September 18, 2011

On the Devil's Advocate Predicate

So, you want to play Devil's Advocate? First, before you answer, let's talk about who you're 'standing for'.

You know that as a lowly spirit, he thought to overthrow God in His Infinite, Eternal Majesty and Realms Without End. He pronounced Jesus Christ an unworthy Savior for the Great Eternal Father's means, and was finally, without a chance, was cast out of His Presence not only to lose his argument, but any chance he had to even taste the glory he nearly insanely aspired to.

And now he roams the Earth, seeking the weak, and seeking to make the strong weak, working the opposite direction of what he stood up to God for, and facing another surety of banishment into a darkness so far and empty that our language cannot express, nor our minds comprehend?


Go ahead.

Aigust 18, 2011

Uneasy Poems

At my best, I ammost prepared to be broken.
At my worst, I am most easily to be molded like Him,
My eyes filled with tears, He sees me through them,
And I see myself through His gaze.

Oh, wonderful God, dress me like the lily,
Plant me in your field,
Wear me as your mask,
Never, ever leave my side.

April 21, 2011

Easter 2011 Entry

Some years ago I was working at an electronics retail store as the Easter Season was approaching. Like any good Christian, I was looking for opportunities to extend Easter Greetings to other Christians, and bare my testimony to any others that I could. I'm an Elder of His Church, I thought, and it is my duty to see that those around me be taught.

Little did I know...

As I walked down an aisle to check the neatness of the merchandise, I passed by two young male shoppers there. I approached them professionally, dropped the company line on them, and they said "No," and went back to ignoring the salesman.

It was then that I saw it.

Both of them wore high-n-tight haircuts, had non-faded blue jeans, and black t-shirts that fit perfectly and were neatly worn. But it was the print on the t-shirt that got me:

"WHEN JESUS COMES AGAIN, WE'LL JUST CRUCIFY HIM AGAIN."

It was revolting. Disgusting, nearly horrific. I had been reading and studying the Easter story for decades. Had I become a little numb of the moral implications? Too dismissive of the attitude that saw to Jesus of Nazareth's murder, at the hands of unholy men? Answer: yes, obviously. Because even now, I stood in front of two souls who fostered that same attitude, still carried on by two thousand years of self-sustaining evil.

At first, I began to want to testify to them, though I certainly couldn't do it on the clock. As I tought about it, my thoughts of preaching turned to justice. I imagined the wrath of God coming upon them as they stood helpless. Would they recognize Jesus' Divinity then? Would they recognize the incredible weakness of their intents? My mind tried to wander further, but I heard the following voice, deep, clear, resounding in my mind, snap me back to humility:

"FRITZ, I DIED FOR THEM, TOO."

That is the Message of Easter.

December 23, 2010

September 6, 2010

The Spiritual Gift of Physical Beauty

For this entry, I'm going to assume that you've becoem acquainted with the doctrine of spiritual blessings from the Lord, as in, The Lord giveth no commandment, blessing, counsel, whatever, that is not spiritual. If you're not already acquainted with this doctrine, stop now and go ask your Sunday School Teacher, parent, or whomever you go to to understand such principles.

Alright, fine, I'll do some of the footwork for you...

OK, so that's our background.

So how is Bro. Fritz going to tie a person's physical appearance into God's Spiritual persuasion?

Well, if every thought and action we've covenanted to the spreading forth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then how does a man's handsomeness or a woman's beauty contribute to that cause? I'll tell you because it's worked on me a couple times.

Back when I graduated High School, I knew I was going to serve a mission. I WANTED to serve a mission. But I was in no condition to. So I let the Bishop know of my intentions. He put meon a scrict diet of scriptures and callings. But it wasn't enough.

Enter the Conrads (not their true name). The Conrads were a transplant family from California. They had a daughter who was a couple years younger than me, but really cute. Cute enough to want to impress, and she was really spiritual. So, I had a new motivation to prepare for my mission. Why? To impress the pretty, spiritual girl. And I did. When we weren't having spiritual or meaningful conversations, we flirted. Time went by, it all got a little superfluous with me going on my mission and all, so we went our different ways. But, her beauty had served apurpose- to get me to enhance my mission preparation and my personal spirituality.

Moving right along, it also serves in marriage. A spiritual woman who is beautiful will move her husband to do better, to be calm, and in exterme situations, not to leave when things get rough. Physical beauty just can have that effecton a man. It also enriches the relationship when things are good. And like all gifts, it is handed out to diferent people in different degrees and flavors. But physical beaty enriches the spiritual quality of the possessor's environment.

Now, Satan's got his game. His game is to flip truth around, to make a good thing bad, etc. He would have the world believe that beauty is for pleasure. Anyone and everyone's pleasure. And, he's added a certain taboo to the whole physical beauty issue. It's nasty. It's racy. Don't get caught, but let everyone think you're partaking. The more you do, the cooler you are, but don't get caught, `cuz then you're out. And with the advent of pornography, that morbidly dangerous lie, Satan has much of the world convinced that the beauty shouldbe shared with the world, that it'sonly natural to do so.

But this is a realm of beauty that is not meant to be made public, yet nor is it taboo. It is sacred, special, personal. The word "intimate" used to mean something shared shared and understood only between two people, which is what that special beauty is. Two people and two people alone. It isn't bragged about, published, even privately. It is kept best between the minds of two souls bonded in Priesthood Covenant, declared before God and His angels within the walls of His Holy Temple. This beauty is the final safe place a couple can go, where the World can not penetrate or invade, a secret between designated, committed, eternal lovers. It's a thing that, though the relationship and its associated acts are universal across nature, yet nuances, memories and intimate effects are kept private between two souls united in Eternal Marriage. And id it is kept that way, it will strengthen and magnify the souls whose beauty God has granted it to.

July 21, 2010

On the Limitations of Jesus Christ's Atoning Power

There are none.

That's right. I said it. There are no limitations. "Infinite and eternal" kinda implies it. The Holy Ghost speaks it, peacefully, but overwhelminlgy to the heart and mind of the repenting soul. The prophets have testified of it. There is no limit, no restraint, no crippling, no rule, to what Jesus Christ, Savior of the World, suffered through.

There keeps coming up this... this intellectual argument that Christ didn't pay for the sins of the unrepentant... that through Hisd foreknowledge of things that he saw who would repent and who would not. Wow. That flies in the face of love. Excuse me, in the face of Love. He loves all, every soul, and every soul that took on flesh is covered by the Atonement.

Let this be my solemn testament and witness- if you are tired, weary, weighed down by sin and are really wondering if He, God, will listen to you... listen to this. Yes, He will. Cry out your sins, confess them in your private room. Plead with the Lord for forgiveness. Is your burden heavy? Heavier? The heaviest? Then get help. Go to Church. Talk to Church leaders. Pray for strength to pray for that strength, then grab what you get and GO.

All throughout my blog, right here, I've talked about what I've been through. How tough life gets. The screw-ups I've made. And the beauty, sweetness, yet firmness of the repentance process. It works. It CAN work. I doubt you've done anything that bad at all, that there's no forgiveness for you. Not saying it'll be easy, but it can be relitively simple.

Your sins are already covered. They've already been paid for. Christ paid for your sins, and more. He went way over and beyond the price of your sins to make sure. It's like paying someone $1,000,000 for a $40 parking ticket, just to keep the cops away. And they DO stay away. That's what He did.

Now go. Repent of your sins. Taste the sweetness of Christ's Spirit welcoming you back into the fold. It's for you. Yeah, it's for them, too. For anyone you see when you look around. People you don't like? Christ got them covered. People who ticked you off, or messed up your life? Yep, He paid for that. People who were supposed to be there for you when you were knocked down, and couldn't get back up? Yes. Christ got them, AND you, too, in that case.

He paid for everyone. People you see, people you can't. He sees them. He knows them. He loves them.

Infinitely and Eternally.

April 5, 2010

Easter Notes From Facebook

Jesus was in a state of Peace and Love with all his children. The enormous trials and hardships He'd experienced along his three year path. But His relationship with them had grown. These young, uninitiated children had grown and become His friends. He trusted them, and they finally knew and trusted Him. And the very day they were wholly relying on Him for all their support, He broke their hearts with the news that He must now leave them. But the news was not served cold- they had come far, and there were Others beyond the veil Who would look after them. No longer would they ask Jesus for what they needed, but their pleadings were to be aimed directly toward the Father, Whom, upon mention of His Son's Name, would provide whatever they asked.

He explained these things to them with tenderness, hopefulness, and pride. They would have Power from On High. They would take His Message to the World. They would encounter opposition- fierce opposition. But The Comforter would accompany them. Ye are mine, He would tell them, assuring them their friendship was fixed, and none of the faithful in Him would be lost, as assuredly as He was not lost to His Father.

Then He gave them moment to pause. To consider. To let the verbalized milk and honey soak into their minds and hearts. They needed that time to not only steel themselves up to the Trust they had earned, but against against the horrifying events that awaited them on the morrow.

It was a Saturday like this one, some 1,977 years ago, but something was different in the air.

For despite the miracle of the fishes and loaves, despite the angelic declarations, dwspite the healed ear, or the wine from water, or the teachings of such love and compassion never before or since seen, or the other miracles beyond man's ability to number, list or even comprehend, only one message now circled Jerusalem and her neighbor states...

...Jesus Christ is dead.

If the pall over the Earth was dark, the mourning in Heaven was even darker. It has been said that not even the angels understood what had just occurred or how it would be resolved. Make no mistake- The Great Father of Heaven was in complete Control, His Plan was unrolling in Exalted Harmony with His Will. How privvy the angels were though... Yet they trusted.

