Why I "support" A&E AND Phil Robertson AND Sister Wives.

People are People:
People are diverse bundles of right and wrong thoughts.
I want a society that's safe to think and believe different, even wrong thoughts.
A society where Mormons, Catholics, Southern Baptists, Polygamists formerly known as Mormons, Pagans, Democrats, Socialists, Republicans, gays, straights, black, white, sinner, saint, whovians and trekkies can all participate in the marketplace of ideas, SAFELY.

Eradicating bad ideas
Yes, there are ideas that are so wrong they should be eradicated (e.g. racism. pedophilia. homicidal psychopathy. socialism (because of how many deaths it leaves in it's wake wherever it grabs hold). twerking (because!)). But eradication should be through peaceful persuasion, education, sharing of better ideas, treating every individual as a worthy contributor to society, but NOT through malice and inhumane treatment. To eradicate ideas, you offer up better ideas.  Replacement of the horse and buggy with the automobile did not need malice and inhumane treatment to take place. The better idea simply won out by virtue of being a better idea. While it takes time, better ideas will eventually win out. Can't we let that process take place without individual malice? Even with behavior/ideas that are so bad there need to be government sanctions (rape, murder, war), such as imprisonment or in the most extreme cases capital punishment, those individuals can still be treated humanely, even while locked up or executed (I'm thinking here both of domestic criminals as well as captured enemy soldiers and yes, even enemy combatants).

Phil:
I don't think Phil Robertson is advocating inhumane treatment of gays, just because he believe homosexual behavior to be a sin. If by calling it a sin he is advocating biblical stoning, he is wrong. My church also calls it a sin, but advocates for "abhoring the sin but loving the sinner". We can allow others to be *wrong* (sinners) and still treat them lovingly.

A&E:
Capitalism is the greatest form of democracy. Everyone gets a vote, with their dollars (and time). When I buy the latest & greatest mouse trap, I vote with my dollar. And, I don't know whether the worker in the factory is white, black, gay, straight, mormon, catholic, male, female, libertarian or socialist, sinner or saint. Capitalism is freedom to buy, freedom to sell, freedom to try, freedom to fail. A&E should be free to tailor their product to whatever audience they want. People's votes with their dollars (and viewing time) will dictate whether they succeed or fail with the unique product they offer.

Sister Wives:
Woohoo! I am so happy for this decision, and for my awesome cousin Robyn Sullivan Brown. It's just a twisted society where adultery, premarital sex, non-commital sex, homosexual sex, serial deadbeat fathers, etc. etc. are not criminalized (or if they are, then not prosecuted), but a religious belief and lifelong commitment to treat multiple women as lifelong partners and "wives" (but only in the religious, not government-sanctioned sense, wink, wink) is both criminal and prosecuted.  I'm NOT advocating that adultery, fornication, homosexual sex, etc. start being prosecuted. I want less prosecution, and more leaving up to the various religions to apply religious sanctions for behavior considered sinful by that particular religion.

Religious Sanctions:
The LDS church should be able to excommunicate polygamists. But they shouldn't be thrown in jail. The church should also be able to excommunicate adulterers and homosexuals (by which I mean those who actually commit adultery, not just have tendencies, and those who actually commit homosexual sex, not just have tendencies.) But adulterers and homosexuals shouldn't be jailed for it. And all sinners with their diverse favorite way of sinning (even me with mine), should be treated with civility, and even better with kindness, and even better with love; even while religious (not government) sanctions are applied.

The Dictates of My Own Conscience:
My church has an article of faith that reads thus:

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.  

I think this applies to beliefs about polygamy equally well as to beliefs about homosexuality as well as beliefs on politics.

On Marriage:
As for what should define "legal" marriage: Marriage has been a religious sacrament for thousands of years. It functioned just fine without government licensing. Government licensing of marriages started with questionable motives (as a way to enforce racism). My personal opinion (I do not representing my church here), is that government should get out of the business of dictating the form of religious sacraments. I don't think the state should dictate who can or cannot be baptized into any religion (whether they are gay, male, female, black, white, sinner, saint), nor who can or cannot receive higher ordinances such as priesthood, celestial marriage or any other temple ordinances.

I understand this opinion on marriage is not the LDS "party-line". I'm OK with that.

But then, I'm a bundle of right and wrong, same as everyone else.

I reserve the right to think right and wrong ideas and hold right and wrong opinions, and whether you agree or disagree with mine, I welcome yours!

Most Sincerely and Opinionatedly,
 Joe “Don’t-confuse-me-with-the-facts-my-mind-is-already-made-up.” Fullmer

The value of "Gate Banging".

On her KiwiMormon blog, Gina Colvin gives an overview of the 'Work of Salvation' church broadcast, detailing changes in the missionary program.  See The Work of Salvation Broadcast: An Antipodean Summary.


-- Outward Benefits of the Change

Gina writes of the changes approvingly, stating, "It has been clear for many years that gate banging isn't really a quality use of time". The unwritten assumption behind "quality" in this phrase "low-quality use of time" is an economy of effort that solely directed outwards FROM the missionary TO those he serves. The benefits are those to others.

To name a few:

• Golden Contacts per hour of "gate banging" is lower than referrals per hour of "Obtaining Member Referrals". 

(Aside: Gina mentions that "gate-banging"can be annoying to the gate's owners and their families. I'll point out Extracting Member Referrals can in some context be just as much "an irritation for unsuspecting working families" as "gate banging". Of course members must be willing to endure this, never mind that sometimes it can feel more like arm-twisting, especially if the "build relationships of trust" phase is glossed over so quickly that it feels the missionaries have little real interest in the family itself, and only interest in guilt-tripping said family into doing their proper christian duty and "naming names".)

• Converts per hour of "gate banging" is much lower than converts per hour of following up on member referrals.

• Reactivations per hour of "gate banging" is much lower than reactivations per hour of knocking doors of pre-identified less active members.

• Strengthened members (recently-joined or longtime) per hour of "gate banging" is much lower than strengthened members per hour of targeted member visits.

I agree with these benefits of this change in focus.  More "Key Results" per hour is a good thing!

-- Inward Benefits of Knocking Doors

However, I would advocate, that "gate banging" not be eliminated entirely, as I see at least two key areas of benefit that could be missed if this sometimes excruciatingly uncomfortable activity is done away with. These two benefits are found from an inward directed perspective of the benefits to the missionary

1. Led-by-the spirit experiences.
   There are wonderful returned missionary experiences of having been led by the spirit to knock the right door at the right time, and indeed I have my own such powerful experience of being dragged by the spirit (nearly "kicking and screaming") to the house of a less active member, knocking right as he was praying fervently for direction from God. There needs to still be room for these experiences to occur. They build faith. If they didn't, we wouldn't have to listen to return missionaries share these experiences time and again.  These experiences clearly can build faith in the missionary.
   
