Thursday, May 28, 2009

Truman G. Madsen Passes Away

Truman G. Madsen Passes Away

LDS Living Staff

Truman Madsen, well known LDS scholar and educator, died this morning after a long battle with cancer.

Madsen, a grandson of Heber J. Grant, was born in 1926 in Salt Lake City. He developed an interest in his Church heritage at a young age and would eventually become a recognized expert on Joseph Smith and one of the most popular lecturers among Church members on LDS topics.

After serving a mission in Canada and studying at the University of Utah and the University of Southern California, Madsen received his Master of art and PhD in history and philosophy of religion from Harvard University. Part of his legacy includes his work with leaders of other religions to better understand Mormonism.

A prolific author, Madsen has written numerous books, including Eternal Man and Christ and the Inner Life. He contributed to the five-volume Macmillan Encyclopedia of Mormonism and served as an editor for the project.

His most recent project took a similar vein his DVDs called On Sacred Ground, with this series devoted to walks in the Holy Land. The DVDs, called The Eternal Christ, include Madsen’s deep insights into and testimony of the Savior’s life. They are scheduled to be released this summer.

He served in the Church as a bishop, stake president, president of the New England Mission, and executive assistant of the Temple Square visitor’s center. Most recently, he served as the patriarch of the Provo Utah Sharon East Stake. He also served previously as director of the Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies.

“Truman Madsen mastered the weighty matters, the themes of eternity, in a far-reaching range of interests: philosophy, scriptures, Jerusalem, Joseph Smith, and temples,” said D. Kelly Ogden, a friend and former associate director of the Jerusalem Center. “He has left deep impressions in ‘lives without number,’ in a worldwide context—as a professor, guest lecturer, commentator and writer, as a stake president, a mission president, as director of BYU's Jerusalem Center, and especially in his key roles as husband and father. The legacy of his brilliant mind and fervent spirit will live on for generations to come.”

Peter Johnson, who worked closely with Madsen on several projects, including On Sacred Ground and the upcoming The Eternal Christ, recalled Truman’s unique traits. “One of the things I will always remember is his humor and compassion. Everyone who knew him thought they were his best friend. And that tremendous love just reached out and touched any individual he had dealings with,” he said. “He was such Christ-like man.”

“Truman really is an amazing man," he concluded. "He is one-of-a-kind a man of tremendous intellect combined with faith and testimony. I’m so thankful that I was privileged to spend the intimate creative time that I did with such a profound thinker and man of God.”

Madsen and his wife, Ann Nicholls Madsen, are the parents of three grown children and a foster son.

Remember the Heroes--Spoken Word Given by Lloyd D. Newell

Remember the Heroes Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

In the comfort and security of our lives, we sometimes forget the debt we owe to those who left behind their own comfort and security and paid the ultimate price that we might live free.

When the United States entered World War I, David Endicott Putnam was a freshman at Harvard University. Too young to enlist in the fledgling American aviation corps, he traveled to France, where he served with distinction as a pilot. A year later, he joined the Americans as a flight commander of the 139th squadron.

One of the most highly decorated Allied pilots of the war, David was credited with bringing down as many as 20 enemy aircraft. In letters to his mother, he wrote: “Combat after combat comes my way, and without boasting I’ll say that I generally meet them head on. . . . ‘You nearly lost little David’ again this morning. . . . A miracle saved me. . . . This I will say, that if I go, I will die fighting.”

On September 13, 1918, David noticed several enemy planes pursuing an Allied biplane. He attacked, and he saved the biplane, but he was unable to save himself. He was shot through the heart and perished.

In a letter he had left for his mother in the event of his death, David said: “There is no question about the hereafter of men who give themselves in such a cause. If I am called upon to make it, I shall go with a grin of satisfaction and a smile.”1

Since the beginning of time, numberless courageous men and women like David Endicott Putnam have demonstrated the greatest love of all—they gave their lives for their friends. As the beneficiaries of their sacrifice, we can answer our own call of duty and make our own sacrifices, whatever they may be, the way David Putnam did—“with a grin of satisfaction and a smile.” This may be the best way to honor the memory of these noble heroes.
1 In M. A. DeWolfe Howe, Memoirs of the Harvard Dead in the War against Germany, 5 vols. (1920–24), 4:193, 197, 199.
Program #4158

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Media tour Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple

Church News

Media tour Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple

By Jason Swensen
Church News staff writer

Published: Wednesday, May 20, 2009

SOUTH JORDAN, UTAH

Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple grand staircase.

Over the past decade, the Church has built dozens of new temple across the globe. Still, Church leaders say, while the opening of temples has become a common occurrence, it has not become commonplace. The wonder remains.

Tom Smart, Deseret News
Exterior of the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple in South Jordan, Utah. Meeting houses are on bot h sides of the prominent and stately temple, which is the fourth in the Salt Lake Valley, and the second in South Jordan, Utah.

Such enthusiasm was evident May 20 as a collection of General Authorities hosted members of the media on a tour of the newly built Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple.

"It's an exciting declaration to the world that the Church is prospering and growing in Utah," said Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve.

Elder Ballard was joined at the event by his fellow apostle, Elder Quentin L. Cook.

"I have thought about how much this [area] has grown and how many faithful Latter-day Saints are here — and now we have a fourth temple in the Salt Lake Valley," said Elder Cook. "It's really a cause to rejoice."

Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple baptistry.

The media open house was staged several days before the temple will commence its public open house period, beginning June 1 and running through Aug. 1 (except for Sundays, July 4 and July 24). The Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple will be dedicated Aug. 21-23 in nine sessions.

Elder Ballard and Elder Cook were assisted on the media tours by Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy and Elder William R. Walker of the Seventy. The leaders walked with television and print reporters though the edifice's elegant hallways and ordinance rooms. Passages from the scriptures were read as the Brethren explained the purpose and sacred significance of the temple baptistry and the sealing and ordinance rooms. Silence was observed as reporters gathered inside the temple's peaceful celestial room. Such reverence afforded visitors a few moments to study the celestial room's magnificent 15-foot chandelier, high-reaching walls and placid decor.

Tom Smart, Deseret News

The Brethren often enlisted personal experiences of temple work as they discussed why the Church chooses to build temples worldwide. Elder Ballard spoke of officiating at the temple marriages of many of his grandchildren. He's performed the sealing ordinance many times — but each ceremony, he said, leaves him emotional and uplifted. While discussing the baptistry, Elder Rasband remembered taking his own son to the neighboring Jordan River Temple to perform that ancient ordinance together as a parent and child.

Following the tour, the Brethren answered questions from the journalists in the temple chapel and outside in a neighboring courtesy tent.

Tom Smart, Deseret News
President Robert E. Homer of the South Jordan Utah Highland Stake outside the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple during the media open house.

The 60,000-square-foot Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple is built on 11 acres in the burgeoning city of South Jordan in the southwest section of the Salt Lake Valley. When the new temple is dedicated, South Jordan will become the only city in the world with two temples in operation. The 28-year-old Jordan River Temple is just a 10-minute drive to the east. The new temple stands 183 feet high and features interior limestone from Morocco and Egypt, white oak woodwork and original artwork and murals painted by Church-service missionaries. Future patrons here will simply have to look west of the temple toward the Oquirrh Mountains to be reminded of the area's rich copper mining legacy that continues to this day.

Following the media tour, Elder Cook said it's his hope that people of all backgrounds will want to visit the temple during the public open house. Many, he added, will come to know that there is nothing "secret" about the temple as they come to understand the sacred work that happens inside temples. For members living inside the new temple district, the fast-approaching dedication can prompt personal commitments of re-dedication.

Tom Smart, Deseret News
Elder M. Russell Ballard, left, with Elder William R. Walker, Right and Elder Ronald Rasband following behind, return from the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple after leading the media on a tour of the fourth temple in the Salt Lake Valley.

"It's a time when they can contemplate their lives and ponder on the things that are most sacred and most important in life," he said. "They can prepare themselves so they will be worthy to go to the temple."

The new temple can also serve as a reminder of the blessings that await those who serve.

"Our hope is that, frankly, with four temples in the Salt Lake Valley, there is going to be a resurgence and a re-energizing of members of the Church to go to the temple again," said Elder Rasband.

