Stephen D. Nadauld asks us "Why be involved?"

To be organized, or not to be organized, that is the question.  Shakespeare may not have said exactly that, but it is very much what can be on our minds when we choose to become involved with an activity, change a job role or even plan a family reunion.

Brother Stephen D. Nadauld shares some thoughts about how to evaluate an organization and determine whether we should commit to seeing it grow.

". . . .an effective leader addresses the needs that individuals exhibit when they are part of an organization.  Have you ever asked yourself the flollowing questions?  Why do I want to be involved in a particular organization; why give time and effort to this organization instead of a variety of others?  What are the commitment, passion, excitement or enthusiasm factors that make me want to assoiate and give my best effort?  Consider, among others, these six needs or factors.

• To be involved in something with purpose
• To know leaders and others care.
• To share in progress and succes
• To be part of a team
• To know what's going on
• To have fun"

( Church Education System.  Principles of Leadership Teacher Manual Religion 180R. The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints.  Salt Lake City. 2001.pg 41)

A Definition for Decency

I recently taught a lesson in church.  One of the challenges in preparing my material was defining the word desire.  I noticed that I had a fairly negative connotation of this word because I had begun to think of it as a synonym for lust. (Every time I walk into a well known store in my neighborhood, I am required to walk past numerous shelves of books that define the word desire as an uncontrollable need for companionship with a man who don't know what it means to wear a shirt.)

Another word with a similar problem is decency.  My thoughts are probably like many of you, in that I associate decency with standards of sexual purity.  Now, there is nothing wrong with this association, it is part of the dictionary definition of the word;  however this is too narrow of a definition to describe the word.


According to Websters 21st Century Dictionary, which is a mini desk dictionary, decency is defined as: "Noun 1) appropriate. 2) not offensive to modesty. 3) respectable. 4)adequate."  This is a compact definition for a compact dictionary.  What is obvious is that moral standards are only a single way this word can be used.


The New Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English Language published by Avenel Book of New York in 1980, is a really big dictionary, resulting in a really big definition.  It defines decent as ". . .having a character or show that gains general approval; suitable, as to words, behavior, dress and ceremony; seemly;decorous; free from immodesty; not obscene; modest; moderate; tolerable, passable, respectable. . ." (pg. 220)

Decency is really an important characteristic for a Latter-day Saint.  How many times have you gone to a wedding reception or funeral and been surprised at the casual or sloppy dress of attendees?  This is a situation where respect for the ceremony is lost in an effort to present ourselves in a state of comfort that may or may not be appropriate. Decency isn't about taking away someone else's freedom of speech or action as much as it is teaching and living in a manner of showing respect for the worth of others.  President Hinckley defined decency as" the miracle of the golden rule:  Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.' (Matthew 7:12)."  ( Gordon B. Hinckley.  Discourses of  President Gordon B. Hinckley  Volume 2:  2000-2004. Deseret Book. Salt Lake City. 2005. pg 488-9).

Learning our Duties as Leaders

Why add one more thing to our schedule?  Why gather together?

The idea of having a society for alumni who are leaders among their peers, seems like one more thing to add to your already overfilled lives.  We could have a great dinner anywhere, why sacrifice to gather to the BYU campus?  The answer is not the dinner, the answer is we get to learn from some of the most wise and inspired leaders on earth today.  Our reunion also allows us to fellowship with others who have served and in many cases, are still serving as leaders.  The following quote tells us why this is one of the most important things we can do: 

Elder Richard L. Evans

 In Doctrine and Covenants 107:99-100, the Lord counsels all to learn their (our?) duty.  These verses are directed to those serving in priesthood offices but the spirit of this counsel applies to all leaders.  Elder Richard L. Evans who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, taught: "Our families, the church, the community, the nation, the kingdom of God are better served by the best-prepared people.  Preparation and knowledge, with faithfulness, are infinitely better than just faithfulness alone.  And those who drop out for trivial reasons, those who cease to learn, those who don't continue to try to increase their competence are, I believe, failing to do their full duty" (in Conference Report, Oct 1966, 55).

Each leadership role has unique duties.  We can learn these duties from handbooks, our leaders, others who have served in the office, training meetings, personal observation, seeking the Spirit, studying the scriptures and praying.

Calls to leadership positions give people the opportunity to learn and practice a variety of abilities, such as 'evaluating alternatives, scheduling, delegating, and motivating others.  However, all Church leaders are encouraged to focus principally on people, to feed the sheep in the Lord's flock, to know and love the members, to listen, and help with personal needs.
[President David O. McKay said,] 'It is the leader's duty... to teach the member to love-- not the leader or teacher, but the truth of the gospel'  [in Conference Report, Oct. 1968, 143-44].  To do this, leaders are frequently counseled to seek the spiritual gifts of discernment and wisdom (cf. Luke 12:12; D&C 84:85)'  (in Daniel H. Ludlow, ed., Encyclopedia of Mormonism,  5 vols. [1992], 2:818)". (Church Education System.  Principles of Leadership Teacher Manual: Religion 180R. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City. 2001. pg 28.)

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President George H. Brimhall tells us a story about Camels

On Cougar Friday, we celebrate great things about BYU life.  The following is a "sermonette" given by President George H. Brimhall.  I have so many pleasant memories of hearing stories told to us during Tuesday Devotionals in the Marriott Center.  This reminded me of the wonderful experience of listening, laughing and learning that occurred in those meetings.

