The Power of the Gospel

I've been thinking about what is being valued in the world today vs. what is truly of value.  I'm sometimes amazed that so many people are surprised about the direction of the world today.  Really?  All you have to do is read in The Book of Revelation or Isaiah or multiple places in the Book of Mormon and you know what's going on and what will continue to go on!  It really isn't a surprise, the surprise is that people still try and shrug it off and find ways other than the gospel of Christ to fix the world. Is the way to fix the world through more spending?  Through focus on global warming?  Through creating more policies in governments?  No!  The way to find happiness and peace is through living the gospel of Jesus Christ and turning to the Him who made the world in the first place!  When you focus on that, EVERYTHING else falls into place.  The word of the Lord has more effect than the sword or anything else (Alma 31:5).  Just as President Thomas S Monson has said in the past, "The future is as bright as your faith."  When we focus on what truly is important, we are able to live in the proverbial eye of the storm and let the storm rage around us without it affecting us.  I just wish sometimes that we would spend less time and energy on trying to fix what isn't important, and focus on what is (the gospel).  If the world would do that, everything would fix itself.

Alcoholic Cirrhosis and the Word of Wisdom

Internal medicine is full of many different kinds of patients. It ranges from things like Diabetes Mellitus to pancreatitis to high blood pressure to abstract diseases like hereditary spherocytosis and Sjogren's disease. The hardest diseases for me are ones in which I know are completely avoidable and yet still occur. When I was on my sub-internship in internal medicine I ran across a patient which, upon first walking into his room, was evident what was going on. I looked at him and noticed that his skin was completely orangish-yellow in color. Upon further examination, he had all the typical signs and symptoms of someone in liver failure. He had abnormal bleeding problems because his liver was not producing the factors needed to stop bleeding; he had large, visible abdominal blood vessels evident on his skin because the blood flow through the liver was obstructed resulting in backflow through other vessels. He also had mild confusion because of the inability to clear the ammonia in the blood, which was going to his brain causing confusion. When asked, he stated he had been drinking alcohol for many years and even though he had been warned of the risks of this habit, he had continued until it had reached this point where he now needed a liver transplant in order to survive.

I thought to myself how sad this was! This man had the potential the rest of us had to succeed in life, but had squandered in the habit and addiction of alcoholism. As I pondered this situation, I became more and more grateful for the Word of Wisdom revealed to us by the prophet Joseph Smith. Because of this wonderful revelation, we know how the Lord wants us to take care of our body. He tells us what things we are to take into our body and what things to avoid in order to take the best care of our bodies, thereby having good health.

Before I delve into how the Word of Wisdom blesses our lives, it is important to understand a little bit about our body. This wonderful gift was given to us by our Heavenly Father in order to let us come to earth to become as He is. In Genesis 1: 26-27 we read, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." God created us in His image in order that we may become like Him and have the joy that He has. In the Pearl of Great Price, we find the record of Abraham. In it we find just a snippet of the purpose of this when he says, "And they who keep their first estate (meaning their spiritual life and the pre-mortal life) shall be added upon...and they who keep their second estate (meaning our mortal life, or the life we now live) shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever" (Abraham 3:22-26). President Spencer W. Kimball expounded this scripture by saying, "God has taken these...spirit bodies, and given them instructions and training. Then he proceeded to create a world for them and sent them as spirits to obtain a mortal body, for which he made preparation. And when they were upon the earth, he gave them instructions on how to go about developing and conducting their lives to make them perfect, so they could return to their Father in heaven after their transitions."1 Having a knowledge that we are here on this earth and are given a mortal body in order to become like our Heavenly Father and then return to live with Him again in the fullness of joy makes the purpose of our life very different. It also adds new meaning to the purpose of the physical body we are given.

Paul states regarding the sacredness of our mortal body, "Know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19). So Paul is telling us a number of things here. First of all he states, "...your body...which ye have of God...". So God gave us our body, it is a gift that He has given to us. Second of all, he tells us that it is a temple, a sacred place where the Holy Ghost can dwell. When we think of our body as a holy place, why would we want to put things into or do things to our body that will hurt our ability to have the Holy Ghost dwell within us? Since it is a gift from God, it is our responsibility to treat it well and live so we can have the Holy Ghost with us to guide us in our lives. Sister Diane Spangler has stated:

The body is not merely a mobile unit for the head nor a carnal vexation for the spirit, as some believe. Rather, it is an integral, powerful component of the soul, for 'the spirit and the body are the soul of man' (D&C 88:15). Being privileged to know about the literal embodiment of God and the progressive nature of the body gives us a rare vantage point from which to comprehend and enjoy its tremendous capabilities.2

Knowing that we are capable of this type of progression should help us understand the tremendous magnitude of this gift. As such, Heavenly Father wants us to use it in the way that is best for us, so He has given us special insight into the best ways to take care of our bodies in order for it to function at its best. This instruction came by way of Joseph Smith in 1833 called the Word of Wisdom. This came as a revelation that, as I stated earlier, gives promises of blessings if we take certain things into our bodies and avoid others. We are taught in D&C 89:10-17 about what things will give us better health. It states, "...all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man - Every herb in the season thereof and every fruit in the season thereof...yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air...for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly...all grain is...to be the staff of life...all grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine..." (D&C 89:10-17). We are taught here that eating things like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and eating meat sparingly will give us good health. Is this something new? If you look at the majority of the research out there, this is true!

