Hurricane Irene aftermath

Well, we survived Hurricane Irene.  Salisbury, the area that I just left, got hammered by Irene, but we were almost untouched.  We had a bit of rain, but nothing to really be afraid of.  I'm almost disappointed.

I understand that there were 24 deaths during the hurricane, most of them involving being out in the hurricane.  There was one who died because he was trying to surf during a hurricane. 

I don't understand this.  People know tht it's a hurricane, that it's a big hurricane, that it will most likely cause a lot of damage.  When I think this, the first thing that comes to mind is not surfing.  It's potential death.

So often, people try to play around with serious things.  Teens often get their start on drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes because of curiosity.  Pornography claims its share of people playing around.  Others start to rob or break other laws because of the rush it gives them, the feeling of power that they have.

Just like the people who died because of playing with Mother Nature, many people die because they're playing with Satan.  The teenager starts on drugs, saying that later on he'll quit.  Later on comes and goes, and he cannot. 

Let me give you some very simple advice.  Don't play with Satan.  He doesn't want you to be happy.  He promises you happiness in very attractive packages, but on tearing open the gift wrap you're left with only pleasure, a cheap imitation whose afterscent reeks of quick choices, shortcuts that lead nowhere.

The road to heaven is not easy.  It wasn't easy for Him.  It will not be easy for us.

Worst comes to worst...

This is one of my favorite sections in the Doctrine and Covenants.  Given while Joseph Smith was enduring an illegal imprisonment in a jail not much better than a basement,  it covers pretty much everything.

The Doctrine and Covenants

Section 122

The word of the Lord to Joseph Smith the Prophet, while he was a prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri, March 1839 (see History of the Church, 3:300–301).

1–4, The ends of the earth will inquire after the name of Joseph Smith; 5–7, All his perils and travails will give him experience and be for his good; 8–9, The Son of Man has descended below them all.

 1 The ends of the earth shall inquire after thy ^aname, and fools shall have thee in ^bderision, and hell shall rage against thee;

 2 While the pure in heart, and the wise, and the noble, and the virtuous, shall seek ^acounsel, and authority, and blessings constantly from under thy hand.

 3 And thy ^apeople shall never be turned against thee by the testimony of traitors.

 4 And although their influence shall cast thee into trouble, and into bars and walls, thou shalt be had in ^ahonor; and but for a small ^bmoment and thy voice shall be more terrible in the midst of thine enemies than the fierce ^clion, because of thy righteousness; and thy God shall stand by thee forever and ever.

 5 If thou art called to pass through ^atribulation; if thou art in perils among false brethren; if thou art in ^bperils among robbers; if thou art in perils by land or by sea;

 6 If thou art ^aaccused with all manner of false accusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee from the society of thy father and mother and brethren and sisters; and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can’t you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you? and if then he shall be thrust from thee by the sword, and thou be dragged to ^bprison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like ^cwolves for the blood of the lamb;

 7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the ^apit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the ^bdeep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to ^chedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of ^dhell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee ^eexperience, and shall be for thy good.

 8 The ^aSon of Man hath ^bdescended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

 9 Therefore, ^ahold on thy way, and the priesthood shall ^bremain with thee; for their ^cbounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy ^ddays are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, ^efear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.

Hurricane Irene: ETA Sunday.

This is a video from a musical group I discovered here in the mission.  The Moleni Brothers, raised in Tonga, New Zealand, and America, are all members of our church, having served missions.  They're actually fairly incredible.  They have the sound right, and can do a capella just as well, if not better, than rap.  (Just in case anyone was thinking of getting me Christmas gifts, this album, Always There is pretty good.  Moosebutter is good too.)

I just thought I'd send up a little plug here and say a few words.

This has been quite a month.  We've had three severe thunder-and-lightning storms, a mild earthquake, and sometime from here to Sunday, Hurricane Irene is supposed to make landfall.  It's a bit scary.  Well, really scary.  All around, people seem to be going about their lives.  I predict mass rushes to the grocery stores to buy some last needed supplies sometime soon. 

Doing some research indicates that Hurricane Irene is a category three hurricane, with wind speeds of around 114 miles per hour.  It's currently moving at around 14 miles per mile north towards us.  By the time it reaches us on Sunday, it should have calmed down to about 100 mile per hour wind-speeds.  (I mean, as calm as 100 MPH winds can be.)  Church will probably be canceled.  If it were not, I'm still not sure I'd risk the two miles to the church.  Google indicates that it will most likely pass right over us.  The Weather channel plots us as in the extreme danger zone.

Wow.  Assuming none of this kills us, I'll have a heck of a story for when I get home.  So far as I see it, we have a win-win-win situation here.  Option A) The storm misses us.  I like this option.  Option B)  Hurricane Irene hits us, and none of us is hurt.  Even if we lose a few material possessions, I think this is a good option.  We get the story, and afterwards we're able to find some new people to teach while we help clean up.  I'll finally be able to wear the yellow Mormon Helping Hands jersey.  Option C)  Hurricane Irene hits, and we die.  Hopefully it won't happen;  I'd like to go home and not traumatize my family, if at all possible.  Buuuut, if it were to happen, I think I'd be alright with it.  After all, chilling with God in Heaven is not the worst way for things to work out.

I love you all.  Stay safe.

Now, I need to hard-boil a few eggs in case the gas fails.  Hard-boiled eggs and Monopoly ought to last us through the storm.