So I was asked to guest blog for a friend of mine, her name is Elise, she is in my single's ward and has an amazing blog it is here. Anyways here was the post I wrote for her.
Hello readers of Elise's Pieces!!! My name is Jason Huynh andI have been given the awesome opportunity and privilege to guest post on Elise's amazing blog. First, a little bit about myself, I know Elise through my amazing single's ward! I am the token Asian guy there and try to make FHE activities the best. I am Vietnamese, born and raised in Salt Lake and now live in West Jordan. I follow blogs religiously, and just started, well, restarted mine 2 months ago.
For you Elise's pieces readers, I will try to make this a treat. Elise asked me to post something similar to her "dear boys" posts, comprising of parts one through who knows how many dear boys posts she'll do! Anywho, I am excited to show off some of my writing skills and experiences.Please try to laugh and enjoy.
So first, a few of my dear girl sayings...
Dear Girl,
I've been noticing you, noticing me, noticing you,
are we going to do anything about it?
Sincerely,
guy with zit in the middle of his forehead
Dear hope to be facebook friend number 132,648,
You look hot in your profile pic, will you please add me as a friend so I can stalk, I mean see more of your hot pictures?
Xoxo,
nerd that is level 432 on farmville
Dear future girlfriend,
Why are you with that dumb jock? Real men have braces!
Yours truly,
future boyfriend
Dear friend of friend of a girl that I have a crush on,
I try to show off, but seem to fail, I am the one that's trying too hard.
cordially,
really overconfident male
Alright, I know that they are not as amazing as Elise's, but still fun. Elise also asked me to write some advice in regards to dating. I have been around the dating scene for quite sometime, been in relationships, been heart broken more than I have broken hearts. Been used and abused. Known love, and given love. Dated several girls in and out of the singles' ward. Beaten myself up, and have wondered if I am meant to get married, I have even thought about just leaving to another country altogether, but never suicide, that's just wrong!
In the midst of all this time, I was always focusing on finding the right one, the perfect one, my soul mate. But in realizing how difficult it really was, cause think about it, I am an Asian guy living in a predominantly white, Mormon, society. Chances seem slim so I went to BYU, had some fun down there, but still no success. I was still young and I thought well I am still pretty awesome. Even though I had a lot going for me, my bishop and younger sister help me realize a great truth. That too many of us (single) peeps focus on trying to find the right one, instead of focusing on BECOMING the right one.
Another great truth I discovered in dating, was that when I was dating and everything was going right, I tended to read my scriptures more, my prayers were more meaningful, and life was all around better. When I wasn't dating, all those things would be ignored, life would go in a rut. I was living and dictating my happiness according to how successful dating was. That was a realization that just recently hit me. We need to be consistent in the simple and little things, before we can receive happiness, and not base it off of dating.
In the society we live in, it is very easy to get caught up with thinking about the future. I found that when a girl I was really interested in said yes to giving me her number and to a date, I was already planning on her being my girl friend, sad, I know! On the first date, I was already planning the second and third dates. Even though the date was fun, 'cause face it- I am a fun guy, it could have been so much better if I had focused on the now, more than the later.
On dates, ladies, please don't interrogate the guy, but relate to his responses and questions. Guys, ladies appreciate a good listener, but a sense of humor also helps so don't be afraid to joke and flirt a little. Girls can always know when us guys are trying too hard as well. Girls, you know what you want. I know that when you find a guy that you're interested in, you're already replacing your last name with his. Look for the guy that has the same kind of goals you do, a supportive guy, a guy who loves God, and is nice to everyone, but is also confident, and has direction, and knows what he wants. Guys, we all want a smoking hot girlfriend, but we need to focus on ourselves and makes ourselves worthy to have one not just beautiful on the outside, but on the inside as well. Ladies, it is always nice to say yes for a date, but if you are not interested in the guy please let him know sooner than later, delaying the inevitable only brings more pain to the guy and doesn't make it any easier on you. It wastes time and energy. Granted we are taught to be polite and say yes to date, and that we don't know what might happen, but in our defense, we have every right to be picky, for this is the most important decision of our lives, don't want to screw it up. Dating does not get easier as we get older. We start to become bitter, and question what's in store for us.
Recognizing, and realizing what potential we have is the first step. Constantly finding faults and weaknesses in ourselves and others, will get you no where. Knowing that you're never alone and that you are loved is great power. It gives us faith and hope to have relationships with others. If we can build a strong, loving, relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ, then nothing and no one can tell us that we can't have one with others. As young single adults, I often see us push away the Lord's hand when it is extended towards us, us being independent, and proud individuals feel that we can do things by ourselves and so we neglect Him. Sorry if I am too churchy!
