Who's in charge here??

     To get right to the point, we know from scriptures that every child of God (every human that has ever or will ever inhabit this planet) has freedom to choose. In the wisdom of a perfect, loving parent, God planned that we would each have the opportunity and accountability for making a choice as to what kind of person we want to be. When He first proposed this plan (before any of us came here) most of us agreed that getting to choose, even if we mess up, would be preferable to the suggestion Lucifer made. He wanted to be in charge, see to it that every single one of us made choices that would enable us to return, or make it so that whatever our choices were wouldn't matter because we would just get to be back with Heavenly Father. It should be fairly obvious that it would not be a very peaceful, heavenly place if the citizens all wanted to make their own choices without regard to anyone else's choices. We could not live in love and harmony if we were able to each have things our own way. We could not all be "gods and goddesses" like our Father if we were insistent on having our own set of rules. The Star Trek character Cue (or however it was spelled- since it's a name and fiction on top of that, it doesn't really matter) was a perfect caricature of an all -powerful, self-centered being. He was pretty scary to me!
     As a result of Lucifer's insistence that he have things his way, he was banished from Heavenly Father's presence and, along with those who agreed with him, was prevented from ever entering a tabernacle of clay to obtain a body that could be resurrected and live forever. However, knowing that it was important for each one of His children to truly have a total choice, Father has allowed Satan and his followers to have an influence on His children here. He can't force himself on us because we have choice but we can abdicate that choice and subject ourselves to his influence. He wants to claim being the "god of this world" but he only has power so far as we allow him to have power. If every single one of us were to refuse his way of doing things (greed, lust, revenge, hate, etc.) he would be bound. In fact, the promise is made:
And the time cometh speedily that the righteous must be led up as calves of the stall, and the Holy One of Israel must reign in dominion, and might, and power, and great glory. And he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the earth; and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture. And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth. (1 Ne 22: 24-26)
     I don't know about you, but I like being able to make choices, however, I don't enjoy the choices other people make that cause pain, fear, or destruction. I don't want to be in charge but I want to have someone with greater power and wisdom than me in charge. I am willing to follow any rules that have been established upon righteous principles that allow and encourage the freedom and growth of every one of us. I am willing to seek greater wisdom so when I make choices, they will not impede my growth and development or that of anyone else. I'm okay with only being in charge of myself and accountable for the choices I make.

The world isn't inherently evil- WE make it so

     Jesus taught in parables a lot. He was trying to teach very mortal people about spiritual things which were abstract to beings who were focused on survival in a very physical place. However, the earth was created by God through Jesus Christ and will some day obtain a celestial glory, just as those of God's children who desire to do so. God did not create an evil world. The world of itself is not evil but those who inhabit it and use it for evil purposes make it wicked. Food is necessary- pleasing to the eye and palate. We need to eat food to give our bodies strength to perform worthwhile labors. Gluttony, wasteful killing of animals and plants, and unwillingness to share sustenance with those in need are all evil. Sexual relations are necessary to multiply and replenish the earth, cause a bond between husband and wife, and was not intended as a means of suffering.  Lust, sex for personal gratification, rape and sexual abuse are all evil. Rest is to be enjoyed and is necessary for our bodies to have the strength to perform labor. Laziness, sloth, demanding others to work for us, greed to gain the fruits of labor while avoiding labor ourselves are all evil.
     For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.  (Mosiah 3:19)
     Is it so hard for us to understand that our efforts to "improve" the world God made for us or "improve" His commandments only make things worse? I was thinking about the current fad of organic stuff- mostly foods. Do we not understand how we got to this point of having so many chemicals in and on plants and animals and therefore people? We don't like food with blemishes. We want it to have a certain color and appearance. We want to have cherries in Minnesota in January and broccoli in Arizona in July. We don't want bugs on our food. We don't want to eat the meat of possibly sick animals. We want our food to be cheap so we can eat whatever we prefer. We want our food suppliers to make a profit so they'll stay in business. We want them to be able to ship food to us wherever we are to have it always available. It was in response to all of these demands that chemicals and GMO's were developed. Now we're upset by all this "man-made" stuff that might be causing cancer, allergies, and who knows what else.
     Is it so hard for us to understand that our demands to find easier ways to do things has caused the messes we find ourselves in? We didn't want to have to work so hard so now we are obese and out of shape and have to suffer hours of paid hours in a gym also paying a trainer if we lack our own sufficient motivation so we can exercise to avoid heart attacks and strokes and being so big we can't move? We are in constant turmoil over the source of energy, using up fossil fuels, risking nuclear power hazards, and creating pollution and global warming- all so we don't have to work so hard ourselves.
     I don't want to go into all the porn in an effort to keep life exciting or the deaths and resulting mourning of the loss of loved ones by people wanting to do more adrenalin-pumping thrills or the greed and chest thumping causing contention and wars or the lust for drugs, alcohol, and other addictions to try to please this natural man in us........ The wisdom of God is foolishness to man but it sure doesn't seem like our wisdom is so great. "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?" (James 4:4)
     After Jesus was resurrected, he appeared to many and ate food. He, as well as other heavenly beings as described by those who have seen them, was very white. This is not a worldly racist thing. White will be what we are in the absence of color which we have due to blood in our bodies and other physical attributes which effect skin color. White is a sign of purity not just a worldly label for race and ethnicity. When we are resurrected, we will no longer have blood to carry pathogens through our bodies so we will not get sick. We will no longer require sustenance so we will not get fat, although we obviously COULD eat. I just don't quite understand how that works with a resurrected body. But we will also have the blessing or curse (depending on choices made here and now) of not having addictions. We will not smoke or inject drugs or require certain beverages or foods to make us satisfied.  Those who "require" those things in order to be happy will only be frustrated because they won't work in bodies quickened by spirit rather than blood. (For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit- 1Peter 3:18) Now is the time to repent/change- not wait until we get old or we have some kind of "proof" that giving in to physical lust is NOT a good idea. Self-control is not evil. There IS a better way to do things than the way the world would promote. We CAN be happy and peaceful FOREVER. There are only two choices and we get to decide.

