Never Forget

I was almost 7 on September 11, 2001. I remember I was getting ready for school when my mom got a phone call from my dad, who should have been on a plane. He said she had to turn the news on. I remember walking into our living room and re-watching the horror of the towers over and over and over again. I felt that something terrible had happened, something important, even if I didn't really understand it. I remember my mom being in a panic and not knowing what to do. Apparently, my dad had actually been on the runway ready for takeoff when the pilot announced that they were evacuating the airport. Everyone had to leave.

But I also remember that after that day, we all came together. "God Bless America" was the revived slogan. American flags were flown everywhere. "Never Forget" was not just talked about, it was felt. Everyone was more grateful for their families. We were proud of our country.

So today, September 11, 2015 we need to share our stories. Mine is short. I only remember that morning and then the reactions afterwards around the community. But I am 20. Some of the freshman coming into college are not even 18. They were about 4 when the towers were hit. Do they remember? Do they know what it feels like to come together as a nation? Never Forget means sharing what we remember. It means reminding each other that we stand together despite our differences. This is our history and we have the opportunity to write it.

String of Consciousness

School has started. I am tired already and feel a little overwhelmed about how hard I need to work this semester. I feel like I need to say something. But unlike any other post, I am not really sure what I should say. I don't have a topic, but for some reason I'm feeling particularly reflective at the moment. Some of it might be the fact that I have nearly reached the end of a long week, and part of it might be the fact that I just read Lana Wimmer's blog post at: http://sparechangeblog.me/2015/09/04/its-okay-to-cry/

Her post really made me think about misunderstanding the needs of the individual (or refusing to understand in some cases). I think about my professors and how they know for a fact that most students don't have a book yet, but they still assign reading questions and homework problems from it. But I also think about something from my religion class, "Lord, is it I?"

This question takes humility and reflection to ask. I have volunteered as a Peer Mentor for freshman girl Chemical Engineering students. I am meeting with some of them today. How can I best address their needs? How can I make sure they feel comfortable in this new place? Being nice and inclusive can make or break someone's entire experience away from home. I was new once too. How
can I do better than I have done in the past?

I also recall a conversation I had with a recent returned missionary about how college is completely selfish and feels so different from constantly serving others. I didn't serve a mission, but I don't see it that way. You are getting an education to improve your capacity to serve. That is the tag line of BYU after all, "Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve." Finding an eternal companion is not just for your happiness. Marriage is about both partners and your future children. Planning fun dates are the way you are going to get there. Living selfishly in college is an outlook that you don't have to have. Following the commandments of seeking learning and getting married in the temple is serving the Lord. Having righteous desires and accomplishing righteous goals is not a matter of "me above you", it is a matter of personal progress; which believe it or not, is not selfish and can be accomplished outside of a mission.

Everyone is here for a purpose. Some of use have undergone more change and hardship than others. We have different talents. The world may value those talents on a scale, but the Lord sees us for what we really are. He sees how hard we really try and rewards every effort. The most important things in this life often cannot be counted, and sometimes they can't even be explained.

So here is to a year of less complaining, of hard work, of being nice and making new friends, of asking "Is it I?", and of being happy in the moment. Here is to my third year of college at BYU.

The Rights of People and Ideas...It's complicated

I recently saw a post on Facebook that had pictures of people on one side and symbols on the other. The caption said "Ideas don't have rights, people do." That sounds fine on the surface, but in reality ideas and people are tangled in such a way that they cannot be separated. One of the comments said that the post was a form of propaganda in favor of discrimination against ideas that you do not agree with. To an extant, I agree with him. Here's why:

1. At what point does an idea become a right?
Let's take marriage for example. Many people on the feed were arguing that the religious idea that gay marriage is wrong cannot impede on the right of others to be married. They ignored the fact that marriage in itself is an idea. In some cultures, the parents have the right to choose who their sons or daughters marry. So to them, by me choosing my spouse, I took away the rights of my parents. If we come down to the base of what marriage is (in western society)--love--well I can love whomever I want. Nobody can take away my feelings, emotions, or thoughts. What is marriage but an idea?

