Top 5

I have never made a top 5 favorite songs list. When ever I was asked, I shrugged and said "that's a tough one. I'll have to get back to you." I was afraid of the utter finality of such a list. Also, the songs I play in heavy rotation change every few weeks. Because of that, it seemed like the list would be so ephemeral, it would morph within two weeks! The thing I didn't quite get, is that it's your top 5 favorites of all time. It doesn't have to be songs you rock every day. Here comes my list:


5.) When You Come Back Down, Nickel Creek
4.) Buddy Holly, weezer
3.) Misunderstood, Wilco
2.) God Only Knows, The Beach Boys
1.) Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, The BYU Combined Choirs and Philharmonic Orchestra



(If you're wondering if I may have had a few existential struggles as of late, the answer is "yes.")

(And no, I don't think too much. I think too much, too late. There's a difference.)

Telestial Homesick Blues

50 THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE PT. 2


11.) Grow a full beard
12.) Learn Spanish
13.) Read the Old Testament all the way through
14.) See the Grand Canyon
15.) Run a marathon
16.) Get a doctorate
17.) Have a six pack
18.) Meet the President of the Church
19.) Be a school crossing guard
20.) Start a clothing company with Brandon and Beka Lowe



P.S. Some thoughts from President Faust from the CES fireside last night: 1.) "Nobody is nobody." 2.) "I testify that [God] knows each of our names."

To Have and to Eat Cake

A sister in one of the wards I served in on my mission told my companion, Elder Steven K. Larson and myself over dinner how she had a list of 50 things she wanted to do before she died. As she would do something from her list, she would add another item to accomplish, so that the number never changed. Hearing this, being inspired (enamoured) by it, I started my own list. It took me quite a while to finish it (more than a year). I started telling my companions and other missionaries about the idea, trying to convince them to join in the fun. And it was a lot of fun. Especially sharing the lists with others, because 1.) you'd get good ideas to add to your own list. 2.) you got a better/broader sense of the person. 3.) people would personalize the title. Elder Geoff Belliston entitled his something like, "50 Things I Want to do Before They Put Me in the Ground" And, 4.) they were always joyfully hilarious.

I went out to eat with my buddy, Darren Bateman, last night. He is not a member of my faith, but something he mentioned he admired about Mormons is that they know what to do in and with their lives, because of their religion. Thinking about that, I remembered how important the Restoration really is, to everyone! This post is the first in a series, about things I want to do before I die. But as much fun as doing a lot of these things will be, I know that to do them will not constitute a successful life. My life will be a success based on the contribution I make to my family, which includes my Heavenly Family (my God, and His sons and daughters), the family of my parents, and the family of my own I will Someday have. I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father that He has sent prophets in the land again, to show us how to find Him, to teach us the purpose of life, and what we are to do. I'm grateful to Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ, for making the only way back Home, for you and for me.

(Darren, thanks for pointing me in the right direction!)


Here goes, in no particular order.

50 THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE PT. 1

1.) Get Sealed in the Temple
2.) Start an all Beatles radio station
3.) Go fishing
4.) Read Moby Dick
5.) Make out in the rain
6.) Drive around Rome on a Vespa with my wife
7.) Publish a novel
8.) Mow a yard on a riding lawn mower
9.) Have children
10.) Be in a band