I know that I am not perfect, none of us are, and that there is not a perfect girl out there for me, but the right one is. Last words of encouragement to you readers, don't give up!
Elise, thank you again for this awesome opportunity share my thoughts on your blog. Keep on rocking!!!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
The Reason to look to God
This video shares with us, regular folks that seeked Christ for help.
Readers, I apologize for the slowing down in posts! A whole week and only one post, what is going on? Well no excuses, but it was Pioneer Day this last weekend in the grand state of Utah. Fireworks, parades and all! I also was guest posting on some friends' blogs, and each request was very unique, and it was very fun to do. I chose this Mormon Messages video, because many times, even those of us who follow Christ, seem to forget Him. There are those that struggle to follow Him. Those who haven't lived the best lives. But there is always hope.Those who seek Him, will find Him. I know it.
Readers, I apologize for the slowing down in posts! A whole week and only one post, what is going on? Well no excuses, but it was Pioneer Day this last weekend in the grand state of Utah. Fireworks, parades and all! I also was guest posting on some friends' blogs, and each request was very unique, and it was very fun to do. I chose this Mormon Messages video, because many times, even those of us who follow Christ, seem to forget Him. There are those that struggle to follow Him. Those who haven't lived the best lives. But there is always hope.Those who seek Him, will find Him. I know it.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Trial of Adversity
The video is about a paralyzed young woman, who is able to look past her disability and have several abilities!
How often do we feel as if we had the short end of the stick. Do we complain when we don't get the things we wanted. Do we whine when our needs are not being satisfied? Do we bring anger and frustration into the picture? What gets accomplished when these things happen?
I remember reading from President Hinckley's book, "Stand for Something" and he mentions, how often we go to the refrigerator and open it and stand there and say, "there is nothing to eat!" when the fridge is full of food. Or when we open a closet full of clothes and say "I have nothing to wear!" We all have done this before. And we feel as if we are ripped off.
How about the times where we feel picked on, or taken advantage of because of our shortcomings? Those times are not fun, and we tend to complain even more and ask why this is happening to us. It is at these times where we must change our attitudes and look to the Lord, and ask what I am learn from this?
How often do we feel as if we had the short end of the stick. Do we complain when we don't get the things we wanted. Do we whine when our needs are not being satisfied? Do we bring anger and frustration into the picture? What gets accomplished when these things happen?
I remember reading from President Hinckley's book, "Stand for Something" and he mentions, how often we go to the refrigerator and open it and stand there and say, "there is nothing to eat!" when the fridge is full of food. Or when we open a closet full of clothes and say "I have nothing to wear!" We all have done this before. And we feel as if we are ripped off.
How about the times where we feel picked on, or taken advantage of because of our shortcomings? Those times are not fun, and we tend to complain even more and ask why this is happening to us. It is at these times where we must change our attitudes and look to the Lord, and ask what I am learn from this?
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Willingness to Learn from Pain
All of us have experienced pain in one way or another. That can be physical, emotional, spiritual, psychological, and the list goes on and on. We forget that pain cannot be experienced without joy and the same can be said about joy, that it cannot be experienced without pain. These go hand in hand. Sometimes we ourselves feel the pain others are going through, sometimes we try to understand. The pain I want to discuss today is for young single adults who seem to struggle with a certain emotional pain of being lonely. I am no stranger to this pain. I have dated several girls, have had my hopes risen, and lowered, been hurt, and rejected. One close friend of mine gave me a quote that has seriously helped me through all of this.
"Another kind of emotional pain to which we all seem subject arises from the risks we take in allowing ourselves to love others. There is no suffering quite like that which comes when love is shattered. After years of patient waiting for what seems like the right time, one may open up his or her heart to another, only to find that tender heart bruised or broken when the love is not returned. We therefore bear a grave responsibility for the purity of our motives when some trusting heart has offered us entrance. Anyone who stands on that threshold stands on holy ground, which must not be exploited or defiled. But should a relationship so develop that, even in spite of honesty, caution, and goodness of motive, a parting of the ways still must come, we must not let the pain of that moment make us so resentful or bitter that we become unwilling to risk opening our hearts again. That kind of risk is necessary, because loving simply has its risks. In a sense, there is no love without certain kinds of fear." Bruce C. Hafen, “A Willingness to Learn from Pain,” Ensign, Oct 1983, 63
I love this quote so much. So much truth is in it. I know that I cannot love with out taking risks, that fear only holds us back and hurts us.