2. We identify ourselves by ideas.
This may sound a little strange until we think about what kind of ideas we have been referring to. Religions, Political entities, academic theories, etc. All of these things define us, not because others label us, but because we label ourselves. As humans we have to communicate through words, and those words often become labels. Think about it: Conservative, Academic, Atheist, European, Radical. Even those who claim they wish there were no labels define themselves by labels because they have to. We have to describe ourselves in some way. This is why prejudice is such a hard topic. It's the difference between "Is this person mean to me because they don't like me?" or "Is this person mean to me because they don't like my thinking?" Not everyone that says mean things to me hates Mormons, they may just simply not like me as a person. But where is the line?

3. "Victim" mentality and opposites
There have been many examples in recent history of the idea that "if I'm offended then it's oppressive". This is a victim mentality. If people truly had rights, and ideas did not, then I would legally have the right to ask that a prayer be publicly shared before a basketball game at my high school. Instead, others have put into law an apparent right to not hear a prayer said before school events. Really, they have no "natural" right to be free of this, but have instead invoked the law of opposites. Every idea has an opposite. In this case, the law upholds the idea that religion should be removed from the public circle. On the flip side, if prayer was instead required then it would again be upholding an idea not people.

It is important to realize that what we believe and want is not always what others believe and want. With the topic of rights we could take it all the way to the base and say that we are all entitled to the thoughts within our own heads. Anything else that we do is the result of an idea that came from our way of thinking. But in realistic terms, we will always naturally seek ways to express ourselves and our thoughts and ideas. It is nearly impossible to separate the person from the ideas. Rights should be equal, yes. No one way of thinking should be held superior to others when it comes to the law. When it comes to personal judgement, we should not generalize people into groups unfairly. Everyone is different and unique. But in the end, it is impossible to separate the law from ideas, for it is from ideas that laws and customs come into play.

A Basis of Values

I am currently taking a class about the history of western politics. One thing it mentioned in the opening chapters really made me think. It said that philosophers have to be careful about their criticisms because everything is faulted. It continued to explain that we cannot insist on abolishing something without having an idea of how to replace/fix it. The book used the example of the American government. Philosophers could tear it apart for its faults and cause everyone to see the logic in ridding ourselves of it. But what would come next? If the next system was no better then have we really made any progress?

To make myself clear, I am not saying we should not question, but we should be wary of drastic societal changes. One change that has grown in the United States and elsewhere is the loss of religious freedom. Now I know many non-religious people will deny this and simply ask that I keep my beliefs to myself, but please hear me out.

The Greek democracy was built on the values shown in the Iliad and the Odyssey; loyalty, intelligence, glory. The Roman Republic was built on the values of bravery, practicality, and organization--taught through the Aeneid. Ancient Israel was built upon the values of the Torah. The Islamic countries were built on the values in the Q'aran.

Our country was built upon the principles of religious and political freedom. Two separate ideas, and yet inseparable because political systems fail when there is no core set of values on which to base them. Our constitution was built on the assumption that people would be honest, virtuous, and act for more than just their self interest. It was not based on the assumption that everyone was Christian, BUT the way in which those values were generally taught was through the Bible.

Our problem is that our society no longer wishes to accept that way of teaching values. Religion has been all but banned from schools in all its forms. The general population seems to accept religion as a simple belief and not a belief system.

My question now is: what will replace it? The push against religion is strong, and yet I have yet to see someone come up with a more effective way to teach youth and adults alike about values such as respect, honor, obedience, kindness, integrity, selflessness, etc. You don't have to believe the Word as I do, believing in the literal coming and rising of a Savior, but you should at least respect the values we teach.

I do not think that the written words in the Bible, Torah, Q'aran, or otherwise inherently make all people good. I do not think that those who have no background in such writings are inherently bad. But teaching values to our citizens is a real and growing problem. The word "sin" has all but been lost from our vocabulary. What is bad versus what is good has become grey. In the end, values have to come from something. An idea as abstract as freedom cannot be the basis for every virtue in society. Freedom will continue to be contorted into selfish desires at the expense of others. And really, that is not freedom at all, that is survival of the fittest, that is anarchy.

So again I ask: If not the Bible, then what?

pictures taken from oztorah.com, illimitablemen.com, wikipedia.com

No Good Deed/Have Courage and Be Kind

I wrote this a few months ago...

See anything wrong with this picture? Well, it doesn't include the people who have died starving in India. And, the police officers who were murdered in New York are also not pictured. Actually, there are a lot of unfortunate souls not shown looking down on earth. So the real question is: was the march in France bad? was in unfair? was it insensitive to the rest of the world?

