The Man List

“You can't ask for what you want unless you know what it is. A lot of people don't know what they want or they want much less than they deserve. First you have figure out what you want. Second, you have to decide that you deserve it. Third, you have to believe you can get it. And, fourth, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE GUTS TO ASK FOR IT.” -Barbara De Angelis

Gotta Have

• Education- bachelor degree

• Family focus- babies perhaps

• Gospel knowledge

• Testimony and love of the scriptures

• Current Temple Recommend

• A handle on money:  savings account, lives within means, knows difference between needs and wants, has a $ plan of the future, has a retirement. 

• Knows how to solve problems 

• Loves all animals, especially dogs. 

• Commandment keeper 
• Understand and lives section 121 
• Desire for Righteousness- to follow the Savior and be faithful to the gospel at all costs. 

Needs to Have

• Social skills, 

• Clean mouth

• Listening skills 

• A good job

• Lets me read and study 

• Lets me do the things I enjoy doing

• Encourages me to develop my talents, helps me to be better. 

• Kindness  
• Honesty to himself and others about who he is and where he is at in life
• Maturity- not worried about his body, being cool, what others think about him, but about eternal things. 
• Sense of humor, makes me laugh 
• Knows how to make decisions, receive revelation and follow through regardless of how difficult it is.

Would be Nice 

• Fix it and built it skills

• A home he owns

• No debt 
• Likes to travel 
• musical- piano, singing? 

Deal Breakers 

• Intense anger

• Throwing, breaking things 

• Easily offended 

• Can't take the truth 

• Manipulative

• Reviles back

• Will not turn the other cheek

• Addictions. 
• Controlling 

Zip Linning!

 In June there was a SA barbeque at a park in Twin right by the Snake River.  Robyn and I stopped the car to see the newly put in zip lines and watch people do it.  The owner and operator offered us $20 off.  But even with that deal, we couldn't afford it, so he let us go for FREE!  It took the rest of the evening, but it was SO FUN.  I was nervous each time, but once I was out there it was great! There was a total of 4 zip lines that we walked to each time. 

The platform where you leave solid ground from!

 Robyn didn't want to go due to the heat, so Aaron came instead.

Below is Harris Pond in Burley.  This is a private recreation place made by a member of the church. 

 Besides the canoes, paddle boats and other water craft, 

there is a water slide, 

and a swing to jump into the water. 

 Don't you love the man made Island, bridge and waterfall? 

Blow is a man made train out of those large water barrels

 and a golf cart.  So clever! 

I did this a total of 3 times.  On the third I asked Shane to push me harder, but I slowed down and practically stopped over the pond!  I told Kevin, the photographer in both places to "Get the canoe!"  He had just been out in one, but luckily gravity took over and I made it to the end, very slowly.

Mormons and Mennonites

I work with a little 7 year old boy that is a Mennonite.  Mennonite are sort of like the Amish.  The women wear simple dresses all the time, even while skiing, they also wear a black cap over their hair in a bun.   The men often look just like the rest of the population. 

I looked on Google for images, but none were true to the likeness of those here  in Idaho.
This is what I've learned about the Mennonites from my time with them:

• They only educate in their own schools till 8th grade

• They don't vote, serve on jury's and the military.  Heaven is their kingdom, war is bad.

• They use no instruments in church or ever.  They think music is bad, yet instruments are in the Bible which puzzles me. 

• They attend church for 5 hours on Sunday,  2 in the morning, 3 in the evening. 

• Most of them are farmers or do jobs that go along with farming like driving trucks. 

• They believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate, but spirits. 

• They drive cars and shop in grocerie stores, and Costco and DI.

• Many of them adopt it seems through the foster care system. I think it is to keep the religion going. 

• There are 30 different groups of Mennonites.  

• I've seen Mennonites in the library using the internet. 

• They don't believe in dancing which is in the Bible.
• They use cell phones.