Next, the Lord then teaches us in D&C 89:5-9 about the things we are to avoid to obtain optimal health, which is where my patient went wrong. "That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father...and, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies. And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle...and again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly." There is a lot of doctrine in here. First of all, it states that wine or strong drink is not good for us. This means wine as well as "strong drinks", meaning beer, vodka, rum, tequila, anything of that sort. This is a highly debated topic in the research literature these days. It seems every other day some new article will come out telling us the benefits of alcohol on the heart or other aspect of the human body. So some wonder, how can this be that God has instructed us not to use this when it has health benefits? If you look at some of the main articles citing the health benefits, it states that it is never okay during pregnancy because of the risks alcohol has on the fetus. Furthermore, the studies are usually dealing with a specific type of patient. For example, one study3 used elderly males as their only group and found those that drank between 3-7 glasses of a certain form of alcohol per week had less heart attacks than those who drank only one glass per week. The media then proceeded to go wild about the fact that alcohol is good for the body! When in reality, this study is not able to prove that. They did not have a control group of individuals who did not drink alcohol at all. Who is to say that not drinking had greater benefits than anyone who drinks alcohol, yet it was untested? Also, this study was performed on male health professionals, so it is impossible to know if this is good for the general public, or just this select group of individuals who had a higher likelihood of being healthy by their mere knowledge of the health as a health professional. Lastly, the number of conflicting variables that could have occurred during this study is high. They kept track of how much alcohol and the number of heart attacks without measuring the amount of exercise, the stress levels, type of diet, etc. So other variables likely played into the equation yet were untested. So we can see that we really don't know from these types of studies.

Beyond that though, who wants to take the risk of having these select benefits when the opposite statistics4 include such things as over 17 million alcoholics in the US (which brings on spousal and child abuse as well as alcohol-related deaths), over 15,000 alcoholic liver disease deaths, and over 24,000 deaths from alcohol, not including accidents? Finally, the CDC5 states a total of over 75,000 alcohol-related deaths including accidents and over 2.3 million years of potential life lost had those deaths not occured. Are these benefits really worth all this?

Next the Lord tells us that tobacco is not for the body, and as stated, "is not good for man." To put this into context, this revelation was given to us in 1833. At the time period, the thought was that tobacco was good for the body and there were benefits of tobacco use. Only later on have we since learned of the extreme harm that it does have. It can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, cervical cancer, kidney cancer, stomach ulcers, COPD, asthma, stroke, infertility, preterm labor, SIDS, need I go on? The point I am trying to make here is that even back in 1830's when the popular idea was that it had benefits, the Lord knew it was harmful and told us to abstain from such use. Look at what He was trying to prevent for us? This type of logic may be needed for some regarding alcohol. Some still think it has health benefits, but when we realize God must have a reason, who knows what we may find out someday like we have found out about tobacco.

Lastly D&C 89 tells us that "hot drinks are not for the body or the belly." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has come out to say this means tea and coffee. These substances are stimulants which have a powerful effect upon the mind and body to increase your thinking and metabolism for a short period of time before leaving you tired afterward. They also have a powerful ability to addict the body to their use. Any type of addiction that keeps us from truly using the agency the Lord has given to us is to be avoided. This is, I'm sure, one of the reasons these are to be avoided.

The blessings that come from the Word of Wisdom are innumerable. D&C 89: 18-21 tells us such blessings include "...health in their navel and marrow in their bones; and [they] shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; and shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint...and...that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them." I don't know anyone who does not want to have greater wisdom and knowledge, let alone the ability to run and not be weary. These blessings are more powerful than any of the so-called benefits of any of the substances discussed above.

I feel so bad for my patient who had alcoholic liver disease knowing that had he known and observed the law of the Word of Wisdom, this was completely avoidable. Many of the deaths of this world would be avertible if only this law would be obeyed. I am grateful for my knowledge of these truths and the blessings I have received from them.

1. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1977/04/our-great-potential?lang=eng&query=%22become+like+god%22
2. http://www.lds.org/ensign/2005/07/the-body-a-sacred-gift?lang=eng

3. Mukamal KJ, COnigrave KM, Mittleman MA, Comargo CA Jr, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Rimm EB. N Engl J Med. 2003 Jan 9; 348(2): 109-18.

4. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/alcohol.htm

5. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5337a2.htm

The Impact of Righteous Parents

On my psychiatry rotation, I was able to meet with many different people from all walks of life. I did notice one thing that really fascinated me. Many of the people who I saw on the psychiatric wards had the commonality of either having a poor or tragic childhood, or at least having an emotionally challenging time period when they were growing up. Whether it was being abused in any form as a child, watching their parent be abused, having an alcoholic parent, being neglected, etc., these created problems in these patients lives that they were dealing with as grown adults 20, 30, 40, or even 50 years later. How sad is it that parents do not understand the impact they have on their children. Do we truly understand the responsibility that rests upon us as parents to raise our children in happy, safe, loving, righteous homes? Are we able to see the consequences that may occur to our children if we expose them to harmful, degrading, or neglecting attitudes? No one is perfect and we all will make mistakes as parents, but what are we doing to ensure the success of the future generation?

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been anxiously engaged in teaching principles that will lead to a successful and happy family as well as how to provide stability for children. They have stated:

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. 'Children are an heritage of the Lord' (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live...and...will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.1

There is a lot of meaning held in this paragraph. The scriptures teach us that "children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalm 127:3); if you look up heritage, one of the meanings is valued object or quality. So children are what He values. Christ also taught us who children really are when He said, "...Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:14). Christ wants all children to come unto Him. When He visited the American continent after His resurrection, Christ spent a special amount of time just with the children, we read in the Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 17: 11-12: "And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought. So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him." He took the time to see every child that was there. What a special experience. Christ knew the impact this would have upon these children's lives, so He spent the time because He knew helping them see His love for them in their youth, would only have exponential dividends as they grew older. The same principle applies to us, showing our children that we love them when they are young is what will help them know of our love as they get older. So many times we may hear that it doesn't matter because the kids don't understand, but that is completely wrong. Just like a solid foundation is essential before building a house, so is teaching our children our love for them. Helping them understand they are loved and that God loves them when they are young is the firm foundation they must have before attempting to build their own character. Without that foundation they will fall, as so many of the patients I saw had.

One example from the Book of Mormon teaches us the impact a righteous parent can have upon children as they grow older. We learn in the book of Alma about an aggressive battle going on between the righteous Nephites and the wicked Lamanites. The battle was fierce, and the Nephites were in need of more soldiers. A group of young men came forward to battle in order to defend their families and their liberty, yet they had never fought in battle before. These young men, 2000 in number, were extremely courageous and faithful unto God. We learn from Alma 53:20-21 about the characteristics of these young men, "...and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all - they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted. Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him." When I read this I think to myself, wow! This is the type of young man I want to raise. I want my kids to be courageous, to be true at all times no matter the consequence, to be truthful, keep the commandments of God, and to walk uprightly before God. How is it that 2000 young men had such a firm grasp on the real important things of life, so much so that they were willing to give up their lives for the family and for their faith? The answer is told to us, "...yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it" (Alma 56:47-48). They had such incredible faith, they kept the commandments of God, and were truthful in all things because they had been taught these principles by their mothers. The impact of a righteous parent can never be underestimated. Because of their faith, all of these 2000 stripling warriors lived through the battles.

In our society today, how can we compete with the constant nagging of the world to forget God and pursue selfish desires over selfless service? How can we teach our children when there are so many influences pulling for their attention as well? The Family: A Proclamation to the World gives us a clear answer:

Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.1

There it is! In such plain language! First of all, children have the right to be born to parents who are legally and lawfully wedded and who treat their marital vows with complete fidelity. From there we read, if we teach our children the principles of Jesus Christ stated in the last sentence, we are likely to have a successful marriage and family! It seems so simple, yet I never hear the principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, or work taught on television, the radio, or the internet (unless diligently sought). In fact, we are bombarded by the opposite of those characteristics from these sources. These are to be taught in the home. When we spend the time practicing these principles ourselves in our home, and teach our children the importance of them, we have the promise that we will be successful and happy in our marriage and in our family.

If parents would only see the impact of their behavior on their children and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to them when they are young, the problems we face today would decrease drastically. The amount of violence, immorality, dishonesty, selfishness, and maybe even some mental disorders would virtually come to a halt; all because we realize the importance of raising our children in the way the Lord would have it done. I hope that through example and teaching, more people will change and put the principles of the gospel in the forefront of their lives. The damage I saw on my psychiatry rotation in adults and children was enough to break my heart; yet I know it doesn't need to be that way. If we only will live the gospel, teach the gospel, and embrace the principles it teaches we will all be happier. I am grateful for my knowledge of the gospel and the testimony I have that if I live by its precepts and teach them to my children, they and I will be happy. I am grateful to parents who also believed and taught the same principles to me. I hope that we all can help others see these blessings as well.