But to a handful of 11 mortals huddling in despair and confusion, hell had been unleashed on Earth. Their Friend, their Master, thear Source of Hope and Priesthood Power, had been ripped from their hearts like a Newborn babe from a mother's bosom.

Further confusion and sadness was heaped on them when Mary's friends came speaking of angels and an empty tomb...but, what was that sensation, that intelligence forcefully peeling back that pall, that hellish cloud, Jesus had said something about rising the third day...raising up His Temple, He'd said...maybe it was true..?

The senior apostles were racing out the door of their makeshift sanctuary in a full on, adrenaline-fed flight for unhopable hope. Tears no doubt streaked their vision. And, finally arriving at the tomb, they too, found the stone rolled aside, its only ever resident gone.

Hope stirred, but it was still drowned by wonder and amazement. But hope would finally give way, to knowledge and unrated joy, when, gathered again in their hiding place, Jesus appeared in their midst. Not as a spirit, not a vision. He spoke to them. They touched Him. They embraced His Feet. Their despondency collapsed under the new understanding and witness. Now aware, they back were straight. Their eyes shone, reflecting His Glory.

Back on their spiritual and emotional feet, enthralled to see their Master even Greater than What and Whom they'd ever been able to comprehend.

Forty more days the Exalted, Glorified, Sempiternal Creator of Heaven and Earth, and now the Savior and Atone of the World, taught and instructed the Apostles and disciples with understanding and truths they simply could not have absorbed before. And He sent them forth, and out to the whole known world, declaring the New and Living Christ, the Resurrection and the Life, the Way, the Truth and the Light.

On Friday we noted the crucifiction of the Galilean. This Easter we celebrate Jesus Christ Resurrected and Glorified. We celebeate the bands of death dissolved. We celebrate the resurrection of every human soul from their own tombs, the eternal life of all, and the power of unifying families and loved ones, the fulfillment of the hope of a better life when this one's shackles have lost their strength.

Praise be to God, the Father, and His Saving Son, Jesus Christ, who both hold this Earth in their Hearts, and our eternal welfare in their Hands, amen.

And amen.

December 9, 2009

Joy Back To the World!

There is an annual battlefield, here on Earth, in which the War In Heaven is revisited. It is a patch of spiritual soil that we are losing. It is Christmas.

I think it all began back in the pre-existence. But that would be WAY too exhaustive for me to go there, so I'll jump ahead to the now.

Ah, Mrs. Lang. I think that was her name, been a while. Mrs. Lang was your stereotypically effective, yet grumbly elementary teacher from way back home place. Problem was (whether it was hers, or ours), Mrs. Lang was Jewish. I say was, she may have converted. But she spared no moment to complain about Christmas and the festivities involved therein. The one day, part way through the season, someone, it may have been me, I certainly had the quesiton on my mind, "Why don't you have a Jewish party for the Jewish Holiday and we'll come and see what you believe and have a party with you, too, that way everyone will be happy?"

Wow. As much sense as the question made to us emelentary age kids, there were only 2 or three times I've ever seen anyone become that livid at what was meant as a gesture of peace and understanding. When it didn't happen, our young, uninitiated minds were kind of unhappy. In our varying types and degrees of unhappiness at her, oh, I'll call it a 'rebuking' for lack of a better word, we were glad she wasn't getting what she wanted. But this was fourth grade, and we only claimed so much responsibility over our emotions.

So what was the big deal? I don't know if it carries over completely, but at least part of it does. Christmas began with Christ. Oh, yeah, pagan holiday this and that, but for a long, long time including up to today, it became known as "The Christmas Season". We celebrated Christmas. Manger scenes abounded. Everywhere. Secular movies, extremely well produced ones, like "The Christmas Story" began to peep in, Snowmen danced under magic hats and made no mention of the Star in the East, but everyone still ccalled it "Christmas" and acknowledged that it was, as round about as it was becoming, about the Birth of Jesus.

And now we have to day. The ACLU (Anti-Christs of Logan, Utah) have begun a nation-wide rampage against any mention of symbology of Christ at this season. Parents are suing because their child feels bad they're not getting presents but all the other kids in their class are. The commercialization of Christmas is counted as proof that God is no longer part of Christmas, and in some...many cases, as proof that God does not even exist.

We, the "Christians" are blamed. It's all our fault for letting it get that way. Wow. I've seriously heard that. IF we really believe that Christ was "so special" we wouldn't have let it become so commercial and material. Unfounded results MUST mean unfounded beliefs, so why don't you Christians all just give it up and stop bothering us aboutthe whole heaven and hell thing, ok? Or, you know, we'll sue you.

You gotta admit, some pretty good imagination went into this reasoning. But even as full of holes as it is, you know what? It's ACCEPTED. IT'S WORKING. And lots of Christians, who can not or will not, employ their imaginations to ocunter, are giving up on the divinity of Christmas and putting their Salvation on the back burner of things.

Well, I've got imagination to spare, so I'm proposing a basic battl eplan for a simultaneous frontal and flanking assault against the Evil-doers of Christmas. Those wretched Bah-humbuggers! ATTAAAAAAACK!

And here's the basic premise to my plan- if THEIR commercialization and materialization to Christmas is ruining THEIR perception of THEIR Christmas, we will attack them in their sumbols. We will turn every red and green glass bulb into a symbol of Eternal Goodness. And we will not give up, we will engage every conversation and window display with rhetoric of the Christ-child and His Miraculous Birth. Here is the beginning:

You know what? For now, that's all I can think of. But that's okay, because you should get the drift by now. Take back Christmas. Use Satan's ... I mean the Secular World's ways, flip `em around. Do it NICELY. KINDLY. With the Spirit. Give the words, share the "New Christmas Symbols" with your friends and children. Blog it left and right. Get the message out.

Take Christmas BACK.

Joy BACK To the World.

September 19, 2009

Don't Let the Magic Pass You By

I had a neighbor whose kids played with my kids. Shortly after we met, I noticed YHWH (Hebrew for Jehovah) carved into his driveway. I thought, "Missionary OPPORTUNITY" and we got goin' on it. He knows the Bible better than I know the Book of Mormon. We talked, I introduced him to the Church...

Now, all current and future missionaries. LISTEN TO THIS NEXT PART:

He did not like the Church. He had just recently had the missionaries over. He liked one of them, and might have joined if both had been like him. But the other missionary, much to the obvious discomfort of the first, dominated the discussion and all but ORDERED my neighbor to commit to be baptized, or his soul was not worth answering any more of his questions. This man has the Spirit with him a great deal, and he likes a lot of the doctrine, but one bad missionary threw him aside by the scruff of his neck playing GA.

I know this type of Elder. For a short while, I was one, but saw the style's fruitlessness. A person must be persuaded to desire the commitment. If that commitment is not there, but is still reaching for something to motivate it, gently do so. Persuasively. Bearing testimony. Speaking pointedly (not evasively) of the divinity of Jesus Christ's Love and Power, and His Priesthood, of His Holy Prophets- the modern ones. Speak wonderfully of the love you have for Joseph Smith, that wonderful Seer and Translator of ancient scripture. Speak of the peace and blessings that come from membership inthe Church. Invite. Suggest. Bear witness.

Then when the Spirit stops, no matter what kind of a Spiritual High you're on, sit back and SHUT UP. I mean it, SHUT UP. It's time for them to discern the event, the Spirit, the testimony of yours and the one God's bearing to them. Ask to come back, and leave. Don't talk about anything else- especially politics. Just go away.

Otherwise, you interfere with the Magic the Spirit can work. You step in front of the Light Christ can send. You end the Transition, mid-transition. You stop the Magic.

Don't let that Magic pass you, and them, by.

July 13, 2009

Because Somebody Has To Be Right

Someone said to me once, something like, "Fritz, what makes you right? There are so many religions out there. I'm not even convinced I need to follow one at all! What makes you right?"

Say there are fourteen mechanics lined up who say they can fix your car, but only one can fix it. He walks up and says, "Hey, I met the manufacturer of this car, I've studied the manuals he and his mechanics wrote on it, and I can fix your car." But the others say, "Hey, man, I can do it cuz I read the same books, well, most of them, but mostly the part on carburetors, so I can fix your broken carburetor," and another says, "I've tinkered with cars my whole life, and I can fix yours."

OK, another one: You're getting ready to jump out of an airplane. There are seven guys there with you. You need someone to check your `chute to make sure it's packed right..."I've been trained by the best parajumpers in the World, I've read the manuals on parachuting (yeah, there's more than one), and I've jumped like this before," and "Well, I watched a guy pack a chute before, and he gave me pointers and so I know all you really need, the rest of that stuff in the book isn't needed `cuz it's all extra, and finally, "Look I saw this done in movies a hundred times, trust me."

Then, let's try this one: Three men stand up and say, "I'm the President of the United States." But only one is. Here's another one: "Luke, I'm your father." Here's another one: "I'm from the gas company. Your neighbors detected a leak and you need to leave so we can fix it." Here's another one: "I'm a cop and you're under arrest." Here's another one: "Honey, I'm your wife."

There are absolutes. I haveonly one wife. That is absolute. If I'm unfaithful to her in any way, I, and my kids, and her, are all screwed. There's a gas company, and if there's a gas leak, I'm gonna do whatever they tell me, so I don't die. There's only one President of the United States, whether I like him or not. If I make anyone htink I'm gonna do something stupid around him, I'm gonna find myself on the bottom of a Secret Service pancake. These are all absolutes. No one says, "I don't think you're from the gas company, and you can't convince me that smell is a gas leak, and it's silly to try and convince me that it's dangerous for me." Why? Because he'll call the police, who also have an absolute authority to arrest me and my stupidity and haul me off to jail.

