The Utah member
I think everyone has heard a few of the slurs about the Utah members of the Church.
On the mission it was “they’re from the factory.” In and outside of Utah it’s “Utah Mormons think they are SO righteous,” and “Utah Mormons are just really judgmental.”
To be completely honest, we all have our own challenges and of the perfectionistic pie, members from Utah have a well-proportioned slice. They judge themselves and others, but it is often out of habit and not a purposefully imposed pain.
Often when someone feels judged by someone else, their response is to judge them back. But, when Jesus said “with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged,” he didn’t mean that it’s OK to judge someone else as long as they judge us first. Jesus said “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” So what would be the best way to “bless” someone who has a habit of judging others? Judging in return will just perpetuate the cycle. What people need is a lot of love.
So, next time we feel judged by someone, let’s get to know who they are underneath their finicky facade. And maybe, just maybe, we will love what we see.
Daniel Feil
West Valley City, UT
Let’s be pro-American, pro-immigrant
My name is Hunter Avilio Thomas. Mi mama (my mom) came to the U.S. with a few thousand dollars in
her pocket, not a lick of English and in search of the American dream. Mi abuelo (My grandfather), Avilio
Salinas, was a taxi driver in Mexico City. Mi abuela (My grandmother), Mercedes Salinas, was a proud stay-at-home mother.
My father is from North Carolina. His family never had much money growing up. His life was
unstable, often changing schools due to financial strain. His working class background pushed
him to be the first in his family to go to graduate school.
My family is a symbol of those pursuing the American dream: immigrants, working class, fighters and the underdog. For the past few years I have been reluctant to tell others that I am a conservative. I am a rare specimen in politics. I speak fluent Spanish, was raised in a border state and lived in Mexico both as a child and as an adult. I am a conservative because of its belief in free markets, limited government and freedom.
The Latino community is the future of the country. Census population reports say that by 2045, one third of the population will be of Latin American heritage. I believe that in the next few decades Americans will be ready to put the immigration debate to rest. I believe we can pass a
common-sense immigration reform that looks something like this: putting up a technological barrier on the Southern border, give a legal status to the 12 million undocumented immigrants
and balance out family-based immigration with high-skilled workers.
We need a next-generation immigration system that is in the national interest of our country and is considerate of the hard-working immigrants who wish to participate in the American dream.
My vision for the country and for my party is that we can be pro-American and pro-immigrant.
This country is a beacon of hope and light for the rest of the world. As Ronald Reagan once said; we are that shining city on a hill.
Hunter Thomas
Albuquerque, NM
Creative meditation
Everyone remembers when they were a child and lived in imaginary worlds.
Creativity is our natural form of existence and tapping into this with the powers of meditation
will lead to massive benefits in living. Cultivating mindful creativity is key to educational and
career success; therefore, students would be wise to implement creative meditation into their
lives.
Creativity is making use of knowledge by applying it to real-life in order to find solutions
to issues and create worthwhile projects. In our current world, teachers are scouring for creative and innovative thinkers. Creative people find their work intrinsically satisfying, are more successful and find their feelings of self-efficacy increase. Happy work makes for effective work, and they are not only more successful, but they also feel more accomplished and capable as a result.
Mindfulness and meditation are the keys to creativity; they help us have full access to
our minds. When you take breaks between long hours of work or study, consider a small creative activity. It is when one freely allows their subconscious mind to express itself without judgment and create the most wildly imaginative masterpieces they never would have thought
possible.
Every individual has stories, ideas and wisdom worth sharing with the world; sharing
one’s passions comes about largely through creative means. As Walt Whitman said,
the reason for existence is “that you are here, that life exists and identity, that the
powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.”
Daphne Felsted
Pullman, WA
