A season of quiet course-correction. I used to run ahead—saying yes to every favor and confusing hurry with help. These reflections pick up where Only Whisper begins: walking at the Lord’s pace, using “miracles of knowledge” to bless, and remembering why I’m here.
Layton Temple beneath the final supermoon of 2025 — a quiet witness that light continues to rise, even after long nights.
Excerpt
“Don’t give up, boy. Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Trust God and believe in good things to come.”
Intro
For the last four days, I have listened repeatedly to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s talk An High Priest of Good Things to Come. On December 4, 2025, standing at the Layton Temple beneath the final supermoon of the year, those words settled deeply into my heart.
This was not a message of quick relief or easy answers. It was a message spoken to the weary, the long-suffering, and those who keep walking even when the road feels endless.
Notes from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Elder Holland shared a tender, personal account from his life — a moment when he imagined speaking to his younger self during a season of discouragement and uncertainty.
Rather than rewriting the past, he offered reassurance. Not denial of hardship, but perspective gained through time, faith, and endurance.
His message was simple and powerful: God was already at work. Help was already coming. And quitting was never the answer.
Perspective (Direct Quotes)
“In that imaginary instant, I couldn’t help calling out to him: ‘Don’t give up, boy. Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying.’”
“There is help and happiness ahead — a lot of it — 30 years of it now, and still counting.”
“You keep your chin up. It will be all right in the end.”
“Trust God and believe in good things to come.”
Practice (Today, Not Someday)
Today, the practice is not dramatic change. It is refusal to quit.
It is continuing to walk when answers are delayed. It is continuing to believe when outcomes are unseen. It is choosing faith not because the road is easy, but because God is faithful.
Today, I keep walking.
Final Reflection
Under the rising supermoon at the Layton Temple, I felt something quiet but firm: reassurance does not erase trials, but it strengthens the traveler.
God does not rush us through our struggles. He walks with us through them.
Pocket I’m Keeping
“Don’t give up. Don’t quit. Keep walking. Trust God. Good things are coming.”
Oquirrh Mountain Temple glowing at dusk, December 13, 2025 — a quiet reminder that holiness is preserved by preparation.
Excerpt
“The other card which I have is what we call a temple recommend. It represents a credit card with the Lord, making available to me many of His greatest gifts. The bank card is concerned with things of the world, the recommend with things of God.”
Intro
December 13, 2025. 6:00 PM. Proxy Endowment at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.
As the sky deepened into winter color and the temple stood illuminated against the dusk, I carried more than a recommend in my pocket. I carried a reminder. President Gordon B. Hinckley’s words returned clearly and quietly, teaching not just what a temple recommend is, but what it represents. Not a formality. Not a routine. A sacred trust.
Notes from President Gordon B. Hinckley
President Hinckley offered a simple but unforgettable comparison.
He held up two cards.
One was a bank credit card. Useful. Valuable. Governed by contracts and conditions. Issued temporarily. Revocable if misused. Owned ultimately by the bank.
The other was a temple recommend.
A different kind of credit entirely. A credit card with the Lord.
Unlike financial credit, eligibility for a temple recommend is not based on wealth, status, or means. It is based on consistent personal behavior, moral worthiness, and the goodness of one’s life. It is concerned not with money, but with eternity.
He reminded us that a recommend is not permanent. It must be renewed. Worthiness must be maintained. And sometimes, he cautioned, we rush people to the temple before they are truly prepared.
So sacred was this matter in earlier times that Presidents of the Church personally signed every recommend themselves.
Perspective (Direct Quotes)
“I hold before you two credit cards. Most of you are familiar with cards such as these.”
“The other card which I have is what we call a temple recommend. It represents a credit card with the Lord, making available to me many of His greatest gifts.”
“Eligibility for a temple recommend is not based on financial worth. That has nothing whatever to do with it. It is based on consistent personal behavior, on the goodness of one’s life.”
“The temple recommend which you carry, if honestly obtained, is certification of your moral worthiness.”
“What a unique and remarkable thing is a temple recommend. It is only a piece of paper with a name and signatures, but in reality it is a certificate that says the bearer is honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous.”
“It makes one eligible for an exclusive and remarkable privilege—the privilege of entering that House which says on its wall, ‘Holiness to the Lord—the House of the Lord.’”
“Live worthy to serve in that house. Keep it holy.”
Practice (Today, Not Someday)
Today I ask myself:
Am I treating my temple recommend as a privilege or as a routine?
Am I living in a way that quietly honors what it certifies?
Worthiness is not proven at the interview table alone. It is practiced daily in private choices, honest dealings, clean thoughts, and deliberate restraint. Today, not later. Now, not eventually.
Final Reflection
Standing before the Oquirrh Mountain Temple, I was reminded that holiness is not accidental. It is cultivated. A recommend is renewed on paper every two years, but it is renewed in the soul every single day.
The Lord does not rush holiness. He invites preparation.
Pocket I’m Keeping
“Entering the temple is a privilege to be earned and not a right that automatically goes with Church membership.”
Where the sun breaks through, grace follows. Even in heavy days, God still sends light
Excerpt
Divine love is perfect and infinite—but never detached from law, covenant, or personal responsibility. President Nelson teaches that God’s love lifts us, but it also leads us.
Intro
There are many ideas in the world about love—“unconditional love,” “love accepts everything,” “love is all that matters.” But President Russell M. Nelson gently corrects this. Divine love is deeper, higher, and holier than the world’s definition. It is love that lifts, but also directs. Love that embraces, but also invites repentance, covenant keeping, and discipleship.
Notes From the Speaker
President Nelson teaches:
Divine love is perfect—complete and free of selfishness.
Divine love is infinite—extending to all who ever lived or will live.
Divine love is enduring—God keeps covenant and mercy “to a thousand generations.”
Divine love is universal—He sends rain on the just and unjust, and invites all to come unto Him.
But he also clarifies something rarely discussed:
“While divine love can be called perfect, infinite, enduring, and universal, it cannot correctly be characterized as unconditional.”
Not unconditional—in the worldly sense.
Divine love includes law. Divine love invites us to rise. Divine love calls us home through covenant.
Perspective (Direct Quotes)
“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.”
“The Lord keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments.”
“He denieth none that come unto him.”
Divine love is not passive. It moves. It sacrifices. It teaches. It commands.
And it changes us.
Practice (Today, Not Someday)
Love God by keeping commandments.
Love others in ways that lift them toward Christ, not just toward comfort.
Pray with real intent, trusting that His love is shaping you—not indulging you.
Stand firm when the world pushes to redefine love into permission.
Anchor your identity in God’s love, not the world’s applause.
Final Reflection
Divine love is not a soft pillow—it is a guiding compass. It doesn’t remove the need for obedience; it empowers it. It doesn’t eliminate consequences; it helps us grow through them. It does not excuse sin; it rescues us from sin.
President Nelson’s message reminds me that God’s love is best understood not when everything feels easy, but when we recognize that His love shapes us into something greater than we could ever create alone.
