What I Know - Part 1: The Priesthood belongs to God

I've been thinking, studying, praying, and talking with people a lot about this series of posts I am writing. These are all things that are very important to me and some have to do with sensitive subjects as of late. With everything that is happening in our country (and the world) lately, I really wanted to express what I know and how I know it. I know many of you will not agree with me, but that's okay. This is what I know.


1. The Priesthood belongs to God.
I have heard several stories and even read articles about how there are LDS women who feel unequal without holding Priesthood. This makes me so sad. It makes me sad that women feel cheated when Heavenly Father has already given us such divine roles, responsibilities, and stewardships. We are equal. Yes, there are several definitions of the word "equal", some mean exactly the same in every way, but that's not what men and women are supposed to be. We are different for a reason. We are physically, emotionally, and spiritually different for a reason. Equal means evenly proportioned or balanced and that's exactly how God made us. Men and women complement each other. Here is a quote from President Spencer W. Kimball that explains it perfectly.

“Men and women are complementary. I have mentioned only a few of the special blessings God gives his daughters in helping them to become like him. His sons have their own special opportunities. And in his wisdom and mercy, our Father made men and women dependent on each other for the full flowering of their potential. Because their natures are somewhat different, they can complement each other; because they are in many ways alike, they can understand each other. Let neither envy the other for their differences; let both discern what is superficial and what is beautifully basic in those differences, and act accordingly. And may the brotherhood of the priesthood and the sisterhood of the Relief Society be a blessing in the lives of all the members of this great Church, as we help each other along the path to perfection.”

Heavenly Father loves all of us. I know that. He would never, ever cheapen the mortal experience of any of His children. He knows what we each need to do, experience, and learn to return to Him. He knows the desires of our hearts, but He also knows what is best for us. Everything is according to His time and His way. That being said, it is His Priesthood. It does not belong to the current prophet, nor the Quorum of the Twelve, nor some committee whose minds can be changed by petitioning to receive the Priesthood. God owns it and will do as He wills with it. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." - Isaiah 55:8

I know that God loves us all as His children because He has told me. I have knelt and prayed to know His will and He has made it known to me through the power of the Holy Ghost. I know that if you seek answers that He will give them.

I would also like to refer you to these talks on womanhood:
Womanhood: The Highest Place of Honor by James E. Faust
Women of the Church by Gordon B. Hinckley
Woman--Of Infinite Worth by Russell M. Nelson
Equality through Diversity by M. Russell Ballard


Coming up next--We have a Prophet on earth today.

Brit Bands. Part II.

Who doesn't love Winston?

After watching the Olympics in London and having new additions, I've decided to add to my list of British men that make listening to music such an enjoyable experience. The ones on this list aren't all bands, but that's just a technicality.

Ed Sheeran
So he may be a little goofy-looking, but I love a lot of his stuff. Really love it. My favorite is Small Bump. If you click on only one link from this post, LET IT BE THIS ONE. (My favorite YouTube comment about this song is "Gingers don't have souls because God gave them all to Ed Sheeran." So true.) Other ones worth a detour are: The A Team, Wayfaring Stranger, and Lego House (don't be fooled by Rupert Grint in this music video).


Calvin Harris
He's a DJ primarily, but who cares. I first encountered Mr. Harris in Just Dance 1 with his Acceptable in the 80s. This song is about me. Well, anyone born in the 80s really, but I fit in that demographic, thus this song is about me. I don't appreciate his collaboration with Rihanna. I actually don't appreciate anything with Rihanna, but I digress. He has some other good ones like the recently popular Feel So Close, and I'm Not Alone. I didn't give you the links to his music videos for your own sanity. They are freakin' weird.


One Direction
You can judge me all you like. There's just something about these boys. Harry, Zayn, Niall, Liam, and Louis. I know they don't sing that well and they can't dance and most of them are still teenagers and that they are pretty much just pretty faces, but dang. They sure are good at being pretty faces. And their songs are so catchy. One Thing, What Makes You Beautiful, and Gotta Be You. You can't help but be a fan.


Keane
This one requires revisiting. Keane came to Salt Lake this summer and I got to see them. Amazing. Reasons why they are making another appearance requires a little list-ception.
          1. Tom's voice is even more incredible live.

          2. They sang every single song I recommended in the last post as well as some additions to the aforementioned greats: Silenced By The Night, Strangeland, and Disconnected.