Elder Ballard offered direction to members eager to meet the responsibilities that will be exacted by the Salt Lake Valley's fourth temple.

"Be good. Have your family prayers. Have your personal prayers. Study the scriptures, Come to know your Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The more you do that, the more you are going to want to participate in the sacred ordinances that have been given to the earth again through the Restoration."

Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple decorative detail.

Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple brides' room.
Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple celestial room and chandelier.
Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple celestial room.
Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple celestial room.
Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple waiting area.
Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple ordinance room.
Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple sealing room.
Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple brides' room.
Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Exterior of the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple.
Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Exterior of the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple.
Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple ordinance room.
Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple exterior.
Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple waiting area.
© 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company

Members in Japan uplifted by apostle's visit

Church News

Members in Japan uplifted by apostle's visit


Published: Saturday, May 23, 2009

Hundreds of members, friends and missionaries attended meetings throughout Japan as Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve addressed a variety of topics during a visit to that country. Elder Bednar visited Japan April 21-27 after having made a similar trip to Taiwan the previous week. (Please see Church News, April 25).

Photo by Elder David Robertson
Church members from the Naha Japan Stake and the Ginowan Japan Stake present music especially prepared for a devotional at which Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke.

Elder Bednar and his wife, Susan, spoke at meetings in Tokyo and Hokkaido, and also met with missionaries. Accompanied by Elder David F. Evans, president of the Asia North Area, and his wife, Mary, Elder and Sister Bednar went to Okinawa; there they met with members in the U.S. military district and also with Japanese members.

Photo by Elder David Robertson
In Tokyo, Elder David A. Bednar listens intently as a question asked by young Jacob Hansen is translated by Henry Savstrom for the Japanese attendees.

Elder Merrill Dimick, a senior missionary serving in Tokyo, commented, "Elder Bednar taught us many principles of the gospel by answering questions from the congregation. He talked about the differences in the cultures of America and Japan and other parts of the world but told us we have a culture in common and that is the gospel culture, which unites us as one."

Photo by Elder David Robertson
In a filled-to-capacity hall in Naha, Okinawa, Japan, members and guests listen as Elder David A. Bednar responds to questions.

After returning to Salt Lake City, Elder Bednar said, "Sister Bednar and I were blessed to visit Japan again on assignment. My faith in the Savior was strengthened as I witnessed the consecrated devotion of the Japanese Saints. The manner in which they honor their covenants and serve others is both inspiring and worthy of emulation."

© 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company

Temple Square tours combined into one

Church News

Temple Square tours combined into one


Published: Saturday, May 20, 1989

All seven tours on Temple Square have been revised into a single tour, announced Ralph O. Bradley, Temple Square director. In addition, a number of presentations are given at various locations throughout the famed square, he said.

The new tour, called the Temple Square tour, begins every 10 minutes at the flagpole and replaces the historical tour.The new schedule began May 15, the same day that summer visitor hours were started, which are now from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

In the tour, the historical significance of the square is given, and visitors are taken into the Tabernacle for an acoustical demonstration. The tour also includes a stop at the Christus statue in the North Visitors Center.

Cancelled are tours known as the Prophets, Life of Christ, and Christ in America. Now visitors are welcomed to browse at their leisure through the galleries of the Old and New Testaments in the North Visitors Center, and view the murals there, said the director.

In the South Visitors Center, a presentation is offered on the Book of Mormon. The purpose of temples is explained in a presentation that includes a a film, "In His Holy House," and displays. Other presentations are given in the Assembly Hall, Tabernacle and North Visitors Center.

© 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Blessings in Taiwan along correct course

Church News

Blessings in Taiwan along correct course

By Greg Hill
Church News staff writer

Published: Saturday, May 16, 2009

TAIPEI, TAIWAN

Many faithful young men and young women in Taiwan serve missions and marry in the temple. Following are the stories of four couples who did both.

Photo by Greg Hill
Ben and Shirley Tsai, with daughter, Kelani, are happy and faithful members of the Church in Taipei, Taiwan. They were both converted as young adults and served missions before meeting each other. They were married in the Taipei Taiwan Temple.

SHIRLEY AND BEN TSAI

First impressions are tricky, as Shirley Sun discovered in a "Building an Eternal Marriage" institute class for young single adults in Taipei, Taiwan. She pegged Ben Tsai as a "cocky guy trying to speak English and acting like no one else in the class knows English."

But the truth was that Ben, raised in Taichung, Taiwan, had recently returned from serving in the Idaho Pocatello Mission. Since relatively few people in eastern Idaho speak Mandarin Chinese, he had communicated almost exclusively in English for two years and had gotten out of the practice of speaking Chinese. So when he would respond to questions, sometimes the English words would pop out.

Shirley and Ben worked through those early impressions and capped their individual paths from convert to missionary with an eternal marriage in the Taipei Taiwan Temple on July 2, 2005.

They shared thoughts about their journeys during a Church News interview in their apartment nestled in the lush green hills of Taipei.

Completing the story of their institute experience, they said the teacher called several men to the front of the class for role playing. Each was told to pick one of the women in the class for their partner. Shirley said she suspected Ben picked her because she was in the front row. Ben confessed that Shirley impressed him when she earlier answered a question about overcoming conflict, sharing an experience she had with a companion in the Japan Tokyo South Mission.

He got contact information for Shirley from a mutual friend and called her for a date. As the dates multiplied, Shirley discovered that Ben fit all the qualifications for a husband she had listed during a Relief Society activity in her singles ward while attending college. Besides, she decided he was good looking as well. So from their first date in February, things progressed quickly.

Earlier in her life, Shirley had accepted the opportunity to go to an English class taught by missionaries. Two years later she was baptized, though she said she didn't have much of a testimony. At BYU-Hawaii, she was still learning English and didn't understand much of what was taught in English at Church.

One semester, there were some returned missionaries in a Japanese class she was taking and, through their positive example, she decided she would like to go on a mission.

As for Ben's conversion, after completing his mandatory military service and returning to school, he met the missionaries.

"I needed to find something that I really wanted in my life and really be converted to it," he said. "I had to be sure it was the right church."

It took him six weeks and the good example of members to find out, and he was baptized on Dec. 23, 2000, at age 24.

Some time later, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve visited Taiwan and gave "a profound talk," Ben said. "He said as young men we should make serving a mission our first priority, instead of our job or education."

Taking the counsel to heart, he applied for a mission.

Now Brother and Sister Tsai feel extremely blessed. Ben, building supervisor for the Church Administration Building adjacent to the Taipei temple, is a former high councilor and is now teaching Sunday School in the Hsin Tien Ward, Taipei Taiwan West Stake. Shirley is the ward's Relief Society enrichment leader.

They agree that one of their choicest blessings is 2-year-old daughter, Kelani, who hears Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and English spoken in the home. Her parents cheerfully said they anticipate Kelani will go on a mission and get married in the temple, following in their footsteps.

Photo by Greg Hill
Eric and Kate Weng, with children, from left, Matthew, Iris and Faith.

ERIC AND KATE WENG

Three sister missionaries from the missionary training center in Taipei prayerfully set a goal one day to contact 10 people in a nearby park and have at least one join the Church.

Policeman Eric Weng, who was jogging in the park, knew nothing of the missionaries' goal when they stopped him to talk. But he saw their enthusiasm for their religion and told them how to contact him. The referral was given to elders who finally, on the third try, got him to agree to meet them at the Church meetinghouse.

Two months later, on July 6, 1996, he joined the Church. He heard the unknown part of his conversion story later from a returned missionary who was one of the sisters who approached him.

Brother Weng and his wife, Kate, talked to the Church News about their conversions, missions and marriage in their Taipei apartment.

Kate Chen was working in Taipei when a roommate invited her to Relief Society enrichment meeting. For her contribution, she took coffee and tea. After the meeting, she wondered why no one partook of her refreshment and had her first lesson on the Word of Wisdom.

"I liked the Church a lot," she said. She gave up coffee, a big hurdle to joining the Church, and was baptized in June 1995.

After baptism, Eric was a member of Kate's ward and they became good friends. He had strong feelings for both her and another sister in the ward and one night prayed that whichever one first said she liked him would be the one he should marry. The next day, he called Kate and during the conversation, shared deep spiritual feelings with her. She said she was so touched that she said told him she liked him. His reaction, he said, was, "Oh, no!"

