If I was a Flight Attendant

If I was a flight attendant, I'd give everyone two bags of peanuts.
I'd tell everyone to loosen their belts a little (because if we crash it'll help you as much as a fly swatter against a lion). 
I'd laugh at the rulebook and say, "Don't worry, keep it on, that's why they have airplane mode." 
When you asked how I was, I'd say "phenomenal!"
I'd crack jokes over the intercom and make sure you were smiling.  I'd play movies that pleased both the kids and their parents. 
And I would definitely, most definitely give you the can. 

I met the greatest flight attendant today.  He was great!  And inspired my little poem.  He didn't say all of that, but I think he wanted to, and it's what I would want to. 

Climbing the butt

We climbed up "Menan's Butt" today, or as Stepheni insists "Menan Butte", pronounced "Beaute", as in "She's a BEAUTE", (R.I.P. Steve Irwin).  Whatever.  It was a nice hike though, great for the kids, or the non-existent ones that we have now.  The view was amazing even if the scenery was kind of monotone, the desert y'know. 

Stepheni was enthralled with these little lizards that we kept seeing there.  Couldn't get enough of them:  "Oh they're so cute!", "Oh look at how fast they are!", "Eek, there's another one, so adorable!", "Take a picture quick!", by about the 30th time I'd heard this, I'd had enough.  So I stomped one flat in a jealous rage when she wasn't looking.  Here's a picture of one of the little devils before he became part of the landscape...

There were some neat rock formations though, these things were pretty big, and were apparently formed like 50 years ago, because we know that the earth is like 6000 years old (@christian_fundamentalist_x).  The sign made by some science worshipping lunatic put it at 10000 years ago and they said that gas bubbles made all the holes.  I pretty much debunked that pointing out the obvious similarities between it and swiss cheese.  Definitely made by the Propionibacterium bacteria.  See?

There was also some neat foliage too.  My wife was looking pretty good in there~

Cave falls

Despite My Stabbing Her - She Still Loved Me.

We went to the ward campout last night, on purpose too, and even enjoyed it!  During these campouts you do crazy things like look st the stars, no our necks didn't get stuck like that;  we ate dutch oven chicken and potatoes, delicious and the dutch even forgave us for making ovens out of them; and slept out under the stars, most of them stayed put so we were safe.  Bro. McDonald prepared a short fireside talk about the eternities and about our understanding as members of the church about the heavens and the stars and how infinite our inheritances that await us are.  It was a wonderful time and it moved me to think about our heavenly father and how much he has promised everyone who follows His Son.  We took lots of pictures too, many of newlyweds or newlyparents, who ended up not camping out all night.  But they were good sports for coming to the show. 

So it was pretty cold out last night, until about 4am and we decided we'd had enough of it and went and got all the extra clothes and layers and blankets we had in the car and put them on too.  It was fun for Stepheni and I to keep each other warm though. 

This morning we got up to the most disturbing rooster crow I've ever heard.  Realistic enough to sound like there was a rooster outside, unrealistic enough to make me fear for whatever rooster that was making that noise within hearing distance.  It turned out ti be our high councilman Bro. McDonald waking us up.  They had breakfast burritos, again delicious and we were off to go get s fishing license and some fishing gear in the next town over.  We went fishing most of the day, without much luck.  I did catch three sticks though and managed to stab Stepheni,  but she still loves me!  It was a good day. 

FHE - Memory

Stepheni and I for this week are going to write about a memory that we have, important to us, something good to remember and share with others.  So here goes:

I think one of the happiest moments in my life was leaving on a mission.  Well, actually reporting to the MTC.  The months leading up to reporting as a missionary are pretty harrowing and nervewracking.  They tell you that it is the perfect time for tempatation to set in, they are probably right.  But flying out and reporting was amazing.  Holly, Lindsey, Mom and Dad were all there with me to support me and see me off.  I was bawling, and so was everyone else pretty much.  The video they show to everyone right before you leave and go out opposite sides of the big room you are in is pretty emotionally packed too.  If you leave there not crying you pretty much have no soul =P  But it was good.  I was all smiles though walking through the doors.  Thus started my journey on the mission.  It was wonderful, and I want to do it all over again!  I love the mission!

