Interview at the last minute

Yesterday I went up to Jeff's Office, HR Manager @ Prosper, to fax the last of my application for BYU. While I was there I asked him if he had heard anything about the position (Mark Butler's position, Sales Operations Manager, since he stepped down to Team lead, and I reported to Mark in a way since I am working part time selling and part time with Sales Operation). Jeff asked me if I had applied and I told him not yet since it did not close till March 5th. Jeff said that it closed last Friday. Anyway he gave me an internal application to try and apply for it. I went down to fill it out and call Kiera to see if she wanted me to apply for it since we had decided to do Security Sales over the summer. She said to apply and we will just see what happens. So I started to fill out the application and I felt prompted to go up stairs and just talk to Dave Ellis, Chief Revenue Officer, since he is the one that was off the position. I went up there and he was free which does not happen that much. Come to find out that not only did it close on Friday but that he was going to send the name in for approval tomorrow. He said that he went in and asked Jeff if he had done it all right and Jeff said, "well who do you have so far." Dave told him three names, which one of them was my manager in sales, Jason Emitt, Ryan Miller, manager over Small End Sales, and I can't remember the third one. And then Jeff said, "what about Craig?" Dave told Jeff that I had shown interest and then nothing. Jeff told him that he knew for sure that I was interested. Dave said that he wanted to meet with me and so we set up a time for 10:30 am tomorrow. Last night I updated my resume and emailed it to him.

This morning Janice and some of her family and Skyler were flying in to take Ty to the MTC. So I had to help Kiera clean up and I was going to take the kids up to Jessica's when Damion Hunter came to pick me up (Kiera had the whole thing planned and my interview messed everything up, but we were able to figure it out).

The interview went well until the end. I showed him several things that I created in Excel for other companies that I worked for and then Dave said, "How can we get more of your time." That took me back because in my mind I was thinking, well just hire me, but I knew that would not have the best results. I just said, "you create it." Then the last sentence he said was, "I have some decisions to make and I have until Friday to make them. If you do not hear from me by Friday you come up and rattle the cage and I will be Ok with it. Just say that I promised to do something and you are not doing it, so fell free to come up and rattle the cage." So between those two comments I am at a loss. I will let you know what come of it.

"Go to the Temple right now!"

This morning I woke up to go to the bathroom and just before I jump into bed I had a distinct thought come into my mind, "Go to the Temple right now!" In my mind I said, "No, I am too tired. I did not get to bed till 12:30 and I am just too tired." I laid down and laid there thinking that in the Book of Mormon the prophets, like Nephi, were commanded to go up into the mountain. Whether it was a mountain or the temple it matters not, even though I know sometimes it was an actual mountain. I thought that if I can not heed the spirits commands to get in my car and drive a few streets down to the Temple, then there is no way that I would of climbed a high mountain. Also, I was taught by the Spirit that the Lord did not wait until Nephi was awake and excited to make the trip to the top of the mountain but that the commands came in times that would try their obedience and faith. I jumped out of bed and went to the Temple (in my new Temple clothes we bought the other day). It was an outstanding session and I felt good all day.

I called my dad later that day and told him about my experience and he told me that he had prayed for me and also prayed that I would go to the Temple today. Well his prayer was answered. I was in the Temple when my dad was praying.

It is just amazing how the Lord works and is so much a part of our lives.

We create our Spiritual and Physical Reality

I was really thinking and pondering today about life and why it seems that I reach a comfort level and then not long passes and I feel as if I were in limbo and then I realize that my spiritual guard is down. As I thought about this I was given light which enlarged my understanding and that is that we are the ones that are in control of our Spiritual and physical realities. I am reading the Biography of Parley P Pratt and I remember that before he even heard of the Gospel he left his home and began to teach the principles that he felt strongly about that the other sects lacked. I remember thinking how could he do something so rash and not know to what end he was doing it. I realized that he did it because of his love for his Savior and no other reason, is that not the most noble of reasons. Here I have the fullness of the Gospel and yet I still not directly but deep inside think to myself what is in it for me. I must follow Parleys lead and live the Gospel because of my love of my Savior. When life gets easy or I feel that I am just living, I must take action and not wait for the Lord to command but that I must reach out because of the love of my Savior.

Everyday seems to be hard and Kiera and I watched the Joseph Smith movie in Temple Square and I remember thinking how hard his life was. One time while him and Emma were outside and had just suffered the loss of another child, Emma asked Joseph if he ever thought that the Lord asks too much of people and Josephs answer was just amazing. He said, "I do not allow myself." That is it and yet in those five words carries a message that is applicable in our EVERYDAY LIVES. I know that I can use that sentence in my life when life gets hard or easy I can say to myself that I do not allow myself to feel that my life is too hard or that all is well in Zion. We create our realities and we must create a reality with the love of our Savior in the middle and everything builds around that and not the other way around.

Sleding with my family, Debbie and Cindy

I had a blast sledding at Alpine with my family and my two sisters, Cindy and Debbie. Here are some videos and pictures of the fun we had.