George H. Brimhall, 1910

The Camel Test

"There is a story in natural history in which you might be interested.  I am interest in it, as a teacher.

The camel merchants of Arabia, in order to determine the value of a camel, examine him somewhat  as we would examine a horse.  But that is a preliminary examination; the final examination, upon which is based the value of the dromedary or camel, is the leading of him up to the watering trough.  He is saddled, the trough is filled with clear, sparkling water, and he is led up to it.  If he rubs his nose in the water, splashes around a little, and then turns and looks this way and that and sniffs the air, he is turned down as a fourth rate camel.  If he drinks a little, he is a third grade camel.  If he drinks moderately, he is graded as a second rate camel and his value is in proportion.  But if he drinks copiously--drains the trough--he is the highest-priced camel, granted that he is sound and able to travel.  And why!  Because that snuffler that simply splashed the water with his nose, that gazer from side to side, that looker into the distance as though he could travel the whole desert when he is loaded and started would perish on the desert.

We are not camels; students re not camels; teachers are not Arabian merchants, but they are like them.  They fill the troughs with clear, sparking water.  The students in their classes come up to drink and you will find by the tests of examination to which class they belong.  But the greatest test is the test on the desert of life, whether they carry their burden or not.  You will see some information coming from the teacher.  You will see them looking; gazing into the future, dreaming about something.  I know not what, as though they had the wings of an airship.

Then you will see others who will be moderately attentive; and you will see others whose minds are concentrated; they are reaching out, they drain the trough of information, and when they go before an examination, or when they meet the problems of life, they will not lie down and fail to get up on the sand.

All the grit some people have is what hangs to the outside of the.

But the students who succeed, they have been filled with what is to support them, and they will make their journey--they will make their journey.

Joseph Smith on the subject of ego

We are so very blessed to have the wisdom of prophets of God.  In the midst of all the media and buzz wordsof the world, comes the simple and direct teachings of the men who have been called by God to be his mouthpiece in these days.  Joseph Smith was the first of this dispensation to be called upon to serve as an authorized representative our our Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ.

Author Truman G. Madsen, quotes Joseph Smith in saying:

Image provided by byu.edu

"Now one of the strongest and wisest statements I have ever heard on the subject of egoism.  The question was put to him, 'Joseph, is the principle of self-aggrandizement wrong?  Should we seek our own good?'   Listen to his answer.  'It  is a correct principle and may be indulged upon only one rule or plan--and that is to elevate, benefit, and bless others first.  If you will elevate others, the very work itself will exalt you.  Upon no other plan can a man justly and permanently aggrandize himself.'  That is another way of saying with the New Testament, "Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.'  To paraphrase:  He that seeketh to save his life has mere physical survival.  He that is against me, or indifferent to me, will lose it.  'What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?'  Nothing.

A look at our Moto

Picture provided by lds.org

Our moto is "Kindness, Civility, Decency, Honesty, Integrity."  These words originate in a quote from LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. (Gordon B. Hinckley. Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinckley Vol 1: 1995-1999. Deseret  Book.  pg. 270)  They were spoken during an address given in Boston, Mass., at a Regional Conference of Priesthood Leadership, on April 22, 1995.

President Hinckley spoke again about the significance of these same words, when he gave the keynote address on April 27, 2001 at the Utah Valley State College Commencement Exercises. Here are some quotes from that speech.  His words give us insight about why President Hinckley felt these virtues were so significant.

"And so I say to you on this commencement day, speaking out of an experience of very many years, and with love and a concern in my heart--to you I say, as you go forth from this great institution, wherever life may take you, wherever you may find yourself in the years that lie ahead, regardless of your vocational pursuits, walk the road of simple virtues.

. . . .Be decent.  Bring into your lives the miracle of the golden rule: "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them" (Matthew 7:12).  Women weep in despair as inconsiderate husbands constantly find fault, seeing no good in anything their wives do.  I have dealt very much  with divorce and troubled marriages.  I have come to one conclusion, and that is if we will make the comfort and well-being of our companion our greatest concern, happiness will follow.  There are fathers and mothers who destroy their children with vicious criticism that only brings on discouragement and failure.  There would be far fewer troubles in the world if there were just a little more common decency among people.

Be honest.  It is such a simple thing and yet so very difficult for so very many people.  Great is the man, regardless of his other accomplishments, who is known as one of integrity, on whose word all can depend.  Said Shakespeare, "To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man" (Hamlet, act 1, scene 3).

Churchill once said that the first victim of war is truth.  It seems, in so very many cases, that truth is also the first victim of business and many other activities.

My dear friends, these things are so simple that they scarcely seem worthy of mention.  And yet they are the very fabric of life.  When all is said and done, when you have lived your life and grown as old as I am, you will recognize that it is the simple virtues that count, that make the great differences in our lives.  It is better to sleep at night with a clear conscience than to worry oneself sick while living a fraud.

And so I speak to you today as an old man, talking to you whose lives are ahead of you.  I leave with you two verses of scripture, one from the Old Testament and one from the New.  From Deuteronomy:  "And now, Israel, what doth the Lord they God require of thee, but to fear the Lord they God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord they God with all thy heart and with all thy soul" (Deuteronomy 10:12).  And from the book of James:  "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).

When all is said and done, our success in life will not be spelled out in the money we make, in the honors we attain, in the plaudits of men, but in those virtues which become the essence of that which is greatest within each of us.

