The Evolution of Viwe

Book Review: Life's Lessons Learned - Dallin H. Oaks

2012-01-21T12:15:00.003+02:00

“I have learned things that have shaped my life and teachings, including some things of the heart not previously shared,” writes Elder Dallin H. Oaks in the introduction to this unique book. “This is an autobiography of learning and application rather than a compendium of doctrine.”

Masterfully blending personal experiences with the doctrines of the gospel, Elder Oaks invites us to join him on a journey through some of the turning points in his life and the lessons he has learned through a lifetime of devotion to the Savior.

The short but potent chapters offer perceptive observations into such diverse topics as the purpose of adversity, the importance of respecting those with whom we disagree personally or politically, the merits and limitations of law, the blessings of tithing, the seeming conflict between science and religion, the Lord's use of imperfect people to further His work, and the power of the Atonement to recover those who have fallen behind.

Elder Oaks also relates the very personal lessons he learned from the death of his wife, June, and from his subsequent marriage to Kristen McMain.

Woven throughout the book is Elder Oak's powerful testimony of the Savior and His mission. Life's Lessons Learned is a rare glimpse into the experiences of the heart that have shaped the life of an Apostle of God.

This book brought insight into the adversities that Elder Oakes dealt with at an early age. His lessons learned give hope to all who have adversities. The short chapters draw you through the book and give you much to consider as you compare your own adversities with those of this apostle.

A Lesson My Mama Taught Me Today

2012-01-18T08:55:00.002+02:00

Once upon a time, a serpent chased a firefly.

The latter fled rapidly, afraid of the ferocious predator,

but the serpent didn't even think about giving up.

The firefly fled one day and the serpent didn't give up; two days, and nothing.

On the third day, now clearly weakened, the firefly stopped and asked the serpent:

Can I ask you three questions?

I don't usually proceed this way with anyone,

but since I'm going to devour you anyway, you may ask.

Am I part of your food chain?

No.

Did I harm you in any way?

No.

So then, why do you want to finish me off?

Because I can't stand to see you shine.

Many times, we don't understand the reason for persecution,

anger, lies, slander, why they make up stories about us, etc. . .

But here is one of the reasons:

They simply can't stand to see you shine!!!

Never Let People Bring You Down

When i read this, i had to smile. I know why my mom taught me this lesson. So many times i felt i had to apologize for working, for going to school, for travelling, for learning, for moving out of the ghetto, for buying a car, for doing what i think is best for me. I wish i could say it was an easy road but sadly, not. I have lost friends when the status quo changed. A good friend of mine shared with me this truth - live out loud! That is what i am doing and life is good.

The Value of Good Friends

2012-01-10T08:48:00.005+02:00

How many of us truly value the friendships we make in our lives? I have been blessed during the past few weeks to be reminded how many beautiful people i have in my life. I am a very blessed man. I choose not to mention names of these people in this post. They know who they are.

Every person we meet comes into our life for a purpose. Some are there to teach us lessons and to guide us when we need some guidance or support. Some come into our lives when we need the support and guidance of someone who is willing to take the time to share with us and support us. I had so many priceless moments when i would share my life with dear friends during my vacation and would walk away from those conversations, filled.

Friends can also come and go from our lives. These connections may last years or months. When we reconnect with these friends we can often pick up the conversations like it was just last week that we had a get-together and in reality it has been years. These are the friends we make a true heart connection with, the friends we love and are loved by them in return.

I have come to understand that appreciation is the key here, for without appreciation you have no friendship. Appreciate the good sides of each other, appreciate those traits that are worth enhancing. Empower one another, share you inner heart's energy, and love the uniqueness of each individual as they are also a part of the whole.

While it is possible for one happy person to spread happiness to their friends, the reverse is also true — a negative friend can bring you down as well. It's also important to be a good friend yourself, providing others with as many of the benefits of friendship - infectious happiness, social support, someone to confide in, food in times of crisis.

Be a good friend, and good friends will come to you.

Book Review: The Help - Kathryn Stockett

2012-01-04T21:55:00.003+02:00

Be prepared to meet three unforgettable women:

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women-mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends-view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

The Past Three Weeks..

2012-01-04T21:31:00.013+02:00

I have been enjoying a great vacation the past few days here in the United States. Tomorrow i fly back home. Looking back i truly could not have asked for a better holiday. It is impossible to for me to pen down all the experiences i had as some a extremely personal. Some are just too long to explain. Some are just some of those experiences you had to be there to see it. So i have decided to highlight those experiences in point form, to save time and hopefully not to bore you.

* i got to ride a horse for the first time. That was amazing but scared me to death. Those are powerful creature and i gained a much greater respect for them.

* Got to shoot a gun for the first time. I shot a 45 which is my new favorite gun but the Winchester 300 popped back in my face so hard my forehead bled for a while.

* Snow is great to look at but not fun to be in for extended periods of time.

* Malad, Idaho is one best kept secret. Its simplicity speaks volumes.

* i LOVED being at the Conference Center and watching The Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform with Nathan Dunn and Jane Seymour, attended by President Thomas S Monson

* Got to appreciate and love even more, my beloved friends. I am one of the most blessed people in the world. I know i have a home, away from home. SUU all the way!

* Arizona showed me sweet love and acceotance. Christmas was out of this world.

* Disney is the happiest place on earth!

* Hollywood is all that epected it to be: rich and famous

* I got to see four more new temples: Logan, Las Angeles, Mesa and Washington DC

It has been a magical trip. I am a rich man because of the value of my friends. I am not sad that i am leaving but thanlful that this trip happened.

Song of the Week: Jason Mraz - I Won't Give Up

2012-01-04T21:04:00.004+02:00

Jason Mraz is known for his witty lyrics, amazing melodies and inspiration songs. Mraz is not afraid to break the mold that pop artists are placed into. With the release of his new single, "I Won't Give Up," Mraz not only creates an unforgettable melody but the lyrics he writes create a love story that inspires. The song feels like Mraz sat down with his guitar and just let this performance create itself organically. The melody and lyrics seem effortless.

Mraz keeps the melody simple, as he does with most of his music, but the simplicity of the instruments only highlight the heartfelt, honest lyrics that Mraz presents to the audience. The lyrics tell the story of a man who will not give up on his love. Mraz writes, "Even the stars they burn, some even fall to the earth, but we got a lot to learn, God knows we are worth it, No I won't give up."

These are heartfelt lyrics, a beautiful melody, and excellently performed. It's only the third day of the new year, but this might end up being my favorite song of the year. The song is simple, the emotion is true and Mraz proves that his play on words and his lyrical masterpieces are here to stay.

Quote For The Day

2012-01-02T07:21:00.000+02:00

“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”
― Haruki Murakami

Thought For The Day

2011-11-21T05:56:00.000+02:00

I don't know how many times i have watched the above video. There are so many lessons to be learned from it. For me right now, it is a reminder of how short life is. Sometimes we get so caught up in the petty things and the things that matter most are lost in the things that matter least. We choose that. We can undo it too. We can truly live as if each day is our last. I know it sounds very cliche but o how true it is...

The Studying on Sunday Debate

2011-11-13T14:42:00.004+02:00

It's sunday afternoon. Time now is 14:43pm. In a few hours i will be heading to bed. I plan to sleep at 18:00pm so that i can wake at 02:00 am to study for my upcoming exams. I remember when i was in high school, my senior year, that i made a PERSONAL choice to never study school work on a sunday. That was in 1997. Ever since that day, i have never studied on the sabbath. It has not been easy to stick to that decision but somehow i have managed.

There have been times, many of them, where i felt i needed all the time in the world to study. My first semester of my MBA studies was one of those times. I needed every minute to study. The work load was heavy. After much thought, that perhaps i needed to change my resolve, i somehow remembered that in all the years of my studying the Lord had never let me down. So i came up with my weird solution, that i would sleep early on sunday and then wake up early Monday morning to resume studying. It was, a way for me to put the Lord literally first. To an outsider, my resolve was foolish and a little bit overboard. For me it was a way to keep the sabbath day holy and to show the Lord that i was willing to put all aside for Him.

Looking back, i don't regret that resolve. He has parted my red seas. I have walked on dry ground and managed with every exam.

Quote For The Day

2011-11-12T18:39:00.001+02:00

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”
― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

My Studies and I

2011-11-02T17:03:00.003+02:00

I believe two things will save Africa: education and the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is amazing how these two are intertwined. I have not made it a secret that i am studying. One of the reasons why i have done is, is to show those around me that we do not have to settle for meager crumbs in the world's economy. There is a sick mentality in the black African community, where a great majority will settle for any job, have no vision, believe the world owes them favours, that the "white man" does not want them to progress, and that any job is good enough. I am thankful for good people on my life that help me see above and beyond this mist of incorrect belief. I am thankful for my mother, who raising me and my brother alone (she is a widow) instilled in us to go further than what she did. I am eternally thankful for her. She is a classy lady!

In my studies this year, i have learnt eternal lessons. I remember this one afternoon where i was studying a section in my Business Stats section and i just could not understand the work. I tried and my frustrations brought me to tears. Just at the moment where i wanted to give up, I felt my mind enlightened. Things just made sense. I have had many similar experiences. When i struggled, after i had made the effort, the Lord opened and mind and understanding. That is how i have managed to survive. The Lord's tender mercies have been my saving grace. The video below has been such a great comfort.

I have a long way to go but i think i am understand better how to navigate through the challenges that comemy way...

Janet Jackson is coming to South Africa

2011-10-29T16:38:00.005+02:00

Hello everyone. My name is Viwe and i am a recovering Janet Jackson addict/stalker. The R&B icon and girlfriend (but she does not know that) will bring her Up Close and Personal tour to my country in November.

The Independent Online quotes Jackson as saying: “I will be as up close and personal as possible. These concerts are not about special effects. This is a love affair between me and those of you who have supported me and my work for all these years. I’ll be singing and dancing from my heart."She will perform in Johannesburg (Montecasino) on November 11 and 12, and in Cape Town (GrandWest) on November 15. How sick is this? She is performing around the same time as my end of the year exams.

Janet last performed in South Africa in 1998 for her Velvet Rope tour, which i missed too because i was in the bush (that is a story for another day). The day the tour was announced i had friends call and text to let me know. I guess my obsession was public knowledge. So what if i know most of her songs, from which album they are part of an what track number they are - off memory. Everyone knows that general knowledge....right?

So i had to make a really tough decision, to go without a dose of some Janet and focus on my exams. Good decision, right? right?

While I Wait

2011-10-26T09:31:00.003+02:00

I am a very private person. Now some of you may wonder, if that is the case then why do i have a blog, open to all, talking about some aspects of my life and beliefs so openly. I cannot count how many times i have written something on this blog and have comments on the blog or emails or messages sent to me saying how my thoughts have helped with personal struggles or helped changed views. That is why i do it. I am not anything special but i have felt that sharing some areas of life with others, more good can be accomplished.

I have been thinking about writing this post for a couple of days but have been debating whether i should go so deep in sharing my feelings. Deep down i knew i needed to, whether for myself or for someone else. This morning, i had the courage to do so.

I am 31. In mormon years i am 98 years old. I am single. I have dated much but those efforts have not yielded much fruit, regardless of how much time and effort i invested.That has been one of the hardest things for me to deal with. A lot of things in my life have been straight forward. I worked hard at it, focused and the Lord would magnified my efforts and blessed me with the desires of my heart. Finding someone for me to settle down with, to travel life's journey with, has not been that easy. It has humbled me. I have been called picky, difficult or even pompous. Yes...pompous. That has been one of the greatest struggles for me. I have been depressed, despaired a great deal and even at times wondered,maybe, this was life's allotment for me. I remember toward the end of my missionary service for the church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, i had my life all planned out: I would get home, my mom would buy me a car, go to school, marry a beautiful girl and raise beautiful children. It was a simple plan and my desires were in the right place. Life has not turned out that simple for me, and according to some i have failed.

