Sitting here pondering what to write. I could write about a synopsis of 1st Nephi, which I finished last night, or I could just dive into 2nd Nephi.  I think I'll do the latter. Verse 6 could be quite the controversial verse, for people who didn't like the Spanish conquest, or Christopher Colombus.  Yet, the verse still is what the ...

Recently I was reading from scriptures.lds.org and decided it could be improved to make it easier to read. Here is what it looks like normally. A couple things bugged me. Narrow text is generally easier to read. So, I made it more narrow. Also, the superscript letters that signify a footnote throw off the line spacing. I figured out a cool l...

I'm kind of distracted now due to external crud, but one of the verses jumped out at me.  Verses 7 and 8... I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the Spanish conquest, as it came to the Americas.  I have combating feelings toward the whole history of what happened. The "Indians" found here in America were the posterity...

I think that most of this chapter is talking about the gathering of the tribes of Israel, although I could be completely and totally offbase.  This is one of the chapters which I probably wouldn't write about had I not made a resolution to write about each and every chapter from the Book of Mormon. Pretty difficult to understand right now. ...

I've often wondered why Nephi included the portions of scripture containing the writings of Isaiah. I remember one time during my mission when I was reading the stuff in 2nd Nephi and it actually made sense, but I didn't write any of it down, so.... it still makes no sense to me. Only one verse out of this chapter gave me any inspiration at all...

A few minutes ago, I visited my favorite weather-forecasting website and I saw something I thought I should document, just because it doesn't happen very often.  I saw a 7-day forcast that looked like this: I think it may snow tonight! :) Anyway... My mustang isn't liking life very much right now.  It's so freakin' dirty.  ...

Ya know, I love verse 6, and verses like it (2nd Nephi 4, for example).  The reason is quite simple. Sometimes it's hard to remember that prophets are people, too.  They're just subject to Satan's temptations and mistakes and errors and such as we are.  Verses like this remind me that they aren't perfect, and it brings them down to...

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...

I find it so interesting that Nephi, in all cases I can think of, when stating how hard things can get, always follows it up with how blessed they are.  I believe Nephi was how I would like to, and am trying to be like.  He recognizes things are bad, yet always finishes on an optimistic note.  Personally, I beleve grounded optimism c...

I just got up from a nap I was taking due to my going to bed at 4:00am this morning and the first words my wife told me after coming up stairs was "President Hinckley died a few hours ago." I'm not one to get upset at death.  For some reason, I've never had a problem with people dying.  The one thought which makes this even ea...

So, these chapters are pretty small, but for some reason, I think there's quite a significance in this one.  Not quite sure if I've found it yet, but the reason I think this, is - originally, this text was not included in the scripture - and it is Christ talking himself.  I wonder why Moroni felt the need, or was inspired to include it?&n...

We've been contemplating how to best improve the studio with all the business we've been getting lately, and the votes are in! Please welcome our newest addition to the studio, a nice shiny new red GOLDEN AGE PRE 73 PRE-AMP!  We spent a good deal of time looking into the best preamps for the money, and it came down to two main contenders. ...

Any web developer who has been in the craft for more than a couple of days realizes how often forms are used in web development.  Well...  Where forms are used, form methods are used, and one of the crazily irritating problems with forms using a "POST" method is the fact that when the "back" button is pressed after lea...

I just got done playing some sweet jazz for a client, and with the usual rock 'n' roll requests coming in, this was a great change of pace. I'm always intrigued at the different nuances that exist between styles of music as it pertains to rhythm and percussion.  Rock and roll pounds out some great 4/4 along the occasional 3/4 timing, with so...

Trying to read this section of Mosiah as a whole concept, rather than nitpick each individual nugget of doctrine has given me a new appreciation for how stupid people can be. Seriously...  How could a person or people be so dense as to burn someone at the stake who, 3 days previous, had the power of God upon him to the degree that nobody wan...

I know I'm WAY out of the loop on this one, but I thought I'd blog about it to possibly help others who didn't know about this quite wonderful program. For years I've been using amd64 processors and have loved them.  Ever since there has been a 32-bit firefox on gentoo, I've been using it to view all the youtube goodness out there. However...

I believe that Sherem is the first "villain" of the Book of Mormon after Laman and Lemuel, who could be considered an "anti-christ".  Not 100% sure, but I don't remember anything standing out in 1st or 2nd Nephi.  This guy reminds me of Nehor, Korihor, and Amalickiah. Some points of interest this time around are: ...

 I thought I wouldn't do anything today... Mostly because I was feeling a bit ill...  But, I figured there was no better way to usher in the new year! Happy New Years 2010 to everyone!  And hope you enjoy AdvancedOnlineDrums' version of Green Day's Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Click for video. ...

So... To be honest, this chapter is kind of confusing.  Verse 1 and 2 is like Moroni is talking directly to Joseph Smith, due to his referencing the ability to "translate".  That in itself is kind of cool.  I've often thought what it must have been like to be Joseph Smith receiving the plates and translating when he gets to...

 So, I was just in bed just about to fall asleep (like within 1 or 2 minutes of sleeping), and I felt like I needed to come and write in my journal. My prayers on Sunday evening, I believe it was, felt just like I was communing with the Spirit.  Everything spiritual seemed so easily understood and understandable. Man, I hope this make...

It seems that this chapter is just a informational chapter on the goings on over a space of quite a few years.  Heh... That's pretty general, but there's really not any story-line, or analogy, or deep doctrine here... I did find it interesting how they spoke of using cement, and the sparseness of timber, and such like that.  I wonder wh...

I was just up holding you, Collin.  You awoke for some reason after we put you to bed, and I decided to be the one to go see what was the matter. As I picked up your stiff body, muscles taught by some uknown fear, I sensed a connection between you and I which I haven't felt before. You put your little head on my shoulder and continued to rid...

As I sit here listening to, watching, and reading the talk given by President Uchtdorf, I'm puzzled by my lack of caring of the faith of my fathers. I don't exactly know why it is, but I.....  I've never really looked at what my parents believe being a part of my faith.  I don't know if that is wrong or what... What I believe is what ...

Ya know... Chatting with good friends has its benefits.  Just like think-tanks and collegeate consortiums are good for concerted cognation, a good conversation with a concerned cohort can be just as contenting. I think I've mentioned this before in my journal, but in talking with a good friend of mine, I hadn't made the connection with just...

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...

 I think these chapters are too short.  Interesting to note that the scripture says that the elder or priest would "kneel down with the church", yet the congregation doesn't kneel down today. Also interesting to note that the sacrament prayer is one of very few prayers which have to be said verbatim, and hasn't changed at all ...

I love mythtv. Thank heavens for the wonderful, altruistic people who created such a fantastic program. I also love transcode and mplayer. Equally fantastic programs. Put em' all together and what do you get? An encoded library of your DVDs ready for viewing straight from your hard drive. Here's some tips I've found out. (actually, I'm w...

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 watched this talk about 2 months ago and was very impressed by what Elder Jeffrey R. Holland proclaimed. Down to its essence, Elder Holland simply states case after case as to why it makes no sense the claim that God has ceased speaking to us. Quite frankly, I believe him.  With overwhelming evidence given, it's hard not to see the clear...

 It's quite obvious that this chapter is speaking to anyone and everyone (throughout all time) who lives on this land.  Verses 9,10, and 12 are especially insightful. "What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?" I love that question.  I never noticed outright that right after the Lord poses th...