Dear Reality Show Producers...

I'm an admitted fan to reality shows.  I have watched them ever since the early days of The Real World.  Do you remember when this revolutionary show was about putting six truly different people together and watching them try to survive in their environment?   They had to get real jobs (not fake ones where they got a bonus if they showed up - gag), adapt to the culture shock of a big city, and learn from people you wouldn't normally associate with.

I am your core audience.  But, even I am beginning to wane.  You've moved so far from your base concepts that it's hard to remember when you too were interesting like The Real World.

To all of you, here is some words of advice:

1- Do not forget that the shows that get the most audience are FAMILY shows.  When your show neglects to support family values, families stop watching.

So many families have shared good times in front of the television watching amazing performances and cheering on their favorites.  But, the myth of Hollywood is that pushing the envelope will get ratings.  It doesn't work.  Go back to having family values and the families will come back:

Dancing with the Stars - Admittedly, things have improved on this show from the "sexiest night in television" with the Rumba and Samba on the same night (although Bruno needs a muzzle sometimes).  But, I think you probably have money in the budget to buy more fabric for the women's outfits.  And seriously, telling a teenager that she needs to be "more sexy"?  I have an eleven-year-old niece that likes ballroom dancing - she doesn't need to hear that garbage!  The sexualization of our young girls is a huge problem and it's comments like that which contribute to the problem

Amazing Race - love this show, one of my favs.  But last season, you let people that "stole" money have no consequences to their actions - they nearly won $1 million dollars.  What's next - throwing away competitor's passports or slashing taxi tires?  When six year old kids know something is wrong, how can dozens of adult producers not?

2 - Shows stop being "reality" when you producers set up the situations.  Then it just becomes a science experiment looking under a microscope.  And most of us hated science in high school (not me, Mrs. Seydel, but lots of other people...).

I got totally dissolutioned when I watched The Hills where two warring groups of people "ran into" each other at the same restaurant in L.A.  Well, I live in a small town in Idaho.  And, I have people who live in my home town that I only see at class reunions every five or ten years, not at McDonald's every other week.  So, the odds of "enemies" picking the same restaurant on the same day at the same time in Los Angeles?  Right...

Jon & Kate plus Eight - lost me when you went to Disney World.  While the long drive there was on par, once they got to Florida, the Disney people pulled out the red carpet.  The kids went on any ride they wanted, got a huge gift basket and they had their own private everything.  That ain't reality - let's see how the kids do standing in the 40-minute line or walking through the dozens of gift shops with a cornucopia of toys.  That's what REAL parents have to face.  (This goes DOUBLE for the Duggars - trips to NYC or Asia where everything runs like clockwork, all the people are uber-friendly, and no expense is spared!)

Real Housewives - Really?  Who invites your mortal enemy to a party or a once in a lifetime trip to the North Pole?  I wouldn't invite good friends on this kind of adventure because people have kids & responsibilities, it's ridiculously expensive, and more importantly, we'd drive each other nuts.  This show was so much more interesting when you watch the women at their jobs, with their kids, etc.

3 - While people talk about the fighting on your shows at the water cooler, people are really not as interested as you think.  It does work, but it's like taping the broken windshield wipers in a hurricane.

I'll admit that I talk about a show the next day with people that are fans.  We shake our heads at some of the things.  But, after time, you hear the tone "Oh, yeah - she's at it again (yawn)" or "I can't stand that guy - it's getting so old".

The Apprentice - this show used to be about the tasks, not the tempers.  I loved watching the teams try to pull of the impossible and create something amazing from scratch.  Now, nearly half the show is devoted to in-fighting.  It wears on you week after week.  (By the way - HATE that you brought back Omarosa - I don't care if it's an act or not, if it improves ratings or not - no one who represents herself like that should get an audience.)

The Bachelor - STOP casting the "witchy villian" and bring back more "wholesome virgins".  Seriously, we are all smart enough to see that these vixens are purposedly cast to create drama (everyone except for the idiot who actually picked one in the end).  The premise of the show itself is drama - watching love, heartbreak, etc. I don't need to spend time watching some girl who wants a tabloid contract act like a ho, spread venom,  and continue her reign week after week (I'm sure due to coaching producers).

4 - Product Placement should be like ordering fresh lobster at a fancy restaurant - seen and not heard!

The Biggest Loser - these limp-o-mmercials look like a junior high drama class (imagine this exchange slow, with constant looks at a teleprompter, and every other syllable said with a higher pitch):

• "Wow, I, I, I am hun-gry.  (Long pause as he forgets and then quickly remembers to rub stomach) I won-der if there is an-y-thing to eat."
• "Boy, they have been work-ing us hard.  Whew.  (Wipes off invisible sweat) I sure do wish I could have some ap-ple pie."
• "Me too, in-sert name, I mean, Jack.  I could sure use a treat."
• "Where can we find some-thing that is low, low cal-o-rie but tast-y too?"  (Trainer enters with a lame smile, holding product facing the camera.  Extreme closeup of product.)  
• "Hey, have you tried new Ap-ple I-pie?  It is a new phone app that al-lows you to scratch and sniff your fav-or-"I"te fla-vors."  (Everyone hovers over the phone with overly dramatic facial expressions and head nods)
• "Wow, Trai-ner Mike, that smells great."
• "Smells just like ma-ma's kitch-en."
• "Now, let's get back to work.  Eve-ry-one rea-dy to run fif-teen miles?"
• "Great!" (all smile)

Top Chef - same dialogue.  Just change eating to driving and replace the product with a Ford Fissle.

