Sometimes though, you have to watch amazing accomplishments from the sideline. That’s true for a number of activities I have wanted to participate in during my life. I have noted below just a few of them:

Slacklining

Of course, at my age, my balance, strength and stamina are probably not my strong points. That’s okay. I am really glad someone made this video, however. I feel it is as close to slacklining as I will ever get. On a slackline at least a couple hundred feet above the ground is somewhere I never expect to be, but I love the idea. The thrill of slacklining is surely real.

Insane Base Jumping

I asked one of my friends to share with me his favorite video. I am not sure what I was expecting from him, really, but when I saw the video he sent me (linked above), I knew he was young at heart if not young in years. He regularly rides his Harley on long distance trips as well. He has been to Alaska, all around the United States, and has a trip planned for Yosemite in a couple weeks. I’m cool with enjoying base jumping at a distance!

Snowboarding

My son likes to snowboard—all my children do, really. We together skied when he was a boy, and it was more me trying to keep up with him than the other way around. He would tell you otherwise, but I am still trying to keep up with him. I have always wanted to be a really great skier. But try as I might, I have never really become an expert. I am good enough, however, to ski on occasion with my family. That is fine.

Extreme Rock Climbing

https://youtu.be/eI0nt3UEjlE

It gets worse… Or should I say better? It totally depends on your perspective. I am not advocating these sports or activities. I am just saying that at my age, they are probably not on my bucket list anymore. But if I had the opportunity to try these out as a younger man, I would have done so, I think.

One time when I joined a few boys on a scout camp down near Dead Horse Point, I was invited to go skydiving by a pair of excitement-seekers. I declined. I thought, “I have a wife and six children, so this is probably not a responsible thing to do at my age with no advance training.” Maybe you agree. It is possible that you disagree. Either way, we all have to set limits on the things we will and won’t do throughout our lives.

When I was a young man, sometimes life’s opportunities presented situations where I had to face my fears. That is true for all of us; we have to overcome or at least deal with our fears. I can tell you now that many of the videos above sketch me out, and I am legitimately terrified to try them. Some people have the courage and dexterity to complete these amazing tasks; others do not.

But even if we get the opportunity, we still have to decide what we will do given the situation. Based on the above videos, you may think these situations come around only in rare circumstances and involve death-defying activities. Perhaps, but they also come about in everyday situations as well.

It is not easy to face the obstacles in our day. Many change their appearance and pose extreme makeovers as the measure of a man or a woman and their level of courage, wealth, or agility. Others stealthily persuade us to believe we are not good enough. The effects show up as low self-esteem, anxiety, or gloomy self-worth. These incorrect and deceptive beliefs limit what we think we know and what we are destined to do.

Then I saw this powerful video:

It takes place in an old building with massive windows. The sun shines through the panes of glass and casts shadows across the hardwood floor. The shimmering rays pierce through the windows and captures the beauty of the space.

You might think it strange when I tell you one of my favorite parts you may not even remember. It’s only about two seconds long. The camera pans to the floor of the room, which is scratched and uneven, not perfectly smooth and certainly not flawless. I love it. The beauty of the building was in its imperfections, uniqueness, and character.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

Could that be true for us as well? I guarantee that it is.

I told you that there are some other benefits that come from age, and that I would tell you about them in a minute. I am telling you now that you are beautiful and unique just the way you are. Sure, you will have time and opportunity to change and develop and become better, but that doesn’t make your beauty less now. We come with flaws, scratches, and uneven features; we’re not perfectly smooth and flawless, not yet. But we will be if we endure to the end and let the Maker do what He does best—make us flawless.

“Our self-perceptions are generally kind of harsh and unbecoming when really that’s not how the world sees us” says one participant in the video. “We spend a lot of time as women analyzing and trying to fix the things that aren’t quite right, and we should spend more time appreciating the things that we do like.”

This is true for both men and women. We can all be pretty tough judges, but we can also change our perspectives and show appreciation for the strengths God gave us. Others can help us see that. 

And we too can help others see their good features and help magnify them.

I see this more clearly every day, especially when I admire my grandchildren.

The gap between how we see ourselves and what our Father understands about us is limitless. If others can see the good in us, we should certainly take another look at ourselves.

All of us have some work to do on the perceptions of ourselves.

We are the handiwork of God.

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

I thought I would love not having to get ready for church meetings. I admit that holding sacrament meeting at home has been interesting. I enjoy holding the priesthood so I can bless and administer the sacrament for my family. Our musical qualities have a lot to be desired. My wife and I don’t play the piano, but we could always listen to the hymns with our phones. Our children play the piano, but they are in their own homes now. We have had the privilege of attending church meetings with them and their families in their homes. It has been a great experience. On occasion we still have children with us. The grandkids come to visit on occasion as well. These are special Sundays for all of us on.

Talk about special Sundays — we all have them. I have been in the Church my entire life. I can’t say that I am surprised with the recent changes in the Church and around the world. These modifications are needed and have reason, and I believe that they are ushering in the Second Coming. I hope so.

The pure love of Jesus Christ sustains and lifts us from the challenges of our day.

I remember going to church before the 3-hour block. And now we will all tell the story of attending church with face masks — but this is not the end, not yet.

We have peace despite the chaos in the world.

If you think this article is about sports or war, I can’t blame you. But the real message is that we can have peace in Christ and are all in this together. Our success is assured, if we simply endure to the end.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

We are at war figuratively, especially in light of the coronavirus outbreak that seems to influence everything we do or don’t do right now. But we can’t forget the victory has already been determined, and none of this can frustrate God’s work.