2. Sacrifice builds faith.
   Gate Banging is NOT FUN. Being an uninvited door-to-door salesman is not fun. It's uncomfortable. It's awkward  It feels anti-social. You get rejected. It draws attention. There is a pitifully low ration of Golden Contacts to Just-Leave-Me-Alone-And-Don't-Come-Back responses.  And yet... it can help build faith.

-- Dedication and Leadership Techniques

There is a document titled Dedications and Leadership Techniques by Douglas Hyde, (found free here) which is a transcript of a five-day seminar held in 1962, "to discuss aspects of Communist Party training that could be adapted by Catholic activists, especially missionaries". Douglas Hyde was "the highest-level Western Communist ever to abandon the Communist Party and join the Catholic Church", and "a leading trainer of British Communists in the 1930s and 1940s.". The focus of the seminar was on the level of dedication maintained by Communists from 1917 to 1960.  One of the themes which Hyde discusses is that of the important role of sacrifice in fostering dedication. He harps on this theme again and again throughout. For example,

"if you make mean little demands upon people, you will get a mean little response. If you make big demands upon them, you will get an heroic response."

This sounds familiar. It resonates with a well-know statement by Joseph Smith,

"A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation."

Notice how it is the sacrifice that produces the faith.

This theme is sprinkled throughout Hyde's lectures. As he speaks of how the Communist party trained up leaders, he points out how they would put someone up on the street corner, or in the marketplace, agitating for communism and propagandizing. And then twenty years later this trained leader was still agitating and propagandizing.  Why?  Part of it is that it's uncomfortable to agitate and propagandize (which is an alternative word for prosylitize). So, someone who is willing to stand on the corner and do something so uncomfortable and unpopular gets some experience that most people don't get.  Sure, it's a stepping stone in his path of growth as a leader. But even more importantly that being a starting step, which would weed out many not willing to do it, requires such dedication that often one who at first only begrudgingly submits will gain tremendous faith that will sustain him and keep him dedicated through later trials. The same trial which makes him a leader, makes him a life-long committed 'agitator' for gospel.

If these techniques of building dedicated leaders worked for building life-long fervor for the ideology the communist party, how much more effective can they be in building life-long fervor for the gospel?

It is no surprise that missions build leaders, and life-long converts. One of the essential elements of that is to get the missionary "agitating and propagandizing", in a very uncomfortable way, to build endurance and dedication. "Gate banging", however low-quality it may be with regards to outward oriented results per hour, is an effective character-building activity that can be extremely high-quality use of time with regards to inward growth.
-ChssAddct

SQR3, Kimber Academy

I ran across this "method for quick study" today. It's two pages, in a PDF. I'm printing it to read with the kids this evening.

click here to see it --> SQR3.pdf

SQR3 stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review.

--

Yep, we're gearing up for more serious school. That is, we do year-round school. And the kids grumble because why do they have to do school in the summer. We do let them take it easier in the summer. But they do have to keep at it. When public school starts for everybody else, we start in more seriously with school as well. New paper, backpacks, pencils. Sometimes new clothes. The excitement of new school year itself can sustain for about a month. After that, the kid has to find other ways to stay excited and motivate. Mom and Dad have to find ways too.

The kids also attend Prosperity Learning Center. http://www.prosperityacademyutah.com/

It used to be "Kimber Academy". That has changed, I believe because the association with Glen Kimber changed. I'm not sure what the nature of the association is now, nor what the change was, nor what prompted it. But there is still some association, as he spoke at the Parents Meeting last week.

The change did seem to be a bit traumatic, as previously Kimber Academy would change locations every year, and sometimes mid-year. Some of the places were better than other. (Yes, I'm understating that). Then, one year - which was to be Joseph's first year - we had him all dressed up in shirt and tie (yep, there's a dress code, which we like) on the date that school was supposed to start according to the online calendar for Kimber Academy on the website. We figured we'd take care of registration and all that the first day, as we had in the past. Well, no one was there, at all. The school simply didn't hold school that year. Had some to do with Kimber abandoning it suddenly - lost heart or something; i don't know. I know there were whispers of upset parents, and other parents stepping forward to take over and try to pull it back together on their own. In any case, that year there simply was no Kimber Academy.

Eventually, though, I don't recall if the next year or after two years, they opened up again. We had Maya, Emma, and Joseph there for a while. Last year, only Maya and Emma went, as Joseph wanted to just do home study -- and he's more diligent about doing it without so much nagging.

We like the curriculum, which is why we stick with it despite the drama sometimes. We especially like the Book of Mormon Hook Dates, and how the kids associate events in the Book of Mormon around those Hook Dates, as a memory device. We like other aspects as well. One area where we feel they are weaker is in the Math curriculum, which is why the kids also must do Saxon math at home.

More another day...

Great Homeschool Curriculum

Robinson Curriculum. http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/

We use it, and like it.

We use Saxon Math for the math.

Billion$ and Billion$

So, I've got this video I want you to see. It talks about 8 billion dollars, and then 20 billion dollars.

But before watching it, please watch these two videos:

#1 Obama proposed a $100 million budget cut. This video puts that into perspective, using pennies -- something children can understand.

#2. After being criticized for the nearly meaninglyess $100 million cut, Obama came out with a new proposal for $17 billion in "cuts". This video puts that into perspective, using toothpicks -- something children can understand. At the same time reveals why "cut" doesn't mean "cut".

Finally, the video I mainly want you to see which I got excited about, by TED, which is a meeting of genius inventors and technologists who get together and give presentations.

Children's Justice Center 5K

Saturday, August 15. The whole family went today to West Jordan Park at 7:00am. Lucia and I ran a 5K. Maya and Emma ran a 1K. Here's the flyer for it http://cjcslc.org/pdfs/run5kflyer2009.pdf

Lucia did awesome! She ran it in 29:12. She placed 55th overall, out of 157 participants. In her age/gender group, she placed 2nd, and got a blue ribbon with a 2nd place medal on it.

I finished the race. hehe.