My answer is NO! The march in France was an amazing show of unity amongst a community of people. This was the largest march France has ever seen. This was a good thing! Why do people have to put a bad light on such a great accomplishment?

This cartoon poses the question, "An unequal world?" Well, quite frankly, yes. But would you rather have it be equally bad than unequally good? Would the artist still be upset if no one had shown support for anything? I would much rather live in a world where people try to do the good that they can, even if they can't save the entire world, than in a world where people try to make everybody's lives equally troublesome. There is always negative news, why can't we properly celebrate when we receive good news?

In the play Wicked, Elphaba sings the line, "No good deed goes unpunished." What would happen if this was always the case? People would be less inclined to do anything selfless.

We can work to make the world more fair. We can bring awareness to injustice. But we can't do it all at once. The March in France was to commemorate those who lost their lives to injustice. It is for the cause of equality that it occurred. Can we not be happy about the event? Problems that are long standing will not be solved over night, or all at the same time.

More Recently...

Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church

In the news more recently, I have seen complaints about the lack of coverage on violent white deaths. One girl was killed by an illegal immigrant who was allowed to go free by the police so that he would not be deported by the federal government, another was killed in a "random act of violence". Although my heart goes out to their families, highlighting the bad and the violent in the races is what is tearing this country apart. By all means report the news, but do not sensationalize. Demanding that the media equally cover these stories next to the white violence ones is not the way to prove that we are "equal" or that we are also "victims". Instead, it just proves that evil exists in the world. Why can we not change our focus? We should be celebrating the good that comes from all sides.

Those that were shot in the Charleston church received far less coverage than the rioting towns of Missouri. And yet, the one video that I did see highlighted the forgiveness freely given to the suspected shooter by the victim's families. That is courage. That is strength. I hold those people with the highest respect for holding onto their beliefs and showing love at times of trouble instead of hate.

In the new Disney Cinderella movie, Ella promises her mother that she will always "have courage and be kind". That's what I demand to see more of in the media. Not equally bad things, but a variety of the good and the great. These things give me hope and help me to have courage too.

Tolerance and Creativity

I recently finished a class about world civilizations up to 1500 AD. The class focused on the creativity of societies and how every Golden Age is characterized by a peak in creativity. What I found so interesting is that those peaks are often also characterized by an increased level of tolerance.

http://arounddeglobe.com/parthenon-surviving-glory-ancient-greece/

Ancient Greece--specifically Athens. The pinnacle of philosophical prestige and political freedom. Why? Because they had trade with the outside world. They interacted with more than just those who thought as the Athenians. They tolerated ideas. This is illustrated in their form of government--democracy. Everyone (well, at least the male land-owners) had a say in the politics of their city.

The Empire of Alexander the Great. Alexander spread what is termed as "Hellenism". This is culture of the ancient greeks, where Alexander originated from. But hellenism was not a stagnant culture, it grew and changed depending on the area. For example, Alexander did not destroy the temples of the Egyptians simply because they were not greek. Instead he took what he liked from their religion and they in turn took from his.

The Roman Empire also used this tactic as they conquered people. Hellenism created a culture in which all people were united in language and basic values. And yet this was not a policy enforced by force. Look at Israel who retained its Jewish heritage as well as took in some Roman values. Jerusalem was destroyed not because of its religion but because of the open rebellion of its citizens. They were not forced to be Roman.

China. China also went through a time of great technological advances and creativity. This was enabled by the Silk road from Europe and a growing urban population. But it fell because one emperor decided that China was so far ahead of european and african technology that it no longer needed to trade with the outside world. And so over time, it fell behind.

I could go on further about the rise of Europe out of the Dark Ages, Ancient Egypt and even modern society. The point is that as a people, we must continue to value tolerance. The people in power must continue to value tolerance. Through tolerance, ultimate creativity is achieved. This entails working with those from other cultures and countries. This entails choosing not to be offended. This entails a stop to name calling of those who do not agree with you.

Great civilizations fall when they turn only inward and oppress others as well as its own people. Look at what happened to Russia in modern times. With all of the knowledge that we have, at times it seems that we have learned nothing. Are we no better than the ancients? Have we learned nothing from history? Is it really that hard to be kind?

Tolerance does not mean total agreement. It means respect and a willingness to work together to achieve greatness creatively.

