Eternal Progress

It has been said that if we are not progressing, we are regressing. Is there merit to this saying? Is it not a commandment to become perfect even as the Savior is perfect? In that way, is it not a sin not to strive to better ourselves daily; in other words, isn't it a sin to be passive in our aspirations for divine perfection? C.S. Lewis in his book The Screwtape Letters writes "It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing." He continues "Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed thesafest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts." So truthfullythere is some validation in the earlier statement. By way of omission, if we fail to become more christlike, we are essentially paving our way on that subtle road.

So how is it that we can conscientiously become more like Christ? Obviously there is much to gain by studying his words and his actions through the scriptures. In Henry IV Shakespeare writes, "Ignorance is the curse of God, knowledge the wing whereon we fly to heaven." However, I believe there is a fundamental difference between knowledge and wisdom. I agree with Lord Tennyson when he wrote, "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers." Knowledge comes to the mind but wisdom lingers in the core, in the heart of our very soul. Knowledge may weigh on our conscience but it is wisdom that transform our actions. So what is it that we need to emulate from the life of the Savior? In short, everything but this is harder to tackle than

theorize.

The other day I heard a young lady speak on the topic of temple worship. She said that being temple worthy is the only worthwhile goal. I sat and contemplated this presumptuous statement. Surely it is an exceptional goal but aren't there other worthwhile goals involving daily pray or meaningful scripture study? Although this is true, I came to realize that all the worthwhile goals I could think of where included in becoming temple worthy. Now someone reading may say, what about goals involving sports, physical fitness, social relationships. Well clearly social relationships are included in temple worthiness. In the temple recommend

interview, we are asked if we are honest in all of our doings with our fellowmen. What about those encompassing physical fitness? We've also been counseled to take care of our physical bodies; in the epistle to the Corinthians in the New Testament, they've even been referred to as temples. So clearly physical appearances, physical fitness should all be included in temple worthiness. Okay fine, but what about goals like becoming a professional athlete or an expert snowboarder? Jesus commands us to magnify our talents, so once again, I believe temple worthiness encompasses these attributes in our lives. As I pondered these questions and responses in my mind, I quickly came to the conclusion that temple worthiness should be one of our all encompassing goals. Since being temple worthy symbolizes our worthiness to enter into the Lord's presence, it is a good indicator of our spiritual commitment and our spiritual progression.

So how do we become temple worthy? Clearly temple worthiness is a continual process that takes work; we must consistently be conscience of our efforts to improve. Sacrificing to go to the temple is a way to help us stay worthy. Reviewing the temple interview questions, becoming more charitable, being honest with our fellowmen, becoming christlike in all we do are all important in our continual efforts for temple worthiness. As we strive to become temple worthy, we will progress in the sight of the Lord. When we are temple worthy, we not only symbolically enter into the presence of the Lord but we are physically and spriritually prepared to return to Him.

Selected Excerpt from my European Diary Part 3: Smoking and Smelling

I'm not sure what the policies and laws are of France but in America (for feeling on Americans calling themselves Americans, make inquiries to author) we have a little thing called freedom of speech. This means that we have the freedom to express our opinion, unless we believe in communism of course. Well in Europe everyone smokes. I'm not sure how an entire nation can be unified in one specific activity like the French are with smoking but if it wasn't for the 1833 revelation called the Word of Wisdom, this people would be nearing Zion in their unity. So everyone takes breaks to go smoke and at every train stop long enough people lean out of the train to get a quick puff. And it reeks. One guy, for example, smelt so bad I got light headed and almost past out. Well I was searching for a way to voice my opinion that they stink and shouldn't be smoking because their stench affects everyone but I don't speech French so I knew I'd have to use something more powerful than words and then it came to me... A bubbling from inside of me urged me to give them a taste of their own medicine. Every moment I thought about it, that thing inside of me got more powerful, more potent. It started to get to much to resist. I eventually voiced my opinion. This voice, although audible, did not come from my vocal cords and oh how it resonated with my audience. I'm not sure what resonated with them more, the resonance of my message or that of my seat. What made my message more powerful than theirs was te ability to affect multiple senses; theirs stung the nostrils but mine could be hears as well as smelt. Whether my opinion was understood or whether my voice made a difference, I decided from then on to frequently voice my opinion. Whenever possible I let those around me know I'm against smoking at the train station. My baguette and croissant diet spotted with kebabs has only propagated my cause. 

