Mormanity - A Mormon Blog (But Not Just for Mormons)

Mormons Who Came Back: Requesting Your Favorite Stories

2012-01-31T18:06:00.000-06:00

I'm slowly working on a new website, Mormons Come Home (nothing there yet), aimed at helping people come back to the Church after they have left or simply drifted away. Part of it is also intended to help members be more patient, loving, and understanding toward those who have left. Anyway, I'm looking for material to add. If you can share or suggest published stories or other resources, your comments here or via email (jeff at jefflindsay d0t com) are welcome.

"Our Genealogy Work Is Done": A Faulty Attitude

2012-01-29T05:47:00.000-06:00

Today one of our local genealogy enthusiasts pointed out some problems in thinking that one's genealogy work is done. Many LDS people with LDS ancestors think that the genealogy work for their line has been "done" by some ancestor who allegedly researched all the lines of the family tree as far as possible and ensured that temple work was done was done, etc. That may be accurate--or it may be hearsay. If you think that's true, here are a few questions that you might consider:

Do you and your family have a copy of the data, the stories, and the photographs from all that work?
Have new tools and updated data sets been applied to extend or correct the work?
Have you recorded and preserved information from your own family and from your own life? Are your stories recorded, are your photos archived and captioned, and do your family members have copies?

Her comments helped me to realize that just because some of us might have heard that our work is done, there is always more good to be achieved in the precious realm of family history work.

Have you updated your journal recently? Or written up a summary of key events in your life or for the past year? Now that they New Year has just started (according to the Chinese lunar calendar, of course), this would be a good time to take steps toward implementing those family history resolutions you may have made.

"Everyday Church" in Hong Kong

2012-01-22T09:08:00.001-06:00

While visiting Hong Kong recently, I learned about a remarkable example of flexibility in the LDS Church to better meet local needs. While attending church services in the beautiful multistory red-brick building on Hong Kong island where several wards meet, I learned that there are actually church services every day of the week to meet the needs of the large population of foreign housekeepers, mostly from the Philippines, who have only one day a week off, usually a day other than Sunday. Many of these hard-working Latter-day Saints would almost never be able to attend church were it not for this "every day church" approach in which one unusual ward arranges for sacrament meetings every day of the week to meet the various schedules of the members. I don't know if this is an unusual pilot program or if it has been done in other cities where the demographics justify it, but knowing a little about the strenuous demands on housekeepers in China ("a-yi" is the Mandarin term), I'm very grateful for this flexible approach.

Do any of you have more information about the program?

By the way, I was so happy to attend church in Hong Kong at the beginning of this month, even though I was late after crossing the border from China and missed sacrament meeting. When I introduced myself in priesthood meeting while sitting in the back of the room, someone toward the front jumped up and said, "That's my old high school friend!" It was one of my closest friends from high school who had just moved to Hong Kong, to my surprise. The audience chuckled in approval (I hope) as we ran toward each other, and my wife and I ended up spending much of the day with his wonderful family. How glad I am that we went the extra mile to attend church when we had to make a visit to the Hong Kong area.

Some of my best business travel and tourist travel experiences have been from attending church when possible, including making valuable new friendships, learning important things about an area, or having life-changing encounters with new heroes or unforgettable lessons and sermons. Plus I guess it's a good thing to worship the Lord, now that I think about it. I strongly recommending building that into your itinerary.

Today was an unfortunate exception. I traveled from South Korea to Indonesia. Making it a little more international in flavor were the Chinese and English Ensign magazines I brought along to study (though most of my reading time was dedicated to the English translation of the Chinese classic, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms), and while reading, I was listening to a stunningly beautiful performance of The Quran, sung in Arabic of course, that just fascinated me with the rhythms and inflections of the beautiful language (no, I don't know any of it--was just listening because it was available on the audio track of my Indonesian flight and I was curious). But wasn't able to make church services, and don't have an everyday LDS church to attend here in Indonesia where I am tonight (it's evening as I write).

Three Chiseled Stones and the Increasing Evidence from the Arabian Peninsula for the Plausibility of the Book of Mormon

2012-01-15T03:59:00.002-06:00

When it comes to evidences for the plausibility of the Book of Mormon text, the most exciting finds come from the Old World, where we have the significant advantage of knowing the precise starting point of Nephi's account and where we have far more archaeological work to draw upon than we do in the New World. As Latter-day Saints in upcoming Sunday School lessons review the stories of Nephi's journey out of Jerusalem and across the Arabian Peninsula to Bountiful, I hope some of them will learn that trek as described in First Nephi 16 and 17 is remarkably "interesting" in terms of its plausibility as an ancient record. Indeed, it is hard to imagine how some of the fine details in Nephi's account could have been written by anybody who didn't actually make the journey and experience the places he mentions.

These places include the Valley of Lemuel and River of Laman, places that until recently were mocked as impossibilities for "everyone knows" that there is no river that flows into the Red Sea as Nephi described. This Book of Mormon weakness has become a strength, a granite-walled stronghold, in fact, with the field work that discovered actual candidates for the valley.

That was early in the long journey of Lehi's group, a journey that, though described in brevity, is given numerous specific details such as the specific directions traveled: south-south east, followed by a sharp turn to nearly due east after Ishmael is buried in a place called Nahom. Following that eastward direction, the group eventually hits the coast and finds Bountiful--one of the biggest barriers to plausibility that the Book of Mormon suffers from. Or rather, suffered from, until people did field work and gave the Latter-day Saints at least one and perhaps two excellent candidates for that lush, green, abundant place that Nephi and his family found in that part of the world that "everyone knows" is nothing but barren sand dunes. If only Joseph had lived in the day of movies and had seen Lawrence of Arabia, he would have known what a ridiculous blunder his description of Bountiful was. Today, we have the luxury of knowing that it might be plausible after all. Now, of course, the argument of the critics must switch to arguing how obvious it was to come up with directions, descriptions, and even place names. Joseph the Blunderer who couldn't even get the birthplace of Christ right (per the standard anti-Mormon attack on Alma 7:10, now handily refuted with the help of modern discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls) has become Joseph the Erudite, apparently armed with his vast frontier library and an international network of scholars, carefully building detailed "evidences" of authenticity into the text that, uh, he and his fellow-conspirators didn't seem to know about. Chiasmus and other Semitic literary tools, ancient covenant formulas, the details of the Arabian Peninsula, civilization and its Mesoamerican discontents, and other evidences were carefully woven in so that future generations might be impressed. If only Joseph had bothered to trot out some of these evidences in his lifetime, it might have helped. Highly-publicized reports of ancient American civilization in Mesoamerica did come in the 1840s and created a positive stir among the Saints, over a decade after the Book of Mormon came out, but we would have to wait for over a century before the real fun would even begin.

Yes, I mentioned not just directions and descriptions, but placenames. Foremost on the list is Nahom. The argument here is missed by many critics, who seem to think that we are arguing that there is exciting new evidence that Nahom as an ancient Semitic name. No, of course we know it's a Semitic name since it is a book in the Bible. But as a place name, it is rare, exceedingly rare. More interestingly, it is a specific placename in the Book of Mormon associated with some very specific details: a) it is a specific place in the Arabian Peninsula where one can turn nearly due east after having traveled south-south east from Jerusalem; b) it is a place that was not named by Lehi but apparently was already called that name by others in the area; and c) it is a place where Ishmael was buried (he died somewhere, and then was buried at Nahom). Given those specific, how fascinating it is that we now know that these details are remarkably plausible. There is an ancient Arabic tribe in Yemen with the name Nihm, having the same Semitic root NHM as Nahom. We know that the location of that tribe fits extremely well with the one place where a survivable eastward turn to the sea can be made to depart from the ancient incense trails that were south-southeast from Jerusalem. And we now know, based on archaeological finds from Yemen, that the Nihm tribal name was in existence all the way back to the 7th century B.C. or so, making it possible that Lehi's group did in fact bury Ishmael in an ancient burial location called Nehhm, Nihm, or, as it may have sounded to Nephi, Nahom--a name that in Hebrew nicely fits the concept of mourning as described in the text.

The Nahom story is an important and exciting part of the growing body of evidence for plausibility of the Book of Mormon as an ancient text. A key part of this story comes from the discovery of several ancient altars bearing the tribal name Nihm. Here are some links for those interested in learning more:

"Newly Found Altars from Nahom," Warren P. Aston, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, volume 10, no. 2, pp. 56-61, 2001. (PDF)

"In Search of Lehi's Trail—30 Years Later," Lynn M. Hilton.

"New Light: 'The Place That Was Called Nahom': New Light from Ancient Yemen," S. Kent Brown.

Book of Mormon evidences (my page)

Nephi the Hebrew

2012-01-10T18:03:00.000-06:00

Discussions of the Book of Mormon here have frequently included complaints from critics about the poor writing style, especially the annoying use of the phrase "and it came to pass." Critics say that Joseph was just imitating Bible language in his clumsy fraud, but it doesn't take much reading to realize that when it comes to awkward KJV language, the Book of Mormon definitely exceeds the Bible. "And it came to pass" occurs much more frequently. Laziness on Joseph's part? Perhaps. Or there could be another reason. Donald W. Parry, Donald W. Parry, an instructor in biblical Hebrew at Brigham Young University, addresses the common question about this phrase in the LDS publication, The Ensign, Dec. 1992, p. 29:

Why is the phrase “and it came to pass” so prevalent in the Book of Mormon?

Mark Twain once joked that if Joseph Smith had left out the many instances of “and it came to pass” from the Book of Mormon, the book would have been only a pamphlet. (Roughing It, Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Co., 1901, p. 133.) There are, however, some very good reasons behind the usage of the phrase—reasons that further attest the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.

The English translation of the Hebrew word wayehi (often used to connect two ideas or events), “and it came to pass,” appears some 727 times in the King James Version of the Old Testament. The expression is rarely found in Hebrew poetic, literary, or prophetic writings. Most often, it appears in the Old Testament narratives, such as the books by Moses recounting the history of the children of Israel.

As in the Old Testament, the expression in the Book of Mormon (where it appears some 1,404 times) occurs in the narrative selections and is clearly missing in the more literary parts, such as the psalm of Nephi (see 2 Ne. 4:20–25); the direct speeches of King Benjamin, Abinadi, Alma, and Jesus Christ; and the several epistles.

But why does the phrase “and it came to pass” appear in the Book of Mormon so much more often, page for page, than it does in the Old Testament? The answer is twofold. First, the Book of Mormon contains much more narrative, chapter for chapter, than the Bible. Second, but equally important, the translators of the King James Version did not always render wayehi as “and it came to pass.” Instead, they were at liberty to draw from a multitude of similar expressions like “and it happened,” “and … became,” or “and … was.”

Wayehi is found about 1,204 times in the Hebrew Bible, but it was translated only 727 times as “and it came to pass” in the King James Version. Joseph Smith did not introduce such variety into the translation of the Book of Mormon. He retained the precision of “and it came to pass,” which better performs the transitional function of the Hebrew word.

The Prophet Joseph Smith may not have used the phrase at all—or at least not consistently—in the Book of Mormon had he created that record. The discriminating use of the Hebraic phrase in the Book of Mormon is further evidence that the record is what it says it is—a translation from a language (reformed Egyptian) with ties to the Hebrew language. (See Morm. 9:32–33.)

Yes, the Book of Mormon is filled with narrative where this phrase should be found and used heavly. A short word with a long translation contributes to the sense of poor writing and dryness in the text, but that comes from standard writing in Hebrew or other Semitic languages. But where the Book of Mormon gets poetics, as in 2 Nephi 4 and in some of the chiastic passages, there's a different feel. In future posts, we'll address the persistent nature of Hebraisms in the text, one of the many interesting evidences for authenticity as an ancient Hebrew text.

Since I just mentioned the opening chapters of First Nephi in recent posts, I'll point to one minor but interesting example. When Lehi declares that he had a vision in a dream, be uses terrible English but very good Hebrew when he says "I dreamed a dream." Check out FAIR Mormon's page on Hebraisms. More to come....

DNA and the Book of Mormon: Rejecting an Absurd Oversimplication

2012-01-08T08:22:00.002-06:00

Critics of the Book of Mormon want the world to think that it requires nothing but Jewish ancestry for all Native Americas. This is an "absurd simplification," per Nibley in a passage quoted below. In fact, the account of the Jaredites in the Book of Ether points to Asiatic origins for an ancient migration. Though Ether saw a great battle with few survivors as the Jaredite civilization collapsed, the Book of Mormon provides subtle hints that Jaredite influence remained in population groups that mixed with the Nephites and Lamanites.

As Hugh Nibley explained in 1952, in an article printed in the official publication of the Church at the time, the Book of Mormon identified Asia as a source for ancient Native Americans long before anthropologists did. The essay was "The World of the Jaredites," Improvement Era, Vol. 55, June 1952, from which I quote:

That account [the Book of Ether in the Book of Mormon] tells us that at the very dawn of history, many thousands of years ago, a party of nomad hunters and stock raisers from west central Asia crossed the water--very probably the North Pacific--to the New World, where they preserved the ways of their ancestors, including certain savage and degenerate practices, and carried on a free and open type of steppe warfare with true Asiatic cruelty and ferocity; it tells us that these people moved about much in the wilderness, for all they built imposing cities, and that they produced a steady trickle of "outcasts" through the centuries. A careful study of the motions of the Jaredites, Mulekites, Nephites, and Lamanites should correct the absurd oversimplification by which the Book of Mormon as a history is always judged. It will show as plain as day that the Book of Mormon itself first suggests the Asiatic origin of some elements at least of the Indian race and culture long before the anthropologists got around to it. The scientists no longer hold that one migration and one route can explain everything about the Indians. The Book of Mormon never did propound a doctrine so naive. Though it comes to us as a digest and an abridgment, stripped and streamlined, it is still as intricate and complex a history as you can find; and in its involved and tragic pages nothing is more challenging than the sinister presence of those fierce and bloody-minded "Men out of Asia" known in their day as Jaredites....
I think by now it should be apparent that the Book of Mormon account is not as simple as it seems. Ether alone introduces a formidable list of possibilities, few of which have ever been seriously considered. Foremost among these is the probability, amounting almost to certainty, that numerous Jaredites survived in out-of-the-way places of the north to perpetuate a strong Asiatic element in the culture and blood of the American Indian.
[emphasis mine]

Thus, given that the apparently Asiatic Jaredites were on the continent long before the Nephites, and given that other migrations from Asia are permitted by the Book of Mormon, finding evidence of mostly Asiatic genes in the Americas does not necessarily pose a problem for the Book of Mormon. This understanding of the Book of Mormon (the Jaredites as an Asiatic migration, and the possibility of other migrations from Asia being allowed by the Book of Mormon) is not one just recently concocted to deal with recent DNA evidence--it was printed in the official Church periodical decades before critics used DNA evidence to attack a common misreading of the Book of Mormon. In fact, even if we were to erroneously conclude that the ONLY ancient migrations to the New World are those described in the Book of Mormon, the heavy presence of Asian genes in Native Americans could still be compatible with the apparently Asian origins of the ancient Jaredites, whose descendants may have spread across the continent and obviously were present in Book of Mormon lands in Mesoamerica even after Ether saw their central groups wiped out in a bloody civil war.

See my LDSFAQ page on the issue of DNA and the Book of Mormon for further details.

In Bob Bennet's surprisingly good and highly readable book about the Book of Mormon, Leap of Faith: Confronting the Origins of the Book of Mormon, he quotes the above passage from Nibley and further argues that the Book of Mormon should be given credit for pointing to an ancient Asian link in the gene pool of the Americas long before science established that connection. Interesting.

Bennet also makes the point that while the story of the Jaredites plays an important and pervasive background role in the Book of Mormon, the Book of Ether itself makes little sense from the perspective of a forger trying to craft something that will sell. All risk and difficulty with little to gain--would have been much better and more logical for a forger to just leave that out and stick with more familiar topics and themes. It's boring, dry, highly condensed, sketchy, and utterly different from the rest of the text in terms of culture and behaviors. For careful readers of the Book of Mormon, though, it plays a vital role and adds subtlety and dimensions of meaning that pervade the rest of the text. One example is the recently noticed relationship between ancient Jaredite names and later rebels within the Nephite people, suggesting that indigenous remnants of Jaredite culture brought in under Nephite rule were important sources for political and religious rebels like Corianton. Again, interesting. One of those subtleties that make sense if the Book of Mormon is an authentic ancient record that is, after all, "smarter" than Joseph Smith.

Oops, I diverged from the topic again. OK, back to DNA. If you've got some, be grateful. And if you or anyone else like, say, a Native American friend, has some Asian DNA, again, be grateful. It's great stuff and is no reason to let your faith be shaken up.

Two Paths in a Complex Book

2012-01-05T08:10:00.001-06:00

In my last post, I discussed the issue of war in the Book of Mormon and the diverse experiences it covers. One reader commented that the Book of Mormon doesn't deal with diversity, but with a shallow dichotomy. I'd like to respond a little more fully, or rather, let Hugh Nibley do most of the responding for me.

The Book of Mormon emphasizes an ancient doctrine, the doctrine of the Two Ways, which Hugh Nibley discussed in several of his writings. Yes, the complexity of life still involves an ultimate choice between opposing forces: do we choose God and life, or something else? The ancient perspective on the Two Ways, though, is not necessarily superficial, nor is the extensive treatment of the Book of Mormon on war simple, predictable, or merely two-dimensional.

Let me first introduce Nibley's comments on the Two Ways. In his famous essay, "The Expanding Gospel," Nibley writes:

The main idea of "the plan which God laid down . . . in the presence of the First Angels for an eternal universal law," according to the Clementine Recognitions, is that "there shall be two kingdoms placed upon the earth to stay there until judgment day, . . . and when the world was prepared for man it was so devised that . . . he would be free to exercise his own will, to turn to good things if he wanted them, or if not to turn to bad things."¹⁰² In the Dead Sea Scrolls and the earliest Christian writings this is expressly designated as "the ancient Law of Liberty."¹⁰³
The Didache, one of the oldest (discovered in 1873) Christian writings known, begins with the words, "There are two roads, one of life and the other of death, and there is a great difference between the two," which difference it then proceeds to describe.¹⁰⁴ All the other so-called apostolic fathers are concerned with this doctrine, but one of the most striking expositions is in the newly found Gospel of Philip, a strongly anti-Gnostic work: "Light and Darkness, life and death, right and left, are brothers to one another. It is not possible to separate them from one another," in this world, that is, though in the next world where only the good is eternal this will not be so.¹⁰⁵ This is the doctrine of "the Wintertime of the Just," i.e., that while we are in this world men cannot really distinguish the righteous from the unrighteous, since in the wintertime all trees are bare and look equally dead, "but when the Summertime of the Just shall come, then the righteous shall bear their leaves and fruit while the dead limbs of evil trees shall be cast into the fire."¹⁰⁶ It is another aspect of the plan. "We believe that God organized all things in the beginning out of unformed matter," says Justin Martyr, "for the sake of the human race, that they, if they prove themselves by their works to be worthy of his plan, having been judged worthy to return to his presence [so we believe], shall reign with him, having been made immortal and incorruptible. At the creation they themselves made the choice . . . and so were deemed worthy to live with him in immortality."¹⁰⁷
There are many other areas of doctrine and important rites and ordinances set forth in the newly found writings and in the longer known texts which must now be reread and reconsidered in the light of recent discoveries....

Lest you mistake the simplicity of the Two Ways with superficial, shallow thinking, read Lehi's treatise on the topic in 2 Nephi 2, where concepts of free agency and our mortal journey are thoughtfully intertwined with the concept of opposition, all rooted in the Two Ways. Nibley has shown at length that Lehi's teachings fit beautifully in the world of Lehi in the 6th century B.C. 2 Nephi 2 deserves carefull reading and contemplatin: it's cool, deep, and ancient. Sure, with your eyes tightly shut you won't see much, but there is a lot of beauty to ponder and depth to contemplate.

In "The Prophetic Book of Mormon," Nibley again mentions the Two Ways but also raises the issue of war, which ties well into my previous post:

When the early church began to grow in power and influence and worldliness, the ancient doctrine of the Two Ways was quickly replaced by that of the Two Parties. The former specified that there lies before every mortal, at every moment of his life, a choice between the Way of Light and the Way of Darkness; but the latter doctrine taught that righteousness consisted in belonging to one party (ours), and wickedness in belonging to the other (theirs).

The doctrine of probation is the inescapable choice between Two Ways, everyone having a perfect knowledge of the way he should go. None may commit his decision to the judgement of a faction, a party, a leader, or a nation; none can delegate his free agency to another. "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil" (Exodus 23:2). We cannot protest innocence on the grounds of having been given bad advice, doing what we did for the best interests of a country, doing only what others were doing, or being forced to do it by the need to check and frustrate a nefarious enemy. Those who make those pleas, which have become popular in our day, dismiss any thought of repentance for themselves. Has even one of the many convicted of great crimes in high places of recent years ever admitted moral wrongdoing? Has any ever even hinted at a need for repentance?
It is easy to imagine absolutes, and to think and argue in terms of absolutes, as the theologians have always done: Good and evil, light and darkness, hot and cold, black and white—we know exactly what they are; but in the real world we have rarely experienced the pure thing—our own experience lies between. Yet standing in the middle ground, we are faced with absolute decisions. It is not where we stand, says Ezekiel, that makes us good or evil in God's eyes—no one has reached the top or bottom in this short life—but the direction in which we are facing. There we have only two choices. The road up and the road down are the same, says Heracleitus.⁵⁰ It all depends on the way you are facing. You are taking either the up-road or the down-road; there is no third way, for if you try to compromise and go off at an angle, you will never reach either goal. You are either repenting or not repenting, and that is, according to the scriptures, the whole difference between being righteous or being wicked.
So it is indeed the Way of Light or the Way of Darkness, but when two ways were identified by the churchmen with the two parties by the churchmen—ours and yours—the doctrine was exploited with inexorable logic: Since there are only two sides, one totally evil and the other absolutely good, and I am not totally evil, I must be on God's side, and that puts you on the other side. This doctrine has been worked for many years in Utah as a political ploy. With withering contempt, Isaiah denounces the comfortable logic: It is not for you to say who is on the Lord's side, says the Lord; that is for me to say, and those who most loudly offer their support and cry "Lord! Lord!" are those of whom I must disapprove (Matthew 7:21). "See the foe in countless numbers, marshalled in the ranks of sin," we sing, as if we have already chosen sides and know who the bad people are, because we are on the Lord's side. "Fight for Zion, down with error, flash the sword above the foe, every stroke disarms a foeman," and so on. No error on our side? The point of all such hymns is that it is sin and error that we are fighting, not people guilty of sin and error—for we are all such people, and each one can only confront and overcome sin and error in himself. You cannot tell the righteous from the wicked, the Lord told Joseph Smith, you cannot tell your friends from your enemies. Be still and let me decide the issue! (D&C 10:37).

In his last letter to his son, Mormon considers the battle already lost (Moroni 9:20); sometime before, he had decided that his people had passed the point of no return: "I saw that the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually" (Mormon 2:15). Yet he insists that he must go right on struggling as long as he is alive: "For if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God" (Moroni 9:6). Only after this life are we safe in home. And what was the "labor" he had to perform? Who was this "enemy of all righteousness"? Not the Lamanites! "Notwithstanding this great abomination of the Lamanites, it doth not exceed that of our people" (Moroni 9:9). No, the call was to "labor diligently" with his own people, "notwithstanding their hardness" (Moroni 9:6), even though '[he] fear[s] lest the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving with them. For . . . they have lost their love, one towards another; and they thirst after blood and revenge continually" (Moroni 9:4—5). Earlier, though, the leader of the army, Mormon, had laid down his arms and "utterly refused" to march against the Lamanitesbecause his own people were going to battle seeking revenge for the blood of their brethren. And what was wrong with the "Green Beret" scenario? The Lord had strictly forbidden it. And now, in the letter, he tells Moroni that he is actually praying for the "utter destruction" of the Nephites "except the repent" (Moroni 9:22). And they had not repented, and he had given up hope. And yet Mormon died fighting the Lamanites, who were not as wicked as his own people!
Is there no solution to the cruel dilemma? There is, and the Book of Mormon gives it to us in a number of powerful examples. Perhaps the foremost is Ammon, the mightiest man in battle of all the Nephites. He became wholly convinced that there was a better way of handling even the most vicious and determined enemy than by killing them. The Nephites laughed at him, but he went right ahead: he would go on a mission and preach to the Lamanites. You are crazy, they said, there is only one sermon those wretches understand: "Now ye do remember, my brethren, that we said unto our brethren in the land of Zarahemla, we go up to the land of Nephi, to preach unto our brethren, the Lamanites, and they laughed us to scorn? For they said unto us: Do ye suppose that ye can bring the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth, . . . as stiffnecked a people as they are; whose hearts delight in the shedding of blood; whose days have been spent in the grossest iniquity; whose ways have been the ways of a transgressor from the beginning? Now my brethren, ye remember that this was their language" (Alma 26:23—24). And what could be more sensible? There is only one possible solution. "And moreover they did say: Let us take up arms against them, that we destroy them and their iniquity out of the land, lest they overrun us and destroy us" (Alma 26:25). But not for Ammon: "We came . . . not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent that perhaps we might save some few of their souls" (Alma 26:26). Nothing guaranteed, you understand, but anything was better than the other solution. So Ammon recalls how he and his friends went "forth amongst [the people], . . . patient in our sufferings," going "from house to house . . . . We have entered into their houses and taught them . . . in their streets, . . . and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks, . . . stoned, . . . bound, . . . and cast into prison" (Alma 26:28—29). What could have been worth paying such a price in inconvenience and humiliation? "We have suffered . . . all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul" (Alma 26:30). This alone could break the vicious circle of provocation and revenge that was destroying both people.
And Ammon brought thousands to his way of thinking. A whole nation of great warriors laid down their arms and refused to take them up again even at the cost of their lives. When they were moved by great compassion to come to the aid of Helaman and Alma, who had given them protection and who were being desperately sore-pressed by their enemies, those two heroes intervened with powerful preaching that persuaded them not to change their wise decision. The Ammonites became the most righteous, the most saintly people in the Book of Mormon, after a period of agonizing repentance, in which they refer to their former deeds of valor on the battlefield as pure murder, and wonder whether God will ever forgive them. They utterly rejected taking up arms under any circumstances and turned the tide of affairs of both Nephites and Lamanites.
Alma learned the same lesson. After holding the highest and most influential positions in the land, which enabled him to bring pressure to bear on all decisive issues—commander of the armies, chief judge, head of the church—he laid aside all his high offices and did "go forth among his people, . . . that he might preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way," after all his experience, "that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony" (Alma 4:19). With all his vast experience Alma was convinced that he could do more good and actually have more influence as a simple missionary than as head of the state, head of the army, or head of the church! And so he takes his leave, disappearing all alone over the horizon into the midst of hostile and unbelieving people, never to be heard of again. Once the people saw that the great man had lost his official clout, they treated him almost as badly as they did Ammon.

The treatment of war challenges lazy stereotypes and simple assumptions. Good guys? There aren't many. Really, it's just the Lord, and that's Whom we must choose and not fight against any more, because we, like the people of Ammon, have probably been fighting against Him much more than we knew. Our enemies may be more righteous than us. What we call patriotism may be treason. There are few easy answers and simple characterizations except that we must seek the Lord and the One Way that leads to Him, and with His help, bring many of our brethren and apparent enemies to love and serve Him as well.

The Book of Mormon is a deep, sophisticated, and beautiful book, not a shallow fraud. Read it, ponder it, and break past the limiting assumptions you may have made. It's worth study, contemplation, and prayer. It's why I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Horrors of War and the Lack of Divine Intervention: Can You Be So Sure?

2012-01-03T18:07:00.002-06:00

The Book of Mormon, from my Latter-day Saint perspective, was written for our day. Ancient prophets who anticipated the challenges of our day edited its contents, selected from the large archives at their disposal, to be of use to us. This may be why so much of the Book of Mormon deals with times of war and conflict, and gives very little attention to the 200 golden years of peace that followed the ministry of the Resurrected Lord in the ancient Americas. Why don't need to know how to cope with peace. Not yet, anyway.

The Book of Mormon also teaches the diversity of human response to the perils and hardships of war. Alma 62:41 tells us of the differing impact of prolonged wars on the Nephite people:

But behold, because of the exceedingly great length of the war between the Nephites and the Lamanites many had become hardened, because of the exceedingly great length of the war; and many were softened because of their afflictions, insomuch that they did humble themselves before God, even in the depth of humility.

For some, it draws them closer to God. Others lose their faith and their hope.

My growing testimony of God as a child was partially rooted in the personal experiences of my father in the midst of the horrors of war. He went into the Korean War as a rebellious non-believer, rejecting and ignoring the faith of his LDS farmer parents. Time after time his life was spared when he knew that he should have been killed. Once while eating lunch he had a prompting that he needed to move. He got up and left, and moments later a shell fell where he had been sitting. Terribly, several good men that had been with him were killed. Why was he spared? He did not know, but that prompting was real. He came out of the endless trauma on the front lines with post traumatic stress disorder, and with faith in the God he had previously ignored. He would change his life and go on a mission, and later share his testimony of God and miracles, even in the midst of horror, with me.

I know of good and intelligent people who cannot accept God because of the horrors of war and the alleged lack of divine intervention. If there was a God, why did He not intervene as millions of Jews were being killed in World War II? But are you sure that there was no intervention? Not from God? What about from those seeking to follow God? Did NOBODY intervene? What about the faithful Dutch sisters who risked their lives to hide Jews from the Nazi? Were they not intervening, and seeking to follow God in so doing? What of the faithful Swedes and others who risked their lives to help Jews escape from the Nazis? Were they not intervening and rescuing many?

Mortality, again, is a messy and terrible place where nature and sin takes its toll. God's work and glory is not in sparing us from sufferings here, but in helping us return to Him. But His tender mercies can be found in many cases, even in the midst of horror, of war, of terminal illness, and the depths of grief. He is there and does not leave us alone, though we may spend months in the darkest abyss. Our response must be to turn closer to Him and listen to His promptings more intently, that we may be able to rescue more and spare them from some of the pains of this difficult life. God's intervention depends, in part, on our willingness to follow.

Update, Jan. 4, 2012: The experiences of Latter-day Saints in war provide an interesting counterpoint to the ancient lessons in the Book of Mormon, where good guys don't always win and the hand of God, however evident, doesn't simply prevent suffering as we would wish. Consider, for example, the gripping personal account of Joseph Banks in one of my favorite books, A Distant Prayer by Joseph Banks and Jerry Borrowman (American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, 2001). Below is a brief passage describing his miraculous survival after his plane was accidentally blown up by a fellow B-17 that dropped its bombs on his plane. He was knocked unconscious for a while after the first bomb struck. Then when he came to,

[I]t took me a few moments to figure out what was going on. . . . I found myself in a tubular section of the fuselage that was open on both ends, spinning in the air as we fell towards the ground four miles below. . . .

I was relieved to feel that my parachute was in place, but I couldn't use it because I was stuck against the wall of the fuselage, held there by the centrifugal force. . . . I couldn't get out. I'd try to get up only to be forced back against the wall. In desperation I looked down and saw one of my crewmates lying next to me. I reached out and touched him, but he didn't move. Apparently the explosion had killed him. I knew that I had to muster every ounce of energy I had or I would go down to my death in that section of the aircraft. I tried several times, but to no avail. I was just too weak to pull free, and so the only thing I could do was pray. I asked the Lord to please help me get out somehow. I said it out loud, the words choking in my throat, but He heard me anyway.

