Perspective On a vacation that Julie and I took this fall we had the opportunity to visit a few cities around the Mediterranean Sea. They included Barcelona, Rome, Santorini, The Amalfi Coast, Ephesus and the ancient city of Athens.

Over the past few years I have become very acquainted with my camera and find that I enjoy trying to capture in the lens what I can see with my eye. This process is often very hard to do, to get "the shot" and have it framed the way that you want. Not only is it a process to frame the shot; but you have to account for where the light is coming from how much and what kind of light there is, and what kind of shadows are being cast.

The subject of light is an entire discussion in itself. Taking pictures in these ancient cities - and trying to frame the image was made more difficult by the number of people that were around and all over everything.

In addition to the people most every site was under construction. Whoever said Rome was not built in a day was right - from the number of cranes around almost every ancient building - it is obvious it has still not been completed. This is where the problem presented itself.

I wanted to capture some great images of these ancient structures, I wanted to show them the way that they were and had stood for thousands of years; in some cases thousands of years before the birth of Christ. However; as I looked through the lens I would most often see a person right in the focal point, a a big group of people, a crane, scaffolding, a cement mixer and other construction equipment that was very prominent in the shot. So in an effort to try and hide as much of this equipment as possible I had to often change my perspective - to move, and to continue to move to a position where I could block out as much of the un-wanted equipment as possible. Trying to get -"the Shot" was almost impossible at times.

Extra thought had to go into each shot in order to both frame the shot and then get a perspective with little or no construction equipment. I gave up early on with the idea that there would be no other people in the shot; as I soon realized; that was not going to happen.

Now; I had brought along with me a tripod in order to take a better picture. The purpose of a tripod is to hold the camera steady and maintain the same perspective more than is possible holding the camera with just your hands. After some time I noticed that as I set up the tripod and started to take pictures from a chosen perspective that I would soon have a small group behind me. They were trying to look through my view finder to see what I was shooting and then would try to mimic what I had selected to shoot. It was as if I had some hidden knowledge of where, what and how to shoot - simply because I had a tripod. This continued to happen over and over again all week long as we travel through Europe.

so then I decided to have a little fun with this ( I think you will notice a trend before I am done today). With a small group behind me one time I decided to really tilt the camera on a weird angle and take a couple of shots then, take a step back and look like I was reviewing the shot. What I was really doing was trying to see out of the corner of my eye to see what the group behind me would do.

Well sure enough they had all tilted their cameras to the weird angle and began to take pictures. Not sure what they thought - I wish I could have read their minds! They had seen the perspective from which I viewed thing and had assumed that because 1) I had a nice camera and lens, and 2) had a tripod that I had some higher knowledge. They had left the thinking to me, they were willing to follow without further investigation. They choose to set their perspective to be in line with mine. Then I got thinking, how often do we leave our perspective on life, our view of things to someone else? It is obvious that our political perspectives of what is right or wrong for this great nation is altered by where we stand with the left or the right! Our moral perspectives are always influenced by what we choose to read and watch, and were we go.

We often allow our views to be framed by those who know less about making the right choice than we do. Yet we choose to blindly follow. Even how we view our sports can be effected by where we sit. Shortly after returning from my vacation I had the opportunity to go watch my team - the Cougars play football.

It was a fantastic fall evening against at that time a top rated school. The emotion was very high in the stadium - it was a great game; partly I suppose because the cougars won big. My mind was still contemplating the experiences of my recent trip; and this idea of perspective and how it is so important continued to mull over in my mind. I noticed that during the football game that a couple of times a portion of the stands would be more upset over a call than others.

Now mind you this was not every time as some times the entire stadium was not happy over a call, whereas on the other hand a portion of the fans were upset while another portion would just sit there in either disbelief, or discouraged by a mistake made by their team. On those occasions sections of fans did not seem to refute the calling on the field; they knew from their view it was a good call, while others thought the call in error.

