Anger and Ignorance

When I read the news and various comments from viewers I am saddened by so much anger. I don't care who is wrong or right in the conversation...... it makes me so sick to my stomach to see people lashing out at one another, accusing, scorning, mocking, name calling, swearing etc. Can't we all just get along!!! I see it among the Liberals, the Conservatives, religious, non-religious and among every race and color. There is no excuse to treat anyone (no matter who it is) there is no excuse to be so uncivilized whether online or in person!! And before we look around and point the finger we must first examine ourselves. There are times when I've reacted in anger or in sharp hurtful words and I'm not proud of it. I believe in forgiveness. I believe we can let go of perceived offences. I believe in redemption.

I just heard about the shooting in Fort Hood. This incident makes me very sad because the shooter was a so called "Muslim". Of course immediately following this news there are those who blame the religion of Islam for the shootings. But, Islam is not to blame for these violent acts. Ignorance and anger are to blame. These extremists are taught from a Koran that has been distorted, twisted and changed from it's original text thus in many cases excusing their violence in the name of God. They become fed a steady diet of lies that lead them far from the original teachings of Islam.

Terrorism isn't related to Muslims any more than it is to Christians. There are incidents where Christians have become ignorant to the doctrine of Christ and twisted His teachings to justify violence. Anyone is susceptible to causing terror.

On a smaller scale how often do we get in arguments with neighbors, family or friends when we don't have all the facts, when we jump to conclusions, when we gossip or twist words?

What does it do to us when we dwell on these injustices?

What does it do to us when we see only bad and close our eyes to any of the good around us?

This is where it starts.........If unchecked it leads to violence, misery and sorrow... destroying everything in it's path.

Last general conference our modern day Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson warned against anger.

He quoted the words of the hymn written by Elder Charles W. Penrose, who served in the Quorum of the Twelve and in the First Presidency during the early years of the 20th century:

School thy feelings, O my brother;

Train thy warm, impulsive soul.

Do not its emotions smother,

But let wisdom’s voice control.

School thy feelings; there is power

In the cool, collected mind.

Passion shatters reason’s tower,

Makes the clearest vision blind.

On another occasion he quoted this poem by, Bolton Hall:

'I looked at my brother through the microscope of criticism,

and I said, 'How coarse my brother is.'

Then I looked at my brother through the telescope of scorn,

and I said, 'How small my brother is.'

Then I looked into the mirror of truth and I said,

'How like me my brother is.

I pray for all of us, myself included, that we will

seek to understand more,

to get the facts,

to refrain from anger and cease idle words & gossip,

to find the good in our brothers and sisters

no matter what our political view, religious view, cultural background or however different we might me.

No one accomplishes anything by tearing down another human soul.

Let us build each other.

We are all brothers and sisters.

We are all children of the same God.

Let's be civil.

Let's be kind.

I pray for peace.

Oh how I pray for peace.

"Do you pray to Allah?"

I help watch my friend Meher's little girl almost every day. Every time before we eat we always say a prayer. One day my little friend, Lamis said, "I don't pray like you, I pray to Allah." (Her family practices Islam.) I said, "It's ok Lamis you don't have to pray with us." I could see the question in her eyes..."Who do you pray to?" .......I answered, "Lamis I know we don't pray in the exact same way but we do pray to the same God, so I guess you could say we pray to Allah too."

That was pretty much all I said to her but I have since thought about that situation....

Allah means "One true God." God is the Father of all our spirits, He is also the Father Who Jesus Christ prayed to. Now when we pray we don't address Him as "Allah", we say "Father in Heaven". And we close our prayers "in the name of Jesus Christ," His Son. But we pray to our Father, the one true Father of us all.

Our first article of faith is, "We believe in God, the Eternal Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost."

Jesus prayed to our Father in Heaven: "O Father, glorify thou me… with the glory which I had with thee before the world was… That the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me… For thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:5, 23–24.

He prayed:

“O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these [the disciples] have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:25–26. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.” John 17:24.

As He took upon Himself the sins and sorrows of this world Christ prayed:

“Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

Elder Robert D. Hales said of this sacred moment, "He was not talking to Himself or relying on His own strength. He was calling upon His Father, God Omnipotent, to sustain Him and allow Him to do His Father’s will; and His Father sent an angel “from heaven, strengthening him.”Luke 22:43.