I should just leave it at that. But for anyone who wants more detail:

I've actually been exercising for not quite two months, after at least a decade of not exercising at all (other than hikes with Boy Scouts). I've lost 15 pounds, and have 15 to go to my target weight (200 lbs.). Anyway, I was not entirely sure that I was yet in good enough shape to finish a 5K (3.1 miles). So, I went Friday night at 7:00 and ran a 5K on the treadmill at Golds gym, to prove to myself that I actually could finish, and that it wouldn't just be a waste to pay the $20 registration fee. (I had run at most 2 miles at a time in the last 2 months, so wasn't actually sure I could do it). I ran it in 33 minutes on the treadmill. Not a real great time, and it took quite a lot of willpower, but I did it. So, I had convinced myself that I could do it and registered online. This was only 12 hours before running the actual race. So, anyway, in about the first 300 yards of the race, my right calf got a cramp. A cramp that lasted the whole race. I could run a ways, then had to slow down and speedwalk, and even stop and stretch out my leg to get the charlie-horse to release. I did this repeatedly through the whole race, which I finished in 33:26. It was not actually a very pleasant race, but it did feel good to at least finish. Next time, now that I know I can actually finish, I won't need to foolishly run a full 5K just 12 hours before running the actual 5K race, and giving myself leg cramps.

I'm looking forward to continuing to train and get my time down. I was 97th overall in the race. I was 15th in my age/gender group. (the first place in my age/gender group was also the 2nd place overall. So, a person *can* be 37 and still be in good running shape. But that's not me. Yet. :).

In highschool, I ran the 5K in around 20 minutes. I remember getting under 19 only twice, the rest of the time I was between 19 and 21 minutes, as best I can remember.

Maya and Emma tied for 3rd in their 1K race (.62 miles). Maya could possible have run ahead and been second, but when she saw that Emma was struggling hard to keep going, she reached out her hand and encouraged Emma to run with her, so they ran together hold hands. Maya has such a wonderful, loving, kind, sacrificing spirit. She couldn't just blow past her sister to win personal glory -- instead she helped Emma out to push herself harder than she otherwise would. Emma she many tears when she was done - it clearly had been a huge challenge. They got a trophy to share.

So, Lucia, Maya, and Emma did great. And I finished. :)

Emma's Results Chart

Emma at the State Meet

Since this is a catchup post, I won't give the blow-by-blow.

Emma took 2nd at the State competition on Saturday, June 19th. There were two tied for 1st - one of them teammate Jenessa. So, she was 2nd, behind two competitors, hehe.

Emma had worn huge blisters into the palms of both her hands the Saturday before, practicing for two hours on her bar routine while Maya was doing her recital. She had only a week for them to heal. Had she not done that, I am confident she would have taken First Place.

Well, we learn from every experience. She will definitely know not to do that next year!

We were all very well pleased with her.

Results are posted here: http://usagutah.com/MeetResults/CompState-Spring09/level-4-session2.html

Thanks for Gramma, Kim, and the cousins for making it there and being her cheering section!

Gymnastics State Meet - June 19

Emma's state meet is June 19th.

For those who can't make it to Georgia to see John on that day, maybe you can make it to Ogden to be the cheering section for Emma.

Upcoming meets before then are:
May 16. Emma at All American in Lindon, UT.
May 30. Maya at All American in Lindon, UT.
June 05. Maya at Black Diamond in Park City, UT.

Ensemble Duet Festival

Joseph and Maya played Rumble Grumble and Cossack March together in the Ensemble Duet Festival today at Murray Piano Gallery.

They did awesome! I guess I'm not home often when they are practicing because I had not heard them practice together. But they clearly had practiced, as they stayed together, and had their dynamics worked out perfectly. Maya did say that the piano was different from ours (of course - it's a concert piano, whereas ours is a practice at home piano that we could afford, hehe) so that she had to work hard not to drown out Joseph. She was playing on the left; the lower notes. But, as far as I could tell, she did fine.

I'll edit this post and add their scores when we get them from their piano teacher.

Footloose and Flying Free

Today Emma had to get up at 6:00 to get ready to go to her meet that started at 7:30 at Gymnastics Training Center in Salt Lake City. When I went to wake her and tell her to get ready, she complained, saying "I'm already ready". I said, "Really. So, you're going to do march-in in your jammies, huh?" That got her laughing and then she got up.

Again, she did very well!

Her scores dropped a bit on Vault and Floor, while she set new personal bests on Bars and Beam. Her beam score especially jumped! And, her All-Around cumulative score was again a personal best.

Vault: 9.45
Floor: 9.25
Bars: 9.4
Beam: 9.3
A.A.: 37.4

For the individual events, they did give ribbons, but didn't announce them (they seemed in a hurry to get awards part done, which was OK with me! :) so we don't where Emma placed in the individual events. I know that she did not place first in any individual event, as I saw higher scores in each of them from either her teammates, or from other schools. However, for the All Around for which they gave medals and did announce, she did indeed have the highest score, so place 1st of the whole meet. (They did not group by age at this meet. It seems that each meet chooses to do the awards their own way.) Also of note - like Emma, Emma's teammate and friend Grace Jansen scored over a 9.0 in all four events.

As for the team competition, they won second, but were only two tenths of a percent lower than the first place team, which had four more gymnasts than Olympus. So, the team again did very well.

Feel The Heat

Well, we went to St. George for Emma's "Feel the Heat" meet at Barefoot Gymnastics.

She did very well! She scored her highest score ever in Bars, Floor, and Vault. She did well on Beam, though has room for improvement.

Vault: 9.6
Floor: 9.4
Bars: 9.2
Beam: 8.8
A.A.: 37

For the individual events, they did not group the girls by ages and give medals, but just gave ribbons (white over 6.0, yellow over 7.0, red over 8.0 and blue over 9.0). They do read off the names in orders, so if you're quick you can catch the ranking in the individual events.

So, of the 60 girls there, she took 1st in Vault, 2nd in Floor, 8ths on Bars, and 12th on Beam. For the All Around, they did split the groups into ages and give medals. For her age group, Emma took 1st. (And, two teammates took 2nd and third). Had they not grouped by age, it appears that Emma would have taken 2nd of all 60. There were only two girls who had an overall score 37.0 or more. The other girl who had over 37 had a 37.2, and was at least 11 years old, since she was first in the 11+ category. (Also, Olympus did great in all the age categories, with 1sts, 2nds, and a 5th).

Olympus did so well, that I think they were very close to winning the team competition. However, the team competition is won based on the cumulative team score. The first place team had 14 gymnasts there, whereas Olympus had only 7. They did great, but fell short of overcoming that natural advantage. They did however, overcome the natural advantage of the 3rd place team, which had 10 gymnasts. So, WAY TO GO, Olympus!

And WAY TO GO, Emma!

Encore Solo Festival

Maya and Joseph both did awesome at their Encore Solo Festival 2009 Piano recital.

Maya scored 96 -- Superior.
She played Ballad of Barcelona by Kelsey and The Jig by Bober.

Joseph scored 95 -- also Superior.
He played Bubble Gum by Flatau and Diddley Doodley by Montgomery.