Ugh, it's painful to watch and you see it more and more.  Listen, I worked in marketing for eight years.  I know the importance of getting product noticed.  But, are people really buying diet food and cars because of these Cub Scout melodramas?  Just buy some dang airtime and use some brilliant out-of-work creative people to come up with a real commercial (or the ones who do the Doritos ads for the Super Bowl)!

5 - Talent Shows are about having a talent, not a sob-story.

That sounds harsh.  I have loved some of the heart-warming tales I have seen on these shows.  We all want to root for the underdog.  But, as my dad says "What does being homeless have to do with how you dance?"  I am growing so weary of the phrase "I deserve it because I've worked so hard to get here."  So, the contestant with good parents and friends that practiced every day didn't work just as hard as the guy who needed rehab because he was addicted to Pudding Pops and lost his right pinky finger in a tragic 4H milking accident ?

Even celebrities with all their fame are exploited this way.  We've all cringed in a season where someone keeps staying on a show where they clearly aren't talented to do so (I'd insert something about dumb voting processes - but another day).

And, you can see it's becoming so important that people are actually making up stories just to "move on".  Remember Timothy Poe on America's Got Talent who made up a story about being in a war hero?  I'm now starting to get suspicious of all these people with terrible life histories.

Let the talent be the main story.

6 - Finally, if it ain't broke, DON'T BREAK IT.  And don't spin it off.

American Idol - This was my favorite show.  Now I can't stand to watch it.  The new judges are awful - especially Nicki Minaj. She is completely inappropriate (seriously, bleeping a judge on a family show?)  And, Mariah needs a better tailor as everything is falling out of her clothes.  Focusing on just modern songs or way out there songs is a mistake.  The great part of the show was watching these kids spread their vocal wings and try out classics and different genres.  P.S.  Check out your ratings...

Survivor gets an exception to the "Don't Change" rule.  I would love to sit in the producers room watching them wring their hands like Snidley Whiplash or Boris Badenof coming up with new and sinister ways to shake up the game (if you don't know the references - check out 70's cartoons!).  This show has "survived" (no pun intended) because they are constantly changing the format.  Players are never truly comfortable and never truly out of it.

And, do we really need to watch celebrities learn to kayak, shoe horses, and knit?  Will there be a Housewives of Laramie, Wyoming where they fight over milk prices and county fair pie contests?  Stop already!


I'm sure the suggestions will go on deaf ears, but then again, the voices of hundreds of other channels and Net Flicks are already drowning you out!  Your "reality check" is coming fast.

Dissatisfied -

Heather Rich

Whoa, We're Half-Way There...

A few years ago, I was in a bad spot career-wise.  I had come near to losing my job through a mistake.  The department I worked in was lacking leadership.  We were low on resources and even lower on morale.  The only bright spot was that I was two years from a $20,000 payoff.  It was at that point that I tried to find any way to track the time. 

One of the things I discovered is that today is a special day.  If I retire at 65 (given the state of our economy and national debt, that's a big IF), today represents the half way point of my working career.  It's honestly a little depressing to think that I've only half way done.  At the same time, I'm astounded at how quickly the time has passed.  There are the usual regrets we all have with experience.  But, I'm in awe of everything I have accomplished and become.

I believe I was truly inspired to choose Business.  When I graduated from college, I had spent my life learning how to have a career, but never believing I'd actually have to get a real job.  I always thought I'd be married by the time I graduated from college.  I mentally never prepared to have to work.  I didn't consider any options like graduate school, resumes, or interviews.  I came home and hit a wall - I hadn't thought of any goals beyond schooling since I was five years old.  Thankfully, I had an understanding family.

My mom was working at Melaleuca and offered to get me an interview.  I didn't even know really how to interview.  I remember it didn't go very well. My last interview was with Steve Coggin and I remember telling him that my college education prepared me for all aspects of the business world.  He humbled me when he said that after 25 years in the business world, he certainly couldn't say that. 

Thankfully, he gave me a chance and I started at Melaleuca as the company's first forecaster.  I had a small desk in a small office shared with seven other people.  I remember having to go back to BYU and buy an operations book to reeducated myself on operation terms like MRP, cost accounting, and basic forecasting.

I learned so much that first couple of years from a wonderful boss - Tim Transtrum.  He helped educate me in so many ways.  When he left, I took over his position.  I made so many mistakes as a first time boss.  I wish I could go back and do it over knowing what I know now.  That time in my life was filled with laughs, huge stresses of a company growing beyond it's capacity, and long days and nights.

The time came that I needed to move on to help forward my career.  I moved to be the manager of the collections department.  It required moving buildings - while it was just a few blocks away, it felt like it was half way around the world - new environment, new dress code.  In one short year, I learned that I never ever want to supervise a call center. 

Fortunately, I was able to move on to Finance.  I would consider this time probably my favorite cumulative working years.  We worked very hard, but had so much fun (unless we were stapling papers for SELC - which was more often than we'd like!).  At the time, the finance team had their hands in everything so we were maybe a bit cocky, but we accomplished a lot in that time.  And my favorite Halloweens were spent with that team.

I was asked to move on to a project to launch a new system.  It was supposed to take six months, but lasted nearly three years.  We were a small team of four.  I consider it my attempt at speaking tongues - working as a translator between users and developers needs.

It was finally time to move on and I chose International - the department I still work in today.  I started at first with operations helping with budgets, IT issues, etc.  Then I was asked to be the International Marketing manager.  Marketing is where I always wanted to be so I was thrilled to move on.  I held that job for eight years.  With the growth of the number of markets and number of products, we nearly doubled in responsibilities.  I was involved in many major projects and learned where my strongest skills are.

