Poor Romney, Poor America, Poor Brother

This semester I've been studying a lot of Isaiah. Mostly due to the fact that I'm in the religions class for "Writings of Isaiah". But now that I actually am understanding Isaiah's words, I LOVE to study Isaiah. Anywhere I can find his words, I get so excited like I found a hidden treasure. I've been really enlightened on just how important his words are to us--and now that I know how to read them--I eat them up. Did you know that Isaiah is the most quoted Prophet in the scriptures? Or that he's the only Prophet Jesus Christ has ever specifically called out by name (3 Nephi 23:1-3) and then commanded us to know his words. And Bruce R. McConkie said, "It just may be that my salvation (and yours also!) does in fact depend upon our ability to understand the writings of Isaiah". I also went to a Religious Symposium that talked about how 2/3 of the Doctrine & Covenants had Isaiahannic language. Regardless, Isaiah is a  very important guy.

As I've been able to read his words and actually understand them this time around, I've been intrigued to see how he describes our day so accurately and to see what will come in the future. Sometimes (okay--so most of the time) I get use to how our world works and I'm not surprised by the good and bad out there. I know our world is bad. But I don't exactly realize just how bad it is or why. It's just all I know in life. But the more I begin to understand the laws of heaven and earth and then read about Isaiah's description of our apostate conditions of the world in the latter-day--an epiphany occurs and I finally see things more clearly. I'm so grateful for Isaiah's doom and destruction detailed descriptions and then for the flip of a switch, with the messianic and millennial prophecies that have brought me to appreciate Christ and the Plan of Salvation to greater extents than I have before.

You might be wondering why I'm mentioning this little Isaiah monologue? Well, I feel bad for what happened last night. I feel bad as I've snooped around some on the internet and seen what some of the Republicans have said about how all is lost. I feel more invested in this election as 1) this was my first time voting 2) Mitt Romney was clearly what America needed politically right now and 3) I have seen a very hard working brother spend the last 17 months working a couple of years off of his life with this campaign.

For those of you who don't know John--you would want him on your campaign too--for starters. He's not perfect--but he has a lot of integrity, drive, and ambition. He's tenacious in nature. And he's always working towards improving anyone, any program, or any event to become closer to the ideal. Because he loves. He did this with siblings, neighbors, his deacons quorum, FHE lessons, learning how to be a home teacher, his failed entrepreneurship businesses he started in high school, his school assignments, his military service, his mission, at the MTC, and at school here at BYU. He rarely does anything relaxing--besides taking short naps because what is relaxing to him--is thinking or reading something that stimulates his mind onto something new that can be improved. He's an interesting character, whom I have closely watched the most of my life. He's lived in more hotel rooms than his apartment in Boston right now. I follow him around whenever he's in Utah for a day or two. I'm serious--for exapmle--I'll do his laundry and make him food and then he'll feel inclined to bring me along as he goes to chat with his ROTC buddies, his old roommates, his old girlfriend, his best friend from the mission, old Monticello wardies, his teams for Romney events etc; and I just kinda sit on the bench and observe and listen and pick up bits of information that he never communicates to the family about what he's been doing on the campaign. He never goes into too much detail; but I haven't been surprised when he worked his way up in the campaign to planning events left and right for the Romney's and interacting with them directly. He's not the same John he use to be 17 months ago--the stress he's dealt with hoping events are pulled off right are lined into his face and etched into his voice. He admits that campaign life has taken a toll on him--even admitting that he finally wants to be a boring person who just wants to be married and excited when boring and simple things happen to him during the day. Poor John. I know that out of anyone  I know, he wanted Romney to win--if not because John loves America, but because he actually understands the intents of the Governor and what Governor Romney would able to do if he had been elected. And then to give your life to it for awhile. Aw, I ache for my little-kid-brother John. I love him. I know him. He'll bounce back after recouping.

As far as American and Romney goes. I feel bad for America. That the people are disappointing me. I will always Believe in America. But the people--will they just align right along with the words of Isaiah. But perhaps, this helps us gauge where life is right now. And why we need a Messiah to return again to the Earth. As Isaiah says it best in the prophetic perfect (speaking of what will happen in the Millennium):

For the LORD is  our judge, the LORD  is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.-Isaiah 33:22

Looks like the Lord will be in every branch of our government: judicial, legislative, and executive. And whats more--he is also our Savior.  On one final note--at my Stake Conference this last week, Elder Lynn G. Robbins told us that no matter what happens, the Lord needs us to be his covenant people in the way he has always wanted his covenant people to be. We can't let our surroundings, our economy, our leaders, our wars, or our poor education keep us from being the light on the hill that God needs us to be. He needs his covenant people to exude happiness, peace, and faith in the future. To be his righteous remnant and prepare for the millennial day; by living in the millennial way.