Over the recent years, i have come to learn many lessons that i feel i could not have learned had this "tragedy" not occured. I am not crazy when i say that i am truly thankful that life has not been as easy as i had planned out. Life has been good. How so? Well, for one, i have become acquinted with God. I know Him better now then i ever did before. I've had life's painful moments where i had no where else to turn to, times when i was treated as life's second class citizen. In those painful moments, i had only one place to go to - on my knees. In those sacred times where i cried and begged that this pain would pass, God did not take away my pain initially but He listened. He allowed me to get the pain and anger off my chest. I needed that. Now we commune so much - more sincerely. I have come to know Him, who is the father of my spirit. I have come to know that He knows me by name. He is mindful of me.
I have come to love the temple. I used to attend the temple, because it was the right thing to do. Over the years i had changed my mindset and started to do things because i want to. Now i attend because it is the House of the Lord and that i want to be there. I have had many sacred, beautiful experiences, letting me know that the desires of my heart will realized. I wish i knew when that will be, but i am ok with not knowing the exact plan. I am thankful for those tender mercies. Serving in the temple has been a saving grace in life.

While i wait, i have decided to make my life as full as i can make it, not with clutter but with beauty. I am not single because i am busy. I am busy because i am single. I was blessed to be accepted in the MBA program this year. Little did i know that it would be so extremely difficult. It has been very difficult. I remember this one time i was studying a Business Stats problem and my mind could not understand how to get to the answer. I prayed for help. Just when i wanted to literally cry out of frustration, my mind was touched by heaven's hand and i understood the work. I cried and laughed at the same time. (I'm glad i was alone at home at the time). I have had to get a tutor, my accountant at my work place, to assist me. It has been a humbling feeling but i have come to see how she has been a blessing especially this second semester. I have come to see the fingerprints of the Lord as i have been studying and pushing forward. I am blessed with amazing friends that have helped make international travel possible for me. Such travel has opened my eyes and helped change my paradigm. I am thankful for the ones that have made me a part of their families and lives. They know who they are. My heart loves them more then words can say.

So, what now? Life goes on. Men are that they might have joy. That does not mean that it can start only when i am married or have a family. It startes now. I am happy. Even though i have my own longings, i am happy. I have come to see through different eyes, have more compassion for others' struggles. Faith for me is not a mere belief. It means so much more. It is not a trite phrase that some use to carelessly and casually. It is a feeling, a way of life, as real and true and clear as daylight. I am thankful, though painful at times, for my personally designed trial, for in and through it, i have come to stand - truly stand. I am more solid becaused of it. I laugh more genuine, because of it. I am happier because of it. I love more because of it. Things make sense, because of it.

While i wait, life goes on, beautifully i might add...

Book Review: Letters to God

2011-10-17T08:48:00.004+02:00

Tyler is a healthy, active boy at the beginning of the book; his father. Patrick is still alive and his mother is a stay-at-home mom. Readers experience the death of Tyler's father, and then the subsequent ordeal as the nine-year-old boy is stricken with incurable brain cancer. 'I thought maybe God didn't hear me, so I decided to write him a letter.' In his search for a special compass, a young boy writes a letter to God and reveals, to himself and others, the miracle of God's hand in every situation. This book is inspired by the true story of Tyler. Patrick and Heather Doughtie, authors and parents of the real-life Tyler, share the endearing story of their son's inspiring and contagious faith.

Tyler views God as a friend, a teacher, and most importantly, a pen-pal. He composes and mails a letter to God on a daily basis. It is through these letters that one of the characters, McDaniels, learns of Tyler’s unwavering faith and discovers that faith is what he has been seeking all along. Tyler’s letters are his prayers to God, and surprisingly, the prayers are less preoccupied with Tyler’s condition and more concerned with the people in Tyler’s life. More than anything, Tyler trusts in God’s will, and feels certain that God holds a place for him in heaven. In order for him to acquire true peace, however, Tyler wants to know that his family and friends will find comfort and happiness after he is gone.

In the face of hardship, Tyler’s family struggles with their own beliefs. Tyler’s mother begins to lose faith that she and her family are part of an ultimate plan, and even rejects her own mother’s offerings of Biblical inspiration. Tyler’s teenage brother Ben too believes that his family has been abandoned by God. They go a rollercoaster of emotions and come out triumphant.

The journey i went through, by reading the book, is one i will never forget. This trully, sincerely, has been one of the best books i have ever read.

I Will Move The Rock

2011-10-13T09:45:00.004+02:00

A friend of mine sent me an email with the following story:

"Once upon a time…there was a man who was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man He had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture placing thoughts into the man’s mind such as : “You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it.” Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure.

These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more. “Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough.” And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

“Lord”, he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock a half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”

To this the Lord responded compassionately, “My friend, when long ago I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewed, and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend, will now move the rock.”

Author Unknown

Father in Heaven calls us to obedience everyday. Sometimes, I want to see beyond obedience. I want to know why, how and when. Yet, it is usually long after the obedience that I begin to realize what His plan is. So i work on just being obedient, today. I am learning that by being obedient today, I am stronger for tomorrow. Obedience blesses us, even though at the time we do not understand why.

Walking Away

2011-09-23T12:50:00.002+02:00

I am a good man but i am not dumb. How many of us have experienced a relationship in which we knew it was not right but we had extreme difficulty walking away and staying away? Strength is knowing when to walk away from a bad relationship and doing it. Strength means not only knowing that the situation is bad for you but having that strength to walk away from it and stay away from it. The true lesson is to realize that we deserve better, we are better and we will leave the bad to seek better. Of course, I know, easier said than done but nothing is impossible when you realize that SELF is more important. Why limit yourself to a box filled with nothing but heartache and pain? It only limits you from reaching your full potential of happiness and overall well being because sometimes our relationships can have a negative impact on all aspects of our life - school, work, home and social life.
Being Mormon kinda limits your choice of possible people to date. The puddle is very small and i made a personal choice that i want to date someone who is of the same faith as i am.

There are few times that i have been so proud of myself as now. I am looking out for me, and for once putting me before someone else. My problem is that i stay trying to make a relationship work even when my gut feeling tells me otherwise. I usually worry where i would find another person, if the present relationship does not work. A selfish love has been my experience as of late. I have been lied to and have been lured to think that the problems that have been occuring have been my fault. I have been on the unfortunate side of a love that just take and never gives.

Yesterday i parted with Miss Thang (am trying to be ghetto here). No more feeling sorry for myself because i know my worth. It feels so good and peaceful and offers an inner confidence that trully words cannot fully describe. I have this smile on my face. I will no longer settle for whatever because i know i deserve heaven and earth.

I guess i showed myself that i was more important and loved myself enough to walk away.

Is It A Xhosa Thing?

2011-09-18T16:08:00.003+02:00

There is a certain belief among Xhosa people, that has become ingrained in all of us in the culture, that one Xhosa man (generally speaking) does not like the next one to progress and become successful. I have grown up with that belief but never fully understood it until i started working and my world opening up.

The company that i am working with and for has been good to me the past 8 years. They have given me many opportunities in life and i have been able to accomplish much in my few years, compared to the friends i have. That has been bitter-sweet for me. I have had many opportunities where i felt so bad for being able to afford a house and car. I have been made to feel bad for being able to have good friends that helped make my travels possible. The ill feelings have never died down, but increased with each year. According to the rumour mill, i can't tell you how many times i have been told i have AIDS, sell drugs, have out-of-wedlock children, been seen drunk etc. It used to hurt me so badly when i would hear these things.

I wish i could say that as i write this entry, that the noise had died down. It has not. The one element that cuts deep is that some of the noise comes from those i had considered my close friends. Looking at it now, they were friends when the scales were such that they were doing better than i. Now that the roles have turned, the friendships have all but died out.

This has led me to evaluate my associations with a lot of people. Now i try and be around those who build me and add positive elements in my life. I am realizing more that being selfish at times is not a bad thing. I follow the dictates of my conscience more. I am happy and content with my life. That helps a lot. It has helped not to allow myself to be validated by external people, but by the peace of conscience i enjoy. Is it the best thing to do? I don't know. It works for me right now.

Just A Thought

2011-09-01T09:54:00.001+02:00

The power of association is too real:
The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people. As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are. Friends that don't help you climb will want you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those that don't increase you will eventually decrease you.

Consider this:
Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how.

Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Don't follow anyone who is not going anywhere. With some people you spend an evening; with others you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships. If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl, but if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights.

A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses. The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate, for the good and the bad.

Living My Best Life

2011-08-18T19:45:00.001+02:00

My favorite poem is by William Ernst Henley entitled: Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

I've learnt that no one can make you happy but yourself. I am the captain of my own soul. I'm blessed to be truly happy as an individual. I have had to pay a heavy price to get to this point but it has been worth it! I feel I don't have to prove myself to anyone anymore. I am comfortable in my own skin. My heart smiles. Yes I do have problems and struggles but the foundation of contentment helps me through it, day by day. There are many things I would to accomplish still and I am on the road to it! I am living my best life!

.

Picture Published

2011-08-14T15:41:00.003+02:00

I enjoy photography but i would never aspire to the lofty realms of the greats like Ansel Adams. It is just a hobby of mine. I find it a great challenge to attempt to translate a great vision and immortalize it. A couple of days ago i was at the Seaview Game Reserve and took a couple of pictures. Our Port Elizabeth weekend newspaper has a section where locals can submit photos for publication if selected and i usually do submit one or two pictures. I have been fortunate to have had two pictures published. This one now is my third. It made my day!

A Talk For Me

2011-08-04T20:45:00.002+02:00

We all have those moments when we listen or read a talk and feel that it was meant for you specifically. Elder Utchdorf's talk in the priesthood session of General Conference was such an experience for me. His talk was entitled "Your Potential, Your Privilege" and it left me with a lot to think about. 7

He was right. I was one of those that lived far below my spiritual privileges. It dawned on me about two weeks ago. Even though the talk was directed to priesthood holders, we ALL can apply the principles he spoke about and be better. President Uchtdorf stated, "As you read the scriptures and listen to the words of the prophets with all your heart and mind, the Lord will tell you how to live up to your priesthood privileges." In his talk, he states we need to read our own owner's manual. How do we do this? We have scriptures and handbooks readily available to us on a continuous basis. If not, we know where to find them (Missionaries, Church Library, etc). After you've read the owner's manual, you seek revelations from the spirit! This is where we live below our privilege, states Uchtdorf. "Revelation and testimony do not always come with overwhelming force. For many, a testimony comes slowly—a piece at a time. Sometimes it comes so gradually that it is hard to recall the exact moment we actually knew the gospel was true. The Lord gives us “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.”

The past two weeks i have made a conscience effort to make a change in my life, to live up what the Lord has in store for me. I studied the scriptures more and indepth. I prayed more frequently and sincerely. I made an effort to draw closer to the Lord in music too. It feels like the Lord recognized my efforts and magnified them. I have had so many wonderful spiritual experiences! It was been a wonderous showering of lessons and growth. Elder Neal A. Maxwell used the image of a fruit ladened-tree to illustrate how both men and women of the church live below their privileges:"Happily, many of us have already picked and been greatly nourished by the low-hanging fruit from the gospel tree. Yet, on the higher branches, much fruit still remains, unreached for and unplucked.” (Neal Maxwell; Whom the Lord Loveth P 7-8). It feels like i have been given a lift to pick of the fruit on the higher branches. I don't feel that i have made it. I don't believe that it is station we arrive at. I feel it is a way of life, a righteous habit, that i am still making a part of my day-to-day living.

Each of us has a choice to make. We can be satisfied with diminished sacred experiences, thus living far below our spiritual privilege or we can exercise faith and reach for the fruit representing an abundant feast of sacred experiences. Unless you exercise faith, you leave the Lord powerless to bless you as he desires.

Why I Love The Fed Express

2011-08-04T14:00:00.003+02:00

Roger Federer will turn 30 on Monday, 8 August. Here's a look at his birthday milestone by the numbers...

