What Satan Wants to Tell Me

Heartbreak is hard.  Heartbreak is sometimes unbearable.  Most of the time heartbreak comes when you least expect it, but heartbreak is always linked to a person, whether it is a family member, a friend, a boss, a coworker, or a stranger.

Recent heartbreak has made me really think, and through the pain I learned a lot of things, but among them I found one most important fact.

Satan will tell you anything to take away your joy or make you feel inadequate.

Satan wants us to believe that we have brought upon ourselves anything painful, harmful, dangerous, agonizing, difficult, or just plain bad.  You start blaming yourself when these feelings befall you.

"What's wrong with me?"
"What could I have done differently?"
"I'm not good enough."
"I'm not smart enough, I'm not pretty enough, I'm not talented enough."
"I could have changed something, but I'm not strong enough."

And none of these thoughts are from God.  In 2 Nephi 2:27 we read that Satan "seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."

Just too clear the air: like many LDS young single adults my age I did go through a difficult situation with a member of the opposite gender, and coming out of the situation I was thinking many of the previous thoughts I quoted.  "I'm not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, or talented enough.  I could have changed something. What's wrong with me?"

Truthfully, I've come to the realization that there is nothing wrong with me.  But how?  Well, because I'm surrounded by people who love me. My mother has talked with me for hours.  My father has continually told me he loves me.  My brother, Izaak, told me, and I quote, "you're good enough for anyone, you just need to find a guy good enough for you." Marcus found out about the situation and started sharpening his knife.. I'm not sure if that is actually related to this situation, but I found it hilarious and ironic.

I also have two best friends on missions that I email weekly.  In my despair I told them of my situation and received the most wonderful and inspiring responses.  Firstly, they wish they could be here to throw darts at his face (a printed picture, not his actual face) with me, as well as eat ice cream and watch chick-flicks.  Secondly, I received only words of love and wonderful scriptures to lift my spirits.

Mosiah 24:15-16
"And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
"And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage."

This is what God wants me to know.  Now, I'm not in bondage, and I'm not exactly submitting to all things "cheerfully," but I am learning and growing.  Hopefully someday I will get to that point.

I do think it is important to note that although there is nothing wrong with me... there is probably nothing wrong with this boy either.

A talk given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks in January of 2002 really opened my eyes.  In "Timing" he notes that "some of our most important plans cannot be brought to pass without the agency and actions of others."

Our timing is not the Lord's timing, and he knows best.  "Because of things over which we have no control, we cannot plan and bring to pass everything we desire in our lives.  Many important things will occur in our lives that we have not planned, and not all of them will be welcome.  Even our most righteous desire may elude us or come in different ways or at different times than we have sought to plan."

I want to finish with this quote from the same talk because I believe it relates not only to my situation, but to the situations of those around me.  And I do have a testimony that Heavenly Father knows best, and he only wants the best for us.  He doesn't want us to belittle ourselves or blame ourselves, but he also does not wish to take away the agency of others, and thus we are gifted with agency for ourselves which is a wonderful blessing to have.  I would never trade that for anything in the world.

"If we have faith in God and if we are committed to the fundamentals of keeping His commandments and putting Him first in our lives, we do not need to plan every single event-- even every important event-- and we should not feel rejected or depressed if some things-- even some very important things-- do not happen at the time we have planned or hoped or prayed."

Let's Consider... Hobby Lobby

Business

Let us please consider.. what is a business?
Seriously?  What is the purpose of a business in America?

From my understanding a business is an idea.  A person comes up with an idea and implements it.  This can be a business for services or products, doesn't matter.  Anything.

This business is created to offer a product or service to the public.  As the business grows they must employ people.  Human beings. Right?

Salary

Now, the owner of the business will set a pay scale.  They decide the salary. Whether there is a minimum wage or not, it doesn't matter.  "Why?" you may ask.  Well, if they are paying far below what society itself has defined as appropriate then, simply put, nobody in their right mind would work for them and thus they would go out of business.

Bad policies, product, salary, or service = Bad business owner = Bankrupt business.

So everyone working in America makes a salary right?  I want to make this a clear point.

