Author: Sagacity

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Thanksgiving

I know, I know, I have not been keeping this as up todate as I could.  Oh well, things are going very well.  I am enjoying life and have had a great refreshing break.  Just a few more weeks and then I am done and headed back to Utah for graduation, marriage, and happily ever after.
For Thanksgiving Break Anna Badger, Brad Hales, and Jeana Stuart all came to visit for the holiday.  It was great to have them here and I very much enjoyed their presence.  It was quite the adventure.  They arrived on last Friday and I took all of them back to the airport today for them to fly out.  I assume they made their flights and are all safely at home now.  With most of which I write, there will be photos to go along in the Thanksgiving Gallery.
In preparation for their coming, Genny in the office got them tours at the White House, Capitol, Library of Congress, National Cathedral, and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving.  They went and saw several other museums and various other things around Washington DC.  Last Friday night we went on a midnight visit of some of the monuments.  We went to the Jefferson, Lincoln, Washington, FDR, and other things around Washington.  I showed them the main buildings and gave them a sort of feel for the overall layout of the area.
Saturday we went to the Washington DC temple.  We also paid a little visit to Georgetown and went to Arlington National Cemetery.  Sunday we went to church and the Washington Memorial Masonic Lodge.  Monday through Wednesday they went on their tours.  Monday afternoon I met them at the Library of Congress and went on that tour with them.  It was amazing.  I really appreciated the beauty and time that obviously went into the building.  Very impressive building.  I took them back through the tunnels to Russell from the Library of Congress.  That was quite a bit of a walk through the house buildings, Capitol and back.  They enjoyed it.  Tuesday I gave them their tour of the Capitol and tried to sneak in some extra perks for them, however, with another couple on the tour we did not get to show as much as I could have.  Wednesday I got off work at noon and went and met them at the Museum of American History.  I enjoyed that.  I could have spent quite a bit more time there.  I enjoyed the science aspect, nuclear, transportation, First Lady, and Presidential exhibits.  I could have spent a few more hours in the building.  I will have to pay them another visit.  There are a few museums I still have not seen.  I want to see the Native American, Modern Art, Printing and Engraving, and spy museum.  Sometime I will have to pay them a visit.  I suppose there is always a time in the future.
Thanksgiving was great.  We enjoyed a trip to Mt. Vernon and had a great time.  You can see the pictures from that adventure.  Yesterday we trekked to Monticello and Montpelier, but due to circumstances and preference, we did not get into either.  At one it was “too cold” and the other we were “too late” so what was to be done.  However, I stumbled on another little town I would love to move to some day and spend the rest of my life.  Orange, Virginia, an amazingly beautiful little town.  There are a few of them in my life.  Ashland, Kansas; Blair, Nebraska; Quray, Colorado; and now Orange, Virginia.  It was amazingly beautiful.  I hope some day I can organized a piece of property into something so magnificent so as to add to the community to which I belong.  We all loved the beautiful well kept estates that lined the roads.  Orange was particularly beautiful.
We all come to understand each other a little more, we come to see and understand our weaknesses and strengths a little more, and hopefully we will have learned from our close interactions.  I sure enjoyed their company and the opportunity to entertain guests.  More importantly, it gave a little more initiative to get out and see some of what I am surrounded by.
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ANWR, Secret Prisons, and a Judge

