tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82179227728439313542024-03-21T17:04:36.078-07:00Today's ShadowNo matter what happened yesterday, good or bad, it's in today's shadow.T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-7373955729880063352016-02-13T22:30:00.002-08:002016-02-13T22:30:58.398-08:00Almost Three Years LaterWell, I haven't written on here in almost three years. Two years, eight months, and 22 days, but who's counting?<br />
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A lot has happened. I went to Cape Verde on my mission. While there I became miserably ill and had to come home after only two-and-a-half months. When I got home I reapplied to BYU and was going to go back in about one month, but three weeks before I was supposed to leave I met a woman named Tina and her adorable daughter Olivia. One week before I was supposed to go back I decided not to go. I got a job at a local restaurant and kept getting to know this amazing woman. I enrolled at a local community college and asked Tina to marry me. While we were engaged we got a job managing an apartment complex an hour away and so Tina was living there, but teaching where I lived full time, while I was in school full time and managing the apartment complex while juggling wedding planning and our sweet little Olivia.<br />
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After we got married I earned my Associate's Degree in Psychology at a different community college and worked at an amazing Hardware Store. My wife managed the apartment complex that we lived at, and we had a baby. Just after the baby came we moved back to BYU and I am going to school full time while working for a company that houses and cares for individuals with mental illness or traumatic brain injuries that prevent them from being fully independent. And now you are all caught up.<br />
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That brings us to why I am writing now. I am currently experiencing reactive depression and panic attacks. I am depressed because I am a little over a year from graduating from college and I still have no idea how I am going to provide for my family. Will I work right out of school (and doing what?), or will I go to grad school? How am I going to make enough money to pay the bills? I guess I am really feeling depressed because I am feeling inadequate. And I have been having panic attacks that my wife is going to die and I am going to be left alone with a newborn and that Olivia will be taken from me and go live with her biological dad. I don't know why I am having these panic attacks, but they are pretty miserable. I don't know why I am putting this up here, but I guess I just needed to write it down. Anyway, for anyone reading this I hope that you are doing better than I am right now. I have full confidence that I will be fine and I will figure it out and have no problem taking care of my family, but intellectual knowledge and emotional knowledge are not the same thing.T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-1955446282335821932013-05-19T19:41:00.001-07:002013-05-19T19:41:50.627-07:00My Call to Cape Verde<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have been called to the Cape Verde Praia Mission, Portuguese speaking. But I didn’t get a mission call like a normal person. I got a phone call from my stake president on Friday April 26<sup>th</sup> at 7:30pm and he told me that he had received an email saying I need to submit a visa application if I wanted to leave on May 14<sup>th</sup>. This email was the first thing either of us had heard about it so it was a big surprise to be going abroad since I was told that most missionaries that come home from abroad return to a stateside mission. I have nothing against the states, but apparently the Lord has a work for me to do abroad using Portuguese. I still don’t know what I need to pack, how long I’ll be gone, or anything like that, but my stake president is going to call the mission department today and hopefully get some of those necessary details for me.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cape Verde is a 20 island nation with only nine inhabitable islands and six islands with church members on them. There are about a half million people that live in Cape Verde and 8000 church members which means that one in every 63 people are members of the church. They had their first stake organized last year and they have only had missionaries in Cape Verde since 1988 so the church is still very young there. Their diet consists almost entirely of fruits, vegetables, and meat so I should be eating pretty well. They don’t take boats between the islands much, so maybe I’ll get to fly between islands each transfer. That’d be pretty fun. It is a very laid back nation and often you could wait hours to make a deposit at the bank because people there prefer relationships to speed or ease. There are a lot of common-law marriages so the Law of Chastity is going to be a big one on the islands. They are a race of mixed black and white people so it is very common to black man or woman with blond hair and blue eyes or a white person with black hair. The economy is based almost entirely on tourism so it should be a very clean place. Because the islands were uninhabited and had no animals or plants before the Portuguese planted and built there, there are essentially no bugs and the only predator that I have to worry about is a scorpion with a sting like a wasp.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Given everything I have read about Cape Verde it sounds like the place I was always meant to serve and live in. I feel like my time in Brazil was a training ground for missionary life so that I could do better in Cape Verde. I think it is truly amazing how Heavenly Father can know us so well that He can plan such intricate journeys for us that always seem to work out just right. I am so filled with light and joy right now that any words I try to use to describe it fall short of the fullness in my heart and so I will avoid such lavish words and stick to words used by our God. It is good</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you want to follow my new mission blog you will find it at: <a href="http://elderbushmanincapeverde.blogspot.com/">http://elderbushmanincapeverde.blogspot.com/</a> </span></div>
T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-57825306221372620842013-03-19T13:36:00.003-07:002013-03-19T20:36:55.253-07:00Happiness is a Choice<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have always asserted, and will continue to assert that happiness is a choice. Granted, there are clinical conditions that make it more difficult to choose to be happy, and I have been on both sides of this coin, but I almost always choose to be happy because life is so much easier that way. One time I met a girl at a party and said "Hey, life is easier when you smile" and she has been one of my best friends and a great influence in my life. I read this and I thought that this was a good list of measurable and acheivable items that you can choose to make life happier. I will do better in my life, and I hope that you can live happier and more fulfilled lives because of something that is said.</span><br />
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"By Chiara Fucarino<br />
There are two types of people in the world: those who choose to be happy, and those who choose to be unhappy. Contrary to popular belief, happiness doesn’t come from fame, fortune, other people, or material possessions. Rather, it comes from within. The richest person in the world could be miserable while a homeless person could be right outside, walking around with a spring in every step. Happy people are happy because they <em>make</em> themselves happy. They maintain a positive outlook on life and remain at peace with themselves.<br />
The question is: how do they do that?<br />
It’s quite simple. Happy people have good habits that enhance their lives. They do things differently. Ask any happy person, and they will tell you that they …<br />
<strong>1. Don’t hold grudges.</strong><br />
Happy people understand that it’s better to forgive and forget than to let their negative feelings crowd out their positive feelings. Holding a grudge has a lot of detrimental effects on your wellbeing, including increased depression, anxiety, and stress. Why let anyone who has wronged you have power over you? If you let go of all your grudges, you’ll gain a clear conscience and enough energy to enjoy the good things in life.<br />
<strong>2. Treat everyone with kindness.</strong><br />
Did you know that it has been scientifically proven that being kind makes you happier? Every time you perform a selfless act, your brain produces serotonin, a hormone that eases tension and lifts your spirits. Not only that, but treating people with love, dignity, and respect also allows you to build stronger relationships.<br />
<strong>3. See problems as challenges.</strong><br />
The word “problem” is never part of a happy person’s vocabulary. A problem is viewed as a drawback, a struggle, or an unstable situation while a challenge is viewed as something positive like an opportunity, a task, or a dare. Whenever you face an obstacle, try looking at it as a challenge.<br />
<strong>4. Express gratitude for what they already have.</strong><br />
There’s a popular saying that goes something like this: “The happiest people don’t have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.” You will have a deeper sense of contentment if you count your blessings instead of yearning for what you don’t have.<br />
<strong>5. Dream big.</strong><br />
<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=OjW96WALcp2USM&tbnid=y2sJTfUJfBdKOM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fvoicesofglass.com%2Fcategory%2Fjoy%2F&ei=PstIUZSJA8rAigLSpIDoCw&bvm=bv.44011176,d.cGE&psig=AFQjCNHh4bgt-DgT02Bmg8bg8H5UTqItnQ&ust=1363811490724237" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="246" id="irc_mi" src="http://voicesofglass.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/joy-advent-week-3.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="320" /></a>People who get into the habit of dreaming big are more likely to accomplish their goals than those who don’t. If you dare to dream big, your mind will put itself in a focused and positive state.<br />
<strong>6. Don’t sweat the small stuff.</strong><br />
Happy people ask themselves, “Will this problem matter a year from now?” They understand that life’s too short to get worked up over trivial situations. Letting things roll off your back will definitely put you at ease to enjoy the more important things in life.<br />
<strong>7. Speak well of others.</strong><br />
Being nice feels better than being mean. As fun as gossiping is, it usually leaves you feeling guilty and resentful. Saying nice things about other people encourages you to think positive, non-judgmental thoughts.<br />
<strong>8. Never make excuses.</strong><br />
Benjamin Franklin once said, “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” Happy people don’t make excuses or blame others for their own failures in life. Instead, they own up to their mistakes and, by doing so, they proactively try to change for the better.<br />
<strong>9. Get absorbed into the present.</strong><br />
Happy people don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future. They savor the present. They let themselves get immersed in whatever they’re doing at the moment. Stop and smell the roses.<br />
<strong>10. Wake up at the same time every morning.</strong><br />
Have you noticed that a lot of successful people tend to be early risers? Waking up at the same time every morning stabilizes your circadian rhythm, increases productivity, and puts you in a calm and centered state.<br />
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<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=q8bOedPK9rRBwM&tbnid=vovDsaBqbGywPM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fjoysquared.org%2Fwho-we-are%2F&ei=k8tIUYG5K87BiwKDzoGQAQ&bvm=bv.44011176,d.cGE&psig=AFQjCNHh4bgt-DgT02Bmg8bg8H5UTqItnQ&ust=1363811490724237" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="212" id="irc_mi" src="http://joysquared.org//wp-content/uploads/2012/09/joy_jump.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong>11. Avoid social comparison.</strong><br />
