My Spiritual Journey - My Children, Part 7

To all my children, step-children and grandchildren - As I stated in the introduction, one of the primary reasons I wrote this story and declaration is to let you have something tangible of where I stand in my faith. As you were growing up I sent mixed and most likely confusing messages, with my actions not following my beliefs. At times I have been confused in priorities and a hypocrite, and now in some ways feel like a Prodigal Son. Please forgive me.  Become familiar with that story in Luke chapter 15, because we all fall at times. Some things I would do different if I could go back, but on the other hand I feel God has a purpose in everything. He works with the humanness within us to make our lives rich and unique.

I urge you to get to know God and build a relationship with Jesus Christ. In spite of what people do, realize that God is in control and all things work together for the good, no matter what. Use your life lessons and challenges as stepping stones on a path to wisdom. Most of all, I pray you will "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself." Be accepting of others, but do the next right thing. Ask for help when you need it, especially from your Heavenly Father. Be grateful for things large and small, even when you don’t want to. I want you to know that I believe in God, and Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I pray that my actions may follow my words, and we may lift each other up when one of us stumbles.

My Spiritual Journey - My Declaration of Faith, Part 6

I wish to declare my faith in terms that others may relate with. With my LDS family members, I will use the Articles of Faith as published by the Mormon church as a reference point. I also use the Apostles Creed as a basis for my own. Neither of these statements below are verbatim to the originals. I used them only as a guide.

My Articles of Faith

• I believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. I believe that the first principles of the Gospel are found in Luke 10:27, where He answered: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself."
• I believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved. Obedience to the commandments is our way of showing gratitude to our Father for the sacrifice of His Son, and in doing so we shall be blessed beyond measure.
• I claim the privilege of worshiping God according to the dictates of my own conscience, and allow all people the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
• I believe that men will be punished for their own sins, but those sins may be forgiven through the process of repentance and washed away by baptism and the blood of Christ.
• I believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and other miracles God may use to further His kingdom.
• I believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; I also believe the word of God may be found in other sources, but must be compared with the teachings of the Bible.
• I believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
• It is my belief and prayer to be honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, I pray I may seek after these things.
• I believe that we have a great obligation to serve, give and teach others about Christ and His principles, especially young people and those who may not be able to normally have access to His teachings.
• I believe the key to happiness is gratitude for the blessings we’ve been given, great and small.

My Creed of Faith

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from when he shall come to judge all people. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holiness of the church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Reaffirmation of this Project

Yesterday I fasted, contemplating and praying about what role God wanted me to play in this world and in His ministry. What became clear to me is that I need to keep doing what I am doing but more so, including this blog. Whatever role I happen to be in at the moment, I need to do it to my best ability, seeking His guidance, giving Him praise, and repenting when I err. As a man, I need to seek to be a Godly man, as a father - a Godly father, as a husband - a Godly husband. Even though I have a job and activities that do not often allow direct mention of Jesus Christ, I can still represent Him in a way where others find Hope, Joy, Peace and Encouragement in their lives.

I had an unexpected opportunity to share the Lord today. It was in no way planned. During the baptism at the East Unit prison, I felt called during a time lull to stand and share my conversion and testimony to about one-hundred fifty men in blue. I asked permission from the visiting pastor, but he was kind of obligated to say yes. I hope I didn’t offend him. I just couldn’t stay quiet. Since I am the Transition teacher, I couched my message of transitioning from a man of the world to a man of God, such as Saul to Paul (Galatians 1:11-16). It was an honor and a blessing to share my story.  For security purposes, the image included is not from my event.

On my way into work this morning I heard this:

But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me, Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed...

But the voice of truth tells me a different story, And the voice of truth says "Do not be afraid!", And the voice of truth says "This is for My glory" - - From Song, Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns"

My Spiritual Journey - My Missionary Years, Part 5

At the age of 19, March 1979-1981, I went on a two year mission for the Latter-Day Saint church. My dad encouraged me too, but I think it was more for the adventure and life experience. My siblings were very supportive of course, but my Christian friends back home gave me the cold shoulder, expressing feelings that Mormons were a cult, and I should stay away from them. The only people who did not were the Perkins family. I knew them from Ridglea Presbyterian Church, and the daughter Marianne and I were friends from Young Life. They told me they loved me, no matter what. To this day, I am grateful for that. I never asked my mom why she wanted me to go, but I think it was a source of pride for her, in "that's what nice, young Mormon men do". Did they pressure me to go? Not directly. The overall encouragement of the LDS church for all young men is to serve a mission when they're nineteen; so in that sense I did feel pressured. On the other hand, I wanted to go, or I wouldn't have. When I applied to go, my choices were to go to Germany, Sweden or anywhere in Europe. I was called to Denmark. When I left, I reported to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, which is like a boot camp for missionaries. There we were taught and coached in the core beliefs of the LDS church, how to interact with the public, and intense training in the language and culture of our final destination. From Day One we spoke Danish for all but a few minutes of each day the entire two months. My primary instructor was Sister Sonja DeSpain, a middle age Danish-American. The language came fairly easy; the memorization of the lessons did not. I was having fun, and learned a lot, but the "fire in the belly" of converting people to the Mormon church never came to me the entire two years. I did at this point however have a strong testimony of Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