Think upon that a little.  Think of it in terms of what really counts in life, of what builds relationships between people, of what really moves the world forward in peace, and then act accordingly.  Observe the simple and seemingly unimportant values, and then the larger virtues will take care of themselves." (Gordon B. Hinckley.  The Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinckley Vol 2:  2000-2004. Deseret Book.  pgs. 487-490)

Creating Order from Chaos

I regularly read the Deseret News even though I live far from Utah.  I was fascinated with the clarity of understanding presented in Mr.Carroll's article on the leadership model that exists within the culture of  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Although the focus of his article  is business, we can gain a lot of appreciation about how we function within our own roles as leaders.  Many Latter-day Saints chose to be leaders because they see disorder in a situation, not because they want power over others.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700172565/Globe-looks-at-Mormonism-as-a-business-model.html

Globe looks at Mormonism as a business model

Published: Sunday, Aug. 21, 2011 4:28 p.m. MDT

By Joseph Walker, Deseret News

52 comments

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Referring to Mormons as "the original organization men," Boston Globe columnist James Carroll looks at LDS history and doctrine today on the Globe's website and concludes that "outsiders attempting to understand the surprising arrival of the Latter-day Saints can do worse than to think of it as a business model — made perfectly, it turns out, for the 21st century. Made in America.
"The faith has found a way to make God and a genius for commerce work together," Carroll writes. "The reasons begin not in business but in theology."

Click to view

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

The LDS church office building May 30, 2008, in Salt Lake City.

He cites LDS belief that God did not create the world out of nothing, but "organized it out of chaos."

"The distinction between God as creator and God as organizer matters because the perennial religious call to imitate God made organizing a defining act of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Carroll said. "The Book of Mormon organizes a vast and disjointed history. Joseph Smith, and his main successor Brigham Young, who led the exodus to Utah, were men of high religious charisma, yet each had a gift for practical leadership that enabled the organizing of an historic movement."
  This organization's philosophy, Carroll asserts, translated into an LDS penchant for success in business. By the late 20th century, he says, "Mormons were leaders in organizational development and other business-transforming fields."

The column also explores the organizational impact on the church of the its leadership structure, its early period of polygamy, its properties and holdings, the businesses of Mormon entrepreneurs like J. Willard Marriott and the continuing influence of church structure on tens of thousands of missionaries each year.
Through it all, Carroll says, the business ideal and the religious ideal reinforce one another.

Beyond the Call of Duty

Picture of Harold B. Lee provided by LDS.org

Life can be tough.  Though we all have our various trials, they are easier to accept if we understand that they have a purpose.  This quote from President Harold B. Lee, reminds us that when we are required to sacrifice, there is usually a blessing attached.  When we look for that hidden blessing, it invites the Spirit into our lives and makes our burden seem lighter.

" Our greatest joy comes by going beyond the call of duty.  That man who is ambitious for personal gain and personal advantage is never a happy man, for before him always are the receding horizons of life that will ever mock his attempts at acquisition and conquest.  That man who serves unselfishly is the man who is the happy man.

In the military service there were awarded oftentimes for outstanding accomplishment national decorations and certificates of merit, and always with the citation were these suggestive words: "For meritorious service beyond the call of duty."

Therein lies the way by which we, too , can reach the highest goals and win the merited plaudits of our Heavenly Father.  That which we do beyond the call of duty, beyond that for which we are compensated by material wealth is that which gives us the greatest joy in life.

As I look at the experiences of our brethren and hear their testimonies, I become persuaded of one great truth:  Whenever the Lord has a great blessing for one of His children, He puts that son or daughter in the way to make a great sacrifice. (Clyde J. Williams. ed. The Teachings of Harold B. Lee. Bookcraft. pg 176)

Cougar Friday August 19, 2011

Photo provided by cs.byu.edu

Lets talk about money, lots and lots of money.  Brigham Young University is a large world class educational institution.  It is expensive to run and needs the support of Alums and friends to help develop new programs and make it possible for many students to receive necessary scholarships .  A recent edition of Humanities at BYU explained how these donations, even small ones, make, can help make a huge difference.

"In the last issue of Humanities at BYU, Dean Rosenberg asked each person who receives this magazine to contribute $3.69, that person's share of a goal of raising $100,000 to increase internships and make them more affordable to students. . . . To date we have over $4,400 (4 percent of our goal) but, as you can see, the number of respondents is so low it hardly registers on the graph, above.  We need many, many more of you to respond in order for us to reach our goal.  Oftentimes when we apply for grants from corporations and foundation, they want to know about alumni contributions--not the amount of money, but the percentage of alumni participating.  A high participation rate indicates that our alumni valued their experiences here and want to ensure that others have the same opportunities."

Three Styles of Leadership Part IV

Today we are looking at the concluding ideas suggested by the three styles of leadership that were given by Brother Neal A. Maxwell as part of an essay entitled "Looking at Leadership" published in . . .A More Excellent Way":  Essays on Leadership for Latter-day Saints (1967), 15-29.

"Leadership rests to a significant degree on the kind of decision-making that makes effective use of feedback ( communication to another person or group which gives that person information about how he affected others and how he stands in relation to his goals and intentions).  Participative leadership frees those concerned to provide helpful feedback, whereas directive leadership often suffers from the fact that as the leader acquires more prestige and power, his followers may be less and less likely to level with him even though he wishes this were not so.. . .