I'm so well-pleased with them both.

Emma at the Rodeo Roundup

Emma had a meet called the "Rodeo Roundup" on Saturday, March 21, at her own gym (Olympus Gymnastics) in Sandy.

There were only three teams there, Olympus Gymnastics, Gym Cats from Bluffdale, UT, and Jackson Gymnastics from Jackson, WY.

Here are her scores for the Rodeo Roundup (RR), the Crystal Cup (CC), and the Lady Luck (LL)

Vault
CC: 9.1
LL: 9.4
RR: 9.4

Floor
CC: 9.325
LL: 8.550
RR: 9.2

Bars
CC: 8.6
LL: 9.0
RR: 9.025

Beam
CC: 8.6
LL: 8.175
RR: 8.9

AllAround
CC: 35.625
LL: 35.125
RR: 36.525

She also just happened to take first in all four events, and thus also in the AllAround.

This is marked improvement for her. To put it into perspective, with a 36.525, she would have gotten 2nd at the Crystal Cup (she was 5th), and she would have tied for first at the Lady Luck (she was 7th).

So, she is clearly improving. However, surely the other girls are as well, so she needs to keep it up!

Her next meet is the Barefoot Invitational in St. George, on April 25th.

---
Here are her results online for the Crystal Cup Invitational:
http://www.olympusgymnastics.org/Results/2009CrystalCup/2009_Crystal_Cup_Scores_L4_Jr_9_12.pdf

and the Lady Luck invitational: (search for Fulmar ):
http://www.brownslv.com/files/sitephotos/ll09f4_htm.html

Jennifer Lynn Mauger, 1973 ~ 1990.

I got an email from Autumn today with the 2006 hoax Amber Alert for "Ashley Flores".

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/missing/ashleyflores.asp

The picture of the girl reminded me of Jennnifer Mauger, a highschool classmate who was killed in a bizarre shooting accident.

I loved Jennifer's hair, tanned skin, and cute, came-from-California, personality.

OK. I *might* have had a slight crush on Jennifer, and I very much loved her hair. :)

(Actually, my favorite picture of Lucia has her hair just the same. I'd say I have a thing for that style and color of hair. Even still today.)

*If* I did have a crush I was too introverted to have let anyone know, including her. I had been working up my courage to.

I was very saddened at Jennifer's death.

I think her older sister who was Kim's age was named Michelle. As I remember it, she was also cute.

A quick Google to confirm the spelling of Jennifer's last name, and it turns out there is a picture of Jennifer Lynn Mauger's grave-site. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~idbancem/mccamon_cemeteries/norton_cemetery/photo_surname_m/Jennifer_Lynn_Mauger.jpg

----
Funny, the old memories and emotions that a simple photograph can trigger.

Hypnotized in Las Vegas

A funny but sad comment on Las Vegas -- as we walked through the casino the kids observed the slot players. At one point, Emma asked quite innocently (and loudly), "Why are they all hypnotized?" and then made a pose of staring and put her arm and hand in the position they have their arms and hands and made the motion of hitting the button over and over with a blank stare. I laughed that she had observed the zombie-like addicts. Then for a moment I had the thought to be embarrassed by her very forward comment, in case some of them had overheard. But, then I thought, 1) it's truthful, 2) if any did overhear, perhaps it would be a wakeup call, and 3) I looked around and saw that none of the zombies had heard or or if they had, they had no reaction to it. All in all, the casino, especially the rows and rows and columns and columns of slot machines, is quite a surreal place. Freaky almost. And sad. We even saw a very old couple who looked to be in their 80s (really 80s, and not just the early aging of a chain-smoker) with the wife slumped forward in a wheelchair -- the both of them clearly belonging in a convalescent community -- and probably spending their fixed-income social security. The wife just sat there nearly comatose, hardly watching as the husband put in coins and pushed the button. (I didn't see any slot machines with Levers. i guess levers is too much work, whereas a button is manageable). I'm saddened when I think of the shattered lives that Vegas results in. I'm saddened that the prophets rallying cry to vote against gambling was not listened to by even the saints, who feel the prophet may speak on religion but should mind his own business about politics.

The experience for my children of observing casino behavior gave us the chance to discuss these things. I think that it is healthy to expose them to that and discuss it. As opposed to some christian/mormon parents who refuse to bring their children into the den of iniquity for fear of exposing to something they will then want to partake of. Indeed, one of Emmas teammates did not come to this meet because of that very reason - her parents refused to participate in a meet in "Sin City". My philosophy is that to pretend it isn't there and shield them from knowing about it opens the way to them having to decide at that moment how they will choose, when they learn about it on their own. Whereas if we teach them about it purposefully, we can prepare them now so they can make the choice now to not fall into that trap and then they won't have to decide that later, in the moment. (Some might call that indoctrination, I think of it as innoculation :)

-Joe

Lady Luck Invitational

We are well-pleased with Emma's performance again in Las Vegas at the Lady Luck Invitational.

There were over 80 Level 4 gymnasts! They divided them into more or less age groups, combining and dividing age groups to try to keep each group at around 16 gymnasts. There were 17 in Emma's group.

Here are her scores:

Vault: 9.4 -- She took 2nd!

Bars: 9.0 -- 5th place.

Floor: 8.55 -- 7th place. She got a huge deduction for absent-mindedly replacing one skill with another, of less value. She knew immediately what she did wrong, and can point it out on the video, and demonstrate the subtle difference in the two skills (which to me look nearly identical, haha).

Beam:8.175 -- didn't place. She fell off the beam doing one of her skills. She got back on and finished well, though. There were some gymnasts who did not fall and scored down in the 8.1s and even lower. So, she kept her composure after the fall, and held back the little cry to have with her coach after she was done. She knows what she did wrong (looked down during a turn). It's also possible she was distracted because I was in direct line of sight to her. The guy sitting in front of me after she finished turned and said that she made eye contact with me four times during her routine. I didn't see that, as I was filming. (I'll have to figure out how to make videos available on this blog). After the meet, Emma did say she liked her first meet much better, where all the audience was up a floor looking down, rather than at eye level. Less distraction. But, her coach told us that the gymnasts just have to develop the focus to drown out the audience and focus on the performance. She says Emma will get that with more experience.

Overall: 35.13 -- 7th place.

