Liberdade

American Flag
Originally uploaded by The Road Here (Patti)

"Liberdade" in Portuguese means Freedom.

Today is Veteran's Day. As part of my celebratory experiences, I watched a flag ceremony carried out by the Utah State ROTC, and Air Force. As part of that ceremony, 13 cannons were fired to honor the Utah State University Veterans who had participated in 13 different conflicts/wars.

Words cannot adequately describe my feelings listening to those cannons. It was if a mirage of soldiers appeared in my mind chanting, "Remember us and be grateful."

How often do we remember those soldiers, who on this day are in foreign lands fighting wars so that we may continue to go to school, work, and on family vacations?

The opposite of Freedom, is bondage, "a state of subjection to a force, power, or influence." A state in which upon circumstance we would be forced to do all things. Sometimes we enter war to prevent others from being subjected to such bondage.

The idea between freedom and bondage has been fought ever since the world began. God fought for our freedoms, when he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to win the war over sin. He formulated a perfect plan in which we can return to our perfect home once again. Do we remeber the ultimate soldier who fought with blood from every pore to give us our freedom?

Sometimes no. Because that 'ole serpant Lucifer, continues to make war with us, God's children, to bring us into bondage. He advocates war, places hateful and power-hungry thoughts into our hearts. He wishes us to forget all those who have made a sacrifice for our freedom.

Let us stop yielding unto him, and follow our True Leader--the one who desires our freedom.

So, today on this veteran's day. I just feel grateful. I am grateful for the promised land of America. A place where I can know of the true God, because of the many soliders that fought for religious freedom.

In short, I am proud to be an American, and I hope that God will continue to bless this land as we remember those who fought for our freedoms.

POR QUE?

Saddle Bronc Riding
Originally uploaded by Bill Gracey

Por que in portuguese means WHY?

Ungratefully, sadly, and unfortunately, that is how I have been feeling these past couple of days. No matter how many blessings I count, activities I do to try to persuade myself from asking such a childish word, it still comes....

In some senses, you could compare me to Laman, and Lemuel. I've been murmuring my way through life. Why don't I have this? Why do I have to make this choice? WHY? WHY? WHY?

Why?! The answer comes, because you need more patience
Why?! Because you need more humility
Why?! Because you need more charity
Why?! Because when you are in tribulation, that is when you are at your best--teachable

Why?! Ultimately so you can become more like Him above

Life always has its whys, and how comes. "The Lord descended below all things, are thou greater than He?"

Of Course Not. So I must be content wandering in the wilderness, until I find my promised land....argh, WHY?

Because the only way out is THROUGH. Hold on to the horn, stay in the saddle, because this life horse is going to buck hard.

Forca

Horse pull --- Strength
Originally uploaded by Carol Mitchell

Forca means Strength.

Everytime I start a new school year I am amazed at the extra force I am given from above. Yesterday, I spent more than 14 hours on campus doing everything from school assignments to a planned public relations campaign for our college of agriculture week. Today, I spent seven hours in front of a computer screen writing a research analysis and preparing a law presentation.

What amazes me the most about these past few days is the added strength I have felt. It's during these miraculous times that I think of the scripture that reads, "my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me."

In my bible dicitionary grace is defined as, "the divine means of help or strength." I love how Elder David A. Bednar divines the enabling power of atonement through the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ:

"The enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement helps us to see and to do and to become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity," he said.

In my language that means if I continue working my hardest each day, I Heavenly Father will reach down and give me those skills and attributes I desperately need. I know as long as I am trying hardest, He will do the rest.

So when Heavenly Father asks me to pull just like this horse, I just simply thrust with all my might and say, how Far?

"Droga"

"Droga" means ARGH, AHHHHHHH, or an expression used for frustration. I think we cannot have "truthful thoughts" without recognizing the sometimes weakening thoughts that come to us.