Pocket I’m Keeping
God’s love is infinite, but His blessings are predicated on my willingness to keep commandments and walk the covenant path. His love always points me toward the next step.
What I Hear Now (Direct Quotes)
“Divine love cannot be correctly characterized as unconditional.”
“He inviteth all to come unto him.”
“The Father and the Son are one—in purpose and love.”
Balanced Rock, Arches National Park — a place where the wind is strong, the foundation is narrow, and the rock stands only because the base holds firm. A reminder that in discipleship, love and law work the same way.
Excerpt
We cannot choose one and ignore the other. In the Lord’s plan, love and law stand together. They do not compete. They complete each other.
Intro — Where the Path Narrows, the Balance Appears
The walk toward Balanced Rock reminded me that the gospel path often asks us to hold two eternal truths at the same time. Love on one side. Law on the other. And somewhere in the middle is the place where disciples learn to stand steady. President Oaks teaches that real discipleship is not one-sided. It is “loving” and “lawful” at the same time.
As I stood in front of that massive rock balanced on a narrow pedestal, I felt it — the weight, the tension, and the steadiness that only God can create. The same steadiness He tries to build within us.
Notes From President Oaks
God’s love is perfect, eternal, and unchanging.
But His love does not override His laws.
Salvation comes through the Atonement, but exaltation comes through obedience.
True love never asks us to ignore commandments.
Real charity is anchored in truth, not permissiveness.
“The love of God does not supersede His laws and His commandments.”
Perspective — The Rock and the Law
We often hear the world say, “Love is all that matters.” But President Oaks reminds us that love without law becomes drift, and law without love becomes harshness.
Balanced Rock became a symbol of that message for me. The top looks impossible, almost defying gravity. Yet it stands. Why? Because the foundation beneath it holds firm.
Love lifts. Law steadies. And together, they create a foundation strong enough for eternity.
Sometimes we want everything to be easy. Sometimes we want the Lord to remove the tension. But President Oaks teaches that growth happens in that tension — the balancing, the choosing, the returning, the trying again.
Practice (Today, Not Someday)
When I feel pulled by emotion, I anchor myself in the commandments.
When I feel weighed down by commandments, I remind myself of God’s love.
When someone hurts me, I choose charity instead of judgment.
When life feels unsteady, I remember that balance is part of discipleship. Today, I practice holding both — loving deeply while obeying faithfully.
Final Reflection
The Lord’s path is not a straight line. It is a balance. Not the balance the world teaches, but the balance the Lord shapes within us — a heart full of charity and a life aligned with His laws.
Standing there under Balanced Rock, I remembered something simple and quiet: Discipleship isn’t about choosing between love and law. It’s about learning to walk with both.
Pocket I’m Keeping
“When we understand both love and law, we grow closer to the Savior whose life embodied both perfectly.”
What I Hear Now(Direct Quotes)
“The love of God does not supersede His laws.”
“Because of His love, He cannot change the commandments.”
“Real love for the Lord is shown through obedience.”
“The gospel is a message of love, but it is also a message of law.”
Balanced Rock, Arches National Park. A place where the wind is strong, the foundation is narrow, and the rock stands only because its base holds firm. A reminder that in discipleship, love and law work the same way.
Milky Way rising behind Delicate Arch in Moab, Utah, photographed by Jet Mariano. A visual reminder of faith, effort, and timing.
Excerpt If it’s to be, it’s up to me — but only when my feet move in faith and God’s timing directs the path. Today, through hymns, impressions, and a memory of Delicate Arch under the Milky Way, I was reminded that blessings unfold when effort meets revelation.
Intro: The Path Is Action + Timing This morning I woke up peacefully with a single impression: “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.”
That sentence framed my entire Sabbath. Each hymn, each thought, each scripture, even the Sunday School lesson seemed orchestrated around one doctrine I’ve lived for decades:
Faith is a principle of action — but blessings come in God’s timing.
I’ve worked since I was 12 years old and didn’t enter the IT world until age 37. Nothing was wasted. Every phase prepared me for the next. Today reminded me again: God’s plan is not passive, but it’s not instant either. It is effort + grace. Movement + revelation. Timing + trust.
Notes From Elder Dale G. Renlund Elder Renlund teaches in Abound with Blessings:
“Most blessings that God desires to give us require action on our part—action based on our faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in the Savior is a principle of action and of power.”
He adds:
“Faith in Christ requires ongoing action for the blaze to continue. Small actions fuel our ability to walk along the covenant path… But oxygen flows only if we figuratively keep moving our feet.”
His examples are profound:
Make the bow before the revelation comes
Build the tools before the instructions arrive
Bake the cake before the miracle of flour appears
Faith requires movement. But miracles require God’s timing.
Perspective — Elder Christofferson’s Vending Machine Warning Elder D. Todd Christofferson adds the perfect balance:
“We ought not to think of God’s plan as a cosmic vending machine where we (1) select a desired blessing, (2) insert the required sum of good works, and (3) the order is promptly delivered.”
“Blessings from heaven are neither earned by frenetically accruing ‘good deed coupons’ nor by helplessly waiting to see if we win the blessing lottery. No.”
True faith is not transactional — it is transformational.
Practice (Today, Not Someday): The Delicate Arch Lesson My photograph of the Milky Way rising behind Delicate Arch is a visual sermon about faith and action.
The hike is 3 miles round trip, with over 600 feet of elevation climb. During summer, the Milky Way rises behind the arch for only a brief window. If I waited for perfect conditions or perfect timing, I would miss it.
So I climbed early. Walked in the dark. Prepared my gear. Positioned myself. And waited for heaven to align.
Only then did the Milky Way rise — after I moved my feet.
Some blessings don’t appear until we climb. Some revelation doesn’t rise until we prepare. Some miracles don’t unfold until we act in faith.
That hike is my life: from working at 12, to breakthroughs at 37, to every step since. Effort + timing. Action + grace. Faith + patience.
Final Reflection “If it’s to be, it’s up to me” is not self-reliance without God. It’s my action combined with His timing. My discipline combined with His direction. My relentless faith combined with His perfect plan.
Today reminded me that the Lord isn’t a vending machine dispensing blessings on demand. He’s a Father who blesses according to eternal purpose. Sometimes He asks me to climb in the dark. Sometimes He asks me to wait. But He always keeps His promises.
Pocket I’m Keeping Move my feet — and trust His timing. Climb faithfully — and let Him reveal the Milky Way.
What I Hear Now (Direct Quotes) “Faith in the Savior is a principle of action and of power.” — Elder Renlund “Blessings require movement — oxygen flows only if you keep your feet moving.” “God is not a cosmic vending machine.” — Elder Christofferson “Make the bow before the revelation comes.”
“There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.”(D&C 130:20-21)
Salt Lake Temple • Long Exposure • f/11 • ISO 64 • 15s • 14–24mm on a spider tripod A night when stillness spoke louder than motion.
Excerpt
Blessings are predicated on law — but not in the way a vending machine dispenses what we demand. They arrive through becoming, trusting, and walking with God in His timing.
