Scripture power

I've been reading a lot lately in the scriptures concerning happiness and joy. I've made some interesting discoveries and thought I'd share what I'm learning. There are 38 scriptures on HAPPINESS and 93 scriptural references to JOY. I get the strong impression that our Heavenly Father wants us to experience some of both feelings and experiences and a lot of both if we make it our quest.
There are my favorite descriptions and references to happiness:
Job 5:17 - Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore, despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.
Psalms 127:5 - Happy is the man that hath a quiver full of them (referring to children.)
Psalms 144: 15 - Happy is that people, that is in such a case, yea, happy is that people. whose God is the Lord.
Proverbs 3: 13 - Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Proverbs 14:21 - ...he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
John 13:17 - If he know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
Romans 14:22 - ...happy is he that condemmeth not himself.
James 5: 11 - Behold, we count them happy which endure...that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy.
I Peter 3: 14 - But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye...
I Peter 4: 14 - If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you...
I Nephi 8:10 - ...I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy (referring to the word of God.)
2 Nephi 2: 13 - ...if there be no righteousness, there could be no happiness.
Mosiah 2: 14 - And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true, for the Lord God hath spoken them.
Alma 27:18 - Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness.
Alma 40: 12 - ...the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
Alma 41: 5 - The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness or good according to his desire of good...
Alma 41:10 - ...wickedness never was happiness.
Alma 44: 5 - ...the maintenance of the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our happiness; and by all that is most dear to us.
Alma 50: 22 & 23 - And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord were delivered at all times...But behold, there never was a happier time among the children of Nephi...
Helaman 12:2 - ...doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people...
4 Nephi 1:16 - And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, not lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.
Mormon 7:7 - ...in a state of happiness that hath no end.
Mormon 9"14 - And then cometh the judgement of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still.

Here are some of my thoughts in regard to those scriptures: we should be happy to be corrected and not take offense because correction will help us more closely follow the commandments of God; people are happier when they have children in their lives in one form or another; we will be happier when we have our Heavenly Father as our God and not other things; happiness is something we must seek, we must look for it to find it and those who do are more wise than those who don't; those who help the less fortunate are happier and are blessed personally for their service; those who obey God's commandments are happier than those who do not; good self concept and loving ourselves is an important part of being happy; endurance teaches many things and those who endure challenges well can learn to be happy even through their trials; those who endure criticism and ridicule for defending the truth and their God will be blessed with the tender mercies of the Lord; the word of God (the commandments) make us happy and free from the consequences of sin and disobedience; there must be opposites in all things, we must know misery and suffering to understand and appreciate happiness; we will have spiritual and temporal blessings (including happiness) if we stay faithful throughout our lives and we'll be blessed with endless happiness; one must seek happiness and be humble in the process, it's a process to find happiness, not an automatic gift to all those who are faithful. The rain will fall on all; if we prove faithful to the commandments and teachings of God, we can dwell with him in peace and happiness forever; we'll never be truly happy if we aren't following the Savior Jesus Christ and living his teachings and commandments; if we're doing wrong things against the laws of God, we'll never be truly happy; we have to maintain the word and teachings of God in our lives, we can't become complacent and slothful, or we will lose it; when we serve those around us, we will be happier than if we don't. We must forget ourselves and serve others to experience happiness; when evil is eliminated from our lives, happiness has room to grow; happiness can be our state forever if we choose it.
We can learn how to attain happiness through the scriptures. Happiness is an individual pursuit. Someone else can't give us happiness or make us happy. We must each find and keep happiness in our own lives and if we do, we've been promised that we can keep it for always.

Some thoughts on...

Cleverness

1. mentally bright; having sharp or quick intelligence; able.
2. superficially skillful, witty, or original in character or construction; facile
3. showing inventiveness or originality; ingenious
4. adroit with the hands or body; dexterous or nimble.
clev⋅er⋅ish, adjective
clev⋅er⋅ish⋅ly, adverb
clev⋅er⋅ly, adverb
clev⋅er⋅ness, noun
Synonyms:1. ingenious, talented, quick-witted; smart, gifted; apt, expert. skillful, agile, handy.
Antonyms:1. stupid. 4. clumsy.

I woke up early this morning to get back to reading a most clever book (and I didn't go to Curves to exercise since my exercising partner is out of town, oopsie.) Then it dawned on me. I absolutely love cleverness. I can't get enough of it. I adore it. I look for it in people, places and things. I love to soak in it up to my eyeballs. But it's so hard to find. I'm on the outlook for it constantly and I'm so pleased when I find it. Like this book. What a delightful surprise. It's so clever!
Here are some of my observations concerning cleverness:

• Not everyone is clever (This point is not so obvious. Some who think they are, aren't and some who think they aren't, are.)
• Not everything is clever (obviously)
• You can't force it if you don't have it
• A person generally either has it or they don't, or they can be clever in some things but not so much in others
• It often involves subtlety and nuance and sometimes sarcasm
• Things are created that are ingenious, different and new. Give two people the same raw products and the clever person will create something amazing out of nothing.
• I personally value clever speech, writing and thinking the most of all.
• It takes humor to a new level, a higher level

A clever person usually has had some life experience and they can see irony in things. They don't see the world in black and white and they can enjoy all the glorious shades of grey that lie in between the two extremes. Their expression of those ironies in writing or speaking is usually laced with clever statements and observations. They are beyond funny, they are clever in how they express themselves. I admire clever people. It's a gift to be clever and I celebrate and congratulate those who are. Come sit by me, I'd love to listen to your observations!