Friendly Competition

Anyone who has ever been on a sports team knows the value of competition between teammates. It is not just about playing time, it is about being a better player and pushing your teammates to be better too. The chain itself may be defined by its weakest link, but the chain's potential is defined by the strongest one. A great player can make a good team great through competition. The good players will want to rise to the level of the great player. Not to outshine them necessarily, but to play alongside them.

Ever since kindergarten we have heard "choose good friends". One of the reasons having good friends is so important is because we are all a little competitive. The same concept that applies to sports teams, also applies to groups of friends. If you all go snowboarding on the weekends for fun and three people can do flips but you can't, you are more likely to work on doing flips. Not to be better than them, but to be like them. They are then making you a better snowboarder. If all of your friends have a high alcohol tolerance and like to go drinking, you are more likely to try drinking a lot too. They make you a better drinker. If your best friend is the nicest person at school, you are more likely to be nice to others. She is making you a nicer person.

Having good friends that push you to be your best is the way in which we improve. In this there is some degree of internal motivation as well--otherwise the best would never be the best. It is possible to be great without the influence of others, but we are inherently social beings. Having good friends makes striving for greatness so much easier. It is all about friendly competition.

Melynn-er-loo

This post is dedicated to my sister Melynn because it's her birthday!

If you need a job done, Melynn is the person to ask. When she sets her mind to something, she accomplishes it. I remember when I was in middle school I was almost embarrassed to go for a run. Not Melynn. If she wanted to do a workout video, she just did it. She didn't care what anybody else thought. If she thought she could join MUN (Model United Nations) with a bunch of kids who had more experience, she did. Not only is she unafraid to try new things, but she excels in everything she does.

Melynn is rare in the fact that she has ambition, is creative, works hard, and doesn't care how she is perceived as long as she knows what she is doing is right. She is admired for her confidence by all who come in contact with her. She inspires me to keep trying, to put myself out there, and to put forth the effort to succeed. Because that's what she does. While in Sweden she could not play softball and so had to find other extracurricular activities. One thing she tried was windsurfing! How cool is that? She just went for something completely new and did really well.

I admire my sister in a lot of ways. But with all that she has done and has the potential to do, the best thing about Melynn is her heart. She is loyal to her friends and family. She truly values her relationships. And though she loves meeting new people, she never leaves her old friends behind.

Melynn, you have no idea how much it meant to me when you told me how much you missed me since I left for college. You are a great little sister and I can't wait to see what you accomplish. Don't forget that your family loves you. Have a great birthday. I can't wait to see you next week!

Moral Crisis

Dante Alighieri

"The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis." --Dante Alighieri

I recently read Inferno by Dan Brown (great book) and the quote above was found all throughout it. Although I do not agree with it literally, I do think it carries a useful meaning. What happens when the masses stop caring? The innocent suffer at the hands of the powerful. This has been proven throughout history: slavery, the holocaust, the Mormon expulsion from Missouri. Most people living at these times probably thought they could just live their lives without a care for the ongoing crisis because it did not directly affect them--even if they knew it was wrong.

The result of people not taking a stance on an issue is apparent approval for the current action. Certainly we do not need to speak against every little thing we disagree with; that would be exhausting. But when there is an impending injustice--especially on a large scale--we need to take a side. This includes voting for government officials and taking part in the political process. Do you care about gun control? The right to bear arms is in the Constitution. If we tighten the grip on guns, will that give the government the power to tighten its hold on other rights? Such as assembly and speech? If we do tighten it, then will school shootings go down? What's your position? It's a big issue!

There seems a never ending line of people willing to complain. Taking a stand does not mean whining. It means forming an educated opinion, being respectful, and working for change. It is possible to present an opposing view without being irritating. The masses have the real power in the world, but if the people do not use it then others will. Use your power and take a stand. Engage in conversation. Vote. Stay up-to-date on current events. And please, take interest even if you are not directly involved.

The Whole Story

If there is anything I have learned from traveling, it is that I do not always have the whole story. Like before I went to Israel, I thought the Palestine/Israel issue was because of religion--Muslims vs Jews. But after talking to our tour guides and some shopkeepers, I found that that whole idea was completely flawed. There are Christians on both sides. There are Israeli Muslims who consider it a blessing to have citizenship. And there are Jews who know there were problems within the state. The issue comes from up top. The relationship between the people within the walls of the city is peaceful, and that's all they want, peace. It's the politicians who make it complicated.

