A Near-Death Drowning Experience

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by Pete Codella (bio)

I'm pictured here (on the left) with our Rabat, Morocco
host family's son, Otman, and fellow Young Ambassador, Brad.

It was May 4, 1994. Me and a group of college buddies traveling with the BYU Young Ambassadors left our seaside hotel in Asilah, Morocco, and headed to the ocean to take advantage of some of the largest breaking waves any of us had ever seen. We were so excited to get into the water and do some body surfing.

Here's what I wrote in my journal about my experience that evening:

Once we got there I headed out to the ocean with the usual group. The beach was beautiful as the sun was setting. I went out and was body surfing but I got out too far. The waves were very strong and the undercurrent even stronger, and I ended up in lots of trouble. For a couple minutes, it seemed like, I was being pushed or pulled under water.

I was so tired from lack of sleep that I was starting to lose strength. Luckily, Dave was out about two waves from me — neither of us could touch bottom — and he had a floaty board from the hotel. He had lost it in a wave and it came towards me.

I had been hollering at Chris to help me, but he was too far away. I turned around to find David just as a wave brought the board by me and I was able to grab it and hold on to it. I wrapped the string around my wrist and got on it. I was still knocked off the board and under water twice. But I made it back, totally exhausted and scared.

Looking back on that experience, I know it was no accident the boogie board was there and that it was directed to me so I could catch my breath and eventually make my way back to shore. I was swallowing so much water and having trouble staying on top of the waves that I thought I was going to drown.

I remember thinking, "Heavenly Father, I'm really in trouble. If you don't want me to drown, I could really use some help here." The very next wave brought me the blue boogie board, which basically hit me in the head.

Then the thought came to me, "You might lose hold of the board with the next wave. Better wrap that string around your wrist so you can stay connected."

Some may say this experience was happenstance or luck. I believe it was an answer to prayer, followed by revelation. There was no doubt in my mind that I needed help to make it back to shore alive. I prayed for help and it arrived in the form of a borrowed blue foam kickboard. Then, like a light bulb turned on in my mind, I had the wise thought to secure the board to my body by wrapping the rope attached to it several times around my wrist.

This small flotation device made it possible for me to stay on top of the water long enough to catch my breath and eventually rejoin my group.

My life is peppered with noteworthy experiences like this — experiences where my knowledge of a loving, caring, responsive Heavenly Father has been reinforced bit by bit until my awareness, belief and knowledge of Heavenly Father has become sure, firm and unshakable.

This doesn't mean life is easy, that there aren't challenges along the way. But it does mean I know from experience that I can always call upon support from an all-knowing, all-seeing Supreme Being who takes the time and makes the effort to be involved in my little life.

I know my Heavenly Father lives and loves me perfectly. I love him too, albeit imperfectly, and look forward with faith and hope to a future reunion with Him and all my loved ones.

8 Reasons Why I Want My Kids to Attend the BYU

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by Eliana (bio)

I swore I wouldn't go there. For 16 years I only knew one thing about post-secondary education—that I would not be attending BYU. Then it came time to actually pay for college, and suddenly the cloud parted and I did some math. And spent the next four years in Provo, Utah.

8. You can be slightly rebellious and feel like you are wild. Case in point: my collection of letters to the editor from The Daily Universe from concerned students about my shaved head.

7. Serious scripture study. I attended four years of early morning seminary. It was good but not rigorous. Rather, two years were good. Two were ridiculous. I've never had an experience with institute, so I only speak of what I know. One of the best parts of BYU for me was having to focus on thinking about the scriptures as homework.

6. Price. It just can't be beat. Really.

5. My parents met in a family home evening group. They both went off on missions and eventually came back and got hitched in the Provo Temple. My husband and I met at BYU also. There's some family history involved. I'm not super into history, but as I grow older I'm getting more nostalgic. I'd like to drop my kids off at college and force them to relive moments with me.

4. Sleeping with your date isn't expected. I'm not saying it doesn't happen or that all college students aren't thinking about sex anyway. It is just slightly easier to make good choices on the big stuff if those around you are making the same efforts.