Why? Again it was their perspective - what was obvious to one group is not to another. It depends on their perspective, it depends on where they stand. Referees and umpires all have assigned places in which to monitor the game with the idea that at least one will see what really happened. When one of them gets out of place as they often do they fail to make the call correctly. They have lost the correct perspective in which they were assigned to view the game and now their judgment is subject to error.

This happens often enough that many sports have gone to instant replay in order to try to ensure that the play can be reviewed from several perspectives in an effort to make the correct call. This is done so that a team is not penalized for the mistake of a referee that is not standing where he should be, one who's perspective on the game is not right.

It is not a perfect system; but it is better than punishing a team for the mistakes of a referee who failed to be in the proper place, the place to which they were assigned. And so it is in the game of life - it matters where we choose to sit or stand, how the shot is framed, the correctness of the call.

By where we choose to stand we alone can determine the action whether true or foul. By where we stand we too can determine the composition of the shot - what is included and what is left out.

We alone can choose to stand with the Lord, on the lords side. When we do we begin to see things through the lens of the Lords camera. We will see things from the Lord's perspective as they really are, our view changes to the eternal perspective. In this life we get to choose - it's called agency; and where we stand determines our views, our angle toward life - whether earthly or eternal.

A short story: On a business trip a few years back when Brother Green and I used to work for Apple Computer and traveled quite a bit. One evening we found ourselves on an airplane returning from a meeting in San Antonio. The flight was one of those rare flights when there were very few people on the plane - maybe 20 people were on the entire plan. We had just enjoyed the meal - something you very rarely get on flights these days.

With the meal serving completed the stewardess had all gathered to the front of the plane. They were having a good time an pretty much unaware what was going on it the rest of the plane - they were having their own private party. It was about this time that Robert (Brother Green) got up to go use the bathroom.

so I am sitting there - a little bored I guess from meetings all day long and being coupled up in a plane for another hour or so, and then I said to myself - Self - Let's go see if we can have some fun. I have learned that you should never waste an opportunity to enjoy life, so I got up and went to the back of the plane to explore the possibilities.

I looked over the situation and then it hit me - I could take the strap from the stewardesses jump seat and wrap it around the bathroom door knob, and see if I could lock Robert in the bathroom. Well I did just that - took the strap, pulled it away from the jump seat as far as it would go and then wrapped it a couple of times around the door knob. I don't know how much attention you have paid to a airplane door knob but they are designed with a shape that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom - the design was ideal for the purpose - of locking Robert in the bathroom.

It looked like it would work and that the harder he pushed against the door to open it; the tighter the belt would collapse around the knob. The plan was ingenious, and so I returned to my seat. Once I was back in my seat I sat back and waited to see how well my little plan worked. If I had succeeded in locking Robert in the bathroom.

A few minutes went by and I kept glancing back to see. Then; I saw the door open, but it was no more than just a crack. I could see that Robert was back there leaning his shoulder into the door trying to jar it open, but the best he could do was open it about 1 inch. I thought this is pretty cool - it worked.

The harder he pushed the the tighter the bands of the seat belt would become around the door knob. From my perspective I could see one little finger reaching out of the tiny slot making a come here motion, well needless to say I was laughing pretty hard at this point.

From Brother Green's perspective I suppose it was much different. From his perspective he had no idea why the door would not open; from his perspective he was trapped and there was not a thing he could do on his own to get out. I left him there for a few minutes to see how he was going to get out of this situation. It was a leadership experiment to see how he handled problems - ok that's what I told myself so that I could enjoy the moment.

Today; I just realized that I suppose that I never asked for his forgiveness so I am sorry Robert, will you forgive me? Well a few minutes passed and older gentleman got up and walked to the back of the plane to use the restroom. Once at the back he noticed the plight that Robert had found himself in. He un-wrapped the strap around the door, opened the door and Robert returned to his seat. I have to admit that at this point I was laughing so hard that I was crying.