"I think he preferred the other girl," Kate said. "She was prettier. But I was the answer to his prayer, so we had to get married," she laughed.

But not yet.

Though her bishop thought she should marry Eric, Kate decided to go on a mission and was called to the Taiwan Taichung Mission.

Six months later, Eric was called to the same mission. His choice to serve was a challenge, particularly because it meant he had to repay most of a tuition grant he received for police training when he terminated a six-year contract. But he had a goal to serve a mission, backed up by his patriarchal blessing.

Serving in the same mission was a problem. Mission leaders, aware of the ties between the two, at one time made them attend different zone conferences though they were serving in the same zone. Finally, to prevent such issues, Kate was transferred to the Taiwan Kaohsiung Mission.

When their missions were completed, Eric and Kate were married in the Taipei Taiwan Temple in July 2000. That fall, they moved to Hawaii where Brother Weng attended BYU-Hawaii, graduating with a degree in accounting.

Brother Weng is now a senior accountant for the Church finance department in Taipei. Members of the Hsin Tien Ward, Taipei Taiwan West Stake, Brother Weng is on the stake high council and teaches institute. Sister Weng is a Primary teacher. They have three children: Iris, 6; Matthew, 5; and Faith, 3.

Photo by Greg Hill
Kendra and David Lai, served full-time missions before marriage.

DAVID AND KENDRA LAI

David Lai and Kendra Kang met at a young single adult conference while attending college in Taipei, Taiwan, and began dating. Their relationship was interrupted after his graduation when he began mandatory military service.

A reason he survived and remained faithful during the service, he said, was Kendra's faithfulness writing letters to him.

A short time after the completion of his military obligation, he was a missionary, leaving from his home in Taichung to serve in the Taiwan Taipei Mission. But Kendra was still on his mind.

During a Church News interview in the Taiwan Taichung Mission office, he said after he was set apart by his stake president he couldn't resist the need to call Kendra at work and "tell her to wait for me." They said they both cried.

David's willingness to serve impressed Kendra and she contemplated going on a mission herself. She said she prayed and felt inspired to serve. She left from Taipei to serve in the Taiwan Taichung Mission.

They had a classic whirlwind romance upon his return from his mission on April 1, 2008: The next day they got together and he asked her to marry him. They were married in the Taipei Taiwan Temple on May 10.

David was baptized June 23, 2001, at age 20, after being contacted on a street by the missionaries. He said they were too friendly to reject.

Kendra said a friend invited her to join English classes at the LDS meetinghouse. Kendra accepted, though her interest was more in learning about the Church than learning English. Because of the death of a relative, she was looking for spiritual answers and was happy when she heard the concept that she is a child of God.

At age 16, she needed parental permission to be baptized. She prayed hard that her parents would give her permission and the prayer was answered. She was baptized on July 11, 1998.

Brother Lai, a machine designer by profession, is a counselor in the bishopric and Sister Lai is the Relief Society president in the Da Ya Ward, Taichung Taiwan North Stake. They are expecting their first child in August.

Photo by Greg Hill
Jim and Dawn Chang, met at a young single adults activity after both had overcome some challenges with their testimonies and served missions.

JIM AND DAWN CHANG

When Jim Chang was in junior high school, he picked up a Bible in a Christian hospital where he was helping care for his grandmother. He would read it when he was bored.

"I just knew it was true and that Jesus really is the Son of God," he said during a Church News interview in the Taiwan Taichung Mission office.

That knowledge served him well when he met missionaries who asked him for 40 minutes of his time to share a message with him. He said he was trying to find a church to join at the time. He had learned to pray from reading the Bible, so prayed to know if the Church was true and had good feelings. He was baptized in February 2001 at age 21.

As a student at a university in Kaoshiung, Dawn Zhao had a roommate who was a member of the Church. One night, her roommate was reading a book. "I asked her what she was reading and she said it was a book about Jesus Christ," Dawn said. "I asked if it was the Bible and she said, no, it was the Book of Mormon."

Dawn had never heard of the Book of Mormon and asked her roommate to tell her more. The roommate put her in contact with the missionaries and she joined the Church at age 21.

Jim and Dawn both had some struggles after their baptisms. Jim said that though he wanted to go on a mission when he was baptized, his testimony was weak. Dawn found herself often too busy to fully participate in Church.

Finally, Jim prayed earnestly to know for certain that the Book of Mormon was true. He also increased his Church attendance and began talking to his bishop about serving a mission.

At age 25 he was called to serve in the Taiwan Kaohsiung Mission. While there, he met Dawn, but they said neither made much of an impression on the other.

Dawn said that when President Gordon B. Hinckley delivered the challenge in August 2005 that members of the Church read the Book of Mormon through by the end of the year, "I decided to follow the prophet." She hadn't previously read the entire book, but did complete it by the end of the year.

"The next February, while reading the Book of Mormon, I felt I wanted to serve God," she said. She prayed all night about how best to serve Him, she continued, and the answer she received was to serve a mission. It wasn't an easy decision, primarily because she was pursuing a master's degree in education and would not be able to pick it up again afterward if she interrupted her studies to go on a mission.

She made an appointment with her bishop and when she told him of her inspiration, he said he had also felt impressed that she should go on a mission. She left from Kaohsiung to serve in the Taiwan Taipei Mission.

After their missions, on April 26, 2008, Jim and Dawn got together at a young single adult activity in Taichung. Jim had a friend introduce him to Dawn and Jim told his friend he should pursue her. He said he already had and wasn't her "Mr. Right." He told Jim he should see if he was her "Mr. Right." He was, and they were married in the Taipei Taiwan Temple on July 26, 2008.

Dawn agreed that was a quick courtship, but said, "We followed God's plan."

They had attended the temple as they were considering whether or not to get married. She said it was confirmed for her that they should, but Jim said he felt worried about economic conditions.

When she referred him to Matthew 4:4 — "But he answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" — he knew it was his answer.

Brother Chang, an electrical engineer, is now a counselor in the stake Young Men presidency and Sister Chang teaches Relief Society in the Beitung Ward, Taichung Taiwan North Stake.

ghill@desnews.com

© 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company

Embracing Simplicity--Spoken Word Given by Lloyd D. Newell

Embracing Simplicity Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

A family gathers for dinner, and the father announces a new rule of etiquette: “No texting at the table.” Two teenagers sigh and reluctantly set aside their cell phones. Such a rule was not needed just a few years ago, but we live in a different world now. A steady stream of information swirls around us, not only from television, movies, and magazines but also from hundreds of computerized gadgets, some small enough to fit in our pocket.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed—and sometimes as outdated as a computer purchased last year. Many despair at ever catching up with the current technology, never mind what’s coming in the future.

But chasing technology is not the best way to embrace the future—or the present. Plentiful information is good, but epiphanies of wisdom, original ideas, and communion with the divine are most likely to come during moments of quiet calm. Without them, we become like mice in a maze, constantly racing back and forth for the next piece of cheese.

Pianist and composer Reid Nibley learned about the value of simplicity while writing the hymn “I Know My Father Lives.” The music came to him quickly, but, he said, “I thought it was too simple, so I began working on it. It became more and more complicated and less and less spontaneous. After two weeks of struggling with it, I began to erase all the excess notes, and soon it emerged in its original form.” Of the finished product he said, “It is the most worthwhile thing I have ever done.”1 Its simplicity is its beauty.

The same is true of our lives. What might happen if we set aside the gadgets and tumult of the world, for just a few moments every day, and enjoy the peace that comes with simplicity? It would help us keep our goals in perspective, be more positive toward those around us, and grow nobler instead of just busier. And then, as with the hymn, our simplicity can be our greatness.
1 In Karen Lynn Davidson, Our Latter-day Hymns: The Stories and the Messages (1988), 304.
Program #4157

Monday, May 18, 2009

CES Fireside Given by Elder David A. Bednar

Things as They Really Are

Elder David A. Bednar
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
CES Fireside for Young Adults • May 3, 2009 • Brigham Young University–Idaho

Elder David A. BednarBrothers and sisters, I love you and am grateful to be with you. I extend a special welcome to those of you in your final year of seminary who are attending a CES broadcast for the first time. As you continue your education, I encourage you to take full advantage of the opportunities you will have to learn and grow spiritually by enrolling in and actively participating in institute classes. You also will be able to attend future CES firesides, which will strengthen and bless you.

