Mormon Culture

Our world is full of different cultures!  These cultures dictate what people eat, how they dress, how they act, and what is and is not acceptable.  As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have the marvelous opportunity to take part in the "Mormon Culture".   It is a great culture, and is accented even more by being a student on the BYU-Idaho campus.  Let me just give you a taste of what this culture entails by two experiences that I had this week.

First, I just returned from my morning classes, and was making lunch before I had to head to my afternoon class, when I heard a tap on the front door and then the creak of it opening.  I walked out into the living room, and saw a girl standing inside of our apartment.  I expected her to say something, but she just kind of stood there.  So, I broke the silence and said, “Can I help you?”  She looked around cautiously and then replied, “Is Amber here?”  I replied that she was not, and that I didn’t even know an Amber.  The girl stepped further in and tentatively continued, “Oh, well last semester, I always came here in between my classes to sleep on the couch.  Amber always let me.”  She paused, and then continued, “Would you mind if I slept on your couch?” -- Let me pause here, and just give you a brief illustration of the current situation that I found myself in: 1) A random girl has just entered my apartment without being invited.   2) She has now already shut the door and is standing within inches of our couch, and  3) although her question allows me to respond ‘no’, her actions are clearly demonstrating that she fully intends to sleep on our couch…Naturally, I do the only sensible thing a person can do in such a situation, I agree to let her sleep on the couch.  As she happily situates herself on the couch, I figure that it would probably be good to at least know her name.  I ask her politely to tell me her name, and she replies, “Oh, you know!”  I stared at her for a while, not quite believing if she was being serious or joking around with me, and replied, “No…I don’t know.”  She laughed, and repeated, “no, it’s ‘oh-you-nah’! hahaha  Random people entering your apartment to sleep on your couch...yep! only at BYU-Idaho!!  

Second, since it is the beginning of the semester, our professors like to go around and have everyone introduce themselves.  It was a classic display of Mormon culture when one professor began his class by saying, “alright,  let's go around and introduce everyone.  If you’re married, please tell us, so that we can take you off the dating list!” hahaha   I love Mormon college culture!

This week, I went to the temple for the first time in the 'States' after my mission.  I had heard that there was a new movie, but I had never seen it.  Wow!!!  So neat!  If you haven't been to the temple yet to see the new movie, GO!!  You will learn a lot!

While studying the book of Moses this week, I came across some interesting analogies.  In the first chapter, Moses has an encounter with the Lord.  During this interaction with the Lord, three interesting things take place.  1) The Lord tells Moses that he is a son of God  2) The Lord commands Moses to only worship Him  3) Moses cannot remain in his natural state while in the presence of the Lord.  After this encounter with the Lord, Satan appears to Moses.  Pay attention to the difference between these two visits: 1) Satan tells Moses that he is a son of man  2) Satan tells Moses to worship him  3) Moses can remain in his natural state while viewing Satan.  It is interesting to note that while the Lord raises Moses to a higher level and encourages and inspires him to live up to his divine potential, Satan demeans Moses and attempts to diminish or even destroy his divine potential.  As we navigate our way through this world, we need to be ever watchful for those things that demean and destroy our divine potential.  As Moses was able to recognize these harmful influences by the glory or lack of glory that he felt, we too have the powerful gift of the Spirit to help us to recognize and avoid the temptations and tactics of the Devil.  I know that we are children of a loving Heavenly Father.  We each have divine potential!  If we strive to strengthen our testimonies, stand in holy places, and listen to the spirit, we will be protected and blessed in our journey of life!!

Missionary Work!- Never Give Up!

This week, I was studying about four missionaries in the Book of Mormon; Abinadi, Alma, Nephi, and Samuel the Lamanite.  I learned a few interesting things that I would like to share with you!

Abinadi (Mosiah 11:20-29; 12:1)
1) Was commanded to preach the Gospel

2) The people did not listen

3) He left the city, but was commanded to return

4) It still wasn't easy, but he did everything to fulfill the will of the Lord

5) Was greatly blessed - Alma the Elder was converted!

