Don't Let Fear Guide You

Earlier this year I spent a lot of time deciding whether I should do Arabic during the spring and summer to come to Jordan this fall (the fast track), or to wait and do things the normal way, coming next fall.  One of the things that worried me about doing the fast track was that I wouldn't know very many of the other students.  Most of them had been taking Arabic together for two years, and they had been in a lot of other classes together.  I had been in classes with some of them, but I didn't know any of them very well.  I was a little worried I wouldn't have many good friends in the program.  But despite my worries, I decided to do the fast track.

My spring and summer Arabic classes were small--six to ten students, all of whom were planning on going to Jordan this fall.  That was good for me because I do a lot better, socially-speaking, in smaller groups.  I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the class "clicked."  We got along really well, and I made some good friends.  I even met a couple of the others in our study abroad group, but I was still worried about the thirty others that I didn't know who would be on the same study abroad program.

Since arriving here, I have gotten to know a lot of the other students much better.  It has been intimidating at times, since they are all such good friends already, but knowing the small group from spring/summer has given me a foundation, and things have gone well since then.  Today someone brought cake to class for my birthday, several people wished me happy birthday, and a roommate bought me a Jordanian dessert.  Yesterday I walked into a classroom smiling (I had been talking to or joking around with another student in the hall), and one of my classmates said "Nick, are you ever not smiling?"  (I've changed a bit since elementary school I guess.)

I'm not saying these things to brag or anything; I'm just trying to make a point.  Imagine if I had let my fears stop me from going through with my plan.  I would be missing out on all of these experiences.  I'm glad I didn't let my fears stop me.  I think that's an important lesson, and one I'm still learning.  I can't let fear of failure stop me from pursuing a career, or any course of action that might seem intimidating.  So learn now what it took me years to realize!  No fear!

Deodorant

Dear Brothers,

I ran out of deodorant just before leaving America, so I had to go to the store to buy some for the study abroad. That meant I was asking myself a lot of questions. What brand should I get? What scent? What size? Should I try something new, or go with the boring, but reliable one I've been using? Should I spend more for one I really like? Luckily for me, almost all of those were satisfactorily answered.

After looking through all the deodorant I saw, debating, and comparing prices, I looked down to my right and saw a little green deodorant that had escaped my eyes. I picked it up, noting that it was significantly cheaper than the others. Skeptical, I uncapped the stick and moved it towards my nose, which was still recovering from smelling so many different deodorants. I wasn't sure what to think, but the price and size (slightly smaller than the others) tipped the scale of indecision, and I bought my Brut.

After nearly a month, I must say I quite like it. I like the subtle, but decidedly masculine scent. And it's cheaper than all the others. What more could I ask for? I know you probably aren't shopping for your own deodorant yet, but when you are, I suggest giving Brut a try.

Love,
Nick

Man's Search for Meaning

In Man's Search for Meaning Viktor E. Frankl first narrates his experiences in the concentration camps of World War II.  He was a trained psychiatrist, and so frequently analyzed himself and those around him.  The second half of the book is more technical, and in it he describes the theories he has formulated and conclusions he has come to as a result of his experiences.

Though it's a relatively short book, I have been reading it for several months now.  I went through the first half fairly quickly because it is narrative.  The second half is a little slower because it's more academic in nature.  But in the second half I have found a lot of great messages.  I just posted one quote on facebook, but that's not the one I want to write about now.  This is what I just read:

I wish to stress that the true meaning of life is to be discovered in the world rather than within man or his own psyche, as though it were a closed system.  I have termed this constitutive characteristic "the self-transcendence of human existence."  It denotes the fact that being human always points, and is directed, to something, or someone, other than oneself--be it a meaning to fulfill or another human being to encounter.  The more one forgets himself--by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love--the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself.  What is called self-actualization is not an attainable aim at all, for the simple reason that the more one would strive for it, the more he would miss it.  In other words, self-actualization is possible only as a side-effect of self-transcendence. (p. 110-111)

Does that sound familiar?  I'm reminded of two quotes that say similar things.  Conveniently, I found both in this Deseret News article telling President Hinckley's story.