As I have looked forward to and prepared for this opportunity to learn with you, I have come to better understand the strong feelings of Jacob, the brother of Nephi. He said, “I this day am weighed down with much … desire and anxiety for the welfare of your souls” (Jacob 2:3). The message I want to share with you today has over time distilled upon my soul “as the dews from heaven” (D&C 121:45). I invite your earnest attention to a serious subject that has both immediate and eternal implications. I pray for the Holy Ghost to be with and teach each of us during our time together.

I long have been impressed with the simple and clear definition of truth set forth in the Book of Mormon: “The Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls” (Jacob 4:13; see also D&C 93:24).

Tonight we will focus upon the first major element of truth identified in this verse: “things as they really are.” We first will review several key elements of our Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness as the doctrinal foundation for knowing and understanding things as they really are. We then will consider methods of attack used by the adversary to distract us from or inhibit our capacity to discern things as they really are. And finally, we will discuss the responsibilities that rest upon you as the rising generation. You will need to be obedient, to honor sacred covenants, and to discern things consistently as they really are in today’s world that grows ever more confused and wicked.

Our Divine Destiny

In “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles declare that as spirit sons and daughters of God we “accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize [our] divine destiny as heirs of eternal life” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102; or Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49). Please note the primary importance of obtaining a physical body in the process of progressing toward our divine destiny.

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught with clarity the importance of our physical bodies:

“We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body. The devil has no body, and herein is his punishment. He is pleased when he can obtain the tabernacle of man, and when cast out by the Savior he asked to go into the herd of swine, showing that he would prefer a swine’s body to having none. All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not. The devil has no power over us only as we permit him; the moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power.”1

Our physical bodies make possible a breadth, a depth, and an intensity of experience that simply could not be obtained in our premortal estate. President Boyd K. Packer has taught, “Our spirit and our body are combined in such a way that our body becomes an instrument of our mind and the foundation of our character.”2 Thus, our relationships with other people, our capacity to recognize and act in accordance with truth, and our ability to obey the principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ are amplified through our physical bodies. In the classroom of mortality, we experience tenderness, love, kindness, happiness, sorrow, disappointment, pain, and even the challenges of physical limitations in ways that prepare us for eternity. Simply stated, there are lessons we must learn and experiences we must have, as the scriptures describe, “according to the flesh” (see 1 Nephi 19:6; Alma 7:12–13).

Apostles and prophets consistently have taught the mortal and eternal importance of our bodies. Paul declared:

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Corinthians 3:16–17).

And in this dispensation the Lord revealed that “the spirit and the body are the soul of man” (D&C 88:15). A truth that really is and always will be is that the body and the spirit constitute our reality and identity. When body and spirit are inseparably connected, we can receive a fulness of joy; when they are separated, we cannot receive a fulness of joy (see D&C 93:33–34).

The Father’s plan is designed to provide direction for His children, to help them become happy, and to bring them safely home to Him with resurrected, exalted bodies. Lucifer labors to make the sons and daughters of God confused and unhappy and to hinder their eternal progression. The overarching intent of the father of lies is that all of us would become “miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:27), and he works to distort the elements of the Father’s plan he hates the most.

Satan does not have a body, and his eternal progress has been halted. Just as water flowing in a riverbed is stopped by a dam, so the adversary’s eternal progress is thwarted because he does not have a physical body. Because of his rebellion, Lucifer has denied himself all of the mortal blessings and experiences made possible through a tabernacle of flesh and bones. He cannot learn the lessons that only an embodied spirit can learn. He cannot marry or enjoy the blessings of procreation and family life. He cannot abide the reality of a literal and universal resurrection of all mankind. One of the potent scriptural meanings of the word damned is illustrated in his inability to continue developing and becoming like our Heavenly Father.

Because a physical body is so central to the Father’s plan of happiness and our spiritual development, we should not be surprised that Lucifer seeks to frustrate our progression by tempting us to use our bodies improperly. One of the ultimate ironies of eternity is that the adversary, who is miserable precisely because he has no physical body, invites and entices us to share in his misery through the improper use of our bodies. The very tool he does not have and cannot use is thus the primary target of his attempts to lure us to physical and spiritual destruction.

The Adversary’s Attacks

The adversary attempts to influence us both to misuse our physical bodies and to minimize the importance of our bodies. These two methods of attack are important for us to recognize and to repel.

When any of Heavenly Father’s children misuse their physical tabernacles by violating the law of chastity, by using drugs and addictive substances, by disfiguring or defacing themselves, or by worshipping the false idol of body image, whether their own or that of others, Satan is delighted. To those of us who know and understand the plan of salvation, any defiling of the body is rebellion (see Mosiah 2:36–37; D&C 64:34–35) and a denial of our true identity as sons and daughters of God.

Now brothers and sisters, I cannot tell you all the ways whereby you may misuse your bodies, “for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them” (Mosiah 4:29). You know what is right and what is wrong, and you have the individual responsibility to learn for yourself “by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118) the things you should and should not do and the doctrinal reasons why you should and should not do those things. I testify that as you desire to so learn, as you “watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives” (Mosiah 4:30), you will be spiritually enlightened and protected. And according to your faithfulness and diligence, you will have the power to discern the deception and repel the attacks of the adversary as he tempts you to misuse your physical body.

Satan also strives to entice the sons and daughters of God to minimize the importance of their physical bodies. This particular type of attack is most subtle and diabolical. I want to provide several examples of how the adversary can pacify and lull us away into a sense of carnal security (see 2 Nephi 28:21) and encourage us to put at risk the earthly learning experiences that caused us to shout for joy (see Job 38:7) in the premortal existence.

For example, all of us can find enjoyment in a wide range of wholesome, entertaining, and engaging activities. But we diminish the importance of our bodies and jeopardize our physical well-being by going to unusual and dangerous extremes searching for an ever greater and more exhilarating adrenaline “rush.” We may rationalize that surely nothing is wrong with such seemingly innocent exploits and adventures. However, putting at risk the very instrument God has given us to receive the learning experiences of mortality—merely to pursue a thrill or some supposed fun, to bolster ego, or to gain acceptance—truly minimizes the importance of our physical bodies.

Sadly, some young men and women in the Church today ignore “things as they really are” and neglect eternal relationships for digital distractions, diversions, and detours that have no lasting value. My heart aches when a young couple—sealed together in the house of the Lord for time and for all eternity by the power of the holy priesthood—experiences marital difficulties because of the addicting effect of excessive video gaming or online socializing. A young man or woman may waste countless hours, postpone or forfeit vocational or academic achievement, and ultimately sacrifice cherished human relationships because of mind- and spirit-numbing video and online games. As the Lord declared, “Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment … : Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known” (D&C 60:13).

You may now be asking yourself, “But Brother Bednar, you began today by talking about the importance of a physical body in our eternal progression. Are you suggesting that video gaming and various types of computer-mediated communication can play a role in minimizing the importance of our physical bodies?” That is precisely what I am declaring. Let me explain.

We live at a time when technology can be used to replicate reality, to augment reality, and to create virtual reality. For example, a medical doctor can use software simulation to gain valuable experience performing a complicated surgical operation without ever putting a human patient at risk. A pilot in a flight simulator repeatedly can practice emergency landing procedures that could save many lives. And architects and engineers can use innovative technologies to model sophisticated design and construction methods that decrease the loss of human life and damage to buildings caused by earthquakes and other natural disasters.

In each of these examples, a high degree of fidelity in the simulation or model contributes to the effectiveness of the experience. The term fidelity denotes the similarity between reality and a representation of reality. Such a simulation can be constructive if the fidelity is high and the purposes are good—for example, providing experience that saves lives or improves the quality of life.

The image shown below is a computer-generated rendering of a sealing room in the Newport Beach California Temple.

