ανέξοδος. . .Liberalis . . . חינם

Today, I'd like to touch on one thing we all want and intensely desire:
Freedom.

Think of it. The righteous who truly understand the purpose of God's commandments obey to obtain it. The wicked disobey, seeking freedom from what they deem "restrictive rules". Over history, we have seen in a thousand instances scores of lives lost because a people wished to be free, the same people who had everything else -- water, food, shelter, loved ones -- and went to war, dying fighting to be free rather than living under bondage. This universal desire of all living things (even arguably non-living things) was a critical factor in the founding of the American Colonies. Due to my religious persuasion, may I even share how this emerges in ancient scripture:

1) And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may
redeem the children of men from the fall.  And because that they
are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing
good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon,
save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last
day, according to the commandments which God hath given. 

Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all
things are given them which are expedient unto man.  And they are
free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great
Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according
to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all
men might be miserable like unto himself.

2) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

What a transcendent word! And how fitting of a descriptor, for this is what we are after, the transcendent principles and dispositions of humankind -- the barrier-removers. I talked with a well-enlightened individual while I was in California. I met him on my mission, and I returned to the same immaculate and open one-room apartment he lived in. He had a refrigerator, stove, even desk and personal computer, but dishes, clothes, books, and random items you come to expect in a lived-in space were completely absent -- all neatly tucked away in cabinets and closed closets. The ratio of square footage of the room to walking space was nearly 1:1. He knows I've come to California and have bicycled across the Central Valley and along the Pacific Coast. Him and his friend have this great interchange (names are changed):

Paul: I can't come over tonight, a friend is coming over to talk
Norman: What? Who?
Paul: A missionary who served here a while ago. He called me up and said [in essense], "Hey I'm in town. I've always thought you were really interesting, so I'd love to come and say hi".
Norman: What?! So he just called and randomly wants to come over.
P: Yeah, so. . .
N: So aren't you afraid he is trying to convert you? That he just wants to make you a Mormon?
P: No. No. He's just coming to talk
N: So, what's the deal, is he gay? He just shows up out of nowhere.
P: Can't it just be that I'm interesting? What? So I'm not interesting?
N: (laughs, realizing Paul is playfully dodging the gist of the questions) No, no, of course its not that. But don't you think its just a little odd that he pops in like this?
P: He's a sincere and upfront person. He was that way when I met him a year ago. I'm glad to have him come over and talk about life.

I step inside and we get to talking. There is little to no conversation about people, places, or things -- just ideas. I could talk to him for ages. We get to talking about freedom. He says, "We are all seeking freedom. We all find different ways of getting it. Like me, with my room. I'm free from clutter and unburdened by things. You, with your bicycle, seeing the country-side". And he is too correct. Isn't that such a deep-seated desire?
I had some incredible experiences to this tune over the past couple of days, but I will have to wait until I get the consent of those involved before I share. Check back soon! Life is an endless tapestry of the most beautiful threads, and never stops being woven nor patch-worked to other weaves!

I'm Trying To Be Like Jesus

I'm trying to be like Jesus
I'm following in His ways
I'm trying to love as He did
In all that I do and say
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice, but I try to listen to the still small voice, saying
"Love one another as Jesus loves you
Try to show kindness in all that you do
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught"
Anyone that knows me understands how I dart about, offering little but confusion to those watching. today, my first time in an unfamiliar building, was no exception. A man stopped me identified himself as security and asked my name. i was somewhat perturbed. Perhaps he was only trying to help. Perhaps he was trying to remove people that weren't supposed to be there. Either way, it tried my patience.
Later, in the temple, i felt a great sense of God's love. I thought of Richard G. Scott's talk where he said

Life may seem difficult now, but hold tightly to that iron rod of truth. You are making better progress than you realize

and simply took comfort in it for my own self. While in the temple chapel today, I really came to see this truth as applied to all of those in that temple that day. So many are making great progress and should be seen as certainly imperfect, yet often a little bit better than they were yesterday, a better person than they were last month, than last year. And if that feeling of love The Lord sent to my heart, allowing me to feel that He possesses towards me. . . Wait!! He really feels that way about everyone?! The man to my right, and the lady behind me. For a moment I saw it again, I understood with my heart and soul. What could have merely been a personal comfort became a vehicle for mercy and love for my fellow man. We feel these incredible emotions and this great love from time to time in our life. The question is, what will we do with it? This segment of Mr Kreuger's Christmas illustrates what I felt that day in the temple.