I almost send this article to our editor numerous times, but the Lord was not finished with it yet. And He is not finished with any of us yet, either.

Incredibly, this apparent hardship too will promote His work and glory as well. His timeline is not ours.

Just watch. “Prove me now herewith” is the way that He put it.

Better yet, become deeply involved in the work — it will improve your life today just as it has for so many others.

Just watch.

Additional Readings: 

Triage of the Soul

Really Great Cathedrals

Calling an Audible: Finding Peace in Christ

I Was a Stranger

In Good Hands

The Greatest Comeback Ever

Don’t Miss This

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

Discussing the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ and acknowledging appreciatively His life and mission among mankind seems natural this time of year, of course. But the carols we sing to the King last much longer than the month of December alone. 

Some may ask how we can sing praises to Him the whole year through. Let’s take a bit of advice from the Book of Mormon, which we are completing in our Gospel Doctrine classes this year. In the first chapter of the book of Moroni, the prophet states that he has unexpectedly decided to write a few more words hoping they will be of worth to his brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day. Moroni writes for the benefit of the Lamanites—the enemy. How can he do this? The Nephites who will not deny Christ are put to death around 400 A.D.

Now I, Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the account of the people of Jared, I had supposed not to have written more, but I have not as yet perished; and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me.

 

For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ.

 

And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life.

 

Wherefore, I write a few more things, contrary to that which I had supposed; for I had supposed not to have written anymore; but I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day, according to the will of the Lord.

(Moroni 1:1-4)

Moroni prepares the Book of Mormon to be hidden.

Moroni was running for his life. Lamanites pursued him with the intent to kill. Maybe that’s why the book is relatively short and the first chapters are only a few brief paragraphs. (This is totally conjecture on my part, but he is on the run, so it makes sense why the first few chapters in the book of Moroni are relatively short in comparison to other chapters in the Book of Mormon.) Moroni addresses some very important subjects, however, like the Holy Ghost, the priesthood, the Spirit of Christ, faith, infant baptism, and the words of his father. Lastly, he outlines the steps for all men to get a testimony of the Book of Mormon. But he is on the go and has to move fast.

Cali Black writes the following in her Come, Follow Me study material:

Mormon had just finished telling his son Moroni about the terrible things that were going on with the Lamanites and Nephites, and what tragic futures were to come.

 

But then he reminds his son:

 

Don’t let these things weigh you down.

 

Don’t let the evils of others bring your spirit and your faith down.

 

Don’t let the wickedness of the world dim your light.

 

Don’t let other people’s poor decisions linger in your mind.

 

And instead?

 

Let Christ lift you up.

 

Let your knowledge of His atoning sacrifice bring you hope.

 

Let His mercy linger in your mind.

 

Let His goodness be a powerful example to you.

In addition to her thoughts, I respond that the principle of allowing Christ to raise our sights, heal our relationships, and pick up the pieces from our lives gone awry is the answer to our pathetic attempts to lift ourselves from this shortfall and allow Him to change our otherwise eternal position of inadequacy. Without Jesus Christ, we can never be enough. With Him, we cannot fail.

Every year, people sing songs like “The First Noel” around Christmastime, and you might wonder what the word “noel” even means. In French, joyeux noel is said to mean “Merry Christmas.” Without going into the etymology of the word, most use the term to recognize and herald the birth of Jesus Christ as God’s good news to the world that a Savior has been born.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

According to the website Got Questions:

“Our English carol ‘The First Noel’ was first published in a book titled Carols Ancient and Modern, edited by William Sandys in 1823. The message of the song is the joyous pronouncement that the King of Israel has been born. When we sing the song or wish someone a joyous noel, we are following the example of the angels, announcing the good news that Jesus Christ was born, not just for Israel, but for all mankind, so we could receive forgiveness of sins through Him.”

That means when we sing “The First Noel,” we are really declaring the good news of Jesus Christ—that He has been born of Mary and has come to earth to save all men from sin and death.

Hallelujah.

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

The engagements also resulted in picnics, camping, oohing & ahhing at the stars in the Milky Way, cooking on the campfire, and appreciating the outdoors. Cooking over the fire meant hot dogs, dutch ovens, freshly-caught fish, and, of course, my favorite: s’mores. Now if you are not familiar with the term s’mores, let’s go to Google for a pretty simple description for you:

A s’more is a popular campfire treat consisting of one or more toasted marshmallows with a layer of chocolate placed between two pieces of graham cracker or cookie.

Now this description is elementary at best. S’mores are legendary in some people’s minds. And that is not really surprising when you consider adding candied bacon, berries, caramel, pretzels, and various candy bars to the presentation.

So my take is that these favorite little camping customs were named because the simple delicacies are really, really scrumptious, and we all love them so much that we are constantly asking for more. So the moniker “s’more” e.g. Some more was adopted. Sorry for stating the obvious, but I imagine that’s how that name was derived. In my home, we can never get enough of them.