Everyone works at his own pace, so why compare yourself to others? If you think you’re better than someone else, you gain an unhealthy sense of superiority. If you think someone else is better than you, you end up feeling bad about yourself. You’ll be happier if you focus on your own progress and praise others on theirs.<br />
<strong>12. Choose friends wisely.</strong><br />
Misery loves company. That’s why it’s important to surround yourself with optimistic people who will encourage you to achieve your goals. The more positive energy you have around you, the better you will feel about yourself.<br />
<strong>13. Never seek approval from others.</strong><br />
Happy people don’t care what others think of them. They follow their own hearts without letting naysayers discourage them. They understand that it’s impossible to please everyone. Listen to what people have to say, but never seek anyone’s approval but your own.<br />
<strong>14. Take the time to listen.</strong><br />
Talk less; listen more. Listening keeps your mind open to others’ wisdoms and outlooks on the world. The more intensely you listen, the quieter your mind gets, and the more content you feel.<br />
<strong>15. Nurture social relationships.</strong><br />
A lonely person is a miserable person. Happy people understand how important it is to have strong, healthy relationships. Always take the time to see and talk to your family, friends, or significant other.<br />
<strong>16. Meditate.</strong><br />
Meditating silences your mind and helps you find inner peace. You don’t have to be a zen master to pull it off. Happy people know how to silence their minds anywhere and anytime they need to calm their nerves.<br />
<strong>17. Eat well.</strong><br />
Junk food makes you sluggish, and it’s difficult to be happy when you’re in that kind of state. Everything you eat directly affects your body’s ability to produce hormones, which will dictate your moods, energy, and mental focus. Be sure to eat foods that will keep your mind and body in good shape.<br />
<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=0ecvxp-2pqHGNM&tbnid=oP5CnnxCSzzUHM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwidowsvoice-sslf.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F01%2Fhappy.html&ei=2ctIUZqCIefLigKTjYGwCA&bvm=bv.44011176,d.cGE&psig=AFQjCNEr5sndC12a6ZvFKmlKiY9xJoC27Q&ust=1363811667335505" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="240" id="irc_mi" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoI1PTy62LAf7WMQph0Y0Xg2CEyEttz5-D3Gri4ntVf2FKBEyN4tN-g1ZDCBdQkqih3KynhSKzOQRrkEIrQpDPSBn18IV9eeItdDQhdoNMrKzb-3ayX8Nsix8NoZ3h18EZcYrL_SpR-w/s320/happyball+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="320" /></a><strong>18. Exercise.</strong><br />
Studies have shown that exercise raises happiness levels just as much as Zoloft does. Exercising also boosts your Self Improvement and gives you a higher sense of self-accomplishment.<br />
<strong>19. Live minimally.</strong><br />
Happy people rarely keep clutter around the house because they know that extra belongings weigh them down and make them feel overwhelmed and stressed out. Some studies have concluded that Europeans are a lot happier than Americans are, which is interesting because they live in smaller homes, drive simpler cars, and own fewer items.<br />
<strong>20. Tell the truth.</strong><br />
Lying stresses you out, corrodes your Self Improvement, and makes you unlikeable. The truth will set you free. Being honest improves your mental health and builds others’ trust in you. Always be truthful, and never apologize for it.<br />
<strong>21. Establish personal control.</strong><br />
Happy people have the ability to choose their own destinies. They don’t let others tell them how they should live their lives. Being in complete control of one’s own life brings positive feelings and a great sense of self-worth.<br />
<strong>22. Accept what cannot be changed.</strong><br />
Once you accept the fact that life is not fair, you’ll be more at peace with yourself. Instead of obsessing over how unfair life is, just focus on what you can control and change it for the better."<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I love to smile and be happy. Always remember that the purpose of this life is to feel joy. Not the transitory euphoria that comes with self-indulgence but the real and lasting peace and happiness that comes from putting others before yourself and choosing to be happy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Drew</span>T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-59826693644355599292013-03-16T10:49:00.000-07:002013-03-16T16:20:34.164-07:00Inspirational Women of FaithI am constantly inspired by women. Especially women of faith. Watch this video:<br />
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Three of the most inspirational women that I know are my mom, my sister, and my friend Jenny.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong><em>Jenny:</em></strong></span> Jenny is one of those people who has always known what the right choice is and has diligently saught to achieve that goal. She is smart, funny, and driven. She constantly strives to know the will of Heavenly Father and to draw closer to Him. She is one of the most humble and meek people that I know. That doesn't mean that she is quiet and lets people walk all over her, (because that is the world's meaning of those words) but rather she is keenly aware of her dependence of the Lord and constantly seeks to be righteous and obedient enough to accept the path that she is guided down even if it is a really hard one. She does this because she understands that God's path may not always be the easiest but it is always, always the best. <span style="color: #38761d;">She is a great example of courage in how she always reaches towards her potential and anything in her life that is not in line with what she wants/needs to become she is unafraid to root it out and let it go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong><em>Channing:</em></strong></span> She is my little sister and I so dearly love her. I don't always express it as well as I should, but I hope that she knows that she means the world to me. It was said by the Savior "Blessed are the peacemakers" and more than any other quality I think that this describes my sister. In this imperfect world we live in we are so often surrounded by contention and distractions but Channing is always the first one to try to mediate. She takes on so much more responsibility than someone as young as she is should need to and she does it with so much poise that I often find my prideful self a little bothered at her ability to perceive and divert contention before it reaches a peak. <span style="color: purple;">My sister is truly a great example of courage in how she enters heated situations because she know that the Lord does not want loud voices and anger in our homes.</span></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">My Mom:</span></em></strong> How does one begin to describe their own mother? When I was 10 my family had fallen apart and my wonderful aunt came to me at a family reunion and told me that she had a dream about me joining her family and then she invited me to come live with her family. At the time I thought it would be fun to go to California because I had never been before, but that one invitation has changed my life more than any other that I am aware. Almost everything that I have done or become is because of that beautiful aunt. After a few years they adopted me and she has become my mom. I am far from perfect and in the times I have wandered she was always there layering my hard heart in love and wisdom so that when my heart broke the only thing there to fill the cracks would be that love. She has difficult children but she seldom loses her temper and she works to diligently help each of them to grow closer to each other and to our Father in Heaven. She cooks, cleans, and does all of that temporal stuff to provide, but the things that she does for us emotionally and spiritually are far beyond words or lists to describe them. <span style="color: blue;">She is such a wonderful example of courage in the way that she diligently does the basics in the Gospel and never has questioned the truth of it even when times are hard. She is courageous when she confronts about a good choice (but not the best choice) for my life and knowing I'll be upset she points this out to me anyway.</span> Thank you mom for always watching out for me.</div>
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Each of us is surrounded by powerful and amazing women. I challenge each of you to find one in your life and let them know of your feelings for them.</div>
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Drew</div>
T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-16363289611141651572013-03-07T13:30:00.000-08:002013-03-07T14:30:10.809-08:00Becoming a New Creature Through ChristDear Readers,<br />
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I've only recently gotten back into writing a blog. It's been difficult to know what to say because I feel like so often I am caught in a cycle of doing the same things over and over again without much variety or interesting changes in my life. Despite this complete misconception on my part, when I think about it I do have so much to say I am just a lazy/hesitant creature and thus I do what is easy or comfortable instead of doing the things that I love or the difficult, but rewarding things in life.<br />
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For instance, while I was in high school I used to spend several hours a week doing art. I would create beautiful pictures and I saw the world in bright colors and vivid details, but somewhere along the way I lost my passion for it. I started watching more tv and spending less time building and creating. In my opinion we live in a world of development and growth. God's plan is to help us to choose wrong from right and to grow to become as He is. His gospel is a gospel of creation. He created the world. He created so many of our thoughts and all of the beautiful things in this world that inspire us. A couple of weeks ago I was teaching myself how to play one of my favorite hymns on the piano and even though it was very difficult I felt my heart swell and in through the cracks created by this swelling flowed streams of joy and inspiration. For the first time in a long time I wanted to build something, I wanted to create. At work I began to build with the Legos and design huge and intricate structures. At home I started a new artistic series featuring inspiring statements and pictures that embody those statements to me. I had broken out of the cycle of doing what is easy and was now doing what I loved. I feel so much more fulfilled and so much happier now than I did even a few weeks ago.<br />
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So much is changing for me now. I am becoming so much more than I ever was before. I don't have the words to adequately describe the joy that I feel so often now. I am rooting out the sloth, the pride, and the self-will that have for so long infected my soul and I am replacing these traits with hard work, humility, and trust in my Heavenly Father and in my Savior. As I more fully turn towards them for direction I feel their hands guiding my work and my progress. <br />
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My heart was hard for a long time. I didn't think of it like that, but as I look through my clean and new eyes I finally see that is how I was. I have softened my heart and am now continuing to let my heart swell and the years of layers of love and peace that have been layered around my heart by caring parents, family, friends, teachers, and church leaders is rushing in, causing my heart to grow. I love them. I always used to say the words, and from time to time I felt them, but now I feel so much more deeply than I ever did before that I do love them. As I say often to my friends who are far away, "I am so excited to see you again because when I do we will each be so much more than we are now. We will have a depth of character and love that we never before possessed and I am honored by the opportunity I will have to get to know you again." I hope that as people meet me now they are able to sense that depth of character again and that they can may feel my love for them.<br />