"Another kind of emotional pain to which we all seem subject arises from the risks we take in allowing ourselves to love others. There is no suffering quite like that which comes when love is shattered. After years of patient waiting for what seems like the right time, one may open up his or her heart to another, only to find that tender heart bruised or broken when the love is not returned. We therefore bear a grave responsibility for the purity of our motives when some trusting heart has offered us entrance. Anyone who stands on that threshold stands on holy ground, which must not be exploited or defiled. But should a relationship so develop that, even in spite of honesty, caution, and goodness of motive, a parting of the ways still must come, we must not let the pain of that moment make us so resentful or bitter that we become unwilling to risk opening our hearts again. That kind of risk is necessary, because loving simply has its risks. In a sense, there is no love without certain kinds of fear." Bruce C. Hafen, “A Willingness to Learn from Pain,” Ensign, Oct 1983, 63
I love this quote so much. So much truth is in it. I know that I cannot love with out taking risks, that fear only holds us back and hurts us.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The Importance of Remembering
Most of my thoughts on this blog have come from mormon messages on youtube, as well my missionary quote book. About 14 months into my mission I was in a town called Negombo located on the western coast of Sri Lanka. These people had never seen an oriental person in real life before, just on tv or in movies. So my nickname was Jackie Chan Vagay. Meaning like a Jackie Chan. The elderly women would come up and touch my hair and go on about how beautiful, straight and black it was versus their frizzled, lightened brown hair, but I loved these people so much. I went home one night and before I went to bed, I decided to write what I felt at tat very moment into my quote book. The title of it was "Why am I on a mission?" dated 26 August 2004
" The scriptures say that charity is the pure love of Christ, it is possible for us to have that much love? I don't know, but I am willing to try. My decision to serve did not come just in one time, but over periods of growth in the gospel in my life. Primary, Aaronic Prisethood, seminary, institute, Melchizedek Priesthood. Overall I believe the main factor besides growing up in a family with the gospel, is knowing for myself that the gospel is true, but I did not want to rely on others telling me, but wanted to do what was necessary to find out for myself. A primary song I always sang, finally woke me up one day in seminary, the year I was studying the Book of Mormon. I finally said to myself, "now is the time to 'search, ponder, and pray...'" I put myself to learning, studying, praying, it felt good. Then the invitation at the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni chapter 10 verses 3 through 5. That "feeling" everyone talks about was somewhat familiar to me growing up, but this time, it was real to me, what I was taught, what I had learned, all those talks, scriptures, lessons, were confirmed to me that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true., and I could not deny it. Now that I know this, it also dawned on me what true happiness was really all about; bringing souls unto Christ. Why should I hold back? The next step you would think is mission, but it was preparing for the higher priesthood and the temple. You hear about the temple, but you cannot really say anything until you experience it. Now the mission call to Singapore. the hardest time is the time between your call and leaving for the MTC, then for the field, then leaving for home. In all my life I have never felt more joy, peace, sadness, I love these people whom I serve so much that I desire to stay with them all of my days if possible. I love this work, it is true."
Nearly 8 years have passed since I wrote this passage. Looking back on how much I have grown since then give me a great perspective of how much my mission has shaped and changed my life and continues to do so all the time. I encourage those of you readers who are return missionaries to "go back" not meaning physically, or just by remembering stories, but read your mission journals and letters to remember. I know we all move on, but it's great to remember good times as well.
" The scriptures say that charity is the pure love of Christ, it is possible for us to have that much love? I don't know, but I am willing to try. My decision to serve did not come just in one time, but over periods of growth in the gospel in my life. Primary, Aaronic Prisethood, seminary, institute, Melchizedek Priesthood. Overall I believe the main factor besides growing up in a family with the gospel, is knowing for myself that the gospel is true, but I did not want to rely on others telling me, but wanted to do what was necessary to find out for myself. A primary song I always sang, finally woke me up one day in seminary, the year I was studying the Book of Mormon. I finally said to myself, "now is the time to 'search, ponder, and pray...'" I put myself to learning, studying, praying, it felt good. Then the invitation at the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni chapter 10 verses 3 through 5. That "feeling" everyone talks about was somewhat familiar to me growing up, but this time, it was real to me, what I was taught, what I had learned, all those talks, scriptures, lessons, were confirmed to me that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true., and I could not deny it. Now that I know this, it also dawned on me what true happiness was really all about; bringing souls unto Christ. Why should I hold back? The next step you would think is mission, but it was preparing for the higher priesthood and the temple. You hear about the temple, but you cannot really say anything until you experience it. Now the mission call to Singapore. the hardest time is the time between your call and leaving for the MTC, then for the field, then leaving for home. In all my life I have never felt more joy, peace, sadness, I love these people whom I serve so much that I desire to stay with them all of my days if possible. I love this work, it is true."