Punishment or consequence??

     If a student doesn't bother to do homework or study for an exam and they fail, is it because the teacher is punishing them or is it a consequence? If a person falls off a cliff and gets badly hurt, is it because God punishes them or is it a consequence of the natural law of gravity?
     I think of punishment as being an uncomfortable situation or action that a person with power or authority forces upon someone else, whether the punished person knowingly did something to offend the authority or just because the authority decides they can issue the punishment at their discretion. Not all punishments "fit the crime" and not all punishments are perpetrated by the authority. In our household, we had the policy that if a child used a "bad word", they would get their mouth washed out with soap. It didn't happen often but one time the offending child even went into the bathroom and washed his own mouth out rather than have me do it. He did it as vigorously or even more so than I would have! When punishments are severe or unrelated to the "crime", the person being punished will feel they are being treated unfairly. The authority could well be accused of using their power unjustly. But consequences are simply the natural result of an action. If you disobey a traffic law, you will get a ticket whether or not you knew about the law. As a driver, it is your responsibility to educated yourself about the laws governing the privilege of controlling a motor vehicle. It can feel "unfair" if you really had no idea about law and it wasn't an egregious act on your part.
     There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundation of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated- and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. (D&C 10:20,21)
     That which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same. That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin [which is the unwillingness to obey God's law] , cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. (DE&C 88:34,35)
     The wonderful thing about God is that He doesn't just "punish" those who aren't His favorites because He has the power, even though He truly does have power to do anything He chooses! He loves us so much that He has stated that His "work and glory" is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life" of every one of His children- US! He does not have any interest is having us fail. He has done all He could by sending ministering angels, the Holy Ghost, His Only Begotten Son, and prophets to guide, direct, advise, and teach us. On top of that, He allowed that Only Begotten Son to come to earth as an insignificant mortal baby, grow up, be rejected, despised, mocked, and eventually murdered to balance the justice of our receiving the consequences of our rebellion and sin. We have been handed mercy. The sad thing is, there are so many who refuse to accept it. God will not and CANNOT interfere with eternal, irrevocable laws that govern what will happen to us. He can sometimes perform miracles like having Moses part the sea, but He won't part the waters for every person who drives off a bridge or capsizes a boat. Jesus healed lepers so those around Him would know who He was. But people die every day of cancer and countless other diseases. God does have power to do any and every thing, but He will not interfere with our freedom to make our own choices. This whole thing is about the opportunity for each of His children to come to this planet, have a physical body and memory of being with Him before veiled and hidden, then to have the chance to choose what kind of person we want to be. If we seek to become our own God, make our own laws that we decide is "fair", then that's what we choose. He cannot and will not stop us. But He cannot and will not interfere with the consequences of our choice. Many will claim "ignorance of the law" and given further opportunities to be taught the fulness of the gospel but ultimately will make their own choice. We won't choose the consequences, only make our choice.

POWER

     I have heard of zealous people who play with deadly snakes and indulge in other risky behaviors on the grounds that they have "enough faith" so God will protect them. I do believe that God is aware of those who trust in Him. However, He is totally in charge. He controls when someone arrives in mortality and when someone leaves. We can take that power into our own hands by suicide or murder but that is evidence that we don't trust God. It is really important to God that we trust Him. Just as any loving parent, He loves us, takes care of us,  blesses us, and wants us to believe that whatever He decides, whether or not we understand, is what is best for us and everything we may not be fully aware of. He expresses His frustration thus: O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore their wisdom is foolishness, and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. (2Ne 9:28) He warns us ahead of time and reminds us after experiences where we might forget to pay attention to greater wisdom. And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. (Deut. 8: 17) Even great Bible heroes like King David can forget. I am amazed when I read 2 Samuel 22 how expressive David is about how much he loves and worships God, yet, ultimately he gives in to the natural man (who is the enemy of God) and forgets to obey and trust God who has given him EVERYTHING!! In the book of Acts 8 we can read about Simon, a former sorcerer, who watches the apostles give the Holy Ghost to people and admires "their power" but obviously has no clue what the power is or whose power it actually is. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou has neither part nor lot in this matter: for they heart is not right in the sight of God.
     God has given us the information we need if we want to be like His prophets or Jesus's apostles. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 John 2:15,16) There have been several people who have manages to have incredible power to persuade people, cause miracles, and feel confident and at peace. We read of such a man in Helaman chapter 10: Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou has done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to they word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will. Although Nephi was unusual as a righteous man, he was not the only one. He was "cleansed every whit from his iniquity".
     So, the irony is that those who seek to have power to do miracles can only do so if they don't seek this power so others can admire them. God gives this power, not for the puffing up of men in their pride and vanity, but for the "work" to be done. Whether it's to get people to listen to the gospel or relieve the suffering of those He has determined should be relieved at the moment or any other purpose He determines in His greater wisdom and love, His power cannot be used except by those who are cleansed every whit from their iniquity. The power never belongs to individual men. The Lord can take it away any time- He can take THEM away any time. That's what we need to remember. And it's not because He is a big, mean boss who wants everything His way. It's because He loves us beyond what we can even comprehend and He is wiser beyond what we can comprehend. He wants to give us ALL that He has, but only when we're ready to deal well with it.

