Yes, we are still here.

I really felt like I wanted to share some of those things with you.

First of all, I made a mormon.org profile, but it looks like it's still processing. I really think that these are wonderful and I hope that they are helping. You should make one too!

But more serious now. I have seen some really powerful moments come in the past little bit. There have been moments where I have been called upon to stretch myself personally, in my calling, and also in helping others. I have really felt the power of the messages and talks that I have been studying as the perfect talk for that point in time will somehow be the one that I happen to read.

I wanted to share some of my favorite talks with you and some of the quotes from those talks. First of all, I have been reading from "Trusting Jesus" a book of talks given and compiled by Elder Holland. I highly highly recommend this book. Especially this talk and this talk.

I love the way that Elder Holland can help me to put into perspective the events surrounding the life of Jesus Christ, especially the Atonement. I also love the way that I am able to tell that he is speaking from the heart.

One of my favorite quotes from the second link above is as follows. Speaking of the Savior:

In the moonlit silence of that Near Eastern night, every acute pain, every heartfelt grief, every crushing wrong and human hurt experienced by every man, woman, and child in the human family was to be heaped upon his weary shoulders. But in such a moment, when someone might have said it to him, he rather says to us, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27.)

“Ye shall be sorrowful,” he said—sad, lonely, frightened, and sometimes even persecuted, “but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. … Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:20, 33; italics added.)

How can he speak that way? Of good cheer and joy? On a night like this? With the pain he knew was just ahead? But those are the blessings he always brought, and that is how he always spoke—to the very end.

I love that. I really do. I have written next to the title of the chapter "beautiful" because to me the whole talk is an achievement of the spirit.

I also had a rather powerful experience tonight. I have been trying to be a support for a friend going through some rather serious issues. This has involved many long or late-night phone calls. There are times when I just honestly don't know what to say. When that happens, in my mind, I am failing the other person and my first reaction is usually avoidance. I'm not proud of it, but that's what I do. I couldn't bring myself to return the call because I didn't know what I would do or say. I didn't think that I could help and I didn't think that I could handle the situation, I needed a break. Then my book fell open to the first talk that I've linked to. Specifically it fell open to this:

I make an appeal for us to reach beyond our own contentment, to move out of our own comfort and companion zones, to reach those who may not always be so easy to reach.

I realized that I wasn't strong enough, but that was okay because I was being asked to go beyond what I thought was possible, and that by doing so I would be supported. I know that the quote doesn't say this exactly, but that's what I understood. I made the call, and things turned out well. It was a special moment of understanding for me.

I also particularly like this quote from the same talk:

I would ask you now to help with this healing, healing for others, healing for those you love and, yes, perhaps especially for those you don't. The people around us need a lot of help, and I think the Lord expects us to join in that effort.

Also this one:

On the example of the Savior himself and his call to his apostles, and with the need for peace and comfort ringing in our ears, I ask you to be a healer, be a helper, be someone who joins in the work of Christ in lifting burdens, in making the load lighter, in making things better. Isn't that the phrase we used to use as children when we had a bump or a bruise? Didn't we say to Mom or Dad, "Make it better." Well, lots of people on your right hand and on your left are carrying bumps and bruises that they hope will be healed and made whole. Someone sitting within reasonable proximity to you tonight is carrying a spiritual or physical or emotional burden of some sort or some other affliction drawn from life's catalog of a thousand kinds of sorrow. In the spirit of Christ's first invitation to Philip and Andrew and then to Peter and the whole of his twelve apostles, jump into this work. Help people. Heal old wounds and try to make things better.

After the experience that I talked about above, I decided that I was going to go and look up some of the Mormon Messages on YouTube. I found one that I have loved for a long time and I hope that you will take time to watch it now.

Anyhow. Thanks for listening. I really do want to try to be better about sharing my thoughts with people online. I feel that it is almost my responsibility as one who is familiar with the workings of the internet to provide answers and support anywhere that I can find questions. For me that includes not being afraid to post things on blogs, facebook, twitter, and all of those other sites that I am visible to all of my friends. I would encourage you to join me in doing so.

Okay, now back to your regularly scheduled mildly humorous programming/ lack of updates.