Yea, if your ward owns a moving truck!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Too many moves.....
How to tell if your ward's priesthood leaders are volunteering for too many moves?
Yea, if your ward owns a moving truck!
Yea, if your ward owns a moving truck!
Friday, April 3, 2009
The Coon Man
This news article is funny for so many reasons. I suggest reading the article first before watching the video.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090402/METRO08/904020395/To+urban+hunter++next+meal+is+scampering+by
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090402/METRO08/904020395/To+urban+hunter++next+meal+is+scampering+by
Monday, March 30, 2009
I am to the financial world what Brian Fellows is to the world of Zoology
I made this statement at the beginning of my fifth sunday combined lesson on Financial Preparedness and two out of the three people that got the joke were family members. So without further ado, here is Brian Fellows.
I apologize if the advert at the start of the video is for Absolute Vodka or some other such nonsense.
I apologize if the advert at the start of the video is for Absolute Vodka or some other such nonsense.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Accepting the Lord's Will
He is in control. Every time I feel like I am in control, He sends me some challenge (really an opportunity) to teach me that I am not really in control. It can be very frustrating in these difficult times to turn things over to the Lord.
Currently we are facing a massive drought, failing dairies due to milk prices below break even, little credit availability, and falling prices for all farm products. All of these local challenges tied together with the national economy have created the perfect storm. Any one of those individually would be a tough challenge but all together and the mountain seems insurmountable. In some communities in our area, unemployment is approaching 50% and it is certain there will be little if any bailout money from the government for them.
The last couple months I have pleaded with the Lord to please send the rains, please send us the relief from the drought that we need so desperately. I prayed in my home, in my car, and in the Temple for rain and snow. In February we received some rain, a welcome blessing but inexplicably the tap was shut off in March.
There is great fear and anxiety in our area. Many are without work and those with a job have faced extreme cutbacks in hours or are in fear that there job may not be around much longer. I don't know why the Lord has seen fit to allow this drought to continue or all the other challenges. Our prayers for rain and snow to fill our reservoirs were sincere and in faith. What we asked for was in righteousness and certainly within his power to give yet the heavens stayed silent.
Recently, though, my prayers have changed. They have taken on a tone less of pleading and more of acceptance. One simple phrase has become more common but one that has been difficult to come off my tongue. "Thy will be done." Four simple words that have not been easy to say. Because as I say them the thoughts run through my mind of change and upheaval, hardships for my family, and having to start over again. Obviously every worse case scenario I can imagine as the father and husband of a family. My mind then goes to the suffering of the other families that have come to rely on our business. All have worked so hard to move things forward. There is no lack of effort that is causing their woes.
But there is strength and peace to be found when turning it over to the Lord. It is not easy say to the Lord in humility, "I have done all I can do, I can do no more. I leave the rest in your hands. Thy will be done. No matter what happens I will still follow You. I know that You have a plan for me. You know the end from the beginning and where this journey will lead. And I will be the better for it." When we turn it over to Him, then we can experience the peace and love of our Father. It is a feeling of security that no hollow promise of government can deliver.
In those moments of silence, His voice speaks to our souls, "Peace My child, you are not forgotten or neglected. I have heard your cries and although things may seem dark now, I am always with you. I will pick you up when you fall. Just look to Me and I will be there. All this will be for your good if you will look to Me to be your anchor on the storm tossed seas."
No hollow promise of the world or politicians can deliver that. No scandal plagued bailout can chase away the darkness and the fear. Only when we look to the Lord can we find the peace that we need to weather the storm but only if we are ready to accept His will for each of us.
I know all will be fine if I put my trust in the Lord. I do not know how long or difficult the road ahead will be. All I can do is count my blessings, continue pushing forward and doing my best, and have faith that things will turn around. And if they do not turn around, I have faith that the Lord has a plan for my family and it will all work out in the end.
Currently we are facing a massive drought, failing dairies due to milk prices below break even, little credit availability, and falling prices for all farm products. All of these local challenges tied together with the national economy have created the perfect storm. Any one of those individually would be a tough challenge but all together and the mountain seems insurmountable. In some communities in our area, unemployment is approaching 50% and it is certain there will be little if any bailout money from the government for them.
The last couple months I have pleaded with the Lord to please send the rains, please send us the relief from the drought that we need so desperately. I prayed in my home, in my car, and in the Temple for rain and snow. In February we received some rain, a welcome blessing but inexplicably the tap was shut off in March.
There is great fear and anxiety in our area. Many are without work and those with a job have faced extreme cutbacks in hours or are in fear that there job may not be around much longer. I don't know why the Lord has seen fit to allow this drought to continue or all the other challenges. Our prayers for rain and snow to fill our reservoirs were sincere and in faith. What we asked for was in righteousness and certainly within his power to give yet the heavens stayed silent.
Recently, though, my prayers have changed. They have taken on a tone less of pleading and more of acceptance. One simple phrase has become more common but one that has been difficult to come off my tongue. "Thy will be done." Four simple words that have not been easy to say. Because as I say them the thoughts run through my mind of change and upheaval, hardships for my family, and having to start over again. Obviously every worse case scenario I can imagine as the father and husband of a family. My mind then goes to the suffering of the other families that have come to rely on our business. All have worked so hard to move things forward. There is no lack of effort that is causing their woes.
But there is strength and peace to be found when turning it over to the Lord. It is not easy say to the Lord in humility, "I have done all I can do, I can do no more. I leave the rest in your hands. Thy will be done. No matter what happens I will still follow You. I know that You have a plan for me. You know the end from the beginning and where this journey will lead. And I will be the better for it." When we turn it over to Him, then we can experience the peace and love of our Father. It is a feeling of security that no hollow promise of government can deliver.
In those moments of silence, His voice speaks to our souls, "Peace My child, you are not forgotten or neglected. I have heard your cries and although things may seem dark now, I am always with you. I will pick you up when you fall. Just look to Me and I will be there. All this will be for your good if you will look to Me to be your anchor on the storm tossed seas."
No hollow promise of the world or politicians can deliver that. No scandal plagued bailout can chase away the darkness and the fear. Only when we look to the Lord can we find the peace that we need to weather the storm but only if we are ready to accept His will for each of us.
I know all will be fine if I put my trust in the Lord. I do not know how long or difficult the road ahead will be. All I can do is count my blessings, continue pushing forward and doing my best, and have faith that things will turn around. And if they do not turn around, I have faith that the Lord has a plan for my family and it will all work out in the end.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Guns and Ammo
Recession, massive changes in government, panic, fear, and depression. In the midst of the chaos that in enveloping so much of the world, the one bright spot to the economy is gun sales. Sales of firearms of all types are way, way up. So much so that most gun stores are experiencing shortages of new firearms and ammunition. In the last few months I have had multiple people who were not gun owners either ask me advice on fire arms or assist them in choosing a firearm for their first purchase. While actual stats are hard to come by I have read in some places that sales are estimated to be up over 50% and that it would be even higher if not for the current recession. In this essay I want to explore some of the reasoning behind the boom, provide some information for those thinking about purchasing a firearm, and also give some of my own recommendations.
Why the Gun Boom?
Current conditions are creating the perfect scenario for the boom in firearm sales. There is a lot of uncertainty and panic due to economic conditions. The fear that recessions increase crime, particularly crimes against home owners, has created a fear in some about protecting their personal property. Now whether you agree that tough economic times lead to increases in crime or not does not change the fact that there is a perception that it does increase crime. Add in the possibility of civil unrest or natural disaster and there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to fuel the fear of some.
The fact of the matter is that the police cannot protect you in most cases. In rural area, police response times can reach over 20 minutes. Fire rescue and EMTs will often not show up until after the police depending on the policy in your area.
A year ago my sister’s house burned down. My wife was the one that called 9-11 and then she called me. I work right across the street from the fire department and headed to here house. I not only beat the fire department there (I was obeying all traffic laws) but waited around another 15 minutes for them to make the 2.5 mile drive to her house. I have seen traffic accidents where it took nearly 20 minutes for fire and rescue or police to arrive. I have seen where the responding fire department wasn’t even the closest one.
Add to that natural disaster or civil unrest and you are not going to get help for a long, long time. Take the examples of the Los Angeles Riots or Hurricane Katrina. The police simply could not help everyone who was in trouble. Communications were a mess anyway so getting an emergency call through would be nearly impossible. The law abiding folks were on their own for days and in some cases weeks.
In addition to these criminal threats, if you live in a border town or state there is the constant threat of crime from another country spilling over into your neighborhood. Criminal drug organizations are brazen and some border towns are dangerous places. Phoenix is the number one city for kidnapping in the U.S. and number two worldwide. The Federal government has done little to curb the violent gangs, drugs, and other criminal behavior spilling into Border States and the states themselves often lack the resources or resolve to be aggressive. Some see it as racially insensitive to use aggressive measures or even talk about what is happening. But if you live in the Southwestern United States you may have already seen or heard about problems from these drug cartels coming into your state. A guy I know from Texas has told me many stories of these criminals attempting car jackings and other crimes only to be sent to meet their maker by a law abiding gun owner.
The fear of increased crime is only part of the reason for the boom in firearm sales. Most of the increase in sales took place after the recent election. No matter what your political affiliation, I think we can all agree that the current party in power has the least favorable plans for gun laws. The President had promised voters during the campaign that he would not take their guns away but in the first month of his administration one of his people said that they planned on trying to pass an assault weapons ban and initial reports are that it will be more restrictive than the last one.
In congress there is support for this measure from many in the leadership of the party in power. In addition, there are those in the Federal government and in some states supporting other, stricter laws including registration and background checks for ammunition purchases, limits on the amount of ammunition you can purchase, and many, many more proposals. Frankly, I can sit here all day and tell you why they all are flawed and will do nothing to stop crime but that isn’t the focus of this piece. Criminals love gun laws because they have no intention of following them and they know that their victims (the law abiding people) will do everything they can to follow the law.
Criminals by their very nature will not follow the law. A person intent on killing you and violating your spouse or children is not worried at all about their gun being legal or if they can even legally possess it. If gun laws stopped gun crime then England and Mexico wouldn’t have any gun crimes because they have some of the most restrictive gun laws on the planet and a populous that is almost completely unarmed.
In addition to the fear created by the possibility of government making it more difficult of people to legally purchase weapons there is also a general fear of a new government that has rapidly expanded state control over business and spent unprecedented amounts of money to expand entitlement programs. Let’s face it, big government scares a lot of people especially when many of the people writing the laws appear to have problems obeying the laws themselves, like paying taxes, and seem to get away with it. Let’s face it folks, the French Revolution didn’t happen because Marie Antoinette was giving away cakes. It happened because the people got fed up with their ruling class living under one set of rules and having another set of rules for everyone else.
So in summary it is really about a fear of crime and a fear or loss of confidence in government that is driving most of the firearm and ammunition sales.
I’m Thinking of Purchasing a Firearm…
While I am a big supporter of the right to bear arms this does not necessarily mean that I feel that just any person should be able to get one. Those who have been convicted of felonies, abuse spouse or offspring, use drugs, or have mental impairments should not own a firearm. You would think this would eliminate most elected officials but it does not.
I also support background checks to make sure these folks never own a firearm. If you happen to be one of the folks I described in the previous paragraph, just stop reading and go buy a Louisville Slugger and a few baseballs. Put them next to your bed and tell everyone you like playing baseball.
If you are not a criminal and are a mentally competent adult then read on. People buy firearms for about four different reasons: Target Shooting, Hunting, Self Defense, and Collecting. While there are hunters that purchase firearms for hunting, target shooting, and self defense, there are many target shooters that have no intention of doing any of the other activities. Some people are strictly into target shooting, self defense, and there is even a group of people out there that collect guns but really don’t do much shooting. Collectors see firearms as an investment and indeed many firearms are worth thousands of dollars and appreciate in value.
Whatever the motivation or reason for purchasing a firearm, all are welcome. I believe they all have their purposes. Some shooters will move from target shooting to hunting. My sister in law started shooting targets for the police department and now is looking to go hunting. A friend started out shooting targets and now is looking at self defense. The important thing is to start out with a purpose. Ask yourself why you want a firearm, what do I plan on doing with it, etc.
If your purpose in owning a firearm is self defense and home protection, you must make the conscious decision that when faced with a dangerous criminal, you will have to shoot and kill them. While the vast majority of situations where a firearm is used to safe life or property involve never actually firing the gun, you will have to be prepared for the possibility that you will have to pull the trigger.
Most crimes prevented by gun owners involved the criminal simply seeing that their intended target is armed and willing to put a hole in them or even hearing a would be victim cycle a shell into a gun’s chamber has been enough to cause the criminal to change their mind. A friend of mine from many years ago told me how shortly after teaching his wife how to shoot some thug kicked down the door of their apartment while she was home alone with the baby. She grabbed a lever action rifle, chambered a round, and the guy knew she was serious and fled the scene.
If you cannot make the decision in your mind that if you were in that situation you would be able to pull the trigger then purchasing a firearm for self defense is not for you. Criminals are violent thugs who can see if their victim will put up a fight or not. They generally don’t want a fight and will try and find an easier target. Of course drug use and real desperation can change this thought pattern in a criminal.
