Another marriage in the family

Since I devoted a post to my older sister's wedding I now feel the need to keep you updated on the marriages in my family whether anyone care or not. A week ago I got an e-mail from my oldest brother in Taiwan announcing that he and his long term girlfriend had eloped to the Taiwanese equivalent of the justice of the peace and become legally and lawfully married. Here are some pictures of my crazy brother and wonderful sister-in-law.

Reflections on work and consecration

Lately I have been thinking about consecration and what it means to lead a consecrated life. At first glace consecration seems to be all about being obviously involved in the Lord's work; things like missionary work, service, calling, visiting teaching, etc. However, the fact is the most of us spend a very small percentage of our time on these activities. I have a full time job and am a part time student. The majority of my time is spent working on things that, in the grand scheme of things, are irrelevant. So what does consecration mean for me.
 
It is no surprise that I found my answer in the latest general conference. Elder D. Todd Christofferson gave a wonderful talk on this very subject. He said: "A consecrated life is a life of labor [...] We naturally desire to participate with Him in His work, and in so doing, we ought to recognize that all honest work is the work of God. In the words of Thomas Carlyle: 'All true Work is sacred; in all true Work, were it but true hand-labour, there is something of divineness. Labour, wide as the Earth, has its summit in Heaven." These opened me up to a new idea that any honorable work is the Lords work.

Elder Christofferson continued, "God has designed this mortal existence to require nearly constant exertion. [...] By work we sustain and enrich life. It enables us to survive the disappointments and tragedies of the mortal experience. Hard-earned achievement brings a sense of self-worth. Work builds and refines character, creates beauty, and is the instrument of our service to one another and to God. A consecrated life is filled with work, sometimes repetitive, sometimes menial, sometimes unappreciated but always work that improves, orders, sustains, lifts, ministers, aspires."

I am beginning to realize that in addition to devoting what free time I have to the Lord's work, we can bring a level of consecration to all the work we do in our life by doing it to the best of our ability, maintaining a high level of integrity, and allowing the experience to refine our characters. I am still sorting out the details of the application of this principle, but I think I am making progress.

I will close my ramblings with a quote from J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings: "Too often have I heard of duty," she cried. "I have waited on faltering feet long enough. [...], may I not now spend my life as I will?"
"Few may do that with honor," he answered.

Perfect Saturday

I discovered this weekend that perfection is possible because I had a perfect weekend. Okay, maybe perfect is too strong, but it was pretty close to perfect.

I got up very early in the morning and drove down to the Washington DC temple to meet one of my older brothers. We did an endowment session together and then did a bunch of family-filing sealings. We had a wonderful experience together and laughed together because we kept on getting confused for a married couple. Temples are all about families and being there with my brother working to build our eternal family was the best celebration of family I can imagine.

Even the drive back was perfect. I took an alternate rout home (well, I can't take any credit for coming up with the rout, it was all my GPS) and drove through beautiful country with some breathtaking vistas of the fall foliage. I made it home in time to relax for a few minutes and then headed to the baptism of good friend of mine. It was a small but lovely baptism. My boyfriend and I had the privilege of speaking and it was wonderful to stand there and the pure happiness radiating from the face of my friend and his soon-to-be wife. What a great way for them to start their life together.

After the baptism my boyfriend and I hung out with a few friends for Awesomely Bad Movie Night and finished my perfect day with pizza, laughter, and friends. I feel particularly lucky and blessed lately. I'm grateful for the Gospel, for my wonderful boyfriend, and great friends.

Thoughts on same-sex attraction

The Church has been under attack for it's stand on same-sex marriage since it got involved with Prop 8 in California in 2008. Since then we have had to deal with issues such as the independent film "8: The Mormon Proposition," the somewhat convoluted news reports of Elder Jensen's apology on the issue, and the latest public outrage over Elder Packer's conference talk.

This is a particularly complex issue for me. As a devout member of the Church I completely accept the official position against same-sex relations and all other sexual activity outside the bounds of marriage as established by God. However, there are several people in my life who I am very close too and love dearly who struggle with same-sex attraction. Each has handled it in a different way some abandon their faith, other resigned to a life of fighting the urge, and everything in between.  I've arrive to a understanding of the issue that I am comfortable with, but I find I have trouble articulating it. Therefore I'm posting this video of the Church's latest official statement on the subject and then I'll make yet another attempt to explain my own thoughts on the subject.




Never haven't experienced same-sex attraction myself I know that my view is overly simple. There are many things I do not understand, like why some people have to deal with this and other don't. However, in my simple way, there are a few things that I do know and understand.

I know that the essence of being a disciple of Jesus Christ is charity.  I know that prejudice, hatred, and phobia against people have no place in the heart or action of any Latter-day Saint.  I also know that it is possible to have unconditional love to people without giving tacit consent to behavior and lifestyles that the Lord has clearly taught are no acceptable.

I don't understand the complexities of the issue or have great advice to offer to those who are struggling with it, but I do know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and powerful and that either in this life of the next everything that is unfair or difficult will be made right for those who are faithful to him.

For anyone interested in a more interesting view on this issue I recommend this blog: http://gaymormonguy.blogspot.com/

Reflections on Conference, Part 2

I was about half way through my mission when President Gordon B. Hinckley passed away. President Hinckley was the prophet of my childhood and youth. It was listening to him that I gained my own personal testimony of living prophets and his signature was on my mission call. While I have never doubted that Thomas S. Monson was a true prophet of God part of my always wondered if he could fill the place the President Hinckley had in my heart.

Last weekend when President Monson addressed the Relief Society I felt a spirit testify to me again that he was a prophet of God and felt a love for him growing in my heart.  Even more powerfully, as I listened to his talk during the Sunday morning session of conference I felt the overwhelming presence of the Spirit and power coming from him and I know he is the prophet that God has chosen for this time and that his counsel is the most relevant and important message we can listen to at this time. I feel humble and grateful for the blessing to live when the Gospel is on the earth and to have it in my life.

Reflections on Conference, Part 1

General Conference weekend. A wonderful time of spiritual feasting filled with reminders, inspirations, and gentle nudges to face my weaknesses, depend on the Savior and improve myself. I anticipate that Conference will lead to many posts over the next several months so here is the first installment of Amber's reflections on General Conference.

Elder Jeffery R. Holland was the first speaker of the conference on Saturday morning. As I listened to him talk about the quite acts of service and love performed by faithful members of the Church all over the world I was thinking about the many examples of that I had seen in my life when I was presented with yet another example. During the talk, my boyfriend quietly got up and slipped out to meet a member of our branch who just started coming back to church. He brought him into the room where we were watching conference helped him find a seat and made sure he was comfortable then quietly slipped down beside me again. Maybe that seems like a small, simple, even unimportant thing to do, but to me it showed a selflessness and awareness of the needs of others that I love. As Elder Christofferson taught yesterday "simple acts can confirm divine love and awareness."

Weekend at Cape Cod

My sister lives out in Cape Cod, MA where she works for a large, wealthy family who own a private island. The family puts her up on the island and when we went out for her wedding they let all of us stay and play on the island as well.

It was an absolutely beautiful place and I spent as much time outside as possible. I find nature to be very therapeutic. There is something so peaceful and comfortable about being outside to me and it is the best place for talking, laughing, or meditation. Here are a few pictures of the beauties of Cape Cod.