Let's Give Our Politicians the Finger

By now most Olympics fans have heard the news of the American mens' 4x100-meter freestyle relay gold-medal swim. The French team was highly favored and Alain Bernard, French team member, even said before the relay, "The Americans? We're going to smash them. That's what we came here for."

With 50 meters to go, Jason Lezak, anchor of the American relay team, was at least a half body length behind Alain Bernard. At that point in the race, not even the commentators thought that America would win a gold medal. It seemed impossible that one Olympic swimmer could swim that much faster than another Olympic swimmer in such a short time. But the impossible became the reality as American Jason Lezak touched the wall before Frenchman Alain Bernard.

Commenting on the victory, Amaury Leveaux, one of the French swimmers stated, "a fingertip did the victory. It is nothing."

Leveaux probably wants to believe that, but the truth is that it was everything in that race. A fingertip became a gold medal -- four gold medals to be precise.

At voting time, we often hear people say that they don't vote because their vote won't make a difference. Truthfully, those non-voting people always make a difference. If all Americans voted, many of our elections would have different endings. Interestingly, we often hear people talk smack about our elected officials or the direction this country is going, only to find out that their fingertips made the difference because they chose not to vote.

This election like all elections is important. A "fingertip" can make a difference. It's important that we all take part in the voting process and that we all make sure we are voting for the candidate who will fight for the sanctity of the U.S. Constitution. We do not want more politicians who will sell out the freedoms of the American people or who do not think that the United States of America is the greatest place on earth to live. So please take your fingertip to the voting polls and let it make the difference.

Spiritual & Temporal Freedoms

In church today the opening hymn was The Star Spangled Banner and the closing hymn was America the Beautiful. Between speakers, midway through the meeting, the choir sang Praise to the Man, a song unique to the LDS church as it is in honor of the prophet Joseph Smith, who restored the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth. June 27 is the anniversary of his martyrdom. July 4, as everyone knows, is the anniversary of the birth of this great nation, the United States of America. As our thoughts have turned today to reflecting on what both dates mean to us, we rejoice in the freedom and truth that are now ours because great men and women have been willing to fight and die that we might live in freedom and light.

The following words from America the Beautiful remind us that simple men and women who believed they had the God-given right to worship as they pleased and not be subject to tyranny, loved this country, or at least what they knew this country could be, more than they loved themselves:

O beautiful for heroes proved

In liberating strife.

Who more than self their country loved

And mercy more than life!
America! America!

May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness

And every gain divine!

Many people persecuted Joseph Smith while he was alive, and many still persecute him now though he’s dead. But many people all over the world feel blessed today because of his sacrifices. As stated in Praise to the Man, “Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.”

So today we are grateful for those who sacrificed that we might live in this great nation; and we’re grateful for those who sacrificed that we might know the truths of God. According to John 8:32, truth is also freedom. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”