a cherished memory when they are gone. Don't give yourself any regrets regarding your family.

I want all of you who read this to know that I know God loves each and every one of us and He knows what we are going through. He has set in motion for us a plan of salvation, in which we can return to Him and be with our families again when our mortal journey is complete. He has sent His beloved son Jesus Christ to blaze the trail for us. Without a doubt, I have a testimony that families can be together forever. This knowledge has lessened the sting of death just enough for us to press forward, with faith and hope shining brightly in hearts and minds. The gospel is still true! My testimony of these words and thoughts to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.