Instructions/Directions: Given for the Benefit of All

Being a college kid, one of my staple meals is Mac n Cheese. My cupboard always has 3 or 4 boxes. It's such a simple thing to make! Why would you need directions? Add water. Heat until soft. Add butter, milk, and the cheese-y powder. You know what? Why follow the directions? If I only add butter all of the cheese-y powder all gets mixed in. The only reason there is milk is to make sure that all of the powder is dissolved, right? The butter and moisture of the noodles takes care of that. I'm not going add milk anymore. They only say to add 1/4 cup of milk anyways. That's not enough to really do anything anyways. ... several weeks later: I've got a lot of milk, I can spare 1/4 cup for my mac n cheese. Lo and behold! It tastes significantly better! Man! Those mac 'n cheese companies knew what they were talking about when they said to add milk! Why didn't I listen to them before?
Obviously I'd have been better off if I had just regularly added milk to my mac n cheese. It's not that hard of a thing to do, but I thought I knew better than the directions. I was wrong. As it turns out, people give us directions or instructions for a  purpose, and this purpose is beneficial quite often.
     By no means am I the poster-child for following directions, but I'm going to try and be better at it now. Instructions and directions are given from one group to another to advise them on how to do something whether it be how to build a bookcase, make mac n cheese, or how to treat others. Trying to help others is the idea behind giving instructions.
     Sometimes we are given directions and we aren't told why it is important to follow them, but sometimes we don't need everything explained to us. Sometimes we just need to put our faith and trust in those that are giving us the directions and believe that they know better than we know why it is good to follow the instructions.
     We can't know and understand everything(yet), and maybe we never can. There are those who know more than we know, and there are those that know less than we know. As you receive instructions, ask yourself these questions:
-What do I hope to gain by following these directions or stand to lose by not following them?
-Who gave these instructions? Are they knowledgeable enough to give these instructions? What is their purpose in giving these instructions?
-Were these instructions given to help me or to hurt me?
A lot of the time, the answers to these questions will be positive and point to following the instructions.
     In the end, no one can force you to do anything. It is up to each individual to decide whether or not to do this or that. I hope all choose to follow those instructions that will benefit themselves as well as those around them, and I invite those of you reading this to follow those directions that are most beneficial: be smart, be wise and remember your divine heritage.

Be the Best You you can be

It's been a few months since my last post, and for this I apologize to whomever read these and found something in the words. To be honest, I wasn't sure when or if I was going to continue writing these posts, but my attention returned to this blog when a friend, Miss Staniforth, mentioned how much she liked my blog posts. This made me re-evaluate what I was doing.
Funny thing about life: You can never be sure which or how many eyes are watching you, but you can almost always be certain there are eyes on you even if it doesn't feel like it. This is what I realized when Miss Staniforth made her comment.
What are you supposed to do with all of these people watching you? How do you act? Should you say what you say? By no means should you let what others do or say control your actions, but I find that life is best lived when you are being the best you can possibly be. I know that the best me is a me that is helping others, so I will keep writing this blog for others who may use these words as they see fit for their own benefit.
There are so many different things I could quote that talk about us being the best us we can be, or in other words-being an example. There are only about 1 bajillion different scriptures that share the importance of "being an example of the believers"(1 Timothy 4:12) because we are a "city set upon a hill that cannot be hid"(Matthew 5:14-16). Why would we want to be an example? For the very reason that made me write this post: People are watching. It is not only your life that gets better when you are being the best you can be, but the lives of all those around you also improve. Whether it be those youth that look up to you and hope to someday be like you because you are the coolest person alive, those roommates and classmates who look at you because you are there and can be looked at, or those older than you who hope to see you grow and become something more-Someone is always watching.
Many who watch you, watch you because they care. Know this and go forward with a smile because it will make your day and the day for those watching that much more bright.

"Sand, it's everywhere. Get used to it." -Genie, Aladdin and the King of Thieves

Almost every trip to the beach you go on, sand ends up everywhere! You don't want it too, but it does regardless of how hard you try(unless of course you are someone like me that doesn't go into the water because your weird or something like that.....). That's as far as this sand analogy is going. What am I trying to relate sand to? Losing. Unfortunately we can't all be Charlie Sheen, so we can't all be "winning" all the time. We lose. Losing is inevitable. There will always be somebody better(unless you actually are better than the other 14 billion people on the earth-in which case, congratulations!).
     Why am I talking about losing? Well, I've just recently started playing chess again. I started out playing a level 3 computer, and I was doing well. I beat it the majority of the time. I decided to move on to a level 4 computer. My winning percentage is 17%. I'm 3-15. This last game was the absolute worst. The queen took out more than half of my pieces before I even managed to take one of their pawns. It was absolutely pathetic. By the end of the game I had lost all of my pieces and only knocked out the queen and that pawn. It was absolutely irrevocably ridiculous! Needless to say, I was a tad bit upset with myself. As you can tell, through my posting this blog no serious damage was inflicted to anything that matters.
     This past week my ultimate frisbee team lost also. It wasn't a bad loss. It was close, but we still lost. This lost came in the second round of tournament play after I had "scouted out" the other team and determined them to not be that good(shows how much I know...).
     Some losses are harder than others, but there will almost always be losses. The best way to deal with these losses is to accept that they will happen, and then move on, improving so that next time they aren't so bad.
I apologize if I sound callous and a tad bit unfeeling. This blog is more targeted at myself than it is at others. I'm trying to share experience, when I have very little. blah blah blah rant rant rant THE END

