Religion – Page 30

Daniel Enters The Missionary Training Center

October 29, 2008 by rickety 4 Comments

Daniel and the family at the MTC entrance

We took Daniel to the Missionary Training Center (MTC) today. All the family came along so we needed two vehicles. Daniel had his parents, siblings, in-laws, and nephew to say good-bye to him at the MTC. Well, Bryson didn’t say anything, he was asleep. In the photograph above, taken by a passing missionary at the entrance to the MTC, are (left to right): Derek holding Bryson, Sarah, Jake, Daniel, Rick, Jill, Adelaide, Steven, and Paul.

But first we took some photographs at home and then headed for the California Pizza Kitchen in Provo. This was our last meal with Daniel so of course I took some more photographs. We entered the MTC on time and Daniel received his missionary badge. We took our last photographs before entering the chapel where taking pictures is off-limits.

No chalk messages to missionaries on the sidewalk

We began by singing Called To Serve and having a prayer by one of the new missionaries. A counselor conducted, telling us that couple missionaries arrive at the MTC on Mondays and elders and sisters on Wednesdays. He told the parents of a few rules, specifically to not to try and visit your missionary. No chalk messages on the sidewalk, and don’t try to “accidentally” run into your missionary in the Provo temple. He advised that we keep our letters to our missionary upbeat, don’t tell him you’ve given his car and his room away. At least not all in one letter.

Sister Boone, wife of the mission president, spoke next. She told the new missionaries that your role is to invite others to Come Unto Christ. There will be a lot of changes for the missionaries. Changes in walking, talking, thinking, and dressing. We have 800 instructors, all of them returned missionaries that have been carefully selected so that you get the best teaching. We have a lot of volunteers that you get to practice teaching to. They pose as Christian and non-Christian investigators. Our 56 Branch Presidencies will look after you as you are:

…faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love. (Doctrine and Covenants 6:20)

President Joseph Boone began by saying that missions should start at 16 because:

They know everything.
Their mothers would not cry when they left.

Daniel's missionary badge

He cautioned missionaries not to be offended by our repetition. Imagine if the Prophet Joseph had said, “Now Moroni, you’ve already told me that twice.” Elders and Sisters you need to be careful.

President Monson has said that whatever you write home your mothers will read it all in Relief Society. President Boone wanted to put a plug in for missionary work so he warned about the three sins of senior couples: Sins of Omission, Commission, and No Mission.

He mentioned that the most significant publication of the Church in the last 50 years was Preach My Gospel. He said he liked the giant mural that is on a wall at Church Headquarters that depicts Christ before his apostles saying:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19)

We continue that commission. Now, after the movie “Called To Serve” I recommend that you say your goodbyes like removing a band-aid — do it quickly.

And so we did. After a few hugs Daniel was gone and we left to go home. In the parking lot we discovered that one of my sons had left the keys in the van ignition. Jill went to get some help in opening the van. Oliver Nielsen of the BYU Police came to our rescue. It took him about fifteen minutes to trip the door latch and we were on our way. A big thank you to Brother Nielsen from all of us! And wherever you are resting tonight Elder Willoughby, sleep well, for tomorrow they are going to work you to death.

Jill places on Daniel his new missionary badge in the MTC foyer

Daniel is Set Apart as a Missionary

October 28, 2008 by rickety 2 Comments

I completely forgot about Daniel’s setting apart until my neighbor, Andrew, reminded me. Talk about my brain getting rickety! Daniel was set apart as a missionary by his stake president. While Daniel sat on a chair in the Relief Society room President Thredgold laid his hand on Daniel’s head followed by the Melchizedek Priesthood holders in the room. After the setting apart we took a few photographs and then left so that Daniel can finish packing. In the photograph below is Adelaide, Steven, Jill, Daniel, Rick, Jake, and Paul. Sarah, Derek, and Bryson were not able to attend. The black box above Daniel’s head is an exit sign, which I think is rather appropriate.

