My Grandpa Mercer

This past week I lost a close friend, my grandpa.  He was a great friend to me.  Jennie and I got to visit him every weekday down at the Beehive Homes.  He would do well sometimes and say a few words, tidy up his bead, chair, and blinds and just listen.  It wasn't till close to the last few days of his life did he then stay inside his room and stay in his bed.  The last time I saw him alive was several hours before he left this earth life.  He seemed to trying to go to sleep and every time he moved his feet it caused a bit of pain.  Not till the next morning that I had learned of him passing on into the next life.  I was happy, sad, and a bit angry that he died.  He served his country well by being in the military and being a faithful family member to his family.  I will always remember his wonderful smile that he had especially when we got to visit him.  I will miss him.

Learned a lesson from the Special Needs performance.

The Special Needs Stake did a fantastic job on the program this year.  This year is titled "Happy Forever After".  Just from that you could figure out there would be some Disney songs involved, and sure enough they were.  There were 5 songs that each group did with different colors representing them.  Those 5 songs were:

• Aladdin- Friend Like Me.
• Little Mermaid- Under the Sea
• Snow White and Seven Dwarfs- Living in Paradise
• Princess and the Frog-Dig a Little Deeper
• Beauty and the Beast-Beauty and the Beast

Aladdin we learned about to have good friends, friends that will support you in hard times and the good times and that you need to have friends.

Little Mermaid we learned that life is good where we are, we should appreciate to what we have: house, education, food, clothes, family, friends, etc. 

Snow White and 7 Dwarfs we learned about living in a house where there is always laughter, singing, dancing, cooking, sleeping, etc.   

Princess and the Frog we learned about to know yourself you have to deep dig into your soul to find the answer of what you are looking for, live your dreams by setting out your adventure.  Get to know someone by learning about them by asking questions about themselves.

Beauty and the Beast we learned that you have to be able to see the inside appearance and see the good in people and not just the bad.  That even though a person may be handsome and good looking on the outside doesn't always mean they will be good and loving on the inside. 

Also we heard about “Wish Upon a Star”, which refers that it doesn't matter who you are that you are entitled to your dreams if you put your heart and will to it.  Then when you done your part then the universe will do the rest and provide for you. 

The last song we heard is a song that specifically for those who are in the Special Needs program and to know that Heavenly Father still loves them no matter what.  That song is "I am a Child of God." 

We can learn a lot from those who are special needs and to give us ways from Disney songs to show us about ourselves and others, which I thought was interesting to use Disney songs.  Songs that we take for granted and not think about the reason behind them. 

My birthday to celebrate!

This year I'll be turning 37.  Wow! I'm glad that I'm getting older!

I was thinking of all the good that I've done to my friends and family.  As my life as it is:

• Happily Married.
• Working at a part time job.
• No children yet.
• Have great and wonderful friends!
• A wonderful family!
• A car to drive.
• Being a great influence on my friends and family!
• A few nicknames (the Bomb, Kdawg, Yoda)
• Being an eternal, blood brother to my friends and family!

I've want to say thanks for being a great brother or sister to me.  That's what life is about.  Caring for each other and loving each other!  Help my brothers and sisters to come closer to Christ. We never know how long our life is here on Earth.  We just know that our life is short and to make the best of it.  I know that I'm not perfect and will never be 100% perfect, for that is a progression of a life time to achieve.  I look forward to what my next year of being 37 will be like. 

Win to pass not fail to lose.

I corrected the saying.  Now it should have it right.

There is an old saying," If you fail to plan, then plan to fail".  Meaning if you have a test coming up and you tell yourself that you won't pass it and that you will get an F instead of an A then you will.  The other way to look at it is if you tell yourself instead, "If you pass to plan, then plan to pass."   Then you will pass your test in life and see a better outlook on life.  You will get an A instead of an F. 

If you plan on failing then you might as well just give up, surrender, think there is no hope and pout and be sad.  

Where if you plan on passing or winning, don't give up, keep going, preserve there is hope and happiness.

Some Latter-day Saint laughter.

We all need to laugh at times at something that is funny.  As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I laugh when using a lingo and someone else thinks it totally different. 

"I'm going over to the Stake Center for a fireside on Sunday". To some that might mean going to a building that serves steak for eating or stakes for tents to be used at a campfire for the night.  What it actually means is that it’s a church building that is usually bigger than our church buildings and is going to have a spiritual meeting that Sunday evening.  There is no stakes for tents served or steaks for eating.  They will have refreshments after the meeting is over.