Now we have all heard of yoga, being one with nature, communing with a higher power, nurturing a good perspective, and following leaders and great philosophers. These manmade strategies are significant attempts and upright gestures as I understand them. They have good objectives with the ultimate goal of bringing peace and happiness to the participants, but they are not a substitute for religion and are probably not really intended to be. They have the ability to bring pleasure and satisfaction in life to an extent. Yet alone they are inadequate, incomplete, and ineffective. And I am all for good attitudes, a positive perspective, and helpful strategies, but they alone will never be enough. There is so much more. As S. Michael Wilcox eloquently references in the book The Sacrament, other strategies alone are not enough:

We need His teachings and His example of living just as we need bread and water. Without the Bread of Life and Living Water, we spiritually perish. Jesus promised that those who partook of the sacrament would be filled…

 

The missing elements of life are filled (in) by adding to and completing the entirety of our needs and addressing the holes that are otherwise left unfilled.

When I was a young man, I helped build a log cabin. This little structure made with logs was not watertight until the chinking was filled in to span the gaps between the unevenly cut and various sized logs. Luckily my father guided me to properly seal the open gaps between timbers, but even then I realized that the logs alone are insufficient to construct a comfortable home. Mother added a touch of class and style to the log home with interior decorating, quilts, rugs, curtains, and other furnishings.

These additions contributed to our comfort and happiness I assure you. My mother was able to take.

To further illustrate, I have another example. Let’s say you want to go to Hawaii. Now there are a lot of ways to get there, but practically speaking, the most common way today is to fly. Let’s say for this example that you are responsible for navigating us there. You may or may not have ever been to the Hawaiian Islands but know they are west of California and somewhat south of the continental United States. What are the chances that we would make it there? Now you are well-meaning, intelligent, and capable–I give you that. Do you think you could do it? The Pacific Ocean is 58,000,000 square miles and the islands a mere few miles. I have a map and a compass and know a few Hawaiian words like luau, humuhumunukunukuapuapa’a, pineapple, and the like. I have visited a few times—even  recently—so I may be able to help. But what are your chances of getting us there safely in one piece? Could you do it or not at all? Most people like me don’t have the first clue how to fly a plane. We could take a shot in the dark, but our chances of hitting the islands is one in a million, even if we were able to get the plane off the ground. So what does this have to do with anything?

Our lives are full of challenges and significant experiences—particularly now. Often, we don’t realize the importance of these opportunities until long after they occur. Perhaps we still have not realized their impact of many of our experiences commonly had in our lives and in the Church.

A missionary related an experience about a woman who wanted to be baptized, but she couldn’t give up coffee. Twenty missionaries over the years came to her home and invited her to come to Christ, but her addiction to coffee prevented her from receiving baptism and qualifying now for the ultimate gift from God—Exaltation and all the Father has, including worlds without end.

Talk about significant moments in our lives!

Some experiences are fleeting. Others are lifelong pursuits. I know in my life, one of these situations occurred nearly every weekend of my entire life—attending church and specifically renewing my covenants with Jesus Christ by worthily partaking of the sacrament. I’m not sure I really understood the significance of this gesture. This is a weekly renewal of the most significant gift we can ever receive. 

I believe it is noteworthy that the young men of the Aaronic priesthood prepare and administer the sacrament in our behalf. When I was a child, often I waited for the announcements and church business to occur and the sacrament to be administered, so we could get on with the talks and other activities of sacrament meeting. I assume because of its frequency, I too was largely oblivious to the important role of the sacrament plays in our lives.

But now I have come to realize that the sacrament is the most significant part of the meeting, the most important activity of the week, and perhaps one of the most noteworthy moments of our lives. Do you believe that?

Praying, going to church, repenting, and worthily partaking of the sacrament might seem like relatively small gestures in the whole scope of our lives, but small things can be of enormous influence and dictate the overall outcome.

By small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

 

Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. (Alma 37:6-7)

We commit to love and serve Jesus Christ. We want more of Him and His influence in our lives, our homes, and our families.

The Lord’s supper may seem like a small and simple thing to some, but I have come to understand, and I now know that the simplicity of the Sacrament does not make it a less significant part of our trek home to our heavenly family. It is not only essential. The sacrament is also empowering and redeeming.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

Wilcox continues “Every time we take the sacrament, we are proclaiming and announcing to the world with an outward act that we believe in Jesus Christ. We affirm His Resurrection. We attest to his atoning sacrifice. We say to all who care to witness that we have faith in Christ, desire to take his name, want to remember Him, and are striving to keep His commandments. We proclaim to all that we need His spirit to be with us and that we are asking for it.”

President Joseph Fielding Smith emphasized the significance of the sacrament when he said in his judgment the sacrament meeting is the most sacred, the most holy, of all the meetings of the Church.

I too rejoice in the privilege of following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ as noted in the words of a favorite Church hymn, “Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives I know that my Redeemer lives.” 

Yes with this knowledge realization and understanding, we definitely cannot have enough. We all want some more (or s’more). It seems that we can never get enough.

Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives. I know that my Redeemer lives.

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

The story is told that when President George Albert Smith was ill, he had a dream where his deceased grandfather George A. Smith appeared to him and asked “I would like to know what you have done with my name.” Everything he had ever done passed before him as though it was a picture on a screen. President Smith responded to his namesake, “I have never done anything with your name of which you need be ashamed.” This was a meaningful experience as he relates it.

Incredibly, I will get a similar opportunity because I too bear the name of my great-grandfather. He has always been a beacon to me because even as a young boy I realized that I he was my namesake. I think that is pretty special and has provided an instant connection for me with my great grandpa. Though I never met him, there is a picture of great grandpa with my dad sitting on a Model T. My dad is the boy sitting on the hood of the car. This picture kind of helps me realize how closely we are connected—not divided by multiple generations and separate continents like we sometimes think of when we discuss our ancestors. 