Let it go- no, REALLY LET IT GO!

     I have been experiencing a strange increase in bad dreams recently. I rarely remember my dreams but there have been instances lately where I vividly remember my dreams because I wake up suddenly. One time I hit Russ in the face by swinging my arm over on him. One time I woke up screaming. The worst was recently falling out of bed! The first time, in my dream I was trying to get someone out from under a bed I was on, by sweeping my arm around under it. The second time I was running like crazy being chased by someone on a motorcycle wearing a dark, full-face helmet. The recent time I was being circled by a large, fierce wolf and I was swinging my arm at him trying to scare him away. This may not seem like anything to most people. But, to me, it's an indication of a very unsettled feeling in my mind and soul. None of those scenarios were related to anything I had read or seen on tv or movies. Although I know I can't do anything about it and don't consciously talk about it, I know there are so many unpleasant things going on in the world and I don't like it. I'm sorry for the horrible fires, rioting, flooding, frustration, anger, earthquakes, etc. etc. I like Readers Digest because generally it has informative articles in a wide range of topics and stories where tense, worrisome events occurred but are now over so I don't have to be anxious about how it's going to turn out. I just read an article of frank admissions by a con artist. As a public service, he explains how con men work to cheat people out of their life savings. He describes how ruthless and cold-hearted  this kind of person is. About a year ago, I nearly emptied out what we have in the bank to such a dishonest person. Fortunately, it was worked out thanks to the help of people who know more than I do about technology, but only after many hours of panic and stomach churning! Through all this I am reminded of what the Lord has warned us:
In the generation in which the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled, there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity, like the sea and waves roaring. The earth also shall be troubled, and the waters of the great deep; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. (Luke 21)
(When the times of the Gentiles is fulfilled) And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men's hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth. And the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound. (D&C 45)
     I have no problem with the Lord's admonitions to seek Him. Why would anyone NOT want to seek someone who is more powerful and wise than any human being who might be able to fix all this? Why would anyone NOT want to seek all He has to offer rather than the fleeting treasures of Satan's offers in Babylon? It's really stressful, though, when you know there is a better way than what the world offers and you want so badly for everyone else to get it! If everyone else DID get it, the world would be so different! We know that during the Millenium, Satan will be bound simply because nobody will listen to him. That's all it would take. We just need to have everyone stop listening to him. Easy, right? Apparently not because there have been prophets and ministering angels working on humans since Adam and Eve but Cain slew his brother Abel and the iniquity has continued since then.
They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall. (D&C 1:16)
     So, in an effort to be a good steward on the earth as God expects and would be most beneficial to all of us, what do we do about global warming? What do we do about the poor, downtrodden, sick, afflicted, abused? What do we do about wars and rumors of wars? What do we do about people's really bad use of their freedom to choose for themselves? How do we change the world without forcing anyone to give up their freedom to choose for themselves?
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness no matter what anyone else is doing. We cannot pray away iniquity. God knows He cannot force anyone to be anything other than what they choose to be. He banished Satan knowing he was being who he wanted to be and would continue forever. We need to be able to be in the world but not be of (or part of) the world.
     I know I will continue to be troubled but I'm writing this in hopes that thinking it all the way through will help to calm my soul. I know the Lord knows what is happening here. I know He knows the hearts and thoughts of all men. So why am I writing this?
I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear. (D&C 38:30)

Reflecting on my purpose

     Isaiah spoke of Jesus Christ who was sent to proclaim liberty to the captives...; to comfort all that mourn. It is an unbelievable gift that He suffered as He did for no other reason that to help all of us. His Father- our Father- planned for His only Begotten, only perfect Son to be scorned, abused, and slaughtered to pay the price of justice for all of us as we waste time and energy doing unnecessary and sometimes downright evil things that hurt ourselves and others. Yet, rather than be sorry we often try to justify ourselves in what we are doing. Alma (Book of Mormon chapt 42:30) warned his son Corianton about this: O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of God; but do you let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility. It saddens me when I hear people try to avoid responsibility for their actions by claiming that they don't think it's fair for God to expect a higher level of behavior, like it's God's fault for expecting too much. His only desire is, like any good parent, for us all to be happy and achieve a level of accomplishment that makes us feel good about ourselves.  But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage. Sometimes people become humble and truly repent and feel gratitude for having been "released from bondage"- the bondage of their own weaknesses. Wonderful! Then, like a dog returning to its vomit (Proverbs 26:11), we start being tempted and give in then try to justify ourselves. It's too hard. Somebody else made me do it. I've been doing good up til now. I'm not doing anything others aren't doing........
     I'm not claiming perfection. I'm not being self-righteous. I know I keep messing up. I also keep repenting. If we don't want to "shame Christ" and what He did, we need to humble ourselves and turn to Him with full purpose of heart, not half-heartedly, not part-time only on certain occasions, not with exclusions but FULL purpose and real intent. We can do this. He knows we can. That's why He did what He did. But it's our own choice.

Ritual or covenant?