Suddenly, as clear and as clam as if she was standing right next to me in the living room of our home, I heard the voice of my wife Afton say, "Joe, look down at your legs and you'll see that there's cable holding them. Pull the cable!" That's all she said. I looked around, but couldn't see anyone. Even though I was stunned, I looked down and sure enough there was a cable lying across my legs. I reached down and pulled it with all my might. At first nothing happened, but then I was suddenly sucked out of the fuselage and started freefalling. I later learned that the cable was attached to two pins that held an escape hatch door. When I pulled them loose, the door separated from the fuselage. Talk about incredible. It probably took a second or two for me to get over the shock of being hit by the wind, but then I realized that I was falling backwards through space.

His survival was miraculous. The tender mercies of God reached out and helped him, just enough, but enough, and he survived. As a result of this miracle, he would be spared from instant death and instead face, uh, months of hell as prisoner in Nazi Germany. Wouldn't a merciful God have just let him die, or spared him from the final fateful mission in the first place, or kept him and the rest of the world out of war? Sure, we can doubt everything and question all the rules of mortality, but he and many others have found the tender mercies of God even in the deepest suffering.

Even in the midst of Satan's ragings on the field of war, one can, if one will, find the occasional but real hand of God, whether it is in the courage of a Dutch woman hiding Jews, or in the miraculous whisper the helped Brother Banks pull the cable that saved his life (the first of many rescuings), or in the voice that told a friend of mine to "Run!" at just the right moment after months of seemingly hopeless prayer when suffering as a prisoner of war, or in the miraculous jamming of a helicopter gun as an LDS serviceman tried to shoot down a fleeing enemy soldier that turned out to be a North Vietnamese woman running with her baby. Is there truly no divine intervention in war?

In yet other scenes of despair, the tender mercies of the Lord can still be found when we are willing to listen to Him and be His instruments, as evidenced by the ministry of Mother Teresa. The more we listen, the more we love, the more we seek to follow Him, the more frequently we will encounter or participate in His tender mercies, though it be in captivity, in the midst of a terminal illness, or surrounded by sorrow unrelieved. We have a work to do now with many souls whose lives and happiness may yet depend on our service and preparation. For what is ahead, we need more faith than ever in that God who gives us life and just enough light to find Him, even in the midst of pain, if we will exercise a particle of faith and offer a touch of gratitude for the blessings we have already received. Ah, yes, gratitude - that is one of the secrets to seeing the hand of God. A topic for another post.

My Latest Teaching Nightmare

2012-01-01T16:57:00.002-06:00

I just experienced one of the worst examples of teaching ever, a total teaching nightmare from an experienced and educated teacher who somehow considers himself intelligent and capable. But the teaching was so bad that many class members just walked out and a huge opportunity to feed the Lord’s sheep was completely wasted. In this teaching nightmare, we learn that experience and knowledge is less important than preparation, humility, and sound teaching practices such as using the instructor’s manual. What made this teaching nightmare especially painful and poignant for me was the identity of the teacher: yep, it was me. Jeff Lindsay.

This was a literal nightmare, one that awoke me with pain and introspection just 10 minutes ago. It was exquisitely detailed and realistic, and filled with mistakes that I have made or am entirely capable of making. It wasn’t like some weird alter ego taking over. It was me.

In this nightmare, I was teaching a large group in Gospel Doctrine class. It was in the chapel, and the chapel was packed. Cool--a nice time to enjoy the limelight and shower a group with impressive facts and details. I had just been asked to take over from the regular teacher, so I had little opportunity to prepare (not no, but little). I had not even tried, though. I hadn’t looked at the manual and just assumed that since it was day 1 of the new year, that the lesson would be on First Nephi 1 rather than the real topic in the manual, which I think was an Introduction to the Book of Mormon. No sweat, I could spout off plenty of stuff on the cool literary techniques used in that chapter, including the majestic foreshadowing of the Restoration and the rise of the Book of Mormon that is contained in Lehi’s visions. I could talk about the Egyptian language connection that Nephi makes in verse 2. I could share my wit and wisdom ad nauseum and was happy to do it with such a delightfully large group of eager listeners, ready to be fed from the loquacious Jeff Lindsay.

The class began with some ongoing chaos as the back of the chapel was wide open and people all the way back in the cultural hall behind the chapel could be seen and heard. (Need to pay attention to setting next time.) One of them chimed in, but I couldn’t hear, so I walked to the back of the class and begin shouting down to the gym, recognizing a friend and saying hi, etc., all the while leaving the class behind. The friend made an off-topic comment and I responded with comments as I slowly walked back to the front of the class, my back toward the class while talking. Then I stalled for time as I wondered what to teach, asking some trite questions to get conversation started without having much purpose or plan. The conversation got pretty vigorous as I gathered my thoughts and realized it was time to dig into the text.

At this point, I cut off conversation rather abruptly and explained that now I was going to elucidate on the text, that we had a lot to cover, and so I would be going at high speed. Prepare, dear listeners, for data download from your local sage on the stage. Ah, the scriptures. I didn’t have them with me, but I did have my iPad in my pile of junk at the back of the room, so walked back there to get it,, again causing disruption. As I returned to the front of the class, I noticed that my shirt was still untucked from the activity right before class where I was helping with some service. There was a good excuse for not being neatly dressed, of course. Expecting the class to patiently bear with the great teacher before them, I said, “Well, I need to look more like a teacher so I’ll just work on that a second while you talk. Will someone please explain the 116 pages story and why First Nephi might not have been the first book written in the Book of Mormon?” Then I turned my back to the class while I tucked in my shift and put on my belt, not paying much attention to what else was happening.

OK, now I was set. Class was half over, but I was dressed, had my text, and was finally ready to roll. At this point, half the class got up and left. Probably because they had a plane to catch, I reasoned. I began my data download for the remainder, and noticed that they just weren’t interested, and they soon began walking out. Then it was quickly down to just me and my wife.

At this point the guilt started kicking in. I hadn’t even tried to prepare. I hadn’t prayed for guidance on what to teach and how to teach it to help bless anybody in the class. I was focused on showing off, sadly, rather than serving. I had failed to manage the class, the setting, the discussion, and utterly failed to invite the spirit. There was also no opening prayer. At this point, adding to the excruciating plausibility of the nightmare, I began the process of self-justification. I had very good excuses for each of the mistakes that were made. I was just doing the best I could under difficult circumstances. It wasn’t my fault. Not at all. It never is. And then I woke up. Ouch.

I hope my teaching nightmare might help some of you teachers to avoid your own nightmare–especially the real kind where you don’t find merciful relief by just waking up.

First Nephi 1 and the Language of the Egyptians

2011-12-31T17:04:00.001-06:00

The Book of Mormon, according to some critics, is little more than a dull regurgitation of Bible verses. Plagiarism from the Bible and other sources in Joseph's environment is offered as the source for the text. It's interesting though, how little of the text can be "explained" from such a process, and how many of the attacks against the Book of Mormon are based on claiming that the Book of Mormon departs from Bible facts and theology. The opening verses of the Book of Mormon provide an example of this. Nephi's reference to having been schooled in the "language of the Egyptians" shocks some of our critics, who claim that no self-respecting Jew would have anything to do with Egyptian language. The argument continues when we read the Book of Mormon plates were actually written in "reformed Egyptian" (Mormon 9:32-34), which again violates the deep-seated antipathy for all things Egyptian that the ancient Jews are alleged to have had, and also violates common sense and scholarship since there is not and never was any such thing as "reformed Egyptian."

These arguments are typified in the anti-Mormon book, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Mormonism by "Dr." John Ankerberg and "Dr. Dr." John Weldon (neither one of which appears to have a legitimate Ph.D.):

"Mormonism has never explained how godly Jews [sic] of A.D. 400 allegedly knew Egyptian, nor why they would have written their sacred records entirely in the language of their pagan, idolatrous enemies" (p. 284). "How likely is it that the allegedly Jewish [sic] Nephites would have used the Egyptian language to write their sacred scriptures? Their strong antipathy to the Egyptians and their culture makes this difficult to accept. When modern Jews copy their scripture, they use Hebrew. They do not use Egyptian or Arabic, the language of their historic enemies" (pp. 294-95). "[N]o such language [as reformed Egyptian] exists and Egyptologists declare this unequivocally" (p. 294).

Today we know that there was a lot of healthy exchange between ancient Jews and Egypt. Jewish communities existed in Egypt, even a Jewish temple was built, and Jewish people in Egypt in Thebes about 2000 years ago may have even been part of the unfolding Book of Abraham story.

As for the common charges against "reformed Egyptian" in the passage cited above, Ankerberg and Weldon are wrong on several counts--grossly wrong, as shown by Daniel C. Peterson in a noteworthy book review in Review of Books on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 5, 1993, pp. 43-45 (available online). Several modified or "reformed" Egyptian scripts are well known, including forms called Demotic and Hieratic. "Reformed Egyptian" is clearly an appropriate generic term for those writing systems. However, the "Reformed Egyptian" used by the Nephites is described as a language system unique to them (Mormon 9:32-34), having evolved with their culture over a 1,000-year period. It was apparently used for sacred writings, and should have been almost wholly lost with the destruction of Nephite civilization. How can we expect Egyptologists, with typically no training in Central American matters, to know whether such a language ever existed there? Daniel Paterson gives further analysis (Peterson, pp. 44-45):

[W]ho says that the Nephites wrote in Egyptian? That is certainly one possibility, but several scholars (e.g., Sidney Sperry, John Sorenson, and John Tvedtnes) suggest, rather, that the language of the Nephites was Hebrew, written in Egyptian characters. The practice of representing one language in a script commonly associated with another language is very common. Yiddish, for instance, which is basically a form of German, is routinely written in Hebrew characters. Swahili can be written in either Roman or Arabic scripts. Judeo-Arabic, as written for instance by Moses Maimonides, was medieval Hebrew written with Arabic letters. In fact, almost any textbook of colloquial Arabic or Chinese or Japanese aimed at Western learners will use the Latin alphabet to represent those languages. Language and script are essentially independent. Turkish, which used to be written in a modified Arabic script, has been written in Latin letters in the Republic of Turkey since the 1920s. However, in the areas of the old Soviet Union, it is now usually written in Cyrillic (Russian) characters. Likewise, perhaps the major difference between Hindi and Urdu may be the mere fact that the former uses a Devanagari writing system, while the latter uses a modified Arabo-Persian script. So this phenomenon of changing the script with which one writes a language is by no means unusual.
But we need not speak only in theoretical terms. We have, in fact, an ancient illustration that comes remarkably close to the Book of Mormon itself. Papyrus Amherst 63, a text from the second century B.C., seems to offer something very much like "reformed Egyptian." It is a papyrus scroll that contains Aramaic texts written in a demotic Egyptian script. (Aramaic is a language closely related to Hebrew. of the Old Testament book of Daniel is written in Aramaic, and it was the spoken language of Jesus and his apostles. Incidentally, however, a Christian form of the language, Syriac, came to use an alphabet related to Arabic--again illustrating the independence of script and tongue.) Interestingly, one of the items found on Papyrus Amherst 63 is a version of Psalm 20:2-6. Ankerberg and Weldon wonder why "godly Jews [sic] . . . would have written their sacred records entirely in the language of their pagan, idolatrous enemies." Perhaps they should ask them some day, for godly Jews most certainly did (see "Language and Script in the Book of Mormon," Insights: An Ancient Window, March 1992, p. 2).

By the way, Peterson gives a footnote on Ankerberg's claim about Jews exclusively using Hebrew:

The statement "When modern Jews copy their scripture, they use Hebrew. They do not use Egyptian or Arabic, the language of their historic enemies" is quite an astonishing display of ignorance. Since the Egyptian language has been dead for centuries, it is hardly remarkable that modern Jews do not read the Bible in Egyptian. On the other hand, "the first and most important rendering [of the Old Testament] from Hebrew [into Arabic] was made by Sa'adya the Ga'on, a learned Jew who was head of the rabbinic school at Sura in Babylon (died 942)" (George A. Buttrick, ed., The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible [hereafter IDB], 4 vols. and supplement [Nashville: Abingdon, 1962-1976], 4:758b). Thus, Jews have indeed translated the Bible into "Arabic, the language of their historic enemies." They also have translated it into the language of their "historic enemies" the Greeks (IDB 4:750b on the Septuagint) and Aramaeans (IDB 1:185-93; 4:749-50, on the Aramaic Targums).

More information and relevant examples are given in the article, "Jewish and Other Semitic Texts Written in Egyptian Characters" by John A. Tvedtnes and Stephen D. Ricks, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2, 1996, and also the excellent FARMS article "Reformed Egyptian" by William Hamblin. And for fun, be sure to see the site, Ancient Scripts--a marvelous collection of information on scripts of the ancient world.

Of Crocodiles and Kings

2011-12-26T15:51:00.004-06:00

In Lewis Carroll's delightful poem, "The Walrus and The Carpenter" from Through the Looking-Glass, the loquacious Walrus and Carpenter talk a group of foolish young oysters out of safe waters into their grasp. Though professing kindness toward the oysters, they end up all being eaten. Some have suggested that the poem was meant as a critique of Christianity, with the Carpenter representing Christ, the (apparent) son of a carpenter, but good evidence suggests this was not intended by Carroll (see Wikipedia on this poem). As for reading unintended meaning into the poem, I think a slightly better case can be made (bear with me now) for the Walrus being a loving anti-Mormon minister leading young and inexperienced Mormons away from safety as they speak of impressive sounding topics aimed at capturing prey.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

But instead of cabbages and kings, today let us consider anti-Mormon objections to crocodiles and kings. More specifically, let us consider the charge made against Joseph Smith regarding the Book of Abraham and his interpretation of the crocodile figure in Facsimile 1 which Joseph identifies as the "idolatrous god of Pharaoh." One has merely to read Wikipedia's article on Sobek, the ancient Egyptian crocodile god, to realize that the crocodile could symbolize many things other than what Joseph said. So Joseph was wrong and we should leave the Church, right?

First, I hope that your relationship with God, Christ, and the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is deep enough that you won't fall apart in instances where you think or are sure that Joseph Smith or any other mortal made mistakes. I hope an apparent error, contradiction, or even major blunder will not obviate the majesty of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration, nor wipe out the reality of the Priesthood, the power and beauty of the LDS Temple experience, and the monumental blessings we have in the restored knowledge about the plan of salvation, the nature of God, our relationship to God, the purpose of life, etc. But that said, it is fair to wonder if Joseph got things right in the Book of Abraham. The answer is that we can see that he produced some astonishing bulls eyes beyond what anyone could have produced in his day, while also giving us some real puzzles and question marks where we don't have a good answer. Yes, there are apparent problems, as I note in my LDSFAQ materials on the facsimiles (e.g., Part 2 of my LDSFAQ pages on the Book of Abraham). But regarding crocodiles and kings, we do have some information that may help you in understanding that the critics aren't completely right in their attacks regarding Facsimile 1. In fact, Facsimile 1 offers some valuable evidence in favor of Joseph's inspired insights into the ancient documents he used in producing the Book of Abraham.

For information on crocodiles and kings, Kerry Shirts has written a terrific article, "Powerful Egyptological Evidence for Book of Abraham facsimile 1, figure 9 Crocodile as 'Idolatrous god of Pharaoh'" over at The Backyard Professor. Enjoy. But if you prefer non-LDS sources, here is one (easy online reading, not a scholarly work): J. Hill, "Sobek," 2010, at AncientEgyptOnline.com. An excerpt follows:

Sobek first appeared in the Old Kingdom as the son of Neith with the epithet "The Rager". According to some myths his father was Set, the god of thunder and chaos, but he also had a close association with Horus. He was paired with a number of goddesses in different locations, most notably Hathor, Renenutet, Heqet and Taweret, and was sometimes referred to as the father of Khonsu, Horus or Khnum.

In some areas, a tame crocodile was worshiped as the earthly embodiment of Sobek himself, while in other places crocodiles were reviled, hunted and killed. It seems likely that Sobek began as a dark god who had to be appeased, but that his protective qualities and his strength were valued when they were used in defence of the Pharaoh and the people. He could protect the justified dead in the netherworld, restoring their sight and reviving their senses. Because of his ferocity, he was considered to be the patron of the army.

Sobek was sometimes considered to be an aspect of Horus because Horus took the form of a crocodile to retrieve the parts of Osiris' body which were lost in the Nile. Yet Sobek was also thought to have assisted Isis when she gave birth to Horus. He also rescued the four mummiform sons of Horus (Imsety the human headed protector of the liver, Hapy the baboon headed protector of the lungs, Duamutef the jackal headed protector of the stomach and Qebehsenuef the falcon headed protector of the intestines) by gathering them in a net when they rose from the waters in a lotus bloom. However, he was also associated with Set, the enemy of Osiris. He was also worshiped as the manifestation of Amun-Re and was often depicted wearing either the headdress of Amun or the sun disk of Ra.

The strength and speed of the crocodile was thought to be symbolic of the power of the Pharaoh, and the word "sovereign" was written with the hieroglyph of a crocodile. It was thought that Sobek could protect the Pharaoh from dark magic. During the Twelfth and Thirteenth Dynasties, the cult of Sobek was given particular prominence and a number of rulers incorporated him in their coronation names.

If Sobek was actually a god in the religion of Pharaoh and associated with the protection of Pharaoh, could there be some merit in Joseph Smith's characterization of the crocodile as the idolatrous god of Pharaoh? Just musing here--I think it's always better to muse than to fall apart and leave the church, just my advice.

You might also be interested in the following news item (now old, from 1996) from the Maxwell Institute regarding archaeological evidence for the plausibility of Egyptian influence, indeed, for the worship of the Egyptian crocodile god Sobek, in ancient Mesopotamia in Abraham's time. Interesting, eh? More to muse upon.

The Crocodile God of Pharaoh in Mesopotamia
In the famous anti-Mormon crusade against the book of Abraham in 1912, one of the individuals involved asserted that the book of Abraham could not be true because "Chaldeans and Egyptians are hopelessly mixed together, although as dissimilar and remote in language, religion and locality as are American and Chinese."[1] This exaggerated opinion was seconded by the Reverend Samuel A. B. Mercer: "I challenge any intelligent person who knows Chaldean and Egyptian history to read the first chapter of said book [of Abraham] without experiencing the same feeling. Chaldea and Egypt are hopelessly mixed. . . . No one can believe that Abraham made such a blunder in his geography."[2]

Though in Mercer's day scholars studied both Mesopotamian and Egyptian disciplines, they knew nothing of the interactions between the two cultures. In 1971, however, the Egyptologist Georges Posener completed a lengthy and detailed survey of the available evidence and concluded that cultural interactions and interference of Egypt in the area of Syria and Palestine were extensive, even though the precise nature of the "domination by the pharaohs" during the Middle Kingdom "still eludes us; fifty years ago it was barely suspected."[3] Yet some critics who clearly should know better are still using the same arguments as Mercer and Peters.[4]

Confirmation of the connections that Posener discovered can be seen in recent archaeological evidence found at Ebla. The cult of the Egyptian crocodile god Sobek flourished during the Middle Kingdom (2040-1640 B.C.), as is attested by royal and personal names during the twelfth (1991-1783 B.C.) and thirteenth dynasties (1783-1600? B.C.),[5] temple building,[6] and commemorative scarabs.[7]

In the archaeological site of Ebla in Syria, also known as Tell Mardikh, were found several images of Egyptian gods stylistically datable to the Middle Kingdom, and dated by the archaeologists to MB II (1750-1650 B.C.),[8] the time period to which most scholars who believe Abraham existed date him. Among these gods were Osiris, Hathor, Horus, and Sobek. This provides concrete archaeological evidence that Egyptian cults existed in Mesopotamia, Abraham's homeland. Thus the book of Abraham accurately describes an aspect of the ancient world about which Joseph Smith could have known little or nothing.

Notes

1. John Peters, letter to Franklin S. Spalding, in F. S. Spalding, Joseph Smith, Jr., As a Translator (1912), 28.

2. Samuel A. B. Mercer, "Joseph Smith As an Interpreter and Translator of Egyptian," Utah Survey 1/1 (1913): 33.

3. Georges Posener, "Syria and Palestine c. 2160-1780 B.C.," Cambridge Ancient History, 1.2:550, 549.

4. Stephen E. Thompson, "Egyptology and the Book of Abraham," Dialogue 28/1 (Spring 1995): 156-60.

5. Jürgen von Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1984), 67-73, 159-61, 200-11, 220-2; William Kelly Simpson, Papyrus Reisner I (1963), 89-90; cf. Simpson, Papyrus Reisner II (1965), 59, and Papyrus Reisner IV (1986), 41-2; and William C. Hayes, A Papyrus of the Late Middle Kingdom in the Brooklyn Museum (1955), 23-4.

6. Dieter Arnold, Die Tempel Ägyptens (1992), 97-8, 186.

7. Bulletin de l'Insitut Français d'Archéologie Orientale 56 (1957): 81-95; and 63 (1965): 197-200.

8. Paolo Matthiae, Frances Pinnock, and Gabriella Scandone Matthiae, Ebla (1995), 458-60, 476-7.

So what does it all mean? Joseph's interpretation of the crocodile, long held to be ridiculous by critics, has a rather strong air of plausibility to it. That plausibility persists not only for the general idea that the crocodile was an ancient Egyptian god soometime, somewhere, but that it was a god associated with royal power and the protection of Pharaoh, and that this god was known and worshiped not only during Abraham's time, but also in the land where Abraham lived and where the Book of Abraham takes place. So, all told, I'd say this aspect of Facsimile 1 and the Book of Abraham is not a solid reason to reject Joseph Smith. It might have looked that way until a few years ago, though. Patience and faith---we're never going to lose the need for both of these attributes when it comes to religion.

Now as to whether pigs have wings or not, I'll save that discussion for some other day. Just be patient. But no, the Book of Mormon does not say pigs have wings, nor do BYU scholars insist that the horse of the Book of Mormon was a flying pig. Just to make that clear.

The Unintended Consequences of Giving Money

2011-12-26T08:19:00.002-06:00

Money is one of the most welcome gifts and one of the most useful things to give people, especially those who need it. But giving money sometimes fails to help and can make things worse, a problem that requires givers ultimately to seek inspiration in knowing how to really help. I learned this lesson (once again) when my wife and I came up with what I thought was a brilliant plan to help a Chinese woman that we respect and like. She works here in Shanghai while her teenage son is in her home province, a common and sad situation for Chinese people trying to provide for their families. (There are rules here that often make it hard for a migrant worker to bring one's family to where the jobs are.) We learned her son was coming to town for a weekend, and we wanted to help her spend some memorable, quality time with him. Our idea was to buy tickets to the Shanghai circus for both of them so they could have a positive mother-son experience enjoying something they probably could not normally afford. My wife, worried about how things might go wrong, was smart enough to ask if her son was bringing any friends, and when she learned that he was probably coming with a friend, she bought 3 tickets so all three could go together. She added a little extra for transportation and snacks.

After buying three good tickets for her, we looked forward to hearing her report of the circus visit when we had them over to visit the following day. Unfortunately, we learned that her son went to the circus with his two friends while mom selflessly stayed home that night. The money we contributed resulted in separating mother and son during a major part of the brief time he was in town--exactly the opposite of what we intended. That's what often happens when we rely on money as a simple solution to the complex problems people have.

Sometimes a little money can work wonders. But don't expect it to help without care, planning, and inspiration--and even then it may disappoint. Unintended consequences are far too common.

Of course, there is more to this story and more that we still don't understand. Maybe things worked out optimally after all. Perhaps the mom, who was somewhat ill that weekend, really needed the break and was happy to just be the heroine who helped her son and friends enjoy the circus while she got some rest. Maybe the circus tickets resulted in more important ends than our unrealized intended consequences. Or maybe it was just a foolish waste of money and time. Maybe I'll have more insight after I take my wife to Shanghai's Circus World later this week as I plan to (if things work out). But the boys really enjoyed it.

Things never turn out just the way we imagine them, and sometimes the unintended consequences aren't so bad. But money per se is usually not the answer. The fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the answer to most of the challenges and pains of life. But its scope includes helping one another here and now with temporal matters, and sometimes that takes money. Thank God for the inspired and inspiring LDS welfare program and the humanitarian programs the Church runs, and thanks to all of you who have learned to carefully and prayerfully consider the best way to use your resources to help those around you. Keep it up, even if the results are disappointing sometimes.

May we all seek to make our efforts bring about more lasting good with the Lord's help.

Don't Begrudge Other Folks Their Miracles

2011-12-22T07:30:00.000-06:00

"Do Big Tragedies Negate Small Miracles?" was a post from 2009 that I'd like to mention again today. It deals with the discrepancy between some people testifying of small miracles when, for example, trying to find lost car keys or a stray cat, while tragedy and death sweeps the earth. For someone whose car was just stolen or wrecked while engaged in Church service, hearing someone else bear testimony of God's mercy in finding lost car keys can easily raise all sorts of questions. For the parent whose child has died, hearing others testify of miraculous healing of a child can cause the heart to cry out, "Why not my child?"

Sadly, we live in a mortal world filled with pain and death. Occasionally, though, there is relief, even miraculous relief. The miracles are the exceptions. Normally, when believers are thrown into the fire, they burn and die (as Alma and Amulek witnessed to their horror in the Book of Mormon, and as the history of Christianity also testifies). But sometimes, so rarely, we have cases like Shadrach and company in the Book of Daniel who miraculously survive the furnace. Be glad for them and their posterity, not angry at the apparent unfairness of God's miracles. Small or large, miracles are not normal and are not meant to be distributed uniformly, on demand, according to our sense of fairness. When they occur, let us not feel grief that we were not the rare recipients. Let us not belittle those who received the miracle nor condemn ourselves for not receiving it.

While it's easy to grow weary of people testifying of God's power in finding little things, there can be divine purposes achieved in those little events. My own testimony of God's reality began with a 6-year-old child's prayer seeking God's help to find the precious plastic magnifying glass that Dad had loaned to me. I had looked everywhere without success and needed it. My Dad needed that 5-cent toy for his work, I thought, and I had lost it. After praying as my mother had taught me, I got up off my knees and made a beeline for a middle drawer in my dresser. I moved something and there it was. That child felt that God has answered a prayer miraculously, and was the beginning of many personal experiences in prayer. It was also the beginning of many personal experiences with lost objects where things far more precious and more worthy of prayer were not recovered, including a tragic loss last week with severe and profound implications that I can't get into here. But it would be easy for me, suffering from the loss of something desperately needed, to wonder how God could not help me find something much more important when a worthless magnifying glass is "miraculously" restored for a kid.

I'm going to have to trust God on this one, and remember the basic rules of mortality here: this is a tough place where we are all going to face pain, loss, and death. Some sooner, some later. And among these basic rules is the corollary that when something cannot be found, it's lost and probably isn't coming back. If someone does get an exception to that, be glad for them. But don't get bitter or upset that it wasn't you.

Don't begrudge folks their miracles. Even if it involves lost car keys or cats.

"No Justice, No Faith"? The Danger of Misunderstanding God's Justice

2011-12-21T22:17:00.000-06:00

Today I was at Orlando's most wonderful and magical attraction, the Orlando Temple. In many ways much better than that other Magic Kingdom place out here where the lines are just far too long. While at the Temple, I was contemplating the issue of justice as I considered the concerns of a very intelligent new former-Mormon friend that I met recently. He raised some fair points in describing the logical concerns he had developed about the existence of God and the man-made nature of religion and scripture. Among the many points he made in our conversation, he raised the issue that God is supposed to be just and "no respecter of persons," yet there is such an obvious lack of justice in the world and such disparity in how God appears to answer prayers, if at all. He cited the commonly raised objection about LDS testimonies thanking God for help in finding their car keys, an apparently trivial application of divine power, while good people suffer abuse and death at the hands of evildoers or suffer painful disease and trauma in spite of seemingly unanswered prayers they and others offer. It all seems so unfair and random. Yes, I have to agree: this mortal world is filled with injustice, unfairness, and randomness. But there is a God who not only exists but who loves us. However, nowhere is it written that we will find fairness and equality in this life.

The scriptures speak of God's justice in terms of how he judges us in the end. Romans 2 tells us He is "no respecter of persons" in how he judges us according to our works and brings His children back into His presence--that's the final act, not the current scene here in this world of death and sin where we are all going to suffer and die as part of His great plan. His fairness is manifest not in being born into equal circumstances here, but in how He, in the end, ensures that all who will hear the Gospel message will have that chance, regardless of when and where they were born in mortality. His goodness is not immediately evident when we suffer, but in His victory over death and pain, leading to that moment when Christ will wipe away all our tears.

Here in mortality, our immediate temporal concerns are HUGE. They are all we know. How can God accept our suffering and loss while still claiming to be just and to love us? Losing our sight, for example, is a traumatic personal loss that will limit us for the rest of our lives. How could God let this happen to us, or to an innocent young child born to prayerful parents pleading for the child's health? From our vantage point, it is so unkind. Is there a purpose in it? Sometimes, at least, yes.

As I pondered justice in the Orlando Temple this morning, I opened the Bible to John 9 and read of a beautiful case of injustice. Jesus and His disciples walked past a man who was born blind. His disciples, understanding that there was a premortal existence before this life, wondered if the man had sinned there and was thus born blind, or, instead, if his parents had sinned to deserve that impairment in their son. Neither guess was correct. Christ explained that the man was born blind that the works of God might be made manifest. Christ then made some mud and placed it on the mans' eyes and instructed him to go to a pool of water to wash it off, whereupon his eyes were healed. (People sometimes wonder why Christ used such a strange method to perform the miracle instead of simply causing the eyes to be instantly healed. I see the application and removal of mud as symbolic of how Christ wipes away the mortal mire that limits our vision.)

Consider the man's lot before Christ worked the miracle. After he was healed, we read in John 9:8: "The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?" The blindness that this man suffered, apparently as a direct result of God's will for him, reduced him to a life of poverty. He "sat and begged." Though he was apparently a good man raised in a family of believers, he suffered from an affliction since birth that reduced him to begging for a living, a state that persisted year after year. Others could see and earn money. He could not. Ir wasn't his fault, but there was nothing he could do about it. It seemed to be a senseless, unnecessary burden that destroyed his potential in mortality.

His difficult situation changed suddenly, and he quickly had a chance to show us what kind of man he was. This poor beggar turns out to have been a man of courage and integrity with a quick wit. I love his use of sarcasm when the bitter and powerful leaders of his religious community are repeatedly inquiring about their enemy, Jesus, who had performed this miracle. "He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?" He turns the knife. Hilarious. And he boldly stands before those bitter, nasty souls who soon cast him out from their community because he dares stand as a witness for Christ.

What characteristic tenderness Christ shows after the miracle as he comes to visit the man:

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

Since birth, that good man suffered from blindness--an unfair affliction. He had to beg for a living. Blindness and many other physical and mental afflictions burden millions of souls around the today. There may be many noble souls, perhaps far greater and closer to God than any of us, whose magnificent character is hidden by the guise of a beggar. In the beggar, the homeless person, the outcast, the prisoner, or the victim, can we see the son or daughter of God waiting for the touch of Christ's power to help reveal who they really are? The power that heals and reveals may not dramatically touch them in this life, but we are assured that Christ will wipe away all the tears of those who follow Him. Most wonderfully most expressive of God's true justice and fairness, He will wipe away all the tears even of those who never heard of Christ in this life but, when finally given the chance to hear the Gospel message it, accept it and Jesus as their Savior. God's justice comes in the end, when all will recognize that they have been treated and judged fairly, though out individual circumstances in mortality vary wildly. It's a rough world, sometimes savage and brutal due to the workings of human agency, Satan's assaults, the workings of chance, and the very nature of mortality where pain and death are essential parts of our journey. Not to mention the custom-engineered trials and afflictions that God may plan for us to achieve higher ends, eventually, as He did with the blind man in John 9.