Things seem to be a continuous cycle of interesting things.  The blessings and opportunities of rubbing shoulders with the powerful men of the world is instructive.  The office has provided a great opportunity for these things.  I am shocked though how it appears that I am always in the right place at the right time.  There are those in the office who seek out to put themselves in positions so they will have the opportunity of meeting those who they know will come through the office.  There are those who always seek the spotlight and will do about anything for it.  I don’t mean to sound diminutive, we all have our quirks.  This one just seems to annoy me at times though.  Since I have this impatience, I find myself laughing when I end up in the right places by coincidence and they do not.  I know, this is a form of pride, puffing myself up.  Something I must work at deconstructing.  I do not say anything of it though, so in a sense I keep it locked away and find that very pleasing as well.  Unlike the person of whom I speak, I don’t have to broadcast my thoughts and meetings to the world.  Saying this, aren’t we all full of irony?  Commenting about how I don’t have to share with the world, and then I place it in my blog.  I hope that I can keep the pride in check and not sound off in a way that is condescending.  Hopefully I can share the truth of my privileges without saying I am better.  There is always such a fine line in all things, what is right and wrong.  Silence benefits nobody, yet preaching seems to turn away as well.  The middle, temperance is always to be sought, but I struggle on knowing where that territory is placed, and if I am staying in it.
Jarrett had to make a run to the Capitol and I was asked to take the phones in his place.  While I was there answering phones, I was made aware of the fact that the Supreme Court Nominee, Samuel Alito would be paying a visit to Senator Smith that afternoon.  I thought it was interesting and found myself excited as the press began to accumulate outside our door.  Surely, I was on watch when he came into the office.  Genny greeted him, we shook his hand, and I invited him to have a seat as Genny went to get the Senator.  I commented in the blog about how I felt distinctly impressed I felt with Judge Roberts at his hearing and after I met him briefly in the Senator’s office.  After he sat down I went back to typing my e-mail on my computer.  I did not wish to be another soul who just looked.  Former Senator Dan Coates began speaking with him and he laughed.  I looked up to see him laugh and watched for a moment the expression of his face.  His humility and quiet way struck me as good.  With all the press and stories of Judge Alito in the press, one never knows how one should think, but I was impressed with this man.  It was an honour to have met him.
The next day I was asked to give a tour for a group of students from the Portland area.  Their tour guide was from Charlottesville and I got her information.  She agreed to give me a tour of Charlottesville the next time I visit.  Their teacher, and her mother, were both wonderful individuals.  I came to find out they were LDS and the teacher had met her husband in Logan at Utah State.  Small world isn’t it?  As we were giving our tour, I was explaining the Senate Rotunda when a group of individuals were sneaking behind my group.  I recognized Judge Alito in the group and watched him slide pass unnoticed.  It was after he was down the hallway approaching the Senate Chamber that I pointed out to my group who he was.  Again, that impressed me with his willingness to sneak quietly past.
It was a great contrast when we were waiting from the tram back to Russell that my group was waiting at the dock.  The students had come alive and finally responded to the tour.  They were excited.  After all, they had seen the Senate vote and remain waiting for another vote.  The Senate proved to busily engaged for them and they felt some of what was happening before them.  Still talking about it, Senator John Kerry came down the escalator.  I knew Senators had priority and attempted to move my group so he could get by.  However, moving 15 high school students is not an easy thing.  Very abruptly Senator Kerry just pushed right on through the group.  I was not impressed by this at all.  Despite that, I found it very amusing to see the faces and expressions of the students as they realized who was pushing them around.  One boy’s mouth literally fell open.  While some did not know what his name was, they recognized him and were giddy about that.
As a little extra note, we arrived at the elevators in the basement of Russell and waited.  As we rounded the corner I saw Senator Jeffords coming, so I hit the button for the Senator’s Only and the elevator opened.  I suppose to save face, he invited some of the students to ride up the otherwise elevator.  Arriving at the top, they were excited to have shaken hands and rode an elevator with another Senator.  It was a good day.
Later on that day, I had to run something to the floor for Senator Smith.  It was a late night.  The man at the reception desk in the Senate Reception Room was not there.  So I waited.  This man walked up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder asking if I was waiting for him.  I turned around and informed Senator Sessions I was not there for him.  He chit chatted with me for a minuted and then somebody pulled him aside.  I watched for a moment thinking what an opportunity this was to be in this room when somebody started talking to me from my right.  I had to let Senator Snowe that what I had was not for her.  For some reason, she is smaller than I thought she was.  She excused herself and finally the reception man came back and took my notes and parcel to Senator Smith.  I then walked back to the basement for the tram back to Russell.  I sat in the tram and this little disheveled lady sat beside me to ride back.  Senator Mikulski instructed me that I was not to ride with her.  I apologized and removed myself from the tram.  After the two good experiences, then to have that one.  Funny how different people are, even in the United States Senate.
Well, that is my brush with those of name.  They are all so different from each other.  Senator Smith is nice one on one, otherwise very silent normally.  The interns all had ourselves shot with him on Thursday.  I don’t really care about the photos, I knew it is something I should have for later in life.  I won’t care any more, but I know Amanda would shoot me (not with a camera) if I could have but did not.
The rest of the week has been very occupied.  I had several projects dumped on me.  I continue to do research on a variety of subjects.  However, they were all trumped by the Washington Post story about the CIA having secret prisons.  This kept us busy in doing some research into congressional records and statements by various people.  It also dealt with some very interesting phone calls.  It is odd sometimes what the response is for some people when you comment you are from a United States Senator’s office.  Some instantly shut down, others open up and always tell far too much.  Fascinating.
This week has been quite the struggle over ANWR.  Last week, the Senate voted to keep it in the Budget Resolution.  This week the House removed it from the bill and removed the whole bill in frustration.  However, it looks lik ANWR might have been protected at least for another little while.  Whos knows what next week could bring.  It is always this constant struggle.
Anyhow, this week has proved very instructive to me in goverment as a whole.  Everything always has another side to it, whether it is right or wrong is not the question, but can we see the other side.  Only when we can understand the other side can we make any determination whether what is right and wrong.  This seems very applicable to all aspects of life.  Always learn the opposing view, and from that perspective work back to your own.  You will always be much for effective in understanding and in your reasoning that way.  Well, until next time…
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Shadows

