Introducing My Brother

YW Leader: "Hey, are you that guy?"
Ojastro: "Which guy?"
YW Leader: "The guy with the arms!"
Ojastro: "Yeah... I'm the guy with the arms."



This is my younger brother, Ojastro Abraham (a.k.a. 'Circus'). Believe it or not, he's only been bonebreaking/waving for about a year-- he's just awesome like that. This is him performing at youth conference last friday. He had about four days to put that routine together, hindered somewhat by the fact that the website he uses to make remixes shut down; fortunately he found out how to use the one on our computer just in the nick of time. Oh, and for all you screaming ladies in the background, he's only sixteen (seventeen in October) so he's not back from his mission for at least another four years. In the meantime, just relax and enjoy the show.

Field Trip!

This last Tuesday was probably the best day-off ever! At least, it has been since I did deliveries for the Bishop's Storehouse. I grabbed my Xathanael (brother, 6-years old), two sack lunches, and loaded into the school bus for my first elementary school field trip in ages! An hour and a half bus ride with a trillion rowdy first grades isn't exactly on the top of any one's wish list, but it was totally worth spending the day chaperoning(still does not make me an adult) a trip to the Exploratorium in San Francisco.
Accompanied by my brother and his friend James, we spent three hours jumping form exhibit to exhibit nonstop with a brief lunch somewhere in there. One of the first exhibits we encountered was this kind of coyote-walk thing where it grades your quietness in crossing a path of gravel. I was extremely disappointed that Xathanael insisted on cheating every time by putting his feet up against the box walls instead of actually walking in the gravel. Typical little brother(I'm sure that at his age I would have done the same). Another game on the upstairs floor involved swinging a stick back and forth to get another stick attached on a rotating joint to balance vertically on top. With the two younger boys cheering me on, I was very happy that my contact-juggler training finally paid off and I got it balanced on the first try. Definitely a highlight of my day.

One thing I can't get over is how incredibly and easily frightened Xathanael gets over little things. He refused to put the color-bubble over his head on the grounds that it was too frightening (picture to be included later) and he was not too keen on several of the living creatures nor the shadow-catching box (which James didn't want to move away from). Instead he touched anything and everything that had controls, buttons, or a joystick. I fear he is of the electronically addicted generation... although I must admit that having a cell-phone with distracting games on it bought me a good 30 minute nap on the way home so it's not all bad. Love my little brother, and thank him for letting me tag along. If only I was three feet tall... then maybe I could re-enroll.

I L0ve Ball00ns

This is kinda my unofficial balloon sensei. He can be found at "balloon-animals.com" along with a fairly comprehensive list of simple balloon creations. Apparently if you write him he'll also try to develop a design upon request, although I'm sure he has a lot of orders to sort through, and he does have a life (sorry girls, but he's married). He's pretty entertaining to listen to, although he does talk a lot so if you're fast on the up take it's not bad to skip ahead in the design. What I admire most about this balloon master is his amazing lung capacity; that's why I chose the second video in particular, despite the bad video quality-- about 2 minutes in you see him try to inflate 4 balloons at once with his mouth. He doesn't entirely succeed, but the result is still impressive. I still can't inflate a single balloon without at least using two hands (at least not without tiring myself out). And inflating with my mouth took some practice. Anyway, the first video is nearly brand-new on the site and I just picked it because it looks cute and cool and now I want to figure out how to build one really bad.

President Packer

Okay, I know that I've been at it for two hours now and I promised myself I would stop, but I was reading the archives again and instantly stumbled into one of my favorite quotes of all time by President Boyd k. Packer: "My message is to our young people. We have great concern for young people who grow up without values on which to base their conduct. I have long believed that the study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than talking about behavior will improve behavior." That's it! That is the reason why I have not become a sociologist or a philosopher or, when taking those classes, had much concern for all of the moral dilemmas and paradoxes thrust at me in volumes. It's not that I don't have respect for what Kant and Hume and all of them were trying to do, but really, when you get right down to it we have all the answers we need in the gospel and if we ever come to something where we don't have the answer, the answer is pray about it and ask the prophet if what you're thinking is right. Then Pray about it again. Then Act on it, and Pray about it Again. Repeat, etc. I love President Packer for being so to the point. And me, for being not so to the point.

Institute 1 June 2010...finally!