Believe it or not, this is not the first time I have been in a similar situation, and it is likely not the first time for you either. When I was a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I wore the name of Jesus Christ on my lapel in the form of a name tag every day for two years. I stood as a representative of Jesus Christ in homes, on the street, while riding the bus or train, and with each and every contact that I made. Millions around us experience similar scenarios every day. How could that be? 

This condition plays out for many of us every day though we may not have expected such a situation or realized its impact until now. Millions of members of the Church all across the world have taken upon them the name of Jesus Christ through baptism, and they renew that covenant every week by partaking of the sacrament. That important and frequently-renewed covenant in part states that we are “willing to take upon them the name of thy Son.” The full sacrament prayers can be found in Doctrine and Covenants 20, verses 77 and 79.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

What does it really mean to take upon us the name of the Son of God? To make Him our namesake?

I think it means much the same as it did for President George Albert Smith when he responded “I have never done anything with your name of which you need be ashamed.”

I would like to be able to say that to Him as well. That is my hope.

And if I fail to live up to my covenants as I would like, the Savior has provided the gift of repentance so that we all can be forgiven and approach our Father in Heaven and be reunited with Him.

Thus we sing praises to Him the whole year through.

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

We had big, extended family Christmas parties on my dad’s side of the family when I was a boy. He had three sisters and their families were large just like ours. That’s where I came to know and love my cousins. For the most part, I have great memories of the Christmas dinners and Santa Claus visits. We would get all dressed up for these activities. There were literally dozens of us at these family get-togethers. Though most of my cousins were considerably older than I was, they were accepting and friendly and made me feel important and loved. I was a pretty small kid back then, but I always felt included and valued.

These get-togethers have continued off and on throughout the years, and they still happen even today with an annual Stucki Cousins Family Reunion. While most of my earlier memories of these parties occur at Margaret and Lynn’s (my aunt and uncle on Dad’s side), I remember that one year we held the event at the distribution center in south Salt Lake. That year, Kim, Jeff, and I dressed up like Alvin and the Chipmunks and performed. Santa Claus would make his appearance and distribute gifts to each of us children. I was young enough at the time it was all magical and mysterious. Somehow, I think I knew my Grandma Stucki was behind all of it. One year we did it at our house, and I was the ten-year-old jolly old man. 

Mom and Dad used to dress me up like Santa when I was a child to deliver the family Christmas gifts to our friends as well. I’m not sure I really liked doing that, but my family was persuasive and our friends complimentary, so I couldn’t refuse.

Life had been hard for several years and the abundance we were accustomed to diminished some. But though some might feel that we were in dire straits, we never wanted for the essentials. I think Mother and Father handled the pressures so it didn’t trickle down to the younger children. Certainly, the older children knew the challenges we were facing, and I’m certain I was not oblivious to the need, but perhaps I did not comprehend the magnitude of our predicament. Castle Valley for us was a fresh start, and it happened to fulfill a lifelong dream for my mother and what she and Dad wanted for our family. So rather than a rash decision, the move was an answer to countless prayers and one of the great blessings in my life.

We had worked through the summer (and for a good part of that time lived in a tent!), but after a while we built and moved into the bunkhouse. That was a lot better. It was down below where it was much cooler during the hot summer. We built a truck-top kitchen and started a bathroom facility, so we were moving up in the world. I never thought of it as destitution. It was an amazing adventure and our choice. But when I think about it now, it’s nothing short of amazing that Mom and Dad and all the kids went for it. When school started, we found ourselves still living in the bunkhouse. The fall brought cooler nights and eventually freezing temperatures. The cabin home was coming along, but it wasn’t going to be finished by Christmas. Yet as it was completed, the roof was installed and we moved into the partially-finished home. We had our own shower for the first time in six months! It was wonderful.

We had always had so much for Christmas in years past, but this year was going to be different. Mom and Dad were giving everything to secure the farm, build a home, and pay for improvements. It left precious little for gifts. We knew that and had accepted the fact that there would be no Christmas presents this year. We already had so much anyway—perhaps not in worldly measures, but in love, family, good land, food, and the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Mom and Dad sincerely appreciated the bounty the Lord had given us and taught us to recognize and thank the Lord for all our blessings.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

One evening early in December we were sitting in the single heated section of the house when there was a loud knock at the door. Before we could get up to answer it, a vehicle sped down the snow-packed driveway and off into the night. When we did open the door, a large cardboard box sat on the porch. We pulled it inside and opened it. To our surprise, there were presents and food—things like canned hams and much, much more. That year for Christmas we were the recipients of a sub-for-Santa project and because of others, we ate delicious foods, opened gifts, and thanked an unknown giver for presents we could not have purchased ourselves.

I remember that occasion with a good deal of emotion and still don’t know the benefactor. But that is not so unlike all of us that are recipients of gifts we don’t deserve and don’t really warrant on our own.

Everything we have been through, the memories bring back to you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbhOALnlhfY

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

J.K. Rowling, who lived in poverty as a single mother, wrote the initial chapters of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on napkins — which describes the creation and mega success of the blockbuster series. And that series has now become the international best seller of all time.

According to Wikipedia:

“Having sold more than 500 million copies worldwide, Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling is the best-selling book series in history. The first novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, has sold in excess of 120 million copies, making it one of the best-selling books of all time. 