Yesterday was a day that will forever live in my memory.  I was privileged to follow and shadow an United States Senator in all that he did.  It was my privilege to attend his meetings, listen to his conversations, and personally visit with him throughout the day.  At one point I even got to go on the United States Senate Floor.  That is a rare honor as it is only reserved for Senators and other  selected individuals.  He had to ask permission for me to be on the floor.  If he had not inserted his talk into the record, my name would even be a part of the Congressional Record.  What an honor it was to follow and visit with him.
It was my honor to see him visit with a couple of other Senators.  They visited about budgets, amendments to budgets, and plans in relation to upcoming votes.  He even visited with Senator Vitter about the costs of rebuilding Louisiana.  That was interesting.
Going to the floor was something I will never forget.  It was electric.  It was fun to be on the floor rather than up in the gallery looking down.  There were three of us there, all with our special little passes, and watched the Senator give his little 7 1/2 minute talk.
After coming back to the floor, and since we had missed some of the commerce committee meeting, he visited with me in his office for almost an hour.  I asked him a series of questions.  Everything from ANWR to Garrett, his son.  We discussed Garrett for a little while and the effect it has had upon his life.  He told me about the every day life of being LDS and serving as an  Oregon representative.  He told me about his contacts with the church and how that relationship is structured.  He told me about some of their latest interactions.  I asked him about spiritual  interactions with Garrett which was interesting, especially about some of the interactions with other members of the family.
The rest of the day was in meetings with a variety of groups on a variety of topics.  It made me tired just thinking about it.  We went from bio-diesel to environmental issues, car production to timber, and French movies to the election of governor in Virginia.  It was an exhausting sphere and round of conversations.  It was all very enlightening and impressive that he knew about each of these subjects.  I loved it.
Looking back I really appreciate the time he gave me.  It was very interesting to spend time with the man all this revolves around.  What is more, the father of a dear friend of mine.  It helped  change some of the frustration I had struggled with in not knowing who I represented.  While I still think he is pretty aloof and not totally in touch with reality, it was great to get to know him one and one.  It was an honor to be given the time for such an opportunity.  I loved it.  It was very instructive to him and his personality, especially in relation to the church and politics.  It was a distinct privilege I shall never soon forget.
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Masons

Well, just a little short entry about a trip on Saturday.  Gwen took me to the Washington-Alexandria Memorial Masonic Temple.  I have seen the building many times before, especially since the Metro goes right past it and it is off the King Street platform.  I remember flying into DC and seeing the temple out the window and thinking it was a county building or a judicial building.  However, it is a Masonic Temple built in memory of George Washington.  George Washington belonged to the Lodge in Alexandria.  It is a fully operational Masonic Temple, but it also doubles as a museum for George Washington.  It was fascinating.  The first time I have been given a tour of a Masonic Temple.  Always had to do my own exploring before.
It was very interesting.  It gave quite a bit of history of Solomon’s Temple and attempted to recreate many scenes within.  If you look at my pictures you will see pictures of some of it.  Big sculptures of Washington dressed as a Mason.  There are many pictures from the temple.  The other pictures of from Mt. Vernon, Washington’s home.  There is a man making his own lace.  How very interesting!  Washington’s carriage and chariot.  There was all kinds of things.  In the temple they had a bunch of crusader things that were the real thing!  No replicas, real armor and sabers from the time period!  It was all very interesting.  Especially in relation to the LDS temple.  Some claim we got our ordinances and material from the Masons.  (If you do your history Joseph knew of the temple things almost 10 years before he joined the Masons)  Anyhow, they have many interesting things.
George Washington is everywhere here.  Rightly so, he was an amazing man.  Anyhow, that is all I have for tonight.
Oh, I saw Rosa Parks today.  That was interesting to see someone lay in state.  Another significant thing for my time in DC.
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Interesting Days

It is strange how coincidence seems to play into our lives. Even I, a low staffer, an Idahoan, who is of very little importance in the realm of all men who have walked upon the earth have the privilege of meeting such amazing men. There are giants around us and we very seldom realize it. Most of those will never be  recognized or accredited for what they do. However, today I wish to pay tribute to the common man (men and women, you know what I mean…man is not without the woman, and woman not without the man). There are souls around us who affect us so deeply that they forever change our course. Most of them are the every day run of the mill who humbly go about doing their duty. Many men do what they can to get by, others in service to others oblivious and often doing more damage, but then there are those who know what they need to do and do it well. Those who seek to do what they do well, live their lives to the best of their capability who influence the most.This week I met a man by the name of Mehmet Ali Talat. He paid a visit to Senator Smith. He is the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It definitely is not every day that we meet the President of a small country. What is more, one that is a bit more questionable in the eyes of many nations. Besides that, he is a very powerful man. He came with his entourage and sat in the office for a while (the Senator was meeting with the President of Starbucks…how ironic) and then left to visit with the Senator in his office. I do not know the culture, I do not know the man, but he seemed very deliberate and almost unhappy. The whole group seemed almost dire in many ways. While I can boast that I met the man who leads another nation, he left little or no influence upon me.

