So another travel week….This week was a bit rough at the beginning. Of course the buzz of the week was the removal of Osama Bin Laden and the royal wedding.
There has been a lot of rough comments about the former. A decade after a brutal attack on American soil when two large planes hurtled themselves into the American Trade Center Twin Towers. I was on my way to a bus to go up to campus. I remember walking non-chalantly with my neighbor Phillip and we were cajoling over various things that entertained us at the time. As we were still joking a young man asked us had we heard the news about what was happening in New York. It was at that point that life became very awkward for about 15 seconds as we learned about the events of 9/11. Phillip and I broke out in a large burst of melancholy filled laughs until we realized there was no humor in the delivery of the truth from this young stranger. His looks of disbelief in our response were met by the solemn looks of the strangers on the bus as they surrounded us in their various looks of how they were trying to make connections with the reality that has unfolded.
I didn’t realize at this time that my direct connection to the newly created ‘Ground Zero’ would be through my future wife’s Father. He was en route to work in a building up the block from the destruction. It was interesting the delays that impacted his arrival that day which in turn many may say were a series of serendipitous coincidences. I would argue the same but there are story upon story about those that refrained from entering the dreadful workplace that day for different reasons. Unfortunately many were still vehemently destroyed that day for being in the right/wrong place at the right/wrong time/
I am having a hard time with many of the comments around the circumstances that recently removed mastermind that has been associated to these events on 9/11. Now, do I believe that his death was justified compared to the illness he caused in this event, I do. Do I believe many remarks that are occurring are unwarranted and hypocritical, yes I do. I wish that we were able as a human community state, that this man was brought to justice and mission accomplished. I believe that now is the time to have the most sensitive approach to the security and sanctity of human life. If there are radicals out there whatever retaliation that may come forward will most likely injure those that are the most innocent and demonstrate what symbolizes the American Christian. I played soccer growing up and the most vulnerable any team that I played for was directly after we made a score against our opponent. I just hope those that currently have the stewardship of securing our national security are truly on point and not over celebrating, one of the reasons those that dislike America feel justified in hating us….
Well some deep thoughts that are tough to stomach when analyzing self. I am concerned that many are ignorant to their various belief systems they subscribe too. This article from one of the proclaimed 12 Apostles of The Church of jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints points this out: http://lds.org/ensign/2011/01/fundamental-to-our-faith?lang=eng
I am hoping that this event doesn’t serve as political fodder that will further define our nation. As it stands, our country is very well taken care of. Many are conflicted about why we have the freedoms and good rewards that we live. I lived in France from 94 – 96 and the first thing I did when I arrived off a plane in the Boston Airport was to walk off the plane and kiss the ground. At this time security check points were easy and with the LDS Church missionary plaque on my chest I knelt down outside the airport and kissed American soil. I had an experience while in France while I visited the American cemetery, a Canadian cemetery and the Beaches in Normandy where the infamous D-Day occurred. I was filled with conflict of gratitude to those that placed their lives in harms way in search of protecting the freedoms of individuals that were harmed by those making horrible choices. What I am getting at is that regardless of religion, color or creed evil may present itself. Evil is blind and not a respecter of persons. Yet, another powerful illustration in the principle of “there must needs be opposition in all things” (2 Nephi 11). The hallowed ground that was the resting place of valiant humans that sacrificed self for a cause that they believed to be great than themselves occurred at a massive scale on those beaches. Going through and visiting the liberation beaches left me troubled and conflicted. This has increased my faith in my convictions in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in fact I follow the precepts of Jesus Christ and hope and believe that the Atonement that he wrought in the garden of Gethsemane and shortly after on the Hill of Calvary provides an opportunity for salvation that none of humanity can fully acquire by oneself. It is an important message, and I feel it important to know and assert that there has been a restoration of truth. That a young boy at the age of 14 was courageous enough to venture speaking through Prayer and asking Deity directly how to overcome the confusion of the world and and ask Him directly for direction. http://mormon.org/searchResults?query=joseph+smith&constraints=site&constraint=video&start=1&count=20
Many may disagree with this, but I can confirm that I know this to be true. That God communicates with men and women today as he has done since the time of Adam, with Moses and others throughout the history of mankind on this earth. In fact after finally investigating for myself and reading the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ for myself and then taking a challenge that was given in the last chapter of that record : Moroni 10: 3-5 . What better Being to ask for confirmation if something is true or not! There was no one between me and that request I have made long ago before I embarked as a full-time missionary and emissary and representative of Jesus-Christ and still know and believe today!
I am grateful to know and have access to this belief. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to share this message. I am grateful to have encountered a book the re-iterates and solidifies the messages that are found in the Bible and illustrate and describe a visit of the resurrected Jesus-Christ in the American continent. Also found in this book are experiences of how 2 groups of people that left Jerusalem at two separate and distinct times dealt with challenges that are again facing this land. It is interesting that there are records that have been placed in the availability of humans to learn and glean understanding of how to align ourselves to be qualified to return back to God’s presence and be provided the ultimate reward and freedom to choose that endowment from on high. Many may question what I and approximately 13 million others worldwide believe about this message and the gospel of Jesus Christ, but man if this message is indeed true and others can discover the same thing that I have then what a glorious message. I think it far supersedes the conflict I have been encountering with the recent world events surrounding OBL. However, I firmly believe that conflict such as this caused the restoration and visit of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
I do not where I am going with all of this, but you know this is what came out. I was gonna say that I got delayed in Georgia, and was frustrated by the reports over and over again on the TV centered on OBL. It has been a productive week in Maine with the client I am supporting and another client I will be working with in a few weeks.
It will be good to be home with Liz and Dennis this weekend for Mother’s Day and hope we can give Liz a good day.
Ya that’s my blog entry….go!
#2011 #Personal