If you are interested in hunting you also have to face the fact that an animal will die so you can eat it. Most people order a hamburger and don’t think twice about the cow that had to help make that hamburger. Fifty years ago, most people lived on a farm or had at least one relative that had a farm so they understood the concept that meat comes from animals. Very few people live with any contact to a farm anymore and conveniently forget where their food really comes from.
People who are strait target shooters or collectors can live with the idea that they will never have to use their firearms to take a life. If the thought of taking a human life under any circumstance or even an animal’s life seems unthinkable you may still find some satisfaction as a target shooter or collector. The sport of target shooting is so large that I could not possibly list every different shooting sport here in this essay.
Further on I would like to address more fully those who wish to purchase a firearm for self defense or hunting but first I would like to state that a gun is a tool just like your car, chainsaw, impact wrench, generator, hatchet, claw hammer, crowbar, cordless drill, or table saw. These things cannot kill you, only an action on our part can cause the tool to do anything. When used properly, a chainsaw can safely cut down a tree, a table saw can cut out the wood for a table, and the hammer and cordless drill can put that table together. Used unsafely though, any one of those items cause kill or maim yourself or others. It takes action on the part of the person using the tool to either do something good like fix a car or build a table. It also takes action or carelessness on the part of a person to use those same tools to hurt themselves or others.
A firearm is no different. I cannot magically come to life and start spraying lead all over the place. It cannot magically come to life and kill you just like any other tool. And just like any other tool, it requires training, practice, and safe handling skills.
If you have a competent family member they can assist you in learning safe handling skills and getting practice. If not, check around the gun shops or even gun clubs in your area. Most either offer classes or can point you in the right direction. Some classes may even let you try several different guns allowing you to get a feel for ones you will like. If you have a friend who owns guns, you can offer to buy some ammo in exchange for trying some out on the local range.
Practice is a key for any shooter. Practice allows you to get a better feel for the gun, know how it shoots, how all the moving parts work, and gives you confidence with the weapon. I recently gave my daughter her first driving lesson on the farm. After a real struggle for a few minutes she told me that her mom and I made it look so easy. I told her it is easy when you’ve been doing it every day for twenty years!
In order to be proficient with a gun you must practice, practice, practice. The best shooters have been doing it since they were kids. If you start as an adult, realize that it will take some time to get the skills down. But don’t let that dissuade you. Time spent on the range shooting at targets is a blast. I cannot tell you how many shooters got their start because a friend took them to the range and they were hooked the very first time.
There is something empowering about knowing that you can defend your family or put food on the table but safety is always a big concern. You cannot take a bullet back or hit the reset button on your life like you would in a video game. You can never point a gun at something you do not intend to shoot. If you have children or plan on having children it is important and the law that you make sure your guns are secure from their hands.
But securing the guns away from children does not mean that they will not be available for home defense. There are many secure storage devices that you can attach to your bed or night stand that use a quick combination or fingerprint lock to allow quick access and secure storage of your firearm. Never, ever leave firearms accessible to kids and this includes on the top shelf of a closet. They will find it.
I also recommend locking up guns when not in use or when you are away from home. Guns are a great theft item. The vast majority of guns used by gang bangers and other criminal thugs were stolen. Even worse would be returning to your house one evening and having an intruder turn your own gun on you. So please be careful.
Safety goes beyond securing your firearms and handling them in a safe manner. Guns by their very nature are loud. Hearing protection when practicing with a firearm is a must. Obviously if someone breaks into your house you may not have time and probably shouldn’t worry about your hearing but at a shooting range and in many cases when hunting they are a must. Eye protection is also important. Your bullet could strike something that shatters or causes shards from your bullet to go flying. Although extremely rare, a gun malfunction could cause hot gasses or small pieces of metal to go flying. Always wear eye protection. Obviously if a thug is in your house this moves down the list of your priorities.
If you are looking to get into hunting, most states require you to take a hunter’s safety course. Contact your local fish and game office for information. In a hunter’s safety class they teach about gun safety, outdoor safety, wilderness survival, game laws, about hunting techniques, animal habitats, and even how guns function. In our house, each child is required to take this class even if they have no interest in guns because the class teaches so much that they can take with them throughout life.
I’ve Decided, Now What?
It’s time to buy that first gun but what do I buy? The answer is that it depends on what you want, what you need, and what you like. Guns are basically broken down into three categories.
Shotguns: The inside of the gun barrel or bore is generally smooth and the ammunition is generally made up of multiple projectiles. Use for home defense, target shooting, and hunting. Effective range is limited.
Rifles: The bore is grooved or rifled. Ammunition fires a single projectile that is forced through the grooves and exist the barrel spinning like a football which greatly enhances range and accuracy. The effective range can go out to over a mile.
Handguns: Usually the bore is rifled. Handguns are compact which makes storage and concealment easier. Due to a short barrel, the effective range and accuracy are more limited than the rifle.
All three can be used for hunting, target shooting, or self defense. Each has strengths and weaknesses based the environment they are being used in, the purpose they are being used for, and person using them.
Shotguns make a great, all round first choice for a gun owner, mainly because they do all three missions (hunting, targets, and home defense) really well. Shotguns are classified by a measurement called a “gauge” which designates the barrel size. The smaller the gauge number the larger the barrel diameter and the larger the ammunition used. The larger the gauge and the inverse is true. It is kind of counter intuitive but after a while most folks figure it out.
The most common shotgun gages are 28 gauge, 20 gauge, 12 gauge, and 10 gauge. There are some others out there but they are very, very rare. The most common you will find are 12 gauge and 20 gauge. Ammunition for these can be found at any Wal-Mart or sporting goods store. 20 gauge is primarily a hunting shotgun but can be effective for home defense. It has a smaller barrel diameter than the 12 gauge and smaller ammunition which make it easier to shoot. This is good to keep in mind if you are a smaller person. 12 gauge is the big daddy of shotguns and also the most popular. This is what the vast majority of police departments and hunters use. It has the largest variety of ammunition choices.
Shotguns can take down almost any size game animal short of elephants and rhinoceros. It is a perfect home defense weapon and has a huge intimidation factor due to its size and the sound it make when you chamber a shell. Aiming is easier due to the spread the multiple projectiles take when they exit the gun. This spread though causes energy to diminish rapidly and range to diminish. Anything over 100 yards has a really good chance of getting away. For the first time shooter, a shotgun is easy to use and learn on and pricing for an entry level shotgun is less than $500.
Rifles on the other hand are the perfect weapon for distance. The downside is that it takes a lot of practice to get good with a rifle. Your aim has to be spot on which takes a lot of practice. Range estimation becomes critical the further the target is away which presents a challenge. Rifles have the added advantage though of carrying power over distance. They are most suitable for open areas and least suitable for urban areas due to the extreme distances they can cover.
Rifles are designated by caliber size either in metrics or in inches. The larger the number the larger the bullet. Larger bullets generally are louder than smaller bullets and cause the rifle to kick you harder. All rifles are capable of killing although the larger the caliber the more lethal the gun.
Because of their increased skill requirements and unsuitability for home and urban defense, rifles generally are a poor choice for the first time gun owner looking for home defense. Generally they are most suitable for target shooting and hunting. Entry level rifles start at less than $500.
Handguns are the most popular choice for home defense and probably the least popular for hunting. Like rifles, handguns are designated by caliber size, either metric or in standard inches. A 357 magnum is about .35 of an inch, a 45 ACP is .451 of an inch, and a 9mm bullet is approximately 9 millimeters in size.
Handguns are popular because they are compact, easy to wield, easy to store, easy to transport, and easy to hide. They allow just about anyone to handle themselves when faced with a criminal. Options vary greatly with semi automatic handguns (those that fire each time you pull the trigger) or revolvers (uses a revolving cylinder like in the cowboy movies to fire each shot when the trigger is pulled).
Either choice (revolvers or semi auto) can make a good choice for a handgun. Like the rifle though, handguns take considerable practice to become proficient as they fire a single projectile. Their range is limited because of the barrel length and the type of ammunition used. Handgun ammunition tends to be smaller in length than rifle ammunition. Smaller length means less powder which equals less speed and shorter distances.
Handguns tend to be easier to wield and lighter than a shotgun or rifle which is why so many women choose to have a handgun for home protection. Rifles and shotguns are just heavy. Also the recoil or how much the weapon “kicks” when it is fired can be less in some of the lower caliber handguns than in the shotguns. Because of the closer range that handguns require they are most suitable for home use and urban areas and less suitable for hunting. Entry level models start at less than $500.
Wrapping it All Up:
I hope you have found this primer on guns and shooting of value. I cannot stress enough the safety factor. If you are new to firearms, get training, get safety gear, and practice. Learn what the laws and ordinances are in your state and locality. Laws differ from place to place and ignorance of the law will not help you in court. For example, in Texas if someone is robbing your neighbor’s house and you blow them away, you probably will not be charged with a crime. Try that in California, Massachusetts, or New York and you will be in big trouble. In the end though, long time gun owners have a saying, better to be judged by 12 than carried to your final resting place by 6.
Last Words…
If that answered most of your questions then congratulations for hanging in there and finishing this essay. But there was one class of gun owner I did not address. This is the apocalyptic, end of the world, survivalist guy. I’ve got some info for them below. If you are interested, continue reading.
Survivalists:
The apocalyptic survivalist basically is preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. He sees stories of places like Zimbabwe, Sierra Leon, and Haiti and knows that there is always the possibility that it could happen here. He (or she) remembers that at one time wars were actually fought on U.S. soil by invading armies or in civil conflicts. Generally, this person loves their country and the constitution but fears that the freedoms they enjoy could be hanging by a thread. For those folks, owning a firearm means having a tool for they and their families to survive the roving gangs, warlords, invading armies, and other criminal elements that sweep in to fill the void should the worst come to pass.
For these people, they want to be prepared. One gun and a box of ammunition will not be enough when there is no government in sight to come bail you out of a bad situation. It’s Mad Max meets Terminator meets Escape from New York. These individuals understand that an armed society is a polite society. They have several weapons and a large supply of ammunition. They generally live in more rural areas and understand that in a disaster the people will leave the city when the food and water runs out and come into their rural neighborhoods looking to do whatever it takes to get what they want.
For these types of people, preparation is a must. They have emergency communications, power, water, and food systems in place to make it when the poo hits the fan. They sleep better at night not because the county added three more sheriff’s deputies to the force but because they just got in another case of freeze dried food and shot gun ammunition. They know that when the poo hits the fan, there are not enough emergency personnel to help everyone or to stop every criminal, especially in a long term situation.
Generally they are well versed in all types of firearms and have several. They also have plenty of ammo to feed those weapons. I think there would be more of us like these people if it were not for the cost of putting that sort of operation together.
Recommendations:
Take them for what they are worth. This tends to be my experience as a good starting place to getting in the firearm game.
Rifle Recommendations:
Air Rifle: Right from the get go, get an air rifle (also called a pellet gun in some places). This is a gun that uses plain air to propel a small projectile. They are cheap, easy to use, have cheap ammunition, and are a great tool for practicing your shooting skills. In a pinch they can take down small game such as rabbits, squirrels, birds, dogs, or cats. Hey, if you’re hunger in a disaster zone even Fido tastes good. A decent air rifle costs less than $100 at Wal-Mart and the ammunition is dirt cheap. Most kids learn to shoot with one of these but they are not toys. People have died from air rifles although usually losing an eye is the worst injury you read about.
You can spend a lot more money and get a monster air rifle that can even take down large game if you are into that. Air rifle technology has come a long way since Lewis and Clark took one on their exploration of the American West. Yes, the technology has been around that long. An added bonus is that the things are dead quiet. Should roving bands of folks from Thunderdome (A Mad Max Reference) be roaming your neighborhood, they won’t even hear you shooting. The only downside is that they are almost useless for self defense.
.22 Long Rifle: Another good purchase is the standard .22 Long Rifle. Before air rifles were so widespread, this what most people used. The ammo is dirt cheap, generally less than $15 for 500 rounds. In the right hands it can take down any type of game and can be used for self defense. They are relatively quiet. Ammunition is light and small allowing you to carry a lot in your pocket. There are many different manufacturers that make rifles chambered for 22 Long Rifle and they start at a couple hundred dollars.
Because of how inexpensive the rifle and ammunition are it affords many opportunities to practice the art of shooting. The guns are not picky on ammunition and it is widely available. In a survival/post apocalyptic situation, locating the ammunition should not be impossible.
.223 Remington: The .223 is the civilian version of the military 5.56x45 which is used by militaries all over the world. The cartridges are not identical but close enough that in some guns such as the AR 15 (the civilian version of the military M-16) and the Ruger Mini 14 both ammunitions will work. It is probably the most widely manufactured round in the world. It can be used to take down nearly any game animal outside of Africa and has good long range accuracy. Either an AR 15 or Mini 14 added to your collection are good for hunting and survival situations. They both will make short work of any thug trying to mess with you. Recoil is relatively light and ammunition is relatively inexpensive.
.308 Winchester: The .308 is a hard hitting, accurate shooter. It civilian equivalent of the 7.62x51mm NATO round. It is used by military and police snipers all over the world. It is heavy enough to take down most big game and is a long distance shooter. Add a scope to a gun chambered in .308 and the gang from Thunderdome (if you are confused you need to get with your inner Mel Gibson) won’t even get near your house. The ammunition like the .223 Remington is plentiful and easy to obtain.