          3. There were really weird people there, but I didn't even care.

          4. They said Salt Lake was the favorite concert they've ever done. Probably because Kameron and I were there. Definitely because of us.

And to leave you with a parting gift:

Brit Bands.

I have a minor fetish with British bands. Maybe it's because their accents are hot, or they are hot. Probably both. Some Brit bands that I recommend that you listen to because, well, they are just fabulous are:

Coldplay

Yeah, yeah. They may seem an obvious choice, but I have been a fan of Coldplay for a decade.

Favourites (British spelling for a British post, duh): Don't Panic, Crests of Waves, Everything's Not Lost, Lovers In Japan, Paradise, A Message, and Strawberry Swing (greatly enhanced by the music video...The Scientist falls into that category as well).

Franz Ferdinand

When I listen to their music, it makes me want to dance. Or punch someone, but in a fun way. Take Me Out was picked up for both Guitar Hero and Just Dance 2. Their other classics are This Fire, The Dark of the Matinée, and Do You Want To.

Radiohead

These guys are straight up weird. Weird. But their music is incredibly soothing and strangely addicting. Creep, Karma Police, House of Cards, and Lotus Flower are a random sampling. They are the more popular songs of theirs, so maybe they won't weird you out as much as others would...

BBMak

They, uh, don't have a website. Don't judge me for loving them, even after all this time. I can't help it. Really, I can't. How could you resist those faces?! Please return with me to the golden age of boy bands. Back Here, Unpredictable, I'm Not In Love, and a cover of More Than Words.

Keane

I'm keen on them. Tom Chaplin's voice is lovely. Seriously, that is the perfect word to describe it. Lovely. Winnie the Pooh recently reminded everyone of the gem Somewhere Only We Know, but there are other precious ones in This Is The Last Time, Everybody's Changing, Bend and Break, and Nothing In My Way.

and then there was

Travis

I love these men above all others. Who can't love a man named Fran? Under-appreciated, I tell you. That's what they are. Why Does It Always Rain On Me, Writing to Reach You, Driftwood, Turn, Hit Me Baby One More Time, and my favourite: Selfish Jean.

Honorable Mentions: The Feeling's Sewn, The Libertines' Can't Stand Me Know, Muse with Starlight (they've got a bunch of great ones, but this best tickles my fancy), Damien Rice's The Blower's Daughter, The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony, Oasis' Wonderwall, and of course, PoP's PoP Goes My Heart. Gets me every time.

The Fam.

This is my family.

Daddio
pseudonyms: Scott, Woods Sileroy, Sparky

Our own Indy. What a rugged man.

My father is the best man I know. We used to love/hate it when he dropped us off at school because he would honk the whole way. The whole way. That was fun in high school. He would make it so our family dinners lasted for hours sometimes because we would be laughing too hard to eat. When we were little, he made sure we weren’t pansies by playing duck hunt with us--we were the ducks, bean bags were the ammo. He always let us watch chick flicks and musicals even though he hates them. He is faithful and honest in all that he does and has been a great asset to Heavenly Father and our family because of it. Whenever I have a tough question, he’s always the first one I go to and he can always give me great answers and advice. He taught us gospel principles at an early age (including agency when he would give me the option of being tucked in like a hamburger or a hot dog). He has always provided for my physical and spiritual needs.

Mommamia
pseudonyms: Jeri, mom

Isn’t she beautiful?

This is my momma. She’s perfect. She’s the perfect mom for me. She’s kind, loving, nurturing, and selfless. She also happens to be incredibly crafty. Seriously, this woman has got skills. She makes quilts, clothes, yummy food; you name it, she does it. She loves children. She made ridiculous things, like getting dressed, fun for us. Seriously, who wants to put on jammies when you can run around naked?! She’s a wonderful teacher. She’s the best example of what a woman should be. She also was one of the reasons I went on a mission because she went on one as well and we loved hearing about her adventures in Japan. Her knowledge and testimony of the gospel reflects in everything she does. People are drawn to her because of her good nature. I want to be just like her.