Perseverance Through the Downs and Downs of Life

Oh boy! Could I tell you stories about this one! I'll definitely share a few because I like them.
Some times are harder than other times. Other times are harder than those some times. It seems like the grass is greener on the other side 98.36545% of the time. Despite all of this hard stuff, life is good! It gets better! It might not seem like it, but life will improve! It might not happen tomorrow; it might not happen next year. Who knows? Maybe it might not even happen for the next twenty or forty years. It still gets better! Don't give up because you didn't get your way this time or the time before.-Alright, I've dragged this on long enough! Story time! I do apologize, this will be very Sorencentric because I've got some actual personal stories to tell.
     A few weeks ago I had a friend taking a test in the Testing Center here at BYU. Friends can leave notes and treats for those taking tests near the exit because everybody goes one way. My roommate and I decided to leave a note and some KitKats because she likes KitKats. We get to the TC hoping that there are KitKats in the vending machine, and lo and behold: There weren't any! We ran over to the next building checking those vending machines with no luck. I decided to hop on my bike and ride it across campus to the 'grocery store' to get these KitKats because they were that important. As I rode back to the TC pedaling my heart out, I hit a little bump and my chain fell off! I immediately got off the bike and proceeded to run[in retrospect it probably would have been faster to put the chain back on and continue riding] the KitKats down to the Testing Center! I made it there in time. The friend got the notes and the KitKats.
Through this story I get to say I, literally, hit a bump in the rode. I didn't stop though! I didn't let it get me down! I just kept on trekking and that is the advice I give to you! Keep on trekking!     
     That wasn't may only story! I'll share just one more because this is running longer than I wanted it to. As those of you who have met me know I've got a little issue with the right side of my face. I was born with nerve damage in my face and, as a result of this, ...have the beautiful smile I have. At times it slurs my speech, and I'm probably legally blind in my right eye.
I don't know how best to relate this, mainly because it has been a 'problem' my entire life. I've lived with it forever and so I've adapted to it. It's not an issue for me except when I meet a new person, and even then it's a great way to keep a conversation going!
    I don't know if I can stress this enough. Life can be hard. It wouldn't be an adventure or a learning experience if it weren't for these hard times. We need to push through them because we can. Giving up is easy. Anybody can give up. It takes a champion to say: I'll fight to the end. Be that champion that I know you are if you are reading this.

Gratitude: Giving, Showing, and Receiving

     Thanks. Thank you. Gracias. Danke. Merci. Thanks eh(Sorry to all Canadians and Canadian lovers. I couldn't think of a better way to distinguish between American and Canadian). Domo Arigato. These are all phrases we use to express our gratitude. Words: not the only words, but very popular ones.
     Gratitude: a simple word with simple implications.
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     I thought I'd let you know that it's been a few weeks since I started writing this. Upon further review, I have decided that "gratitude" might not be such a simple word.
    Giving gratitude. This is probably the easiest and most overlooked. It's easy to say one is grateful and give a curt "thanks" when somebody does something nice. When you are saying that thanks, are you saying it because you really are grateful that somebody did something gratifying or are you just saying it out of habit? I know that 98 out of 100 times it is the first and not the second. I wish I could say that was true for me. Personally, it is probably closer to 90 out of 100. There are just some times when I'm not paying enough attention to anything and I just throw it out there. It is important to say thank you. It helps those that are serving you know that you care.
      Showing gratitude. Why did I separate this from giving gratitude? Because I feel it is a little bit different. I feel that giving gratitude is a sign of thanksgiving to the servant. Showing gratitude is reciprocating this kindness that was shown to you to others. If you felt good because somebody served you, help others feel good by serving them. Sometimes when the acts of service are larger than what seem normal we say things like "How can I ever repay you?" and stuff like that. The best way to repay them is to go and serve others and give them the good feeling of being served.
      Receiving gratitude. This is where I fall shortest. Earlier I said it is important to say thank you so that the servant knows that you care that they served you, but I am quite the opposite. I don't care too much for the recognition. If somebody does recognize your service, it is important to acknowledge their recognition with something like "you're welcome" or "my pleasure". It may seem like this could become an endless cycle, but this is where it ends. Know that you did something good for somebody and know that they are glad that you did it. Be happy and go help someone else now.

Service: A Response to "Do the Right Thing at the Right Time, Without Delay" by Jose L Alonso

Elder José L Alonso of the Seventy spoke to us about service. Elder Alonso said “In our day many people are living in the midst of sadness and great confusion … not finding answers to their questions and … unable to meet their needs.” As servants of our Savior Jesus Christ—whose example we are trying to follow—it is our responsibility to help those who are lost, troubled, or seek answers. Elder Alonso expressed that it is our duty to “do the right thing at the right time, without delay.”

