King Midas

I finished the book “Hero’s Journey” by Jeff Sandefer and Rev. Robert Sirico and wrote my book report on it. It was an interesting book, written in an interesting format, but looking back on it for my book report was good. I was able to organize it on paper better and saw the benefits of it. It gave stories of really hard situations and how people overcame their challenges. I had never read the story of King Midas before; I had just heard about the gist of it. But it was interesting to read that he had wished for gold to leave his daughter. So, it wasn’t entirely selfish, maybe just a little misguided. He didn’t realize the implications of his wish. Everything turned to gold. Everything. Even the special things, like a handkerchief that his daughter had hemmed for him. Also, food, which I wouldn’t have even thought of. He couldn’t even eat or drink because it turned to gold the instant it touched his lips. His daughter came running to him when he burned his mouth, and she herself turned to gold. That made King Midas very repentant. The stranger who gave him the wish, said he could undo everything if he went to the river and filled a pitcher of water. King Midas didn’t hesitate and ran to the river and couldn’t fill his pitcher fast enough to sprinkle his daughter. As soon as the water hit her, she turned back to herself. Together, she and King Midas went and undid everything he had touched.

That story touched me because money really isn’t the objective. It’s about the relationship we make along the way. It also teaches us that there is always a little bit of good in people. King Midas was not so far gone that he wanted the whole world to be a lump of solid gold.

Are We Not All Beggars?

 In this week’s reading we read about the purpose of a business. Was it to make money or to make people’s lives better? According to Charles Handy, most American’s see top executive business owners as the bad guys. “Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.” Nobody trusts the guys at the top. It’s always for their own personal gain, according to one study, the CEO makes 400x his employees’ salary. Trust and integrity don’t exist at the top.

We have been reading about how a company’s employees are categorized as costs, not assets. But that is not right, our employees help make the company. I like this quote from the reading this week, “We inevitably come to the conclusion that a group of people get tother and exist as an institution that we call a company so that they are able to accomplish something collectively that they could not accomplish separately – they make a contribution to society, a phrase which sounds trite but is fundamental.” I have always loved working in an environment that felt like family. People thrive at their job when they feel loved and appreciated. Not like some disposable number or as competition.

Mr. Hardy goes on to talk about the poor. It was quite fascinating what he did in a 3^rd world country. He interacted with the poor and saw that they had potential. He asked the banks why they didn’t loan the poor money and they told him that they weren’t creditable. He was shocked and started doing his own experiments and loaned the poor people $27. He discovered that the people he loaned money to were able to pay it back just as promised. He opened his own bank just for the poor. He was saying how the big banks were losing money because they only focused on the rich. But the poor is an untapped resource that people are starting to realize can contribute to society and actually be looked at as people.

 

What Are You Willing To Sacrifice?

 

In class this week we talked about how to balance work and family. I might be at a disadvantage because John works and I don’t really need to be the sole bread winner. We read two mini cases this week, one was about our daughter having a dance recital and we promised her that we would go. An hour before the performance we get a call from our biggest client saying that they need us NOW, and if we don’t show up then they will find business elsewhere. I wrote in my discussion board that I would have gone to my daughter’s dance recital because family comes first. That is on my “I will not” list. I will not sacrifice my family for money. I read the other responses on the discussion board and one man said that he would have reminded his clients about his hours of availability. I really like that because it was professional, and it is a good rule to live by.

The other mini case was about a man who was a head football coach in Texas who was offered a job coaching for a bigger school. As soon as he accepted the job his wife filed for divorce stating that he was gone from home too much. This case was hard for me because it was a case of unmet expectations. His wife should have known what kind of life it would be as a wife of a football coach, but also, he seems to love football more than his family. I wrote on my discussion board that I would have quit my job to be with my family.

The response on my discussion board that really touched me was from a woman who said that when her dad died, her mom had to go to work and she missed out on a lot of her kids’ things, but when she was home, she couldn’t take her eyes off her kids. That woman is a hero doing it all by herself, and knowing that she had to work and sacrifice her family time in order for them to survive.

Which Wolf Wins? The One You Feed.....

President Dallin H. Oaks’ talk about becoming hit me hard this week. He said, “In contrast to the institution of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.” I have always tried to better myself and to correct my mistakes. Sometimes I wonder if my efforts are good enough for God and for the Celestial Kingdom. Pres Oaks’ goes on to talk about how in the scriptures it says that we will be judged by the desires of our hearts, but he says, “Other scriptures enlarge upon this by referring to our being judged by the condition we have achieved.” So, we aren’t only going to be judged by the desires of our hearts, but also by the condition we are in. Meaning what kind of person have we become? He continues, “The pure love of Christ is not an act, but a condition or state of being…Charity is something one becomes.” This was so profound to read. It is basically saying that we must become charity itself. We must become the pure love of Christ. No judgments, no anger, no backbiting etc. We must look at everyone with a heart of service and love.

