Still_Small_Voice

I found it very surprising that part of President Monson's in the Priesthood session talk was on a subject that I had recorded in my journal a few months prior. The subject was on being cautious about the voices we listen to. I will add more later as I do not have access to my journal presently. Edit: Here are some of the words President Monson said. They were very similar to some things spoken by James Faust in 1993: The [Holy] Spirit's voice is ever present, but it is calm. Said Isaiah, "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever" (Isaiah 32:17). The adversary tries to smother this voice with a multitude of loud, persistent, persuasive, and appealing voices: Murmuring voices that conjure up perceived injustices. Whining voices that abhor challenge and work. Seductive voices offering sensual enticements. Soothing voices that lull us into carnal security. Intellectual voices that profess sophistication and superiority. Proud voices that rely on the arm of flesh. Flattering voices that puff us up with pride. Cynical voices that destroy hope. Entertaining voices that promote pleasure seeking. Commercial voices that tempt us to "spend money for that which is of no worth" and/or "labor for that which cannot satisfy" (see 2 Nephi 9:51). ... In your generation you will be barraged by multitudes of voices telling you how to live, how to gratify your passions, how to have it all.

I really liked the story. The bride and groom look like a couple that were made for eachother.

A North Carolina couple who were paired as flower girl and ring bearer in a wedding 17 years ago ironically walked down the same aisle on September 19th -- only this time, it was as bride and groom. "We are all in shock as to all the attention that this is getting," Adrian Franklin of Gastonia, North Carolina, told ABC News. "There was a picture that my mom posted on Facebook and we're glad that it's good news going out and not bad. Read more on this story here: http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/ring-bearer-flower-girl-ironically-marry-church-17/story?id=34184089

According to these numbers the United States is number one in civilian firearm ownership in the world but beats the murder rate of 110 other nations. Take a look: https://www.billwhittle.com/firewall/number-one-bullet I think some nations feel morally superior to the United States because their murders are committed by the killers using knifes, clubs or sharp, pointy sticks rather than by guns. Murder is murder despite if it is done with firearms, a rock or whatever weapon is available to the killer.

At General Conference the church does not allow concealed weapon permit holders or the normal citizen to carry into the meetings. I can guarantee you the last time I went that it was not a gun free zone. There are armed personnel that carry concealed. I knew someone that was in church security in Salt Lake City. (I used to work as an unarmed security officer.) He said the church security carried 9 millimeter handguns. They have law enforcement officers on site and they have other volunteers (usually former law enforcement) that carry firearms concealed. If someone attempts a mass shooting at a General Conference they likely won't be very successful. The church policy of no firearms at normal meetings bothers me. I think there should be a few trained people who carry concealed. Gun free zones keep no one safe except hostile intruders.

Optimally one wants to save 10 to 15% of their income if possible. My wife and I have only saved about $1,800 this year so far toward retirement. I invest in mutual funds. Two of mine are Roth Individual Retirement Arrangements. One of my 401K mutual funds did very well with me only contributing about $60 a month to it. It is worth around $8,500 now. Get interest working for you at a young age. If you can get a 10 percent annual rate of return (you will likely never get that in a bank) your money will double about every seven years. If one can get $15,000 set aside by the age of 30 and never touch it averaging a ten percent rate of return they will have $176,400 by the age of 55 (and that is not even adding a dime to the principle).

The 2016 Toyota Mirai Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Car uses hydrogen to create electricity and drive an electric motor. They say it gets 300 miles per fill up. There have been complaints by those driving the car that they cannot get a stable supply of hydrogen to drive their car presently. One person complained he was spending over $400 per month on a car he had not driven in over three weeks. Take a look here: http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1099718_2016-toyota-mirai-hydrogen-fuel-cell-car-runs-on-leftover-lemonade-huh

I will likely have a gasoline car in addition to my future electric car that I want for my long road trips. I just won't use the gasoline as much as the electric for most of my daily driving.

I liked the talks Elder Richard Scott gave. I used information one not too long ago about receiving revelation. Likely he is in the paradise of God with his lovely wife now and in the company of other saints that have also died.