"I wrote home to my father and said, 'I'm not doing any good here. I am just wasting my time and your money. I don't see any point in staying here."' 

The answer came: "Dear Gordon. I have your letter. ... I have only one suggestion. Forget yourself and go to work. With love, Your Father." 

President Hinckley said of that moment, "I pondered his response and then the next morning in our scripture class we read that great statement of the Lord: 'For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.'

The scripture referenced is Mark 8:35.  It is very interesting to me to see science confirm the gospel in this regard.  Nor was Frankl seeking to prove the gospel true; he was Jewish.  This is only one of several instances I have found in the book of science confirming gospel principles.  I highly suggest reading the book, but even more important than that, I suggest trying to live it.  We find ourselves in serving and loving others.  A life focused on self is an empty one, full of regret.  Live a full life by giving it to others.

Language Learning Travel Opportunities

I wish I had known about this when I was in high school.  Although I'm not sure that I knew how strong my interest in language learning was at that point.  My regrets aside, there's a scholarship funded by the State Department called the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) that sends students on overseas summer programs to learn languages the government deems important.  They pay for pretty much everything.  Here are the languages they offer:

• Arabic
• Chinese
• Hindi
• Korean
• Persian
• Russian
• Turkish

Learning a language makes you stand out.  And it will help you get into college.  And it will help you get a job.  Besides all that, you would get to travel!  The scholarships are merit-based, which means you don't have to be poor to get it (some scholarships are need-based, and based on government criteria we don't qualify).  It never hurts to apply.  If any of you are interested in learning languages, I think you should apply.  Even if none of those languages sound particularly appealing right now, they could be.  If you'd asked me before my mission, I don't think I would've expressed interest in any of them, but now I would do just about all of them.  Here's the website: NSLI for Youth

Deadline for applications is October 30.

Elder Bednar Devotional: Social Media

Elder Bednar gave a devotional on campus earlier today.  He spoke on using social media to hasten the work of salvation.  It changed my perspective a little bit on social media.  Because we're so often told of its negative consequences and so often warned of the pitfalls of technology, I generally try to limit my use of social media (it's not too difficult when the only social media I use is Facebook).  However, I never really consider the good I could do through social media.  Elder Bednar talked about all of the different ways we can share the gospel through social media.

He also gave some guidelines for using social media:

1. Be authentic: do not exaggerate, embellish, or pretend.
2. Edify and uplift: do not debate, belittle, or be overbearing or contentious.
3. Respect intellectual property: don't use anyone else's stuff.  Elder Bednar announced at this point that members are allowed to use church materials (photos, videos, etc., I believe) without requesting permission.
4. Be wise and vigilant: the internet never forgets.  Be careful what you put on the internet because it will be there forever.

Here's the link to his address.  I highly recommend watching it.  It's very inspiring.  He also talks about several things the Church has done so far to use social media.  It's worth watching.

Elder Bednar: Share Goodness

Different Trials

These are some thoughts I had around the 24th of July, when there is always a lot of talking about pioneers.

Some say that our trials pale in comparison to those of past generations.  They reference the difficult lives and trials of pioneers and others who lived in less technologically advanced times.  Indeed, everyday life was difficult for them.  When we need food, we go to the grocery store.  They grew their food.  When we want a house, we pick one and get a mortgage.  They built one.  Every summer we drive an air-conditioned car across smooth roads for a few days to get to a beautiful valley.  They walked across the plains through summer heat and winter blizzard to a dry valley they had to call home.  They had it pretty rough.  We have it pretty easy.  Right?

I disagree.

Their physical trials certainly exceeded ours.  We worry very little about our day-to-day needs.  Our food, homes, and our safety are provided for us with little effort on our part.  Does that mean our lives are easier?  Not at all.  Our trials are simply different than theirs.  Theirs were largely physical--comparatively, not exclusively--ours are largely social.  But your victories when you overcome temptation and trial are just as great as theirs were when they overcame their own.