Proposition 8: Where Do Rights Come From?

October 26, 2008 by rickety 15 Comments

Comment On Proposition 8

The purpose of this post is to examine the merits of one statement among many made in the comments of my post entitled Yes to Proposition 8 — No to Same-Sex Marriage Instruction. The statement is as follows:

Prop 8 is simple: it eliminates the rights for same-sex couples to marry. Prop 8 would deny equal protections and write discrimination against one group of people—lesbian and gay people—into our state constitution. (Rickety blog comment)

All other arguments would seem moot once it is established whether or not there is a right to same-sex marriage. And so with that intent we will proceed.

Where Do Rights Come From?

First let us look at two sentences from the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson and signed by 56 influential men.

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed. (Declaration of Independence)

We can identify from the Declaration that unalienable rights are given to us by our Creator. These unalienable (or inalienable) rights are natural rights which do not depend on laws or beliefs. They are always present and are universal. We also observe that governments derive their power from the governed and are to protect these natural rights. Government also passes laws to give legal rights (also called civil rights) which are not absolute but relative.

Is Same-Sex Marriage a Natural Right?

So is same-sex marriage a natural right? Let us examine these natural rights, those rights that come from God, for any clues. From the following scripture we can see that God meant for man and woman to be one flesh (married) and that man was not to break that union:

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (Matthew 19:4-6)

Marriage between a man and a woman is a natural law. It is approved by God, is universal, and has been practiced from the beginning. Now consider the following scriptures:

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. (Romans 1:26-27)

It is obvious from the above scripture that God does not approve of the act of homosexuality. This is not an isolated scripture. In the following scripture “abusers of themselves with mankind” refers to the homosexual act:

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

“Effeminate” in the above scripture refers to Catamites, adolescent boys in a sexual relationship with an adult male. Obviously in the following scripture “them that defile themselves with mankind” refers to homosexuality:

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; (1 Timothy 1:9-10)

It cannot be said that same-sex marriage is a natural law. It certainly does not come from God.

Is Same-Sex Marriage a Legal Right?

As of May 2007, twenty-six states have passed constitutional amendments explicitly barring the recognition of same-sex marriage, eighteen of which, including Utah, prohibit the legal recognition of any same-sex union. Nineteen additional states have legal statutes that define marriage as a union of two persons of the opposite sex. As of October 10, 2008, Massachusetts, California and Connecticut permit same-sex couples to marry. In 1996, the United States Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman amongst other stipulations.

So whether one likes it or not, in Massachusetts, California, and Connecticut couples have the legal right to a same-sex marriage. We are concerned with California so we will look at a little of her history:

Since 1977 the California Civil Code has defined marriage as:

…a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between a man and a woman, to which the consent of the parties capable of making that contract is necessary.

Here we see that marriage is defined as between a man and a woman hence same-sex marriage was not a legal right. It was non-existent. I will however make an important point: if same-sex marriage was a natural right then we could claim that the government was suppressing a God-given inalienable right. But no such natural right for same-sex marriage exists.

At the March 7, 2000 primary election Proposition 22 was adopted by a vote of 61.4% to 38%, thus adding § 308.5 to the Family Code, largely replicating the 1977 enactment. The one-sentence code section explicitly defines the union of a man and a woman as the only valid or recognizable form of marriage in the State of California. With Proposition 22, the majority of voters effectively determined that same-sex marriage was not a right.

On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court struck down California’s existing statutes limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples in a 4-3 ruling. The judicial ruling overturned the one-man, one-woman marriage law which the California Legislature had passed in 1977 and also Proposition 22. For more details see Same-sex marriage in California.

Now same-sex marriage is a legal right in California, even though the majority had previously said it was not. And so we arrive at Proposition 8. If it passes, then there will be no legal right to a same-sex marriage. It will be as if the right never existed. Except of course the constitutional amendment will likely not be retro-active and therefore some Californian same-sex marriages will still exist. It was unfortunate, and in my opinion irresponsible, that the judges did not stay the implementation of their decision until after the November election.