This book has all the elements I adore in a book: an interesting story, a historical story where you learn something about a time and place in the past, a strong and CLEVER heroine, interesting twists and turns, extremely well written, a CLEVER and happy ending.

Did I say it was a clever book? Well it is. (Let me know if you want to borrow mine.) Oh, and as a side note, I wish a certain clever writer would post more often to her blog! I miss reading her observations...

Research of interest III

I've been reading a lot lately about happiness and joy. You know why if you've been reading my blog for a few weeks. What makes a person happy? What influences happiness and what leads to joy? There are certain external factors and many internal factors that influence our level of happiness. But there is no "one size fits all" in regards to happiness and how to get it. There are a few common elements however. This study points out some of the important factors that influence happiness:

Studies show that money can buy happiness, but only until the point where you have enough to cover expenses for food, shelter, health care, and transportation. After that, more money brings diminishing returns. So, where to put your energy and resources if you want to maximize your happiness?

INVEST IN YOUR HEALTH – Health is a prerequisite to happiness. In other words, You can't be happy if you're unhealthy. Eating wisely and moving naturally are the best way to get fit
CREATE QUALITY FRIENDSHIPS – When it comes to a social network, quality is more important the quantity. Having two good friends who care about you – whether your chips are up or down – is more important than a huge network. We often forget that friends rarely come on their own accord: they require effort, time and nurturing.
EXPLORE YOUR RELIGION – World surveys show that religious people are more happy than non-religious people. Religious people are more likely to have a strong social network and to be at peace with their lives and mortality. What to do: if you have a religion, make and effort to reconnect with it. If not, visit four new religous communities in the next three months and see if any of them align with your values.
SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOUR HOBBY – Build a model, knit a sweater, climb a cliff, cook a gourmet meal. The point is to spend time engaged in activities wherein you are optimally challenged, you get immediate feedback, you lose sense of time and you do it because it's intrinsically rewarding. It is perhaps the best way to achieve authentic sustainable happiness.
IF YOU'RE UNHAPPY, MOVE – Where you live has a bigger impact on your happiness than your marital status, income, or even education level. If you are not happy where you are, consider moving. World-wide studies show that the happiest places on earth are not tropical islands but place where you feel secure, people around you have the same level of status as you do and it's easy to find a job that is interesting.

Do you have other items to add to the list?

A heart stopper

Jet Blue

We flew down to CA last weekend on Jet Blue. First time to try that airline. We loved it and we'd fly with them again. Jet Blue definitely had some good perks, such as more leg space (which is a real plus for our long legs), a much lower price than Delta and Southwest for this trip, no crowds to check in at their counter in the airport, great services and help with Vern who needed special assistance, a full can of soda instead of just a cup, and cable TV with 36 channels along with XM radio at each individual seat. We watched "The Office" on the way down. Nice. Oh, and this perk was the best of all:
Pat and Vern had a good chat with this young man. They were sitting in the front row and he came along and sat down after they were seated. Vern leaned over to Pat and said, "You're sitting next to David Archuleta." She said, "Are you sure?" and Vern said "perfectly sure." They had a nice chat with him although she said he mostly wrote in his journal and read. When Rick and I went up to the front of the plane I saw David and said, "your mother is sitting next to David Archuleta." he said, "are you sure?" and I said, "100% sure." We said hello to him waited to be the last ones off the plane with Vern who was waiting for a wheel chair. The pilots came out and asked David if they could have a picture with him for their daughters. Pat got his autograph.
What a nice young man. As we waited for our luggage, several people went up to him and asked to take his picture. He was very accommodating and patient. He said he was in LA to help with fundraising for Haiti relief. You never know who you'll see when visiting California. Fun.

Welcome home Elder E.

We took a little weekend trip down to California to welcome our nephew R home from his mission. He is a great young man and he served a wonderful mission in Philadelphia, PA. We're so proud of him. It was a tough mission, unsafe and just plain grueling with hard areas, weather extremes and some unfriendly people. He put his head down and dug in and he came home with a precious gift - a love for and a testimony of Jesus Christ. He learned some life lessons that can only be learned while serving others. He is a great young man and we're anxious to see what he does next. He has a ton of potential and he has a real gift with people. He gave a wonderful talk and shared his love of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I don't think there is another time that is sweeter as a parent than seeing a young man or young woman return honorably from a service mission after two years. It's incredible to see their growth, maturity and to feel of their great spirits. While they are missed terribly, it's such an overwhelming feeling to see them again and to know that they have been doing some good in the world. Welcome home Elder E. we love you!
Robyn and Bob were wonderful hosts. They have a beautiful home and a great life carved out in their community. Dr. Bob has a thriving practice and he loves to teach institute to young adults and to bike long distances when time allows. Robyn is a wonderful homemaker, mother, RSPres and community service volunteer. It's always wonderful to visit them, to chat and catch up and to spend some time together. On Friday, we got to celebrate Robyn's 57 birthday with her. I don't think we've ever been in the same place to celebrate her birthday with her in all our years in the family. We started the day attending the Redlands temple after a rain storm. It was interesting to see snow in the mountains and green grass and palm trees up close in the valley. It was a fun day to eat lunch at Claim Jumper, to go a movie and to make her a birthday treat as requested - chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies with a Hershey kiss on top. Robyn is a wonderful sister-in-law and I appreciate her friendship and love. I love to talk to Bob and share ideas. He is a great conversationalist and it's always a pleasure to spend time with him. They are loyal family members and we only wished that they lived closer so that we could have more interaction with them on a regular basis.