Called to Assisstant Ward Clerk over welfare

The Stake President called me yesterday to setup an appointment to meet with him for my ecclesiastical endorsement for my application for BYU. We set it up for 8:30 AM on Sunday. I woke up this morning and started to get dressed when the phone rang. It was my wards executive secretary and he said that the Stake President wanted to meet with me and my wife and he apologized for the short notice. I looked at the clock and it was 8:10 and everyone was in pj's and Lacie still was asleep. We try not to wake that girl because she is so cranky if she wakes up before 8:45ish. We made record time by having the whole family dressed in Sunday clothes all hair done and in the car by 8:25. Yes, we are good. :-) Anyway, we got there and I got my endorsement and then was called to be the Assistant Ward Clerk over welfare. He was saying that I would be over fast offerings but that is not the case. I meet with the Bishop after Church and he had to do some setting-aparts first and he invited me to join him in the circle which was very neat. We did 4 and then where able to sit down to talk about what my calling was all about. Come to find out that I will be assisting him in helping those that come to him for need. He said that he wants me to organize him in this area and to create the process for helping those in need of help from the ward and mainly financially. I will be their financial counselors and help them to change their circumstances for the better. This is a little scary for me because I do not feel that I am perfect in this area and probably as far from perfect as they come. But one thing that Kiera and I have had is help from on High in many circumstances which I feel in part qualifies me for this position. I feel that the spiritual is much more connected to the physical and that is the key to changing ones path to that of self sufficiency. I have a lot to pray about to create the process and know how to magnify this calling but I am very excited to serve and to grow in this capacity. Even though I am growing in nursery so much right now, it will be good to expand that growth even more.

One thing that is exciting is that the Bishop wants me to attend all the P.E.C meetings and some bishopric meetings because I will be dealing with the people that they will be talking about.

LOOK!!!!!! It's a Girl or possibly a Boy.

That is right Kiera is pregnant. We have a video of us telling the girls, but for some reason it is having a hard time uploading. We will figure it out and put it here as soon as we can.

It was funny, because when we told the girls they were excited and Lacie said, "I hope it is a boy because I want a baby brother." Then Alexa said, "I love both of the babies." It was great.

Stay tuned for the video.

The video is here now. Just push PLAY.

Update on Service

Ever since I decided to serve my wife I have been amazed at how good it makes me feel to serve her. One thing that I observed is that normally if i procrastinate on something like cleaning the house I just rationalize to myself why I should just ignore it and then I ignore it but deep down it still eats at me. I realized that if I just do what I know I should do that it actually feels a lot better and I am much happier.

I think that sin has a similar effect. When we rationalize and then obey the evil one it begins to weigh on us heavily. If we would just change and repent, then our burdens will be lifted and we will be happier and feel free.

I am really thankful for this experience. I think another attitude change that has made all the difference is to really TRY to do all that I can to help my wife as opposed to trying to do just the minimum I can get away with. I will continue to keep you updated on my experience with serving my wife, family and Savior.

Removing Unrighteous Stakes

I started to write an update on my situation but just felt to change directions. I love my Savior with all my heart. I have been doing a lot of reading like the Biography of Parley P. Pratt, Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph, and Teachings of the Prophets: Spencer W. Kimball and I have just been impressed about how much we must improve. I would like to just share a few quotes that impressed me greatly.

Joseph Smith Jr. said, "To all those who are disposed to say to set up stakes for the almighty—will come short of the glory of god. To become a joint heir of the heirship of the son he must put away all his traditions" (Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph).

I do not know about you but I do want to become an heir of the heirship. I know that I have traditions that I hang on to and do not want to let go of.

He continues, "Men will set up stakes and say thus far will we go and no farther, did Abraham when called upon to offer his son, did the Saviour... What was the design of the Almighty in making man, it was to exalt him to be as God... heirs of God and joint heirs... with Jesus Christ equal with him possessing all power... The mystery power and glory of the priesthood is so great and glorious that the angels desired to understand it and cannot: why, because of the tradition of them and their fathers in setting up stakes and not coming up to the mark in their probationary state."

This helped to open my eyes to things that I must do in order to change my traditions to those worthy of exaltation.

Spencer W. Kimball said, "Having already obtained our bodies, which become the permanent tabernacle for our spirits through the eternities, now we are to train our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. Pre-eminent, then, is our using this life to perfect ourselves, to subjugate the flesh, subject the body to the spirit, to overcome all weaknesses, to govern self so that one may give leadership to others, and to perform all necessary ordinances" (T of P: Spencer W Kimball).

We must first learn to govern ourselves in righteousness before we will be able to govern others which is exaltation. How can our Father in Heaven expect to give unto us a never ending posterity if we can't even govern ourselves. I challenge all who read this to start today to perfect ourselves and to put off all unrighteous thoughts and actions. I know that we have the power within us and with the help of our Savior to conquer all trials given to us and if in the end we are closer to our Father in Heaven, then it was all worth it.