Nobody could see any justice or fairness in the sorry lot of that blind man, but what a sacred purpose was behind it all. For all of us, if we will not abandon God, we will find that the new vision He gives us with one gentle touch after we have endured will wash away all doubt of His goodness and love for us and help us see and discover things we had never imagined, including new insights into who we actually are and who we can become. What greatness He revealed in the blind man's soul, and how kindly He lead that good man back to Him.

There may often be little or no justice here in mortality, but this does not weaken the need for faith. God is real and He does answer prayers. Not often the way we want it, but He does answer and still works miracles today as in days of old.

Greetings From China: Photo Essay, Part 18

2011-12-12T08:54:00.005-06:00

Here are some mostly recent photos from China, mostly Shanghai and mostly walking distance from my home. This collection is part 18 of 18. I'm starting at the end. Part 17 will come later. Then Part 16, and so forth. Sort of a first shall be last and last shall be first scriptural kind of thing.

Did I ever tell you that I really love China? That it's an incredible privilege to be here, to work here, to make friends here, and to relish the culture, the people, the food, the beauty and the increasing freedom that is found here? China also includes Hong Kong, sort of, where there is wide-open religious freedom and a Temple of the Lord. Wonderful! But it's surprising how much religious freedom there is in mainland China also, though with restraints that we respect. It's Christmas season here and guess what? They play real Christmas music, religious Christmas music honoring Jesus, in stores and elevators I have been in recently. Try doing that in the United States without being sued to death! Greetings from the surprisingly free and beautiful nation of China. (Click to enlarge.)

I love the markets of China and the people who make them possible. Here is the famous little antiques market of Dong Tai street in Shanghai, just barely a block from where I live. What wonderful friends we've made there.

This is a painting we just bought for our home from an artist friend on the Dong Tai antiques market street. He does custom work if you'd like to have yourself or a loved on painted. Very gifted artist, surprisingly affordable. And such a sweet family. We have four of his paintings in our home.

The Role of Obedience and Endurance: Peter's Perspective

2011-12-12T05:55:00.001-06:00

It's almost an article of faith in anti-Mormon literature that the LDS Articles of Faith rule us out as Christians. After all, they call for that most unchristian, unbiblical attribute, a dirty word in some religious lexicons: obedience. I'm always puzzled over the instant rejection, though, since I think that virtually every time "obedience" (or forms thereof) is used in the Bible, it's a clean word, almost always in the context of urging us to obey God and keep His commandments.

Obedience is part of how we follow Jesus and most fully access, not earn, the grace Christ offers us through the conditions of the covenant of mercy His Atonement provides. But today, lingo like "keep the commandments" (search here) and "obey" (search here) is the stuff of non-Christian cults in the new-fangled post-biblical framework that self-styled cult-bashers call "historic Christianity." Yes, of course you've heard me discuss this before, citing things like the oft-neglected words of Christ on the topic (as in "if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" in Matt. 19:17). But today I want to offer a further perspective from Peter regarding the purpose of obedience and the role that it plays in God's work with us.

Why obedience? And why endure in obedience unto the end? This makes the most sense when we realize that God is interested not just in declaring us to be saved, but in shaping us and nurturing us to more fully become His sons and daughters, beings who, as Peter describes in 2 Peter 1:4-10, eventually put on the "divine nature" as they pursue step after step in the progression of faith that eventually leads to having one's "calling and election made sure."

In the opening lines of his first book (1 Peter), Peter provides information about obedience and endurance that help set the tone for much of his writings. 1 Peter 1 is what I'd like to emphasize today. Read it with the issue of grace, obedience, and enduring to the end in mind. Excerpts follow with my emphasis added:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls....

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear....

22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Peter calls for us to be faithful and obedient, enduring to the end, even through difficult trials of our faith, in our hope for salvation. Why? Not just because will be judged by our works (of course, the works don't save us and it's Christ who gives us strength to follow Him and obey), but more importantly, I think, because of who God wants us to become. He want us not just to say and believe, but to become. Become what? Holy. Holy like God. That is the ultimate journey, and it requires the steady growth and transformations that come, through God's power, when we endure trials of faith, when we choose to repent and obey Him, when we keep the commandments with faithful obedience. This is the journey that brings us to the destination God has in store. This why why Peter writes, "ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth." Obedience refines and purifies and helps us become more like our Father in Heaven. It's not a dirty word after all. It's a holy word. Wish more folks would recognize that basic biblical truth and not fall for all those new-fangled philosophies.

Lessons from Fleas

2011-12-11T16:56:00.000-06:00

In sacrament meeting recently, we heard a talk on gratitude that quoted from the inspiring story of Corrie Ten Boom in her book, The Hiding Place. The story involves Christian women learning to find gratitude in their hearts in the midst of great trials. Corrie and her sister Betsie were suffering in a Nazi prison camp for the crime of saving the lives of Jews by hiding them in their home in Holland. For help in shortening the story, I'll quote a handy summary from KHouse.org:

Corrie writes:

"Barracks 8 was in the quarantine compound. Next to us--perhaps as a deliberate warning to newcomers--were located the punishment barracks. From there, all day long and often into the night, came the sounds of hell itself. They were not the sounds of anger, or of any human emotion, but of a cruelty altogether detached: blows landing in regular rhythm, screams keeping pace. We would stand in our ten-deep ranks with our hands trembling at our sides, longing to jam them against our ears, to make the sounds stop.

"It grew harder and harder. Even within these four walls there was too much misery, too much seemingly pointless suffering. Every day something else failed to make sense, something else grew too heavy."

Yet, in the midst of the suffering, the women prisoners around Corrie and Betsie found comfort in the little Bible studies they held in the barracks. Corrie writes they gathered around the Bible "like waifs clustered around a blazing fire…The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the Word of God."

When they were moved to Barracks 28, Corrie was horrified by the fact that their reeking, straw-bed platforms swarmed with fleas. How could they live in such a place?

It was Betsie who discovered God's answer:

"'"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus." That's it, Corrie! That's His answer. "Give thanks in all circumstances!" That's what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!'

"I stared at her; then around me at the dark, foul-aired room…"

They thanked God for the fact they were together. They thanked God they had a Bible. They even thanked God for the horrible crowds of prisoners, that more people would be able to hear God's Word. And then, Betsie thanked God for the fleas.

"The fleas! This was too much. 'Betsie, there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.'

"'"Give thanks in all circumstances,"' she quoted. 'It doesn't say, "in pleasant circumstances." Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.'

"And so we stood between tiers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time I was sure Betsie was wrong."

It turned out that Betsie was not wrong; the fleas were a nuisance, but a blessing after all. The women were able to have Bible studies in the barracks with a great deal of freedom, never bothered by supervisors coming in and harassing them. They finally discovered that it was the fleas that kept those supervisors out.

Through those fleas, God protected the women from abuse and harassment. Dozens of desperate women were free to hear the comforting, hope-giving Word of God. Through those fleas, God protected the women from much worse things and made sure they had their deepest, truest needs met.

This life is a journey in which God wishes to refine us and transform us through that which we experience, even that which we must suffer. If we recognize that God's love can be found even in the darkest trials and that there is a purpose in enduring whatever trials we have, we can find hope and even gratitude in the darkest moments. That is easy for me to say, but thank God for those Christian women who showed us with their lives what it means to love God and follow Him in faith to the end, no matter what, in gratitude and strength.

America's Surrender?

2011-12-09T18:56:00.002-06:00

Did any of you notice what your elected representatives just did to the future of freedom in America? Giving up the 6th Amendment is kissing freedom good-bye in the long run. Under this new and outrageous law, all it will take is some government official to declare that a person or group is suspected of terrorism, and they can then be snatched and held without trial--forever. Both Republicans and Democrats ganged up to deprive Americans of these rights. Everything is justified by the fear of terrorism, right?

Friends and critics, all of you who care about religious liberty and liberty of all kinds, this is not the time to continue your silence. This is not the time to trust a government that is out of control. This is the time to say something, do something, and especially to let your elected officials know that they have violated your trust.

(A lawyer's perspective comes from the Lowering the Bar blog.)

In China, where I live, personal freedoms seem to be expanding. There are serious efforts to follow the rule of law. In many ways, China is more free or about to become more free than the United States. The people in the US don't see what's happening to their liberty. The debate is focused on how soft the shackles should be. But slashing the 6th Amendment should be a clue that big changes are needed. (I finally figured out what the "C" stands for in Bernie Madoff's WWCD ring: "Congress.")

I hope the President will recognize the horrific foolishness of what Congress has done and veto this bill. He's asking for the worst part to be removed. Fingers crossed. But how insane that we have elected officials who would risk doing this to us! What dangerous times these are.

Update: Speaking of freedom, I'm going to try to purchase the new book, Latter-day Liberty by that young but bold champion of freedom, Connor Boyack. Have any of you seen it? Interested in your feedback.

Lessons from a Dropped iPad

2011-12-06T16:51:00.000-06:00

There have been so many unusual blessings and small miracles in my adventures in China that frankly, I have become a bit spoiled. It started to seem like everything I need will just turn out to be there when I need it and that we'll be protected from all the things that can go wrong. What a foolish sentiment in a world of danger.

The other day I was out for a lunchtime adventure on the streets of Shanghai carrying the two possessions I rely on most, a cell phone and an iPad. The iPad was a gift that I first felt was just a toy, but it was one of those things that I urgently need that was just given to me when I needed it, shortly before I came to China (now a much appreciated gift from my kind former boss). The Pleco app on it is a lifesaver in China. I can study Chinese, look up and translate words, and even draw strange new characters to find out what they mean. I use it everyday. But after looking up somoe terms on a Shanghai menu, I forgot to zip up the case I use to protect my iPad. While walking back to work, I tried to be a good husband by calling my wife to report on my exciting new culinary find. And then I tried to be a good Christian when I saw a beggar on the street and determined to do something to help. I stuck my iPad case under one arm while continuing to talk to free up a hand to get some money out. I bent over to leave something for the beggar, and that's when my now upside-down unzipped iPad case gently released its cargo, allowing my iPad to respond to the Law of Gravity, which somehow was not suspended as a reward for trying to do something good. The iPad then accelerated toward the cement tiles below, which somehow maintained there physical properties and did not suddenly become soft and flexible for my benefit. The aluminum casing of the iPad then rapidly deformed and damaged the most important part of the iPad casing, making three buttons suddenly inoperable: volume, mute, and the sleep/off button, which is also used to turn the iPad on.

Initially it seemed that my iPad was toast. Actually, it still does what I need and I'm fine, though it's less than it was through my carelessness. The fall of the iPad was a good reminder that we are still subject to all manner of afflictions and disappointments, including those we engineer ourselves.

We must not demand miraculous protection even when doing good. Traffic accidents, injuries of all kind, and even death may strike those who are serving missions, doing home teaching, going to church, helping the poor, or serving God in man ways. There is no guarantee of miraculous protection and never any grounds for relaxing our guard and being casual in how we protect ourselves and our loved ones. It's a dangerous world and the ground is hard. We must walk in faith, and wear our helmets, keep our insurance policies active, floss daily, and keep our iPads firmly in hand with the case carefully zipped up.

Getting Scripture Completely Backwards: The Tragic Abuse of Revelation

2011-12-05T17:01:00.002-06:00

The Book of Revelation is often quoted to "prove" that there can be no further scripture. That famous passage about not adding or subtracting to the word of God in Rev. 22 is cited as if it means that there can be no more scripture, when, in fact, John is plainly speaking about his own book, the Book of Revelation, and urging the world not to tinker with the text. In no way is he saying that God can't keep speaking and revealing truth. In fact, John's text clearly teaches that revelation HAS NOT ENDED. It teaches that there will yet be words of God spoken by future prophets (Rev. 11), future angels (Rev. 14, etc.), and by Christ. How dare we presume that these words can't be written down and used by future generations of scripture? Revelation, if anything, points to an open canon, not a closed one. How tragic that so many ministers get this completely backwards.

Dealing with Rev. 22:18-19 itself is quite easy, yet it continues to be cited as if it were a legitimate slam-dunk against the Book of Mormon. The prohibition against adding or subtracting from the word of God actually goes all the back to the time of Moses, who wrote the following in Deuteronomy 4:2:

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it....

In Rev. 22:18-19, John echoed the words of Moses as he concluded writing the Book of Revelation:

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Moses and John were absolutely correct: no man has authority to add or subtract from the word of God. But Deut. 4:2 did not keep Moses from writing additional chapters, nor did it prohibit Isaiah, Malachi, Matthew, Mark, Paul, and even John from writing later scripture as directed by God. It did not mean that God could give no more revelation or scripture, but that the inspired words of God given to his apostles and prophets should not be altered by men.

Read the text carefully of Revelation 22:18-19 and ponder what John is talking about. At the time, there was no Bible as we know it. The new Christians had the Septuagint (which included the Apocrypha) and scattered writings of some of the apostles, but there had not yet been any known attempt to establish a New Testament canon or to bring the Gospels and epistles into a single volume. John, who was in exile on the Isle of Patmos, is obviously referring to the newly written text before him when he speaks of "this book," the Book of Revelation. He refers to the unique contents of his book: its prophecies, its descriptions of plagues, its discussion of the holy city, and urges that no one change what he has written. Even though the Book of Revelation has been placed last in our Bible, it was not necessarily the last book written, but may have preceded other writings of John himself by a couple of years. In fact, many Christian canons over the centuries did not include the Book of Revelation at all, and even Martin Luther questioned its status. The first church council that listed most of the canonical books in our present Old and New Testaments, the Council of Laodicea that met in A.D. 363, still did not include the Apocalypse of Saint John [Bernstein, p.5]. The common idea that this was the last book added to an existing canon of New Testament scripture by John is erroneous, as is the idea that John meant that there could never be any more scripture.

Latter-day Saints fully agree with John: no man should change what God has spoken. However, God has the authority to speak what and when He wants. God spoke to other prophets after Moses and many of their divinely commissioned writings have been preserved in the Bible. God also speaks today to living apostles and prophets in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and we should be willing to accept those whom God has sent and hear their inspired words.

When God speaks to prophets, they write words that become scripture. Moses, Isaiah, Matthew, Luke, John, and many others all added scripture. One of the surest signs that the Church of Jesus Christ has really been restored is that new scripture has been added! The Jews at the time of Christ claimed to revere dead prophets but rejected living ones and rejected newly added scripture. They were in apostasy. Those who reject new prophets and new scripture from God in our day are likewise in apostasy and need to repent and come unto Christ more fully.

Now back to Revelation. Can you read it without seeing that God will yet do and speak many things in the future? Two prophets of the last days will prophecy in the streets of Jerusalem and be killed (Rev. 11). Angels will declare messages (Rev. 14:6 could even be a reference to the angelic ministry of Moroni and others that helped bring forth the Restoration). Christ and God will speak. Amazing works of God will take place. And saints (members of God's church) will not only work day and night in the restored Temple during the great Millennium (Rev. 7:15), but they will surely study and ponder the records of God's great dealings with man in the past. How dare we presume that God won't allow His obviously ongoing words and deeds to be recorded and studied as sacred writings?

The idea that the current Bible is the end of God's record, that the canon is closed, and that prophets can no longer speak, is a MOST UNBIBLICAL heresy. That doesn't prove that the LDS Church has authority and true revelation, but after a careful reading of Revelation, there should be no question that those who claim there can be no more revelation have Revelation completely backwards. Tragically so, IMHO.

That Strange Mormon Book: Revelation

2011-12-04T17:59:00.000-06:00

In Sunday School yesterday as we studied the Book of Revelation, I marveled at the density of LDS themes it contains. The call to overcome, abundant temple imagery and symbolism, references to prophets and ongoing divine revelation in the last days, a Jesus with a physical body, a lofty role for humans in the next life, and so on. There is also the LDS approach to grace and works resolved in Rev. 22 where we learn that the grace of God manifest in the tree of life is made available through (or rather, that that the right to access that supreme gift is conditional upon) keeping the commandments. Overcome, endure to the end, keep the commandments, prepare for the temple, listen to God's prophets--it's a great book for LDS folks to dig into and enjoy.

But what would happen if the Book of Revelation hadn't made it into the canon of the New Testament? What if it had been hidden, buried, and preserved for our day? If Joseph Smith had been the source through which it came into the modern era, how would the Christian world react to this new text allegedly written by John? Can you imagine the howls and the outrage over the blatantly non-Christian doctrine?

Truer Than Ever: The Book of Abraham

2011-11-30T07:15:00.001-06:00

One of the biggest challenges to my personal testimony of the reality of the Restoration came when I was serving as Bishop years ago. I was exploring one of the issues that had affected some local people in the past, namely, the anti-Mormon attacks on the Book of Abraham. I went to a popular anti-Mormon website and read their pitch against the Book of Abraham. Whoa, what a powerful, clear-cut, rock-solid indictment of the Book of Abraham. How more obvious could the problem be? The papyrus fragments that Joseph translated as the Book of Mormon were found recently, and now scholars can translate them and see that they have no connection to Abraham. The book is a total fraud. Slam dunk. That's the pitch, anyway.

When I faced that evidence, not yet knowing that the real fraud was in the evidence that was being withheld to make the anti-Mormon case, I was deeply troubled. I was troubled enough to go to the Lord in prayer and explain that while I had a deep testimony of the Book of Mormon and accepted it as scripture, I had to ask what went wrong with the Book of Abraham? Did Joseph just blow it? The response I got was not an answer to my question, but a sense that I needed to put this issue on hold and do more homework, patiently. I know, some of you will say that was a total cop-out and the only ethical thing to do would have been to resign from the Church. But patience was what I needed.

I studied the issue more carefully. While reading a basic book on the history of the Book of Abraham from H. Donl Peterson, I learned that the primary anti-Mormon argument relied on deception, not just a weak argument, but deliberate deception. The authors of the site that had so troubled me surely knew and had been told dozens of times that the tiny collection of fragments found in 1967 was only a small fraction of the scrolls that Joseph had, and that the bulk of the collection had been sold to a museum by Joseph's widow and eventually shipped to Chicago where they apparently burned in the great fire of 1871. The critics also ought to know that numerous eye-witnesses had described the scrolls Joseph had been translating as the Book of Abraham, and their descriptions don't accurately match the fragments that were recovered. Mormons scholars and non-LDS scholars both agree that the fragments we have are not the text of the Book of Abraham. The critics desperately need those fragments to be the Book of Abraham, but they are not. There are still plenty of tough questions to ask and reasonable objections to make, as there is with almost anything in any religion, but I learned in that experience just how powerful and dangerous a well-crafted lie can be. I can sympathize with those who lost their testimonies over Book of Abraham attacks, but I'd like to urge you to come back and look at the exciting news that continues to be revealed about this majestic ancient test.

My little adventure led to several pages on my LDSFAQ area about the Book of Abraham and the growing evidence for its authenticity. These include "Questions About the Book of Abraham: Part One," "Questions About the Book of Abraham, Part 2: Evidences for Plausibility," and "Part 3: Ancient Records Offer New Support for the Book of Abraham."

A more recent source you'll want to consider is the new DVD, A Most Remarkable Book: Evidence for the Divine Authenticity of the Book of Abraham. Looks fascinating--this just came out. I'm ordering one and haven't seen it yet. You can also hear
podcast about the DVD at the FAIR Blog.

There have been some exciting discoveries since I wrote my LDSFAQ pages on the Book of Abraham and I'm in the process of adding some updates. Some of the most significant ones are mentioned by Dr. John Gee, one of a few scholars deeply familiar with the Egyptian texts potentially relevant to the Book of Abraham. Dr. Gee has some valuable insight into how modern scholarship is helping to better place the Book of Abraham in history. However, before I share some news from Dr. Gee, let me remind you of some of the controversy over the location of the Book of Abraham. This background will help you better appreciate Dr. Gee's additional insights. So first, here is a background passage from Daniel C. Peterson's article, "News from Antiquity," in the January 1994 issue of the Ensign, available online (for the footnotes omitted below, see the related quote on Part 2 of my Book of Abraham LDS FAQ page):

The book begins with Abraham "in the land of Ur, of Chaldea." (Abr. 1:20.) It is obvious that this "Chaldea" was a place under strong Egyptian influence. It was there that Abraham's own fathers turned aside from worship of the true God to the service of "the god of Pharaoh, king of Egypt." (Abr. 1:6; facsimile 1, fig. 9.) Apart from a passing reference in Joshua 24:2 [Josh. 24:2], the Bible does not tell of the idolatry of Abraham's ancestors. However, their worship of false gods and Abraham's faithfulness in worshipping the true God, as well as his attempts to convert his family, are common themes of many very old Jewish and Christian stories. [2]

Where was Ur of the Chaldees? Since the nineteenth century, most authorities have identified it with the modern Tell al-Muqayyar, a site in southern Iraq. However, certain elements of the book of Abraham do not seem to fit well in southern Iraq; in particular, Egyptian influences appear to be lacking there during the time of Abraham (traditionally placed around 2000 B.C.). It is thus interesting to note that some recent reevaluations of the question locate Ur in the area known anciently as Aram-Naharaim, or northwestern Mesopotamia (northeastern Syria and southeastern Turkey, in terms of modern geography). This was a region under Egyptian influence at the time of Abraham.[3] The book of Abraham mentions a place it calls "the plain of Olishem" (Abr. 1:10), which was apparently part of the land of Chaldea. No such place is mentioned in the Bible, but the name does occur in an inscription of the Akkadian ruler Naram Sin, dating to about 2250 B.C. Remarkably, it refers to a place located precisely in northwestern Syria.[4]

Yes, it's cool that there is new evidence from an ancient text for the plains of Olishem in the Book of Abraham, but the real purpose of this passage is to remind you that modern LDS scholarship points to Ur of the Chaldees and the initial setting for the Book of Abraham as being in the north, perhaps in Syria, not in southern Iraq. Now we turn to Dr. Gree for an update included in his presentation at the Eleventh Annual FAIR Conference, August 6, 2009 entitled "The Larger Issue."

For years the critics have noted that the Book of Abraham has Egyptians up in Abraham's homeland in Abraham's day. This is something that they see as problematic. In the 1960s Georges Posener first suggested that there was an Egyptian empire in Syria in those days, but most scholars rejected it. There simply was not enough archaeological evidence for it in their opinion. Two articles last year change the picture. One was the publication by the President of the International Association of Egyptologists of a new autobiographical text from the Middle Kingdom. It details how this Egyptian led an expedition to Byblos and while there became involved in a military altercation between Byblos and Ullaza and ended up taking over both. This became the beginning of Egyptian involvement in northern Syria in the Middle Kingdom. Confirmation of the story comes from Byblos were the former kings are replaced by Egyptian appointed governors who began recording their titles in Egyptians. The second article came out in the premier peer-reviewed Egyptological journal in North America and detailed how a careful examination of the textual and archaeological sources indicates that Egypt had a presence in the northern Levant only during the reigns of two pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom: Sesostris III and Amenemhet III.

These articles point to a specific historical scenario for the Book of Abraham. The first chapter of Abraham takes place when Egypt controls Abraham's homeland in northern Syria, and this can only be during a short, sixty year time period, about 1860-1800 BC. We know from archaeological evidence of that time period that Egyptian gods were worshiped at Ebla, and that Ebla is mentioned in Egyptian texts of the time. We also know that Egyptian sphinxes inscribed for monarchs of the time were found at Aleppo and Ugarit. This gives us an idea of the area under the Egyptian monarchs Sesostris III and Amenemhet III. It also explains Abraham's travel route. He crosses the Euphrates to Harran, outside the Egyptian sphere of influence and stays a few years, during which time the Egyptian empire of the Middle Kingdom collapses making it safe for him to return to formerly Egyptian held territory.

Unfortunately, the time period when Abraham lived is almost unknown to Egyptology even today. The debates among Kim Ryholt, Manfred Beitak, Jim and Susan Allen, Daphna Ben Tor, and Chris Bennett about this time period shows how much is up in the air even today.

It might come as some surprise to some that Abraham is in the area of northern Mesopotamia and Syria. The term Chaldean did not mean the same in Joseph Smith's day as it does now. In the present day, the Chaldeans are equated only with the tribes of the Kaldu that lived in the Iron Age in southern Mesopotamia. In Joseph Smith's day it referred to the language that we call Aramaic and especially the Aramaic dialect that we call Syriac. It also referred to those who spoke that language (which originated in northern Syria). It also referred to the general area of greater Mesopotamia. Additionally, it was used as a term for superstitious.

The Chaldeans do not appear as such in the Hebrew Bible. Abraham is said to be from Ur of the Kasdim, not the Chaldeans. Though Kasdim is translated as Chaldeans, that is no indication that the Kasdim are the Kaldu. Recent analysis of the names in the biblical account of Abraham indicates that all of them originate in northern Mesopotamia. The name Abram itself, is attested only in northern Mesopotamia. The name is also only attested at the time when the Book of Abraham predicts it. Several towns are named Ur in Mesopotamia, that is the reason why it must be qualified as the Ur of the Kasdim.

Another example of how the Book of Abraham matches its day is the mention in the Book of Abraham of human sacrifice after the manner of the Egyptians. We know from archaeological evidence that the Egyptians practiced human sacrifice at that time, in areas that they dominated outside of Egypt. This archaeological evidence corresponds in practice to later ritual texts that describe how do human sacrifice. It also corresponds to historical records from Egypt that detail the circumstances under which human sacrifice occurred in Abraham's day. Almost none of this material was available even to Nibley. This shows how much the picture can change in a few years. We also know the type of people targeted for human sacrifice: sbi, rebels or apostates (the term is used for both). Abraham says that his "fathers . . . utterly refused to hearken to my voice" (Abraham 1:5) when he condemned them for "having turned from their righteousness, and from the holy commandments which the Lord their God had given them , unto the worship of the gods of the heathen" (Abraham 1:5), instead they "endeavored to take away my life" (Abraham 1:7). There was no separation of church and state in ancient Egypt and the Pharaoh was the head of both. So to revolt against his authority, whether religious or political, made someone a rebel and subject to a ritualized death penalty. Archaeological evidence for this practice was first discovered about fifty years ago, but more archaeological evidence has appeared in the last ten years.

Read that passage again--there are a large number of interesting new twists in the unfolding story of one of the most remarkable ancient scriptural texts, the Book of Abraham. Like the Book of Mormon, the evidence for the plausibility of the Book of Abraham continues to increase, making it, in a sense, "truer than ever." This is an exciting time to be LDS!

So much has changed in the few years since Hugh Nibley took up the defense of the Book of Abraham. He clearly got some things wrong. That's life and that's scholarship. He sometimes said that anything he wrote more than 3 years ago shouldn't be held against him because things change so quickly. Well, they do. The vector of change, though, is in a direction I like. Some issues that were quite problematic are being resolved with evidence that just wasn't available in Nibley's day and certainly not Joseph Smith's. Some huge discoveries in the past few years have helped us better appreciate the text of the Book of Abraham in several ways. I'll say it again: like the Book of Mormon, it's a text that is becoming truer than ever, in spite of human influence (yeah, human influences like the ancient geocentric model of the cosmos embedded in the Book of Abraham--something for another post, another day).

Patience--that was the answer I needed in the 1990s when I had my own little crisis of faith. I'm glad I pressed forward and continued to study, ponder, pray, and finally see past the deception that had so bothered me. I felt really cheated when I saw the sleight of hand that the critics used, and I've seen crooked antics of that nature frequently since then. I still have some major issues on hold, waiting for further light and knowledge, interested in the truth but willing to wait for answers. Meanwhile, the journey is a rewarding and joyous one. The Church is true, in spite of some gaps, and the Gospel is true, in spite of human weakness in others and my own failure in understanding and faith. I look forward to learning and experiencing more.

Update: A great resource that calmly spells out the major arguments against the Book of Abraham and then refutes them is "Criticisms of Joseph Smith and the Book of Abraham" at the the Book of Abraham Project website. URL is http://www.boap.org/LDS/BOAP/SecondEd/Draft-copy/AppendixV-JS-Commentary-on-BOA.pdf.

Botox and Scripted Rituals?

2011-11-29T16:09:00.001-06:00

I just received an email that reminding me of the danger when Mormonism is mixed with Botox:

Dear Mormon/Christian,
I grew up in southern Idaho with many LDS friends and attended several of their church services. As a Spirit-filled Christian I always went to these services with the hope of feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit. All I experienced was a group of people going through a bunch of scripted rituals. Good people, but empty inside and meeting out of duty, not love for the Heavenly Father. Most of the men were asleep and the women were staring with a blank expression as the children ran around. All of the talk was about Joseph Smith or one of the founding Fathers of Mormonism. Nothing about true liberty in Jesus.

I always left those services empty and sad that these beautiful people have never experienced the Joy and freedom in knowing the true Savior.

Mormons experience a great deal of joy and freedom in Christ, for the record, and we often show it--when we are awake. But it may be harder to visibly show that joy when we are trying to keep several active children quiet in a meeting or when Botox has been used. When I first read this, I thought the problem was that our troubled Christian had attended the Beverly Hills Ward, where Botox might (I speculate) be used more heavily than in less fashionable wards. Hence the blank expressions. But then I noticed my correspondent had mentioned the real Mecca of fashion and beauty, southern Idaho, renowned for being more Californian than California itself. Suddenly surrounded by numerous "beautiful people," as described in the email, whose beauty may have been enhanced in a few cases with heavy doses of Botox, our overwhelmed visitor might have associated those faces with some deficiency in our theology and not the failings of cosmetic surgery.

While Botox helps me understand part of the complaint, I'm really stumped about the "scripted rituals." Someone needs to get over to southern Idaho and see what's up. Our lack of scripted rituals has been a common complaint for newcomers attending our services. Fast and testimony meeting - anything can happen. Regular sacrament meetings: almost anything can happen. OK, we have an opening prayer and a song, and a closing song and prayer, and in between there are a few minutes for the sacrament where a brief specific prayer is used (yes, scripted), but the majority of the meeting is in highly unscripted hands. The first speaker usually speaks before the closing speaker, just like the closing prayer generally comes after the opening prayer--but that's not especially scripted. So what did our friend experience in Idaho?

Please, if southern Idaho wards have become highly organized and scripted, I think the rest of us need to learn from them, even if southern Idahoans make the rest of us feel a little ugly and unfashionable in comparison.

I find that our critics often not only seem to be willing to tell us what we believe, but also what we feel, what we think, and what is in our hearts. This person was able to just look at the Mormons and recognize that they were going to church out of duty, not out of love for God and joy in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He could see their hearts were empty, lacking love for Heavenly Father. Really? I bet he could see that without even talking to them or looking at their blank expressions. I bet he could even read their minds while they were asleep, perhaps from the other side of the world. The psychic gifts of anti-Mormonism: it wasn't just Fawn Brodey who experienced such supernatural powers.

Quoted in USA Today on the Issue of Romney and Anti-Mormon Bias

2011-11-25T18:51:00.004-06:00

"Mormon Bias Still Part of Politics" by Dennis Wagner is an article in USA Today that came out Nov. 24, 2011. Dennis writes both for USA Today and the Arizona Republic. I was surprised to be quoted since I know that I was just one of numerous people the reporter interviewed, plus I've had lengthy interviews with other reporters that didn't get used. I find the article to be fair and reasonable, though I think anyone who is quoted in an interview feels some disappointment in how it all turns out. However, I think Dennis went out of his way to be fair and to understand the topic.