Everyone makes a salary.

If you are a better employee, if you are important to a company, your pay scale increases because they would rather have you as an asset than give you up to their competition.

Now historically what would a salary pay for?  Anything you could possibly want, that you could afford.  Shelter, food, toiletries, childcare, etc. ... even health insurance!  Back when people were responsible for themselves, right?

Insurance

Okay now historically select businesses offered Health Insurance without the request from government.  Why?  
1. It is tax deductible to the business.
2. Employees get the benefit 100% tax free
This is a plus for the employer AND the employee.

As a human being seeking employment, one can use their knowledge and understanding of what each company is offering and choose to work for a company that offers Health Insurance, but that is the employees decision and it doesn't take away the employers agency.

Agency

Okay.  Why should a human being lose their agency and ability to choose because they implement an idea that:
1. offers the opportunity for employees to make money
2. provides society with a product or service?
This I REALLY don't understand.

Let's say I'm planning a wedding.  I plan on having a chocolate fountain.  A certain person attending my wedding believes that chocolate is evil and that I shouldn't offer it to my guests.  I should not be required to find an alternative to my chocolate fountain because my beliefs clash with a guest's beliefs.  That guest can choose not to attend, or choose to attend but realize that there will be a chocolate fountain there.  It is my wedding.

The same goes for a company.  Hobby Lobby decides not to offer 4 types of birth control because they clash with their religious beliefs.  A certain person applying for a job does not agree with their decision to implement their religious beliefs and insists that they, and every other employee should be offered those benefits.  The owners of the company should not be required to give them special treatment because their beliefs clash.  The possible employee can choose not to work there, or work there and realize that they will not receive those kinds of benefits.  It is the owner's business.

What Happens in a Company, Stays in the Company
Believe it or not

We've all heard "What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas," right?  It's true for companies as well.

This concerned citizen, along with a few others, brought up an potential problem.

I'm sorry ma'am, you are ill-informed.  

Hobby Lobby does not have the right to ban their employees from using birth control.  They just don't have to pay for it.

An Orthodox Jew does not have the right to ban their employees from electricity.  They just don't have to pay your electric bill.

What Happens in your Private Life is not your Boss's Business, Nor Their Responsibility 

Guess what?  What happens in your bedroom, stays between you and whoever is in there with you. Which is hopefully not your boss, but if it is, then yes he should take some responsibility.

#NotMyBossBusiness

This is a trending hashtag people.  Seriously?  Not my boss's business, but he must pay for it.  The logic!

So.. Let me get this straight.. You don't want Boss to have any business in your birthing choices; however, they have to pay for whatever your decisions are...?!








Their beliefs aren't dictating anything. Women still have choices, but bosses aren't responsible.

I guess I'm too simple-minded to understand.


See in middle school/high school everyone takes a sex-ed class. If a woman chooses to have sexual relations with someone there is ALWAYS a chance of pregnancy.  Now THAT is science.  You can pay for contraceptives if you don't want to be pregnant (you still have access to it) but ultimately that is your responsibility.  (Otherwise, abstinence is definitely a good choice.  It works 100% of the time!)

Responsibility

Oh my goodness. Last 8 words. Full Adult Human Responsible For Her Own Choices.

re·spon·si·bil·i·ty

: the state of being the person who caused something to happen

• Ummm.. you have sex, you get pregnant (boss not involved.. hopefully)

: a duty or task that you are required or expected to do

• You are expected to be responsible of your sexual endeavors (your boss did not participate, your boss is not responsible)

Accountability

When did women decide that they are entitled to everything under the sun because they are women? It is called accountability.  It is an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions.  

It is no surprise that women become pregnant after being intimate.  It is not a boss's job to care for a child if a woman decides to give birth and likewise a boss should not be expected to cover any of your contraceptives.  It is not a "right." Giving birth is natural, if you choose to interfere with that process that is your decision, not your boss's responsibility. 

He's not your "sugar daddy." You don't get extra benefits just for being his employee.  You work, you receive a salary.  Your salary can go to whatever you want, but that is not his business because his company is his business (literally). That is not his responsibility.