     By definition, a ritual is a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. A covenant is an agreement generally implying a promise on the part of all parties involved. Many people have considered baptism a ritual, occasioned by a sprinkling of water on the head. Even those who follow the example of Jesus Christ who was submerged by John the Baptist in the River Jordan often perform what they perceive as a ritual in order to be cleansed from past sins. This is a simple, one-time performance with very little consideration beyond it. However, a careful study of the four gospels in the New Testament discloses the prerequisite of repentance which involves a purposeful decision on the part of the one desiring baptism to make a change in their life. This change, being "reborn", is not a one-time instantaneous occurrence. It is the beginning of being someone unlike what you had been up to the moment of making the covenant with God. Rather than baptism being a ritual, like a pass to enter the kingdom of God, it is a covenant where we declare our desire and intention to be a different person. The Book of Mormon further clarifies our part of the covenant: as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life-  I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? (Mosiah 18: 8-10) For God's part of the covenant, He promises to remember our sins no more, take us into His kingdom and consider us His. This is no small thing and should not be done lightly. God takes it seriously, and so should we.

     If you are just now checking out the posts about Ireland, be sure to click on "Older Posts" at the bottom of this page because there are several more posts about Ireland. Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to look at what I have spent time and effort, in my feeble awareness of technology, to create. I'm not sure how commenting works but I would love to hear from anyone who has ideas or opinions about some of my thoughts.

     I hope I have done justice to our wonderful trip to Ireland. It was our first time there and the first time for Russ and I to stay in AIRBNB's. We couldn't have been more pleased! All the places we stayed were clean, private, picturesque and very nicely priced. We met delightful people and feasted our eyes on the scenery and our stomachs on delicious food. I am a little disappointed that I was unable to find out more about my ancestor but now I understand better why it's just not likely to ever happen. Just as anywhere else in the world, records were kept mostly by the elite and by churches back before 1800. My family were mostly farmers and I have found what records I'm going to find. Some day I will meet them, on the other side of the "veil" and will be delighted to hear their story. I'm just glad that most of the family made it to America so that I could have the blessing of being born and live out my life in this beautiful land.

A few pictures of places we stayed

Three pictures inside one of the little houses where we stayed

The outside of a second lovely home where we stayed. That's us by our rental car on the right. We entered the downstairs around the back. we had 3 spacious bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, a large living room and kitchen.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

More pictures of the Emerald Isle

Believe it or not, those dots in the distance are surfers

There may not be a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow, but there is a lovely island to see.

Pictures of a beautiful island

View from the Rock of Cashel

 

                     
                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                               

The Great Irish Potato Famine

The top photo is a closer image of the buildings I posted in the last blog, thatched roofed buildings built at the time of the potato famine, mid-1800's. I have learned a bit about this sad part of Ireland's history but I'm sure I don't have a complete understanding. Before this trip, I had the image in my mind of imperious English "lords" abusing the people of Ireland that they considered inferior. (That seems to be what quite often happens with "more advanced" civilizations who step in to forcefully "improve" the lot of lesser civilizations.) They told the Irish what to produce, taking most of it to export to England or use themselves and leaving only the potatoes for the natives to eat. Although that's mostly true, the reasoning may not be completely true. Potatoes were NOT native to Ireland. They were imported as an "ideal" source of food for an island with limited natural resources. It was recognized and embraced by the Irish as a cheap, compact source of nourishment so they planted them everywhere. (One estimate is that they ate 14 pounds of potatoes per person per day.) There were still sheep and a few cows raised (mostly for milk and butter- the meat not so often) as well as salmon and other fish available. But the Irish relied very heavily on potatoes as their food. Then several decades after they had incorporated potatoes into their resources, a fungus blight developed which suddenly and completely wiped out their crops several years in a row.
     The second picture above is a memorial cross commemorating the trek of hundreds of starving Irish as they walked over 20 miles- men, women and children- in the cold and wet of winter to plead with English lords for help. The story goes that the lords got up from their laden lunch tables to turn them away saying they could not help them. The story also goes that during this time of the widespread British Empire, the "imperialists" had learned that giving handouts to "lesser" people did not, ultimately, help them. It only made them more dependent. It was ultimately better to avoid intervention and encourage more "self-reliance". So, while the English had the wherewithal to import sufficient food for themselves, they insisted that the Irish find a way to obtain their own food- even though they had little to  no actual money or means of obtaining anything beyond what they had on their meager land for which they paid high taxes and/or rent to the English. There are claims of laziness or drunkenness on the part of the Irish as well as greediness and self-righteousness on the part of the English. Since I was not there at that time, I really can't say exactly where the burden of fault lies, but it certainly doesn't speak well of the whole concept of imperialism.
     In the end, Ireland's population was depleted by between 1/4 and 1/2 through death (mostly by starvation but also disease due to malnutrition) and emigration- of which I include some of my own ancestors. One community's population decreased to 165 and still has not recovered. There are whole hillsides once tilled for planting potatoes that have lain fallow ever since because there was no reason to plant so many potatoes with insufficient numbers of people to eat them. The last picture above is the view the starving Irish had across the path/road from where the cross now stands, bleak and cold. A deep sadness came over me as I thought about the people who lived- or not- through the experience.  I have a really comfortable existence.

Ireland's mixture of old and new

     The island we today call Ireland has been inhabited for a very long time. It's fascinating to travel around seeing ancient ruins and even very old buildings still in use.