I had to think quickly so when Robert returned he did not know that it was me, so I opened the wall street journal and sat calmly behind the widespread paper, trying to hide my face. Now; Brother Green was sitting in the aisle across from me and one row up, and next to him was a fellow apple employee.

Then Brother Green begins to tell the other employee what has happened to him, just how dangerous it is that such a thing can happen accidentally, and so on. About how he needs to tell someone so that this cannot ever happen to anyone again, as it is pretty scary, and what would he have done if the old man had not happened by.

Well needless to say I am busting a gut, so badly that my eyes have tears as I listen to the story. Then he hears me as I keep trying to hold back the emotions. Only to say Sargent I will get you back. Now Brother Greens story is not unlike ours. sometimes our perspective is such that we cannot see the whole picture. We only have a small glimpse, a small crack so as to speak. This is nothing new; it is just the way that life is.

We cannot see or comprehend every thing that is going on around us. We are so focused on just trying to push the door open that we fail to understand that there may be a reason, why we are trapped, and so we just push harder and harder, never asking for the help that is so willingly available to get us out of the mess we have gotten ourselves in.

There are those who from the outside can remove the burden, the cords so to speak that bind us, that keep us locked up barring our progression. At these times we need to change our perspective, we need to ask for help from those who's perspective is such that they can effect change for us.

so it was many years ago for a man named Saul. That same Saul that walked the streets of Ephesus that I walked this fall. You see; Saul's perspective was that he hated Christ, and anyone who would follow him. As a matter of fact it was on the road to Damascus that his perspective was changed from one of the world to one of a more eternal nature. Saul had set out on the road to Damascus with with a letter from the high priest of the temple in Jerusalem giving him authority to arrest any who followed Christ. So intent was he on opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 9:26) that in raging fury, he breathed threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. Here was a man who hated Christ and everyone or thing associated with Him.

He had at his disposal a troop of foot soldiers there to obey his every command in an effort to destroy Christianity. The high priest of the Jerusalem Temple - Caiphas, had found in Saul, the perfect instrument to destroy everything Christian: he knew Saul to be a resolute man, well-educated, seething with zeal, and so he gave Saul a packet of official letters, waxed and imprinted with the seal of the high priest, and addressed to all the synagogues to the north. Saul was now authorized with all the clout needed to wipe out Christianity.

Saul had promised that he would bring back, bound and captive, every Christian that he found. But for many days and nights he rode without finding a single follower of Christ. Nothing for him to write home about until he approached the city called Damascus. As the well-tended green gardens of the ancient city came into view SaulŐs perspective was about to abruptly change.

Now - If I may take a few liberties to bring home a point; here is how that night played out in my mind to Saul. Saul, covered with dust, his throat dry, from the trail he was anticipating something warm to eat and a good night's sleep in an inn under the roofed bazaar on the "Street That Is Called Straight." Saul at the border of the town was not more than half a mile away when his horse grew restless, and Saul himself had an uneasy feeling.

Everything he could see, hear and feel around him was under going a change. The breeze had turned into a chilling wind blowing right at him, a blinding light had pierced his sight as it came down from the heavens, and he could hear the roar of great waters in his ears. Saul clutched at the reins but his shaking hands could hardly hold them. He tried to push with his heels against the stirrups to encourage his horse to go, but his ankles quaked and all power had gone out of his legs. With a great gasp he realized he had no strength to help himself. He fell to the ground and lay there helpless.

Then the roaring sound ceased and he heard a voice in a compassionate and assuring way say "Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute Me?" Groaning, but daring not to lift his face from the earth, Saul replied: "Lord, who are you?" And the answer came in a firm and loving tone: "I am Jesus, whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the goad." There was not a correct answer to that question that Saul could provide. Saul knew what the words meant, especially in relation to himself.

He knew a goad was a long sharp stick about nine feet in length, used for poking at cattle. Cattle have a tendency to kick when prodded so using a long stick kept the herdsman from getting kicked. Saul sensed that he was helpless now, he could kick all he wanted but the pocking and prodding would only continue until he followed the command of the master.