Kate
pseudonyms: katesadilla, rabbit (ha!), K8

Kate and Ammon

Kate is a great mom. That is a recent development, but it’s true. She’s great at taking care of people, especially Ammon and Sam. She always set an impossibly high standard in everything. She’s smart, kind, and beautiful. She’s a lot like my mom. She was an elementary school teacher for a while before she had Sam, now she’s a full-time mom. She’s great for giving advice and is the best person to have ridiculous dance parties with in the middle of the night when boys are being dumb. She was also a great example of a missionary for me. She went to Taiwan on her mission and served well. Her husband, Ammon is a natural fit with our family. He’s got a perpetual smile on his face and his enthusiasm for things is contagious (well, except for that whole fish thing). He loves animals, especially exotic animals. He’s also really good at wii tennis.

Abby
pseudonyms: Abs, Abster, Willow Tree, wildebeest

сестра Whiting

Abby is the life of the party. She makes everything fun. She’s also absolutely ridiculous. She loves to dance and embarrass anybody she can. She’s good at it. She is the queen of movie quotes and can listen to the same song for days on end. She’s not doing any of those things right now though. Right now she’s freezing in Yekaterinburg, Russia on her mission. She can find humor in hard times. She’s generous and is really good at finding ways to serve people. She also attracts really weird people. Seriously, she has had like six stalkers (PS- do NOT google creepy looking guys. I tried to find a funny one to link to her stalkers, but now I’m just scared and scarred). She’s just too nice to them. We used to hate each other. Now she’s one of my best friends.

Joe
pseudonyms: Joseph, Jobi-won-kenobi, Gecko Joe, Big Joe

What a stud.

Joe is athletic. That can’t be said for his three older sisters. He plays baseball, football, golf, and soccer. Even though he’s younger than three of his sisters, he takes care of us like an older brother would. He’s tender-hearted and serves old ladies like a boss. He’s got all the girls wrapped around his finger. He’s a master Just Dance-er and is a pretty darn good singer. I’m still trying to convince him to talk to me on the phone, but it just won’t fly. He also knows everything about BYU football. I mean everything.

Emma
pseudonyms: Poose, Rodent, Auntie Em

Total babe.

Emma is my version 2.0. Not only do we look most alike, but we also act alike, except she’s slightly funnier. Only slightly. She’s got an attitude that will put any in their place and is witty beyond her years. She’s a master soccer player, having been chosen to play on the state soccer team, and she dominates. She is also my servant. I call her rodent, she calls me master. She’s kind of gullible though. One time I convinced her that I was a Russian spy sent to collect information on American families. She’s got a soft spot for animals, especially puppies and bunnies. I don’t think a Christmas has passed where she hasn’t asked for both.

And then there was

Mele
pseudonyms: rodent pupar, zorba dog, dumb animal

Freeloader.

This is our dog. We got her for Christmas one year, so we named her Mele (Mele Kalikimaka, anyone?). We all love her. Even my dad. I know he loves her because even though he’s threatened to throw her in the pool with a brick around her neck, he hasn’t done so yet. She doesn’t do much, but we like her anyway. She’s kind of naughty and the only one she really listens to is my dad. If she can get out the front door, she’ll run around the block until we can convince her (with cheese) to come back. She’s the single most important member of our family. Ever. Though not important enough to be in this picture.

Things You Should Know

10. You should know that "a whole nother" doesn't actually mean anything. I bet almost every American is guilty of saying it at least once, but you cannot simply chop a word in half and stick "a whole nother" word in there. You can say "another whole", "completely separate", or "another one". Nother is not a word. Never has been. I doubt it will be in the near future. Learn to phase it our of your vocabulary. It makes you sound foolish to those who know not to use it. Now that you know, I bet you will hear this phrase all the time and it will start driving you crazy. You're welcome.

9. If you don't know this one, I am going to revolutionize your way of searching. There are more tricks than I've listed below, but these are the ones I've found most helpful.

• If you are searching for a specific phrase, use quotation marks around it.

• If you aren't sure of the spelling of what you are searching or the complete term, use an asterisk. Search engines use the asterisk as a wild card. It will find anything that can fill in the asterisk blank. (For example, if searching for President Uchtdorf and you are unsure how to spell his first name (is it i or e that comes first?!?), just type in what you know--D*r Uchtdorf, and he'll come up, I promise) It's Dieter, by the way.

• If you are using a general search engine, but want to find a result from a specific website, type the website first, then a colon, then your search and poof, there it is. (For example, wikipedia: things that are awesome)

• If you are searching for something and are tired of weeding out things you don't want, use the minus sign in your search. Say I'm searching for jaguars, but am tired of getting hits for the cars and team, I'll type: jaguar -cars -football. This will lead me to this. *Note, this method is not perfect and won't eliminate all that you don't want, but it does help.