Rifle Final Thoughts: There are many different rifle calibers out there for just about every job you can think of but these are a good starting point. I know I missed something that somebody loves or someone might disagree with my thoughts but take it for what it is worth.
Shotgun Recommendations:
12 Gauge: You cannot beat the 12 gage shotgun. It is versatile, ammo is plentiful, and with just a little training, anyone can become proficient with it. It is my number one choice for an end of the world weapon. It fills so many roles that it is a must have when you choose a shotgun. It has power and the all important intimidation factor. With the right ammunition there isn’t anything outside of Africa it can’t handle. It will feed and protect you. It kicks like a mule but with some practice you can get a handle of it. Female police all over the U.S. use them and so can you. Come the end of society as we know it, this gun will be going strong protecting families and getting meat for the table.
Handgun Recommendations:
.45 ACP or Auto: ACP stands for “Automatic Colt Pistol”. The most popular .45 of all time was the John Browning designed Colt M1911. It took our military through every major engagement of the 20th century. Today nearly every handgun manufacturer makes a copy of this original design. It’s nearly indestructible. The U.S. government procured millions over the course of the 20th century and there were even more procured by civilians. In 1910 when the government was looking to procure a new military side arm they tested this handgun by running 6000 rounds through it continuously. They had to cool the gun in buckets of water but it never jammed through all 6000 rounds. It will fire dirty, it will fire an eclectic mix of ammunition, and it will even fire underwater. It’s heavy enough to be used like a club. The 1911 stayed the standard issue handgun of the military until the early 1990s when it was replaced by the smaller M9 by Berretta in 9mm. This decision is still considered controversial by some and many SWAT and Special Forces units continue to use the M1911 chambered in .45 ACP.
The M1911 is limited by clip size due to the size of the bullet. Where most 9mm can have a clip holding 15 or more rounds, the M1911 originally came with a seven round clip and most today are either seven or eight round requiring more frequent reloading. M1911 parts are everywhere making repair and replacement of worn parts very easy. For more information on the history of the M1911 I suggest the following: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1911_Colt_pistol
Other handguns have been designed for the .45 ACP round. It is a heavy but relatively accurate handgun cartridge. You put one into somebody or something and the chances of them getting up are pretty slim. Because if it’s popularity, ammunition is widely available and runs about $20-$25 a box for 50 rounds of cheap ammunition making it a good gun to practice with. Recoil is relatively heavy for a non magnum handgun but nothing that cannot be managed by most people. The guns themselves range from $400 on up to several thousand dollars.
.38 Special: Originally designed for the police the .38 Special is probably the most widely used caliber ever in a handgun. Recoil is light and the choice of ammunition is great. It was one of the last black powder cartridges designed so it is robust. Ammunition is cheap and plentiful. Nearly every manufacturer designed a gun to shoot this cartridge. While it does not have the power of the .45 it is effective.
If you can only own one handgun I would get a .357 Magnum. What? I thought you were talking about .38 Special? Well a .357 Magnum can also shoot .38 special but not vise versa. This allows for an even greater selection of ammunition choices. Many .357 magnum owners practice with .38 special because of the huge cost savings and use their more expensive .357 rounds for home defense. It’s a winner.
9mm: When the U.S. military changed from the M1911 to the M9, 9mm NATO became the world wide handgun choice for NATO armed forces. Most police departments and home defense handgun buyers use 9mm. The switch to the 9mm round from the .45 ACP round has been the subject of controversy in every conflict since. There are some ground troops that felt the 9mm was not enough gun to handle crazed terrorists bent on killing over in Iraqistan. Special forces and many SWAT units continue to use other options. I’ve heard it said that if you are going to get shot, hope it is a 9mm and not a .45 ACP.
That is not to say that the round is not lethal. It will most certainly get the job done. The ammunition is relatively inexpensive and the gun does not kick as much as the .45 making control easier. The guns manufactured to shoot 9mm tend to be lighter.
40 S&W: I like this cartridge. It is a good compromise between the .45 ACP and the 9mm. It has the power lacking in the 9mm but has a size advantage over the .45 ACP. It is widely available and many police officers and other law enforcement carry this gun because they feel it has all the advantages of both the .45 and 9mm. The ammunition is much cheaper than the .45 ACP allowing for less expense in practicing. I have shot a .40 S&W and think it is a great caliber. Its biggest drawback is that it still does not have the numbers in circulation like the .45 ACP and 9mm making ammunition acquisition in a post apocalyptic situation less easy.
Wish List:
.50 BMG The .50 Browning Machine Gun Cartridge has been chambered in single shot bolt action and semi auto rifles for the general public. Legal in all but a few states, the 50 Cal. Or 50 BMG pushes a half inch slug with incredible accuracy over a mile. It will stop a car load of thugs from Thunderdome. The ammo is very expensive though. Even military surplus ammunition is $2-$5 per shot. The rifles themselves cost thousands of dollars with the king of the hill being the semi auto Barrett for nearly $8,000. If I had a million dollars I’d get one before the government outlaws them everywhere!
Closing Remarks: I hope you have found the enclosed information both helpful and interesting. The information presented here on gun preferences are just my opinion and others are free to agree or disagree. Please remember to read the owners manual that comes with your gun, get proper training, and be safe when handling any type of firearm. I am not responsible if you do something dumb. If you have any questions, thoughts, or ideas please feel free to ask. And I apologize in advance for any errors, typos, spelling mistakes, and other misfires.
Why the Gun Boom?
Current conditions are creating the perfect scenario for the boom in firearm sales. There is a lot of uncertainty and panic due to economic conditions. The fear that recessions increase crime, particularly crimes against home owners, has created a fear in some about protecting their personal property. Now whether you agree that tough economic times lead to increases in crime or not does not change the fact that there is a perception that it does increase crime. Add in the possibility of civil unrest or natural disaster and there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to fuel the fear of some.
The fact of the matter is that the police cannot protect you in most cases. In rural area, police response times can reach over 20 minutes. Fire rescue and EMTs will often not show up until after the police depending on the policy in your area.
A year ago my sister’s house burned down. My wife was the one that called 9-11 and then she called me. I work right across the street from the fire department and headed to here house. I not only beat the fire department there (I was obeying all traffic laws) but waited around another 15 minutes for them to make the 2.5 mile drive to her house. I have seen traffic accidents where it took nearly 20 minutes for fire and rescue or police to arrive. I have seen where the responding fire department wasn’t even the closest one.
Add to that natural disaster or civil unrest and you are not going to get help for a long, long time. Take the examples of the Los Angeles Riots or Hurricane Katrina. The police simply could not help everyone who was in trouble. Communications were a mess anyway so getting an emergency call through would be nearly impossible. The law abiding folks were on their own for days and in some cases weeks.
In addition to these criminal threats, if you live in a border town or state there is the constant threat of crime from another country spilling over into your neighborhood. Criminal drug organizations are brazen and some border towns are dangerous places. Phoenix is the number one city for kidnapping in the U.S. and number two worldwide. The Federal government has done little to curb the violent gangs, drugs, and other criminal behavior spilling into Border States and the states themselves often lack the resources or resolve to be aggressive. Some see it as racially insensitive to use aggressive measures or even talk about what is happening. But if you live in the Southwestern United States you may have already seen or heard about problems from these drug cartels coming into your state. A guy I know from Texas has told me many stories of these criminals attempting car jackings and other crimes only to be sent to meet their maker by a law abiding gun owner.
The fear of increased crime is only part of the reason for the boom in firearm sales. Most of the increase in sales took place after the recent election. No matter what your political affiliation, I think we can all agree that the current party in power has the least favorable plans for gun laws. The President had promised voters during the campaign that he would not take their guns away but in the first month of his administration one of his people said that they planned on trying to pass an assault weapons ban and initial reports are that it will be more restrictive than the last one.
In congress there is support for this measure from many in the leadership of the party in power. In addition, there are those in the Federal government and in some states supporting other, stricter laws including registration and background checks for ammunition purchases, limits on the amount of ammunition you can purchase, and many, many more proposals. Frankly, I can sit here all day and tell you why they all are flawed and will do nothing to stop crime but that isn’t the focus of this piece. Criminals love gun laws because they have no intention of following them and they know that their victims (the law abiding people) will do everything they can to follow the law.
Criminals by their very nature will not follow the law. A person intent on killing you and violating your spouse or children is not worried at all about their gun being legal or if they can even legally possess it. If gun laws stopped gun crime then England and Mexico wouldn’t have any gun crimes because they have some of the most restrictive gun laws on the planet and a populous that is almost completely unarmed.
In addition to the fear created by the possibility of government making it more difficult of people to legally purchase weapons there is also a general fear of a new government that has rapidly expanded state control over business and spent unprecedented amounts of money to expand entitlement programs. Let’s face it, big government scares a lot of people especially when many of the people writing the laws appear to have problems obeying the laws themselves, like paying taxes, and seem to get away with it. Let’s face it folks, the French Revolution didn’t happen because Marie Antoinette was giving away cakes. It happened because the people got fed up with their ruling class living under one set of rules and having another set of rules for everyone else.
So in summary it is really about a fear of crime and a fear or loss of confidence in government that is driving most of the firearm and ammunition sales.
I’m Thinking of Purchasing a Firearm…
While I am a big supporter of the right to bear arms this does not necessarily mean that I feel that just any person should be able to get one. Those who have been convicted of felonies, abuse spouse or offspring, use drugs, or have mental impairments should not own a firearm. You would think this would eliminate most elected officials but it does not.
I also support background checks to make sure these folks never own a firearm. If you happen to be one of the folks I described in the previous paragraph, just stop reading and go buy a Louisville Slugger and a few baseballs. Put them next to your bed and tell everyone you like playing baseball.
If you are not a criminal and are a mentally competent adult then read on. People buy firearms for about four different reasons: Target Shooting, Hunting, Self Defense, and Collecting. While there are hunters that purchase firearms for hunting, target shooting, and self defense, there are many target shooters that have no intention of doing any of the other activities. Some people are strictly into target shooting, self defense, and there is even a group of people out there that collect guns but really don’t do much shooting. Collectors see firearms as an investment and indeed many firearms are worth thousands of dollars and appreciate in value.
Whatever the motivation or reason for purchasing a firearm, all are welcome. I believe they all have their purposes. Some shooters will move from target shooting to hunting. My sister in law started shooting targets for the police department and now is looking to go hunting. A friend started out shooting targets and now is looking at self defense. The important thing is to start out with a purpose. Ask yourself why you want a firearm, what do I plan on doing with it, etc.
If your purpose in owning a firearm is self defense and home protection, you must make the conscious decision that when faced with a dangerous criminal, you will have to shoot and kill them. While the vast majority of situations where a firearm is used to safe life or property involve never actually firing the gun, you will have to be prepared for the possibility that you will have to pull the trigger.
Most crimes prevented by gun owners involved the criminal simply seeing that their intended target is armed and willing to put a hole in them or even hearing a would be victim cycle a shell into a gun’s chamber has been enough to cause the criminal to change their mind. A friend of mine from many years ago told me how shortly after teaching his wife how to shoot some thug kicked down the door of their apartment while she was home alone with the baby. She grabbed a lever action rifle, chambered a round, and the guy knew she was serious and fled the scene.
If you cannot make the decision in your mind that if you were in that situation you would be able to pull the trigger then purchasing a firearm for self defense is not for you. Criminals are violent thugs who can see if their victim will put up a fight or not. They generally don’t want a fight and will try and find an easier target. Of course drug use and real desperation can change this thought pattern in a criminal.
If you are interested in hunting you also have to face the fact that an animal will die so you can eat it. Most people order a hamburger and don’t think twice about the cow that had to help make that hamburger. Fifty years ago, most people lived on a farm or had at least one relative that had a farm so they understood the concept that meat comes from animals. Very few people live with any contact to a farm anymore and conveniently forget where their food really comes from.
People who are strait target shooters or collectors can live with the idea that they will never have to use their firearms to take a life. If the thought of taking a human life under any circumstance or even an animal’s life seems unthinkable you may still find some satisfaction as a target shooter or collector. The sport of target shooting is so large that I could not possibly list every different shooting sport here in this essay.
Further on I would like to address more fully those who wish to purchase a firearm for self defense or hunting but first I would like to state that a gun is a tool just like your car, chainsaw, impact wrench, generator, hatchet, claw hammer, crowbar, cordless drill, or table saw. These things cannot kill you, only an action on our part can cause the tool to do anything. When used properly, a chainsaw can safely cut down a tree, a table saw can cut out the wood for a table, and the hammer and cordless drill can put that table together. Used unsafely though, any one of those items cause kill or maim yourself or others. It takes action on the part of the person using the tool to either do something good like fix a car or build a table. It also takes action or carelessness on the part of a person to use those same tools to hurt themselves or others.
A firearm is no different. I cannot magically come to life and start spraying lead all over the place. It cannot magically come to life and kill you just like any other tool. And just like any other tool, it requires training, practice, and safe handling skills.
If you have a competent family member they can assist you in learning safe handling skills and getting practice. If not, check around the gun shops or even gun clubs in your area. Most either offer classes or can point you in the right direction. Some classes may even let you try several different guns allowing you to get a feel for ones you will like. If you have a friend who owns guns, you can offer to buy some ammo in exchange for trying some out on the local range.