Intro
The word predicated has been echoing in my mind since my time in the temple today. It comes from Doctrine and Covenants 130, where the Lord teaches that every blessing is tied to a law. Not earned, not purchased, not demanded — but predicated. As I reflected on the week’s experiences, the people I’ve tried to help, and my own quiet questions, this truth settled deeply: God’s timing shapes God’s blessings.
Notes from the Temple & Talks
As I sat with the scriptures open, the Spirit reminded me that obedience is not a transaction but a relationship. Elder Dale G. Renlund explains:
“Blessings from heaven are neither earned by frenetically accruing ‘good deed coupons’ nor by helplessly waiting to see if we win the blessing lottery.… Blessings are never earned, but faith-inspired actions on our part, both initial and ongoing, are essential.”
Those words matched what I’ve lived this week — acting where I can, helping who I can, trusting that small efforts still move heaven’s work forward.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson warns against the temptation to expect blessings on our timeline:
“Some misunderstand the promises of God to mean that obedience to Him yields specific outcomes on a fixed schedule.… We ought not to think of God’s plan as a cosmic vending machine… where the order is promptly delivered.”
This is not how God works — and yet, He always works.
Perspective (Direct Quotes)
D&C 130:20–21 teaches: “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated… And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.”
Elder Renlund adds: “The truth is much more nuanced but more appropriate for the relationship between a loving Heavenly Father and His potential heirs.”
Elder Christofferson clarifies: “…not every blessing predicated on obedience to law is shaped, designed, and timed according to our expectations.”
Practice (Today, Not Someday)
Today I will trust the process. I will obey not to earn, but to become. I will keep acting in faith, helping where I can, and letting the Lord handle the timing of what I cannot control. I will let small acts of discipleship be enough — because they are.
Final Reflection
Elder Christofferson offers a truth that speaks to moments of uncertainty, impatience, or pleading:
“So, in the midst of this refiner’s fire, rather than get angry with God, get close to God. Call upon the Father in the name of the Son. Walk with Them in the Spirit, day by day. Allow Them over time to manifest Their fidelity to you. Come truly to know Them and truly to know yourself. Let God prevail.”
This is the heart of predicated. Blessings unfold as we walk with Him — not as we demand from Him. They arrive in due time, in His way, shaped by His love and our readiness.
The sky opened for a moment and the light answered back.
The wheel glowed in violet as dusk settled over Santa Monica, and a single strike of lightning cut through the horizon like a quiet reminder that beauty and power can share the same frame. Some nights arrive without warning, and all you can do is stand still and let the moment write its own story.
When the day surrendered, the sky burned one last time.
The sun dropped behind the pier like a slow farewell, turning the whole horizon into fire. The wheel stood still against it, a quiet witness to the ending of another day. Some places remind you that even the most ordinary moments can shine when the light chooses to pass through them.
When the night finally claimed the pier, the colors refused to die.
The wheel spun in its own quiet galaxy, throwing violet and blue across the water like it was painting the ocean awake. The last light of sunset slipped under the horizon, but the pier kept glowing as if to say: even when the day ends, there is still something worth staying for.
Excerpt Dreams are born in imagination, but they come to life through patience. This photo reminds me that what seems impossible is often just waiting for stillness — the moment when faith, timing, and light all come together.
Intro At Disneyland, I stood before Sleeping Beauty’s Castle surrounded by soft laughter, bright music, and winter lights. I had dreamed of this shot for years — the castle glowing like ice, perfectly mirrored in the reflection pond.
The challenge wasn’t the camera. It was patience. I waited for the crowd to thin and for the water to still. When the noise finally faded, I clicked the shutter. Thirty seconds of silence turned imagination into reality.
Notes from the Scene 📍 Disneyland, Anaheim, California Tripod. Manual mode. I pointed my camera using the LCD screen toward the brightest light on the castle to achieve perfect focus. Once the image looked sharp, I turned my Nikon 14-24mm 2.8G lens from AF to M and my camera to full manual. This prevents the lens from “hunting” in the dark — a trick learned through countless nights of trial.
After years of practice, I trusted the settings: 30-second shutter, f/11, ISO 2400. The result was this reflection — not luck, but learning.
Perspective Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” That line carries truth beyond photography. In every art, in every calling, we are dreamers learning to wait for our moment of light.
The dreamer in us sees what could be. The doer in us practices until it becomes real. And sometimes, all we need is faith that stillness will come.
Practice If you want to capture your dream, prepare your heart and your craft before the light arrives. Keep learning, keep refining, and when the world quiets — act.
Final Reflection Dreams don’t come to the impatient. They come to those who wait, who watch, who trust their settings. The castle may belong to Disneyland, but the reflection — that belongs to every dreamer who believes.
Pocket I’m Keeping Dreams start in the heart, but patience brings them into focus. ✨
(President Gordon B. Hinckley, April 2007 General Conference) Read the full talk →
Oquirrh Mountain Temple under the waxing gibbous moon — November, 2025. I waited patiently until light met stillness.
Excerpt: President Hinckley’s counsel reaches across time: “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God.” The promise that follows is profound—“The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion.” These are not poetic lines; they are spiritual laws. Virtue invites confidence, and confidence invites the Spirit.
When I listened to this talk again—over fifty times between last night and this morning—the Spirit emphasized one word: virtue.
What is virtue? Virtue means to fill your mind with morally clean, righteous, and excellent thoughts until goodness becomes your reflex. To garnish is to equip or arm your thoughts, so when fear, doubt, or temptation step onto the stage of your mind, they find no audience. We control the stage. We choose which act plays. As I sat inside the Oquirrh Mountain Temple, I realized: darkness never conquers light that is armed with virtue.
President Hinckley connected virtue to a simple, practical four-point program—a pattern that turns righteousness into rhythm:
Pray. Prayer is the bridge to our Heavenly Father. “Speak with Him,” President Hinckley said. “Express the gratitude of your heart.” Prayer is not repetition—it is relationship. It invites light to dwell where confusion once lived.
Study. “Resolve now that you will get all the education you can.” The glory of God is intelligence. I remember my own pursuit—working full-time in IT while carrying a full course load at LACC and DeVry. It was exhausting, but education was revelation in motion. To study is to worship with the mind.
Pay Tithing. “Glorious is the promise of the Lord concerning those who pay their tithes.” Temporal faith builds spiritual independence. Each tithe is a declaration that God’s economy governs my heart more than the world’s uncertainty.
Attend Your Meetings. There is no substitute for partaking of the sacrament. Sunday worship keeps us anchored when weekday storms rise. It renews the covenant that allows virtue to flow back into thought and action.
President Hinckley’s bridge between virtue and the four-point program is clear once you live it: each step disciplines the mind and purifies the heart. Prayer keeps thoughts upward. Study keeps them expanding. Tithing keeps them consecrated. Worship keeps them renewed. Together, they garnish the mind with virtue—unceasingly.