We must be ready to serve when we are called to serve. Elder Alonso recounted the story of how he and his wife lost their son while shopping in Mexico. It would not have been a good idea to plan on meeting a week later to decide how they were going to look for their son. They needed to act in that moment when they lost him. We must be similarly ready to act when called upon. Opportunities to serve come in many forms.

We need to be ready to help those who have passed on without a knowledge of the gospel by learning how to index and do family history.

Priesthood holders need to be prepared to go and give a blessing when called upon to do so.

We should be ready to do a difficult task, remembering that “the Lord giveth know commandment unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.”

If you are the one in need of service, be ready to ask for help. People cannot read minds as much as they would love to be able to. Elder Alonso shared that “[e]veryone has opportunities to give service show love.” The way that we gain these opportunities is by people telling us about them. You will not be shunned because you ask for help. To reverse a very popular scripture on service: It is important to remember that by being served by others we are allowing them to serve God.

Not all service is done right away. Some does take planning. Be prepared to serve when called upon in the future to help those in need.

One important at of service is missionary work. Elder Alonso said “There are many who need to once again experience the sweet savor of happiness and joy through activity in the Church. That happiness comes from receiving the ordinances, making sacred covenants, and keeping the. The Lord needs us to help them.”

Doctrine&Covenants Section 4 tells us “see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength...if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work; For behold the field is white already to harvest”

It said “the field IS white already to harvest” It didn't say the field will be ready two or three years from now; it said it is ready now. We must be prepared to thrust in our sickle and serve others by bringing them unto the truth and light of the gospel whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Elder Alonso quoted President Monson as saying “those whom we serve, who have felt through our labors the touch of the Master's hand, somehow cannot explain the change which comes into their lives. There is a desire to serve faithfully, to walk humbly, and to live more like the Savior.”

By serving others we not only bring ourselves closer to Christ, we bring those we are serving closer to Christ.

Elder Alonso spoke of how the Savior's life “was a life of service.” He said: “When we serve our neighbor, we help those who are in need. … As we emulate the Savior, we show our love to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and we become more like Them.”

Just as our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love all of us, we too must emulate this love for all. We can show this love by serving all of those around us. Elder Alonso shared with us this truth about our Savior's love, saying: “He blessed them one by one. That is the model the Savior has given us. His love is for all, but He never forgets the one.”

Never forget the one, for the one is just as important as the ninety and nine. Remember to serve as many as you can, but do not do this for the praise of those around you. Lose yourself in the service-it is a sweeter feeling than any felt through the praise of man.

Elder Alonso shared this quote from President Monson: “The Lord Expects our thinking. He expects our action. He expects our labors. He expects our testimonies. He expects our devotion.”

Awesomeness, Pride, Humility, and being who we are

I'm going to open this blog with a disclaimer: Everything I say is true or what I believe to be true. I say things like they are: I am not trying to make myself out to be anything other than what I am.

     Last night I was texting a friend discussing meetings that we needed to attend. She said that she might not be able to make the meeting. I told her that I was okay with that and that I would fill her in on anything important that she misses. She responds: "Haha thanks Soren....You're awesome!" to which I give my normal response: "I'm not awesome. I'm just me." She then says "No you really are awesome Soren. I mean it"
     This is not the first time I have had this happen. I am not doing this to blow my own horn or anything: I deny (m)any claims people make about my "awesomeness"(I take in those instances where it is actually warranted).
      I know I'm not qualified to write about this due to my own skewed view of the world, but in its own way, this skewed view allows me to write this. I like to call myself  "THE average Joe". I can do a lot of stuff at a very mediocre or basic level. This is my main argument against any claims of "awesomeness". I am not extraordinary. I'm actually pretty plain old ordinary. It is for this reason that I will write about pride and humility at this time.
     Pride: a very important thing when used in moderation. It is important to be proud of the flag that (hopefully) waves over much of the land. You should have pride in your team and the people that stand with you. You should even have pride in yourself. As long as this pride stays pride, you are okay. You start to sink yourself when this pride becomes arrogance and you put yourself above others. You may be able to do math better than others or throw a ball farther, but you should not use these things as justification for not helping others or thinking less of them. If humility is "not thinking less of ones self but thinking of ones self less", pride is "lifting people up, not pushing them down".
     On the flip side of the coin there is humility. I could say that I've already said everything there is to say in the little quote above, but I won't. Just because you can't do something well doesn't mean you should give up on life. I lack any talent whatsoever. That doesn't mean I'm going to curl up in a corner and waste my life. By that same token, you need to keep your feet grounded if you are good at something. People have said "there will always be somebody better" and 99% of the time this is true. For that 1% of the time that you are "the best" use that: Teach and share that talent with others. Don't sit on a cloud and keep your talent hidden. Share it. Help lift others up.
     Pride is good. Humility is good. A combination of the two is even better. Lift up others. Lift up yourself. Raise the world to a higher level.