1 – World No. 1 for 285 weeks
2 – Finished in year-end Top 2 eight consecutive years (2003-10); only player to do so
3 – Grand Slam titles won in same season, accomplished three times (2004, 2006, and 2007)
4 – Fewest losses in his career in 2005 season (81-4)
5 – Year-end No. 1 finishes AND Barclays ATP World Tour Finals titles
6 – Wimbledon titles AND number of winning streaks of 20 matches or more
7 – Number of Grand Slam finals won before first loss (’06 Roland Garros to Nadal)
8 – Consecutive years with at least one Grand Slam title, from 2003-2010
9 – Or more titles on clay, grass and hard courts – only Jimmy Connors matches the feat
10 – Straight major finals reached: 2004 Wimbledon through 2007 US Open
11 – Consecutive years with at least one ATP World Tour title (2001-2011)
12 – Career-high titles won in 2006
13 – Number of match wins in first full season on ATP World Tour in 1999
14 – Wins in 23 matches against current World No. 1 Novak Djokovic
15 – Losses in a three-year span (2004-2006) in 262 matches.
16 – Grand Slam titles AND number of titles won in U.S. (most of any country)
17 – ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns
18 – Grand Slam finals reached over 19 appearances from ’05 Wimbledon to ’10 Australian Open (missed at ’08 Australian Open) AND tournaments won in different countries
19 –Age at first ATP World Tour title in Milan on Feb. 4, 2001
20 – Grand Slam matches won in a season six straight years (2004-2010) AND wins against players ranked No.1 or No. 2
21 – Years old when he finished inside the Top 10 for first time in 2002 (No. 6)
22 – Times he has been the top seed at a Grand Slam tournament AND age he first became No. 1
23 – Successive Grand Slam semi-final appearances (’04 Wimbledon through ’10 Australian Open) AND overall Grand Slam finals
24 – Straight finals won between ’03 Vienna through ’05 Bangkok
25 – His age when he finished with a career-high 92 match wins in 2006
26 – Wins in a row against Top 10 opponents (2003 Masters Cup to 2005 Australian Open QF – lost to No. 4 Safin in SF)
27 – Consecutive wins in a row in Grand Slam play, achieved twice (2005 Wimbledon R1-2006 Roland Garros Final; 2006 Wimbledon R1-2007 Roland Garros Final)
28 – Years old when he claimed his latest Grand Slam title at 2010 Australian Open
29 – Consecutive major quarter-finals reached (going into 2011 US Open)
30 – Grand Slams in a row as No. 1 or No. 2 seed between ’04 USO and ’11 AO

2011-08-02T19:34:00.001+02:00

If there were any doubts as to whether Serena Williams would be a champion again, it didn't take long for them to be silenced. In just her third tournament back from a year-long absence from the game, the American won her 38th WTA title at the Bank of the West Classic.

With only Eastbourne and Wimbledon on her points total, Williams came into Stanford ranked a lowly No.169, far from the on-paper favorite she used to be when she was No.1. And in a draw that had four Top 10 players in it, even the biggest believers would have had some doubts. But none of that mattered at all.

Playing a WTA tournament in America for the first time since 2009, Williams came out blazing, beating fellow 29-year-old Anastasia Rodionova by a double bagel in the first round. After a second set hiccup in the second round - she beat Maria Kirilenko, 62 36 62 - she went into high gear again, stunning Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals, 61 63, and Sabine Lisicki in the semis, 61 62.

On the other side of the draw the No.9-ranked player in the world, Marion Bartoli, was cruising. Seeded No.3 with a first round bye, she beat Rebecca Marino in straight sets and then enjoyed some reprieve in the next two rounds - a 61 retirement win over Ayumi Morita in the quarterfinals and a semifinal walkover over No.8 seed Dominika Cibulkova, due to an abdominal injury.

For Williams a final battle with Bartoli was a chance for revenge. Four weeks ago, Bartoli beat her in the fourth round of Wimbledon, where she was the two-time defending champion. And she would get her revenge. Bartoli was up 4-2 in the first set and even served for it at 5-4 but Williams would not let it get away from her again, as she reeled off eight straight games to go up 75 50. Bartoli held one last time, then Williams served it out for a 75 61 triumph.

"Marion's always coming back. I was relieved after that last point," Williams said. "She's playing really well and really aggressively. I just had to bring the level of my game up to her level because she's clearly a really good player."

Williams is now an incredible 38-14 in WTA finals in her career. With the title she is projected to more than half her ranking and move back into the Top 80.

"I haven't won a tournament that isn't a Grand Slam in forever, so this is cool," Williams said. "I'm taking every tournament much more seriously now - not that I didn't before, but now even more so. I definitely want to take this whole swing seriously. Believe it or not, I don't love the grass and I do love playing on hardcourts, so this is a good time for me to be playing right now."

And the ranking? "I hated the triple digits. I've got to get to single digits though."

Bartoli was playing her third final in Stanford, having been a runner-up in 2008 (losing to Aleksandra Wozniak in the final) and winning it in 2009 (beating Venus Williams in the final). She was very complimentary after this final.

"I said it even before the match - Serena can improve from one day to the other, so you can imagine from one month to the other," Bartoli said. "She also had four good wins coming into this match, especially the last two matches where she won extremely easily, I totally knew it would be different from Wimbledon."

Me Right Now..

2011-07-22T18:51:00.005+02:00

I am learning to drown out the noise that is a constant part of my life. In that solitary moment, i find myself. I don't have to prove anything to anyone anymore. I only follow my heart and concentrate on what is right for me. What a good view the world is from here...

To be or not to be...

2011-07-18T08:31:00.005+02:00

I hate race issues. I am thankful that i was sheltered much while i was growing up, in that i did not encounter any race issues. I think my first incident of real racism was my first few months in college, just after we wrote our first exam. One student said that he would not fail the exam because he was white. That comment alone bugged me and i made a private resolution to prove him wrong. I worked extra hard that year and when we graduated, i received the Top Student Award in the PC Engineering class. Looking back, i am glad i proved a point but also feel i was a bit childish. I reacted to a base comment.

Let's fast tract to last week. I met up with my bishop and he congratulated me on the progress made with my MBA studies. Another ward member was nearby and he made the comment that he believed i would not make it and that i would drop out soon. There was cynicism in his tone and that hurt a bit....ok a lot!! A part of me started to react as i did years ago but decided to let it go. I feel i have nothing to prove this time around. There is nothing to justify. This was not an easy decision to make but reacting childishly would not paint me in any pastel colors.

It has been amazing to me how some people have had an issue with me studying further to better myself. I have made many conclusions as to why this is so but the real lesson for me this time, i think, is that what people say to dampen my efforts is not a reflection on or of me, but they themselves. Some people can't stand seeing others do well and as a result they reveal their true self in trying pulling others down. Some people are happy when they are on top but once they feel that their stand is threatened, they reveal whothey truly are. I can't do anything about it. I just focus on me and continue to move forward!

Song of the Week: Stitch by Stitch - Javier Colon

2011-07-11T09:36:00.003+02:00

Stitch By Stitch is an original song performed by Javier Colon, on the NBC’s reality talent show The Voice finale which aired a couple of days ago.

I knew i loved this tune when Colon belted it on the final performance show, but there’s just something about a studio version that really does it justice. That being said, I believe that the producers of the show gave Javier the best original song in the competition and here we have it "Stitch by Stitch." The song has elements of R&B, Pop and some Rock in it and it is a guitar and piano driven mid tempo ballad that suits Javier's voice to the tee. He sounds great on the song and it was written very well. Written by Dave Bassett, David Hodges and Lindy Robbins and produced by Rodney Jerkins, the song speaks about the effects of a love gone wrong and longing for someone to be able to put it back together by the stitches.

Overall it is truly a great song and Javier commands attention when singing the song.

Growing Up?

2011-07-08T16:11:00.002+02:00

Life is interesting, at least for me. I am in a good space in life right now. Things either make sense and those that do not, i have come to accept what is and make do with what i have. In the words of the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, i have come "to accept the things I cannot change,Courage to change the things I can,[and having the ]wisdom to know the difference". That is a sweet space to be in. Looking back i can see how life has carved holding places for such lessons in my life. I feel i paid a heavy price for them but what a treasure they are.

Joseph Smith and Jesus Christ

2011-06-16T19:46:00.001+02:00

Joseph Smith at the Feet of the Savior – an unfinished painting by Liz Lemon Swindle
Do Mormons worship Joseph Smith? Check out this unfinished painting by Liz Lemon Swindle of Joseph Smith at the feet of Jesus Christ.

The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it” ( Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 121).

What to expect from the Williamses' return

2011-06-10T16:45:00.002+02:00

Serena Williams will play her first match next week in Eastbourne since winning Wimbledon a year ago. It's an event that warrants the gobs of attention it will generate; Serena has but days to prepare for her defense of tennis' most prized possession, and we haven't a hint of how she's hitting the ball. My guess? Pretty well. Like Roger Federer, Serena will always be a threat to win any tournament she enters and can't be overlooked under any circumstance.

Lost in all this—overlooked might be the right word—is the simultaneous return of Serena's sister Venus, who hasn't played since January's Australian Open. Almost 31, Venus is considered old by tennis standards, but let's remember that 29-year-old Li Na just won her first Grand Slam title in Paris, and Francesca Schiavone did the same thing in 2010, when she was a year shy of 30. Venus isn't seeking her maiden major, of course; she's won seven of them in singles competition, five coming at the All England Club.

The last of those Wimbledon wins came in 2008. Since then, Serena has won five majors despite missing the past 11 months of action. That stat, coupled with the still-uncertain WTA landscape, leads many people to say she's still No. 1—and thanks to Wimbledon's subjective ranking system, she actually could be in a few days' time. If that's the case, Venus, with her loaded résumé and serve tailored for grass, should be No. 2.

After watching Clijsters win the 2009 U.S. Open and Justine Henin reach the 2010 Aussie Open final after extended hiatuses, it's not a stretch to think the Williamses could do something similar at Wimbledon. If I had to choose one, I'd go with Venus—simply put, this is her tournament. Serena has won it the past two years, but it would be foolish to ignore a five-time holder of the fittingly-named Venus Rosewater Dish.

God is able..

2011-06-09T18:19:00.003+02:00

I wrote my first MBA exam today. It was hard! A friend of mine asked me a few minutes ago how the exam went. All i could tell him was that it was extreme on both ends. It was hard. There were times when my mind could not take any information in even though i knew i had a lot to cover still. On the other hand i experienced many tender mercies which kept me going. Even this morning as i was going through my work for the last time before my exam, i was blessed with a great measure of peace, peace that i needed badly.

The exam went ok, i think. It was one of those that i was able to answer all the questions. Whether they were sufficient, time will tell. The message that i want to make clear today is that today i was reminded that God is able. He is able to assist long enough to keep you going, long enough to prevent you from giving up, long enough to stand on your own, long enough for you to finish.

I have two more exams to go in the next four days. I do not know how they will turn out BUT one thing i know is that He is able...

A Lesson My Mama Taught Me Today

2011-05-31T12:07:00.002+02:00

Be Yourself, No Matter What..

There was this man who saw a scorpion floundering around in the water.
He decided to save it by stretching out his finger, but the scorpion stung him. The man still tried to get the scorpion out of the water, but the scorpion stung him again. Another man nearby told him to stop saving the scorpion that kept stinging him. But the man said, "It is the nature of the scorpion to sting. It is my nature to love. Why should I give up my nature to love just because it is the nature of the scorpion to sting?"

LESSON:
Don't give up loving. Don't give up your goodness even if the people around you sting you. The greatness comes not when things are always going well for you. But the greatness comes when you're really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes...
Because only if you've been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.

Quote Of The Day

2011-05-12T18:04:00.000+02:00

"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why." Eddie Cantor, US comedian & singer (1892 - 1964)

I LOVE this quote! You have no idea how much i love this quote. Whenever i make time to slow down, i have learnt so much from heaven. It is as if i give heaven the chance to teach me, that i give heaven equal time to lift me, to teach me, to strenghten me and heal me.

My Mom the Missionary: Part 4

2011-04-22T15:38:00.002+02:00

At this very moment my aunt in Johannesburg is having her first missionary lesson, thanks to my mom. A couple of years ago i left a copy of the Book of Mormon at my gran's home. I left it at that. My mom kept talking about the church with them. She kept following up and leaving behind General Conference Ensigns and other church material. She kept encouraging her sister to read and study the material she had with her. Last week, my aunt informed my mom that she wanted to learn more about the gospel. Last week we sent her information to the missionaries in her area and this morning they called me, notifying us that they are meeting with my aunt, as i am writing this blog entry. I am so excited. I will keep you posted on how that missionary lesson goes...