The series has been translated into 80 languages, placing Harry Potter among history’s most translated literary works. The last four books in the series consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books of all time, where the final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, sold roughly fifteen million copies worldwide within twenty-four hours of its release. With twelve million books printed in the first U.S. run, it also holds the record for the highest initial print run for any book in history.”

Many can’t wait to discover what’s next. That is a natural response to the anticipation of an interesting story and forthcoming information. Does that make sense?

Rowling’s vision has become a household name for many. She has the ability to take a difficult situation and make it fascinating, beautiful, and interesting. That is quite a quality, particularly in light of our current pandemic. Have you ever known anyone who could do that—envision the best in the status quo and improve our surroundings? I still do.

Ryan Stewart

My friend Ryan takes beautiful pictures and frequently shares his digital masterpieces on Facebook to the surprise and delight of many—including his raving fans. But this remarkable skill of capturing beauty in simple things that others miss is not really surprising to me. I have seen and benefitted from this quality in Ryan from our earliest days as friends. What makes this skill so important to me is how it influenced my life both then and now. This quality attests to his artistic character. Art has been said to be the mastery of simplicity and naturally flows from gifted artists, but in Ryan, the source is also kindness. Vision and skill are important qualities, no doubt, but they are eclipsed by the quality of character that comes from the heart. And luckily for me, Ryan has that important quality in spades, and it is kindness. 

I know that I couldn’t adequately share the value and meaning of his kindness at that point in my life. I was young and anxious. But I certainly remember and appreciate it—especially now when it is even still working it’s magic in my life. And I am not alone. He does this for many others every day. 

Gary Merritt

Our high school was small when compared to the massive structures and enormous student bodies today with thousands of pupils attending the high schools in our neighborhoods. We were just a 2A school at the time, as I remember. This gave us many stimulating opportunities living in a small town, and that makes the interesting people we met in our community a lucky circumstance.

My 9th grade English teacher, for instance, was an original. He could be described as the teacher who changed my life, though he is probably still unaware of that fact.

​His way of teaching connected with my needs, and his strategy literally helped shape my future. In our class, we studied the regular principles of grammar that had somehow escaped me previously. He had unique ways of making the class time interesting and engaging. I started to actually enjoy it. When I had questions, he simply told me the answer, instead of demanding I struggle over the various possibilities. The seemingly impossible puzzle started coming together for me. Slowly, metaphors, adverbs, and dangling participles—and all the parts of speech—became understandable and clear to me, and even fun.  

That year was a launching pad for the rest of high school. Instead of squeaking by with barely passing grades, I started pulling A’s in all my English classes. And it didn’t stop there. His influence launched me into college, my chosen degree, and my career. I have always wanted to thank Mr. Merritt, but it took me years to realize the influence he had on my entire life. Since then, my efforts to locate him have all been in vain. He doesn’t know, and he will probably never fully realize what an impact his teaching had on me—but I know and will forever be grateful. 

I hope someday to get the opportunity to thank him in person.

Richard Stucki

Next I would like to share with you a simple story about a young man in high school. He was always a great storyteller and particularly thrived on sharing true incidents that included life lessons. I remember this instance well, but my retelling it would be simplified at best. So many years have passed. But I have the good fortune of being able to share this incident from his journal, because he recorded it for posterity:

About this time, the officers of the R.O.T.C. decided to have a yearend party. I was to organize it. We set the date and time and made assignments. The officers were responsible for all the food and were to bring a date. It was planned for a particular evening at Fairmont Park in Sugar House. When the day came for the party, we got there early to set up tables, put the paper plates out, the drinks on ice, etc. We had different kinds of soda pop, and there was never any thought of serving beer or anything else of like nature. Just as the cadets and their dates started arriving, to my great amazement, the assistant principle and the dean of women came walking briskly down the lane. They walked immediately to the tables and looked to see what our drinks were. As soon as they saw it was all soda pop and not any beer, they turned around and walked over to a couple of us. The assistant principal said, “Richard, I should have known that with you in charge, we didn’t have anything to worry about. Have a good time, and good night,” and away they went. It pleased me that she would think of me in that way. 

I always loved that story when my dad shared it with us. I was proud he lived his principles that way. I still am, though it was years later that I came to fully appreciate his influence in my life. 

Perhaps you have dreamed about doing what you really, really enjoy every day. So have I. Do you know someone that wakes up excited every day to go to work? Some think this is unrealistic—a myth, really. Consequently, people get up each day and go to a dead-end job for a dead-end company and repeat this cycle this day-in and day-out with no end in sight.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

A change in attitude can make all the difference. Rather than letting our circumstances dictate our joy, let our happiness command our circumstances.

Influential people transform our lives. I could write about so many. I actually have. These individuals constantly influence my life for good. Capturing their stories has become my hobby, I guess you could say. It never gets old. On the contrary, new realizations motivate and inspire me every day.

So what makes writing a family history one that others will really want to read? It is the people in your life and the attitude you have about their influence on you. Good relationships are everything.

I can’t wait to discover what’s next.

“There isn’t time, so brief is life, for bickerings, apologies, heartburnings, callings to account. There is only time for loving, and but an instant, so to speak, for that.”  —Mark Twain 

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

That may be true, but I also think you can love others for yourself. 

Loving others, even those who may be different from us, is one of the most important ways we can follow the Savior Jesus Christ.

