Rumors Make Me Laugh.

No joke, I got the best ever question the other day. This person wanted to know why Mormons typically have such outrageous family sizes, to which I replied was simply because of how family oriented we are. We love each other, and the family is a sacred thing, so why not have as many people to share that with as possible? She told me someone had told her that Mormons believe that there is some kind of box in heaven full of souls, and you get more points or something the more souls you get out of the box. What the heck, people? Where do these things even come from? I would love to know, because that is the wackiest thing I think I have ever heard. But just for the record, if there WAS some kind of crazy soul box, Mormons would have mad points.

Coffee and Tea are not for Me!

Most commonly asked question in my life: "Why can't you drink coffee and tea?" I used to hate it when people asked, because the honest truth is, I don't really know. All I know is that a man who talked with God said we shouldn't. And now, that's a good enough explanation for me. Back in the day, who knew how bad tobacco was for the body? It was even more common for people back then to smoke than even now, if you can believe that. People didn't know how dangerous it was, but science has proven that it leads to all sorts of complications and fatal illnesses, not to mention misery. So who's to say that later we won't discover how bad coffee is? No one really knows, so for me, just following, even blindly, is enough. It might be a restriction to some, but then again, the fact that I can get up in the morning without anything dark and murky first seems pretty liberating for me. Plus, who wouldn't want just some hot chocolate?

What is Fun?

So while me and a good friend were walking to class, I was complaining that my ears hurt from my earrings, and my friend who is of the male category declared that if he were ever to get a body decoration or whatever one would call such things, he would get a tattoo. I agreed, but said I would never have one, because Mormon's can't. I immediately regretted that phrasing. I mean, generally people don't, but the word "can't" is so restrictive. And thats not the point. These things are made to help us respect ourselves, save us pain, and other things I probably haven't thought enough about to know. Anyways, after I had said this, my friend said "Gosh, can't you have ANY fun?!" To this I replied "Well, what do you define as 'fun?' Because I certainly don't think puncturing your skin a billion times to fill it with some kind of lame graphic is exactly a joy ride." He didn't really have much to say after that, but it got me thinking. What is fun, and do the rules, or mostly recommendations, of the church really restrict that? I don't think so. I have heard of so many people who regret the tattoos that they had gotten in their youth, because they don't look as good later in life, and also because it doesn't hold the same meaning to them now as it did at that time. So though it might be fun to show people it when you got it, is it fun later to have to wear clothes that cover it, or worry about it all the time? Is it fun to get drunk to the point of memory loss, and have people tell you about all the stuff you did later, only to find you've done something you regret? I mean, fun is able to be interpreted in so many ways, and the media portrays so many things that we members don't participate as so glamorous, but you just have to think, is this really what you want to be doing?

Men of God.

The Priesthood. Something I swear I know much too much about, and yet at the same time know little to nothing about. Which, of course, is the paradox of most things in the gospel. You can always learn more. Today was, of course, General Conference. I am never disappointed in the content, but more than that, I am never prepared for the Spirit I feel when President Thomas S. Monson comes to the stand. What other man can be standing a thousand something miles away, and then transfered into a million pixels, and put onto a computer screen, and still have the Spirit so strongly with him, he can make a highly influenced girl of the world tear up? Today, he said "I love you." And I believed him. He really truly loved ME, as well as all of you, though I have never met him in my life. I felt he loved me. I know he does. After the meeting was over, he stopped, and talked with children, even giving one a high five, and buttoning the jacket of another. I had a huge smile as I watched him, and I could only imagine what the mothers of those kids were feeling. The prophet is indubitably a man of God, my friends, and there is no denying that, no matter what religion you come from. One of my greatest hopes in my life would be to one day shake the prophets hand, and get it on video camera so I can forever remember what it felt like to shake hands, though indirectly, with God.

General Conference.