But, Emma really shined in my eyes when one of her team-mates (the best in her school at her level, with Emma being right behind her in skill-level) was having a hard day. She fell on a kick-over, one of the first, most basic skills that she has done hundreds of times. It was just a slip, not a matter of it being a skill she has barely mastered and only does right some percentage of the time. Jenessa was pretty devastated and crying. Emma went to her and put her arm around her and comforted her. Jenessa then messed up on Vault, faulting completely on her second run, but still getting a 9.05 with just her first run, and then messed up a skill and needed a coaches help on bars. She was saying she wants to quit gymnastics. Emma comforted her, and gave her good advice like "sometimes mistakes happen, we don't give up, we keep trying", etc. Jenessa then did great on Beam and tied for First Place. So, she was able to get back her composure after doing poorly on her first three events. Hopefully she sticks to it -- that's where mental toughness comes in. But, anyway, I was so proud of Emma for comforting her teammate -- the one with whom she is the most competitive and wants to beat. There was not one bit of personal satisfaction at knowing she would place ahead of Jenessa -- I doubt it even crossed her mind. She just felt empathy for her teammate. Emma does have strong leadership qualities (she is usually the one telling her teammates where to stand, etc.), and if we can just channel those qualitied she'll be able to influence the lives of others for good.

The kids loved the warm weather, and the outdoor swimming pool. I can understand why some people maintain a winter home in Nevada or Arizona, or anywhere south of the Utah border. :)

Trust in the Lord, continued...

A few additional thoughts on my last post.

1) I found this scripture:

The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law (Deuteronomy 29:29)

Backup up the thought that whatever knowledge the Lord has revealed to man is for our use. E.g., medical knowledge.

2) Regarding Confidence. "We are most confident in that with which we are the most familiar". I learned this phrase from Dr. Glen Kimber, son-in-law of Cleon Skousen and founder of Kimber Academy, the intellectual predecessor of Prosperity Learning Center where Maya, Emma, and Joseph go 12 hours a week for education to supplement their home-education.
Emma's meet demonstrated this. Because she left the full gymnastics training for 18 months and did only tumbling traing at Jolley's Gymnastics, she got intense focus on tumbling skills, which are what Floor Excercises is mostly. So, she is HIGHLY confident on floor, and took Second Place in floor in her first meet. She took 5th, and 6th place in the other events -- Uneven Bars, Balance Beam, and Vault. So, if looking at her skills, she's a 5th-6th place skill-wise with her peers, but on Floor she goes outside her 'average' and excels. She is more familiar with it, and highly confident. She is more relaxed, and doesn't stress about Floor as she does the other.
I believe we will have more confidence in the Lord, the more familiar we become with him. If we spend hours and hours of our lives viewing television (hey, I like Terminator, the Sarah Conner Chronicles as much as the next guy :), our familiarity is with fiction. Our confidence will be in 'vain imaginations'. If we were to spend those hours and hours instead on reality -- on becoming experts on the doctrines of the gospel, our confidence will be with that which we are most familiar.

-Joe

Trust in the Lord

I read this today and wanted to share it:

Psalms 118:8 -- It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

I pray that I can trust in the Lord more, and less on the arm of flesh.

I must confess that ever since Caleb died, I have a very easy time of not trusting in the arm of flesh. The doctors were assuring us in no uncertain terms, even up to five hours before Caleb died that, "we can fix this".

Perhaps my ease of not trusting in the arm of flesh is too easy now -- I have very little confidence in man at all. Perhaps I'm 'gun-shy' about placing my confidence in man. Perhaps I'm too untrusting.

I know that God has given man great medical knowledge for the improvement of our lives. Many of us have benefited from this knowledge. I have 10 full fingers, whereas I had uncles and grandpas with missing fingers. My Mom is alive thanks to medical knowledge. Perhaps dad too, thanks to proper medicines. But on Nov. 8, 2004, I came face to face with the undeniable reality that doctors are not God. (This may run contrary to some of their opinions of themselves.)

Like every tool, the knowledge of medicine can be used for good or evil -- to be an instrument in God's hands, or to be a 'usurper' and excercise unrighteous dominion and to get gain.

I'm not saying the doctors that attended to Caleb are necessarily evil and just out to get gain. But, they certainly did have give the impression that they held the opinion of "we can fix everything". Until they couldn't.

I also watched as Rebecca McKinnes, Lucia's midwife, helped her have a natural birth with our Becky, and was so grateful for the way she (the midwife) blesses lives with the knowledge God provides. After all the children, I have seen a huge contrast between doctors who show up the last 1 minute to catch the baby and get all the credit, to doctors who even though the nurses delivered the baby show up and get all the payment unjustly, to Becky McKinnes who walked Lucia through a birth experience that had her smiling with true Joy during birth rather than being fearful and hating every second and just wishing it was over.

So, I've seen both sides of the coin -- man (er, woman :) blessing others by being an instrument in God's hands, and man having unjustified confidence in the arm of flesh.

Anyway, I came across this scripture today and wanted to share some of my random thoughts it prompted.

-Joe

Fairy Tales

Results from Emma's first meet

Emma had her first competitive gymnastics meet today, the "Crystal Cup" hosted in Lehi, Utah by her club Olympus Gymnastics.

There are 20 teams in the Crystal Cup, from at UT, ID, CA, WA, OR, NV, and OK.

However, only three teams brought their Level 4 gymnasts. (Level 4 are usually 7 to 12 year olds, so it's understandable why many wouldn't bring their younger gymnasts, especially if they are on tight travel budgets). Or, perhaps those other teams just don't have Level 4 gymnasts, I don't know. In any case, there were only three teams with Level 4 gymnasts here:
Madison from Madison, ID,
Starzz from Reno, NV,
Olympus Gymastics from Sandy, UT (Emma's team).

There were 16 Level 4 gymnasts in all.

She scored the following:

Vault: 9.1. (average of two runs. 9.3 and 8.9)
Beam: 8.6. (average of two judges scores. 8.65 and 8.55)
Bars: 8.6. (average of two judges scores. 8.7 and 8.5)
Floor: 9.325. (average of two judges scores. 9.4 and 9.25).

She placed:
Vault: 4th
Beam: 6th
Bars: 6th
Floor: 2nd
Overall: 5th place, with 35.625 points.

We are well pleased with Emma.

We look forward to her next meet, the "Lady Luck Invitational", which is Friday, January 16 in Las Vegas.

The word is that she also has all the skills required to move up to Level 5, she just needs to work on Form (Point Those Toes! and straight legs, and less wobble). So, she's motivated. (Girls can spend years in level 4, but don't have to. They just advance when they are ready.)

Maya is on Pre-Team (Level 3). She only lacks three skills, all on uneven bars, and then she'll be ready to advance to Level 4 and she'll be competing next year. She really wants to master the skills, and complains when the coach doesn't work on uneven bars during practice. She wants us to either get uneven bars for the garage, or pay for private lessons, which really do help. But we'll have to see -- either option is expensive. She may just need to learn with time and focused practice.