The same day, I met a man named Bob Livingston. A representative from Louisiana that served in the house for over 20 years. If I remember right, he was even Speaker of the House of the United States for a short time. A powerful man in the United States who served for a third of most people’s lives. (While there are hundreds of people in the U.S. government and I have come to learn it is just another job, it still holds a mystique) He sat with me for a few moments and was so concerned about his blackberry he couldn’t even visit for a whole five minutes. Another man who influenced millions of lives, but in lasting tribute will have little more than name recognition to go with his face in my life. Do we recognize the influence we could have on people, but due to our own concerns and selfishness do not take the opportunity to reach out more often.

If you would not know it, I was giving a tour this week and while explaining the Capitol Ceiling (which is always accompanied with my looking around while explaining rather than peering up a dozen noses) and I recognized a man sitting on one of the benches on the outer parameter. I excused myself from my tour group for a moment to go say hello to the Governor of Idaho, my beloved home state. I walked over, shook the hand of Dirk Kempthorne, and introduced myself. He looked pensive and contemplative. I somewhat regret having visiting with him as he seemed almost melancholy, but I was thrilled with the opportunity. Here was a man who took a few moments to say hello and learn a little about me. He did not brush me off and seemed somewhat interested. This man, while definitely with his own thoughts, took a few moments out to focus on the one. He will have a much more lasting influence than the President of a small nation or Speaker of the House. Nevertheless, many don’t like the Governor, but he seemed much more willing to care about other people than the first two.

In that tour group that I excused myself from was a former Senator of the State of Oregon. Neil and Mary Bryant were a different breed though. They were engaging, willing to share of themselves and learn of others, and even reached out to meet others. They and their friends Neal and Linda Huston were fun to take on the tour as they were so willing to get along and be a part of society. They are good individuals who loved to learn. He tried to stump me on historical facts of the United States of the Pacific Northwest (which my knowledge is not very good, I just got lucky that I knew his answers). They were by far the best people I met that day. While not as impressive in stature of the world, they left an impression that will be much more lasting.

With all that said, I want to recognize some of those who have affected my life the most. Colleen Jonas. Father in Heaven. Jesus Christ. Milo Ross. Sandra Jonas. Amanda Hemsley. Brad Hales. Kathy Duncan. Ted Tateoka. Kevin Orton. Nicole Whitesides. Laurel Hepworth. Marie Lundgreen. Kathryn England. Anna Badger. Chris Horsley. Megan Duncan. Dustin McClellan. James Cazier. Tom Kunzler. Altan Hardcastle. Warren Crane. Gene Hansen. Lorn Duff. I am sure there are more, many more. Thank God for good souls who reach out and connect with people. Who care more for others than they do for themselves. May God forever bless those who have affected my life and may I return the favor to all I come in contact with.

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By small and simple means

Things continue to go very well for me.  I am blessed far beyond what I could hope for.  Sometimes it seems that things are slowing down, but things continue to move forward.
A great turn of events for me.  I have been invited to act in part of the role of assistant press secretary.  I do the clips and that takes a good hour of my day.  I enjoy it, I have my space in the mail office where I can do it.  It is an honor and I don’t mind working on a project that is solely my own.  For the rest of the time I am here, I will act in this position, unless they hire someone.  It is nice to have this because I can call it my own and I am not always depending on someone else to do their part or that someone else will do it.  I can do it, do it my own way, and there is not the little struggle if someone else wants it.  The best part is that I am respected more for being a part of the office, not just an intern to do the slightest whim of whoever wants.  I mean I still do, but they ask more politely and are more willing to work with me.
It is nice to have full access in my e-mailing to the whole office.  It is even better to have a window that I can look out and see the Supreme Court building.  In visiting with Chris, who is the press secretary, I have had a chance to get to know him some more.  He gave me a contact in Charlottesville too!  That will come in handy.  I have had numerous chances to visit with him now, and he keeps asking me questions.  I have enjoyed getting to know him more as well.
Today offered a unique opportunity.  If anyone happened to be watching the Finance Committee on CSPAN, they would have seen me enter the committee twice and present some paperwork to Senator Smith.  Both times I walked in as Senator Grassley was speaking.  Jacob said he saw me on the screen back in the office.  Now I can say I have been on official government tv now!  Anyhow, nothing special, but it was interesting.  I would not have known had it not been pointed out to me that they had seen me.  Funny how things are happening when we don’t realize it.
Today is also a little highlight in the life of Paul.  A tribute I wrote for the Senator about Rosa Parks will be entered into the Congressional Record.  Which means, while I cannot prove it was me, I have my words and work now represented in the official record of the United States Government.  I think that is exciting.  I hope I get another opportunity to write more.
The weather has continued to pour and pour and pour.  Apparently they are blaming some of it on the tailings of Wilma and Alpha.  Who knows.  I just know that I love it because it reminds me so much of the mission field.  Things are green and wet and yesterday I smelled a smell that reminded me so much of England.  Oh what I would not give to serve another mission, and especially in England.
Well, things are going very well.  Kathryn told me in the office that she appreciated how hard I work and that I am always working on something without having to be asked.  She said that was the reason why Chris asked me to help with the newspaper clips.  I am honored.  It is those little things that make all the difference.  I hope that I may always take care of the little things, and that great things will come to pass.  As my first mission president always said to me, “Take care of the pennies and the dollars take care of themselves.”  Thanks to President Bruce Stucki and Ted Tateoka, who drilled the scripture in Alma about the small and simple things home.  Hopefully I will never forget either lesson.
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Journals galore

