"It is required that you do awake your faith."

Title courtesy of Mr. Shakespeare.

Brother Merrill:
Joseph F. or Joseph Fielding: False doctrine in our church comes from two parties: one, ignorant people. Their ignorance is the result of their indolence and sloth. Two, the proud who read by the lamp of their own conceit.

Brother Bott:
I can't quote the whole chapter on obedience and diligence. This will have to do, instead:
Stewardship- David O. McKay (from the notes of Fred A. Baker, Managing Director, Department of Physical Facilities, June 1965)
While engaged in explaining to them the importance of the work they were engaged in, he paused and told them the following:
"Let me assure you, Brethren, that some day you will have a personal Priesthood interview with the Savior, Himself. If you are interested, I will tell you the order in which He will ask you to account for you earthly responsibilities.
First, He will request an accountability report about your relationship with your wife. Have you actively been engaged in making her happy and ensuring that her needs have been met as an individual?
Second, he will want an accountability report about each of your children individually. He will not attempt to have this for simply a family stewardship but will request information about your relationship to each and every child.
Third, He will want to know what you personally have done with the talents you were given in the pre-existence.
Fourth, He will want a summary of your activity in your Church assignments. He will not be necessarily interested in what assignments you have had, for in his eyes the home teacher and a mission president are probably equals, but He will request a summary of how you have been of service to your fellowmen in your Church assignments.
Fifth, He will have no interest in how you earned your living, but if you were honest in all your dealings.
Sixth, He will ask for an accountability on what you have done to contribute in a positive manner to your community, state, country and the world."
So if the question is, "How much is required of me?" the answer is "What do you want to be able to tell the Lord?"

This is Bro. Bott again: "If I could change one thing about this campus, it would be the ultrajudgmental attitude that people have towards everyone who is slightly different from themselves." YES! Chastise me so I am self-aware and reformable.
Then we talked about Romans 14 and the caffeine issue:
"I am not the standard by which the policy of this church is made. Neither are you...Where the Lord has not spoken definitely on something, it's ok to differ within the church. But don't argue about it!...If God has not spoken definitively on a topic, don't be presumptuous enough, no matter how smart you ar, to put words in His mouth."

Ten days of sanity and not having to listen to self-victimizing whining begins today. Festival. Of. Life.