When we arrived in Denmark, it was just as they told us, and I had a great first companion (partner) who was a veteran missionary trainer, Elder Raule I think was his name. Missionaries call each other Elder or Sister. He trained me well to work hard, read my scriptures daily, pray all the time and be kind to everyone we met. I enjoyed the work and flourished. I was able to travel and work in about ten different Danish cities including Copenhagen for a year, as well as Vejle, Fredercia and others I cannot remember. After my first companion of six months, I then became a trainer, which was very early for the typical missionary. Most of the time missionaries had a year or so under their belt before they trained others. I include this not to boast, but to point out that from an early age, God blessed me with the gift of being able to teach others, that I would continue to do in my career. I went on to train six missionaries, brand new from the states. Later on I served as a District and Zone Leader. I fit in very well to the mission mostly because I was friendly and loved speaking with people, the language went very well, and the culture fit me to a tee. I guess my Nordic ancestry came out in me. My daily goal was to meet people, become their friend and tell them about the blessings we receive from knowing Jesus Christ. That's what I did. Yes, I always told them about the revelations Joseph Smith received, and always (as instructed) told them not to take my word for it, but pray about it for confirmation. My logic as a nineteen year old figured if God wanted them to be Mormon, He’d tell them so and it wasn’t my job to convince them.

Question: Is it remotely possible, that God wants thousands of different religions? There’s something to think about.

Later I am going to include exactly what I believe in my Declaration of Faith, but let me say this now: I believe that God, through his Holy Spirit can reveal Himself to all people - period. Did he to Joseph Smith? I feel he did, but at some point in what LDS people call the Restoration, something went amiss. I need to say this to my friends and loved ones who think they know Mormons and the LDS faith - I was taught from an early age about the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for all of us on the cross. He was and is the cornerstone of my family faith, so in most aspects I consider the LDS people to be as "Christian" as the main stream population by how I was raised. On the other hand they are very different in their fundamental beliefs, some of which I cannot hold as my own. It is my opinion that when any religion or person goes much deeper than the saving grace of Christ, and the two most important calls of Christianity, i.e. loving God and neighbor, that they tend to easily get wrapped around dogma that will quickly conflict with another and bring discord.

How to get a Concealed Weapons Permit in Florida.

Even though this article is written for Floridians, the process and points I make are very similar in other states.  What ever your reasons are for getting a Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP) are your own, but more and more I see people getting one because our current political climate is making people think this right will be taken away.  This is a right that law abiding citizens have, and just because you carry a concealed weapon, does not mean you have the right to use it.  The laws around this are very strict, and somewhat complicated.  Educate yourself.

In Florida CWP licensing is a Florida Department of Agriculture responsibility.  Normally I like to hyperlink the website, but since this has been changing lately I'll point you in the right direction.  The site is http://www.FreshFromFlorida.com/, and you need to go to the Division of Licensing, where all the forms and instructions can be downloaded.  They used to mail out packets, but I think that's been discontinued.  Here is a condensed version of the process. 

Fees to expect:
License fee: $70
Fingerprint fees: $42 (may be less)
Passport photo: $10
Training fees: Free to $150 depending on type

1. Read the Chapter 790, of the Florida Statutes and see if it is for you. alternate link here
2. Download the application and instructions here.  The application must be signed in front of a Notary.
3. Get your finger prints taken at a local police or sheriff's office.  If you submit the traditional fingerprint card with your application, it will cost you $42 more.  If you have law enforcement electronically send in your prints, they will charge you a fee, but it is less and will speed up the process for you.  The overall cost of this is about the same, but it is a real time saver.
4. Have your passport photo taken, you will need to submit this with the application.  Be sure to read the application instructions about this.
5. You will need to submit a "training certificate".  The rest of this story addresses this training requirement.