I like to walk in the mornings. If you have followed this column over the years, you already know that. I am not as consistent or hardcore as my wife, but I at least hoof it on occasion. Today when I went to go start my trek, it was pretty dark outside. It may sound crazy, but I thought, “I will wear my sunglasses because the sun will be coming up on my way home.” My pockets were already full, so I perched my shades on my nose even though they weren’t really needed yet. The sunglasses would surely come in handy, as the morning rays appear early on a clear day, especially when walking toward the mountains on the east side.

Once I got outside, it wasn’t quite as pitch black as I first thought. The sun’s rays were creeping over the mountain, and the sunrise imminent. But what I first noticed when I put my sunglasses on is that they made visibility more difficult. It wasn’t too bad because there were street lights shining and stars still about. And since my pockets were already full, I just wore my dark glasses, thinking “It will get light soon enough.” Though I did notice a difference in visage, I was focusing on the oration in my earbuds, so it didn’t really matter. That particular day, I was listening to 3 Nephi 11.

This part of the Book of Mormon tells us about Christ’s coming to the American continent following His resurrection. After Jesus’ death, the people in the Americas were naturally confused because of the great and marvelous changes that had just taken place. This is when Christ appears and proclaims His Atonement. The people heard a voice as if it came out of heaven, but understood it not. Three times the voice pronounced His coming, but people failed to recognize or understand the words. How can that be? I have asked myself that many times, but continued on to the next verses without coming to any conclusion. It didn’t really make sense. Though I have read that phrase numerous times, today I understood the words completely differently.

We are told that we should lose our life for His sake. Does that ever sound confusing to you?

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

 

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

 

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

 

(Matthew 16:24-26)

We are to daily take up His cross—what does that even mean? When we are dealing with challenges, attempting to overcome hardships, and faced with unexpected situations, how can we really do this?

With our current limited vision, it is difficult to see how taking up His cross daily will help.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

 

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

 

(1 Corinthians 13:11-12)

The word darkly is defined as obscurely or enigmatically in this context. We all know what obscurely means as when something is blocking or preventing our vision or understanding, but the word enigmatically sheds further light on our current situation. Synonyms include inexplicably, mysteriously, perplexingly, or unfathomably. Do you ever feel like that?

We are told in the scriptures that we are already seeing through a glass darkly. Maybe that means that despite our best efforts, we do not see and understand everything clearly in this life since our vision is obscured by many other temporal concerns that we have to deal with every day.

Money, mortgages, food, finances, schooling, business, and employment (or the lack thereof) — all these worries concern and stress us at some time or another. They are not life’s focus, however. They instead are a means to an end. I am not saying they aren’t important, necessary, or desirable, but they alone are not the purpose of life.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

Just like wearing my sunglasses in the morning obscures my vision further before it gets light, we don’t always recognize the reason things happen. Yet they are not a surprise to a loving God. I have no doubt that someday we will look back and see why things occurred the way did and how we were benefitted.

Joseph Smith taught, “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it.”

Regardless of the current circumstances of our lives, our loving Savior is willing and able to change and improve us to the point that we experience joy right now and for eternity.

Handling our circumstances well starts with loving and following Him.

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

Although the Constitution was not perfect and certain compromises were made in order to get it ratified, the men who brought it forth did a number of things incredibly well.

Close up of the Constitution of the United States of America

The founders were wise men. They understood this eternal truth: “. . . it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, … they immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion” (D&C 121:39). In order to guard against its misuse, they attempted to separate, define, and restrain the power of government.

The Constitution also did a remarkable job at preserving man’s agency. Of course, agency is a big thorn in the side of the adversary, so he opposes and seeks to destroy anything that preserves it.

While Satan will never pass up an opportunity to corrupt an individual, his most efficient method for impacting the most people (and disrupting the kingdom of God) is through earthly governments. This provides him with the means to carry out his plans on a “wholesale level.” Using government, he can impact the agency of millions with a single decree or the stroke of a pen.

President Joseph Fielding Smith explained, “Satan has control now. No matter where you look, he is in control, even in our own land. He is guiding the governments as far as the Lord will permit him. That is why there is so much strife, turmoil, confusion all over the earth. One master mind is governing the nations. It is not the President of the United States…it is not the king or government of England or any other land; it is Satan himself.” (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 3, pp. 314-315)

Just as Christ does, Satan recruits volunteers to help him with his work. He seduces them with promises of power, wealth, fame, and pleasure, as well as “freedom” from accountability. In order to minimize resistance, he works behind the scenes. He is very persistent and patient.

One day I was working in the orchard at the inn and happened to lean on a fence post. Suddenly, the post snapped off right at the ground. Upon closer inspection I noticed the inside of the post had been eaten away by termites. It looked like Lacy Swiss cheese. Termites feed on wood pulp. They don’t like light. They stay below the surface, out of sight, careful not to break through the exterior surface of the wood and expose themselves to sunlight. If they find their way into the framework of a house, they will, over time, weaken and destroy the integrity of the house.

Termites are a problem in many areas. Once you understand the nature of the threat and know what to look for, you can spot the telltale signs of problems. But since termites work below the surface, once the damage becomes visible on the outside, it is often too late. The damage has already been done.

President Heber G. Grant once told the saints in General Conference, “[Satan] plans to destroy liberty and freedom — economic, political, and religious, and to set up in place thereof the greatest, most widespread, and most complete tyranny that has ever oppressed men. He is working under such perfect disguise that many do not recognize either him or his methods” (October 1942 General Conference).

From this and other such warnings, it sounds to me like we have a termite problem in America.

Of the many titles used to describe the adversary, another one we could add to the list is “the father of termites.”

