Here at work, the time is fast coming where I will be required to put live, the server I've been working on for the past year. And we all know that when the rubber meets the road, things get a little bit more serious. I came to the conclusion that since I'm the only Linux person in this company, should the Linux servers ever decide to go *kap...

I was sifting through some old voicemails today, when I found this treasure.  I almost deleted it when it was originally left, but I'm glad I didn't. This will be fun to show Luci when she's older. The voicemail itself is attached as audio in this entry....

This chapter is full of doctrinal nuggets. Some things I noticed this time around which I haven't noticed before are the following: Verses 6-8 are primarily about the importance of revelation.  We are told this importance is denounced by our time's people in 2nd Nephi 28:5-6.  I had never made that connection before. Interes...

I've often wondered why this chapter isn't included in chapter 2.  They both seem to go on about the evils of Jacob's audience.  This chapter even goes further to say that the Lamanites at this time were more righteous than the Nephites because they have only one wife, and the husbands love their wives and children.  They also are wi...

I honestly hope I'm never in the position to deliver a speech as the one Jacob records in this chapter.  Holy moly. He condemns pride, people seeking after riches, and chastity breakers to a degree not many other speeches can. I wonder if the words he wrote were the same words he used in the speech, because a lot of the metaphors he uses a...

Last night, I watched a recording of American Idol, and since I have the myth system set to record 10 minutes previous to the beginning of the show, I had recorded the last 10 minutes of a show called "Moment Of Truth". The whole premise of this show is to take a polygraph (lie-detector) test previous to the show, and then go on live TV...

As many of you know, I recently upgraded the exhaust on my 2007 Mustang GT. Well... Tonight, I had to take it out to see what I could do.  So, I went the usual route and didn't find much more than a crappy 90's Eclipse that wanted to play.  After almost an hour of dragging back and forth, lady luck just didn't have it in for me tonight...

Well... I finally did it.  I've been kind of anxious about the whole "modifying my car" because I've never done it before, and my car is still under warranty.  I have no idea what this might mean for the warranty, but after hearing / feeling the difference, I don't regret it one bit.  I love it! Just two modifications fo...

Nothing really jumped out and grabbed me for this chapter. I liked how Nephi was seemingly fiercely loved by his people.  I wish we had a president today like that.  Seems like politics in general now has nothing to do with what is best for the country.  It's all about backstabbing, getting rich, and furthering agendas.  I wo...

Verse which popped out at me this time around was verse 1. This is probably the best illustration in all of scripture of how the Spirit works among people. When someone speaks according to the Spirit of God, the Spirit breaks all barriers of communication and carries the message through a language agnostic medium which all hearts understand. ...

Not much more to say, other than what was in the video.  I'm trying now to work out the best bitrate to video quality trade-off with FLV files. I plan on having a bit of fun with this new camera in the ensuing weeks. I'm amazed at the technology with which these new cameras / camcorders are built....

The opening talk by President Monson was inspiring.  I love how he talked about his wife, the stories of them meeting, and the fact that her parents were converted to the Gospel by his grandfather's brother.  (I'm amazed he knew that, by looking at his photo!)... Also..  When Pte. Monson said that the presidency loves all those of t...

When I began reading this chapter, I was pretty anxious, internally - for unrelated reasons.  Now, having finished this chapter, I feel very calm and peaceful.  What a great story this chapter tells. While reading, I saw some curious verses, but all of those questions feel relatively meaningless right now.  The thing that matters t...

I just got done reading, listening to, and watching the general conference talk "Ask In Faith", by Elder David A. Bednar. I must say, having missed the original broadcasting of this conference, I heard all the hype about this talk in the ensuing weeks and months.  It seemed that this talk was all the rage about learning how to &quo...

Okay...  I know it's a little bit late, but I thought I needed to write about my B-day anyway.  It was the 14th, and evidently, the 16th, too. So, the 14th began with a great time eating lots of great food.  Pancakes for breakfast, my best friend Scott took me to my all-time favorite Thai restaurant and we got some insanely delicio...