He promised, “Each of you is a creature of Divinity. You are literally a daughter or son of the Almighty. There is no limit to your potential. If you will take control of your lives, the future is filled with opportunity and gladness.”
As I waited outside the Oquirrh Temple for the waxing gibbous moon to rise above the spire, I thought of those words. The moon appeared quietly, reflecting light it does not create—just as we reflect heaven’s virtue when we live this four-point pattern.
Final Reflection: Virtue is not perfection—it is direction. It is the steady alignment of thought toward holiness until confidence replaces fear. In that light, President Hinckley’s four steps are not separate commandments; they are one continuous motion toward the presence of God.
Joshua Tree National Park – The Milky Way at 2 AM. 30 sec exposure, f/11, ISO 2400. Manual focus locked on the brightest star to prevent lens hunting. A quiet lesson in light, patience, and faith.
Excerpt We all will experience illness, disappointment, temptation, and loss. These challenges can knock our self-confidence. However, disciples of Jesus Christ have access to a different kind of confidence — the confidence that comes from covenants, virtue, and the Spirit.
Intro While I sat in the Celestial Room of the Oquirrh Temple, I heard a quiet assurance: “In due time.” It echoed the nudges I felt early Friday morning. I had come seeking peace, but what I received was perspective — that confidence before God comes not from circumstance, but from virtue and covenant faithfulness.
Notes from President Nelson (April 2025 General Conference) From his talk “Confidence in the Presence of God”:
“We all will experience illness, disappointment, temptation, and loss. These challenges can knock our self-confidence. However, disciples of Jesus Christ have access to a different kind of confidence.”
“When we make and keep covenants with God, we can have confidence that is born of the Spirit. The Lord told the Prophet Joseph Smith that our confidence can ‘wax strong in the presence of God.’ Imagine the comfort of having confidence in the presence of God!”
President Nelson continued:
“When I speak of having confidence before God, I am referring to having confidence in approaching God right now! I am referring to praying with confidence that Heavenly Father hears us, that He understands our needs better than we do.”
He reminded us that confidence is the byproduct of charity and virtue.
“Let thy bowels be full of charity… and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God.”
He also promised:
“Regular worship in the house of the Lord increases our capacity for both virtue and charity. Thus, time in the temple increases our confidence before the Lord. Increased time in the temple will help us prepare for the Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
And finally:
“Then, as we go to our Heavenly Father with increasing confidence, we will be filled with more joy, and your faith in Jesus Christ will increase. We will begin to experience spiritual power that exceeds our greatest hopes.”
What Is Virtue? This is what I learned in the Celestial Room of the Oquirrh Temple: If you let virtue — morally clean and excellent thoughts, kindness, and all that is positive — fill your mind, then the bad actors on the stage of your mind like doubt, fear, and depression will evaporate.
Why? Because we control the stage of our mind.
We can divert our thoughts to virtue: our favorite Church talk, a meaningful scripture, or a motivating experience. These are our arsenal to protect the mind from intrusive darkness.
As Elder Boyd K. Packer taught:
“The mind is like a stage… There is always some act being performed. Virtue determines which act takes the spotlight.”
Darkness will never have power over light. When virtue becomes our daily focus, we begin to understand what it means to “garnish our thoughts unceasingly.”
Perspective D&C 124 teaches, “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly.” To “garnish” means to arm or equip. Virtue, then, is our spiritual armor — the unseen force that steadies the mind and protects confidence.
In IT, confidence is also earned — through repetition, study, and mistakes turned into mastery. When knowledge becomes daily practice, it forms character; and character, in time, becomes wisdom — the quiet confidence that endures.
Practice Virtue doesn’t silence thoughts; it trains them. It replaces anxious noise with light. It equips us to approach God not as strangers but as sons and daughters who trust His timing — His due time.
Final Reflection – Light in One of the Darkest Places The photo above was taken at Joshua Tree National Park — one of the darkest places on earth. Out there, you can hardly see your own hands.
To capture the Milky Way, I did what years of practice taught me:
Mounted my camera on a tripod
Pointed the lens toward the brightest star in the Milky Way using the LCD screen
Let the autofocus lock in until the stars were sharp
Then switched both the 14–24mm f/2.8G lens from AF to M and the camera to Manual so the lens wouldn’t “hunt” in the dark
Set the exposure to 30 seconds, f/11, ISO 2400
Hit the 30-second timer and walked into the frame, shining a small LED flashlight toward the Milky Way
I became both the subject and the seeker — trusting the focus, the settings, and the process. The sky didn’t suddenly change; the Milky Way was there the whole time. The difference was confidence built from quiet, repeated attempts.
Faith works the same way. We may feel surrounded by darkness, but if we’ve prepared, practiced, filled our minds with virtue, and kept showing up in God’s house, the light eventually appears — and our confidence, in His presence, slowly waxes strong.
Pocket I’m Keeping Virtue will free you from anxious, troublesome thoughts. In time, it becomes confidence — the kind that lets you stand in God’s presence without fear.
(Guideline #21: Time Isn’t Your Natural Dimension)
The Oquirrh Mountain Temple — where silence felt eternal, and the dawn waited its turn.
Excerpt: In the quiet hours before dawn, the cold air at Oquirrh Mountain Temple carried a whisper — not of time passing, but of eternity reminding me where I truly belong.
Intro
It was early morning in the 30s, the kind of cold that clears the mind but steadies the heart. The temple stood bright against the darkness, its light spilling upward toward the heavens. I wasn’t seeking answers — only understanding. And somewhere between the wind and silence, understanding came.
Notes from Elder Neal A. Maxwell
Elder Maxwell taught that time isn’t our natural dimension.
“There are days when you wish that time would pass quickly, and it won’t. There are days when you wish you could hold back the dawn, and you can’t. You and I are not at home in this dimension we call time… we belong to eternity.”
He compared our souls to fish who thrive in water — but for us, time isn’t our home. We move through it like visitors, wearing watches only to measure what eternity already knows.
Perspective (Direct Quotes)
“There are days when you wish that time would pass quickly, and it won’t. There are days when you wish you could hold back the dawn, and you can’t.”
Those lines carried me this morning as I stood still beneath the steeple. I realized that my soul has never felt at home in time. I’ve always felt that sense of being from somewhere else.
Practice (Today, Not Someday)
Today I practiced stillness. Not to rush, not to resist — only to be.
The chill pressed against my coat, but my heart felt warmth rise from within. I prayed, not for time to change, but for me to be at peace within it.
While I sat in quiet prayer, a gentle assurance came — one of peace and reconciliation. It reminded me that understanding often arrives before words are ever spoken.
Final Reflection
Elder Maxwell said, “We are struck out of eternity and this is not our natural home.”
I thought about how often I’ve wanted to fast-forward pain or freeze moments of peace. Yet both are teachers. Time doesn’t imprison us — it refines us, reminding us that eternity is our real address.
The Pocket I’m Keeping
When moments press hard against me, I’ll remember: I’m not built for time, I’m built for eternity. Every second that stretches me brings me closer to Him who shaped both time and soul.