We can learn a great deal about “spiritual termites” from reading the Book of Mormon. In Ether chapter 8, Moroni explains that they were the cause of the destruction of both the Jaredite and Nephite nations. Then he warns us that in our day they would also seek to seek to overthrow, not only the freedom of this land, but all lands, nations, and countries. (Ether 8:21-25)

As Americans we lean heavily upon the Constitution to safe guard our God-given freedoms and to provide us with religious liberty. Although that important document appears to be mostly intact (on the outside), if you look closely you will see signs of damage. It is beginning to crack.

The prophet Joseph Smith once predicted, this nation would be on “the very verge of crumbling to pieces”… with “the Constitution upon the brink of ruin.” Are we approaching that time? Perhaps that question is best answered by considering how the Constitution is regarded today.

There are those who feel that the American Constitution is nothing more than a product of the Eighteenth Century agrarian society. It is now obsolete — even one of our Supreme Court Justices has suggested that other nations should no longer look to the US Constitution for guidance, because there are other better options now available.

And said J. Rueben Clark, “Do not think that these usurpations, intimidations, and impositions are being done to us through inadvertence or mistake; The whole course is deliberately planned and carried out; its purpose is to destroy the Constitution and our government; then to bring chaos, out of which the new Statism, with its slavery, is to arise” (as quoted in Ezra Taft Benson’s 1966 BYU Devotional, “Our Immediate Responsibility“).

What is the solution to these threats to our Constitution and our freedom?

Does it rely on getting a certain person in the White House? Passing a particular law or another Amendment?

The solution, I believe, is not in reforming the Constitution, but in reforming the people.

If we ever hope to reverse the current negative trends, we must begin with ourselves, in our homes, working from the bottom up. This is the same method we use in the Church. The responsibility lies with each of us. We need to learn, understand, and uphold those principles that preserve agency and accountability. If we don’t, no elected leader (or group of leaders) will ever be able to correct our course.

Don’t get me wrong; it is important to elect good leaders and pass good laws, but if we think we will fix things from the top down, we are kidding ourselves. This solution appeals because it puts the responsibility on someone or something else. It would be nice to think we could elect a few key people and then stand back and watch as they set everything right, but it won’t happen that way.

We, in this church, have a special obligation and duty. It is rumored that Joseph Smith said something to the effect of, “This people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction.” If this is the case, are we prepared to do this?

Perhaps, this task will fall to our children. Who is teaching and preparing them to lead the cause? Will they be sufficiently prepared?

​There are misguided (and even corrupt) leaders in positions of power. Yes, modern day Gadiantons are among us, and they are doing the same thing that was done in Book of Mormon times; continually stirring up the people to war; changing the laws to make what is evil acceptable and what is righteous intolerable; appointing corrupt judges that allow the wicked to go free; removing restraints and calling it “freedom”; corrupting the morals of the people, and even “seduc[ing] the more part of the righteous until they [have] come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils” (Helaman 6:38).

These words by President Benson are thought provoking: “If America is destroyed, it may be by Americans who salute the flag, sing the national anthem, march in patriotic parades, …but Americans who fail to comprehend what is required to keep our country strong and free—Americans who have been lulled away into a false security” (Conf. Report April 1968).

Threats to agency, freedom, and religious liberty come in many forms — some are external, like those described above, while others are more internal, such as personal corruption and apathy. We must guard against both.

Apathy and other diversions (such as an insatiable appetite for entertainment) keep many able-bodied soldiers on the sidelines. All that we hold dear – “our religion, our freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children” – are at risk.

“We are all enlisted till the conflict is o’er… come join the ranks, come join the ranks” (Hymn No. 250 “We Are All Enlisted”).

So, what is the greatest thing you can do for your country?

When faced with a serious “termite” problem, Nephite governor Lachoneus went to great lengths to protect his people. Despite all their many preparations, he knew on whom their deliverance relied, and he pled with his people, “As the Lord liveth, except ye repent of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in nowise be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers” (3 Nephi 3:15).

As we repent and seek to cleanse the inner vessel, we are choosing Christ and choosing liberty!

And what is the most patriotic thing you can do for your country?

Nephi, who saw our day and the turmoil and unrest there would be among the nations, reassured his brethren, “Because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power . . . and the Holy One of Israel . . . will preserve the righteous by his power . . . Wherefore, the righteous need not fear” (1 Nephi 22:26).

The greatest thing you can do for yourself, your family, and your country is live righteously. When the people are righteous, righteous leaders get elected, good laws are upheld, and the nation prospers.

The powers of discernment, the ability to receive personal revelation, and the protection of Heaven are all dependent upon righteousness. In the difficult times in which we live, our reliance on these will steadily increase “till the conflict is o’er.”

We’ve drifted from the well-defined and limited government the founders envisioned. It has taken us over 200 years to get where we are today: where God has been completely removed from public schools and public places, where evil men seek to make pornography “public” and religious practice “private,” where millions of unborn children have their lives terminated under the pretense of “freedom,” where a powerful, worldwide conspiracy seeks to extinguish the flame of Liberty in this land as well as the rest of the world.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

We have our work cut out for us, but we are not alone.

We know that in the end, Christ will be victorious. The kingdom of God will not be overthrown, but things will continue to get a bit bumpy along the way. As we preserve agency and accountability, we are choosing Christ and defending liberty, which is our only hope to weather the storm and come out victorious on the other side.

May we not shrink from our duty. Remember the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; “but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.  Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

 

“What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.”