Practice is a key for any shooter. Practice allows you to get a better feel for the gun, know how it shoots, how all the moving parts work, and gives you confidence with the weapon. I recently gave my daughter her first driving lesson on the farm. After a real struggle for a few minutes she told me that her mom and I made it look so easy. I told her it is easy when you’ve been doing it every day for twenty years!
In order to be proficient with a gun you must practice, practice, practice. The best shooters have been doing it since they were kids. If you start as an adult, realize that it will take some time to get the skills down. But don’t let that dissuade you. Time spent on the range shooting at targets is a blast. I cannot tell you how many shooters got their start because a friend took them to the range and they were hooked the very first time.
There is something empowering about knowing that you can defend your family or put food on the table but safety is always a big concern. You cannot take a bullet back or hit the reset button on your life like you would in a video game. You can never point a gun at something you do not intend to shoot. If you have children or plan on having children it is important and the law that you make sure your guns are secure from their hands.
But securing the guns away from children does not mean that they will not be available for home defense. There are many secure storage devices that you can attach to your bed or night stand that use a quick combination or fingerprint lock to allow quick access and secure storage of your firearm. Never, ever leave firearms accessible to kids and this includes on the top shelf of a closet. They will find it.
I also recommend locking up guns when not in use or when you are away from home. Guns are a great theft item. The vast majority of guns used by gang bangers and other criminal thugs were stolen. Even worse would be returning to your house one evening and having an intruder turn your own gun on you. So please be careful.
Safety goes beyond securing your firearms and handling them in a safe manner. Guns by their very nature are loud. Hearing protection when practicing with a firearm is a must. Obviously if someone breaks into your house you may not have time and probably shouldn’t worry about your hearing but at a shooting range and in many cases when hunting they are a must. Eye protection is also important. Your bullet could strike something that shatters or causes shards from your bullet to go flying. Although extremely rare, a gun malfunction could cause hot gasses or small pieces of metal to go flying. Always wear eye protection. Obviously if a thug is in your house this moves down the list of your priorities.
If you are looking to get into hunting, most states require you to take a hunter’s safety course. Contact your local fish and game office for information. In a hunter’s safety class they teach about gun safety, outdoor safety, wilderness survival, game laws, about hunting techniques, animal habitats, and even how guns function. In our house, each child is required to take this class even if they have no interest in guns because the class teaches so much that they can take with them throughout life.
I’ve Decided, Now What?
It’s time to buy that first gun but what do I buy? The answer is that it depends on what you want, what you need, and what you like. Guns are basically broken down into three categories.
Shotguns: The inside of the gun barrel or bore is generally smooth and the ammunition is generally made up of multiple projectiles. Use for home defense, target shooting, and hunting. Effective range is limited.
Rifles: The bore is grooved or rifled. Ammunition fires a single projectile that is forced through the grooves and exist the barrel spinning like a football which greatly enhances range and accuracy. The effective range can go out to over a mile.
Handguns: Usually the bore is rifled. Handguns are compact which makes storage and concealment easier. Due to a short barrel, the effective range and accuracy are more limited than the rifle.
All three can be used for hunting, target shooting, or self defense. Each has strengths and weaknesses based the environment they are being used in, the purpose they are being used for, and person using them.
Shotguns make a great, all round first choice for a gun owner, mainly because they do all three missions (hunting, targets, and home defense) really well. Shotguns are classified by a measurement called a “gauge” which designates the barrel size. The smaller the gauge number the larger the barrel diameter and the larger the ammunition used. The larger the gauge and the inverse is true. It is kind of counter intuitive but after a while most folks figure it out.
The most common shotgun gages are 28 gauge, 20 gauge, 12 gauge, and 10 gauge. There are some others out there but they are very, very rare. The most common you will find are 12 gauge and 20 gauge. Ammunition for these can be found at any Wal-Mart or sporting goods store. 20 gauge is primarily a hunting shotgun but can be effective for home defense. It has a smaller barrel diameter than the 12 gauge and smaller ammunition which make it easier to shoot. This is good to keep in mind if you are a smaller person. 12 gauge is the big daddy of shotguns and also the most popular. This is what the vast majority of police departments and hunters use. It has the largest variety of ammunition choices.
Shotguns can take down almost any size game animal short of elephants and rhinoceros. It is a perfect home defense weapon and has a huge intimidation factor due to its size and the sound it make when you chamber a shell. Aiming is easier due to the spread the multiple projectiles take when they exit the gun. This spread though causes energy to diminish rapidly and range to diminish. Anything over 100 yards has a really good chance of getting away. For the first time shooter, a shotgun is easy to use and learn on and pricing for an entry level shotgun is less than $500.
Rifles on the other hand are the perfect weapon for distance. The downside is that it takes a lot of practice to get good with a rifle. Your aim has to be spot on which takes a lot of practice. Range estimation becomes critical the further the target is away which presents a challenge. Rifles have the added advantage though of carrying power over distance. They are most suitable for open areas and least suitable for urban areas due to the extreme distances they can cover.
Rifles are designated by caliber size either in metrics or in inches. The larger the number the larger the bullet. Larger bullets generally are louder than smaller bullets and cause the rifle to kick you harder. All rifles are capable of killing although the larger the caliber the more lethal the gun.
Because of their increased skill requirements and unsuitability for home and urban defense, rifles generally are a poor choice for the first time gun owner looking for home defense. Generally they are most suitable for target shooting and hunting. Entry level rifles start at less than $500.
Handguns are the most popular choice for home defense and probably the least popular for hunting. Like rifles, handguns are designated by caliber size, either metric or in standard inches. A 357 magnum is about .35 of an inch, a 45 ACP is .451 of an inch, and a 9mm bullet is approximately 9 millimeters in size.
Handguns are popular because they are compact, easy to wield, easy to store, easy to transport, and easy to hide. They allow just about anyone to handle themselves when faced with a criminal. Options vary greatly with semi automatic handguns (those that fire each time you pull the trigger) or revolvers (uses a revolving cylinder like in the cowboy movies to fire each shot when the trigger is pulled).
Either choice (revolvers or semi auto) can make a good choice for a handgun. Like the rifle though, handguns take considerable practice to become proficient as they fire a single projectile. Their range is limited because of the barrel length and the type of ammunition used. Handgun ammunition tends to be smaller in length than rifle ammunition. Smaller length means less powder which equals less speed and shorter distances.
Handguns tend to be easier to wield and lighter than a shotgun or rifle which is why so many women choose to have a handgun for home protection. Rifles and shotguns are just heavy. Also the recoil or how much the weapon “kicks” when it is fired can be less in some of the lower caliber handguns than in the shotguns. Because of the closer range that handguns require they are most suitable for home use and urban areas and less suitable for hunting. Entry level models start at less than $500.
Wrapping it All Up:
I hope you have found this primer on guns and shooting of value. I cannot stress enough the safety factor. If you are new to firearms, get training, get safety gear, and practice. Learn what the laws and ordinances are in your state and locality. Laws differ from place to place and ignorance of the law will not help you in court. For example, in Texas if someone is robbing your neighbor’s house and you blow them away, you probably will not be charged with a crime. Try that in California, Massachusetts, or New York and you will be in big trouble. In the end though, long time gun owners have a saying, better to be judged by 12 than carried to your final resting place by 6.
Last Words…
If that answered most of your questions then congratulations for hanging in there and finishing this essay. But there was one class of gun owner I did not address. This is the apocalyptic, end of the world, survivalist guy. I’ve got some info for them below. If you are interested, continue reading.
Survivalists:
The apocalyptic survivalist basically is preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. He sees stories of places like Zimbabwe, Sierra Leon, and Haiti and knows that there is always the possibility that it could happen here. He (or she) remembers that at one time wars were actually fought on U.S. soil by invading armies or in civil conflicts. Generally, this person loves their country and the constitution but fears that the freedoms they enjoy could be hanging by a thread. For those folks, owning a firearm means having a tool for they and their families to survive the roving gangs, warlords, invading armies, and other criminal elements that sweep in to fill the void should the worst come to pass.
For these people, they want to be prepared. One gun and a box of ammunition will not be enough when there is no government in sight to come bail you out of a bad situation. It’s Mad Max meets Terminator meets Escape from New York. These individuals understand that an armed society is a polite society. They have several weapons and a large supply of ammunition. They generally live in more rural areas and understand that in a disaster the people will leave the city when the food and water runs out and come into their rural neighborhoods looking to do whatever it takes to get what they want.
For these types of people, preparation is a must. They have emergency communications, power, water, and food systems in place to make it when the poo hits the fan. They sleep better at night not because the county added three more sheriff’s deputies to the force but because they just got in another case of freeze dried food and shot gun ammunition. They know that when the poo hits the fan, there are not enough emergency personnel to help everyone or to stop every criminal, especially in a long term situation.
Generally they are well versed in all types of firearms and have several. They also have plenty of ammo to feed those weapons. I think there would be more of us like these people if it were not for the cost of putting that sort of operation together.
Recommendations:
Take them for what they are worth. This tends to be my experience as a good starting place to getting in the firearm game.
Rifle Recommendations:
Air Rifle: Right from the get go, get an air rifle (also called a pellet gun in some places). This is a gun that uses plain air to propel a small projectile. They are cheap, easy to use, have cheap ammunition, and are a great tool for practicing your shooting skills. In a pinch they can take down small game such as rabbits, squirrels, birds, dogs, or cats. Hey, if you’re hunger in a disaster zone even Fido tastes good. A decent air rifle costs less than $100 at Wal-Mart and the ammunition is dirt cheap. Most kids learn to shoot with one of these but they are not toys. People have died from air rifles although usually losing an eye is the worst injury you read about.
You can spend a lot more money and get a monster air rifle that can even take down large game if you are into that. Air rifle technology has come a long way since Lewis and Clark took one on their exploration of the American West. Yes, the technology has been around that long. An added bonus is that the things are dead quiet. Should roving bands of folks from Thunderdome (A Mad Max Reference) be roaming your neighborhood, they won’t even hear you shooting. The only downside is that they are almost useless for self defense.
.22 Long Rifle: Another good purchase is the standard .22 Long Rifle. Before air rifles were so widespread, this what most people used. The ammo is dirt cheap, generally less than $15 for 500 rounds. In the right hands it can take down any type of game and can be used for self defense. They are relatively quiet. Ammunition is light and small allowing you to carry a lot in your pocket. There are many different manufacturers that make rifles chambered for 22 Long Rifle and they start at a couple hundred dollars.
Because of how inexpensive the rifle and ammunition are it affords many opportunities to practice the art of shooting. The guns are not picky on ammunition and it is widely available. In a survival/post apocalyptic situation, locating the ammunition should not be impossible.
.223 Remington: The .223 is the civilian version of the military 5.56x45 which is used by militaries all over the world. The cartridges are not identical but close enough that in some guns such as the AR 15 (the civilian version of the military M-16) and the Ruger Mini 14 both ammunitions will work. It is probably the most widely manufactured round in the world. It can be used to take down nearly any game animal outside of Africa and has good long range accuracy. Either an AR 15 or Mini 14 added to your collection are good for hunting and survival situations. They both will make short work of any thug trying to mess with you. Recoil is relatively light and ammunition is relatively inexpensive.
.308 Winchester: The .308 is a hard hitting, accurate shooter. It civilian equivalent of the 7.62x51mm NATO round. It is used by military and police snipers all over the world. It is heavy enough to take down most big game and is a long distance shooter. Add a scope to a gun chambered in .308 and the gang from Thunderdome (if you are confused you need to get with your inner Mel Gibson) won’t even get near your house. The ammunition like the .223 Remington is plentiful and easy to obtain.
Rifle Final Thoughts: There are many different rifle calibers out there for just about every job you can think of but these are a good starting point. I know I missed something that somebody loves or someone might disagree with my thoughts but take it for what it is worth.
Shotgun Recommendations:
12 Gauge: You cannot beat the 12 gage shotgun. It is versatile, ammo is plentiful, and with just a little training, anyone can become proficient with it. It is my number one choice for an end of the world weapon. It fills so many roles that it is a must have when you choose a shotgun. It has power and the all important intimidation factor. With the right ammunition there isn’t anything outside of Africa it can’t handle. It will feed and protect you. It kicks like a mule but with some practice you can get a handle of it. Female police all over the U.S. use them and so can you. Come the end of society as we know it, this gun will be going strong protecting families and getting meat for the table.
Handgun Recommendations:
.45 ACP or Auto: ACP stands for “Automatic Colt Pistol”. The most popular .45 of all time was the John Browning designed Colt M1911. It took our military through every major engagement of the 20th century. Today nearly every handgun manufacturer makes a copy of this original design. It’s nearly indestructible. The U.S. government procured millions over the course of the 20th century and there were even more procured by civilians. In 1910 when the government was looking to procure a new military side arm they tested this handgun by running 6000 rounds through it continuously. They had to cool the gun in buckets of water but it never jammed through all 6000 rounds. It will fire dirty, it will fire an eclectic mix of ammunition, and it will even fire underwater. It’s heavy enough to be used like a club. The 1911 stayed the standard issue handgun of the military until the early 1990s when it was replaced by the smaller M9 by Berretta in 9mm. This decision is still considered controversial by some and many SWAT and Special Forces units continue to use the M1911 chambered in .45 ACP.