What I Hear Now (Direct Quote)
“Sometimes experiences we want to end are the very ones we need in order to grow.” — Elder Neal A. Maxwell
Lightning Strikes During My Hike” — halfway up a 500-foot trail, a storm rolled in. Lightning flashed all around, but I steadied my iPhone and captured the moment — proof that even in turbulence, light still finds a way through.
Excerpt: In IT, not every failure is about systems — sometimes it’s the people, the politics, or the process. That’s when you learn that survival isn’t just technical; it’s spiritual.
Intro: I’ve been in technology long enough to know that the real crashes don’t happen in code — they happen in communication. You can design the perfect plan, follow every procedure, and still watch bureaucracy rewrite the script. It’s invisible at first, but sooner or later, it finds you.
Last week reminded me of that truth — what I now call a 3:1 moment. (Details redacted.) Three hits came hard and fast, but one quiet mercy broke through — proof that when everything else seems stacked against you, grace still shows up.
That’s when the job becomes endurance training.
Notes from Elder Maxwell: Elder Neal A. Maxwell said:
“Make Jesus the light of your life, and by His light see everything else. He is your best friend. If you worry most about what that Friend thinks of you, you’ll be safe… When you are out in the world, away from a special environment like college, and you start to worry about what other people think, don’t worry about that too much. Instead, worry about what Jesus feels towards you and how He regards you.”
Replace college with work, and you have a perfect roadmap for surviving the modern workplace.
Perspective: The IT world can feel like a contact sport — part Navy SEAL, part MMA. You prepare, you adapt, and you always keep contingency plans. Because if you don’t, you’ll get run over by process, politics, or ego.
Even world champions know this truth. Manny Pacquiao was knocked down before — but never stayed down. In his fight with Keith Thurman, ten years younger and undefeated, the odds were stacked against him. Yet in the very first round, he delivered a lightning-fast two-punch combination — a left to the body followed by a right hook to the head — and Thurman went down.
That wasn’t just speed. It was preparation. It was discipline meeting opportunity — a reminder that when life corners you, your response determines the outcome. Manny didn’t rely on luck; he relied on the quiet confidence of someone who’s trained for every possible contingency.
Michael Jordan once said, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” His words mirror the same principle: failure isn’t final — it’s part of mastery. In sports, in IT, and in faith, the ones who rise are the ones who keep taking the next shot.
That’s what faith and readiness look like.
And that’s what integrity demands. Sometimes the test doesn’t come from code or systems, but from people — from moments when ego challenges your principles. When faced with the choice between comfort and conscience, integrity means standing your ground. As President Monson taught:
“Just be the same person you are in the dark that you are in the light.”
Practice (today, not someday): When systems fail or meetings go sideways, pause. Ask, “Am I reacting through the light of Christ or through the frustration of the moment?” Then answer with calm precision, integrity intact. Be the same person in the dark server room that you are in the spotlight of success.
Final Reflection: The week tested me — a 3:1 kind of test. (All redacted.) Yet through it came the same whisper that I’ve heard again and again: “Make Jesus the light of your life, and see everything else by His light.”
Because in this field — and in this life — even the best plans break. But faith doesn’t.
Pocket I’m Keeping: True uptime isn’t about servers — it’s about keeping your soul online with God.
What I Hear Now:
“Make Jesus the light of your life, and see everything else by His light. Worry most about what He thinks of you, and you’ll be safe.” — Elder Neal A. Maxwell
“Be the same person you are in the dark that you are in the light.” — President Thomas S. Monson
Photo Caption (BTS): “Lightning Strikes During My Hike” — halfway up a 500-foot trail, a storm rolled in. Lightning flashed all around, but I steadied my iPhone and captured the moment — proof that even in turbulence, light still finds a way through.
Trust the Lord, for He sees your possibilities even when you do not. Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s counsel reminds us that, like Enoch, we can turn doubt into divine potential.
Las Vegas Temple with a full moon and the Las Vegas skyline at sunset — photographed from an elevated ridge using distance compression to unite the sacred and the city.
Excerpt: Even when we feel inadequate, the Lord sees the builder of Zion within us—just as He did with Enoch.
Intro: This morning at Juniper Crest Ward, I sat in the chapel and felt a deep sense of peace. Life continues to offer its share of challenges—both at home and at work—but I’ve come to see them as part of the Lord’s refining process. As I pondered Elder Maxwell’s words, the phrase “He sees your possibilities” filled me with quiet assurance that every experience, even the difficult ones, is part of His design to help me grow.
Notes from Elder Maxwell: Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s twelfth Guideline for Righteous Living reminds us:
“Trust the Lord, for He sees your possibilities even when you do not.”
He taught that the Lord’s call to Enoch reveals how heaven measures potential differently than men do. When the Lord called Enoch, the young prophet protested:
“I am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech.”
Yet the Lord saw something more. He saw in Enoch a builder of Zion—the only city in human history where righteousness never had a relapse. Enoch’s faith allowed the Lord to transform his weakness into strength and his fear into greatness.
Perspective: I see a reflection of that same principle in my own journey. There are moments when I’ve questioned my worth or felt small in the work I do. But the Lord continues to remind me through scripture, prayer, and personal experience that He knows my capacity far better than I do. Like Enoch, my task is not to measure my ability—but to trust His vision.
Practice (today, not someday): Instead of asking “Can I do this?”, I’m learning to ask “What can the Lord make of this?” I’ve seen His hand in small mercies at work, in strength during solitude, and in clarity during uncertainty. Each trial is not punishment—it’s preparation for the next assignment the Lord already sees.
Final Reflection: The Lord doesn’t always reveal our full potential at once. Sometimes, He lets us walk by faith until we recognize what He already knew we could become. Like Enoch, if we trust Him, He will turn our limitations into instruments of Zion.
Pocket I’m Keeping: “Possibility is heaven’s word for faith that kept going.”
What I Hear Now (direct quotes):
“Trust the Lord, for He sees your possibilities even when you do not.” – Elder Neal A. Maxwell
Photo caption (BTS): Las Vegas Nevada Temple beneath the setting sun and a rising full moon. I climbed to a nearby ridge with a 500mm lens to capture distance compression—bringing the temple and the Las Vegas Strip closer together in one frame. In that balance of sacred stillness and the world’s brilliance, I saw a quiet symbol of what it means to trust the Lord’s vision beyond our own.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s reminder that exclusion for righteousness is not rejection — it’s refinement.
Salt Lake Temple at night framed by red flowers and a lamppost, symbolizing unwavering faith amid rejection and darkness.
Intro There are seasons in life when conviction tests companionship — when holding true to gospel standards draws distance instead of approval. Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s Guideline #13 from Guidelines for Righteous Living begins with this counsel:
“Do not be discouraged if fair-weather friends discard you because you keep the standards of the Church.”
It’s a tender reminder that exclusion can be sanctifying. When others drift away for choosing righteousness, the Lord draws closer.
Notes from Elder Neal A. Maxwell
“Do not be discouraged as some fair-weather friends discard you because you keep the standards of the Church.”