Summary

The commenter says that passage of Proposition 8 would discriminate against gays. By definition the state constitution cannot deny equal protections or discriminate because the constitution is the supreme law and defines the rights for the state. As shown, same-sex marriage is not a natural right. It can be a legal right depending on the will of the people. Where the people’s vote decides there is no legal right there cannot be any discrimination. The right simply does not exist, natural or legal.

Same-Sex Marriage and Proposition 8. Includes LDS documents, interviews, video, and links to websites.

Yes to Proposition 8 – No to Same-Sex Marriage Instruction

October 21, 2008 by rickety 6 Comments

Why Support Proposition 8?

Support Proposition 8 so as to prevent this kind of situation:

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that a first grade class took a school-sponsored trip to a gay wedding. The eighteen first graders, ages 5 and 6, left their studies for the same-sex wedding officiated by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. Not only will schoolchildren be taught about same-sex marriage if Proposition 8 fails, it’s already happening.

Gay Marriage Instruction

Opponents of Proposition 8 are spending millions of dollars on television commercials telling voters that gay marriage will not be taught in public schools. Yet a review of public records filed with the First District Court of Appeal in Boston shows these same organizations fought to make it so in Massachusetts. Specifically, they fought to ensure that gay marriage be taught in Massachusetts public schools. Further, their assurance that parents can always “opt-out” of such instruction when it is taught is belied by the fact that in Massachusetts, they argued successfully that Massachusetts’ parental opt-out provision should not be permitted. In Massachusetts second graders were taught in class about gay marriage using the book, “King and King.” This book is about a prince who married another prince, and includes an illustrated scene of the two men kissing.

Parker v. Hurley

In Parker v. Hurley, 474 F. Supp. 2d 261 (D. Mass. 2007), a federal district court in Massachusetts held against parents who objected to a pro-homosexual curriculum. The following are statements filed in amicus curiae briefs in Parker v. Hurley. The statements show how organizations leading the No on 8 campaign are misleading California voters when they say gay marriage will not be taught in California public schools.

From the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Amicus Curiae Brief:

In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where the right of same-sex couples to marry is protected under the state constitution, it is particularly important to teach children about families with gay parents. [p 5]

From the Human Rights Campaign Amicus Curiae Brief:

There is no constitutional principle grounded in either the First Amendment’s free exercise clause or the right to direct the upbringing of one’s children, which requires defendants to either remove the books now in issue — or to treat them as suspect by imposing an opt-out system. [pp 1-2]

From the ACLU Amicus Curiae Brief:

Specifically, the parents in this case do not have a constitutional right to override the professional pedagogical judgment of the school with respect to the inclusion within the curriculum of the age-appropriate children’s book … King and King. [p 9]

This is the truth about the calculated efforts to deliver gay marriage into California public school classrooms, against the wishes of the people of that state. Voters may differ about how they feel about gay marriage, but there is no disputing that the organizations funding and leading the No on Proposition 8 campaign have already revealed, in their own words, their desire to impose this subject on children in the public schools — “whether you like it or not.”

Source: Protect Marriage campaign update emails. See also Preserving Marriage website.

Utah Temples Tour: Manti and St George

October 17, 2008 by rickety 5 Comments

Manti Temple

With eleven temples visited during Day1, Day 2, and Day 3 it is time to visit the two remaining temples. Day 4 of the Utah Temples Tour began, as you may have guessed, at a rickety 4am. We left the Wayside Motor Inn in Monticello at 4:50am bound for Manti but hunting for breakfast on the way.

