A Hero

George is a quiet man who, because of his kindness and dignity, has always impressed me. I recently came to admire him much, much more than before. George is an 83 year-old World War II veteran who served in the Scottish Infantry to liberate Hitler's Europe. His brogue remains very thick but he is always smiling and loves to call me laddy. My admiration for this man extends well beyond the due respect he deserves for serving his country and the cause of freedom. The source of my admiration comes from a private conversation he and I had on the sidelines of our lodge after a recent meeting. In this conversation he revealed to me how much he believed in the Masonic tenets of the Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man.

He told me that, despite being called up to serve in the army he could never kill another man - even when defending his own life. He would serve his country the best he could but he would not make himself take the life of another child of God.

For years he served and many times he looked down his sites and fired - at a tree, the air, or some other inanimate object - but never at another human being. His life they could take - but take theirs he would not. Killing for him was something he saw nearly every day and would rather give his life than be the cause of the torture he saw around him.

The Master said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13)." He considered all mankind, even those who others would call enemies, his friends and loved them all the same - so much so that he would be willing to give his own life for them. This indeed would be his true measure of devotion - not to a flag, but to God and to his brothers.

Now, enfeebled and shrunk by age, he stands a giant of a man - even a hero to me - in the sunset of his life. And in that sunset, the setting splendors of his Love and Kindness now gild his final moments with Light, and cast upon us an example of action, integrity and belief in the power of the truth of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man.

Peace in a Taxi Cab

People are fascinating - and among the most down to earth and diverse group of people seems to be those who drive taxi cabs. Accordingly, every time I travel for business I look forward to talking with my different drivers.

This past week I was in Dallas for a conference. On my way back to the airport I was driven back by an Iraqi. I have many times been driven by Iraqi's and am always fascinated by our conversations. This particular driver was a fairly young man who loved Dallas and was grateful for the peace he enjoyed there. He said he wished that all the world could be as peaceful as his world was in Dallas. He had lost many friends and family in this most recent war and I could tell he felt a great loss for them - not only because they were gone, but because they were killed in acts of senseless murder. He knew war better than most and had no misconceptions of glory.

As our conversation continued, I noted that it was also the day of the Israeli-Palestinian peace conference and uttered some words of hopeless wishes that peace may some day be found in that region. My driver replied, "We all believe in God. Why can't we get along and find peace?!"

His response was so welcome to me. I feel the same as he does and agreed whole heartedly.

We talked some more about the turmoil that whole region is going through and the sadness and pain caused by war. He asked, "When will there finally be an end to war?"

Pondering on that question I thought back to the comments I have many time heard from friends, colleagues and others in the media. I told him, "Many people in this country feel that religion is actually the cause of these wars. They therefore feel the best way to do away with these wars is to also do away with religion."

I continued, "I, however, disagree with that. I believe that the only way to do away with these wars is Religion. The only way to bring peace on earth is for each one of us to truly love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Only then will there be true peace on earth."

After a moment of silence my driver responded, "I totally agree with you."

In a world of bombs and hate, he and I had peace - an Iraqi Muslim and an American Christian - in a cab on our way to the airport because both of us understood that principle. We both recommend it to all.

Matthew 5:

38 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, An ^aeye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not ^aevil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right ^bcheek, ^cturn to him the other also.

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

42 ^aGive to him that asketh thee, and from him that would ^bborrow of thee turn not thou away.

43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt ^alove thy ^bneighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, ^aLove your ^benemies, ^cbless them that ^dcurse you, do ^egood to them that ^fhate you, and ^gpray for them which despitefully use you, and ^hpersecute you;

45 That ye ^amay be the ^bchildren of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth ^crain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye ^alove them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48 ^aBe ye therefore ^bperfect, even as your ^cFather which is in heaven is ^dperfect.

A Few Good Men

Last December, Anji & I were at the mall while visiting family back in Washington for the Holidays. Having been in choir while I was in High School and singing in malls and other public events during the Christmas season, I was gratified to see a High School choir performing for the passers by. The quality of the music was not very high and then I noticed part of the reason. In a choir of nearly 40 members, there were only 4 male voices. I thought that was a sad example of the state of young men today. Where were all of the young men? I thought at the time, “What does this mean for that generation?” It could mean that this is just one example of how men are falling further and further behind in the arts, education, and advancements that have been poured out upon the west for nearly the past 400 years (see footnote 1).