Trembling and astonished, Saul uttered the words of his immediate, instantaneous surrender: "Lord, what will You have me to do?" Then voice of the Lord replied to the man lying face down in the dust: "Arise and go into the city and there it shall be told you what you must do." And the Voice seemed to pale away in the wind. Saul raised his head, drew himself together, and sat up.

His foot soldiers stood, amazed and troubled, in a circle surrounding him. They, too, had heard the voice; and yet they had seen no man except Saul, their captain. They stood in silence; it was like they had been cast into a spell.

Then as two of them took to lift Saul by his armpits and raise him to his feet, they noticed from Saul's groping hands - that Saul was blind. But Saul knew he had seen Jesus The Christ - now his perspective was different. In that one blinding moment Saul became a different man, his perspective changed. In that instant he went from a hunter of Christians, to humble hunter of the truths found in the gospel of Christ. He had seen God. And trembling he responded with the phrase: "Lord, what would You have me to do?" Saul let his soldiers lead him slowly toward the open gate of Damascus.

Strangely, he felt no humiliation in being blind, helpless in the hands of underlings. He was going into the city, as he was commanded by the Lord, and to wait to be told what to do next. So it was that for three days he waited, and waited, and waited in the house of a Christian named of Judas. While he's was not the betrayer of Jesus, he did bear the same name.

This Judas dismissed his fears and acted with charity. Knowing full well that Saul was a Christians' worst enemy, and that even though Saul had been involved in some accident outside the city gate, Judas was not so gullible as to hope that kindness would appease Saul. He knew that to Saul and his men that mercy was a sign of weakness. Judas had nothing to expect and much to fear when he opened the door of his house, behind the Street That Is Called Straight, and allowed the weakened Saul to be laid in his own bed.

During the three days and three nights the soldiers of Saul stood guard over Judas' house while their captain Saul lay in bed they heard "Saul talking to himself," they knew "He is a very sick man." But none of the advice or the prescriptions of the wise doctors of Damascus could console Saul - he remained blind and troubled. Eating and drinking nothing. In his state he moved his lips, and whispered softly, but none could understand.

There was one man at the other end of town in Damascus that knew what Saul was trying to say. His name was Ananias, not to be confused with the liar of the same name. To this second and admirable Ananias the Lord spoke directly, in a vision: Ananias! To which Ananias replied: "Behold, I am here, Lord!" And the voice continued: "Arise! And go into the Street That Is Called Straight! And seek in the house of Judas, one named Saul of Tarsus!""For behold he prays!"

Can you imagine the fear in the heart of Ananias as he heard the name Saul of Tarsus! Ananias had been instructed in the mercy and forgiveness of God, but now his belief would be tested. Did he really believe as he had been taught. He knew that God will forgive trespasses only as we forgive them who trespass against us. But Saul was a living terror, one who sought the slaughter of all of the disciples of the Christ. While Ananias was cowering to such fearful instructions, a vision came at the same time, halfway across the city, to the distracted mind of blinded and helpless Saul.

In the vision Saul saw a stranger entering the bedroom of Judas' house where he lay helpless. The stranger laid his pale and trembling hands over Saul's eyes. And while Saul was in the midst of the vision, Ananias stood pale, fearful and trembling at his assignment from the Lord. "Lord," he protested, overwhelmed with the terror of being near the man called Saul.

He said to the Lord - "I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And right here in Damascus he has authority from the chief priests of the Temple to bind everybody who dares to invoke your name. As if to say why me Lord - can you not send another, or just let him suffer for his mistakes, it would seem only fair.

There was a moment's silence, and then the Lord spoke with a firmness of command not to be mistaken: "Ananias!" "Lord?" "Go your way. For this man is to Me a vessel of election, to carry My Name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him what great things he must suffer for My Name's sake."