Victory in MA!

Can I just say how happy this makes me? Maybe there is some hope for our country!
Scott Brown's victory gives Republicans 41 votes in the Senate, upending the Democrats' ability to stop filibusters and other delaying tactics. Hooray for the voters of Massachusetts!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

We bleed blue

Courtney gave Dave this really nice BYU jacket for Christmas. He loved it immediately and put it right on. There was some jacket envy going on almost instantly by other men in the room. It was obvious. The wheels started turning. A plan was hatched...

...less than three days later (only because of the weekend) these copy cat guys all went and got themselves a Christmas present! Fortunately they all live in different cities. Otherwise, it could be very embarrassing if they all wore them at the same time. Who knew that men had clothes envy?

This & that

Fondue is staging a comeback! Remember fondue from the 70s? Well, it's back and a younger generation is getting on board, enjoying the good taste and fun of a fondue party. For New Year's eve, we were invited to Jake's parents home for dinner. Barbara and John had prepared a wonderful fondue party with cheese sauce and various dipping items, and then dessert with chocolate sauce with lots of different things to dip in the hot sauces. I bought my own fondue pot after that party and we enjoyed fondue when the Smiths came to town a few weeks ago. It's a fun way to party, eat and enjoy visiting, just like in the good old days. I know I've mentioned it before, but we love the families our kids married into. They are such great people and we always enjoy spending time with them. That way we can both enjoy our kids at the same time. What a concept!





Dave and Courtney gave me these cool candles for Christmas. I don't know if you dear readers have seen them in stores yet. They are battery operated candles! Why didn't I think of that? They are wax on the outside with a battery operated wick and candle on the inside that looks exactly like a real burning candle. We first saw them in a friend's home out of state and I've wanted some ever since. Yes, I'm afraid I did covet them. No fire hazards with these babies, and they look so real and add a lot of ambiance to a room! I love them!



When we were on our cruise to Alaska during the summer, we saw these great Russian BYU stacking dolls in a shop. They had them for many of the major sports teams. We asked if they had them for college teams and they said they did, but since it was at the end of the summer, they were sold out of the BYU ones. They asked us if we would like to order some, so we gave them our email address and told them to contact us if they got some more BYU stacking dolls. Well, in November, a woman emailed to say that they had a set and asked if we wanted them. Of course we did! We ordered them and they came a few weeks later. Rick LOVES them and so do I. They add to our BYU memorabilia. They've even got the names, skin color and facial features correct. Wow, what a keepsake! They go along with our National Championship team signature football, our alumni registry book and the other fine items we've collected through the years.



When Jord and Jake were here for the Christmas holiday, we went to the Mt. Timpanogos temple on one clear, very cold day. Unfortunately, it was on New Year's eve and we got there a little late, just as they were closing early for the holiday. We went to Tai Pan instead. Does that still count???



I can't help but give one more shout out to our new DARLING little granddaughters Skippy and Ada. We miss them so much, but we loved having them visit. We can't wait until they come back again for Andy's welcome home in March! Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait, can't wait....

We've had a "this and that" kind of day since we were both off work for the MLK holiday. Got up late. Went walking at the Rec Center. Went to pick up Rick's cousin Brian Pingr** for lunch. We took him to In and Out to eat. He loved it. It was his first time. We enjoyed visiting with Bri. His autistic mind is a marvel and he does so well given his limitations. He's a good man. He just celebrated his 35 birthday. He lives in a group home and is going very well. We came home and took at nap. I think we are STILL dragging from those vaccinations. Read some. Made dinner. Talked to cousin Rebecca on the phone. Yes, she is the one who turned my name into the committee who organizes BYU women's conf, on the suggestion of my sister Mary Ann. Made a mental note to pay them back some day. Went walking with Dara. Had Rick's parents over for taco salad, rolls, and homemade ice cream. Went to SCERA to attend "A Night of Broadway" show with them. Very good program. Blogging now and then to bed. A good day.

Growth in the LDS church

Over a year ago, Claire sent me the link to this very interesting blog. I'm linked to it on my Blogger dashboard as a follower and I've been reading the interesting articles as they appear. Check it out. The right side bar gives a list of all the countries in the world where we have members and missionaries. You can look up the articles of interest for a particular country to see what growth is taking place in that country. There is also another blog that give similar statistical information for missions in the United States and Canada here. Some man named "Matt" is the author of the blog. I congratulate him became he is doing a very good job of gathering information and keeping it up to date. It is an interesting blog. I always watch for information from the countries of Argentina (my mission), Peru (Rick's mission), Portugal (Dave's mission), Venezuela (Jord & R's mission), Spain (Jake's mission), Zimbabwe (Dusty's mission) and of course Mongolia (Andy's mission) among others. Here are some recent reports from those countries. I found the one from Argentina particularly interesting since I've been to Obera and I've very sad to hear about the high inactivity rates reported in my mission in Resistencia, Argentina. This area near the boarder of Brazil is a very remote jungle and I'd imagine that transportation makes it difficult for members to assemble. We consistently pray for missionary efforts to succeed in those lands and hope that the challenges can be surmounted.
Good news comes from Mongolia according to the report! Andy is one of the zone leaders in the Darkhan Mongolia district. It's great to hear about the growth that is taking place in that land.