Both experience and the scriptures suggest a need for a blend of leadership styles -directive and participative,  in which these styles are used in those circumstances most appropriate for them.  We have an unique blend in the church of directive leadership and participative leadership in which everyone grows and everyone moves forward in terms of eternal goals. . . .

There are times, however, when directive leadership is clearly the appropriate kind of leadership.  Brigham Young probably could have spent years working with some lukewarm members of the Church after the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith, encouraging them to join him and go west.  But the saints finally had to cross the Mississippi River; they had to leave Nauvoo.  The time for action had come.  Under some conditions, leaders must 'cross the river.'

A leader is best apt to be able to blend directive and participative leadership if he is personally and seriously engaged in the divinely intended process of improving his attributes of knowledge, faith, justice, judgment, mercy, truth and love.  He will then be more effective and is more to be trusted with power and influence.  If he loves more perfectly, he will have greater sensitivity to the feelings of group members and know when it is appropriate to emphasize participative leadership.  If he is constantly increasing in his storehouse of knowledge and truth, he will have better insights upon which he can draw when he must act in a directive way.  Group members are much more apt to have confidence in a leader when they see him actively struggling to develop these kinds of attributes.  A leader who is careless about power, insensitive to feelings of members of the group, or who is too sure of his own views without adequate knowledge or information cannot inspire followers for long.  A leader who uses status and authority to cover his sins, to gratify his pride or ambition or to exercise control or dominion will fail organizationally as well as spiritually." ( Church Education System. Principles of Leadership Teacher Manual. Salt Lake City. 2001. pgs. 11-13).

Three styles of Leadership Part III

A Ward Council is an example of participative leadership

Today we are looking at the third of three styles of leadership that were given by Brother Neal A. Maxwell as part of an essay entitled "Looking at Leadership" published in . . .A More Excellent Way":  Essays on Leadership for Latter-day Saints (1967), 15-29.

"A third kind of leadership is participative leadership in which members of the group share widely in decision making, in which the group is democratically run, in which procedures are adopted and traditions built to insure that this will be the case.  This kind of leadership has these advantages: it often uses the talents, feelings and facts of group members very effectively.  It gives group members a chance to invest in goals and in problem solving so that there is greater group compliance and team work in obtaining these objectives.  It often creates excellent conditions for individual growth.

Participative leadership seeks to call upon the maximum resources of the group members.  When it succeeds, this kind of leadership results in a higher achievement than the individual alone could produce.  Participative leadership assumes that everyone has something to give, which is not  inconsistent with the teaching that 'For all have not every gift given unto them; there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.' (D&C 46:11.). . . .

The disadvantages of participative leadership are that, at times, groups focus too much on feelings and become too immobilized to take needed action.  A group may listen and hear only the signal of  'an uncertain trumpet.' Group problem solving can, when it miscarries, result in the stifling of individual creativity and can result in a great deal of mediocrity. . . .

A critic of participative leadership has asked 'Could the Mona Lisa have been painted by a committee?'  This same critic of the group process says that it often leads to the 'cancellation of each other's inner certitudes.'  Participative leadership also has the disadvantage, at times, of ending up with unconscious and unintended manipulation of group members by a dominant figure while everyone blithely assumes that they share in decision making, which is not the case."  ( Church Education System. Principles of Leadership Teacher Manual. Salt Lake City. 2001. pgs 11-12).

Three styles of Leadership Part II

Jesus Christ is the exemplar of perfection in Directive Leadership.

Today we are looking at the second of three styles of leadership that were given by Brother Neal A. Maxwell as part of an essay entitled "Looking at Leadership" published in . . .A More Excellent Way":  Essays on Leadership for Latter-day Saints (1967), 15-29.

"A second basic pattern of leadership is directive leadership, in which the leader seeks to maintain his greater "psychological size" in relation to the members of the group.  He is the dominant figure and though he may be very sincere and dedicated, he clearly calls the shots and makes the most crucial decisions.

This kind of leadership has these kind of advantages: it often can get results with considerable speed.  It gives followers a sense of action and accomplishment.  It gives them a certain sense of security, especially with a leader who is a rallying point around which they can flock.  It avoids some limitations of group inadequacies, since the leader can call on group members for help where it is appropriate but need not be bound by sharing all decision-making with them.

We have all seen examples of this kind of leadership in a crisis.  It is not a popular form of leadership in some quarters today, but we must be reminded that it has real advantages. . .

Directive leadership also has the potential disadvantage that the leader is often not aware of all the facts and feelings present among the followers. The talents of the followers and members of the group cannot be as fully developed unless they share more extensively in decision-making and implementation.  This kind of leadership can miscarry even with a sincere, dedicated directive leader because he does not strive to mobilize the full resources of his group, nor is he himself always sufficiently omniscient to avoid error.

Directive leadership with all the advantages it possesses can encourage an attitude in some leaders toward followers when they are trying feverishly to impart instructions and information to them.  It is almost as if these leaders in these situations wanted to dispense quickly whatever it was they had to say--instructional or informational-- and be done with it!  There are situations in which we can honestly shift spiritual responsibility by merely telling others, but this should not become  a total leadership style. . .