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I don't know you, but I love you with a sincere and powerful love. I pray for you often and hope that something I write will resonate with you.<br />
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DrewT. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-49068944826589201362013-03-02T09:47:00.000-08:002013-03-02T09:47:27.400-08:00One Day...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I don't usually go for those songs about free love and hippy peace, but recently I have been trying to have a more global and spiritual view of my life and myself. When the Savior returns to the Earth we will finally achieve this level of love one for another. I hope I get the chance to live to see this day, but if I don't then I will have the great blessing of watching through the windows of Heaven. I used to say that peace was not a lack of war, but someone having enough power to direct the flow of the wars, but now, for the first time in my life, I think that I believe in peace. Love those around you and make your sphere of influence that much closer to what we all one day hope for. And smile.</div>
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Drew</div>
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<strong>"One Day" by Matisyahu<br /></strong></div>
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<!-- start of lyrics -->Sometimes I lay<br />Under the moon<br />And thank God I'm breathing<br />Then I pray<br />Don't take me soon<br />'Cause I am here for a reason<br /><br />Sometimes in my tears I drown<br />But I never let it get me down<br />So when negativity surrounds<br />I know some day it'll all turn around because...<br /><br />All my life I've been waiting for<br />I've been praying for<br />For the people to say<br />That we don't wanna fight no more<br />There will be no more wars<br />And our children will play<br />One day <i>[x6]</i><br /><br />It's not about<br />Win or lose<br />Because we all lose<br />When they feed on the souls of the innocent<br />Blood-drenched pavement<br />Keep on moving though the waters stay raging<br /><br />In this maze you can lose your way (your way)<br />It might drive you crazy but don't let it faze you no way (no way)<br /><br />Sometimes in my tears I drown (I drown)<br />But I never let it get me down (get me down)<br />So when negativity surrounds (surrounds)<br />I know some day it'll all turn around because...<br /><br />All my life I've been waiting for<br />I've been praying for<br />For the people to say<br />That we don't wanna fight no more<br />There will be no more wars<br />And our children will play<br />One day <i>[x6]</i><br /><br />One day this all will change<br />Treat people the same<br />Stop with the violence<br />Down with the hate<br /><br />One day we'll all be free<br />And proud to be<br />Under the same sun<br />Singing songs of freedom like<br />One day <i>[x2]</i><br /><br />All my life I've been waiting for<br />I've been praying for<br />For the people to say<br />That we don't wanna fight no more<br />There will be no more wars<br />And our children will play<br />One day <i>[x6]</i><!-- end of lyrics --></div>
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T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-53514408315501029032013-02-25T17:32:00.000-08:002013-02-25T17:32:09.895-08:00On A Pedestal
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I take a class on Thursday night’s and someone said something that
stuck out to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They said it like it
wasn’t a quote, but I feel like it is something I’ve heard before so I’m going
with the assumption that perhaps they just had a very similar sentiment to
whatever other famous line I am thinking of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anyway, the thing they said was, “Stop putting others on a pedestal;
instead put yourself on a pedestal and then become the best self you can be.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some reason that phrase really resonated
with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been thinking about it
ever since and I feel like it is so important and definitely something I can
work on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The context was about
missionary work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How in the mission we
tend to look towards our District Leaders, or the Zone Leaders, or the
Assistants, or even sometimes our companions and we think “Wow, they have got
it all figured out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life is so easy and
good for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish I could be just
like them someday.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that is not the
case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It really never is the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not on the mission and definitely not in
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one has it all figured out and
no one has an easy time in this life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes someone may go through an easier time than others, but that
will never remain for too long because when we are comfortable we can’t (or won’t)
grow and then we aren’t becoming more like God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<img class="rg_i" data-sz="f" height="224" name="KjX1LNUZbatmqM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSjp-mzCBlwc12MLAgiqan4svDp-gaQy2GXLiL9F8RoIyT8QkoNqA" style="height: 168px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; width: 300px;" width="400" /><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I mean, if you think about, everyone has their favorite sin, that
thing that they secretly like to commit or omit that prevents them from growing
the way the Lord intends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that
scares people – that our heroes may not be as magnificent as we’d like to
think, but in my opinion I think it takes a greater hero to be aware of their
shortcomings and consciously work towards eliminating them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I often think about Nephi who shortly after
his father died gives us those really beautiful verses in 2 Nephi 4:17-35
wherein he says that his soul groaned because of the temptations and sins that
so easily beset him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That makes me think
of Moses who lost his temper and therein lost the right to enter the Promised Land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the prophet on the earth still has flaws
and shortcomings who am I to even pretend that I don’t?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Granted, you don’t run around telling
everyone the details of your shortcomings, but to pretend that they don’t exist
sounds like a huge act of pride to me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t know if that makes sense or even interests you, but that’s
what I’ve been thinking about lately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
- DrewT. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-70753209114397000412012-11-07T09:09:00.001-08:002012-11-07T09:09:21.577-08:00Staying positive
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hey readers,<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This last week was a hard week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was sick, I wasn’t sleeping well, my job
has become very confusing, but the biggest thing was that I had a big goal I
was getting close to achieving that did not pan out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hate to admit it because we’re not supposed
to feel discouraged if we have faith, but I was seriously having a hard time
staying positive and finding the bright side of things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That all changed when I had a few
conversations that put me into a positive mind set again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it’s amazing that talking to just a
few people can take a terrible week and turn it around so that the next few
days become the best I’ve had in a long time, even though my head still
hurts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so grateful that the Lord blesses
us with friends and family who can be exactly what we need at the moment we
need them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have never been a fan of talking on the phone or Skyping,
but I am slowly changing my view of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is still so much interaction that is missed in the conversation,
but if you think about it, if you avoid the conversation completely then all of
it is missed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the difference that is
made seeing someone’s face as they talk to you is so much better than texting
or looking at pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pictures are
great sometimes but other times you miss someone so much that a picture just
doesn’t cut it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We really have been so
blessed to live in a world where you can talk to a computer and talk to someone
hundreds and thousands of miles away and have the whole conversation be in real
time.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t have much more to say today so I’m going to leave you
with the quote of the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dear
friend Jenny quoted this scripture to me after she heard about the tough time
I’ve been having: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through
Him that loved us.” (Romans 8:24)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love
this because to me it means that when we have difficulties in our lives we
don’t have to just overcome them, we have the opportunity to endure them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To endure doesn’t mean to begrudgingly
complete a task or righteously live a life, it means to relish in the chance we
have to make hard, but correct, choices and reap the blessings of those
choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can walk away from our hard
times and feel like we didn’t just pass through them but that we became more
than we were by experiencing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everything that is hard in our lives is for our good, we just have to
search for and find the good in them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That is one of life’s biggest challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yours,<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Drew<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-28187347843765130682012-10-30T10:08:00.000-07:002012-10-30T10:09:48.082-07:00Journal Excerpts from Brazil<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hey everyone,</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not much has happened this week, so instead of trying to come
up with something witty or clever to say I’ll instead just copy some excerpts
from my personal journal from while I was in Brazil. For six weeks while
I was in the CTM I wrote in my journal and have some things I had forgotten and
they were beautiful experiences. I should keep a journal better…</span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4/4/12 – “…The real thing I wanted to write about happened at
my last meeting of the day. The Second Counselor in the presidency of the
CTM was talking about the rules. When the presentation ended he asked for
a volunteer to pray. I felt a strong impression to volunteer, so I
did. I was introduced as Elder Bushman, gave my prayer and sat
down. Afterwards a man came up to me asking if I knew a Ken
Bushman. I answered that he was my father. The man told me that he
had been mission companions with Ken and that he was a truly great man.