We've put the boys into gymnastics as well this year. They both like it, but both have a problem with focusing their attention . (They are young boys after all, and doing just the same as all the other boys in their class. Their coach is VERY patient. :).

Becky, who can already do a bridge and splits just 'cause her sisters do, really wants to start, but she must be potty-trained first, so she has good incentive and is really trying. If we remind her to go potty and she resists, we just remind her that she wants to because she can't start "gymnastics suit" as she call gymnastics, until she no longer needs a diaper. It's so cute how any resistance melts right away and she goes and tries. She'll get there, all in due time. (Besides, why pay coaches to teach her what her sisters can and do! :) (Further besides, I've seen the way some of the parents push their little 3-year olds, and that just doesn't fit our philosophy that it must come from within themselves, not be pushed on them by parents trying to live achieve vicareously through their children).

-----
Here's some interesting facts:

Olympus Gymnastics has been in business 15 years, and in that time, 95% of the gymnasts (who stick it out through Level 10) get a full college tuition scholarship at colleges across the country. (Although my impression is that BYU and UofU are favorites). So you see, I'll pay for their lessons now, but they all get to pay for their own college! (My justification for not putting money away monthly into a college fund for them... :)

Mary Wright, the head coach and owner of Olympus Gymnastics is also the choreographer and Assistant Coach for the University of Utah's Gymnastics Team. 56 of Mary's athlete's have received full gymnastics scholarships, 10 of her athlete's have made Olympic Teams, and many of her athlete's have won many national titles.

-Joe

Family

"All of us, single or married, are eternally part of some family--someway, somewhere, somehow--and much of our joy in life comes as we correctly recognize and properly develop those family relationships. We come to this earth charged with a mission: to learn to love and serve one another. To best help us accomplish this, God has placed us in families, for he knows that is where we can best learn to overcome selfishness and pride and to sacrifice for others and to make happiness and helpfulness and humility and love the very essence of our character."

John H. Groberg, "The Power of Family Prayer," Ensign, May 1982, 50

Living within our means

"If there is one thing that will bring peace and contentment into the human heart, and into the family, it is to live within our means. And if there is any one thing that is grinding and discouraging and disheartening, it is to have debts and obligations that one cannot meet."

-- Heber J. Grant, Gospel Standards, comp. G. Homer Durham [1941], 111

Accelerate preparations, start immediately.

In April 2004 General Conference, Dallin H. Oaks taught that the “signs of the Second Coming are all around us and seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity.” and “the accelerating pattern of natural disasters in the last few decades is ominous.”

He said that we should “accelerate our own preparation and try to influence the preparation of those around us.”

He tells us, “If our lamps of preparation are drawn down, let us start immediately to replenish them.”

He admonishes, “We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming.”

Note that while both are important, he says that, “the preparation most likely to be neglected is the one less visible and more difficult—the spiritual. A 72-hour kit of temporal supplies may prove valuable for earthly challenges, but, as the foolish virgins learned to their sorrow, a 24-hour kit of spiritual preparation is of greater and more enduring value.”

We Must Recommit

"This month, we commemorate the historic trek of the Mormon pioneers who, 130 years ago, left the beautiful city of Nauvoo, Illinois, and their comfortable homes to escape their persecutors and march 2300 kms. across a hostile wilderness in order to worship their God according to the dictates of their own conscience. In July of 1847, they reached the Great Salt Lake Valley and founded the city which is now the headquarters of Christ's church on earth.

"It is not enough merely to observe these various anniversaries, but we must recommit and rededicate ourselves to uphold the convictions and the principles upon which the blessings we enjoy are predicated. We, too, must be prepared to sacrifice, where necessary, to keep our freedoms inviolate. My father used to say: 'The true way to honor the past is to improve upon it.'

"Therefore, we should love God more. We should serve our fellowmen better. We should keep all the commandments. We should be better prepared as parents to teach our children to pray and to walk uprightly before the Lord, and to assume their responsibilities.

"We should be constantly striving for improvement of ourselves and our surroundings."

N. Eldon Tanner, "Pioneers Are Still Needed," Tambuli, July 1977, 1

More Than Simply "Going"

"The issue is not going to church; rather, the issue is worshipping and renewing covenants as we attend church. The issue is not going to or through the temple; rather, the issue is having in our hearts the spirit, the covenants, and the ordinances of the Lord's house. The issue is not going on a mission; rather, the issue is becoming a missionary and serving throughout our entire life with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength."

-- David A. Bednar, "Becoming a Missionary," Ensign, Nov. 2005, 45

Fathers: must provide Quality AND Quantity time

Effective family leadership, brethren, requires both quantity and quality time. The teaching and governance of the family must not be left to your wife alone, to society, to school, or even the Church.
Being a Righteous Husband and Father Howard W. Hunter, "Being a Righteous Husband and Father," Ensign, Nov. 1994, 49

You adult brethren, may I suggest an "I will" for us which has been repeatedly emphasized by modern prophets? It is of critical importance in today’s world, where the influence of the adversary is intensifying and the foundation of our society, the family, is disintegrating. It is I will resolve that the leadership of my family will be my most important and sacred responsibility; and I will not leave the teaching and governance of my family to society, to the school, or to the Church. We are reminded in the Doctrine and Covenants that fathers and mothers are held accountable by the Lord to teach their children about faith, repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost, and the need to pray and walk uprightly before the Lord (see D&C 68:25, 28)
Perhaps you have heard some say, "I am so busy with living and providing that I have little time to devote to my family, but I make an effort to see that my limited time is quality time." Brethren, this type of rationalization is severely flawed. Effective family leadership requires both quantity and quality time.
"I Will Go" H. David Burton, "I Will Go," Ensign, Nov. 1995, 43

Benson on public schools

"We should not assume that public schools always reinforce teachings given in the home concerning ethical and moral conduct. We have seen introduced into many school systems false ideas about the theory of man's development from lower forms of life, teachings that there are no absolute moral values, repudiation of all beliefs regarded as supernatural, permissiveness about sexual freedom that gives sanction to immoral behavior and "alternative life-styles" such as lesbianism, homosexuality, and other perverse practices. "Such teachings not only tend to undermine the faith and morals of our young people, but they deny the existence of God, who gave absolute laws, and the divinity of Jesus Christ. Surely we can see the moral contradiction of some who argue for the preservation of endangered species, but sanction the abortion of unborn humans.

There is a solution, and it is that the Lord expects great things from the fathers of Israel. Fathers must take time to find out what their children are being taught and then take steps to correct false information and teaching.