Here is another example to illustrate my point – this one is from the other side of the country. A few weeks ago Anji & I went to our son’s school for his Kindergarten orientation. There were 42 women and 19 men present. Or rather, there were presumably 42 mothers and only 19 fathers. How sad. I thought, “Where have all of the fathers gone?”

Here is another, almost daily experience I have while I am out and about. I often see a woman, young or middle aged, who has taken the time to properly groom herself. She has dressed nicely with pressed clothes, well done hair and make-up if she chooses. She will be with a man, young or middle aged, who, more often then not, is wearing an un-tucked T-shirt, shorts or baggy pants, a hat or poorly done hair and with several days worth of facial hair sprouting from his face. As I ponder on this I think, “Where is the self respect? Where is the refinement and honor in our gender?” I am not saying we all need to wear suits and ties around but that we should simply be neat, clean and dignified in our appearance. Truly it seems like many men are from Mars. However, unlike those planetary orbs which travel in a constant and predictable path in relation to each other, the divide between man and woman is getting deeper and deeper and they are moving further and further apart.

In my short 13 years of adulthood I have come to realize the sharp and steady decline in the refinement, education, spirituality, and sense of personal honor and duty within my gender. The magazines that seem to target men (Sports Illustrated, Men's Health, GQ, etc.) are not full of stories about heroism or valor, strength of character or selfless service in families. Rather they are full of exercise routines, diets for men, fashion, interviews with athletes, stories of recent games and self indulgence. Where have all of the true role models gone? It seems they have all vanished into history and been replaced with athletes or comic book action figures.

As amazingly capable as women are, men and fathers are irreplaceable in the lives of their children and our families. As scripture teaches, “Neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord (see footnote 2).”

How can we make a difference?

If you are a man, choose to take the path less traveled – the path of goodness, of honor, of personal dignity, refinement and respect. That is the one that will make all the difference. If you are married, be a faithful husband. Never allow yourself to even get close to breaking your marital vows. If you are a father, make your family your top priority.

Take an active part in your community by volunteering in the lives of young boys. There are too many boys without proper role models in their lives to steer them in the right direction. If you are accomplishing the first number above, move to this and expand your influence for good.
Extend the hand of charity to an erring brother, and, while there is the least chance of restoring him to his destined usefulness, endeavor to aid, support and uplift him to higher ways. Don't wait for a better day. Today is the best day to do something. Someone needs you now.

We must help the men of the world to become something better and to fulfill their divine role in the lives of families, communities and nations. Our happiness depends on it.


________________________________

Footnotes:

1. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/05/05/Report-1-in-5-youg-men-drop-out/UPI-12271241578601/ . This was also a good article: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2007-09-12-census-college-enrollment_N.htm

2. http://scriptures.lds.org/1_cor/11/11#11

An Apostle's Easter Message

A Great Lesson

On Monday & Tuesday I was able to go back to Utah for the funeral of a good man, friend and brother in so many ways. These experiences help us to come back to what is important in life.

One such lesson came this week while I was in the home of a dear friend from Bulgaria. He is 87 now and lived a life of service to God and his fellow man. He spent most of his life as a Parish Priest in the Orthodox Church and spent his life always searching for more Light and happiness. He was expelled from his homeland by the Communist Government for standing for his beliefs and principles when his children were 15 and 18 and eventually came to America as a political refugee - the goverment kept his children behind. In his search for more Light and happiness, he met two missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who shared with him the message of the restored gospel. Through a sacred experience he gained a personal witness that the message was true and joined the church. As a result, he lost his job and income and spent the remainder of his life making a meager wage, supporting his wife and sponsoring his children for a reunification that took decades.

His dear wife passed away several years ago and he has since been left alone in his home, a prisoner of his own four walls daily craving a kind word and visit from the few good friends he has.

Over the years we have come to love this dear man. We had him in our home for dinner on several occasions and visited in his home many more. In every instance, whether he was the guest or we were, he would find something to give us. Sometimes the gifts were selections from his wife's jewelry box, other times they were blankets, pillows, rugs, jelly beans or cookies. Over the years, I noticed that Peter's house was becoming more and more bare as people would come to see this dear old man.