1. The Family: A Proclamation to the World, http://www.lds.org/family/proclamation/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng&query=proclamation+family.

Fetal Tissue and the Perfect Plan

When in pathology I had the opportunity to look at many specimens. These included everything from pancreas, colon, prostate, lung tissue and even fetal tissue. It was the fetal tissue in particular that stood out to me. As we looked at it, the pathologist pointed out the developing nervous system, he pointed out the heart, he pointed out the developing lungs, the liver which had been actively making red blood cells since only a few weeks after conception, and even the cartilage that had been developing. As I looked at all of this, it was evident that there were millions of cells, each with a specific program and purpose to fulfill in order to make the physical body develop and eventually perform. Even though for some reason this particular fetus didn't make it, the thought that I had, was "How could anyone not believe that God created this? How could anyone believe that this just randomly occurred?" Do they really understand what they are saying? Yes evolution occurs and is a principle set forth by God, but the way mankind has misconstrued it is baffling. The only way it occurred from a single celled organism is if that is how God decided to make it work.

Let me explain. One researcher has stated that if you were to put all the essential life building blocks into an ocean soup and let them sit, the probability of them becoming a simple functional cell would be greater than one in 340 million!1 If that is the likelihood of just a funcation cell generating, how much more unlikely is it to be joined by millions of other cells, all with a completely different function, coming together to work perfectly. Imagine it, say this one simple functional cell did occur as the one in 340 millionth chance, and it just happened to be a muscle cell. Great! That is fantastic that it works, now all it needs to be joined by to create a living human being is another brain cell, a heart muscle cell, a skin cell, a pancreatic cell, a thyroid cell, a hair cell, a retinal cell (eye), a bone marrow cell, etc. You get my point. So this one cell that did occur needs to have all these other cells necessary for the human body to function, numbering over 200 differing types, to all come together. Each cell with the same probability of 1 in 340 millionth chance, then combine all those chances occurring at the same time in the proper way. The chance is zero.

Elder Russell M. Nelson, a world-renounced cardiothoracic surgeon now called to be an apostle in the quorum of the 12 apostles, stated,

Through the ages, some without scriptural understanding have tried to explain our existence by pretentious words such as ex nihilo (out of nothing). Others have deduced that, because of certain similarities between different forms of life, there has been a natural selection of the species, or organic evolution from one form to another. Many of these people have concluded that the universe began as a “big bang” that eventually resulted in the creation of our planet and life upon it. To me, such theories are unbelievable! Could an explosion in a printing shop produce a dictionary? It is unthinkable! Even if it could be argued to be within a remote realm of possibility, such a dictionary could certainly not heal its own torn pages or renew its own worn corners or reproduce its own subsequent editions!2

Unless it comes from divine design. If Heavenly Father were to say, be thou made, it is done. Genesis 1:26 and 27 tells us, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over...all the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." God came down to earth and created Adam and Eve in His image. All of this process took place because God came and organized man Himself. Without His help and guidance, this would not have occurred.

Elder Nelson put it very well when he states:

Each organ is an amazing creation. The eye has a self-focusing lens. Nerves and muscles allow two eyes to make a single three-dimensional image. The ear converts sound waves into audible tones perceived in the brain.

The heart has four delicate valves that control the direction of blood flow. They open and close more than 100,000 times a day—36 million times a year. Unless altered by disease, they are able to withstand this stress almost indefinitely. No man-made material can be flexed so frequently and so long without breaking. Each day, the adult heart pumps enough fluid to fill a 2,000-gallon (7,570-L) tank. At the crest of the heart is a source of electricity that transmits energy down special lines, causing myriads of muscle fibers to work together.

Think of the body’s backup systems. Each paired organ has instant backup available from the other of the pair. Single organs, such as the brain, the heart, and the liver, are nourished by two routes of blood supply. This protects the organ if blood flow should be impeded through one of those routes.

Think of the body’s capacity to defend itself. To protect it from harm, the body perceives pain. In response to infection, it generates antibodies. They not only help to combat an immediate problem, but they persist to bolster resistance to any future infection.

Think how the body repairs itself. Broken bones mend and become strong again. Skin lacerations heal themselves. A leak in the circulation can seal itself. The body renews its own outdated cells.

The body regulates its own vital ingredients. Levels of essential elements and constituents are adjusted continuously. And regardless of wide fluctuations in temperature of the environment, the temperature of the body is carefully controlled within narrow bounds.3

Isn't this amazing!!! God not only created a wonderful tabernacle for us to come to earth in, but He made it this perfect that it is able to perform all these functions without us even having to think about them! I am so grateful for a Heavenly Father who gave us this opportunity. The divine nature we are given a mortal body is truly a testimony that God lives. The way He created us in His own image is a testimony that He truly loves us. I am so grateful for this knowledge and for my opportunity to have my mortal body to learn and grow.