Want another one? There's one true church. There are lots of others. And they're all full of really great people. The one true church also has really great people. It also has schmucks. So do the others. But that's not the point. It's the true church, because the people who stand at the head of it are prophets, people who talk and listen to God, and God organized it. God authorizes those people to speak, directly and absolutely, on His behalf. Why doesn't God speak to the World Himself? Well, you can read the Book of Genesis for that answer. Short version is: He appointed a prophet to do it. Why? `Cuz He's God and that's how he did it. Pharoah struggled with the one true god thing too.

One more: "We're missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and we have a message for you."

Somewhere, someone out here is right. Jesus Christ was right. Adam, teaching his children, was right. Jacob, blessing his children, was right. Joseph Smith, proclaiming the First Vision, of God the Father and Jesus Christ as Divine, and Separate Individuals, was right.

June 16, 2009

Ooooooh. Ahhhhhhh. Fritz Tackles the Deep, Dark Doctrinal Questions...

Below is a link I contributed to a Facebook discussion on the LDS Missionaries page. Someone posted a question about definitions I'm sure more than a few High Priests have sat around discussing, wearing out the pages in the Old Testament, Doctrine and Covenants, Journal of Discourses, and all that Jibber-jabber from Sunstone Magazine (whatever). Well, Yours Truly stepped up and seems to have answered the question in question to everyone's satisfaction:

Click the to see the exchange:

June 10, 2009

The Oven, Short and Simple

There is a philosophy in the World, that reads, "We do not need to believe in God to do good. We must simply reach deeper into our own souls and find the goodness inherent there, and dedicate it to ourselves and the betterment of humankind."

Problem with the philosophy, well, two problems with it, are: 1) There is a God, who is the Source of all good in mankind. and 2) If someone does embrace this idea successfully, they can be drawn up in the idea that God doesn't exist, and that the belief in Him is not requisite to fulfill their destiny.

Believing in goodness without acknowledging God as its Source is like using the oven to warm up the house. Yeah, you'll feel warmer, but you're missing the point of the oven. It's to provide food for supplement, and to help you survive to the next day. The heat it cooks off is a nice little by-product that we benefit from. Those who go it without Jesus Christ as their Master, are going to have a nice, warm day. But when evening falls and their spiritual hunger goes unanswered, they will inevitably die as all unfed souls do. They will then meet their Maker, and be lost in a moment of wonder for how they made their choice.

June 3, 2009

Bro. Fritz...Why So Serious?

OK, message received, "Fritz, you've gotten awful somber lately, and frankly, you're no fun anymore."

Yeah, well. Fine. PPT.

The following is a TOTALLY FICTIONAL ACCOUNT. I AM MAKING IT UP AS I GO ALONG. While I will, in fact, draw upon actual and true events for inspiration, the resulting story will be TOTALLY FICTIONAL. Understand? Fictional. Means NOT TRUE. Probably offensive, as well. It should be noted I am listening to Elvis Presley out takes while I type. OK. Here I go. Let's just see how much trouble I can get into.

It was Sunday morning, and the Priesthood meeting was set to start at 10:30, after which I would enjoy the emotionally bumpy 3-hour run of epiphanous expectation. While I stepped into the chapel hoping something extraordinary would happen, my expectations were fixed low. Sometimes it happened, sometimes it didn't. Either way, it would another Sunday (epiphanous or not) down and another Sunday (which, statistically speaking, was more like to bring me epiphany) closer to the Sunday it would happen.

It was a regular LDS College Ward, with all its cliques and classes, none of which I fit in. Of course, I couldn't stand them, as I am...well, I am Fritz. Anyone who's gotten to know me knows what that means. It means not only that I do not fit in, it means I do not want to fit in, you can not make me want to fit in, and to some extent, that I am better than you.

What? Yeah, that statement needs a littel garnishment to really justify plugging it into here. What's Church all about? What does Church have to do with feeling better than anybody? Well, let's check out the extremes:

The Queen Clique. These are all the pretty, rancidly provided for people who don't understand why you aren't like them and oh, you better not talk to them since you aren't. And when I say "Pretty" I'm not saying they're all of the female morphology. Many of these pretty people are male. But they're so caught up being around pretty and reading pretty and combing their hair pretty I never could bring myself to call them men.

Then there's the Denied Clique. It it weren't BYU, these would be the Goth crowd, but between the facts that Goth is beneath them, Brigham Young said, "Dress plain," and in Provo, Utah and even the Goth that is here is watered down.They hate you, they hate the Queens, they hate rich people, they hate...um, everything. Odd thing is some of theirparents are richer than the Queens' parents, but they hate that, too. "My parents could have fed a Third World Country for 7.3 years, " one of them always says, "instead of giving birth to me. I hate them for that." Fool he is, if he'd get his head out of that very dark and anatomically restricting place, he'd realize now was his chance to prove himself scholastically, which would lead to him proving himself economically, then he could earn his parents' trust, inherit their wealth, and feed the Third World Country himself, but he's denied himself that leasure for denial's fashionable sake.

As an interesting side note, during a testimony I once bore in Sacrament Meeting, I said "I really hated myself for some of the stupid things I'd done in my youth," even though I was still really in my youth. One of the Denied Clique came up to me and said he really felt the Spirit when I said I hated myself, and that maybe I was kinda cool after all. Hm.

Then there's the What Qlique. These are the people with, oh, I'll say "limited" social skills. They always see people and things going on around them, but never really know what it is, so they're often questioning themselves, "What...?" and "What was...?". They're often mistaken for losers, but they aren't by any measure, as they typically tend to figure out the what's what after a while and, since they did it on their own, turn out smarter then everybody else and wind up company managers and branch bosses, more often than not over the Queens and Denieds if the business in question is retail, which is where the three cliques are most often found converged, though not by any will of their own.

Well, there are other groups as well, but chances are if you're still reading this far you're about to move on, so I'll do you the favor and move on myself.

So I walk into Church, seeking spiritual epiphany as I've already made clear. Much of my personal struggle through this life has been the opposite of those around me. I've always had a very, very good understanding of who I was, what I wanted, why I came here, what I'm doing here, where I want to go after this life, and everything. It was the fitting in part that always sent me tumbling. It was the whole "finding a group" thing for me, a clique. Even though I've always struggled with the notion of a clique as well, they nevertheless seemed to be everywhere and a necessary portion to the social structure as much as one sought to be a cog in the people party that is Planet Earth.

So, I'm walking into the Chapel (which is really a biology lecture hall, but if you squint it's not that hard to imagine that anatomical cut away of the human torso is that Christ knocking on the door painting. Or whatever.), as I've stated and there it is. The brewing of the very event which I will use to cure myself of this social quandery...

TO BE CONTINUED. REALLY. SOME DAY.

May 25, 2009

Sin is like drowning…I like that

OK, no, I'm not saying I like sin. I like the simile. And here's the whole metaphor, as it rolls out of the mind of Fritz...

Well, the more I think about it, sin may or may not be like the actual drowning. But I think I can still tie it in.

Temptation...let us say temptation is like sitting on the safety of the beach, looking out into the Ocean, and wanting to get away from it all. You know, get away from walking on hard ground, the blisters and fatigue that build up. The bumping into people that you may or may not want to talk to. You see the water, it looks beautiful. And why wouldn't it? It seems to just go on...not forever...and you don't care if it DOESN'T go on forever. It just...goes on. And the water...so soft to the touch, no rocks or harsh curbs or sticks to step on when you're floating on the water. Mmmmmmm. It just sounds good. And the water cools you off, warms you up...it sounds perfect. You're heard horror stories about sharks and killer whales...jelly fish, but you certainly can't see any of them now, can you? Well then, you go ahead, wander out a little... a little more...blah blah blah we all know the story you give in to a little temptation and >SLAP< you're way, way out there in the middle of the Ocean, the beach looks awful thin and far away, and you're past your limit. Closing time for your bar of deceit, but there's no exit door that you can see. You're about to die.

And then you start to go under. For those of you who haven't uncontrollably gone under the surface of the Ocean, it's nothing like getting a cramp in your leg in a public pool. It's different, you panic more `cuz part of you're thinking, "I'm not only gonna die, they'll never even find my body or know what happened."

But then you reach the back up. You make the choice you want to live. You find strength, somewhere, you don't know where it just comes out of, just nowhere you knew before. Stabbing the water with your hands and feet, you find the surface, your face feels the change of temperature and texture and your hair falls down and sticks to your face and ears. Your lungs scream in reverse, sucking in air like it's an act of violence. You hate the water, you hate everything in it. You want OUT, but the joy of just having your head above it makes a lot, a LOT of your despair disappear. But not all of it. You turn around, you don't even know which way you're pointing, and you see the beach- that thin ribbon of solid, safe dirt and concrete you want more than food. But you're breathing. And then you feel it. You feel joy. Things aren't so bad.

In the repentance process, this simile carries directly over. When a soul realizes he or she's lost, he tries to get to a surface, a spiritual reference point. That breath of oxygen is like the Holy Ghost greeting the soul as he looks away from sin. As they consider a change. As they want for what they had, or what will happen once they get out of their sinful state, and the Spirit is there, speaking, calling, singing to them to encourage them.

And here's where the biggest mistake in the repentance process happens. An initially repentant child feels that Spirit, and mistakes it for forgiveness. Job done. Gee, that was easy.