Rendering

This and similar images are used as part of the planning and design process for each new temple that is constructed. The rendering portrays fabrics, furnishings, fixtures, lighting, scale, and proportion to show how each component will look and feel when finished. In essence, the entire temple and all of its elements are designed in detail before construction ever begins.

This picture is an actual photograph of the sealing room in the Newport Beach California Temple.

Photo

Please notice the fidelity between the representation of reality in the rendering (first image) and the reality of the completed room in this photograph.

This next image is a computer-generated rendering of a lobby area in the Copenhagen Denmark Temple.

Rendering

The following photo shows the actual lobby in the Copenhagen Denmark Temple.

Photo

In each of these examples, high fidelity is employed to accomplish a most important purpose—the design and construction of a sacred and beautiful temple. However, a simulation or model can lead to spiritual impairment and danger if the fidelity is high and the purposes are bad—such as experimenting with actions contrary to God’s commandments or enticing us to think or do things we would not otherwise think or do “because it is only a game.”

Today I raise an apostolic voice of warning about the potentially stifling, suffocating, suppressing, and constraining impact of some kinds of cyberspace interactions and experiences upon our souls. The concerns I raise are not new; they apply equally to other types of media, such as television, movies, and music. But in a cyber world, these challenges are more pervasive and intense. I plead with you to beware of the sense-dulling and spiritually destructive influence of cyberspace technologies that are used to produce high fidelity and that promote degrading and evil purposes.

If the adversary cannot entice us to misuse our physical bodies, then one of his most potent tactics is to beguile you and me as embodied spirits to disconnect gradually and physically from things as they really are. In essence, he encourages us to think and act as if we were in our premortal, unembodied state. And, if we let him, he can cunningly employ some aspects of modern technology to accomplish his purposes. Please be careful of becoming so immersed and engrossed in pixels, texting, ear buds, twittering, online social networking, and potentially addictive uses of media and the Internet that you fail to recognize the importance of your physical body and miss the richness of person-to-person communication. Beware of digital displays and data in many forms of computer-mediated interaction that can displace the full range of physical capacity and experience.

Listen carefully to the following quote describing an intense romantic relationship a woman had with a cyberspace boyfriend. And note how the medium of communication minimized the importance of the physical body. “And so PFSlider [the man’s screen name] became my everyday life. All the tangible stuff fell away. My body did not exist. I had no skin, no hair, no bones. All desire had converted itself into a cerebral current that reached nothing but my frontal lobe. There was no outdoors, no social life, no weather. There was only the computer screen and the phone, my chair, and maybe a glass of water.”3

In contrast, we need to heed the admonition of Paul: “That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour” (1 Thessalonians 4:4).

Consider again the example I mentioned earlier of a young couple recently married in the house of the Lord. An immature or misguided spouse may devote an inordinate amount of time to playing video games, chatting online, or in other ways allowing the digital to dominate things as they really are. Initially the investment of time may seem relatively harmless, rationalized as a few minutes of needed relief from the demands of a hectic daily schedule. But important opportunities are missed for developing and improving interpersonal skills, for laughing and crying together, and for creating a rich and enduring bond of emotional intimacy. Progressively, seemingly innocent entertainment can become a form of pernicious enslavement.

To feel the warmth of a tender hug from an eternal companion or to see the sincerity in the eyes of another person as testimony is shared—all of these things experienced as they really are through the instrument of our physical body—could be sacrificed for a high fidelity fantasy that has no lasting value. If you and I are not vigilant, we can become “past feeling” (1 Nephi 17:45), as did Laman and Lemuel long ago.

Let me provide another example of disconnecting gradually and physically from things as they really are. Today a person can enter into a virtual world, such as Second Life, and assume a new identity. An individual can create an avatar, or a cyberspace persona, that conforms to his or her own appearance and behavior. Or a person can concoct a counterfeit identity that does not correlate in any way to things as they really are. However closely the assumed new identity approximates the individual, such behavior is the essence of things as they really are not. Earlier I defined the fidelity of a simulation or model. I now emphasize the importance of personal fidelity—the correspondence between an actual person and an assumed, cyberspace identity. Please note the lack of personal fidelity in the following episode as reported in the Wall Street Journal:

Ric Hoogestraat is “a burly [53-year-old] man with a long gray ponytail, thick sideburns and a salt-and-pepper handlebar mustache. … [Ric spends] six hours a night and often 14 hours at a stretch on weekends as Dutch Hoorenbeek, his six-foot-nine, muscular … cyber-self. The character looks like a younger, physically enhanced version of [Ric].”

“[He] sits at his computer with the blinds drawn. … While his wife, Sue, watches television in the living room, Mr. Hoogestraat chats online with what appears on the screen to be a tall, slim redhead.

“He’s never met the woman outside of the computer world of Second Life, a well-chronicled digital fantasyland. … He’s never so much as spoken to her on the telephone. But their relationship has taken on curiously real dimensions. They own two dogs, pay a mortgage together and spend hours [in their cyberspace world] shopping at the mall and taking long motorcycle rides. … Their bond is so strong that three months ago, Mr. Hoogestraat asked Janet Spielman, the 38-year-old Canadian woman who controls the redhead, to become his virtual wife.

“The woman he’s legally wed to is not amused. ‘It’s really devastating,’ says Sue Hoogestraat, … who has been married to Mr. Hoogestraat for seven months.”4

Brothers and sisters, please understand. I am not suggesting all technology is inherently bad; it is not. Nor am I saying we should not use its many capabilities in appropriate ways to learn, to communicate, to lift and brighten lives, and to build and strengthen the Church; of course we should. But I am raising a warning voice that we should not squander and damage authentic relationships by obsessing over contrived ones. “Nearly 40% of men and 53% of women who play online games said their virtual friends were equal to or better than their real-life friends, according to a survey of 30,000 gamers conducted by … a recent Ph.D. graduate from Stanford University. More than a quarter of gamers [who responded indicated that] the emotional highlight of the past week occurred in a computer world.”5

How important, how enduring, and how timely is the Lord’s definition of truth— “things as they really are.” The prophet Alma asked, “O then, is not this real?” (Alma 32:35). He was speaking of light and good so discernible they can be tasted. Indeed, “they who dwell in [the Father’s] presence … see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace” (D&C 76:94).

My beloved brothers and sisters, beware! To the extent personal fidelity decreases in computer-mediated communications and the purposes of such communications are distorted, perverted, and wicked, the potential for spiritual disaster is dangerously high. I implore you to turn away immediately and permanently from such places and activities (see 2 Timothy 3:5).

Now I would like to address an additional characteristic of the adversary’s attacks. Satan often offers an alluring illusion of anonymity. Lucifer always has sought to accomplish his work in secret (see Moses 5:30). Remember, however, that apostasy is not anonymous simply because it occurs in a blog or through a fabricated identity in a chat room or virtual world. Immoral thoughts, words, and deeds always are immoral, even in cyberspace. Deceitful acts supposedly veiled in secrecy, such as illegally downloading music from the Internet or copying CDs or DVDs for distribution to friends and families, are nonetheless deceitful. We are all accountable to God, and ultimately we will be judged of Him according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts (see Alma 41:3). “For as [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).

The Lord knows who we really are, what we really think, what we really do, and who we really are becoming. He has warned us that “the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed” (D&C 1:3).

I have raised a voice of warning about only a few of the spiritual hazards in our technologically oriented and rapidly changing world. Let me say again: neither technology nor rapid change in or of itself is good or evil; the real challenge is to understand both within the context of the eternal plan of happiness. Lucifer will encourage you to misuse and to minimize the importance of your physical body. He will attempt to substitute the monotony of virtual repetition for the infinite variety of God’s creations and convince us we are merely mortal things to be acted upon instead of eternal souls blessed with moral agency to act for ourselves. Deviously, he entices embodied spirits to forfeit the blessings and learning experiences “according to the flesh” that are made possible through the Father’s plan of happiness and the Atonement of His Only Begotten Son.

For your happiness and protection, I invite you to study more diligently the doctrine of the plan of salvation—and to prayerfully ponder the truths we have reviewed. I offer two questions for consideration in your personal pondering and prayerful studying:

1. Does the use of various technologies and media invite or impede the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life?
2. Does the time you spend using various technologies and media enlarge or restrict your capacity to live, to love, and to serve in meaningful ways?