Now I'm in London. One of the greatest landmark cities of the world. But my new insight did not come because I was here, strictly speaking. It actually was a result of a BBC documentary. The subject of the documentary was something I had never even heard of: The Mass Ethnic Cleansing of Germans Out of Eastern Europe. I knew that many Germans underwent persecution and were the subjects of prejudice during and after WWII. I have even visited a concentration camp in Berlin and learned how Russia used the concentration camps against former Nazis and other political dissidents.

But I never imagined the immense violence and hardship that those who spoke German went through (even if you weren't an ethnic German).

As crazy as it may seem, the ethnic cleansing in Eastern Europe rivals the Holocaust in horror. Every tactic used by Hitler's Nazis against the Jews was used against the Germans by revenge-driven residents of places like Poland, Prussia, and Czechoslovakia. One survivor told about how Stalin let the Soviet troops run lawless for 3 days as a spoil of war and how they corralled all the women to endure 24hr/day raping. Another told of barracks used to imprison German men down to the age of 6! Six years old and made to stand and sit with the group like a soldier, or else. Now you have to remember that many, if not most, Eastern Europeans did not condone this violence; but on the flip side, not all Germans agreed with Hitler either!

A German family forced from their home in Czechoslovakia.

A fourth of Germans living in Germany today are either survivors or descendants of survivors from this horrible time in history. Watching this documentary really helped me to see that there is always another side to the story. In school we focus on the help that the Americans gave to western Europe to rebuild and the Cold War that followed. At the time of the war, the iron curtain masked eastern Europe from the allies' view. But it doesn't anymore. We should be learning about these post-war horrors. To me, seeing these awful scenes of violence solidified my belief in forgiveness and unity. The retaliations were the acts of mad men, not men seeking for peace.

As we seek out learning we have to realize that we do not always have the big picture. We do not always have the right perspective. We do not always have all the information. But by learning from experiences like those mentioned, and allowing ourselves to admit we were ignorant, we can better connect with others and grow as a world-wide community.

How Social Media is Making Us MORE Close-Minded.

Social Media has brought our society many positives. We are more connected to each other. We get news faster. We watch more funny videos.

What's the downside? We are more close-minded.

You would think that with the increased opportunity for intelligent discussion that more people would tolerate ideas that oppose their own. But from my experience, this is not necessarily the case.

Here is one example: Everyone has that one friend who posts relentlessly about one topic. This could range from gay rights to homeschooling to presidential candidates. Whatever the topic is, no matter how noble the cause, the posts can get quite irritating. It's as if you are at a party and someone is yelling in the background constantly and when you finally ask them to be quite--they claim you are oppressing them and taking away their right to express themselves. Well, no, you're just annoying. I am not discriminating against you because of your topic; I just want you to stop yelling at me. But because these interactions occur over social media the "yellers" either don't realize they are being obnoxious, or they revel in the fact that they can hide behind their computer screens to spread "awareness".

Before social media, these kinds of conversations could only be done in person and impersonal awareness only spread through television. This meant that you had to be respectful to the other person simply due to social context. But being respectful not only helped the speaker sound more intelligent, it helped the listener to actually want to hear the message--even if they didn't agree with it. This led to a benefit for both parties. And if someone didn't want to listen to you, they could simply ask to change the subject or walk away politely. Thereby, both parties save face.

Social media "yellers", however, are not so easy to get away from. Because our world is so enveloped with what is going on online, these arguments seem to bombard us constantly. And to make matters worse, social media has ruined the need to be respectful and sound intelligent. Because we are all behind a computer screen, we do not feel the same need to be respectful. We cannot see the hurt we cause and so don't think about it. The result is that both sides of every argument online are filled with insensitive commenters who take no care for anyone else's feelings. Inevitably, democrats grow to believe republicans are morons and republicans grow to believe that democrats are morons. Instead of intelligent debate drawing us closer through thought-provoking questions, we are growing more divided by judging the other side based upon uninformed, insensitive, loud naysayers.

As this occurs, we become more offended by the smallest mention of a topic we don't agree with. It's the whole "not this again" mentality. In our minds, we have already argued this topic and seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Social media now prolongs every conversation for such a long time that we get tired of it and inevitably commit creative suicide--we stop listening.

The only way that we can come back together as a community is if we stop letting social media run our lives and affect our emotions. We need to raise awareness with sensitivity, take insensitive posts with a grain of salt, and stop getting offended all the time. Disagreement does not equal intentional offense or oppression!

Bottom line, don't let social media tear us apart. Because it is. And it's nasty.