The lesson came to me on Monday, after the funeral as I stopped by to see my friend. He warmly welcomed me into his home. As I looked at the same house I had been in so many times and at the same couches I noticed that the walls were more bare than before, the entertainment center all but empty, the blankets that once draped the couches were no longer there and the cushions on his couch were gone. I knew at once that they had become gifts for someone or some family as a token of his love for them.

We talked about his children and mine and shared the love that exists between brothers and friends. The time had arrived for me to go and as I did he said, "No wait, let me give you something to remember me by..." I could tell that he didn't know what to give me because he had nothing left to give. I protested and told him how I could never forget him and that his kindness to us has been a great enough gift. He said as he raised his hand to quiet me... "No, I know just the thing." He slowly made his way to his bedroom and pulled off his dresser one Christmas card from a friend to him that had a child on the front, a card with a beautiful gold cross on the front and a small, 3x5 framed image of Christ appearing to Mary after His resurrection. He warmly gave these to me and said, "Here, take these to remember me." My heart was touched to nearly overflowing. It was hard to contain myself.

Here was a man who, having nothing, yet found things to give. His home, empty of all valuable possessions, is full of love and gratitude for those things that matter most - not gold, silver, fine art, china, or furniture - but people and his own righteous life of love and sacrifice for God. Those are the possessions that money cannot buy and that luxery cannot compensate for the lack of. In that sense, he was richer than a King. This was the lesson: to be like him - freely giving from my heart all I have and am and holding nothing back and to know that true wealth is not the sum of value of our possessions but the sum of the love which we share. I know from my own experience that when I do, I amazingly discover gifts of greater value - even priceless gifts: love, peace, knowledge and understanding.

It is my hope that you and I can give ourselves in the service of God and of each other.

How could I forget such a good man?

What is More Important?

Tonight while sitting in a meeting, a letter was read that posed this question, "What is more important, my past, or my future?" I have never met the person so I have no idea of his past or the potential for his future. I thought about his question and have decided on my own answer. My answer is the present. His current state of being and his current actions are the ones of any real value. For the present actions show if we have learned anything from our past and they tell us of our likely future. Today is a combination of all of our yesterdays. Tomorrow is created out of our actions today and the desires we have of what we wish to create out of the future.

It is a good reminder to enjoy the memories, make memories and to plan for memories. The present is the the most important - we should always live in the Now.

It was the Master who said to his 12 Apostles, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

Organized Religion

"Organized religion" is one of those terms that in today's society has come to mean something totally different than what it really should. A few decades ago there was a proliferation of "Non-Denominational" churches that popped up everywhere which in their very religious category of "non-denominational" sought to distance themselves from the "organized religions." However, the term "Organized Religion" today encompasses at the very least all Judeo-Christian churches - even non-denominational ones - as well as Islam. I think that is wrong for one basic reason. Many of these churches have nothing to do with religion - period.

What is religion then?

According to the ancient Apostle James:

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27

This is beautiful - this is right, this is good and this is everything but the modern definition of "Organized Religion."

Modern "Organized Religions" in many cases are not religions at all by James' definition because they have left these fundamentals of pure religion behind. Churches that teach hatred and terrorism have nothing religious to offer. Churches with Reverends that are more political figures than spiritual leaders are not religions at all. Churches that preach wealth and riches while all the time asking for more and more of their members money don't fit James' definition either. Churches that provide great music concerts and "Praising the Lord" while judging the world and their neighbors sadly blind their member's eyes and do nothing to truly keep them "unspotted from the world." Churches that don't require the sacrifice of their followers in behalf of the poor and the needy are not "pure religions" either. By James' definition, many churches aren't religions at all but merely traditions, belief systems that influence people's behaviors, exercise control over their members lives, blind their minds to spiritual truths, and exert pressure on governments and peoples across the world and throughout the ages to act according their wishes.

What we need is truly more organized religion - James' kind. Organized religion is a beautiful thing. The voluntary organization of men, women and children into the fold of God to care for one another both temporally and spiritually in all things is enriching, edifying, and wonderful to be a part of. It is something that we all hope for and desire - to be truly spiritually fed and led towards God. Sadly, the empty churches (empty in religion) have tricked people into feeling there is no more hope left in "religion." I believe there is hope. It is my hope that there will be more living faith and less traditions, more love and less emptiness, more Divine guidance and less self-righteous pastors, more sacrifice of self and less selfishness - indeed, more organized religion so that you and I, and all mankind, might care for those in their afflictions and become unspotted from the world.