The Conclusion: Wrapping it up #20

Welp, this is it. My last blog for Writing 150. I can't believe I am finishing up one of the last assignments of this class. I know that I sound very cliche saying that all of this has gone by fast, but it has. I was reviewing my blog posts and observing how my mannerisms had changed. Sometimes it hard to see how we have improved, but I believe that I have improved in some ways. Not just in English but in my ability to coup with life after the mission.

For some reason, coming back from proselyting full time has been a real struggle. I could see that in some of my earlier blog entrees. For some reason I thought that when I came back I would be a super human. It wasn't that I thought I would be better than anyone else, I just thought I would be more capable and confident than I was before. But then again, the stakes have been raised. BYU is a competitive place. Many of the people I have meet deserve to be in Ivy League schools, but they choose to come here because of the culture. Anyway, I think my experience in English has been a good one. I am especially thankful for the opportunity to have written the research paper on something I hold very dear. Learning about my great great grandpa and his posterity has been a real blessing. There is something special about receiving guidance from blood related relatives who have gone before. I learned a lot about research and effective ways of communicating with reliable sources.

All in all, I think I will be applying the skills I have learned in effective ways. I hope that by doing so I will be able to find success in other aspirations. My late grandpa Throckmorton always talked about the importance writing in a professional life, now I think I'll have a better grip on what he claimed.

The Stress of Life #19

I don't think I am bipolar, but sometimes I find myself completely backward to what I initially wanted. I find myself wishing sometimes life could be a little easier. Sometimes I just wish things were given to me on a silver platter. How great would it be if an angel or something went up to you and asked you "Would you like to be a lawyer or a doctor?" or something simple like "Would you like to have a good day today or a bad day today?" How incredible would that be? Welp, if you asked me today I would tell you that I wouldn't. Today my mind is less crowded and I had an inspiring lesson in Book of Mormon class. I would say that it is a terrible idea! Whenever we wish life was more like that, we can be sure that God is not giving us that inspiration. In fact, who's plan does that sound like? I feel like the advisary is implanting his original plan in our minds once again.

I think the stress of life comes from going back and forth between what we want and what we need. It's kind of like that one Rolling Stones song. If I was prophet for a day I would include the song "You Can't Always Get What You Want" in the Hymn book. I always find myself stressed when get caught in that trap. I want an A on that test... but have I actually studied enough to get that grade? I want to serve that person... but do I have the faith to actually act on that prompting? I need to do those things to get what I want but sometimes I don't always do the things I need to do. I think that when I start doing the things I need, the things that I want will be come more attainable.

Inspiration? #18

Today in our music class we reviewed some of the works of John Cage. Before I get into a discussion about what I think about his music, I want to say that Classical Music can be very inspiring. I have found that music can have soothing effect on my mood an habits. For example, every Sunday my family (and now me at BYU) puts on Mormon Tabernacle Choir to get that spiritual feeling. It inspires me to think about Jesus and anything good. It is amazing how certain melodies can influence our thinking.

Now, about John Cage. In my music class, we are studying about a man who composed everything that had never been thought of before. That seems a little ambiguous but let me explain. This John Cage is a composer that uses sounds to make music. He has gone against the normal habit of instruments and choirs to create a non-melodic symphony. He just bangs stuff and hits stuff for a couple of minutes until he feels like stopping. He composed a symphony consisting of 4:00 minutes of pure silence. Can you believe that? Well I couldn't until I thought about it more. The Cage philosophy is that everything is music. All the sounds around us make up a symphony.

Many critics hate the work of John Cage, they call him a phony and a scam artist. Making people pay for concerts where there is no "real music." After fighting my initial reaction I began to think that what John Cage was doing was quite innovative. It fights all the assumptions of music and creates something totally unexpected. Although his music may not be my first choice on an iTunes playlist, I think that what he has done is admirable. Going against the grain is the only way that the human race has moved forward anyway.

The Final Brainstorm #17

I am really excited that our final in WRTG 150 will be over before the last week of school. I rather have my finals spread out so that I won't be worrying about taking them too close together. I have been thinking of a couple of things that I could do to make my final for this class a good one.

For my first main point of my three main point, I will talk about how to organize a paper. I loved the difference I felt in making an outline for my paper before I started. I had never attempted that previously. I felt that once I had a clear understanding of what I needed to write about, the research and topics that I wanted to address flowed much easier. It's like an architect that makes a blue print of his project before his begins. Can you imagine someone trying to build something without having a model to follow? It's ridiculous to think about.