The quotes from me came in a portion of the interview when the reporter wanted to know if it's appropriate to use the term "anti-Mormon" in describing the people pushing the Mormon issue in their opposition of Romney. Discussing the merits of that label was one of the least interesting and least important parts of the conversation to me personally, but that part got used. Also used was the point I made about LDS politicians like Mitt Romney and Harry Reid clearly demonstrating that they will do things their way and not simply rely on the prophet or LDS teachings to determine their stance. So here's the passage where I'm quoted, but do read the whole article:

Richard Packham, the 78-year-old president of the Ex-Mormon Foundation, writes that the church's "ultimate goal" is "to establish the Mormon Kingdom of God in America and to govern the world as God's appointed representatives."

"I love the Mormons and hate Mormonism," Packham told The Arizona Republic. "To me, the possibility that the Mormon church might control America is a frightening prospect."

Tricia Erickson, a bishop's daughter who left the faith, just published a book titled, "Can Mitt Romney Serve Two Masters?" Erickson casts the church as a sexist, racist leviathan striving to gain power through politics. And she contends that Romney or Huntsman, as members, would have a duty to "follow the prophet -- no matter what," giving allegiance to religion over country.

Jeff Lindsay, a Mormon scholar who prolifically defends his church on the Internet, says Packham, Erickson and other critics convey an "awful distortion" of LDS doctrine and practices.

"It's paranoia. It's not based on any example," Lindsay said. "There is plenty of room for decent people to disagree with us. But when someone strives to stir up anger toward the church and relies on misinformation or half-truths, then I'm inclined to apply the anti-Mormon label -- especially when they do it for a living."

Church defenders point out that thousands of LDS members serve in public office without acting as church puppets, and critics are unable to identify Romney gubernatorial decisions that his religion dictated.

As Lindsay puts it, "The prophet has not been coming in and telling him how to vote."

When I discussed "anti-Mormons," I was speaking in general terms without Richard Packham in mind. I don't think he's one of the professionals who makes his living off spooking people about the Church. But I was really floored by his comment. Did he really say that, or has he been victimized by some sort of anti-anti-Mormon bias at USA Today? We're out to control the world? And a Mormon President raises the prospect of Mormonism controlling America? [Update: I questioned whether he really said that, but have been assured that he did--I just don't think he could have seriously meant it in the extreme way it reads in the article. But that extreme fear is what's fueling a lot of the controversy the USA Today article addresses. People, get real.]

"Brothers and sisters, today's sacrament meeting will be dedicated to the Mormon conquest of Planet Earth. Sunday school will focus on taking over America once we get the Prophet's agent in the White House. Also, home teachers, please begin working with your families this week to help them develop plans to subjugate their neighbors and take over the neighborhood."

The goal of anti-Mormonism is to frighten people away from the Church and stir up anger and fear. Spook them. Create anger so that people hate Mormonism and refuse to consider it even for a moment. I don't think it's healthy, personally.

Greatful for the Blessings of Life in China

2011-11-25T09:06:00.001-06:00

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday. We sure did with one of the best dinners ever with some fabulous friends this week. A local Shanghai man was the brilliant cook who took an imported American turkey (and yes, I'm grateful that America still has some things worth exporting!) and created a masterpiece of tender, moist poultry--or as tender and as moist as turkey gets, which is still not quite up to the level of traditional Chinese-style duck in southern China (Guandong style, to be exact, which I prefer even over the delicacy of Beijing roast duck). The secret to his outstanding turkey is that he turned it over halfway through the baking process, redistributing the juices or something. It was amazing to watch how he served it, removing the skin, slicing the meat carefully, and then slicing the skin in strips to lay back over the flesh to give each piece a beautiful appearance. He was using Chinese duck preparation skills to enhance the turkey. Just beautiful and delicious. His mashed potatoes were some of the best ever, too.

China has its share of problems, as all nations do, but I'm so grateful to be here and to have a wife with a sense of adventure and a willingness to make the sacrifices that we thought we were making when coming to this land of promise. We have experienced miracles here and so much kindness. I've suffered from frequent discrimination, I'll admit, in which I've received special treatment and unjustified kindness for being a strange-looking foreigner who seems similar in height to Yao Ming (he's only a foot taller than me, a barely noticeable difference, it seems). I love how people are willing to talk and explain things to me or just chat. I love the smiles and nods I get, especially when I try to talk Chinese. Even the police have been friendly, as I can testify after last night when I thought someone had unzipped my bag and swiped my iPad somewhere on the subway. I just wanted to report the possible crime so I called the police and was surprised to have two officers at my door within 10 minutes to get more information.They were very kind and patient. I explained there was a chance I had somehow left it in my office, and would check in the morning. I hoped it would be there, but by using the "Find My IPad" feature of my iPad with the help of iCloud.com, my iPad was allegedly found and located at a location close to where I had been on the subway and several blocks away from my office. Turns out it that it was just in my office after all and that the map feature was highly inaccurate. Hurray, my iPad was found and no police action was needed. But how surprised I was to get personal attention from the police so quickly, and with a smile. I've seen many examples of police and officials who struck me as nice, hardworking people--something one doesn't find everywhere in the world. Again, not to minimize the problems that do exist here, but I rejoice in the many positives I've experienced.

China, at least Shanghai, is a lot like the Wild West. There's a surprising amount of freedom in some areas. Ok, not all of that is good, like the freedom people get when they buy electric scooters: once purchased, they never have to obey a traffic law again. (Pedestrians, beware.)

We Latter-day Saints from overseas are generally pleased and surprised at the freedom we enjoy to meet and worship in a beautiful setting. We need to keep our religious activities separate from those of our Chinese brothers and sisters, with no attempt to proselyte or otherwise violate the rules. But even with the uneasiness that Communist leaders in general may have with Christianity, it is flourishing. Surprisingly large numbers of local Chinese are Christian (I've heard estimates of 3%, and understand that the 100 millionth Chinese Bible will soon be printed). May that trend continue!

Not all people here share my optimism. Some local Chinese are unhappy with life here and it is a difficult struggle for many. Some foreigners really dislike their experience here, and depending on their situation and expectations, it can be very trying. There are many things my friends back in the States should be grateful that are less abundant here--especially Jello. It's one of the hardest things to find here. How can there be a true Thanksgiving feast without that? But what a feast we had nevertheless.

At our dinner, we each took turns to share something we were grateful for. Mine was hot water. Hot running water. When so much of the world lacks this luxury, what a marvelous and unfair blessing I enjoy in being able to simply turn a tap here in my small little Shanghai apartment and have warm water flowing for a shower anytime I need it. Amazing. And that's just the beginning of the wonders we are blessed with here (say, have you heard about the roast duck here?). How about you?

Easy Way to Disprove the Book of Mormon? Joseph Smith's "Blunder" in Following the KJV in Equating Lucifer with Satan

2011-11-20T07:20:00.005-06:00

Though I am opposed to off-topic comments and sometimes delete them, there's one example recently posted on this site that was at least interesting enough to inspire me to respond. It's a question that has already been answered to some degree on my LDSFAQ Website, which I hope some of you use (see the page "Relationships Between Man, Christ, and God: Mormon Answers (LDS FAQ)." The question I answered there was "Wasn't Joseph Smith clearly wrong when he said Lucifer in Isaiah 14 refers to Satan?"

Here's the question that a drive-by-critic apparently regurgitated from an anti-Mormon website:

There is a greater proof of Joseph Smith’s plagiarism than you have expressed in 2 Nephi 24:12. It is a typical mistake of most plagiarists. Joseph Smith was no linguist. Therefore, he had no understanding of what he copied from the King James Bible. From Isaiah 14:12, the King James scholars decided to keep the proper name of the morning star, renamed by St. Jerome when he translated the Septuagint (Greek Scriptures) into Latin. St. Jerome used two Latin words, a verb and a noun, which means, “to bring light.” St. Jerome joined these two Latin words and capitalized the word, making it a proper noun. Now, understand that most ancient civilizations had a name for the morning star, the brightest star of the morning. Most had a different name for the brightest star of the evening, even though it was the same celestial body, the planet Venus. The Hebrews had a name for this bright star, “Heylel.” Regardless of the reasons St. Jerome had for renaming the morning star, and why the King James scholars chose to keep that name, Joseph Smith made a grave error when he copied that name. The name I’m referring to is, of course, “Lucifer.” The inclusion of that name is puzzling enough. How is it that these ancient gold plates, written in an ancient Egyptian text, contained a name of the morning star that had been renamed by St. Jerome long after the alleged writing on these gold plates? Joseph Smith claimed that, while he had no understanding of the Egyptian text, he did have use of the Urim and Tummim (misspelled and completely misunderstood), as well as the Angel Gabriel, to help translate this text. Perhaps the Archangel decided to go with the Latin version, rather than the original Hebrew name, and conveyed that name to Joseph Smith. Okay, not a great argument; but not completely beyond the realm of possibility. Ah, but Joseph Smith didn’t stop there. In the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith wrote extensively on Lucifer. In fact, he claimed that, in primordial times, Lucifer was the name of an angel in Heaven, who later fell to Earth as the Devil. How is it that a fourth century Illyrian Catholic priest and apologist was able to stumble onto the primordial name of the Devil? For me, the use of Lucifer in 2 Nephi 24:12 is sufficient evidence to conclude that Joseph Smith plagiarized the King James Bible. As a teacher, it is not the correct answers common between two students, which proves that one copied from the other; it is the identical incorrect answers. After all, a correct answer is a correct answer. Identical anomalies will should prove sufficient.

Some have argued that the name "Lucifer" in Isaiah 14:12 doesn't refer to Satan at all, but simply to a Babylonian king. The Hebrew word translated as "Lucifer" refers to the morning star, Venus, or otherwise indicates a bearer of light. Critics say that the Book of Mormon is simply wrong when it quotes Isaiah 14:12 in 2 Nephi 24:12 and keeps the name "Lucifer." They say the revelation in Doctrine and Covenants 76:26 is also wrong, for it also follows the allegedly incorrect interpretation of Isaiah 14 in calling Satan "Lucifer, a son of the morning." A good answer to this question comes from Ben McGuire on a page at FAIRLDS.org.

As McGuire points out, early Christians such as Origen and Tertullian associated the name Lucifer with Satan. Further, several New Testament passages associate Satan with an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), with lightning falling from heaven (Luke 10:18), or as the "god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4)--all consistent with the fallen "lightbearer" concept in the Hebrew of Isaiah 14. Christians for centuries have equated Lucifer with Satan, so there is no question what is meant in Doctrine and Covenants 76:26. In that context, there is nothing wrong with calling Satan "Lucifer, the morning star." However, in the book of Revelation, chapter 22, verse 16, we read that the title of "Morning Star" belongs to Christ, which again makes Satan an impostor, trying to take away the glory of God.

Here is an excerpt from Brother McGuire over at FAIRLDS.org:

Q. How come the LDS church erroneously believes that "Lucifer" is indeed Satan? This is an erroneous teaching and belief that wasn't introduced to Christianity until hundreds of years after Christ. See the following Web site to understand what I am claiming: [anti-LDS URL is given]. This seems to show that Joseph Smith wasn't "inspired" in a number of revelations (especially D&C 76) where he mistakenly equates "Satan" with the entity in Isaiah 14 that was always understood to be a fallen King of Babylon.

A. (by Ben McGuire) I am going to start off by saying that most of what appears on the Web link which you forwarded is nonsense. They give largely erroneous responses. While the Hebrew text is accurately noted, the quality of information goes downhill from there. Let me point out the major error, and then we can discuss the real meaning of the passage in Isaiah.

Jerome translates it as Lucifer in his Latin text--this, your article claims is the starting point for the connection between Lucifer and Satan.

Actually, Lucifer is first mentioned (under that name) in the writings of Origen (end of the second century) some two hundred years before Jerome puts it into his Latin text. Tertullian and others of the early fathers of the church also discuss Lucifer, so the connection between Lucifer and Satan was established some time prior to the end of the second century. Before the Latin text becomes widespread, however, the name Lucifer had a much more specific meaning. It was the name of Satan prior to his fall from glory. Origen explains that this is because prior to his fall, he was a being of light and thus it was an appropriate description of him. After his fall, Origen continues, he was no longer a being of light and became known as Satan.

The second point is that the scholarly community almost universally rejects the being identified as helel ben shahar in Isaiah 14 as being the king of Babylon directly. There is a figure in contemporary Canaanite religion which resembles Helel in Isaiah 14. That figure is 'Athtar. At one point in Canaanite myth, 'Athtar attempts to sit in the throne of Ba'al, the king of the gods. He fails in his attempt, and instead descends to the earth to rule there. 'Athtar is known in southern Arabian inscriptions as Venus, or the Day Star. More than this though, is the account in Isaiah. The "stars of God" is a reference to the divine assembly--all of the divinities of heaven. The mount of the congregation in the sides of the north (in the original Hebrew) is equivalent to Canaanite phrases describing the dwelling place of Ba'al. So, in effect, we have in Isaiah a description of a divinity who wants to seize the throne of Ba'al and rule the heavens. Of course there are differences as well as similarities, but I find this argument to be fairly convincing myself.

While the Web-site article you reference tends to look at the literal meaning of the words, instead of examining them as names, it completely loses the rest of the context of the narrative. There is no basis in Isaiah's charges as they would apply to the Babylonian king. It is primarily on the similarities between the Isaiah text, and text covering the Ba'al/'Athtar myth that this connection is drawn. (For bibliographic references and a description of the related scholarly arguments I recommend this article (the most recent on the subject that I am aware of): "The Mythological Provenance of Isa. XIV 12-15: A Reconsideration of the Ugaritic Material" by Michael S. Heiser, in Vetus Testamentum, 51/3 [2001], p. 354-369).

At the same time, this concept is, interestingly enough, seen in the New Testament. Jesus claims that he saw Satan "fall like lightning from heaven" and in John and Paul we find Satan described as the "God of this world." It was these references (among others) that led the early fathers of the Christian church to conclude that Helel in Isaiah 14 was Lucifer and also Satan. The similarities between their beliefs, and what they saw in the Old Testament texts came together to form a lasting opinion. And when the Latin text named the being in Isaiah 14 as Lucifer, that tradition has been followed ever since.

Continuing Ben's thought, note that the 1828 dictionary of Noah Webster defines the word "Lucifer" and gives it two possible meanings:

1. The planet Venus, so called from its brightness.

2. Satan.

Recognizing that Joseph was preparing an English translation in producing the Book of Mormon, we should not be surprised to find names translated or otherwise converted into modern recognizable forms. Jesus Christ is a translation, for example, with "Christ" being derived from the Greek for "anointed one," related to the word Messiah in Hebrew. Lucifer, at least as of 1828, was an accepted English term to describe Satan. You could (incorrectly) argue that it wasn't plausible or accepted when Jerome made that connection, but it certainly was widely accepted and understandable when Joseph Smith used the term in his translation and other writings. There is no confusion, only deliberate confusion caused by people trying to make a mountainous argument out of a non-existent molehill. Remember, the Book of Mormon is a translation into the modern English language. Most of the words in it were not used in ancient days because they did not exist--English did not exist. But today, Lucifer means Satan, and when railing against the latter, either term can be used by English speakers with fairness, whether you agree with Jerome or not.

Further insight is found in a discussion by René A. Krywult's. The second half of that page provides some excellent insights into ancient Near Eastern views that support the LDS position.

The confusion over the Lucifer/Satan issue may be one of the best arguments against the Book of Mormon, one that our drive-by poster thought was (at last) a slam dunk, but it's really a non-starter (not to be confused with the initial appetizer of bread at an Indian restaurant, which, of course, is a naan-starter).

I will at least give the critics behind this argument credit for recognizing that there can be errors in the Biblical record due to human limitations in translating. I hope they do not, then, rely on the alleged completeness and infallibility of the Bible as a reason to reject modern revelation and further scripture given by the Lord. For those in that camp, may I simply remind you that the Lord said that "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4), and NEVER gave any indication that those words would stop.

The cessation of revelation and scripture as an allegedly Christian principle a post-biblical innovation created of necessity when it was clear that the word of revelation from apostles and prophets was no longer to be found, even though those offices and gifts were to be in the Church until we came to a not-yet-achieved unity of the faith (Ephesians 4:11-14). The problem, though, was not that we no longer needed them or that God had revealed everything we would ever need, but that man had rejected ongoing revelation and killed the messengers--part of the great falling away and famine for the word of God predicted in the Bible, requiring the future time of "refreshing of all things" also prophesied (Acts 3:19). That refreshing has begun and the Book of Mormon is part of the refreshing ancient scripture that has proceeded forth from the mouth of God. It's something we should live by, not ignore and condemn for reasons as silly as quoting a passage of Isaiah with "Lucifer" as a term for Satan.

The critics behind this attack take the tack of Joseph as the unschooled pretender stumbling over the basics. I hope, in their response to the growing body of fascinating evidence for the Book of Mormon such as chiasmus and the evidence from the Arabian Peninsula, that they do not rely on Joseph vast intellectual prowess in scouring the best libraries of the globe for vast tidbit of knowledge that could be woven into the text, which is one of the other vectors for anti-Mormon attacks on the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith, boy wonder and literary genius tapping elite information across the globe, and Joseph Smith, uneducated farmboy pretender without a clue making the most basic mistakes imaginable. Make sure you at least stick with a consistent paradigm when you fail miserably to account for the modern miracle of the ancient Book of Mormon.

Not To Be Alarmist, But Is That a Chunk of Sky Crashing Through My Roof?

2011-11-18T19:19:00.003-06:00

We like to believe that everything is going to be OK, that we'll get through our little setbacks and problems just fine, like we always have. To the extent that the sun will keep rising, yes, that's true. But it may keep rising even though all the assets you thought you owned in the bank are now part of someone else's account. When government itself permits or causes theft, real chaos and economic ruin can follow. You might have missed some of the alarming details about the failure of MF Global recently, but you should dig into this story. Regulators appear to have allowed a crooked CEO to steal the cash that people had deposited to pay for his horrific losses in highly leveraged futures trading. Something that is not supposed to happen, that should never happen, simply happened, with tacit government approval. Mysteriously, $630 million has just disappeared right under regulator's noses. For some, like Ann Barnhardt of Barnhardt Capital Management, the theft is a signal that the rule of law has ended in the United States and that we have become a kleptocracy (warning: she makes an nasty statement toward one party when the problem has become much more bipartisan). Feeling that her clients can no longer be secure in such a system, she's pulling the plug on her business. Worry about the implications of the MF Global crime? Yawn--I know, it wasn't your money. This time.

What happened may be a rare exception, limited to the commodities area and not necessarily applicable to whatever investments you may have. But that it could happen at all is quite unsettling.

Even if the electronic digits that represent your economic assets are secure, even if your cash balances remain untouched and not locked up by regulators or simply swiped, we also face the burden of devastating national debt, now $15 trillion worth plus obligations far beyond that. We'll be footing some of the bill for Europe and facing unpredictable consequences of their horrific debt. The US and Euro governments are stuck in a paradigm of printing money to solve our problems (and subsidizing big banks with artificially low interest rates that further transfers wealth away from citizens who pay them interest on the treasuries they buy with the money they borrow from us for almost free). This cannot go on without consequences, including the ongoing erosion of the dollar. It has lost over 95% of its value since the Federal Reserve began taking charge of our money supply to "protect" us. Adding trillions more to the effective money supply will inevitably erode the value of the dollar in the future--a form of theft, of redistributing your wealth into the hands of the Government, Inc. and their pals.

So is this a time to panic and fall into boundless despair? No, not at all. That doesn't come for a few weeks yet. But this is a time to avoid unnecessary debt, to become more frugal, to build up your food storage, to diversify, to maintain some cash reserves (some precious metals might help one day--a few handfuls of silver coins, for example), to have some fuel, water, and clothing on hand, and to make sure you have 72-hour kits in case of emergency. Be prepared--that's all I'm saying, really. Recognize that we live in perilous times where what we take for granted, like the rule of law and property rights, might not apply when you need it. I hope everything will be OK and that we'll get our debt under control without serious trouble, just like Greece has--wait, I mean Italy, no, Spain, uh, Zambia? Help me out, it's on the tip of my tongue--what was the name of that country that had been cranking out new money like we are and then managed to reduce their debt and fix everything smoothly without serious social and economic trouble? Utopia? Atlantis? Disneyland? Mental block, sorry.

Worse Things Could Happen

2011-11-16T05:15:00.003-06:00

Worse things could happen than the closing of this little bar in the village of Zhu Jia Zhao, an ancient water town with beautiful canals on the outskirts of Shanghai, halfway to Suzhou. Alcohol is not consumed as heavily here as it is Wisconsin, where I spent many years before coming here to to the Appleton of the East (OK, more like the Madison of the East, but without all the angry demonstrators, and, oh, about 100 times as populated). Even though they seem to generally be more temperate, the Chinese people would be even better off if they dropped alcohol completely, IMHO. Healthier and happier. That's just my Mormon 2 cents worth (or 0.13 RMB).

The official notice on the door is from the local power company declaring that their power has been shut off for failure to pay their bills. It looks like a competitor bar put some of their ads on the door.

Maybe I'll post some of the photos of this beautiful canal city, but this old door was one of my favorites from my photo shoot there, courtesy of two wonderful local Chinese friends with a car who took my wife and I on a day of adventure that included this ancient water town. We have such great friends out here!

New Names: Some Random Thoughts Inspired by a Photo from Korea

2011-11-13T06:17:00.003-06:00

One of the things I find charming about eastern Asia is the popularity of English names. Many people, especially professionals, take on an English name of their own choosing. Some of the names are really beautiful and others are a bit creative. Some have very typical names like Jon or Steven, and others have less common names like Spark, LeRou, and Queenie. One high-ranking manager I know uses the name "Handsome." Awesome! But the first time I addressed him in English, I sensed a touch of inner tension when I said, "Hello, Handsome" to another man. That's just not my normal style, in spite of whatever allegations might be out there.

Rather often I encounter names that might benefit from some feedback from native English speakers, but that's just my opinion. The photo below is from some slates at a Buddhist temple in eastern Korea, where some friends wrote their names for good luck (and a small fee to the temple). Cute!
Click to enlarge:

Choosing a new name for oneself is a fun thing. Usually, though, names are assigned by others. My Chinese name, 林哲甫, for example, was given to me by a sweet Latter-day Saint woman from Taiwan when I took some Mandarin classes at BYU long ago. It's a name that raises eyebrows and elicits positive commentary from the local Chinese when they see it for they can tell it's not a normal name for foreigners, but was given by someone with a deep understanding of Chinese culture. My teacher went home and pondered over an evening, she said, before she selected the name. It's actually been a blessing to me over here, decades later.

One of the interesting aspects of the Bible is the giving of new names to people. This practice is often associated with entering into a covenant with God. Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, and Saul became Paul after his conversion. There is also the enigmatic verse in Revelation 2:17, that says "To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows except him who receives it." This personal new name makes sense for those familiar with crown jewels of the Restoration found in the marvelous LDS Temple, a sacred place where covenants are made to follow God and Jesus Christ. Just as a newborn baby is given a name, so those who enter into the covenants of life can receive a new name. I don't understand its future importance, just as much of the book of Revelation and the mysteries of the Gospel are beyond me, but I like the idea of receiving a new name as part of entering into the covenants of the Temple that help us more fully be born again in Christ. It's a cool and ancient concept, and, like my Chinese name, something that has been helpful to me in my life in ways I can't explain here. Don't take this little part of LDS culture for granted. There are some deep and beautiful aspects to the LDS Temple ceremony and to the LDS experience, if we'll let the Lord reveal insights to us along the way.

Something's Brewing in China

2011-11-09T08:06:00.005-06:00

My wife was away with some Relief Society women tonight so I was in no hurry to get home. I skipped my quick subway route (just one stop) and instead meandered along a longer path, going from Shanghai's Bund where I work up to Nanjing Street and then People's Square, then over to elegant Xin Tian Di, past a couple of parks, and then dropped by the booth of a struggling friend and chatted as he closed up shop at the famous but decaying Dong Tai Antiques Market, and then strolled two more blocks to my little apartment with one of the best views in China. As I approached the mix of modern buildings and old city that defines my endlessly lovable and sometimes troubling neighborhood, my heart lept as I encountered a scene that I just adore. In fact, not once, but three times, with three different groups all doing it differently. That's when I realized what I love most about China.

When I first came here, I thought what I love most was "the culture," or the food, or the language, or the scenery, or "the people." But "the people" is far too vague a concept. Yes, it's the people, but there's one aspect of "the people" and their culture that just elates me each time I encounter it, and tonight I got three doses in rapid succession. What I love most about China is . . . the dancing! At night in all sorts of unexpected public places, one can encounter groups of people, sometimes all women, sometimes men and women, sometimes old, sometimes middle-aged or younger, gathering where there is some vacant pavement or cement or tiled ground with a cheap boom box cranking out a tune so the group can dance. Many times the group appears to be doing a complicated line dance with lots of charming moves (where do they work out all those steps before going public?). Sometimes the music is Western, other times it's distinctly Chinese. Sometimes couples are dancing the swing, the fox trot or waltz, other times it's salsa or rumba or cha cha, or something I can't recognize. But whether it's couples or line dancing or musical group aerobics tai-qi style with all the mystic motions, public dance is alive and well on the streets of Shanghai and I just love it. My wife and I are planning to brush up on our old social dance courses we took and go out and join them some night.

The dancing is one of many things that makes me so happy to be here. But there's something bigger and deeper than just my personal enjoyment that draws me here. This is a land of miracles. Many people who have felt drawn to China and are now here are seeing and experiencing that. This is a difficult place to live, but here in the Shanghai Branch, so many of us feel blessed each day, supported and helped in ways we just aren't used to, sensing that the Lord is doing something through small means, small steps, but something real, something big. Something is brewing here in China, and it's going to be wonderful to see how all the strange little steps with the Lord's guidance may one day become a beautiful dance.

We like to think we have something precious that one day, when the time is right, we will be able to teach many people. But meanwhile, what's really happening is that people of China are teaching us. They have so much to offer, so much wisdom and strength and courage and beauty. If you want to understand what can be learned through suffering and affliction, our pioneer stories pale in comparison to what the people of China have faced in their long and even recent history. They know how to endure, how to work, how to sacrifice all they have, how to remain brave in the darkest of times and give hope to the rising generation. Some learn the wrong lessons and contribute to misery of others, but so many have come through the refiner's fire with noble souls that can lift and strengthen others even when their physical strength is spent. They are part of something amazing, something big that has been and still is brewing here in China. My wife might call this my boyish optimism again, flying in the face of reality, but there is a sense shared by many here of something great waiting to be revealed in China. I can't wait to see when and what it is.

Meanwhile, may the people of this great land keep dancing! And may some of us LDS people join the fun.

Mitt Romney and the Mormon Question

2011-11-07T17:56:00.001-06:00

I had a call from a significant journalist in the US who wanted to discuss my views on anti-Mormonism and Mitt Romney. I accepted the interview, hoping that somehow I might do more good than harm in spite of dealing with controversial topics and the unpredictability of the press. If any of you lose your souls because of anything I said, well, I hope it's because I was misquoted. In fact, let me go on record now to state that I categorically deny saying whatever it was I said. Hey, that was easy--maybe I should run for office, too?

Chances are that nothing I said will make it into print--I was just one of multiple sources being interviewed for a story on opposition to Mormonism sparked by the Romney campaign. The reporter raised some common issues: "Does Romney's religion and his religious values jeopardize his ability to serve in office? Will his religious values play a role in his political decisions? Can a President be loyal to America when they follow a Mormon prophet?"

I explained that these are aspects of broader issues that are not unique to Latter-day Saint politicians. Every individual has a set of values that influence how they see the world and how they act. Whether those values are based on some flavor of Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, atheism, etc., or mixtures thereof, every politician brings a set of values and beliefs to the table, partly expressed in words but also expressed in one's track record. How those values affect future decision making is a fair question for voters to consider in every case, not just for Mormons. For example, if voters oppose abortion, then they should support candidates who also oppose abortion. I didn't mention this second example, but here's another one to consider: if people want more racial diversity in a America, then they should select a politician whose political and/or religious values will lead him or her to oppose abortion, which eliminates a higher percentage of black children than white children.

The concern that a Mormon President will betray America by relying on the Prophet for decision making is simply ridiculous. Our two most prominent Mormon politicians, Romney and Harry Reid, have been in office for years and have never shown a sign of such behavior. Both, in fact, have taken positions on some major issues that many LDS people might not feel are highly aligned with LDS inclinations. So what's the threat? Where's the evidence of putting Church and Prophet ahead of America? They have values, including some I strongly disagree with, but they appear to be their own men (or, less naively stated, at least owned by someone else besides Thomas S. Monson).

People were worried about Catholicism and John F. Kennedy. Could a Catholic be a good president, or would the Pope get his foot into the White House? Catholicism was not a problem, and with all due respect, I think President Kennedy would have been wiser and happier if he had been a little more Catholic in his behavior. But I'll leave that discussion for another day.

What irks me about the issue of Mormonism and Romney is that some unpleasant folks are using it as a cause to push their own anti-Mormon bigotry. Again numerous congregations are being told that Mormons aren't even Christian, using contrived definitions for "Christian" that would typically exclude Christ and the early Christians of the New Testament. The attacks are intended to scare people away from the Church, and for too many, they are working. Folks, check it out for yourselves and don't give in to the hysterical fear mongering.

As for politics, I've tried to give a relatively bipartisan flavor to my occasional denunciations of politicians in an effort to not be political on this blog. Bipartisan criticism is easy, of course, when one feels both parties in the United States are have let America down. Is Romney the answer? Well, first tell me what the question is. That is one of the biggest gaps in popular American thought--a failure to ask questions, especially meaningful questions. Over here in China, there are a lot of people asking good questions, like "How can America stay solvent if it keeps spending like a bunch of, uh, Americans?" For another day.

Abiding in Christ and the Tragedy of Pernicious Theology

2011-11-03T18:47:00.002-05:00

I've had some wild experiences since moving to China. Some were worried about the risks I might be taking in the crazy streets of Shanghai (one of Asia's most livable and lovable cities for Westerners) and other places over here, including parts of Indonesia where I was earlier this week. But the challenges I've faced are a piece of cake compared to what my youngest son is probably going through each day as a new missionary transplanted into an impoverished, dirty, parasite-rich, excessively hot, and not-always-friendly part of Peru. I know he probably won't share just how difficult and dangerous some parts of his experience are, but it's hard to hide what life is like there. Yet he went willingly to stand as a witness of Jesus Christ and to bear witness of the power of Christ and His Atonement, teaching and baptizing in the name of Jesus Christ.

A few days before he left the comforts of Appleton, Wisconsin, he was approached by one of his friends from high school, a friend who had known my son and seen his example as a Christian for years (recognizing parental bias, it's still fairly objective to say that my son is a popular and well-liked young man who is widely noted for being religious and for having high standards). This friend, a devout Protestant, just wanted to reach out and let my son know that his soul was lost and that he wasn't a Christian at all. What, believing in Christ, teaching of Christ, seeking to follow Christ, and putting your life at risk for two years as an ambassador of Christ doesn't count for at least being partly Christian? No, it doesn't count at all. You see, it's one thing to believe in Jesus and be saved, but if you ALSO think you really ought to keep the commandments, then you don't properly understand grace and, naturally, will rot in hell for this gap in theological understanding. In his form of modern Protestant theology, failing the Great Theology Quiz on the semantics of grace, justification, soteriology, and perhaps even esterification is just about the only way that someone who has accepted Jesus Christ can get thrown into hell.