New favorite xkcd

Marie Curie

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The Wii and Me

Actually it's more like "The Wii and Us", but that doesn't really rhyme. Stepheni and I have been trying to get healthier and so we have been on a rigorous regimen of Wii Fit. For those not in the know, Wii Fit is a game that you play on the Nintendo Wii console with a plastic board you stand on, aptly named the "Wii Balance Board".  It will lead you through yoga, some basic strength training exercises (push-ups, sit ups, etc), all with incredibly repetitive and directions from your own personal wii fit trainer.

As it is we have been enjoying ourselves:  it provides good together time, some relatively easy exercises, and good monitoring of our goals so that we can see how we are progressing (or not).

Mario Kart Wii is also a family favorite.  Zak (Stepheni's brother), Stepheni, and I all play together.  We have gotten pretty good at it over the last few months.  I just found out that each of my siblings have Wii's with this game, and there is an option to play over the internet together, so that will be next!

Facebook Users Speak: "God exists!"

The interesting results of a simple pull:
My wife introduced me to a poll that is floating around on Facebook.  It's gotten the attention of a few hundred thousand short of three million believers, and 240k some-odd agnostics, and about the same amount of atheists.  A strikingly obvious division in opinion between the masses, while (as my wife also correctly noted), the media and the world would like us to think it is otherwise:  that somehow, we (the believers in God), are somehow a minority.  While it may not be popular among some circles to believe in Christ, or God, or whatever variation thereon, we are certainly the majority, especially here in America.

How can we reverse this?  
Trolling people does not help.  Spamming "God is good" or "Jesus loves you" is not a well thought out response, or in anyway motivational to people not of our faith.  Attacking people for their asinine arguments against the existence of God or the evidence of His existence is equally asinine.  So what can we do?  We know that God exists, and that His Son paid the price for our sins.  This belief is directly linked to the belief of good and bad, righteousness and evil.  Something I believe others are trying so desperately to refute.  The proud hate being called out on their errors or sins and to repentance.

How can we help others to believe?  
The first thing missionaries learn in the field, before lessons or languages is that the Holy Spirit is at the center of it all.  No lasting conversion can or will happen without the intervention of the Holy Ghost.  Inviting this into our lives and into our speech and conversations with those who do not believe is of utmost importance.  Therein lies the key:  We do not need to fight, attack, belittle, or condescend but to invite the Spirit into the lives of those we love as our brothers and sisters who simply have forgotten where they came from and who they truly are:  children of our Heavenly Father, who loves them so very much.  Zion was organized by those who became one in heart and mind, united in their love for the Savior and each other.  "Zion: the pure in heart."  I feel as though, that those who fight against God in this way are simply fighting against the establishment of Zion here on earth again.  

Finally,
We must always to be ready always to testify and share how we ourselves know.  Being prepared also means knowing what we ourselves believe.  The scriptures are there, and are filled with the words, testimonies of the prophets, Apostles and disciples of Christ. There is no argument, no idea, no philosophy, nor falsehood that hasn't been thought up before. While science may have given us iPod's, cars, spaceflight, the internet, the LHC, and myriad other modern conveniences: we must remember that all such things are based on inspiration from our Heavenly Father.  Blessings from the intervention and inspiration from a loving Heavenly Father, not just inventions of the "measure of all things".  New ideas and inventions are constantly being developed at an ever increasing rate, the Lord will only ever run out of things to give to us when we receive all He has to give.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been taught in all ages, and is the same and as ancient as all creation.  It is to that which we must adhere through it all.

Saying thanks

So I'm not very good at saying thanks.  I mean when someone opens the door for me, sure, "thank you", and a quick nod.  When Ashley Iwertz tutors me in probability, "thanks for the help." But when it comes to really showing thanks I'd have to say it amounts to a sincere head-bob and a smile for me. 

Its just on my mind because Stepheni is finishing up a four hour thank you card Marathon, with three carefully designed thank you cards for her teachers and principal from the school she student taught at.  They really do look good, and I know she expresses her gratitude sincerely when she does that type of thing.  I'm on the receiving end quite often myself.

That being said, being grateful is very important.  Not just for the favors someone does for us, and not just for the blessings we receive either, but all things that will be for our good.  Which, if we believe in Christ, will be everything that happens to us.  This is hard and immensely difficult sometimes.  Who loves or is grateful for a cold, or constipation?  Or a little sister that wont leave us alone so I can get back to my game.  Or even tragedies of any kind.  I don't have it figured out yet, but I hear that as we seek to be more like Christ and follow him, one day we will see that all things were part of the lord's plan for our eternal destiny and happiness by his side.