There could be no reply except instant obedience. A minute later, Ananias set off down the narrow and deserted paths of early morning, to look for Saul in the house of Judas. The sun was not yet up, and the room was dim as the messenger of Christ stood by the bed and spoke to the tossing, blinded man of Tarsus: "Brother Saul." The hands of Ananias, pale and trembling, just as Saul had seen in the vision touched the eyelids of the stricken Saul. "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus has sent me."

A sound like a groan came from the lips of Saul, weighted with profound and grateful relief, as if he had waited in anguish for this call. "The Lord Jesus has sent me," Ananias repeated; "He that appeared to you in the way as you came; that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost." To see again. Oh, yes, please!

"And immediately there fell from his eyes, as it were, scales, and he received his sight. And rising up, he was baptized."

Saul baptized? Not possible most would say, How could this be? How could one change his perspective so drastically.

This was real news and as such the news while hard to believe would travel fast, from Damascus to Joppa, from Nazareth and Capernaum even to Jericho, and through Galilee into Samaria and wherever the Christians were hiding in the underground, the word would go out that Saul, the persecutor, had been stricken blind near the western gate of Damascus; had seen the Lord Jesus and heard His voice, he was healed of his blindness by a Christian named Ananias, and that now he was himself a Christian.

Who could be expected to believe a wild story like that?

Now that Saul could see, he witnessed that the room was beginning to be filled with sunlight from the rising sun; he could now begin to see the bed, the chairs, the table, and the sweating candle; and finally the face of his new friends, Judas and Ananias. Barely able to stand from the weakness of his joints, the soreness of his waist and thighs part of the aftermath of his fall from his horse, Saul nevertheless held himself stubbornly erect and suffered to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost. To now stand as a witness of Christ.

so what became of Saul, the one who had just three days before done everything in his power to destroy everything Christian?

Saul had applied the atonement in his life, sure he went through a few days of pain in the repentance process, but what came out in the end was nothing short of a miracle. Through the atonement Saul kept his physical nature, but his spiritual nature was changed. so much so that he changed his Hebrew name of Saul to his official Roman citizen name of Paul; Paul was now more than he ever was or ever would have been a result of applying the atonement in his life.

so why talk about perspective?

As we enter a new year I challenge each of you to look at things from the Lords perspective. It is when we change our perspective that we really begin to change our lives. Our lives are usually framed, strengthened or beaten down by small changes in our perspective. Satan's plan is to as Nephi explains: 2 Nephi 28: 8 And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God-he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this.

Note how Satan gets us to change our perspective - lie just a little - he does not need us to lie a lotÉ he gets us to lie just a little, to cheat just a little and then comes the biggest key of all - to justify it, to excuse ourselves.

I call it the Law of Justification - you know that law that we use to do whatever we want because we are special, we are entitled too - because. You know it's that law we use that allows us to break and contradict the law of God where he said Doctrine and Covenants 82:10 "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." Or his command found in the Doctrine and Covenants 1: 31 "For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance".

Satan knows each of us; he knows your strengths and he knows your weakness. Just as he knew Saul. Satan is not so foolish as to try to get us to give up all at once; he knows that he will most likely not win that battle - each of us are too strong. But what he can do; what he chooses to do is to beat us down slowly; he seeks to change our perspective.

He will try to get each of us to view ourselves as something less than a child of God, someone without royal potential. He does it by slowly; getting us to continue with our same bad habits, introducing a few new ones here and there, and we accept because we are unwilling to submit to the commands of God.

We keep our favorite sin while trying to purge others, only to find that we continue to stay where we are - imagine that. Alma expressed the consequences of adopting the wrong perspective while he was contending with Zeezrom. Alma 12:11 "And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell."

Let's look at this scripture deeper that we may understand what happens when we are bound by the chains of hell.

First we start to look at life from Satan's perspective; we are not fearful of the eternal consequences of our actions, and when we continue forward with that perspective long enough we receive less of the word, not because the Lord is not willing to provide it to us, but because we have removed ourselves from the ability to receive it. We have become numb to it. We cannot see things from the Saviors perspective.