My second point will encompass the previous. I will talk about how I have developed a better writing style because of that advice that I received from our writing book. I think my ability to write text will be lengthened because of this quality.

Goals that I will set to help my future in communication will be to never write a paper by myself. I need to be more diligent about using the writing lab as a resource. I don't think you can appeal to the masses by writing everything by yourself. Normally, we don't write for ourselves, so I think it's pretty stupid to not use a second or third pair of eyes to help finish a paper.

I hope I can refine these ideas to make a good presentation orally and textual for the Final!

Thanksgiving Traditions #16

I love thanksgiving. I don't just love it because of the food; although food is a great contributing factor. There is something special about having people related to you within a close proximity. Only a couple time a year are we gathered together, this occasion is a cause to celebrate. I love the traditions within the traditions of always getting together. Every single year as we gather together to eat mashed potatoes, corn, sparkling apple cider, hot rolls, and pie there is always a special little treat to accompany the gigantic meal. A little mesh turkey.

The mesh turkey is a special one. It is brown mesh surrounding a bunch of M&Ms. The mesh has a wire thing sticking out to form a beak looking thing. All in all it looks like a little turkey. Although in my youth I used to see it as just another way I could fit sweets into my mouth, I have found it to be something of greater significance. I feel like our family is symbolized by the M&Ms located within the mesh. Each one has a different color or personality. Yet, we are all gathered in the net of our family bonds which bring us together. I still haven't thought of anything that could symbolize the beak.

I think it is vital to always have some sort of mesh that bonds a family together, whether it be the gospel or sports or a particular hobby that everyone enjoys. All families in this world should work together to keep together a strong mesh. Sometimes one layer may no be enough, maybe we should work on creating larger and larger layers to not allow any M&M to be lost. That's my philosophy anyway.

The World According to Daring Dale #15

I must say, from what I have read and from what I have seen: my life has been lived in a bubble. I have grown up with a supportive family. I have gotten a good education. I have never had serious medical impediments. I have always had enough food to eat. I have been sheltered.

After going to visit some places in South America and Central America I have come to realize that the world is a very different place from the one I had imagined. Especially in these days. There is so much corruption and evil taking hold of the earth. There are so many wars and battles taking the lives of loved ones and hated ones. There is chaos. How it was that I ended up in such wonderful circumstances is a mystery to me. Statistically speaking my chances were not good.

I am glad to have a LDS perspective. If I didn't I think I would be very worried for my future. Knowing that all the turmoil and ruckus has been prophesied gives me comfort. I know that there is something to be said of all the calamities that surround us everyday. Taking a religion class at BYU really helps me see that. A couple of weeks ago our Book of Mormon class discussed all of the terrible things that are happening today. Our teacher quoted something from a talk given by Bruce R McConkie, it stated that the persecutions in the times of the early church are nothing compared to the persecution that we will have to confront the last day. That is kind of scary considering all the things that the early Saints had to go through. I wonder if we will be able to go through those things without to many spiritual casualties.

Life... what is it?! #14

One time my cousin walked into seminary and exclaimed, "life... what is it?!" I thought that his outburst was completely relevant to a seminary setting. I have thought about that comment a great deal over the years and I have a some thoughts as to what I want to do in and with my life.

I think it is an important thing to experience a bit of stress in thinking about what we are to do with our lives. It should be a decision of great intensity. Personally, I feel the stress of this question on a daily basis. I think I may overthink it. My aspirations are great because I have very demanding parents. For some weird reason I could never do anything half heartedly in my home growing up. Maybe it was because I was their very first child but I wasn't allowed to not work hard at anything. Sometime I felt overwhelmed that I was living my life for my parents. It seemed that running away and becoming a professional skateboarder or surfer or rock climber just wouldn't fly with them.

Have you ever read the book "Into the Wild"? I have felt like that many times. Sometimes I just want to run away and see the world, I want to experience things for myself, I have a tug of adventure that blinds me to the comfort of home and a good education. For brief moments I feel like I am trapped in the normal life. Growing up, getting a good job, having kids, and serving in the church. These are all things that are expected of my by everyone I love. If I do anything to threaten those things I will end up disappointing everyone. The dread of this disappointment has always stopped me from doing anything I would regret. I know that no matter what I do, that inkling for adventure will never stop burning in my chest. It will consume me until I find some way to quench it.