1. H.J. Morowitz, Energy Flow in Biology (Academic Press, New York, 1968), p. 99.

2. R.M. Nelson. "Faith in Jesus Christ." Jesus Christ, The Son of God. 2010. http://jesuschrist.lds.org/SonOfGod/eng/faith-in-jesus-christ/articles/faith-in-jesus-christ. 04 Feb. 2012.

3. R.M. Nelson. "The Magnificence of Man." Ensign. Jan. 1988. (see also http://www.lds.org/ensign/1988/01/the-magnificence-of-man?lang=eng&query=human+body for full article online.)

Trials of this life

The first morning I came into the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, I was met with a family who had just arrived. Their young toddler was just diagnosed with a brain tumor called a craniopharyngioma. It originally had started as just vomiting in the morning to seeing double and then through MRI and ophthalmology it was realized that she had this benign growing mass in her head. This young patient was a vibrant little girl that had a love for life and you could tell lived it to the fullest. Several times throughout the discussion the mother of the daughter said, "I still don't believe this, she's such an active little girl that loves life and this shouldn't be happening to her." It truly broke my heart to see this family that you could really see and feel the love they shared in their family, and this new trial that had come into their life. They had not expected this in the least. Their life had just taken a detour they had not expected. This child not only was now in an intensive care unit, but would have brain surgery in two days, and thereafter would have to have her hormones regulated for the rest of her life.

As I pondered upon this situation, I realized that this type of situation occurs more often than one would realize. How often have we found ourselves rocking along in life and something hits us and drops us to the ground. This occurs every day, someone had an unexpected stroke and is left as a hemiplegic, a car accident occurs and takes loved ones out of our lives, natural disasters occur and take everything from our lives. More and more we are seeing these things occur. Is it fair? Why does it happen?

There was a time in the life of Joseph Smith when he was taken from his family and his home and unjustly accused of breaking the law and sent to Liberty Jail in Liberty Missouri. He was held there for five months to await a trial that was never given a date. He and several other church leaders were placed in the dungeon of the building measuring 14x14 feet and only 6 feet tall. There were only two small windows in the dungeon and they were exposed to the inhumane conditions of exposure to the winter weather, hunger, thirst, filth, sometimes poisoned food, and sleeping on the hard, cold stone floor. Since Joseph Smith was just over six feet tall, he was never able to stand upright during this five month period. During this same time period, the governor of Missouri had sent an extermination order demanding the Mormons leave the state. This was a severe trial for the prophet Joseph Smith and the saints. It was during this time that the prophet received a revelation about the importance of trials in our life and their purpose. In Doctrine and Covenants 122:7-8 we read about God's response to this intense trial:

"If thou art called to pass through tribulation...if thou art accused with all manner of false accusations...and if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? Therefore, hold on thy way...Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever."

This answers a great deal of questions regarding the trials we encounter in life. First, it tells us that no matter what trial we are called to go through, Jesus Christ has suffered more. The purpose of saying, "The Son of Man hath descended below them all" is to help us understand that through His suffering, we can receive help from Him. He understands what we are going through and thus can truly help us through any difficult trial we face. In turning to Him, only then are we able to truly find someone who is able to help us. Second of all, it states, "...all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." In other words, there may be a purpose to this trial. Maybe after a certain trial, we are able to help others going through similar situations, maybe it is just to help us learn to trust in God. Whatever the reason, God knows what we are called to go through, and as he states in verse 9, "thy days shall not be numbered less." The trials we go through are known to Heavenly Father and He will help us overcome them if we turn to Him for help. In this manner, we are able to grow closer to God through our trials if we will turn to Him.

So how do we deal with the trials we go through? Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated, "We live in a time of turmoil. Earthquakes and tsunamis wreak devastation, governments collapse, economic stresses are severe, the family is under attack, and divorce rates are rising. We have great cause for concern. But we do not need to let our fears displace our faith. We can combat those fears by strengthening our faith...How you deal with life's trials is part of the development of your faith. Strength comes when you remember that you have a divine nature, an inheritance of infinite worth. The Lord has reminded you, your children, and your grandchildren that you are lawful heirs, that you have been reserved in heaven for your specific time and place to be born, to grow...As you walk in the Lord's path of righteousness, you will be blessed to continue in His goodness and be a light and a savior unto His people."

As we build our faith and trust in the Lord, strength will come; as the strength comes, our faith gets stronger. The little girl and her family about whom this post is about has just such an opportunity. They were given a trial they had not expected, yet in knowing that the Lord understands and will help them can be just the assurance they need to get through this. If they will but trust in Him, and have faith that all things are done according to His purposes, this can be an opportunity to increase their faith in the Lord and help their family grow together. All things happen for a reason, whether they be fair or not I leave to God to judge. However, knowing that trials give us an opportunity to grow closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ sheds a whole new light on their meaning and hopefully, more strength to face them.