We are drifting away from the Savior and his way. We choose to not care about seeing things from the Lord's perspective - and it is at this point that we now find ourselves captive. Which means essentially that we are confined, held under the control of another but having the appearance of independence; a situation that makes free choice or departure difficult. Until we are eventually destroyed, ruined, we have lost our agency.

so why talk about perspective?

I want you to think to listen to the spirit now or today as it prompts you as to what you may need to do to change your perspective. What are the little things that you need to do to become closer to the Savior.

If you ask; you will know what they are for you. It may be to read the scriptures more, or to study them instead of just reading them. It may be to pray, or to pray more fervently. It may be for you to change a habit or two, or maybe to repent and quite caring around the burden that will never get better until you do.

I do not know what the spirit will whisper to you; but I can say this - when you get that prompting and you will I ask that you act on it. As you begin to act you may encounter one of these perspectives - they are designed to to keep you bound and to not act; to keep you were you are, to not listen; but so that you will not be fooled by them I will review a few with you so that you can identify the source and uncover the Lord's perspective.

Satan uses subtle perspectives like these - see if any apply or have applied to you: Satan's perspective You are too fat, or no one really loves you - The Lords perspective: - Oh child - you are my son, and I see you as that, my son. You have so much to learn so much potential, don't let your thoughts, your self destructing view of yourself crowd your judgement of who you really are, and what you are expected to become. A God - that is what I expect of you nothing less. I am to shy - I am afraid - The Lord's perspective: Oh my daughter you do not realize that the person whom you are afraid to go meet - was your best friend before you came to earth. If you will only reach out you will see, you will recognize that. Then and only then, will you come to feel that bond that existed before you came to earth. You were such good friends - you will only discover that by reaching out. Try a little harder - it is not easy but it will be worth it.

I will never find a spouse - First your mother's perspective; we'll you are right if you keep up that attitude - The Lord's perspective: Remember that is a big part of why you are here; you wanted to be perfected. First be the kind of person that you would want to marry, stay positive and remember before you left my presence I said - a sculpture becomes perfect not by what is added to it but by what is removed from it. Chip by chip - remember you laughed when I said I suppose that all of the chipping away some how cannot be comfortable for the rock either.

Keep working at it and if you do chances are you will find someone that you want to spend eternity with before you die. If not enjoy the journey, you will learn lot's, and in the end if you have done your part I will help to make up the difference. You will not be deprived in the eternities.

I am the coolest thing to ever walk in two shoes, and I write my own rules - The Lord's perspective; I am so happy for you - at least that you have a good opinion of yourself, enjoy the blessings, and remember me; I love you and hope you will always remember how you feel today; make a journal entry because you will need it later; on that day in the future that you feel like you are too fat, or that you will never find a spouse. I am not worthy - The Lords perspective: I love that you are trying to be like me, that you are making every effort that you can; I have given you the gift of repentance that you may live forever with me and my father - please, please, please don't waste that gift - I did it for you.

I have gone to far there is no hope for me - The lords perspective: I will never give up on you, repent and come unto to me. Above all do not give up on your self. You know who put's those thoughts in your head, and they just are not true. You have not gone too far, I promise. If you need go see the Bishop he will help you, he loves you, - I love you.

The Saviors plan is that we learn to see things through and from an eternal perspective. The atonement is here as more than a cleansing process, it is a transforming power, an enabling power.

Through the lens of the atonement, each of us needs to learn that the atonement is so much more than just forgiveness from sin - from the perspective presented to us through the atonement each of us can be and live beyond on own capacity; our lives can be such that we are close to living and enjoying life with the Saviors capacity.

I pray that each of you will make as your goal to alter your individual perspectives to one's that are in keeping with the Lord's perspective for you. If you are not sure what your individual perspective is get on your knees and ask, study your scriptures, make entries in your scriptures as you receive promptings, read your patriarchal blessings, keep the commandments and know that you are loved by a Father in heaven and a Bishopric and our wives who really do care that we all return to live and share all that our Father in Heaven has.