You will receive answers, inspiration, and instruction from the Holy Ghost suited to your individual circumstances and needs. I repeat and affirm the teaching of the Prophet Joseph: “All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not. The devil has no power over us only as we permit him.”6

These eternal truths about the importance of our physical bodies will fortify you against the deception and the attacks of the adversary. One of my deepest desires for you is an ever-increasing testimony of and appreciation for the Resurrection—even your own resurrection with a celestial, exalted body “because of your faith in [the Lord Jesus Christ] according to the promise” (Moroni 7:41).

The Rising Generation

I would like to speak specifically to you as you really are. You really are the rising generation in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In October of 1997, Elder Neal A. Maxwell visited the campus of Brigham Young University–Idaho to speak in a devotional. During the day he was on the campus, we talked together about a variety of gospel topics in general and about the youth of the Church in particular. I remember Elder Maxwell making a statement that greatly impressed me. He said, “The youth of this generation have a greater capacity for obedience than any previous generation.”

He then indicated that his statement was based upon a truth taught by President George Q. Cannon: “God has reserved spirits for this dispensation who have the courage and determination to face the world, and all the powers of the evil one, visible and invisible, to proclaim the Gospel, and maintain the truth, and establish and build up the Zion of our God, fearless of all consequences. He has sent these spirits in this generation to lay the foundation of Zion never more to be overthrown, and to raise up a seed that will be righteous, and that will honor God, and honor him supremely, and be obedient to him under all circumstances.”7

Parents and Church leaders frequently emphasize that the young men and women of this generation have been reserved for this season in the history of the world and are some of the most valiant of Heavenly Father’s children. Indeed, such statements are true. But I often have wondered if young people hear this description so often that it becomes overused and trite—and that its importance and deep implications may be overlooked. We know that “unto whom much is given much is required” (D&C 82:3). And the teachings of President Cannon and Elder Maxwell help us to understand more fully what is required of us today. You and I are to be valiant and “obedient to him under all circumstances.” Thus, obedience is the principal weapon upon which the rising generation must rely in the latter-day battle between good and evil.

We rejoice that the Lord through His authorized servants has “raised the bar” for the young men and women of today. Given what we know about who we are and why we are here upon the earth, such inspired direction is welcomed and appreciated. And we should recognize that Lucifer incessantly strives to “lower the bar” by coaxing us to misuse and minimize the importance of our physical bodies.

The Savior has warned us repeatedly to beware of deception by the adversary:

“Jesus answered, and said unto them: Take heed that no man deceive you; …

“For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant. …

“And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived” (Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:5, 22, 37).

Obedience opens the door to the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. And the spiritual gifts and abilities activated by the power of the Holy Ghost enable us to avoid deception—and to see, to feel, to know, to understand, and to remember things as they really are. You and I have been endowed with a greater capacity for obedience precisely for these reasons. Moroni declared:

“Hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.

“Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God” (Mormon 9:27–28).

As we heed that inspired counsel, we can and will be blessed to recognize and repel the attacks of the adversary—today and in the days that lie ahead. We can and will fulfill our foreordained responsibilities and contribute to the work of the Lord in all the world.

I testify that God lives and is our Heavenly Father. He is the Author of the plan of salvation. Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer, whose body was bruised, broken, and torn for us as He offered the atoning sacrifice. He is resurrected; He lives; and He stands at the head of His Church in these latter days. To be “encircled about eternally in the arms of his love” (2 Nephi 1:15) will be a real and not a virtual experience.

I testify we can and will be blessed with the courage and determination to face the world and all the powers of the evil one. Righteousness will prevail. No unhallowed hand can stop this work from progressing. I bear witness and testify of these things as they really are and as they really will be in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

1. Quoted by William Clayton, reporting an undated discourse given by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois; in L. John Nuttall, “Extracts from William Clayton’s Private Book,” 7–8, Journals of L. John Nuttall, 1857–1904, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; copy in Church History Library; spelling and capitalization standardized; see also Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 211, 214.

2. Boyd K. Packer, The Instrument of Your Mind and the Foundation of Your Character (Church Educational System fireside for young adults, Feb. 2, 2003), 2.

3. Meghan Daum, “Virtual Love,” The New Yorker, Aug. 25 and Sept. 1, 1997, 82; or Meghan Daum, My Misspent Youth (2001), 19.

4. Alexandra Alter, “Is This Man Cheating on His Wife?” Wall Street Journal, Aug. 10, 2007, W8, W1.

5. Alexandra Alter, Wall Street Journal, Aug. 10, 2007, W8.

6. Quoted by William Clayton; in L. John Nuttall, “Extracts from William Clayton’s Private Book,” 8.

7. George Q. Cannon, in Journal of Discourses, 11:230.

美國洪博培將出使中國 Jon Huntsman

美國洪博培將出使中國 華府熱烈討論

更新日期:2009/05/17 22:15

被共和黨視為最有可能出馬角逐下屆美國總統寶座的猶他州長洪博培,16號獲得總統歐巴馬提名出任美國駐中國大使,在華府引起熱烈討論。

歐巴馬稱許洪博培東亞外交資歷豐富,也懂得美中關係的重要,而他所需要的駐中國大使,不但要能代表美國原則,也要尊重中國看法,洪博培就是不二人選,相關任命案只待參議院通過。

現年49歲的洪博培,去年11月才以77%的得票率高票連任猶他州州長,政治生涯從雷根時期就開始出頭,曾經出任過美國副貿易代表和駐新加坡大 使,是當時百餘年來最年輕的大使。年輕的時候曾經以摩爾門傳教士身分來過台灣傳教,因此說的一口流利的中文和道地的閩南話,還幫自己取了洪博培這個中文名字, 和妻子育有七名子女,包括一個從中國領養的女孩;因為家族化工事業在從政之前已經累積了萬貫家財,在中國在台灣都有投資,傳言洪博培8年前就要出任美國駐 中國大使,被中國認為曾經來過台灣傳教,太親近台灣, 而遭到反對。在去年總統大選期間,是歐巴馬對手陣營麥坎的頭號助選戰將,更被視為共和黨下屆角逐總統的熱門人選,不過接下這個職務,表示他至少要等到 2016年才有可能參選,屆時歐巴馬也無法繼續競選連任。


Utah's GOP Governor Chosen as China Envoy
Huntsman Was Potential 2012 Challenger

By Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 17, 2009

President Obama reached across the aisle yesterday to tap a leading Republican governor as his ambassador to China, indicating his continuing desire for bipartisanship in his administration while signaling to Beijing his intent to build "a new understanding" with the United States' largest economic competitor.

In announcing the nomination of Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., Obama noted that he is choosing an envoy with years of experience in the region and who is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

"With Jon Huntsman representing the United States in China, I'm confident that we will launch a new era of partnership between our two nations that will advance our shared dreams of opportunity and security in America, in Asia, and around the world," Obama said in the White House Diplomatic Reception Room.

Flanked by his wife and seven children, Huntsman, 49, accepted Obama's "call to service," admitting that as a national co-chair of Sen. John McCain's Republican presidential campaign last year, he never expected "to be called into action by the person who beat us."

Huntsman has been viewed as a rising star in the Republican Party, thanks to his record of economic recovery and growth in Utah and to his moderate political views. Blocked from running for a third term as governor in 2012, he had already begun making early steps toward a possible presidential bid, one that many political observers thought had the potential to be the strongest Republican challenge to Obama.

Huntsman recently spent a weekend traveling in Michigan -- a critical state in the GOP primary process -- and had enlisted the help of John Weaver, a former McCain aide, who presented Huntsman with a basic blueprint and strategy to secure the nomination.

Several of Obama's top advisers in the White House regarded him as a formidable challenger. David Plouffe, who managed Obama's presidential campaign, told U.S. News & World Report this month that Huntsman was "the one person in that party who might be a potential presidential candidate."

Huntsman was planning to set up a political action committee next month, top political advisers said yesterday, and had begun the process of recruiting operatives and volunteers in early-voting states such as New Hampshire and South Carolina. With yesterday's announcement, all of that political activity ends, along with his prospects for a presidential bid before 2016, his advisers said.