Very often the talented directive person becomes very impatient with clumsiness and mediocrity in other people.  The talented person may also bridle under the supervision of someone whom he believes to be inferior to himself." ( Church Education System. Principles of Leadership Teacher Manual. Salt Lake City. 2001. pgs 10-11).

Three styles of Leadership Part I

Elder Neal A. Maxwell

In an essay entitled "Looking at Leadership" in ". . .A More Excellent way": Essays on Leadership for Latter-day Saints (1967) pgs 15-29,  Brother Neal A. Maxwell who later served in the Quorum of the Twelve, taught about three different styles of leadership.  Today we will focus on the first of the three methods he describes.

"There appear to be three basic leadership styles, each with its own limitations, advantages, variations, and spin-offs.  There is, first of all, manipulative leadership, ranging in its more sinister form from the Machiavellian kind on through to the kind of modest manipulation each of us at times may consciously or unconsciously practice on those around us.

Manipulative leadership has certain advantages:  it can at times give short-term results, solve a problem, or pass a crisis by manipulating people, feelings, and causes.  It can at times give the followers a sense of action and accomplishment, yet does not require the leader to take into account the feelings and ideas of the members of his group since he is free to manipulate them, to bypass them, or to use their naivete'.

The disadvantages of this form of leadership are:  it can be, and usually is, crushingly condescending:  it seeks to carry our the wishes of the leader and to meet his needs, not necessarily the needs of the group.  It can miscarry badly with an evil leader of end in chaos with a leader who is not sophisticated in his manipulation, and therefore, who is more apt to be exposed early.  It uses or ignores people and their feelings without aiming at their growth."(Church Education System , Principles of Leadership Teacher Manual, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City. 2001 pgs. 9-10)

The Leadership Style of Karl G. Maeser

Statue of Karl G. Maeser  on the Provo campus of BYU

In an address by George Sutherland entitled, A Message to the 1941 Graduating Class of Brigham Young University, we are told about some of the things that made Karl G. Maeser a unique and effective leader.

"Dr Maeser was not only a scholar of great and varied learning, with an exceptional ability to impart what he knew to others, but he was a man of such transparent and natural goodness that his students gained not only knowledge, but character, which is better than knowledge.  I have never known a man whose learning covered so wide a range of subjects, and was at the same time so thorough in all.  His ability to teach ran from the Kindergarten to the highest branches of pedagogy.  In all my acquaintance with him I never knew a question to be submitted upon any topic that he did not readily and fully answer.  In addition to all this he had a wonderful grasp of human nature and seemed to understand almost intuitively the moral and intellectual qualities of his students.  He saw the shortcomings as well as the excellences of his pupils, and while he never hesitated to point them out--sometimes in a genial, humorous way--it was always with such an undercurrent of kindly interest that no criticism ever left a sting.  He was, of course, an ardent believer in the doctrines of his Church, but with great tolerance for the views of those who differed with him in religious faith.  I came to the old Academy with religious opinions frankly at variance with those he entertained, but I was never made to feel that it made the slightest difference in his regard or attention." ( Wilkinson, Ernest L. Brigham Young University: The First One Hundred Years Vol.I.  Brigham Young University Press. 1975. pgs. 204-5

The Value of Each Part

Quincy will be starting  at BYU this fall.  She is like so many other young and hopeful Freshmen.  Her last year of high school was full of parties, dances, tests and triumphs.  Life has been pretty good for this young woman and as a result, her prospects for a successful career as an undergraduate are very high.  She is sure to be an asset to her new ward and the college of her choice.

Quincy will also bring one more thing to her BYU experience that others might be lacking.  She will bring humility.  For the last several weeks, I have been following her adventures as she and her mother have volunteered in a leprosy colony in India. Their most recent blog included pictures of  those who are affected by this disease, and among them is a picture of Quincy gently holding hands with a woman who had most of her fingers deformed and missing as a result of this horrid disease.

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Quincy was in charge of bandage removal. 
This can be  a smelly and very shocking as
to how bad the wound has been since the
last bandage change.  She was very good at
taking on this job and was so good with these 

                elderly patients.  She has a tender spot for this age group                                

http://quincyandbrenda.blogspot.com/

One of our challenges as alumni, is to find ways of mentoring and supporting this new generation of BYU students.  How many of us came to the university with the vision that this girl will bring?.  Along with the memories of popularity will come vivid understandings of the parables of our Savior.  At 18, she has walked among those who have been the most needy and the most neglected; those with whom the God of this Earth walked during his mortal experience.

The prophet Joseph Smith taught about the importance of understanding  about leadership and lepers:

"The cause of God is one common cause, in which the Saints are alike all interested;  we are all members of the one common body, and all partake of the same spirit, and are baptized into one baptism and process alike the same glorious hope.  The advancement of the cause of God and the building up of Zion is as much one man's business as another's.  The only difference is, that one is called to fulfill one duty, and another another duty; 'but if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, and if one member is honored all the rest rejoice with it, and the eye cannot say to the ear, I have no need of thee, nor the head to the foot, I have no need of thee;' party feelings, separate interests, exclusive designs should be lost sight of in the one common cause, in the interest of the whole." (Smith, Joseph Feilding. ed. The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Deseret Book. 1976. pg 231)

Timely Words from Thomas S. Monson Part II

No matter who we are called to lead, our real job is to be of service to those who are under our stewardship.  The emphasis in Elder Monson's talk is on working with youth, but the principles apply in every circumstance.