I (and others) teach many firearms classes, but the two most people are interested in are FWC Hunter Safety, held normally once a month (8 to 16 hours), NRA First Steps Pistol Orientation (3-4 hours) and NRA Basic Pistol (8-10 hours).  The only way you can have a course last only an hour or two is if you come in with previous, near expert knowledge.

The Florida CWP requirement for training is "You must be able to demonstrate competency with a firearm.", which is a very broad statement, and often misinterpreted.  Some less than honest instructors are willing to take your money under the guise of Concealed Weapons Permit Training.  Buyer beware, know the requirement.  Below is text copied from FL DACS - Question 6, Application Instructions:

Florida law requires you to submit proof of competency with a firearm in order to qualify for a concealed weapon license. A copy of a CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION or similar document from any of the following courses or classes is acceptable:

• any hunter education or hunter safety course approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or a similar agency in another state;
• any National Rifle Association firearms safety or training course;
• any firearms safety or training course or class available to the general public offered by a law enforcement agency, junior college, college, or private or public institution or organization or firearms training school, utilizing instructors certified by the National Rifle Association, the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, or the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services;
• any law enforcement firearms safety or training course or class offered for security officers, investigators, special deputies, or any division or subdivision of law enforcement or security enforcement;
• any firearms training or safety course or class conducted by a state-certified instructor or by an instructor certified by the National Rifle Association.

The copy of the training certificate/document must be clear and legible. The certificate/document must include your name, your instructor’s name, your instructor’s qualifications/credentials (National Rifle Association instructor, law enforcement firearms instructor, Class “K” Firearms Instructor licensed by the State of Florida, etc.), and your instructor’s license/certification number.
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FL FWC Hunter Safety classes can be found here.
NRA Training Programs can be found here.
NRA Courses near you can be found here.

Hunter Safety is about a 12 hour class and $10 (sometimes free) and my NRA class is 3 hours and $60 per person.  I have significant family discounts.  There are many other good classes that can qualify you for your application, but the important thing is that you feel confident in safe firearms handling, and you are aware of the laws that apply to your new permit.  Neither of my classes deal with CWP laws to a significant degree, because FWC nor the NRA wish to carry that liability of giving legal advice.  To get the advice you need for legal purposes, read the law and consult law enforcement and / or an attorney.

Final note - I hope this process will prompt you to practice your firearm safety and skills for a long time, and it will not be something you get and then forget.  Use this opportunity to meet people at a local shooting range or gun club.  I think you'll find shooting sports and the people you meet to be fun and rewarding.  Also, when you go through this process share it with your family, especially your children.

My Spiritual Journey - My Early Years as an Adult, Part 4

My senior year in high school I was as active as ever in my new Christian faith. I began to ignore my mom’s requests to attend Mormon events. I had no desire to go, nor did I even know anyone there. All the while I could see how much it meant to her.

Before graduating high school (1977) I went to my Presbyterian church and spoke with the pastor. I felt I was being called to the ministry. We discussed it, and he with the church leadership and I prayed about it. A few weeks later I was notified by mail that the church had awarded me a $1500 scholarship to college, and made arrangements for me to go to Austin College, a liberal arts Presbyterian school in Sherman, Texas. So I did.

At college I was a Pre-Theology Major and studied mostly general education, but I also took classes to apply toward seminary. I wasn’t a very good student in math or science, but I excelled in the Christian and theology classes. Philosophy and religious history fascinate me to this day. In the dorm I was very much distracted by partying and goofing around. I seemed to slip away from my Christian friends and go more toward people who had little to no belief in God. I stayed away from my family completely, because every time we spoke they would express their disappointment in my religious choice.
After my first year of college (September 1979), I attended a class at Brigham Young University at the recommendation of my father. The class was Youth Leadership 480, Outdoor Survival. YL 480 was comparable to Outward Bound, an extreme survival course and just as rigorous, but had higher morals and spiritual-academic components. The reason I am including it here, is that it was a life changing event, and probably had the greatest short term impact on my life thus far.

On survival about thirty of us spent 29 days in the desert of southern Utah, learning the survival skills of great outdoorsman Larry Dean Olsen. We hiked over 450 miles in that month and survived on miniscule amounts of food and water. I drank from potholes and learned to eat bugs. We worked together as large and small communities, as well as alone. During part of our trek, we were able to spend seven days completely alone along the banks of the Escalante River without books, tools or hobbies. The only conversation we had was with ourselves or God. It was at this point where I decided to show my parents and family respect by following their advice and go on a LDS mission. I didn’t want to be a disappointment to them. They told me it would help me make up my mind in regards my faith, and I tended to agree. Now I can see they probably thought it would convert me back to their faith, once and for all. Only God knows our motives sometimes.