This is in response to why I keep a journal.
I am sure you are a fine teacher.  It would be fun to watch and listen to you.  I am sure you do much better than what you think.  I am glad you are enjoying it.  You commented about that in your last e-mail.  You have an excitement about life and are an optimist.  That is a good thing and it shows cords of faith worked throughout your character.
Thanks for asking for comments now.  You have asked a question about a topic that I have come to have a testimony of and have been converted to.  In the path of time though, I found it hard to have a reason from the gospel for a journal, so it has been a search since I started my journal.  I started my journal on the 31st of August 1997.  I had just graduated from high school that summer and right before moving up to Logan for school, a couple of friends and I went shopping in Twin Falls.  While there, Altan Hardcastle, a great friend of mine, wanted to stop at Barnes and Noble.  We walked through the store and I saw the journals on the shelf there.  The thought crossed my mind that I needed to start a journal.  I grabbed one of the shelf, passed out the 12.99 for it, and took it home.  I pretty much kept it hidden from them and anticipated getting home.  I was not quite sure why.  They dropped me off at home, I went downstairs to my room, and started to write.  I have been regularly writing in my journal ever since.  The current journal, Amanda purchased and sent to me just about a month back, is number 16.  I have averaged two a year ever since then.  In the two years of the mission, I kept 5.  Before the mission it was just about every day.  The shortest journal I have ever kept was during that time frame and it covered 3 months.  The last journal covered about 8 months.  Life now doesn’t have as much happen during the week.  I have found that when I am caught in a schedule like work, much of the activities to report become mundane.  However, you let me have the time to myself and I am always finding new things to experience and record.  It has been a sort of goal to always have something new to record and report.  So why did I start?  I can only say it was a prompting I acted upon and have continued.  However, I have since then found many reasons for continuing.  I will give you a bunch of scriptures and my personal ties to them.  Hopefully you find this of some value.
2 Nephi 29:11-12, “For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.  For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it.”
Well from the above, it is a commandment.  When the Lord speaks to us, he expects us to write it.  I have always made a point of making sure I record all the spiritual experiences and how life is (as much as I feel I can or am allowed to record)  I attempt to point out my blessings and look at life as one big one.  I try to make sure that I point out my blessings and life’s course as a blessing from heaven.  In doing so, the blessing comes that I am more fully capable of recognizing my blessings, and more importantly of what I am doing with the blessings.
Next, the Lord expects us to record his doings that he may judge all men according to the things which are written.  I attempt to record all of those individuals who bless my life and who I recognize for their faith and good works.  I attempt to analyze and portray those who are good and their redeeming qualities.  For those who do bad things, are dishonest, I make sure I record them as well.  While in doing so, I always attempt to find redeeming qualities, not focusing on the bad, but always telling of my interactions with other people.  Especially those, good or bad, that have great bearing on my life.  I honestly believe that people will be held accountable for those things in relation to even me, the least of brethren, in the day of reckoning.  Plus there is always some of that self interest in there as well.  I feel that if I am recording my thoughts and actions and perceptions, the Lord will be more likely to judge me by the books I record than that of other people.  My own witness is more powerful than others when it comes directly to myself.  Now the thought is always brought up, “Well, you will be able to speak at that day.”  Yes, that may be true, but the evidence at that time, while with a body, is the greatest evidence.  But there is a great power in the written word as opposed to the spoken word.  Elder Packer told us as missionaries that if a persons baptism and confirmation was not recorded on earth, it was not recorded in heaven, even if they really had been baptized and confirmed.  Without that record, they would have to be baptized and confirmed again.  Hence those early pioneers that the records cannot be found concerning their baptism, their work is done for them again so that there is a record.  I believe much of a similar thing is true of our world today.  The written is very important.
Lastly concerning this scripture, I recognize that many people later will read these things.  I would like to make sure my character and life are recorded for those who come after me who may be interested in knowing of me.  Whether they be family, or people interested in a certain place, or just a random Idahoan.  I would like my testimony, works, life all recorded so that my witness will stand up against anyone else who may wish to say otherwise.
As a comment, the journals have already come into valuable use in my life.  With the murder of Meta by my mother, I was a suspect for a while.  When it was shown I was not a suspect, but that I had dealings with the murderer, the journals with their testimony allowed me to give my testimony without having to be present.  Those journals, still in the possession of the state, provided a character witness for my mother for the years of my life.  My dealings with my mother during my time at Utah State were nearly all recorded.  They provided a character witness that my mother was indeed the type of person that could do these things.  The threats that she had made to me were real and what is more important they were not memories or hearsay given at the pulpit.  There were recorded incidences and times written at that time concerning topics that were in question.  Those journals made it possible that if the trial had gone on, I was not required to come home from the mission field.  The testimony in those journals was actually of more value to the court than were my living witness after the fact.  While I had nothing to do with the events, I would not have testified concerning them, but the events leading up to and comments were all recorded already.  That is one powerful blessing in this life, and I am sure those journals will come to play in my own judgment and the lives of others later.