The M1911 is limited by clip size due to the size of the bullet. Where most 9mm can have a clip holding 15 or more rounds, the M1911 originally came with a seven round clip and most today are either seven or eight round requiring more frequent reloading. M1911 parts are everywhere making repair and replacement of worn parts very easy. For more information on the history of the M1911 I suggest the following: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1911_Colt_pistol
Other handguns have been designed for the .45 ACP round. It is a heavy but relatively accurate handgun cartridge. You put one into somebody or something and the chances of them getting up are pretty slim. Because if it’s popularity, ammunition is widely available and runs about $20-$25 a box for 50 rounds of cheap ammunition making it a good gun to practice with. Recoil is relatively heavy for a non magnum handgun but nothing that cannot be managed by most people. The guns themselves range from $400 on up to several thousand dollars.
.38 Special: Originally designed for the police the .38 Special is probably the most widely used caliber ever in a handgun. Recoil is light and the choice of ammunition is great. It was one of the last black powder cartridges designed so it is robust. Ammunition is cheap and plentiful. Nearly every manufacturer designed a gun to shoot this cartridge. While it does not have the power of the .45 it is effective.
If you can only own one handgun I would get a .357 Magnum. What? I thought you were talking about .38 Special? Well a .357 Magnum can also shoot .38 special but not vise versa. This allows for an even greater selection of ammunition choices. Many .357 magnum owners practice with .38 special because of the huge cost savings and use their more expensive .357 rounds for home defense. It’s a winner.
9mm: When the U.S. military changed from the M1911 to the M9, 9mm NATO became the world wide handgun choice for NATO armed forces. Most police departments and home defense handgun buyers use 9mm. The switch to the 9mm round from the .45 ACP round has been the subject of controversy in every conflict since. There are some ground troops that felt the 9mm was not enough gun to handle crazed terrorists bent on killing over in Iraqistan. Special forces and many SWAT units continue to use other options. I’ve heard it said that if you are going to get shot, hope it is a 9mm and not a .45 ACP.
That is not to say that the round is not lethal. It will most certainly get the job done. The ammunition is relatively inexpensive and the gun does not kick as much as the .45 making control easier. The guns manufactured to shoot 9mm tend to be lighter.
40 S&W: I like this cartridge. It is a good compromise between the .45 ACP and the 9mm. It has the power lacking in the 9mm but has a size advantage over the .45 ACP. It is widely available and many police officers and other law enforcement carry this gun because they feel it has all the advantages of both the .45 and 9mm. The ammunition is much cheaper than the .45 ACP allowing for less expense in practicing. I have shot a .40 S&W and think it is a great caliber. Its biggest drawback is that it still does not have the numbers in circulation like the .45 ACP and 9mm making ammunition acquisition in a post apocalyptic situation less easy.
Wish List:
.50 BMG The .50 Browning Machine Gun Cartridge has been chambered in single shot bolt action and semi auto rifles for the general public. Legal in all but a few states, the 50 Cal. Or 50 BMG pushes a half inch slug with incredible accuracy over a mile. It will stop a car load of thugs from Thunderdome. The ammo is very expensive though. Even military surplus ammunition is $2-$5 per shot. The rifles themselves cost thousands of dollars with the king of the hill being the semi auto Barrett for nearly $8,000. If I had a million dollars I’d get one before the government outlaws them everywhere!
Closing Remarks: I hope you have found the enclosed information both helpful and interesting. The information presented here on gun preferences are just my opinion and others are free to agree or disagree. Please remember to read the owners manual that comes with your gun, get proper training, and be safe when handling any type of firearm. I am not responsible if you do something dumb. If you have any questions, thoughts, or ideas please feel free to ask. And I apologize in advance for any errors, typos, spelling mistakes, and other misfires.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Saint Patrick's Story
This week we celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day with shamrocks, corned beef, and leprechaun decorations. But who was Saint Patrick? I asked my oldest daughter about Saint Patrick’s Day and all she could think of was wearing green and leprechauns.
Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and originally was a missionary monk who, according to legend, brought Christianity to Ireland. Prior to this the Celtic people, who made up most of the inhabitants of Ireland, subscribed to what can be termed heathen or pagan religious beliefs.
Probably the most famous Saint Patrick story is how he drove all the snakes out of Ireland. According to the legend the island was plagued by poisonous snakes and somehow Saint Patrick drove them off the Emerald Isle thus cementing him in the hearts of the inhabitants and winning many converts. Irish immigrants to the United States have kept Saint Patrick alive with a day to annually honor him and all things Irish.
Much of what we know about Saint Patrick is the result of oral legends passed down through time and I’m certain that overtime certain embellishments have been added to his life’s story. In spite of the possible changes to the tales, I have wondered if the story of driving the poisonous snakes out of Ireland was not symbolic of the conversion process of the people from paganism to Christianity. Perhaps the snakes were the sins, bad habits, and false traditions of the people, venomous vipers of the natural man that were driven out with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Each of us struggles with certain snakes in our own lives. The decision to become more Christ-like, to be converted, and begin anew on the path to eternal life requires us to make changes that drive out the snakes that poison our souls. As we drive the various sins, bad habits, tendencies, thoughts, and beliefs out of our life and replace them with the Savior Jesus Christ, we experience the healing power of repentance. The balm of the Savior’s atonement heals the wounds and venomous damage caused by sin, guilt, and grief.
Driving the snakes out of our lives cannot be a one time event. I have seen too many people over the years experience a mighty change of heart, lay hold upon the rod, and begin to walk along the path to the tree of life only to let go and wander back into the mists of darkness. They mistakenly believed that their conversion marked the end destination instead of the beginning of a journey to return to our Heavenly Father.
So this Saint Patrick’s Day, let us each re-examine our lives and determine to drive the remaining snakes from our lives. Let us become more determined than ever to cast off the venomous vipers that keep us from becoming more like the Savior. And let us always remember that only through Jesus Christ can we find the healing power of the atonement that changes lives and lifts the broken spirit.
Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and originally was a missionary monk who, according to legend, brought Christianity to Ireland. Prior to this the Celtic people, who made up most of the inhabitants of Ireland, subscribed to what can be termed heathen or pagan religious beliefs.
Probably the most famous Saint Patrick story is how he drove all the snakes out of Ireland. According to the legend the island was plagued by poisonous snakes and somehow Saint Patrick drove them off the Emerald Isle thus cementing him in the hearts of the inhabitants and winning many converts. Irish immigrants to the United States have kept Saint Patrick alive with a day to annually honor him and all things Irish.
Much of what we know about Saint Patrick is the result of oral legends passed down through time and I’m certain that overtime certain embellishments have been added to his life’s story. In spite of the possible changes to the tales, I have wondered if the story of driving the poisonous snakes out of Ireland was not symbolic of the conversion process of the people from paganism to Christianity. Perhaps the snakes were the sins, bad habits, and false traditions of the people, venomous vipers of the natural man that were driven out with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Each of us struggles with certain snakes in our own lives. The decision to become more Christ-like, to be converted, and begin anew on the path to eternal life requires us to make changes that drive out the snakes that poison our souls. As we drive the various sins, bad habits, tendencies, thoughts, and beliefs out of our life and replace them with the Savior Jesus Christ, we experience the healing power of repentance. The balm of the Savior’s atonement heals the wounds and venomous damage caused by sin, guilt, and grief.
Driving the snakes out of our lives cannot be a one time event. I have seen too many people over the years experience a mighty change of heart, lay hold upon the rod, and begin to walk along the path to the tree of life only to let go and wander back into the mists of darkness. They mistakenly believed that their conversion marked the end destination instead of the beginning of a journey to return to our Heavenly Father.
So this Saint Patrick’s Day, let us each re-examine our lives and determine to drive the remaining snakes from our lives. Let us become more determined than ever to cast off the venomous vipers that keep us from becoming more like the Savior. And let us always remember that only through Jesus Christ can we find the healing power of the atonement that changes lives and lifts the broken spirit.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Lazy Saturday
I know my blog has been quiet for some time. There has been so much swirling around inside my head these days with all the crazy stuff going on in government and business. I've seriously considered getting a government job but it looks as if you have to be a tax cheat or have taken a bribe to get all the good jobs. I wonder how a stupid sap like me is expected to file my taxes correctly when the guy overseeing the IRS these days can't get it right.
But there are always those little moments that keep me going. Glen Beck has started the 9-12 project (see www.the912project.com ). He kicked it all off with a special show on Friday talking about the shared values. The 9-12 project referrs to how Americans acted and felt the day after 9-11 and how those same shared values and principles need to be a part of our lives today. The 9 values and 12 principles are spot on. This isn't about political parties because, lets face it, neither one of the major parties gives a hoot about right and wrong anymore. So check out the the www.912project.com
Spent some time with the family lately. It is never a waste of time and builds memories for eternity. In these dark times, isn't it nice not to have to focus on the bad day in and day out? Lets make some memories that are good. It doesn't have to cost a lot. A simple picnick lunch and some ammo!
Till next time....
But there are always those little moments that keep me going. Glen Beck has started the 9-12 project (see www.the912project.com ). He kicked it all off with a special show on Friday talking about the shared values. The 9-12 project referrs to how Americans acted and felt the day after 9-11 and how those same shared values and principles need to be a part of our lives today. The 9 values and 12 principles are spot on. This isn't about political parties because, lets face it, neither one of the major parties gives a hoot about right and wrong anymore. So check out the the www.912project.com
Spent some time with the family lately. It is never a waste of time and builds memories for eternity. In these dark times, isn't it nice not to have to focus on the bad day in and day out? Lets make some memories that are good. It doesn't have to cost a lot. A simple picnick lunch and some ammo!
Till next time....
Monday, February 2, 2009
Book of Laman Part 2
Here is part 2 of the recently discovered Book of Laman. If you missed part 1, scroll down and read that first.
Chapter 2
Day 8
So we returned home after three days journey to the camp of our parents in the wilderness and behold my mother and father were filled with joy upon our safe return. Nephi was still wearing the blood stained clothing of Laban from Jerusalem but aside from that everything was good. Mom was particularly worried about us while we were gone and she and dad got into a little row. She accused him of being a dreamer which upset him greatly. Creative people sometimes chafe at being referred to as dreamers. But to calm her down he told her how fortunate we had been in our travels and soon she was back to her old self. We decided not to tell mom that her beloved yet disturbed Nephi was wanted for murder!
Dad was glad to finally have the family bible back in the family and proceeded to read to us stories. Since our entertainment options were limited to watching Nephi play in the mud from the morning’s wash, we welcomed the story telling. Nephi got really into it and decided to begin writing two fictional stories about our travels with him as the lead character and hero. Normally this would have bothered me a bit to see myself lampooned in print but it seemed to sooth the lad and keep him out of trouble.
Day 87
Things have been pretty slow lately which is why I haven’t been writing much. Today, Dad made the big announcement that we should return to Jerusalem and see if the heat had died down. He also suggested that we stop by his friend Ishmael’s house and see if we could convince him to merge his business with ours. Specifically, Ishmael had a good handle on trading with the populations of southern Arabia and it was hoped that the merger would also involve marriages between the two families. A prospect that I must say was not altogether distasteful.
Once again though, it was insisted that we take along Nephi, Lemuel, and Sam. I’m beginning to think that mom and dad just want a break from Nephi once in a while from his incessant talking about the supernatural and his fictional books. So we did begin our return journey to Jerusalem.
Day 90
We arrived at Ishmael’s house and I could immediately see the wisdom in my father’s decision. Ishmael’s daughters are smokin’! He had two daughters and four sons by his first wife, Hippuppoo of India, who had passed away when they were younger children and three more daughters by his current wife. The older girls had a lovely olive complexion indicative of their ancestry while the younger daughters were very fair skinned and looked like they would easily get sunburned. When describing these daughters I can say that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.
The sons were a great bargain as well. They were strong lads who would greatly help in the work. As an added bonus, they were about the right age for our sisters.
After a brief meal the merger was settled and we decided to take the long way back to enable us to get to know the ladies a little better. As the oldest sons, Lemuel and I began courting the oldest girls while Sam began courting the oldest daughter of the second wife. Nephi was suffering from an inferiority complex and pretty much sulked the first couple of days. The poor youngest daughter of Ishmael tried to make small talk with him but it didn’t go anywhere.
So once again I hatched a plan to help poor Nephi out. I had serious doubts as to our merger should he not enter into matrimony with this girl. She was also beginning to wonder if he was a suitable choice for marriage herself!
I had shown the sons of Ishmael some drawings of our sisters and had told of their beauty so they were fully on board with the idea so I had the help I needed. I got my girl and Lemuel’s girl to go along also. Now it had been some time since I had engaged in the art of a thespian but to pull this off for Nephi’s sake, we would have to be very convincing. My previous acting experience had been with a local theater troupe in Jerusalem. I never had a lead role but I do think we made some quality productions. We decided to stage a fake hostile take over of our group and act as if we wanted to go back to Jerusalem. This way we could make Nephi look like a hero and save the day, getting the girl in the process.
So we started in with the arguing and angry words, trying not to lay it on too thick. Lemuel had made some rope by weaving some old paper together. If you didn’t look real close it was pretty convincing. As a part of our acting, we grabbed Nephi, tied him up, and as if on queue, Nephi stood up off the ground and started saying this speech that sounded like it had been rehearsed except he was telling us the story of our journey so far as written in his fictional book. It was crazy talk and I was about to protest but I looked over and could see that the same daughter of Ishmael that we had been trying to get together with Nephi was clearly eating it all up.