For example--it's 11:55, and you were suppose to read and comment for a college assignment. Your natural tendency says, "Make something up, nobody will ever know." However, a mind conscious of "truthful thoughts" will tell you being truthful is more important than some lousy points you would get for an assignment.

I once heard a story about a business man who was traveling with some of his colleagues. For lack of memory, I'll call his name Bob. While at the airport, Bob's friend inserted a quarter into a newspaper vendor and proceeded to take a paper for him, and all of his colleagues. However, when the man tried to hand it to Bob, he refused proclaiming, "Sorry, but my integrity is worth more to me than 25 cents."

That story has always stayed with me. To be true to oneself has more value than any college assignment, 25 cent newspaper, or any fame one could acquire through dishonesty.

So yes, I may yell "Druga" when I forget again that one assignment was due, but at least I'm still being true.

As licoes de uma crianca

Happy Girl
Originally uploaded by SpringChick

As licoes de uma crianca: Lessons from a small child.

Do you ever find yourself stressing over small things? At the beginning of a new semester, its seems like the smallest things can send my mind into a whirlwind of "oh my gosh" and "will I make it?"

I confess most of my anxiety comes from my personality. I confess I'm a perfectionist and I hate failure.

However, I often notice when I recognize my weakness I become more humble and teachable. For example, tonight I spent the night with an old friend and her two beautiful girls. Hannah, the two year old, became my instant best friend. We had a party of a time chasing each other around my back yard. When she laughed, I laughed, and when she smiled I smiled. What amazed me the most was Hannah was content with her environment despite its unfamiliarity. She was open to me although we had never met.

How often as adults are we so quick to pose judgement, and so quick to fear! A prophet, named Moses recorded in his personal account when he feared he saw the bitterness of hell. Do we often create our own hell because of our judgements and fears?

The lesson I learned today was simple. Be happy with whatever circumstances the Lord decides to place you in. Laugh often. Smile often. For this is how we all used to be before we allowed the smugness of adulthood to take over.

Instead lets choose as Majorie Hinckley did. She once said, "You can either laugh or cry. I like to laugh because crying gives me a headache."

I hope all of us can learn the simple lessons I did today from a two-year old girl.

Seja Se Mesmo

Pflanze / Plant 2
Originally uploaded by leralle

While reading a book today, I found this quote: "Trying to follow your own moral compass in the swirl of social, legal and ecomonmic strom [of this world] is not easy. You can easily get 'off course,' confused in your ability to know [truly who you are].

It can be very easy to be swept up in the ideas of fame, fortune and beauty. In fact, many people become so obessed with these ideas that they forget to smile, be a friend, or lend a listening ear.

The idea of "worldiness" or deceiving ourselves with a wrong idenity is not an old one. Even, Jesus of Nazareth taught about those deceived by worldly pleasures. In parable of the sower (Matthew 13: 3-8,18-22) one can learn about certain "seeds" (or intrepreted as people) that encountered thorns that choked their plant before it could bare fruit. The Lord intrepreted those thorns to be "the care of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of the world (Mark 4:19).

However, a conscious person--one that is true to themself--does not have to be swept away by such cares. One can find confidence in knowing their true self is divinely unique. Only that one person has certain gifts and talents to touch another.

So although you may feel like a small tender plant, growing up in a huge brick wall, remember this. Your True self has power to change the world.

So, simply be yourself.

Pensamentos de Verdade

What's that language? It's simple Portuguese "truthful thoughts." This blog is dedicated to those truthful thoughts that I have come to know in my life.

I once heard a wise professor proclaim "knowledge should be made known, so that Truth (with a capital "T") could always prevail over falsehood." Yet, how might one find such Truth, and from what sources does it come?

Early journalists believed truth to be definite and discoverable. Many believe truth to be an inalienable, natural right. People need to know the truth, and deserve to know it. Journalists dedicate themselves to such a cause.

So I rally with my cause--to dig for the truthful thoughts that exist within each one of us. Just as a waterfall supplies a continual supply of water, I plan to give you a fresh view about divine truth.