In the background you can see buildings (barns, shed, and houses) with thatched roofs, still in use from when they were built about the time of the great potato famine in the mid-1800's.

This house is obviously much newer! I took this picture of a random house when we were stopped at an intersection- or should I say junction? Anyway, all of the dwellings I saw looked very neat and tidy. Even in the cities the litter was considerably less than in most US cities. The whole country of Ireland just seemed very clean and well-cared-for to me.

Susanne and Louisa are standing in a peat bog. Multitudes of layers of decaying vegetable matter create a fascinating surface. It's not really swampy but spongy. If you stand about as far apart as they are and one jumps on the ground, the other can feel it. It's not quite like a trampoline but a similar feel. We were told that one week spent cutting peat (which is then laid out to dry) can provide one home enough fuel for a year!

At the other end of the "technology" spectrum, all over the island we saw groups of windmills like this to provide power for Ireland. I wonder if there are groups of people who protest that they're unsightly or damaging to birds???
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Agriculture and animals in Ireland

     I plan to do a later blog on the potato famine and what I learned but, suffice it to say, there are no large fields of grain like in central USA. There are LOTS of small vegetable gardens and fruit orchards. There are no herds of buffalo or large herd of cattle or horses. The pig in the photo above was definitely healthy! He was a breed of "grazing pig" which I guess is somewhat unusual. I was also impressed by how "healthy" the cows looked. I suppose it could be their furry coats at this time of year but they just really looked more aware, more robust, and just better specimens than what I have observed in the US during my life.

The picture is, unfortunately a bit fuzzy maybe because I was shivering in the cold wind.

     As we drove around the western part of Ireland, sheep were plentiful everywhere. As I have mentioned before, there are stone fences creating large separations of the open lands but even with the fences, the sheep manage to wander. I even saw a cow grazing as it stood on one stone fence that had been overgrown with sod! Just as branding is used to differentiate one owner's cow or horse from another, the sheep were marked in a strikingly colorful way-

                                                            

Ireland's vice and virtue

     If you have never read the book "Angela's Ashes" it would be an excellent insight into the effects of alcoholism on those who care about someone suffering that affliction. Surely, no man is an island and our choices impact those around us whether we want it to or not. France and Italy are known for their wine and its consumption. Germany and Ireland are known for beer and its consumption. The #1 tourist activity when you research going to Ireland is "pub crawl" where you spend long evening (or earlier) hours going from pub to pub, with live music available in some places. Guinness (world famous beer company) is a hugely common name found all over the country and has admittedly helped the economy, except for any results of expenses due to alcohol use. As Russ and I walked around a Dublin neighborhood we came upon two teenage girls tucked away on a small side street having a clandestine bottle of some kind of liquor. They weren't homeless or shabby looking. They were simply doing what the culture encourages. Another time, as we were wandering around the city, my foot slipped off the curb of a crowded sidewalk. A taxi driver stopped nearby, rolled down his window and asked with a big grin, "Tipsy already?" Even though he was "joking" and it was early in the day, drunkenness was what first came to his mind. Not only is there a plethora of pubs as well as alcohol available in even small cafes, there are lots of signs for "off license" available, which means you can buy alcohol to take with you rather than drinking it on site.
     Then, in addition to Lotto signs everywhere, there were lots of gaming shops where you can place bets or gamble on whatever is available. They advertise "best odds" and "bookmaking" along with somewhat ironic signs promoting "responsible gambling week". I recognize there are lots of people who go to Las Vegas or spend evenings in casinos for entertainment just as there are lots of people who drink alcohol to relax or celebrate. I guess it's possible to do both within limits to minimize any damage. I just can't help but wonder if fully abstaining from either activity isn't a more guaranteed way to avoid wasting money, causing heartache, and destroying relationships and reputations. There are ways to do those things other than drinking alcohol and gambling but those two activities are not only unnecessary but society would benefit from their absence.
     Opposite these vices, we met only warm, pleasant, welcoming people and our visit to Ireland gave us insights into how long Christianity has been supported quickly supplanting the old Celtic religion of druids. The story of St. Patrick chasing all the snakes out of Ireland is actually a metaphor for him chasing out old pagan beliefs.

Rock of Cashel, ancient stone church and cemetery

Shrines are a common sight

     We went to Trinity College in Dublin where we saw the Book of Kells, an "illuminated" (meaning with intricate drawings and scripts) manuscript of the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) written in Latin around 800 AD. There were also a couple other copies of scripture even older. The library where they are stored was started in 1712 and looks like someplace in movies like Harry Potter. We also visited the beautiful Kylemore Abbey which was originally built as an estate by a wealthy man then later became an abbey as home to nuns and a school for girls until it was deemed unsuitable and unsafe for children. Now it is only home for nuns who make chocolates, soap, and worship God, as well as being a tourist spot.

Ireland rocks!

     The feature of Ireland only second to the intense green is ROCKS. They are the most plentiful resource and have been used for millenia in building everything from burial mounds to churches to homes and forts to fences. The fences are nearly all simply piled rocks with no mortar. In some areas where shale is prevalent, they even stand the top layer of rocks upright on top of all the horizontal layers of rock creating a fiercely jagged appearance. The burial mounds are also simply layers and layers of rocks in a huge mound and were built before the Egyptian pyramids.