I know fathers who inquire of their children each evening to determine firsthand what their children are being taught in school and what needs to be corrected. Then, if necessary, they instruct them in what the Lord has revealed. This is application of the principle that `light and truth forsake that evil one.'" (D&C 93:37)

Ezra Taft Benson, "Great Things Required of Their Fathers," Ensign, May 1981, 34

Priesthood the great Equalizer

"Priesthood blessings are the great equalizer. Those blessings are the same for men and women, for boys and girls; they are the same for married and single, rich and poor, for the intellectual and the illiterate, for the well-known and the obscure.

"I am grateful that through the infinite fairness and love of God, all men and women were given equal partnership, gifts, blessings, and potential through priesthood ordinances and spiritual gifts. Because of the priesthood, which is woven in and around and through our lives, every power, every covenant we need to do our life's work and walk back to our heavenly home has been poured out upon our heads."
- Julie B. Beck, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, in *An Outpouring of Blessings* from April 2006 General Conference.

As I pondered this, the following thoughts occured to me --

The phrase equal partnership brought to mind the 'issue' of women/men equality, feminists wanting the priesthood (because they don't really understand it), etc. This brought to mind the 'response' (teaching) that man is not without the woman and woman without the man in the Lord; that we cannot have a Celestial Marriage and thus enter the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom, and thus, be Gods(Kings & Priests, Queens and Priestesses), without our equal partner; that each has a seperate role, but one cannot fulfil her/his role without the other.

This caused me to think of other priesthood ordinances that are equalizers, as mentioned in this quote -- for example, baptism (since Maya was baptized recently) and Father's Blessings (since Rebekah was blessed recently). Neither of those ordinances can be performed alone -- they require two people. The baptizer and the baptizee. The blesser and the blessee. I could no more 'perform' the ordinance of baptism without the other person than a person can baptize themselves. Thus, Maya and I were equal partners in the ordinance of baptism -- each filling one of the required roles.

This causes me to realize that performance of priesthood ordinances -- all of which are to *serve* -- requires two participants. It could be said that I did not 'perform' the ordinance of baptism, but rather, Maya and I together performed the ordinance of baptism, each in our respective roles.

Now, it makes no sense for Maya to feel slighted because she wasn't the one doing the baptizing rather than the one being 'dunked'. She was performing the role of one accepting the covenant of baptism. I performed the role of intermediary (commissioned of Jesus Christ) to help her take that step. She couldn't perform her role without me, nor I without her. In the same token, it makes no sense for a woman to feel slighted with regards to holding Priesthood office. Just as the Deacon passing the sacrament can no more fill his role without someone to partake of what he is passing, a person cannot partake of the sacrament cannot do so without the deacon passing it. Each has their respective, distinct but absolutely vital role in the ordinance. So too a bishop cannot perform his role without the corresponding ward members performing their roles. And, so too a husband cannot perform his role without his corresponding wife performing their role. To be upset by our roles, say for a woman feeling slighted for not being the Bishop (or for that matter, a man feeling slighted for not being bishop), or to wish to reverse our roles, would be like Maya wishing that rather than being the one immersed, she were the one doing the immersing. It makes no sense.

There is yet a higher ordinance that could be used as an example -- that of the Atonement. Christ performs the role of the Atoner. We perform the role of one who has faith, repents is baptized, and endures to the end in order to benefit from the saving grace of Christ in his role. Does it make any sense to feel slighted because our role is one in this ordinance of the Atonement while Christ's role is another? It makes absolutely no sense at all. To wish to 'elevate' ourselves to the position of taking Christ's role, would be near equivalent to Satan wishing to elevate himself into God's role. -- "and give all the glory to me". This bring to focus that one who is malcontent with fulfilling their role, and wishes to have a more exalted role (one with more 'authority' as they suppose) is suffering from the great sin of Pride.

The woman who feels slighted about not able to be bishop and the man who feels slighted about not being the bishop and believes he should be are both usurpers in their hearts.

To wish that God's plan worked differently, is to essentially with great pride say, "if only God were as smart as I am, He would have set it up this (my) way". "This way", of course being an alternate plan under which I would be more exalted, and have more authority, than under the current plan. I would imagine that one who believes this way would be one of the 'many' who when they *do* get a little authority as they suppose, immediately begins to exercise unrightous dominion. For they do not understand the true nature of the Priesthood, nor indeed of the perfectness of the plan.

Motherhood, the Noblest Office

"President David O. McKay put it beautifully when he said, speaking of mothers, 'This ability and willingness properly to rear children, the gift to love, and eagerness, yes, longing to express it in soul development, make motherhood the noblest office or calling in the world. . .' (Gospel Ideals, Salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1953, pp.453-54)."

( H. Burke Peterson, "Mother, Catch the Vision of Your Call," Ensign, May 1974, 31-32)

Truth Eternal

Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again;
Th’ eternal years of God are hers;
But Error, wounded, writhes in pain,
And dies among his worshippers.

William Cullen Bryant (1794–1878)

Keep Your Money Clean

Clean money is that compensation received for a full day's honest work. It is that reasonable pay for faithful service. It is that fair profit from the sale of goods, commodities, or service. It is that income received from transactions where all parties profit.
Filthy lucre is blood money; that which is obtained through theft and robbery. It is that obtained through gambling or the operation of gambling establishments. Filthy lucre is that had through sin or sinful operations and that which comes from the handling of liquor, beer, narcotics and those other many things which are displeasing in the sight of the Lord. Filthy lucre is that money which comes from bribery, and from exploitation.
Compromise money is filthy, graft money is unclean, profits and commissions derived from the sale of worthless stocks are contaminated as is the money derived from other deceptions, excessive charges, oppression to the poor and compensation which is not fully earned. I feel strongly that men who accept wages or salary and do not give commensurate time, energy, devotion, and service are receiving money that is not clean. (pp. 948-949)
I wonder if many of us are not hasting to be rich. Are we making compromises in order to accumulate? I wonder if money earned upon the Sabbath, when it is unnecessary Sabbath earnings, might not also be unclean money. I realize that some people must work on the Sabbath; and when they do, if they are compelled, that is, of course, a different situation. But men and women who will deliberately use the Sabbath day to develop business propositions, to increase their holdings, to increase their income, I fear for them. I think the Lord was speaking to them when he said: "Woe unto them that call evil good, . . . " (Isa. 5:20) Sometimes we salve our consciences by saying that the more we get the more we can give to the worthy causes, but that, of course, is a subterfuge. (p. 950)

Kimball, Spencer W. "Keep Your Money Clean." The Improvement Era 56 (December 1953), pp. 948-50.