In keeping with the above, due to the fact that we believe in a resurrection and a judgment, I believe there is great solace in this fact.  That even though I may have been wronged in the greatest of ways, by recording them and leaving to the master judge, I have no need of carrying them myself.  Even though there are those who would have taken my life, all animosity, all grief, all pain, all anguish, all sorrow, have been left behind and healed by the fact that I could write them down unto God.  They were not my burdens, I was recording them before the Lord, and I need not worry about them anymore as that he would take care of them.  My comment after the murder and other events was simply, “Why carry them, when I can give them away to the pages of a book?”  Classic comments like “fools mock, but they shall mourn” (Ether 12:26) are brought more fully to life.  “And ye ought to say in your hearts–let God judge between me and thee, and reward thee according to thy deeds” (D&C 64:11).  By recording them, and leaving them to be before them and the Lord, I find I can move on with my life.  If they repent not, that is between them and the Lord.
The commandment is written elsewhere too.  3 Nephi 27:23, “Write the things which ye have seen and heard, save it be those which are forbidden.”  As I commented before, inasmuch I felt I could write it, all those things which were spiritual and important to me are recorded.
3 Nephi 5:16-17, “Therefore I do make my record from the accounts which have been given by those who were before me, until the commencement of my day; And then I do make a record of the things which I have seen with mine own eyes.”  Here is another reason why I keep a journal.
Over a year ago, I stumbled upon a copy of my Grandmother’s journal.  I did not even know that she had kept one at any point in her life.  I was able to borrow it for a space of time and I went through the whole thing.  Due to the fact that I could not keep it, plus the owner of it I could not trust, I set out to record all those events from the journal I thought were of note to record.  I literally filled scores of pages in my journal with excerpts of the pages of my grandmother’s journal.  In reading her journal I was profoundly glad she had kept this journal for three years of her life while she was in high school.  The time when I was of most wanting to learn of her life, she was gone.  I never really had the opportunity when I was alive to learn from her because I was not ready.  Even though I had her journal, she never wrote more than two sentences per day.  Oh what I would have given for her to have written four or five pages a day!  Or kept the two sentences a day for 10 years rather than just those three years ending a few days after she got married.  What I would not have given to go back and counsel her to write twice as much as she did at that time.  How much I yearn to know of her life, but she was not mindful enough of coming generations to record what she thought was a boring mediocre day to day life.  How terribly wrong she was (if she thought that).
Herein lies two lessons.  Oh what I would have given as a later generation to have had more.  What I would have given to know her more in person, but since I couldn’t, the next best thing is her own writing.  While others can tell me about them, they cannot tell me the exact thoughts and writings of the individual.  It is a great family history tool for those who will come after.  But also in referencing what Mormon wrote above (a different Mormon than the abridger of the Book of Mormon) he was taking the history from other histories and piecing them in his.  I went through and took the important highlights of her life and recorded them into my own journal.  Since I knew her journal may be lost or never again found, I recorded those things which I considered most precious and desirable above all else (sounds like why the Book of Mormon was compiled as it was!  Oh it is that very reason why it was compiled).  I wanted to record those things from before me for the generations after me to possess.  What is more, I don’t just do it from the writings of others, but I try to record every story I hear about my ancestors.  Especially those from my aunts, uncles, great aunts, great uncles, grandfather, ect.  I have recorded my Grandpa’s war stories.  Ever time he would tell me one, I would try and record it in my journal.  Even with all the dirty details.  Since it affected me, I record it.  It obviously affected him, especially for him to remember it 50 years later.  The stories and journals I keep are not just mine, but they tell of the lives of my family and of those living in my times.  They give background information and tell the tale of the era.  For example, my recording that I gave away copies of the Book of Mormon in Senator Smith’s office automatically assumes responsibility for myself and the others in the office for have even been in the vicinity as the truth.  Each of us will now have to act and be judged according.  My failure to act, or their failure to act is all recorded.  Hopefully those who come afterwards will learn many things and be wiser than I.
3 Nephi 24:16, “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard; and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.”
3 Nephi 26:6, “And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people.”
Revelations 20:12-13, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.”
