New Blog

I just started a new blog for Charbel and I, and this is the new address http://danielycharbel.blogspot.com . There isn't much yet, but hopefully we can keep it updated :)

Mexico!

Well, its been a long long while, and I won't write much here, but this is the best way to show my pictures and a couple of videos that I took while I was down in Mexico with Charbel this past week. We will be getting married on August 21, 2009 in the Veracruz, Mexico Temple :D

  PS: I don't know how to post pictures on here very well, lol .. 

Tag

Cindy Tagged me with this awhile back verbally, but now I'll do it because Katie put me on her blog ... lol

5 TV Shows I Love to Watch:

1) 24
2) Prison Break
3) Family Guy
4) Sportscenter 
5) Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

5 Favorite Restaurants:
1) QDoba
2) Tepanyaki
3) Applebees
4) Olive Garden
5) Tucanos

5 Things That Happened Yesterday:
1) I finished one of my group projects
2) I went to bed early (11)
3) Went and ate soup that Katie made for me
4) Went to the Gym
5) Ate a mini pizza

5 Things I Love About Fall:
1) The Leaves on the ground
2) Wearing long sleeves
3) Sleeping in lots of blankets
4) Start of my favorite holidays (I agree Cindy and Katie)
5) Eating yummy goodies that just don't taste as good other times of the year (slight change from Katie's haha)

5 Things On My Wishlist:
1) Camera
2) New clothes
3) Quesadilla Maker
4) Money
5) Car, lol

5 People I Tag:
1) Mom
2) Kristalyn
3) Diana
4) Anyone else who reads this ...
5) Anyone else who reads this ...

Fear not little flock ...

The events of the past couple of weeks have caused me to think a lot about a lot of things. I am referring in particular to the passage of proposition 8 and the events that have followed. As I watched the protestors desecrate the House of the Lord and carry around signs accusing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of being liars, pedophiles and buyers of votes, among other things, a few thoughts came into my mind.

First off, everyone should know that the LDS Church does not condone hatred towards anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation. We are taught to love everyone. However, this does not mean that we have to accept their choice of lifestyle as a correct one. The LDS Church puts a big emphasis on the importance of family values and the importance of a traditional marriage between a man and a woman. This is not something new that the leaders have cooked up so that we can go around discriminating against other people.  In 1995 the First Presidency and the Quorom of the 12 Apostles came out with a proclamation in which they stressed the importance of families and their role in society. I have no doubt that this proclamation was inspired, and that it was given at the time it was to help prepare members of the Church and all those who would read it for the times that we are currently living in. 

As I was reading an article today and viewing pictures of the Temple of the Lord littered with hate filled epithets, another scripture came to my mind. It is in the Bible in the book of 2 Timothy 3:1-4 and it reads, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affections, trucebreakers, false acusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." Now I don't know about the rest of you, but I would say we are seeing quite a bit of that now.  The LDS church was well within its constitutional rights to stand up for what it believes on a moral issue that affects the society as a whole. As a result of the Church's involvement, it has been the target of bigoted, and hate-filled attacks at its holy places of worship and even on some of its websites. These attacks have only strengthened my testimony of the Gospel, and the importance of listening to the counsel of our leaders. The LDS Church is no stranger to persecution and opposition. Which brings to mind the following quote by Joseph Smith, he says, “...The standard of truth has been erected’ no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done”.  Throughout history, people have rejected the truth, and despised those that are good.  Jesus Christ himself was accused of having a devil. He was beat and then murdered on the cross because he taught something that was different than what the people wanted to hear. 

This is not meant to be an attack on those who disagree with proposition 8. We are taught to respect the beliefs of others, but at the same time not to change our beliefs to conform to society. I am sure that people will continue to call that which is wrong right, and to call anyone who disagrees with them a bigot and a hater. This is no reason to fear, nor to fight with those who have differing opinions. We need to stay strong and do what we know is right. The issue of same-gender marriage is far from over, and I am sure that eventually it will become legal in many, if not all, places. When that happens, we just have to remember to keep the commandments and do what we are taught. In these times of opposition and persecution it is all the more important to listen to the counsel of our dear Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. He is called of God and he will not lead us astray. We must remember the build ourselves up upon the rock which is Christ, and we must remember the promise found in D&C 6:34 which states, "Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail."