Dale Carnegie #13

One of the most influential people that I have read about in my life is Dale Carnegie. Many may recognize this name as the one that accompanies the book "How to Make Friends and Influence People." Carnegie was a self made man. He grew up as an extremely poor farm boy. To get an education he had to make great sacrifices. He made his way to school as a boy after waking up to milk cows at 4:00 in the morning. Can you believe that? I sometimes feel like my 9 o'clock class is too early. His work ethic allowed him to reach the heights of American stardom. He made a name for himself my teaching self-improvement classes and lecturing about public speaking. His work made him a house hold name in the early 20th century. I have learned a great deal from his writings and hope to continue to apply them for the rest of my life.

Before my mission I made an effort to read "How to Make Friends and Influence People." As I read the book I began to make serious changes. I began to say hello to nearly everyone that I saw. (This was very useful for my mission.) I began to treat people better. I began to use first names frequently. I began to apply all the tips that Dale Carnegie recommended in his classic book. I feel like many of the qualities I read about have influenced me in so many ways. I remember also being more willing to work and study after reading about his experiences.

Although we shouldn't worship our influences, I think it is important to have people who we admire. Having someone who has had experiences similar to our own can be a driving force in our progression. I have found that motivation comes from those who have overcome all obstacles to be successful.

The Suicide Belt #12

Before Thanksgiving Break, I attended a concert on BYU campus. My friend invited me to the concert to support his singing group. I went with a good friend expecting to just see a little bit of singing and dancing. When I arrived I was surprised to see that the concert was trying to raise money for suicide prevention. Before the concert began the singers began to talk about the high suicide rates in the United States. I was shocked to discover that Utah had one of the highest suicide rates in the country. We were shown a map of the USA and directed to a dark area called the Suicide Belt. The Suicide Belt is a part of America where the is a unusually hight amount of suicided per year. It included all of the states above, below and to the sides of Utah.

As I listened to the commentator I couldn't help but be surprised at that statistic. Utah is in the top ten for suicides? I couldn't believe it. As I have been reflecting on that statistic these past few days I have come to several conclusions. They may not be accurate but I think there may be some substance to it. I think that living in a Mormon culture is hard. There are so many expectations from parents, wards, and stakes that many kid feel too overwhelmed. I remember speaking with a friend of mine who was a member about this very topic. She was a good person, but she felt the stress of not measuring up. She experienced feeling of heartache and had made several attempts to end her life. It was hard for me to help her, there wasn't much I could do. I don't believe that the church has anything to do with the rate of suicide, I know that they offer many ways to council those who have problems with self esteem, but I do believe there are many who feel like they cannot deal with the social pressures and fly off the deep end. This is a sensitive topic but I am so grateful for the blessing of the gospel and the aid it offers us when we find ourselves in the darkest hours of our existence.

Development of self-awareness #11

I am writing a brief thought about what I believe the title is referring to. I may be incorrect but I feel like I have a good idea of what it means. Self-awareness is the view one has of ones-self. We develop that whether we want to or not. Everyone walking around on earth who is capable of feeling the average human emotion is very, very aware of how and who they are. This self depicted image may not be accurate, but it has a large influence on our self esteem.

I don't think most human being has a very balanced sense of awareness. One day they think they are too dumb and the next day they are prideful, thinking they are better than the next man/woman. I find myself plunging from confidence to discouragement almost daily. The positive development of my self-awareness is only increases when I am busy doing productive things. For example, when I come home from a long day of studying and feel like I have mastered the material, I have a positive view of my self worth. On the other hand, when I come home from a day of lazy, half-hearted work, I feel lousy.

Feeling the things I discussed in the previous paragraph helps me understand that I am more self aware. That being said, it is crucial to know how to develop your self-awareness in a positive way. Because if not, you may end up beating yourself up all the time. That may cause a negative impact on the way you view yourself. The key is to become positively aware.

Bishop Davis Devotional #10

"We have questions. These are consuming and scary." This is the way that Bishop Davis, second councilor in the Presiding Bishopric, began his address November 3, 2015. It seemed that all of the ears of every BYU student shot up with interest. The whole audience was filled with young men and women who were eager to know how to manage a order their lives. Bishop Davis went on to say that he remembered exactly what it was like to be in our shoes. When he said that I immediately said to my self, 'how can I believe that a general authority felt the same way I feel.' It is such a stereotypical thought for a BYU student. We just can't seem to look beyond our current circumstances. We, or at least I, feel like success is out of our reach. All of the greats that have past through this campus have set quite a standard for our generation.