"I'm going to do baptisms for the dead".  Now that doesn't mean that I'm going to go to a cemetery and bring up a casket and pour water on them or put their body in a bucket of water.  What it means is going up to the temple and stand as a proxy for that person who is dead and be put completely underwater and then come back up.

If you ever heard this one, to where I was drug to the church services, drug to fireside, drug to Family Home Evening (FHE), drug to Seminary, drug to Institute, drug to the temple.  That has nothing to do with drugs at all.  That just means I was dragged by walking to church services, fireside, FHE, Seminary, Institute and to the temple.  

Family Home Evening is where the family gets together usually on a Monday night or Sunday night.  As a family usually have prayer and song to bring in the Holy Ghost.  We also have a lesson that discusses what we need to improve our lives on or any family business that needs to be discussed.  After words we close with another prayer to end the lesson to a close.  Then afterwards we usually have treats or do an activity.  It’s a way to bring the family closer to each other.

There are pages usually in our church magazines: New Era, Ensign and Friend that usually have a page just for laughter and jokes to be told.  To say that we should not have jokes or laugh about anything involved with the church then it will be a strict religion with boredom.  We need to have laughter.  Yes, some things should not be laughed about.  We should not have to restrict 100% to every LDS thing to not be laughed about. I think some take it to extreme and others not extreme enough.  So let us laugh for that is the way to live a happy life.

My final joke:  I'm going home teaching tonight by teaching my home how to behave when visitors are stopping by for a visit, how to learn to read the weather, teach it how to count and learn the alphabet.

The wonderful technology of cell phone.

"My cell phone is making a noise, I wonder who is texting me? Oh it’s my good friend, Charlie Brown."

It’s simply amazing of how technology of phones of come in use over the years.  When I was a young child and living in Japan I remember having to have the dial to put my finger in and turn it several times around in a circle.  Though at the time there was nothing called redial, caller ID, and answer machine.  So if I was sick and was at school and wanted to go home I would hope that someone would be at home to come and pick me up.  If they were not at home then they wouldn't know to come pick me up. 

Now we have cell phone which we carry around us in our pockets, purses, brief cases.  They are small and handy and can have a conversation with just about anyone that has access to a telephone.    At times it would be nice to not know where you are at or not to want to talk to anyone, which then you put the ringer on silent or just turn the cell phone off.  Which at times does get annoying when trying to get a hold of them and they are not able to answer the phone. 

Sometimes that is with life.  We sometimes get so wrapped up in talking to each other that we need to sometimes tune out the phone so we can listen to what the Holy Ghost is telling us.  It may be to say that someone needs some help; someone needs to be comforted, etc.  When we then get the response and either call, text or visit that person that we need to help or comfort or whatever that it will make that persons day. 

I am glad to have a cell phone to be able to talk to all my family and friends.  At times they can attest I do not always reply back right away because I at times I have it on silent.  Only because of me working in the environment to where I don't want my cell phone blaring loud.  Also, to get a rest from the world and to think for myself, who do I need to help today?

Which path will you take?

At one time I was thinking if I came to a intersection in my life and was wandering what path should I take?  Should I take the path that has been traveled much and with a guide who doesn't know what lies a head or take the path that the guide knows a lot about what lies a head but, that the path has been traveled very little? 

Coming out of comfort zone and talking a bit about UP.

I would like to continue on with the posting I did earlier about comfort zone that was posted on August 8.

We all have comfort zones in life.  We use it for social, work, church, family, etc.  The comfort zone is a nice haven to which we know we can do and still be safe.  Though every once a while we need to get out of our comfort zone.  If we stay in our comfort zone throughout life we will not get anything out of life.

     Dating- Asking a girl or boy out on a date or proposing to get married to that person.
     Work- Asking for a raise or a promotion, being unemployed and going out looking for a job. 
     Social- Asking to be friends with that person, asking a question about something.
     Church- Sharing the gospel, standing up for your beliefs.

I myself can be a timid and shy person to my friends.  At times I can by vocal because I know they are my friends and won't ridicule with what I have to say.  I enjoy my comfort zone but, at times I know I need to get out of my comfort zone so I can grow and be happier about myself.

In the movie UP a senior man goes out of his comfort zone and helps a young boy on a wonderful adventure.  He could have stayed in his comfort zone and gone to the retirement place and lived with the rest of his life there but instead he didn't.  The deal of coming out of his comfort zone was knocking on his door.  In result he got a new friend after his adventure and glad he took the opportunity to get out of his comfort zone.  We should learn from that movie and realize the great adventure we have of coming out of our comfort zone.

Have a strong foundation.