This last year, I have bounced to two different jobs.  I moved to Regulatory to basically fill a hole needed while we launched Germany and then now to my current position as International Inventory Control Manager - kinda full circle. 

Most people change companies and even careers several times in this time.  While I never expected to be still in Idaho Falls and especially at the same company for this long, you can see I have somewhat of Career ADD.  I've been fortunate to work somewhere that has allowed me to move around a lot to gain a unique skill set.

I only expected to work a couple of years and then maybe back to school or another company.  Even professionally, I hoped to be at a different point than where I am.  But, I guess very few of us have the lives we expected to have.  I have truly been blessed with what I have been able to do, the people I have been able to meet, the places I have been able to go.  I look through photos of friends I'm still in contact with and places I never thought I'd see - like Shanghai or Taipei 101 or the rolling hills of England.

Thank you to those who have mentored me - I learned so much from you.  To those who worked for me, I'm so sorry for all the mistakes I made and hope the good was better than the bad.  For those co-workers who have remained my friends, I appreciate what a blessing you are in my life.

I have spent more time in the walls of Melaleuca than some convicted killers spend in prison.  I have laughed until I've almost cried (even last week).  I have been angry enough to kick through a wall (hey, I even did that once, but I wasn't angry - we were just tearing down the wall and I thought it would be fun).  I have cried so many tears - of anger, embarrassment, frustration, true sadness, and even happiness.

I am a different person than the person who walked in the door 21 years ago.  I certainly have less hair, more greys, deeper wrinkles, and more around the middle.  But, hopefully, I'm better.  I am more outgoing, have a broader view of people and the world, and am more confident.  I can work on the second half of my career to balance kindness and candor, to be kinder to those that can't necessarily advance my career, and to wait before responding.

Here are some key lessons I have learned:

• Having a large rolodex of contacts is more important than what position you hold.
• If your gut tells you not to wear jeans and a T-shirt (even if the dress code allows it), follow it!  That's the day you'll be asked to meet with the CEO.
• Even though women say they want to be treated like the guys, I have an immense amount of respect for men that carry luggage and open doors.
• Learn to say "I don't know, but I'll find out" and "I messed up".  These phrases have gotten me further than most anything else.
• Always bring your own snacks and medicine when you travel internationally.  You won't know which is which when you are at a Korean 7-11 with a sweet tooth and bronchitis.
• Write down your best stories from work.  They are still funny after years of time. 
• You take on the smell of your environment - even if you aren't aware of it.  So, beware if you work anywhere that uses camphor.
• Physical inventories are useless.  But, if you can get a trip to Knoxville's NASCAR park with the rednecks, it's almost worth it.
• Never smell perfume at full strength.  It'll burn your nose hairs.
• If you are the baby of the office, be careful - one day, you will be that "old" person who is shaking their heads when they discover the new guy wasn't even born yet when you started working!
• Kangaroo tastes like beef.
• Women shouldn't cry at work, but if everyone did that more, I think the work environment would be better.
• A clean desk is highly overrated. 
• Take time when you travel to do something fun - even if it's just eating spicy chicken wings so your lips go numb.  You never know if you'll ever be back there again.
• Doing a Brady Bunch dance does not guarantee you'll win the Halloween prize for best group.  But you'll make other people laugh
• You don't have to be friends with co-workers, but it certainly makes the day go much better.
• Take opportunities to work with and meet multiple people.  The guy you play softball with can help you in ways you never realized.
• British food is awful, but their desserts are phenomenal; Asian desserts, on the other hand, are terrible (if you can even find any), but their food is really good if you can handle the spice.
• Send notes to people - they'll remember them longer than even a financial reward.
• If people really want your opinion, give it to them - in a kind way.  It's appreciated when the same thing comes your way.
• Filing was created by Satan.
• If people don't have a job where they are personally missed if they are not there, they will find a way to not show up.
• If you let people know you are annoyed if they pull a practical joke on you, it guarantees they will do it again and again.
• Never ask a blind man for a driver's license.
• Always ask the question "How do other people, companies, departments accomplish this?"  I have found workarounds so many times by not accepting that things are the way they are.
• Finally, at the end of the day, ask yourself:  "Based on what I accomplished today, would I hire me?"

I hope the next half of my career brings me joy, success, and especially the friendships that I have had for the first part of my life.  Thanks for sharing this with me.

B-E-A-U-tiful B-E-A-Youth-iful

Recently, at the Priesthood Session of the LDS Church's semi-annual conference (for the men and boys ages 12 and over), the President of our Church, President Monson, said the following:

"Many years ago, at an area conference held in Helsinki, Finland, I heard a powerful, memorable, and motivating message given in a mothers and daughters’ session. ...Among many truths the speaker discussed, she said that a woman needs to be told she is beautiful. She needs to be told she is valued. She needs to be told she is worthwhile."

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/see-others-as-they-may-become?lang=eng

I caught a video this morning of a group of Young Men who created a video for the Young Women in their stake to show at their Girl's Camp. 

http://youtu.be/qgGbIstzMV4

All of a sudden, I just started crying.  Maybe it's seeing these sweet young men doing such a service.  Maybe I saw potential missionaries in those boys in white shirts and ties.  Maybe it was the messages in the song.  Or maybe I thought about how those young women would feel after seeing that video and that would carry with them on days where they didn't feel good about themselves. 

