Three Questions

    Last week's field trip to BYU, UVU and the U really enriched my experience. Each university has their distinguishing features; they are unique, and fascinating. As an international student, these three top-ranking universities in Utah expanded my knowledge about university. My first impression was they have a great balance between academics and extracurricular activities. They weren't the university I visited before----either academic-focus school or party school. They provide a better campus life and therefore provide greater possibilities in the future. With this regard, I can draw up a clear plan for my life.

    There are three crucial questions to one's life, which are all relevant to the maxim engraved on the stele in the site of Delphi----Know yourself. I wouldn't necessarily relate them to the experience last week, because their answers are too essential to ascribe as the simple reflation from a short week, no matter how significant it is. They are life-long questions to contemplate.

1. Who am I?

If not pursuing for metaphysical answer, the answers could be variable. I can describe myself using all of my attributes----my name, my nationality, my personalities, my hobbies and even my achievements----but all these are impermanent and evanescent. They are changeable, and as they change, the identity that used to describe me lost its validity. I'm just me. This seems like a prevaricated answer, but this is the most precise and accurate answer language can express. The truth, many times, is plain and simple, exposes in the closest place every time, but people always intentionally ignore it. If I have to characterize myself, the only thing I can say is I constantly keep the awareness to obsession from egocentrism, which is the cause of all agony. We obsessed by many things, the things we used to own, the things we own and the things we haven't yet own. From money, power, to our identity, ideology. Both the shallowest and we so called "noblest" thing can obsess us. But there natural evanescence contradict to our will to possess it forever; when this contradiction occurs, we anguish.

I tried as best as I can to transcend this obsession, therefore I'm no one, I'm just myself.

2. What was I born for?

Unlike the majority, I didn't believe one has been predestinated a mission before he was born. Men are like orphans abandoned in the wilderness, perplexed panic, and terrified. The gravity of tracing origin constantly motivate us to ask the question of "where am I from" and "where would I go". Different people can have different answer by appeal to different approach. I asked this question and ended up fruitlessly, therefore I simply attributed to "I born to live". I understand people tend to endow deeper meaning to life to make the existence more valuable. I've seen an introduction of a documentary, it asked the same question----"What is the ultimate goal of your life? For only one in ten million people, that answer is, 'Enlightenment'." Despite my failure in seeking the meaning of life, my nature still strive me to obtain a satisfactory answer. If enlightenment is the approach, I will proceed without hesitation. So my answer to this question is, "to understand what was I born for".

3. What can stop me?

After written the ethereal things above, finally there is some tangible things to talk about. As a mortal human, I'm week and limited. I've been defeated by many things, even the slightest difficulty, and I'm certain that I will still be defeated times and times, but they never stop me to explore. Throughout all, the most difficult obstacle for me to handle is a restrained environment. I lived in a over-pressured, restrained and single-valued society in China. I felt meaningless to pursue what the majority called "mainstream". I felt tired that my behavior, my aspiration and my life have to be dictated by others and constrained by environment. Notwithstanding I'm not what so called "full of potentials", but I merely deserve my own happiness. Under that kind of environment, I felt I was withering gradually, transforming from a creature to a machine, and rusting from time to time. So I seek for change, I came to study abroad. As I visited the three Universities last week, I felt an intense feeling of this would be the life I expect, at least for some period. Because of this, I started to have a clear and specific image about my goal----to live naturally and unrestrainedly.

                                          
                                          
                                                

Do As Much As You Can

Once one receive the true gospel of God, she/he is been blessed and also bear the responsibility to spread it to more people. Fortunately we have the privilege to access to the gospel, it's the ultimate truth to help us prefect and progress ourselves, but shouldn't we also make more people to receive it and make them realize they are one of sons and daughters of the beneficent God. We lived in a age of informational exposure, the easier access to media  brings much benefit for us to spread the gospel. One's ability is limited, but to do as much as he/she can is the only thing God wants us to do. We all are the factors of God's plan, and we should fulfill his plan. As for me, I'm interesting in internet, and was experienced in the new media. I would use blog, Twitter and Facebook to make as much people as I can to access to the true gospel. Additionally I wouldn't abandon the "old fashions", I will certainly talk and inform to who I meet about the knowledge of gospel. I believe no matter how slight each individuals contribution is, but together it will become an overwhelming stream and impact the world profoundly.    

Spread the Gospel

 "You have a great opportunity to be a powerful force for good in the Church and in the world."
It is our privilege to access to the restored gospel, and in the mean time we have the responsibility to spread it to others. Everyone have the potentials to influence others, to pay our effort to do as much as we can is the only thing what God would pleased to see us to do. With modern technologies it is easier to use the media, and through than we can accelerate the plan of God, by spreading his gospel. It's not only a blessing for the one who receive the gospel, but also a blessing for the one who spread the gospel. The spirit would have and extraordinary influence on you when you're fulfilling God's plan. And so those of them who can access to the gospel and understand the true meaning of the gospel should dedicate their lives to spread it.

"In many cases it is with words that you will accomplish the great things that you set out to do."
Take a wide view of human history and you will fine out that the most influential things is not war, money or power, it's words. The Holy Bible influenced generations of men and is still influencing. For those of them who is spreading the true gospel of the Church, the art of words is the best instrument for conveying the gospel, therefore one should master the skill of language. Let the words be your instrument to fulfill God's plan.

My Perfect Day

Milan Kundera said:"To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace."
On the way back home with my Alaska Malamute, the sun was gradually sinking down to the horizon line. The side walk, the bush, the phoenix tree, everything were plated with the grace of the tender sun. I didn't have a satisfactory day, or to be honest, it was terrible. My dog, chuck, seemed to sense my mood, wasn't as energetic and rebellious as usual. He walk aside me, occasionally sniffed here and there, but subsequently lost his interest. Some cars went by, resulted in the sound when it dashed the air. I lower my head, gazing at the walk road and thinking a solution for my trouble. Suddenly I felt a strong shove from the dog leash, I tottered and felt the leash was break loose from me. I realized chuck was running away off me, he was heading to the south hill. I followed after him, he ran much faster them me and finally he stopped on the top of the hill and sat down on the grass facing the sun set. He turn his head back to me and barked. I understand his intention, to sit down and wait for the sun set. I walked forth and sat down beside him. It was so sedate and the only sound can hear is from the soft wind. The sun was half below the horizon line, I imagined scene behind us was getting dark, but gladly there is still a glorious sun offering his illumination. I can't sense the time flow, when I realized the sun were already completely set, the dusk came. Somehow I suddenly understand something, and the trouble haunted in my mind was no longer bothering me. Chuck went up, dragging the leash and urge me to leave.