Do you have a strong foundation of the gospel in your life?  I know that this is just a question that I put on this posting.  For me it means that you have to have a strong foundation of the gospel.  That is what will keep your faith in tact.  If you think your foundation is shaking and not quite sturdy then it needs to be worked on before it falls and shatters. 

Don't read unless you've watched or read LORD OF THE RINGS.

I just finished watching Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Its a great movie if you haven't watched it.  The evil is of horrible creatures that only care about death and good is dwarfs, elfs, hobbits, wizards, and humans.   The main thing to this whole quest and the reason of the title of the trilogy is a ring.  Its gold with writing on it that can only be seen in the proper light.  With this ring it rules all of the other rings given to various groups of creatures.  The deal is that this ring is evil and cares for nothing of life only death. 

With evil they destroy anything that is good and love to work in darkness.  They hate the light and the sun that gives warmth to everyone that is good. 

The Ring of Power is the main ring controls everything and of how creatures live their life.  Now in reality there is no true Ring of Power that rules over other rings.  Though in contrast, the devil and his followers like to work in darkness and secret.  They only care about is death and evil.  They don't know love or care for life.  When there is light from God they fear and tremble and leave for they can not stand to be in his presence.  The Lord is all good and no evil in him.  He cares for life and loves everyone and everything.  His power is stronger then evil.  He also has followers that work in light and is open and not in secret.  The followers work to let life live and knows the meaning of love. 

We are all on the Lords side of light, life and love to do what is right and conquer the evil.  Though at times we are human and fall short of this quest and do something that is evil.  It is up to us to decide on what path we will on, the good or the evil? 

The end of the world.

When we were in our youth ages, we were told that one day the world will be in turmoil and confusion will reign.  That the environment will not be the same, that we will see things from the heavens and around the Earth that is not normal to see, that good will be wrong and wrong will be good, and will see more wars and hate then ever before. 

We can huddle in our homes and survive on food storage and never come out of the house till we perish or we can live a day at a time and learn the signs and know what they mean and that we strive to do good and live and go to school, work and enjoy life. 

Yes, the world is a scary place and will be more scary for our children and their children but we are told that the things that are happening now must happen but that we can pray to be able to endure these times of the world. 

Not your nomal posting.

Its easy to be misunderstood at times wither by email, chat or text.  Cause you see the words but you don't know how its coming across as.  It could be that the person is angry, frustrated, sad, happy, joking, serious, etc.  It hurts when the friendships are destroyed by small amount of words and the attitude they are presented. 

I know that I'm not perfect and I usually take the person of what they say the wrong way.  Which is why I think someone is angry at me when they are not or thought it was out of bad taste.  Which is why I try to play around and joke but then its like I'm told that wasn't very funny or not at all like you.  Then I try to be serious to much and then I'm being told that I need to loosen up and not be serious all the time.  Its hard to find the right balance in life.   I do try my best but, sometimes the friendship just doesn't work out and they are no longer my friend.   Which is why I'm glad for my friends who stick with me, who know me for who I am.  Without friends then life would be hard. 

Then I'm also thankful for the Lord who will always be there for me.  He has been through everything that I have been through.  He knows when its hard to lose a friend, to have someone misunderstand you,  etc.

I know this is not my normal kind of post but I figured I had to let it out.   I don't know how much I will keep this blog running.  I've been told that I'm doing a good job at this, to keep it up, and surprised that I haven't given it up already.  I will keep on going until I run out of ideas to talk about.

Thanks.

A double deal of spirital thought.

About a month ago one of my family pets was put to sleep.  It was a dog.  She had lived a good life and that I miss her.  She felt like part of the family.  I just know that I will see her again in the next life.  Even though dogs are not humans and never will be but at times they feel part of the family.  They are the kind of pet that knows will hear you out and won't talk back to you.  They are the ones to cheer you up when feeling sad or lonely.  I'm thankful to be able to know that there is life after this life.  It would stink to think that this life is all there is and nothing to look forward after this life is end.  I mean what would be the point to get married and have kids or pets and then when they die not to see them again.  That would be devastating.  I don't think I could live a life like that. 

We are all here on this earth for a reason.  To help to return to live with our Heavenly Father.  There are times when we need help and for that reason he sends us someone to cheer us up.  We all face struggles in this life and when someone nice enough comes up and says something nice, does a smile, says hi, etc.  It does make the day a bit brighter and better that someone would go out of their way and make someone else feel better.  I know that I have been an angel to my friends at times.  As I'm sure you have been an angel to someone as well.  The Lord does hear and answer our prayers and I know that we may face a hardship but the fact is that we are loved and that with the faith and prayer we can feel the spirit of comfort and know that we are not alone.