I so want these young men to believe this message.  When they are old enough to date and especially old enough to get married, I want those sweet boys to find the beautiful girls - beautiful because they are virtuous, beautiful because they are modest, beautiful because they radiate an inner beauty.

I was struck by an article I read a while back called "The Death of Pretty" from Pat Archbold.  He defines pretty as "the combination of beauty and innocence".  He contrasts this with "hotness":  "Pretty is cherished. Hotness, on the other hand, is a commodity. Its value is temporary and must be used. It is a consumable."

Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/pat-archbold/the-death-of-pretty#ixzz29iJBacBB

I hope everyone that is reading this would consider banishing the word "hot" when referring to appearance.  I'm going to try to pledge to do the same. 

I've worked with youth and young children for most of my adult life.  I have noticed a consistent pattern that girls who focus on clothes, makeup and hair at a younger age tend to focus on the exterior - not only of themselves, but of others around them.  I'm always sad to see that a 10-year-old that started wearing makeup to church by age 16 is wearing twice as much eyeliner and lipstick as they should and they just aren't as "pretty" anymore.

I've also noticed a pattern that girls who have fathers or male figures in their lives that tell these girls they are beautiful in all ways - spiritually and physically - are less likely to search out boys who will.  I have been lucky in my life to have a dad who finds ways to compliment me on not only how I look, but in all the areas that are important to me.  If you are a dad reading this or know of a girl who needs a compliment - find ways to do it.

I worry about my niece who is starting to hit the tween age and finding ways to experiment with makeup and commenting on clothes - many of which aren't appropriate for girls at any age.  It's natural and normal - so I'm not trying to judge.  I just want her to stay on the side of "pretty".  Fortunately, she has wonderful parents who will guide her in the right direction (and an aunt who will beat her if she doesn't :-) ). 

Seriously, my biggest wish is that all four of my nieces to find boys like the ones in this video who knows what truly makes a girl and woman beautiful.  And I want all three of my nephews to find a girl who is truly beautiful - inside and out.  I could wish for nothing more for them.

Let's all follow the example of these young men and find what makes all of us beautiful. 

TFOT - Believe, Obey and Endure and Abide in the Lord's Territory

Today’s lesson is meshed from two different talks “Believe, Obey, and Endure” from President Thomas S. Monson given at the Young Women’s Conference in March and “Abide in the Lord’s Territory” by Elder Ulisses Soares given in April Conference.

This is the first time I’ve used two talks together.  I thought it was hard to get through one because of all the great messages, but two talks is even more difficult.  So, I would ask you to go home and read them to get the full message of both – if you have youth-aged children or grandchildren, take particular notice of President Monson’s talk.

We’ll begin with Elder Soares’s talk:

President Thomas S. Monson once said: “May I provide a simple formula by which you can measure the choices which confront you. It’s easy to remember: ‘You can’t be right by doing wrong; you can’t be wrong by doing right’”. President Monson’s formula is simple and direct. It works the same way as the Liahona given to Lehi did. If we exercise faith and are diligent in obeying the Lord’s commandments, we will easily find the correct direction to follow, especially when we face our day-to-day choices.

As we study the scriptures, we learn that the promises made by the Lord to us are conditional upon our obedience and encourage righteous living. Those promises must nourish our soul, bringing us hope by encouraging us not to give up even in the face of our daily challenges of living in a world whose ethical and moral values are becoming extinct.

Some of you may know that I recently had the opportunity to travel to Germany for work.  I had a rental car to get around in (and yes, I push the limits on the Autobahn!).  But, if you can believe it, all the street and road signs were written in German J!  In all seriousness, I was very fortunate in that the car had a GPS.  While I’ve used a GPS from time to time, having one in this situation gave an incredible peace of mind.  Most of the time, if I simply followed the directions from the GPS, I was able to get to my destination safely and without difficulty.

On one of the rare days we had time to do some sightseeing, we were driving to another city about ninety minutes away.  I remember the GPS directing us to go a different direction than the roadway signs.  It didn’t seem like it made sense to go on the highway, when the freeway sign were beckoning to the city of our destination.  But, within minutes, we could see the city of Heidelberg. 

And isn’t life like that?  The world guides us to go one way and we almost with blind faith take the Lord’s path and find our destination of happiness.  We cannot be right by doing wrong and we cannot be wrong by doing right.  Even if at times what we are asked to do doesn’t make sense.

We’ll move to President Monson’s talk:

…Satan will tempt you and will do his utmost to entice you from the path which will lead you back to that heavenly home from which you came and back to your Heavenly Father. 

The world around you is not equipped to provide the help you need to make it through this often-treacherous journey. So many in our society today seem to have slipped from the moorings of safety and drifted from the harbor of peace.

Permissiveness, immorality, pornography, drugs, the power of peer pressure—all these and more—cause many to be tossed about on a sea of sin and crushed on the jagged reefs of lost opportunities, forfeited blessings, and shattered dreams.

Is there a way to safety? Is there an escape from threatened destruction? The answer is a resounding yes! I counsel you to look to the lighthouse of the Lord. I have said it before; I will say it again: there is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what the lighthouse of the Lord can rescue. It beckons through the storms of life. It calls, “This way to safety. This way to home.” It sends forth signals of light easily seen and never failing. If followed, those signals will guide you back to your heavenly home.

Without the risk of sounding old, in my youth, what used to be unacceptable by gospel standards was also frowned upon by the world.  Even if the shoreline was cloudy, you could still see the edges and dangers.  However, that parallel is rapidly moving to polar opposites. 