It feels like ages since our last Institute class, but it's been much longer since I actually recorded a reflection that I wrote about it. Our new teacher is Sister J, a wonderful person, and we are studying "Gospel Principles for a Provident Living."

The first lesson, of course, is an overview of the Plan of Salvation. This one was very cool because of all the fun stories, things, and insights that people contributed to the lesson. First, I have to comment how impressed I was about Sister J' copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World. It's a large-sized book with glossy pages and the proclamation written as text throughout the book like a story, but the illustrated pictures are all from the life of Sister J and her extended family-- it looks very professional like something you would buy from an LDS bookstore, with a barcode and everything. Apparently it was a gift made by her daughter; needless to say I am very jealous and hope to make or have one made for me in the future. Or when I figure out how, and get together a sufficient photo collection I'll make one for my parents, my children, and my brother. It's a fantastic idea. Anyway, I digress.

I was really glad to be reminded by Jeremy of the Plan of Happiness as it is described in the Book of Mormon: essentially a bridge spelling out the PreMortal, Earth, and Eternal Lives being supported by the three pillars of the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement. Someone else brought up a point about the War in heaven which I like and will have to look up. Actually I think I will do so now...hmm actually I can't seem to find the talk by Alvin R. Dyer (March 1961) they mentioned, I will have to look further elsewhere-- if anyone else finds it online let me know. Anyway, it discusses the council in heaven and the moment when God accepts the plan presented by Jesus and rejects the one presented by Lucifer. Actually, there was only ever one plan, God's Plan, and Satan rejected it and wanted to change it. Christ accepted it and became a part of it. The obedience to God is more yes or no, not either or-- Satan does not have a Plan. I think that's just a nice thing to know.

Another nice thing that touched me was the reminder from Sister J that the entire focus of the Plan of Redemption is on the family: helping and empowering us to establish, raise, and nurture Eternal Families, therefore coming to know eternal happiness. Knowing that can really change my outlook on life-- remembering it changes my life. There is nothing more important than family home evening and "home time" and family comes first before everything. Even President Monson will miss a meeting when his wife is ill. I should say especially President Monson will put family first when push comes to shove. I remember the story from his biography that talks about being a Bishop in a meeting where the Stake President was speaking. He received a prompting to go visit a man in the hospital RIGHT NOW, and so decided to leave as soon as the President finished. The spirit kept saying RIGHT NOW, so as soon as the President finished, he zoomed out of his chair and raced to the hospital where the brother was staying. As he was walking up the steps, a Nurse saw him and asked "Are you Bishop Monson?" When he said he was, the Nurse said that the man had been calling out for him for a while now, but had just passed away moments before. After that experience, President Monson promised always to act on a prompting of the Spirit, no matter the circumstances. There are plenty of things that he will put before a church meeting when prompted.

Okay, just one more since this is getting a little long. Sarah shared a story about her brother that I thought was very special. She talked about how before his mission he was going through some very rough temptations and difficult times, and it involved his entire family. During that time, she wondered that if God did not tempt you more than you were able to bear, why then did he have to wallow in so much adversity? Either he had to be an extremely capable and potentially powerful priesthood holder, or he was exceedingly weak for not being more resistant. At the time, she was seriously considering the latter. Well, that is in the past now and I've known that man and his family for a long time--I don't know all the details of what happened and I don't need to. He has had his life turned around and become an exceptional tool for good with a particularly applicable knowledge of the Gospel, a deep-rooted intellect covering especially the word of the Lord's inspired leaders, and a way of applying personal experiences to teach gospel doctrine that I admire very much. There is hardly a better example of the bettering power of the atonement around and in someway I hope to be like that.


I would like to take this opportunity to bear my testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that he has provided tools and many means by which we can improve ourselves and draw closer to him through the atonement. I invite everyone to look for him and start in the right place by reading the Book of Mormon and gaining a testimony of his words as they come through a living prophet today. His spirit will manifest it to you. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Treasure Chest

a Box
of knicks n’ things
with a knack
to have just what I need
just in time to come in handy
aged in years
repaired and repainted
but still faded in the same corners

it’s My Box
to hide away
in pieces unimportant
to the world
memories tied
to string and medal
feathers photos and
yellow journal paper
letters to people long passed by
and numbers to others
just letting themselves in

That’s My Box
you can’t peek
without permission
or they might find what
those crafted jumbles hide
a puzzle piece reflection
not quite broken
an unfinished art selection
that shouldn’t be signed
until I’m done building me