The Manti Temple

Manti Temple tower

We traveled all the way to Manti before we found breakfast. We passed up the 8:30am session so as to eat and then we just managed to catch the 9:30am session. This is an awesome temple. Every room is big. The celestial room is the largest of all the Utah temples. This is a real pioneer structure with ornate ceilings and wooden bench seating. A temple worker showed us the sealing rooms. Very beautiful. Daniel and Spencer hung back and were shown the spiral staircase that goes to the top of the tower. This is a temple built on hill. Walking around the grounds meant some steep climbs to get some great photographs. If I were to choose two Utah temples to visit, other than the Salt Lake temple, it would be the Vernal and Manti temples.

The St. George Temple

Leaving Manti we drove to St. George and took some photographs in the temple grounds before attending the 4pm session. The temple is the first completed by the Church after the Nauvoo exodus and is similar in its design to the Nauvoo Temple. It is the oldest LDS temple still actively used by the members of the Church. There are three ordinance rooms and 18 sealing rooms, and a total floor area of 110,000 feet. In the 1970s the temple was closed and underwent extensive remodeling. The temple has an all white exterior and quiet grounds with some very old trees. When we left we ate at Subway before leaving St. George and arriving home at 10:45pm.

Reflections

On this tour I have enjoyed seeing the interior of eleven Utah temples and working for the dead in all of them. Eight of those temples I have never entered before. Jake and Daniel saw nine new temples. Paul seven new temples. Spencer six new temples. And of course we also visited the construction sites of two temples. But most importantly we have helped to provide saving ordinances for the dead.

A thank you to Andrew for joining us for a day and kisses to Jill for providing the snacks and participating with us at the Ogden temple. What I will remember most is the time spent traveling and being in the temples with three of my sons.

St. George Temple

Utah Temples Tour: Vernal, Monticello

October 15, 2008 by rickety 6 Comments

Vernal Temple

After a successful Day 1 and Day 2, Day 3 of the Utah Temples Tour began at the usual 4am. Some of us are a little rickety at this hour but we had roads to drive and temples to see.

Daniel outside the Vernal Temple

The Vernal Temple

We left Kaysville at 5:15am arriving in Vernal in time for the 8:30am session. Like the Logan temple we moved to a terrestrial room half way through the session. The celestial room was beautiful. It was quite large, bigger than Ogden. It had a high ceiling and a large painting of Jesus Christ — what one would expect in a celestial room. There was a comfortable feeling about the temple. Beautiful brown woods communicated warmth and added to the “You’re at home” effect. Originally, the building served as the Uintah Stake Tabernacle for eastern Utah. The building was built with donated labor and was dedicated on August 24, 1907 by LDS Church President Joseph F. Smith. Smith reportedly said he would not be surprised if a temple was built there some day.

The Monticello Temple

In Vernal we ate at Subway before leaving for Monticello. We arrived in time to take all our photographs and then attended the 5pm session. As with Vernal, half way through the session we relocated to a terrestrial room. The celestial room was smaller than the one at Vernal but still very beautiful and peaceful. A temple worker showed us one of the sealing rooms. It was about the same size as the Bountiful sealing rooms that I have attended for weddings. She said there was another sealing room and just one endowment room if you don’t count the terrestrial room. The temple has few buildings around it and a local told us that a herd of deer will sometimes come through on the land across the street from the temple. This was a very friendly temple with the temple workers shaking our hands, asking where we were from, and insisting that we come back again.

Tomorrow will bring Day 4 of the tour and the remaining temples: St. George and Manti.

Monticello Temple

Utah Temples Tour: Jordan River, Oquirrh Mountain, Draper, Timpanogos, Provo

October 14, 2008 by rickety 4 Comments

Jordan River Temple

On Saturday we visited Utah’s four most northern temples. Today on Day 2 of the Utah Temples Tour, with the rickety weather behind us, was the turn of five more temples. Rising at 4am and leaving at 5am we had an addition to our number with Andrew, a friend of the family.

