What Will Save America?
President Abraham Lincoln once said these inspiring, and strikingly applicable words,
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves… Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step over the ocean, and crush us at a blow? Never!—All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth in their military chest; with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a Thousand years. At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide."

It has been said that the people largely get the Government they deserve. I agree with this sentiment, for even Lucifer himself, assembled with all of the mighty hosts of hell would have no power over us if we did not surrender it to him. In egotism and pride, we have largely forgotten that our strength is not in the greatness of our armies, but the greatness of our hearts. We are quick to blame our leaders and elected officials, but slow to honestly evaluate "we the people" who elected them. We have become quick to point to any who question the constitutionality and true motivations of corrupt leaders and factions as irrational conspiracy theorists. However, in the pride of our hearts, we dangerously ignore conspiracy fact.

If America is to be saved from the downward sliding slope of destruction, it will not be a result of some political think tank, the Republicans, or Democrats. It will be because we as a people, stand up and say "no more!" It will be because we begin to think more about the welfare of others than we do of ourselves. It will be because the Government, which derives its power from the consent of the governed, will be denied abuses of power by the American people collectively.

May we remember the source from which our freedoms, rights, and liberties emanate. May we recall that each and every human being is endowed with certain inalienable rights from their Creator, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The proper role of limited government is to protect these rights which are inalienably ours. Nowhere in the Constitution or Declaration do we find the role of Government entails granting or giving us rights. God is the source of such rights, and if we turn from believing in absolutes and eternal truths, the Government will and has assumed that role. To accept the premise that Government gives us rights is to accept the premise that Government can take such rights away.

May we be quick to remember the responsibility that is ours to serve and help our fellowman. Who are we really helping when people are stripped of their private property at the whims of Congress? The Government does not make people good. How many Americans at tax time think to themselves, "Wow, I am really helping my starving neighbor out today by filing my taxes. I am so grateful the Government is forcing me to give up a third of my income so that my neighbors can get some fraction of the money I am paying in taxes?" A good society comes from within, not from without. If Government forces us to choose to surrender such a substantial portion of our money, they have robbed us of the choice and the means to be good. Government appropriately derives its power from the consent of the Governed, and therefore cannot excercise any power which is not possessed by an individual member of society. What man has a right to strip their neighbor of his hard earned income, regardless of the allure of his promised agenda?

How much greater we would be as a people if out of love and compassion rather than compulsion, we reached out to those in need because it is the right thing to do. What is more, it is not a new concept to any economically minded individual that government programs, however good their intention, are rewarded for failure. As opposed to the private sector, running such subsidized nationalist businesses do not fail as a result of ineffective management, but are subsidized more. Such subsidies find their basis in taxation, a gross portion of the Americans' incomes who they intend to help with such programs. The private sector can work and will work more effectively if we as Americans recognize a need to serve others. Furthermore, the result will be that we choose to be good, rather than the paradoxical requirements and burdens placed on us by the Government to mandate such behavior. Many Americans would be suprised to learn for example, that private donations by the American people to help developing, impoverished nations of the world are three times as great as those given by the Government.

People are only as free as they are personally responsible. Think of the power that one surrenders when they incessantly rely on some party for their sustenance. How easily persuaded is the man who is driven to do or surrender whatever he must to another to receive his daily bread. When Government becomes the means through which we subsist, man becomes slave, and Government becomes master.

Finally, may we base policy upon true principles, which may be readily discovered through a careful examination of the inspired Constituion of the United States of America. Policy must become the pillars upon which we build our nation. Such pillars will be supported by the American people, or else the edifice of our greatness will crumble to the earth. May we realize that we as a nation cannot force people to be free, we cannot discriminate to end discrimination, and we cannot assume or excercise rights without accepting and establishing responsibility for our actions. Policy without principle, is like being without feeling.

And so I stand with Lincoln, in inviting you my dear friends, to carefully consider what has made our nation great and to humbly recognize the impending forces which threaten its destruction. Our hope is not in government programs our bailouts, but in the good of humanity and those willing to help out. I believe in the American people. I believe there is still so much good in the world today. I believe that we as a people are still good at heart. I invite you to awaken to a sense of your awful situation, that we may not stand divided as Republicans and Democrats, but unite as Americans under God. May our unification stem from the banner which we wave triumphantly and invitingly to all the world, even the Constitution, a heavenly banner.