This report from the blog:

9,000 members of the Church in Mongolia and a new branch

In a recent speech about religious freedom becoming more threatened in the United States, Elder Oaks recounted the history of the Church in Mongolia. He reported that membership now stands at 9,000, which is an increase of nearly 600 since the beginning of the year. Membership growth in Mongolia was very rapid in the late 1990s to the early 2000s and then slowed until the beginning of 2008. Considering there are two more months left in the year, we may see membership climb to 9,200 for the end of 2009. Membership grew in Mongolia by 9.36% last year and if membership totals 9,200 for 2009 the growth rate will drop a fraction to 8.95%. Also, a new branch was organized in Mongolia in Erdenet. The Erdenet Branch was divided and the Erdenet 2nd Branch was created. Erdenet is part of the Darkhan Mongolia District.

District Discontinued in Argentina

A district was discontinued in northern Argentina by the border with Brazil. The Obera Argentina District was discontinued and the two branches part of the former district now report to the Argentina Resistencia Mission. The Obera Argentina District was originally created in 1993. Another district was discontinued in Argentina early 2009 in Gualeguaychu near the border with Uruguay. No other districts in Argentina appear likely to be discontinued in the near future.

Argentina experienced an increase in congregations each year throughout the 2000s until 2008 while most Latin American countries saw a decline in congregations followed by a weak rebound. Growth appears strongest in Buenos Aires and larger cities were there is an ample supply of members and leaders. Areas covered by the Argentina Resistencia Mission have especially high inactivity according to missionaries.

STOMP & some Smiths

Last Tuesday night we went to the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo to attend a production of STOMP. If you ever have a chance to see it, don't miss it! This is the second time I've seen it and the third time Rick has seen it, although it's never the same show twice. We saw it a couple of years ago in SLC at the Capital Theater and Rick saw it for the first time in Houston when we was there for training. It is an amazing show and it is so unique and ingenious. The dances use garbage type things to beat out different rhythms and they dance and jump around in an amazing fashion. It's a percussion/dance/comedy show and it very entertaining. The performers really must burn about 10,000 calories by the end of the performance, yet they don't say a word. They used brooms, dustpans, kitchen sinks, wash boards, pipes, wood dowels, Styrofoam tubes, plastic tubs, garbage cans, garbage cans lids, cigarette lighters, match boxes, etc. You name it, if is makes a sound, they used it to beat a rhythm while they danced. Wow, it is really a wonderful show. Their traveling company was in Provo for three nights and we got to see them on Tuesday. For Christmas this year, Syd and Adam gave tickets to STOMP to Janet and Dave, so they came down to see the show on Monday night. They had a great time and really enjoyed it. Here is what the paper had to say about the performance:

Join us for the international percussion sensation, STOMP, that has performed in over 350 cities in 36 countries! The young performers “make a rhythm out of anything we can get our hands on that makes a sound,” said co-creator/director Luke Cresswell. Stiff-bristle brooms become a sweeping orchestra; Zippo lighters flip open and closed to create a fiery fugue; wooden poles thump and clack in a rhythmic explosion. Audiences everywhere are captivated and mesmerized by the lively thythms of STOMP. . . and critics rave!

We all had dinner last Sunday night and it was great to be together. We enjoyed a good meal and then we visited and laughed our heads off when a 30 year old secret came out, much to the embarrassment of certain people in the room. We loved having Janet and Dave, Syd and Adam visit, along with Dave and Courtney. A good time was had by all.

Immunizations

Ouch! I had two shots yesterday and my arms are still sore. Since we're going to Mongolia in a couple of months, we thought we'd better get up to date on the shots that are recommended for travel in that country.

Here's what we ended up with:
Recommendations or Requirements for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Routine
Recommended if you are not up-to-date with routine shots such as, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, etc.
Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG)
Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in countries with an intermediate or high level of hepatitis A virus infection (see map) where exposure might occur through food or water. Cases of travel-related hepatitis A can also occur in travelers to developing countries with "standard" tourist itineraries, accommodations, and food consumption behaviors.
Hepatitis B
Recommended for all unvaccinated persons traveling to or working in countries with intermediate to high levels of endemic HBV transmission (see map), especially those who might be exposed to blood or body fluids, have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment (e.g., for an accident).
Typhoid
Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in East Asia, especially if visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas and staying with friends or relatives where exposure might occur through food or water.
Rabies
Recommended for travelers spending a lot of time outdoors, especially in rural areas, involved in activities such as bicycling, camping, or hiking. Also recommended for travelers with significant occupational risks (such as veterinarians), for long-term travelers and expatriates living in areas with a significant risk of exposure, and for travelers involved in any activities that might bring them into direct contact with bats, carnivores, and other mammals. Children are considered at higher risk because they tend to play with animals, may receive more severe bites, or may not report bites.

We ended up getting the DPT booster, the Typhoid oral dosage and the Hepatitis A&B shot series. We opted out of getting the rabies shot, even though we're sure to see some stray (possibly rabid) dogs. Hopefully they won't chase us or bite us. Who knows which crazy places we'll go to with E. Andy. I know we'll be drinking only bottled water and we'll even take some food, but who knows what other crazy food we'll eat? Who knows what air we'll breath while traveling over and back on the airplane? We thought it was better to be safe than sorry. We've already had the H1N1 vaccine.

Total cost $143 each with two more Hepatitis shots still to come.I've had a headache and tiredness today big time. It's like I have each of those six illnesses in a mini version I guess. I think I'll go lie down.