President Uchtdorf, in his "All is Well" talk that I wrote about recently*, said that, just as we are unlikely to want the pioneers' trials, they would be unlikely to want our trials.  Each of us has a set of trials we face, and I think that we would all hesitate to switch our set of trials with anyone else's.  Our lives are personalized to our needs.  The Lord helps us shore up our weaknesses through the difficulties we experience.  So never feel inferior to past generations!  Feel inspired to fare equally well against your own trials.

*Y'all really ought to read that talk.

The Arab-Israeli Conflict: A Basic Introduction

Image source: CNN.com

Summary:
Here's my main point, if you don't feel like reading everything: be an intelligent, unbiased, thoughtful consumer of media.

The Nitty-Gritty:
For those who'd like to better understand, let me begin:
I am absolutely not an expert on this region of the world nor of the conflict which has raged there for so long.  However, I have studied it a little more than most people, I think.  And though there is a lot I don't know, I know enough to think that what I do know may help you.  Allow me to explain the situation:

The Current Conflict:
A couple months ago three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and later found dead in Gaza (Palestinian land under Israeli control).  Then a Palestinian (Arab) teenager was found burned and killed near Jerusalem.  Hamas, a very extreme political party holding power in Gaza, and Israel began exchanging fire.  Israel sent in ground troops after a while to destroy tunnels used by Hamas militants to cross into Israel.  Cease-fire agreements have been made and broken willy-nilly.  Casualties have been terribly high in Gaza (nearing 1200, last I knew), and very low in Israel (below 100).

Why people are upset:

• Israeli fire has hit three U.N. schools and shelters in Gaza.  As indicated by the casualty numbers, many are concerned that Israel is targeting civilians.
• Hamas refuses to negotiate unless Israel lifts the blockade on Gaza.  Hamas is also accused of using civilians as human shields (not literally--this just means that they do not have an organized military presence the way we think of it; the combatants are out among the civilians).

Most people in America side with Israel, saying that Israel has the right to defend itself.  Hamas has declared in no uncertain terms that it wants Israel done away with.  Also, the Palestinians in Gaza are largely Muslim, and most Americans are biased against Muslims.  Because America is a Christian country by and large, many Americans feel a certain affinity for Israel as home to the Holy Land.  One of the most important things to understand is that the situation is NOT simple.  It is not black and white, with one side wrong and one side right.

Background Information You Need:

Israel was created by the United Nations after World War II as a homeland for the Jews of Europe.  That sounds really nice, especially considering what the Jews went through in World War II.  However, the land that Britain (then in control of much of the Middle East) unilaterally decided would become Israel already had people living in it: the Palestinians.  There had been no independent Jewish state there since the Romans took control in the first century BC.  What does that mean?  Israel is occupying Palestine.  That, put very simply, is why the Arabs are always upset with Israel.  (Note: US support of Israel is one of the biggest causes of the hate directed at the US from some people in the Middle East and around the world.)  They don't want Israel to exist because it is a symbol of their occupation and displacement.  Imagine if the United States decided to carve out a chunk of Mexico for itself, and started sending US citizens to live there and push out the Mexicans.  How happy would those Mexicans be?  This information is often too conveniently left out of explanations that favor Israel.

But the situation is still more complicated.  Think of the United States again.  We displaced a lot of Native Americans early in our history.  Slavery existed for the first century of America's existence.  Do you feel responsible for that?  Of course not.  You didn't do anything wrong.  You weren't there.  In the 75 years since Israel was created, its demographic has changed.  Those that immigrated are dying, and new generations are born--generations that have grown up in Israel.  They are not at fault for the circumstances into which they are born.  Do you think that makes the Palestinians any happier that they are still homeless?  Absolutely not.  It doesn't help that the Israelis have continuously pushed the Arabs farther out to create new settlements for their citizens.

Conclusion?