Alma (Alma 8:9-18)

1) Was commanded to preach the Gospel

2) The people did not listen

3) He left the city, but was commanded to return

4) It still wasn't easy, but he did everything to fulfill the will of the Lord

5) Was greatly blessed - Amulek and others were converted

Nephi (Helaman 10:1-13)

1) Was commanded to preach the Gospel

2) The people did not listen

3) He left the city, but was commanded to return

4) It still wasn't easy, but he did everything to fulfill the will of the Lord

5) Was greatly blessed - Nephi baptized many people  (Helaman 16:1-4)

Samuel the Lamanite (Helaman 13:1-5)

1) Was commanded to preach the Gospel

2) The people did not listen

3) He left the city, but was commanded to return

4) It still wasn't easy, but he did everything to fulfill the will of the Lord

5) Was greatly blessed - the people who listened to him were baptized by Nephi (Hel 16:1-4)

These example teach us a few things: 1) Missionary work isn't easy!  It never was and never will be.  Yet, the Lord has called us to this work because He knows that our salvation and the salvation of others depend on it!  2) The Lord doesn't want us to ever give up.  Sometimes, it feels like no one wants to listen, and that no one is accepting our message.  We are tempted to 'leave' or to just give up; but just like these four missionaries, the Lord calls us out again each day to preach His Gospel, using new ideas and efforts to find those people who are prepared.  3) If we do our part, work hard, never give up, and do all we can to do the will of the Lord, we will be blessed!*

*Interesting thought: Sometimes, we will not see the fruits of our labors in this life.  Abinadi had many fruits!  Just think about the generations of faithful saints that came from the conversion of Alma the Elder, but Abinadi was killed before he was able to see these fruits!  Also, think about Samuel the Lamanite.  All the people whom he taught wanted to kill him!  After he fled the city and returned to his land, he probably had no idea that there were people who listened to him, repented, and were baptized by Nephi!  So, what can we learn from this?  Never give up!  We are making a difference!!  Our efforts are blessing the lives of many people!!  Each of us is a powerful force for good in the Lord's army!!! 

After 18 Months...

You know you’ve just gotten back from a mission in Brazil when eating American food gives you diarrhea, and not ‘feijao e arroz’; when 50 degree weather makes your teeth chatter; when you eat more than the guy who took you out on a date; when you accidentally throw Portuguese words like ‘também’, ‘vixe’, and ‘acho’ into your normal conversations; when you wear high heels for the first time after 18 months and just about break your foot; and when you receive 2 hugs throughout the day and feel that you were hug deprived!  It’s interesting how much a person can change in such a short time.  I know I’ll adjust, but I can’t help but feel a bit like a stranger on these Rexburg streets.  As I walk around campus, wheezing because of the high altitude and cold, I can’t help but think to myself, “I’m not a Rexburgian, sou Paraibana!!”  Yet, whether it be on the streets of Brazil or the sidewalks of Rexburg, the adventures keep coming and the life lessons keep multiplying!

My first Sunday home was fantastic!  Even though I had a short time before I headed back out to school, I had time to visit my home ward.  After Sacrament meeting, my Mom asked me if I would like to join her down in the primary.  I happily accepted, not only to spend more of my meager ration of time with her, but also to enjoy the spontaneity of the primary children!  At one point, the chorister asked the young children to introduce themselves to her.  One girl raised her hand and said, “My name is Amanda, or Mandy, but I prefer to be called Amanda.”  At this point, another girl sitting two chairs over, looked at ‘Amanda’ with horror in her eyes and exclaimed, “What?! You mean you don’t want me to call you ‘Mandy’?!”  hahaha  It’s always rough when the ‘best friend’ doesn’t get the memo on the latest name change.

Monday I flew out to school, and by Tuesday what had been my ‘life’ and ‘soul’ only a week ago (a missionary in Brazil), suddenly seemed to be but a dream.  The life of a college student; classes, homework, studying, reading, work, and social life, gave me no mercy and jumped right into ‘advanced mode!’  The already hectic schedule is great for me; I have no time to think, I just kind of walk around in a daze from class to homework to work to apt, and repeat!  It’s pretty much the best!  My first day of work, I happened to be wearing a skirt because later that afternoon there was a campus Devotional and I wanted to be dressed up.  While my new boss was training me, he stopped for a second, looked down at my skirt and said, “and just for the future, you should know that this job requires you to NOT wear a skirt!”  My whole soul screamed, “wooohoooo”, and I smiled and said; “now that’s my kind of job!”  Blessings from a mission, right!  Not only do I have an awesome job, but it also doesn’t require a skirt!!

As I was studying my scriptures this week, I came across the story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s and their resolve to bury their weapons of war to keep themselves unspotted from sin and firm in their resolve to follow Christ.  Alma 24:18-19 states,  “And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they give up their own lives…and thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm…” These Lamanites experienced a ‘change of heart’.  They were truly converted, and resolved to remain so, come what may.  They also understood, that this change that they had experienced would require sacrifices, courage, and diligence to maintain.  Each of us has experienced a change within us.  We too have also had experiences when we have become truly converted in some aspect of the Gospel.  What have we resolved to do about our personal conversion?  Can it be said about us, “When (insert name) was brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm?”  Maintaining our personal conversion will never be easy.  It will require sacrifices, courage, and diligence, but if we resolve to be true to our personal conversion, like these faithful Lamanites, our posterity and we will be greatly blessed.