Get over your false sense of entitlement, please.

Families Can Be Together Forever

My family (:

Considering current events, I am saving my Hobby Lobby post for later because there is something much deeper pressing on my mind that I feel inspired to write on.

Just last week a family in Texas was murdered.  The lone survivor was the 15-year-old daughter who had a bullet graze her head. She pretended to be dead until her aunt's ex-husband left.  After experiencing her family being executed she called 911 to warn them that her family's killer would be traveling to her grandparent's house next and, in the process, she probably saved around 20 family members.

Days later she was released from the hospital and spoke at a memorial for her family.  She commented that she knew that her family was in a much better place and that she will be able to see them again someday.

As unbelievable as it seems, this comment, based on her faith, stirred up controversy. 

First of all... *be better *sooner rather than later *the.

If you're going to have an opinion that lacks compassion.. please try to be grammatically correct. 

Beyond that, I would feel awful to not bear my testimony on the truth I know of being able to spend eternity with my family.

I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone because, I don't care what religious people argue, you can't prove religion. However, I've studied and pondered and received my own answers.  I have not "just listened" to my religious leaders and "just believed." 

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Or a Mormon, as most people recognize us.  I believe in the Bible "as far as it is translated correctly.  I also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God."  It is another testament of Jesus Christ. I base my beliefs on those simple principles.

In our church their is a song that teaches the principle of Eternal Families...

"I have a family here on earth
They are so good to me
I want to share my life with them
Through all eternity.
Families can be together forever
Through Heavenly Father's plan
I always want to be with my own family
And the Lord has shown me how I can."

Next to the teachings of Christ and his Atonement we know that through his Atonement and sacrifice we have the opportunity to live with our families and our Heavenly Father throughout eternity in mansions that have been prepared for us (John 14:1-3.)

I can see where this 15-year-old girl can have so much strength in knowing her family is in a better place.  In True to the Faith, an LDS gospel reference book, we learn that "when the physical body dies, the spirit continues to live.  In the spirit world the spirits of the righteous 'are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care and sorrow' (Alma 40:12.)"

It notes also that "physical death is only temporary: 'As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive' (1 Corinthians 15:22.)"  Understanding the principles of the gospel and the idea of an eternal family should give anyone the strength to work through this kind of a tragedy.

This comment given does bring up a good, honest question.

I'm extremely glad to answer that question.  Let us first consider where we are basing our "logic."  

If we believe that there is a better place, generally we believe there is a God.

If we believe there is a God, generally we believe the Bible is the word of God.

If we believe the Bible is the word of God, generally we believe in the Ten Commandments.

If we believe in the Ten Commandments, generally we believe "Thou shalt not kill." (Exodus 20:13.)

If we believe "Thou shalt not kill," generally we believe thou shalt probably not kill thyself.

BECAUSE if you do you have thus broken a commandment of God and will achieve a lesser kingdom, or if you're not LDS, hell is a possibility.  And hell is not a "better place."

Logically speaking.

Alas!  I digress..

I'm afraid what worries me even more is the lack of compassion.  Considering what we are taught of the Second Coming of Christ I have reason to wonder.  In D&C 45:27, speaking of Christ's return, we read "And the love of men shall wax cold..." and how sad is it that this should come to pass.  Especially at the tragedy of a child losing her family.

Those that have taken this tragedy and termed it as a reason to bring up the stupidity of religious teachings, gun control, and politics: they've completely missed the point.  Compassion, love, and kindness has disappeared as selfishness, pride, and arrogance has emerged.

Don't stop loving.  Don't stop serving.  Don't lose faith.

Stay close to your family and treasure the relationships you find there, because they can be eternal.

To understand why a little girl can feel so calm in the face of tragedy, I turn to these words:

"Jesus took upon Himself the pains, sicknesses, and infirmities of all people (Alma 7:11-12).  He understands your suffering because he has experienced it.  With this perfect understanding, He knows how to help you.  You can cast 'all your care upon him; for he careth for you' (2 Peter 5:7)...

'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' (Matthew 11:28.)"