common sense, really!

well hello everyone!

so not much has been going on in my less-than-exciting life, but i will try to fill you in on the goods. word.

so i got home on monday, yes.

wednesday, mark came home! it was good to see him this week and talk about the good ol days!

friday, i got to walk to the library with my dear ol friend andrea passey! on the way we stopped by my dear ol grandma's house (g-ma summers)! yipee! it was a great walk and it was much fulfilling. later on that night, i was able to go to the millards residence to be graced with the returned missionary's presence. go mark! it was fun, and i got to see some familiar faces that i havent seen in many many moons.

and this morning, i assisted in preparing for lunch for hundreds of emotionally weakened relief society sisters at the new stake center (looks like the stake center in lexington ky and it made me miss home a little bit... please pause while i wallow in self pity a little bit. ok thanks!)

after arriving home and eating my own lunch, i sat down for a nice short season to read a book, which didnt last long, because i was struck with some inspiration that i desired to share with all who wanted to hear it! so now im here!

so im reading this book. its called "common sense" by thomas paine. great man i tell you.

anywho, i only got to page two, when something great stood out. here it is:

"society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices. the one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. the first a patron, the last a punisher.

"society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil, in its worst state an intolerable one..." (common sense, pg. 4)

looking at this raised some insight to me.

the gospel: a tool for creating a "celestial" society, uniting everyone in joy, satisfaction, and one eternal purpose. the ultimate utopian society. when we think of what heaven will be like, we can imagine a world where everyone is full of charity, unity, and equality, subjecting themselves to almost a communist lifestyle (in the church, we call it the law of consecration: working together to provide for each other, making everyone equal.)

so when we willingly submit ourselves to these prinicples, in order to provide this utopia, the outcome is positive, just like paine described: "society in every state is a blessing."

on the contrary, when we are forced to submit to principles by the state, or government, it becomes a necessary evil. it restrains our vices, yes, but becomes the force in which binds us down from personal agency. when we look at communist governments, we see fear, inequality, darkness, and all things to despise. but when you look at the church, in which we are in the infant steps of creating this perfect society, a "celestial kingdom," you see nothing but joy, excitement, freedom, unity, and charity.

go paine!

another bit of inspiration i recieved lately is this:

i was reading the sermon on the mount the other day, and when i came across the scripture talking about how when the eye is single to the glory of god, the whole body is full of light.

 it was one of those instances when you read something, and you know there is something you are supposed to discover, but you just dont get it... so you read it over and over and over, and then it suddenly hits you!

the movement of the eye is so minute and seemingly insignificant... almost to the point where people dont notice its movement. its something only the viewer controls and sees. 

the body on the contrary, is very noticeable. you wave your arm, people see it. you kick a ball, people see it. 

so on the spiritual sense, when you do some of those little things, people dont see them. when you pray in your closet, people dont see it. when you pray aloud in your synagogues and street corners, people see it. you will have the reward you seek either way. God wants us to become something from the little things. from the inside out. he wants our integrity to make us something that is powerful. when we do the things that people cant see, He creates something that everyone can see. 

and this is the main message of the sermon on the mount. BECOME SOMETHING. fear god, not man. when your integrity carries you to the plane in which the glory of god is your focus, and the glory of god only, your whole body will be full of light. when you have began your journey on this path, share it! let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.

i hope some of that made sense. i hope it was as enlightening for you as it was for me. if not, just go read it for yourself, and let the spirit guide!

faith.hope.charity.