But it's not forgiveness. It's a beacon, a guide to go THAT way, away from the sin. To go OVER THERE and become forgiven. It's the Lord saying, "I dealt with what you're going through, but I did it OVER THERE- on the beach. And to get dried off and get your breath back, you have to join me over there. I've got some fish cooking on a fire. Come, follow my voice and join me."

You see, too many people mistake the breath of sea air for the beach. But the beach is still far away, and they need to follow the guides to get back to the soft, welcoming sands of forgiveness and wholesomeness.

And who knows, what's been attracted to all the thrashing and huffing and puffing in the water? Sin and its consequences are like the Ocean's wildlife. They're definitely there, and many are lucky and don't have to pay that part, but many do, and there's no warning who will and who won't.

So stay on the beach. Be satisfied with the sand in your toes, the friendly passersbys, and the annoying dog that just chased a frisbee through your sand castle. Such is life. And it beats a jellyfish sting by anyone's count.

If you need to repent, repent. But do it all the way. Carry through with it. Change. And see who's waiting for you.

We know not what we worship, because we don't understand how much He loves us, and that the journey to go to understand is a one-way street.

March 18, 2009
On Priesthood

Man, what a blast it is to be sittin' there in Sacrament Meeting, look up on the stand and see all that priesthood.

How awesome is it to look up, at a group of men... dentists, plumbers, lawyers, scuba divers, all just sittin' up there, all waitin' to stand up and give me their revelations from the Lord.

And knowing that at any time I could get called into an office, and get chewed out by ANY one of them.

Yeah, that's what I said- chewed out.

Well, where I'm going with this one may be kinda suspected by some, the newer ones and the un-initiated maybe ready to turn the page, but here I go.

The priesthood is God's government method. It is not a club with free prizes at the door. It is not a mutual appreciation society. It is not a spigot from which we draw blessings and warm fuzzies. It is government. God's Government. Blessings are obtained on two conditions: 1) that we are worthy in God's eyes for them, and 2) that we are committed, by covenant, to go forward, improve ourselves and serve more, better, stronger with them. Blessings are tools, not awards, for good behavior. And all blessings are not created aesthetically equal.

For those of you who have been following for a while, you may recall my entry about the jerk-of-a-bishop who handled my return to the Church back when I was a teenager and needed to prep for my mission. Yeah, he was kind of a jerk. And if you'd been there, you'd know that I was too. I love that man still, more than many. I needed a jerk to get me going, and to keep me going. I've had a couple jerk bishops since then as well. You probably have. Ohhhh, don't you say you haven't. You know as well as I do that there have been moments when that man with the tie in that office told you something you didn't go in there to hear and you thought, as loud as you could, "You're a jerk," so hard that you hoped he'd hear it out of your forehead.

Well, good for you. Did you go and do his counsel anyways? Then good for you- God bless you! That's what it's all about. Repentance is hard. Counsel is hard, sometimes. Just corrective suggestions can be hard. And sometimes, the Bishop is hard on you. You know why?

Because the Holy Ghost is telling him to be hard on you. You know why?

Because Jesus Christ is telling Him to be hard on you. You know why?

Because God, the Father, has looked down from Yonder Infinite Expanse of Heaven, peered into your soul, your beautiful soul, which to Him is more precious than all the gold, honey, water . . . more precious and cherished and loved than ANYTHING in His Universe, and deemed you to be worthy of a little scolding.

And that's that. It comes from God. It came from Jesus Christ. It came from the Holy Ghost, and through the mouths of angels to the priesthood leader's ear to your ears and now what's the best stinkin' thing you can do about it?

Bow your head, turn your heart to yonder Heaven, and say, in your heart, ever so quietly, "Thank you."

Be humble. Has the Bishop made a mistake? Probably not, but sometimes they do. If he has, and this is important, don't be a jerk. Bow your head, quietly say a prayer that starts with "Thank you..." and includes a couple "Please..." and then look up and tell your side of the story. If you do this, if your cause is just and true, then Heavenly Father isn't going to take some side or another- `cuz it's not about that. Not at all. Heavenly Fatehr is about Unity, and drawing together. It's about "At-One-Ment". So draw together, state your side, the facts, your feelings and motivations if you have time. And this thing will happen- the Spirit will come in. You'll be exonerated by the Spirit. The Bishop will thank you, he'll understand you. He may even hug you instead of being . . .yeah, you know.

Now if you were a jerk, admit it. Quickly, and repent. Ask for help on how to get over it, and do what you're told.

Joseph Smith Jr., Prophet, Seer and Revelator, once taught that righteous judgment was informed judgment, and if a man could not gather the facts required to make a judgment, then he should refrain from doing so. A Bishop is a Common Judge in Israel, and it is his calling to judge. And when you agree to step into that office, you obligate, commit, covenant, whatever, to help the Bishop gather what info he needs to make his judgments. Odds are, he'll be really, really nice to you.

( I always get a kick out of each bishop- they each have this one pose, this one thing they do with their hands, when they're pondering, praying, or working the facts and numbers on what you've said and what they've heard. It's kinda fun, and sometimes a little distracting to me, and when the Bishop sees I'm suppressing a grin, he may get a little upset with me, but it's my own fault.)

Point is I always try to do what they say. The Spirit always helps me. I always come away loving and respecting him more and more. And if you're humble, if you're doing all you can, if you just screwed up, made a mistake, you'll be alright. If you're humble and want what's right, these things always have a way of working themselves out, as long as you're humble to the Priesthood leaders and Government God has placed you in your covenant.

Now go forth, Child of God, support your local and distant Priesthood, and don't, yeah, don't be a goof ball.

March 11, 2009
Dave 'n' Emma

Well, it's a topic that seems that seeme to come up fairly regularly in the Church.

Annoyingly regularly.

So, let me introduce the idea in question and then respond to them in my established, unpredictable Fritzian fashion.

King David was a great king. The King of Israel. The Jews celebrate him as the greatest of all of their Nation's leaders, bar none. I mean, this guy brought the height and power of the push-around Hebrews to levels never before seen, but long before and since then desired. But. . . be sensitive when you're tossing this subject around with our Jewish brothers and sisters. For any comment like, "Yeah, too bad he fell," or, "How could a great man like that screw up so badly?!" will cause things to go very sour, very quickly. The man got prideful, got sloppy, and made one final, poor committal decision roaming the rooftops of his kingdom that cost him- and his Nation- everything.

Turn the clock now, to thousands of years in the future. Let us talk, briefly, about the famed Emma Smith.

Better thought, let's not. As much as I want to bring this topic up, it's just been so heatedly (Did I just type "heatedly". . . I guess I did.) discussed that the arguments on both sides are difficult to take seriously. In a nutshell, Emma Smith also is thought, by many, to have fallen from the position of elect leader to damned soul for supposed, and I do mean supposed, rifts in the Church which came about by her actions.

But so what? I mean, how does that affect us- as a Church and as a group, quorum, or sisterhood? How does it affect me as a member, or individual? EMMA SMITH and KING DAVID AREN'T THE HOLY GHOST. Never were. Never will be. It's naive to put weight in unwitnessed events that happened anywhere from 180 to 3,000+ years ago.

Either the Church is true because of Jesus Christ is at its head, or not. Either the Holy Ghost whispered sweet honey of Truth into your ear or not. You were washed clean of your sins by an authorized baptism, by complete immersion, after the same fashion Jesus Christ was, or you weren't.

And one, amazing day you will look into Jesus Christ's beautiful, filling eyes and feel the Truth about Everything you ever wondered, every question, every mystery, every perplexing or annoying or bothersome thing. And may you then, hear that Voice that sweeps misunderstanding and supposition away, that Voice that removes the word "Doubt" from your mind's perception of all you've lived. That Voice that whispers the One Truth, upon which all Creation is constructed and designed.

That Voice that says, "I love you."

And yeah, those are the words you hear, but it goes into your heart, and it's not like a lot of words of friends, or parents or something where the "I love you," someone says has to kind of find a path of least resistance through your stony defenses, or you're saying "I'll put that love over here because it's only because of . . . something, something," No, this "I love you" is MORE than that. It's like when THAT voice says it, the word "Love" means something different. I mean, it means, "Yes, I love you," but then it also means, "I love everyone this same way, but right now I'm pointing it at you because you're hearing me, and listening to me."

And you don't feel any judgment, you don't feel, oh, condemned or, "I love you, but you need to do this." It's a love that is bigger than, longer than, deeper than, lasts longer than and pre-dates our sense of condition. It's just there. Christ says it, and you're like, "Wow, this has always been there, and it's so strong I dont see it stopping anywhere."

So, let's stop worrying about David, and Emma, and your husband or wife, or your kids, the neighbors, that kids in your ward or those people down the street. Because True Love, Inescapable and Divine, just does away with that.

I think the fitting closing line to this entry would be, If you've felt the Love of Christ, like I described above, and King David, or Emma Smith, or even Judas pops up in a discussion, you'll have a different sensation than to join a debate. Maybe you'll just say something like, "You know what, I love Judas, or Emma, or the King, and I really don't want to talk about them in that kind of light."


Besides, if you're looking for a fitting example, look at Lucifer. He's the perfect example of doing everything wrong, and well...

...you know what, now, I kinda even love him.

February 25, 2009
Fritz Gunter and the Quest For Perfection

Now I know there are a few people out there, maybe more, that think that I think that because I have all this stuff to say, that I think I'm perfect, or somehow better.

To which I can only respond, Wow, you have no idea.