From Obeying Laws to Making and Keeping Covenants

"Satan's efforts can be thwarted by all who come unto Christ by obedience to the covenants and ordinances of the gospel."
—President James E. Faust, Ensign, Sept. 1995, p. 7

This statement caused me to reflect on the similar language to Article of Faith #3, that we may all may be saved "by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel." There is only one word's difference there -- "laws" is changed to "covenants". In reality, "laws" carries a sense of rules imposed that must be obeyed whether we like it or not -- like a child must obey a parent, whereas "covenants" carries a meaning of mutual agreement establishing intended behavior -- more of a contractual agreement with God that it is *our* will that we will voluntarily do certain things, rather than a compulsory behavior that we didn't agree to but are compelled to.

As parents, it is our duty to teach our children the gospel so as to help them transition from being under the Law to voluntarily entering into covenants with God, starting with baptism. Thus, we should have helped them become ready to make this transition by the time they are eight -- the age of accountability.

Paul wrote in his letter to the Gauls (Galatians -- inhabitants of Galatia, so called from it's inhabitants the Gauls):
24-27 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ...
29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the [Abrahamic Covenant]. Gal. 24-27 29 (read the entire chapter for more details regarding the same).

Earlier in the chapter, Paul teaches:
11-12 That no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for [as the Lord says in Habakkuk 2:4], "The just shall live by faith." And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

So, yes, obeying the law will lead us on the path to salvation. But that is a "milk" type relationship with God. It's the level of always asking 'what should I do next'. We should be progressing beyond that to the "meat" level - the level of voluntary covenants.

The Lord, speaking through Joseph Smith, said:
26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things [by the law], the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; D&C 58:26-27

Justified Lies?

In order to evade pursuers and find lodging one time, Parley P. Pratt told some untruths. He justifies this with the following:

"I would here remark that some persons will perhaps be disposed to censure me for saying that which was not strictly true in all its points, in order to avoid discovery, and make good my escape. But I can say, from the bottom of my heart, that I feel perfectly justified in so doing, not only because it accomplished a good object, and seemed according to wisdom, but we have numerous instances in Scripture where God's prophets and people acted in a similar way for a similar end. For instance, the New Testament justifies Rahab, and even commends her, and includes her in the sum of the faithful, because she hid the spies under the flax and deceived their pursuers by stating that they had left the city and fled to the mountains; and thus she became an accomplice, or an aider and abettor of the people and purposes of God. David also, who was the Lord's anointed, and a man after his own heart, dissembled a number of times to save his life. At one time he deceived the national priest, and thus obtained both bread and armor, under pretense of being on the king's errand, while he was in fact an outlaw, then in the act of fleeing for his life from that same Saul. And Jesus himself mentions this to the Jews, and justifies it. At another time he feigned himself insane, by figuring on the wall and letting his spittle drizzle down on his beard, in order to escape the Philistine judges."

I really liked the phrase "an accomplice, or an aider and abettor of the people and purposes of God". Perhaps lying is justified, when it furthers the purposes of God? What think ye?

Public School = Atheism Propagation Instrument

"The tenth plank in Karl Marx's Manifesto for destroying our kind of civilization advocated the establishment of "free education for all children in public schools." There were several reasons why Marx wanted government to run the schools. Dr. A. A. Hodge pointed out one of them when he said, "It is capable of exact demonstration that if every party in the State has the right of excluding from public schools whatever he does not believe to be true, then he that believes most must give way to him that believes least, and then he that believes least must give way to him that believes absolutely nothing, no matter in how small a minority the atheists or agnostics may be. It is self-evident that on this scheme, if it is consistently and persistently carried out in all parts of the country, the United States system of national popular education will be the most efficient and widespread instrument for the propagation of atheism which the world has ever seen."
-- Elder Ezra Taft Benson in Conference Report, October 1970, p. 25

Regarding this, see the following recent article from the Deseret News: Founders did not mean to banish religion says,

In Granite School District, teachers are scared to wish students a merry Christmas. They're not even sure they can mention the word Christmas, and, if so, in what way?
An annual district memo cautions them about the discussion of Christmas because it could exclude someone. The administrators try to define the policy in clearer terms, with more hair splitting — Christmas parties are out, holiday parties are in, etc. — but who knows what it all means? It's all nebulous legal mumbo jumbo.
In a lame attempt to "clarify" itself, the district wrote that "holiday" parties can be held, "so long as we can articulate the pedagogical objectives from the curriculum that provide the basis of the activity and the activity doesn't promote or denigrate any particular religion or religion in general."

Messiah ben Joseph

In an article by rabbi Ari Kahn titled "The Beauty of Joseph", he writes,

"Joseph understood that one day the Jewish people will have to rally behind Joseph, not as a substitute for Judah, but as a preparation for the Kingdom of Judah.
...
"There will be two messiahs one day -- Messiah Son of Joseph, who prepares the way for the Messiah Son of David, himself a descendent of Judah. According to tradition, the Messiah Son of Joseph will unite all Israel in preparation for the arrival of the Messiah Son of David, but will die in the process [Sukka 52a] in an act of self-sacrifice for his people. Just like his ancestor Rachel, whose self-sacrifice allowed the building of the Second Temple, his self-sacrifice will allow the building of the Third Temple."

This is pure Jewish belief -- that a descendant of Joseph would prepare the way for the Messiah, descendant of David. I believe this is Joseph Smith. Just as the Jews do not recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah ben David, they do not recognize Joseph Smith as the Messiah ben Joseph, the harbinger of Christ's second coming and preparer of the way.

Sanhedrin reconstituted after 1600 years

On Oct. 14, the Jews relaunched or reconvened a Sanhedrin in Tiberias, the site of its last meeting 1600 years ago. The Sanhedrin is the highest Jewish-legal tribunal in the Land of Israel, and is a religious assembly that convened in one of the Holy Temple chambers in Jerusalem, comprised of 71 sages or rabbis. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=70349

On Monday, Dec. 6, 50 of the members of this reestablished Sanhedrin ascended the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=73311

Several statements in these reports lead me to believe that this is an attempt to get things going, but it is not yet endorsed by nor participated in by the most influential rabbis in the Jewish world. It seems more likely to be a bold, adventurous, courageous attempt by some rabbis (at least 71) to light a spark and get things rolling, with the hope that it will become accepted and latched onto by more influential rabbis.

Also of interest is that those reconstituting this quorum view this as a necessary step preceding the coming of the Messiah, not that they are bold enough to state that this occurence of assembling the Sanhedrin is *the* step, but that this is one of the steps that must occur, and this attempt may or may not be it.

According to the first article, a similar attempt to reconvene a Sanhedrin occured several centuries ago, and did include some great rabbis, but "opposition of other leading rabbis soon forced the end of the endeavor". All in all, it will be interesting to watch and see where this goes.