Heaven help Haiti

I'm so sad to hear about the devastation in Haiti after the earthquake this morning. The pictures in the media are heartbreaking. A poor country already with so many challenges will now have to face additional burdens. I'm so sorry for the people of Haiti and plan to make a contribution to LDS Humanitarian Services which is already underway sending help. The death toll will probably be staggering, along with suffering and loss of services and basic necessities that will follow for months if not years. My heart goes out to those poor, suffering people in Haiti and I pray for their relief and comfort.
Here is a list of reputable relief organizations that are gathering donations to help.

Research of interest II

Teen pregnancy is being studied closely by many different research groups. My boss shared this web site with me and I've spent considerable time reading up on this important social issue. The National Campaign to prevent teen and unplanned pregnancy is packed with useful information for teen, parents, professionals and family members. Please take some time to read up and learn more about this important issue that affects us all.

This from the web site:
"Teen pregnancy is closely linked to a host of other critical social issues — poverty and income, overall child well-being, out-of-wedlock births, responsible fatherhood, health issues, education, child welfare, and other risky behavior. There are also substantial public costs associated with adolescent childbearing. Consequently, teen pregnancy should be viewed not only as a reproductive health issue, but as one that works to improve all of these measures. Simply put, if more children in this country were born to parents who are ready and able to care for them, we would see a significant reduction in a host of social problems afflicting children in the United States, from school failure and crime to child abuse and neglect.
Like teen pregnancy, unplanned pregnancy among young adults is at the root of a number of important public health and social challenges. Unplanned pregnancies are frequently resolved by abortion—1.3 million in the United State in 2001, and although Americans differ a great deal in their views about abortion, virtually all of us see value in lessening the need for abortion and would prefer that fewer women have to confront an unplanned pregnancy in the first place.
Mission
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy seeks to improve the lives and future prospects of children and families and, in particular, to help ensure that children are born into stable, two-parent families who are committed to and ready for the demanding task of raising the next generation. Our specific strategy is to prevent teen pregnancy and unplanned pregnancy among single, young adults. We support a combination of responsible values and behavior by both men and women and responsible policies in both the public and private sectors.
If we are successful, child and family well-being will improve. There will be less poverty, more opportunities for young men and women to complete their education or achieve other life goals, fewer abortions, and a stronger nation."
I'm very impressed with the work of this organization. Here is a list from the CEO of the organization that I thought was very helpful and insightful:
"'Aunt Sarah 's* List ''
Things We ALL Need to Say to Teens and Young Adults

Getting pregnant or causing pregnancy, having babies, and starting families are perhaps the most important things we ever do, with generational effects. These major steps need to be thought about carefully, not stumbled into. We think and talk about so many less important things all the time: what’s for dinner, March Madness brackets, what movie to see this weekend… Surely the event of when to become a parent, with whom, and under what circumstances deserve at least the same amount of time and attention.
1. Babies need adult parents.
2. "If it happens, it happens" is no way to start a family. And "I just never really thought about it" isn’t either.
3. Babies don’t cement relationships; they often put great stress on them. Be sure you are in a solid relationship before you begin a family.
4. Sex has meaning, risks, and consequences. It’s not a casual activity. Take it seriously.
5. Babies don’t give unconditional love; they demand it from the adults around them.
6. Children do best when they are raised by parents who are committed to each other and to years of devoted parenting.
7. To boys and men: Making babies doesn’t make you a man. Being a devoted partner and father may.
8. To girls and women: Sex won’t make him yours and a baby won’t make him stay.
9. Personal responsibility and parental responsibility mean it’s not just about "me" the adult—it’s also about what’s in the best interest of children, communities, and future generations.
* Sarah Brown is the CEO of The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned
Pregnancy.

And finally, this indepth research project called "The FOG Zone"
How Misperceptions, Magical Thinking, and Ambivalence Put Young Adults at Risk for Unplanned Pregnancy. It's facinating reading.

After reading much of this information, I'm left with one thought. We need to do A LOT better in talking to our teens about sex and unplanned pregnancy. In this sexually charged culture we live in, we simply have to find a way to teach responsible behavior and moral conduct in using this sacred power to create children and start families the way God intended.

Research of interest I

I'm surrounded by interesting research in my daily work. Every day I read and learn something new. Some of it isn't that interesting, but some of it is very interesting to me. Just think how it would be to do research in an area that could change public policy and thereby changes lives for the better. I think it would be amazing to be involved in something like that. Such is the case with a BYU professor who I have known for any years. I mentioned her work here a few months ago. She is in the headlines again and is making tremendous strides in the area of raising awareness of women's issues around the world.

"Look closely at the way women are treated, says Valerie Hudson. Look at the nonchalance with which a nation's men beat their wives, or the dismissive way a country condones genital mutilation. These are clues, she says, about that nation's likelihood of waging war.

Hudson, professor of political science at Brigham Young University, is lead researcher of a seven-year study looking at the connection between the treatment of women and the peacefulness of nations.

The project is called WomanStats, and although the name suggests an arid landscape of demographics, the project reveals vivid layers of pain and injustice — marital rape and the infanticide of baby girls, sex trafficking and prohibitions about owning land, government exploitation of women and the cultural belief that a wife can be "inherited" as if she were property.

It has been widely assumed that other factors are more predictive of whether a nation might be unstable or aggressive. The three most likely candidates were poverty levels, lack of democracy, and the nation's adherence to Islamic values. But the WomanStats project offers a fourth predictor of a nation's instability. Violence against women (VAW, in the shorthand of WomanStats) trumps the other explanations, proving to be three times more predictive of a nation's instability than whether a country is Islamic, and one-and-a-half times more predictive than whether a country is undemocratic, Hudson says.