Be Proud to Be

Proud. Think about that word. Proud. I don't mean in the gaudy or stuck-up sense. I mean in the accomplishment sense. The feeling of confidence and joy for who you are and what you've done, as well as the characteristics and accomplishments of those around you. I mean in the sense that "something good has been done here". And yet, sometimes that pride is restricted.

Why is it okay to be proud of your photography skills? But not your ability to save enough money to pay for your child's college education? Why is it okay to be proud of your athletic accomplishments? But not your academic ones? Why is it ok to be proud of your family's heritage? Unless you came from northern Europe? Why are some things socially accepted, and others not?

I agree, we should not go around bragging about how great we are. But that does not mean you are not great. Every once in awhile, let yourself "Be Proud to Be". Proud to Be an artist. Proud to Be a graduate student. Proud to Be a friend. Proud to Be YOU.

Everyone has their weaknesses and downfalls. But everyone has something to offer. I knew a kid in high school who had to retake classes, wasn't very athletic, and partied hard. And yet the two years I had English class with him, he made me laugh every day. He effortlessly became friends with someone who had completely different morals than him. How many people can say they have that ability? That's something to be proud of.

Another example: My mom did not graduate from college. And yet if there was a degree called "society engineer" she would win a nobel prize. I swear she can walk into any building and tell you how to improve the flow of people. She can organize an event for hundreds of people without forgetting a single detail. And while doing both these things she can make you feel like you matter more than anyone else. That is something to be proud of.

So here is my "Proud to Be": I am proud to be a Christian. I am proud to study in a technical field. I am proud to be a wife. I am proud of my love of travel. I am just simply proud of myself.

It's okay to share what you are proud of. Praise doesn't always have to come from the outside. Seek for improvement, but don't forget to look how far you've come. It's not about comparisons, it's about simply Being. Being something great. Doing something great. And praising those who cannot find something great about themselves.

The small things, like the big, make you who you are. So for just a moment, allow yourself to simply be proud. I guarantee you've earned it.

Dear UC Irvine

Dear UC Irvine Undergraduate Representatives,

I am so excited that you voted to take down the American flag in your lobby. That decision will truly foster the intolerance that this world needs. I cannot wait for your students to graduate and do great things without knowing how to do deal with symbols and cultures they don't necessarily agree with. I mean where would we be without CEOs who discriminate based on nationality or religion? The world is in desperate need of your future politicians who will be too close minded to see both sides of a legislative decision and cause a block. The future military personal who currently walk your halls will be so grateful they went to UC Irvine when they are flown overseas and don't know how to deal with a different culture and governing body. Taking down the American flag was for this reason correct? To prove that instead of being tolerant you should remove anything offensive? I hope you continue this pursuit by also not allowing any team uniforms to show a school logo. Why? Because all the visiting athletes are offended by them. Also, the logo may be a symbol of pride to some students, but what about those who only attend your school because they couldn't afford an Ivy League? How do you think they feel? This is the next step you must take.

Sincerely,
Someone Intolerant


Dear UC Irvine,

You know, we weren't sure if you wanted a cut in funding or not. But now we do. Thank you for making your desire to be a private school known loud and clear. Taking down the United States flag was a great way to get our attention and tell us that you no longer want state funding. After all, that funding is coming from the pockets of Americans. We know you don't really agree with what our nation stands for so we figured you wouldn't agree with taking money from such an oppressive government either.

Sincerely,
The California State Government

(These letters are completely fake and stand to prove to the student government officials at UCI how utterly ridiculous these motions are. UCI is in fact a great university and came out with this statement about the vote: http://news.uci.edu/briefs/campus-statement-on-flying-the-american-flag/ )

Above and Abroad

Above as in Planes (which I love because they can take me anywhere!) and Abroad as in Traveling!

This is more of a post for me than anyone else. But I wanted to share one of my passions. I Love going to new places and learning about different cultures. I am so lucky to have been born into a family that has gone on three foreign assignments. My opportunity to live in Europe has changed my life in so many ways. Adjusting was a bit hard at first, but then in a blink of an eye its over and you can't help but miss it terribly.