Entrance to Newgrange ancient burial mound

Rock of Cashel site of ancient Christian church and cemetery

Very old rock church no longer in use

Remains of one of MANY old stone forts with dwellings and storage areas inside

Old stone house

Newer, currently used stone church

Driving in Ireland

     We could have chosen bus tours as a way of seeing Ireland but instead chose to rent a car. The first and foremost problem we had with driving in Ireland is that there is insufficient labeling- of roads, streets, and ways to go- especially on all the many secondary roads. We thought we could manage with a paper map because that's the way people got around for many years before electronic devices. When we picked up the rental car we knew  Susanne would be having a SIM card in her phone when she arrived so we opted not to get a GPS which would cost extra. Later after they left, we paid the extra to have a GPS because we just couldn't manage without one. Because of the cost of having extra drivers for a rental car, I never drove while in Ireland. Russ and James were our drivers. It was definitely a harrowing experience for Russ, just off the plane, to get in a car with the steering wheel on the opposite side and drive on the "wrong" side of the road in city traffic! The Irish seemed to be very patient and polite; maybe they're used to "foreigners" not knowing their way around. Highway driving was probably the easiest. Once you get on a road, you just go forward. Strange were some of the signs and expressions used. I especially liked the signs for "traffic calming", meaning to slow down because you're about to enter a village. Intersections are called junctions and most had traffic circles which are now becoming more prevalent here in the US. In Northern Ireland especially the warning to "yield" is referred to as "give way". The word "SLOW" is often written in large letters on the pavement as you approach a curve, a junction, or a village. A yellow diamond shaped sign with big letters "DANGER" was daunting, especially since I couldn't see what it was referring to! Everywhere off the few major roads were signs with long s-curves indicating the road would be serpentine but there were places when even the curves were so sharp the sign showed more a zig-zag than a curve. A sign at a business read "End of Life Vehicles" which could be taken more ways than one! It was a car junkyard. There were few street lights which was could be considered a blessing or a curse. It made it very difficult to find your way once it got dark, which this time of year is by 5 pm. However, we were delighted to be able to see so many stars! In the prevalent light pollution in the US, that can be difficult, often the moon being the only nighttime light in the sky you can see. I was so grateful for Russ and James's driving skill on the very narrow and winding roads. Often the roads were more narrow than most driveways here. If you meet oncoming traffic, one or the other has to find a place to pull over which can be difficult because there are no shoulders. The pavement goes to a narrow strip of grass leading up to an unmovable stone fence.

I took this picture hoping to give an indication how narrow the roads are. This is intended for two-way traffic. We were certainly grateful for the considerate drivers who always gave way or nodded appreciation when we gave way. 

Impressions of Ireland

     Russ and I have just returned from nearly 2 weeks visiting Ireland, both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Anyone interested in the politics of why there are different sections or interested in the geologic causes of its features or the history of the island or the sociological sources of its people can read appropriate scholarly works. My blogs are just going to be my own observations and resulting philosophical thoughts about not only Ireland but humans in general.
     I have wanted to visit Ireland for as long as I can remember. I love Celtic music and dance. I have enjoyed Irish characters in movies but I guess I developed a strong desire to actually go there once I knew I had ancestors who lived there and emigrated to the US. I have been unable to find out anything about their life or connections there, which is a great disappointment. I guess I may have to wait until I meet them on the other side of the veil. In the meantime, I will occasionally poke around whatever information I can about the Irish immigrants during the potato famine and records that may become available in the future, if any.
     On first sight, from an airplane window, I thought Ireland looked like a great quilt with lush green squares divided by rock fences and dotted with white sheep and occasional cows.

 As we drove around the island for the next 13 days, I saw that, even up close, it was intensely green. The nearly constant rain gave us a clue as to how it gets so green. Rocks are greatly plentiful, too.

Although there are a very few sandy beaches, there are dramatic cliffs to the point that you have to wonder how people throughout the island's history have managed to approach and leave in boats. The rocks have been a primary source of construction material for inhabitants since prehistory.

One of the major "tourist spots" is Newgrange which is just a little north and west of Dublin and is the site of a prehistoric burial mound dating back before the Egyptian pyramids. I was struck more than once by the age of Ireland. As a political entity, it is relatively "new" in the world but not only is the island ancient, it has been inhabited for a very, very long time.  This mound is one of many rock mounds which, over the years have been overgrown with sod. There are also LOTS of rock fences which have been used primarily to hold sheep in a specific area and some of these fences have also been overgrown with sod. It is probably much more pleasant to visit during warm, sunny summer months but we were happy to have avoided big crowds. Despite the cold and rain, we found the people there to be very pleasant.