Bishop Davis threw me a curveball when he explained that he had spent his time cleaning the building we were in. He was a janitor in the Marriott Center. When he said that I felt like I could identify right away. I don't have a job as a janitor but I do feel like I am the smallest guy here some times. Hearing about his challenges motivated me to want to overcome my own challenges.

Bishop Davis then went on to explain that we can do all things if we lean on Christ. That is the only way to true happiness. If we lean on Christ, all things will work in our favor. I loved his stories and his power as he illustrated the simplicity of overcoming obstacles and letting Christ be our leader. We don't have to do everything ourselves, we have a God to lead the way.

Running for Fun #9

I watched from a birds’ eye view as my legs glided past each other over and over again. I had been doing this for about ten minutes. I was bored out of my mind.

“I hate this,” I muttered angrily to myself.

As I muttered, I imagined sprinting up and down a sleek wood floor organizing strategies to help my team. That was the only physical endurance I enjoyed.

“Good job out there, kid!” my Physical Education teacher bellowed as he patted my back.

“Thanks,” I muttered under my breath.

“You know,” he began, “we are really needing some good prospects for Cross Country next year. You could really help our chances with the team.”

“That sounds great,” I lied, “but I think I’m set on basketball.”

“You shouldn’t be so sure!” he exclaimed, “No one comes close to you during our races. I think running suites you better.”

I took that last comment as an insult. The only way anyone could make me run was to jeopardize my grade point average. I was so glad that the next four years would be different. I daydreamed of belonging to an elite club of starters for the Laguna Beach Breakers. Girls would chant my name and make posters of me. For all I knew, that’s what High School was all about.

“I think I’m a couple inches taller!” I yelled at my dad from the garage.

“It’s been two months since graduation,” he responded with a chuckle, “I think that would be a world record.”

“Maybe if take a deep breath when Coach Flemming looks at me he’ll think I’m taller,” I replied.

I didn’t believe what I was saying, but I said it anyway. Mr. Flemming had been coaching the Breakers for about one hundred years. I tried to think of anything that could make me look better. Tomorrow I would have my only chance to make a first impression. I had my clothes all laid out in my bedroom. I even had my mom buy two different colored Gatorades, just in case one color didn’t give me enough electrolytes. I was sure all those hours of practice would pay off, but you could never be to careful.

“Remember to be careful with you arm,” my Dad recalled, “the doctor told you to take it easy.”

Hey! Stop worrying about that!” I replied, perhaps a little louder then I wanted, “He said I was probably fine.”

“I hope nothing is wrong, I just don’t want anything to happen between now and your appointment tomorrow. They should have the results by then.”

My hands started to shake when he said that. The thought of not being able to swish that bright orange ball through a red circle was devastating. If worse came to worse, playing between now and Sophomore year was out of the question. The possibility weighed on my shoulders like a ton of bricks. ‘What would I do?’ I tried to push all of those negative thoughts out of my head. I had known that the possibility of surgery was likely for a while. I had been having trouble with my arm in recent months. Every time I shot the basketball my elbow felt and sounded like a nut cracker crushing a walnut. The doctor had told me that bits of bone were trapped in my elbow joint. Sometimes those bits of bone would lock up my elbow and I would have restricted movement. My stupid elbow wasn’t just ruining my basketball shot, it could possibly ruin my dreams. The surgeon would tell me the next day whether I would need an operation.

I was lost in thought as I sank deep into the soft couch. The lights were low and I had tears brimming on my eyelids. I fought them because I was a man. As I wallowed in my misery, my father sat next to me. He seemed to not sink as deep as me on the couch. "What are you thinking about?" He asked, knowing the answer before I said anything. I chose not to respond. "Things don't always work out like you want. You should start think of options. You aren't just confined to one thing." He said. I let my Father have a conversation with himself, I wasn't ready to come out of my self-imposed prison yet. Yesterday the doctor had told me that I would need surgery on my elbow. He then mentioned that I would be unable to play basketball for a year. He might as well have told me to put a gun to my head and pull the trigger. "You've always been a good runner," he chirped, "why don't you give that a try?" I had to chuckle a bit. It was true that I had always been a talented runner. I always pushed myself more then anyone else. But then again, no one in middle school really puts forth an effort in Physical Education. As repulsive as the idea sounded, I had no other choice. I took a deep breath before responding.

"I'll give it a shot," I whispered. The deep breath I took seemed to make me rise from the depths of our couch.

