11 April 2018

ThermaLeaf is a fire retardant artificial plant distributor. The website shows their desire to be specified regularly by designers. They approached me to do a neutral review. Don't want to do this just for fun. They offered me a payment of thirty dollars for each of my writing colleagues that publish neutral review content. I believe that they choose me because I have networked with many bloggers. I also have some network with designers.
 
Thursday 12 April 2018
 
This week has been my first week working on the site of the Multnomah County Central Courthouse project. I enjoyed networking with Hoffman as I made arrangements for our first scissor lift rental here.
I work in the historic and original Multnomah County Courthouse. It was at one time the substation for all of Portland, being the first building to have rebar in the concrete here too. Although the building is old, it looks modern inside. The floor that I work in is very open with windows surrounding me. The new Multnomah County Central Courthouse will wrap this building, so only two sides of it get sunlight soon.
Last night was Jessica's first day serving the Cub Scouts. I worked on preparing my talk. There is not much content yet on ministering.lds.org;
 
Sunday 15 April 2018
 
I spoke in Sacrament today. After the second speech finished, I realized that I spoke too long. The third speaker spoke, starting at 10:00 AM, and the fourth started speaking at 10:05 AM. Sacrament usually finishes at 10:05. I said the following words:
 
Good morning. I am Alex Hicken. I moved to Oregon permanently about two month ago. Since I ride my bike to work, I learned that the rain is not so dreadful. I graduated from BYU Idaho with a degree in Design and Construction Management. Last year I lived in Hillsboro during the winter off track semester for an internship with a mechanical contractor named Apollo Mechanical at the Intel campus, and the winter before in 2016 I lived in Aloha, attending the Beaverton Ward, because I was engaged to Jessica Ledesma. I have yet to see a summer here.     
I am humbled because I have been chosen to speak to you concerning one of the most momentous General Conference in the past few decades. My speech will attempt bring a more clarity to you with the changes.  
I will start by expounding on a quote from last week's first presidency letter to the church. "The separate programs of home teaching and visiting teaching are now a coordinated effort referred to as 'ministering,' overseen by the elders quorum and Relief Society presidencies under the direction of the bishop. Ministering is Christlike caring for others and helping meet their spiritual and temporal needs. Ministering may include Laurels and Mia Maids as companions to Relief Society sisters, and priests and teachers continue as companions to Melchizedek Priesthood holders."   
I would first like to address what ministering is. It is Christlike caring for others and helping meet their spiritual and temporal needs.
David Bednar taught that meekness is the root of Christ like attributes, quoting Moroni chapter seven. "And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope? And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise. Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope. And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart. If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity." Elder Bednar explains that "The Christlike quality of meekness often is misunderstood in our contemporary world. Meekness is strong, not weak; active, not passive; courageous, not timid; restrained, not excessive; modest, not self-aggrandizing; and gracious, not brash. A meek person is not easily provoked, pretentious, or overbearing and readily acknowledges the accomplishments of others." "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." I believe that meek people have a close relationship with the Holy Ghost, seeking for that which is good for other people. Meek people have the courage to bless others, when they are prompted by the spirit.
Jesus Christ always looked to personal revelation from his Heaven Father and guidance of the Holy Ghost for understanding of how to act. I enjoyed a quote from Larry Wilson's talk in the conference. "Being spiritually self-reliant is hearing the Lord’s voice through His Spirit for one’s own life." Self-reliance enables us to minister to people's spiritual and temporal needs. I feel like the revelations to change the structure and ministry of the Church is enabling us to be more united with each other as ward members, families, and in our companionships with the Holy Ghost. President Nelson spoke on receiving personal revelation. He said. "Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work." Our revelations will increase our faith to minister. If we receive a prompting to do something from the Holy Ghost, we can act upon it with confidence that God will sustain us. Although home teaching and visiting teaching has been retired, and ministering will still be overseen by the Elders Quorum and Relief Society presidencies under the direction of the bishop, we should not be afraid to have our own personal ministry, having the Holy Ghost as a close companion.
The Elders Quorum have become like the Relief Society, having most of the Melchizedek Priesthood holders meet in the third hour, and the Relief Society has become more like Elders Quorum, where the Young Women can be ministering companions with the Relief Society sisters. Now every member above the age of fourteen can be in a ministering companionship. This unity among the church members can greatly expand and simplify the work's efforts and fruits. We can have greater confidence working within our ward and family councils to reach out to individuals that are struggling.
Neal L Anderson spoke to BYU Provo last week about ministering, quoting Matthew twenty. "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." The prophets are enabling the church quorums, councils, and individuals to minister. Elder Andersen shared the following example of a university student's ministry: "I was going through a really rough time. One day I was really struggling, and on the verge of tears. I pleaded and prayed silently for strength to continue. In that exact moment, my roommate sent me a text, expressing her love for me. She shared a scripture, and bore testimony. It brought me so much strength, and comfort, and hope in that moment of despair." In my experience, trying to minister, I learned that I need to learn how to be straight forward with people. Andersen said. “To minister spiritually can begin with baking cookies or playing a basketball game, but eventually this holier way of ministering requires opening your heart and your faith, taking courage in encouraging the positive growth you are seeing in a friend or in expressing concerns about things you see and feel that are not consistent with discipleship.”
Many people are struggling, and we should be there to help them. I quote again from the BYU Devotional. “Unlike changing a flat tire, one experience rarely fixes a spiritual problem. It takes time, conversations and encouraging experiences that will help rebuild faith,” "It comes more like the dew from heaven than a one-time blast from a firehose. You have to minister again and again, as you help someone turn back to God, again relying on the Savior and his atonement.”
 
I felt bad for limiting the time of the last two speakers, but many people expressed their thanks to my prepared words.
I finally got my bike a tune up. A ball bearing on the crank felt broken, and the balls burst throughout the bike shop, when the guy opened it.
Nursery was great today. A boy that I made out of order because I embraced his silly personality last week was calm today. Brother Keith Kuhn has been called to serve with me in the Nursery. He is a humble man. I was able to talk to him, helping him feel comfortable with the children. Keith actually came to my wedding reception. When I asked if he did, he complained about how loud it was. Keith is a family friend of the Ledesma's. I believe that he is Jessica's primary teacher in her childhood.
Jasmine and Lucas came over for dinner last Friday. We ministered with each other, going out for frozen yogurt afterwards. The local stores at Multnomah Village are expensive, but the experience is convenient, since it is close. We went to Nectar. There was only one good frozen yogurt flavor as the others were ice cream type flavors. The honey lavender flavor was interesting.