We Seek After These Things

We Seek After These Things

By

Joshua Merris

Within the chasms of each man’s soul, a yearning lies within

That reaches for the highest heights, and sneers at sight of sin

Amidst a world of pain and doubt, where melancholy reigns

We find a voice which beckons us and comforts us in pain

We need not look to presidents, to kings, or magistrates

For the power is within us to drain the world of hate

Just as the Sun at noonday, we’re guided by the light

Which calls to saint and sinner to press on through darkest nights

Though many masters call to us, we know by whom we’re called

The Master whom we seek to serve is greater than us all

By Him, the light divided from the damper dark abyss

In Him we must place our trust, for He will not lead amiss

In the path He walked before us, we find hope, and perfect love

In vibrant faith we’ll walk with Him and cry to Him above

That spotless in that perfect day, we’ll greet the King of Kings

We’ll welcome Him who died for us, who triumphed o’er death’s sting

In His presence, our knees will bend, our feeble tongues confess

His holy name, Jesus the Christ, who bled in awfulness

Reunion sweet, can mortal man, begin to comprehend?

What rapture will fill each bosom, as we greet our truest friend

We long for that Heavenly home, where saints and angels sing

For this, and for the good of man, we seek after these things

He Thought of You

This is a poem that I wrote while I was a "greeny" missionary in Twin Falls, Idaho. For whatever reason, I have felt inspired to post it on my blog. I hope that it may be of meaning or help to someone.

He Thought of You
By
Elder J. Merris

His fists clenched in agony of the pain He sought to bare
Perhaps He saw your face and mine, as He bled and suffered there
He looked at you and pondered, if your soul was worth it all
The blood which drenched His garments, in bitterness and gall
But He rejoiced at the thought of you and all that you are worth
He thought of the chasms you could not cross without Him on this earth
He called upon the Father with perfect love unfeigned
But He knelt alone that night, when His blood dripped like drops of rain

As He stumbled through the streets, scorned by thoughtless men
He lifted his own cross, and thought of you again
There was love in His eyes as nails pierced His gentle flesh
He thought of you and all mankind, and how you would be blessed
Amidst the hostile crowds, He knew each person too
And said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."
He could have stopped it all as He hung there on that day
But then He thought of you, and the pains you feel today

He departed from His body, to Heaven up above
Perhaps he met you face to face, and embraced you with His love
And yet we often wonder, and sometimes we forget
The mercy that was wrought for us, so that our needs could be met
And do we always remember Him in moments of despair
The way He thought of each us and that love which we felt there
At the thought of us, He paid the price, that we may live again
And so each day I'll think of Him, the Savior of all men

GRACE

I have given much thought recently to the topic of grace. I feel that it is perhaps the most under appreciated and perhaps more appropriately, misunderstood doctrine of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This morning, I studied the topic in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ and found some remarkable and significant teachings regarding this subject. As grateful as I am for revelation received and knowledge ascertained during this time of intent study, I am significantly more grateful for a subsequent experience, which though seemingly insignificant, was in fact a blessing from the Lord in teaching me more about grace than I ever could have learned by reading words on paper alone.
I was late to campus as usual and had little time before University Chorale, a class whose grade is completely contingent on attendance, to grab some lunch. I was standing in the line at Tomassito's when I noticed in front of me a boy who was physically handicapped, yet seemed to posess all other faculties aside from the use of his body. I watched him as he struggled to communicate what it was he wanted, and then, in humiliation grabbed his tray only to spill his food. I was moved by his intent perseverance. My heart was touched as I witnessed this young man, inwardly capable of so much, struggle to make his body work. Despite his very best effort, the task at hand was simply too much for him to complete alone.
Moved by his sincere, yet failing effort, I volunteered to carry his tray for him. I grabbed a fork for him and carried his tray to where he would sit. He expressed gratitude for the help rendered, yet I had greater reason to be grateful in expression of how he had helped me. I felt as if I were walking on sacred ground as I said goodbye to my new friend.
I do not share this story to bring undue attention to myself, for I merely did what ought to have been done. I share it to point to Him who is greatest of all, the Savior and Redeemer of all the world, even Jesus Christ. I can picture a loving Savior and Friend, perfect in every way imaginable to us, watching each of us struggle in our imperfections. He watches with love as we give all that we can, yet continually come short of all that our inner divine potential would allow. He does not acknowledge or tell us of our weakness because he wishes to make us feel inferior or unable, but because he wishes for us to realize that we are not alone and can do all things with His power. I can picture Him walking by our side, lifting us as we fall, stabilizing us when we struggle, and wiping our tears when it seems that all hope is lost. It is in this way that grace is not merely a power, but an event. Grace is the means by which Christ enables us to walk with Him and eventually to walk like Him. It is a power which can only be fully appreciated by those who have given their all, allowing Christ to justly intercede as if to say of our futile but sincere efforts, "it is enough." It is through grace that we come to know the Savior, and ultimately learn to become like Him.
I testify that Jesus' empathy is indeed earned. He descended below all things that He might justly receive the right and power from the Father to lift us above all things. He has given us something better - a sphere of light and understanding which the world cannot give, nor take away. He is my Savior, my Lord, and my King. Above all, He stands ready to receive us with open arms as we are willing to receive Him, and pay the price of all that we are, in honoring all that He gave. He paid a terrible price for every person that we will ever know. He paid an infinite price with His own blood, because we are of infinite worth. It is my hope that we may stand with Him by lifting those around us with love in our hearts. It is my sincere testimony that we will come to know him more greatly from helping others than we ever could by helping ourselves.