About a week ago, I was helping a friend buy a wedding dress.  The store was filled with teenage girls and boys getting ready for Homecoming season.  We were shocked at what dresses we saw both on the rack and especially on those young girls.  All I could think about is that if I had dared to try a too short, too low-cut dress, I would have had to first try to get past an irate father and then the stares of all the people at the dance wondering what kind of values I had.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the norm now.

Friday night, I turned on a special about alcohol in America. It used to be that people that got drunk to the point of blacking out were considered raging drunks.  Now, young adults and even teenagers are trying to find ways to get drunk even faster – evening soaking gummy bears in alcohol and pouring vodka in their eyes!  

While we, of course, want to apply this talk to our own lives, how can we help our children, grandchildren to find that lighthouse of peace?

President Monson adds his words of advice:

I wish to talk with you tonight about three essential signals from the Lord’s lighthouse which will help you to return to that Father who eagerly awaits your triumphant homecoming. Those three signals are believe, obey, and endure.

First, I mention a signal which is basic and essential: believe. Believe that you are a daughter of Heavenly Father, that He loves you, and that you are here for a glorious purpose—to gain your eternal salvation. Believe that remaining strong and faithful to the truths of the gospel is of utmost importance. I testify that it is!

Most of you were taught the truths of the gospel from the time you were a toddler. You were taught by loving parents and caring teachers. The truths they imparted to you helped you gain a testimony; you believed what you were taught. Although that testimony can continue to be fed spiritually and to grow as you study, as you pray for guidance, and as you attend your Church meetings each week, it is up to you to keep that testimony alive. Satan will try with all his might to destroy it. Throughout your entire life you will need to nurture it. As with the flame of a brightly burning fire, your testimony—if not continually fed—will fade to glowing embers and then cool completely. You must not let this happen.

There will be times when you will face challenges which might jeopardize your testimony, or you may neglect it as you pursue other interests. I plead with you to keep it strong. It is your responsibility, and yours alone, to keep its flame burning brightly. Effort is required, but it is effort you will never, ever regret.

May you believe and then may you keep the flame of your testimony burning brightly, come what may.

Belief is probably as basic and complex as anything we have.  Most of us grew up singing “I am a child of God”.  We are taught through young women that we are daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves us.  Then as parents, we try to teach our children the same.  But, so many end up moving so far away from the values which they held most dear.  I appreciate that President Monson talks about how each of us is responsible for our own testimonies. 

What steps can we take to keep our beliefs actively burning?

President Monson continues:

Next, may you obey. Obey your parents. Obey the laws of God. They are given to us by a loving Heavenly Father. When they are obeyed, our lives will be more fulfilling, less complicated. Our challenges and problems will be easier to bear. We will receive the Lord’s promised blessings.

You have but one life to live. Keep it as free from trouble as you can. You will be tempted, sometimes by individuals you had thought friends.

Make every decision you contemplate pass this test: “What does it do to me? What does it do for me?” And let your code of conduct emphasize not “What will others think?” but rather “What will I think of myself?” Be influenced by that still, small voice. Remember that one with authority placed his hands on your head at the time of your confirmation and said, “Receive the Holy Ghost.” Open your hearts, even your very souls, to the sound of that special voice which testifies of truth. As the prophet Isaiah promised, “Thine ears shall hear a word … saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.”³

The tenor of our times is permissiveness. Magazines and television shows portray the stars of the movie screen, the heroes of the athletic field—those whom many young people long to emulate—as disregarding the laws of God and flaunting sinful practices, seemingly with no ill effect. Don’t you believe it! There is a time of reckoning—even a balancing of the ledger. Every Cinderella has her midnight—if not in this life, then in the next. Judgment Day will come for all. Are you prepared? Are you pleased with your own performance?

If any has stumbled in her journey, I promise you that there is a way back. The process is called repentance. Our Savior died to provide you and me that blessed gift. Though the path is difficult, the promise is real. Said the Lord: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”⁴ “And I will remember [them] no more.”⁵

You have the precious gift of agency. I plead with you to choose to obey.

There are so many great quotes from this section:

·         You will be tempted by individuals you thought were friends.  It’s unfortunate that so many of us have had to choose between friends and keeping our values.  It’s difficult because we have always been taught to be kind and accepting of others.  But I learned an important lesson in my life when it comes to choosing friends:  as long as my good influence over others is stronger than their negative influence over me and vice versa, I can have and stay friends.

·         Two questions we should ask when we make a choice:

o    What does it do TO me?

o    What does it do FOR me?

We could probably stay out of a whole lotta of trouble if we followed these guidelines.

·         Every Cinderella has her midnight.  I’ll be honest.  For a lot of years, I had trouble with the scripture in Alma about “Wickedness never was happiness”.  A guy like Hugh Hefner doesn’t seem to be struggling to find something to eat, a place to stay or friends.  It seems like many times evil is not only not punished, bur rewarded.  When I would struggle with things that I saw as unfair, my mom used to always say “What comes around goes around.”  The boomerang sometimes takes a lifetime or longer to return.  But President Monson reminds us that it does happen.

President Monson continues:

Finally, may you endure. What does it mean to endure? I love this definition: to withstand with courage. Courage may be necessary for you to believe; it will at times be necessary as you obey. It will most certainly be required as you endure until that day when you will leave this mortal existence.