What a small world it is but what a huge blessing for my personal life.” It was
nice to hear some new things about Ken because I didn’t have the opportunity to
get to know him very well before he died when I was 9.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4/11/12 – “…I love the Brazilians. They are such a
great people. Our roommates are really funny and they work with us to
learn more Portuguese. I end up playing translator because my Portuguese
and my deciphering skills are the best in our group. It’s hard sometimes
because at the end of the day all I want to do is to write in my journal, say a
heartfelt prayer, and go to sleep, but I end up playing translator for half an
hour. I should be excited to help, but this is the only time I have to
unwind.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4/12/12 – “…Something really amazing happened to me tonight.
While we were having snack before bed we met some cool Argentinian
Elders. When we were done eating we started walking up the stairs.
I was humming and they told me to sing. They followed me up the stairs,
listening to me sing while clapping and walking to the beat. The Spirit
filled the stairwell and I felt really great. It was a singular, unifying
moment for all of us.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4/21/12 – “I love my Brazilian roommates. Tonight Elder
Shipley got into an argument when he accidentally said he was going to steal
and marry Elder Nunes fiancé. I was laughing so hard.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4/23/12 – “We were at snack and my Brazilian roommate is
leaving tomorrow so we were taking pictures. After the pictures I went to
give Elder Nunes a hug. He pulled me in tight and whispered in my ear
asking me to sing. His favorite song for me to sing is “Come Thou Fount
of Every Blessing.” As I began singing he pulled me tighter. When I
finished the verse we let go. We both had tears in our eyes. I
truly have come to love that man. I will miss him very much. Even
though he is leaving and I will miss him, at this moment my joy is absolutely
full.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am so grateful for the opportunity that we have to look
back on our lives and remember the beautiful moments. In this life I will
probably never see almost anyone that I knew in Brazil, but I will certainly
carry them with me forever. They have imprinted themselves on my heart
and my life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Drew<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-20299045310631587352012-10-23T14:18:00.002-07:002012-10-23T14:24:39.615-07:00Connecting to the Scriptures<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #111111; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hello
Everyone,</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #111111; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #111111; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #111111; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m
sorry I didn’t post last week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
having a rough week and I was feeling like my life was boring (which it is) and
I couldn’t possibly have anything interesting to post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s okay though, because I feel like I have
so much to say this week to make up for last week.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #111111; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
was going to keep this a secret until I had completed a little more of it, but
I have started a new project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I
was in Brazil I read the Book of Mormon in eight days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was one of the greatest experiences I have
ever had with the Book of Mormon and I appreciate it in a more full and beautiful
way than I did before.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
started thinking of other ways to more fully and deeply understand the words of
the prophets in that book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read about
Elder Scott, as a huge Christmas present to his family, recording his voice
reading the Book of Mormon and then he distributed a copy of this to all of his
kids and grandkids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved that idea,
but I didn’t think that was what I needed to do at this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought about going through and reading it
again, this time with a focus on putting quotations around when people are
actually speaking and paying special attention to the words that the Lord
spoke, but again, that didn’t sound quite right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After lots of reflection and prayer I have
decided to hand copy the Book of Mormon.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To read the words of the prophets and
copy them in my own handwriting will be a monumental task and will take months
of concentrated effort, but I have been feeling for weeks that I lack purpose,
that I have nothing to show for my days, that I am not accomplishing
anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is not to say that I don’t
have goals and that I’m not learning and growing, working and playing, and
studying and praying, but I have felt like I was without direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The idea of copying a 531 page document by
hand is slightly daunting, but monks used to copy illuminated versions of the
Bible, and so I can take a few months to connect to the Book of Mormon like
never before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I eagerly look forward to
the opportunity to fall to my knees at the end of my project and thank Heavenly
Father for the chance I had to undertake this great work.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
quote of the week comes from a devotional at BYU Hawaii in 2006 J. Alan
Walker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said “</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #111111; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Feasting
upon the words of Christ is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. To
truly understand why the Lord asks us to feast upon the words of Christ, I
believe that we must first see the bigger picture. It is then that we will
really come to understand its true significance. "Seeing the bigger
picture," means that we must look at something from a larger perspective.
In this case, that perspective is our purpose in life. When we see our
existence through this larger purpose, picture, or vision, we can separate the
unimportant from the important. With the bigger picture of eternity in our
mind, we will come to see that the daily act of feasting upon the words of
Christ is essential in order to reach our potential and achieve our eternal
purpose.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This project is an opportunity
for me to feast on the words of Christ like I never have before and may never
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so excited to learn from the
prophets as I read, study, and write.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #111111; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Drew</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #111111; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-34323306721253450982012-10-09T10:21:00.002-07:002012-10-09T21:27:52.170-07:00Family<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Hello everyone,</div>
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<br /></div>
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First, I’m sorry for the delay in my blog. I have
decided to switch the day I write my blog from Monday to Tuesday. It is
too difficult to figure out a time to write it on Mondays because I work so
early in the morning on those days.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I think it is an interesting shift when a friend becomes
family. I often say that close friends are the family that you get to
choose. Whether it is your close buddies, your “girl friends” or your
spouse, they are the people who entered your life at a time that you needed
them and have left their eternal mark on your soul. I truly believe that
often the Lord sends us to each other to be His hands in helping others.
I know that there have been countless times when someone has said, “Hey, just
thinking about you,” and it has made all the difference to me on that
day. The difference between friends and family is that family has to love
you no matter what. They can go months and years being bitter, angry, and
not talking, but still love you. It’s amazing how sometimes we can take
these valuable relationships for granted because we know that no matter how hard
things get, eventually our family will come back. On the reverse side,
friends have the option to walk away. They can stop loving you if they no
longer like you. This is heartbreaking because it is our friends who are
so often our confidants and who we feel closest to. There are some
wonderful exceptions, but in general when people enter their teenage years,
there is a very deliberate shift from the family to a focus on friends and
independence. We need these formative years to develop and learn to
govern ourselves, but they pull us away from our families. As we continue
to get older many people relearn to value their families and learn to juggle
friends as family, and family as friends.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I have the wonderful blessing of being adopted. When I
was much younger I did not see it as a blessing, just as a part of my
life. I had a difficult childhood, but I am so happy for it because it
has brought me to where I am. I was adopted when I was 10, and so as much
as my parents didn’t fully understand what they were getting themselves into
they had an idea, and they chose me. It took a few years, but eventually
I chose them too. I call my adoption a blessing because in all reality my
family and my friends were all hand chosen by me to be a part of my life, and I
was chosen by each and every one of them to be in their lives as well.
Not many people have this privilege and I feel so greatly blessed by the Lord
to be able to say that my family includes my birth family, my adopted family,
my extended family, four additional brothers, and one additional sister.
