No Amount of Alcohol is Healthy

https://www-m.cnn.com/2018/08/23/health/global-alcohol-study/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31310-2/fulltext

“If you're one of the third of all humankind who drinks alcohol, take note: There's no amount of liquor, wine or beer that is safe for your overall health, according to a new analysis of 2016 global alcohol consumption and disease risk.

Alcohol was the leading risk factor for disease and premature death in men and women between the ages of 15 and 49 worldwide in 2016, accounting for nearly one in 10 deaths, according to the study, published Thursday in the journal, The Lancet.

For all ages, alcohol was associated with 2.8 million deaths that year.” (Sandee LaMotte, cnn.com, 10/23/18)

God revealed to the prophet Joseph Smith in 1833 in D&C89:5-7:

“That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him. And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make. And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.”

I am gladdened that in this one area, and in addition to tobacco, science is again catching up with revelation.

Music’s Influence

Good music has the power to motivate, unify, heal and inspire.  The Bible recounts how David healed Saul’s heart with music.  

1 Sam 16:23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

This article in the New York Post yesterday discusses music preferences of the most successful people. 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2018/08/17/your-taste-in-music-says-a-lot-about-your-bank-account/amp/

Sister Rosemary Wixom, General Primary President quotes President Thomas S. Monson who warns of the dangers of music:

Music Always Affects Us

For the Strength of Youth teaches that “music has a profound effect on your mind, spirit, and behavior.” Music can enrich your life in so many ways, but it can also be dangerous. President Thomas S. Monson said: “Music can help you draw closer to your Heavenly Father. It can be used to educate, edify, inspire, and unite. However, music can, by its tempo, beat, intensity, and lyrics, dull your spiritual sensitivity. You cannot afford to fill your minds with unworthy music.” And it may not matter if you listen carefully to the words or not; words that are put to music are often easily learned and easily remembered. No wonder we are cautioned to “choose carefully the music [we] listen to.”

https://www.lds.org/youth/article/the-influence-of-music?lang=eng

Trail Angels

There are several great backpacking trails in the United States: the Appalachian Trail (AT), the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), and the Continental Divide Trail (CDT).  Each of these trails is well over 2000 miles and the CDT extends over 3000 miles.  Tru-hikers can spend from 5-8 months completing these trails.  Other notable trails include the American Discovery Trail and the East Coast Greenway. Thru- and section-hikers endure rough and rugged terrain, living on only what they can carry on their backs.  These hikers have come to appreciate the kindness of strangers who may randomly place cashes of water, fruit, candy along the trail. When a thru-hiker has traveled several weeks eating nothing but freeze-dried and packaged food, a piece of fresh fruit is a godsend. These random acts of kindness are referred to by the hikers as "trail magic."

The LDS Church has it's own stories of trail angels.  Members of the ill-fated Martin and Willie Handcart companies as well as other pioneer wagon and handcart companies have numerous stories of angelic assistance during their trek across the plains. Many of these instances of divine "trail magic" are dramatized in the movie "17 Miracles".  Many of these faithful pioneers reported that they had become "acquainted with God in their extremity". 

I think there is a lesson here that can be applied to our everyday lives without having to hike 3000 miles.  All of us are on a the journey of a lifetime.  Our journey crosses the most treacherous spiritual terrain imaginable.  The spiritual food for most travelers is highly processed, stale, and bland.  For those of us with testimonies of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, we can serve as trail angels to our fellow thru-hikers. We can share with others the cool clean water of our testimony and fresh fruit of charitable service and random acts of kindness. 

After reading about trail angels on the AT and PCT, I have been thinking of ways to be a trail angel to my fellow thru-hikers in my everyday life.  I have been pondering ways to leave my own trail magic through a smile, random acts of kindness, and sharing my testimony of the Book of Mormon and the restored gospel.  How can you be a better trail angel in your life?


President Russell M. Nelson Taight thr fallowing about angels and becoming angels: 

Other angels are also at work. Often our members are “angels” to neighbors in need. Home teachers and visiting teachers, as ordinary people, frequently render service that seems angelic to grateful recipients. Young people who quietly leave homemade goodies on a doorstep or two experience the joy of anonymous service to others. And I am among the many who have often referred to the loving acts of an “angel mother” or an “angel wife,” or the priceless love of “angel children.”

Do we believe in angels? Yes! We believe in angels—heavenly messengers—seen and unseen; and earthly angels who know whom to help and how to help. Gospel messengers, or angels, can include ordinary people like you and me.

Biblical Archeology: City of David

Biblical Archeology: Inscriptions

Biblical Archeology: Coins

Biblical Archaeology: Seals

Obedience and Creativity

“God left the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon. He left the electricity in the cloud, the oil in the earth. He left the rivers unbridged and the forests unfelled and the cities unbuilt. God gives to man the challenge of raw materials, not the ease of finished things. He leaves the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys and glories of creation.” - Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, 1988

All members of the Church who accept callings to serve in the kingdom of God are blessed by the oath and covenant of the priesthood. Not only are we promised wonderful blessings if we are willing to "live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God;" but also, "Whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies." (D&C 84:33)

So, in addition to obedience, what does it mean to "magnify" our callings?  I think that magnifying our calling begins by showing up, but then extends to using and applying our God-given faculties and talents to our calling.  When it comes to our callings, we should be inventive, creative, and innovative.  In this way we demonstrate our love of God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength.

Now, we cannot use creativity as a justification for sin.  Magnifying our callings begins principally with the strictest obedience. God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance, and no amount of creativity give us licence to violate the laws of God.  Creativity does not make us above the law. 

"In the morality of my station and duties (i.e., of the moral code) the station presents us with the duty, and we say yes or no, "I will" or "I will not".  We choose between obeying or disobeying a given command. In the morality of challenge or grace, the situation says, "Here is a mess, a crying evil, a need! What can you do about it?"  We are asked not to say "Yes" or "No" or "I will" or "I will not," but to be inventive, to create, to discover something new. The difference between ordinary people and saints is not that saints fulfill the plain duties that ordinary men neglect.  The things saints do have not usually occurred to ordinary people at all... "Gracious" conduct is somehow like the work of an artist. It needs imagination and spontaneity. It is not a choice between presented alternatives but the creation of something new."   --  A. D. Lindsay, "The Two Moralities"