Quote Of The Day

2011-04-13T10:49:00.001+02:00

"How [can] we expect to be joyous and to receive all that “the Father hath” if we do not strive to become like Him? And, in fact, can we, on our scale, be like Him without sharing in the “fellowship of his sufferings”? . . . If in all this there is some understandable trembling, the adrenaline of affliction can help to ensure that our pace will be brisk rather than casual. His grace will cover us like a cloak—enough to provide for survival but too thin to keep out all the cold. The seeming cold is there to keep us from drowsiness, and gospel gladness warms us enough to keep going." - Elder Neal A. Maxwell

...Lesson Learned....

2011-04-13T08:52:00.002+02:00

A lot of times i feel i am in school again, for i seem to be learning so many lessons about life. Some are hard to take it and some even nerve-wrecking to accept. Some lessons i have learned are too personal for me to write on this blog entry but i have recorded them in my journal. I wanted nevertheless to share a few that have ben instrumental in my personal growth..

* I've learned that no matter how much I care some people just don't care back.
* I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
* I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.
* I've learned that it's not what you have in your life, but whom you have in your life that counts.
* I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
* I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
* I've learned that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
* I’ve learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn’t stop for your grief.
* I've learned that heroes are people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
* I’ve learned that you can keep going long after you can’t.

I guess life would not be life, if we don't learn new life-defining lessons. I guess since we are alive, our work is not done, therefore there is more to learn.

Living With Regret

2011-04-06T10:07:00.002+02:00

For as long as i can remember, my entire young adult life i have lived my life according to the dictates of those around me and not my own. I felt that if i walked a certain way, talked a certain way and was a certain way i would be the perfect Viwe that all expected me to be. About three years ago i hit rock bottom. I felt i could not keep up with all the expectations of being the perfect business-church-social Viwe.

When i had reached that point of self-realization, i started to build the real me. I wanted to build Viwe, as i wanted to be and NOT what others thought i should be. I started to live for me and that is where i found peace. Now i am living life to the fullest and with no regrets. I see so many around me who still walk by sight, and have no clue who they are.

My life now is more happier, more content and more focused. Below are the 5 regrets that i never want to have:

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me :
This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.
It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn't work so hard:
I remember a fw years ago, a work friend passed away. It was a shock and a sad time but reality was that about two weeks after his passing, his office was occupied and work went on. That is the harsh reality of the working world. By simplifying your life and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result. We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win. Tell people how you feel about them, whether you love them, disagree with them or want to help them.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends
Many people have become so caught up in their own lives that they have let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying. It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks: love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again. When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

This Viwe, below is the best and happiest he has been since birth...and growing.

My Current Top 4 Songs

2011-03-23T10:22:00.005+02:00

I have been travelling around the country much lately and so i have had much time to myself to think about the solemnities of the eternitues but also time to listen to some good tunes, in passing time. I have compiled 5 songs that caught my attention as i have been galavanting around:

1. Amos Lee - Lesson Learnt
Amos Lee has a honeyed singing voice without much fuss or undue strain. His songs, rooted in a soothing style descended from 1970s folk rock and rustic soul, rarely nudge him from his comfort zone. I like this particular song a lot, a tune about lessons learned in life. This song has a beautifully subtle tone. I enjoy the lovely piano playing here. The song resonated with me in a striking way. I have had many friendships severed lately and it has been a painful experience. It was one of those experiences where i learnt some people knew my name and number when they needed a ride or money etc. Learned a Lot is the point one hopes to get to after a gut-wrenching split — gleaning something positive from nights of tears, anguish and sorrow.

2. Jennifer Hudson - I Got This
As much as i love a wide genre of music, my roots are nevertheless with RnB. Hudson proves that her pipes are just as strong as ever with this song, taken from her newly released I Remember Me. With its anthemic chorus, soaring vocals, and inspiring overtones, this is hands down a winner. It is a personal anthem- a feel good, motivator song.

3. Van Risseghem - The River
This is one of my 2011 finds - a good find for that matter. I am a fan. What a soothing song it takes you on a ride like a day of sunny and lazy afternoon feeling. The lyrics are so very simple yet catchy too. This song reminds me of Utah, driving around the mountains on a sunny day! Good times!

4. Dallyn Vail Bayles - Savior Redeemer of my Soul
My mother loves this song. She is the one that brought my attention to it and since then, i have been playing it over and over in the office. The arrangement is revent and meaningful to me. Dallyn's incredible vocals range is beautiful and this heartfelt performances that will uplift, comfort and strengthen.

The Savior and the Temple

2011-03-13T18:16:00.005+02:00

I love this video. It hit me that when we are ill, we go and see a doctor or visit the hospital. What do we do when we are struggling spiritually? How do we nurse it? Do we care at all? Do we make enough effort with our spiritual being as much as we do with our temporal lifestyles?

I was in Johannesburg the past few days and was able to visit the temple for a couple of days. The temple blessed my life. It helped lift me spiritually. It helped strengthen my prayers and sense of spiritual sensitivity. I am deeply thankful for the Savior through who's atonement i am given the opportunity to be better, to be healed, to be helped, to be strengthened. Temples are places of not just worship, but our spiritual hospitals.

BYU Honor Code Unrealistic?

2011-03-04T08:22:00.002+02:00

I attended a BYU New Testament class in 1996 and i have some cool BYU gear, so i am an unofficial BYU Alum. I watched and read the Brandon Davies situation on ESPN. A part of me feels it is very unfortunate that a personal misdeed is splashed out in the public. My heart goes out to the girl involved.

BYU Honor Code Unrealistic?
Uploaded by ESPN. - More professional, college and classic sports videos.

It has been interesting to see how some people ridicule, some support and some sitting on the fence with reagrds to the BYU honor code. Well here is my 2 pennies' worth:

When Davies chose to go to BYU he made the commitment to follow the code. Nobody forced him to go to BYU. Whether or not you agree with what the honor code states, the point remains that he made a commitment, signed a contract and broke it. It is too sad that this misdeed has to be in such a public forum. The beauty of the gospel is the blessing to make amends and improve our lives. I hope that he will get to play in the near future and again build his life and future.

The King's Speech

2011-02-28T09:17:00.002+02:00

There’s not much to say about this film — other than so far, this is the best screenplay, with the best performances i have seen in a very long time. That’s all! The best piece of advice I can give you is to go and see this film as soon as you possibly can. This film is the whole package, every part of it from the tiny details about driving through fog to the grand speeches given by a King declaring WWII to the necessary comedic swearing that helps the Kind overcome his stutter — everything in this film is perfectly executed. Colin Firth, who rightfully won the Oscar for Best Actor, and a Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award for his role in A Single Man last year. Don’t let people tell you about this film (except me), go and see it for yourself.

The King’s Speech tells the story of the man who became King George VI after his brother for the first time in history abdicated the thrown. Though his journey was not easy, he was a King unable to speak to his people due to a severe speech defect. In order to overcome his problem and deal with the matters at hand (a little thing called WWII) he calls upon the help of a rather unorthodox speech therapist named Lionel Logue. Through a set of unexpected techniques, and as a result of an unlikely friendship, the two are able to boldly lead the country through war.

Not only does he have a stutter, a lisp, an accent different from his, he also has to sound like the real King himself who has a very distinct voice. Not only does Firth give an incredibly compelling emotional performance, but the way he physically transforms himself is beyond impressive. It’s hard to make people really side with a person they feel is so distant from them. This is one of the best representation of what a King really has to go through that has been put on the screen. It’s on par with The Queen with Helen Mirren. You are able to find empathy for the man beneath the crown and somehow relate to the pressures that he has to face.

DON’T watch the trailer for this film. Trust me, this might be the best package you see all year – its got it all and the trailer ruins some of the best moments in the film.

A Perfect Fit

2011-02-23T16:29:00.000+02:00

It’s not the nice car. It’s not the expensive shirt. It’s not the articulate conversation. All these things at one stage I thought were the key to having real confidence. Life has taught me otherwise and I feel I am coming out a much better individual.

Most of us struggle to feel confident in who we are. Whether our points of vulnerability are physical, emotional, intellectual, or spiritual, we all have areas where we feel less than adequate. When we focus on these insecurities, our self-confidence wanes and we fail to live up to our fullest potential. Out of embarrassment, we shrink back into the shadows, hoping no one notices. Or we compensate for our insecurities by overplaying our strengths, i.e. making everyone laugh because we feel unintelligent.

I tried for years to increase my self-confidence by improving myself. I concluded that while the “basic package” may not be that great, I could “upgrade” until I eventually became a “good deal.” But that kind of effort does not produce true self confidence. Like the owner of a vehicle loaded with bells and whistles, I had to work too hard to keep my new façade polished and shiny. True and lasting self-confidence grows naturally when you become comfortable in your own skin. That’s not to say that self-worth is rooted only in your appearance. Being comfy in your skin includes being satisfied with your body image, your personality, your skills and abilities, your past, and even your limitations.

While I don’t necessarily exude self confidence in every situation and every moment, I am finally comfortable in my own skin. For me the antidote for low self-esteem has been found in celebrating who I am

How did I get to this point?

Being comfortable in your own skin has been a journey. It was a series of small events that added up and are still leading me forward to loftier goals. You must be willing to step out of your normal routine if it is not working for you and do things out of the ordinary to get to know yourself and be comfortable with yourself. Remembering that when you are comfortable with yourself, you can be comfortable with others, and therefore be successful in life. True, long-lasting self- confidence comes when you are comfortable in your own skin. Being comfortable with yourself is a mind/body/and spirit process:

First, make a list of where you are now and where you want to go. Make small reasonable goals as to where you help you grow. Make a list of your weaknesses and know that you are not a victim of weaknesses. They can be overcome with time and patience and effort.

Regain control over your hectic schedule. When we set our day’s goals and focus on a greater meaning and purpose for our lives, we are on our way to true success: happiness. People who are genuinely happy feel at ease with others and comfortable in their own skin. The gospel of Jesus Christ has brought that happiness. Studying it, reading about it, LIVING IT, has brought that happiness that continues to grow daily as I make genuine effort. I make mistakes but then I work on repairing them.
My close true friends inspire me to be better. They encourage me. They support me. That is a priceless gift. I cannot stress the important of this element.
Right now I am in a place where life is beautiful. I am happy – truly happy. I have problems still. I have issues to deal with. I struggle but in my heart – peace.

The Friendship Factor

2011-02-17T12:45:00.002+02:00

I have been experiencing quite interesting situations, good and bad, with people i have always considered my close friends and, i guess part of growing up, i have seen who those in my life are, that merit my definition of "true friend". It is said that “many people will walk in and out of your life; but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart."-- Unknown. That definition is what a true friend is to me.

The past 5 years i have truly learnt that geography is irrelevant in friendships. With the joys of modern technology, we are only a call, email or skype away. This period has shown me that friends are our truest treasures. How many times have they: Made us laugh when we felt like crying over a bad mistake? Made us feel loved when romantic relationships ended? Gave us the courage to go back to school or to change careers? Like armor, my friends made me feel almost invincible, capable of warding off the blows life occasionally deals me. Because of their steadfastness, i see setbacks for what they are: temporary.

Because my true friends accept me for who i am, i am gaining the confidence to dream great dreams—and to make them real. My friends liven up my days with their twisted humor, their honest answers, and their ability to bear my gloating when i beat them at tennis. I can even trust them with my most embarrassing secrets! What a relief it is for me to reveal my true self to someone! It’s no wonder, then, that medical researchers have found that those who have friends tend to be happier, healthier, and live longer than those who do not. In fact, friendship has numerous physical and spiritual benefits.

All in all, i love my friends because they multiply the good of life and divide the evils. What a great comfort it is to know that i have someone to turn to, no matter the time of day. With that realization, i hope that i can be the kind of true friend i have been blessed with.

Zion Xozwa

2011-02-16T09:12:00.003+02:00

My older brother and his wife had a baby girl about two months ago. I saw the bundle of joy last month for the first time and yesterday and for the next couple of days i will be spending time with them, while i am here in Johannesburg for some work issues. They have names her, Zion.

Last night, i was spending some time with Zion as soon as she woke up from her sleeping session. I envy her sometimes. I wish i could sleep non stop and wake up to eat and then go back to sleeping. While i was holding her (she was giving me the who-in-the-world-are-you look) i started kissing her nose. She started smiling. That just made my day!

