Ramadan one-week fasting trial - Day 4

Hello again. Day 4 was particularly challenging. I did have an illuminating time reading the Book of Mormon, the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur'an. I know that one of the requirements for Muslims is to read the entire Qur'an during Ramadan. 

So, my Muslim friends, how is it going? and how far have you got?

I'm a sufferer of severe headaches, as you may remember I wrote about in this article. I wrote in my fasting journal how I was quite surprised I hadn't come down with a headache so far this week. Unfortunately this afternoon it came and at 4pm I broke my fast. I have a family to take care of so I have to look after my health first. I was disappointed I had to stop early but sometimes we have to make such decisions for the better good.

Then I received a comment which was rather negative and sarcastic concerning my Day 3 fasting efforts, so I decided against publishing it. 

I have received so many positive and encouraging comments so far which have helped me to continue past a tough Day 1. However, this comment kind of knocked me back a bit, telling me that their 6-year-old could do better than me! Then they told me to, impossibly, not be offended! 

"It matters not if you try and fail, and try and fail, and try again. It matters if you try and fail and fail to try again."

I'm a non-Muslim giving this fasting a good try. I tried real hard. I gave every effort I could. But I realised today that I'm not really doing this to please the Muslim community or for anyone else for that matter. I did it for myself, to get closer to God, spend a little more time 'away' from the world, and for the purposes I mentioned earlier. Those purposes were to develop a greater level of patience so that we could enjoy improved harmony and love at home.

Those purposes have been fulfilled. I feel very calm and at peace with everything.

There are many good people of whatever faith they may be who repeatedly try and fail, and try and fail, and keep on trying again. This includes a number of Christian friends who try their best and fall and struggle, and then dust themselves down and try again. We don't condemn them, or criticise them, we just offer the helping hand again, and again, and again, as long as it remains necessary.

Thank you to all who have commented so positively regarding my Ramadan fasting trial, who have given me a lot of encouragement. I'm pleased to announce the fasting trial has been completed, a little earlier than planned but having fulfilled it's purpose.

I've enjoyed it a lot and I'm glad I gave it a go. I'm definitely better because of it.

All my best wishes are with the Muslims who are fasting faithfully this month.

Once again, I'd be interested to know how my Muslim friends are progressing with their reading of the Qur'an . . .

Ramadan one-week fasting trial - Day 2

DAY 2

Yesterday morning I woke up early to eat my breakfast. As I was doing so I began to think, "Oh no, I have to do this all over again today!" But I pushed these thoughts away and remembered the purposes of my fast and the importance I've attached to them.

Now would be a good time to tell you all the purpose of my fast. I have determined that the purpose of my fast will be to develop greater patience, and to apply that patience to my roles as husband and father, so that there may be improved harmony in the home.

Now patience is something I think we all seek to better about ourselves at times. Time and time again I've told myself to have more patience, but this moment of fasting appears to be the most effective in finally getting over the hurdle. It is the most meaningful improvement I'm making in my life.

I read some scriptures in the afternoon, comparing and contrasting The Book of Mormon with The Holy Qur'an. Learning snippets of truth and developing a greater personal relationship with God, requires much time and patience. There are pearls of truth to be found everywhere. Just as learning the truth requires years of patience, so too developing family relationships and harmony in the home needs time, effort and patience.

Perhaps later yesterday night I was given my first test of patience to see how well my fast was working. In the midst of a thunderstorm, which dramatically cooled things down after a hot day, someone's car alarm was triggered and continued beeping, stopping for a few seconds, beeping again, stopping, beeping. It must have gone on for over half an hour, at a time when we were trying to settle down, get the youngest to sleep, and after a long day of fasting.

My first reaction was to grumble and moan. Then I suddenly realised that this could be a mini-trial. So I told myself that I wasn't going to get angry and flustered over a simple car alarm. Instead I folded the clothes and exercised patience.

I feel that I'm being more patient with Lauren, my oldest daughter too.

P.S. I broke my fast with KFC last night, a very good way to do it!

Ramadan one-week fasting trial - Day 1

DAY 1

The first day of my one-week fasting trial went generally fine. I woke up before the sun and had a very early breakfast. The hunger feeling didn't arrive until around 2pm when my stomach felt distinctly empty. I had a small nap but was awoken by screaming children outside! Anyway, I felt much better afterwards and was able to complete my day's fast, although I did get very thirsty in the last few hours.

But I'm pleased to say that I resisted any urge to eat or drink, and that felt good. The most difficult part of the day, funnily enough, was after eating at the end of the day's fast. I felt bloated and uncomfortable for a good hour before things settled down again. I think a smaller meal would be better!

Instead, I have been concentrating on the purpose of my fast, and reading some Holy Scriptures to supplement it.

Over the course of this week I'll be reading the following books:

The Holy Bible. Recently we celebrated the 400th anniversary of the first publication of the King James version of the Bible.

The Book of Mormon. A fantastic page explaining the Book of Mormon. Feel free to check this out if you are not familiar with it.