“Sometimes it is better to be left out than to be taken in.”
“While the exclusion will hurt, the bruises will disappear and the blessings will remain.”
“Don’t ever envy those who live unrighteously. They only appear to be happy. They only seem to be free.”
“It is better for you to be alienated from the gang than to be alienated from God.”
“Not because you’re too good for them, but because you’re not that strong.”
“Do not let others mess up your mind with the muddy feet of the world.”
Perspective Elder Maxwell laid out a pattern for discipleship in difficult times:
Key Principle
Elder Maxwell’s Counsel & Explanation
Timeless Lesson
Do Not Be Discouraged
“Do not be discouraged as some fair-weather friends discard you.”
True discipleship may mean walking alone for a season.
Choose Exclusion Over Corruption
“Sometimes it is better to be left out than to be taken in.”
Purity is worth more than popularity.
Focus on Lasting Blessings
“The bruises will disappear and the blessings will remain.”
Wounds heal; eternal rewards stay.
Do Not Envy the Unrighteous
“They only appear to be happy.”
The world’s joy is a mirage.
Alienation from God vs. the Gang
“Better to be alienated from the gang than from God.”
Choose divine connection over social comfort.
Avoid Immoral Company
“Not because you’re too good…but because you’re not that strong.”
Humility is the truest safeguard.
Guard Your Mind
“Don’t let people with muddy feet track dirt into your thoughts.”
Protect your mind — it’s sacred ground.
Practice (today, not someday) When rejection comes for doing what’s right, I can choose gratitude over resentment. Every lost friendship rooted in worldliness is space made for godly strength to grow.
Today, I’ll guard my mind from bitterness and remember: exclusion for righteousness is not punishment — it’s preparation.
Final Reflection To live by conviction in a permissive world is to stand in a quiet kind of courage. Elder Maxwell’s words remind me that it’s better to face a smaller circle with a clear conscience than a full crowd with a clouded one.
Fair-weather friends may drift, but the faithful stay anchored. In the end, only one friendship lasts forever — the one I keep with God.
Pocket I’m Keeping When others walk away, I’ll walk with Christ. The bruises fade, but His presence remains.
What I Hear Now
“Do not be discouraged if fair-weather friends discard you because you keep the standards of the Church.” — Elder Neal A. Maxwell
Photo Caption (BTS) Behind the Shot: Salt Lake Temple at night — still and bright against the dark. I waited for the wind to stop before taking a 5-second exposure so every red bloom stayed still. The temple lights shone through the silence — a symbol of standing firm when others fade away.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s reminder that adversity isn’t defeat — it’s divine positioning for growth.
Idaho Falls Temple before sunrise with the Snake River flowing in front, captured at long exposure — symbolizing calm endurance, hidden opportunity, and divine light emerging from darkness.
Excerpt Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s 11th guideline for righteous living reminds us that being surrounded doesn’t mean being defeated — it can mean we’re exactly where God can shape our strength.
Intro Sometimes the hardest part of life isn’t the trial itself but feeling isolated in the middle of it. Whether at home, at work, or even within the walls of the Church, we all face moments when we feel surrounded by pressures, criticism, or misunderstanding. My sensitive nature often magnifies those moments, and for a while, I let them weigh me down. But Guideline #11 from Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s Guidelines for Righteous Living taught me to see those moments differently.
This week’s message — “Don’t be discouraged if you are surrounded” — became my antidote to discouragement. It reminded me that spiritual resilience is not found in escaping trials, but in seeing their divine purpose from the inside out.
Notes from Elder Neal A. Maxwell
“Don’t be discouraged if in the course of your lifetime the Church seems to be surrounded and outnumbered.”
Elder Maxwell shared the example of General Chesty Puller, one of the most courageous officers in U.S. Marine Corps history. When his troops were surrounded, he famously said: “At last we have the enemy just where we want him. We’re surrounded, and now we can fire in every direction.”
Elder Maxwell then pointed to the inner battles we face: “Remember that bad breaks need not ruin a good man or a good woman.”
He used the example of Joseph in Egypt, saying that if any man besides Job had bad breaks, it was Joseph — yet Joseph rose above them and became significant because he refused to let those breaks become an excuse for failure.
Elder Maxwell concluded, “So often, my young brothers and sisters, in life opportunity comes disguised as tragedy. It doesn’t drop its disguise right away. It’s sometime before you begin to see that it’s opportunity behind that mask.”
Perspective The message of Guideline #11 reaches every season of discipleship — when we feel alone, misunderstood, or “outnumbered.” General Puller’s courage turns fear into opportunity: being surrounded doesn’t mean defeat, it means there’s purpose in every direction. Joseph in Egypt faced betrayal, false accusation, and imprisonment, yet he didn’t curse the darkness. He used those setbacks as steps toward his divine calling.
The pattern is clear — those who trust God in their confinement will see that their obstacles were not barriers but building blocks toward greatness.
Practice (today, not someday) When discouragement closes in, I remind myself that perspective changes everything. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” I now ask, “What is this preparing me for?” At work, at home, or in private struggles, I can practice this truth by responding with faith instead of frustration. Every “bad break” becomes a training ground for humility, empathy, and endurance.
Final Reflection Elder Maxwell’s teaching reminds me that God does not waste adversity. What looks like being surrounded is often God positioning us for strength we could not have gained otherwise. The disguise of tragedy eventually falls away, and behind it stands opportunity — glowing quietly like light breaking through the fog.
When I feel cornered, I remember: this is not the end of the story. This is the place where faith fires in every direction.
Pocket I’m Keeping Discouragement is temporary; divine positioning is eternal. What surrounds me cannot destroy me if I stand still and trust His plan.
What I Hear Now
“So often, my young brothers and sisters, in life opportunity comes disguised as tragedy. It doesn’t drop its disguise right away. It’s sometime before you begin to see that it’s opportunity behind that mask.” — Elder Neal A. Maxwell
📸 Photo Caption (BTS)
Behind the Shot: I arrived before dawn at the Snake River, tripod and remote in hand, waiting for the first light to touch the Idaho Falls Temple. The air was still, the river smooth under a long exposure, and the temple lights glowed softly across the water. Surrounded by darkness, I felt peace. The scene became my quiet reminder that even before the sun rises, His light is already here.
Bountiful Utah Temple at sunset captured from a hillside using a 500 mm lens, symbolizing patience, obedience, and spiritual ascent.
Excerpt Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s 10th guideline reminds me that obedience is not the end of exploration — it’s the very beginning of it.
Intro After a long week of deadlines and noise, I felt impressed to step away and climb the hill above Bountiful with my camera. As I waited for the sunset, I thought about Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s Guidelines for Righteous Living, especially Guideline #10: “Obeying is one of the best ways of exploring.” The higher I climbed, the clearer it became that obedience isn’t about restriction—it’s about finding higher ground and seeing life from God’s perspective.
Notes from Elder Neal A. Maxwell
No one would attempt to scale Mount Everest or the Tetons in jeans and a t-shirt without an expert guide.
