Been a while

I know it's been a while and the honest truth is that I stopped because I didn't feel like I had a whole lot to say. Well, that and I had some in-laws move in with us and, well, I didn't have anything good to say about it.

And to be honest I still don't have many good things to say about my inlaws. Except my grandpa and grandma-in-laws. They are fantastic.

Moving right along, I was inspired to write because I just got back from my very first political debate. It was a lot of fun. I live in Jason Chaffetez's district and that guy has always rubbed me the wrong way. So, of course I've been leaning the opposite direction, contrary to my Mormon/Republican peers.

Karen Hyer is Jason's opponent and honestly I think that most people should be able to see that she is the clear choice. She has years and years of non-government experience and is a little rough around the edges. She is certainly conservative, and so much so that she didn't even register as a Democrat even though she is the Democratic candidate (She's unaffiliated). She is very well educated and certainly knows how to express herself.

Jason, ooooh, Jason. He's a politician, and he's good at it. He knows how to make it work. He certainly knows how to play the voters here in Utah. BYU football kicker, part of the Huntsman campaign and a handsome guy. My wife says his wife doesn't look too bad herself, but I wasn't looking at her (What kind of man am I?).

Karen did really good at the beginning. Her ideas are strong and clear. She knows that healthcare isn't going to get repealed, but she knows that they need to fix the bad parts of the bill. She also knows that the major problem with immigration is that we have 12 million illegals here in the US. The problem that I really felt she had was that she ran a little negative against Jason. I agreed with her completely, especially the cot thing when she told him it was a publicity stunt, which I think it is. But, she doesn't realize that negative campaigning doesn't work where I live. Here, when you run a negative campaign people get turned off, and it gives the opponent the opportunity to not only dodge the question, but say, "She's so mean, she's attacking me!" Therefore the sympathy vote kicks in.

I was able to go with my Dad, the only guy that I can really talk politics with that doesn't shun me for my less then Republican ideals. He was turned off by Karen's negativity, but when I asked him about Jason he realized that Jason didn't really have any ideas. Karen had the ideas, and Jason was just showing off and feeding sound bites.

Overall I had great time and I hope that I might be able to make a bit of a habit of getting more involved and maybe a little more blogging would be useful.

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I really don't have a lot to say overall. Between work school, and family I really haven't had much time to think nor have I really wanted to think because if I start thinking then I start worrying about everything and that doesn't do anything other than keep me up at night and I need as much sleep as I can get. Although as far as school is concerned I shouldn't worry because I've been keeping up with my homework, but that doesn't seem to keep my mind from worrying anyway.

The best part about school so far is that I am praying more than I usually do and I can't express what that is doing for my overall spiritual well-being, now if I could get back to my daily scripture reading them that would be great. I can't seem to figure out how to seperate paragraphs on my phone so I will have to fix it later.

Mo-Bloggin'

I always like to try new things, especially when it comes to blogging. So here I am out and about, trying this mobile-blogging thing.

Blogish Laments

I've stated before that I have been blogging for a while.  In the past my blogs have more or less been just ramblings.  I've drifted from topic to topic, sharing my opinion as I went along.  The main reason I created this new blog is because I wanted a blog that had a specific purpose.  That purpose being one that I plan to spend my time in reflection on myself and spirituality.  I'll hit and I'll miss but at least I have a target and perhaps with time I may actually get it right most of the time.

On one of my other blogs, the random one if you look at my list to the right, I've been blogging for almost a year.  I've never been popular among the community primarily because the community does not appreciate a religious point of view, let alone one that comes from a member of the LDS faith.  I've never let that bother me, until the other day.  For the most part I would ignore the trolls that would frequent my posts, but from time to time I felt compelled to respond.  Often when I would respond a kind on online argument would ensue and eventually they would make personal attacks against me.  I would end the discussion when this would happen by ceasing to respond, because I felt that any further response would be useless.  Nevertheless I posted an entry that brought a troll that would misrepresent my point entirely, of course I tried to clarify myself and as history would indicate eventually the discussion degraded into him insulting my character.  At that point I decided that these comments and discussions were taking up more of my time then I liked and I really would like to take the time to create a post as one would a work of art and know that no one could defile it as I had placed it.  So I disabled my comments and posted an entry explaining myself and apologizing to those that enjoyed my blog and to those that would make intelligent comments.

Suffice it to say this created a whirlwind of hatred toward my blog and incited several posts defaming me.  In turn I reported every one as being abusive and defamatory.  I do not know if I did the right thing or not.  I despise how often good bloggers are run off that site because of these trolls and I've decided myself not to be one of them.  I reported them in the hope that blogging on that site might be a place of real discussion instead of trolls.  Perhaps I should have let it be.  I guess I will have to live with the consequences.

But, we heeded them not

Isn't it curious when you are praying and racking your brain for some bit of understanding suddenly it just comes around the corner and says hello and wants to take you out for lunch?

Since I enjoy blogging on a regular basis I surf around some sites that perhaps at one point I will have up on my blogroll. While I read these posts about the LDS faith I am often bothered by flippant way some people take their faith. I am very troubled by the way some people respond to people of faith (no matter what religion they are). I would read the way some people would express themselves about a religious topic, I would put my two cents in and no matter what, the other person would rip my opinion apart. I found myself spending more time just repeating what I had said, in a foolish attempt to clarify, only to be ripped apart again.

As of late I have become envious of the way these people are able to make their argument and I wished that I could have the right words in my mouth, or on my screen, that would set the argument to rest and be able to confound my enemies as it were. So, I took my problem to prayer and this morning in my somewhat daily scripture study I came across 1 Nephi Chapter 8. It the part with Lehi's dream and Lehi is talking about how the people in the great and spacious building were making fun of the people that ate the fruit and he said 'But, we heeded them not.' I took this as an answer to my prayer.

I believe that if I would be a good tool for the Lord to be able to say things to confound my enemies I must first heed not what they say. In other words I shouldn't be concerned about how they may respond to my beliefs or the beliefs of others, I should first allow my words to stand on their own. Perhaps in time the Lord will instill in me the desire to respond and confound but for now, I should heed them not.

Starting out

To be perfectly honest I'm not new to blogging. In fact I've been doing it off and on (More on the off) for about two years. I have a political commentary blog and a more journalistic blog, and by journalistic I mean a blog that feels more like a dairy than anything else. These blogs have filled something within me, but I felt and feel a need for a blog that reaches into the daily struggle of a Mormon Father that is trying to do his best in the small corner of the Universe that the Lord has allotted him.

So welcome to my blog, were I want to share with you a much more personal view of a Mormon Lifestyle.