This beautiful child has brought so much joy to my family, a much needed blessing. Here are some photos:

Back To School

2011-02-12T19:01:00.003+02:00

I believe that two things will save Africa: The Gospel of Jesus Christ and Education.

I remember the fist time i visited the US and i got blown away at the new way of life, and i do confess that after a few days, i started thinking what i could do to stay and become a citizen. Being able to stay for a month during the vacation did not help at all. Fortunately i came to my senses and realized how blessed i was, and still am, to be African. I have had to the opportunity to visit the US again and am glad that i did not sucked into confusing vacation as normal life.

I remember a few weeks ago when i knew i had to apply for my MBA, i was scared that i would not get accepted. I applied, and a few days later i got accepted. I did not know how i would finance it. I prayed and then went bank to bank applying for a student loan. A few weeks later, i got a call from a bank, not even my first choice, who accepted my application and made it SO easy for me to study! Not even in my dreams could i have imagined this kind of financial assistance. Well, all is sorted and now i have my books and the studying begins. Wish me luck!

Mormons and flowers

2011-02-12T18:46:00.001+02:00

Ran across this on online. I’ve watched this clip and it cracks up..

The Book of Mormon

2011-02-05T18:17:00.002+02:00

My reading of the book, The Work and the Glory: Pillar of Light, has awaken experiences that have long slept since I last read the series. One of the reasons I decided to reread the series, it being over a year now since I last read it, was to go back to the feelings felt, commitments strengthened and have my vision cleared again.

I told a friend of mine last night that The Work and the Glory series were #1 on my "Favorite Books" list. The series truly have taken me on a journey to rediscover a whole new dimension of the Book of Mormon. It has helped me to see how many wonderful souls had given, and given up so much for the printing and coming forth of the Book of Mormon. With that knowledge comes the question: "What are you doing to follow on this great legacy?"

The Book of Mormon is more than a book to me. I know that is true. I will never forget as a 16 year old praying to ask whether it was true. I will never forget feeling the Holy Ghost testifying to me that one night, and many days since then till this present, that it is indeed true. The Book of Mormon has brought me closer to my Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. I know they live. I know They have a plan for me in this life. I have come to feel peace and live with sincere contentment. That is a gift that no money can buy.

I feel I have been lifted from a secular smog and can see clearly, the way that I should live my life. This is a state that one does not come to and then rest on their laurels. It is one that must be maintained. There are times when I get distracted and I need to work extra hard to do all I can, and then the grace of God would magnify my efforts, and then I would see again.

I remember reading the following entry found in the Introduction of the Book of Mormon:
Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book."
(Book of Mormon | Preface Introduction:6)

I know that this is a true statement. I love the Bible. I know that it is true. I study them both – the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I also know that the more I study from the Book of Mormon, that it leads me to Christ. I learn of Him and the Plan of Salvation. There is purpose in this life. I am not here by accident. The Lord has a plan for me.

I know that anyone will receive a confirmation of the truthfulness of these things as they take a leap of faith to read the Book of Mormon, ponder it in their hearts and then ask God The Eternal Father in the name of Christ whether these things are true. I did. I know. You can too.

Quote For The Day: M. Russell Ballard - Scriptures

2011-02-02T15:26:00.001+02:00

"As I think about your schedules and the pressures you face at this time in your lives, I can understand why scripture study can so easily be neglected. You have many demands pulling at you. In some cases, just maintaining your social life is a full-time occupation. But I plead with you to make time for immersing yourselves in the scriptures. Couple scripture study with your prayers. Half an hour each morning privately studying, pondering, and communicating with your Heavenly Father can make an amazing difference in your lives. It will give increased success in your daily activities. It will bring increased alertness to your minds. It will give you comfort and rock-steady assurance when the storms of life descend upon you."

"Be Strong in the Lord, and in the Power of His Might" (CES fireside for young adults, March 3, 2002), 3–4

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

2011-01-31T11:28:00.003+02:00

A few weeks ago, Elder Christofferson counseled the young adults gathered in the Marriott Center in Provo, on a topic that has been on my mind the past few days. I had missed the devotional when it was given and so downloaded and listened to it this morning, on my way to work. It was so insightful, thus me writing this entry. The counsel given was for all, Young Single Adult or not.

I am currently struggling at work, feeling that i have reached the ceiling. I have enrolled in the MBA program for the next three years to up my skills and also to put myself in a situation where i can be in demand, business wise. There have been days i had to force myself to go to work but my attitude is changing, not that i am not looking elsewhere for alternate work but in dealing with the time that i am still in my present capacity. Elder Christofferson gives sweet counsel in my present challenge.

Elder Christofferson told of a time in his life when his family was facing economic challenges that persisted for several years. He prayed to the Lord with sincerity and an earnest desire that these circumstances would be taken away, but received an answer that the trial was not going to be miraculously taken away.

He learned to pray as the Savior did, "nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42). He testified that as he was forced to turn to the Lord for help almost daily, he learned how to pray and to get answers to prayer.

"It taught me in a very practical way to have faith in God," Elder Christofferson said.

He also related the story from Exodus of the tribes of Israel in the wilderness for forty years. Over one million people were fed daily with the small, but edible, gift of manna which came from the Lord. He emphasized how the Lord used the manna to teach faith to that nation.

Both this scriptural account and his own experience taught him to rely on the Lord and that sometimes, there is not a quick solution to some problems.

Elder Christofferson recognized the importance of planning ahead and preparing for the future, but acknowledged that sometimes we must simply get through challenges and live life well, by "just getting through the day."

"Take it one day at a time. The Spirit can guide us when to look ahead and when we should just deal with this one day, with this one moment," Elder Christofferson said. "To deal with something very big, we may need to work at it in small, daily bites."

Elder Christofferson reminded all in attendance that ultimately, it is Christ’s Atonement, His grace that is our daily bread, and challenged all to seek Him daily in life.

While tasks or the future ahead of us may seem daunting, he reminded us of the words of the Lord in 3 Nephi. “Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof,” he said (3 Nephi 13:34).

Music Review: Amos Lee - Mission Bell

2011-01-28T10:27:00.003+02:00

A new year. New beginnings. My taste in music since September 2010 has been expanding far into wider avenues, avenues that has seen me leave behind more shallow waters and into the deep.

My "new" find is Amos Lee. It is the subtle differences in his music that make him truly unique to what i am used to. He incorporates a wide range of genres and the music flawlessly switches in different genres. His ability to sound at home with gospel, country, jazz, blues and even some distorted alternative elements are showcased beautifully throughout the album and very evident. His songwriting is solid with his simplistic lyrics gradually running into sometimes untranslatable metaphors. Most importantly, it is Lee’s voice that transcends being pigeonholed as it is unique and identifiable. Mission Bell is without a doubt a mature album.

One of favorite tracts is "Violin". “Violin” is an emotion-packed five minutes, great from start to finish! This one’s been on repeat for awhile. Mission Bell has definitely brought in a new extra audience for Amos while continuing, for sure, to please his longtime fans as well.

"Love them anyway"?

2011-01-24T13:26:00.003+02:00

The verses below reportedly were written on the wall of Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta, India, and are widely attributed to her. Their association with Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity has made them popular worldwide, expressing as they do, the spirit in which they lived their lives.

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

I used to think that they were wonderful counsel until it started to be personally applicable to me. Now, they are so hard to live by. In a nutshell, a close friend of mine and i had a very bitter fallout because he wronged me. I felt justified to be a "little" angry but time has taught me that i needed to let go. That realization really helped me to let go of the pain and hurt and anger. Now i struggle to trust anyone who i consider a friend, because i do not want to go through that hellish experience again. On the other hand, i do not want my true friends to pay for the mistake of one person. I KNOW i need not change being me, just because of one bad experience, but it is easier said than done. I think the only way to deal with it, is one day at a time.

I have been listening, religiously, to this version of the hymn " Come Ye Disconsolate"

The hymn not only has been a balm of Gilead, but that coupled with the understanding of the Atonement, has helped me know that i can "love them anyway" one day at a time. The other realization is that there is no time frame to work on getting through this. I am not saying that i will take my time, but rather moving in the right direction not being rushed. It is wonderful to know that the atonement is not just for sin, but for all we go through.

Am I a Professional Photographer Now?

2011-01-21T18:44:00.004+02:00

Just a short note; a photo i took of the Johannesburg Temple, is on the cover of our stake calendar! :)

Here is the original photo:

Miss Jackson

2011-01-20T08:30:00.004+02:00

Etymology: From Latin ēvolūtiō (“the act of unrolling, unfolding or opening (of a book)”), from ēvolūtus, perfect passive participle of ēvolvō (“unroll, unfold”), from ē (“out of”), short form of ex, + volvō (“roll”).

I really thought long and hard before labelling my blog: The Evolution of Viwe, because i still feel that my life is going through such a tranformation and many times, it is sweet to behold.

Two days ago, i deleted my Janet Jackson music of mu itunes and ipod. Many peole thought i was losing it. I guess they know that i am extremely obsessed with Miss Jackson and i think that part of me will not go away anytime soon.

Why did i delete the music? I was reading a book and had one of those light bulb moments, where i feel i was ready to part with it. I had wanted to do it for years now but never got around to it. I think the best way to describe the act: The Evolution of me...

Song Of The Week: Van Risseghem - The River

2011-01-18T14:44:00.002+02:00

I have been searching for new, fresh music to listen to. I still have my staples but i needed something rejuvenating. I think i have found it. I hope i don't bore you with my song selection.

Van Risseghem (pronounced: van - riss - egg - hem) is a 22 year old singer-songwriter from Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. The reason i am enjoying this tune is that Van Risseghem's song craft shows no sign of artistic compromise. It shows concise songwriting galvanized into a high-energy live show. There is a compelling ease about the artist, Jonathan Van Risseghem, that moves you to listen over & over again.

What do you think?

The Power of a Kind Word

2011-01-15T17:54:00.005+02:00

Leo F. Buscaglia once wrote that “too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” I saw how true that is just a short while ago.

Never underestimate the power of a kind word or thought. It may affect one or many, many people without you even knowing it. Even a gentle touch can make a huge difference. It is a kind word or deed that betters the world. Never shy away from being nice to people, whether you praise them or help them with something. When you do it it becomes contagious and the recipients of your kindness will as a rule start being kind to others. Rudeness has the opposite effect.

About a year ago we had a missionary, Elder Lindstrom from Rexburg, Idaho serving in our ward as his greenie area. He had a trainer, that was hard to get along with. I remember this one day they asked me to accompany them in a teaching appointment and it was an appointment where he, Elder Lindstrom, would take the lead. He did such a good job at it and while we were driving home, i commented on how good he did etc. Months later, or a few weeks ago, he mentioned to me how much the words i said increased his confidence and did him a lot of good. At the time i did not think much of what i said. I felt he needed to be praised for his efforts but to him, it meant much.

Our words are powerful, more than we know. It does not take much to utter a sincere compliment but o how much good it does...

Book Review: Sheri Dew - No Doubt About It

2011-01-14T16:30:00.005+02:00

Yes! this book was written especially for the LDS women population but any smart man would do himself a world of good by picking it up and reading it. I am glad that i did not put the book down when i realised the target audience, but followed the
'pull' to read it.

It has been said that "tell me sufficiently why a thing should be done, and i will move heaven and earth to do it." Those are the words that came to mind as i was reflecting on what i read this morning. My reading today truly allowed me to create a moment where i could have wonderful communion with the Lord, a time for me to be more acquinted with Him. I feel we live so far below our spiritual priviledges and so i decided a few months ago that i would make more time for the Lord, and not just rely on my morning scripture study to have such moments. Besides there are days when those moments are so rushed and end up being very hollow. My reading of this book, has helped strengthen that resolve, to do and be more than what i am right now.

Sheri Dew offers a faith-filled account of what she believes and why. She bears powerful testimony of the reality of Jesus Christ, that He cares about us personally and will do for each one of us what He has promised He will do. She discusses our individual, unique missions of mortality, reminding us who we are and who we have always been. And she expands our understanding of the happiness that comes from living the gospel, the power of families, the importance of the priesthood, the security of having a living prophet, the glory of the temple, and the transcendent blessings available to all who seek the Lord. No Doubt About It is much more than an insightful look at foundational gospel principles. It is a stirring call to action, a motivating book that has helped me move beyond knowing to doing. Vivid stories of the author's own experiences demonstrate how these truths apply in real-world settings. That is the key factor for me.