8. There's this thing called Spotify and you should know about it. It's a combination of iTunes and Grooveshark. You download it just as you would iTunes and it imports all the music from your computer as well as allowing you to search the database for any song and add it to any playlist. Perks: you get the convenience and format (ish) of iTunes while having access to all the music that could be found on Grooveshark without having to wait for it to load. Amazing. Just letting you know though, that this is still extremely new, so you have to submit your email and wait for an invitation. It's worth it. Oh, and it's completely free.

7. You should know how many days there are until Christmas.

Christmas Countdown

6. Next year is election year. You should know who's running and what they're about. This website is good for looking at candidates from all parties as well as what their views are on different issues.

5. There are lots and lots of things that you should know that podcasts can tell you. One of my favorite podcasts is "Stuff You Missed in History" from HowStuffWorks.com. Fascinating. Did you know that Rasputin was poisoned, shot four times, beaten, and then drowned before he finally died? Hard core. He had also survived an attack on his life previous to all of this by a former prostitute turned monk-disciple. He deserved to die for having such a horrible beard.

4. Righty tighty, lefty loosey. This pertains to which way you screw or unscrew things.

3. You should know the difference between these: there, their, and they're; it's and its; and your and you're. I took a stroll poll and this seems to be one of the biggest irritants.

there: a destination (the incriminating evidence is over there)

their: plural possessive (we went to their alien-themed fiesta)

they're: a contraction of "they are" (they're this way)

Blow your mind sentence: They're over there with their things.

it's: a contraction of "it is" (it's extremely hot outside)

its: possessive, belonging to a unisex thing (don't play with its antennae)

your: second person possessive (it's your problem)

you're: contraction of "you are" (you're stinky, go take a shower)

2. Mormons are Christians. We believe in Christ, hence we are Christians.

and then you should know that...

1. Pandas can be scary. Oh, and it's almost my quarter birthday, so there.

Fighting the Harry Potter Depression

Now that Harry Potter has finished and we are mourning (seriously, I can't stop crying), we need to find something to fill the void. Good thing I have read lots of books. Lots. Of. Books. (Um, hello summer reading!) Anyway, I'm here to save the day. While I can't say that any of these top Harry Potter for me, they are highly enjoyable, regardless.


5. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

This series is written for a younger audience (or the young at heart). The premise is young Percy Jackson is sent to a camp for "special" kids where he learns that it is actually training ground for demigods, or kids who each have a Greek god as a parent. Percy finds that his father is the powerful god Poseidon and because of his serious powers that come from a seriously powerful father, all Hades breaks loose (quite literally) and Percy is called on several quests to save Olympus. Not only did I absolutely love the characters in this book, but I love how much I learned about Greek mythology. Nearly every Greek myth is somehow incorporated into this series and it's got an interesting twist in that it is all set in modern times.
Books in this series: 5 (Riordan is writing a parallel series to this one, The Heroes of Olympus, with one book out so far: The Lost Hero--also excellent)
Average book length: 450 pages
Appropriate for: All ages!


4. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

These books are not for the faint of heart. Sanderson's series follows young Vin in her journey to become the most powerful Mistborn (one who has special powers granted to them by "burning" metals...it's really hard to explain, you just have to read it). Vin is recruited by the renowned Kelsier (also a Mistborn) to take down the leader, who calls himself god because he is immortal, of the dystopian society. The first book is fantastic in and of itself, but as you progress through the series, you see great character development and the finale of the series quite literally blew my mind...almost. Really, from how the first book starts out, you would never guess where the end of the third book take you. Incredible story.
Books in this series: 3
Average book length: 750 pages
Appropriate for: Late teens and young adults (there are some quite violent parts, so proceed with caution)


3. Austenland by Shannon Hale

I read this one last summer and I fell in love. It's a standalone book and it's spectacular. If you love Jane Austen, you will love Austenland. This book is about 20-something Jane who is completely obsessed with Pride and Prejudice. Following the death of her aunt, Jane finds that she was left one thing: a trip to an all-inclusive Austenland. Visitors to Austenland dress, live, and act as if they were in one of Jane Austen's novels. Each visitor is promised to find adventure and love in their stay. What will Jane find for herself? Will it be real, or will it be just pretend, like everything else about the fantastical place?
Books in this series: No series, just one book
Average number of pages: 208 to be precise
Appropriate for: Any female, maybe some dudes as well.


