Our wills make us able to overcome all troubles in life! Where there is a will there is a way. It all depends on your own minds whether to be a hero or a coward. Nothing can beat humans’ wills and determinations. Misfortunes are just on the surface.

In January 2010, I will go to Chicago to attend MUN (Model United Nations) Conference. It is really a great opportunity for me! But also, I’ve got some shortcomings–I’ve never passed the science exams so far after I attended senior high school. So you see, there is always a way out. I’ve got a lack of ability in something but am also talented in some subjects. It is with me, so it is with you.

I hope I can meet you when I go to America next year. I love making foreign friends. My grandfather’s death was ever a great blow to me in my life. I guess maybe, from my unconsciousness, that’s the most underlying reason why I always develop a deep friendship with people older than me especially the male ones, and, to be honest, I care about my adult friends just like how I cared about my grandfather. Also, he looked like a foreigner. Everyone said he looked like a foreigner. Therefore, my best adult friends are all foreigners. You may not believe it, but it is true that when I bid farewell to my English friends I cried everyday at home the same as when my grandfather passed away. Generally, I love everyone who inspires me with philosophy of life, and that was ever my grandfather’s job.

But the dead are dead, and the living are still living. I must put the past behind, because life must go on!

I wish you good luck with all you do. I firmly believe your new ‘company’ will be successful over time! LOL

Here’s a Chinese proverb for you: Heaven never cuts off a man’s means. 天无绝人之路。(Heaven never cuts off a man’s means.)

Great wishes,
Susan

Rusty, you have here and in many other places in your blog defended that faith without works is dead. We had a brilliant conversation going on about this about a year ago with pondering pastor and a few others.

I submit that Mormon culture might be swinging too far to the works side of things. So many saints are concentrating on works that they forget grace at all. By losing this perspective, they forget that we all need the condescension of God for Christ’s atonement to intervene for us. You so eloquently stated it in the post, “Picking the lock of Salvation.”

I just wanted to remind saints that “works without faith is dead” as well.

ryan

Travel safely. I remember when I used to have business trips…. back when I had a job

I’ve also begun work a few weeks ago putting my thoughts on the “other” subject into writing. As a guesstimate, I’m about halfway there (and six pages in). It will be awhile before that is ready unless an intersection of adequate time and adequate want-to intervenes.

On this subject, one scripture to share from 1 Nephi 17:

35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God…
40 And he loveth those who will have him to be their God…

John 11:25 “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”

And to your point, if we look at the story of the man at the pool in Bethesda. At least from the record, it seems as though nothing were required. The Lord asked him if he would be healed, and the man answered that there was no one to help him into the pool, so he could never get there first. At that point, the Lord says simply “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk”. “And immediately the man was made whole…”

From this, it seems, that clearly there are instances where the Lord extends his arm of mercy, with seemingly no effort on our behalf, except perhaps belief.

But I know also that “In the sweat of they face shalt thou eat thy bread” (Gen 3:19), and “Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.” (Psalm 62:12). James 2:24 “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only”.

Proverbs 24:12: “…shall not he render to every man according to his works.”

Revelation 2:23: “…I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”

In the end I always decide that it appears there are two options… one is to wait and do nothing, hoping for Mercy “without cause”. The other approach, the one derived from these later verses, is a path of proactivity. Simply because of my nature, I always choose the more proactive course. I believe that men should be “anxiously engaged in a good cause”, trusting that he will “give unto (me) according to my works”.

What are your thoughts?

It also made me think of Jesus with the crippled man at the Pool of Bethesda and other healings we are told about in the gospels. I just wondered how any of these men had invested in themselves or exerted themselves in working out their own solutions. It seems rather they had come to a complete emptying of their own abilities and hung solely on faith alone in God’s goodness.

So, I’m not sure if your post is another one of those “God helps those to help themselves” stories or not. It just hit me differently and I started to question if we really can do anything to earn God’s favor or is it rather God who gives His grace according to his own perfect will and desire.

Don’t want to make a big deal out of it. I just needed to put a check in the balance.

So far, our kids are all still working. They are all buying homes. Our home is within 5 months of being completely paid for. It gives us great comfort to know that should any (or even all) of our kids should lose their jobs, we have room so they could all come home. It would be a challenge for 16 people to be under the same roof, but we could do it and not starve.

I know that if we listen to the counsel the Lord gives us, we will be prepared and there will be no need to fear. We have been through times of unemployment, too, and survived and gained wisdom in the process. If rough times are ahead, they may be hard, but we’ve been through hard times before, and we know it will be OK.

Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal”

In short, the “temporal” law of food storage is actually a spiritual law, for spiritual means. I can’t thank you enough for opening my eyes to this.

If you don’t mind, I want to make a separate post from that, but would first extend the offer to you, if you’d like. I’d love to submit it as a guest post. It deserves better exposure than nested within the comments.

Ryan, your intense and apparent love for your family will always be their overriding memory. That said, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that you’ll be quickly and fully “back in the saddle”, in part because of your optimism and faith, and in part because you’re one of the smartest, hardest working people I’ve known

She grew up with none of the niceties of life, although her dad worked very hard, sometimes two or three jobs. But she never felt poor. Her dad was respectable, honest, and loving.

Recently her dad died. And as expected, his character was the theme of his funeral, not how much money he made.

Being a provider is only a portion of the role a father plays for his family. I’m glad I have invested quantity and quality time so that my kids and my wife know that I love them.