Here is one of my highlights:

* "I can't imagine pain greater than stepping across the veil and realizing I had not done what I came here to do - or realizing that I had given up my life to little or nothing, only then to find that it was gone."

One of the major lessons that is highlighted is this, that "the voice of the Lord calls to us regularly. It is not wickedness or carnality alone which keep us from feeling and hearing the word; it is preoccupation. We need not be guilty of gross sin to be unready for the impressions of the Spirit; we need only have our minds and hearts focused upon other things, to be so involved in the thick of thin things that we are not taking the time to ponder or meditate upon matters of substance. Excessive labor in secondary causes leads to a lessening of spiritual opportunities."

I hope, man or woman, you will make time to read and enjoy this book. I did.

2011 Australian Open Predictions

2011-01-13T13:30:00.006+02:00

It is really hard to believe that the 2011 Australian Open is only a couple of days away now. It seems like just last month Roger Federer was celebrating his butt-kicking of Andy Murray and an almost picture perfect run down under. This year, the game has changed, well sort of, we still have the usual suspsects at the top and a few up and comers with the hunger to wipe out those that have been there before.

Do i even need to discuss Roger Federer? How about a little discussion? Ok, sounds good. We all know that he’s won Australia enough times for a couple of tennis careers but hey, he wants to keep playing. It is difficult to elaborate on what could stop Federer, it can’t be the likes of Roddick, Murray, Cilic, Verdasco, etc. they just get dismantled. Did you noticed that we didn’t mention Nadal? That could possibly be the only person on this planet that can take down Federer in a tennis fight. Most of Federer’s losses come from the Spaniard, so i would certainly drool over the potential Aussie final of Nadal and Federer – in top form we hope.

Who else has the funk? Nadal, of course. Oh Nadal, such a grinder and a crowd pleaser with those insane top spin shots of his. Last year, we all know, he retired early with knee pains, leaving the door open for Murray.However much pain he was in, you surely would not have noticed with the incredible run he had later that year, winning nearly every tennis tournament he entered (most notably, French, Wimbledon, and US Open). What could possibly prevent him from winning another title in Australia? Health (please acncestors come through for me). Nadal runs around like a chicken with it’s head cut off, scrambling side to side, sliding, jumping, changing directions; which has affected his joints forcing him to do the unthinkable…retire. Though in the off season, Nadal has been working extremely hard towards being 100% healthy and being ready for the beginning of a calendar slam (all 4 majors in a calendar year), so Nadal says. Is it possible? Yes, it’s possible but more unlikely.

I will not comment on the women's tour as Serena Williams is not playing due to injury. By default my cheers will go to Venus Williams, who unfortunately lost in Hong Kong this week and that is not a good sign before a grand slam either than Williamsdon, i mean Wimbledon. So it seems that i will not be watching too much of the women's draw.....well.... :)

Monday better come quickly!

Learning To Let Go

2011-01-01T15:39:00.001+02:00

One of life’s great challenges is to learn to let go of either the past, or people or situations in our lives. I know fully that that is easier said than done, but when we truly think about it, it is to our benefit at times to learn the lesson, that it is hard but good to let go, to accept that some things are not meant to last forever.

With the dawn of a new year, it is good to see in one’s life what some of those elements that we need to accept were good for a season and learn to let them go. I am in that process myself, and I think all of us get to that point frequently in the chapters of our lives. Letting people, careers, situations go is not an easy feat but wisdom and experience teach that not all that we want, we get. Just like little children we need to learn that “once bitten twice shy”, or the stove will burn one’s fingers if it is on and we do not care for what we do around it.

Letting people in our lives go is hard, especially for those, myself included, who are people orientated. Some friendships were meant for a season and when the purpose has been met, it is good to let go and not hold on to an environment that dies with each effort to revive it. I am accepting that friendships will not always be a David and Johnathan associations and am appreciating the good that it brought in the season thereof. Letting go helps me to use my energy on things that matter most for my future. Letting go helps me to let go of the dark past and pain. It is good to let go and live in the now and look with joy toward the future.

Real letting go begins with a kind of unravelling, a kind of uncovering where I begin to recognize that what I need to let go of is not always the person or the place or the position, but this rather deep and pernicious sense of myself that believes without that person, without that condition, I will lose who I am. You cannot lose who you are other than through thinking you're going to find yourself in someone or something outside of yourself.

So we need to connect that in our mind, and then we can begin to do the real interior work of letting go, because invariably it means that I'm going to have to be new, fresh, and be in that moment, I am indeed starting over, because letting go and being new are the same thing.

Viwe's Top 5 Songs of 2010

2010-12-27T13:45:00.009+02:00

2010 is almost over, so it's time to look back at the cream of the crop when it comes to R&B/Soul and not-so- R&B music that was released during the year. The list features some of the more well-known names in music but there's is a newcomer who is not yet a household name on the list too. Below is my finalized list of my 5 best songs of year:

5.

Eminem

The blockbuster album 'Recovery' has been breaking records on the Billboard charts, as well as its second single, 'Love the Way You Lie.' The mid-tempo rap track, with melodic piano chords and a soaring chorus, has R&B diva Rihanna joining Eminem to tell the story of an abusive couple who can't stay apart, despite bringing out the worst in each other. "It's something that, you know, [Eminem and I have] both experienced ...

4.

Monica - 'Everything to Me'

Featuring a sample of the 1981 Deniece Williams hit 'Silly,' 'Everything to Me' is the first single from Monica's latest album, 'Still Standing.' Though past Monica hits like 'Angel of Mine' and 'For You I Will' had more of a mainstream pop edge, 'Everything to Me' is one of the more soulful tracks she has recorded in recent years, thanks to Missy Elliott, who co-produced the song. The song's solid as a brick house; it has great singing, great lyrics, great production and is just a great all-around song.

3.

Ne-Yo - One in a Million

Ne-Yo has met a lot of women from all over the world, so if the Grammy-winning vocalist calls you the "best (he) ever had," you must be special. The Michael Jackson-influenced 'One in a Million' was one of a handful of hits Ne-Yo scored from his fourth album 'Libra Scale.'

2.

30 Seconds to Mars - Kings and Queens

If ever there were an arena-ready song, this would be it. The grand single is featured on the band's third album, 'This is War,'. 'Kings and Queens' shot up to No. 1 on the Billboard's Top Alternative Songs chart, and is also, well, king on our Top Alternative Songs of 2010.

1.

The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio

Bloodbuzz Ohio received critical reviews as the first single from High Violet. One Thirty BPM states that "it was both the most simple moment on the album and the most potent, cutting deep gashes in the heart of the city Matt Berninger had thus far only poked at." There is no better car drive without listening to this tune..

Book Review: On Earth As It Is In Heaven - Jeffrey R. Holland, Patricia T. Holland

2010-12-20T09:44:00.002+02:00

In On Earth As It Is in Heaven, authors Jeffrey R. and Patricia T. Holland present messages individually and together that help point the way toward greater awareness, acceptance, and practice of God's will in our daily lives. Many of these messages were originally presented in devotional meetings and conferences at Brigham Young University. They share experiences and perceptions from their own lives, from the scriptures, and from the counsel of prophets and other great thinkers to illustrate their themes.

One of my favorite books. Elder and Sister Holland give wonderful advice.

The Past Four Days

2010-12-20T09:00:00.005+02:00

On Thursday, 2 of my friends and i drove all 10 hours (one way) to get to the Johannesburg Temple. I had hoped to feel rejuvenated and lifted by attending the temple ; i mean who does not desire that. Looking back, the temple experience was more than i had bargained for. It had exceeded my expectation! Is that not how the Lord works? It always amazes me! He has so much abundance of blessings that He offers us.

The Johannesburg temple is VERY special to me. Just by attending one day, i felt so blessed. One of the things that made it special was being to attend with my good friends. My eyes were opened to how blessed i am to have good people around me, here and afar.

Yesterday i was able to attend sacrament meeting in one of my old mission area wards (Johannesburg ward) and to my great joy, the Ncube family were in attendance. While i was serving in downtown Joburg, my companion and i were tracting and we met up with Sister Ncube with whom we made an appointment, to visit with her and family. I did not feel that that appointment would have been honored but at the appointed time, her entire family were present waiting for us. The rest is, as we say, history. Yesterday, all i wanted was to sit down and stare at them. I know it sounds creepy but my eyes could not stop looking at them. Life at that moment, was good!

Driving back home, a part of me was exhausted BUT the experiences of the past four days compensated for the 20 hour drive. It was all worth it!

Time's Top Ten Albums of 2010

2010-12-11T11:35:00.005+02:00

Yes it’s that time of the year again where every magazine, paper and critic lists their top picks of the year!

Time magazine has crowned the Kanye Wests ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ as the best album of 2010, saying:“He delivered the musical equivalent of a one-handed back handspring.”

See the lists below.

Top 10 Albums

1. Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
2. Arcade Fire, The Suburbs
3. LCD Soundsystem, This Is Happening
4. The National, High Violet
5. Drake, Thank Me Later
6. Sufjan Stevens, Age of Adz
7. The Black Keys, Brothers
8. Yeasayer, Odd Blood
9. Big Boi, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
10. Beach House, Teen Dream

The Nationals" High Violet is one of my personal favorites albums thanks to my good brother Darren Reid. It takes me back to good ol' Utah - Great times! Sufjan Stevens is one artist that i am acquiring taste for his work. What do you think of the list?

My Membership

2010-12-11T11:33:00.000+02:00

Recently a good friend of mine asked me the following question: “ Viwe you are an intelligent black man. I am surprised that you are still a Mormon”. The question came as a shock to me and it made me think, not as in questioning my membership in the church, but how I was going to answer her, where I would make my stand clear but also not harm our good friendship. I know that at times I can be brutally honest and this was the one time that I did not want to do that.
This was my response:
I joined the church when I was 16. I did not know much but I knew then that I was doing what was right for me. That right decision is right for me now still. I will never forget how early December 1996 I was reading the Book of Mormon and felt the spirit. The witness I had been searching for and pleaded heaven for, came. I will never forget just after my baptism I was walking home and I felt so clean and clear. I felt I was transparent. I will never forget how I travelled on my own to the temple in Johannesburg to receive my patriarchal blessing. I will never forget being set apart as a missionary at home and the mission president gave my mom a blessing. The spirit was so strong that evening. I will never forget serving a mission and having the Spirit witness to me, over and over again that what I was teaching the people was true. I will never forget reading in a letter that my mom joined the church while I was on mission. I will never forget going to the temple with my mom and being sealed to my dad. The witness that my dad was mine forever filled my entire being.

Why am i still a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? It is true! That is why. I do not know why she left the church, but my covenants are important to me and I cannot forsake them. The fire of those covenants sustains me. I am thankful to be part of this great latter day work. I am thankful that I know now, just as I knew back in 1996, that the gospel is true!

Album review: Libra Scale - Neyo

2010-11-30T12:33:00.003+02:00

Ne-Yo's latest is a concept album about crime-fighting R&B superheroes, complete with a femme fatale and a thing called the Libra Scale — a device that measures the weights of money, power, fame and love. If you find that hard to follow,like me,no matter: Just listen to the music! Ne-Yo has crafted an epic full of party songs, beatific ballads and throbbing spy-movie club music. It's lavish disco; the songs are cinematic in scope but have the unshakable hooks of great pop. The real concept here is: Michael Jackson tribute album. And a darn good one. "Constant" is one word i can use to describe Neyo's music - constantly good!

This album shows that Ne-Yo is that word that gets bounded around far too often these days - GENIUS! The album, the six ten minute videos that come with it, musically and lyrically all have obvious Michael Jackson influence and Ne-Yo does not hide that fact. Because as he said after playing me the album, 'MJ might be gone but his spirit should still live on in our music', Ne-Yo added 'I want to entertain people and keep people on their toes musically as Michael did'. This album should be in everyone's collection please make sure you pick it up!

