Points of Emphasis

Coming off a much-needed Thanksgiving break, I am grateful for an infusion of perspective that I hope will translate to a more positive outlook up here at BYU. Thanksgiving gave me my first opportunity to pleasure read in a long while, and I took advantage of the time by diving into "The Chosen", a novel by Chaim Potok. What struck me most in the book was the extreme difference between the different Jewish sects that came from nothing more than a different emphasis they placed on aspects of their faith. They held the same basic beliefs and performed the same basic rites, yet they found much reason to differentiate themselves from one another. This phenomenon was also expressed in my own life as I hung out with some old friends from high school. In our youth, we sprung up in a very "cookie cutter" fashion, each with our own Christian upbringing that was very similar, yet with a different emphasis. I couldn't help but notice the great divergences that had resulted in behavior and thought, all springing from subtle degrees of variation. I am grateful for where I am in my life, because of the emphasis my church has placed on the importance of family, personal discipleship, and agency, but I am also grateful for the perspective my friends bring as they look on from their vantage points of varying heights. They are wonderful and I find their outlooks refreshing, marked in contrast by simple differences in emphasis.

REUNITED...and it feels so good!

I went to the Joseph F. Smith family reunion this last Monday and came home smiling. I have always been aware of my deep heritage in the Mormon church and I find great strength from my ties (something my mom has taught me to do from her experience). I feel like I can say, "You're just going to have to deal with me, cause I'm here to stay," when fellow Mormons feel I am too unorthodox for their green-jello based tastes. After all, these early church leaders in my past became what they were because they asked hard questions and demanded answers, regardless of how uncomfortable they were. That is inspiring to me.
The meeting itself was delightfully nostalgic-laden. It began with a long series of announcements from the program director who somehow could pick out an "Uncle Hyrum" or "Grandma Lynn" from the thousands of us in attendance. Could she really feel familial ties to such a large mass of people? The next part consisted of a musical production written a few generations back about Jospeh F. Smith performed by some current descendents. This gave an interesting feel to the production. A new generation performing what a middle generation thought of the first generation ancestor was like creating a family tree where the branches held hands and mingled. The production was well-performed, yet suffered from older topics being sung about to a younger audience. It was what a family reunion production should be.
Finally, Elder Ballard, a descendent himself rose to address his large extended family. His topic was keeping the family strong through the polarizing trials facing the world in the face of rising chaos. I felt strengthened and nourished, much as a branch should feel when making connections with its roots.