Skip to main content

Elder Craig C. Christensen

*I started writing this post back in 2012, but forgot to post it.  Now I can't remember anything beyond what I have recorded here.*

Elder Christensen invited me into his office for a visit today. (This sort of thing doesn't happen every day.  It was a pretty big deal for me!) Here are some of my personal impressions from our 30-minute visit:

  1. Global church growth cannot be sustained on pioneer tithing.  Chapels are probably the Church's most significant cost.  Brick and mortar worship, as we know it, may have to go.
  2. There is a disconnect between exercising faith to serve a mission and exercising faith to get married.  In Elder Christensen's era, returned missionaries said, "well it [faith] worked for me on the mission, I guess I'll exercise faith now and get married."  He asked me why I thought that had changed? Not wanting to pass the buck, but determined to speak my mind I responded that I thought my generation had witnessed to too many failed marriages  to let a decision of this magnitude forfeit control.  I suggested that we might be blinded by these non-examples too difficult to look to God and trust in Him.  Marriage is no longer a societal norm.  Additionally, the risk seems too great—missions are only two years, while eternal marriage is an eternal commitment.
  3. Like most Christlike men I've known, Elder Christensen is genuinely concerned with the personal welfare of others.  He will do what he can to lift and help another.  My meeting with him, at the request of someone else he was looking to serve, is a prime example of this.
  4. Elder Christensen doesn't mess around.  He is a businessman through and through.  I enjoyed hearing him talk about deals that lead to his success and deals that went horribly wrong.  In the hearing of his story, I felt from him that occupational decisions are secondary to the decisions one makes to be a disciple of Christ (a good person).

Elder Christensen's Official, LDS Biography
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Please share your thoughts.

Popular posts from this blog

Rummi-"CUB" vs. Rummi-"CUBE"

The "Rummikub" Pronunciation Debate Affirmative Constructive: "Cub" For years, I have been a firm advocate and defender of the pronunciation, Rummi-"CUB".  The game box I grew up with spelled it, Rummicub  on the box. However, other productions of the game have variant spellings: Rummykub , Rummy Kube , Rummy Tiles , etc.  Based solely on box spelling, the game's true pronunciation is open to interpretation. Therefore, Rummi"cub" is equally acceptable to any other given pronunciation. Negative  Constructive : "Cube" My opponents argue that since the game originated over seas, we ought to respect and maintain its original pronunciation. Affirmative Rebuttal: Americanization of the Term When the game was brought to America and given Americanized rules, its name was also Americanized. Pronunciation loyalists then counter my rebuttal with, "there are lots of adopted foreign words that have retained their original pron...
5 comments
Read more

The Secret Reason Why "Good Witch" Feels Emotionally Off

TL;DR It's the Botox. For the past 3 months, my wife, Stacia, and I have been watching  Good Witch  (via Netflix and Amazon Prime). Stacia adores winding down to "Hallmark-y shows." We can rely on Good Witch episodes to always resolve happily. The episodes are never too intense. The height of conflict revolves around things like someone's inability to locate the perfect spot to snap a romantic photo for a new tourism brochure. I consider my time watching these shows spouse bonding time , and emotional training. My favorite thing about watching feel-good shows with Stacia is getting to observe her facial reactions to the on-screen drama. When two people lean in for a long-anticipated kiss, Stacia tucks her knees into her chest and frowns with her forehead while lifting her chin and bottom lip. While I'm typically unable to suspend my disbelief, Stacia seems completely entranced by the various characters' emotions. Wishing I could join her in being swept aw...
4 comments
Read more

Who's Got The Funk?

I am an amateur guitarist, and I've got no funk. My musical skills seem to lacking that special something . Great musicians have it . Those fortunate enough to have gotten hold of  it , create timeless hits. While musicians without it  fade into oblivion. After spending hours searching through Blues history websites and 1970's band documentaries online, I discovered what that special something  is thank to a (70% Man, 30% fish) character from the BBC show "The Mighty Boosh" named Old Gregg. He identified that  thing  as  The Funk ! But what exactly is The Funk ? Here is some dialogue from the show to help explain its origin and purpose: Old Gregg: You're a musician, yeah? Howard: Yes I am. Old Gregg: Butchya ain't very good, are ya? Howard: I'm one of the best in town. Old Gregg: Come on, I read your reviews. Hmm? You know what your problem is? Howard: What? Old Gregg: Ya ain't got the funk. You're all rigid. Hmm? You're l...
2 comments
Read more