Hudson is a gentle, energetic woman, a feminist in a culture that has often felt uneasy about feminism. She is a groundbreaking researcher, and a mother who has seen her share of heartbreak."

I admit that I have some feminist leanings and that is probably why I like Valerie's work so much. I'm always going to be an advocate for women and girls who oftentimes are at the mercy of some overbearing men. Rick thinks I should volunteer at the Women's and Children's justice center in our area. It think it might be a good fit for me at some point in the future.

And an honor that she recently received:

Prof. Hudson was named in Foreign Policy's Top 100 Global Thinkers for showing that gender imbalances have global consequences. See the link here.

97. Valerie Hudson

Political scientist Brigham Young University Provo, Utah

Hudson's indispensable 2004 study Bare Branches may have been partially responsible for the scaling back of China's one-child policy; the book, written with Andrea den Boer, explored how unequal sex ratios in a country might augur war, social unrest, and other problems. This year, Hudson used her knowledge of the impact of sex ratios on society to explore not just the widening gap in China but also the impact of the Great Recession, which left millions more men than women unemployed, with potentially disastrous implications for security worldwide.

LDS Youth web site

These is a great new web site that has recently been launched for LDS youth. The link is here.
It has some great information to help young people and their families.

Uniting Latter-day Saint youth around the world by giving them a sense of the gospel rolling forward is an aim behind a new youth-oriented Internet site the Church has just launched.


The "Testimony Wall" is a feature of the "For the Strength of Youth" content area in the Church's new youth-oriented Web site. Visitors can click on a picture and read a testimony written by the individual in the photo.

In fact, the homepage has links to Web content for both the Young Men and Young Women organizations, as well as other links to such sites on lds.org as the scriptures, the New Era magazine, the Gospel Library, the Family Proclamation, Church Music and FamilySearch.org

It's a great new resource for youth and their families. Check it out and see if you can get your young men and young women to take a look. I think it has real potential to help a lot of teenagers get some answers to their questions and to get messages of inspiration every day. I hope they get the sense that they are not alone and that there are LDS youth all over the world facing similar challenges in their lives and who are striving to follow the example of Christ. It is very well done and I hope it will reach a lot of youth in the church with this quality site and valuable information.

letter to Orem City Council

If you live in Utah Valley, you might be interested in this letter I wrote to Mayor Washburn and the city council. I don't think area residents are aware of this proposal that the city council is considering. As a friend of SCERA, I think it will have a negative impact on SCERA if passed.

Dear Mayor Washburn and Council Members:

I appreciate the opportunity we had a couple of weeks ago to meet with you, Mayor Washburn, along with council members Mark Seastrand and Margaret Black and council members-elect Brent Sumner and Mary Street. It was a good chance to sit down and share information and to talk about concerns we at SCERA have with the proposed Center for the Arts and Story. It was enlightening to hear the concerns city leaders have with SCERA and to find out other concerns that have been voiced to city leaders about SCERA scheduling and space availability. It seems to me that many of those concerns have resulted from poor communication and from old preconceived notions and biases that have plagued SCERA for many years. Whether these concerns are real or imagined, I hope that we can continue to have an ongoing interchange of information and ideas to help SCERA succeed as the Cultural Arts arm of Orem City as outlined in the agreement of 1983. That is an essential part of this whole situation that needs to be addressed as we discussed in the meeting. As we continue to strive to improve our image and the services we offer to the citizens of Orem, it is critical that we have the support of our city leaders.

I voiced some of my concerns at the meeting, but I wanted to put those concerns in writing and to distribute them to a wider audience, including all members of the City Council who will be voting on this proposal.

As I mentioned in the meeting, I tend to look at this proposal rather simply. I wonder why the city leaders would be considering a proposal to build a center for the Arts and Story at the City Center when the SCERA center for the Arts already exists a mere eight blocks away from the site of the proposed addition. In these austere times, do we really need two centers for the Arts in our community in such close proximity? Why city leaders would be seriously considering an additional center for the arts in Orem is baffling to me and many others. I don’t think that the citizens of Orem will look favorably on this use of taxpayer funds and, if left to them, I seriously doubt that they would vote to build or expand the library/story/arts center. The citizens need to be properly informed of this proposal. Unfortunately, the decision isn’t left to the voters, it’s left to the city council. Based on the discussion a few weeks ago, it seems like an argument was made by city leaders that we need more performing arts space in our city. Is this determination actually based on fact or on hearsay? Since the decision to build more space is supposedly to accommodate more performing arts requests, why isn’t a more thorough study done of the existing space and the use of that space first?

The decision to build a new center for the Arts and Story would make it necessary for SCERA to compete against the city for donations, for programming, and for sponsorships. Let me illustrate:

You mentioned in the meeting and again in the newspaper article last week that the city had a $1.5 million dollar commitment to build the new building. Karen Ashton’s (and other’s) donations are generous and I congratulate her/them for their philanthropy. However, why would that $1.5 million dollars then pull another proposed $6 to $13 million in future contributions into a center for the Arts and Story when those same community contributions are needed at the SCERA Center for the Arts? With all due respect to the donors, why would $1.5 million hold so much sway? Why would the story telling festival, which has been in existence for 20 years, trump all other arts programs with its multimillion dollar price tag, especially an existing arts center and program at SCERA that have been a going concern for more than 75 years? Don’t we need to honor our history and our past and all the donors who have contributed to the building of SCERA over all those years by protecting that legacy? We are in fact competing for the same community donors to accomplish our goals at SCERA. Since there aren’t unlimited resources in our community, I feel that those donations could be coming our way when in fact they would be going to support a new city arts building. This doesn’t make any sense to me.