3. Devotionals and forums. This happens at other universities, obviously, but I got to listen to amazing people speak while I was at BYU. Prophet and apostles yes, but also fascinating movers and shakers like Margaret Thatcher, Myrlie Evers Williams, Muhammad Yunus, for example. I love that the BYU campus shuts down for an hour a week for these happenings.

2. Did I mention the cost? I'm a professor at a community college these days and I have constant stress about higher education costs even though I have no desire to foot the bill for my kids.

1. Ridiculous rules. Overly zealous everything. Difficult access to Diet Coke. BYU was challenging for me. It is hard to know what to attribute to college generally and BYU specifically, but I am confident saying that going there was my right choice. It has taken me years to be able to admit that, but there you have it.

MMM readers, what do you think? Would you recommend your kids head to Happy Valley?

Gospel Fire 1

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by Bradly Baird (bio)



If when on a winter's night you sit feasting with your earldormen and brumali --- and a simple sparrow should fly into the hall, and coming in at one door, instantly fly out through another. In that time in which it is indoors it is indeed not touched by the fury of the winter; but yet, this smallest space of calmness being passed almost in a flash, from winter going into winter again, it is lost to our eyes. Somewhat like this appears the life of man --- but of what follows or what went before, we are utterly ignorant. -- The Venerable Bede

I reached a plateau a few weeks ago and am feeling very flat, spiritually speaking. The fire for service in the gospel that has pushed me to run at top speed for the last two and a half years has dimmed considerably and I feel a little muddled at the present time. It might be that I am tired and somewhat burned out from all of the work that has been required of me, or it might be that I have taken too much on and need to pull back and recharge my batteries. Who knows why I am feeling this way, but I do know that my inner gospel fire seems to be low on fuel.

This does not mean any lessening of my testimony or the knowledge that I have about the gospel. It does not mean that I am going to start skipping sacrament meetings or slack off in my commitments to building the Kingdom of God. This is absolutely the Lord's work and I know my place in that work and the direction that I am going. But, I repeat what I said previously; I am feeling flat and the gospel fire is not burning brightly right now.

Neal A. Maxwell suggests that this flatness is a natural part of life and that we all go through it from time to time. He repeatedly speaks of times throughout our lives where we will feel "flat" in terms of our spirituality and our spiritual growth; not because we are committing aggregious sin or are lacking in our duties, but simply because that is the nature of life. He suggests that often these periods of "flatness" come along because we need time to pause and check in on our growth, be sure we are on track, chart a new direction, and re-commit to another period of increasing our faithfulness:

"It was brought forcibly to me that the seeming flat periods of life give us chance to reflect upon what is past as well as to be readied for some rather stirring climbs ahead. Instead of grumbling and murmuring, we should be consolidating and reflecting, which would not be possible if life were an uninterrupted sequence of fantastic scenery, confrontive events, and exhilarating conversation." (devotional address given at Brigham Young University on 27 November 1979)

That's a really nice truth, and should be reassuring. But, it isn't. This particular period of flatness is proving very difficult to move away from. I can't seem to stoke up the fire and move on. I feel so very tired and exhausted whenever it comes to anything spiritually-related. Even when I am teaching all my wonderful teenagers in Sunday School or am working with missionaries at the Missionary Training Center on Saturday mornings, I simply feel exhausted and bereft of the usual energy.

So, I open up the floor to all of you and ask for suggestions. Please offer up ideas about how to climb out of these massive spiritual doldrums into which I have fallen. I can't see my way out of this one and I would very much like to recharge and enter into another period of growth.

Words to Live By 6: On Honor

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by Seattle Jon (bio)

Words to Live By is a series featuring short selections by eminent men and women from the mid-twentieth century. Originally published in This Week magazine, the selections represent a mosaic of what people were thinking and feeling in challenging times. Read previous entries here.

On Honor
by General Mark W. Clark (President of the Citadel, Military College of South Carolina)

"A Cadet does not lie, or cheat, or steal." - The Citadel Honor Code

I have always believed that everyone needs to impose upon himself some rigid code of personal ethics. The Ten Commandments are probably the most perfect example of such a code.

But it seems to me that young people, who perhaps need rules of conduct the most, tend to shy away from long or complex lists of "do's" and "don'ts." That is why we at The Citadel have established our Honor Code which consists of just one rule expressed in nine words: "A Cadet does not lie, or cheat, or steal."