It was a masterful stroke and at the end of his speech he broke his trick ropes. From then on this girl was putty in his hands and we kept playing along so as not to break the magic. So now I guess you can call me the official matchmaker for the family of Lehi! I feel like singing a song for some reason…..
Day 95
Well we got back to camp finally and boy was everybody happy. Things worked out just great. A small celebration ensued wherein the consumption of wine appeared to be a bit extensive. The next day my dad woke up and told us about this wild psychedelic dream with buildings, trees, iron rods, mists of darkness, and other stuff. He seriously had way too much of the vino!
But then poor old Nephi goes into his tent and comes out and tries to one up the old man by saying he had the same “vision” and tried explaining what it all meant. I kept looking to the poor daughter of Ishmael who was destined to become Nephi’s wife and was seriously worried but she seemed to be lapping it all right up so we played along again.
Nephi spends most of his time writing his fictional stories in his tent but this girl is head over heels in love with him. I think it’s been good for Nephi. The attention he is getting sure has helped his self esteem.
Day 105
Nephi is driving me nuts. He has gotten so cocky after the fake rebellion and from the female attention he has been getting that he is making some serious mistakes. Dad hasn’t been feeling well lately and had decided that in order for Nephi to continue his confidence streak that he should be in charge of our travels. We have been traveling a week in circles. He is the worst navigator in the world!
Finally we stopped for a couple of days. Tomorrow is the big wedding, probably the biggest wedding in family history. All the sons of Lehi are getting married! This couldn’t come too soon for Nephi. He really needs someone to watch out for him.
Day 106
Wow, what a party. We had a great time and my new wife is a real hot babe!
Lemuel and I were having a little adult beverage in the reception tent when we got a great idea. We decided to make a device to help guide Nephi in the right direction because we are sick and tired of Nephi being the one who navigates for us. I was thinking we should head south towards the sea so that maybe we can figure out more precisely where we are and for the possiblity again to push the idea of opening a seaport for trade!
So Lemuel and I scrounged up some things and basically made a metal ball with an arrow in it. We’re going to leave it outside overnight and when Nephi finds it he will think his “angel” brought it to him. The arrow will only point one way but we figure that we will just tell him he is holding it upside down or something to get him going in the right direction. When he breaks for lunch we can adjust it a little and then at night adjust it again. At least we won’t be walking in circles anymore!
Day 107
Well our father Lehi ended up finding our magic ball but he gave it right to Nephi so now we are headed the right direction. I was worried that dad would recognize the parts of metallic dinnerware that we used to make the fake direction device.
Lemuel suggested that we also write messages on the ball once in a while to help keep up the illusion of the supernatural. Hopefully this keeps on working out. I can almost smell the salt air already!
Day 120
Well we’ve spent the last couple weeks traveling in the wilderness and have headed in the right direction most of the time. A couple of times we nearly got caught resetting the ball with the arrow on it that Nephi has come to call the “Liahona” for some reason. Whenever he isn’t using the “Liahona” he’s in his tent writing his fictional novels.
Day 122
Just when I think we’ve got it all figured out, Nephi goes and pulls another stunt. A good portion of our meals are provided through hunting and being in the wilderness there is lots of game. Well Lemuel and I are usually tasked with the hunting. When we got up this morning, we found Nephi with a broken bow in his hands. This is not surprising when you consider that he abused the bow every chance he got. One day he was using it as a walking stick and the next he was beating rabbits to death with it for sport. I even saw him using it as a swing one night on a low tree limb. Well the steel finally gave out.
Now this was a very nice bow. It was made by Joseph Bear, one of the premier bow makers in the east. But no matter how good the construction is, you have to take care of your equipment or it won’t be able to take care of you!
Even in the midst of all this I wasn’t too worried. Lemuel, Sam, and I still had our bows. Then I went to the archery equipment and was shocked to see that all of our bows had remained strung which is a very poor way to store a bow. If you do not unstring a bow when you are not using it, it will lose its spring and be useless. As I stood there trying to figure out why this happened I heard some laughter from behind me. It was Nephi, very pleased with himself for some reason. It then dawned on me! Even though we had put our bows away properly, he thought it would be a good joke to restring them and let them lose their spring. What a sick, sick thing to do! Very short sighted but we are dealing with a disturbed individual here. Now our bows had lost their spring and our principle means of getting food was gone.
But if I have learned anything in this family it is to expect the unexpected. I had my trusty scout manual with me and decided to follow the directions in it for making a bow and arrows. This took some time and as soon as word got around camp, Nephi was not a very popular guy. In fact his wife was downright upset at him. She was hungry as well as the rest of our party.
She ordered Nephi to come over and help us. I’m sure you can understand our reluctance to have him help us in anyway as his help is usually worse than no help at all. We gave him some sticks, feathers, and string to play with. Within a day or so Lemuel, Sam, and I had some decent bows and arrows while Nephi had a bunch of sticks and tangled string.
He was really down as his wife had kicked him out of the tent and vowed not to let him back in until he went out and provided for his family. He just sat there in the dirt trying and trying to put the bow together but making no headway. His spirit was slowly being crushed by the realization of his own ineptitude and the prospect of remaining married and celibate.
Now Lemuel and I were beginning to be a little vocal in our complaints about Nephi’s behavior as of late. His disregard for everyone was really hurting morale. Nephi though, was determined as ever to prove he could do it. So Lamuel, Sam, and I began to formulate a plan to get him out of our hair and back into the care of his wife.
We convinced Nephi that he could do this. We told him to go get the “Liahona” and to take his tangled mess of string and sticks into the wilderness to find food. Sam went with him and offered Nephi the bow he made to shoot at game. Lemuel and I secretly followed them and when Nephi shot at game we would shoot at the same animal from behind rocks or trees. That way Nephi thought he was actually shooting game!
It was all going well until Lemuel actually shot a large deer like animal that happened to be a different one than Nephi had shot at. Sam was great though and told Nephi the arrow must not have been strait. “Those 90 degree arrows are pretty rare but great for shooting around objects or corners Nephi,” quipped Sam. Sam was great at pumping Nephi’s ego up for every animal he was able to take. Sam was giving Nephi hi-fives and slaps on the back with each success. With Sam’s help they were able to get the food back to camp and Nephi was once again the hero!
Sometimes these sorts of situations are a real challenge for Lemuel and me but we really love our family and feel that the extra effort to help our “reality challenged brother” is worth it in the long run. He has so many problems that without his family, he would be in very difficult straits. It makes Lemuel and I feel good that we can help our family. I do worry about the day when we won’t be there to help him though. Hopefully by then he will have enough children to help keep him out of trouble.
Chapter 2
Day 8
So we returned home after three days journey to the camp of our parents in the wilderness and behold my mother and father were filled with joy upon our safe return. Nephi was still wearing the blood stained clothing of Laban from Jerusalem but aside from that everything was good. Mom was particularly worried about us while we were gone and she and dad got into a little row. She accused him of being a dreamer which upset him greatly. Creative people sometimes chafe at being referred to as dreamers. But to calm her down he told her how fortunate we had been in our travels and soon she was back to her old self. We decided not to tell mom that her beloved yet disturbed Nephi was wanted for murder!
Dad was glad to finally have the family bible back in the family and proceeded to read to us stories. Since our entertainment options were limited to watching Nephi play in the mud from the morning’s wash, we welcomed the story telling. Nephi got really into it and decided to begin writing two fictional stories about our travels with him as the lead character and hero. Normally this would have bothered me a bit to see myself lampooned in print but it seemed to sooth the lad and keep him out of trouble.
Day 87
Things have been pretty slow lately which is why I haven’t been writing much. Today, Dad made the big announcement that we should return to Jerusalem and see if the heat had died down. He also suggested that we stop by his friend Ishmael’s house and see if we could convince him to merge his business with ours. Specifically, Ishmael had a good handle on trading with the populations of southern Arabia and it was hoped that the merger would also involve marriages between the two families. A prospect that I must say was not altogether distasteful.
Once again though, it was insisted that we take along Nephi, Lemuel, and Sam. I’m beginning to think that mom and dad just want a break from Nephi once in a while from his incessant talking about the supernatural and his fictional books. So we did begin our return journey to Jerusalem.
Day 90
We arrived at Ishmael’s house and I could immediately see the wisdom in my father’s decision. Ishmael’s daughters are smokin’! He had two daughters and four sons by his first wife, Hippuppoo of India, who had passed away when they were younger children and three more daughters by his current wife. The older girls had a lovely olive complexion indicative of their ancestry while the younger daughters were very fair skinned and looked like they would easily get sunburned. When describing these daughters I can say that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.
The sons were a great bargain as well. They were strong lads who would greatly help in the work. As an added bonus, they were about the right age for our sisters.
After a brief meal the merger was settled and we decided to take the long way back to enable us to get to know the ladies a little better. As the oldest sons, Lemuel and I began courting the oldest girls while Sam began courting the oldest daughter of the second wife. Nephi was suffering from an inferiority complex and pretty much sulked the first couple of days. The poor youngest daughter of Ishmael tried to make small talk with him but it didn’t go anywhere.
So once again I hatched a plan to help poor Nephi out. I had serious doubts as to our merger should he not enter into matrimony with this girl. She was also beginning to wonder if he was a suitable choice for marriage herself!
I had shown the sons of Ishmael some drawings of our sisters and had told of their beauty so they were fully on board with the idea so I had the help I needed. I got my girl and Lemuel’s girl to go along also. Now it had been some time since I had engaged in the art of a thespian but to pull this off for Nephi’s sake, we would have to be very convincing. My previous acting experience had been with a local theater troupe in Jerusalem. I never had a lead role but I do think we made some quality productions. We decided to stage a fake hostile take over of our group and act as if we wanted to go back to Jerusalem. This way we could make Nephi look like a hero and save the day, getting the girl in the process.
So we started in with the arguing and angry words, trying not to lay it on too thick. Lemuel had made some rope by weaving some old paper together. If you didn’t look real close it was pretty convincing. As a part of our acting, we grabbed Nephi, tied him up, and as if on queue, Nephi stood up off the ground and started saying this speech that sounded like it had been rehearsed except he was telling us the story of our journey so far as written in his fictional book. It was crazy talk and I was about to protest but I looked over and could see that the same daughter of Ishmael that we had been trying to get together with Nephi was clearly eating it all up.
It was a masterful stroke and at the end of his speech he broke his trick ropes. From then on this girl was putty in his hands and we kept playing along so as not to break the magic. So now I guess you can call me the official matchmaker for the family of Lehi! I feel like singing a song for some reason…..
Day 95
Well we got back to camp finally and boy was everybody happy. Things worked out just great. A small celebration ensued wherein the consumption of wine appeared to be a bit extensive. The next day my dad woke up and told us about this wild psychedelic dream with buildings, trees, iron rods, mists of darkness, and other stuff. He seriously had way too much of the vino!
But then poor old Nephi goes into his tent and comes out and tries to one up the old man by saying he had the same “vision” and tried explaining what it all meant. I kept looking to the poor daughter of Ishmael who was destined to become Nephi’s wife and was seriously worried but she seemed to be lapping it all right up so we played along again.
Nephi spends most of his time writing his fictional stories in his tent but this girl is head over heels in love with him. I think it’s been good for Nephi. The attention he is getting sure has helped his self esteem.
Day 105
Nephi is driving me nuts. He has gotten so cocky after the fake rebellion and from the female attention he has been getting that he is making some serious mistakes. Dad hasn’t been feeling well lately and had decided that in order for Nephi to continue his confidence streak that he should be in charge of our travels. We have been traveling a week in circles. He is the worst navigator in the world!
Finally we stopped for a couple of days. Tomorrow is the big wedding, probably the biggest wedding in family history. All the sons of Lehi are getting married! This couldn’t come too soon for Nephi. He really needs someone to watch out for him.
Day 106
Wow, what a party. We had a great time and my new wife is a real hot babe!
Lemuel and I were having a little adult beverage in the reception tent when we got a great idea. We decided to make a device to help guide Nephi in the right direction because we are sick and tired of Nephi being the one who navigates for us. I was thinking we should head south towards the sea so that maybe we can figure out more precisely where we are and for the possiblity again to push the idea of opening a seaport for trade!
So Lemuel and I scrounged up some things and basically made a metal ball with an arrow in it. We’re going to leave it outside overnight and when Nephi finds it he will think his “angel” brought it to him. The arrow will only point one way but we figure that we will just tell him he is holding it upside down or something to get him going in the right direction. When he breaks for lunch we can adjust it a little and then at night adjust it again. At least we won’t be walking in circles anymore!
Day 107
Well our father Lehi ended up finding our magic ball but he gave it right to Nephi so now we are headed the right direction. I was worried that dad would recognize the parts of metallic dinnerware that we used to make the fake direction device.
Lemuel suggested that we also write messages on the ball once in a while to help keep up the illusion of the supernatural. Hopefully this keeps on working out. I can almost smell the salt air already!
Day 120
Well we’ve spent the last couple weeks traveling in the wilderness and have headed in the right direction most of the time. A couple of times we nearly got caught resetting the ball with the arrow on it that Nephi has come to call the “Liahona” for some reason. Whenever he isn’t using the “Liahona” he’s in his tent writing his fictional novels.