That is a great family filled with nearly a hundred people who have selected
each other to spend their eternities together. What a beautiful thought.</div>
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<br /></div>
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"Sometimes in life, you find a special friend. Someone
who changes your life by being a part of it. Someone who makes you laugh until
you can't stop. Someone who makes you believe that there really is good in the
world. Someone who convinces you that there really is an unlocked door just
waiting for you to open it. This is forever friendship. When you're down, and
the world seems dark and empty, your forever friend lifts you up in spirit and
makes that dark and empty world suddenly bright and full. Your forever friend
gets you through the hard times, the sad times, the confused times. If you turn
and walk away, your forever friend follows. If you lose your way, your forever
friend guides you and cheers you on. Your forever friend holds your hand and
tells you that everything is going to be okay. And if you find such a friend, you
feel happy and complete, because you need not worry; you have a forever friend,
and forever has no end."</div>
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<br /></div>
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I know that this is in relation to a spouse, and someday
when I am ready to be married I will look for all of these qualities in my
future bride, but for my purposes now it is about family members. As I
continue to get older I know that I will lose some of my friends, but I will
absolutely collect more family. This life may be a difficult one, but it
is also a blessed and happy existence if we choose it to be.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Drew</div>
T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-77259423562509987462012-10-01T10:02:00.000-07:002012-10-01T10:02:24.189-07:00The Master Artist<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hello my friends,</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You know, relationships are hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether they are personal, family, romantic,
or any other kind, it is always hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
say things like, “I don’t like that kid, but I sure do love him,” or “I just
miss you so much it hurts sometimes.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do we put ourselves through the difficulty
and pain of caring about people?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
answer to that question is the crux of why we exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“…men are that they might have joy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite of the pain and difficulty I cannot
thing of a single place, thing, or idea that makes me happier than
relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The innocence of a child,
a family prayer, a Sunday afternoon birthday party, they are all a part of our
greatest memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so happy to have
so many great friends, acquaintances, and family members.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The really bug me sometimes, but I don’t
remember specific bad times, I can only recall the specifics of the good and
great times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so grateful to the
Lord for allowing so many wonderful people into my life to lead and guide and love
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope that we all value our family
as deeply as they deserve, and if we don’t now, that we can learn to.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On a completely different note, on
Saturday I went to a craft fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love
craft fairs, not because of the things to see, or the things to do, but because
of the people you meet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really enjoy
art and these people at these fairs have a talent, a skill, or an offbeat
idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They become enthralled in their
work, feeling their materials talking to them and they are able to make normal
things amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t afford to buy
many things at these events, and even if I could I don’t have space to store or
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about the purchasing the amazing products.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One of the first booths we stepped
into was filled with birdhouses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
were made of gorgeous wood, stunning copper, and beautiful slate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked in and there was no one inside, but
as we looked around a bit a woman came over and started telling us a little bit
about the artist, and then he walked up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We asked him about his pieces and where he draws his inspiration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His response was simple and magnificent, he
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slate, and he doesn’t design any of it, they talk to him and tell them what they
should be made into.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He allows them to
show him what they want to become, and he shaves some here, glues there,
directing their growth into what they need to become, going from a rough piece
of wood into a brilliant masterpiece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I referred to his art he said, “This isn’t art, it’s therapy.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Are we not like the wood, and the
Savior as our artist?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sees the broken
and twisted pieces that we are and He hears our prayers and wants to help us
become something beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes he
must shave back faults, and fortify our strength, but as he shapes us we truly
get taken apart and then put back together into something new and wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is what I think of when I see my
grandfather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was not born into the
church, but was converted when he was young man and after a lifetime of
humility and church service he has become a masterpiece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As with everyone on this earth, except for
One, faults exist in all of us as long as we are here, but he is truly
magnificent.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The quote of the day has a story
attached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>President Hugh B. Brown once
bought a plot of land with a currant bush that had grown wildly out of
control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He cut it down and shaped
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Figuratively the bush asked him how
he could cut her down while she was growing so well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He responded, “Look, little currant bush, I
am the <span class="highlight1">Gardener</span> here, and I know what I want you
to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be
a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with
fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. <span class="highlight1">Gardener</span>,
for loving me enough to cut me down.’”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I hope that you and I will be humble
enough that when the Lord cuts off our rough edges, we will see the beauty of
what we are becoming.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Love,</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Drew<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8217922772843931354" name="_GoBack"></a></span></div>
T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-51485392534003411322012-09-24T09:01:00.001-07:002012-09-24T09:01:50.392-07:00Trials
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hello,<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
don’t like being angry. It doesn’t happen very often. In fact,
anyone who knows me knows that from time to time I am a lot of things, distant,
quiet, loud, sad, restless, confused, bothered, but in reality there are only a
couple of things and people that make me angry. I don’t like this
feeling. This darkness, the fire in my belly, the coldness of my eyes as
I look at everything, I don’t like this. I wanted to talk today about
some of the wonderful things that have happened to me this week, the
friendships that have been strengthened, the chalk festival I went to on
Saturday, but I can’t seem to focus on the positive right now. I am very
aware that the initial anger cannot be avoided sometimes. We are human
and get angry. Sometimes we need to walk out to avoid a conflict, and
sometimes we need some time to calm down, but I am also very aware that holding
onto that anger becomes my problem. I am working hard on finding an
internal peace, some balm to soothe the burns on my heart. I am still
unsuccessful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s
very difficult for me right now. My emotions have been through the
wringer the last few months. I have felt extended periods of sadness,
apprehension, guilt, pain, stress, fear, and a million other emotions. It
all came to a head last night when I stormed out of where I was, ran a mile to
the park, and collapsed into the grass. I cried, I prayed, I cried some
more. I talked to my mom and some friends, but as much as they were
helpful, it has not yet been enough. I am not making an excuse for
myself. I should not allow myself to feel like this, but I suppose there
has been so much that I have been holding for so long I was bound to break
sometime. I have been told that it will get worse, much worse, before it
will get better. I don’t want the people in my life to need to walk on
eggshells around me. It’s hard to imagine me being the one that people
are wary of spending time with. I will spend much time in meditation,
prayer, and I may even fast soon, because when we give up food and feel that
strain our spirits are elevated that much closer to Heaven for a moment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
know that our trials are for our good, and they will be but a small
moment. Intellectually I know that, but emotionally this feels like it is
bound to last forever. The quote of the week is a long one from the
scriptures. This was written by a great prophet who spent his life
serving our Savior, Jesus Christ. He was struggling with something in his
heart, and his anguished soul cried out these words:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">2 Nephi 4</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> “26 O then, if I have seen
so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath
visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in
the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because
of mine afflictions?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">27
And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way
to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace
and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">28
Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no
more for the enemy of my soul.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">29
Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because
of mine afflictions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">30
Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee
forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my
salvation.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
can feel the peace that comes through the Savior’s soothing love. I can
feel the Spirit guiding me. I love my family, and I am so grateful for my
friends. I truly am happy. Maybe not at this moment, maybe not this
week, but life is too difficult already to waste my energy feeling sorry for
myself, or angry because someone offended me. I can feel peace. I
will feel peace. I look forward to that moment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Drew<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-74588451020310827472012-09-17T18:09:00.002-07:002012-09-17T18:09:16.704-07:00Serenity
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hey, <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For those of
you who usually check my blog earlier on Mondays, I apologize for my tardiness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This week
has been truly wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made some
new friends, enjoyed myself out and about, and started my second job working
with the kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It always fascinates me,
which things affect us in ways we’d never anticipate; how a seemingly
meaningless moment is the key to everything that comes afterwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sometimes wonder at the love and care that
our Lord has for each of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How He,
while still allowing others their agency, puts just the right moment in our
path to give power to us in our desperate moments of need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At work
there are a couple of the kids who do not speak any English, only Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girl I work with is fluent in Spanish and
I could leave it up to her to communicate with them and give them instructions,
but that is not in my nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I
was in Brazil it was very obvious that often children are drawn to me and so one
of the jokes that I shared with people is “I may not speak Portuguese, but I
can speak child.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would set members
and investigators at ease knowing that this really big guy who didn’t talk much
had a soft spot for their children and would take the time to use hand gestures
and broken Portuguese to make their kids laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anyway, at work I use my Portuguese when talking to these kids and they
speak to me in Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
understand everything they say and they definitely don’t get everything I say,
but they understand enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sees my
efforts and appreciates them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About half
of the kids speak Spanish so they are all working together to help me improve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is an absolutely beautiful thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the
quote of the week I have a friend who is having a really rough week and so I
shared with her “The Serenity Prayer” by Reinhold Niebuhr.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was inspired to say<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“God grant me the serenity <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">to accept the things I cannot change; <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">courage to change the things I can;<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">and wisdom to know the difference. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Living one day at a time; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Enjoying one moment at a time; <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Taking, as He did, this sinful world<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">as it is, not as I would have it; <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Trusting that He will make all things right<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">if I surrender to His Will;<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That I may be reasonably happy in this life <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">and supremely happy with Him<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Forever in the next.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Amen.” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know that
this is an inspired message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has
provided me with peace and a sense of love in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thank the Lord every day for my many
blessings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Peace be the
journey,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Drew</span></div>
T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-39289600134618564492012-09-10T11:07:00.001-07:002012-09-10T11:07:27.624-07:00Happiness
Hey readers,<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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It has come to my attention that some people think that I am
fighting depression or having other emotional problems. I would like you
all to know that is not the case. I am truly glad that some of you out
there who experience those challenges have been able to connect to my words and
find inspiration and strength. I will explain how I created my sense of
well-being, and hope that others can find happiness through this pattern as
well. I understand that what I will say sounds a lot easier than it is. I
am not brushing off legitimate health conditions, but know that I have been
through this process, fought my demons, and come out victorious.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When I was 14 I was taught that each day is a new day.
It doesn't matter what happened yesterday, happens today, or will happen
tomorrow, because today can be its own. There are many people in the
world who believe that "other people" are happy because they have
money, or that doing things or going places that makes “those people” happy.