Just nine words. But what important words they are, for without them none can hope to build a decent or a happy life.

Of course, The Citadel's Honor Code is only a beginning. Of course, our 2,000 Cadets know that there is more to character than merely not lying, cheating or stealing. But these negatives are important as a starting point. A man can then go on from these "don'ts" to more positive rules of life. If, as a boy, he learns what not to do, then as he matures, the positive values will slowly move into place. "Do unto others ..." "Love they neighbor ..." - these "do's" are the true capstones of a moral code. But the "don'ts," learned in childhood, are its foundation.

Guest Post: Satan Hates Him

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It doesn't matter if you’re man or woman, gay or straight, dark- or light-skinned. All can equally submit guest posts to Modern Mormon Men. Write something now and submit via email.

Shawn Tucker lives in North Carolina, where he teaches Institute (because they'll let anyone do it there!) and works as a Humanities professor at Elon University. He contributes to the Mormon Tabernacle Enquirer, Zion's Finest News Source, and none of his four children find anything he writes funny.

MMM Library: Mormon Alliteration

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by Seattle Jon (bio)

This post was originally published on October 17, 2011.

Alliteration: the repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables.

Mormonism is full of alliteration.

The tendency to alliterate started with apostle Parley P. Pratt (okay, just trying to start a mormon myth) and continues today with general authorities Claudio Costa, Gerrit Gong and Paul Pieper, among others.

Today's young men - Peter Priesthood's - are all actively engaged in priesthood preparation for their own missionary moments, while the young women - Molly Mormon's - are advancing from Merrie Misses to Mia Maids, when they will begin work on their Personal Progress programs.

On missions, these youth partner with member missionaries to share tender testimonies. When they return, they too become member missionaries. If twenty-something mormons remain unmarried, they become part of the singles scene, a never-ending stream of Linger Longers and Munch 'n' Mingles.

Once mormon men and women enter their 30's, and as long as they have interesting careers or hobbies, they can star in their own Mormon Message.

If you leave or are kicked out of the church, there is still hope. Alliteration was used to name the "September Six."

I hope this post has been plain and precious, as well as a marvelous work to wonder at. Keep reading Modern Mormon Men - also alliteration - for more inspirational insights.

Or, give us your mormon alliteration ah-hah's in the comments ...

What to Do When Bored in Church

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by Scott Heffernan (bio)

President Spencer W. Kimball was once asked, "What do you do if you find yourself caught in a boring sacrament meeting?" His reply: "I don't know; I've never been in one."

I've been to hundreds. Which makes me qualified to answer the question. While working on one of my Search Term Roundups, I found someone had reached our site by Googling, "I dislike Mormon sacrament meetings." Unfortunately this person is not alone. I jotted down some ideas for things I could do to help liven things up a bit. Some of them cross the line, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

16 Things to Do When Bored in Church
1. Oppose someone's calling (always wanted to do this)
2. Tell kids to pipe down or they'll go to Hell (say it awkwardly loud)
3. Look around during prayers – make eye contact with others – give thumb's up
4. Slip random notes into hymnbooks – ‘Dinosaurs are a lie Satan invented to trick us.’ Etc.
5. Play Testimony Bingo
6. Look around room – guess which kingdom each ward member is going to (DO NOT write down guesses)
7. Pull aside every deacon that's walking by – whisper, ‘You're doing a really great job!’
8. Give some audible ‘Mmm-hmms’ during prayers
9. Casually slip in alternate lyrics while singing hymns
10. Mess with the kid sitting in front of me (if he tells his parents – just keep a straight face and deny it – who are they gonna believe? – I’m like 30)
11. Act out Book of Mormon stories with G.I. Joe action figures
12. Look up dirty scriptures—show them to wife (*Genesis 38:9 is a good place to start)
13. Embarrass wife by staring at her for 5 minutes straight
14. Learn the sacrament prayer in Sign Language – perform it with eyes closed
15. Look through hymnbook & add "...in the toilet" after each title (Note: some are blasphemous; some are wonderful)
16. Wrap scripture cover around Johnny Cash's autobiography Cash by Johnny Cash – read during high council talk