My Mormon Third Eye: I See… BYU Football and Keeping Covenants

Sunday, October 5, 2008

I See… BYU Football and Keeping Covenants

Tradition Spirit Honor

These are three words that BYU football has used to successfully inspire the team and its fans to new heights of excellence. Currently, they enjoy the longest winning streak in college football.

Can one be an avid BYU Football Fan and be diligent at keeping sacred covenants? The real question should be, how can one be an avid BYU Football Fan and not be diligent?

Following this wildly successful formula, there are also three words that can inspire members of the church to keep the covenants they have made.:

Integrity Remember Example

Integrity- Loren C. Dunn, who was a general authority of the church that sponsors the university with a football team boasting the longest current winning streak, noted that “Integrity is the ability to carry out a decision long after the moment of making it is gone.”

Remember- Spencer W. Kimball, was the prophet and president of the church that sponsors the university with a football team boasting the longest current winning streak, taught that “When you look in the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is? It could be “remember.” Because all of [us] have made covenants … our greatest need is to remember. That is why everyone goes to sacrament meeting every Sabbath day- to taking the sacrament and listen to the priests pray that [we] may always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given [us] Remember is the word.”

Example- In the Book of Mormon, regarded as the word of God by the church that sponsors the university with a football team boasting the longest current winning streak, converted Lamanite fathers set the ultimate example of covenant keeping for their 2,000 stripling warrior sons by being willing to die by the sword rather than break the covenant they made to ‘stain our swords no more with the blood of our brethren.”

The parallels are obvious. Pursuing tradition, spirit, and honor in playing and supporting BYU football can lead to integrity in remembering the examples of the faithful that inspire us to keep sacred covenants.

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The Mormon Third Eye Quote of the Week

"As men of the priesthood, we have an essential role to play in society, at home, and in the Church. But we must be men that women can trust, that children can trust, and that God can trust. In the Church and kingdom of God in these latter days, we cannot afford to have boys and men who are drifting. We cannot afford young men who lack self-discipline and live only to be entertained. We cannot afford young adult men who are going nowhere in life, who are not serious about forming families and making a real contribution in this world. We cannot afford husbands and fathers who fail to provide spiritual leadership in the home."

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Priesthood Session Conference, October 2012

Why My Mormon Third Eye?

When I politely excused myself in the middle of dinner to make a bathroom stop, how did Mom know that I had uneaten peas in my pocket to flush down the toilet? When I came home late from a youth dance and slid quietly into bed to avoid waking parental units, how did Dad know, without looking at the car, that I smashed in the front bumper? When I watch my daughter play a video game, how do I know that she's not ready for her Geometry final?

Its the Third Eye. The notorious eye in the back of the head, the extra view of life that God blesses parents striving to do the right thing so they can see more of life than the children they chase after.

Our third eye also permits us to see things and feel emotions that are too refined, too far on the edge of our standard two-eyed peripheral vision to enjoy in its fullness. I've learned that I have a Mormon Third Eye; that is, as a life-long, fully-dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have unique perspective on how the doctrines of the gospel and the demands of my faith in them intersect every other part of my mortal existence to create the entertaining, self-deprecating kaleidoscope of my life.

So... for those of you bold and bored enough to read this far, every so often I'll be sharing here what my Mormon third eye sees. Third eyes are relatively huge; they see the humorous, the entertaining, the embarrassing, the beautiful, the inspirational, and even the moral and political; however, they tend to ignore the evil, depressing and destructive: there is enough of that in world already!

The Four Secrets to Successful Living

Always Go Where There is Free Food - This includes ward and work parties, wedding receptions and missionary open houses; the money you spend to buy the ingredients for the world-famous triple chocolate cake you bring doesn’t count.
Never Pay Full Price for Anything – See my posts on Black Friday escapades for more information on this.
Never, Ever Press the Red Button - Usually, if you are faced with a red button somewhere, don’t press it – it usually means trouble. For example, the red button launches the missiles. Do yourself a favor and don’t press it.
Any Problem You Face Can Be Solved With Bungee Cords and Duct Tape - Bungee cord and duct tape technology has saved many marriages and ward parties. I’m not just talking about problems with plumbing or keeping groceries from bouncing around the trunk; I know of relationship and family issues that have been solved with creative applications of these two substances.