My son was about to put on a name tag bearing the name of Jesus Christ ("The Church of ....") to be a public witness for Christ for two years. My son explained that he fervently believed in and accepted Christ as his savior. But that wasn't good enough. It's good enough for almost everyone else except Mormons, apparently. By coming along and adding an errant belief on the relations between grace, works, and salvation, all is lost. Eternally. So, in the spirit of Christian love, this good Protestant just wanted to reach out to my son and warn him that his soul was toast. Nice way to say good-bye. [Update: Of course, he was trying to be loving and helpful to save my son's soul, and my son recognized this. The intentions were noble, but good intentions can lead to bad outcomes when informed by horrifically flawed teachings.]

That Protestant young man was the victim of bad theology, and that theology, perhaps reinforced by religious bigotry from a pastor, led to an unfortunate result. A friend and fellow Christian was condemned as non-Christian. An entire religion of people seeking to follow Christ have been denounced as a non-Christian threat. That's not just bad theology, it's pernicious theology. Tragic theology.

If that young man is reading this blog, or for those of you who share similar unfortunate views, let me point to one of many passages from Jesus Christ that I hope you'll read and ponder. My son shared a lot of Bible verses that ought to have helped clarify the relationship between grace and our response to it, including the importance of following Jesus not just in word only, but to no avail, so this may not do any good. But this passage takes a different approach that I hope will open some eyes, somewhere. This passage reminds us that to be truly Christian and to truly accept the grace of Jesus and be saved eternally, we need to abide in Jesus. It's not a momentary event, but a journey. Abide. That means we endure, hang on, keep following, and not let go. Read this passage and see if you can possibly resolve what your minister has taught you with what Christ so plainly teaches.

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

How ironic, how tragically ironic, that a young man striving to be a friend of Christ by not just believing once but by abiding in His grace and keeping His commandments should, for that very reason, be condemned as a non-Christian whose soul was lost. That's pernicious theology. Tragically so.

Mormons believe in Christ. We accept Him as our Savior. After accepting Him, we seek to abide in His love. We seek to endure in faith to the end. We seek to do keep His commandments and do what He said. That great God who said, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" may have a lot of issues with our failures and misunderstandings, but I don't believe that salvation inn Christ depends on passing a quiz on modern theology.

The Apparent Use of So-Called Magic Objects for Divination: A Sound Reason to Reject Joseph as a Prophet?

2011-11-01T17:24:00.000-05:00

Should we condemn the prophet Joseph for apparent use of techniques that we would call magic or occult in our day? Things like using a solid object for purposes of divining or seeking revelation? Because of our modern discomfort with such concepts, do we reject him as a prophet of God and reject the scriptural records associated with him? I think that would be an unfortunate mistake, though the evidence of his "guilt" in this area is hard to overlook completely. Here is the primary evidence, straight from a part of the LDS scriptures, Genesis 44, which describes Joseph's use of an object that plays a key role in the interesting story of that record:

5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

This is from the story in which the great ancient prophet, Joseph, used his cup, the cup he allegedly used for "magical" or revelatory divination, to frame one of his brothers as a thief in a clever scheme to save his entire family. It's a beautiful, touching, inspiring story, infused with a touch of the occult, at least when viewed from our modern perspective. Do we therefore reject Joseph, his revelations and inspired deeds as a prophet, and the scriptural records associated with him and that praise him--you know, records like the Bible? Personally, I think that would be a mistake.

Saved By Grace, After All We Can Do? Inisghts from Paul in Ephesians 6

2011-10-30T02:11:00.002-05:00

I've encountered many Christians whose theology makes them struggle with basic LDS views like the importance of keeping the commandments and the concern that we as Christians can fall from grace. While we've beaten these issues many times in the past here at Mormanity and over at JeffLindsay.com, I'd like to point out a minor insight that might help some folks when it comes to confusion over a related Book of Mormon teaching, the idea of being saved by grace "after all we can do". The verse in question comes from Nephi in 2 Nephi 25:23:

23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

There are several ways to interpret this verse. Some interpret it to mean that grace makes up the difference between our best efforts and God's standards, but with the expectation that we do everything we can on our own. Some argue that it means that notwithstanding all we can do, it is only through grace that we are saved. A related interpretation is that grace is apart from all we can do. I'm not sure what is best. But I do think we might learn something by looking at another leader in the Gospel who, like Nephi, wrote and spoke to persuade others to be reconciles to God, and who vigorously warned against sin and urged people to be zealous in following Christ. I think we can learn a little by considering Paul's words in Ephesians 6, who exhorts his fellow Christians to encourage them to become strong and diligent in living the Gospel, obviously concerned with the risk that Christians might fall. After all, it's a spiritual war we are in with a real enemy and real casualties. Thus, we need armor:

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Verse 13 is especially noteworthy. Christians are exhorted to protect themselves from the dangers of Satan with the multiple components of the armor of God (yes, there is real danger and not guaranteed salvation from a moment of belief). Though Satan's attacks are powerful, if Christians put on this armor, they will be able to avoid falling and, instead, to stand--having done all. Perhaps "and having done all, to stand" is meant to express much the same meaning as Nephi's "after all we can do." If so, I think we should be easy on Paul and not reject him as another non-Christian cultist with no hope of salvation for having errant theology. Paul's still a good fellow Christian in my book.

A Consecrated Brain: Greg Smith's Intellectual Journey in Dealing with the Challenge of Polygamy in the Early Church

2011-10-24T18:11:00.000-05:00

One of the best sources on the complex topic of Mormon polygamy is "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Plural Marriage* (*but were afraid to ask)" by Greg Smith. That link allows you to play an MP3 file to hear Greg Smith's hour-long talk on the topic. You can also read his words at FAIRLDS.org, complete with footnotes. He treats many aspects of this complex issue, including polyandry and young wives.

While I rejoice in the detailed scholarship and carefully reasoned insights Brother Smith offers on this topic, I am especially intrigued by the approach he took in dealing with the issue. The long-terminated practice of polygamy offered much that bothered Brother Smith, such as charges from critics that Joseph was a sexual predator. As he struggled with the issue, yearning for answers and wondering if he should delve into all the historical details to come to his own conclusions, he turned to God in prayer.

But, the problem was, in that moment, when I first approached God with this, was that my spiritual life did not have four or five years, which is how long I've been doing this now, to sit in the church archives. My spiritual life could not be put on hold for that long. How long could I halt between two opinions? If Joseph be Baal or a sexual predator, don't follow him. Jesus called the apostles and did not tell them to spend three or four years with the primary sources before deciding to answer the call to "Come, follow me."

And for me, ultimately, the question (I see now) had nothing to do with plural marriage at all. Plural marriage was only the catalyst for a much more fundamental question and that question was, "Do I trust Father?" And I see now, by the grace of God, that my instinctive reaction was to do that, to express my trust and, amazingly, to mean it. I did not realise it at the time, but what I effectively chose to do, if I can put it crudely, is I chose to "consecrate my brain." I value my brain—we all do—nobody likes to be thought foolish or naïve or ill-informed or duped or cognitively dissonant or any of the other labels people can put upon us.33 I'm a doctor, I'm regarded as a reasonably smart person, I love science, I love evidence, I'm a sceptic, I'm a rationalist. I say all this about myself—I am all those things, that's part of how I conceive of myself.

I could have gone before God and I could have demanded answers, I could've told him I want the evidence and I want it now, I want closure. I could've issued him ultimatums. I could've told him that if this didn't work out, I was quitting. But, I chose instead, to consecrate my brain. I was willing to sacrifice my self-image, my years of learning, my intellectual effort and my social respectability on the internet (which I'm sure is crashing as I speak!) because I trusted Father.

But, you know, it's the funny thing about consecration, you always get back everything you consecrate, with interest. Once my Father and I had an understanding which took, maybe, 10 minutes, I was back to thinking again. And immediately, I began to get more answers and perspective that I know what to do with, and it hasn't stopped yet. It's like trying to drink from a fire hose and I apologize for spraying you all but I haven't exactly got it controlled yet.

I got "good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over" (Luke 6:38). I cast my bread upon the water and God sent back an aircraft carrier with a bakery on top.

My only fear in saying all this is that some people will think I'm offering a pat answer—I'm not. Abraham was asked to consecrate Isaac. And with Isaac went all the precious promises, everything that made Abraham, Abraham. But he put his son on the altar and he got him back and so much more. We know how Abraham's story ends but Abraham did not. And as Elder Maxwell observed, even when we know it's a test, we can't say, "Look ma, no hands."34 You can't consecrate your brain while crossing your fingers and hoping that we can somehow trick God by going through the intellectual motions and that he will support our demand for proof. You can't ask for a sign, but I bear you my witness that "signs follow them that believe," in this as in everything (D&C 63:9).

And so, I've tried to answer some questions today but I will leave you with one. And that question is, "Do you trust Father?" If you do, I have no worries, and if you do not, or if you've forgotten how, or you fear you may be starting to, you must start there because no answer from me or anyone else will satisfy you on a historical matter. And if plural marriage doesn't trip you up, something will. Settle it up with Father and then you and I can talk.

Some will assume that a "consecrated brain" means making up your mind and ignoring the evidence, but that would be gross injustice to the complex grappling with history and detailed scholarship that Greg Smith has put into this issue. It has been a journey of discovery and new insights, not a close-minded reiteration of what he thought he already knew. Trusting God as we open our minds and do the heavy lifting of studying and thinking is not weakness but brings intellectual and spiritual strength.

"The Fullness of the Godhead Bodily"

2011-10-22T20:26:00.000-05:00

A timely reminder from Paul is found in Colossians 2:8-9:

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Bodily. I like that word. The physical, tangible body of the Resurrection, the one that witnesses handled and saw and that Christ declared and showed to have flesh and bone, not spirit alone, still exists. In the real and tangible body of Christ, the fullness of God's glory and power exists. He is real and, as Paul said, looks just like His Father, for He is "the express image of his person" (Heb. 1:3). And wonderfully, we are created in that physical image, sons and daughters of our very real Father in Heaven.

Don't let the traditions of human philosophy, steeped in Neo-Platonism or other inventions, deceive you regarding the basic nature of the Godhead.

Engineering Professors Witnessing for Christ

2011-10-20T06:18:00.000-05:00

I'm in Minneapolis this week with thousands of other chemical engineers. It's been a very busy week filled with some small and large miracles along the way. On Tuesday morning, I obtained a real boost in my desire to be a better witness for Christ while attending a 6:30 am Christian fellowship breakfast, one of the highlights of each Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). Professor Lisa Bullard, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at North Carolina State University, was the speaker. She shared experiences in which she has been able to help struggling students in rebuilding their faith, and offered ideas on how professors can stand as witnesses of Christ while respecting the rules and pressures of the secular organizations that employ them. Inspiring! She also got the group very involved in sharing. One professor shared his approach of simply letting students know at the beginning of each semester that he is a Christian and would be happy to talk privately with anyone struggling with their faith. Another professor whom I really respect and admire said that he regrets the quiet, bashful approach he took to Christianity over much of his career. In the past 5 years, this bold witness for Christ has decided that there's no need to be ashamed of Christianity and has been much more open and frank about his faith and says life is so much more fun that way.

Students need to know that it's possible for intelligent, respected professors to also be devout Christians. The smug anti-Christian attitude that pervades academia needs bold refutation by living witnesses for Christ. I was inspired by the Christian professors and other engineers who were at this breakfast, sharing their experiences and desires to witness for Christ and bless the lives of students who need Christ more than ever in the soul-numbing atmosphere of modern universities.

Coaching Those Who Struggle in Callings

2011-10-17T06:03:00.000-05:00

The Church is a volunteer organization, so the quality and quantity of work done at any level by volunteers in their callings will vary and can often disappoint. How we deal with those who disappoint is one of the most important challenges for strengthening others in the Church and maintaining the health of our organization.

When I was a young married student at BYU, we attended a local Provo ward with some young student families and a lot of other people, many close to or past retirement. I was called to serve as executive secretary in a bishopric with a very experienced bishop. With his experience, he understood well what the role of executive secretary was and how important that calling was. Unfortunately, I did not share that understanding and didn't know what was expected. I thought I was serving faithfully and didn't realize that there were a host of things he was expecting beyond attending meetings with him and carrying out specific assignments. After a couple of months, I was surprised in a sacrament meeting to hear the announcement that I had been released and a new executive executive secretary had been called. Ouch. Releases are supposed to follow interviews of some kind so that the person to be released understands that the release is coming. It's a mistake that is rare but can happen (a release interview may be delegated to a counselor and then a touch of confused communication can lead the bishop to think it's been handled when it hasn't been)--I made that mistake at least once myself. But it's also the kind of mistake that can drive wounded members out of the church. I chose to act thick-skinned and not be bothered, but I was. I remember wondering why I had not been coached and guided. I think I would have accepted the challenge and tried harder if I had know what was needed.

We all struggle in our callings, even some of us who have been around for decades with lots of Church experience. I think it's safe to assume that all of us could use some coaching and guidance when we aren't living up to expectations. But those expectations should be made clear early on and then reiterated in follow-up interviews and contact to help those in callings understand and succeed, when possible, in their callings. New and experienced members need gentle treatment and guidance to find success.

For those of us who have been wounded when our calling or release is handled in a way that causes pain or embarrassment, we must also remember that we are dealing with fallible mortals in a volunteer organization where also sorts of human problems can occur. Talk with your leader or leaders about the problem, but be patient and quick to forgive. Recognize that we need to put up with a lot in this mortal journey, but keep holding on in faith and remember that it is Christ we seek to follow and serve in His Church, no matter what gaps the mortals around us may have.

Understanding Grace and Works: Grasping Prayer Might Help

2011-10-11T19:02:00.000-05:00

As I struggle with the blindness of some ministers and their followers who condemn Mormons as non-Christians because we allegedly require "works" like following Christ and trying to do the things He taught, I'd like to suggest they step back and consider prayer. Before launching into the same old arguments about how we are not-saved since we think that our works can influence our salvation, or that any human action could possibly influence God's granting of grace to us, why not think about prayer first as a model? In prayer, we do something, turning to God in faith, requesting guidance and blessings sometimes. And He responds. He answers prayers. Maybe not the way we want sometimes, but millions of Christians have experienced the reality of prayer.

Through prayer, we may receive blessings from God--through grace--that He wants to give us, but might not have if we didn't seek and ask. Seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be given unto you. Asking and receiving is part of the Christian experience. Accessing grace that is made available with conditions--asking, seeking, exercising faith--does not destroy the concept of grace. It's inherent to it. We access the gift of grace by seeking to keep God's commandments and follow Him in faith. We don't earn salvation or anything else, but gladly receive the gifts of grace on the conditions God has created in His covenant of mercy. It's as simple as prayer.

The Church in Korea

2011-10-09T17:23:00.002-05:00

While in Korea last week, my wife and I attended an old inner city unit of the Church in a hilly downtown area. There we met Brother Cho and his wife, shown below. He was the first bishop in the entire land of Korea. He was so warm and friendly and made us feel right at home. The Korean people are remarkably friendly, but he was especially so. The photos below show their little church building and Brother and Sister Cho, plus a view looking down from above.

That downtown unit went from being a ward to a branch since so many families have moved out to the suburbs recently. I felt the downtown area of Seoul was beautiful and highly livable, but it may also be too expensive and a challenge for raising children, so the exodus to the suburbs has been pretty strong for people with children. In spite of the exodus, there had just been a convert baptism of a young woman the week before and a young man in college, a bright MBA student, was getting baptized the day we were there. Cool.

Beauty in the Details: A Car Wash Analogy

2011-10-09T08:27:00.002-05:00

The photo below, unmodified except for resizing and adding my name, was taken during a car wash in Appleton, Wisconsin, back when we still had cars. Now we're carless, living in China. The foam looked interesting so I whipped out my camera and took a shot as my dirty vehicle was being cleaned. It was cool, but the real beauty was in the details when I looked at the image later. When I zoomed in to different parts of the image, as shown in the two other enlargements below, the interplay of light, water, and foam on the mirror was really delightful.

The Gospel is that way, including the Book of Mormon, the LDS Temple, and many other parts of our journey. There is much more than meets the eye initially, many gems that only come into view when we dig and zoom in, or, when it comes to service, when we magnify our calling and see the hand of the Lord there to help us.

The Gospel is so true, so beautiful, but a careless observer might just see what we have as a wet dirty vehicle and miss the beauty that is being unfolded in the Lord's process of cleaning and refining.

Barbara Bradley Hagerty's Fingerprints of God

2011-10-09T05:45:00.001-05:00

A new friend in Shanghai lent me her copy of Barbara Bradley Hagerty's Fingerprnts of God: What Science Is Learning About the Brain and Spiritual Experience (New York: Riverhead Books, Penguin Group, 2009). Barbara is NPR's religion correspondent--a keenly intellectual, gifted writer and clear thinker who has explored many aspects of religion and the religious experience over the years. She's also a recent convert to Christianity. I enjoy the perspectives she offers and the way she feels and thinks. I almost feel like I'm reading the journal of a sister, of a seeker who gets it, though perhaps not quite the way I wish she would. But somehow I expect or hope that we will find ourselves on converging paths. I am grateful for her efforts to share her explorations with the spiritual and to let others know why there really might be something beyond the tiny glimpse of reality we get in the tangible world.

Barbara was raised as a Christian Scientist, believing in God more as a principle than a living Being, but has since become a more traditional Christian who accepts Christ as the Son of God, while also accepting modern science and acknowledging certain limitations of the Bible. She also believes that there may be many ways to follow Christ and that God's love for His children and access to spiritual experiences is not limited to Christianity alone. There is much that I can agree with and virtually nothing worthy of cursory dismissal. One day, though, I hope she will come to know the rich core of joy and light available in the fullness of the Restored Gospel, whose blessings indeed will be made available to peoples across the continents and the centuries, even those who lived and died without ever hearing of Christ--so merciful, loving, and just is our God. Then she will be even more fully my sister.

Her personal journey and the journeys of others she interviewed for the book involve spiritual experiences that might be familiar to many Latter-day Saints and other fellow Christians. For example, prior to her conversion, she interviewed an evangelical Christian, Kathy Younge, who had found spiritual peace and happiness in spite of facing deadly cancer. She asked her how she could be so cheerful while facing that awful disease.

"It's Jesus," she said. "Jesus gives me peace."

"A guy who lived two-thousand years ago? I asked, incredulous. "How can that be?"

"Jesus is as real to me as you are," she explained. "He's right here, right now."

Right, I thought. Yet there was something wondrous about Kathy's confidence.... As we talked, the night darkened. The streetlamp next to our bench cast a circle of around us, creating the eerie sense that we were actors in the spotlight on a stage. The temperature had dropped into the fifties. I was shivering but pinned to the spot, riveted by Kathy and her serene faith.

My body responded before my mind, alerting me to some unseen change, a danger perhaps. I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, and my heart started beating a little faster--as it is now, recalling the moment. Imperceptibly at first, the air around us thickened, and I wondered whether a clear, dense mist had rolled in from the ocean. The air grew warmer and heavier, as if someone had moved into the circle and was breathing on us. I glanced at Kathy. She had fallen silent in mid-sentence. Neither of us spoke. Gradually, and ever so gently, I was engulfed by a presence I could feel but could not touch. I was paralyzed. I could only manage shallow breaths. After a minute, although it seemed longer, the presence melted away. We sat quietly, while I waited for the earth to steady itself. I was too spooked to speak, and yet I was exhilarated, as the first time I skied down an expert slope, terrified and oddly happy that I could not turn back. Those few moments, the time it takes to boil water for tea, reoriented my life. The episode left a mark on my psyche that I bear today. (pp. 4-5)

It's not always so dramatic, especially as we begin as our spiritual journey and encounters with the Spirit, but so often there is both the physical--the burning in the heart or the physical sense of a presence--as well as the mental enlightenment that comes in those moments that strengthen our testimonies as we encounter the Divine.

This was one of multiple spiritual experiences in her journey. As with so many seekers I know, so many converts to God and Christ, she had spiritual experiences involving prayer. Prayer is the real secret sauce for moving beyond the deceptions of the material world and our minuscule scope of human understanding. Four days after her interview with Kathy, Barbara reflected on that experience. Pondering, she became curious about "those Christians" who felt that they had come to know God. What had they found and how? She describes how her curiosity became a thirst, and that thirst led to prayer. It was daring to pray, daring to open her heart up much later, that she experienced just how real God is.

On June 14, 1995, around two o'clock in the afternoon, I lowered my guard. I opened myself up just barely to the notion that there might be a God who cares about me the same way that Jesus cared about, say, his friend Mary. I prayed--and in the split second of surrender, O felt my heart stir and grow warm, as if it were changing. It was a physical thing, exquisite, undeniable....

That moment was seared into my memory, and later, when I wondered if I had really encountered God, that warmed heart acted like a Polaroid snapshot, confirmation that a spiritual transformation had taken place. (p. 72)

It was not a dramatic event with angels, voices, or visions, yet it became the "continental divide" for her life. She noted that it involved both physical and mental aspects, something many others have observed, and something the LDS scriptures also mention (the "burning in the bosom" of Doctrine and Covenants 9, the revelation to heart and mind of Doctrine & Covenants 8). Fascinating.

President Monson Reminds Me of My Wife

2011-10-09T04:20:00.000-05:00

Here in Shanghai our branch got to view General Conference this weekend, along with the reast of eastern Asia. What a delight!

While listening to President Monson's powerful sermon in Priesthood session last night, I marveled at the breadth of experiences he has had and at what a gem this human being is. He is so right for the Church at this time. Such an amazing and charming person. I said to myself, "We are so lucky that such a person even exists, and he is ours!" That's a familiar sentiment for me, though most often directed toward my wife. I simply can't believe how lucky I am to have her in my life, and I can say something similar about President Monson. I think we can all say that. We're just so lucky to have such a man in our lives. One of the finest examples of true Christianity anywhere in this mortal realm.

My First Vision of Korea: "Believe in Jesus"

2011-10-04T19:59:00.001-05:00

This was the first thing I saw after leaving China and walking out of the customs area into Korea at the Gimpo International Airport in Seoul. A faithful Christian man was waiting for the many passengers from Shanghai. "Believe in Jesus" was his simple message. I gave him a thumbs up and asked permission to take this photo. He was happy to share his image with the world. "Believe in Jesus" - what an urgently needed message.

The religious liberty of Korea is refreshing, though China has a degree of it. Christianity has flourished in Korea, as have other beliefs. The freedom of the people to believe, to assemble, and to share their religious thoughts with others is an important part of the liberty of Korea that has contributed to such amazing prosperity and beauty in this land. May all the world one day become a safe place to share one's religious beliefs with others. I think the gift of religious liberty will only make a nation stronger, better, and happier.

The Emperor and His Cucumbers

2011-10-01T00:45:00.001-05:00

Recently I had my second visit to the Forbidden City of Beijing which I enjoyed even more than my first. On that first visit in 1987, my Chinese friends arranged for an English speaking tour guide who was very helpful. Several times she mentioned the emperor and his cucumbers. Apparently he had quite a taste for cucumbers. Of all the terrific delicacies one can find in China, why cucumbers would be so high on his list was beyond me, but I nodded and kept listening. Then she took us to a lovely building and explained that this was where the emperor kept some of his cucumbers. A whole building, just for cucumbers? What? It took a few minutes before I realized the problem. The emperor's cucumbers were victims of mispronunciation. Concubines was what our tour guide was trying to say. The emperor wasn't such an ardent vegetarian after all.

Sometimes when we talk about our religion, we are like the tour guide, using terms and concepts that can really puzzle and confuse those whom we are trying to teach in spite of politely nodding and appearing to understand. Communication gaps from our use of unfamiliar terms ("bearing a testimony" or even "temple marriage" might be examples) or poorly explaining things can leave people with completely wrong impressions. It's never easy, but taking time to check on what people think we have said can help, as can pondering if the terms we use frequently in our religion convey the same meaning to others.

Note: please keep the comments on topic. Today's post is not a forum for delving into controversies around plural vegetables of any kind.

Two Strangers in Detroit, Many Friends in Asia

2011-09-23T20:13:00.002-05:00

Back in February, I was passing through the Detroit airport when I walked past a Chinese couple struggling to get some information from a United Airlines agent. I could tell there was a language problem and that they were worried. I wasn't in a hurry and for some reason felt that maybe I could help, so with my poor Chinese I stuck my nose into the conversation. I eventually figured out that they were confused about their luggage because when they came through Detroit from China, they had to pick it up and take it through customs to get it checked onto their next flight, and now they worried that something had gone wrong since they weren't doing the same again with the luggage they had checked at another city. I explained that the luggage would be put on their plane to China and that they didn't need to do anything else or worry about their luggage (fingers crossed). That solved the problem. Like many Chinese people, they were extremely gracious. We exchanged cards and they told me that if I ever come to Shanghai, please look them up. That was before I had any idea that I was going to Shanghai. We stayed in touch and my wife and I did take them up on the offer.

That little encounter led not only to only of the best dinners ever with the couple and their friend a couple weeks ago, but led to a marvelous day yesterday where I had the privilege of speaking to a group of about 60 engineering students and professors in a seminar in intellectual property on the beautiful campus of the Shanghai University of Engineering Science, where one of those two strangers in Detroit is a professor. And that speaking engagement led to a dinner invitation with another group of people, a wonderful Taiwanese family, some of whom are living in Shanghai. The dinner, once again, was one of the best ever. Chinese food is terrific, but especially when a) there is a large group of people so many dishes can be ordered and sampled, and b) a Chinese person does the ordering and selects the restaurant.

So many blessings came from a few minutes of trying to help a couple of strangers in Detroit. It's a terribly selfish thought, but I have to wonder how many other wonderful experiences I've missed by walking past people who could have used a hand for a minute or two? The bigger question is how much more good might I have done if I had just paid attention or had the courage or compassion to stop and help? Sometimes all that is needed is a few words of guidance, not hours or resources we don't have. Some of my most frustrating moments were or could have been resolved with a touch of kindness from a passing stranger.

Faith Alone? Paul's Reminder on the Need for Charity

2011-09-21T18:43:00.002-05:00

To those who insist that faith alone is the key to salvation, I'd like to gently point to the beautiful words of Paul regarding charity in the opening lines of First Corinthians 13:

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

Even with great faith, Paul would be nothing if he did not have charity.

I've always been puzzled over the insistence by some folks that "faith alone" is the key to salvation. It puzzles me because the only time that phrase or anything close to it occurs in the Bible is when the Good Word warns us that justification is NOT by faith only: "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." (James 2:24)

Yes, yes, yes, I understand that true faith leads us to Christ and to become more like Him in having charity, and that it leads to the works that are emphasized in so many parts of the Bible. But Paul is not writing to believers on autopilot who have nothing to worry abut once they believe. He is writing to believers who need to grow and repent and seek after the best gifts, such as charity, as part of their personal development in the journey through mortality. It is a journey where we can go forward or, if we choose to, regress and fall from grace. Paul just finished warning the Corinthian Christians about the danger of complacency in 1 Cor. 10 ("Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall"), and now reminds us that seeking charity is part of our journey. An essential part.

Paranoid Paul?

2011-09-17T10:10:00.000-05:00

Ever notice how many times Paul expresses concern about maintaining the blessings of grace that are offered by Christ? Have you noticed all the passages where he worries that he or other Christians might fall if they aren't careful? Overly worried? Paranoid? If so, it's healthy paranoia--the kind that helps people face the brutal realities of their current situation in order to avoid real disaster. In multiple passages of the New Testament, Paul pleads with us to be cautious and avoid the many ways to fall from grace--and with good reason.

Here's one example from 1 Corinthians 9 where Paul expresses concern about maintaining self-control over his own body, recognizing that even though he is a preacher and an apostle, he could become a spiritual castaway if he neglects the Gospel and its teachings.

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

May we too seek to keep the lusts and desires of our bodies under control lest we fall into serious sin that pulls us away from Christ. It's a jungle out there and we need a little healthy paranoia about the dangers we face and healthy self-imposed restraints to keep us out of danger.

Do You Know Who You Are?

2011-09-05T09:45:00.000-05:00

One reason I love being in Shanghai is that there are so many people here. It's the world's biggest city (based on the population within the official city limits) and I've been surprised at how much I enjoy that. Shopping tonight at E-Mart, just below our 18th-floor apartment with its beautiful view of the world's greatest skyline, I was surrounded with a sea of people it seemed as I waited in line to check out. I normally dislike lines and crowds, but my attitudes are different here, sometimes.

To comply with the rules we must keep in exchange for the privilege of running our own church services and religious assemblies, we don't proselyte and even quickly shift gears when Chinese citizens ask about our religion. But as I look over the sea of people here, including many noble souls who have experienced and overcome much, there's one thing I wish I could teach them: who they are. So often I look into their faces and find these words echoing in my mind: "Do you know who you are? Do you know that you are sons and daughters of God with a divine purpose here? Do you know that you vast potential now and unlimited potential after this life, through God's merciful plan of happiness?"

Do you know who you are?

That question, though, quickly leads to bigger questions: "Do you know who God is? Do you know how much He loves you? Do you know His Son and what He has done for you?" To know God truly is to know who you are and why you are here.

I wish they knew. I wish all of us knew.

Light and Joyous, But Still a Yoke to Pull and a Burden to Bear

2011-08-27T18:50:00.004-05:00

In the comments for my recent post recommending low standards (or expectations of others) for better happiness in the Church, Papa D offered an interesting insight. I'll quote part of it:

To the point of lower (or, for me, more realistic) standards being the key to happiness, I think it's interesting that those who argue a "confess-only-and-be-saved" position basically are employing the lowest PRACTICAL standard for themselves possible to define salvation. Of course, everyone who argues it will say that relying totally on Christ and de-valuing our own actions is the highest form of worship and trust in Him - but, from a purely practical standpoint, it really is the lowest possible standard for their own actions.

On the flip side, those who argue a "personal-works-only-earn-salvation" position do the exact same thing - but with an opposite focus. They use the lowest possible standard for Jesus' actions and the highest standard for their own. **Both are extremist positions.**

Both bring a form of happiness (complacency), imo - since they are simple and give no real reason for what I believe to be "true" repentance. I see repentance as the result of a perceptual balance, that makes it harder to simplify into one fairly brainless formula, that leads to a degree of angst and concern and contemplation, that leads to self-reflection and effort to change - which is the definition of repentance.

I like his perspective. Believing that salvation comes from keeping a list of rules, with a focus on outward behavior, has a similar flaw to believing that God's rules don't require zealous effort on our part. Both reflect low expectations, as Papa D said.

I believe a correct reading of the scriptures recognizes that our relationship with God really matters, and that relationship must be a covenant relationship, one that accepts His grace and the power of the free gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in a very serious covenant that includes conditions for our access to that gift. Keeping mere outward ordinances and rules is not the key to a healthy relationship with God, nor is merely believing in our heart. God wants us to be servants and friends, followers of Him who give this covenant relationship all that we can, serving Him with our strength as well as with our heart and mind. What we do matters, what we think and feel matters, who we are and who we seek to become matters.

There is a yoke to pull and a burden to bear. There is work to be done and tasks to be completed in our mortal journey with God. Christ invites us to hitch ourselves to His team and pull with all our might, but assures us that His burden is light and His yoke is easy (Matthew 11:30). And it is. Keeping His commandments is so much less painful than sinning, and having the joy and support that the Spirit of God brings to our lives makes the path back toward Him much more bearable even in the midst of mortal pains than the path down toward sorrow.