I always hear people commenting about how they will speak for themselves when the day comes.  There are those who claim they will be testifying against others at the day of judgment.  However, in most of my searching, while not exhausting, I cannot find us speaking or testifying at that day.  All I can ever find is the records of those who were on the earth.  It appears our lives are judged according to the things which were already written, not our testimony at the last day.  The records of the church are obviously important, the temple records, the ordinance records, and of course the official records of our life.  But what about those Judges of Israel who keep a faithful record of our dealings with our fellow man.  What about those records of how well we served in our callings.  What about the testimony of those who were about us.  What about the testimony about those who were our family?  They will all be important as well.  Tainted, perhaps.  Wrong, perhaps.  But when compared with the whole host of all the records kept, I am sure a pretty clear painting will emerge from our lives without a witness being called to vocally speak.
Jeremiah 30:2, “Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.”
Moses 6:5, “And a book of remembrance was kept, in the which was recorded, in the language of Adam, for it was given unto as many as called upon God to write by the spirit of inspiration.”  Verse 8, “Now this prophecy Adam spake, as he was moved upon by the Holy Ghost, and a genealogy was kept of the children of God.  And this was the book of generations of Adam, saying: In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;”  Verse 22, “And this is the genealogy of the sons of Adam, who was the son of God, with whom God himself, conversed.”  Verse 46, “For a book of remembrance we have written among us, according to the pattern given by the finger of God; and it is given in our own language.”
Here is a reference of all the scriptures of which I have linked to 2 Nephi 29.
Mosiah 24:6
Revelations 1:19
3 Nephi 27:23
3 Nephi 5:8-14
Ether 12:27
3 Nephi 23:13
Revelations 20:12-15
3 Nephi 29:16
Moses 6:5
Jeremiah 30:2
All of this is wrapped up in D&C 128:6-8 which I will not type up since it is so long.  However, all of which I spoke of concerning the judgment is clearly delineated.
Now, the last two points I wish to make.
First deals with the perspective and analysis of life.  In the writing and recording of life as it goes along, we have to view the inscription as we write it.  We have to take the thoughts and present them in a fashion which requires us to place them as if we were recording them for another person to understand.  As we place our thoughts upon the page, we get a glimpse of who we are and of our thinking.  We can see our shortcomings, we can see our weaknesses, we can see our view of the world, and we can see nearly aspect of ourselves.  All things are constantly being brought into our view because we are literally interpreting our thoughts and actions for others to browse.  We can be dishonest, which I admit I do sometimes by leaving out information or tweaking things slightly, or face the harsh truth.  I have learned it is most difficult for me to be completely honest with my journal.  But to do so with myself I have found that achieving that means I don’t care about being honest with others.  If I can be honest with myself, and not fear what others will think of me in the silent pages of my own journal, then surely another person will not phase me.  When I can achieve honesty with myself, I have little or no difficulty in doing so with others.  I can tell when my thoughts are coherent, and when they are not.  Over time I have really struggled to place feelings and thoughts into the structure of words.  This is a talent and a gift which must be nurtured.  Learning to explain myself not only physically but also spiritually has become a great liberator.  By coming up with the words and strength of being able to communicate them, I am more able to understand and fathom my thoughts.  I learn many things about myself, my experiences, and all aspects by placing them into words.  That medium allows us to structure our lives and to analyze and view with accuracy more fully everything about us.  As we can do with ourselves, it becomes more easy to discern all things, of the spirit, and of other people.  Your comments about my ability to analyze people is directly attributable to my journal writing.  I am also watching for detail so that in describing my life and actions to the silent listeners in my journal, I find I am more aware of my surroundings and all things that take place.  It is a great liberator.
Now in a side note, I will not touch much upon, one of the classic stories of those who are trying to lead a people into oblivion is to remove their language.  By removing their ability to express themselves, they are less likely to understand themselves, and when they cannot understand themselves, then they can be more easily molded and lead into a certain way of thinking.  Current trends of watering down language and not seeking to know the English language is a dangerous field.  The English language was considered the great liberator, but as we lose our own language, we also lose our liberty.  Just some extra thoughts which have more to do with education and politics than with the spiritual reasons of journal writing.
Second deals with the memory.  As I record things, I find that I have a reference for the future to recall.  Those things which are recorded I have little or no difficulty in recording down the road.  Even aspects of life on the journal may be entirely forgotten.  However, breaking open the book from 1998 and reading just a little bit, I can bring back with clarity and clearness events that happen then that are not contained in the journal.  Often when I do review, I will record the extra memories for later generations.  My memory I believe is what it is because I have a framework of a past which is remembered.  Since it is remembered, the framework is greater for which to analyze the events of the present.  The memory is a powerful thing.  Plus by writing down the links and thoughts which are in our minds allows for us to place in language the structure of those thoughts and we can analyze them in a new light of whether they are still able to connect one with another.  It is a great tool of remembering all things.
Anyhow, those are my thoughts about journal writing.  If you have more questions, please let me know.  If I think of anything else, I will respond and send them to you.  I have given you quite a few scriptures to work with, some examples which will hopefully recall some of your own.  You are free to use some of my own if you wish.
by