Because this IS a blog about being a LDS youth, and this weekend WAS General Conference, its only appropriate that I write a little something about what I thought about it. Overall, GC is always something to look forward to for me. I mean, as a kid it was like "Sweet! a day off!" But now that I'm older and the lessons apply to me more, I've really grown fond of this weekend. Because of a band competition, I didn't get to listen to the Saturday conferences, but I listened to both of them today. And Jeffery R. Holland once again blew me out of the water. Last session, he did it too. When GC rolled around last year, my sunday school teacher challenged us to go into the conference with a question about the gospel, and promised it would be answered. My question was "How in the world could Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father know each and every one of us so explicitly when there are thousands upon thousands of people walking amongst us today?" Living in Houston, Texas, this seemed like a very legitimate question, something I had always struggled with, especially when I was out and about. If I'm being completely honest with myself, I have to admit I didn't expect my question to be answered. I mean, how many people were waiting to have some super important question of their own answered as well? Surely, mine wasn't of that much importance. But, I was wrong yet again. Brother Holland gave a talk entitled "None Were With Him". In it, he speaks of the atonement, how Jesus went through the ultimate walk alone, going where no one will ever or has ever gone, just for us, just so we would never have to. It's because of the atonement, that Jesus knows each and every one of us more than we could ever know ourselves. The real question I should of asked in this case, was "How did Jesus survive all that suffering for all the billions of people that have, had, and will have walk the earth!?" I knew not to doubt General Conference again. So this time, I was totally expectant, and eager to listen. At first, I was a little shocked at his talk about the Book of Mormon. It was almost angrily adamant. I wondered what had happened to make him like that. But then I realized, it was the strength of his testimony that drove him to that. I would give so much to be so utterly convinced about the gospel. His conviction has inspired me to read with more depth, and more real intent, so that I, too, can tell people with just as much spirit how much I know it to be true. I was also glad it gave me something else in my BOM defense arsenal, for the next time someone doesn't believe ME :D

Look Alike?

My seminary teacher looks like Tony Curtis.

"Free" Agency.

We watched this completely ridiculous movie in seminary. It was about this kid from the 80's who was all mad at his mom because she told him no when he asked to do something. At least, I think thats what happened. All I know is that he was all yelling at his room that was quite messy might I add, and then he threw his jacket in the 2 year old temper tantrum manner, only to have it land on his significantly better looking alter ego. At first, I thought he was one of those shoulder angels, you know the ones that always argue with the other shoulder angel, for comic relief? Yeah, I thought he was one of those, but life sized. But he just turned out to be this ridiculously good teacher of free agency. He made this incredible comparison of driving a reallllyyyyy nice car. Like the kind of car that makes you squeal before you even sit in it, much less turn it on. Anyways, this kid wanted drive that car at the speed it was meant to go at, or dang freaking haulin'. But there are speed limits! So devilishly good looking alter ego in a nice pair of Av's says, "Well, this is your dream, so lets make it have no rules!" And the speed limit sign disappeared. That kid took off, and heck, I would too! He gets down this road, and then this semi truck, or in other words, the stereotypical bad driver, comes roaring down HIS side of the road, and then kind of changes lanes right in front of the kid in the car, and right when they were about to die and stuff, POOF! They were magically back in the room. Now, the kid was all mad, cause he was having a good time! What nerve, what ghall! That truck driver had NO right to get in his lane. But then alter ego said, "Well, we took the rules away, so it wasn't the drivers fault. If we didn't have rules, no one could break them, and therefore no one would appreciate what it feels like to follow them," but in much more words, and probably more eloquently too. But you get the idea. Anyways, I thought that was an amazing point. I thought about it all day. People always complain about things like that, and how rules are restricting, but are they really? How could you appreciate good things, when the bad things are good too? That was the first thing I learned. Then it went on to talk about the message that two wrongs don't make a right, but I kind of blew that off, as it is so common and everything. This is where this whole recap of this movie ends, and my life continues. So I was at band, and I'm pretty much one of those kids that is mostly insubordinate, and wants to make the most of THEIR time, so maybe talks more than they should. But the thing is, the DI's (band leader people) are really rude a lot of the time. "Be quiet" turns to "SHUTUP!" and so on and so forth. As a highschool teenager who feels repressed, I of course react defiantly, and always justified my actions with the reassurance that they were being complete jerks, and deserved any crap I could dish out. Then after a particularly snarky remark, the clearest thought resonated through my head. "Two wrongs don't make a right." I almost stopped marching. I suddenly realized that I was at much fault, if not more so than the common band dictator. By being equally as rude in return, I was no better then they! I was floored, and kind of annoyed. I WANTED to be mean back, I WANTED to defend my rights. But I knew I shouldn't. The next time someone told me something in a less than friendly way, I answered back politely. And the effect was immediate. The devil of marching band started talking and laughing with me! I was amazed. Just by being polite, I was able to make life more bearable, even though I thought that by sticking it to the man, I was making life more "fun." This is the worldly fun, my friends, and does no good for a person. Finally, I would like to remark that it has not been easy to renounce my rebellious ways. In order to truly appreciate my choices, I have to sacrifice some of my comments I want to make as to abide by the no talking rules. Free agency isn't necessarily "free;" you have to work and sacrifice to get it. But the end results are so much better than the momentary satisfaction you might get by the gaping mouth of a slight superior you just put in their place.