It is really true that the greatest joys are found in the family, but that
doesn't mean those joys come without work. Believe it or not, true and
consistent happiness is hard; it's one of the hardest things in life to find
and I believe it is every person's goal. I suppose that in the end, that
is exactly what makes it so wonderful when you achieve a state of real
happiness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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From the time I was 14 until I was about 16 I woke up every
morning and decided to be happy. I didn't decide that something or
someone was going to make me happy today, but that I would be happy no matter
what. With a smile on my face and a willing heart I faked through it
every day. Eventually I realized that I wasn't faking it and the smile
was real. I was happy. After years of hurting every day, and then
several months of feeling nothing, I was now actually happy. A lot of the
time. I worked on this until I was 16. I built friendships that are
still meaningful today with a great group of people, and friends I had during
middle school continued to become better friends. My life was great.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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One day I realized that I was so happy that I was being
selfish; I wasn't sharing my inner joy with people as effectively as I should.
I would share it with my attitude, and when I talked to people one-on-one I
could describe it to them, but that wasn't enough. I needed to dig deeper
and try harder to make the people around me understand. I began
developing habits of waving to strangers, smiling at people who looked sad, and
finding specific kind things to say to people on a personal level. I
served people more and became so much happier than I'd ever been. I was
always filled with a manic energy and I could not contain myself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While growing up I have had several difficult experiences
and things that have shaken my foundation. I am now so much quieter than
I was before that some people have mistaken my calmness for unhappiness, but
that is not the case. You can be silent and contemplative, but still feel
a deep burning joy. The keys to being happy all of the time, even during
very difficult experiences, is to 1) choose to be happy, 2) share your joy with
others, and 3) work at it. The best things in life don't come free or
easy, but they do come.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I love you all and am so grateful that you take the time to
read my blog. It means the world to me that I can share something with
you that is so dear to my heart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The quote of the day is from an unknown source of
wisdom: "When I was in grade school, they told me to write down what
I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down happy. They told me I
didn't understand the assignment; I told them they didn't understand
life." Happiness is a goal, a difficult, wondrous, and extremely
powerful thing, but a goal nonetheless. Seek after it and work at it, and
you can be truly happy in everything you do.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Peace, joy, and love,<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Drew<o:p></o:p></div>
T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-63972156228347603452012-09-03T09:53:00.003-07:002012-09-03T10:23:23.396-07:00Peace<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dear Friends,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Life is so great right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Difficult, long, but every moment is worth it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have not had a lot of life experience, but
enough to know that every step of the journey is necessary and enriching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things happen in our lives for a purpose and
in the direction of the Lord’s will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
are often taught that in the moment that we turn our will to the Lord’s (the
only gift we can truly give Him) then the blessings flow, the peace comes, and
the growth accelerates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My studies this week have been on peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have discovered that regardless of the fact
that we are busy, stressed, tired, or otherwise occupied in our time and our
energy we can still have peace if we diligently seek after it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In your divine nature as a child of God is
the potential to have full confidence in all of your decisions – that they
follow the will of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When this trust
is formed between you and Him peace comes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We will not always choose right or well, but as long as we have the
Spirit with us it is okay to make mistakes because that sweet Spirit
remains and leads us back to Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p>On Sunday at church I was talking with a friend of mine about life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The conversation traveled quickly across the whole spectrum of topics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We settled for a while on the random things we know and the way they bless the lives of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked about how sometimes in college we take random classes that have nothing to do with our major and we learn things like the cat’s ear has 32 muscles, or why sometimes the limit line at the stop light is curved backwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked about how occasionally we are able to share these facts to make someone else happy, assist someone with a problem, or just amuse the crowd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My friend has been having knee problems for a long time and they have finally worked that out and now life is good again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had my fair share of knee surgeries and injuries, so it was nice to be able to commiserate with my friend.<o:p></o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The quote of the day is a scripture from John 14:27.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reads, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I
give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let not your heart be troubled, neither let
it be afraid.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we can begin to
understand our nature it becomes easier to find peace in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love the Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their plan is perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not perfect, but their plan for us is
absolutely perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we follow that
plan there is nothing we can’t do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
may not accomplish it in this life, but we truly can have all that God has and
become all that He is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Drew Bushman<o:p></o:p></span>T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-24138861991594078712012-08-27T09:47:00.003-07:002012-08-27T10:05:14.750-07:00Good to be HomeWelcome friends and readers,<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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It is so good to be home. I knew that I was kind of a
homebody before, but spending 4 months away really put it into
perspective. I find myself needing the social interaction of going out,
but only really wanting to stay home. It has become quite the
predicament. Maybe soon I will begin to feel compelled to venture from my
house and explore the world of friends and society...but today is not that day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Several miracles and wonderful experiences have occurred this
week. I went from not having a job to having three in just two
days. I will be working with my dad filing and scanning paperwork.
That should be enjoyable and tedious at the same time, but I look forward to it
because I will be able to listen to uplifting music and words, the money is
good, and I will have some time to spend with my dad. This will be a
wonderful opportunity to bond and learn from each other. My other job was
received while at the grocery store. I saw my old employer and she ran
over to give me a hug exclaiming that if she had known I was around she would
have hired me for a job. I told her I would be around for a while and she
said that was something she could work with. She called me a few minutes
later telling me that she had two job opportunities and if I wanted that I
could have both. I worked my schedule at my dad's office and now I have
several jobs. I start all of my jobs this week. I will be working
many hours a week, but doing wonderful things and making good money. I
should have some interesting stories to share over the next few months.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I am still in wonder about the amount of love and support
that is being poured out to me. There is a woman in my ward who knows
that I love her desserts and so she made me some as a welcome home gift.
I had another friend come down and spend the day with me to show that they were
here. I have even had several friends write me very touching letters of
love and support. I have had many great conversations and have been
edified by my friends, my family, my ward members, and just acquaintances many
times. Thank you for that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I continue to learn about the blessings that come from
making righteous choices. Coming home was the hardest decision I have
ever made, but at the same time I know that it was the right one and I am at
peace. I am told that it will get harder, much harder, soon, so I am
anticipating that. I fear that I am not ready, but I am preparing in the
Lord and so I know I will be. The quote of the week comes from my
mom. I was on my way to take the ACT in anticipation of applying for
colleges. I was nervous and she was aware that I could not perform at my
top capability if I was not calm and so she sent me a text message with just a
few words. She said, "Relax. Take a breath. Sing a
song. Smile at a stranger. I love you." Hearing her
words as if I were hearing them from my Father in Heaven, a peace fell over me
and I have repeated those words to myself many times when facing difficult
decision. I am happy. I hope that you are too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Love,<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Tyler "Drew" Bushman<o:p></o:p></div>
T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-34592616191855496332011-12-04T11:01:00.001-08:002011-12-04T11:01:19.241-08:00The 5 People You Meet in College<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the book “The 5 People You Meet in Heaven” the main character dies but before he goes to Heaven he travels to different times in his life to meet 5 people whose lives were immensely affected by his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today I want to write a post about the 5 people who have affected my life this semester at school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each of these people had changed me in more ways than one and I don’t think they’ll ever truly understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One semester is not enough time to get to know people this great and I am going to miss out on so many other lessons that I could learn from them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">First is Kelsey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is the best person I know and she is in the smallest package.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has a zest for life that I have seen in very few other people and she is amazingly good at everything she does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She taught me that greatness is not dependent on height, brains, skills, but that greatness is your state of mind and the will of your heart.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ashley comes from a far off land in the middle of nowhere and yet she is still so cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hosts amazing social events and always knows how to entertain the people around here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is a devoted friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She taught me that being a friend isn’t just being there when someone needs you, but that it’s also about helping to make meaningful and fun memories together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bree is one of the good ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is beautiful, smart, funny, and a myriad of great qualities, even if she won’t tell you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bree makes me laugh so hard that I feel like I’m going to die, but then she understands the need for quiet times too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bree is so great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She taught me that anything can be a joke if you can find the humor in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She can take wildly inappropriate or uncomfortable situations and break the awkwardness by bringing in humor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nicole is someone I have had much less interactions with than the other 4, but she has still had a profound effect on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She truly listens to me when I talk which, if you know me, you that most people don’t listen to me because mixed in with my wisdom is a lot frivolous stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when I talk to her she actually listens to every word and she tries to glean out the wisdom from the extra stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also has a quiet energy about her that makes me happy even when she isn’t talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She emanates joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She taught me that listening to people can be as great a joy as talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to listen more because I want to understand the world the way she does.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ty is my best friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is such a great man and is so conscientious about doing good things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tries not to do anything that he feels is a waste of time and he is very frugal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has a car and would drive me places that I needed to go and he would go to parties with me just because I wanted to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made a movie together and did some pretty ridiculous stuff, but we also went to church and did service projects together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t hang out all the time like some friends, but we try to do something at least once a week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ty has shown me the kind of man I want to someday become.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will never be as quiet or patient as he is, but I will try to be more forgiving and to waste less time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ty taught me the true nature of service and charity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to help people more because I have known Ty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is a great man and a great friend.</span></div>T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-63347798986209422492011-12-02T16:26:00.001-08:002011-12-02T16:28:51.522-08:00Letters to God<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I haven’t written anything in a while, but I need to write today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just finished watching a movie called Letters to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s based on the true story of a boy who has brain cancer and all through his treatment wrote letters to God everyday talking about the people in his life and how they needed help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Occasionally he asked for strength for himself, but most of the time he just wrote about the needs of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would then put the letter in an envelope with a stamp and the simple address – “To: God, From: Tyler”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mailman who got their mail would read these letters and in the movie you see how Tyler’s influence changes this man’s life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the movie went along Tyler invited other people to write letters to God and we watch as the letter’s change them too.