God is not interested in just handing us a harp and saying "you're saved." He wants us to progress and "become perfect, even as [our] Father in Heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). We are His sons and daughters and He calls us follow the path of "godliness" and to "put on the divine nature" and become more like Him (2 Peter 1:3-4). It is a journey that we must continue to the end (Matthew 24:13), not a single step in one moment of yearning.

In working with us on this journey, Christ may tailor His demands upon us to help us overcome our own personal barriers between us and Him, just as He did for the young rich man who had been keeping the commandments, but was letting his love of wealth stand between him and God. In Matthew 19, when Christ told him that "if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments," things looked great for that young man for he had been doing so. But in spite of good outward observation of the rules of God, the relationship with God was flawed because of what was in his heart. There was one thing he lacked, and to overcome that barrier, the precise prescription for him (not necessarily all of us) was to sell what he had and follow Christ.

Building a relationship with God requires that we come to know Him. It also means that we know ourselves through regular introspection and examining our status before God, repenting constantly to remove what is flawed and seeking daily to better emulate the Savior. With this process in mind, we can understand why Paul, the great teacher of grace, would exhort his audiences to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12), to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14), to view our journey toward salvation as a race that we must run with patience and complete to win the prize (1 Corinthians 9:23-25; Heb. 12:1), to examine ourselves lest we partake of the sacrament (communion) unworthily (Acts 11:27-30), and to be concerned about the dangers of falling from grace (1 Cor. 10:12; Heb. 2:1). This is why Paul would say that "we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end" (Heb. 3:14) and why Paul would say that God offers eternal life to those "who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality" (Romans 2:7).

Eternal life, the fruit of the heavenly tree of life, is all about the grace of Jesus Christ, but as we are reminded in the closing words of the Bible, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life" (Rev. 22:14)--in other words, following Christ and keeping His commandments is a necessary condition in our covenant relationship with Him for us to gain access to the fruits of grace.

Reaching the tree of life is a journey of many steps, not just one. Consider again the context of Peter's statement on putting on the divine nature, and observe how he describes this journey and its relationship to the goal of having our calling and election made sure:

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall....

We must be diligent on this journey as we pull Christ's yoke and bear His burden, but He blesses us and gives us joy and support as we seek to serve Him with all our heart, might, mind, and strength. He does the miraculous work of freeing us from sin and death, but since His goal is shaping us in a two-way covenant relationship to become true saints and God's sons and daughters in His kingdom, He asks us to do something that requires merely all we have and all we are, namely, to follow Him.

Related Resources

It Doesn't Get Any Easier: Sending Our Last Son Away on a Two-Year Mission

2011-08-26T18:39:00.001-05:00

I just completed a whirlwind period in which we had a wedding in Minneapolis for one son and sent another son off on a two-year mission to Piura, Peru. In between we had a reception in Menominee, Wisconsin, a family reunion and an open house in Neenah, Wisconsin and to celebrate the wedding, the mission, and our own departure to China. My wife and I got a bit frazzled as we worked frantically to recover from all the activities and guests. We worked through our last night in Wisconsin without a wink of sleep to complete our move out of the house before the 6 am flight that would bring us home to Shanghai. We're so grateful to the kind LDS man from the Neenah Ward who came by and insisted on staying to help after we had foolishly turned down a couple other offers for help, thinking we could do it all ourselves. He helped me see that I had grossly underestimated how much work was involved, and his kindness in stepping up and helping us won't be forgotten. We could have used another day, frankly, but we managed to get all the essentials completed and barely made it to the airport in time. Whew.

Before the sleepless night of frantic final packing, we had one of the sweetest and most difficult experiences: sending a son on a mission. The sweetness especially comes from the ordinance that begins the mission: the setting apart of a missionary by the Stake President. It's a simple, beautiful ordinance done in the ancient mode of the laying on of hands and speaking a blessing with the power of the Priesthood. During that blessing, I opened my eyes to take in the scene. The first thing I saw was portrait of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemene hanging on the well of our Stake President's office, a reminder of what missionary work and the Gospel is all about: the Atonement of Jesus Christ and its power to save souls. Beneath the portrait was a little bronze state of an early Boy Scout, which called to my mind all the blessings my young son has received from the dedicated Young Men leaders in his life, especially Scout leaders. How grateful I am to all those who helped shape this young man and all of my sons that I am so proud of. Then my eyes turned to my son, his eyes closed in humbly accepting the blessing and charge being given, the overwhelming challenge of full-time missionary work. Then I glanced at the Stake President, such a kind and loving man, a lawyer with a giant soul (yes, this is possible!) who does so much for our Stake in kindness and love, and makes even those who fail in their callings and in their duties feel appreciated and loved. Then I looked over at my wife, who was quietly taking notes on my iPad about the things spoken in the blessing that would pertain to my son. My heart leaps when I look at her sometimes and ponder what a gem I've been blessed with, the woman who more than anyone has shaped and blessed the lives of those most important to me, not to mention my own life. And the secret to her success and positive influence, like the secret to the success of our Stake President, has been in large part her commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the intelligent application of the principles taught by the Church and the scriptures.

It was a sweet and joyous moment to take in this scene and contemplate the culmination of so many blessings that enabled this sweet moment of beginning to occur. But it was also bittersweet, knowing that this son who has brought us so much joy would not be seen by us for two more years. The next morning we drove him to the Green Bay airport, took some photos, said good-bye, and sent him off to Salt Lake City, where family there would get him safely to the MTC while we scurried to complete our move to China.

As we walked away, my wife and I both felt the same thing, I think, as our eyes moistened. We've done this three times before, sent three of the finest people we know away for two long years, and we realized it has not gotten any easier, not a whit easier at all. We're so grateful for his mission call and for the privilege to serve, but we will miss him sorely. May the Lord watch over him, and may those souls in Peru that he meets learn all they can from him and receive the blessings that he is sacrificing much to bring them.

Low Standards: The Key to Happiness??

2011-08-10T14:53:00.000-05:00

On a Shanghai forum for expatriates (mostly English-speaking foreigners), I saw a discussion of things that bothered people the most about the Shanghai experience. One commenter said that the problem many Americans have in coming to Shanghai is that they expect it to be a typical international city and are disappointed with some of the unsavory realities of life there. His key to happiness there, he said, was "lowering your standards." I was taken aback since I'd been overwhelmingly happy with the city, and while I know there are some unpleasantries one must cope with (occasional noisy throat clearing and spitting on the street being one of the most common annoyances), it never occurred to me that I had to lower any standards to love the place. Maybe my standards were just naturally low. (Yes, street spitting is unseemly and crude, in my opinion, but I shrug it off.)

In thinking about this, I realized that my ability to accept imperfection probably has been essential in finding so much delight in Shanghai. I also think it's part of why I can find so much meaning and joy in a divinely inspired Church that is loaded with imperfect mortals. There are those who essentially demand perfection in prophets and scripture--perfection being a grand standard and a powerful tool for rejecting all manner of divine messengers and messages. In comparison, yes, I have low standards, or rather, I've lowered my expectations to account for the reality of human error. It's not such a bad thing and I suggest you consider taking the same approach. If you're not convinced, read "'Well Nigh as Dangerous': Latter-day Prophecy and Revelation; Infallibility and Blind Obedience" by McKay V. Jones over at FAIRLDS.org. Awesome review on the issue of fallibility in mortal leaders and how we can wisely cope with it. It's a tremendous essay--nearly perfect, by my standards. Enjoy.

Lessons from Another Frozen Yogurt FAIL: Troubling Utah Statistics

2011-08-07T10:10:00.009-05:00

Today's post recalls my 2009 post, "Frozen Yogurt FAIL: What a Bad Consumer Experience Taught Me about Retaining Members in the Church.' That same year I encountered another "frozen yogurt fail" that I've been meaning to share. Now that I'm in Shanghai, on hot days (as in most days) my thoughts more frequently turn to the abundant frozen yogurt here in the land of mostly melamine-free milk and honey. By the way, I'm pleasantly surprised at how much milk and yogurt there is in this allegedly lactose intolerant nation, and hope that lactose and religion will continue to advance on the toleration front.

So here's the "FAIL" part of the story. Edy's Ice Cream had a lovely full-page ad in Better Homes and Gardens in 2009 (I believe it was June 2009 - that's when I took the photos). The ad touted the advantages of Edy's frozen yogurt over regular refrigerated yogurt:

Put away your regular, old plastic-cup yogurt. Yogurt Blends has 46% less sugar and 34% fewer calories* than refrigerated low-fat yogurt....

Wow, frozen yogurt has 34% fewer calories? What amazing technology did the food scientists at Nestle invent to do that? Mmmm, the invention wasn't by the scientists--it's an invention of marketing. Look at the fine print in the hard-to-see side of the ad. If you don't flatten the magazine out, you wouldn't even see the footnote:

14 g sugar and 107 calories per 4 fl oz serving as compared to 26 g sugar and 162 calories per 6 ounce serving of low-fat yogurt.

Whoa, mama! You mean you're comparing 4 ounces of your product to 6 ounces of the competitors' product, and boasting about how your tiny serving size has fewer calories than the bigger size serving of regular yogurt? Why not compare 1 gram of the good stuff to a million grams of the bad ol' competitive stuff and claim you're a million times better? Or would that be too obvious?

Here's the footnote: click to enlarge.

So let's see, if we compare a 6-ounce serving of frozen yogurt to a 6-ounce serving of regular yogurt, things are a little less impressive on the calorie front. Turn's out 6 ounces of Edy's frozen yogurt has 161 calories (160.5 if you don't round). That's a tad less than the 162 calories of evil regular yogurt, but not enough to avoid my FAIL award. There appears to be less sugar, with 21 g in Edy's versus 26 g in regular yogurt. Less sugar but the same calories? Bet it's the extra fat in Edy's making the difference, but the marketers don't seem anxious to discuss that part of the story.

Edy's applied an advanced technology to turn their high-fat product with the same calories as regular yogurt into a healthy marvel with 34% fewer calories. The most cutting-edge version of this technology is, of course, found at WonderWhacker.com, where we can learn more about what leading experts call GAVROES, short for "Gravimetric and Volumetric Reallocation of Existential Substance." The WonderWhacker website may be a bit too advanced, but in layman's terms, if you take one portion of food and whack it with WonderWhacker technology, you can get two portions, each new portion now having approximately half the calories and half the fat that the single portion had before! Nestle hasn't upgraded their technology to be able to reduce fat as effectively as the folks at WonderWhacker.com can, but I'm sure that's in the works.

Wait, this is a blog about religion? Oh, right. Well, the point is that statistics can tell some pretty crazy stories sometimes, especially when they are being used for marketing and not for understanding. Some hostile "marketers" love to throw statistics out the same way they throw out horrifying snippets about our bizarre beliefs, not to promote understanding but to quickly score emotional points to sell their point of view. A popular approach is to find social problems in Utah and suggest that the religion is responsible and, therefore, that the religion is bad or harmful. Utah is not paradise (you have to come over here to China for that, I'm afraid) and has plenty of problems, but linking those to the Church may be quite a stretch sometimes.

Improper bases for comparison can lead to errant conclusions in some of these drive-by-statistics cases. For example, in terms of suicide statistics for Utah, one seeking to understand might want to look at Utah stats versus the Mountain West in case to consider the impact of Western US culture. One looking at anti-depressant use in Utah might do several things to understand what it means and consider a variety of complex factors before jumping to rash conclusions. One troubled by the high consumption rate of green jello in Utah can also recognize, that, uh, I mean, because maybe, uh ... OK, that is just plain troubling. Sorry. But it's not necessarily the Church's fault.

Be careful when dealing with the tiny bit of information contained in a statistical snippet. Swallowing those stats like a plate full of green jello may not be the healthiest thing for you.

Painful Silence: The Art of Biting My Tongue in Chiina

2011-08-02T09:54:00.000-05:00

During a wondeful trip to another city, I was speaking to a group about intellectual property strategy when a leader from another part of our large company showed up. He had met me when I was interviewing in China and had learned from an American friend about my Chinese-speaking son who served a mission in Taiwan. I think he is from Taiwan and is very familiar with LDS missionaries and has a lot of respect for them. He gave the group I was speaking to another introduction for me and said some very kind things, and then said, "And now Jeff, would you like to tell us about your religion?"

This was an important moment for me. All my life I've been happy when given opportunities to share a few thoughts about my religion for I think it's the greatest thing to bring peace, happiness and meaning to people's lives. It was the kind of open invitation that rarely comes and is a great opportunity when it does. My answer, of course, was to look down, shake my head, and say, "No, thanks."

That's right, I just said no. He was OK with that and went on to explain that he thought it was cool how my son had been a missionary in Taiwan. I then picked up the comfortable secular topic of IP strategy and moved on.

Talking about the Church in any degree was an opportunity I had to decline to be faithful to the very strong requirements of our Church leaders here in China, who plead with us to carefully repect the rules that we are under. It's good to know and follow these rules, even if (or especially if) you're just a tourist passing through. Some leaders in the Chinese government have actually been very kind to us and may have put their own necks on the line, I suspect, to grant us foreign members the privilege of meeting freely provided we don't proselyte among native Chinese people (whether they are members of the Church or not). With the long-term benefit to the Church and to the people of China in mind, we respect those rules carefully. But it was painful to say no to such a kind invitation.

I later told my friend that I was sorry for declining his invitation, but explained to him the rules we have. He was very understanding.

Someday this will change and more doors will open. Someday missionaries, even if only service missionaries, will be visible in China. Someday Blogger will be available in China (it's blocked now, so I'm not too worried about what I write here influencing the Chinese--actually a bit convenient at the moment, I guess). Some native Chinese branches will be able to combine with foreign branches and worship together in some form. Someday thousands more Chinese will have Family Home Evening, will store food to be even better neighbors when disasters strike, and will join in home teaching service, temple service, and LDS-organized humanitarian service. This nation will be stronger for it, but first we must pass the present test and show through our actions that we can keep our word (and that this strange religion of ours really does bring out the good in people).

The Increasing Pain of Going to Church: It's Just Getting Too Embarrassing!

2011-07-31T07:53:00.002-05:00

Boy, I've about had it with going to church here in Shanghai, China. Not sure if I can endure much more of this. Almost every sacrament meeting here with the Shanghai Branch so far, today especially, has been a zinger that brought unwanted embarrassing tears to my dry, manly eyes. I'm not sure if I and my male ego can stand much more of this. I was wondering if it was just me and then I heard the Branch President today also talk about what an am amazing branch we have here with such powerful talks and such a strong spirit in the meetings.

It's been the most puzzling thing, though. I've wondered if it's the foreign setting, the increased sense of reliance on the Lord that being a stranger in China brings, or if it's something unusual about the mix of people we have here. Our Branch President did point out that the people giving talks in our branch take it seriously and prepare thoroughly. Perhaps the unusual setting we are in and the diverse personal circumstances of people in our branch might inspire them on the average to put a lot into their preparation. I don't think that explains it all.

I've also noticed that I pay attention more, and I was intrigued to hear our Branch President say the same thing about his experience with the branch and its meetings. I've tried to be distracted and not pay very much attention, as normal, but I keep getting hit with thoughts from these talks and suddenly I'm hooked and can't let go. By listening and pondering as the talks are given, I think that allows the Spirit to touch me in new ways and remind me of more, teach me more, humble me more--I just wish the Spirit would do it without bothering my eyes.

Today started off with a talk from a 16-year-old girl who has been largely raised in Shanghai with roots in Singapore (as I recall). In spite of being raised in Asia, the thoughts she shared about life, faith, God, sacrifice, and early morning seminary sounded exactly like the views I've heard from the most exemplary and faithful Latter-day Saint youth in Wisconsin, Utah, and Georgia. Actually, a little more so. I mean she was amazing, speaking with wisdom and maturity far beyond what I'm used to from teenagers, sounding a little more like a returned missionary. She shared the faith that it had taken for her to get up early to attend early morning seminary, in spite of the very high demands of education in Asia (American kids have it easy, I think). She shared the blessings that she has seen in showing her faith in God and the progress and joy that comes from listening to the Spirit and keeping the commandments. There wasn't an adult in the room who couldn't learn something from this marvelous young lady. And that was just the first talk of 3 powerful and beautiful ones.

I'll be back in the US for a couple of weeks soon and hopefully I can recuperate and somehow brace myself for exposure to more of the intense spirit present in the Shanghai Branch. Not that it isn't great in Wisconsin--for some reason, it's easier for me to shield myself there and miss out on what is being offered. We'll see what happens.

The Mormon Discount

2011-07-30T03:08:00.000-05:00

Have you run into people who automatically discount you just because of your faith? Mitt Romney seems to get some of that and other Latter-day Saints experience it in various forms. Mormons may gripe about it, but the "Mormon Discount" is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I was grateful for it here in Shanghai a couple of weeks ago.

My wife and I were marveling at the buildings and the crowds at Shanghai's beautiful Yu Yuan Gardens, one of my favorite areas and just a short walk from my apartment. We were approached by a Chinese man who spoke fluent English and pointed out a few of the sites to us. I answered back with a little Chinese, leading to the question of where I studied it. I blamed it on BYU. "BYU? Sure, I know BYU. My brother went there. He became a Mormon and now lives in Spanish Fork. You must be Mormon." While avoiding any religious discussion, I admitted that he had made a correct conclusion. "That's great. I love Mormons and always give them a special discount in my shop." Our new friend was a pearl dealer, a special breed of businessman here in Shanghai.

He kindly took us to his shop, a really beautiful place at Yu Yuan, and had his staff demonstrate how the extract cultured pearls from oysters. A large oyster was removed from a fish tank and it soon gave it's all for our benefit. He explained that of the roughly 20 pearls in that oyster, on the average maybe one would be good enough for jewelry and the others would be ground up as an ingredient for cosmetics. I hadn't seen this before and found it interesting.

Then he kindly allowed us to look at his pearls all of which would get "the Mormon Discount"--80% off the marked price. I figured that would probably bring the prices down to the going street price and later searching suggested that was about right. We bought a couple strands for some people back home, grateful for what may be the most exotic discount available in China, the Mormon Discount.

My gratitude became even greater after that. Now that we had made a purchase, he returned a very kind favor. There was a famous dumpling house he had pointed out to us as were walking around the area before being led into the pearl shop. There was a long line extending for many yards outside of the shop, with a wait of well over an hour just to get in. He said, "Would you like to try lunch there? Come with me. I'm friends with the owner." He walked past the long line and straight into the restaurant, where he took us back by the kitchen to watch the dumpling manufacturing process, and then he took us into what I think was a VIP room with some open tables. He got us seated and we were ordering and eating a few minutes later. If you were in the line waiting, I apologize. I was actually uncomfortable with exploiting the power of guanxi to get served before all those patient people who had been waiting so long, but I also didn't want to insult our friend who was giving us the Mormon Discount not only for the price of pearls but for the length of time required to dine at a famous place. I bit my tongue and accepted the gift. Sorry if it was at your expense, making you another victim of the Mormon Discount.

FYI, if you are approached by a friendly, smooth-talking English speaker (as opposed to someone just trying to practice English) ready to just help you out for free in a major tourist area, understand that you are about to experience a standard business model aimed at luring them into some of the shops that are more easily overlooked without the tour-guide marketing method (e.g., second story shops). It's OK--can be great fun if you're in shopping mode, and you'll meet some very smart and interesting people. Just be ready to buy a little something at perhaps higher than normal prices, unless you're as lucky as I was and get the Mormon Discount from someone whose brother is Mormon. (At least I hope that's true.)

Pioneer Day Update: Recalling the Sweetwater Crossing and the Bravery of Three Young Men - Or Was that Four, Five, or Fifteen?

2011-07-24T07:13:00.004-05:00

On Pioneer Day, many LDS congregations may be reminded of great LDS pioneer stories like the touching deep-winter crossing of the Sweetwater River in which three brave 18-year-olds risked their lives to carry the desperate group across the river. It's an inspiring story, but several important details may be wrong and this could be a good time to update our history so we can tell the story more accurately and give broader credit to the many people who sacrificed to help the Martin Handcart company survive. Toward that end, please read the thoughtful and carefully researched article by Char Orton in BYU Studies, "The Martin Handcart Company at the Sweetwater: Another Look" (BYU Studies, vol. 5, no. 3, 2006). The story we have heard frequently comes from one person's account, but now we have access to many other accounts to help us piece together what happened. There may have been quite a few more than three people in the water helping with the crossing. None were exactly 18, and it's not clear than any of them clearly died early because of that exposure, though it's possible for some. It's also unlikely that President Brigham Young said that anybody would get eternal life for one act of heroism--the concept of enduring to the end in accepting Christ still prevails as far as I can tell. The apparent errors are interesting lessons in their own right as Chad Orton traces them down and seeks to understand what people knew and meant. Wonderful historical investigation work, and a great way for us to refine our appreciation of the Pioneers on this Pioneer Day.

For those who haven't read the article and continue to rely on what has been most commonly published and told, let's be patient! No snickering today when the old version of the story is retold. We are all humans and have limited access to information. It takes time for understanding to spread and to become updated. The possible errors in a popular account are par for the course in a world of humans keeping records and recalling and retelling what they've heard. Nothing to fall to pieces over. And if you're looking for reasons to be offended, this little issue is just not worth the trouble. There are better and bigger stones of offense to stumble over, and there are plenty of maps on the Internet to take you to them.

Happy Pioneer Day!

(Hat tip: "17 Miracles: The Faithful and Foolhardy Willie Handcart Company" at Mormon Heretic is where I found the link to the Sweetwater publication.)

Should Marketing and Religion Mix? Reality Check on "Marketing" the Gospel

2011-07-23T19:53:00.000-05:00

In my last post, the first commenter bristled at the idea of the LDS Church using marketing. The response is natural and common, but based on misunderstanding, IMHO.

Nothing personal, but I instinctively dislike the idea of a church, any church, engaging in marketing. Jesus is not a brand.

Marketing has negative connotations for some people because of its monetary associations, but marketing is much broader than commercials to make a buck. Marketing is about sharing information, influencing others, changing behavior, changing the way people think, and getting the word out. When it comes to the Gospel, marketing, like gravity, isn't just a good idea: it's the law. In other words, Christians are commanded to share the Gospel and influence others to get the word out. Christianity is a brand in a broad sense, we are a brand, and it's our duty to represent the brand well and share it with others. Not for filthy lucre, but to glorify God and bless the lives of others.

Here's some Marketing 101 guidance from the New Testament:

Matthew 4:19:

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Matthew 5:16:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

1 Thess. 1:

7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

Matthew 28:19:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Mark 16:15:

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

1 Timothy 4:12:

Be thou an example of the believers.

1 Peter 2:

11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

So actually, we're supposed to be marketers, or rather, fishers of men, using our examples, our preaching, and other means to spread the Gospel to the whole world. In this era, that means not just mass production of literature, but mass media, social media, and other tools. The tools are there, the means are there to reach much of the world where it can be shared. We'd be more than merely foolish not to use such tools: we'd be negligent and perhaps even disobedient. Human life is all about marketing, one way or another.

Enjoying a Widespread Conversation About the Mormon Faith

2011-07-23T01:04:00.001-05:00

I saw a note from Ashley Elizabeth Jones about an article "Mormons in NYC" suggesting that Catholics could learn a few things from the success of the LDS Church in its marketing. Apparently the positive, simple message the Church is offering through Mormon.org and other sites has been effective and perhaps the Church has even benefited from the negative publicity coming from some other quarters. The important thing to me is that the Church's efforts really have opened people's eyes to realize that there is another side to the LDS religion that doesn't fit popular stereotypes or the hysterical hype of some of our critics. (One of whom, for example, got national publicity by writing a book attacking Mitch Romney for being part of a horrid--you guessed it--cult, filled with such oddities as a terribly "violent" Temple ceremony. Please don't let that defender of Christianity read the Old Testament or attend the graphic ritual of communion.)

It's easy to fall for hostile stereotypes when you don't know the actual people in this religion. Many people in the world don't have any close LDS friends and many don't even realize that they know any Mormons. Learning a little about real people on the Church's websites can help. We need to be more visible and more present in this world.

Here in China, though, it's a bit tricky. We are not allowed to promote our religion among Chinese citizens and to maintain the kind privilege of being allowed to meet and worship, we must be exceedingly careful about what we do. Even innocent questions people may ask us need to be gently deflected and the topic changed so that we do not run afoul of the law in letter and spirit. It's such a dramatic change. Before coming here, not talking about my religion was a sign of spiritual trouble. Now silence is an act of faith and obedience. I hope one day the rules will change, but for now, it's interesting to see how strict the Church is here in China in complying with the law, even being cautious to lock up hymnbooks when we are done since they are religious literature that we are not allowed to distribute.

While the conversation may not be very lively over here in China, I do think there is an increasing global conversation about religion and about the LDS faith, and I'm glad to see it picking in places like New York City and beyond. I hope more people will look into Mormon.org and more of you will become part of that conversation.

Alas, My Fake Watch

2011-07-17T09:26:00.003-05:00

If you want to avoid buying a fake watch in China, learn a lesson from me and don't shop for watches when it's too dark to see what you're buying. Also, don't buy watches when it's bright--at least not if you don't know what you're doing.

China has made serious advances in honoring and enforcing intellectual property rights, including the shutting down of hundreds of counterfeiting operations and many successful lawsuits for companies enforcing patent and trademark rights. I've met the founder of the Chinese IP system. Dr. Gao Lulin, and am impressed with what China has achieved. It's their increasing focus on IP that has brought me to this fabulous nation. In spite of all the progress, though, there are still some issues, like a thriving fake watch business.

When I walk down any of Shanghai's hot tourist streets, I'll be accosted by those psychic Chinese peddlers who can somehow sense that I'm an American. "Buy a watch? Cheap! Cheap!" My response has been to point to my $20 Timex digital masterpiece, complete with an authentic black plastic wrist band, and say (in English or bad Chinese, depending on the situation), "Isn't this a beauty? Don't you think this is good? Why do I need another?" They'll say it's a good (politeness often prevails over honesty), but then kindly remind me that I can get a really good one from them, cheap, cheap! I've resisted the temptation.

Recently, however, I've sensed that my obviously cheap watch is inadequate, in spite of its awesome utility (built in alarm clock that many very expensive brands don't have, not being digital toys). In meetings of all kinds, nice looking watches really seem to be the norm and I've begun feeling that it's time to upgrade my $20 cheapie to something more in the $50 range, if only to not look too out of place. Everyone else has a nice metal band, so I need one too, right? Hmm, see how the lure of the world works here? Can you jump ahead and guess how I lost my soul?

So on my to-do list has been finding a nicer looking watch, cheap but not fake. I went watch shopping a few times in the US before coming to China and couldn't find anything I liked. Haven't had much time for that here (not with all my big adventures like making friends with harmonica players at parks or eating French crepes in the French Concession). But after work recently, I had the bright idea of stopping in at the nearby Dongtai Antique Bazaar, a really fun place close to where I live that I enjoyed when I interviewed here back in May. A good place to practice Chinese and hones one's skills in haggling over prices. With all those antique and used goods, surely I could find an old used watch that looked OK. Then maybe I could get something that was real, in the $50 price range, with basic functionality. I'd keep my digital Timex for its alarm clock function when needed on some mornings, but during the day I could wear something with a metal band instead of plastic. Nice intentions, anyway.

It was dark and most booths were closed when I got there, but one with a few watches and lots of other stuff was still opened, just in the process of closing. I looked over the watches, barely able to see what the man had, but saw a nice looking face with a steel band and asked about the price. 1200 RMB. (About $190.) But for me, he was asking for less. Following the typical Chinese ritual, he typed in a new price onto the standard big LED desk calculator that all vendors seem to use and showed the price to me: 1000. Ouch, way over my budget, sorry. Well, hold one, don't give up, said the man, maybe I can give you a better discount. How about this? He typed in the digits and then showed me the new price 800. I apologized and said I really couldn't afford it and started to back away, waving my hands in apology. No, don't go. Just tell me, how can you afford. No, it's embarrassing to even tell you because it would be so insulting. I'm way out of my price range here and can't afford your nice watches. Well, what is your price range? Well, I'm so embarrassed, but it's just 300 RMB. What? 300 RMB, for such a terrific watch? I know, I know, I apologized, I feel terrible, but then you also have to realize that I don't know if this old watch will even work tomorrow, so that's why I have to be careful and not spend too much. Then I got a lecture on how he stood behind his watches and guaranteed everything, how he had been in business at this stall for years and wouldn't let his reputation be tarnished, etc. OK, that's good to know, thank you. But I really can't afford your price. Well, how about 400, he said? Mmmmm, 350? Deal. And I went home with my new random brand used watch for about $50. Nice band. Price negotiated well. Was feeling rather proud of myself. And definitely, not a fake, right, since it was just some random used watch, right?

When I got home and looked at it in the light, my heart sank. It was an Omega. Omega--that's one of the old stalwart luxury brands from Switzerland. I remember so well standing in front of the Omega watch displays in Zurich, Switzerland in my first area on my mission and marveling at how much money people were spending on something as minor as a watch. Omega was one of the best ways to spend a lot of money. For a real watch, that is. The fakes are a lot less.

Maybe it's real but old and I just got lucky? I set the time and looked over the watch--it seemed to be OK. The next morning it was already off by 2 hours. A fake watch without the decency to even keep time reasonably well. Sigh. I'll take it back soon and see if I can exchange it for something that isn't obviously fake. But a new friend of mine who works in the Bazaar now tells me that all the watches sold there are probably fake.

Another soul snagged by the lures of the world.

Maybe I'll just go watchless for a while?

A Magical, Musical Afternoon in Zhongshan Park, Shanghai

2011-07-17T08:09:00.003-05:00

It seems like there is magic everyday on my adventure here in Shanghai, magic in the sense of blessings and even little miracles that make me more grateful than ever for the Lord's frequent kindness and help.

This day began with a Skype call to my wife who is momentarily back in the States helping a couple sons with preparations for a wedding and a mission (two different sons--would be a bit awkward if both events were for the same young man) before we both become settled. Plans relating to an important aspect of our adventure became complicated with some bad news from people in the States, and we were struggling with what to do. We decided we needed to turn to the Lord for guidance, and decided to have a prayer together as a couple using Skype. I'm not used to using Skype for prayer, but it was fine. (Sorry, I can't give your the Direct Access number I called--you'll have to ask President Monson for that.) Within 20 seconds after I said "Amen," the phone rang. It was an LDS couple calling about the topic of our concern, offering a possible solution. We'll see, but it seemed so kind.

As I prepared for the day, I packed a backpack with some items such as my journal, some Chinese language materials to study, a notepad, etc., and planned to go hang out in Shanghai's famous Zhongshan Park after church to see the area and be productive. Well, as usual, I never go to any of the big things on my list, but the decision to go to Zhongshan Park turned out so well--what a blessing that was.

After a great day at church (hurray-I understood more of the Chinese language Sunday School and Elders Quorum meetings I attended and really enjoyed the lessons today), I started walking back to the subway. Some of the younger members of the ward were in a group in front of me. I heard them mention Zhongshan Park. Hey, that's where I'm going. Mind if I follow? I hadn't checked the map to determine which subway stop was best, though I'd been near it before and knew it was on Line 2. Turns out the right stop is conveniently called Zhongshan Park, so it's hard to miss. But because of the decision to go to Zhongshan Park, I ended up hanging out with a great group of LDS people, about 15 of them, and got invited to come over to a brother's home with the group for dinner. I spent about 3 hours with this group and enjoyed their company immensely.