"As we listen to the pleas of these young people, as we survey the problems that they encounter, we need more than an accurate diagnosis of the ailment.  We require and search for a proper prescription for a lasting cure.

The pathway that will lead us to such a solution will require certain promises on our part as leaders.  Will you, with me, commit yourself to the work of the Lord and consider the promises that would enhance your influence in the lives of youth?  Let us consider such promises.

First, I promise to be willing.  The Lord has declared: "The Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days." (D&C 64:34.)

Through such willing service, we will not be in the position of Shakespeare's Cardinal Wolsey, who after a life of service to this king, stripped of his power, sadly lamented, "Had I but served my God with the zeal I served my king, he would not in mine age have left me naked to mine enemies."

Second, I promise to be informed.  Remember the counsel of the Lord:"Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence." (D&C 107:99.)

Third, I promise to be diligent.  I will magnify my calling.  What does it mean to magnify a calling?  It means to build it up in dignity and importance, to make it honorable and commendable in the eyes of all mankind, to enlarge and strengthen it, to let the light of heaven shine through it to the view of other men.  And how does one magnify a calling?  Simply by performing the service that pertains to it.  In short, we magnify our callings by learning what our duties are and then by performing them.

. . . .Fourth, I promise to be prayerful.  "Remember," said the Lord, "the worth of soul is great in the sight of God." (D&C 18:10.)  As we develop an appreciation of this great truth, we will come to realize that we affect eternity; we determine destiny.  We cannot succeed alone.

Our challenge is to eliminate the weakness of a youth standing alone and to substitute therefor the strength of youth and leaders serving together

. . . . Fifth, I promise to be understanding.  Among our youth are some who have transgressed the laws of God, who have been deceived by the evil one, and who seek from us an understanding heart and a guide to the pathway of repentance and exaltation in the kingdom of our Heavenly Father.  We, in effect, stand at the crossroads of their lives." ( Thomas S. Monson. Be Your Best Self. Deseret Book. 1979. pgs146-8)

Timely Words from Thomas S. Monson Part I

The following is from a piece created by Elder Thomas S. Monson entitled Personal Promises.

"May we ever remember that the mantle of leadership is not the cloak of comfort, but the robe of responsibility.

As we lead, let us be true shepherds.  Most of us in the western part of the United States and Canada can, on occasion, see sheepherders driving their flocks to summer pastures or returning from the mountains as winter approaches.  At times the sheepherder is slouched over the saddle, trailing his flock, with a host of anxious dogs yapping at the heels of the sheep and driving them onward in a determined course.  How different is this scene from one that I viewed in Munich, Germany, where a true shepherd, with staff in hand, walked in front of his flock.  The sheep recognized him as their leader, and indeed their shepherd, and followed him willingly where ever he would lead them.

When we, as leaders, set before others a proper example, they will follow us as sheep follow the true shepherd.  Should our assignment be with youth, perhaps a few suggestions would assist us.

First, may we consider the problems we face.  Second, may we listen to the pleas of youth.  And third, may we promise to be leaders worthy of emulation.  The problems facing youth today are more serious than in previous generations.  All about us we see a lowering of moral standards.  We see, accepted on every hand, the permissive society and all that goes with it.  Fractured families likewise contribute to the problems we must meet and solve.

As we note the deterioration in moral standards, we think back to the great classic The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by Edward Gibbon.  He stated the reasons for the dissolution of the great political force that had held the civilized world together for more than five hundred years.  The principal reasons included:

1. Excessive spending by the central government.
2. Unwillingness of the young men to bear arms in defense of their country.
3. Overindulgence in luxury.
4. Widespread sexual immorality and easy divorce, which destroyed the integrity of family life.
5. Disregard for religion.

That was Rome, fourteen hundred years ago.  Does the picture seem to apply to us today?" (Thomas S. Monson. Be Your best Self. Deseret Book. 1979. pgs 144-5)

George Albert Smith Part II

An old fashioned name for voting is the word franchise.  This quote from President George Albert  Smith seems just as significant today as it was when he spoke it in 1925!

Counsel to Women

"Women have been given a sacred franchise by God.  There are some women who are a little careless about their franchise.  I am proud to belong to a church which was first to extend the franchise to women.  It was the Prophet Joseph Smith who first turned the key for the emancipation  of women of this world, and it was your organization in whose interest it was turned, and I am sure you are grateful for that.  It was not a whim of his; it was an inspiration from the Lord.  It was necessary that those women who were to be the mothers of those who should build the country in a proper way should have something to do other than just to follow the behest of their husbands and their brothers.  Sometimes we find individuals in both sexes who seem to think that they can get along very well without the other group, but I want to say that the Lord intended that both of the sexes should have their part, and he didn't intend that womankind should be in slavery to man.  He did intend that there should be order, however, and so he has placed in every well ordered home, as the head of the family, the male member of the family--sometimes the inferior mind.  But in so doing, the Lord has not said that women should not be her husband's equal in  all good things, and in the blessings that would flow to  the sexes.  And so, my sisters, you have been given not only your franchise in the Church, but you have been given your franchise in the country, in the Union in which you live.  The Lord has given you these privileges.  Your vote counts just as much as the vote of your husband or your brother, and it should be just as intelligently used.  You ought to know what the laws of our country are just as far as possible, you ought to know what kind of men are placed before you, and in the full dignity of a daughter of the Lord you ought to go to the polls and cast your ballot in the interest of peace and good government. (RSM 12 [January 1925}: 10-11.)"  