I have a past. It's cluttered with dark patches. I've made mistakes. No- more like it- I've done stupid things. I mean stupid. I've set myself up to get hurt, and selfishly, others, too. Man! I've been personally chewed out by a Seventy and an Apostle, on two separate occasions . . .`cuz I decided to be stupid at the stupidest times a Latter-day Saint man can pick. I'm egocentric beyond your understanding. I don't always practice what I preach. I'm selective and opinionated. I coddle my inner child way too much, and ignore the wisdom of ages that Mentors of my past have given me- some of whose testimonies have been sealed by death. I ignore, avoid, and fear. I look at myself and see weakness, weakness, weakness. I dig my emotional fingernail into spiritual scars I'm sure would be gone if I just let them alone.

Look, I know it. You know how, if you've seen me, whenever I talk in Sunday School and I rub my forehead or hair with one hand, or both? That's a nervous tic. I'm nervous. I don't care how much you may like what I say- I'm scared. Because this stuff stares at me. And it's not starin' from in front, or from right in front, it's in my soul glaring at the back of my mind's eyeball from inside. And I feel it. You want me to look in your eye? Good luck with that- I can't loook in my own a lot of the time.

If I've hurt you, and I probably have, done something, in different degrees . . .

I'm sorry.

I mean it. I hate that I've hurt you. I hate that I'm so weak and that those moments I turned away from insight to offer you some comfort, or to say something more comforting than cool, or to take your hand instead of someone who didn't need it, or talk or whatever. . . I 'm sorry that I didn't. I hope and pray and then hope on that you'll forgive me.

`Cuz there's this Light I see. It's Beyond me. It's Greater than me. It is not me. It's Him. And for some reason, He's given me these experiences, the ones you've heard me talk about, or can read about below, things I've actually been guided- often ignorantly so- to do that helped others, and saved a life or two. Not me, Him, He did it. Savior, Redeemer, Creator, Multipier and Magnifier of my faith, Man of Celestial Binds. That Man in yonder heaven loves me so much- forget those other mysteries of Heaven- why He'd spend time on me is my big mystery. But He does. And He spends it on others who feel a lot like I do- I know `cuz I've seen it. I know `cuz He's worked through me to reach out to some of them, or, maybe to you.

I've been a crud, but I've seen things. GOOD things. I've seen things that well, I don't even know how to talk about some of them. But they're the things that have kept me going. You see, I don't think, I don't believe, suspect, or whatever that this Church is true. I know it's true. I know it is. No, I don't think you get it. I KNOW IT. I've looked around and I've seen things. I've talked to people, I've tried the promises, and they work. ALL OF THEM. I've long passed that point, that epiphany, where I know that if something isn't working, or doesn't make sense, that it means I'm the one that's out of sync, and I need to change and adjust for Him, or That Principle. And I'm glad to admit it.

And I hope, oh God help me, that you'll be patient with me, `cuz I feel Him near, here, right now as I type this, and as I do, His Spirit whispers in my ear, "Wait until you see what great things I, God and Creator of Worlds, will have you do to these, my children. Wait until you see what great works I will manifest through you to these, my needy children, as needy as you once were until I held you in my arms."

I don't care what anyone says, It's Him. His Work. His Love. He wants to use me? That's OK with me. Let Him use me. I'm up for it, `cuz I know Him, and I trust Him. I have to. You want to credit me for it? Get off my plane, `cuz it's not me doing it. It's Him.

No one remembers or cares what kind of pencil or brush DaVinci used to do his great works. No one knows or cares what size or kind of tools the Wright Brothers used to put together the first airplane. And no one knows or cares what kind of piano Bach or Beethoven composed with. All that history notes is the Artist, the Inventor, the Scientist from whose mind these marvels flowed. And you know what? By and large I think that's the way it should be. Has Joseph Smith done more for the spiritual welfare of mankind, save Jesus only? Yes, but . . . the good prophet is still in an infinitely distant and miniscule second place to That God Who Made him and yeah, I'm sure my old friend Joseph Smith Jr. would agree with that. You might as well compare the volume of your cupped hand to the eternally reaching expanses of the Universe.

No tool compares to its Master, no servant to the King, no child of God to their Father. So let us remember that when we reach for Him, we're reaching up to Him for His Power. Always up. Always higher. But never out of reach, because again, He loves us . . . and He loved us first. Made possible through Jesus Christ, Savior and Mediator of the Covenant, Whom I'll discuss later.

And you? Let Him use me to reach out to you. When I do, yeah, not if, when. When I reach out to you, disregard what I've done in the past, please, `cuz it's not me reaching out now. It's God. Yep. It's just God the Father wearing a Fritz mask to do His work.

And just you wait and see what I can do when He's got that mask on . . . . .

February 17, 2009
I Felt The Spirit Talk To Me, Now What?

There is a sad, but ongoing sometimes bitter debate between those who believe, those that don't, and those that don't want to. Those that don't and those that don't want to generally are on one side, and those that do are on the other. It is the existence of God, our familiar relationship with Him, and our ability to commuinicate with Him.

It's so . . . look, it makes me sad. I'm sure it makes a lot of spiritually inclined followers sad, deeply so. There is an understanding to be reached with the Holy Ghost that is . . . what's the word? Enriching? That's a hint at it. Fulfilling? That suggests parts of it. Raising? Vaulting? Empowering? Godly? Well, now we're getting close. The picture's filling. But that's it.

Because it's such a tremendous thing. There's a Being, this . . . Man, but He's more than just a man like you or me, He's a Man moving planets, creating new stars for His inventory, looking into the hearts of every living soul on every planet in His Galaxy that contains life, and carefully regarding each one. "How is Fritz doing today? Hm, still struggling with his potential, I see. And Peggy, how is she? Oh, I see she's going to have an incident tomorrow- better send someone to help her out. Well, there's Fritz, he's her son, I'll just send him. "

No, really, that's how it works. A little later after God thinks the above, about me and billions of others, with mixed circumstances and destined/designed interactions, I get this funny little urge. Think I'll call my Mom and see what's up. Weird I'd want to talk to her after only calling her 2 days ago, but, so what? She's my Mom, after all. I call her. We talk. For some reason, we end up talking about General Conference. We discuss talks, favorite speakers, themes and one-liners that caught our attention. The Spirit builds, we bond like we didn't bond in our last conversation, only two days ago. There's something stronger, more purposeful about our exchange of . . . love. It's not something we missed last time, it's just a little more this time. Like there's a purpose to it. I'm starting to say things that I don't know why. I'm bearing my testimony to . . . my mother. And she's lovin' it. Heck, I'm lovin' it. I haven't been able to bear my testimony to anyone this way in a long time. I'm feeling strengthened. Then there seems to be and end. We say our "I love you's" and "Goodbye's" and hang up.

I'm feeling stronger. My confidence- spiritual, mental, intellectual, and so on, it's up where it hasn't been in, well, a while. And I'm better with my kids, they notice it and we have better quality time. I'm more understanding of my wife and all those female things that go on in female minds. Note I don't undertand them better, I'm just more empathetic with her . . . but that's all she wants. And days go by, I ride this little happy good feeling raft on my little gurgling stream of spiritual contentedness for as long as I can.

Then about a week later, my Mom calls.

Now, I'm sure most moms have this, too. . . My Mom has this little tweak of voice when something bad's happened and it's an intentional foreshadowing of what's to come in the conversation. "Um, ok, now ..." and then it starts. But this one's different. The tone says something bad happened, but seems to hint that tragedy was averted. And sure enough, the next day, this odd and stupid thing slapped my Mom in the figurative face and really took her back. But, because I let the Spirit do, no- because WE let the Spirit guide our language the day before, she was prepared for it. And the only reason I was able to be spiritual about it was because she's raised me right, and we both just loved communing with the Spirit, etc. etc. etc.

Because, the Spirit feels good. We like feeling the Spirit when He's near. It's even enjoyable to the point of being a physical sensation. We turn to God. "God, are you there? I really need to know," we say. Then God answers, "Yes, I am here. What do you want, my child?" Does He ask because He doesn't know? No, I already said He knows all that stuff. But do WE know it? Often we don't. Often we don't understand what a relation ship with God entails. It entails spreading His love because that's what love is. Or, that's what Love is. "God, I want to feel your love more, I want to feel you near me more," we meekly apply. He answers, "I will give it to you. Talk to that person over there about Me," Will we take that offer up? Because I'll tell you now- that person, last night, was crying to God to see if there's any love left in the World. He or she was weeping herself quietly to sleep as she slowly let go of hope that anyone- including God Himself- would reach out to her. Could God come down and tell her Himself? Yeah. But that's not what love is about. Love is several things. God is love, ahem, Love- He's the embodiment of love. The Universe and its elements obey Him because they love Him, and because He loved them first. But for us, it's us sharing with others. Good things, that lift up and empower and all the other warm feelings I tried to use above. That's love. And finally, love is trying to become more like God, Who is Love. When we act out on the Spirit, we act out on Love's direction. We spread that goodness and become a little more like Him. So, He sends YOU, because you've got that feeling. You don't know that that person was getting lost last night. You don't know that they're dying inside, right in front of you- fake smile and witty remarks all practised to mask the pain near perfectly. What are you going to do?

So, when you feel the Spirit, if you can sit back and say, "Ah, that felt good, I am loved." then you're not getting the whole picture, you're not loving near as much as you could, and furthermore, it'll probably go away, just like that. But if you feel the Spirit, and then try to share it, then you're getting the whole thing, the whole experience that Love is. God is Love. The Spirit is Love. We can be love, too. And that's why the whole Spirit thing is so important.