Elder Soares give us some ways to help us ensure:

Desire

President George Albert Smith, repeating counsel from his grandfather, once said: “There is a line of demarcation well defined between the Lord’s territory and the devil’s territory. If you will stay on the Lord’s side of the line you will be under his influence and will have no desire to do wrong; but if you cross to the devil’s side of that line one inch you are in the tempter’s power and if he is successful, you will not be able to think or even reason properly because you will have lost the Spirit of the Lord”.  Therefore, our daily question must be, “Do my actions place me in the Lord’s or in the enemy’s territory?”

I know this was spoken about in last week’s lesson.  I appreciated the thought of an internet blogger who was discouraged by this statement because he, believing that no matter how much he thought he was on the Lord’s side of the line, like all of us, struggled with making wrong decisions.  One of the important words in this statement is “DESIRE”.  Where are our desires?  If we wake up in the morning and desire to do the right thing, we can plant ourselves more and more in the Lord’s territory and continue to grow strong roots there.

Attitude

The Light of Christ together with the companionship of the Holy Ghost must help us determine if our manner of living is placing us in the Lord’s territory or not. If our attitudes are good, they are inspired of God, for every good thing comes from God. However, if our attitudes are bad, we are being influenced by the enemy because he persuades men to do evil.

For me, this is a good spot check for how my life is going.  To be honest, I haven’t really had a good attitude about things lately.  Last week, I tried to do something nice for a friend.  I was amazed at how different things looked at work, at home, etc.  When we wake up in the morning, how is our attitude?  Of course, our circumstances don’t always make us cheerful, but are we looking forward with hope or despair?

Covenants

What really places us in the Lord’s territory [is] as follows: humble ourselves before God, come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, witness before the Church that we have truly repented of all our sins, take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, have a determination to serve Him to the end, manifest by our works that we have received the Spirit of Christ, and be received by baptism into His Church. Our disposition to fulfill these covenants prepares us to live in God’s presence as exalted beings. The remembrance of these covenants must guide our behavior in relation to our family, in our social interaction with other people, and especially in our relationship with the Savior.

Most of us have made covenants through baptism and the temple.  How can we use our covenants to guide our behavior?

Banishing Temptation

The Savior banished from His life any influence that might take His focus away from His divine mission, especially when He was tempted by the enemy or by his followers while He ministered here on earth. Although He never sinned, He had a broken heart and a contrite spirit, full of love for our Heavenly Father and for all men. He humbled Himself before our Father in Heaven, denying His own will to fulfill what the Father had asked of Him in all things until the end.

I particularly like the use of the word Banish.  The definition of the word banish is “get rid of something”.  It isn’t to put temptation in a jacket pocket or in a corner or try to hide it in a closet to pull out on a rainy day.   It’s getting rid of temptation – whatever it may be for us.  It’s certainly not easy.  It may mean turning off a favorite movie, shutting down our internet, or even severing a relationship.  But, let us work to banish those things in our lives.

I have felt impressed today to express my gratitude for this ward and particularly the early members.  We moved here when I was nine years old and I figured out that we’ve been here for nearly 2/3rds of the ward’s existence.  I remember my first primary activity.  This last week or so, I’ve been asked my Facebook friends who have lived or are living in the ward to send me some of their memories.  It has been so fun to remember things from the past when times were different – watching and participating in competitive sports or church fairs or fundraisers.  And also the memories of things that are still the same – service, and the kindness of so many good people.

It’s also a testimony to me of the importance to continue this legacy.  As I have had so many good teachers and leaders, it’s important to help strengthen the youth of this ward.  So, while I am sad to leave the sisters, it’s time for me to build the memories of those children in primary so they can look back on their youth as a time of learning and a time of fun and most importantly, a place where their testimonies grew.

President Monson continues:

I have spoken over the years with many individuals who have told me, “I have so many problems, such real concerns. I’m overwhelmed with the challenges of life. What can I do?” I have offered to them, and I now offer to you, this specific suggestion: seek heavenly guidance one day at a time. Life by the yard is hard; by the inch it’s a cinch. Each of us can be true for just one day—and then one more and then one more after that—until we’ve lived a lifetime guided by the Spirit, a lifetime close to the Lord, a lifetime of good deeds and righteousness. The Savior promised, “Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.”⁶

For this purpose have you come into mortality, my young friends. There is nothing more important than the goal you strive to attain—even eternal life in the kingdom of your Father.

You are precious, precious daughters of our Heavenly Father sent to earth at this day and time for a purpose. You have been withheld until this very hour. Wonderful, glorious things are in store for you if you will only believe, obey, and endure. May this be your blessing, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, amen.

My favorite rings are Olympic Rings

 

Hello, my name is Heather and I am an Olympics Junkie.  Admitting it, though, won't change it.  I love, love, love the Olympics.  Once every four years, I care about sports like fencing, water polo, synchronized diving, cycling.  I plan my life around it.  I lose so much sleep staying up late and getting up early to watch.

There is just a great spirit about the Olympics - hearing the stories of teenagers like Missy Franklin poised and dominating in their sport while millions watch and the stories of Dana Torres who is my age and still competing.  Your heart goes out to the athletes who train for years and in a split second lose it all and then your heart fills with joy to the "little guy" who pulls off a great feat of strength or skill and surprises the world.

Anyone who knows me won't be surprised that I cry a lot during the Olympics.  Each time I hear the US National Anthem, I get a little teary.  I cry watching parents.  I sob watching teenagers.  I get emotional watching heartbreak.