My time overseas led me to meet great people and visit breathtaking places. My dad jokes that he has 'ruined' me and my siblings into thinking it is normal to be an American living abroad and therefore able to travel to new places quite easily. To illustrate, think of traveling between states in the US--that's like traveling different countries in Europe. Like "going to Austria to go skiing" is no big deal, even though to us it sounds exotic. I had a friend who had lived in Europe his entire life and had never been to Paris or Barcelona. But on the other hand, I grew up in California and didn't go to Hollywood until my junior year of high school. Because it wasn't a big deal, its right there, I can go 'whenever'.

But seriously, my time in Ireland and Sweden has not ruined me, it has built me. It has helped me to connect with more people now that I am back in the states. I can feel the pain of a Spanish speaker at church who barely understands sacrament meeting, because I have been there. I can see adventure in the fact that I don't know where Wil and I will end up once we graduate because I don't have much of a preference! I have grown to see that no matter where you are, you can connect with family and friends--even if they don't live close by.

I hope that someday I can instill the same 'wanderlust' in my children. Not just because I absolutely love it, but because travel has made me a better person. It is good to leave your comfort zone time and again. Not everyone can move to the other side of the world. (I would be ecstatic if Wil and I ever get to.) But even just visiting a new place can help put things in perspective and expand the amount of people you can connect to. Go somewhere, anywhere, even somewhere that's not far. Just go.

I am so proud of my family for having the courage to move to Malaysia this year. So far they are doing great, even in such a vastly different culture. I miss them, but this is a good thing. Both of my sisters will graduate there. I will be done with college by the time they get back. But we have been blessed with the technology to be able to keep contact. Even if I can't see Melynn play on the softball team or see Darby rock it at a new dance studio, it is still good. I know they are growing in ways they couldn't elsewhere.

I really did not write this to brag. I honestly believe there are people afraid of travel and afraid of change. But change is how we grow and become stronger. Learning about other cultures and places expands our understanding of the world and proves that there is more than one way to do things.

This is my passion. I can't wait for my next opportunity to go Above and Abroad.

                      

Give Me A Solution!

Maybe I feel this way because I am an Engineer/Problem Solver at heart, but I am tired of seeing articles online that simply pose a problem. Give Me A Solution!

We all know there are a lot of problems with our world society. It doesn't take a genius to see that inequality exists, that life isn't fair, and that those with power often abuse it. What we need is not more blog posts and articles about the problem. We need more people willing to think in creative ways to find the answer. All it takes is one person to start the creative process. Once they begin to talk about their ideas, others can join in the conversation and take action.

I recently read an article about the need for more STEM majors with liberal arts training. The author claimed that to achieve innovation we need to have a background in a broader range of courses. Well, that's great. I actually probably agree with that to some extent. But what do you propose we do about it. I am currently enrolled in the second longest major on campus. You want to add more classes? Well you better find some "useless" ones that can be replaced then. It is not uncommon for an engineering degree to take 5 years as it is. Want to expand to 6? I can guarantee that the numbers of STEM majors will drop even lower in that scenario. Give Me A Solution!

I understand that sometimes the solution to problems are not simple, easy, or completely understood. But the article referenced earlier did not even lend an idea. And that's the funny thing with ideas--even a wrong answer can inspire another person who eventually reaches the right conclusion.

So here is my solution: Stop thinking that just because someone disagrees with you that they are disrespecting you or can no longer be your friend. Become apart of the conversation. Be open minded to others' opinions. Let yourself see different sides of the story. Share your ideas, it's okay to be wrong. Because honestly, creative conclusions are often drawn from more places than just the inside one person's own head.

Photo taken from:   chrissurratt.com

Leggings, Short-shorts and Bikinis

With all the recent discussions about leggings and BYU's honor code, I figured it was time to get back to the basics:

Your body is sacred. Respect it and do not defile it in any way. Through your dress and appearance, you can show that you know how precious your body is. You can show that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ and that you love Him.

Prophets of God have continually counseled His children to dress modestly. When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the Spirit and you can be a good influence on others. Your dress and grooming influence the way you and others act.

Never lower your standards of dress. Do not use a special occasion as an excuse to be immodest. When you dress immodestly, you send a message that is contrary to your identity as a son or daughter of God. You also send the message that you are using your body to get attention and approval.

Immodest clothing is any clothing that is tight, sheer, or revealing in any other manner. Young women should avoid short shorts and short skirts, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and clothing that does not cover the shoulders or is low-cut in the front or the back. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. Young men and young women should be neat and clean and avoid being extreme or inappropriately casual in clothing, hairstyle, and behavior. They should choose appropriately modest apparel when participating in sports. The fashions of the world will change, but the Lord’s standards will not change.

