First thing I noticed in this chapter is verse 1.  He tells his children that Christ will show himself unto them.  How is this possible if this was written approximately 550 years before Christ would come?  Very interesting...  I'll have to research that. Verse 7 pops out at me like a bolt of lightning.  I've been lookin...

It feels quite refreshing to be able to understand more than just a couple of verses again.  As I was reading tonight, I realized how much could be written about this chapter.  It's quite full of good doctrine. Here's what I noticed tonight: From verse 1 until 6, Nephi seems to be trying to explain the "hard to understand" n...

I find it interesting how Satan is described throughout scripture. In this chapter, through verses 13 - 20, Satan is seemingly exposed as the weak fraudster he really is.  Verse 16 is quite potent, written from the standpoint of people who were tempted by him, when shown his actual person, are amazed at the frailness of Satan.  They say...

All I gotta say about this chapter is man, I do not want to be on the wrong side of things when the 2nd coming of Christ is ushered in. Verses like 16 and 18 really hit home on what we're in for. I can only assume the destruction of Babylon can be typed as a metaphor for what is coming when Christ comes again....

Surprisingly... I'm not sure if it's because of my attitude or what, but I believe I got a bit more out of this chapter than I have for the rest of the Isaiah stuff. I'm not 100% sure what the branch is that comes out of the root of Jesse, but I've been told that is refers to the prophet Joseph Smith (D&C 113). I also believe that when it s...

I just got done reading this article in which Dan Glickman states some figures on how the Hollywood box office did in 2007. With all of the cracking down and spazmic hooplah the RIAA / MPAA has been spewing, you'd think the figures quoted in this article would be something akin to "worst year ever, due to piracy!" or "box office s...

To tell you the truth, I didn't get much out of the scriptures tonight.  There was a verse from which I thought I could derive meaning. Verse 15. The ax depends on him that wields it for its strength.  Alone, it is nothing but wood and metal.  Used by a person, it can become a powerful tool.  Same thing with a saw. I took ...

"...and his hand is stretched out still." I love that phrase.  To me, it's just another way of saying, "I will be here for you, no matter what you do or where you go.  I will always be here for you." What a comfort that is, knowing there will always be someone there for you.  I know it is for me, and I've felt...

I am so exausted...I never realized how much going to college and being a mother could take all the energy out of you. I am hoping I made the right choice going back to school, it takes all of my being to get up in the morning and drive to school. I am so thankful for the weekends for the days off lol. Tomorrow I have a babyshower to host and then ...

I've been debating writing this down for quite some time now, but I think it's time now to write it. What I am penning is a more detailed account of what happened this day during my mission. It was April of 1996, two months before I would return home from my 2-year service as a missionary for our Lord Jesus Christ. I was serving in a leade...

Interesting that in verse 7, the example he uses of an unrighteous king pretty much parallels what happened to the Nephites in the Land of Nephi under king Noah.  Couldn't have been many years since the people of Limhi had come to join Zarahemla, anyway.  I've never thought of that before. Verse 13 is always a fun one.  It's great ...

 What a horrible, yet extremely personal and hopeful chapter.   The nature of it reminds me of the psalm of Nephi (2 nephi  4:15-end).  What horrible, horrible things were going on at the end, but it just amazes me, the strength of Mormon, and his constant prayers for Moroni - and his pleading to God for his soul to be brought b...

So, I was on my way to work today, when my phone rang - displaying an unfamiliar number.  With everything going on in my life, I decided it would be a good idea to answer it anyway. Turned out to be a really good idea. Last week, I decided to take the time to draw out plans for the studio and turn them in to the city for approval.  I ...

Well, I'm happy to announce that after a month and a half of jumping through hoopes to get this thing off the ground, it has finally begun! The construction of the new home for Advanced Budget Studios has officially started, and I cannot tell you how excited I am. The only down part of this whole situation is - the waiting.  I anticipate t...

I'm gonna step out on this one because this topic has been a hot one in my head for quite some time now.  Not only with AJAX, but frameworks in general. To Framework, or Not To Framework...  That is the question... When I began programming, there were no frameworks for PHP, JavaScript, or AJAX (not sure if AJAX even existed back then...

