Pacific Ponderings

Just a week ago, I awoke to the horrific news that 49 people had been killed in two mosques in Christchurch, NZ, with more in hospital. Since then, another has died. The victims were gunned down in cold blood as they gathered to pray, by a shooter filled with rage and hatred for Muslims and immigrants. I felt sickened by the news. I wept that morning as I prayed for the victims and for a world where, as prophesied, the love of many was waxing cold.

One of my favorite passages from the Psalms is “I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Ps. 84:10). This verse often comes to my mind, unbidden, reminding me of eternal priorities.

Dear Campus ‘Ohana:

Over the past several days, I have written essays prompted by two centennials: the ratification of the Vision of the Dead, which eventually became D&C 138, and the ending of World War I. The first centennial prompted reflections on the spirit world and the second on war and peace. I wrote these essays mostly for myself and my family in the hope they might inspire profitable spiritual reflections on Halloween and Armistice Day. I am happy to share them with the campus ‘ohana as well.

Dear Family,

My father would have been 98 on Monday (22 October). It happened that I was assigned to give a message for the office devotional that day. In tribute to dad and to follow up on General Conference, I shared some thoughts from a talk I gave in Stake Priesthood Leadership meeting in 1999 called “The Church as an Auxiliary to the Family.” Here is the talk, reconstructed from old notes. Happy birthday dad! You would be pleased to know that the Prophet is emphasizing a “home-centered and Church-supported plan to learn doctrine.”

[With the announcement of the new meeting schedule, it is more important than ever that the sacrament become a pivotal point in our weekly devotion. I share this Pondering in the hope of deepening our sacrament worship. It is based on notes for a talk I gave in a sacrament meeting a couple months ago in Mongolia.]

A couple years ago I wrote the campus a pre-Conference message on hearkening. I spoke about how we should listen to prophets with the intent to obey. Today I want to share a similar message but from the negative perspective: how not to listen to prophets.

I recently read an article in Scientific Reports about the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” (GPGP). The GPGP is an area of ocean between Hawaii and North America about three times the size of France that collects vast quantities of plastic waste. The waste is trapped in an immense oceanic “gyre” whose currents accumulate, circulate, and concentrate plastic trash.

It’s St. Patrick’s Day—a good day not only to wear green but to act green. So I went “plogging” this morning. “Plogging” is a new craze from Sweden that combines exercise with environmentalism. Ploggers pick up trash while jogging. The word is a mash-up of “jogging” and the Swedish word for “pick up.”