Have you ever thought of the impact of the following magic words?

• Please
• Thank You
• I’m Sorry

Try using them today and watch the ‘magic’ happen!

We are given 7 days a week.   Two of these days are an opportunity for us to replace worldly media; entertainment; and music with wholesome activities and recreation.

My favorite thing to do on the weekend is attend a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Sacrament Meeting and Partake of the sacrament.   This morning I read an inspiring talk by Elder Russell Ballard from this most recent conference, ‘God Is at the Helm’ where he reminded us on how we should ‘cling to observe the Sabbath day by making it a delight.’

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/god-is-at-the-helm?lang=eng

The ‘Old Ship Zion’ is steady and true.   Let’s hold on and stay in the boat!

Need I say more??

Remember, tomorrow is the first day of the ‘rest of your life’.  🙂

What happened to make LDS UnPlugged what it is.   As I mentioned in ‘The Who’ post last week, this web blog and site comes from thoughts and ideas of making a commitment to UnPlug from media; entertainment and activities that do not necessarily uplift you as other forms of media; entertainment and/or recreation.

For example, imagine taking 15 minutes out of your normal, regular day to put your phone down, keep it down (a good idea is to silence; put on do not disturb; or even turn it completely off).   During these 15 minutes, be quiet, in solace, no distractions… It may seem like an eternity as we are always use to having our phone with us, always checking for messages, always viewing the latest notification, etc.   Try it, you’ll see what I’m talking about.   Now, this has to be done during your normal, busiest time of the day.   You will realize in a short (to you it may seem super long) how we are really connected to our phones!

Now, if you work a regular 9-5 job, you’re entitled to two 15 minute breaks; and a 30 min lunch.   If you were to do this exercise during your break (usually is opposite of what most people do), it will condition you to be in a position where you can take the LDS UnPlugged challenge:

Turn off all technology distractions for a set period of time each and every day.   During this time, interact and converse with your children. 

For most of us, our children are our most precious things in our lives.   Let us, as has been told in ancient and modern day scripture, ‘behold’ them; have a ‘conversation’ with them; ‘hold’ them; ‘love’ them.   I promise, if you do this simple thing (on a daily basis) your relationship with them will grow and you will find joy and happiness in ‘being’ with them.

There you have it, this is ‘The What’ of LDS UnPlugged.

“The Purpose of our lives is to give birth to the best which is within us.”  – Marianne Williamson.

This quote is something to ponder.    We are all spirit children of a loving Heavenly Father.   We are born, dependent on others, then we grow into independence, and eventually fulfill our purpose by interdependently giving the best of ourselves to others around us.

The purpose of life really is simple.  We are all destined for greatness!  Let us  embrace it, learn it, and live it!

Today is my First Day as a Ski Instructor for Deer Valley Resort!  I’m nervous yet excited about the opportunity to work with youth in teaching them downhill skiing.

I recently read somewhere that ‘Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life.‘   Since I read this little phrase, it has stuck with me and caused me to reflect on how true that statement is.   I’ve been focused on ‘choices’ this week and have come to the conclusion that we really can ‘chose’ happiness over sadness; love over anger; we can chose to be proactive vs. reactive.  We can let go of yesterday, and remember that Today, is the First Day, of the Rest of our lives.

Have an awesome First Day!

It’s currently 28 degrees; Partly Cloudy; High of 42 with a low of 17; Mostly Dry weather.

Have you ever felt ‘Partly Cloudy’.    I know I have…

Well, the good thing about Today’s Forecast is that it’s currently 28 degrees, warming up to a balmy 42 and we’re going to be over 15 degrees for our low.  Also, it’s not raining or snowing with Dry weather which makes it easier to put up festive holiday decorations!   Be Happy… Don’t Worry, enjoy that it’s December; have an attitude of gratitude, Animo; Exito, let’s Win the day!

I read this conference talk this am ‘And Nothing Shall Offend Them’ given in the October 2006 General LDS Conference and the following excerpt stuck out to me:

“…it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me.  Indeed, believing that another person  offended us is fundamentally false.  To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.” – Elder David A Bednar Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Let us all take the challenge today, especially this Holiday Season as we spend extra time with our friends; our neighbors; and of course our immediate and extended families, to “learn about and apply the Savior’s teachings about interactions and episodes that can be construed as offense.”

Here’s the link to the conference talk referenced in this post:

“To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying Amen to what the world tells you ought to prefer is to have kept your soul alive.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

It’s very powerful to be able to make choices in your life.  It’s through your choices that you become you.   Have a desire to do good, you will become a good person.   Have the desire to be healthy, you will become a healthy person.  Have the desire to live a righteous life, you will become a righteous person.

Last night I dreamed that I was having an in person conversation with a good friend who looked pale and ill.  I asked what was going on with him and he told him that he was recently diagnosed with a terminal illness.  When I asked how long he had, he smiled and said, “Either a few minutes; hours; or days of my most recent episode.”  He felt blessed to at least know that his time here on earth was near and that he would be able to make the most of it by building his existing and creating new relationships.

I was inspired by this dream to remember that our time in earthly existence is short and we should make certain to interact and converse on a daily basis with our family members.   Tell them we love them and that we care about them, throughout this life and the life to come.

Also, what an amazing thing to learn from this dream… as my wife has told me before, “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.”  Here’s a video I watched yesterday that is awe inspiring as well:

https://discover.mormon.org/en-us/portraits/tessa-winger/