Gordon B. Hinckley- Chapter 11: Home—the Basis of a Righteous Life

Guest Post: So, How Do We Save America?

  

   A few years ago a video of the opening scene of Newsroom was making the rounds on social media. When asked “why America is the greatest country in the world?” he answers that it isn’t. (link is to clean version) He then goes on to relate how we have lost our former glory in many ways.

   As many you know I sing with the Millennial Choirs and Orchestras. Last year I posted about our patriotic album “To Be American.” For this Independence Day I wanted to re-share a post by the organizations founding conductor Brett Stewart. Professor Stewart tells us what we need to do to save America and return it to its former glory.

So, How Do We Save America?

Originally posted at Millennial.org

     My high school water polo and swim coach was relentless. Notoriously. He was known for either throwing something IN the pool or pulling someone OUT of the pool, always with some variation of fury. More than once my parents received a 6:00 AM-ish unapologetic phone call from him, asking why I wasn’t at practice yet. They made a career of reminding him that I was attending seminary at 5:15 AM in order to make it to practice each morning, and that I would be a little bit late. I’ll never forget the times he tore off his shirt and threw himself in the pool (all in a very dramatic manner) to demonstrate some technique or drill that we were slaughtering (usually out of sheer laziness). He just didn’t tolerate anything but 100%. He garnered the respect of his students because even though he was our parents’ age, he could still play his sport -well. As I watched his temper flare and then the perfect demonstration of how it was supposed to be done, I remember thinking, “You’re insane. And, you rock!” His tactics would never fly today. But two decades ago it delivered results, in many ways.

     Aside from titles and championships, he taught work ethic to thousands of youth. He deliberately made the way difficult so that the prize was earned and deserved. It fostered self-awareness and self-esteem. I haven’t come across a past student of his that doesn’t respect and love that man (even the smart alecs who bore the brunt of his wrath). Most look back at those years with fondness, because a mentor went out of his way to turn entitled, immature youth into young adults with purpose and promise.

     REALITY CHECK

     I was not a dedicated piano student. Several days before competitions I scrambled to finish memorizing and polishing my pieces, trying to convince myself that it sounded better than it did, or that I could, with my deplorable lack of preparation, wow the judges with my raw talent. Mom had a way of keeping things real. “Signing up for this competition was a waste of money,” she’d say. “You haven’t practiced and you’ve left it all to the last minute and it sounds awful. There are mistakes all over the place.” By the time we arrived at the competition she would soften her message with something like, “Just concentrate and do your best. Hopefully the judges will look past all the mistakes.” Thanks for the pep talk, Mom!

     I somehow always pulled through with a 3rd place or Honorable Mention win, which I could have falsely interpreted as a reward for my efforts except that I had my mother there to keep things in perspective. “Well, you pulled it off again, Brett. You know, no one plays with as much musicality and passion as you. If you’d practice you’d actually win.” I always knew that my Honorable Mention was due to sheer talent, not hard work, and that if I simply worked hard I would enjoy the greater prize and the satisfaction of having really earned and deserved it.

     Instead of blaming our parents for their tough-love approach and brutal honesty, my siblings now sit around at family gatherings and laugh about these things. We thank God for parents who focused on reality, even when it was painful. We are grateful for the fact that we had to earn our success – that we had to work hard. We attribute our success and our ability to function as responsible parents and citizens and members of our church and community to the fact that we always knew where we stood, and that praise was deserved, not fabricated. Self-esteem was earned, not gifted.

     A NATION OF WIMPS

     While teaching high school I came across the article “A Nation of Wimps,” in which Hara Marano, Psychology Today’s Editor at Large, candidly spells out the disastrous effect of parents and mentors coddling youth in today’s society. Even though I have seven children I am a novice parent. A typical response to my children’s complaints is, “You can tell your therapist all about it when you’re an adult, and you’re welcome to blame all of your issues on your mom and me. Now, go clean up the dog poop.” I can’t say that I have the best parenting approach, because I’m sure I don’t. But my concern isn’t centered on the perfect parenting; it is centered on kids being competent and tough enough to function in this great big world without having success handed to them on a silver platter. My concern is that kids will not blame their problems on imperfect parents or mentors, but will have the resolve and tenacity to stop focusing on their problems and reach outside themselves to make a difference in the world. My concern is that kids will understand reality in a world that is increasingly fabricated.