Do not disfigure yourself with tattoos or body piercings. Young women, if you desire to have your ears pierced, wear only one pair of earrings.

Show respect for the Lord and yourself by dressing appropriately for Church meetings and activities. This is especially important when attending sacrament services. Young men should dress with dignity when officiating in the ordinance of the sacrament.

If you are not sure what is appropriate to wear, study the words of the prophets, pray for guidance, and ask your parents or leaders for help. Your dress and appearance now will help you prepare for the time when you will go to the temple to make sacred covenants with God. Ask yourself, “Would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord’s presence?”

For more information visit LDS.org and mormon.org

(Taken from the Dress and Appearance section of the "For the Strength of Youth")

PS--This applies to more than just the youth.

Faith in a God

I recently read an article outlining an interview with an atheist celebrity. He was asked what he would say if he met God. His response shocked me a bit but made me more sad than anything. He told the interviewer that he would call God out on creating things that are evil like cancer in children and allowing hardship that affects the innocent. He went on to say that he would not spend his life in gratitude to someone who could have easily not created certain bugs that cause blindness and would never worship a being on those terms.

This not only made me sad but also made me think upon my faith in such a being. A God who yes, created pesky flies and poisonous spiders, but also created beautiful horses and flowing rivers. The Heavenly Father I have come to know and love is a merciful God who loves all his children. My response to this man's accusations is that everything must have an opposite. If there was no sickness we could not know health, if there was no pain we could not know comfort.

This life is a test. We were sent to Earth to come closer to and become more like God. If all of the exams we took in school were easy, we would not have to stretch our minds and engage in active learning. Life is the same way. We will all be tested in different ways. Some are external (like sickness), others are internal (like heartbreak and depression). The answers we give to these trials are what define us: in our thoughts, actions, and attitudes. God is the only and ultimate judge. He knows perfectly what we have gone through and where our hearts lie. As people in the world we may not be able to distinguish and judge perfectly, but He can. And that is the beauty of it all. Even with all of the evil in the world, we can come to understand that an all-knowing being is in control. Life has a purpose, and that purpose is to be happy. Through coming closer to our Heavenly Father we can find true joy that lasts even through the hardest of times and the worst of trials.

I believe in a Savior and in a loving Father in heaven. This belief brings me peace and joy. As I continue to be obedient and show gratitude to such a Father, that joy will continue to grow. All it takes is a little faith.

The Need for Respect

I had the amazing opportunity to visit Istanbul, Turkey during Christmas Break. While visiting one of the many breathtaking mosques, I noticed 3 ladies (also visitors) who did not cover their heads. I do not follow the Islamic
religion, but I was a bit offended. Mosques are not public places, visitors do not have to be allowed inside. In fact, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is closed to visitors because there were so many instances of disrespect of their holy place. Is it really so much to ask to put a scarf or hood on for the 20 minutes that you are inside? That 20 minutes makes a huge difference to the people that actually use the mosque to worship.

But of course, I am religious and can relate to people who hold things spiritually sacred. If you can't imagine why any plot of land would be worth more than another then just picture that you have a brand new, clean carpet and then a neighbor comes over and walks on it with shoes on. Its just carpet, what's the big deal? Why is it any more special than the old tile you have in the rest of your home?

Mosques, churches, temples and homes are not just buildings. They are places where respect is required by those who hold these places sacred and dear. So much of the evil going on in our world today comes from a lack of respect. Racism and reverse racism are two issues that we have heard a lot about lately. The bottom line is be nice to each other. Nothing gets done when whites blame blacks and blacks blame whites. The same goes for gay rights and gender identity. Just because I may not agree with a certain lifestyle doesn't mean I shouldn't be nice and respect those who choose that life.

I am not saying that we should have an "anything goes" attitude or restrict what we say because it might offend someone. Respect works both ways. Too many people get offended at the smallest things. There is an entire play making fun of the Mormon religion, but has the church attempted to sue the producers? No. They have instead encouraged people to look into what our real beliefs are. If I choose to pray before a sports game, those that don't believe in God should not be offended; just as I won't be offended if you do not pray. We live in a supposedly tolerant society, let's act like it. It is possible to share a differing opinion while still being sensitive to other beliefs.

Politics, Religion, Race, and Culture should not divide us as people, they should instead cause creativity and further our continual quest for truth. All it takes is a little respect.