Great Shall Be Your Joy

2010-11-29T14:41:00.003+02:00

This past weekend i spent some time at the temple. For Mormons in South Africa, the temple is the hub where all meet up with friends from all over the country and renew relationships. This past weekend was such an occasion for me - a double barrel of joy!

One lady i taught as a missionary in Pretoria was at the temple doing baptisms with her youth. She is sealed in the temple. That was such a wonderful surprise. Seeing her active made me feel like i have done something worthwhile with my life.

Just a short time later that morning, i ran into Brother and Sister Sima from Botswana, that i helped teach in my first area on mission. She later told me that her son is serving a mission in England. That made me so happy!!

I cannot fully explain the feeling of my heart right now, as i type this note. I am thankful to those whom i used to model my mission, and those who supported me on my mission.

FED'S STILL BEST OF THE BEST

2010-11-29T09:13:00.003+02:00

Roger Federer felled Rafa Nadal in a gladiatorial contest in the modern-day colosseum of the O2 Arena last night, winning 6-3,3-6,6-1.

And the Swiss superstar gained revenge for his defeat in their last London meeting in the epic Wimbledon final of 2008.

Federer was unstoppable as he beat the world No.1 to claim the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - and collected the £1.04m first prize for winning all five of his matches.

This was the dream final between the two men who have won 21 of last 23 Grands Slams and shared the No.1 spot for the past seven years. They are possibly the greatest of all time.

Yet the world No.2 out-thought and outplayed the winner of the last three Grand Slams as the Australian Open winner ended the year as he began it. By his remarkable standards, the winner of 16 Grand Slams has had an ordinary season, where he lost four finals and his run of 23 consecutive Grand Slam semis ended in Paris. But at 29, he showed he still has the hunger to win back the status as the best player in the world.

For this reasom, i slept like a baby last night...

The Lord's Modus Operandi

2010-11-19T10:27:00.003+02:00

How can we navigate safely through our turbulent times? Personal revelation is one key! I have come to the conclusion that this book is not just good. I pronounce it a masterpiece. It is destined to become a classic.

The way the book is written makes it read more like correspondence from
a friend than a technical essay, which should help make it approachable
for any reader. It uses scriptures, quotes from Church leaders, and
stories that Lund has gathered over the years, along with thorough (and
sometimes somewhat repetitive) explanations to assist us in
understanding the concepts covered.

Lund attempts to cover every question someone might have about
revelation, and he does a pretty good job of it. He introduces "a
continuum of revelation," that goes from the less direct to the more
direct forms, beginning with the light of Christ and ending with visions
and visitations. (He freely admits to having not experienced the most
direct forms.) He explains how seeking revelation can be helpful in
making important decisions, and gives his opinion of what it means to
have a "stupor of thought."
One of the more interesting examples of revelation that he gives is an
explanation of how stake presidencies are chosen. He also gives a
humorous example of false revelation, stating that a female BYU student
came home from her first semester and told her parents that eight
different men had received a revelation that she should marry them.
(Elder Lund actually goes into some depth explaining how revelation can
be used to help choose a mate, something that should be helpful for
singles.)

Divine intervention is discussed, which I wouldn't have thought of as a
type of revelation, and advice is given on how to know whether it is
truly divine intervention, or just a coincidence. It is also pointed out
that revelations are given to whom God chooses, as well as when, how,
and in what way - sometimes it is just not "our lot in life" to be the
recipient, as much as we might want or think we need it. (And sometimes
"no answer means `no'" - or it could mean that it really doesn't matter
what decision we make.)

Spiritual self-reliance is covered, and we are reminded that we should
generally make our own decisions much of the time, and not ask the Lord
such trivial things as what kind of toothpaste to buy - this is referred
to as being "too spiritual," and talking too much of spiritual things is
a sign of this. This is linked to pride as well as the danger of being
susceptible to counterfeit revelation. He suggests that we should
actually avoid sharing spiritual experiences, but that when it does seem
appropriate, they can be shared by making it sound as if they happened
to someone else .
I would like to share just one story that touched me deeply and comment on one principle that I have learned from his book. It was a major 'aha' moment for me.

Choosing a new Stake President

I had long wondered about the process of choosing a new Stake President. I listened carefully as it was explained by the outgoing Stake President, but still wondered why I was being interviewed. Even though I was a member of the High Council, I knew I was not the man. I dutifully went to the interview and was asked two questions. "Tell me about your family." and "Who do you think should be the next Stake President?" were the only questions that were asked (OK, so one wasn't a question - it was more of a command). Then the visiting general authority knew right away what I already knew.

On pages 54 to 59 of Elder Lund's book he goes into great detail about the process of interviewing the counselors in the Stake Presidency, each high counselor and each bishop. Occasionally they ask the Stake President for others to interview. The two General Authorities confer after each visit and share impressions. After discussion and prayer, the answer is usually clear and known to both the Brethren.

Elder Lund concluded this section by telling an amazing story in which the call was issued based on shared feelings that this was the Lord's will that had been manifest. However, he said a silent prayer even while issuing the call, "O Lord, this feels right, but it is so important. I hope we read Thy inspiration correctly." As they stood up to leave, the newly called Stake President said, "Now I understand the dream I had the other night."

When asked what he meant, he related that in his dream he was being interviewed by the Stake President. This was not unusual because he was a bishop. However at the end of the interview, the Stake President got up and placed his suit coat on this good bishop's shoulders. To Elder Lund, this was one of the manifestations of the tender mercies of the Lord. It was a "second witness" that they had indeed read the inspiration of the Lord correctly in this calling.

This is a very clear and well written book. I recommend it to anyone who is trying to understand this great gift we have.

Book Review: Fire of the Covenant - Lund

2010-10-28T11:28:00.002+02:00

The author of the acclaimed historical fiction series The Work and the Glory brought to my life, another dramatic chapter in Church history to life in Fire of the Covenant, a novel about the 1856 Willie and Martin Handcart Companies. Gerald N. Lund weaves his fictional characters into the tapestry of actual historical events helping us feel a part of the companies who set out for Zion late in the season during the first year of the great handcart migration. Trapped by early winter snows in Wyoming, these Saints driven by the "fire of the covenant" they had made with God rose to heights of unsurpassed courage and endurance. Their story has been thrilling me to the core.

This is my second favorite Mormon historical fiction novel, apart from The Work and the Glory. This book will make you laugh and cry. One of the best compliments I can give a book is to say that some of the characters from the book continue to inspire me even after I read it. The Fire of the Covenant is one of these books. This story is a testament to faith and commitment, something we all can improve on.

The Great Williams Debate

2010-10-28T11:09:00.003+02:00

The great Williams sisters debate has been going on for a long time. You know, the one where one camp denounces them as gifted, arrogant opportunists bringing tennis into ill repute with their independent, self-serving actions and attitudes. Then their counterparts, veins bulging in their foreheads, respond by saying the Williams sisters are the best thing that ever happened to tennis. To me, both are in some ways true, and in some ways exaggerations.

That the sisters are great for tennis is so blatantly obvious that it doesn't even merit discussion. That they also, individually or jointly can be opaque, imperious, indifferent to some of the more routine obligations of anyone who purports to be an "amabassador for the game," and maddeningly elusive also appears to be true.

But to me, the key issue is their longevity. Venus and Serena have had long, rich, productive careers. When people look back in a decade, nobody is going to nitpick their commitment to Fed Cup, the Roadmap, Indian Wells, or the player party before Wimbledon. Would we be better off if the sisters were more focused, their careers featuring a clear beginning, middle and end? I'm not so sure. Did Steffi Graf, who also had a long career but seemed terribly pained through most of it, "do more" for tennis than have the sisters? I think not. The record says that Graf was a more successful player, while Venus and Serena have been more successful personages—at least in elevating tennis in the general public's consciousness. They've done as much to further popularize tennis than anyone since Jimmy Connors.

The main problem here may be that many people, critics as well as fans, expect them to be more than what they are, or read more into them than the evidence supports. Let them be just what they are, the greatest sibling act ever in tennis, and perhaps the most amazing sports story ever created and told, going about their business in the way that makes the most sense to them. The truth always comes out in the wash, and it will in this case when you look in the record books.

Looking Back...

2010-10-25T11:47:00.002+02:00

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. These past two weeks I have come to know that more than ever. It is impossible to fully describe how much I reflect on the US trip I experienced, and enjoyed beyond measure. A song or a word would trigger a memory of things I heard or discussed or experienced. At times I would be close to tears. This was not just any vacation for me. It was so much more! It was a life changing experience, one whose effects I have seen unfold, beautifully, the past few days. Every time I look at it, I see the fingerprints of my Maker. I'm who and where i want to be.

Paying the Price

2010-10-15T09:24:00.005+02:00

One of life’s lessons that has been on my mind over and over again, is how at times we sit and wait to have spiritual experiences. We expect to be spoon fed and when that is done, we go ahead with our lives and not treasure much because we did not pay the price for heavenly communication.

As of late, I felt I needed to create quiet moments in my life where I would give the Lord equal time. This ranged from using the time I had while driving to work, running at gym, typing reports when at work etc. If I had an early meeting at work, I would wake up a short while before my usual time and spend some quiet time with the Lord in scripture study. I have found that inspiration comes best in the morning. Such small moments do matter. They add up and show the Lord how I am doing all I can to commune with the divine.

Blessings have come. Inspiration has flown. Hearts have been filled. Joy has been the order of the day. The promise made by Gordon B. Hinckley is still valid today: "Brothers and sisters, without reservation I promise you that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hearts an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God."A testimony of the Book of Mormon is fragile and needs constant care and nurture. There are times when I feel I could not know more that the book is of God, then as I make the effort to study it more, the Spirit helps me find more truth, more knowledge and instill in my heart its greater worth.

Looking back on last week, being at General Conference, I am thankful for that truth that whispered in my heart, that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and that I am a member of the Lord’s true church. I know now, more than I did a month ago, that Thomas S. Monson is the Lord’s prophet on the earth in our day, not that I saw him and heard him speak but that the Spirit has let me know. I know who I am and where I am suppose to be.

Find Of The Week: What a Wonderful World by After Daybreak (Official Music Video)

2010-10-13T08:41:00.004+02:00

I want to share with you all a good find. After Daybreak have wonderful and rich voices which can connect to all people. The song has great lyrics and the rendition, beautiful to listen to. Follow them on their web page. After Daybreak is a classical crossover/pop trio that consists of Daniel Beck, Drew Boushka & David Fritch. Their debut album, WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD, will be released worldwide in October 2010, with the U.S. release date set for November 9, 2010.I am definately ordering my copy of their album when released!

Song Of The Week: Band of Horses - Great Salt Lake

2010-10-10T16:09:00.002+02:00

Few bands/artists sound good in the studio and live. I was fortunate to see these guys LIVE! and they sounded good! I am a fan...probably their only black african fan. They are truly talented!

Black Skin / White Heart

2010-10-10T15:25:00.013+02:00

I still cannot believe that i just had the best holiday of my life. I cannot believe that i able to see so much, experience so much and learn so much in such a short period of time.

For the past two weeks i was able to travel to the United States, Lehi Utah to be exact and stayed with my dear friends, Darren and Shelley. They treated me like a king! For the past year, Darren and i had been quietly planning my next visit to the States but this time around i decided to stay put in one area and not do the globe trotting experience of the last US trip. It worked out well-perfectly!

Here are some of the highlights, excluding the personal lessons learned:
1. Seeing the St. George Temple and spending time in Cedar City! Awesome place!

2. Driving up the Timpanogos area
3. Sundance is a beautiful place! That place bears the fingerprint of the Master Creator
4. Easting out every day! I gained so much weight! I cannot pull off the poor starving African. Goodwood is my favorite place in the entire world. They have the best onion rings!
5. Attending the BYU / Nevada football game! Sad that BYU lost badly but a good game for me.

6. Attending General Conference. How do you justly describe that kind of feeling? It was a great experience and i was lucky enough to attend with my good friends Darren and Joe. I felt so good to see the prophet of God. It felt so good to the General Authorities of the church. It felt so good to bridge the gap between a distant feeling i had of the church and perceptions. I know more now than ever that the church i belong to, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is the Lord's church on the earth.