“Let’s get going then!” my Dad chirped, “The Asics store closes in in one hour.”

We got in the car and headed over to the store. My Father was more excited than I was. I watched all the trees and houses pass by as our car glided down the street. It was getting dark but I could still see the silhouettes of people walking their dogs. As we made our way through town. I spotted a group of lean looking young men a women moving a lot faster than the rest of the crowd. They wore colorful shoes and shirts with the Laguna Beach high school logo. They seemed to breath and move in sync with one another. The colors of the setting sun made them look beautiful. I felt like I was watching a slow motion sketchers ad. My heart sped up like it did when I drained a three pointer at the buzzer. For a brief moment, I entertained the thought of speeding down some scenic trail kicking up dust and feeling the blood pump through all the veins of my body.

“Are you coming?” I heard my Fathers voice ask.

I realized that I had daydreamed most of the car ride. I looked up and saw the bright Asics sign. The neon colors looked so inviting.

“Yes,” I said confidently, “yes I am.”

Personal Narrative #8

I am assigned to write a scene for my personal narrative. I am thinking a lot about the central message. It has to do with the adaption of my favorite sport to running. I hated running.

I was lost in thought as I sank deep into the soft couch. The lights were low and I had tears brimming on my eyelids. I fought them because I was a man. As I wallowed in my misery, my father sat next to me. He seemed to not sink as deep as me on the couch.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked, knowing the answer before I said anything.
I chose not to respond.
"Things don't always work out like you want. You should start think of options. You aren't just confined to one thing." He said.
I let my Father have a conversation with himself, I wasn't ready to come out of my self imposed prison yet.
"You've always been a good runner," he chirped, "why don't you give that a try?"
I had to chuckle a bit. It was true that I had always been a talented runner. I always pushed myself more then anyone else. But then again, no one in middle school really puts forth an effort in P.E. As repulsive as the idea sounded, I was intrigued. I took a deep breath before responding.
"I'll give it a shot," I wispered. The deep breath I took seemed to make me rise from the depths of our couch.
Before I knew it, I was shopping with my Father for a pair of Asics running shoes and really short shorts.

Basketball is my Favorite Sport #7

There is a possible storm in my brain. Brainstorm. When ever I think about a moment that changed my life, I think of the time when I cried after a doctors appointment. It was the first time in years that I had allowed myself to cry in front of my mother. I was 14. I was big enough to go to stake dances, it was my last summer before High School, I was starting to take a big interest in lifting weights (though I seldom did so)... I was big teenage guy. But that's not what the streams of salt water that were streaming down my face were telling me. The doctor had just told me that I would be having surgery on my elbow.

I wasn't to worried about my elbow, I was worried about that sport that I wouldn't be able to play for a year. My whole life I had dribbled a orange ball up and down cement, wood, and gravel. I had worked my whole life to be a basketball star....

That's what I'm thinking at the moment. I'm going to play with some more ideas but that was a moment that changed my life.

Figuring Out the Thesis #6

Preach My Gospel states more or less that "nothing happens in missionary work until you have someone to teach." In a similar fashion, nothing happens in a paper until a thesis statement is developed and backed by substantial research. I'm having a hard time applying that concept to my paper. We just reviewed a couple of thesis statements. Some were good some were not so good. As I read some of those statement I was reminded of the incompleteness of my own thesis. I'm at my wits end coming up with a coherent argument.

I shouldn't be so hard on myself. I have a thesis statement, it's just the research that has been putting a thorn in my side. I feel like my topic is very arguable. I think being influenced by ancestors is an arguable topic. Some people are to ignorant to even acknowledge the fact that relatives are a contributing factor in their lives. The tragedy is that not enough researches are willing to research that topic. That is what it seems like anyway. I have been looking high and low and it seems like I can't find anything.

Hold up... Professor Steadman gave me a sweet idea.... Stay tuned.

Research Topic #5

I have heard my whole life about the legacy of my ancestors. Heber C Kimball, J. Golden Kimball, Spencer W. Kimball and many other Kimballs who contributed greatly to the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have remained ignorant to their sacrifices and hardships.What I have noticed, though, despite that ignorance are the blessings that my family has received.

I have felt a strong connection to Heber C Kimball ever since I read a talk he gave to his immediate family. I was a missionary at the time and I was having one of those missionary dead end moments. Things were not working out. I thought I was the only one in the world that had ever felt that way. After reading Heber's story I realized that I was wrong. I was selfish. I am touched by his trials and his journey.