Yes, heaven does know how to put a proper price upon its goods. And freedom (with its companion agency) is at the top of the list.

President Benson said:

“The fight for freedom is God’s fight. Freedom is a law of God, a permanent law. Men cannot break it with impunity. They can only break themselves upon it. When a man stands for freedom, he stands for God. As long as he stands for freedom, he stands with God. And were he to stand alone, he would still stand with God. Any man will be eternally vindicated and rewarded for his stand for freedom. The Lord has so endowed this matter of freedom with such everlasting repercussions that it sifted the spirits of men before this world in the Great War in heaven, and it seems today to be THE CENTRAL ISSUE that is sifting those who are left in the world. Life’s failures arise when men neither take the time nor find the season to perform their eternal duties” (An Enemy Hath Done This, pp. 54-55).

Every July 4th we celebrate our nation’s independence and freedom. It was a long and arduous process to initially achieve this. Eight years of war, then four more filled with divisive debate before the adoption of the US Constitution. Of this new government the Lord said, “For this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose” (D&C 101:80).

Most of the blessings we enjoy as citizens of this nation come to us because of their work, which also served to prepare the way for the restoration of the gospel.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of freedom, both physical and spiritual. We are forever indebted to Him and our Father in Heaven for this priceless gift!

While my remarks may touch upon things of a political nature, my message is about principles, not partisanship. The underlying theme is “Choose Christ by choosing and defending Liberty.” I pray that message will shine through.

Wouldn’t it be nice if once established, freedom would be self-perpetuating? But alas, there is “opposition in all things.” And some things, like the restored gospel and our divinely inspired Constitution, seem to attract an inordinate amount of opposition. But that isn’t surprising given the nature of the struggle between good and evil.

In the premortal world we chose Christ. If we hadn’t, we wouldn’t be here. Was it an easy choice? Were we firm and resolved, or did we waiver or hesitate? Due to the veil placed over our minds, we can’t remember. I suspect it was not as easy as we might assume.

The arguments put forth by Lucifer must have been extremely persuasive and appealing. I can imagine his rousing speeches appealing to supposed fairness, equality, security, and compassion—after all, only his plan guaranteed the outcome “that one soul shall not be lost.” And then there was the seductive appeal of his counterfeit version of “freedom”—the ability to do whatever one wanted, without any consequences!

These are the same appeals and promises we hear today.

Think for a moment of the heavy price paid by those spirits who chose wrongly in the premortal life. Even the vilest of sinners on earth (aside from the sons of perdition) will still receive a reward—a kingdom of glory because they supported the principle of agency. Those who succumbed to Lucifer’s sophistry were cast out! For them it was game over.

Why such a severe consequence for a single choice? As members of this Church, we are blessed to have a more complete understanding of the word “agency.” We understand that agency is more than just the ability to choose—it also involves accountability for those choices. You can’t separate the two. Agency and accountability are like two sides of the same coin.

We usually associate the war in heaven with being about agency, but more correctly it was about agency and accountability. This is important to remember because both are central to God’s plan.

In Abraham we read, “We will go down… and make an earth whereon these may dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham 3:25).

The purpose of this life is for us to “prove ourselves” to God. In order to do this, we need agency and accountability. Those who choose to follow Lucifer rejected both, and that was a fatal flaw.

Some mistakenly believe that Lucifer’s plan was based entirely on force or compulsion. But how could Lucifer entice so many spirits to follow him a proposal like this? “I have this great plan. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but trust me, it will work. You will go to earth, but for your protection, you won’t be allowed to make any choices. I will make all of them for you, and I will make all of you do exactly as I say.”

Would that plan appeal to you?

Remembering that agency and accountability are interdependent, now think about what would happen if instead of a direct attack on agency, he used the back door approach and removed accountability? Now you would have a plan with astonishing appeal – “I have this plan. You’re going to love it! You can go to earth and pretty much do anything you want; we’re talking ultimate ‘freedom.’ And the best part is, no matter what you do, you will ALL be saved… Am I awesome or what?”

He whispers in our ears, “God will justify… a little sin;”—lie, cheat, steal, be immoral—“there is no harm in this… and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Nephi 28:8).

By removing accountability, Lucifer also destroys agency, and he does it all under a façade of freedom. Oh how cunning!

His objective appeared noble and compassionate—helping to get God’s spirit children from point A to point B—but this was merely a cover to his own selfish interests.

Satan and his minions have not abandoned their plan or the methods they employ. You can see their continued application in the world around us.

When you think back on the history of mankind and look at the condition of the world today—the decisions people make, the agency-and-accountability compromising policies and programs that are proposed and supported, the confusion over what is right and wrong—it appears that many who passed the first test are flunking the current one.

With the knowledge we have of his methods and tactics, there is no good excuse for members of the Church to get this wrong! We should not have difficulty choosing Christ. But Satan is persuasive. He is very good at what he does.

None of us is immune. Sometimes we forget eternal truths.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

If we take our eyes off of Christ, it is easy to become confused. If we wish to choose and defend liberty, we must remember these principles and use them as a yardstick to evaluate the methods used by others.

When someone supports policies and programs that rely on compulsion rather than “persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness and meekness, and love unfeigned” and when anyone, regardless of their position or title, seeks “to cover [their] sins, gratify [their] pride or vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness” because they believe the outcome is more important than the methods used to achieve it, “the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved,” they are choosing someone other than Christ.

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.