Zirker: 5
Area: MTC
Months together: 2
Distinct memory: Reprimanding me, as my district leader, for farting in the middle of our roommates companionship prayer (long, hilarious story that deserves a separate post)
Other thoughts: He was my first companion and this was the MTC. We were all trying to adjust and it just sucks. He was actually a really nice guy, but super strict and we had absolutely nothing in common and had nothing to talk about. My room/classmates were my saving grace.

Callison (trainer): 7
Area: San Sebastian, Reu (coast)
Months together: 3
Distinct memory: Always said, “Lo que sucede…”
Other thoughts: Helped me get my feet on the Guatemalan ground and provided a base for how I would do missionary work the rest of my mission. Great guy but homeboy was trunky, he was always asking about the States, movies, girls (his girlfriend waited for and later married him). This sucked for me because I was always trying to forget the states and my girlfriend.

Wahlstrom: 9
Area: San Sebastian, Reu (coast)
Months together: 3
Distinct memory: Being chased by a drunk man with a machete (and Wahlstrom squealing like a little girl) (more…)

My bother and sister are involved in an adult FHE group and my sister taught the “lesson” this week. My brother sent me an email giving me several insights from the presentation. I thought these two were worth passing on.

First Joseph never went back or reviewed previous parts of the translation before he went on. In Ether he gives the genealogy of Jared to Ether (that’s about 27 generations). I don’t know about you but I can’t give 5 generations in my genealogy. How Joseph could give 27 generations without referring back to those generations that he had previously given is a testimony to me.

Second: When the brother of Jared went to the Lord and said he had 3 problems. First no air in the barges (because they were tight like a dish), second, he had no way to steer the barges to the promised land, and third no light in the barges.

The insights in to the answers are what I find so interesting. First no air. The Lord tell’s the BofJ to cut holes in the top and bottom. (Insight: BofJ – here’s my problem, God gives the answer but we have to do the work.) Second can’t steer. (Insight: BofJ – here’s my problem, God does the work -solves the problem) Third no light. (Insight: BofJ – here’s my problem, God says “So”, come up with an answer yourself and present it to me – see if it’s right).

So just like today those same three solutions to our prayers apply, just like they did for the BofJ.

Just an insight I had never noticed before but find so interesting. It confirms again that the things that work in the scriptures work for us in our day too.

I just re-read a long post I just completed about two experiences with “advise”, “counsel” from two different Stake Presidents. The interviews were separated by 15 years but the topic was closely related. The “advise”, “counsel” was very different.

I won’t comment on whether I feel either or both were right or wrong, or whether what they told me worked out well for me.

My question is how much can we or should we rely on such “advise”, “counsel” – is it inspired?

If we can’t rely on it, then why go and ask for their help? If they don’t feel inspired should they tell us – should there be a caviet? Should they preface their remarks with “This is just my advice.”? Or should we ask them if their counsel was inspired?

If we believe or don’t their advice is inspired then should be pray about it ourselve to get a confirmation? If we have to pray about it ourselves to get a confirmation, then why go to them in the first place, why not just go to the source and skip the middleman?

Bottomline, where does “advice” and “counsel” merge into “inspiration”, how do we tell which is which and what is what?

I’ve been going to the temple for a number of years now. I’m always stopped at the “recommend desk” where my recommend is checked for ????? To see if it’s expired!

The first time I went to the temple I was a scared young missionary. I was worried that the temple worker would be so inspired that he would know if I was completely worthy. What about that cuss word I said when I tripped on my way up the stairs, or that fight I had with the jerk companion I was assigned to….or whatever. I kind of expected the temple worker to “catch” those elders who hadn’t repented, or seen the mission president to straighten things out. I thought they’d be found out and not allowed in.

Obviously my recommend doesn’t really tell the temple worker whether I’m currently worthy to enter or not. I was worthy when the recommend was issued (unless I lied in my interviews), but it says nothing about my present worthiness.

I know, I know – if I’m not worthy then I shouldn’t be going to the temple until I am. But wouldn’t it be scary if the temple worker really could tell and every once and a while someone was asked not to attend until they straighten things out.

I guess I like the system as it is, at least I can work on some of those areas when I’m inside and hopefully the spirit can work on me.

Just a thought.

We’re back!

After a month or two in blog purgatory (that sweet combination of host/server problems and a clueless blog administrator with no time to deal with it) we have emerged from the tomb and are alive…ALIVE!!!! Sadly, even within this last week a couple of my permas contacted me notifying me that the blog is down. In other words, it’s like James saying to Peter on the third day, “Hey Pete, I haven’t seen Jesus for a couple days, you think something might have happened to him?” No, it’s not like that. It IS that!

Anyhoo, so we lost a few months of archives (**wipes forehead** grateful we haven’t written anything in the past few months…) and are completely out of practice, but the machine is running again and ready for you to pay attention to us. And if you’re wondering, “Who the hell is Nine Moons?” my answer to you is, “No one important, junior. No one important.”