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At the end of the movie the mailman realizes that people need to know that Tyler was thinking about them through his whole ordeal and so he reads all of the letters and then takes them to the people who the letters were about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As each person reads their letter they are touched by his thoughtful concern for them even though he had his own trials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last scene of the movie is Tyler on his deathbed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mom gives him permission to let go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then there is a series of clips of people writing letters to God about Tyler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I watched these last few moments of the movie tears began to flow down my face and I sat on the couch in my living room and wept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not tears of sadness that Tyler died, but tears of joy at the lives he was able to make better in his 9 year life.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I try so hard to be who the Lord needs me to be and to change lives for the better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still learning and still growing, but I hope that someday I will be able to help people to be better like that little boy with cancer did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may never succeed, but I will also never stop trying.</span></div>T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-3247202901080303552011-09-11T15:01:00.000-07:002011-09-11T15:01:15.955-07:00Two Things I Need Help With<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dear anyone reading this,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Usually I have some wisdom to share with you all, but today I am struggling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need advice, help, or whatever comfort you feel you can provide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two things that are on my mind today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, having my ideas and thoughts completely blown off and dismissed because I haven’t served a mission, and second feeling lonely.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In church I am the only guy who goes to priesthood who hasn’t served a mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are other guys in my ward who haven’t served mission, but they never stay through priesthood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I’m the only one who hasn’t been on a mission my raised hand in priesthood is often ignored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know they can see it, so I am purposely and personally being rejected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it hurts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that I haven’t served a mission so there are some things that I can’t understand, but I have lived for 19 years and have some life experience that might contribute to what someone else needs to hear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so frustrated today that I stopped listening for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure it was a great lesson but my pride got in the way and I’m sorry for that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is one guy in my ward, Justin, who has even been remotely kind to me and I am so thankful for that.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This transitions into my next concern for the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have felt so lonely lately and I hate it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know I shouldn’t feel lonely because I have gone to a friend’s apartment or had a friend over every single day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so grateful for all of you who have visited me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But my roommates are never around so I don’t know them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel like I don’t have a family, like my brothers are gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My one roommate who I really clicked with has a girlfriend who doesn’t like me and so vicariously he has a hard time convincing her to make me feel welcome in my own apartment when she is around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just feel like an intruder in my own living room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am having a great time with school and my friends, but at the end of the day when all the other distractions in life are gone I just feel so alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s almost physically painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss my brother Garrett more than I knew was possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss Channing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss my parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what to do.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Suggestions, advice, or comfort for either topic?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could really use the help.</span></div>TylerT. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-21806533389970744742011-08-31T18:54:00.003-07:002011-08-31T18:54:51.575-07:00God's Love<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the first day of class I came in not really sure what to expect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had switched classes late on Sunday night because I was feeling uncomfortable with my schedule as it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so glad I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really enjoy Brother Griffin’s teaching style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I really want to reflect on from this week though is Heavenly Father’s love.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We were talking about the Plan of Salvation on Monday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked about how when the Father asked for volunteers to be the Savior we must have all looked apprehensively at the Jesus hoping that He would take the job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He responded “Here am I, send me.” (Abraham 3:27)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brother Griffin put up a quote by Neal A. Maxwell where he points at that “Never has one individual offered to do so much for so many with so few words.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought that was a brilliant quote that really changed the way I look at all “great” acts in history.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next Brother Griffin went on to explain that Lucifer then stood up and said that he could make us all come to Earth and be good so that we could return to live with the Father, but he wanted the glory for making it happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then Brother Griffin gave one of the most profound and beautiful statements about Heavenly Father that I have ever heard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t write down the exact quote, but he said something like this “If Satan’s plan could have possibly worked Heavenly Father, God, being the man that He is would have stepped off of His throne and allowed Lucifer to bring us all back to Him.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We know that Lucifer’s plan couldn’t possibly have worked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We needed to come to Earth to become a God ourselves, not just to get back to the Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started out with Him, why would we need to leave just to come back?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The purpose of the Plan is to become something (state of being) and to get somewhere (location).” – Brother Griffin</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Knowing that’s what needed to happen Heavenly Father could not allow Lucifer to take the glory and bring us all back. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prayed about it and had it confirmed to me that even if Satan could have guaranteed that one person, me, could return to Him (and like Him) He would have stepped down and allowed Satan to make it happen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve always known that I am a child of God and that He loves me individually more than I can even begin to comprehend, but in the moment that prayer was answered I felt His love stream through me like a fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to testify to whoever reads this that He loves YOU.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I want you to know that I love Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so happy to be His son and to know that truth of His presence and how to communicate with Him.</span></div>T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-4355785507491284932011-08-21T22:37:00.001-07:002011-08-21T22:37:23.604-07:00Pearls of Wisdom - The Santa Teresa Ward Sisters<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Sisters came to my house on Thursday for lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made them each a salad and gave them some imported chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Afterwards we went into the living room and they taught me a lesson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had me put some “Magic Goo” in my hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I let it sit in my palm it turned to liquid and would slip through my fingers, but if I kept it moving with my hands it stayed a solid and it wouldn’t t fall through my fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I stopped manipulating it, even for just a second, it turned back into a liquid and fell out of my hands.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They told me that this is like the Gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we build our lives around the gospel and then leave our testimonies static then our testimony and everything we’ve centered our lives on would start to slip through our fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a way that I had never really heard this lesson and I’m glad I had a chance to have them teach me this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re told all the time that if we aren’t taking steps to make our testimonies grow then it is diminishing, but we forget to connect that to the rest of our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we build our entire lives around what we believe and then forget to nourish that belief then we lose that foundation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I will build my life around this gospel and I will continually work to make what I believe stand firm and not let it slip away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love this church and I hope to never need to watch my life slip away because I’ve forgotten to believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope we are all able to nourish what we believe and keep our lives firmly planted on the solid foundation that we have built for ourselves.</span></div>T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-34316110766454968992011-08-21T22:26:00.000-07:002011-08-21T22:26:56.911-07:00Peace Comes Through Hope<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here’s the talk I gave in church today:</span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">James E. Faust once said: “Everybody in this life has their challenges and difficulties. That is part of our mortal test. The reason for some of these trials cannot be readily understood except on the basis of faith and hope because there is often a larger purpose which we do not always understand. Peace comes through hope.”</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Hope is the confident expectation of and longing for the promised blessings of righteousness. The scriptures often speak of hope as anticipation of eternal life through faith in </span><a href="http://lds.org/study/topics/jesus-christ?lang=eng"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Jesus Christ</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">. In our common speech hope is often tinted with doubt, but in our church hope is sure, unwavering, and active.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>D&C 59:23 says “</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">that he who doeth the works of </span><a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/59?lang=eng"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">righteousness</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> shall receive his </span><a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/59?lang=eng"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">reward</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, even </span><a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/59?lang=eng"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">peace</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> in this world, and </span><a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/59?lang=eng"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">eternal</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> life in the world to come.”</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Recently I went on a scavenger hunt with a friend and one of the things we had to get were some words of wisdom from a stranger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stopped into an almost empty candy store and asked the teenage clerk for his wisdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought for a moment and said “First, always treat others the way you want to be treated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, always give and don’t always expect to get anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And third, no matter how good you are, bad stuff still happens.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked to him for a couple more minutes and then we continued on our way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After we left I started thinking about the words of wisdom he chose to share with two random people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told us about the Golden Rule, which is something we should all live by and is pretty common.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next he talked about giving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the last thing he shared was a thought that I have not very heard often phrased like this outside of the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said “No matter how good you are, bad stuff still happens.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a statement that sounds almost sad, like there is no way to win, but this guy said it like it was a promise, like he relished the challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said this with a glint in his eye that made me suspect that he knew something about these bad things that most people didn’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think he knew that these things all have a purpose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is said about work that it is just fun disguised in overalls, well I believe the same thing about challenges: they are just blessings disguised in overalls.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">When we change our perspective from how hard or how hectic and crazy our lives are to the lessons we can learn and the ways we can grow our view of everything in life changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of seeing this moment we can look at the Heavenly timeline and see who we can become instead of what we’re going through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Elder F. Enzio Busche of the Quorum of the Seventy gives some useful advice in a devotional he gave at BYU in 1996.