The Shanghai Branch has such amazing people from so many walks of life, some here for years and other just visiting. From IBM executives to mixed martial arts cage fighters (our awesome Gospel Doctrine teacher, one of the coolest people ever with numerous talents, really loved by other members of the ward), we've got it all. Today alone I chatted with people from the Ivory Coast, France, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, Britain, Taiwan, Germany, Hong Kong and more. What a ward!

Dinner was simple but so delicious. Good pasta, great spaghetti sauce loaded with fresh garlic, good bread, Parmesan cheese--even with all the wonders of Chinese cuisine, sometimes the great comfort foods of the West are hard to beat. The conversation was so lively. I'm really impressed with the young people I talked with. One was a new couple who just flew in the night before, a couple that had both served in Taiwan as missionaries and knew my Taiwanese missionary son from the MTC, where the wife was his teacher. Another young person I chatted with was a bright mind who has been exploring LDS history and other LDS issues in depth, in addition to Chinese and his main field of study. Very refreshing to talk to him. Others were sharing important thoughts and knowledge on issues of culture, history, science, travel, etc. So many bright, promising people, so kind and warm. They and the rising generation of Chinese people I am coming to know give me hope for the future.

After a joyous afternoon with that group of members, I went into Zhongshang Park as planned, thinking I'd find spot to site and write or study--after, of course, wandering and taking photos. There was uplifting music playing as I entered the crowded park. I scanned the faces of the people I am coming to love and respect and just felt so touched to be there with them, so proud of the good that I see in them and so honored to be here with them in their beautiful land of infinite potential. I heard some great drumming and went over to watch--I think it was an impromptu gathering of people just getting together to drum. How nicely it turned out.

Then I went a little further and marveled at the kite masters who were controlling large kites several hundred yards above the park. The art of kite flying is so advanced in China. The masters have special large reels and lots skill, and amaze me with the ability to have a high density of kites flying without collisions and tangled lines.

Then I turned a corner and had one of those magical moments that make a day unforgettable. A small crowd was gathered around an older man who was playing a harmonica with an electronic sound pickup to amplify his music. Wow, this was a master of the harmonica. One thing I recall from my first visit to China in 1987 is that one easy way of respecting and even helping the local people is to show appreciation and interest in their performances. I remember that by stopping to admire a child street performer as he did magic tricks in Chongqing, his tiny audience became huge by virtue of the seal of approval that my in interest somehow gave. Then giving him a nice tip helped motivate others to contribute, as I recall. Would the same thing play out here? Not quite, but the results were even better.

As the musician played with harmonica with great expressiveness, I snapped a couple photos but then, out of respect, put the camera down and just admired the music. I clapped and shouted out a few words of praise in Chinese. To my surprise, I soon became the focus of a rapidly gathering group. The man said he would dedicate his next song to me. Like many Chinese, he had this almost psychic ability to just look at me and somehow know that I am an American. Then he began playing a version of "Jingle Bells," the famous Christmas song. Then he played the song "Do-Re-Mi" from the Sound of Music, and then Auld Lang Syne. It was awesome. I then pondered what to do next, not wanting to embarrass him or cause any problem, but anxious to be helpful in some way. I looked for an open case, hat, bucket, or something where people could toss money. Unlike a previous street performer at the park, there was none of that. So when he appeared to have wrapped up, I walked over and discreetly tried to give him what I described as just a small gift to say thanks. Ooops, wrong thing! No, no, no, he insisted. This suddenly created a lot of interest and the crowd moved in close to catch the action. I explained more fully that I had been so touched by his music and was just trying to say thanks. Others chimed in and explained that more eloquently, but he responded with a big smile that if his music had made me happy, that was all the return he needed. What a classy guy.

With my bad Chinese, I said that good people like him were one of the reasons that I think China is such a great nation. That went over really well - some applause and vocal approval. I then pulled out a notebook and asked him to write his name. A friend of his asked for mine and I gave him my business card, and soon a lot of people were asking for my business card, and there was discussion about my work and where I'm from. Salt Lake City originally, and they had heard of it and Utah. And then his friend brought up John Huntsman, a pretty famous name over here. Cool!

One of the people kindly took a photograph of me and the master of the harmonica, Mr. Li, a wizard of Zhongshan Park who helped me have one of my most magical Sunday afternoons ever. When it was time to part, I was shaking hands and saying good-bye to many people and felt like I have new friends I can look forward to meeting again. I think I'll be back to Zhongshan Park, a magical place. I definitely need to get back, for I never even got started on all the writing and study I need to do there (or somewhere).

The shrubs here spell "Zhong Shank Gong Yuan" = Zhongshan Park.

Dealing with Bias in China and Beyond

2011-07-13T08:08:00.002-05:00

I expected to face a lot of bias when I came to China. Being an American at a time when America can easily be viewed as a warlike aggressor, I came here prepared to face a little bias. I came here expecting the warmth and kindness that I experienced when here briefly in 1987 to be somewhat cooled. To my surprise, it's as fervent as ever. I am the subject of bias day after day, but it's the kind of bias I enjoy facing. It's unfair, I know, but for some reason people are inclined to treat me better than I deserve to be treated--or perhaps with the kindness that every stranger should receive in this world.

Today at lunch, a friend from another Asian nation was telling me that in his opinion, Americans and Europeans seem to get treated with unusual politeness over here and he couldn't figure out why. I was surprised and hadn't really noticed the discrepancy (just not paying attention). Immediately after explaining this, we got up to leave and the restaurant staff all started smiling and nodding at me. Some who were sitting eating their own meal stood up to bid me farewell and waived goodbye. They made me feel like family. He shook his head. "They never look at me that way here," he said. "It's even worse than I thought."

To be fair, I had been to that restaurant twice before and had shown appreciation for their kindness--but the kindness began on day one. I got there for a late lunch after they had shut down. They could have been bureaucratic and sent me away hungry, but they explained the situation and said I could eat what was left, which I gladly did. I left a hefty tip, too--something you're not supposed to do and something that doesn't always get accepted, but they at least got the message that I appreciated their flexibility.

I think being almost 2 meters tall helps. I'm a curiosity, one that speaks bad Chinese but at least tries, and many Chinese locals really seem to appreciate that. The restaurant, by they way, is one of the best places for a good, inexpensive lunch on the Bund. It's called Manko and is hidden away on the second floor of the Golden Financial Tower on Yan'An Street right between the main drag on the Puxi side of the Bund and the Waldord Astoria. Financial business people eat there so I expect food safety to be high and I've felt great after all my meals there. What amazes me is that for 18 RMB, about $2.60, they bring you 7 to 8 different items and they are all good. You can't do better than that even risking crazy little places on the street.

Back to the problem of bias. We humans are loaded with bias in how we approach others. Sometimes bias reflects sound experience and helps us summarize large stores of information effectively, but other times it is wildly incorrect. It's something we need to be open to when we confront new people. Consider your attitudes and biases when you confront a beggar, for example, and ponder how that reflects on who you are. That's part of the profound message of King Benjamin in his ancient discourse that still amazes me with its wisdom and literary power. Do the same when dealing with someone of a different faith, even a faith you consider weird like, oh, the Mormons, if you're not one (and perhaps a fortiori if you are). Sometimes our biases blind us to the truth or to opportunities to connect and love someone that could be a friend. If you're reading this here in Shanghai, maybe your biases are making you treat me too kindly--but don't fear, I'm willing to accept that. No hard feelings!

OK, one more example. Tonight my Big Dreaded Language Adventure was returning the yinshuiji (the water machine) that wasn't quite working right from day one when my wife bought it. I've never used these before except to get a drink or two in someone else's office, and didn't dare try to remove the big blue water tank until it was empty. That took a couple weeks. I think their policy is returns have to happen within one week. I wasn't concerned because I could dispense water from it, but the hot water feature didn't work and my wife wanted me to return it. Well, OK, I'll eventually give it a try, I said to myself, but I expected failure. And I also expected language failure because service people in busy stores usually don't speak English and aren't all that great at speaking slowly. So tonight I had the empty cylinder and was ready for the dread task. There was a big line at customer service and things were popping busy at my local E-Mart. But the customer service lady understood the issue, asked a few questions that I pretended to answer (simple enough that I think I understood her--hurray!), and then bingo, she took me over into the store and gave me a new yinshuiji. She also kindly told me that next time I had trouble, I needed to [unintelligible], to which I nodded my head knowingly. So here I am with a fully functional water machine. Life is sweet, just like that busy customer service woman. I know she could easily have been too busy and used the official rules to turn me away. Was I the victim of undeserved bias? Yeah, I think I was. At least for tall Americans, this is such an awesome country.

Tallness does come with a price, though. If you go to Manko's, duck. Duck a lot. There are several places where the ceiling is only maybe 5 feet 8 inches tall. My second time there I got a nice bruise entering. But I smiled and told them it was nothing. When it comes to international relations, sometimes you take it on the chin, but most of the time it's the forehead.

Throwing Starfish: One LDS Woman Making a Difference for Hundreds of Children in China

2011-07-03T09:33:00.003-05:00

One of the things I've loved about my journey in Shanghai is all the great people I've met. Really great people. Some of the world's kindest, most honest, and most noble people are Asians. Yes, there are people who are willing to take advantage of you, but I see them as the sad exception here. I feel like I'm far more likely to encounter honesty and kindness with the people here. Rose-colored glasses? Or red-colored? I really don't think so. As an example, at least three times we have left money behind or dropped money only to have people scurry after us to return it or carefully return it. And our real estate agents, two English-speaking Chinese men who did a great job in finding the ideal apartment for us and showed a lot of patience and kindness with us and then negotiated almost 20% off the asking price, utterly refused to take the non-negligible cash tip we wanted to give them after the deal was closed. (If you're looking for an apartment in Shanghai, I really recommend Max and David at www.orientalrealestate.net. I think it's Max's company.) And people at work don't have to be as careful to protect computers and private property as I'm used to in the United States. Theft seems to be much less frequent here than it is in many parts of the world, though I'll always advise travelers to be cautious.

One "honorary Asian" in the noble and kind category is a woman I read about earlier this year before I even knew about the dream job that brought me here. The woman is Amanda de Lange, founder of the Throwing Starfish orphanage. I got to meet her today in the Shanghai Branch. What a treat that was. OK, this honorary Asian is actually African, having been born in Africa, but is now largely Chinese, at least in heart, and speaks the language very well.

A few years ago she had an opportunity to take a high paying job in Korea, but at the same time the government of China asked if she could take on a foster home in Xian to help kids from orphan homes. I hope I've got that part of the story right--correct me if you know the details better. This single LDS woman and BYU grad felt that the Lord wanted her in China serving the children here, and so she accepted the opportunity and founded a foster home to help special needs children. It's called Throwing Starfish, a reference to the story of a boy who was throwing stranded starfish on the beach back into the ocean to save them. A skeptical man explained that this was ridiculous, for there were hundreds of miles of beach and tens of thousands of starfish on it, and so he couldn't possibly make a difference. The boy picked up another starfish, threw it back into the ocean, and said, "I made a difference for that one." Amanda is making a difference for hundreds--but she needs help. Medical assistance, donations, time, etc.

Here is some information about this project.

Deseret News story: "BYU grad saving Chinese children, one starfish at a time"

TheStarfishFosterHome.org

Chinesestarfish.blogspot.com

Youtube: The Starfish Foster Home Story

YouTube: Some photos from the Starfish project

YouTube: PowerPoint presentation about the Starfish Foster Home

Thank goodness for people like Amanda! Why not get involved and help her out, too?

I'm also grateful for the officials who recognized the need and allowed a great LDS woman to step in and help meet the needs of Chinese children. These small kindnesses from officials, including the kindness that allows Latter-day Saints from other nations to meet and worship in Shanghai, are not trivial things. Somebody, some official, had to go the extra mile or even take on personal risk to give that help. Much appreciated!

Adventures in China

2011-07-01T19:39:00.007-05:00

There are miracles on every street corner here in China. At least that's the only way I can figure out how 200 people can cross a street in the 20 seconds of a green pedestrian light while a similar number of taxis, scooters, motorcycles, bicycles, and motorized rickshaws plow through the pedestrians at the same time, all without any serious physical injuries apart from a little hearing loss due to the requirement to honk constantly. Traffic laws are a little different here, a little too complex for most Americans to figure out.

For pedestrians, a red crossing light means "don't even think about crossing now - that would be crazy." Vehicles of all kinds race through the intersection, making sure they honk appropriately at one another apparently conveying messages of encouragement such as (I'm guessing) "May we all strive for social harmony!" Crossing at this time would be shear madness. When the crossing light turns green, that means "go ahead and think about crossing, but it's still crazy." For drivers, I think the difference between red and green in these cases involves some nuance from the languages of China--it's all about the tones. Maybe when the light is green you honk with a rising tone, and when it's red, you use a dipping tone? Or a falling tone followed by a dipping tone? It's all a bit too much for me, but it makes life at every corner an adventure, and I love it. I've realized that for all these years, I've been a city slicker trapped in a small town guy's body.

There is slight exaggeration in my description and it's really not that bad, as long as you realize that vehicles are still allowed to make right turns, sometimes at high speed, at the same time you see the green crossing signal. And sometimes, drivers apparently confuse "right" with other directions, so always watch your step. But it's fine as long as you look both ways and pay lots of attention.

Based on the miraculous survival of nearly every pedestrian and driver I've seen so far, it all works out somehow. But it's clearly best if you have a few ninja-like moves to get out of the way of the most dangerous vehicle of all: the environmentally friendly scooter. The problem with being environmentally friendly and electric is that these surprisingly swift vehicles lack the put-put or vrooom-vrooom sound of old-fashioned environmentally deprecated combustion engines vehicles like the Harley-Davidson motorcycle. For years I was annoyed by the noise of motorcycles; now I yearn for it. The noise gives you a fighting chance to get out of the way when they come up from behind. Here, you rely on the mercy of the driver. Will they honk? And if so, will it be in a rising or falling tone?

I should mention that an important part of the traffic rules here is the distinction between roads and sidewalks. Motorized vehicles and bicycles are strictly limited to staying on the roads, unless it's more convenient to use the sidewalk. Pedestrians, take note and be on your guard at all times. It's more challenging than a stroll in Appleton, but again, I love this city. It is beautiful, inspiring, challenging, frightening, depressing, enlivening, wild, ferocious, gentle, and a perfect place for Americans trying to get a gentle taste of China, or to be overwhelmed suddenly with the rush of the world's largest city proper.

The people here are great and the city is just remarkable in so many ways. But the chaos at intersections is a reminder that, in spite of Shanghai priding itself on being an advanced and highly civilized place, in some ways it is still a lot like New York City. So watch your step, but come visit Shanghai and enjoy one of the greatest places on earth.

I've been so lucky and blessed here. The other night, for example, I was giving an American visitor a tour of a beautiful part of Shanghai, Yu Yuan Gardens, when I put my camera up to my eye and somehow managed to knock out my contact lens. We were on a busy street as it was becoming dark and my contact had fallen to the ground. Life would go on without it, but it's something that really helps. I froze, explained what had just happened, looked all over my shirt, arms, and pants in hope that it had landed there, and realized it must be on the ground. Vehicles, people all around, time is limited, what to do? He told me to stand still while he carefully stopped down. Fortunately, he had an iPhone with a light. He turned it on and saw something glisten, finding my lens before it was trampled. Another close call. Small mistakes over here can be quite costly. Help in averting them is so greatly appreciated, and the little answers to silent or vocal prayer that I've received on many occasions like that one are much appreciated, in spite of the mistakes I make that aren't so painlessly resolved, like groggily slicing into my finger with a knife as a result of staying up too late when I knew better, trying too hard to get extra things done and just making everything worse. Be sure to bring Neosporin in your international trips, by the way.

Anyway, here are some photos, some of the hundreds I've managed to snap while here. Yes, I am actually working and working quite hard, in fact. Love China and Shanghai especially. There is so much future here. And a lot of present and past as well.

Update, same day: My first big night of doing laundry by myself. Found a relevant blog post: "The Notorious Chinese Washing Machine Story." I think my 2011 washing machine is even more advanced than the 2007 version in that post. If I'm translating correctly, mine also includes programmable functions for "complimentary charring," "fabric disintegration," "instant electrocution," and "unfavorable meltdown." I know just enough to recognize nearly all of the characters on the washing machine, but recognizing a character and understanding its use in a shorthand, specialized phrases are two different things. For example, beginning/intermediate students of Chinese will learn that 漂 (piao with a high tone) means to float or drift, but in the combination 漂亮 (piaoliang) the two characters together mean pretty and there the piao takes a falling tone. OK, I sort of learned that. But it's used several times on my washing machine and floating and beauty don't seem to fit. It's used in the phrase 漂白剂 (piao bai ji), which I now know means "bleach" (and piao takes a dipping tone there--this is a complex character!). "Floating white liquid stuff" - well, it's bleach. But then it's used a couple of times over the button that apparently indicates what treatment is being applied. So right now my clothes are going throw a cycle called "漂洗" - piao plus a character meaning "wash." So is this a bleach and wash cycle? Or a floating wash cycle? Pretty wash? None of those. My favorite online dictionary explains that this means "rinse." And there we use the dipping tone for our complex, always changing piao.

Fortunately, the landlord, knowing that complete idiots might move into this apartment, has put helpful stickie notes all around the complex buttons and control panels that govern the various features of our high-tech apartment. The notes, of course, are in Chinese, but not in the style of legible, printed characters that I can sometimes read. I think she's using the classic Tang Dynasty "flowing grass in a tornado" style of calligraphy which adds a great deal of dramatic intensity and emotional purity to her messages. One does not need to read Chinese to be deeply touched by the power of her writing, and indeed, we are deeply touched. Hmmm, that smell - I think my shirts are charring as I write.

Tip to Chinese teachers: Reading enough to be able use a washing machine, rice cooker, bathroom fan, TV remote control, and hot water heater are some of the best survival skills for people moving to China, but I don't think any of that was ever covered in the courses I've had or in textbooks I've seen.

Not to complain--I'm the foreigner here trying to make do in a fabulous place. I just hope my clothes will survive the journey.

Anyway, here are some photos for now. Click to enlarge slightly. The photos of small boats are from Wuzhen. The Buddhist temple scenes are from Suzhou. Skyline shots are Shanghai.

Above is a fisherman who uses cormorants to fish. The jump into the water and swallow fish, but a ring around their throat tied to the boat keeps them from swallowing the fish, so the fisherman can retrieve it from them. Maybe they get the smaller fish or chopped bits, I'm not sure. But the birds seem to cooperate well.

The building in the background with the "crown" is the Bund Center--that's where I work. The Bund is the riverfront area in the heart of Shanghai where you can see the most beautiful skyline in the world. We have older, beautiful building on my side, and exotic tall, LED-lit buildings on the other side. Cool stuff. Just love the views.

Elders quorum talent show?

Little Answers to Prayer

2011-06-26T18:29:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, I heard an inspiring talk on prayer from an American who desscribes himself as "just a normal person," reminding us that kind answers to prayer are not just for a select few but something that all of us should be experiencing in our lives. Recognizing kind answers to prayer with much patience is part of the key to success.

He shared how in their challenging circumstances after coming to China, he needed to find a way to better help his wife who couldn't speak the language and was struggling with many of the basics of daily life. She really needed a translator and a car or a new location, but these were unavailable to them on their budget. As they explored their options, they realized that the direct solutions to their problems were not really options. In his prayer, he turned to the Lord and said that he simply could not see or find a solution to the problems they had, but he needed to find some way to help his wife and pleaded to the Lord for help. Two hours later, as he was taking a taxi to work, he was surprised to find that his cab driver could actually speak English--a rarity. Then it hit him: this cab driver could become a resource to help his wife when she needed to do something. Instead of hiring an expensive full-time driver, she could just get in his taxi when help was needed. This worked out perfectly, and like many Chinese people I know, that man proved to be so kind that he would go the extra mile, not just taking my friend's wife to where she needed to go, but also going in with her, helping to translate and carry things. He's becoome a friend of the family and a key factor in making life better for that couple.

Finding that cab driver was a kind answer to prayer. As he shared this simple story, my eyes watered up as I pondered all the similar answers to prayer and the similar acts of kindness from the Lord and from others as we've struggled with life in a very different part of the world. So many times we've been given the help we need at just the right time, so kindly, often in answer to prayer. I'm not saying it's been a bed of roses or anything and there are plenty of frustrations and challenges in the midst of all the excitement of being here, but gently little acts of kindness and perfect timing have left us repeatedly grateful to the Lord and to His many helpiing hands in this nation filled with good people.

By the way, I'm very grateful that the officials in Shanghai have kindly allowed the Church to meet on Sunday. Non-Chinese citizens can assemble for Sunday Services in a beautiful, air-conditioned conference center in Pudong, the relatively new east side of Shanghai (I live on the older west side where all the excitement is, in my opinion). We must be careful not violate Chinese law in any way (no proselyting, Chinese citizens may not attend, all religious literature such as hymn books must be locked up when we are done), but the privilege of being allowed to meet and worship is greatly appreciated. I hope that the officials who made that decision will never regret the kindness shown to us.

The Goodness of People

2011-06-19T18:29:00.001-05:00

While we need to constantly warn against sin and the many problems we humans inflict on one another, I'm so grateful for the abundance of goodness that can be found in the average person--or perhaps the above average person, the kind we keep running into here in China. We've experienced so much kindness from so many people. In spite of the temptations people face that lead to sins of selfishness, the altruistic and friendly parts of the human soul are so delightful and so abundant in the world.

Sometimes Christians express the notion that without believing in God, people's behavior would inherently be evil. I think Christians and atheists alike are subject to the same sins and weaknesses. But we are all sons and daughters of God with a divine heritage and a foundation of goodness in our souls that can shine past the deficiencies of our upbringing and reveal something wonderful. It's so great to see that in so many people here and almost anywhere. On this journey that I'm on, the kindness of strangers means so much more and reveals the goodness of people more than ever. It's a reminder each day that we really are brothers and sisters. May we reach out and help one another regardless of our circumstances and culture.

Update: As examples of our adventures, I've been impressed first of all with how kind the people are where I work. China is a high-pressure place with great demands on people, yet the HR folks and my co-workers have gone the extra mile to help me get squared away, avoid paying too much for things, find resources I need, etc. But just total strangers on the street are friendly and helpful. They will take time out to help you find a place or figure out how to do something. The older women selling food or other things are just so sweet and loving--like having your own grandmother on every street. Love this place.

Simple Reminder

2011-06-13T10:30:00.001-05:00

I'm so grateful for all that the Lord has given us, even though there is pain and affliction in our journey. Remember, we are here for a purpose. We came knowing it would be brief and tumultuous, but with the amazing opportunity to choose God and accept His richest blessings, far more valuable than any loot on earth. What a privilege to even be alive. What a privilege to be able to learn about Him and follow Him. God lives and Jesus Christ, His Son, the Resurrected Lord, answers all the pain and gives meaning to this life through the Atonement. What wonderful news!

Is the Journey the Destination? My Decision to Move to China

2011-06-11T13:48:00.005-05:00

A little over 30 years ago, I met a visiting scholar from China who would change my life. He was one of the kindest men I have ever met, one who would go on to become a prominent scholar and chair of a department at one of the top universities in China. He stirred and intensified my embryonic interest in China and the Mandarin Chinese language. Thirty years of wishful thinking about living in China one day has come to fruition now as my wife and I embark on the adventure of living in Shanghai, the hometown of my dear friend from China.

I met him just after returning from my mission in Switzerland, and shortly after pondering President Kimball’s comments that “the spirit of God appears to be brooding over China,” urging us to prepare for a day when we could help the people of China more fully. I determined that I should be interested in China, and resolved to sign up for a Chinese course when I began school in the summer term at BYU. But before starting at BYU again, I worked for a couple of months in a chemistry lab at the University of Utah, where my late uncle Daniel Miles had kindly arranged for me to have a temporary job. Meeting my new friend from China and working with him in the same lab greatly strengthened my interest in China. His lab space happened to be in the same room where my uncle had some of his lab space. This University of Utah Department of Chemistry was also where my uncle would introduce me to the world-famous chemist and Latter-day Saint, Henry Eyring, who treated me with kindness and recalled that my great grandmother, Victoria Josephine Jarvis Miles, had taught him as a child.

The chance to chat frequently with a friend from China made my rather mundane lab work much more exciting. He graciously invited me and my highschool sweetheart (soon to become my fiance and now my wife) to dine at the apartment he shared with a group of other Chinese men studying at the University of Utah. These men knew how to cook, and it was some of the best Chinese food we’ve ever had in the States. Once I began studying at BYU, some of them even came up to visit my Chinese class and cook for us there for a Saturday class party. What ambassadors they were!

Years later, after I had my Ph.D. in chemical engineering and had begun work as a young professor at the Institute of Paper Chemistry (now IPST), I had a chance to present some research work at a heat transfer conference in China. My friend from China and some of the other men I had met would go all out to arrange my trip for me and treat me with kindness far beyond anything I deserved. They would pack amazing events into my short 10 days in China, including visits to three of their family homes, a rarity for foreigners at that time and perhaps also today. There I would meet an elderly scholar of the Tibetan language who showed me precious books of scripture that he could translate. I would taste rare and exotic foods and be given kindness and love that made me yearn to come back. That yearning, though, has been unfilled for several decades as the demands of work and family made China seem like mere wishful thinking, a backburner dream that I would still talk about, but my career path into academia, corporate R&D, and then intellectual property became a US-centric career. Though I would have many international trips to technical conferences and work-related events, getting back to China always seemed out of reach. Now all that has changed. As I write, I’m on a plane to Shanghai where I start work on Monday.

In life, sometimes the journey is the destination. I don’t know what lies ahead in China, but the path that has led me there has been very instructive. If my plane fails to land and I never make it to China, this recent journey will still be an experience I will be grateful for. I can look back with much gratitude to the Lord and see what I believe to be His kind hand at many points in leading me away from other things I may have wanted to do and preparing me to make this transition swiftly and boldly, and in a way that turned out far better than expected.

These past few weeks and months have been a time of more frequent prayer and pondering than normal, often turning to the scriptures for guidance and finding some surprising answers and help at just the right time. The decision to leave the comfort of a good job was difficult–it’s been four wonderful years of learning and adventure at Innovationedge, working with great people and some of the coolest large and small companies around. But several things occurred with fascinating timing that opened my mind to new possibilities, including a very recent phone call our of the blue from my now-retired friend in China who fueled my interest in China 30 years ago. Before the China opportunity came, while fasting about what to do right after receiving a wonderful Priesthood blessing my oldest son in a delightful reversal of roles, I felt strongly that I needed to focus on wrapping up a couple of big projects at work and that I should not engage in the tedious and time-consuming approach of applying for dozens of positions online or the normal painful process of seeking academic positions. I felt that when I had done my best for one our large and impressive clients (and for some of our promising and brilliant small clients), the path forward would then be more clear. I recorded that impression in my journal and lived by it for the most part, though my faith wavered as a large project was nearing completion and I did waste some time and money with a well-known job search service that resulted in absolutely nothing, not even a nibble. Several fascinating opportunities did arise, though, and they all came through old-fashioned word-of-mouth and networking and virtually all at once in a strange feast-or-famine scenario. The outlier, the one that I almost dismissed out of hand for a number of logical reasons, was a chance to interview with a company in China.

As much as I wanted to visit China again, I didn’t think it could possibly work out and wasn’t sure if I should even send them my resume when I was asked to do so. Actually, they didn’t directly ask me to send in my resume. My wife was asked by one of her best friends, the wife of leader in the company, to have me send in my resume. Talk about guanxi. I felt that I should, mostly just to be nice, but didn’t think it could possibly work out. It did.

My first interview with them came the night before an interview with a cool organization, and the Chinese offer to me would come while I was in Shanghai shortly thereafter on the same day that I would receive another offer that was hard to resist. But I had fallen in love with Shanghai and was beginning to feel that I must come to China, though there were and still are many fears, and I would not entertain that thought unless my wife would also be enthusiastic about it. I didn’t expect that to happen. How surprised I was after going to the Temple with her to learn that she, too, was feeling that we should choose China. In fact, at the temple, both of us came away feeling that China might be the place, if a concern or two could be addressed–and the email addressing these concerns had come while we were at the Temple. It was shortly after leaving the Temple that I read their email to her, and she cheered: “We’re going to China!” Her enthusiasm surprised me–I think it was greater than mine. That was Saturday. We prayed about it more on Sunday and continued to feel and understand that it was the right thing for us.

Now came the really hard part: leaving. I was worried that my boss would be upset with my decision. I prayed about how to handle it, and felt that immediate, up-front action was needed. I asked to meet with my boss the next morning, even though it was Memorial Day, to share a surprising development. She was gracious and came to the office on Memorial Day. I explained that while I had been thinking about academia, a real surprise had just occurred with an opportunity in China that I just couldn’t resist. She was completely understanding, She knew that I had been wanting to work in China for years and could see that this was a terrific career opportunity. I was treated generously and kindly. Yesterday was a tremendous last day of work with much undeserved kindness and a great farewell luncheon and other fun. Plus I got several worthwhile things taken care off. I’ll remain a fan of Innovationedge for anybody looking to strengthen innovation, new product development, and IP strategy for their company.

The decision to move to China may seem crazy from many points of view. Why leave an exciting job, a comfortable home, and the presence of family for a journey into the unknown on the other side of the world? Why walk away from world-class health insurance, unlimited internet access, the joy of three grandchildren just two hours away, another son and daughter-in-law just moving into the state of Wisconsin to begin medical school, and from many other friends and relatives within a short journey? And did I mention I’ll be leaving my two beautiful apple trees that product about 1,000 pounds of delicious fruit every year?

I’m not sure. It looks crazy from some perspectives, but it also looks like the perfect career move for me in many ways, an opportunity to create and do the things I’ve been helping others to do as a consultant with a company now hungry to grow and do things right. It’s also an opportunity to develop international skills, language skills, leadership skills, IP skills and business skills, and to really make a difference with an exciting company that will make innovative products available to many people who couldn’t afford them before. But it’s not just about the career opportunity. It’s not about money. It’s not about the world’s greatest food and one of the world’s most beautiful and exciting cities (Shanghai, of course, is known as the Appleton of the East, though it has a little less snow, lower taxes, and a slightly larger population–about 23 million more people). The real reason might be the work my wife will be doing, rendering service to many as she helps a charitable foundation and other efforts in China. Or maybe the real reason is the food after all. I’m cool with that! And maybe the journey is the real destination. I’ll tell you when I get there and everything is clear at last. One thing is for sure: everything we have needed along this journey has been provided for us. We see the hand of the Lord, in spite of our mistakes and failures, helping us, opening our minds, touching our hearts, removing barriers, changing priorities, and pushing gently or sometimes forcibly to help us see what we to do. So many things have worked together to help us. We’re so grateful and in awe, regardless of what happens next.

Aren't all of our lives like this in some way, with the Lord always there, giving us opportunities that we may not recognize or take, but giving us help to bear with what we must bear and to sometimes find unexpected new routes to pursue when the time is right? This process of seeking, listening, doing our best, moving forward, often erring, hopefully recovering, and trying again is, in many ways, the destination. My little issue of where to live and what do professionally pales in comparison with the big issues of life, family, faith, and so forth that many of you are dealing with now, but it's been an instructive journey.

I've left out some of the most overwhelming and meaningful details that I can't share here, but this has been a memorable journey. I think by daily struggling more in prayer and pondering, we have more clearly seen and recognized the influence of God and the kind things that have been done to help us, even when those things initially seemed like setbacks and problems, even disasters. One example came when my wife noticed that something had gone wrong with her reservation and that it was on the wrong day. This proved to be a blessing, allowing us go from a problematic schedule (as initially planned) to a horrific one and then to an almost ideal one, with Delta kindly waiving the $150 change fee. Wow. But we also learned that some of the things that Lord does to help us don't do any good if we don't act promptly and proactively when the door is opened. I will spare you the details, but there have been lessons in many ways in our journey.