The Jordan River Temple

The Jordan River temple is so close to the Oquirrh Mountain temple that I got them crossed in Google Maps. After we figured out that a darkened, half built temple with scaffolding was not the Jordan River temple we looked around for a lit temple. Spencer texted Google and we got the address. We were in time for the 6:40am session. The inside of the temple seemed to me to be a super-sized Ogden temple. The celestial room was smaller compared to the cathedral-like Bountiful celestial room. Spencer ran into his aunt who was working on the temple grounds pulling out flowers that were hit with the frost.

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Temples Under Construction

Upon leaving the Jordan River temple we went back to the Oquirrh Mountain temple for some photographs in daylight. The temple sits prominently on a hill and will been seen across the countryside when it opens. Being right off an exit of Bangerter Highway will give patrons easy access.

We headed over to the Draper temple for some more photographs. The Draper temple is half way up the mountain so it too will be visible for miles. This temple is closer to completion and will be dedicated Friday, March 20, 2009.

The Mount Timpanogos Temple

After one session at the Jordan River temple the boys were hungry so we ate in the Mount Timpanogos temple cafeteria before catching the 11:30am session. This temple is almost a carbon copy of the Bountiful temple. Only the patron entrances were different with Bountiful facing north and Timpanogos facing west. There are some second floor differences and the Timpanogos cafeteria didn’t allow substitutions. :)

The Provo Temple

A short drive took us to a 3pm session at the Provo temple. Another carbon copy, this time of the Ogden temple. We knew where this temple was with three returned missionaries in the vehicle (it is by the MTC). The temple really looks majestic with the mountains as a backdrop. A great photo taking opportunity. It was time to feed at the fast food trough so we stopped by Wendys. Once the bellies were topped up we drove for home.

Tomorrow will find us at Vernal and Monticello for Day 3 of the Utah Temples Tour.

Provo Temple: Spencer, Dan, Rick, Andrew, Paul, Jake

General Conference Quiz

October 12, 2008 by rickety Leave a Comment

Temple Square in Salt Lake City
For those who watched General Conference last week it is time to see how well you were really listening. Allowance can be made for a rickety memory but you might be surprised how much you can recall. There are quotes from conference talks below, sometimes just a few words, for you to see if you can identify the speaker. Give it your best guess and then point your mouse over the word Speaker and see if you got the correct answer. Twenty questions, all from Saturday sessions of conference.

Arms of safety. Speaker Talk
Brethren, may we cease to aspire and cease to retire! Speaker Talk
The ordinance of the sacrament makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the Church. Speaker Talk
As I prayed, the feeling came: “You don’t know everything, but you know enough!” Speaker Talk
There is only one way to happiness and fulfillment. Jesus Christ is the Way. Every other way, any other way, whatever other way is madness. Speaker Talk
They covet a crown or a cave. Speaker Talk
First, learn what we should learn. Second, do what we should do. And third, be what we should be. Speaker Talk
One evening, when my wife and I were away, our children’s babysitter, intrigued by the prayer she heard them saying, asked them this question: “But what is the difference between your religion and mine?” The reply from our eight-year-old daughter was immediate: “It’s almost the same, except that we study a lot more than you do!” Speaker Talk
Missionary work is the lifeblood of the Church. There is no greater work, no more important work. It blesses the lives of all those who participate in it. It will continue blessing future generations. Speaker Talk
Lift Where You Stand. Speaker Talk
Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result. Speaker Talk
The answer is simple: it was because my father read the Book of Mormon. Speaker Talk
Our present day is filled with global distress over financial crises, energy problems, terrorist attacks, and natural calamities. These translate into individual and family concerns not only about homes in which to live and food available to eat but also about the ultimate safety and well-being of our children and the latter-day prophecies about our planet. Speaker Talk
In our families and in our stakes and districts, let us seek to build up Zion through unity, godliness, and charity, preparing for that great day when Zion, the New Jerusalem, will arise. Speaker Talk
In our search to obtain relief from the stresses of life, may we earnestly seek ways to simplify our lives. Speaker Talk
The Savior is the perfect example of praying for others with real intent. In His great Intercessory Prayer uttered on the night before His Crucifixion, Jesus prayed for His Apostles and all of the Saints. Speaker Talk
He is pleased with the noble servant, not with the self-serving noble. Speaker Talk
You may have thought then, “Once I finish my mission, being a faithful priesthood holder will get easier.” But in a few years you found yourself getting even less sleep at night, while trying to support a wife and a new baby, being kind and loving, scrambling to get some education, reaching out to the members of your elders quorum, perhaps even helping them to move their furniture, and trying to find time to serve your ancestors in the temple. You may have kept a smile on your face with the thought: “When I get a little older, being a faithful priesthood holder will not require so much. It will get easier.” Speaker Talk
Along the way the train stopped occasionally to get supplies. One night during one of these stops, my mother hurried out of the train to search for some food for her four children. When she returned, to her great horror, the train and her children were gone! Speaker Talk
Therefore, as a husband or son, express gratitude for what your wife and mother do for you. Express your love and gratitude often. That will make life far richer, more pleasant and purposeful for many of the daughters of Father in Heaven who seldom hear a complimentary comment and are not thanked for the multitude of things they do. Speaker Talk

