Layne's Lunch

Why I'm not a vegan (or a vegetarian for that matter).  After my previous post about the Word of Wisdom , I felt I should write an additional post covering this topic.  First, the word "vegetarian" means nothing.  There are so many levels, tangents, and offshoots of vegetarianism that applying the label to yourself or anyone only causes confusion.   Some vegetarians eat dairy, some don't.  Some eat fish, some don't.  Some eat eggs, some don't.  Some are weekday vegetarians, and some only honor meatless Monday.  And the list goes on and on.  Labeling yourself as a vegetarian is simply a label that brings on a confusing discussion.  So, I don't use it.   I'm not a vegan either.  You see, vegans typically fall into three categories: - They are in it for their own good health - They are doing it to be kind to animals, promote animal rights, avoid animal cruelty, etc.  -...

Endurance and Leadership As a youth I had a poster hanging in my room.  The picture on the poster was of a runner on a long road that stretched on into the distance without any visible end.  The caption at the bottom of the post loosely quoted Ecclesiastes 9:11 when it read, “The race is not to the swift, but to those who keep on running”.  For clarity, here is the actual text of that verse. 11  I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.  Ecc. 9:11 Life is not a sprint.  It is a test of our endurance.  Leadership callings may also test our endurance.  One of the traps that leaders often fall into is treating their calling with a sprint-like mentality.  Often it is better to slow down, settle into a sustainable pace, and let some of the pr...

Knowledge and Leadership My favorite scripture on this topic is in Doctrine and Covenants 130:18-19.   I had this quote hanging in my room all the way through high school and college.  It contributed to the motivation I needed to drive forward with my studies.    18 Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.  19 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. Having the advantage in the post-mortal world is nice, but how does it help you be a better leader in this life? Zig Ziglar is credited with this quote,"Rich people have small TVs and big libraries, and poor people have small libraries and big TVs.” Joseph taught the Saints that knowledge was a necessary part of our mortal journey, for “a man is saved no faster than he [gains] knowledge,” [Joseph Smith, in Histor...

Recently I have been re-pondering the principles in the Word of Wisdom ( Doctrine and Covenants section 89 ) This phrase has occupied many of my thoughts. "In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days." D&C 89:4 I have heard people say that this statement applies to drug dealers.  While I agree with that statement, I wonder if  is it limited just to them, or are there others who are conspiring against our health and well being? Who are these evil and conspiring men?  What are they conspiring?  What makes them evil? Let's start with a principle that will help frame this discussion.  In Jacob 4:14 it speaks about "looking beyond the mark."  In his October 2016 LDS Conference talk Quentin L. Cook said: "While there are many examples of looking beyond the mark, a significant one in our day is extremism. Gospel extremism is when one elevates any gospel principle above other equally impor...

Priesthood power is predicated on righteousness 36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness. (D&C 121:36) When a leader attempts to lead in any degree of unrighteousness, then their power is diminished.  We all know of unrighteous leaders.  They may have appeared to have great power, but you must ask yourself where that power comes from.  If unrighteousness removes priesthood power, then, by the law of opposition (2 Nephi 2:11) the power of unrighteous leaders must be derived from that Fallen Angel of Heaven (2 Nephi 2:18).   You can not live the core leadership principle of “Leading with Love” while leading unrighteously.  God is love (1 John 4:16) and leading unrighteously separates you from God and you become subject to the power of Satan.  These two states, Love and Unrighteousness, cannot ...