(McIntosh, Robert and Susan., eds. The Teachings of George Albert Smith.  Bookcraft. 1996. pgs 115-6)

A Zion University Part III

 This is our third and final Cougar Friday focusing on a speech given by former BYU President Merrill J. Bateman.  I began my college career at a state university.  There were many things I liked, but something was definitely wrong.  Very shortly after entering my program, I realized, I would be required to compromise my LDS standards, if I wished to continue in my chosen major.  I knew I could get a good education at my state university, but how would my testimony be doing by the time I had my diploma?

Brigham Young University is unique in that it offers a world class education, yet throws the worldly out of the process.  I have worked in my field for almost 30 years and my memories of my education are clean and uncompromising.  BYU provided me with a great foundation to build upon.

President Bateman shared a person testimony moment, at the conclusion of his address, "A Zion University."

A Message to the Students

"May I paraphrase an earlier president of Brigham Young University: 'Our reason for being is to be a university.  But our reason for being a university is the students.'  For more than 120 years this campus has had a distinctive character.  Strangers who visit are struck by the cleanliness and orderliness of the buildings, the grounds, and especially the people. . . .It was so refreshing to return to this campus, to see the clean young people, and to feel the peace that prevails here.

May I share with you a flash of insight given me by the Spirit twenty years ago in which I learned about this university's major role in building the kingdom . 

. . . .I realized that 27,000 students were being prepared to enter the world.  Every year approximately 6,000 would leave Provo, scattering across North America with some going on to Europe, others to Asia, some to Africa, and a number to South America.  Some might even go Down Under.  If the university performed its roles well, deepening spiritual roots and providing a first-class education, in the course of time strong Church families would grow up in hundreds and thousands of communities all over the world.  These BYU families would be waiting when later missionaries arrived.  My earlier experiences in London, Boston, Colorado Springs, High Wycombe, Lancaster, Bedminster, Accra and Lagos had pointed to the importance of just one or two strong families to form a core around which the Lord could build a branch, then a district, and finally a stake.  The BYU families would be good neighbors; have strong relationships with business associates; and, if well-trained, be leaders in their communities.  These strong families, by example and invitation, would open doors for missionaries to enter. 

. . . .This institution will not fail.  As Daniel prophesied, the kingdom will not be left to other people.  Joseph's and Brigham's vision that the spiritual can be combined with the secular without the latter overcoming the former will prove true because of faith and priesthood power.  Brigham Young University will continue to be a light to the world, dispensing truth for the public good and for individual happiness." (Merrill J. Bateman. Learning in the Light of Truth. Deseret Book. 2005 pgs. 24-6)

George Albert Smith Part l

President George Albert Smith gave counsel to both men and women about their various roles.  In part l, we real his counsel to men.  In part two, we will offer his post his counsel to women.

Counsel to Men

"Entrance into the celestial kingdom  is dependent upon how husbands honor their wives.  Reference has been made to some of the divorces that are increasing in the land.  I want to say to you that the larger portion of the divorces are the result of infidelity and immorality, and unfortunately on the part of both men and women.  So, brethren, let us set our own homes in order.  Let us make our adjustments.  Let us live so that we can truthfully look toward the skies and say, "Heavenly Father, we want to be worthy of what you have given to us.  We would like to be an example to our neighbors and to all who come in contact with us."  And if we will do that , our wives will be true to us, and our children will appreciate us and be true to us.  I want to tell you if we want happiness in the celestial kingdom of our God, we will have to lay the foundation for it right here; and part of that requirement of the Lord is that we do right in our homes and live right.  Some men think that because they hold the priesthood that that gives them a special way in which they may conduct themselves in their homes.  I want to tell you that you men who hold the priesthood will never get into the celestial kingdom unless you honor your wives and your families and train them and give them the blessings that you want for yourselves (CR, April 1948, pp. 183-184)"

( McIntosh, Robert and Susan, editors. The Teachings of George Albert Smith. Bookcraft 1996. pg. 111)

Why We Blog

Did you know that actively participating in a blog community is a great way to do missionary work?  Many people want to learn about the beliefs of Latter-day Saints, but might be afraid to ask questions of their LDS friends or may live in areas where there are few church members.

When we actively participate in a blog, or even create one of our own, we give people a way to search for insights on what it means to be a Mormon.  The Bee allows us to point to the strength and wisdom of our LDS leaders.  Our Prophets and General Officers have such a gold mine of ideas on how to improve the lives of others!  Many people throughout the world might be surprised that they can also learn to be a better leader, just by taking a few minutes each day reading about the ideas of men and women who are inspired by God.

Sharing the Gospel Online

“With so many social media resources and a multitude of more or less useful gadgets at our disposal, sharing the good news of the gospel is easier and the effects more far-reaching than ever before.”

—President Uchtdof  http://lds.org/church/share?lang=eng

What Do I Share?

Missionary work can be as simple as living the way a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is expected to live. Telling your friends you went to church on Sunday, for instance, lets them know you participate actively in the gospel. By your everyday actions, others can also know that Mormons neither smoke nor drink alcohol, coffee, or tea.
With a blog, you have an even greater opportunity to share your beliefs. Talk about your day-to-day life. Remember that some who read your blog may not understand traditional “Mormon jargon”; be careful to be clear in your writing. Share what you learn when you go to Church. Share your family home evening experiences. Share how the Lord has blessed you. Bear your testimony where appropriate and if you are prompted by the Spirit.

