DevanJensen

Before entering college, most of us think of things for the most part in terms of black and white—there is very little gray in either the intellectual or the spiritual dimension of our perspective. … As time goes on, however, new experiences may introduce a new dimension to a student’s perspective. In general, I would characterize this new dimension as a growing awareness that there is a kind of gap between the real and the ideal—between what is and what ought to be. … Students at a large Church college may suffer disillusionment when they lose some great battle with the giant red-tape machine, or when they remain unknown and nameless to their student ward bishop for weeks or even months, or when they brush up against a faculty member whose Church commitments seem to them to be in doubt. At a more personal and spiritual level, perhaps an important prayer goes too long unanswered, or they suffer some devastating setback with grades, good health, or the prospects for marriage; and the h...

The Utah Coalition Against Pornography held their annual conference on March 22, 2014, at Little America in Salt Lake City. The cost was just $15, and I highly recommend attending this event next year. Their website is http://utahcoalition.org/.   The chair of this conference, Pamela Atkinson, asked conference participants to commit to tell five people what we learned, because education is a key to fight pornography’s grasp. If you like what I wrote, please share it with your own five people! Pamela said our efforts to fight pornography do make a difference. She commended the efforts of State Senator Todd Weiler, who sponsored a bill to fight pornography that is being considered by the Senate. There is a new middle school program called Fight the New Drug. Pornography is a problem, particularly for children and adolescents, because their brains are still developing and they can easily become addicted. Several conference presenters expressed compassion toward those facing...

Dear family, May I share some thoughts that are near and dear to my heart? Yesterday two MBA students interviewed me about the helpful aspects of BYU’s Wellness Program. They asked me to show them photos that represented my feelings. Two of the photos related to a Zen-like state of meditation. That reflects my deepest feelings about exercise. I find peace and balance while working out. Talking about my feelings elicited an unusual discovery: When I’m pushing my body to its limits, I almost always think of you, my family--how you’re doing, joy in your successes, worries about your challenges. Somehow pushing my body to its limits through physical stress opens my heart (the source of my emotions) to values that matter most to me. I hope you know that I love each one of you and want you to find peace in life through exercise, through faith, through whatever works for you (well, whatever works for you that is both legal and ethical!). The second source of peace for me is faith. T...

Final thoughts from the book Brainstorm : A vital journey in adolescence is a transition from “Me” (with a capital M) to “Me and We.” In other words, MWe! J The term MWe moves beyond the boundaries of “our individualized, bodily defined self and [links] all of us together as members of a larger whole, a we-defined self” (p. 301). In other words, adolescence is a time when we naturally put our needs first, but as we grow into adulthood, we begin to emphathize more, realizing that others’ needs are just as real as our own. We seek to balance others’ needs with our own. The end goal is not independence but rather interdependence --satisfying relationships. The author outlines three stages: reflection, empathy, and integration. All involve pondering and meditation. I encourage you to take a few minutes to ponder these ideas, which can help you find peace and greater connection with others.  Firs t is to reflect on your own Sensations, Images, Feelings, and Thoughts ...

In family home evening, we discussed ideas for optimal brain health and emotional well-being based on Daniel J. Siegel's book Brainstorm , which Grandpa recommended. Much as our bodies benefit from a balanced diet, our brains benefit from a variety of activities. I offer these tips like a smorgasbord of ideas you can choose from for a well-balanced brain diet. :) 1. "Time-in" means reflection on our feelings. Writing in a journal can help us SIFT (senses, images, feelings, and thoughts). This reflective process releases the enzyme telomerase, which repairs our chromosomes and keeps our bodies healthy (282-84). 2. "Sleep time" involves 8 1/2 to 9 1/4 hours for teens. This activity helps fight off disease, process insulin better and maintain good metabolism, handle stress and emotions better, and connect better in relationships. Without good sleep, memory is impaired, and we feel frustrated and irritated (284-85). 3. "Focus time" means sett...