Two stories

     Many people are aware of the team-building exercise done by blindfolding a person and having them fall backward, trusting that someone will catch them. It can also be used to teach people what faith is. The basic idea is that, since faith is a belief in something or someone you cannot see, you just have to let go and trust.
     I heard a similar story about a youth conference exercise where the youth were blindfolded then given a rope to hang onto and told to walk forward through a wooded area, not being able to see. In this case, the idea was like Lehi's dream in the Book of Mormon where there was a tree with desirable fruit and a rod of iron to guide you there but also mists of darkness as well as taunting people in a nearby spacious (meaning plenty of these kind of detractors) building trying to get people to let go of the rod. In the story of this experience, there was a young woman who was stumbling and bumping into things as she tried to follow wherever the rope was leading. Her brother had volunteered to whisper in her ear to try to distract her. He told her that she looked foolish and nobody else was actually doing this. He invited her to let go of the rope and go with him. She did- for a moment. Then her bishop called to her and asked her to come to him. She fumbled her way back to find the rope then followed it until reaching him and fell into his waiting arms, relieved to be protected by someone she could trust. This exercise was intended to encourage the youth to hold onto their faith, the rod being the Word of God, no matter who said what and despite sometimes having their view obstructed.
     In both of these stories, there is a flip side- not only is it important to determine who to trust, it is also important to be worthy of trust. If that bishop had been grumpy, mean, or worse (like some priests showing up in the news these days), the girl would not have wanted to go to him. If a person is a part of a team they can't trust, they won't want to fall backward without knowing who will catch them. We can trust the Lord because we come to know Him through prayer and scripture STUDY (not just reading parables). He loves us unconditionally and enough that He suffered beyond what we can understand to pay the price of justice for our weaknesses and mistakes. We can trust Him because He is worthy of trust. If we want others to feel that way about us, we must be of such a degree of integrity that they can trust us. They know we will do what we say we will do. They know we won't deliberately hurt them (accidents happen sometimes). They know they can feel comfortable with us.
     I just thought there were two sides to look at and we can learn from both views.

Whose will do we want?

     I recently heard of an experience I found very interesting. Detecting truth, honesty, and being able to trust are serious challenges in these days of "fake news" or whatever you want to call it. I remember the musical "The Music Man" about traveling salesmen who will claim just about anything to make a sale then they make a quick getaway. These days deception can come in person, on the phone, in the mail, or on the internet. People lose their life savings, their reputation, and hope because of malicious hackers or greedy, self-centered people. I have made it a matter of purposeful prayer nearly every day that I will never mislead anyone. I know I make mistakes and sometimes remember things wrong or misinterpret so I could easily give someone false information without intending to. I just have to keep praying and do my best to be frank about what I really know and what I may think is correct. One thing I know due to so many experiences, some of which I have shared in previous blogs, is that God exists, He sends ministering angels to comfort, guide, and warn people, and that Jesus Christ is an essential part of the plan for all of God's children to progress through His atoning sacrifice as well as His teachings. So, the experience I want to relate- to the best of my recollection:
     A man working for the Secret Service explained training the organization receives from the Treasury Department for recognizing counterfeits. Because counterfeiting is an "art" done by many different people and can be altered anytime, studying counterfeit bills and documents is less effective than studying genuine currency. The agents spent countless hours studying truth so when faced with un-truth, they could spot it, even if they didn't immediately recognize why it wasn't right. The man speaking likened this to spiritual truth. We can read or listen to atheists or criticisms of religion but that will only cause us to flounder. It doesn't really help us to know what is true. We have a promise that God will answer prayers to Him. We can talk to people, read books, and search the world to know if He's real and what He wants us to do. We will get lots of opinions and suggestions. The only way to know, is to pray for ourselves with an open mind and a heart willing to act on whatever He answers in humble obedience. If we do that, we can know if God is real and "what church" is right. There are millions of churches that well-meaning people have started to gather like-minded people to be guided toward further enlightenment. They can't all be correct. Only God knows for sure what God wants us to know and to do. He will share that with anyone who can honestly say, "Thy will be done."

Being who you are

     Someone once told me that she enjoyed drinking alcohol because it helped her to relax so she could "have fun and not be self-conscious". I understand that removing inhibitions can be freeing. All my life I have heard of "happy" drunks and "angry" drunks- people whose inhibitions were removed and the "real person" was exposed-?? Recently I witnessed someone who had consumed enough wine to remove inhibitions about a personal experience she would not have normally talked about. It had been a frightening experience and brought up bad memories and feelings, resulting in (under the influence) telling things she later regretted having disclosed as well as causing an outburst of anger she also later regretted. The incident definitely had an impact on the group at the time, causing much sympathy and sorrow as well as consternation about how to relate to her. It caused me to reflect on whether "removing inhibitions" does more damage or good.
     Inhibitions are the self-imposed limits we use out of fear of exposing our inner self or fear of judgment by others. When we give in to enough fear of others, we end up never really being whoever we are- putting up a facade so no one can ever know the real person behind the mask. I knew someone like that. It caused me a great deal of sorrow when, after many years, she said, "I'm not who you think I am." I had not judged her in any negative way. In fact, I guess I believed good in her that she didn't even believe herself. It is often said that people will live up to or down to your expectations of them. I still believe great things of this person and she is slowly achieving the characteristics I believe in. The problem with over-use of inhibitions is that we end up being a very deceitful person; others don't have the opportunity to know us and often we haven't even figured out for ourselves who we really are. I remember being frustrated toward my dad. He was such a peaceful person who avoided contention that he would almost change personality and opinion to fit in with whoever he was with. My mother often commented that the only way she would sometimes be able to know things is by listening to him talk to other people. We all want others to like us, accept us, and want to be with us. However, it is not really healthy for relationships or for our own self-awareness to try to be a chameleon. Alcohol and drugs can artificially remove safety limits. (Recent public forums have opened up about previously hidden sexual practices causing all kinds of anger, hurt, and embarrassment.) We all make mistakes, but we make even more when we remove safety limits. True,  sometimes it is preferable to let sleeping dogs lie so to speak. If nothing is to be gained by dredging up hidden things, let them remain unspoken. If we are overly inhibited, using chemicals to remove our limits is not wise. It is healthier to acknowledge our fears and work to overcome them rationally step by step. If we have difficulty trusting others, we should start small by opening up to admit our honest opinions or flaws to at least one person we feel close to. Once we feel accepted for who we are, we can admit to having weaknesses or making mistakes then add any feelings of regret and desire to improve. Things not expressed don't disappear because we are trying to hide them. The effort expended to hide things about ourselves can have undesirable results: others determine we are deceptive, we forget who we told what lie to resulting in panic about what to say, we can even exaggerate in our own minds how faulty we are resulting in unnecessary self-loathing.
     Being open and honest does NOT require simply exposing all our warts. None of us is ALL bad. It's essential in healthy self-awareness as well as relationships with others to acknowledge who we are as well as who we want to be. I may say regrettable things when I am tired or ill but I need to later apologize and admit that I didn't want to be snippy or mean. I may be trying hard to be better but I can pat myself on the back for the progress I have made so far while at the same time accepting that I haven't gotten there yet. How many great artists would there be if people stopped when they made their first crude drawing or played their first scale? I have heard the advice to smile, even if you don't feel like it because by smiling you will eventually feel better. It's true, but only if we sincerely WANT to be pleasant and happy. If our desire is to be angry at the world or ourselves, it's important to recognize that and decide if that's the way we want to stay, or if we want to improve. The world can't be faulted for not really knowing us if we don't ever show our real selves. We also can't improve if we never recognize where we are now.