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says: “I want to share with you a vehicle, an instrument, that I developed some time ago for myself and for my family. It can assist us to reach our focus as we read the suggested vision of true discipleship as a Latter-day Saint. It helps when, from time to time, we ponder and seek identification with the following thoughts: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks. The covenant with God to which you are true enables you to become enlightened by him, and nothing is impossible for you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, toward God. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* In your life there have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* First and foremost, you are a spirit child of God. If you neglect to feed your spirit, you will reap unhappiness. Don't permit anything to detract you from this awareness. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* You cannot communicate with God unless you have first sacrificed your self-oriented natural man and have brought yourself into the lower levels of meekness, to become acceptable for the Light of Christ. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* Pause to ponder the suffering Christ felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the awareness of the depth of gratitude for him, you appreciate every opportunity to show your love for him by diligently serving in his Church. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* God knows that you are not perfect. As you suffer about your imperfections, he will give you comfort and suggestions of where to improve. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* God knows better than you what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that he makes to us--everything will fall into its place. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* Avoid any fear like your worst enemy, but magnify your fear about the consequences of sin. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* When you cannot love someone, look into that person's eyes long enough to find the hidden rudiments of the child of God in him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* Never judge anyone. When you accept this, you will be freed. In the case of your own children or subordinates, where you have the responsibility to judge, help them to become their own judges. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* If someone hurts you so much that your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you will be free again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* Avoid at all cost any pessimistic, negative, or criticizing thoughts. If you cannot cut them out, they will do you harm. On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts. If something is wrong, God will give you clarity but never doubts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* Avoid rush and haste and uncontrolled words. Divine light develops in places of peace and quiet. Be aware of that as you enter places of worship. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* Be not so much concerned about what you do, but do what you do with all your heart, might, and strength. In thoroughness is satisfaction. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* You want to be good and to do good. That is commendable. But the greatest achievement that can be reached in our lives is to be under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost. Then he will teach us what is really good and necessary to do. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* And finally, when you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I know a young man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was born into a large family but when he was young his father died in an accident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mother went a little crazy and started doing drugs and drinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The children were left to fend for themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually the decision was made that the 6 youngest children would be best served if they were split up and sent to live with various relatives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This young man was sent to live with relatives 700 miles from his nearest sibling while all of the others remained relatively close to each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This young man entered a period of darkness in his life when everything looked hopeless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He never lost faith in the Lord and his plan, but he did wonder if the plan would ever put good things in his path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually the darkness became overwhelming and this young man went to a church activity crying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His leaders immediately took him aside and just listened to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He talked and talked until he ran out of words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His leaders thought for a moment and told him that happiness was a choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That no matter what happened yesterday if he made the decision to be happy then he could be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he hoped for a better day, that day would come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever since then this young man has had huge growth in his testimony, in his demeanor, and in his happiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his life, no matter how frenzied, crazy, and terrible life seems he has hope and is able to find peace.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The Savior suffered in the Garden so that our sins may be washed clean and we can be saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He died for us and rose again so that we may live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There must be opposition in all things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We cannot know happiness without feeling despair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We cannot fathom true love without first experiencing heartache.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We cannot grow without first feeling the sting of growing pains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The difficult times in our lives when we have doubts or when we struggle are given to us so that we may eventually become Gods like our Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That knowledge, that hope, brings peace to my life and I hope it can bring peace to yours as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I say these things in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></div></span>T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-49057796677255780602011-08-20T00:59:00.001-07:002011-08-20T00:59:15.786-07:00Racism<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“This is where they fought the battle of Gettysburg. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fighting the same fight that we are still fighting among ourselves today. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This green field right here, painted red, bubblin' with the blood of young boys. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smoke and hot lead pouring right through their bodies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen to their souls, men. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘I killed my brother with malice in my heart. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hatred destroyed my family.’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You listen, and you take a lesson from the dead. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we don't come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed, just like they were. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't care if you like each other of not, but you will respect each other. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And maybe...I don't know, maybe we'll learn to play this game like men.” – Remember the Titans</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m going to wax a little political in this post and it might turn into somewhat of a rant, but I feel the need to express my beliefs and this is the only forum I have for that.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This morning I saw “The Help.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m inclined to say that this is the best movie I have ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not my favorite, but I think it’s the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had me laughing out loud, crying, furious, and overjoyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The premise for the movie is that an author wants to write a book about what it is really like to be a member of “The Help” or the African American women who are nannies and maids to the white families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She interviews several of these women and in the movie we see some of the joyous moments they have, but we also see the atrocities that are committed against them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I absolute hate racism, but not in the common way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People usually say that being against racism is to be extra nice to people who aren’t white, but I feel like that is racism in reverse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe that you are being racist if you treat someone differently because of the color of their skin, the church they attend, the country they live in, how old they are…etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Telling a white kid they can’t go to college because someone else’s ancestors’ enslaved black people 150 years ago is unfair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s also like saying that the black kid is too stupid to get into college without help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>College applications should get rid of race and judge entirely by merit without any knowledge of race or religion.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I tease people, a lot, and I make comments about racial stereotypes but I make fun of every race: I talk about bad Asian drivers, gangster black kids, smelly Indians, large nosed Jews, and white trash Americans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People sometimes refer to my comments as racist, but I love people of all races.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If our culture didn’t have the beautiful collection of races that we have we couldn’t possibly be who and what we are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So no, I am not racist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t single one race out as too sensitive to receive my comments nor does any one race receive more teasing than another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All races, colors, and creeds are fair game to me because I love and appreciate each and every one of them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t want to incite anger or bad feelings towards me or anyone else, but I did want the world to know that Racism in all forms is unacceptable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you treat me differently than your black friend I want it to be because I’m a different person, not because I’m white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will show you that same courtesy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We often focus on our differences so much that we forget how we are alike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are all children of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He loves us and wants us to learn to love each other the way he loves us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t see color he only sees people and personalities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us make a world where we don’t see color, we only see actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Martin Luther King Jr. said “</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May we all live our lives this way in hopes that one day the whole world will see as we do and love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter what.</span></div>T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8217922772843931354.post-5913144661618235842011-08-18T14:05:00.000-07:002011-08-18T14:05:26.356-07:00Pearls of Wisdom – Bishop Holt<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had a meeting a few days ago with my Bishop and he gave me some really wonderful advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were talking about my future mission and he asked me if I have ever had a roommate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he asked if there has ever been anyone in my life that I just couldn’t stand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, I said yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he told me that I would almost certainly have a companion on my mission that was both of those things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had heard this before, but in that moment I realized that I would be on my mission in a few months and I would have that companion soon after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must have looked a little shell shocked because he then gave me some very important advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said, “There are two things you must do to get along with this companion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, love them and second, bear your testimony to them.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He went on to explain these two statements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me to love my companions because the way I treated and interacted with my companions would be a reflection of how I will seek after and then treat my future wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went on to explain that the way I treated my companions and the way I treated my wife would reflect how I will treat my children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way I treat my children will help decide if they are productive and valued members of society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way I treat them will reflect how they treat others and the cycle will continue forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The habits that I will learn on my mission and the way I treat my companions will have effects more far reaching than I can possibly imagine right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is reminiscent of something called “The Butterfly Effect.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This states that a butterfly flapping it’s wings in New York could cause a monsoon in India.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or that me smiling at someone today could cause them to smile at someone else, or make a different decision than they would otherwise and those changes will affect other things and I can in fact change the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will try to remember all of these things in everything that I do, from the way I live with my family now to how I live with my mission companions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will love them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He also told me to bear my testimony to my companions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He explained that opening yourself up in that way and sharing some of the most personal things in our hearts binds people together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sharing a spiritual experience forces people to grow closer together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You cannot have the Spirit descend on two people without learning to love the other person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that even now when I share my testimony with someone I draw closer to that person.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hope that I can always love the people I am with and that I can bear my testimony to the people in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By doing these things I will draw closer to Heavenly Father and become more like him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will always strive to do what’s right because I want to be able to grow and learn and have a positive effect on everyone I meet. If you love the people you live with and share your testimony with others around you, you will grow and have a positive effect on the people around you too.</span></div>T. Drew Bushmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00188589769272774733noreply@blogger.com0