Selected Excerpt from my European Diary Part 2: Roads and Cars

Roads are goofy here. There aren't any differentiating lines; they're all just white dashed lines. Sometimes you see solid white lines but rarely and yellow lines don't even exist. It's crazy because looking at the road, you can't tell if it's two ways or just one without seeing street signs. Sometimes you can't even tell if there are multiple lanes but in reality there are a couple but it definitely looks like a one lane road. Also trains seem to go on the left track while cars go in the right lane. Ironic. And the roads are all tiny! I'm talking about Great Falls size and even smaller. I guess it helps that their cars are way tiny but it's not proportional to the reduction in street size. 

Selected Excerpt from my European Diary Part 1: Trains and Bathrooms

One of my most favorite things about trains is that the bathrooms empty straight onto the tracks; they're generally just holes in the train straight down. There's a sense of accomplishment when you poop on the tracks, not to mention the Eco friendly benefits of not adding to local landfills. It's usually pretty enjoyable as well because the holes provide a nice breeze, due to the pressure change in the air, on your posterior that you wouldn't otherwise experience.

While we're on the subject of bathrooms, don't call them that in Europe. When you say that, they envision a bath room, a room for bathing. They'll eye you funny and won't know what to say. They don't understand restroom too well either. Water closet or toilette are the preferred nomenclature and you'd be wise to cut to the point if you're in an emergency to go.

Gymnastics 103: Rings and High Bar Giants

I did a flyaway dismount off the rings but they didn't catch it on film. Also I'm strapped in on the high bar so no cool dismount. I haven't tried to do giants without the straps yet...

Gymnastics 102: Front flips...

With the vault, not bad...

without the vault, even better...

Gymnastics 101

Preston Redd on the P-Bars. Performing the level b routine.

Judges? 15.6

Preston Redd performing the level b routine on the floor.

9.6, not bad.

Hang Ten

I'm not that big of a surfer but I can hold my own. A couple of weeks ago, Greg, Melissa, Megan, and I all went. Here's a little sample of me hanging ten...

It's even harder with someone else on back...

Greg and Melissa weren't bad either... that photographer has a pretty good zoom on that camera...

Women's Foot Size

Why are women's foot sizes different? Is this weird to anyone else? Is it so that guys don't know how big girls feet actually are? We have no idea what the difference is, we just know it's smaller than men's sizes. This way girls with big feet can still feel petite. Just a thought.

Cosmo Disclaimer

For those of you who think I am Cosmo just because I can do a standing backflip or because I can do a layout, I would like to make a formal disclaimer.

I am neither Cosmo nor am I in any way affiliated with the Team Cosmo.

However much I appreciate the flattery, I am not that talented. Although I can hold a handstand for well over a minute, that alone does not qualify me for the vast range of acrobatic skills required to be a member of Team Cosmo.

I first became aware of the confusion when my professor, Dr. McDonald, asked if I was a member of the glitterati formally known as Team Cosmo. I informed him that I was not but since members of the fellowship are sworn to secrecy, I knew my remarks didn't affect his suspicions. However, I figured anyone could fool a seventy year old man into thinking they were agile. My true concern of my deception wasn't until a BYU gymnast approached me (I really approached her but let a man imagine). When she asked me if I was Cosmo, I decided I should inform my fans. Again, I am not Cosmo. So now that you know, you don't have to ask. I am still, however, accepting complements...

Blind Dates Strike Again

We all know blind dates are the worst. They never work out and yadda yadda yadda, you've heard this. Now something new. Blind Dates usually have the connotation that the person is a complete stranger before the date, not after. We assume the awkwardness of the blind date will only last for at most the duration of the evening. However, this is not always the case. Just the other day, I walked up to a good family friend. When I saw her, she was conversing with two other ladies. She politely introduced me after which I asked the two ladies for their names. I looked at one of them and she responds, "We actually went on a double date together. I went with your friend Davey, and you went with, well you went with her," pointing to the other girl. I immediately remembered the affair but was too embarrassed to materialize any sensible retort...

Canterbury Tales Excerpt

I guess I loved him best of all, for he

Gave of his love most sparingly to me.

We women have, if I am not lightly have,

And after that we'll cry all day and crave.

Forbid a thing, and that thing covet we;

Press hard upon us, then we turn and flee.

