Northern Blessings

Last week the North Shore was blessed with a solid little swell. I surfed backyards Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. On Wednesday evening my friend Gideon and I surfed after we both got off of work. The joy that we experienced was indescribable, in the words of Gideon, "I wish I could share this with a girl, every time I try to explain to them this feeling I fail to find the words." Now I have surfed my whole life and I have been in the water hundreds of times, but there are a few experiences that I would describe as indescribable. This night was one of them with its light crowd and even lighter winds. The waves were really good and proved to be a little inconsistent, but there were not complaints of waiting because the sunset created a scene like a burning furnace of clouds and light which seemed to create a serene sentiment. When we would duck-dive under the water we would open our eyes to see the sunset through the moving water. Before the sun lost its glare there were particles of rainbow in above the lush green mountains of the North Shore. This may seem very pretentious or dramatic, but it is me attempting to articulate the feelings and events of this memorable day.  

LA Kings Win the Stanley Cup!!!!!!

I have been following the Kings closely for over 8 years, since Mattias Norstrom was the Captain. I must thank my good friends Dave, Ryan, Matt, Tim, Evan, Brad, Jeff, and John for getting me into the Kings. I don't follow many sports, all my friends are into the Dodgers and the Lakers, but I could never get into those teams and sports, but there was something about Hockey that I was drawn to. It is the only sport I've ever followed and really enjoyed. I loved playing hockey with my friends growing up after school and on the weekends. I have to thank Big Dave Jarman and John Gleason for taking me to Kings games over the years, truly memorable times. The LA Kings have been one of the worst teams in the western conference since I started watching them.. The last three years they have improved, but I never thought that this year they would triumphantly hoist Lord Stanley's Cup above their heads. I was stoked to see them even make the post season as the 8th seed. And what happened over the next weeks was something that I will never forget. They became a new team, breaking out, scoring, and fore-checking like had never seen before. It is surreal that they won the Stanley Cup yesterday!!! I am SUPER STOKED!!!!!! GO KINGS GO!!!!!

Mantener el fuego encendido

Reasons I am a member

My Bishop asked a very simple and profound question to me a week ago and these are my thoughts regarding the question. As a preface some of these answers may seem generic and cliche but they are things that I have really pondered and that I deeply believe.

The question is: Why are you a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

• Because the lord has blessed me with so many intimate moments of love and the feeling of his  spirit. It is in these moments when i feel the spiritual connection to the eternal and know that God knows and loves me.

• Because I have been given a testimony and know through the spirit of the things I must do, and those things are pertaining to this church.

• Because I want to live with my family for all eternity.

• Because I fear God.

• Because I love God and Christ.

• Because I was raised in the church and it is my culture.

• Because it brings me peace when I need it.

• Because I need the ordinances.

• Because I want to go to the celestial kingdom.

• Because I want to live forever with my future wife.

• Because my savior has suffered, died, and rose from the dead so that salvation can come to me. With the restoration of the gospel I know that the atonement is fully offered to me through the ordinances of baptism and the sacrament. I cannot be perfect, so through the atonement, I have a weekly cleansing which is the vehicle of my exaltation.

• Because I have had a profound spiritual experience and now know through the spirit that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration. 

• Because I have had a profound spiritual experience and know that there is a living prophet today.

• Because it's true.

• Because I feel the love and bond between church members.

• Because I am a sinner.

• Because I choose Christ once before in the pre-existence and I have a testimony of that.

• Because I have been baptized and have made a covenant and promise to God to obey His commandments.

• Because I've been given the priesthood and have made a promise to God to honor it and use it.

• Because I have made covenants and promises to God in the temple and I must strive to keep them.
  

That old wind

when I meet my true love how will I know?
some say its like the feeling of the first time you see snow,

some say its like the mountains, so firm and tall,
standing in their shadows makes you feel so damn small

some say its like the ocean, vast, wide, and deep,
who can take your precious life away with one foul sweep,


I think its like that old wind, without a face or form,
I can feel its power well before I fear the storm,


your innocence infectious, your beauty steals my speech,
I pray to God everyday to keep you within my reach