This goes along with what Jim Ritchie was teaching in his lesson this week. He told the story of 2 wolves; one was good, and one was bad. The first wolf had anger, envy, jealousy, lies, ego, etc. The second wolf had joy, peace, love, hope, truth, faith, etc. He asked the question, “Which one wins?...The one you feed.” I had heard this story before, but never put it in context with business. It goes with what we have been talking about integrity and honesty. Jeff Sandefer met Jeff Skilling when he first graduated with his MBA, he was offered a job by Skilling but turned it down to start his own company. Jeff Sandefer watched Jeff Skilling found Enron and knew what was happening to the company and wasn’t surprised when Jeff Skilling was arrested and sent to federal prison. Jeff Sandefer knew that Jeff Skilling had crossed the ethical guardrails into shady territory that led to his downfall. Jeff Sandefer warned us to set ethical guardrails and to never cross them. Ever. Jeff Skilling fed the first wolf, and it cost him a life in prison. It is always good to remember which wolf we are feeding.

Be Willing to Sacrifice Yourself For a Good Cause

 Elder Bednar gave a talk at BYU Idaho about 20 years ago, right around the time the temple was being built. He said that the only other places where a temple was built so close were the MTC’s. So, in other words, BYU Idaho was a Disciple Preparation Center – where we learn how to become better disciples of Christ. “A disciple of Christ is a follower of Jesus who learns of and from Him and lives according to His teachings.” I have been trying to separate voices of the world from the voice of Jesus Christ, and lately I’ve been hearing or reading things like this to remind me that nothing can replace learning directly from Jesus. Pres Nelson at a Canada church devotional said that he would receive many scientific journals, and he would look through them quickly to see if they supported gospel doctrine and if they didn’t, he would throw them out. But if it did, then he would read it. That hit me, because I have been following some groups on Facebook that don’t necessarily lead back to Christ. So, I left those groups and decided that I needed to read the Ensign instead. Now with the reading from this week’s lesson at school, it just confirms what I have been feeling.

Also in this week’s lesson, we watched a video from Jim Ritchie, and he quoted from a book about from Good to Great. Why be good when you can be great? Being a great leader is being willing to sacrifice yourself for a good cause. He told the story of Captain Moroni and the title of Liberty and how he was a great leader and rallied his people to a good cause. They went on to win a battle that seemed doomed from the beginning. He also said that leaders cause things to happen. Captain Moroni didn’t just sit there and let the Lamanites destroy his people, he got up and made something happen. And in return, they were blessed by God and defeated the Lamanites.

Victory At All Costs!

This week has been very busy with Halloween and kids getting pink eye. It was like my teacher and Heavenly Father knew what was going to happen! In this week’s lesson, we read about not giving up. I have been thinking about lessening my class load next semester and only taking 1 class, but then it would take me twice as long to graduate, which means that it would take even longer for me to start John’s company. I am not sure how I will do it, but I know that Heavenly Father will help me have the time for everything. I have to manage my time better and have faith that it will all work out.

In one of the article’s, Sister Holland was talking to students at BYU about waiting on the Lord. Sometimes marriage doesn’t come right away, but that is the perfect opportunity to better yourself. She quoted her unmarried babysitter who said, “I will have so much more to contribute to my marriage when that time comes. And now I know after getting to know the Lord better that it will come in his own due time!” I couldn’t have said it better myself. During my single years I knew that this was the time to prepare and develop a close relationship with the Lord. I feel like I succeeded, and I was better prepared for marriage. I had had time to refine myself and learned more Christ-like attributes that I knew I would need in a marriage. In return, I have been able to be an example to John on how to be in a healthy relationship (he had never been in a relationship and didn’t know how to have a girlfriend or wife).

Elder Holland was the next speaker, and he took a different approach to the students, he spoke more about not giving up in life. I think his message complimented Sister Holland’s message because they do go hand in hand. Prepare yourself and don’t give up. Better things are ahead. Elder Holland quoted Winston Churchill when he rallied Britain to fight the Nazi’s, calling for victory at all costs! Elder Holland rallied the students in the same way, victory at all costs! Don’t give up at all costs as if your life depends on it! As if your future depends on it!

My future depends on my degree. I must obtain victory at all costs!