1. Russell M. Nelson, "Face the Future with Faith," Liahona and Ensign, May 2010.

2. Doctrine & Covenants 122: 5-9

Gaining a physical body

I am currently on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit service where we take of some pretty sick little babies. Some of these babies were born as early as 23 weeks after conception. Some were born at term (40 weeks gestation) and may have needed to rule out certain problems. Either way, there is a wide variety of little tikes in there, all which are needing love and the need to feel taken care of.

There is one little boy that really struck me yesterday. This is a neonate that was born at 23 weeks gestation. For those of you who want a size comparison, being born at 23 weeks, the baby was likely around 10-11 inches in length with a weight of maybe 1 pound (500 grams). This is incredibly small and the majority of those born at this age will not survive longer than a few months. This little guy has made it over a 150 days so far!

He has some severe problems, but it shows how well he has persevered. As I thought about him, it made me realize how excited he was to come to earth to gain a physical body and how important it is. Even though is is broken and will never function the way most of ours will, he still does not want to leave his body because the benefits of being in it are still greater than giving up. What a true fighter and a spiritual giant indeed.

We learn from Job that when God presented the plan for us to come to earth to gain a mortal body to be tried and tested that we shouted for joy at the opportunity! (Job 38:7). We know that before we came to earth, we lived with God (Abraham 3:26, Job 38:7, Jeremiah 1:4-5, D&C 93:29). Only He had a physical body, though we were His spirit children, we did not yet have a physical body like He had. Eventually He presented a plan, the Plan of Salvation, where we could all come to earth to gain a mortal body and be tried and tested in order to become like He is. At this announcement we shouted for joy. We knew the only way to truly be perfectly was to be like He, our Heavenly Father, was. So when we were given this opportunity, we shouted for joy. We come to earth, gain this mortal body, and then leave it for a time before we are all resurrected, reuniting our spiritual and physical body never to be separated again. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22, Alma 11:40-45).

This little boy reminded me of this. It seemed he knew how precious this body of his really was, and was holding onto as long as he possibly could. He seemed to understand like the scripture states in D&C 93:33-34: "For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparable connected, receive a fulness of joy; And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy." Even though it had serious flaws that would keep him from living the type of life that most of us take for granted, he still wanted to experience this mortal world as long as he could in his own, personal physical body. This body was given to him in order to receive a fulness of joy that had been promised him. I am so grateful for this opportunity we each have to gain a physical body and learn how to be more like our Heavenly Father. It is so easy to take such a gift for granted when we have it every day and it usually functions well on its own. I hope that I too, will treasure my physical body like this little spiritual giant did.

Father...no greater joy

Now on my surgery rotation, I am currently in pediatric surgery. We had been consulted to see a young 10 week old infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. This little baby boy had been there since he was born. We were consulted to put a feeding tube into his stomach so that he could get the necessary nutrition he needed as he was not gaining any weight nor was he able to eat enough. This little boy had multiple problems in various organs including the heart, lungs, intestines, as well as growth restriction.
This little boy for some reason really touched me. He has a family that cares and loves him, at least from the photos in his crib, but they were not able to visit every day. He sits there each day doing his best to survive and live. Seeing him made me truly grateful for the opportunity I have to be a father. There is nothing more powerful than the love of a parent for their children. Moses 1:39 states "For behold, this is my work and my glory - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." God's greatest work and his glory comes from helping His children succeed in returning to live with Him again. I've heard it said before that that of all the names God chose to be called, He chose Heavenly Father. It is was is most important for Him. I feel the same way. There is nothing as rewarding and as enjoyable as being a dad. The time and sacrifice seem so small compared to the joy I receive from my family.
As I looked down at the little boy today, I did my best to help him feel loved for the short time that I was able to visit with Him. Hoping and praying that during the short time I was able to spend with him, he would feel of my love for Him, and more importantly Heavenly Father's love for him. I knew that even though physically this little boy was alone, He was still loved dearly by our Heavenly Father. I knew he was being watched by and cared for by Heavenly Father, after all if the Lord each sparrow's fall, he surely knows and watches over his children (Matthew 10:29-31). I stood next to him with my hand on him and said a prayer asking Heavenly Father to be with this little boy and comfort him. Just as Heavenly Father loves and will comfort this little boy, He will do the same for each one of us. We are all His Spirit children and He loves us and wants us to find happiness in our life. How grateful I am to understand that my Heavenly Father loves me, and how comforting it is to me know that even though I had to leave that little baby boy, Heavenly Father wouldn't leave him alone.