We cannot climb the straight and narrow path without the guidance of the Holy Ghost and the protection of the whole armor of God.
If we are obedient, we will “discover, explore, and learn many great and wonderful things.”
Perspective Elder Maxwell’s Mountain Climber Analogy illustrates discipleship as a spiritual ascent.
Element
Description
Spiritual Parallel
The Climber
One who begins the ascent
The Individual / The Spiritual Explorer
The Challenge
The difficult climb
The Straight and Narrow Path
The Expert Guide & Gear
Requires a guide and full gear
The Holy Ghost and the Whole Armor of God
The Reward
Discovery and joy through obedience
Gaining Truth, Knowledge, and Joy in God’s Kingdom
Just as no one would attempt Everest without proper gear, the spiritual explorer must be clothed with faith, humility, and divine protection. The commandments are not chains but climbing ropes — tools that keep us safe on the ascent.
Practice (today, not someday) When I feel overwhelmed, I remind myself that obedience is not restriction; it’s direction. By following divine guidance daily, I move upward, step by step, through the fog of mortal challenges.
Final Reflection The mountain analogy reframes life’s climb: every commandment is an anchor point, every trial a ridge to strengthen the soul. The summit isn’t reached by speed, but by steady, faithful obedience — one prayer, one act of trust at a time.
Pocket I’m Keeping Obedience opens the path to discovery — the more I submit, the higher I climb.
What I Hear Now
“If you will be obedient, you will discover, you will explore, and learn many great and wo
📸 Caption (BTS)
Behind the Shot: I climbed above Bountiful with my 500 mm lens, waiting for the exact moment when the last light would touch the temple and the clouds would gather over Antelope Island. From this height, the horizon seemed infinite — a reminder that obedience, like climbing, always leads to a higher view.
(October 22, 2025 — Guideline #18 from Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s “21 Guidelines for Righteous Living”)
Fall reflection of the Idaho Falls Temple with the Snake River in the foreground—a visual reminder that God’s light remains constant even when clouds move through.
Excerpt
“Hopefully, we will do as the Master did and acknowledge that God is still there and never doubt that sublime reality—even though we may wonder and might desire to avoid some of life’s experiences.” — Elder Neal A. Maxwell
Intro
Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s Guideline #18 addresses the fundamental issue of constancy in a world of crisis. We are promised that trials—the stormy and dark moments—will come. The world often responds with fear and panic, but the disciple finds peace in a different reality.
The core instruction is simple and absolute: “Know that the Son of God is always there. His light will never go out, and the cloud cover will pass.”
As an Infrastructure Engineer, I understand the concept of a High Availability (HA) System—a service guaranteed to remain functional without failure, no matter what happens to individual components. The Lord is our perfect, 100% available HA resource. Our faith is the mechanism by which we connect to and draw power from that never-failing light source.
Perspective
The High Availability (HA) System Analogy Faith in Jesus Christ provides us with a spiritual redundancy and uptime guarantee that no mortal system can match.
Element
The Network (Mortal Life)
The Spiritual Parallel
The Primary Server
Our own strength, energy, and will to endure.
Our personal resolve, which can be depleted or “go down.”
The Failover System
The backup system that ensures continuous service during a crisis.
Jesus Christ: The perfect, always-on resource. His light will never go out.
The Downtime
The “stormy and dark moments of life”—trials, afflictions, Gethsemane-like anguish.
Feelings of being forgotten, forsaken, or unappreciated (as the Savior felt).
The Uptime Guarantee
The system is guaranteed to remain functional (100% availability).
The Sublime Reality: God is always there; the cloud cover will pass; the Atonement is total and constantly available.
Elder Maxwell reminds us that just as the Master acknowledged that God was still there even as He drank the bitter cup, we must never doubt that sublime reality, even if we wish to pray away the pain.
Practice (today, not someday)
To fully utilize this constant source of light, we must practice connecting to the divine HA system daily.
Acknowledge the Source: In every prayer, I start by explicitly acknowledging God’s constancy and omniscience—that He lives in an “eternal now where the past, present, and future are constantly before Him.” This grounds me in the reality that my current struggle is only a single frame in His perfect, eternal video stream.
The Enduring Test: I try to view current perplexities and intellectual shortfalls not as system failures, but as a temporary “muddled, mortal middle.” The ability to endure well and remain faithful while the outcome is still uncertain is the true test of my connection to His light.
Refusal to Be Uncomforted: In moments of deep difficulty, I actively refuse to be uncomforted. I deliberately turn my thoughts toward the promises I have received and the knowledge of Christ’s character, choosing to believe that He is there and that my temporary “downtime” is only a small moment.
Final Reflection
The assurance that His light will never go out is the ultimate security doctrine. We can be vexed by uncertainties in the immediate steps ahead, but we can have clear faith in the ultimate outcomes at the end of the trail.
Our ultimate safety is found in keeping our precious perspective wherever we are and keeping the commandments however we are tested. The Lord knows our individual bearing capacities, and because the Son of God is always there, we have the power to receive help and guidance over adverse things.
What I Hear Now
“Your current crisis has an expiration date. His light does not. Stay connected.”
The Manti Temple: A testament to souls stretched by faith. Elder Maxwell taught that the soul is like a violin string—it only makes music when it’s under tension. Our greatest works, like this one, emerge from our deepest stretches.
Intro
The journey of discipleship is rarely comfortable; it is, by divine design, a process of tension. Before we can accept that tension, we must first recognize our divine capacity. Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s Guideline #16 addresses this necessity, giving us the perfect, two-part charge: “Believe in yourself not only for what you now are but for what you have the power to become… and let the Lord stretch your soul.”
The Manti Temple stands as a physical testament to enduring effort and spiritual pressure. Like that magnificent structure built by saints who were stretched, we are only capable of fulfilling our highest purpose when we embrace our potential and accept the load of our trials. The core truth is: The soul is like a violin string. It makes music only when it is stretched.
Excerpt
“Someone has said that the soul is like a violin string. It makes music only when it is stretched. And because he loves you, the Lord will stretch your soul.”
— Elder Neal A. Maxwell
Perspective
The System Stress Test Analogy
As an Infrastructure Engineer, I know that hardware is pushed to its limits before deployment to guarantee reliability. Our spiritual development follows the same principle of Stress Testing. The stretching is not a punishment for a failed system, but a loving process to ensure maximum spiritual resilience and capability.
Element
The Process (Mortal Life)
Spiritual Capacity (The Soul)
The Blueprint
Self-Belief: Believing in the “great possibilities” the Lord sees in you.
Acknowledge your divine identity and potential for greatness.
The Mechanism
Tension: Applying controlled, intense load to force reliance on a greater power.
The Lord’s tutoring (trials, grief, and opposition) designed to force us to choose Him.
The Outcome
Music: A refined, resilient character, fitted for greater service and happiness.
The ability to endure well and fulfill the promises you made long ago.