The Holy Qur'an. Simply click on a chapter and away you go. In both Arabic and English.

I'm hoping that by studying these good books, I'll get more knowledge and understanding in helping me reach my goals of my fast.

Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple, Kuantan

The Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple in the heart of Kuantan draws people in for its colours and numberless statues on its roofs. Situated near the fire station a stone's throw from the Darulmakmur Stadium, it is a sight to behold.

Every major religion under the Sun can be found in Malaysia. While we must admit that there are gently simmering hostilities between the religions, it is relatively peaceful and harmonious when compared with other plural society countries. It is not uncommon to find mosques, hindu temples, chinese temples and churches on the same street in Malaysia, and sometimes even lined up beside each other.

My visit to the Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple was a different experience to my previous visits to the PAHANG STATE MOSQUE AND PAHANG BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION and to the SIKH TEMPLE. The Pahang State Mosque is intricately designed with beautiful symmetrical patterns and graceful Arabic calligraphy adorning the walls. The Pahang Buddhist Association combines a temple containing a huge statue of Buddha with beautiful gardens and a lake. The Sikh temple was stunningly simple in design, with lovely carved wooden doors and glittering chandeliers. However, the one thing all these places had in common was reverent silence.

Here is the Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple in Kuantan. Here there were bright colours in abundance. I even engaged in a conversation with an Indian woman who was there to clean the temple. We spoke at length about how I came to be in Kuantan and I was able to share with her my appreciation of the lovely temple we were in, my beliefs about God, a living prophet, and other Christian doctrines, which she received with humility. It was easy to share these things with her. Since we were in a hindu temple I related to her about our Christian temples and a little about the work that goes on there. From the Book of Mormon we read of former Christian missionaries: "and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them."

These curious little black stone statues were the most intriguing part of my visit to the Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple. Unfortunately I didn't get the opportunity to ask a few questions I had in mind to the Indian lady there.

A Eulogy of President Joseph Flake Boone

I often think of President Joseph Flake Boone and the time I was privileged to spend with him from 2002-2003. I came up with this little eulogy which I hope provides an apt description of this man and helps many of us to remember more vividly this inspired leader who laboured amongst us.

A GLORIOUS MEETING – A LIFETIME OF INFLUENCE

          I can’t think of any other occasion comparable to it in my life. I doubt there has been anything that has left such an indelible impression upon me. Of all the people I have met from day to day, month to month, and year to year, he stands uppermost like a cedar of Lebanon, a beacon of light over a stormy sea, an ever-filling well of water in a lost and lonely quarter of the desert.

      Meeting President Joseph Flake Boone is like meeting a mountain. I had this gargantuan privilege as an incoming missionary in my twentieth year. After a weary flight across the Pacific and down the edge of South-east Asia, I arrived in the early hours of the morning at Singapore’s Changi airport. As my group cleared the immigration and baggage reclaim, and slowly trudged away, we saw him standing behind the glass double-doors ahead. And what a sight it was. It’s hard to express adequately in words the thought process in the brain and the feelings of the heart upon fixing my gaze on this man at 1:30am. It is fair to say that all tiredness fled in an instant. After transiting through four foreign airports in between three flights I had felt lost in a big wide world. Now for the first time, with my Mission President no longer just a picture in a booklet, but standing in the flesh right before my eyes, I felt as close to home emotionally as I was as far away geographically.

      Despite his large stature, one was drawn to his benign face, his benevolent countenance beaming, evidence of a deeply pious life based upon living principles of truth. His open, square-shaped spectacles sat snugly on his cheekbones giving him an air of intelligence and power. His eyes seemed to search me astutely from behind those glass lenses. I immediately had the impression that those probing eyes were examining my every action, word and thought, and when he smiled with a dancing glint in his pupils, I smiled back. His smile was modest, not extravagant, his lips creasing at the corners but without displaying his teeth. He seemed to smile more with his eyes than his mouth. I could tell he trusted me and I didn’t want to disappoint him.

      His taupe hair was immaculately parted at the side and flowed across the top of his head where it effortlessly swept over and down to the left, allowing his tall forehead, that walking Bible Dictionary, to prop up his moderate crop of hair. His cheeks, which expanded when he smiled, smoothly curled down into a round, pointed chin. His crisp white shirt and conservative tie neatly adorned his broad torso.

      As he offered his huge hand, I extended my considerably smaller one, upon which he grasped it tightly and I felt this man’s momentous power with each firm shake of his robust arm. That was a proper handshake.

      He resembled a stripling warrior, an example of exact obedience. He was like a classic Book of Mormon prophet, large in stature, mighty in spirit, word and deed. He was the closest man I have ever been acquainted with, to the description we love, of Captain Moroni. Throughout my one-year association with him, he was akin to a living Captain Moroni, a plausible panacea whose very presence was a delight to be in, a balm containing both physical and spiritual properties.