So, over at homerecording.com, we have quite a few discussions about, well, pretty much anything that has to do with recording audio.  One of the dicussions we recently engaged in had to do with critiquing a member's song he was working on. Of course, there were the usual suggestions on what this person should do, whether it be "bring ...

Okay.... Yes.. Collin knows he's cool.  Actually, he's just happy to be on his way to Monterey to enjoy the various wonderful goings-on there. Anyway...  I thought I'd list the reasons I love Monterey while I'm waiting for everyone to get ready for the day.  So... Here goes: By far the best reason to come to Monterey Califo...

About a month ago, our bishop told us that the fast offering fund for the poor people in our ward is running low, and that we should consider giving a generous offering. I thought we should definitely consider doing so, but in the end, I forgot all about it. Today, however, our Bishop dedicated the entire sacrament meeting to the topic of sacri...

Reading the beginning of this chapter, it's interesting that Mosiah put laws into place which made voicing anything which could be interpreted as "persecutions" against the church, illegal - and it seemed to work.  There was "peace" for a number of years due to that law.  The church even began to grow and prosper more ...

First Nephi Ten... I'm not really in a spiritual mood right now, which really is unfortunate because I know this chapter has some spiritual meat to it. One thing I can write, is when I read this chapter during my mission, and even before, I always found myself focusing on Nephi's desire to see the things his father did (in verse 17). He didn'...

Reading these two chapters didn't leave me with much spiritual insight, as I didn't understand much of it. That said, I did, however, really feel the Spirit while reading them.  I yearned to know what the words meant.  I wanted to study them more....  Oddly enough,  I find myself wanting to study them more, yet kind of scared ...

Ya know...  I really liked this talk.  There were points in it where I found his words coming through my mind's eye of the past. While growing up, I was probably on the extreme of what Elder Zwick was trying to convey.  Instead of being tempted to go along with the crowd, I thought the crowd was stupid, and I didn't need them. ...

Surprisingly... I'm not sure if it's because of my attitude or what, but I believe I got a bit more out of this chapter than I have for the rest of the Isaiah stuff. I'm not 100% sure what the branch is that comes out of the root of Jesse, but I've been told that is refers to the prophet Joseph Smith (D&C 113). I also believe that when it s...

So...  Interesting that one of the reasons cited for Heth's righteousness is his remembering what the Lord had done for his people, specirfically, bringing Jared and his kin over the ocean.  There has got to be something behind the whole "remember what the Lord has done for you" thing, and living a righteous life.  Heck.. E...

I was just up holding you, Collin.  You awoke for some reason after we put you to bed, and I decided to be the one to go see what was the matter. As I picked up your stiff body, muscles taught by some uknown fear, I sensed a connection between you and I which I haven't felt before. You put your little head on my shoulder and continued to rid...

 Wow...  When I wrote this in March of 2009, "During this year, I both think and feel (logically and spiritually) I will be stretched more than I've been stretched in years.  This one's gonna be a toughy.  As for now, I feel anxiously optimistic.  Yup..  That about hits it on the head."  I had n...

I don't think that ever you will find any words of righteousness associated with Laman and Lemuel, not once, but twice, within 4 verses more than in this chapter alone. Not sure why that stood out at me this time, but once in verse 1 and again in verse 4, Nephi said that Laman and Lemuel were on good behavior.  I thought I'd take time to suc...

Yesterday at church, I had a couple of thoughts which I neglected to write down.  I think I'll write them down now. Something I might have written down in my previous scripture studies is my question as to why Lehi's family didn't think about getting the plates of brass / Ishmael's family before they left for the wilderness?  I would th...

 What a horrible end to this story.  Poor Coriantumr.  Saw his situation with vivid clarity after it was too late, and rather than give up his life, he watched (which what must have been a horror show) everything Ether had told him come to life:  The complete destruction of his people, leaving him alone.  I can't imagine th...

Saturday, three people and myself decided to make a trip down to the Salt Flats again. This time Scott Morris came down with his trusty camera and shot video of us doing it. Hopefully that video will be posted soon. My little bro. , Ryan came down with his Mustang GT to get in the action. Also, Mac Newbold, a friend from UPHPU came down with hi...