Ruts

     Our brains are who we are- they contain memories and instigate ideas as well as cause action in any part of our body from our mouth to our feet. When we do or think something repeatedly, the neural pathway created is strengthened, like forming a habit- A leads to B leads to C, etc. I am grateful for modern technology. My family is spread all over the world and without the internet I would be hard-pressed to keep up regular or quick communication with my children, grandchildren, or siblings. I have found Facebook to be a handy tool for group communication and have enjoyed seeing pictures and have gotten important messages through this tool. However, my biggest objection to Facebook is that it tends to deepen neural pathways that may be unhealthy to us. For instance, if someone has had a bad experience with another person, often they begin to distrust or even dislike other people based on a similar characteristic: gender, ethnicity, political view, occupation, religion, or even name! On Facebook, the algorithm used connects us repeatedly with things we choose to "like" and avoids things we don't express a preference for. As a result, we may read a disproportionate number of items which support our view while avoiding a wider perspective. This process tends to enhance disparity and prejudice. Rather than be introduced to a little different line of thinking, we are more deeply entrenched in our habitual reaction; justified in our current prejudice.
     Facebook is not the only bad influence leading to toward prejudice. A similar result occurs in people who never leave their neighborhood/town/state. They develop the idea that there is only one way to do or think so when faced with someone different, they immediately feel threatened or repulsed. When we participate in cordial, respectful albeit lively discussions with people of a different view, it can be very educational. We broaden our understanding and become less self-centered or even contentious as we consider that, just maybe, we don't always know everything. We formulate opinions every day and that's as it should be. Without opinions we are lacking a firm foundation and can be easily misguided or feel lost. However, it is helpful to at least consider another's view that may be different from our own. I don't care for the hairstyles of some of my grandchildren but I enjoy talking to them and appreciate their honesty, compassion for others, and willingness to help. I don't always agree with political views of others but I like to hear their justifications in order to broaden my understanding of the issues. I may not dress or eat like someone else does but it's enlightening to know there are options beyond what I have known. Roses, daisies, daffodils, lilacs, pansies- they're all beautiful and different from each other. There is no need to attempt to establish which is superior, no competition. They're all uniquely wonderful.

He IS there

     I understand that, in world population numbers, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is definitely a minority. That's okay. During the mortal ministry of Jesus Christ two millenia ago and for a number of years afterward, there were very few "Christians". Being a part of the majority, or being "popular" has nothing to do with truth. Every human being on the face of the planet is unique. We all like different things, do different things well, and believe at least slightly different things. That doesn't mean truth doesn't exist. It just means not everyone has arrived at its realization. That's okay, too. We are eternal beings inside these tabernacles of clay. Our mortal bodies may be slowly deteriorating but the spirit that quickens that body- the part who makes us who we are- will last forever. I know there are lots and lots of people in the world who don't believe that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem or believe that He was actually the son of Mary and God and certainly that He was actually resurrected or suffered to atone for all of our sins and weaknesses, big or small. That doesn't mean it's not true. I know there are even lots of people who don't believe God exists, much less that He loves every one of us and has hopes for our development. That's okay. The day will come when every single person who has lived or ever will live will know for themselves that God exists and "every tongue (will) confess that Jesus is the Christ". There is truth to be found, if anyone is interested. God will answer prayers that are asked with a sincere intent to act upon His answers. He doesn't have to "prove" Himself to anyone. He doesn't have to be "popular" to exist.
     I am truly grateful that God has taken an active part in my life, even during times when I didn't understand who He is and what He expects or hopes. I am grateful now that I have been given the incredible gift of the Holy Ghost to whisper guidance, comfort, and knowledge when I seek. I am overflowing with the desire to share what I know, to convince everyone to read the Bible, then pray to know if God is there, then ask what He would have them do, then follow promptings (which will surely come) to seek out His truths which will lead to reading the Book of Mormon and obey God's commandments in making commitments, participating in ordinances (like baptism) to make covenants with Him which will lead to repentance and a change of heart. This planet has a great deal of beauty but mankind has been polluting it, and I'm not talking about our garbage or air quality. It could be so much more peaceful, pleasant, comfortable, and just plain happy. I guess I just have to wait until after Christ comes to rule and reign for a millenium then cleanse it for the final time.