The Importance of Temples

"Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price is too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort. . . ."

Shader Final Project

One of these Rubix Cubes is fake, but which is it?

I took a picture of only 3 Rubix Cubes. I modeled, textured, and lit the fake cube, and then I composited it into the picture above. Pretty Cool!

I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

Whose way do we follow?

It has been way too long since I last went to the gym. With everything going on, mainly being busy with school, I got out of the habit of going. It was good to have gone tonight, but man am I exhausted. I would also like to add that while I was working out, I was listening to conference talks from this last General Conference (I know, not the traditional stuff people listen to pump themselves up while exercising, but hey). I was able to listen to several talks. All were fantastic of course, but something that Pres. Uchtdorf said in his talk to the Priesthood specifically stood out to me:

"The Lord's way is not to sit at the side of the stream and wait for the water to pass before we cross. It is to come together, roll up our sleeves, go to work, and build a bridge or a boat to cross the waters of our challenges."

I suppose Pres. Uchtdorf is two for two today on great quotes. Anywho, for me, it was definitely something to think about.

Apparently elevators don't only have calming music

I read a great quote by Pres. Uchtdorf in the Crabtree Building elevator this morning:

"There is beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions... We would do well to slow down a little..focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most."

It can be hard not to get so consumed in your own life with everything that is constantly fighting for our time and attention. The scriptures say in Alma 34, "This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God," and this preparing is not easy. It is meant to be hard. It is meant to require more of us than we feel we have to give. It is breaking that barrier that we truly can be prepared. The solution is hard, but it is also simple.

there is a light at the end...

"Things have a way of working out." - Boyd K. Packer, CES Fireside November 2011

love

"If one really loves another, one would rather die than to injure him." - Elder Spencer W. Kimball

"supposed to"

Most people that know me, know that I don't like the phrase "supposed to" (or "should"), and that is generally true. This is mainly because I feel a lot of people use the phrase incorrectly, stifling theirs and other's agency. But I have to be honest, there are several times when I wish I could just know whether or not I'm doing what I'm supposed to.

...this is definitely one of those times.

scriptures in the temple. . .

Today was a great day to go to the temple. As I waited to go inside the endowment session, I read a couple of scriptures that I found quite meaningful:

Matthew 6:30 - Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he not provide for you, if ye are not of little faith.

Matthew 6:33-34 - Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.

words in italics come from the footnotes JST