Elder Maxwell makes it clear that God “will tutor us by trying us because He loves us, not because of indifference!” We must trust that the Father, being perfect, is fitting us for further service and eternal joy.
Practice (Today, Not Someday)
To utilize the power of this guideline, we must actively participate in the stretching process:
Reframing the Crisis: I consciously reframe moments of deep difficulty—the moments when I feel stretched thin—not as random misfortune, but as the precise tutoring designed to fulfill my potential. I remember the violin string: if I feel this tension, I am close to making music.
Give Your Only True Possession: I strive to recognize that the only possession truly mine to give is my will. When faced with a trial, I work to let my will be “swallowed up in God’s will” rather than demanding that my will be done. This submission is the only way the stretching can be successful.
Endure for the Witness: I understand that some experiences are not explainable in the moment. I must endure the trial of my faith, trusting that the witness and the understanding of the lesson will come after I have held fast through the stretch.
“The only way to play a celestial symphony is to accept the necessary tension of mortality.”
Final Reflection
We cannot ask for immunity from tribulation when the only perfect man who ever walked the earth did not have it. The courage to face life’s challenges comes from knowing that the Lord has placed us here now, precisely because of the skills and talents that are packaged within each of us. By accepting the stretching, we allow our souls to be made resilient and ready to sound forth a lasting, beautiful melody.
Morning light at the Orem Utah Temple—where discipline becomes devotion and reflex turns into righteousness.
(October 20, 2025 — Guideline #8 from Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s “21 Guidelines for Righteous Living”)
Excerpt
In moments of pressure, there’s no time for debate. What we practice daily determines what we choose instinctively.
Intro
Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s Guideline #8 teaches that discipleship is not just knowing what’s right but becoming the kind of person who does what’s right automatically. Just as an athlete relies on muscle memory, disciples rely on spiritual reflexes—responses trained by repeated obedience.
In my world of IT, when systems crash, there’s no time to analyze from scratch. I act on instinct built from years of disciplined practice. Spiritual life requires the same readiness—decisions born not of panic but of principle.
Perspective
The Quarterback Analogy Elder Maxwell used the example of a great quarterback to explain righteous reflexes.
Element
Description
Spiritual Parallel
The Quarterback
A great quarterback doesn’t pause mid-play to analyze how to hold the football.
The individual in life’s fast-moving moments.
The Action
Proper technique is internalized—it’s all reflex.
Righteousness must be practiced until it becomes instinct.
The Reason
Life offers too many temptations and sudden tests to always stop and reason through them.
We need habits of holiness, not hesitation.
The Goal
The quarterback throws correctly without thinking.
The disciple chooses correctly without delay—spiritual safety through reflex.
Elder Maxwell reminded us that we cannot afford slow moral decisions: “Do the right thing out of reflex and not agonize over a temptation to which you then might succumb.”
Practice (today, not someday)
Righteous reflexes aren’t built overnight—they’re shaped through disciplined repetition. My daily rhythm keeps both body and spirit tuned to respond to life’s pressures with steadiness and faith.
Every night, I review tomorrow’s priorities, focusing on what’s urgent and important. I close my day with scripture study, prayer, and meditation. At 4 a.m., I start again—prayer first, then stretching, followed by 120 straight push-ups to keep my body strong and my mind awake.
Breakfast is clean and balanced before I shower and prepare for work. If I’m early, I swing by either the Oquirrh or Taylorsville Temple to photograph the morning light—my quiet offering before the day begins. By 6:30 a.m., I’m at my desk, handling the priorities of the day.
Saturday is for temple worship. Sunday is for renewing my covenants. Then Monday begins again. These patterns are not habits of routine—they are habits of devotion. They’ve become my spiritual reflexes: instinctive, practiced, and constant.
Closer Reflection
Elder Maxwell’s “righteous reflexes” remind me of Bruce Lee’s legendary speed—so fast that 1970s cameras could barely record it. Lee trained until motion became instinct; every move came from memory, not hesitation.
Spiritual reflexes are the same. They come from daily, disciplined practice until obedience is automatic. Bruce Lee said, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”
In IT, the same principle applies. After years of handling systems under pressure, I’ve learned to respond instinctively—knowing where to look, how to act, and when to stay calm. It’s muscle memory built through faith and repetition.
Whether in martial arts, spirituality, or technology, true mastery comes when preparation and reflex move as one—when right choices and right actions flow as easily as recognizing the palm of your own hand.
Pocket I’m Keeping
When pressure comes, I don’t have to think twice. I’ve already decided to do what’s right.
What I Hear Now
“Keep practicing righteousness until it becomes your reflex.”
Captured outside the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple under a moonlit sky—a quiet reminder that repetition builds readiness. Every photo, every prayer, every early start is practice for spiritual precision.
Day: Autumn flowers and clear sky framing the Orem Utah Temple—captured before my proxy endowment. Night: The Orem Utah Temple illuminated under the moon—taken after completing sacred ordinances.
Excerpt
Becoming is more than doing—it’s transforming. The gospel doesn’t just ask for effort; it asks for change.
Intro
These photos were taken on October 18, 2025—before and after my proxy endowment at the Orem Utah Temple. The sunlight and moonlight felt like bookends to a sacred day.
I never photograph temples as a tourist. Each image is a memory of worship—an imprint of the moment I performed sacred ordinances and left a part of my old self on the altar. The lens simply helps me remember what the Spirit taught that day.
President Dallin H. Oaks’ message “The Challenge to Become” echoed in my mind as I walked the temple grounds: the gospel is not about what we do but who we become through covenant living.
Perspective
The temple reminds me that becoming is a process. Every ordinance refines character. Every act of service—inside or outside the temple—draws me nearer to what Heavenly Father intends me to be.
President Oaks’ invitation is personal: the world values performance; heaven values transformation. My work, my worship, and my quiet efforts at home and at Church are all shaping me into something more Christlike.
When I leave the temple, I ask not, “What did I accomplish?” but “Who am I becoming?”
Direct Quotes from President Oaks
“It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.”
“In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.”
Practice (today, not someday)
I will focus less on checking boxes and more on softening my heart. In every task—whether leading, fixing, or serving—I’ll remember that heaven measures growth, not status.
Becoming Christlike happens quietly: through patience with others, humility in learning, and gratitude after every challenge.
Final Reflection
President Oaks’ counsel changes how I see discipleship. The gospel isn’t a checklist; it’s a journey of transformation. Every temple visit, every ordinance, every prayer adds to who I am becoming.
I’m grateful the Lord sees me not as I am but as I can be. That vision gives purpose to every struggle, reminding me that growth is the goal—and grace is the guide.
Pocket I’m Keeping
“The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.” That single line redefines every effort I make.
What I Hear Now
“Keep walking. You’re not just doing—you’re becoming.”
Behind the Shot (BTS)
Saturday, October 18, 2025—before and after my proxy endowment at the Orem Utah Temple. The late afternoon light revealed bright autumn blooms; by nightfall, the temple glowed beneath the moon. Both shots symbolize the Lord’s invitation to grow from light to greater light.