A Historical Conference #4

There is always a bit of extra excitement that proceeds the announcement of new Apostles at General Conference. Such was the case at the most recent General Conference held last weekend. Three new apostles had the spotlight shining on them as left their previous assignments as members of the quorum of the seventy. A dramatic move such as that almost removes the focus of General Conference to a hierarchy based system in my opinion. I thought that maybe we as members of the church focused more on the election of three church officers and not enough on the content that God had prepared.

Sometimes people get to carried away with people. Don't we see that to often? We even have a popular national magazine titled "People." Give me a break! I think as latter day saint we can do better. We should pay more attention the the content. Of course, new apostles are a big deal. But just as a lone bloggers opinion I think we should focus our attention on things like "ponderizing" than anything else. General Conference is to promote spiritual well-being, not glamorize apostleship.

We as latter day saints have the sacred duty to view Conference as a possible turning point in our lives. A time to receive inspiration and peace. I time to remember Christ and the organization of the church he founded. It can truly be a time of change. Let us focus our attention on this and not waiver.

Speeches #3

A rhetorical analysis make the world go round. All the leaders that have ever been elected in our history have been the result of persuasion. No popular political candidate has every risen to power because of a boring personality. That is why politics becomes more of a popularity contest than an actual contest between two people who can actually lead something.

I read something the other day about a Havard Law teacher who wanted to run for President. The New York Times was saying that he didn't have a chance... not because he wasn't qualified because he didn't have anything that would propel him forward. How sad is it that the USA is run by people who have a recognizable last name. The Bush's, Clinton's, and Kennedy's of this world have it made as politicians. Now, that isn't always true but in some cases it is. This professor of Law at Harvard could run circles around the big name candidates of the day; yet, he has no chance because he doesn't receive support.

It's all topzy turbzy. One of the reasons I picked Ronald Reagan for my paper about speeches is due to the fact that he was relatively unknown. Yes he was an actor, but he had no credential to back himself up on. That is what inspires me, people who make their own path. People who don't ride on the coat tails of those who went before. (This is not to say that the current political candidates aren't good, I'm just giving an example.)

Ethos #2

How do things get done? This is a question that all scientists, theorists, physicists, and maybe even terrorist have asked. It is something that you may ask. Something is usually done by a living organism if enough persuasion is involved. Think about the life you are leading! You may enjoy a specific sport, you may enjoy a certain food, and you may even worship a type of animal all because of the persuasion involved. We live our lives in constant subjection to attractive elements of the world we live in.

Aristotle explains that ethos is really just a form of persuasion. You live the way you do and you do the things you do because of that one syllable word... ethos.

A Radical Change #1

There were some elements of David A. Bednars talks on technology that forced me to reconsider my position on social media. Although extremely critical on one side he is largely persuasive on the other. Many of us struggle to find that balance of using social media in the most productive way and avoid abusing it in a negative way.

                  In his talk “To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood” Elder Bednar explains that we can increase our capacity to do good by wisely using technology. He says that he is “confident all of us also recognize how technology has accelerated family history and temple work, our individual and family study of the restored gospel, and made it possible for us to learn about, see, and experience the world in remarkable ways.” He explains that these tools not only improve our personal progression, but allows us to spread information about the gospel to the whole world. Bednar remarks that “a technology known as social media is evolving in our day and playing an increasingly important role in hastening the work of salvation.” This statement gives a larger perspective of the positive effect that technology and social media have. It’s not just about innovation and connecting humanity, it’s about “hastening the work of salvation,” which is of greatest importance.

                  To provide a contrast and warning about the potential hazard of technology and social media, Elder Bednar shows us the ugly flip side. In “Things as They Really Are,” the negative impact of the technology boom must be considered. Elder Bendar talks in great length about the importance of our bodies and the outcomes that might beset us if we choose not to obey moral laws. If we can’t “possess [our] vessel” or have self control as Paul tells the Thessalonians we may become subject to unwanted consequences. Losing our identity in social media is one of those pitfalls. Converting ourselves into a lesser digital existence goes against the Plan of Salvation that God decreed.

                  Everyone can recognize the importance of being smart with technology and social media. There are hazards and dangers that may haunt us if we are not careful. That being said, we cannot miss the opportunities to do good and assist the progressing work of salvation. Previously I have avoided social media and technology, but now I will heed to the advice of Elder Bendnar. I will make a radical change and embrace the possibilities of social media. There are distant places great opportunities that can only be reached by the tap of a key or the click of a button.