Top 10 Reasons to Vote for Chuck Norris for President

I am a little disenchanted with the election this year. I have never bought into the "lesser of two evils" argument that so many seem to readily accept and even advocate. That is why I am going to use my vote as wisely as possible and vote for Chuck Norris. You may think that seems a little radical or crazy, but you won't feel that way after you read my top ten personal reasons that I will be voting for Chuck Norris come this November. Let's start a revolution. Vote for Chuck Norris:

10) Chuck Norris' isn't afraid of weapons of mass destruction. Chuck Norris is a weapon of mass destruction.
9) Chuck Norris is pro-choice - make the choice to get an abortion and he will make the choice to give you a roundhouse kick to the face.
8) Chuck Norris supports the death penalty and enforces it with his fists on a regular basis.
7) The energy crisis would be over - Chuck can power his car for days on a pint of his own urine.
6) Chuck Norris' foreign policy is simple and cost effective. That's because Chuck could easily kick the head off of any foreign leader with one roundhouse kick to the face.
5) Chuck Norris believes in the right to carry concealed weapons. After all, he does everyday just by wearing pants.
4) Chuck Norris doesn't believe that evolution should be taught in schools. That's because natural selection is predicated upon which living creatures Chuck decides to let live.
3) If Chuck Norris were elected president, we could immediately withdraw all of our troops and send Chuck to the middle east to end the war with a few roundhouse kicks to the face.
2) Chuck Norris doesn't need a running mate. His shadow is smarter, quicker, and better looking than Joe Biden or Sarah Palin.
1) John McCain is old. Chuck Norris doesn't get older, he just gets stronger.

A Longing for Home

Well, after realizing that I hadn't written anything for over a month now, I decided I ought to take some time and express some of the feelings I have had recently about life.
I felt impressed yesterday that within every human soul is a longing for our Heavenly Home. Even to the atheist, there is inevitably a longing for something deep within, something that the world cannot give or take away. It is this longing which governs our thoughts, our actions, and our greatest desires. In this life, there seems to be moments in which we become better acquainted with that which we are longing for. They are moments when the divine is within reach, and we realize that we are not feeling something new, but remembering that which we always knew. Even before our glorious reuniting with Heavenly parents and angelic hosts, we may in awesome wonder, consider and taste of that wondrous celestial state even while abiding on a telestial earth.
Can any comprehend what it would be like for one who has been blind to suddenly gaze upon the beauty of a sunset, or to view with awesome grandeur the colors of spring? Can any begin to fathom what feelings and rapture would fill the heart of one who was once deaf and suddenly given power to hear the vibrant sounds of heavenly symphonies or to listen to the melodic sound of a bird? Yet, in seeking to comprehend the grandeur of such, we may only begin to understand what it will be like for each of us to one day return to Father's loving arms. "For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am known (1 Cor 13:12)." I long for home.

Stepping Stones

"... deep down in our quiet reflective moments of oneness with Divinity, we know there is no outside force that can steal away our spiritual strength. Every event, every encounter, every disaster, however despairing it may seem to the outward eye, may be met with spiritual success. A temporal tragedy need never result in a spiritual defeat. To the contrary, such "tragedies" have often proven the springboard for a sublime spiritual victory. One man accepts his deafness by excoriating God; another, Beethoven, scores the Ninth Symphony. One woman with loss of sight sees only darkness; another with greater vision, Helen Keller,becomes a beacon to a blinded world. One man responds to his disease with loss of faith; another, Job, declares,"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him (Job 13:15)."One man loses his wife and in the process his zest for life; another, Robert Browning, draws ever deeper from the well to pen with compelling passion poetry of divine dimensions. One man may respond to the seemingly disastrous events of life with vengeance and venom; another may respond with humble submissiveness to God's will, an appreciation for life as it is, and a firm resolve to be better. For one, lifes challenges and tragedies become stumbling blocks; for the other, they become stepping stones." - Tad Callister
I feel that in life, I have been anxious to climb to the highest heights of the greatest mountains, but have often found discomfort in the sweat which has lined my brow and the thorns which have pierced my reaching hands on my quest there. Yet, in quiet moments, I find that the journey is what shapes my destination. It is the pain, not the peace, of the climb which beckons me on. In life, it is the blood, and sweat, and tears that make us. "The greater the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly." - Thomas Paine
It has been said that great battles do not make great men - great men make great battles. In looking to the future, I have learned that I decide my destiny. I am the maker of my dreams, and no longer seek to rely on others to make them for me. Let the battles begin.