"...and his hand is stretched out still." I love that phrase.  To me, it's just another way of saying, "I will be here for you, no matter what you do or where you go.  I will always be here for you." What a comfort that is, knowing there will always be someone there for you.  I know it is for me, and I've felt...

 So, I'm pretty sure these words are being spoken to us, the Gentiles, and they are meant for people living now.  The last chapter was spoken to those who would be alive during the coming of the Book of Mormon, and it doesn't seem like this chapter deviates from that. Interesting that included in the list of "wicked ways" is t...

Hmm....  I'm kind of tired right now, but I figured I needed to read some scriptures... This time around, I realize how being under the rule of a tyrant would be absolutely horrible.  In this case, Alma was under the rule of one (or more) of the Amulonites - which were his wicked peers when they were the king's priests.  Talk about...

I am so exausted...I never realized how much going to college and being a mother could take all the energy out of you. I am hoping I made the right choice going back to school, it takes all of my being to get up in the morning and drive to school. I am so thankful for the weekends for the days off lol. Tomorrow I have a babyshower to host and then ...

Woah... It's like been a long time since I wrote in my journal, huh? Ohwell, so I've been a little busy, okay? Yesterday night a group of missionaries (Elder Musick, Topham, me, and Elder Reinwand) got together and we decided to go and sing. We all sing really rather well together, so we thought we could help some people feel the Spirit with t...

So Jeff Petersen is a guy with whom I've been friends for years.  I hadn't seen him in probably as long.  We went to BYU together, were roommates, and had summer jobs in California together.  We got along very well... But then we each got married, he moved to Missouri, and that was that...    ...until two days ago. ...

I've only got 5 minutes to write, but I've simply got to say something about our baby Samuel... With Collin and Luci, I didn't feel a real connection until the actual birth.  Well..  Walking around today in the house, I looked at Sarah's big belly, and I felt a warm feeling in my chest which can only be described as a connection with t...

Amazing.  A couple of chapters ago, I was commenting on the sad state which Nephi found himself in, and the amazing faith he must have had to remain in a state of faithfulness to God, when everyone around him was wicked. I guess that's the way it goes.  God tries us to our breaking point, careful not to give us trials beyond our capabil...

I love Moroni's strategy.  With God on his side, he seems almost unstoppable. So Ammoron decides to be a jerk about the letter-sending, and what-not, so Moroni's like, "Dude...  You did NOT just say that!  A'ight, then, we'll see who gets to keep prisoners around here!!" Let's see what could have gone wrong with this st...

 Another very short one.  If I understand it correctly, the prayer states that by partaking of the water, we are covenanting (or "witnessing") unto God that we will always remember Christ.  I believe a few chapters ago, I wrote quite an entry on the importance of remembering.  As evidenced by the inclusion of it in a w...

I don't think that ever you will find any words of righteousness associated with Laman and Lemuel, not once, but twice, within 4 verses more than in this chapter alone. Not sure why that stood out at me this time, but once in verse 1 and again in verse 4, Nephi said that Laman and Lemuel were on good behavior.  I thought I'd take time to suc...

So, due to the success we've been having with the studio, we were able to upgrade our two in-studio guitars.  We bought a new black Crafter acoustic guitar, which sounds just awesome.  One of the new Herod The Fink tunes will feature the Crafter, and we're excited to get a final mix to see how it sits within the music. We also bought a ...

 Not sure why I'm writing about this now, because I usually just finish the thing and then announce it at the same time as I share it. I guess this song is a complete deviation from anything I've done in the past.  Heh... Just now I'm realizing that I don't even have a name for this song yet.  I could call it "My Friend",...

Yesterday at church, I had a couple of thoughts which I neglected to write down.  I think I'll write them down now. Something I might have written down in my previous scripture studies is my question as to why Lehi's family didn't think about getting the plates of brass / Ishmael's family before they left for the wilderness?  I would th...

One part of this chapter possibly made sense to me, although I could be totally wrong. Okay, two parts did. The first is verses 8 - 13.  It seems to me that these verses are talking about the kingdom of Judah.  Though they may assemble themselves and try, they will ultimately fail unless they begin to fear God.  (again, could b...