     THE CHALLENGES FOR YOUTH

Three truths are widely accepted in the world today:

1. Youth are in a spiritual war. They are being spiritually challenged more than at any other time in the history of the world. Satan and his forces have opened the floodgates. We are in the middle of a cultural revolution and the influences are overwhelming.

2. Youth are being raised in a ME society. Today, the “other gods” spoken of in the first of the Ten Commandments are clearly ourselves. We live in a world of selfies. My feelings, my choices, my rights. Society has created the problem. It is now so difficult to get into a good college that otherwise fantastic youth are hyper-focused on their schooling, their grades, and their test scores, to the degree that there is no time or even innate desire to reach out and serve others. While our grandparents were enlisting in the most devastating war the modern world had ever known, our youth are enlisting in themselves and their future. They are marrying and starting families later than ever before. The focus is ME.

3. Youth are entitled. They have less physical demands and more comforts than any other generation in the history of the world. The rigid labors and harsh social/religious climates that existed for thousands of years until the 20th-century advancements are extinct, at least in their comfortable sphere. They have never experienced the literal building of a nation through war and conflict. They have never experienced real, life-altering religious persecution. They have never suffered through a devastating economic depression. And technology is paralyzing youth physically, socially, and spiritually.

     Despite these challenges, it is my personal belief that God has saved his strongest spirits to come to earth in these troubling last days. These youth must be given opportunities to work hard, be pushed, and accomplish something great as a result of their own efforts. And if that accomplishment benefits someone other than themselves, bonus!

     GOD SAVE AMERICA

     As one of MCO’s founders I work to provide a power-packed combination of the experiences of the mentors described above, founded upon the principles of discipline and hard work, where the reward is the satisfaction of having really earned and deserved something. Even better, it does all of this while exposing youth on a weekly basis to what prophets and apostles have deemed the most powerful conduit to the Lord than perhaps anything except prayer – sacred music. And the result is shared with thousands who come to be spiritually fed and uplifted by singers and instrumentalists who have perfected their craft in order to deliver excellence. While researching repertoire for MCO’s “To Be American” album I came across an old American hymn, “God Save America.” The title haunted me. I thought if “God Bless America” was the American rallying cry of the 20th century, “God Save America” ought to be the clarion call of the 21st. People of all religious, social, racial, and political backgrounds have their own ideas of whether America is suffering, and how. But, as revealed in the studies referenced in “A Nation of Wimps” and elsewhere, one of the most concerning reasons America is suffering is the way we are raising her youth. Obviously God is the only being that can save America, or the world for that matter. But we can assist as we raise America’s youth. As I explained to the youth last year when they recorded “America the Beautiful,” it is the anti-self anthem. If we could teach youth to “more than self their country love, and mercy more than life,” or that all their “success be nobleness, and every gain divine,” or to “confirm [their] soul in self control, [their] liberty in law,” we just might help God save America.

New Testament Readings: Thoughts on Seventies

   To help spread His Gospel Jesus sent missionaries out to share His words and to prepare the way for Him. These Seventy were instructed to go out heal the sick, and preach that the kingdom of God was coming. They were to be among the people and dwell with them. Most Importantly, they were to be representatives of Jesus Christ. Jesus knew He could not be everywhere for “the harvest truly [was] great.” (Luke 10:2) So the Seventy were given His authority and He testified to them, “he that heareth you heareth me.” (Luke 10:16)

New Testament Readings: Thoughts on Earthly and Heavenly Rewards

Christ and the Rich Young Ruler

   Often when Christ spoke, he spoke in metaphors or parables. As part of his teachings the message was often of what needed to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Some sacrifices were physical and some spiritual. Likewise, Jesus also explained the rewards for righteousness as physical and spiritual; even sometimes one being a metaphor for the other.

   When a young man of wealth came to Christ and asked what was needed for Eternal Life he was eventually told, “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me” The account goes on to say that the young man went “away sorrowful.”