      During a number of personal conversations with him he would sit, completely engulfing the chair he was seated on, with one leg crossed over the other, and his enormous books of scripture resting on his knee. I would perch attentively on the edge of my chair, and whilst normally I would feel extremely intimidated and overwhelmed by the sheer size and build of this man had it been anyone else, but all I could feel was awe and respect as brotherly kindness and love oozed from his spirit to mine.

      In many conferences he would speak for hours on end from a bulky stack of papers he had prepared, skipping over some and selecting the information he was moved upon to share. It is unanimous to say that our pencils were blunt after these conferences, but our minds were considerably sharper.

      Many a tear was shed on one of the last occasions we saw President Joseph Flake Boone and his wife before their contract expired and were about to make their way back home to the States. The missionaries serving in Singapore had prepared a special hymn with adapted words to the tune “O Ye Mountains High,” and there was not a dry eye in the chapel that day as we sang with heartfelt gratitude for his great leadership and labour of love. Such was the impact, power and example of this laudable man, that even merely a rare saunter down the street with him in terms of the long journey of life, has left an indissoluble impression upon our hearts.

      I strain to conjure up a more powerful, apt or justifiably fitting tribute to this man of God than that which describes the man he vividly resembles:

     

      “. . . and this was the faith of President Joseph Flake Boone, and his heart did glory in it . . . in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity. Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto President Joseph Flake Boone, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.” (Alma 48:16-17)




To those of you, who like me, were mighty privileged to serve with President Boone, I would appreciate your comments about this post. Perhaps you have a specific memory of a special time you had with President Boone. Feel free to leave your comments so that we may all reminisce about this great time of our lives.

Reading In Between The Lines

A well-read person would appreciate such a sight of a stack of books inviting themselves to be pored over. In today's world it is vital to gain knowledge, and the way we gain knowledge is by reading. The English language is the medium of all knowledge, the language which has been instituted for these times. It is therefore necessary to become acquainted with good English, and to educate oneself in languages, history, geography, science, the arts, and religion to name a few.

I have enjoyed firstly, many books on religion, those which inspire tolerance, understanding and faith. In my possession is a Holy Bible, The Book of Mormon, Religions of the World, a copy of the Holy Qu'ran translated to English, alongside many other Christian writings of today. Of all the books I have, these have been the most inspiring and faith-promoting reads.

Then we come to the greatest magazine on earth. Allow me to introduce...

...the National Geographic magazine. My affiliation with this magazine began 2 or 3 years ago whilst regularly watching the National Geographic channel on television which always aired many interesting topics. When an unclaimed copy of Smart Investor was left on the post boxes downstairs at the beginning of this year, I took it home and enjoyed browsing through a few articles of note. It was then that I decided it would be nice to buy a certain magazine every month from which I could experience an education about some subject or another.

I was immediately struck by the distinctive yellow border around National Geographic's magazine, and coupled with my existing interest in Geography and the World, it was an easy choice. And so, since February, I have been thoroughly perplexed and engulfed in this remarkable magazine containing some incredible accounts of people, countries, nature and scenery. The photographs are no less stunning. I have proved to myself that it is still possible, and just as rewarding, to educate yourself even after school days are long gone. "Education is" truly "the best provision for old age" or any age, I would remark. (Not that I'm getting old just yet! Although with my 27th birthday recently come and gone, I am now closer to 30 than 20, which all of a sudden seems a little scary.)

Finally, I love a good novel, a good story. I am a great admirer of Dan Brown for his all-action, adventure epics including The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons. They are in every way, page-turners, nigh impossible to put down, except when the chores of looking after a toddler rise to urgent levels.

The plot, the storyline, the description, the haziness between fact and fiction, are all fine faculties of Dan Brown which he expertly manipulates to grab and reel his audiences in. He leaves one to ponder deeply and come to one's own conclusions to the secrets, conspiracies and suggestions he has put forth in his work.

I have read The Da Vinci Code three times and still find myself absorbed by every single line, transfixed to the character development, glued to each page as the plot thickens, twists and somersaults over itself. I have loved feasting on accounts of history, paintings, scientific explorations and breakthroughs, unknown cults which may or may not still be functioning today. Perhaps what I love best about Dan Brown's books is precisely the fact that it's hard to draw the line between where his facts end and where the fiction begins. It therefore, persuades me to pursue additional study to discover for myself the concepts and arguments that he raises in his books. The educational banquet continues long after the back cover is closed.

I am an aspiring writer and author myself. I find inspiration in reading a wide range of work from various authors and on differing topics. Reading and writing, for me, is the greatest passion in life, my panacea, the place where all of my feelings are best expressed.

I hope you've enjoyed my book collection, of which I'm extremely proud.

Classical literature is another interest of mine, particularly as I have advanced in years. Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy and William Shakespeare are all authors whom I have studied. Obviously they are much more difficult to stomach, but just the fact that they have gone through me appears to make me a little better. Sometimes we don't understand everything we read, but we become more knowledgeable in the process.