Battery Life

What would you do if my battery ran low? ran out?
If my screen stopped glowing
And I failed to receive your signals?
What if I broke down for the last time?

Would you see me breaking? cracking?
Humans can't buy their hearts protective casings
It's funny how we panic and cry at the loss of a phone
Rather than paying attention to the people

If your battery ran low, I would allow you to recharge
Sleeping quietly, breathing softly, dreaming
If your screen stopped glowing, I would be more heartbroken
Over the loss of your shining eyes

To lose you is a greater loss
Than any cord or battery life can try to replace
To miss you is so much more
Than just not having a device in my pocket

We live in a world of battery life and cords tethering us to walls
Glowing screens and disconnection
More emotion over loss of signal than loss of health
We live in a world of digitality

There's a reason people are bigger than TVs
And that the world is large enough to fit us all
It's unlimited, that reality out there, holding more than is imaginable
How could we choose the world that fits in a woman's pocket?

I think we have lost some of the most important signals
In our search for bars and battery life
There's a lot of beauty in the world
Away from these tiny screens

In a world of digitality, we have to choose
To live in the grand world with its wonders set before us
Or in a pretender, a faux, a failed clone
I choose humanity

Testimony

Today was Fast Sunday for my ward, which means we got to listen to and bear our own testimonies. I did not get up and bear mine, but I'd like to now.

While the Sacrament was being passed today, I had a thought. In our ward, we meet in the Tanner Building on BYU Campus. This is a building where classes are held. And a building where sacred ordinances like the Sacrament can take place. What a miracle it is, that we can have the Sacrament wherever we may meet, even if it isn't in an official meetinghouse. We can partake of this ordinance wherever we have a worthy priesthood holder, and that is truly a gift from God.

Modern technology is also a gift. We can watch- and rewatch!- Conference broadcasts, Mormon messages, devotionals, anything. We can read the scriptures and counsel from our leaders. We can even engage in discussion and missionary work with people who are halfway around the world! That is something people could never even have dreamed of years ago. We talked in Sunday School today about Isaiah. Specifically Isaiah 5:29 (which reference I was just able to find again using the search function in the app on my phone...) where it prophesies of the last days.

We talked about how Isaiah would describe the last days, including things such as airplanes. In the scripture, it says the lion will "carry [its prey] away safe" which is funny because usually a lion's prey isn't what most people call safe. But an airplane, or a train- they pick up the people, "eat" them, and then deliver them safely to their destination. And they definitely roar.

But imagine, not knowing the concept of an airplane or a train. Imagine someone explaining it to you this way- how confusing that would be! But we don't have to worry about that, because we're raised knowing about it. We live in a world of marvels, things that once couldn't be comprehended. And all of this technology can be used in the work of the Lord. That is amazing.

The Lord has done a great work in our world, and we are blessed to be a part of it. And He still has time for each of us personally. He knows us, loves us, cares for us, and guides us. It is a long held conviction of mine, one that has not yet been proved wrong, that if we do our best, the Lord will ensure that everything falls into place for our good. If we live, trusting in Him, and working towards a better future, we will find our paths made smooth. This I believe.

"Trust in God and believe in good things to come." -Jeffrey R Holland

Chalkboard

No more scritch-scratching
For this old and worn out chalkboard
No more writing, erasing, and writing again
No more screeches of chalk across the black
This old broken chalkboard has been put aside
Left outside in the rain
The chalk won't write as well
And the surface is scarred
Nobody needs a run-down chalkboard
They've moved on to better things
Whiteboards and markers that aren't as messy
Projectors and technology
No need for a black board and powdery sticks
The chalkboard gets left behind
Sometimes I think that we move on too quickly
And forget to be grateful for what we had before