Sparingly offer we our goods, when fair;

Great crowds at market make for dearer ware,

And what's too common brings but little price;

All this knows every woman who is wise.

-The Wife of Bath

A Known Christmas Surprise

This Christmas I had the perfect idea for presents to give to my parents. Now let me preface this; situated in the Weber River Valley of the Uinta Mountain Range is a cozy cabin, the Redd-Holyoak Cabin, named not after a tree but its owners. For eight years our cousins and we have owned the cabin and for eight years we've been slowly furnishing it. At first Dad wanted to keep it quaint, a refuge from technology, no t.v., no internet, but eventually we convinced him to get a t.v. and a dvd player but we never found a complementary t.v. stand. Eight years passed of all of us being witnesses to endless complaints from my mother about the difficultly to see our t.v., since it rested on the floor. One summer even, my mom and sister decided to make a table where we could put the t.v. so that it'd be easier to see but, as with most vacation oriented projects, it was never completed. Eight years of hearing my mother complain led me to the best present idea ever imaginable, an entertainment stand! Who would ever expect their children to get them furniture; she'd never see it coming. Now due to our tightfisted up-brings, we didn't feel like buying separate presents for our parents and so it was settled, the kids agreed to get a t.v. stand for our parents, just something simple to get by until they found something better. As we were doing our family shopping, we, the kids, snuck away to Pier One to check out furniture. We debated between a few stands but eventually decided on an affordable one. Perfect, we were trying to check out until we realized that there was only the floor model in stock. Abort mission! Failure! We decided we could find adifferent one somewhere else or in a different store. So we met back up with the family. Meanwhile, Taylor, one of my brothers, had been busy asking our dad's opinion on the present... Wait. What? We were getting it for both of them; how could he be so careless in his conversation. Great, now dad knew what we were up to. UGGHHH

Now we had to think of something new for my dad but at least mom would be surprised. Finding a substitute present for Dad was easy, a $10 salt lick would be a perfect present for the cabin, plus splitting it four ways with the boys wouldn't be too expensive. So back to getting mom's present. We went home and searched online and found the same Pier One t.v. stand in the Salt Lake branch. It was perfect, in two days, someone had to pick up our brother-in-law from the airport anyways, so I volunteered to go pick him up so that I could swing by Pier One on the way back. So the plan was set and all systems go.

Game day came around and my dad audibled and decided to go pick up Lance from the airport so that he can see his parents who live in Salt Lake. Okay, not only was this going to take a lot longer, it was going to be hard to hide the present from dad (since he never knew we were actually going to buy the stand). On the way down, I asked my dad if he thought there'd be enough room for us to pick something up from Pier One. Perturbed, he decided there'd be room and that we could pick something up but, only upon my revealing of the desired purchase. I told him and he decided we should check other stores, all of which I knew would be outside of our price range. In his desperation to find a furniture store, he called my mom. She told him and asked why he wanted to know, without hesitation, he told her we were getting her a t.v. stand for Christmas! All of our hard work, the time we spent sneaking around, trying to surprise our mom and he ruined it in five seconds. I took a 3 hour trip to Salt Lake and back in order to surprise my mom and the surprise was up. How disappointing! I was too mad to think of a way to cover up what he had said. When we got home, my mom commented on how careless my dad had been. I didn't know what to say, so I just went inside. We got the box with the stand inside, not exactly unseen from mother's eyes. We put it in the basement and hope she'd forget about it. Christmas day came around and Trevor and I woke up before anyone else and set up the stand, setting up the t.v. with all of the accessories. We turned the couches around to face the tree instead of the t.v. When our mom walked in, she strode right past the t.v. stand and even examined something on the fireplace hearth literally inches from the t.v. stand without each acknowledging her present. I was kind of upset that she didn't even say anything but I figured she was waiting her

turn to acknowledge her present. We went along with the proceedings and after awhile my sister observed that my mom hadn't even noticed it yet. So I quickly wrote a note, wrapped it, and gave it to my mom. "LOOK BEHIND YOU" it read. She looked around and was shocked to see a brand new t.v. stand! She truly hadn't noticed it! She was so oblivious that we even convinced her that we did it after she came in the room! Plus on top of that, my dad had told her we decided not to get one. The 'Known' Christmas Surprise ended up being a surprise after all! It was a miracle!