Never alone

Every once in a while I like to do this thing in my scripture study.  I hear on occasion that we are in a "war" or a "battle" with Satan.  I believe that this is true.  I believe that Satan is battling every day over as many souls as he can get.  He is a miserable little puke and all he wants is to drag as many down as he can.  The saying misery loves company is never truer than with the great devil himself. 

So back to my scripture study, I like to do this thing and I call it game film on Lucifer.  Every great team that are champions study game film on their opponents.  They study their tendencies, weaknesses, and strengths in order to gain an advantage.  Once again I believe that Satan has watched eons of game film on us and there is a good chance he has watched game film on you personally.  He knows our tendencies, weaknesses, and strengths and he works to exploit them.  And as much as a little puke he is, he is good at what he does.  So it's only fair and only makes sense to study a little film on him.  Learn his tendencies, his strengths, his old fall backs, and even his weaknesses so that we can know what play he might run next. 

So I thought that I might share one little tendency that I saw on film today.  In Sunday school we were reading a few verses on Satan and we were talking about putting on the armor of God.  Those are great verses.  They are read often by Mormons and Christians, and I think Satan knows them by heart, well if he had one, but he doesn't.  So he can't know them by heart but he probably still knows them.  I think it is interesting to note that there is no mention made of back armor.  Every good soldier knows that back armor is not as important as long as someone has your back.  I think that Satan has also noticed that.  With that in mind I would like to make an observation on one of Satans plays that he tries to run all the time. Satan wants everyone to feel as if they are alone.  That no one has their back.  He wants every person that lives on the planet to feel as if no one understands them.  He wants them to feel cold, and separated.  He wants them to feel as if they are alone. 

I wanted to take a moment to blog this because it is an answer I wanted to share but I didn't.  I think it's important to note that Satan wants all of us to feel like we are the only ones trying to live the law of chastity and keep ourselves morally clean.  He wants us to feel like we are the only ones reading our scriptures at night.  Satan wants us to feel like we are the only ones trying to be a good example.  He wants us to think that we are the only ones that have rough days.  The truth is that we are never alone.  By looking around at church we can realize we are not alone.  By talking with friends we can know we are not alone.  By spending time with family we realize we are not alone.  And in the event we truly feel no one else can help us, the Savior personally knows what you are going through and how to help.  That is the power of the atonement, that no matter what spot we may hit in life we are never alone.  And in this there is really strength in numbers.  We have the best to cover our back.  

"And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his ^aeyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and ^bchariots of fire round about Elisha."

--2 Kings 6:16-18

 So here's to never being alone.  Take that Satan!

Over or under 26?

The Utah Jazz will be ok.  The Utah Jazz always are.  It's me that i'm worried about.  Don't worry I think i'll make it too.  I mean we remember 26-56 right?  We remember Carlos Arroyo, Raul Lopez, Kris Humphries, and Gordon Giricek right?  And the thing is I like this team a ton better than I like any of those guys so that makes it better.  The point is the Jazz have been through some rough seasons, and they will go through some more rough seasons.  It's like I have been saying this past week, it's easy to love the idea of rebuilding in the off season.  But to stick to it, and carry it through that is what makes it tough.

The thing is I like this Jazz team.  I think they are good and I don't even really mind that they are 0-4.  I like the effort, and I have liked the play so far.  All this is even before Trey Burke hits the floor for his first regular season NBA appearance.  That is the biggest gaping hole that is noticable on this team.  I like the pieces we have.  I like our starting five, including Richard Jefferson.  I like Alec Burks off the bench, and I think he will continue to thrive in that role. 

As a fan I try to be just that, a FANatic.  I try not to voice what I think the team ought to do, because it's like listening to the dog bark, no one wants to hear it.  So all I will say is this, I sure hope that Trey Burke is awesome.  I don't mean that I hope he is awesome the instant he steps on the floor because I know that won't happen.  He is a 20 year old out of Michigan.  He will make mistakes, miss shots, and have turnovers.  No I don't want him to be awesome from day one.  I want him to be awesome at game 53 after he learned from earlier turnovers.  I want him to be awesome in years to come hitting 50% of his shots and assisting 8 times a game.  I want him to be the type of point guard our young guys need.  I will also say this, good NBA teams have good point guards.  There are no if's ands or buts about it.  Good teams have good point guards, or people that can play the point guard position and direct an offense, hit open guys, and hit open shots.  The Jazz lack solid point guard play through the first four games of this season and it shows.  But I think it will get better.  I think that is all I will say about that. 

So the whole point of this is just to say that we will make it through this season no matter what happens.  82 games in and 82 games out.  I'll be there, and i'll be here in April too...still wearing my Jazz shirts i'm sure.  So as always Go Jazz!

A child of Winter

November is one of my favorite months.  Seriously it is.  First of all I love the fall in general, and the last two falls have been absolutely awesome.  A nice long few weeks to a month of 60-75 degree weather while the leaves are changing, the days are getting shorter.  It is a great time of year.  Now to November specifically I am not sure why exactly I love it so much.  I always have though.  November just always bring a smile to my face, so as I reflect on November and all of it's goodness I try to make sense of why I love it so much and here are a few things that make it good

-Football season is in full swing
-Weather getting colder
-Thanksgiving
-With Thanksgiving the beginning of "the holidays"
-Sweats
-Jazz basketball season
-World series just ended
-Snow!!
-Ski season starts
-Leaves falling off the trees

Like I said that is only a few of the things that make November truly magical.  But I still am not sure that it is those things that make me love it so much.  Maybe if all of those things did not happen I would still love the month of November as much.  I can't be quite sure to be honest.  But all of those things help to enhance November.  So happy November to all and to all a happy November.