Day 122
Just when I think we’ve got it all figured out, Nephi goes and pulls another stunt. A good portion of our meals are provided through hunting and being in the wilderness there is lots of game. Well Lemuel and I are usually tasked with the hunting. When we got up this morning, we found Nephi with a broken bow in his hands. This is not surprising when you consider that he abused the bow every chance he got. One day he was using it as a walking stick and the next he was beating rabbits to death with it for sport. I even saw him using it as a swing one night on a low tree limb. Well the steel finally gave out.
Now this was a very nice bow. It was made by Joseph Bear, one of the premier bow makers in the east. But no matter how good the construction is, you have to take care of your equipment or it won’t be able to take care of you!
Even in the midst of all this I wasn’t too worried. Lemuel, Sam, and I still had our bows. Then I went to the archery equipment and was shocked to see that all of our bows had remained strung which is a very poor way to store a bow. If you do not unstring a bow when you are not using it, it will lose its spring and be useless. As I stood there trying to figure out why this happened I heard some laughter from behind me. It was Nephi, very pleased with himself for some reason. It then dawned on me! Even though we had put our bows away properly, he thought it would be a good joke to restring them and let them lose their spring. What a sick, sick thing to do! Very short sighted but we are dealing with a disturbed individual here. Now our bows had lost their spring and our principle means of getting food was gone.
But if I have learned anything in this family it is to expect the unexpected. I had my trusty scout manual with me and decided to follow the directions in it for making a bow and arrows. This took some time and as soon as word got around camp, Nephi was not a very popular guy. In fact his wife was downright upset at him. She was hungry as well as the rest of our party.
She ordered Nephi to come over and help us. I’m sure you can understand our reluctance to have him help us in anyway as his help is usually worse than no help at all. We gave him some sticks, feathers, and string to play with. Within a day or so Lemuel, Sam, and I had some decent bows and arrows while Nephi had a bunch of sticks and tangled string.
He was really down as his wife had kicked him out of the tent and vowed not to let him back in until he went out and provided for his family. He just sat there in the dirt trying and trying to put the bow together but making no headway. His spirit was slowly being crushed by the realization of his own ineptitude and the prospect of remaining married and celibate.
Now Lemuel and I were beginning to be a little vocal in our complaints about Nephi’s behavior as of late. His disregard for everyone was really hurting morale. Nephi though, was determined as ever to prove he could do it. So Lamuel, Sam, and I began to formulate a plan to get him out of our hair and back into the care of his wife.
We convinced Nephi that he could do this. We told him to go get the “Liahona” and to take his tangled mess of string and sticks into the wilderness to find food. Sam went with him and offered Nephi the bow he made to shoot at game. Lemuel and I secretly followed them and when Nephi shot at game we would shoot at the same animal from behind rocks or trees. That way Nephi thought he was actually shooting game!
It was all going well until Lemuel actually shot a large deer like animal that happened to be a different one than Nephi had shot at. Sam was great though and told Nephi the arrow must not have been strait. “Those 90 degree arrows are pretty rare but great for shooting around objects or corners Nephi,” quipped Sam. Sam was great at pumping Nephi’s ego up for every animal he was able to take. Sam was giving Nephi hi-fives and slaps on the back with each success. With Sam’s help they were able to get the food back to camp and Nephi was once again the hero!
Sometimes these sorts of situations are a real challenge for Lemuel and me but we really love our family and feel that the extra effort to help our “reality challenged brother” is worth it in the long run. He has so many problems that without his family, he would be in very difficult straits. It makes Lemuel and I feel good that we can help our family. I do worry about the day when we won’t be there to help him though. Hopefully by then he will have enough children to help keep him out of trouble.
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Book of Laman
Recently, some documents came into my possession written by what appears to be the hand of Laman, son of Lehi detailing a very different story of the early Book of Mormon events. I will post some excerpts here.
The Book of Laman
Chapter 1
Day 1 500 BC
I Laman, the son of Lehi, do endeavor to give an account of the business dealings of our family in Jerusalem and later in the new world.
My father Lehi being a wise man and a good merchant had been observing the geopolitical situation in Jerusalem and had determined to relocate the business. After several speeches to members of the chamber of commerce, he along with my mother Sariah, my sisters, and my younger brothers Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi met as the board of directors and determined to relocate our business dealings to a more business friendly environment that had the natural resources to support our enterprise.
My brother Lemuel and I had been actively engaged in the business for some time and had been teaching our younger brother Sam the ropes of the business. As minority stock holders and members of the board we endeavored to make the case that with some re-branding and a new marketing initiative aimed towards the potential clientele the changing political situation might offer, that we could indeed weather the storm and come out ahead. Our youngest brother Nephi would hear nothing of our suggestions and immediately made a motion to accept our father Lehi’s relocation plan. The motion was seconded by our brother Sam who was thrilled with the idea of the new adventure. Our father Lehi, owning the majority of shares in the company, easily won the proxy fight that ensued and thus the decision was made. Nephi had been particularly troublesome at the shareholders meeting before the vote and accused my brother and me of murmuring and other unseemly behavior.
We had great concern over our youngest brother, Nephi, who had been suffering for some time from severe depression and mental illness. Relocating our business necessitated a long journey into the wilderness to look for a suitable location. Being the pragmatist and worried about Nephi’s condition as well as the advancing years of my parents did endeavor to suggest an alternative course of action but Nephi was so very excited at the prospect of leaving his home that I worried about his decision making capacity. To make matters worse, my father worrying about Nephi not doing well on the trip, had indicated to him that he would be able to make some important decisions in regards to our travels. This only seemed to make our poor younger brother even more eager to get going.
I tried telling Nephi that we needed to be realistic about how difficult it would be to relocate and that he should be prepared for the inevitable hardships we would encounter. He was such a tender hearted little fella that I just didn’t have the heart to keep making him face reality so we took our journey into the wilderness without further discussion of the hardships.
We took only the essential items we would need for exploring and starting our new business venture leaving many items behind that we could not use including our gold, silver, and fine linens that would have been difficult to carry and would not have been much use in setting up the business in the rugged environment we were traveling to. This was not an easy decision as much of the family was accustomed to the finer things in life but I knew that it would be an even more difficult journey taking these things along.
Day 2
We had been traveling in the wilderness for a little time and came to the land around the Red Sea. While sparsely populated, my brother Lemuel and I immediately saw the potential for international trade here by setting up a seaport. Nephi immediately shot down the idea. My father Lehi, worried about Nephi’s fragile mental state, told us to back off. Privately, he told us that Nephi really needed some wins to help boost his self esteem. So with some feelings of dissatisfaction we continued on another day.
Day 3
We stopped by a river today and our father made a table out of stones. We were all very impressed with his workmanship. Nephi was feeling a bit down so our father came up with a great way to boost his and everyone else’s spirits. He decided to name some of the geographic features in the area after us. Being the oldest, he naturally started with me naming the river Laman. Well Nephi broke down and started accusing father of not loving him as much as the rest of us. So to humor him, father made up a pretty lame reason for calling the river Laman and not Nephi. I love my parents but sometimes their parenting methods have me baffled.
They obviously understood Nephi though and soon he was happy again. Shortly after some stern words to Lemuel and I for not being more sensitive to Nephi’s condition, my father being tired returned to his tent and we were left to get everything else set up in camp.
That night we hear a lot of crying coming from Nephi’s tent. One minute he seemed to be talking to someone and the next sobbing uncontrollably. The next morning though, he seemed to be much worse. He started talking nonsense and it seemed to us that he had been having a real breakdown and I assumed that he had not taken his medications.
He went on and on about how he was going to be a great ruler, that our children would be cursed, and other things that I am embarrassed to write down for the poor lad’s sake. So we went and had breakfast after that and then Nephi went into our father’s tent for what we hoped was some fatherly advice to get Nephi back into reality.
Day 4
So Nephi went into the tent for a few minutes and came out and told us we are going back to Jerusalem. Lemuel and I were in shock and wanted to know why. Seems that mom and dad had left behind the family bible which had the important family records including births, deaths, and marriages. I was a little upset that something as important as this could be left behind as was my brother Lemuel. Nephi had recently been put in charge of record keeping at a meeting with my father and should have thought of this sooner. The records had been loaned to a cousin named Laban who was a very important man in Jerusalem. But to make matters worse, dad thought it would help out Nephi if we told him he was in charge and then played along. His self esteem was so low that in the off chance this strategy might help him, it was worth it.
So we began our journey three days back to Jerusalem to cousin Laban’s house. When we were on the outskirts of the city, for some reason, Nephi took out his set of Lots he had picked up on a weekend trip to Jerusalem. I personally did not approve of Lots as I considered their use a form of gambling. He played with them for a minute and said that I was the one to go to see Laban. This was odd because we had already decided that since I was the oldest and had known cousin Laban longer, that I should be the one to go there.
So we all went into the city and I left the rest of my brothers, Sam and Lemuel, to watch after Nephi in the market area. I went to Laban’s house and was received most warmly. After a few minutes of chit chat I broached the subject of the family Bible. Laban immediately remembered the bible and said I could have it. He indicated that he couldn’t exactly remember where he had left it in his house but that he would have his servant find it for us.
Remembering that cousin Laban had been in some financial trouble as of late, I offered to bring him some of our treasure that we had left at home as we were probably not coming back anytime soon and felt obligated to help out a family member. Laban refused but after some persuasion said that he would be willing to take it as long as he could invest part of it and donate the rest to a local charity on our behalf.
As my father had given me a durable power of attorney to make such a decision on his behalf, I accepted Laban’s offer and told him I would return with the treasure and pick up the bible then. We shook hands and parted.
When I got back to my brothers in the market, Nephi started running and screaming that I was being chased. Afraid we would lose him and that he might injure himself, we ran after him. We caught up to him and got him settled down and I told everyone what the plan was. We went to our house and picked up our gold, silver, and precious things to give to Laban.
Day 5
Today we took our treasure to Laban for him to invest and donate to the poor. He was very excited to see so much treasure and suggested setting up some sort of endowment to offer scholarships to less fortunate children in the city. We thought it was a wonderful idea. Nephi, though, seemed distracted and started acting oddly.
Laban told us that he had found the bible but had not expected us so soon. He had sent it into town with his man servant Zoram for cleaning and repairs. He was certain that it would be ready later that evening. Suddenly Nephi began yelling and bolted out the door. I hastily offered our apologies to Laban and ran after our brother who began screaming about men trying to kill him. We caught up with him in a cave and found him lying on the ground with a large spider on his back. It was the biggest, nastiest looking spider I had ever seen. I was certain it was poisonous and Lemuel and I picked up a couple of scrolls and started wacking the spider to kill it.
Nephi went nuts and accused us of trying to hurt him. He was completely out of control of his faculties and just curled up in a little ball on the floor. So here we were with our brother in a completely useless state with our task only half completed and three days journey from home. I was desperate and formulated a plan that as you will probably agree was not a good idea especially when the long term ramifications are observed.
I told Sam to run out to our stuff and get on his white dress robes that he wore to special occasions. Then Lemuel and I got some really bright torches we had purchased with a special pitch to allow for brighter burning. So same came into the room, we lit the torches, and before he had said a word Nephi perked right up and started talking to “his angel”. These new torches were extremely hot so we dropped them and leaned back, shielding our eyes from their brightness. Nephi talked on and on in what appeared to be a one way conversation with “Sam the Angel”.
Soon the torches burned out and when our eyes were re-adjusted to the dark we could tell that Nephi was in much better spirits. He seemed much more alert than he had ever been and insisted that he go back alone and make things right with cousin Laban and bring back the bible. He had tears in his eyes and I felt very bad for him so I reluctantly agreed to allow him to go as long as he went strait to Laban’s and strait back. I also insisted that he apologize to Laban for his rude behavior earlier.
So we waited outside the gates of the city for Nephi’s return. The next thing I know I see two guys coming out of the city and neither one looks like Nephi. We start running worried about the bandits that sometimes roam the city at night. Then I hear Nephi’s voice calling me and realize it is him wearing some strange clothes. With him, is a very terrified looking Zoram, the servant of Laban! To make matters worse, Nephi had blood on his new clothes.
I asked him what the heck had happened! He told us how he went into the city, found Laban asleep and killed him! A cold chill went down my spine. How could I have been so stupid. Now our brother had killed a man and would certainly be wanted by the authorities! The thought of poor, delusional Nephi going through a trial and possibly prison or execution was just too much especially considering the punitive system of justice in place in Jerusalem.
I tried explaining the situation to Nephi but he kept babbling about angels and messages. He was obviously having an episode and it was all my fault! To compound matters, he had taken a hostage and leaving him behind would mean poor Nephi being found out. I had to protect my brother!
Nephi was really not taking this very seriously and thought he could just swear Zoram to secrecy. Poor naïve Nephi. So we did the only thing we could do. We left and took Zoram with us. We knew we could not return due to the criminal investigation. We had been seen with Laban the previous couple of days and now he was dead and we had left the country. At least Nephi had gotten the family bible. So we began the return journey with Nephi continuing to babble along the way about visions and angels. What have I done?
The Book of Laman
Chapter 1
Day 1 500 BC
I Laman, the son of Lehi, do endeavor to give an account of the business dealings of our family in Jerusalem and later in the new world.