Eternal Perspective

A few weeks ago, we were told that we had a consult dealing with an individual that was found down and unconscious by a family member. By the time they arrived at the hospital, there seemed to be no normal activity left in this person. Upon EEG testing, the individual was brain dead with the exception of one or two brainstem reflexes still intact. This individual's brain would never function for them again. The rest of their existence would be on a drug to keep them from seizing every few seconds. If they were to be taken off of this drug, their body would quickly die from inability to regulate the vital functions of breathing, temperature, and heart rate. The options left to the family then were to just let him go or keep on life support forever.
The family has decided to keep him on life support. The individual was then be placed in a home where skilled professionals were be able to constantly watch over him. Just a few days ago, this patient came back to the hospital for a bacterial infection. The person has had no change in abilities and is still on support to keep him from constantly seizing. This is a difficult situation for the individual as well as the family! Does the family keep him on support or should they let him go? Will they see him again or this truly the end?

The knowledge of the gospel changes the perspective for this individual and his family. Having an understanding that we will live again, changes the way you see this individual. We know from 1 Corinthians 15:22 that "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall be made alive." We know that we will be able to see our family members again! We can see them as they really are, without bodily limitations. What a great blessing this truly is. Alma in the Book of Mormon tells us, "Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the mortal body. I say unto you that this mortal body is raised to an immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided; thus theh whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption" (Alma 11:45). This is the hope that can keep many people doing what is righteous. If we live righteously in this life, we can see and be with our loved ones again, they and we will be able to be re-united in our perfect form I'm so grateful for this knowledge and blessing! Knowing this may help the family feel closure and when he moves on, find peace.

Who We Really Are and the Blessings of the Commandments

On my first day in neurology, I was sent to go in and interview my first patient to check for seizures. I went in and the first thing that was obvious was she was in a permanent vegetative state. The next thing was that she was growing facial hair. I did the cranial nerve and other neurological symptoms check as best I could considering the patient was unresponsive. Really the only thing I was able to check reflexes and pain sensation. As I went out and talked to my resident I found out more about this individual's story. She used to be a he. Ah hah, now the facial hair makes sense, so does the masculine facial features. But on top of this, I learned the cause of the permanent vegetative state. She had been at a party where cocaine was being used and had overdosed on it. Cocaine causes an intense constriction of the blood vessels so less blood can get through. In this case it constricted the vessels enough to cause a massive hemorrhage resulting in too little oxygen to certain parts of the brain (anoxic brain injury) resulting in this state.
There are several points that I want to bring up regarding this individual and their current state. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints put out a statement in 1995 called "The Family: A Proclamation to the World", states, "All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose."1 This tells us that our gender is something that is not just chance or luck of the draw. But we have been male or female long before we were born on this earth and will be that gender after we leave this earth. When we understand that we are God's children who lived with Him before this life and have the potential to return to live with Him again after this life if we do what is right, our perspective is changed. We realize that who we are in this life is important. We may have certain trials or challenges that make it difficult for us to deal with regarding our gender, but when we have faith in God and trust in His plan, we will be able to find peace in this life because we know who we are and who we will always be.
The second point deals with the sad experience this individual had with a cocaine overdose. The devil does not have a body and as such, is jealous of the fact that we have something he never will. We learn from Moses 4: 1-4 that Satan does not want us to find happiness, in fact all he wants is for us to find misery in life. It says in verse 4, "And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will..." This tells us that anything we do that is not from God, is from the devil; and since the only thing the devil wants is to deceive us, we can know that everything except following the commandments will bring misery! He just wants to wreck our lives with problems like drugs, alcohol, and all other types of addiction. This is how he deals with us. When we listen to the Father and His plan, we find true joy and don't need to find things that will give us an artificial stimulation or high, like drugs, we will always have true joy in our life. Furthermore we can know that we are preparing to find the ultimate joy by returning to live in His presence again! I am so grateful for latter-day inspiration that tells us who we are that we are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father sent down to earth in the form we have always been in. I am also so grateful for the commandments that truly make us free. The commandments of God will not restrict us at all, in fact, they liberate and give us true joy!

1. The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Family: A Proclamation on the Family, 1995.

Education vs. Hospital - Round 1

Today when I went in to interview a patient, I quickly became aware of the obnoxiously loud television blaring in the background. So often we have to go into the room and turn down a ridiculous television show that is sure to be killing more brain cells than building them. Whether it be a soap opera, a daytime television show, or some silly reality television show, these patients just sit there and watch a whole lot of nothing. Wouldn't it be nice to have patients be watching something that is actually going to be helping their health? Think about it, these patients come into the hospital, for the most part, because they are sit and unhealthy. (Of course you have the healthy people that just got in an accident too, but they are not the majority.) Why are we not putting videos about healthy eating, proper exercise, or teaching about the diseases they are plagued with up on the screen? Instead of just wasting their time, they are then watching things that will help them long after they leave the hospital. I know that many people would be up in arms about this, but are we trying to help people live healthier, better lives or not? When they come into the hospital, give them something more than just the 10 minute doctor visit to help them understand their condition, rather let them watch it in a more relaxed setting for them and they will then know what the disease is, how it is treated, and what they can do to help themselves when they leave the hospital. So the battle with helping patients rages, but at least this is another way we can help them right?
Doctrine and Covenants 130 18-19 states, "Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his dilgence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come" So learning is essential in this life. Let's help educate those that need education on how to treat and take care of their body.
Any thoughts?