All photos are from nbc.olympics.com

Opening Ceremonies

• Watching a 100 foot Voldemort get taken down by Mary Poppins. 
• Props to the Queen for participating in the ceremonies via video and even sky diving into the stadium :-)
• Wondering what anthem the "Independent Nations" delegation would use if they won a Gold - "Celebrate" by Kool & the Gang?
• Mr. Bean playing the single Chariots of Fire note - funny stuff!
• Coolest Cauldron made of copper leaves - think it's my favorite.

Day 1

• After hours of racing, watching a US cyclist get 4th get a fraction of a tire length
• Ryan Lochte getting the first men's gold
• US Men's Gymnastics qualifying in first.

 Day 2

• Nice Story - a near perfect score skeet shooting - Kim Rhode
• Jordyn Wieber - broke my heart!!!  Crushed at missing her chance to make the All-Around.  Struggling between holding her own emotions and trying to be happy for teammates.  NBC couldn't figure out how to move the camera angle to avoid having her bawling in the background while interviewing the ones who won!

Day 3

• Watching the home town Brits get a medal for gymnastics!!!  Very few will remember who won the Gold.  Even Prince William & Harry got in on the action.
• 17-year-old Missy Franklin crying after seeing her parents reaction to her winning the gold!  Hearing her story giving up a lot of money to stay a "normal" teenager.

Day 4

• McKayla Maroney with THE best vault I've ever seen - hands down!  (Kerry Strugg gets the best vault with an injury)
• The Fab Five bringing home the Gold in gymnastics.  Congratulations ladies.  It's a huge accomplishment.

 

• Michael Phelps - most decorated Olympian ever.  So nice to see that classic smile again - way too much pressure from everyone about his performance to date.

 

Day 5

• An Idahoan wins a gold in cycling - PROPS to the Gem State!
• Badminton controversy?  The only controversy is why this is still an Olympic sport!
•  Nathan Adrian - winning 100 free by one-hundredth of a second
• Danell Layva with the Bronze in the Men's All-Around with an amazing high bar routine!!!

 

Day 6

• Good day for Americans - Bypassed the Chinese for most medals!!!
• USA Men's Basketball - 156 points and 26 three-pointers?!  No wonder the world hates us!
• Great story about a US Olympian Kayla Harrison who won gold in Judo who was sexually abused by her coach but came back!
• Gabby!!!  What a great job to keep the streak alive for the US All-Around!  I shed a couple of tears for the Russian who got silver and Aby being shut out of the medals.  Don't know why they can't just give two away.  Is it really that hard to make another medal?
• Duel in the Pool!  Phelps wins his first individual gold.  Fantastic Olympics for Lochte!

Day 7

• Missed a bunch due to my class reunion
• Awesome match between Federer and Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) 3-6, 7-6, 19-17. The match lasted 4 hours and 26 minutes - had to check the last set from work.
• Phelps Three-pete - another individual gold in the 100m butterfly - coming back from seventh at the turn?!?! 
• Track Cycling - the short speed track skating of the summer Olympics - CRAZY!!!!
• Katie Ledecky - 15 years old and a gold medal.  At 15, I was thinking about getting my driver's license and where my locker would be.  Congrats girlfriend!

Day 8

• Serena Williams - SMOKED Sharakova!!!  6-0 6-1  She was extremely happy to win - even did a little jig. 
• Best irony of the games - when the national anthem said "And our flag was still there..", it wasn't - it flew away!
• Canada wins its first gold - women's trampoline.  Good job, eh?
• Seeing what the Olympics is really about.  The 100m run by the small countries like Marshall Islands who are just thrilled to be there.  Good lesson for a win-hungry country like mine.
• Watching Oscar Pistorious became the first amputee to compete on the track at an Olympics.  Gotta think what a major barrier that is - like the first females, black, anyone with major disabilities.  Congrats on just competing
• Holy bump, set, spike - I left with the Men's VB team having the game in hand, and they lost?!?!
• We won a fencing medal?  Awesome!
• Watching the crowd sing "All You Need Is Love" spontaneously waiting for the medals ceremony for three Brit medals - Sir Paul McCartney was in the crowd!!!
• Michael Phelps winning what he says is his final medal - Gold in the 4x100 IM.  I am privileged to see this man compete during my life.  I hope it's not the end. Swimming needs him! And I'll miss his mama!

Day 9

• Andy Murray winning Men's tennis - probably cried the hardest so far here.  I've watched him for years be disappointed in Wimbledon play.  YEAH for him.
• Watched a shoot out for the Water Polo match between China and Australia.  Pretty exciting!
• Malaysia gets the silver in Badminton - normally wouldn't care, but I have friends in Malaysia who were crushed as that would have been a Gold for them.
• Poor McKayla - it was a rough night for women's vault with a lot of falls.
• Destiny Hooker?  Great volleyball player, but her parents should just be flogged for giving her that name.  I thought it was bad when my mom wanted to name me Penny (Rich)!
• Watching the winner of the 400 semi track to switch their name tag with Pistorious after he lost - inspirational moment!
• 100m - Bolt is freakin' unbelievable.  He is so dang fast.

Day 10

• Boo - no more US men in the Beach Volleyball. 
• There is now a controversy about the outfits (or lack of them) from the women's beach v-ball players.  But, I'll take those over the men's diving and rowing.  Holy junk, batman!
• Some US judo guy got kicked out for eating a pot-brownie.  He said he didn't know.  Who is the moron who gave an Olympic athlete marijuana? 
• Chinese diver face plants - I don't think I've ever seen that happen (especially from the Chinese)!
• Jenn Suhr gets Gold in the high jump - I swear this pole is going to break!
• Okay, Day 14 - a guy's pole breaks.  So I am not crazy!