2. The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Oh my gosh. These books are intense. There are only two books in this series out so far, but man, they are chair grippers (if you can grip your chair while you grip your book, that is). Thomas wakes up to find himself with no memories at all. He knows his name, but nothing else about himself and finds that he has been placed in a strange place called the Glade with other young boys (all teenagers) who suffer from the same problem. Each boy has his own job in the Glade to keep the place running and the boys alive. Most jobs are practical, like cooks or farmers, but few boys, who are brave and fast enough, have the job of being maze runners. The Glade is basically a box surrounded on all sides by a maze whose pattern changes every night once the gates of the Glade close. Maze runners spend every second that the gates are open running through the maze, looking for a way out. The gates close to keep the Gladers safe from the horrors that roam the maze at night, but what happens when the only thing these boys know (the Glade) changes and the gates stop closing at all? What will the flashes of memories Thomas is having tell us about the organization that is doing this cruel experiment? OH MAN. The second book, The Scorch Trials got so intense that I couldn't read it at night because I got scared. Don't worry, the third book comes out in October.
Books in this series: 2 so far
Average book length: 375
Appropriate for: Those who won't get scared easily.


and then there was


1. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
I just love these books; they are probably my favorite series after Harry Potter. These are the first books by Brandon Mull, and so the first two books aren't blow-your-mind-best-read-I've-ever-had, they are still charming. Don't worry, these books pick up fast. Mull's series is about brother and sister, Seth and Kendra, who are sent to live with their grandparents for the summer, whom they find out are caretakers of a magical preserve. One of only a few in the world. Throughout the series, Kendra and Seth learn about the creatures and magic that exist of their grandparents' land, and also about the evil league, the Society of the Evening Star, that wants to destroy all of it. The main reason I love these books is because of Seth. He is the most annoying character on earth in the first couple of books, but Mull writes incredible character development for him and he grows up into a heroic young man who still struggles with his mischievous impulses. I love these books. Mull has also written The Candy Shop War and The Beyonders: A World Without Heroes, both of which are quite excellent.
Books in this series: 5
Average number of pages: 475
Appropriate for: Anyone. Enjoy.

Honorable mentions (I can't fully endorse some of these because I haven't read them, I've just heard excellent things about them and see them constantly on hold at the library): The Help, The Name of the Wind, The Way of Kings, Moon Over Manifest, and Princess Academy.

If you have any suggestions, share them in the comments!

Impressive Human Feats

And then I remembered I had a blog. And here's what I did about it:

Most impressive human feats. I obviously don't make the list with my blogging skills. Maybe if I blogged at least once a week, it could be considered an impressive feat, alas I do not, but these people have done some truly amazing, maybe some ridiculous, things.

Mona Lisa made of sticky notes

This guy made a replica of the Mona Lisa out of post-its. Incredible.

World Champion Free-Hand Circle-Drawer

I don't know if his perfect circle or his lack of ability to wipe the whole board clean impresses me more.

Parkour

Seriously impressive. More so considering that I have trouble just going up and down stairs without tripping. Even Santa can do it.

An Armless Fiddler

Ignore the typo in the story. I promise it doesn't diminish the monstrosity of this accomplishment.

Everything on this one.

Woman talks on phone for 16 hours straight

I know I could never do this. I struggle talking on the phone for longer than ten minutes. How this woman did it for 16 hours, not to mention all the people trying so desperately to interrupt her, is nothing short of amazing. Only one word for her comes to mind: megalomania.

Unusual replications of famous art

This man can do incredible things with a dirty car. Find out where he lives and park by his house.

Beethoven

Well, he, in and of himself isn't the feat (unless you want to count creating human life, which is most incredible indeed, but just about anybody can do it), his music is the great human feat. He was mostly deaf and he composed this (his most difficult, ignore the guy that looks like a girl), this (his most beautiful), and this (his most famous).

And then there was:

Batman

Completely and totally human. No bogus superpowers like some others (cough, cough). In the genius recreation by Christopher Nolan, Batman's incomparably superior because he's real (cough, cough). Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate the other superheroes, especially Iron Man because he is real as well (andbecauseitisRobertDowneyJrforpete'ssake), but Batman is, simply put, legit. The Hulk doesn't even deserve a cough. Nobody likes him anyway. That's probably why all his movies sucked. So. Bad.