February 8, 2009
Doing Whatever It Takes, or Exactly What It Takes: The Road Back Home
or
My Bishop, the Jerk

OK, here I go splitting hairs again.

But I think that there's a difference here that merits attention. It's a question that can really make the difference in the drive for a person who's realizing they're on the wrong path, and not just needs to, but wants to get back. It's a question of focus. A shotgun approach compared to a ball-pin hammer approach.

Like I said, it's really a question of focus. A soul that's gotten lost, that's strayed, bump by bump, choice by choice, off the straight and narrow path looks back at the return path and sees... it goes uphill. And it's a climb up that looks rough. But then the soul looks forward, and the climb up looks more appealing than the beautiful garbage they've gotten mixed up in.

Yes, beautiful garbage. One of the myths, or lies we've tried to indoctrinate into our children, in this Church and everyone as well, is that sin isn't fun or happy. Well, truth is, for a moment- for a MOMENT AT A TIME, it is. And you have to credit Satan for his clever campaign of disposable happiness we see every direction now. Guy's a genius. Yeah, I'm digressing here. but I'm gonna go with and tie it in, so watch and see. Satan's a brilliant man. Brilliant. Furthermore, he's got THOUSANDS of years of experience alone from this Earth, and probably MILLENIA of messing around and screwing things up before that. The guy's got experience, he's got brains. And he's got a loyal crew. Why are they loyal? Cast out, remember? Nowhere else to go, nothing to distract them. They're all focused on Satan's rendition of things to come. So, he and his hosts push for things to go badly for us. And any historical study, Biblical on non- shows he's very good at what he does.

So, you're on Satan's path. you've got to look around and realize, you didn't get here alone; you were inspired, prompted, motivated, indoctrinated, even brainwashed a little, by a master liar and murderer. And you know what? He not only knows you're going to try and get back- he's ready for it. He's got his little hostlings in place all around you- and a few mortals (at least) as well. And they're all trained and motivated to make sure that turning around and climbing back up that hill to that little iron rod is harder than you ever imagined.

So you say, "I'll do whatever it take- whatever I have to sacrifice, whatever I have to give up, WHATEVER it takes! I'll do it!" But then you struggle- what DOES it take? This task is enormous, and there seem to be lots of different ways to do it. Give up a little? Give up this sin but keep doing that sin? Is "cold turkey" even an option? It seems really, awfully hard.

That's where the shotgun approach fails. As lone mortals, you, he, she, and I have only have a finite, expendable amount of energy to pour into such pursuits. Satan's got his hosts who don't tire, don't sleep, hunger, blah, blah, blah you get the picture. Odds are stacked against you is the point.

So, what to do? Here's the answer: Conserve energy. Reduce effort. Keep it simple (love is simle, right?). Combine forces with other mortals who can augment your efforts and energy and...

That's right. Get together with others. Yes, it IS simple. Especially compared to the traps Satan has already laid around you. They're all complex and conflatulated and designed to confuse and exhaust you and so on... but what's important is that you need to talk to someone...

...called a Bishop.

Wow, pulled that one outa nowhere, right? Hey- it's tough. It sucks. It's hard to do, go in there and talk to him. But that's why he's there. And yeah, some bishops are harder to talk to than others. I'll even add that some bishops are jerks. But what do you need to get back on the path? Sometimes, you need a jerk.

Time for another digression.

Once I got myself stuck down that that slope. I looked back and saw the iron rod way, way above me. I wanted up there. Badly. But I couldn't. I mean, maybe I could've, by 1/100000th of a chance by myself. But come on, really, I knew I needed help. So, I took the upward plunge.

It was a Sunday morning. Sacrament Meeting was just about to start- maybe a few minutes late, and I walked through the chapel, into the Bishop's Office, and leaned on his desk. Something came out of my mouth, I don't remember, but he quickly said he was running late for Sacrament Meeting and I would have to wait. I shrank for a split second, and knew that if I walked out there without SOMETHING positive happening, I wouldn't be seen in another bishop's office again for a long time. I had limited strength that was running out, here and now.

I leaned forward more. Maybe he's just not taking me seriously because of the snowjobs I've given him in the past, I realized.

"NO," I said, "I need to talk NOW."

That got his attention. He stopped, looked up at me, but he still wasn't really on my program yet. His look said, "I'm important and you're in my way of doing important things for important people so this better be more important than they are," mixed with a little, "You're not important enough to pull a stunt like this."

But, I blew through. My mouth sprang opened and I shoved out something that sounded a lot like, "Look, I'm going to serve a MISSION, and YOU'RE going to help me." I locked onto his eyes and didn't back down. I wasn't letting him out of that office until I had some kind of guarantee and knew he was on my page.

"Alright," he said after a pause, "We'll talk after Sacrament Meeting. But right now there are a lot of people waiting for me to start Sacrament Meeting." Another pause, then a command, "See you in there."

Long story short (we'll see about that), he treated me like a jerk. But I had been a jerk. I'd lied to him. In front of others, on top of my own list of confessions. I'd earned it. He held my temple recommend back to the last second when my ward was going on the 3-day trip across 4 states to attend. I held two callings in different Presidencies- Sunday School and Young Men. And then I was released only to be called as the YM Pres, and I was still only 18 years old. "Now, go and undo all the damage you just did," was his instruction. It was valid as both a judgment call and counsel. And it was hard. I felt a lot of the time that he ignored me, patronized me, and disregarded me. I never felt like I had his approval, but I also knew that both my membership and personal/spiritual livelihood depended on impressing that man. He pushed me, then he pushed me harder, and then complained to me I wasn't getting pushed hard enough.

And that was his plan. I became focused. I mean, focused. And after all was said and done, I went into the Mission not only stronger in the Church, but with leadership experience, strong work habits, honor and respect for authority. I was WAY closer to being a man than if I'd tried to come back alone. But that's not all I have to show for it...

I've got this list. It's a list of things that will never, ever happen to me.

No one will ever walk up to me and tell me they gave birth to my child.

Likewise, no 20+ year-old will ever step on my porch claiming to be my son/daughter and wants to get to know me now.

I will never have a drug flash back.

I will never have a nicotine fit.

I will never crave alcohol or "spirits".

No one will ever bring a DNA test against me for any mortal crime.

And so, my neck is fine. I'm able to stay looking forward to what's coming, no constant craning around to see if something or someone's sneaking up behind me.

No, I haven't lived a perfect life, and I've screwed up a couple times since then. Nothing major. Because I have this thing I call spiritual momentum. I have the experience. I'm on that straight and narrow path and even though I sometimes can't see what I'm doing I know that bar's right there in my hand, and I'm good to go.

Because I got FOCUSED. I didn't go and do "Whatever it took", I did EXACTLY what it took. And the impossible task became possible, doable, and finally, it became... done.

Now, there's a whole spiritual adventure that was much bigger than the picture I just painted for you. Maybe I'll get into that some day. But let it be understood that the Holy Ghost was also a MAJOR player in my return to the Church. Let it be well known I built a relationship with the Savior, Jesus Christ, and relied wholly upon His Merits, Mighty To Save. Finally, let it be understood that there were moments I hated my Bishop, hated what he did, hated how he treated me, but kept remembering, kept knowing that he was the mortal with the keys to get me back up onto that path with the Rod. And it worked. Exactly how it was supposed to. Because I did exactly what I needed to do... to get back.

And that's all it will take for anyone.

February 4, 2009
Alma 32's Second Message

Now we're all familiar with the message of Alma 32- the message that faith is like a seed. When planted, if the seed is a true principle, it will grow and we become obligated to continue nourishing it until it produces fruit, and all the important symbolism or enduring to the end to eat of the Tree of Life, which is God's Presence and Love. But there's a second message, almost as important, that I rarely hear put forth. It is the message to try.

Now, really, some things aren't worth trying. You aren't going to plant a marijuana seed and expect it to grow and produce godly fruit for you. That's a no-brainer. But there are some seeds that just aren't obvious when you're looking at it out of soil. these are the hard decisions in life. should I, or shouldn't I? Is this really bad?

I think you know what I'm talking about. Sometimes you can want to do something good for someone. A friend, a stranger, it doesn't matter. But when you do that reaching out, it doesn't go well. They're offended that you're prying. They're mad you don't think they can handle things alone. Or maybe you just don't ever hear from them again.

Does that mean you've done wrong? I'd argue that, no, you haven't. What's the scripture say? "He that must needs be compelled in all things is a slothful servant." What's being said here? Wht are we being told? Just try. If it's right, there'll be a good result. If it's not, there'll be bad results. It's that simple.

Well, actually, no it's not that simple. And I'll prove it with a story from my personal life.

Enter "Nancy". No, that's not her real name. "Nancy" was an eccentric one. Big `ole glasses, kinda wore over-flowery clothes and bell-bottoms all the time. Stuck candles in her ears to cure ear aches. I think you've got the picture now. But, very out spoken, and the girl NEVER gave up on anything. NEVER. She was a go-getter, and always turned bad fortune, tragedy, injury, whatever kind of loss around to her betterment.

Or, so I thought.

I had been assigned by my BYU Elders' Quorum Presidency. And she was pretty easy. I'd go in with my partner ( can't remember who it was) and we'd go in, give her a message, she'd smile, and we'd move on. During one week, she was moping around a bunch, really being down, and just dragging. Behavior that was really out of character for her. One day as I was walking past her apartment, I stopped and asked her, "Are you praying? Are you reading your scriptures?" You know, real prying stuff that the General Authorities encourage us to do. She answered "No," to every question. I kinda growled and set up an appointment for a couple days from then.