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Utah Temples Tour: Logan, Ogden, Bountiful, Salt Lake

October 11, 2008 by rickety 7 Comments

Spencer, Jake, and Daniel relaxing on the way to the Ogden Temple

Logan Temple

After a lot of talk and a little bit of planning the Utah Temples Tour actually got underway today. I rose at 4am, showered, and then awoke Paul, Jake, and Daniel. We stopped by to get Spencer a few minutes after 5am and headed for the Logan Temple. Now the neat thing about an early morning session is that you can’t miss the temple in the dark. It is on a hill and well lit. Which is just as well because we went past our turn. But no worries, we knew right away. We entered the waiting room just as the 6:30am session was due to start. When we left the temple I took photographs around the temple grounds. There was a cold wind blowing as a storm moved in. The boys are hungry after a session — this is a really curious phenomenon — even though they are sitting 98% of the time. We were going to eat at Burger King but Paul complained, “They don’t have sausage egg McMuffins!” We ended up at McDonald’s.

The angel Moroni atop the Ogden Temple

Ogden Temple

We headed out to the Ogden Temple to catch the 10:40am session. Jill called to say she would meet us there. Jill being with me at the temple reminded me of over 28 years ago when we were married for time and eternity in the Ogden Temple. The ceremony was short and simple but the result was very powerful. Knowing that you are bound to each other forever makes you try a little harder in your marriage. You are also more likely to be open to be guided by correct principles. Anyway, back to today. Either our session started early or the session that we ran into started late. As we neared the end of our session we had to wait ten minutes for another session to finish. That must have really made the boys hungry.

Bountiful Temple

Next it was the Bountiful Temple for the five of us. Jill left to take care of the grocery shopping — it is nice to have someone responsible in the family. We hoped to get some photographs but by the time of our 2pm session it was snowing. After the session of course it was time to eat. We ate at the temple cafeteria and finalized our plan to push on to the Salt Lake Temple.

Salt Lake Temple

We took our photographs of the Salt Lake Temple before going into the 6pm session. Fortunately there was a lull in the storm though it was quite cold. This session made four in all which is a record for me for one day. When I used to travel overnight to the London Temple the members of the stake I was with used to do three sessions in a row. Over the years since then all I ever did was one session. That was because the temple was just down the road so I could go more often. Today we got home at 8:30pm after a successful start to our Utah Temples Tour. By taking in the Salt Lake Temple we jumped one temple ahead so that on Tuesday we will go straight to to the Jordan River Temple.

The Salt Lake Temple at night

Update

The Utah Temples Tour continues on Tuesday.
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