New Testament Readings: Thoughts on Parables

   When Christ taught his people he often used Parables; sheep, seeds, debtors, fish, wages. These were items the people things the people he was teaching understood. The Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes had corrupted the law of Moses to the point that the people no longer were able to understand its true intent and purpose. Jesus used parables to help bring the people back to an understanding to the law and to his Gospel.

New Testament Readings: Thoughts on The Beatitudes

   As many of you know, I am going back to school. I love going to BYU Idaho because part of the courses required to graduate are ecclesiastical. This term I am taking a course on the New Testament and each week, as part of the course, I will be sharing my thought on my readings.

   This week we are studying The Beatitudes from Matthew chapter 5.  When the Savior was teaching during the Sermon on the Mount, he spoke about attitudes we can adopt to be blessed. Each Beatitude is introduced with the phrase, “Blessed are…” The Savior could just say, ‘be poor in spirit.’ He doesn’t though. He outlines each character trait and then shares the blessings to those who adopt them. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Memorial Day Thoughts: "Earn This”?

“Earn This.” It is one of the most moving and motivating lines from Saving Private Ryan. If you have not seen this film, there are some major spoilers coming. If the R-Rating turned you away before, it is now available on VidAngel and you choose what material to edit.

Best Buy is Giving $7.50 Fandango Cash on Select Blu-ray Discs

I love taking my boys to the movies. Some of out favorite Dreamworks Movies of the last few years are on sale right now at Best Buy. I just got an Xbox One, but I don’t have many Blu-ray Discs. If you are like me, now is the time to stock up!

Best Buy has 16 Dreamworks titles ranging from $7.99-$14.99 each. The best part is though, that each Blu-ray disc includes $7.50 in Fandango Cash to use towards your next trip to the movies!

You can see the full list here, but here are some of the highlights we reviewed.

Opening Today! FREETOWN Renews Reverence and Respect For Missionaries

By Grady
(Grade B)

   Living and having served my mission in the United States, it can be tempting to see missionaries as just 18 year old boys in a shirt and tie. Freetown reminds us that these “boys” are servants of God and where they go, miracles follow and faith increases.

   Caught in the middle of a brutal civil war, six Liberian missionaries in Monrovia flee the widespread violence in their native country. Their destination: Freetown, Sierra Leone. With the help of local church member Phillip Abubakar (Henry Adofo), the missionaries make the difficult journey, only to have their troubles compounded by a rebel fighter bent on killing one of their own. Based on incredible true events, Freetown is a thrilling and inspiring story of hope and survival.

Read Full Review...

Family Night with The Boxtrolls

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Universal Pictures, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #BoxtrollsFamilyNite http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

   Every Monday night our family likes to get together to spend time with each other. What we do varies from week to week. Sometimes we have discussion about an issue affecting our family, sometimes we play games, and sometimes we go on an adventure! The one constant on all these activities is that focus is always on how will this activity help us to grow closer as a family and increase our faith in Jesus Christ.

   Last week we had a wonderful time evening at the "drive-in" to see a movie. It all started last week when I was at Walmart with my oldest son. As we walked in he squeezed my hand and said, "Dad, I like being with you. We go fun places, you listen to me when I talk, and you always buy cool stuff!" My heart melted and I knew I had a reputation to uphold. We had been talking about The Boxtrolls coming out on DVD. Garren spotted it on the shelf so we grabbed it, along with a box of Pop Secret 10ct Home-Style Popcorn. The shelves were pretty empty for both items, so stop by Walmart and pick them up while supplies last.

       On Monday I got home a little early (on time) and started our activity. I brought home some cardboard boxes and my wife Kristie gave the kids some paints. The kids loved making their CAR-dboard boxes so they could have something to sit in during the movie. While they were busy, Kristie and I got busy on the Family Night treat. Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn is a great and fast snack, but we don't do anything halfway on Family Night.




   In theme with The Boxtrolls' trash digging habits, we made popcorn garbage balls. They aren't incredibly hard, and taste great! 