Nearly 8 years have passed since I wrote this passage. Looking back on how much I have grown since then give me a great perspective of how much my mission has shaped and changed my life and continues to do so all the time. I encourage those of you readers who are return missionaries to "go back" not meaning physically, or just by remembering stories, but read your mission journals and letters to remember. I know we all move on, but it's great to remember good times as well.
Monday, July 11, 2011
The Power of Forgiveness
A few weeks ago I wrote a post about the power in the words, I'm sorry and I forgive you. This past weekend I was just going through my favorites list on youtube, and this video just screamed watch me. This is one of the most moving, and inspirational stories I have ever heard, read, and seen about.President Faust's talk about this is here http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&nav=0&sourceId=d229414ef1032110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD Please watch.
Here is a man that has every right to be angry and bitter towards God, towards man, towards everything. His attitude, was one of love. When Christ was on the cross, he said "forgive them, for they know not what they do." This was purely out of love as well. There are things in this life that will take time to heal, time to forgive, it is not an easy thing. I believe we can agree that this man, Chris Williams, had a modern day Job experience, that if we were to experience the same thing, we would be filled with anguish and sorrow. We would seek justice to be done, we would be filled with anger, well I know I would be.The key thing was that Chris directed his loneliness towards the Savior, not the young man. This takes a lot of strength. Chris says near the the end of the video a powerful message to everyone. " I am grateful that God allows tragedies and trials to occur in our lives, not because they are easy or because they are desired, but because they help us love..."
Here is a man that has every right to be angry and bitter towards God, towards man, towards everything. His attitude, was one of love. When Christ was on the cross, he said "forgive them, for they know not what they do." This was purely out of love as well. There are things in this life that will take time to heal, time to forgive, it is not an easy thing. I believe we can agree that this man, Chris Williams, had a modern day Job experience, that if we were to experience the same thing, we would be filled with anguish and sorrow. We would seek justice to be done, we would be filled with anger, well I know I would be.The key thing was that Chris directed his loneliness towards the Savior, not the young man. This takes a lot of strength. Chris says near the the end of the video a powerful message to everyone. " I am grateful that God allows tragedies and trials to occur in our lives, not because they are easy or because they are desired, but because they help us love..."
Saturday, July 9, 2011
The Importance Of Having Patience
This video is from President Uchtdorf's April 2010 Conference talk entitled Continue in Patience
One of my biggest pet peeves are bad drivers. If you live in Salt Lake, and you drive, and a day goes by where you do not see any construction, the millennium is probably happening. Being from Utah, I am not exempt from being a bad driver myself. So this leads to a lot of road rage. The other day I was behind a guy and he decided to take a left in a no left turn lane, so he holds up traffic, as I pass him I see his window is down, and I yell, "you can't turn here, you moron!" And maybe gave him a hand gesture or two. Out of all the things that "drive" me crazy, it is traffic. Once someone riding with me asked, "what would Jesus do?" And my reply was, "ummm He wouldn't drive." When I know that He would be patient, and be that person that we all love that let's everyone cut in.
I learned that the average human being tries to get things done faster and squeeze more time into their day. For example when we wait for an elevator and we try to "speed it up" we push the button faster. The same thing for crossing side walks, we push the button faster. My favorite impatient thing that I learned we do are the handles to cars, we have all done it at least once, try to open the car door at the same time the person pushes the unlock button, or get up to the car and test the handle hoping the car was already unlocked. Obviously there are some things we can't control. for the things we can control, we seem to want to will it do get done faster, when we should be taking a step back, analyzing the problem, and solve it with time. What causes us to be so impatient? I believe it is largely in part to our need to find time to sit and relax, or "make" time to have more entertainment in our lives. Why is it that when we are doing something fun and entertaining that time "flies" by? Why is church, work, and school so long? It is at these times where we learn patience the most.
We need to separate our wants and desires to have fun, from the things that are more importantly needed, or we can align them to be both beneficial and what the Lord wants and desires for us. In writing this, do I think I will have more patience when I drive? I know that my temper and attitude is entirely up to me, but that bad drivers myself included, are going to happen. Then I begin to realize how patient the Lord has been with me, and that allows me to stop and ponder, and try to be patient with others. When we are patient, we begin to see a bigger and brighter picture, we appreciate things more, we value our time better.
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