My father Lehi being a wise man and a good merchant had been observing the geopolitical situation in Jerusalem and had determined to relocate the business. After several speeches to members of the chamber of commerce, he along with my mother Sariah, my sisters, and my younger brothers Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi met as the board of directors and determined to relocate our business dealings to a more business friendly environment that had the natural resources to support our enterprise.
My brother Lemuel and I had been actively engaged in the business for some time and had been teaching our younger brother Sam the ropes of the business. As minority stock holders and members of the board we endeavored to make the case that with some re-branding and a new marketing initiative aimed towards the potential clientele the changing political situation might offer, that we could indeed weather the storm and come out ahead. Our youngest brother Nephi would hear nothing of our suggestions and immediately made a motion to accept our father Lehi’s relocation plan. The motion was seconded by our brother Sam who was thrilled with the idea of the new adventure. Our father Lehi, owning the majority of shares in the company, easily won the proxy fight that ensued and thus the decision was made. Nephi had been particularly troublesome at the shareholders meeting before the vote and accused my brother and me of murmuring and other unseemly behavior.
We had great concern over our youngest brother, Nephi, who had been suffering for some time from severe depression and mental illness. Relocating our business necessitated a long journey into the wilderness to look for a suitable location. Being the pragmatist and worried about Nephi’s condition as well as the advancing years of my parents did endeavor to suggest an alternative course of action but Nephi was so very excited at the prospect of leaving his home that I worried about his decision making capacity. To make matters worse, my father worrying about Nephi not doing well on the trip, had indicated to him that he would be able to make some important decisions in regards to our travels. This only seemed to make our poor younger brother even more eager to get going.
I tried telling Nephi that we needed to be realistic about how difficult it would be to relocate and that he should be prepared for the inevitable hardships we would encounter. He was such a tender hearted little fella that I just didn’t have the heart to keep making him face reality so we took our journey into the wilderness without further discussion of the hardships.
We took only the essential items we would need for exploring and starting our new business venture leaving many items behind that we could not use including our gold, silver, and fine linens that would have been difficult to carry and would not have been much use in setting up the business in the rugged environment we were traveling to. This was not an easy decision as much of the family was accustomed to the finer things in life but I knew that it would be an even more difficult journey taking these things along.
Day 2
We had been traveling in the wilderness for a little time and came to the land around the Red Sea. While sparsely populated, my brother Lemuel and I immediately saw the potential for international trade here by setting up a seaport. Nephi immediately shot down the idea. My father Lehi, worried about Nephi’s fragile mental state, told us to back off. Privately, he told us that Nephi really needed some wins to help boost his self esteem. So with some feelings of dissatisfaction we continued on another day.
Day 3
We stopped by a river today and our father made a table out of stones. We were all very impressed with his workmanship. Nephi was feeling a bit down so our father came up with a great way to boost his and everyone else’s spirits. He decided to name some of the geographic features in the area after us. Being the oldest, he naturally started with me naming the river Laman. Well Nephi broke down and started accusing father of not loving him as much as the rest of us. So to humor him, father made up a pretty lame reason for calling the river Laman and not Nephi. I love my parents but sometimes their parenting methods have me baffled.
They obviously understood Nephi though and soon he was happy again. Shortly after some stern words to Lemuel and I for not being more sensitive to Nephi’s condition, my father being tired returned to his tent and we were left to get everything else set up in camp.
That night we hear a lot of crying coming from Nephi’s tent. One minute he seemed to be talking to someone and the next sobbing uncontrollably. The next morning though, he seemed to be much worse. He started talking nonsense and it seemed to us that he had been having a real breakdown and I assumed that he had not taken his medications.
He went on and on about how he was going to be a great ruler, that our children would be cursed, and other things that I am embarrassed to write down for the poor lad’s sake. So we went and had breakfast after that and then Nephi went into our father’s tent for what we hoped was some fatherly advice to get Nephi back into reality.
Day 4
So Nephi went into the tent for a few minutes and came out and told us we are going back to Jerusalem. Lemuel and I were in shock and wanted to know why. Seems that mom and dad had left behind the family bible which had the important family records including births, deaths, and marriages. I was a little upset that something as important as this could be left behind as was my brother Lemuel. Nephi had recently been put in charge of record keeping at a meeting with my father and should have thought of this sooner. The records had been loaned to a cousin named Laban who was a very important man in Jerusalem. But to make matters worse, dad thought it would help out Nephi if we told him he was in charge and then played along. His self esteem was so low that in the off chance this strategy might help him, it was worth it.
So we began our journey three days back to Jerusalem to cousin Laban’s house. When we were on the outskirts of the city, for some reason, Nephi took out his set of Lots he had picked up on a weekend trip to Jerusalem. I personally did not approve of Lots as I considered their use a form of gambling. He played with them for a minute and said that I was the one to go to see Laban. This was odd because we had already decided that since I was the oldest and had known cousin Laban longer, that I should be the one to go there.
So we all went into the city and I left the rest of my brothers, Sam and Lemuel, to watch after Nephi in the market area. I went to Laban’s house and was received most warmly. After a few minutes of chit chat I broached the subject of the family Bible. Laban immediately remembered the bible and said I could have it. He indicated that he couldn’t exactly remember where he had left it in his house but that he would have his servant find it for us.
Remembering that cousin Laban had been in some financial trouble as of late, I offered to bring him some of our treasure that we had left at home as we were probably not coming back anytime soon and felt obligated to help out a family member. Laban refused but after some persuasion said that he would be willing to take it as long as he could invest part of it and donate the rest to a local charity on our behalf.
As my father had given me a durable power of attorney to make such a decision on his behalf, I accepted Laban’s offer and told him I would return with the treasure and pick up the bible then. We shook hands and parted.
When I got back to my brothers in the market, Nephi started running and screaming that I was being chased. Afraid we would lose him and that he might injure himself, we ran after him. We caught up to him and got him settled down and I told everyone what the plan was. We went to our house and picked up our gold, silver, and precious things to give to Laban.
Day 5
Today we took our treasure to Laban for him to invest and donate to the poor. He was very excited to see so much treasure and suggested setting up some sort of endowment to offer scholarships to less fortunate children in the city. We thought it was a wonderful idea. Nephi, though, seemed distracted and started acting oddly.
Laban told us that he had found the bible but had not expected us so soon. He had sent it into town with his man servant Zoram for cleaning and repairs. He was certain that it would be ready later that evening. Suddenly Nephi began yelling and bolted out the door. I hastily offered our apologies to Laban and ran after our brother who began screaming about men trying to kill him. We caught up with him in a cave and found him lying on the ground with a large spider on his back. It was the biggest, nastiest looking spider I had ever seen. I was certain it was poisonous and Lemuel and I picked up a couple of scrolls and started wacking the spider to kill it.
Nephi went nuts and accused us of trying to hurt him. He was completely out of control of his faculties and just curled up in a little ball on the floor. So here we were with our brother in a completely useless state with our task only half completed and three days journey from home. I was desperate and formulated a plan that as you will probably agree was not a good idea especially when the long term ramifications are observed.
I told Sam to run out to our stuff and get on his white dress robes that he wore to special occasions. Then Lemuel and I got some really bright torches we had purchased with a special pitch to allow for brighter burning. So same came into the room, we lit the torches, and before he had said a word Nephi perked right up and started talking to “his angel”. These new torches were extremely hot so we dropped them and leaned back, shielding our eyes from their brightness. Nephi talked on and on in what appeared to be a one way conversation with “Sam the Angel”.
Soon the torches burned out and when our eyes were re-adjusted to the dark we could tell that Nephi was in much better spirits. He seemed much more alert than he had ever been and insisted that he go back alone and make things right with cousin Laban and bring back the bible. He had tears in his eyes and I felt very bad for him so I reluctantly agreed to allow him to go as long as he went strait to Laban’s and strait back. I also insisted that he apologize to Laban for his rude behavior earlier.
So we waited outside the gates of the city for Nephi’s return. The next thing I know I see two guys coming out of the city and neither one looks like Nephi. We start running worried about the bandits that sometimes roam the city at night. Then I hear Nephi’s voice calling me and realize it is him wearing some strange clothes. With him, is a very terrified looking Zoram, the servant of Laban! To make matters worse, Nephi had blood on his new clothes.
I asked him what the heck had happened! He told us how he went into the city, found Laban asleep and killed him! A cold chill went down my spine. How could I have been so stupid. Now our brother had killed a man and would certainly be wanted by the authorities! The thought of poor, delusional Nephi going through a trial and possibly prison or execution was just too much especially considering the punitive system of justice in place in Jerusalem.
I tried explaining the situation to Nephi but he kept babbling about angels and messages. He was obviously having an episode and it was all my fault! To compound matters, he had taken a hostage and leaving him behind would mean poor Nephi being found out. I had to protect my brother!
Nephi was really not taking this very seriously and thought he could just swear Zoram to secrecy. Poor naïve Nephi. So we did the only thing we could do. We left and took Zoram with us. We knew we could not return due to the criminal investigation. We had been seen with Laban the previous couple of days and now he was dead and we had left the country. At least Nephi had gotten the family bible. So we began the return journey with Nephi continuing to babble along the way about visions and angels. What have I done?
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
If There Is Anything Virtuous.....
I've never been big into the Christian rock or hip hop scene. Some of the offerings are pretty lame much like the LDS music scene. I tend to stick with my Michael Mclean, Lex de Azevedo, and Janice Kapp Perry. The Christian music scene also wears on me when a song uses the name of Deity so often that it loses it's sacredness. Sometimes the music itself overpowers the lyrics that any uplifting message is lost which I sometimes wonder if it is not intentionally done that way.
Recently though I was listening to the radio and came across a hip hop style song with a catchy chorus that just kept playing over and over in my head. I heard it some time later and was hooked. The song is by a Christian artist named tobyMac and is entitled: "Lose My Soul".
Basically the song is based on two scriptures from the new testament.
Matt. 16: 26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
and
Mark 8: 36
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
The song talks about the enormous pressures that a pop culture figure undergoes (what we all often undergo) and the challenge not to lose his soul in the process. You can listen to it with the lyrics at Youtube:
It is tremendously difficult in the modern world to find success without losing the best part of ourselves in the process. This really came to mind today as I talked with a customer who was having some difficult times and how he had been advised by someone he knew that to be more successful he would have to become a jerk. Something both he and I disagreed with. My customer mentioned that it was better in his mind to be able to look the almighty in the eye at the end of this life with a clean conscience,
In watching the historic inauguration yesterday I was also reminded how easy it can be to gain the whole world, whether it be riches, fame, power, titles, or position, and lose one's soul. How easy it can be to compromise one's values and principles for a little worldly gain. Heck! Isn't that the exact definition of a hedge fund manager these days!?!
This can be especially challenging for the upcoming generation as they see so many in power and in stardom living worldly lives. They seem to be so happy. People almost (and in some cases actually do) worship them. Their pictures are on the cover of magazines and they have more wealth than most of us could spend in an entire lifetime.
But true happiness is only to be found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The happiness that accompanies fame and fortune is often fleeting. Those caught up in the lights of the paparazzi often turn to drugs, alcohol, and risky behavior in a vain attempt to find some momentary happiness only to sink deeper and deeper into despair. How many of society's most popular have succumbed to early tragic deaths or become slaves to addiction. This is not freedom but bondage.
No amount of wordly success and popularity can gain us true and lasting happiness if we must give into sin to attain it. We will find that our soul will be lost and subject to the arrows of the adversary. If we hold true to the gospel we can attain success in this life and exaltation in the life to come.
Recently though I was listening to the radio and came across a hip hop style song with a catchy chorus that just kept playing over and over in my head. I heard it some time later and was hooked. The song is by a Christian artist named tobyMac and is entitled: "Lose My Soul".
Basically the song is based on two scriptures from the new testament.
Matt. 16: 26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
and
Mark 8: 36
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
The song talks about the enormous pressures that a pop culture figure undergoes (what we all often undergo) and the challenge not to lose his soul in the process. You can listen to it with the lyrics at Youtube:
It is tremendously difficult in the modern world to find success without losing the best part of ourselves in the process. This really came to mind today as I talked with a customer who was having some difficult times and how he had been advised by someone he knew that to be more successful he would have to become a jerk. Something both he and I disagreed with. My customer mentioned that it was better in his mind to be able to look the almighty in the eye at the end of this life with a clean conscience,
In watching the historic inauguration yesterday I was also reminded how easy it can be to gain the whole world, whether it be riches, fame, power, titles, or position, and lose one's soul. How easy it can be to compromise one's values and principles for a little worldly gain. Heck! Isn't that the exact definition of a hedge fund manager these days!?!
This can be especially challenging for the upcoming generation as they see so many in power and in stardom living worldly lives. They seem to be so happy. People almost (and in some cases actually do) worship them. Their pictures are on the cover of magazines and they have more wealth than most of us could spend in an entire lifetime.
But true happiness is only to be found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The happiness that accompanies fame and fortune is often fleeting. Those caught up in the lights of the paparazzi often turn to drugs, alcohol, and risky behavior in a vain attempt to find some momentary happiness only to sink deeper and deeper into despair. How many of society's most popular have succumbed to early tragic deaths or become slaves to addiction. This is not freedom but bondage.
No amount of wordly success and popularity can gain us true and lasting happiness if we must give into sin to attain it. We will find that our soul will be lost and subject to the arrows of the adversary. If we hold true to the gospel we can attain success in this life and exaltation in the life to come.
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