• 1 Bag of Pop Secret Home-Style Popcorn
• 1/3 cup of light corn syrup
• 1/8 cup of butter
• 1 teaspoon of water
• 1/2 cup of marshmallows
• 1 1/4 cup of powdered sugar
• assorted treats and candies 

   You basically throw everything but the popcorn and candies in a sauce pan on low heat until it all melts together. Pop your corn and put in a large mixing bowl. Then pour over your glaze from the sauce pan. Though it should not boil, it will hot, so caution if cooking with kids. From here, grease your hands and mix in your favorite candies and treats lying around the house! We made two batches. One had M&M's, Oreos, and Animal Crackers; while the other was more fruity with Nerds, Skittles, and Mike & Ike's. Then just form the mix into balls and serve!

   The kids loved watching The Boxtrolls at our in home Driver-in with their Popcorn Garbage Balls. I don't think I have even seen them sit on one spot for so long. Even our little Ginger stayed in her box for the whole film. The Boxtrolls is the story of a young orphaned boy raised by underground cave-dwelling trash collectors. He tries to save his friends from an evil exterminator who has convinced the town that the trolls will steal their children in the night.

   After the movie ended we made sure to take time out to discuss the themes and lessons from the movie. Having just celebrated Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday the month previously, the kids were well versed in awful outcomes of prejudice. We also spoke about being loyal to your friends and supporting them during the good times, and in time of trial. 

   It isn't always easy making sure we get together every Monday, and honestly there are some nights that we just slap it all together. We continue to do it though because we never want our children to doubt that we love them, that home is a place they can feel safe, and that if they ever need to know what to do or how to act; they can feel comfortable having an open conversation with their parents about it.

"Dad, I don't have any friends at school... because of my Aspergers."

"Dad, I don't have any friends at school. I think it is because I am different because of my Aspergers."

It was a situation I knew one day we would face. We knew our oldest son Garren was different from a young age. He read really early and really well, he would talk nonstop about facts and figures of things he was interested in, and when with other children he was perfectly content playing independently. Once Garren started first grade we had confirmed that he had Aspergers.

Young kids were generally patient with his quirks and he had good friends at school that we were also friends with outside of school. Now he is facing more serious consequences in our new home in Arizona.

Last night Mom was at Homemaking and me and the kids were just sitting around the living room talking. Then Garren says, "Dad, I don't have any friends at school. I think it is because I am different because of my Aspergers." I didn't know what to say, and honestly would have cried if I opened my mouth. I just smiled at him.

I need some advice; how do I help my son gain the confidence in himself and create meaningful friendships at school?

Meet the Mormons (2014): Mormon Movie Review

 

(Grade A)

   I didn’t intend on seeing the Church’s new film, Meet the Mormons right away. I wanted to see it, but didn’t see the need to view it in the theatre. Who wants to pay nearly $20 for you and your date to see a 70 minute I’m a Mormon commercial? Then I saw the invitation from Jeffrey R Holland.

Read the Full Review…

Guest Post: General Conference Traditions

My beautiful wife shares some of our General Conference traditions. She has started a blog of her own sharing her side of the story when it comes to how she experiences this Mormon life. You can also read my General Conference post from last year.

I LOVE traditions! And I love General Conference. Every 1st weekend of April and October a General Conference is held where our dear prophet and other church leaders speak to us. And I truly believe that Thomas S. Monson is a real prophet who speaks for The Lord. Like Noah or Abraham of old. It is a great weekend to get answers to struggles or personal revelation on how we can better come unto Christ. It's always inspiring. I always feel the spirit. And everyone is welcomed to listen. They have two general sessions on Saturday and two sessions on Sunday. There is also a Priesthood session Saturday night. Always fun to see the Conference quotes on Pinterest after a session. Love that we can have reminders in our home after conference is over to help us remember the great things we learned.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014): Mormon Movie Review

 

by Grady
(Grade: C+)

I went into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with pretty low expectations. I can safely say it was better that I expected, but not as good as I had hoped.

I think I’ll lead off with the things that went as expected.

First is the overuse of CGI. If you have ever read a review by me you will know I am a big fan of practical effects. Having your five of your main characters be hyper blur martial artists is a discredit to the medium of feature film. It was very good animation, but it was still animation. The plot was very weak and transparent. The only spoiler I will give in this post is that there are no spoilers! Everything happens just as you expect it would.