We can’t compete against the city and its resources for funding. If city leaders authorize the building of this center, then various arts groups will surely use it for their productions. Why would they come to SCERA to rent space when they could use the space at the new proposed center free of charge? Since the new center would be staffed by library paid personnel, heated by tax dollars, and lighted by tax dollars, there would be very little overhead. At SCERA, we must pay our staff, pay our own light bill and so forth. Why would patrons pay to come to SCERA when they are offered an event free of charge at the proposed center?

If the CARE tax will pay for the remainder of the new building, is this really the brick and mortar building the city wants to build and is the best location for such a building adjacent to or connected to the library? I suspect that the city council is anxious to build something tangible with the CARE tax dollars they have been accumulating and to have a visual brick and mortar building as evidence to Orem residents of good use of CARE tax dollars. Why not build it on or near the SCERA center for the Arts? This idea should be more fully explored which could unite an Arts district for the city. Why not build on the established arts center what we already have? I know the city is limited in building on SCERA-owned property, but why not build near it in the same area? This concept was discussed as part of the General Plan. Is it still part of the General Plan? Why not follow the recommendations of the AMS Study and truly explore the possibilities of building a structure that will complement the 75 year-old city icon that is SCERA, and add to its long tradition of providing arts and entertainment in our fine city?

If the city decides to only hold story and multi-use civic and library events in the proposed new building, then why would CARE tax dollars be used to build a building for civic use events? Why would CARE dollars that were designated for ARTS programs be used for civic uses? It seems like an unwise allocation of arts tax dollars for such an expensive multi-use civic building when those dollars are needed and were designated when the CARE tax passed for use in the community for the arts. We may never get this chance again to build something with taxpayer funding that will benefit the ARTS. Please be judicious with these precious dollars and make sure they are used for the purpose for which they were intended that will benefit the larger good of promoting the arts in our community.

It would surely muddy the waters in our community and confuse people as to what is going on in regard to the arts if this proposed center were built. Would there be rules or guidelines established to determine what could be performed at the city center and what could be performed at the SCERA Center for the Arts? Who would make these determinations? Would it be determined that only “story-type” events could be held at the library and that all others could be done at SCERA? It would surely boil down to money. What could be done free of charge and what could be done for a price? How would SCERA compete against “free of charge” or “minimal charge” productions done at the city center? Even small productions would chip away at our financial base. Why were all the arts organizations in Orem surveyed if the city didn’t intend to offer dance, drama, music and story at the proposed center in the future? Now an expectation has been established with those small arts programs that free or low cost space will be available to them at the proposed center. This will undoubtedly negatively impact SCERA.

After expressing this list of concerns, I do have some proposals and suggestions! I believe we need to keep the discussion going between city leaders and SCERA. Please don’t be too hasty to make a decision now in the first part of this new year. What’s the rush? As you know, this is an important issue that has long-term implications. I suggest the following:

*Send a committee to meet with SCERA staff and board members on a regular basis to discuss concerns and problems. I believe that the board is more than willing to address concerns that are brought to them by city leaders and others. They are open to suggestions and concerns and we will act on them within reason.

*Reinstate a city council member as a member of the SCERA board. I believe it is important to have this ongoing interchange.

*SCERA decision makers can look at programming needs (that generate revenue we need to survive) and find more time and space to make available to smaller community arts programs so that they can use their CARE dollars to rent space from SCERA.

*Work with city leaders, library staff and the storytelling organizers to coordinate more storytelling events at SCERA during the time of the festival and during the entire year. Look for ways to use the SCERA Park, the SCERA shell and possibly Theater I and Theater II inside SCERA for events that would be scheduled in advance. Can’t we cooperate and work together all year long?

*Continue to work toward getting out of the movie business at SCERA and more into the performing arts business. Continue to make plans to convert Theater I into a full scale performing arts theater for our community. Thanks to the generous support of XANGO and the Noorda Foundation, great progress has been made and SCERA has been upgraded, expanded and improved. Their vision, support and generosity have been awesome. Give us a few more years to raise the money needed to finish this conversion, and it won’t cost the city of Orem anything.

*Consider moving the Orem Heritage museum into an adjoining building of its own and free up that space for smaller groups to rent for performances, practices or community gatherings – maybe even build a new building using CARE tax dollars to house the museum and/or a veteran’s museum.

*Fully explore with professional planners the possibility of making the area surrounding SCERA into the cultural arts district of our city. In my opinion, cultural arts should be centered around SCERA, not the library.

I’ve seen a lot of ups and downs at SCERA. Right now SCERA is up, but sponsorships are down. We are in a precarious position in certain ways. SCERA is making its way, but I sincerely fear for its future if this proposed city arts center is built. If we don’t succeed in the ensuing years, quite literally, one of our options would be to come to the city council at some point and turn over the keys to the SCERA Center for the Arts to the city. Then the city of Orem would have two centers for the Arts, eight blocks apart and I imagine that the citizens would be very displeased with that state of affairs. I would think that it would be in the city’s best interest to do everything it could to see SCERA succeed as a non-profit organization without building another structure that will compete against it.