Cancer - A Trial and a Blessing

During my first rotation in the OB/GYN clerkship, I found myself taking care of a lady with an extremely difficult situation. This was a young lady who had several children of her own. She had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and did not likely have too long to live. It had been planned that her sister would take care of her children after our patient passed away. However, things took a turn for the worst soon and her sister died suddenly, leaving our patient and her husband not only without the help of the patient's sister, but also as the primary caregiver for her sister's children. As I thought about this situation I could not help but realize how much I felt for her, but honestly I felt worse for her husband. Not only was he losing his wife, but he now had an additional several children he was in charge of taking care of.
I don't know their personal situation or how well her husband does financially, but I can only imagine the stress and worry and pain he is going through. He has got to put on a strong face for his wife, for his children, and for his nieces and nephews he is caring for while worrying about who will help him raise these kids and how to pay for them all and the medical bills that are surely coming from his wife's treatment. This is the type of experience that makes one truly pray and pray hard.
We know from the gospel that we will not be given a trial that is too difficult (1 Corinthians 10:13). This is the type of challenge that will drive one to their knees but ironically has the potential to bring one closer to God than at any other time in their life. I remember one particular time on my mission (which is a time I spent serving my Church for two years) when my strength to carry on was tested. During this time I felt stretched to the limits of my ability to perform my duties, so much to the point that I fell to my knees prayed for strength. As I prayed, I felt the distinct impression that I needed to get up and the Lord would carry me and help me accomplish the things I was being asked to do. As I got up from my knees I knew that I was being given strength from God to get up. Over the next several months I felt the Lord blessed me to accomplish the goals I had set and truly be a better missionary.
I know my challenge is in no way is the same as this man's, but the point is that the atonement of Jesus Christ has the ability to carry all of us through the challenges we face on a daily basis. As we trust in Him, He will help us get through anything we need to get through and bless us to grow closer to Him at the same time. Alma, a book in the Book of Mormon states the following, "And now my beloved Brethren, I would exhort you to have patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions...with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions" (Alma 34: 40-41). How grateful I am to know that no matter the affliction or trial that may come upon me, if I do my best and rely on Christ and His atonement, I will one day have the opportunity to rest from these trials. I hope this man understands this principle as I know the peace it can and will bring in our lives can give him great comfort in his life and the challenges he will face.

Radiology Day 1

I started a two week rotation in radiology today. I have found out several things so far, first of all many people call radiology a "kick back, put up your feet" type of rotation. As such, often people will come in and do as little as possible then leave for the day to go play. It makes me wonder, are we paying this much money in tuition just to do as little as possible? Or are we paying this much and doing our best to try and get our money's worth to be the best doctors we can be. Whether we are going to be a radiologist one day or not, you never know when a little pearl you learned as a medical student may be the key you need to solve the puzzle for a complex problem of one of your own patients.
In the Doctrine and Covenants, which are revelations given to Joseph Smith as a prophet for the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord told Him regarding knowledge: Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come. (D&C 130:18-19).
So any type of knowledge we can gain, that is righteous, will help us become more like God because all knowledge comes from Him. It reminds me of Thomas Jefferson. If you ever visit Thomas Jefferson's library in Library of Congress in Washington, DC you'll see that his library was not just books dealing with politics, rather it consisted of geology, medicine, politics, science of many types, scripture, etc. This is the type of person I want to be, I want learn everything I can so that I can do my best to be the best person I can be.

Let the Games Begin!

I am a third year medical student just beginning my rotations. I love medical school. I have worked my whole life to get here and now having the opportunity to be in this field every day is truly a dream come true. I love being able to help comfort patients; I love feeling like a detective as we try and solve the reasons why a patient is experiencing particular symptoms. I love going into a surgery and seeing the organs that make our body work. I love pondering about what I am learning with my upbringing as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Being a member of this church, I am provided a unique perspective in that I know that life is more than just being here on earth, we lived before this earth, and will live again after this life. This and many other doctrinal precepts give me a unique spin the purpose of medicine. Each day I ponder about what I see going on with each patient and what I know to be true from the gospel. I decided to start this blog in order to write down the things I am learning as well as incorporate what I learn with lessons I have learned from the gospel. I hope you enjoy the writings I post as much as I enjoy medical school and the opportunities that are therein.