If a hybrid car batteries go bad the car simply gets worse mileage. I am all for technology that gets us away from consuming less foreign oil. The internal combustion engine only uses about 20 percent of the energy to actually move a car. It's about 120 year old technology we have relied on for too long in my opinion. It's time for something better and more efficient. I think you will see more and more battery electric cars in the near future. I see them daily on Utah roads while I drive on I-15. The car manufacturer Tesla has annouced it will release a car in 2018 that gets at least 160 miles per charge priced at close to $37,000. It's out of my price range but in many middle class American's price range.

I know someone that bought a Honda Civic Hybrid for about $12,000 plus interest. He gets about 46 miles per gallon driving on the highway at around 65 to 70 miles per hour. I will not buy new cars unless the price is below $16,000. A three year old used car can only have about 50,000 miles on it and be more than $10,000 less in price.

I change the oil about every 2,000 miles on my 1995 Nissan Sentra and it is pretty dirty when I do. I only do the oil filter every 4,000 miles. I am hoping for another 30,000 plus miles. I got the car for about $1,350 not including taxes when the odometer read about 239,500 miles. If I get to 260,000 miles on the car I for sure got my money out of it.

I want a 2016 Nissan Leaf electric car that has about 85 to 100 miles of range on one charge. Only problem with the car is it loses a lot of range in frigid winters so you will need to drive a gasoline car about 80 days per year in Utah (or longer if the winter is long and bitter cold). I don't buy new cars though. I will have to wait for someone else to lease or pay $30,000 for it and get it used two years later for hopefully $15,000 or less. I may end up leasing a hybrid car if my 242,000 mile Nissan Sentra does not make it for another few years. But the cruise control is broke on it which makes for a stiff foot when driving it. I don't know if I can make it driving the car that long. We shall see.

The 2016 Toyota Prius Hybrid vehicle is going to even get better miles per gallon than previous models. News out says that it will get about 55 miles per gallon of gasoline. Take a look at pictures of the car and read more here: http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100040_2016-toyota-prius-preview-video

I gave some money to this initiative. I am also glad that the church is perhaps using some of my tithing money to help these suffering people. What is going on in those regions is just horrible. I read that the Iraqi government disarmed the Christians by taking their firearms. After this happened the I.S.I.S. radicals came in and began to sexually assault, murder and sell them into slavery.

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that count darkness as light, and light as darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! -- Isaiah 5:20

Standard and Poors 500 stocks are up 2.21% as I write this today. I think it dropped about 4.5% yesterday. We shall see what happens.

Thus far for the year I have done: 2,557 PUSHUPS 3,225 LEG LIFTS 1,039 CURLS I need to get on my bike and do more cardiovascular. Air quality is horrible though from all the fires.

About 95 fires have destroyed hundreds of homes, caused the evacuation of more than 1,000 people and burned 1.1 million acres in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, California, Nevada and Colorado. About 200 active duty military personnel will help battle wildfires ravaging seven Western states, the National Interagency Fire Center said Monday in a news release. Read more here: http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/17/us/western-states-wildfires/

I am clarifying my like above on your post. The like was aimed at the growth of the Gospel in that region and not the terrorist bomb that was set off to murder innocent people.

I see nothing good coming with a deal with Iran. The leadership of Iran will not abide by any agreements (as they have shown in the past) and they will get a lot of money once the sanctions are over. I think they will use this money to fuel more chaos throughout the world. I also think the people of Iran hate the tyrants that run their country but they are powerless to do anything about it.

I heard some bakeries are now making only generic wedding cakes. Any customizing must be done by a third party. They do not want any arguments over making a natural wedding cake or homosexual wedding cakes.

It is an interesting story. I do not believe it and I do not disbelieve the story.

The new slavery in the United States is forcing someone to serve someone else even if they claim it is against their religious beliefs.

A man or woman may also use deadly force against another person if they are being attacked as well. I hope to never have to use deadly force to protect myself or family but I do prepare with some training in case it ever happens. I agree Anatess that a spirit does not join with a body immediately after a sperm fertilizes an egg. I am very much against abortion with the exception of endangering the mother's life or in cases of rape. If people were living the law of chastity there would not be an abortion epidemic. Instead our youth are taught to have fun with their bodies as if they were toys but use protection. Sexual relations are a serious matter that too many Americans regard as just mere recreation.