"It's a rare thing in Washington that someone puts their country's interest before their own personal interests," Weaver said in an interview. "Having said that, things usually work out well for the person who does do that. He's a young guy. And he's a very good prescription for what ails our party."

The posting would add significant foreign policy experience to Huntsman's political résumé -- a valuable asset, should he return to thoughts of a presidential campaign in years to come.

The governor also has deep ties to Asia: He lived in Taiwan as a Mormon missionary, mastering Mandarin while there. He and his wife, Mary Kaye, adopted a daughter from China, and he briefly served as U.S. ambassador to Singapore in the early 1990s.

White House aides and people close to the governor said tapping Huntsman for the China post was first proposed to the president by Jeff Bader, the top Asia expert on the National Security Council.

Bader has been a close friend of Huntsman's from the time both served under then-U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick in 2001 and 2002. (Huntsman was then the deputy trade ambassador under President George W. Bush, before running for office in Utah in 2004.)

Bader described Huntsman to Obama as a "problem-solver, not a dogmatist," aides said.

Bader reached out to his friend about a month ago, proposing the idea. Those conversations were followed by several calls from White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

Obama called Huntsman on May 5 to offer the job, and he accepted. The two then met in the Oval Office, along with Huntsman's wife, last Saturday while the Huntsmans were in town for the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

Huntsman had already emerged as one of the chief Republican opponents of the GOP's congressional leadership, calling it "inconsequential." He did not join the National Council for a New America, a group recently launched by GOP heavyweights such as former Florida governor Jeb Bush, although he called that organization a step in the right direction.

Huntsman was apparently not Obama's first choice. Chris Nelson, who writes an influential newsletter on Asia policy, said the Obama administration had earlier reached out to former senator Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and former Clinton commerce secretary William M. Daley about the job.

But Huntsman gives Obama another high-profile Republican in his administration, helping the president make good on a promise to embrace bipartisanship. Obama's second choice for commerce secretary, GOP Sen. Judd Gregg (N.H.), first accepted the nomination, then withdrew days later after having second thoughts. He has since turned into one of Obama's most vocal critics.

"I knew that because Jon is not only a Republican, but a Republican who co-chaired my opponent's campaign for the presidency, this wouldn't be the easiest decision to explain to some members of his party," Obama said.

As governor, Huntsman has pushed for an overhaul of the state's health-care system, and he has lobbied for his party to do more on the environment. He has also promoted the power of bipartisanship in Utah, a state where Republicans dominate.

"Most Americans are fed up with the idea that partisanship has stood in the way of progress," Huntsman said in an interview late last year.

This year Huntsman came out in support of civil unions for same-sex couples, a position with which a majority of his constituents disagreed. He had also staked out moderate ground on environmental issues and had called for the Republican Party to take a less combative stance in opposition to Obama.

"Right now we are devoid of ideas," Huntsman said. "We don't have the big thing, we don't have the organizing principle."

As ambassador, Huntsman will quickly confront a series of thorny issues in U.S.-China relations. With the world economy ailing, the two countries are increasingly at odds over trade, experts said. The United States continues to push issues of human rights in China. And the White House is eager for Chinese cooperation on restraining North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

"Huntsman will be very well placed, being a political player, to listen and talk to them and pass messages back and forth -- probably better than most ambassadors," Nelson said yesterday.

Trade, always a delicate issue in U.S.-China relations, may be one of the toughest issues Huntsman faces, Asia experts said. The United States is also concerned with the expansion of China's military.

Michael J. Green, who was senior director for Asia in Bush's National Security Council, called Huntsman a "very strong choice" that suggests Obama is ready to be tough with the Chinese.

"Huntsman is no panda-hugger," Green said. "He knows the country well, but he will be firm. And it will also help to continue some bipartisan spirit for a relationship that is important but not easy."

It is unclear how far apart Obama and Huntsman are philosophically, but Nelson said he expects there to be little disagreement between the two about the direction of U.S. policy toward China.

"He was a sensible, centrist guy, not a hard-line conservative," Nelson said of Huntsman during his tenure in the U.S. Trade Representative's Office. "A logical thinker, not an ideological thinker. That's like Obama. Very Socratic."

Staff writers Perry Bacon Jr. and Chris Cillizza contributed to this report.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/16/AR2009051600917.html


QUOTE — Said he did not “expect as national co-chair of Sen. McCain's presidential campaign to be called into action by the person who beat us. But I grew up understanding that the most basic responsibility one has is service to country. When the president of the United States asks you to step up and serve in a capacity like this, that to me is the end of the conservation and the beginning of the obligation to rise to the challenge. I stand here in my final term with plenty to do. I wasn't looking for a new job in life, but a call from the president changed that.” — at the White House after Obama announced the appointment May 16.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Obama names Republican governor as envoy to China

Obama names Republican governor as envoy to China

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday named Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. to be the next U.S. ambassador to China, a pivotal post in relations between the United States and a major emerging economic power.

Obama, a Democrat who took office in January, announced Huntsman's nomination at the White House.

The Mandarin-speaking Huntsman, who has been mentioned as a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2012, served as deputy U.S. trade representative in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001-2004.

He was also U.S. ambassador to Singapore from 1992 to 1994 when Bush's father was president.

The China envoy post is considered crucial because of Beijing's role as the biggest investor in U.S. Treasury bonds and as a key U.S. trading partner plus its growing international clout on issues such as the North Korean nuclear standoff.

(Reporting by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Copyright © 2009 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.