Jesus testified all throughout His mission that He was about His "Father's business". Upon the cross when He was crucified, He said, "It is finished,”John 19:30 and “cried with a loud voice, … Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.” Luke 23:46

After Christ rose again from the grave and appeared to Mary Magdalene He said "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." John 20:10–18 Later Jesus appeared to Stephen standing next to Heavenly Father. He also appeared to Joseph Smith standing next to His Father.

Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are one in purpose, one in heart and one in mind, as we should be with them.... But they are separate, distinct and individual beings.

I know that we have an Eternal Heavenly Father. He is the Father of all of us. He is loving, He is powerful, He is merciful, He is Omnipotent, He is Eternal and it is to Him that we pray. Jesus Christ is His Son. Our Heavenly Father so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son. I know that it is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we are made free from sin and death and able to return to God.

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3: 14-16

As sure as I know we have a loving Heavenly Father Who hears and answers our prayers. I know we have a Savior, the Son of God. Who willingly submitted to the Father and "laid Himself on the alter" for our sakes, to pay our price. And because of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection, we can return to God. What a wonderful message, it gives me so much hope. I know this to be true!!

The Pride of India!

I am so excited for my two little friends! Today and yesterday I went to watch Arub and Lamis compete in the schools Spelling Bee.

Arub just turned 9 and is in the forth grade. Yesterday she competed against all the 10, 11 and 12 year olds and took FIRST PLACE! Yay! Arub!

Lamis is in my daughter's kindergarten class and today she was the only 5yr old competing against all the 6, 7, 8, and 9 yr. olds. She took THIRD PLACE! She was amazing!
I'm so proud of my little friends! I made them some cookies to celebrate.
In this picture Arub is the one on the bottom left and Lamis is next to her in the yellow shirt. Aren't they just beautiful girls! I call them my little princesses.

This picture includes my very good friend, Meher. She is Lamis and Arub's mother. I just love her! She is such an awesome person! She is such a good example to me. I just love her!

This is Lamis and Arub's father, Mujahead, and grandpa, Muhammed. I miss their grandfather, he flew back to India in February. He was so kind to us and is just a wonderful man.

This whole family is the pride of India. I have just fallen in love with the Country because of them. Now if I had the opportunity to go anywhere in the world... anywhere... it would be INDIA!

Allah Hafis!! (God take care of you!!)

"Ishmael, Our Brother"

War is such a complicated thing! We hear about terrorism on the news and so often the media associates terrorism with Arabs or Muslims... and I think that is just SAD!

Wherever you go you will find good people, honest and true people, responsible citizens, people who love their family's, who love God and practice virtue. You can find them in just about any culture, country, religion, these people are just like us. And on the flip side, you can find the opposite in just about every race, religion and background. The trouble comes when we label and generalize and say all people of that race are this, or all people of this religion are that. How sad when we cluster people like that and cynically brand them like a herd of cattle. Just because someone is Arab or because someone is Muslim does not make them a terrorist!

Many Arabs are peaceful, charitable citizens and have not chosen this war, they are victims too. The Terrorists are the Extremists and have grossly twisted their religion to fit their own agenda and create terror.

I have been doing some studying on Islam. It must be known that the name Islam means "peace." I have a very good and wonderful friend who practices Islam. I believe her religion is very sorely misunderstood as are many Arabs. The Koran teaches charity and doing good to all men. I can see this with my friends who are Muslim, I have been amazed at how incredibly charitable they are.

Last night I went to lds.org and searched "Islam"...

To my surprise I found a very long article from a 1979 Ensign entitled, "Ishmael, Our Brother". I was fascinated with it and it brought me some greatly needed incite. I hope you might take the time to read it to better understand our Muslim and Arab brothers and sisters.
Love,
Alicia

Here is a link to the article printed 30 years ago about Islam http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=68ea615b01a6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

Me Wearing a Sari

We have some neighbors who are from India. We have become good friends. They are such a wonderful family!! They invited us over for dinner last night. It was deeelicious!! mmm! mmm! Indian food is now my new favorite. My friend, Meher, gave me one of her Sari's as a token of our friendship. I think Sari's are so incredibly beautiful, I was thrilled to receive it! Meher's family practices Islam. I wish the news media would show how wonderful REAL Muslims are. It seems that only the extreemists are the ones that ever make the news... it's sad because these people are not like that. I have never met a family more warm, more kind, and more comfortable to be around... they would never in a million years hurt anyone!!! If I wasn't such an albino you might mistake me for part of their family when I am with them because of how well I am treated. They are such a blessing to us and to our community.

Allah Hafis!! (God take care of you!!)