• I love gymnastics, but why have they dragged out the event finals to like five days.  Something tells me that ratings are involved in that decision. 
• Finally - I got to hear Elfie says "The landing is the last thing the judges see".  It isn't an Olympics without it.
• Kirani James - Gold Medalist from Grenada - first medal ever!  Inspiring story.
• Sam Mikulak - what a great display of sportsmanship duing the vault finals.

Day 11

• Watched the Chinese and Japanese women in V-Ball this morning.  So much for the stereotypical docile, subserviant Asian women!
• Today I was good and didn't check ahead of time who won the events.
• An All-American Beach Volleyball finals for the women!
• Aly Reisman - she's had the high of highs and low of lows.  Congrats to her on a spectacular Olympics and an amazing floor routine!
• Great job USA hurdles - Silver & Bronze to Harper & Wells.  Lolo Jones in 4th.  Someone should have tripped the Aussie :-).
• I thought the faceplant dive was bad - this dude landed on his back! 

Day 12

• If I were a diver, I'd choose to dive off a lower platform - too many stairs! 
• Speaking of divers, how can so many of the female divers and swimmers have such long, pretty hair?  Mine would have fallen out!
• "The Golden Girls" - Misty and Kerri!  Congrats to them!  42-1 in sets overall and perfect in games.  Bittersweet as they have been so iconic and that's the last match.  April & - terrific match to everyone! 

• Track & Field - great night for team USA.  7 medals tonight
• Speaking of girls - this Olympics is for the girls!  So far, the women are kicking tail!  Twice as many gold medals as the men! 

• So, late night - I watched BMX bike racing.  Pretty cool.  My kind of cycling - powerful, obstacles, and short to avoid a bike wedgie!

Day 13

• Nick Simmons - Melaleuca Athlete - gets fifth in the 800's.  We are totally proud of you!
• Crazy medal procurement - 20 in the last two days with 5 more golds today.
• Okay - I think this pic is cool with the full moon

from PetaPixel.com

• Women's teams go two for two today - Water Polo, Soccer.  They are in the gold medal rounds for V-Ball and Basketball as well.

• Usain Bolt is insane.  Wow, that boy is fast.  Winning back to back Olympics on the 100 and 200?!?!?  He's cocky, as you can see in the pic, but can back it up.  Holy cow!!!
• Congrats to the Gold & Silver Decathalon winners - Ashton Eaton and Trey Hardee.  I have often thought about life being like a decathalon.  In most cases, the winner of the decathalon isn't the winner of the individual events.  We often see life as just winning the shotput or the 1500 meters, not understanding that doing our very best in each event may not win the event, but we may win the race!

Day 14

• Story on the original Dream Team - Probably THE greatest team every assembled.  Looking at the roster, Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Chris Mullen, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, and Christian Laettner.  Koby Briant made comments earlier this year about this team that they could beat this team - crazy talk!!!!  Even watching the moves today, my jaw still drops!
• WOW - the Women's 4 x 100 relay.  Breaking a nearly 30-year-old world record by 1/2 second.  AMAZING!!!
• Even if the athletes don't think so, I think the USA winning silver in the 4 by 100 is pretty amazing.
• Inspirational story of Bryshon Nellum - he was shot in the leg as a Freshman at USC and now running the initial leg of the 4 x 400 in the Olympics.  He was chosen to be the flag bearer for the Closing Ceremonies.
• Jimmy Fallon and Bob Costas doing "Friday Thank You Notes".  Two of the funniest people on the planet together - Costas "playing" the piano and Fallon talking about "Dong Dong" the Chinese Trampolinist! 

Day 15

• Congrats to the Women's Basketball team.  You had the lead the whole time.  41 consecutive wins?  It's an impressive streak in a sport where anyone can lose anytime.
• Another Melaleuca athlete - Lagat.  He got fifth after a bit of a collison.  But, gotta love Farah who wins the 5000 meters also.  Wow!
• David Boudia. What a great story. I watched this kid the day before. He barely, barely made the final cut. In an event that the China basically dominate, this guy took home the Gold. First since Greg Louganis!!!  He just did every dive well and it's all you can ask for.

 

• The night ends with relays.  The 4 x 100 mens - the US was actually stride for stride with the Jamaican's, but Bolt lives up to his name.  Congratulations!!!  The women 4 x 400 wins with no problems - check out those abs!!!!

Day 16

• I had the chance to watch some of the marathon while I was getting ready to go on my flight to Germany.  I admire the athletes anyway, but there was a certain athlete highlighted that impressed me - Mebrahtom Keflezighi.  His family moved to America with almost nothing from a small African country.  In his family of 11, there is an olympic athlete, a doctor, and accountant - impressive 4th place finish.  The race was very close at the end.
 
• Thank you Delta - with in-flight TV, I got to watch the entire men's basketball game.  It was a good game - closer than maybe it should have been.  But, I even liked Koby today.

 

 

I only got to see about 15 minutes of the closing ceremony the next day with German dubbing.  Sounds like it was a rocking time. 

 

 

 

 

In conclusion - one of my favorite parts of a movie is from "A League of Their Own".  Geena Davis decides to quit baseball and go home.  Her coach, Tom Hanks, calls her out on it.  She replies:

Dottie Hinson: It just got too hard.

Jimmy Dugan: It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great.

The hard IS what makes it great.  So many of our Olympians make it look incredibly easy.  There are always comments on how well someone SHOULD have done.  Not everyone can do what Michael Phelps has done - in fact no one has. 

Closing with this as it says it perfectly:

You put on a terrific show!!!!