My realizations are this.  It doesn't 'matter how good of a person you are, if you don't have the truth, things in you're worship and life style will be missing.  Unlike the rest of the world they swing on the other side of the pendulum.  While many American's  don't seem to care what they do with their body, who they do it with what they put in or on their bodies, the Mennonites do care about those things, but they also leave out good things.  In my opinion they take away many opportunities to choose between good and evil.

For instance;  Mormon's believe that all knowledge comes from God, hence TV, Internet and the like is for preaching the gospel.  While it is used for bad things too, one can choose what to make and what to watch.

Mormon's love music.  We have the Mormon Tabernacle Choir accompanied with a piano and organ.  We use those in our Sunday meetings and often a violin or flute as well. We believe in the beauty of music from any mouth and instrument.  Like I said all good things come from God.

So in essence they keep good things out of their life to avoid the bad.  What is sad is some of the things they think are bad are really good. 

From the LDS Newsroom and the article Mormon and Modern is this quote that sums it what we believe.

For Mormons, there need not be a conflict between devotion to one’s faith and meaningful participation in modern society. Faithful Latter-day Saints are currently engaged in education, science, business, the arts and political life. In a pluralistic world, modern sensibilities tend to compartmentalize spheres of human activity. But Mormon thought encourages integration.

Mormons welcome truth from whatever source and take the pragmatic view that where religion and science seem to clash, it is simply because there are insufficient data to reconcile the two. Latter-day Saints approach such tensions as challenges to learn, not contradictions to avoid.

Life in a Nutshell

1.  I just got home from my first 3 hours at KMart working for Olan Mills trying to sell photography shoots.  I make 9 dollars an hour and every Tue and Wed OM is closed.  If I don't sell anything with in an hour and a half I get sent home, then only get to work that many hours next WEEK.  Crazy huh?  I was struggling with my feet killing me and not really enjoying it but also needing money so badly.

2. I'm on unemployment which is only 161.00 a week.  Not enough to pay the bills, but I am again getting food stamps.  I'm some what concerned with work in the fall.  If G. my little charge from last year moves to Buhl or Twin they have to go with a different company.  There are jobs in Gooding, but it is like an hour a way.  NOT fun!

3. Mr. 64 or scary Gary as I've been calling him (that date I had) did call me back on the next friday to see if I found a ward to go to, but luckily I was at the Department of labor, so really couldn't carry on a conversation.  I told my family about it and the advice was to take charge of the date, set some boundaries of what you will and will not talk about as all that was inappropriate.

The guy from Tennessee has been trying to message me via FB everyday.  He's very flirtatious and I find it annoying.  I un-friended him yesterday.

I got back in touch with the military guy who was all lovey-dovey.  I told him I was not interested in anyone who was not LDS.  He said he was a Mormon and I knew he was just saying that and that now I could not trust him.  He came back with a angry reply so that is over before it began. 

4. I spent last week in Meridian ID where 6 of the 7 kids gathered.  It was lots of fun!  We ate dinner every night at a family members home who lives there, talked and laughed till it got dark every night, then planned the next day.  There was no pressure, so assignments,  just relaxing fun.  We floated the Boise River.  I stayed with mom and so did my oldest sister, her daughter-in-law and her 3 kids.

Sarah brought her new dog Pepper,  I had my 2 dogs and of course there was Sadie the 13 year old Golden Retriever.  It was fun with them all.

We met Melissa's new soon to be husband Griffin.  Marriage on August 11 in the Las Vegas Temple.  The first kiss was there, the proposal was there and then the marriage.  Coolest story ever.  We also met Jessica's boy friend Chad.  

There will be pictures forthcoming.

5. I'm back to living alone.  Yentl moved out and I really need a roommate. I've advertised on Craigs list and I only get scammers which now I don't  respond to.

6. I met with my stake president about a lack of a SA program and he said that he doesn't know what to do with the 30 to 50 group.  I gave him some ideas, some info, etc.  He said I was inspired to come to see him.  I've been thinking about doing that for 3 weeks.   Who know what will happen.