Now, you have to understand something about me at this stage in my life. Yeah, I'd been raised in the rough town, but even though I got out to BYU and was into my 20's, my teenage stupid gene hadn't really shut down yet. So I set out and planned a lesson that, looking back, was probably kinda stupid- definitely insensitive, and I certainly wouldn't do it now. But, I did it then, and here's what I did.

I intentionally didn't tell my comp about the appointment. I knew he'd try to temper me and slow me down a bunch. This was because I was intending to walk into that apartment and basically ream "Nancy" for not doing her personal gospel duty to herself. For not doing these things. I turned my guilt meter up, I turned my righteous anger up, I had my velvet covered gauntlets on, everything. there may have been a few warning lights blinking like mad but I wasn't seeing them. And when the day and time came for my appointment, I marched (yeah, that's pretty accurate) into that apartment, asked her room mates to leave, and locked all weapons on target.

I had faith that what i was doing was right. I had faith that "Nancy" was just pouting around and needed a shove in the right direction. I had faith that my great priesthoodly forthrightness would snap her out of it and I would become a mighty savior on Mount Zion. Remember, my teenage stupid gene was still pumping, so it all sounded good in my head. And for over half an hour I bashed that young lady with every harsh repentance-of-the-saints scripture I could find from Genesis to Articles of Faith. And when I was done, I called her to repent, used the classic missionary commitment pattern on her, and I left.

Oh, it took her a while, but she eventually came around. She became more her active self, began stepping out more, even began attending my classes ( I was a Sunday School Teacher for our campus Ward) and participated there, too. I observed her to be a saved soul from my mighty, mighty priesthood power.

Now, if you're there thinking, "Fritz, you were mean to her and probably just intimidated her into coming out to Church so she wouldn't have to face that kind of treatment again," I'd say, on the surface, that you're right. Even I had to accept a couple times that it was either that or God had acted in spite of me and helped her out of her slump.

Now, let me go half a year or so into the future from that event to another event. I was walking into my Sunday School Class and "Nancy" stops me and begins to pull me down the hallway and around the corner. She stops my jokes and begins to unfold the following:

"Fritz, you know what today is? Think hard, now. Today is the Anniversary of that day when you came into my apartment and totally chewed me out for not doing things like. . . reading my scriptures . . . like my daily prayers . . . like attending Church . . . you remember chewing me out like that? I certainly do."

At this point, I'm getting my fork out to eat some humble pie. I remembered that day, and I'd had second thoughts about it at this point. I was ready to take a whipping from this young lady, even go confess to the bishop that I'd been a goof ball. But then she went on.

"What you couldn't see when you came in, Fritz, was that just before you'd arrived I'd laid out all my pain pills and a glass of water. I had them in my hand and was about to take them- all of them- when my room mates told me you were here. Since I didn't want anyone trying to rescue me until after I'd swallowed them and died, I came out to listen to you. Everything you said was right on. I'd lost focus, I needed to repent and turn around. I felt bad, but you were right, and you saved my life . . . literally, you saved my life, and I just want to thank you."

At this point she threw her arms around me and started crying. I cried a little, too. She was sincere. She HAD needed a chewing out to snap her out of her emotional/spiritual/mental ditch. She HAD been needing exactly what I gave her. And all just because I stuck my nose into her business. Because I said, "Man, I need to plant a seed here and by God, it better grow!"

Now, what do you think I'm going to say? That it's ok to yell and chew out your home teachees from time to time? That the odds are you might be saving them?

Nope. I'm saying I had this experience. I'm saying the results were what God intended. I'm saying God works in mysterious ways, and my Personal Style of Stupid was that mysterious way on that day in "Nancy's" life.

I'm also saying that because of this, I am not afraid to talk too much, or be too noisy. I'm totally willing to let me jaws keep slapping a little too long. You know what else? I've had a few more similar experiences like this. None so dramatic, but people who thanked me over me poking around, talking "too much" or dealing "Too Much Information". Moreover, yeah, I've offended a bunch of people. Ticked off a couple real good. Don't care. Those seeds didn't grow. But the others did. "Nancy's" seed didn't sprout for a few months- but it wasn't meant to, and some seeds might not even grow above the surface. `Cuz maybe the plant that grows isn't meant for you to see. Maybe it was just between your "Nancy" and the Lord.

Alma's first message is how to find out if things are true. Alma's second message is try things. Try seeds, not just to see what they are, but to test and see if they're good. If they're true. they'll grow. If not, hang on. Maybe you just don't know what kind of seed you planted.

Some time after the Talk Apology, I think
GOD THE WOWFUL

If there's one thing that's missing that I wish more could be done more about, it's the aesthetics and feeling in Sunday School teaching.

Now, let me point a couple things out- I use "Sunday School teaching" as a catch-all for ALL church-related teaching. That's one thing. The other is, in no way am I saying, implying, at all, that truth isn't being taught in the hallowed halls of the chapels of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It not only is, it's amazing to behold an organization that can consistently teach lessons that, over years and years, do not change. I can make a comment in a class on a given topic that I originally made back in 1988, and it will still receive the approving nods that it did then. That is truly amazing.

The thing I think is missing, is feeling. There is an amazement, a love, an excitement that I think is just missing from our teaching. All this incredible doctrine is being taught, young mortals trying to tap line upon line from the Spirit's mind to pass some morsel of hope and Christliness to the fellow spirits inhabiting the chamber. What beauty is there not to be felt there? What wonder can we pass up? How can we hear the amazing words, "This Christ who was crucified by traitors, then rose from the dead, and will cause that we will, too," and not feel somehow amazed? Will a teacher pause to compose him- or herself?

Now, I know, we've heard it all before, dozens of times, and like I pointed out above, we do hear it over and over again. But that's a necessary thing. Repetition of truth breeds understanding and obedience to principle.

The problem, I think, lies in increase. "Be ye ... like your father in heaven, who is perfect" Matt. 5:48. We are nowhere being like Father in Heaven now, we need to increase our gospel and doctrinal understanding, Does that increase necessarily in reading another book, or from reading the same book again and looking for more facts or- pardon me- minutiae- to contribute to our knowledge?

Yes, it does. But it also comes from the emotional and aesthetic value of these teachings. God, a being millenia above us in experience and understanding, still values us as His most valuable creations. Wow! Let's spend some time on this. Will saying, "Let's just reflect on this for a moment," cover it? Yeah, it will to some extent, but I'm saying it needs to be incorporated, integrated, made a regular part of the teaching and learning experience.

We are created in God's image. But look around, see the sky, the sunsets, the waterfalls, the deserts, the flora, it's all amazing, and was created not from some cold master of the universe, but from a Supernal Engineer with Artistic sense we can barely squint at. Emotion, wonder, "Wow!"... this should all be a greater part of "Sunday School lessons".

Sometime after the talk below
THE TALK APOLOGY

Now, my sentiment for this is a funny one, although I can honestly say I've never done one. In fact, the only apology I've ever done was when I was, in fact, not prepared to give the talk I was standing in front of everyone to give. Really, I had a blank-no, two blank pieces of paper in front of me. I thought I'd been in the Church long enough that I could give the assigned talk without preparation. Ah, to be 15 and arrogant again!

Now, yep, I hadn't thought it out, hadn't even prayed about it. So, I apologized.

But all too often I hear/see these faithful young brothers and sisters stand up in front of a congregation and nervously, sometimes with a giggle, say, "I'm sorry . . . " followed by some definition of how they don't feel prepared to give said talk. OK, so now what's supposed to happen on my end? I think I'm suposed to be understanding if . . well, when I don't feel the Spirit, or if I don't get the flow, or if they lose their place, or something negative happens.

And here's the problem: nothing does happen. Nothing bad, anyhow. Nothing but a good, solid, enjoyable talk, about mothers, or priesthood, or living prophets or some other gospel topic as called on to discuss by the bishopric. I feel uplifted, strengthened, even . . . smarter. And all this by someone who apologized for not being ready.

Well, let me be the one to break it to you. You're prepared. Have you been paying attention during the last decade or two of Sunday School lessons? Then you're probably ready to give a talk. Have you been staying awake during Sacrament the last 15-25 years? Sorry, you're prepared. And if you've been doing anything but hiding in the bathroom through all three hours of Church Services from the bishop so he doesn't give you a speaking assignment, well, the bad news is, you're ready. Worse yet, you're probably going to do pretty well.

Matter of fact, I can't really think of any bad talks I've heard in a long, long time. Some were a little boring, but that's probably more a reflection of me than the speaker. Some seemed to go on for a while, but that's more a problem of OVER-preparation than lack of it. . .

So, from now on, if you're going to apologize for not being prepared for a talk, or you didn't start writing it until last night, or something like that, you better accidentally swear or set the pulpit on fire or something, because if you don't, I'm going to be awfully disappointed.

SACRAMENT TALK ON THE RESTORATION AND REVELATION
Given 09-23-2007

Pt1 "Joseph...

"I am a messenger sent from the presence of God to thee. My name is Moroni.

"Joseph, God has a work for you to do, and thy name shall be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds and tongues.

"For there is a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from which they sprang.

"The fulness of the everlasting Gospel is cobtained in it, as delivered to the ancient inhabitants..."