Where Can I Blog?  How Can I Read Blogs?

Choose the blog medium that works best for you. Here are some sites where you can start a blog and start sharing with others online:

• Blogger.com
• Wordpress.com
• Posterous.com - start a blog just by sending an e-mail!
• Tumblr.com
• Facebook.com

There also is technology you can use to be notified when there are new blog posts on the blogs you want to read and subscribe to. Google Reader is a great place to set up these notifications, or you can usually do this in your email software. Some blogs even let you subscribe by e-mail.

How Do I Promote My Blog?

Start by notifying your friends and family that you have a blog. You can do this by phone or e-mail. You may also want to show them ways they can subscribe to your blog.
You can create a Twitter or Facebook account and share your new blog posts there with people that subscribe to you. Providing an RSS link or e-mail subscription through a service like Feedburner.com also gives people a way to subscribe and continue reading your blog. Linking to other popular blogs from within your blog posts can also get the attention of those bloggers. Be respectful as you bring others into your conversation and you will gain the attention of many.
Participate in the conversation! Conversation is crucial towards the success of any blog. Get to know what others are saying on the topics you want to write about. Comment on other blogs. Link to other blogs when you talk about the topics their authors are discussing. Most important, use the Spirit as you contemplate ways you can use your blog to share the gospel.  

http://lds.org/church/share/sharing-via-blogs?lang=eng

The Real American Revolution

Have you ever thought about the "other" Founding Fathers.  We know about Adams, Jefferson, and Hancock, but what about Benjamin Rush?  He was born and raised in the Philadelphia area, but traveled extensively in Europe during his medical studies.  Rush is even credited with publishing the first American Chemistry textbook.  Like so many others, he was a mixture of positives and negatives, but his personal records about the daily dealing of the Continental Congress are a significant resource for those who study the history of these important events.   http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/rush.htmush?

Benjamin Rush

1745-1813

Representing Pennsylvania at the Continental Congress

by Ole Erekson, Engraver, c1876, Library of Congress

Rush tells us his view on the real American Revolution:

"There is nothing more common, than to confound the terms of American Revolution with those of the late American war.  The American war is over but this is far from being the case with the American Revolution.  On the contrary, nothing but the first act of the great drama is closed.  It remains yet to establish and perfect our new forms of government; and to prepare the principles, morals, and manners of our citizens, for those forms of government, after they are established and brought to perfection. . .Patriots of 1774, 1775, 1776--heroes of 1778, 1779, 1780! come forward!  your country demands your services!--Philosophers and friends to mankind, come forward! your country demands your studies and speculations!  Lovers of peace and order, who declined taking part in the late war, come forward! your country forgives you timidity and demands your influence and advice!  Hear her proclaiming, in sighs and groans, in her governments, in her finances, in her trade, in her manufactures, in her morals, and in her manners, 'The Revolution is not over.'" ( Buckner F. Melton Jr. ed. The Quotable Founding Fathers. Fall River. 2004. pg. 333-4)

The Painful Truth

One of our goals as an organization is to encourage our membership to look deeply at themselves.  Effective leadership of others must always begin with effective leadership of ourselves.  We all have faults, but some of them aren't quite as visible to us, as they are to others.  Sometimes, our family is the most accurate mirror of our own leadership deficits.   As we seek to understand and acknowledge our personal challenges, we must often do as Elder Boyd K. Packer counseled: "Face the painful truth."

"We have no desire to touch the subject that causes you so much pain, nor condemn you as a failure. . . .But some of you are failing, and. . . .If failure it to end, one must face squarely problems . . .however much it hurts. . .

Face the Painful Truth

Parents, can we first consider the most painful part of your problem?  If you want to reclaim your son or daughter, why don't you leave off trying to alter your child just for a little while and concentrate on yourself.  The changes must begin with you, not with your children.

You can't continue to do what you  have been doing (even though you thought it was right) and expect to unproduce some behavior in your child, when your conduct was one of the things that produced it.

There! It's been said!  After all the evading, all the concern for wayward children. After all the blaming of others, the care to be gentle with parents.  It's out!  It's you, not the child, who needs immediate attention.

Now, parents, there is substantial help for you if you will accept it.  I add with emphasis that the help we propose is not easy, for the measures are equal to the seriousness of your problem.  There is no patent medicine to effect an immediate cure.

And parents, if you seek for a cure that ignores faith and religious doctrine, you look for a cure where it never will be found.  When we talk of religious principles and doctrines and quote scripture, interestingly, isn't it , how many don't feel comfortable with talk like that?  But when we talk about your problems with your family and offer a solution, then your interest is intense.

Know that you can't talk about one without talking about the other and expect to solve your problems.  Once parents know that there is a God and we are His children, they can face problems like this and win.

If you are helpless, He is not.

If you are lost, He is not.

If you don't know what to do next, He knows.

 It would take a miracle, you say? Well, if it takes a miracle, why not. . . .

Parents, I desire to inspire you with hope.  You who have heartache, you must never give up.  No matter how dark it gets or no matter how far away or how far down your son or daughter has fallen, you must never give up. Never, never, never." ( Boyd K. Packer. That All May Be Edified. Bookcraft. 1982. pgs. 138-9, 142-3).