So, is Israel justified in its attacks?  It certainly can be seen as self-defense.  They want those tunnels destroyed because terrorists use them to attack Israel.  Hamas has basically vowed to destroy Israel.  No one likes being attacked or destroyed.  Does that justify their seemingly indiscriminate bombings of Gaza?

Is Palestine justified in its attacks?  I don't know, were the American revolutionaries justified in attacking the British redcoats?  They want their homes back.  Does that justify the acts of terror that have been perpetrated against Israel?

I hope you can see that the situation is just too complicated (and I have simplified things as best I can), and cannot be resolved easily.  You can't please everyone.  Someone will always be, probably justifiably, very upset.  What's the solution?  Don't judge hastily.  Don't believe everything you hear--most sources are VERY biased in one direction or the other.  Always consider the source of the information you get.  Stick up when you hear someone oversimplifying.  Help other people understand better.  Remember that the agendas of the governments and individuals in power do not always represent the views of the people.  Each Arab and each Israeli is a child of God.  He weeps over such conflicts that destroy both physically and spiritually the lives of many involved in them.  Acts of unkindness and evil are wrong, no matter who perpetrates them (and both sides have long lists of offenses).  This is where I step off of my soap box.  I think I've made my point.  But I do want to include some examples of things you might hear or see.  If you'd like to understand even better, read on.  Please comment if you have any questions or points you'd like to make.

More Information:

Here is a video that many are saying accurately explains the conflict.  It doesn't.  If you watch it, please think about what you are listening to--it's an excellent example of oversimplification.  I'll add some notes of my own below that may help.

• 00:38 Concerning his explanation with the peace sign: Considering the short explanation I gave, why do you think Palestinians and other Arabs do not recognize the right of Israel to have their own state?  I think their objection is that the Israeli state is in their state.
• 00:57 His explanation of the creation of the state of Israel:  He says they split the land into an Israeli and a Palestinian state.  This sounds fair.  Until you remember that it all belonged to the Palestinians.  Is it a surprise that no Arab countries accepted this decision?
• 2:53 "All the Palestinians have ever had to do": In other words, all they have to do is accept defeat?  Accept being occupied?
• 3:05  You mean the Palestinians wanted more than 95% of a small portion of their land back?
• 4:10 Oversimplification is the name of the game with his final question.  Let's say a bully steals your lunch money.  You want it back.  He offers ten cents back.  You reject it.  It's yours, and you want it all.  Someone poses the question:  If you stopped asking for your money back tomorrow, what would happen? (The bully is fine with it.  He got your money.)  If the bully stopped bullying tomorrow, what would happen? (You still want your money back.)  I realize the bully analogy is a vast oversimplification, but I think it is effective in helping you think about things from the other point of view.
• 4:55 Again, there is a big oversimplification problem here.  Look at the dates of the three Jewish states.  The second ends in 63 BC.  The third starts nearly two millenia later in 1947.  He seems to be implying that no one lived there in between, and that the land was just empty and waiting for the Jews to come back.

Here is a video unfortunate in its accuracy of the history of the region.

The region has been highly contested throughout its history.  This video reminds us that "ownership" of land is itself a very complicated thing.  Who is to say who owns what?  Is it the people who owned it millenia ago?  Centuries ago?  Decades ago?

BBC, generally a reputable news source, has a good explanation that I skimmed over.  It's informative, and seems pretty fair.

BBC News: Gaza-Israeli Conflict

This article is pretty short, but listen to the clip near the top of the page.  They talk to informed experts on both sides of the issue, and both make excellent points.  It's thirteen and a half minutes long.  Towards the very end they play clips of comments from callers.  Some make great points, others seem woefully uninformed.

Examining the Deep Divisions of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

I realize that most of what I have said sounds very pro-Palestinian.  That's because I feel like the prevailing opinions are blindly in favor of Israel, and I think it is very important to consider both sides.  I'm still trying to figure out what my personal beliefs are, but one thing is absolutely sure: it's complicated.