Friday, May 15, 2009

台灣的教友接受聖靈的教導


台灣的教友接受聖靈的教導 / 大衛.貝納長老拜訪台灣的聖徒
裴雅各長老.裴茱麗姐妹撰稿 公共事務傳教士 台灣

十二使徒定額組成員大衛.貝納長老近日拜訪了台灣的聖徒及全部時間傳教士。

在為期五天的行程近尾聲時,他表示:「對貝納姐妹和我而言,這是一個信心增長

的經驗。」

貝納長老讚美台灣教會教友的信心,他說:「我們在每一場聚會中都感受到了他們

堅強的見證以及聖靈的力量。」

蘇珊.貝納姐妹伴隨她丈夫此次的行程,她補充道:「我們愛這裡的人民,他們很熱情

、很友善,也對耶穌基督的福音有堅強的見證。」

貝納長老在行程一開始,先和台灣南部的高雄傳道部傳教士聚會,行程最後,則和台灣

北部的台北傳道部的傳教士聚會。

在這兩場聚會的中間,還有另外多場與教友及傳教士的聚會,其中包括一場支聯會教友

大會。總數約有五千名的教友及傳教士,聆聽了主所召喚的使徒的教導,包括數百名教友

在不同地區的教堂透過閉路電視轉播觀看了台中的特別祈禱會。

與教友的三場祈禱會由來自台灣的區域七十員仲國強長老主持。仲長老在17歲時加入教

會。他年輕時曾在高雄傳道部擔任傳教士。來自香港的區域七十員黃志康長老則伴隨貝納

長老參與了台灣台中支聯會的教友大會。

來自台灣雲林、目前正於台灣高雄傳道部服務的傳教士梁智凱長老認為,能夠與貝納

長老共聚一堂是一件很榮幸的事。在高雄傳道部與貝納長老共聚三個小時之後,梁長老

表示:「他教導我要在傳教士課程中仰賴聖靈。是聖靈在教導。」

有時候貝納長老的教導是簡短、簡單而直接的。例如,他在台中支聯會的聖職領導人

大會中教導弟兄們這些話:「遵行福音生活並不困難,不遵行福音生活才困難!」

隔日早晨,在一場為台中支聯會的新教友所舉行的會議中,他強調:「身為教友並不是

像觀看球賽一樣。新教 友不應認為自己只會坐在板凳上;你要到下到球場去參與。」當日早

晨,貝納長老在支聯會教友大會中談到:「只有見證是不夠的;見證必須導致持續的歸信。

見證 是一個開始,不是結束。」

在此次台灣行程中伴隨貝納長老與貝納姐妹的是孫小山長老以及孫姐妹。身為七十員

第二定額組成員的孫小山 長老是教會的亞洲區域會長團第二副會長。孫長老在1960年代

首次來台傳教,並於1980年代擔任台灣台中傳道部會長。他受邀於教友聚會及支聯會

聚會中講 話,並以流利的中文演講。

當孫長老應貝納長老要求對高雄的傳教士談話時,他的感動溢於言表。他談到在他還

年輕時的1963及 1964年,他傳教的前六個月就是在高雄服務的。他和他的同伴是當時被

指派到台灣第二大都市的四名傳教士的其中兩位。孫長老對今日的109位高雄傳道部

長老姐妹們説道:「我之所以成為今日的我,有很大的一部份原因是因為我在台灣的傳道。」

稍後,孫長老在其他會議中告訴其他教友和傳教士,在他首次傳道的45年之後,「2009年

的台灣現有10個支聯會、2個區會、以及將近50,000名教友。台灣是教會在亞洲的燈塔。」

來自高雄三支會的年輕單身成人黃詩涵目前是高雄一所醫學大學的新鮮人。她在離開高雄

的特別祈禱會後,渴望更加了解福音、更加接近主。

她說:「每個人都在擔心全球經濟,但是貝納長老教導我們,我們會在信心和家庭中找到平

安。他解答了我們的問題。」

貝納長老給台灣聖徒的溫和卻又深具力量的信息,可由他在台北的特別祈禱會上體會出

來,他說:「因為我愛你們,我只想為你們服務、幫助你們。」

對台灣的教友和傳教士而言,使徒來訪的記憶將永銘在心。來自猶他州普柔浮、目前在台

灣台北傳道部服務的 麥長老(Elder Paul Meyers)表示,他在貝納長老與台北傳教士的聚

會中深受感動。 麥長老說:「我離開的時候,明白自己握了一位先知的手,這是我永遠不會

忘記的一件事。」

Photo 1: Elder David A. Bednar and Kaohsiung Mission President William Hsu

Photo 2: Elder & Sister Bednar with (from left as viewed) Elder Kent D. Watson, Elder Sam Wong & Elder Joseph Chung (Crop off Sister on left of photo.)

原文出處:http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/57194/Taiwan-welcomes-Elder-Bednar.htmlBODY




© 2006 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. 版權所有。 版權及使用說明隱私權政策

Tomb records preserved

Church News

Tomb records preserved

By Charlie Chan
Singapore public affairs director

Published: Saturday, May 9, 2009

SINGAPORE

When Dr. Hui Yew Foong, a Research Fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, saw advertisements in the newspapers announcing the government's intention to exhume the Kwong Hou Sua Cemetery, he felt the rich Chinese cultural and ancestor worship heritage found among the tombs should be preserved.

Photo by Annabella Li
Kenneth Lee, left, and his father, John Lee, record inscription found on a tombstone in Singapore's Kwong Hou Sua Cemetery.

The cemetery, which has more than 3,200 tombs, was opened about 80 years ago. Among those buried in this cemetery were early Chinese immigrants including humble laborers as well as business and civic leaders.

Many of the tombstones have inscriptions, which generally give brief accounts of the deceased person, listing the major events of the person's life and the lofty qualities they possessed to perpetuate their name to later generations. The tombstone inscriptions are a rich source of information on Chinese cultural, social and economic history in general and Chinese family histories in particular. Some inscriptions include the names of towns and cities where the deceased persons lived as well as names of spouse and children.

Dr. Hui wanted to record the inscriptions on all the tombstones and the appearances of all the graves. However, he knew he could not do it by himself.

A friend advised him to approach the Genealogical Society of Utah. The Genealogical Society of Utah, or FamilySearch, is funded by the Church. Dr. Hui contacted the Utah Genealogical Society and was referred to the Church in Singapore which houses a branch of the Family History Library.

Photo by Annabella Li
Member volunteers from many nationalities participated in the well-publicized service project.

The Singapore Stake presidency was happy to provide volunteers for preserving Chinese cultural and ancestor worship heritage. Members from the stake responded positively to the call. Their tasks were to record the inscribed epitaphs on the head stones and gravestones and to take digital pictures of the design and layout of the tombs, some elaborate and others simple.

The project was implemented in two phases involving more than 140 church volunteers.

Phase 1 covered June to November 2008. In that phase, more than 80 members managed to preserve the images and inscriptions of more than 2,000 tombs. Phase 2 involved more than 60 church volunteers preserving the records of more than 1,000 tombs from February to April 2009.

The exhumation of the cemetery and the assistance of Christian volunteers to preserve the heritage of Chinese culture, ancestor worship and the histories and lives of early Chinese immigrants to Singapore attracted wide media attention. The country's largest circulation English and Chinese language newspapers carried lengthy articles on this unique cross-cultural project. All the media mentioned that the volunteers were from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The main Chinese language newspaper in particular highlighted the interesting fact that some of the volunteers were from the expatriate community, including Australians, Americans, Filipinos and Malaysians.

After the completion of preservation of records of the tombstones' inscriptions and images, the stake's family history director and consultants will assist in cataloging the records.

© 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company

Tomb records preserved

Church News

Tomb records preserved

By Charlie Chan
Singapore public affairs director

Published: Saturday, May 9, 2009

SINGAPORE

When Dr. Hui Yew Foong, a Research Fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, saw advertisements in the newspapers announcing the government's intention to exhume the Kwong Hou Sua Cemetery, he felt the rich Chinese cultural and ancestor worship heritage found among the tombs should be preserved.

Photo by Annabella Li
Kenneth Lee, left, and his father, John Lee, record inscription found on a tombstone in Singapore's Kwong Hou Sua Cemetery.

The cemetery, which has more than 3,200 tombs, was opened about 80 years ago. Among those buried in this cemetery were early Chinese immigrants including humble laborers as well as business and civic leaders.

Many of the tombstones have inscriptions, which generally give brief accounts of the deceased person, listing the major events of the person's life and the lofty qualities they possessed to perpetuate their name to later generations. The tombstone inscriptions are a rich source of information on Chinese cultural, social and economic history in general and Chinese family histories in particular. Some inscriptions include the names of towns and cities where the deceased persons lived as well as names of spouse and children.

Dr. Hui wanted to record the inscriptions on all the tombstones and the appearances of all the graves. However, he knew he could not do it by himself.

A friend advised him to approach the Genealogical Society of Utah. The Genealogical Society of Utah, or FamilySearch, is funded by the Church. Dr. Hui contacted the Utah Genealogical Society and was referred to the Church in Singapore which houses a branch of the Family History Library.

Photo by Annabella Li
Member volunteers from many nationalities participated in the well-publicized service project.

The Singapore Stake presidency was happy to provide volunteers for preserving Chinese cultural and ancestor worship heritage. Members from the stake responded positively to the call. Their tasks were to record the inscribed epitaphs on the head stones and gravestones and to take digital pictures of the design and layout of the tombs, some elaborate and others simple.

The project was implemented in two phases involving more than 140 church volunteers.

Phase 1 covered June to November 2008. In that phase, more than 80 members managed to preserve the images and inscriptions of more than 2,000 tombs. Phase 2 involved more than 60 church volunteers preserving the records of more than 1,000 tombs from February to April 2009.

The exhumation of the cemetery and the assistance of Christian volunteers to preserve the heritage of Chinese culture, ancestor worship and the histories and lives of early Chinese immigrants to Singapore attracted wide media attention. The country's largest circulation English and Chinese language newspapers carried lengthy articles on this unique cross-cultural project. All the media mentioned that the volunteers were from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The main Chinese language newspaper in particular highlighted the interesting fact that some of the volunteers were from the expatriate community, including Australians, Americans, Filipinos and Malaysians.

After the completion of preservation of records of the tombstones' inscriptions and images, the stake's family history director and consultants will assist in cataloging the records.

© 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company

About Me

我是在1996年12月29日受洗加入耶穌基督後期聖徒教會. 我在此留下我對這復興的福音的見證,我知道約瑟斯密確實是神的先知; 藉由約瑟斯密,神復興了耶穌基督的教會即耶穌基督後期聖徒教會; 摩爾門經是耶穌基督的另一部約書,與聖經共同見證耶穌是基督.而我們今日仍有一位活著的先知,多馬孟蓀會長 I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on December 29, 1996. I know that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God. The Book of Mormon is indeed Another Testament of Jesus Christ. We have a living prophet today, even President Thomas S. Monson.

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