The timing has been remarkable. It turns out that it was very important that my notice of leaving was given on Memorial Day. A disappointment from one of our clients, dropping a big project I had looked forward to, also made it feasible for this transition to happen when it did. That news came two days before we would be faced with the surprise privilege of accepting the wonderful opportunity in China. Had that project gone forward, my guanxi with the client would have kept me from making the change now. So many things like that have occurred with almost surgical precision to move me along. All a delusion? Maybe. Is there a purpose to it all? If so, I don't know why, but it's been a fascinating journey. I hope this will continue and that we can make a difference.

We’ll be there for 1-2 years, and then back to the United States to create jobs and other things here. I’ll try to keep this blog up, but may need some guest writers to help out from time to time. Please let me know if you have some content you’d like to share. Meanwhile, wish us luck in one of the great nations of the world, China.

Reminder on Etiquette and the Rules for Comments

2011-06-05T07:42:00.003-05:00

I'm really sorry that some people have had a frustrating time with posting comments. Much of the problem has been that Blogger has an anti-spam feature that can automatically block comments, especially when multiple links are in the comment. The other problem is that occasionally, rather rarely, I will delete comments when they violate my policies. I'm sorry that this has been offensive to some. Let me explain the rules and expectations I have.

Basics of etiquette for the Mormanity blog: Civil, on-topic dialog is the standard I ask for. Shouting offensive remarks is not participating in civil dialog. Off-topic posts are frowned upon. Links to anti-Mormon sites are generally unwelcome: I don't want to increase their page rank on Google and don't want to send people there as a general rule. Yep, there's my horrific, benighted bias out for all to see: this is actually a PRO-Mormon blog.

Long essays posted in numerous chunks do not strike me as civil dialog, but as unwelcome hogging of bandwidth with a monolog. If you can't make your point in 4000 characters, you aren't going to make it in 80,0000 split across 20 comments in a row. People aren't going to read that. I'm not, anyway. If you have a long essay, get your own blog and share it. It's easy and it's free.

Remember, this is Jeff's blog. Not a place for you to do and say anything you want. If I object to what you're doing and delete a comment, it doesn't help to come back and tell me what a vicious hypocrite I am. Tell your story of being viciously repressed by me elsewhere in anti-Mormon halls where you may receive a hero's welcome.

Think of this blog as a neighborhood party with free food. I create a dish occasionally and put it out on a table in front of my house to let neighbors and others come buy and taste it, with an expectation of politeness. I allow them to put sticky notes on the table responding to the dish I've prepared. Some like it, some don't, some have suggestions on alternate recipes. But if a sticky note is objectionable or if someone tries to blanket the table with their own sticky notes accusing me of serving poisoned food or cooking babies, or if someone wants to hog up the whole table for themselves with zillions of sticky notes, I reserve the right to yank a few off. You can be offended, but you have no rights to demand anything more from me.

If you are fuming with anger as you type, first go to Wal-Mart and get a free blood pressure test. If your you're above 135/85, go out in a field,, sit down, and meditate for a few minutes. Oh, check where you are sitting first, especially here in the dairy state of Wisconsin. Relax, cut down on sodium and fried foods, work out a bit more, and once the blood pressure is normal, then write a more calm entry. This is not a place to express anger and hatred, as valid as you may think those emotions are. It's a place for civil dialog. On-topic dialog.

If you post the same thing or nearly the same thing four or five times, I frown upon that. If you are promoting a business or an anti-Mormon website, I frown upon that. Angry insults aren't helpful. Links to YouTube videos are suspect unless I know the source or know what's in it because I've had people give links to videos that start off OK and then become highly objectionable and I really don't have time to screen them.

Recognize that Blogger has an automatic spam feature. One recent poster has 23 entries sitting in the spam area of Blogger. He thought I was sitting here deleting them one by one and that I have not banned his name from comments at all. Not so. What he posted over and over fell into the spam-like filters that I didn't create. This can happen to good posters as well and I can go in and manually clear them, but sometimes that takes a while for me to notice and fix. If a comment disappears a few seconds after you post it (refresh to check), it was probably the automatic spam filter. Adding links, especially lots of links, to a post seems to be the main way to trigger it. If you are sharing a link, I suggest copying your comment before sending it to make sure it clears the spam filter. I think the spam filter might recognize "bad behavior" from a single IP address or screen name, but I'm not sure. Interesting that so many comments from one poster would be captured as spam. Sorry, but that's not necessarily because Mormons are toxic.

Moving to China

2011-06-04T17:22:00.000-05:00

Soon I'll be living in one of the most amazing nations on earth, enjoying the delights of the Chinese language, Chinese food, Chinese ingenuity, and Chinese society. I'm moving to Shanghai, China. I'll be there for one to two years as I make a dramatic and exciting career change that will later bring me back to the United States. My wife will be joining me there and will be involved with a humanitarian foundation helping children and migrant workers while I work on intellectual property strategy and innovation for a large company hungry to improve, grow, and excel.

Details and photos to follow.

The Chinese firewall may make it difficult for me to post as often as I would like. I'll also be careful to respect Chinese law regarding proselyting. I'll participate in a branch for expatriates that the government allows to meet. While organized religion will have limitations, opportunities to serve in other ways are wide open, for human needs are abundant in spite of the incredible prosperity of that beautiful nation. Wish me luck.

Any of you lived in Shanghai? Any advice, tips, etc? If you want to contact me directly, use jeff at jefflindsay dot com.

Inept Deceipt in the Inspired Version? The Problem with Errant Assumptions

2011-06-04T17:09:00.000-05:00

Here's a friendly inquiry abut differences in the Book of Mormon and the "Inspired Version" of the Bible from someone who I don't think was really looking for an answer:

The outrageous mistakes that Joseph Smith made, in presuming that he could translate the Bible, were, simply, that the Bible scriptures used from the KJV in the BOM, supposedly the most correct book on the face of the earth, prior to Smith's Inspired Version of the Bible (parts of which are currently annotated in the LDS Bible) grossly contradict Smith's translation of the New Testament. How is it that the BOM does not match the JST? For example, take 1 Nephi 14:6, Matt. 7:6, 3 Nephi 13:25-27, Matt. 6:25-27. Smith should have known that this deception would catch-up with him, but I don't really think he cared, for he lived in a very delusional world. After he wrote the BOM, he couldn't go back and change what he had written when he rendered a bogus translation of the Bible. What sophistry can you come up with to explain away what is clear proof that Smith was a charlatan? Yet, you are quite an expert at sophistry and have made many people believe that what is as black as sin is as white and pure as the driven snow. I am quite curious to hear your explanation for this.

Hmm, Joseph Smith the careless deceiver didn't even notice that his changes in the Bible didn't match the changes in the Book of Mormon? Are these difference sufficient for us to expose him as a fraud--and a very inept one at that?

There are some assumptions built into this question. One assumption is that that the Inspired Version is a restoration of original scripture. Did Joseph ever say that? This work was not completed and not canonized, but is treated as a helpful study aid. Many LDS writers examining the work-in-progress that Joseph left us with his "translation" of the Bible see it as containing not just corrections or restorations of material but also added explanatory material that we need not imagine was meant to convey the original words of ancient prophets and apostles, but may help clarify their meaning. In addition to mistakenly assuming the Inspired Version to be a complete, perfect Urtext, a less questionable assumption is that the authors of the Book of Mormon should have been citing the pure text that Joseph restored.

The fact that Joseph wasn't troubled by differences in the Inspired Version and related Book of Mormon passages is not clearcut evidence of totally inept fraud, but should be a clue about what his exercise meant.

So our critic expects us to roll over an reject Joseph because what may be clarifying commentary in his work-in-progress with the Bible wasn't also added to the Book of Mormon (at least not before he was killed). Sure, you can reject Joseph over that, but it's not an impressive argument, in my opinion.

We live in a mortal world where lots of things are imperfect, including the Church and any edition so far of the Book of Mormon. An almost fundamentalist expectation that everything fit together to suit our assumptions and logic can be a quick way toward disappointment. Stepping back and taking a slightly more flexible and open-minded, inquiring approach makes a lot more sense to me.

A related question is on my LDSFAQ page (Mormon Answers) about apparent problems in the Book of Mormon.

And Jesus Gave Thanks

2011-05-29T22:32:00.000-05:00

In "The Divine Gift of Gratitude" in the Nov. 2010 General Conference, President Thomas S. Monson offers an insight on gratitude that I find profound. He explains that when Christ was faced with the challenge of feeding several thousand people while only a few loaves and fishes were available, He took those limited resources and, importantly, offered thanks to the Father for what He had. Then the miracle came. I've always glossed over the "thanks" part in the story, but now I want to put it in bold:

32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

Others might have complained or murmured, or sought to assign blame for the failure to bring enough. But Christ took what they had, expressed gratitude to God, and then acted with what He had and worked a miracle. Should that not be our approach each day? Let us take whatever we've been allotted, even if sparse and seemingly inadequate, and instead of complaining or focusing on what is missing, take it with gratitude and seek the Lord's help to turn it into something more.

Gratitude is more than just a way of being kind and Christlike. It's a key that can unlock miracles as we act in faith.

I mentioned these points in a talk I gave in Church today. I also mentioned an LDS man who once told me that he had never received an answer to prayer. I think that gratitude may also be one of the keys to more fully experiencing the blessings of prayer, and recognizing the many answers and helps the Lord does give us. When we look for the hand of the Lord in our life and recognize and thank Him for the blessings He has given, I believe that He will help us see even more and experience even larger reasons to be grateful. I believe that we will more fully see that there is a loving and living God who answers prayers and helps us today as He did in centuries gone by. May we approach God with gratitude and have our eyes and hearts opened to see what God has done and will do to bless us.

Here's the talk from President Monson. A real classic, in my opinion.

Small Stupid Means and Great Big Messes

2011-05-24T21:25:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the Lord is so generous in helping us deal with our own foolishness. Sometimes He kindly arranges for second chances, for opportunities to recover from disaster and walk away with only minor damage done, hopefully wiser for the experience. Other times we are not so lucky.

When it comes to my mistakes, I seem to have unusually bad luck much of the time--when I do something foolish, if something can go wrong, it often does. I think my string of bad luck might be a teaching tool to remind me to always be cautious, and to remember that small stupid means can bring about great big stupid messes.

I guess it makes sense in light of the Book of Mormon, where we are told about how the Lord can achieve great things through small and simple means. (Alma 37:6-7) If great good things can be achieved through small righteous means, what about all the small stupid things we do? Naturally, they can lead to great big stupid messes. One rumor spread can damage all sorts of friendships. A small unkind act can keep someone from coming back to church. A moment of distraction while driving can result in the deaths of good people. It's a dangerous world out there, and we need to be cautious every moment, every day. We need the Lord's help constantly, every hour, to maximize the good we do and minimize the harm.

I've had my share of small stupid means creating massive unintended messes. So frustrating. So perplexing how minor sloppiness or semi-innocent foolishness can escalate and lead to all sorts of trouble. But I had a second chance experience earlier this year. Can't say much except to express gratitude. So amazingly grateful that I was able find a solution after much tormented prayer, one that involved being able to reach someone at exactly the right time to apologize and fix a potential disaster before someone else got hurt. An unintentionally stupid action came close to being a disaster. Whew. Someone else was able to be generous and kind in my moment of need and make everything OK. But I learned a few painful lessons in the process.

May we be careful each day, working out our salvation with fear and trembling (those are Paul's words in Philip. 2:12, not modern Mormon heresy) because it is a jungle out there, and our small slips can become much more troublesome that we ever imagined. Stick to the straight and narrow and pray for help each day to avoid errors that injure others, and pray even harder for help to recover when those slips occur. Sometimes, maybe just sometimes, the Lord can help us avoid some of the great and stupid consequences of our own bad behavior.

Free Wheeling Mormons

2011-05-22T16:22:00.000-05:00

"Free Wheeling Mormons" are those who have wheels and freely share them to help others. No, it's not just Mormons who are free wheeling in this sense--many good free wheelers of all faiths are out there putting their wheels to work. I'll look at some LDS aspects of this issue, though.

Consider, for example, two friends of mine, one a Mormon Bishop and faculty member at a major university, and another a generous Mormon in Zion 2.0 (a.k.a. Wisconsin). Both have trucks and don't hide that fact from the world. That means they are always getting calls to help people move furniture, mattresses, and all manner of junk. The bishop told me he puts his truck to use two or three times a week in helping out ward members. That's quite an example. The natural man in me says that if I had a truck and were called to be bishop, I'd trade it in for a motorcycle in a hurry.

Mormons with vans are often given many service opportunities as well. Here's an anonymous comment from a recent post on Mormanity illustrating this point, and illustrating the kind attitude that some faithful Christians have in using their material goods to bless others:

When my wife and I purchased our minivan, we felt particularly led to consider it a consecrated vehicle. In the almost seven years we've owned it, we have used it to contribute greatly to LDS Emergency services as the church sent help after the seven hurricanes that hit the US in two years. We loaned it to a family whose only vehicle has blown an engine so the father could get to work, which allowed him to save enough to fix the truck eventually and return our van. We loaned it again to a friend whose van lost its engine during flooding in our area when his wife was literally pulled off the road by a powerful surge in a storm that came so suddenly the whole town was caught unawares. Finally we let another family borrow it while their much older van received repairs that allowed them to continue to use it. I am leaving my name off of this post because I am not concerned about credit: I want to say how blessed our family has been every single time we have so willingly responded to these needs without worrying about government assistance or church welfare. Each of the families we were able to help had already blessed our lives and continue to do so by their love and friendship, but even beyond their direct help, we have seen so many ways we have been supported in our own struggles.

Wow, that is really going the extra mile, or allowing others to go the extra mile on your dime. I'm touched by that example. Those free wheelers also learned that the art of generous sharing brings blessings far beyond what is sacrificed.

Kudos to you kind and courageous free wheeling Mormons and free wheeling friends of all faiths out there who lift others by giving lifts and putting your wheels to work in serving God. [Insert lame pun based on "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel" here. Any suggestions?]

The Obligation to Apologize

2011-05-20T23:05:00.000-05:00

I've been away for longer than normal - sorry about that. Wild adventures, amazing ones, really, that I'll share in the near future. Meanwhile, here's a brief thought as I struggle to get me back into the rhythm of blogging.

Daniel Peterson of BYU gave a talk in 2010 called "The Obligation to Do Apologetics" in which he expressed puzzlement over Latter-day Saints who look down on efforts to defend the faith. That's what apologetics is, by the way: intellectual defense of the faith, giving answers to questions and objections, not "apologizing" for having a loser religion. It comes from an old Greek work that means "to defend." If we accept the faith, we should seek to defend it, or at least be able to defend it without just relying on blind faith and tradition. That seems to be the obligation that Peter gives us in 1 Peter 3:15 when he tells us to "be ready always to give an answer" to anyone that asks the reasons for the hope our religion gives. Brother Peterson says:

I think that it is a duty incumbent upon all of us to "apologize" in the original sense for our faith. It’s simply a human duty to apologize in that sense for positions that you hold. We all have an obligation. It's an individual obligation, and it’s incumbent upon all of us.

The disdain some faithful LDS members show for apologetics may come from their misunderstanding of what apologists are trying to achieve. We don't expect our arguments to take the place of the Spirit in converting people. But without defense, there can be much greater damage from the offense of the adversary.

Peterson quotes Austin Farrer with with insightful nugget, offered in discussing the work of C.S. Lewis in his beautiful apologetics for Christianity:

Though argument does not create conviction, lack of it destroys belief. What seems to be proved may not be embraced; but what no one shows the ability to defend is quickly abandoned. Rational argument does not create belief, but it maintains a climate in which belief may flourish.

Exactly. I've seen that so many times. The inability of many Latter-day Saints to help others when challenged with common arguments and attacks has led to many souls falling away unnecessarily. Many wandered and struggled in despair not knowing that there were good answers and explanations to help them deal with challenges that shook them. We would do well to be a little better prepared to help those struggling in the faith.

Marveling at the Life of Doreen Larson, My Late Mother-in-Law

2011-05-08T19:54:00.011-05:00

Last Monday I was in Utah for the funeral of one of the most remarkable women I know, my mother-in-law, Doreen Larson. I've never been able to understand mother-in-law jokes, but I bet she could appreciate son-in-law jokes. One of the things that I like about her and her now-deceased husband was the loving concern about the person her daughter, Kendra, was hanging out with. Was that strange tall kid trustworthy and good enough for her daughter?

Doreen's values were so different from the rest of the world. Case in point: As a bright student at the University of Washington in her junior or senior year, she was one of two finalists for an outstanding scholarship. Coming from a family without much money, the scholarship would have meant a lot. She wasn't getting any money from her family for college but was completely on her own, working to put herself through college. Now she had a shot at a significant scholarship that would have made life easier. In fact, in her interview as a finalist, the committee essentially told her that she was going to be their pick. How exciting! As she left the interview, she met a man waiting out in the hall and started chatting (she's such a friendly and loving person). She learned that he was the other candidate scheduled for an interview with the committee right after her slot. She learned that he was married and had kids, and learned that he really could use the money.

You know what she did? I just love this about her, and didn't know the story until the funeral. My wife didn't even know until the night before when Doreen's brother shared this story that Doreen kept pretty much to herself. She decided that this other man, a stranger with a family, needed the money more than she did. She made her decision on the spot, excused herself from the conversation with the other candidate, and went back to the committee she had just met with to decline the scholarship. She declined it--to help a stranger, a man who probably never learned how magnanimous and selfless this woman was. We didn't know the story until after her death, but we knew her character and know that this is exactly the kind of thing she could and would do for others.

After raising 7 wonderful children, she and her husband chose to go on a mission to serve others in Nepal. This was not an easy place to live. The poverty and challenges of the people could be overwhelming. When surrounded by numerous people begging for money from Americans, it's easy to grow callous and just ignore everybody. But she prepared some money and food every day to be able to help, seeking to follow the Spirit to do the most good with her giving. She had some powerful spiritual experiences in finding people she could help, in addition to the primary service work they were doing in an institution. Always looking for ways to help others, even under trying circumstances--that was Doreen Larson. Quietly, privately, without fanfare or press releases, she was serving people throughout her life and lifting others in so many ways.

She was one of the healthiest and most active people I know. How surprising that she would be diagnosed with cancer and then pass away just a few days later. Mercifully, she had time to say goodbye.

As an example of her vigor, when my wife and I and a son went to Barcelona, Spain a couple years ago, we were delighted that she was able to go with us. (Again, I don't get mother-in-law jokes. It was always a pleasure and honor to have her around.) Though well into her 70s, she had no trouble keeping pace with us as we trekked through the city, or maybe we were trying to keep pace with her. Vigorous, high energy, and a just a lot of fun.

Her love and charity weren't always apparent, though. Yes, I'm referring to her penchant for crushing--with a smile--all who stood in her way when playing card games. Canasta, Uno, Rack-O, cribbage, you name it--she was tough and merciless, usually winning with glee. I guess you can call it tough love. She was one of the toughest when holding cards. How I regret that I won't be able to avenge myself and attempt a rare victory until after the Resurrection. Unfortunately, by then she will have honed her skills to perfection, but I still look forward to the fun of sitting at a table with her.

Such a delightful and powerful woman, an incredible mother, and a humble but bold servant of Jesus Christ who changed many parts of the world for good. How grateful I am that my children have such people as part of their heritage.

Happy Mother's Day, Doreen, from all of us!

A few more notes:

Like my own parents, Doreen and her husband served as missionaries and met on their missions. When she met Elder Larson, an elder sharing her last name of Larson, she kept a watch on him because she was worried that the Larson name would be jeopardized by any bad behavior. She initially thought he was a tad arrogant but would learn he was just shy. She worked in the mission home in the Central States Mission in Missouri (to her chagrin--she wanted to be out proselyting, but her advanced office and organizational skills were probably indispensable) and Floyd would soon be the Assistant to the President, frequenting the mission home also. She came to realize what a remarkable man he was. Years later her husband would scandalize her in jest by claiming that they used to hold hands under the table at the mission home. "Floyd!!" I don't think they did, but I have no problem with good missionaries recognizing something very good in others on their mission, while staying dedicated to their work and abiding by the rules as I am sure they did. But what a sweet romance that relationship would become, one that was not erased by death.

How strange it is today to not be able to pick up the phone and wish her a happy Mother's Day. I hope she gets this message somehow. How we miss her, but how proud we are of who she is!

Clayton Christensen and Henry J. Eyring Team Up for a Monumental Book: The Innovative University

2011-05-06T20:13:00.012-05:00

Given the heavy emphasis on education in Latter-day Saint life, it's encouraging to see one of the most thoughtful books on innovation and reform in higher education not only comes from two highly respected LDS authors, but also draws upon successful innovations in education made possible by visionary LDS leaders. The intertwined stories of Harvard and BYU-Idaho create a fascinating tale showing us what can and must happen in higher education in the future. What follows is my review.

The landscape of higher education is about to witness dramatic change and many institutions may be poorly prepared. The forces of change that will sweep over higher education are foretold in The Innovative University: Changing the DNA of Higher Education from the Inside Out (John Wiley & Sons, 2011), a landmark book by Clayton Christensen of the Harvard School of Business and Henry J. Eyring, Vice President of Academics at Brigham Young University-Idaho. Clayton is the man who gave the world a new lens to better recognize the threats and opportunities of "disruptive innovation," and Henry Eyring at BYU-Idaho is a thought leader who has chronicled the details of a successful experiment in disruptive innovation in education at BYU-Idaho. The collaboration of Christensen and Eyring represents a pleasantly surprising combination of talent and insights, one that is fitting given the influence of Harvard on BYU-Idaho’s journey of innovation.
Henry J. Eyring kindly allowed me to interview him about this forthcoming book that is scheduled for release later this summer. He displayed great passion for the mission of taking the blessings of education to more people at lower cost, and applying new tools and business models that can make this possible without sacrificing quality. Henry is concerned that the cost of a 4-year college degree has increased by 2 to 3 times since the 80s while starting salaries for graduate have remained flat in real terms, leaving universities vulnerable to classic disruptive innovation in which a once easy-to-ignore "inferior," low-cost alternative improves gradually to the point where it can become a serious threat.

Online course content, once viewed as inadequate, is now generally accepted by students and can result in better educational performance, especially when used in hybrid models with face-to-face elements and with adaptive tools that respond to what and how students learn. Online models can allow a course to be customized to meet the learning styles and needs of a student, improving the quality of education. "Existing universities must view online learning as a sustaining innovation for their models," Eyring says. Failure to embrace the potential of online learning will leave universities vulnerable to disruption, both from competitors and from budgetary pressures. "Even the best universities will be pressed to show better ROI." They may need to become less universal, no longer offering the same graduate programs in all fields as they do in science and engineering. There is a need to change the very DNA of the university, the thrust of The Innovative University, a remarkable fruit of the collaboration between Henry Eyring, who began writing about the BYU-Idaho experience in 2008, and Clayton Christensen, who teamed up with Henry to add the framework of disruptive innovation and further insights from the Harvard perspective to complete this scholarly but highly readable work.

Like many of the best books about the future, this one is based upon a great deal of history. Much of the book explores the stages of development in education and business models for two very different schools, Harvard and Brigham Young University-Idaho (initially Bannock Stake Academy, then Ricks College and more recently BYU-Idaho). The scholarship is outstanding, the writing crisp and clear, and the stories told interesting and instructive. Some readers may not wish to grasp the historical foundations of these universities and the currents of change that have brought us to our present state. Fortunately, the book is organized to allow the impatient to turn to the latter portions of the book (say, Parts Four and Five) to access major conclusions and recommendations.

The authors chronicle the rise of BYU-Idaho from its humble rural Idaho roots to a bustling campus of over 22,000 students. Rather than ascend the traditional "Carnegie ladder" of adding ever more expensive programs and costly benefits, BYU-Idaho recently embarked on a path aimed at getting the most from the heavy investment in the physical campus and staff, while offering more students an enhanced education at lower cost. Much of this was driven by a Dr. Kim Clark, who came to BYU-Idaho after serving as a noted and respected Dean of the Harvard School of Business. Clark built on the foundation of major reforms introduced under the previous president, David Bednar. Change was also driven by the vision of leaders in the church that owns and oversees BYU-Idaho, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The resulting innovations include:

a new trimester schedule that keeps the campus in heavy use year round;
dramatic revision in course offerings such as modular majors and carefully tailored GE courses making it easier and less costly for students to switch majors or to customize their education;
strengthening of internship program to better prepare undergraduates for employment;
elimination of expensive inter-collegiate sports programs;
combining online content and face-to-face instruction to reach more students and improve education (with many innovations on the path to high-quality online content);
augmentation of faculty teaching with peer-to-peer assistance in which students who understand the material efficiently help their peers;
extension efforts in several cities where online content is coupled with face-to-face mentoring to reach more students;
establishing a common "Learning Model" for education, with emphasis on learning experiences and case studies that can be enhanced with peer-to-peer interaction and supplemented with online content; and
elevating faculty pay to above-average levels to compensate for the additional effort required of the faculty to make the more intense BYU-Idaho system succeed.

The importance of online content as an element of disruptive innovation is emphasized in the book, which offers numerous valuable insights into the business models and applications of the technology that have brought success to BYU-Idaho, as well as the foundations for Harvard’s success and leadership in education. The authors don't call for the abandonment of traditional universities, but building on their strengths and helping their limited physical and other resources be able to serve more students at lower cost.

Those interested in either Harvard or BYU-Idaho or in higher education in general should appreciate the historical development and insights. Many other innovative schools are also highlighted in case studies throughout the book.

The authors use the theme of DNA throughout the book, and argue that successful educational reform requires changing the DNA of a university. "Genetic reengineering" is needed to build new models and systems that will be sustained over time and grow. The book is aimed at identifying and spreading the new genes that will result in healthier, stronger education. For those that resist and cling to the old DNA, disruptive innovation could one day overtake the universities and leave them unable to compete and unable to serve, saddled with shrinking resources, higher costs, and fewer students willing to endure their increasingly less competitive programs.

The learnings from the journeys of BYU-Idaho and Harvard University are extended to the broader challenges faced by institutions of higher education worldwide. How can they adapt their programs to be more efficient, to better serve more students at lower cost? How can they provide education without requiring students to take on a mountain of debt? How can education be more personalized, more customized, to help students better prepare for the careers or graduate educational experiences they desire? How can universities better achieve the missions of teaching and research? What tasks do universities really need to focus on for the future? The authors offer valuable guidance, based on extensive research and insights.

Though higher education has remained relatively immune from the pressures of disruptive innovation for years, the power of new business models and technologies coupled with social and financial pressures will lead to dramatic change that may surprise and even pummel many universities now on the traditional path of making education more expensive and elite. Christen and Eyring offer a monumental guide to avoiding the pain of disruption and capitalizing on the promise of positive disruptive innovation for those institutions with the courage and vision to become an innovative university. For educators, policy makers, parents and students, I recommend The Innovative University for breakthrough thinking that can help transform education.

Update, May 10, 2011

Further information below about BYU-Idaho is derived largely from some online comments by Steve Davis, their Alumni Director. Any errors are mine.

Since the decision in 2000 by President Gordon B. Hinckley to turn Ricks College into BYU-Idaho, the university has grown from a capped enrollment of 8,200 students on a traditional fall/winter track, to over 14,000 students each term and over 22,000 annually -- largely because of the innovative 3-track (year round) enrollment. BYU-Idaho has also launched several online initiatives, including the Pathway pilot program, discussed several times in The Innovative University, that enables students to earn BYU-Idaho professional certificates, associate, or bachelor degrees while staying at home. The online offerings at BYU-Idaho are different than independent study in that each course is semester and cohort based. Students are part of cohorts, groups of students they will interact with to enhance the educational process. or example, students in an online section could have classmates from other Pathway sites, as well as regularly enrolled BYU-Idaho students.

Online content is coupled with face-to-face interaction at a local physical location to help students in multiple regions away from BYU-Idaho. Students meet weekly and take an Institute class for BYU-Idaho credit, but the remainder of their curriculum is online. This program is now operating at 23 domestic sites (all LDS Institutes) as well as Accra, Ghana, and Puebla, Mexico.

Helping Young Men Becomes Proactive Leaders: The Importance of Actually Dating

2011-05-05T07:16:00.000-05:00

I once gave a presentation on leadership to a group of educators where I stressed the need to help engineering students have more practical experiences that will help them be more effective leaders in their careers. I emphasized the basic principle required for proactive leadership: identifying where you want to be and then actively taking steps to get there from where you are now. So simple, but many organizations and individuals fail to do this with serious intent. In discussing leadership experiences for young people, I was mostly thinking of experiences like collaborative technical projects. But there's another collaborative project that might also be an important but often neglected part of their education: dating, as in formally asking someone out and going on a real date, even one that is planned.

Not long after my presentation, I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with a General Authority of the Church. In our conversation, he mentioned that when President Monson was asked what problems in the Church most keep him up at night,the answer was surprising: "Girls without dates." The General Authority went on to tell me that the Church is very concerned about young men who seem to be passive about life and do not make progress toward marriage, leaving many women even at places like BYU feeling frustrated and neglected. Many young men seem to think that "hanging out" with their friends is sufficient and do not take the steps required for courtship.

That's when it occurred to me that the failure of many young men to date reflects the problem of leadership skills. The passive approach to life, the one that is content with television and video games, is one that allows people to stay in thir current state without actively seeking progress. The proactive approach is focused on goals and deliberate steps toward desired ends. If one is an active Latter-day Saint, chances are that individual recognizes marriage as a desired end. But that is a goal that requires activity now, even the painful growth activity of asking someone out and planning a date. What better way to develop proactive leadership skills, and perhaps solve some major social problems as well?

Young men, there are too many girls without dates. Become a proactive leader now and change that. There's no future in video games. There's not a lot of future in whatever you're doing just hanging out with buds. But there is a future in dating, courtship, and marriage. My opinion, of course.

We need leaders in this world. Now get out there and start generating some proactive leadership experiences.

"We're So Glad You're Here" - The Warm Welcome a Young Woman Gave a Stranger

2011-05-01T22:38:00.002-05:00

While visiting an LDS ward in Hurricane, Utah, I recently heard a talk given by a young woman from Denmark who came to Utah on a high-school student exchange program, if I recall correctly. Her father (or step-father?) was a non-attending Mormon, but she had essentially no exposure to the Church before coming to Utah and was not LDS. She was invited to attend and was interested but apprehensive as a newcomer to the ward. Her concerns melted almost instantly when she was introduced to the bishop's daughter. "I'm so glad you're here!" the LDS young woman said as she welcome the Danish visitor. She took the newcomer by the hand and brought her to the right class and helped her make new friends. This simple step was a huge one and helped the girl have confidence enough to keep coming and learning.

The Danish girl, when she spoke, was scheduled to be baptized in Denmark. She shared her testimony and her conversion story, which was far more than simply having a good social experience. It involved a spiritual quest, studying the scriptures and gaining her own testimony through prayer. But the warmth of a sweet LDS woman made all the difference in getting that process started.

A good reminder about the need to love one another with warmth and kindness, especially the strangers in our midst. It's easy to stay in our own little spheres, but so much good comes when we step outside and take simple steps to greet and welcome others. One more case of great things coming from small and simple means.