Blessed Monticello

I must write of an experience that has changed my life.  While I have always been impressed with Thomas Jefferson, somehow it was in visiting his home that I came to really appeciate the man.  While in nearly every sentiment I feel and agree with his writings and thinking, it was in him home I felt our kinship even more closely.
 
What an amazing man.  What an amazing intellect.  A man who said he could not live without books.  He also swore that on the altar of God he would do everything to tear down the ignorance of man, in every form and ramification.  A man who all his life sought to learn greater light and truth.  He lived it, which was obviously manifest in his home.  The design of the home to the artifacts found within.  What a wonderful occasion.
 
In visiting the home on Saturday, I was impressed with how well it has withstood the elements.  In visiting Mt. Vernon, it was a sad relic compared to Monticello.  Washington’s home was obviously given to him, but the poor thing looks like the foundations and frame have not held up.  That could be partially upkeep over the years, but Monticello’s past seem to be more uncared for than Mt. Vernon.  It was simply astounding and beautiful.  The use of space, the architecture, the simplicity yet elegance.  It was a treat.  I am ready to move in tomorrow. 
 
In younger years I drew all these house plans that I would someday build.  As I read books and refined my plan over the years, it was in 5th grade I really completed what the home I wanted some day would look like.  I did not think it could be bested.  I thought it used the space the best, put on an impression of grandeur while being small, and was very good at accomodating the library and other things I wanted to have later in life.  Come to find out, my home is very much like Monticello’s design except mine had the wings at an angle.  Over the years I have added a few things.  Like after reading about Anson Call having a prayer room that was a floor up and would provide solitude, I provided the same in my design.  I wanted a meditation/prayer room as well.  Monticello has something of this sort.  While I could not visit it personally, I knew of its design and presence.  (Take a 3-d tour of the house at www.monticello.org)  That room for me would be one of study and prayer.  One of silence and only reverence for the heavens and learning.  His use of basement space and storage is great.  I loved how he made it so openly accessible to the outside, yet it is still the basement.  While I obviously don’t plan on having slaves (I guess children could be…)  Another thing I always did not like is what I perceived as a waste of space dealing with staircases.  Jefferson addresses it perfectly and I was very impressed with the smallness of halls and stairs.  As a side note, beds and such are not a problem as the windows and design is such to allow those to come in from the outside rather than hallways.  I always had such a problem with the waste of space and what big furnature does, especially beds.  While I knew Jefferson incorporated them into walls, I did not think that was very feasible.  I stand corrected.  I love and appreciate his design and hope to incorporate it into the home I would someday like to build.  What a genius. 
 
Charlottesville town center was beautiful and quaint.  The surrounding countryside was very beautiful and the estates expansive.  It was very heartwarming to be and appreciate the territory surrounding.  I loved every part of it.  Charlottesville is not necessarily laid out the best from its inception, but it works. 
 
I also took the time to pay a visit to the University of Virginia Campus.  I found it to be beautiful.  While it does stretch and cover quite a bit of ground, I did not visit the main campus.  I went mostly up and around the Law School.  I walked through the entire school and liked the design and feel.  Walking out the front doors and looking over the lawn was breathtaking.  I felt it was a good place and desired to go to school here. 
 
Gavin and I very much enjoyed our trip to Charlottesville.  While we discussed a wide variety of subjects on the trip, a thing that struck me was passing the Fredericksburg Battlefield, and driving through the Chauncellorsville and Wilderness Battlefields of the Civil War.  We even stopped at the Visitors Center and visited the spot where Stonewall Jackson was fatally wounded.  It was sobering to know that this country and so many soldiers fought on this ground, died here.  While I am not a Civil War history buff, I know some of the overall outline.  It was interesting to me.  Somehow deeply saddening that people are so prideful and unwilling to compromise and work out alternate conclusions.  It is also fascinating to see how much Virginia reveres Robert E Lee and Stonewall Jackson, despite their fighting a losing battle. 
 
Anyhow, it was an amazing weekend.  A great excursion out through some of the expanse of Virginia.