..seeded within him was the single most important event in his generation. The

Pt2 "I am nothing . . ." ". . . a speck in the deep black space of the dark blue evening sky..." What Joseph Smith truly wanted us to remember from his life...the 1) Excitement, and 2) the Overshadowing

The Excitement

A book came forth...a people visited not by a mortal Jesus, but by a resurrected, glorified, very much alive God of earth and heaven, and persuaded an nation's remnants to live in peace for 4 generations. Really- what is the excitement over this? Here it is: That not only New York State, but the entire east coast was in a religious uproar, from an unknown number of ministers, all fervently spewing spiritual confusion and distrust with their singular, uninspired views of what God ought or ought not to be. All quoting the Bible, all defiling themselves. This was the environment in which the Lord, throug the Angel Moroni, revealed the book of Mormon, and a gospel message of personal revelation.

The Overshadowing JESUS CHRIST!

D&C 135:3-Yes, J.S. Did do more than any other prophet.[list accomplishments] But there's a certain "So what?" to this notion (?). And I will prove it with the scriptures. Abr. 3:19-The Lord is unequivocally Greater then us all. This is not a principle, this is not a generalisation, nor a fact. It is an eternal truth. It is true now and will be true forevermore, worlds without end. And if we are going to keep referring to this scripture in D&C 135:3 then let us honor J.S. by putting him in the perspective and place he would want. "If there are two lowly specks of dust on the pantry bin floor, one will be lowlier than the other. I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all".

Pt3 Being like Joseph ("So, how does ths apply/matter to me?")

The New Testament record, while overflowing with precept and doctrine, does despite it richness fall short of one facet of our Lord's person- that of His personality. Well, if you want to know what kind of person He was, I recommend: look no further than the prophet Joseph Smith.

Personality-that of Jesus Humor & Fun

Acceptance=non-judgmental-encouraging the weak

Faith-seeing angels,healing the sick

Being like Joseph is a necessity- "I will pour out my spirit...", not pick and parcel..pour it out. No upbraiding, no metering it out. ...? There is a movement I have seen ...a disturbing one...a belief that we are the angels and that our acts of service are today's miracles. While true, to say that this is all is a false doctrine! If we say it ... We have no faith, we deny Joseph Smith, and all the holy prophets. We fetter ourselves to a lesser gospel than what Joseph Smith taught Jesus taught, to a lesser priesthood, a lesser life, and, finally, to a lesser reward when this life is over.

This is a church of miracles, and we are possessors, stewards of it.

What person can read these accounts...

JSH 1:30-45, where Joseph S. Was visited repeatedly by angels over the course of one night until the morning, and was exhausted from it the next day.

1 Nephi 11-14, when Nephi, who had heard his father's vision, wanted to see the vision himself, he asked. And he, too was visited, by angels, and saw his father Lehi's vision, and then some! It is a miracle we teach our children in song, but do we aspire to it ourselves? Do we "liken these scriptures to ourselves?"

Ether 3, The brother of Jared prayed to have a manner to light their way across the sea in their boats, and he got this idea that served 2 purposes- 1) light the way and 2) see the Lord in the flesh. He took it to that higher source, and it was granted.

Pt 4 Why not?

Now, having seen all these testimonies, how can we look at each other and say these things "can not be with us."?

Women: In 1988 the late Elder Faust gave a talk in an East L.A. Stake center which laid out beautifully the special gift that is womanhood. He explained that, once through the veil, the daughters of God were given special gifts to not only feel empathy and compassion to a greater degree than was given to their brethren spirits, but to express and perform acts of mercy and charity more readily as well. He further explained that through their calling as mothers the veil is thinner to them, they are more sensitive and discerning. He even went as far as to say that spiritually, a man would need to exercise righteous priesthood to match the abilities women are born with.

Young Women: The Church has an extensive and inspired curriculum that is taught in the classrooms right here in the Lord's chapels.Here, the young daughters of God are instructed in the two most important facets of their future lives: 1) The doctrine of Christ and His Godliness and 2) How to project His Doctrine by a life of hallowed, feminine example. In following these principles, the young sisters of the Church will develop a godly Mind which will find the miracles, revelations and privileges they are promised becoming reality in their lives.

Young men: Alma 13 The first key of the Aaronic listed is what? Angels! Think about it- every young man who passed the Sacrament today posesses the power and authority to breach the veil and call down and converse with angelic messengers. And its not some secondary or back line ability. It is the first key, the first responsibility listed under priesthood responsibilities as presented by the resurrected soul who, himself, baptized the Savior Jesus Christ. The most popular baptizer in world history mentions angels and revelation first. Now, young men, may I recommend, and strongly so, that before you invest your energies in this power, that you consult with your inspired father, and the bishop and the Lord Himself first. Find out how and why it is used. And humble yourselves and be holy before the Lord.

Men: There are, perhaps, no more examples available to any section of humanity than there are to the men of the Church. From our ancient father Adam throughout all history to Bishop Perez sitting here before us on the stand. There are thousands of examples in written word, video, web site audio, CDs, and so on teaching about the power of modern revelation and miracles; real people, lives and examples for us to reap richly for as much effort we want to put into them.

Children: Christ took several occasions to point out the holy, revelatory nature of our children. "Forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven".

Pt 5 So What Do We Do?

We invest.

We show God how much we want these gifts by magnifying those around us by revealing unknown gospel truths to them.

There was this televangelist I once watched, unfortunately I accidentally formatted over the reference, but the words he used were true: The Everlasting Law of Returns, which is this: that if you want to be drawn nearer to Christ, then draw other people nearer to Him. If you want to have more soul-building spiritual experiences, then provide more spiritual experiences to those around you, elevate others to elevate yourself. It is the Law of Everlasting Returns, and it is a true, eternal principle.

This is the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are not parts of it, we are the very fibers of the cloth that must eventually cover the whole Earth. We are the sand that God compressed into the great rock that must eventually fill the Earth. It is us. And how can we promote a gospel of personal revelation and angels and miracles if we have not gained those testimonies and convictions ourselves?

Pt 6 Revelations to God

Now, I've made it clear that God reveals to us, but how has God, personally, benefitted from this? I will tell you how. He gets to hear from His children more. A spiritual experience for Him, and the scriptures are full of God and angels rejoicing when one child turns to Him in repentance, need, gratitude or just to ...visit.

...in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

SHEER WILL FOR MINE INTEGRITY

So, how many sweet spirit magnets do you have on your fridge?

You know the ones . . . "I DIDN'T SAY IT WOULD BE EASY, I ONLY SAID IT WAS WORTH IT", "THIS TOO SHALL PASS", "CTR". How many do you have? I bet you have one or two at least. Well, I'm here to say those may not actually be helping.

Now, before you go Brigham Young on me, let me explain. I believe that cute sayings and reminders do have a place. They set a great atmosphere in the home. They let visitors know where you stand. But they aren't the cure-all temptation-beater. It's nice to get them engrained onto your brain, but they're not the end all. Because sometimes, temptation can come along so fast, and you can get blasted so fast with some thing stupid, that you don't have time to flip through your finely organized flipchart of mormonisms and find the appropriate one to help you turn astern that influence. It isn't the ultimate defence against Satan's cleverest, sneakiest, fieriest darts and arrows.

Sheer will is.

Sheer will is nothing fancy. You can't really draw a picture of it. No class discussion of it will go on more than about 12 seconds. But that's all because it's just so simple. It's you deciding not to do (or, positively, to do) something. It works something like this:

Lalalalalalala, I'm walking along.

BOOM- Satan tempts you!!

SLAM- Sheer Will- I won't do it!

Ding ding ding ding ding- situation resolved, Spirit pats you on the back, you are a stronger, more experienced individual.

Now, sheer will may require you to keep making that decision, within seconds, over and over again. But that's it. You hunker down, you flex, you pull your hat down, you sally forth in the face of temptation. Pushing through every second to avoid and not fall. No spiritual idol to remind you, no Teichert painting to inspire you, no fridge magnet to glib you past the darkness.

Just sheer will.

Man, just do it.

Put that on your fridge.

WHAT AM I THINKING?

Well, what feat of peity is this? No- really- what greater feat of pride and self-assuredness is there than delivering your own sermon on a web page that it's very possible no one will ever read? Well, the truth is- that very hope that someone, anyone will read it, feel a gentle brush of the Spirit of the Lord, and perhaps find their individual mountain or mole hill a little easier to surmount because of it: that is the great hope, the last string of faith I have in this Universe, my only hope of redemption with a God I may know better than I might say, and definitely better than I know.

The real question is: just what am I going to put in here? What can I possible contribute to all the missionaries and their elite training and guidance, to the carefully prayed out words of Sunday Schol teachers, of Bishops, Stake Presidents, Seventies and Apostles of the Lord?

Well, I've had some thoughts at times, and shared them with others. Spiritual inclinations that have given an elder an epiphany, or gotten a stranger than normal gaze from an Elders' Quorum President. And oh, then there are all the comments never even get to make because the teacher knows I've got that cool tangent look in my eyes!

But there is no other goal than to use this page to bear witness to the truthfulness of the Gospel, as it is presented by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So what? I'm doing it in my own way, through my own mouth and my own experiences. This is where most people post "DO NOT PASS" signs, but my sign instead reads "FRITZ IS TALKING! BETTER DUCK!"

Now, there are those things- sacred things- that I won't touch. Sacred, precious things that most mormons should know better than to bring up in many public venues. I won't touch these. Nope, not at all. I may allude to how more light may be shed by going to the temple regarding a certain point, and will hold back on many a topic- not for fear of offending anyone under the sun (no sirryee bob!), but for offending He who placed certain insights in each of our hearts that, without a doubt, should have stayed there, or been passed on to offspring in sacred, quiet moments. I won't touch those.

So, mark this page. Come back, often but don't tell anybody that you do. And I promise, you will see the web, and yourself possibly even, in a new light, glorifying God, and straightening His ways.