Cool

Around January and February of last year I discovered a website called Helium.com, where anyone can write articles and maybe even make some money doing it. Well, I wrote quite a few articles, and since then I have made a whopping 76 cents. Anyway, I haven't written any in a while, but today I went to the website and on the front page I saw that one of my articles was featured. It was written about negative campaigning in elections. It was pretty cool to see it there, ranked number 1 in that category. Anyway, I just thought it was pretty cool. Here is a link to the page, its about half way down.

Well, I haven't posted much in awhile, but I got this funny email from my mission president and I thought everyone should read it. It's funny because it is so true. This kind of belongs on my other blog, but I'll just put it here anyway. Enjoy!

Once upon a time, on a farm in Virginia , there was a little red hen who scratched about the barnyard until she uncovered quite a few grains of wheat.

She called all of her Democrat neighbors together and said, 'If we plant this wheat, we shall have bread to eat. Who will help me plant it?'

'Not I,' said the cow.

'Not I,' said the duck.

'Not I,' said the pig.

'Not I,' said the goose.

'Then I will do it by myself,' said the little red hen, and so she did. The wheat grew very tall and ripened into golden grain.

'Who will help me reap my wheat?' asked the little red hen.

'Not I,' said the duck..

'Out of my classification,' said the pig.
'I'd lose my seniority,' said the cow.

'I'd lose my unemployment compensation,' said the goose.
'Then I will do it by myself,' said the little red hen, and so she did.

At last it came time to bake the bread.

'Who will help me bake the bread?' asked the little red hen.

'That would be overtime for me,' said the cow.

'I'd lose my welfare benefits,' said the duck.

'I'm a dropout and never learned how,' said the pig.

'If I'm to be the only helper, that's discrimination,' said the goose.

'Then I will do it by myself,' said the little red hen.

She baked five loaves and held them up for all of her neighbors to see. They wanted some and, in fact, demanded a share. But the little red hen said, 'No, I shall eat all five loaves.'

'Excess profits!' cried the cow. (Nancy Pelosi)

'Capitalist leech!' screamed the duck. (Barbara Boxer)

'I demand equal rights!' yelled the goose. (Jesse Jackson)

The pig just grunted in disdain. (Ted Kennedy)

And they all painted 'Unfair!' picket signs and marched around and around the little red hen, shouting obscenities.

Then the farmer (Obama) came. He said to the little red hen, 'You mustnot be so greedy.'
'But I earned the bread,' said the little red hen.
'Exactly,' said Barack the farmer. 'That is what makes our free enterprise system so wonderful. Anyone in the barnyard can earn as much as he wants. But under our modern government regulations, the productive workers must divide the fruits of their labor with those who are lazy and idle.'

And they all lived happily ever after, including the little red hen, who smiled and clucked, 'I am grateful, for now I truly understand.'

But her neighbors became quite disappointed in her. She never again baked bread because she joined the 'party' and got her bread free. And all the Democrats smiled. 'Fairness' had been established.

Individual initiative had died, but nobody noticed; perhaps no one cared...so long as there was free bread that 'the rich' were paying for.

EPILOGUE

Bill Clinton is getting $12 million for his memoirs.

Hillary got $8 million for hers.

That's $20 million for the memories from two people, who for eight years, repeatedly testified, under oath, that they couldn't remember anything.

IS THIS A GREAT BARNYARD OR WHAT?

Pest control needed

You would think that I being a pest control salesman, wouldn't have a bug problem ... unfortunately I do.  For the summer they put us up in brand new apartments, but after about two weeks I saw my first cockroach. Since then there has been a gradual increase in bugs, until now we have tons of ants all over the place - in the bathroom, in the kitchen, and worst of all in my laundry. It's pretty gross. I guess it wouldn't be too difficult just to have one of our technicians who parks their truck here anyway come over and spray around. The ironic thing is that our apartments are contracted out to ABC Pest control, so we can call them and they will come and do it - that would be funny. 

Anyway ... About the ants in the laundry, I went to wash my clothes and I saw what most have been about 50 - 100 ants crawling all over my clothes in my laundry basket. The weird part was that they weren't just one type of ant - there were big ants, small ants, and worst of all ... fire ants. Well I didn't really know what to do to get rid of them so I just threw them in the washer anyway. When they were done being washed I could still see some of them on my clothes, so I just threw them in the dryer and my clothes came out ant free ... the lint collector thing apparently collects ants off of clothes too. Unfortunately my camera doesn't have any batteries so i couldn't take any pictures of the real ants, so these internet ones will have to do.