BYU BB

I'm not a huge sports fan, but I do enjoy watching basketball. It might have something to do with the fact that I've watched A LOT of basketball during my life, beginning with watching the mighty Minico Spartans play in the high school gym when I was growing up. They were really good back in the day we went to state several times during my high school days. I've watched my kids play and play and play on the basketball court. They all four played Junior Jazz as grade school kids and Claire went on to play through junior high, distinguishing herself with her jumping abilities and offensive skills. Jordan was tenacious on the court and could defend against just about anyone. Dave was aggressive and was a fantastic ball handler. OK, so I might be stretching it a little bit, but they used their height to their advantage and had a great time.

Then along came 6 ' 4" Andy boy. Rick and I watched that kid play a ton of ball. All through junior high, all through high school. I'm not gonna lie, some of it was painful. Especially the politics of playing on the high school level. His team was awful his senior year and that was tough to watch. But he developed into a good ball handler and we were all glad he had the experience in the end. He loves the game and I'm sure there will be some village ball and intramural ball in his future.

Rick and I have also watched a TON of BYU basketball over the years. A ton of it. Some of our first dates were to attend BYU games back in the day when they were incredibly good. Danny Ainge days. Days when they could stall and hold or bounce the ball for minutes on end to hold a lead. Short shorts days. No three-point-shot days. We've watched some pretty exciting games and yelled our guts out.

We've seen the Cougars go up and down in the win loss category through 30 plus years, but right now they are up. Really up, excitingly up. Dave Rose is doing a great job coaching them and they have some fantastic players. They are a great diversion during the winter months and it's fun to watch them. We've had season tickets on and off for many years, and this year we have them again. Pretty good seats that are easy to get to with a good view. Last night we went to watch them play UNLV in the Marriott Center. Great, great game. Rick predicted that it would be and he was right. A nail biter right down to the end. A victory for the Cougars 77-73. A great way to spend a winter night and an added bonus is that Dave was able to come down to go with us. Go Cougars! 15-1. Can't wait to see the next game. It should be a fun year.

Oh my...part 2

Jamie Jo - thanks, see you there
Eileen - you've ALWAYS been a great support to me, thanks
teamZ - come on down, I'd love to see you!
Joyce Anne - thanks for the support! I'd love to see you again after all these years.
Jord - hahaha
VFR - always my best supporter in everything
leemo - yes, we're still sisters! Mom thinks it's kind of amazing that we all get along as well as we do considering that we're so different from one another. She may be right! It's April 29-30.
Ann - the mystery is solved. Thanks a lot!

I said YES yesterday to the woman who called. Now they want a 20 word bio for the program. How to sum up 55 years in 20 words, hum...
The plot thickens. I'm sharing the presentation with a woman named Bonnie from Fruit Heights and going to an orientation on the 27th for more info. Should be interesting. I'm glad I don't have to do it alone. I'll need divine help as well.
I've been asking women I know what brings them JOY (to get some idea of how to approach this.) How is JOY different than happiness? I've got some very interesting and thought provoking responses. Do you care to share your thoughts? Please do!

Winter blahs

Well, it's over. The trees are down, the decorations are mostly put away. The family has departed and we've back to our regular routine. I guess that's a good thing. It would be exhausting to stay in holiday mode for too long. All those late nights, constant activity and rich food take a toll! We loved having our family come home for the holidays. There is nothing better, but now it's the long, dark, cold months of winter ahead, at least for a couple of months. One piece of good news - I didn't gain any weight...all that hustling and moving around must have compensated for not exercising for two weeks and for eating more than I usually do. One piece of bad news... it's -40 degrees in Mongolia today. Poor Elder Andy.

What to you do to keep busy and not suffer from the blues during the winter? Here are some ideas I came across that I thought were really good:

10 Quick Tips to Overcome the winter blahs

With just a little effort, you can turn your free time during winter into something new and exciting. Ten things you might try:

1. Exercise. Get your blood pumping and get a better attitude about everything with daily exercise. It can improve your body and your mind. Walking is one of the easiest ways to stay fit.
2. Read some good books. Take time to read. Do a cross-word puzzle. They keep your mind working.
3. Find a new hobby. Try something different. If you are a gardener, plan your summer garden.
4. Socialize. Don=t hibernate. Force yourself to go out either with friends or to meet others.
5. Color your home with flowers. Start plants inside. Daffodils, tulips and hyacinths start well in the house. If you don=t have a green thumb, buy some pretty plants or flowers for your house.
6. Soak up some rays. Let the sun shine on you for at least 15 minutes a day. Many people are affected by the lack of sun and daylight during the winter months.
7. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Henry David Thoreau said it, said it best, and it still works. Take time now to bring order to your life. Reorganize and clean out closets, dresser drawers and desks. Shred documents you no longer need. Give things away to charity.
8. Watch what you eat. People tend to gain weight during winter. Avoid heavy pastas and soups. Try comforting beans, lentils and other tasty legumes instead. They make hearty meals without heavy calories.
9. Take up a winter sport. Head over to a public skating rink, sled hill or cross country trail and embrace the weather. Keep physically active.
10. Get those indoor projects done. Look around and see what indoor projects you can to work on. It could be as simple as fixing a light fixture or as involved as painting a room. You=ll feel better when you cross a long-needed project off your to-do list.

Oh my...

I got this letter in the mail last week (click on the letter to enlarge.) I was in total shock. You could have knocked me over with a feather. Seriously, I'm kind of excited, but very nervous. I can't imagine how this happened. I guess I'll move forward and start preparing. Do any of you good readers have any ideas to offer? I'd appreciate your help!

A special little girl

Make a Smilebox photobook