Read the rest of the article on Mormons at the Megaplex…

Review: 1776 is a Jovial and Musical Tribute to How Our Nation was Founded

(Grade: B-)

I love musicals and I love America! As we approach Independence Day I was hard pressed to find a film that tells they story or the signing of the Declaration of Independence, let alone the Revolutionary War. After much data mining I excavated this gem from 1972…

For the full movie review along with a content guide and spiritual messages to discuss visit the Mormons at the Megaplex.

Millennial Choirs & Orchestras- To Be American: Mormon Music Review

   I have been singing with the Millennial Choirs & Orchestras for about eight years now and we have recorded three full length albums ranging from the birth of Christ to his visit on the American continent.

   MCO’s newest album, “To Be American” is a musical tribute to God & Country.

Get Ready for Summer- Three Hour Block Party Ribs

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Weave Made Media® and Farmland/Smithfield, but all my opinions are my own. #weavemade #ReadySetRibs http://my-disclosur.es/RgFrEH

   With our impending move to Arizona we have been staying with my parents these past few weeks. My mom is an awesome cook, and before I left I asked her to teach me how to make her awesome baby back ribs. When I get to Gilbert I am going to need to impress all our new friends with my BBQ skills.

  Her ribs are surprisingly easy to make. They are the perfect dinner to throw in the oven, head off to your Three Hour Block of church, and come home to a meal ready to slap on the table. Or you can grab a knife and separate the ribs and serve them at your Summer Block Party.

Are Church Disciplinary Councils Necessary?

I am attending BYU-Idaho Online and I was given an assignment to write a persuasive essay on a controversial topic. While my writing contains statements made by them, I cannot speak for their intentions, personal testimonies, or worthiness. Thanks for all of you who offered feedback and critique as I wrote this and I hope you enjoy the finished product. If you did, you might also enjoy my other post that has a poorly veiled reference to Dehlin, The New Anti-Mormon Campaign.

New Content Week to Kick Off the Summer!

There are a lot of exciting things going on this summer at This Mormon Life. We have a whole bunch of new content to share with you and we thought we would jam it all into a single week! Every day we are going to give you a new post about some awesome things to talk about. We have some news, movie reviews, personal stories, and some tips to enhance your summer!

Here is what we have on the schedule:

• Sunday: With all the Excommunication hoopla going around we weigh in on the subject with a paper I wrote for school.
• Monday: It’s time to party! I share my Mom’s recipe for Three Hour Block Party Ribs.
• Tuesday: Edit (I moved to Arizona this day and my “To Be American” article posted after midnight)
• Wednesday: Are you ready for your Independence Day Soundtrack? We will share with you the latest offering from the Millennial Choirs and Orchestras featuring Glenn Back (in the mean time check out their other offerings).
• Thursday: Get in the mood for Independence Day with our review of a lost Revolutionary film gem. My favorite Revolutionary film is The Patriot, but this one is good for the whole family.
• Friday: A lot of you know about our impending move to Arizona and the medical condition my daughter Ginger has. Let us bring you up to speed of how things are going.
• Saturday: Can you believe some guy got ran over for saving a pew in church!? Stay safe on the Sabbath by reading our rules for protecting your pew!

To find out when we post our newest articles follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Bloglovin, you’ll be glad you did.

With the Price Increase, is Disneyland Still Worth it?

   Recently, Disneyland “adjusted” their prices. A lot of people were up in arms about the increase. I wrote to Disney and asked them what justified the price change and in response they invited me to come visit the park as their guest to see for myself.

   Disneyland has always had a special place in my heart. When I was young my grandma would take all the grandkids to Disneyland every summer. I was scared of a lot of the rides so I actually spend a lot of time with her as she watched us from the sidelines in her wheelchair. I asked her once, “Grandma, does it ever make you sad that you can’t go on the rides?” “Gradypoo,” she responded, “seeing your smiling face and knowing I put it there is all the happiness I need.” Grandma has been passed away for nine years now, but this is a lesson I have never forgotten and tried to honor on our adventure at the Magic Kingdom.