It is time...

For years I have been familiar with this vast spread medium of internet journaling, but have avoided subscribing. I tend to be behind the "times" when it comes to such things. I still have not read a Harry Potter book, if that's any indication as to what I'm saying!

However, I absolutely love expressing ideas and opinions as they relate to experiences in my life, and I have considered starting a blog for quite sometime. Now the consideration has turned to action!

First, by way of an introduction, not of myself so much, because I assume anyone who will actually read this knows who I am more or less. But this is rather an introduction to where I am in life, and some ideas that have been on my mind in the recent months.

The first thought has to do a little bit about something I mentioned in the previous paragraph "...knows who I am..." I have thought a lot about what it means to "know someone..." I'm reminded of someone acting 'ghetto' and snapping their fingers and saying, " you don't know me!" But enough slang, what does it really mean to know someone? John 17:3 reads "And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Using that scripture as a springboard, it has occured to me that knowing someone is not so simple as knowing facts or details about them. Such as, where they went to school, how many kids are in their family, what their favorite food, music, clothes, books, movies are etc. Certainly such facts are involved in knowing someone, but at least in relation to this scripture, I think the pathway to "life eternal" at least in regards to the scripture in John 17:3 involves a different kind of "knowledge" or at least a deeper meaning of "knowing." And in my not so humble opinion, I think that someone can "know God," with knowing very little of the "facts and details" that I listed as an example before. To me one who know's God has a desire to be like Him, to serve Him, to love Him and to emulate Him. I think of a brand new convert to the church who in actuality "knows" very little about the church. They probably couldn't tell you any of the historic church dates, or who the 12 apostles are, who the 16 prophets of the church have been etc, yet they are able to bear testimony that they "know the church is true, and that Joseph Smith is a prophet." The truth of the matter is they "know" very little about Joseph Smith. They probably don't know what his favorite food was, what kind of music he liked, when his birthday was, or anything like that. Yet they know they how they feel about him, and they are willing to trust what little facts they have, because of that feeling they have about him. And that feeling is true knowledge, and a knowledge sufficient for converts to change their entire lives to follow that prompting. Ironically enough there are "anti-Mormons" who know plenty of facts about Joseph Smith, and all of the things he has done, yet they have no idea who he really was, because those facts have no lead them to a true knowledge of his character.

I have learned that there are people that we meet in this life that for some reason we know them so much better than our factual knowledge of the details of their lives would warrant. But because of how we feel, we know that they are good, and that they are right. I don't know why this happens with some, and not with others. But I feel I "knew" Jesus Christ long before I knew much about Him, and I knew Joseph Smith was a prophet long before I knew all the details of his life. I knew President Monson was a true prophet the moment President Hinkcley passed, and I knew VERY LITTLE about him when that occured. But that "knowledge" has given me a desire to learn more and more about him, about Christ, about Joseph Smith, all of the friends and family who I meet from day to day. Because there are those who I feel I know SO well even when I just meet them, and that knowledge gives me a desire to do good, to be better, and to progress.

So, that's something I've been thinking a lot about lately, and if you don't agree with me, well then, "you don't know me!!" ;)