7. Visiting Cove Fort
8. Going all out at Deseret Books
9. spending time with the best baby in the world, and being part of the Indian Jones Gang

10. Enjoying Band of Horses live! Discovering Ryan Adams and The Nationals. Good stuff!
11. Celebrating Life
12. Attending a session in my favorite temple, Bountiful

13. Seeing Zion National Park for the first time. What glorious beauty!

14. Attending the Cape Town Mission Reunion.
15. Meeting up with the missionary that taught me the gospel and other friends.

16. I live a blessed life.

I could go on for hours on how my trip went but the inner feelings of my heart truly describe how perfect my trip was! I had the time of my life

From The Vault: Toni Braxton - Unbreak My Heart

2010-09-18T19:33:00.003+02:00

Toni Braxton's 1996 masterpiece still remains a R&B gem. The song still remains fresh to my ears and soul, and just a reminder of the simplicity of a seductive and intimate voice is all that was needed to be showcased from Toni.

Lately, when it comes to modern music I'm a hard sell...I much prefer older music. Toni puts down this one in a real way..she sings from her soul and does a great job!

Album Review: Joshua Radin - Simple Times

2010-09-09T09:49:00.004+02:00

I do confess that for a long time i have been a commercial musical junkie, where i jammed to beats that were only commercially radio played. Life, for the past year or so, has been taking me on a adventerous journey of self-discovery and growth, thus the blog being subtitled: The Evolution of Viwe. In all the lessons that i have been schooled on and changes being made, one of many areas of change has been my taste in music. Gone are those days that i was a slave to bubblegum music. I might have a love streak for catchy tunes now and again, but overall my music taste buds have been refined.

My new love is seen in Simple Times by Joshua Radin. Opener and single One Of Those Days is a shimmering entry point, huskily delivered in an acoustic style that’s reminiscent of classic songwriters such as Art & Garfunkel. It’s utterly charming. YES i know who they are, and i am not a RnB Junkie (sorry Janet).

The best way to describe JR's music is:folk rock and acoustic performer. He barely strikes a dud note on the album. And while Radin’s music seems to favour the slow-burning acoustic style that makes further Johnson comparisons almost inevitable, he’s capable of mixing it up, too, and rocking out a little. Brand New Day, one of my favorite tunes for instance, strikes an immediate note of sunshine positivity thanks to its mandolin-style strumming and breezy optimism, while Vegetable Car is a feel-good rock song that offers another instant highlight. We Are Okay, meanwhile, drops some funky percussion and an upbeat energy that pleasantly shuffles the listener into final offering No Envy, No Fear, and a disarmingly effective album closer.

Without a doubt, Joshua Radin is one of the most talented singer/songwriters.

Roger Masters Cincinnati

2010-08-23T10:52:00.006+02:00

Ending his long title drought, Roger Federer beat Mardy Fish 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 in Cincinnati, recording his first ATP Tour title success in seven months.
Just before the US Open, Federer winning the 17th Masters title will give him a boost ahead of the start of the year's last Grand Slam.
Federer secured the only break in the deciding set to clinch a 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 triumph in two hours and 40 minutes.
The former World No.1 held four break points in the first set, including one set point, but was unable to execute and he paid the price as Fish upped his game to clinch the tiebreak.
The second set followed a similar pattern of service dominance with both players struggling to gain any fluency on their returns.
Federer showed his opponent no mercy in the third set by serving it out with ease to claim his fourth title in Cincinnati.
"It was a perfect match for both of us, but only one can win it," Federer said the victory. Federer winning truly made my sunday evening!!

My Seminary Moment: Part 1

2010-08-17T08:42:00.002+02:00

I have the best seminary class. My ward is very small and as a result i have 3 early morning seminary students. They are awesome! I love them to bits! They make the waking up in the morning all worth it. The comments they make crack me up! I have a lot of those you-had-to-be-there moments, like this morning for example. As we began the lesson, i asked Cameron to open with a word of prayer. He gave a ton of excuses of how it is not his turn to pray (this happens all the time). Eventually, when the entire class ganged up on him, he looked at me and played the race card! It was hilarious!! We all had a good laugh! As much as the race card can work in other environment, it did not work for him and he ended up saying the prayer! I love my class....

Hello! My Name Is Viwe And I Am A KFC-holic!

2010-08-12T11:25:00.005+02:00

A few years ago my best friend challenged me to not drink Coke for a week. He believed that i was an addict....but i did not think so. Really, i was not! So one week turned into 4 years since my last sip of Coca Cola. Now i do not want to go back as i do not want to waste all this time that i was Coke free!

Recently i decided to part ways with KFC. This has been a challenge! We all know us black folk LOVE our chicken. Come on, white readers. You KNOW you've always wondered about that, but you know you'd never ask one of us. A short while ago i decided to end my go-to-KFC-and-buy-chicken-because-it-calls-my-name-and-i-am-the-only-one-that-hears-it routine. I am not exaggerating when i say i went to major withdrawal symptoms (and it did not help that my nearest KFC is about 2 minutes from my house). KFC was food group that made the world go round.
Now i have beaten the habit and have been clean for 1 month and 2 weeks. Yes I Can!!

Book Review: All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience - Neal A. Maxwell

2010-08-11T12:06:00.003+02:00

Going through a very dark time, the Prophet Joseph Smith was told, "All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." At times i do not think that we fully understand the depth of this counsel. It is hard when we are called upon to go through trying times to accept that what we are going through is truly for our own good. Such teachings are not always easy to accept, but, as Elder Maxwell observes, "the hardness is usually not in their complexity, but in the deep demands these doctrines make on us."

It is always hard for me to understand that allottment that is mine when i am trying to live a more full and obedient life. Neal A. Maxwell argues that pain and suffering only make sense when viewed within an eternal context: suffering, loss, and pain, rather than fermenting bitterness, can indeed deepen our empathy for others, allow us a greater approach to humility, and a provide a path to strengthen discipleship. In the words of C.S.Lewis, God sometimes wishes to create a mansion from our little cottage rather than the modest remodeling that we initially anticipated.

If you, or a loved one have experienced a loss, or going through a tough time, or seek to understand this principle,this book is a must. It offers a message of love, comfort, and engouragement. It will deepen your understanding of your relationship to the eternal and will help you better understand your own struggles and hardships. This is one of the most impressive books I have ever read since it springs from the deep well of the author's experience and speaks to a core issue at the heart of all our lives.

From The Vault: Janet - Rhythm Nation

2010-08-10T18:06:00.003+02:00

This has to be, Janets creative apex. I tell you, Janet has never been better than during this era that stretched from August of 1989 to well into 1991 and it's a classic that must always be available for the generations.I consider this Janets "Thriller".

“Rhythm Nation” (Jackson/Harris/Lewis) – Starting off with the sound of bells and a pledge for unity and harmony, the music comes in after this interlude especially after Jackson begins counting down with producers slowing her voice down as the countdown edged. Then, it becomes a free-for-all funk fest! Featuring a clever sample of Sly Stone’s “Thank You Fallettin’ Me Be Mice Elf Agin”, Jackson sings a song about coming together and stopping the effects of racism. It’s a defiant Jackson that is determined to get her point across in whichever way possible (“it’s time to give a damn/let’s work together” she sings harmoniously). It’s one of those songs where you can go back to the video, with Jackson sporting the all-black militant-like suit with her dancers doing complicated choreography in what remains one of her greatest musical video works. The song is just as great itself and it became a popular hit in 1989. The song caveats what most of the Rhythm Nation album would be about: a defiant socially and self-conscious masterwork.

Song Of The Week: Ben Harper – Fight Outta You

2010-08-10T10:28:00.004+02:00

Ok. I am a late bloomer. Always have been. So don't get all know-it-all on me because i am reviewing a 2007 album. I came across it just last week and so it is new to me. O, and by the way, i got the 2009 "White Lies For Dark Times" as well.

“The record, entitled Lifeline, was recorded and mixed in 7 days on a 16 track analog tape machine. There were no computers or pro-tools used anywhere in the process.”

- Ben Harper

From listening to some of his music, Ben Harper makes music that matters. This new album may be shy of hit singles, but it's shy of nothing else. It's a beautifully composed disc that most music fans should love -- and it should also convince true listeners, especially, that there's still great new music out there.

Fight Outta You

Get new music videos and MTV show videos on MTVBASE.COM.

www.mtvbase.com

Watch New Music Videos

Watch New Music Videos | Music News

Embed

Addo Elephant Park

2010-08-09T17:04:00.005+02:00

My friends and i took some time out today and went to Addo Elephant Park and here are some pics i took...

I live in a beautiful country....God bless Africa and none else :)

Video Of The Day

2010-08-07T09:34:00.000+02:00

This video left me speechless...

A Question I Got Asked

2010-08-07T09:13:00.003+02:00

Q: "now I have to ask you something about your faith!!!...I need a considered, frank, and honest answer though.
Isn't it hard to be black and LDS? What do you make of alll the racist comments that some of the prophets and apostles have made...and how do you deal with ideas like "black people were less valiant in the pre-mortal existence" which are still reasonably current in the church...or Statements on the BOM about the Lamanites being punished for their iniquities with a dark skin..etc...? I'm not trying to challenge your faith..but I know you're thoughtful and you must have thought of these issues...so I want to know how you've been able to settle them in your own mind."

A: Well I had to deal with the issue when I was on mission. I had to deal with it when I read the epistle of paul where he taught that God was not a respector of persons. In my mind came the question that if God was not a respector of persons, than why were some people born in the church and some not? Why did some people got to hold the priesthood and some not? That was the time for me to really deal with the race/color issue, that never really bothered me since i joined the church, until that time. I then had to deal with the 1978 priesthood revelation, the racist members, the color issue. It bothered me a lot, not to change my testimony but to challenge my belief system. It was hard! What made matters worse was that there were some missionaries, seers and revelators who propagated their beliefs and made them "official" doctrine. I remember informing my mission president at the time of my concern and Pres DeMordaunt drove down to Bloemfontein (4 hours drive from Johannesburg)to see me on the matter. What i still appreciate to this day is that he never sugar-coated my concerns. He told me that there was/is no revealed word as to why I am black and so the "non valiant in the pre-existance" belief does not matter and is not true. Let us assume that that incorrect explanation was indeed true, it does not change anything for me. It does not change the fact that i know the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's true church on the earth. It does not change the fact that i know that Thomas S. Monson is the Lord's prophet on the earth. It does not change that i know the Book of Mormon is true scripture. It does not change the fact that i know i am a member of the Lord's true church. It does not change that I love working in the temple. I does not change that i hold the divine power of God. We will be judged on what we do in THIS life and not on the pre- existance. Coming home has opened my eyes on how people do things in the church, especially in my country. There are still strands of racism, but those are individuals' way and not the Lord's way of doing things. I am forever thankful of having had the opportunity of visiting the states a few years ago. That opened my eyes to how the church is suppose to function. That changed the way i looked at the gospel...forever. Since that time, that issue does not bother me at all. Even revisiting the topic showed me more, how i am at peace with the issue, knowing the truth of the matter. Even if the answer was bitter cup to swallow, it would not have left me bitter to what i know to be true.

Song Of The Week: Eric Benet – Sometimes I Cry

2010-08-05T09:24:00.002+02:00

Eric Benet’s renaissance continues with this new cut from his upcoming album, Lost in Time (currently scheduled for a September release). A stunning falsetto vocal up there with the best Prince ballads (I’m thinking Adore. Yep, it’s some hot shit!), Sometimes I Cry has a live, deep, timeless sound that lovers of real soul will appreciate right down to their boots.

Apparently, Lost in Time will be chock-full of sweet mid-70s styled soul grooves. Retro continues to be all the rage, but on this evidence, the new album should be more than just an exercise in cool. Here’s to hoping...

Quote For The Day

2010-07-25T14:30:00.002+02:00

"Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow."~ Mahatma Gandhi

How Fast Are You Going?

2010-07-22T16:06:00.004+02:00

Usually whenever i get sick, there is an underlying reason, and which in many cases for me, means i need to slow down. I am all too guilty of doing too much, being the knight in shining armour, taking everything on my shoulders because somehow i believe that i have no kryptonite.

The past couple of days i have been down with the flu, resulting in major headaches, body aches and weak immune systems. So i finally decided to take some time off work to nurse my health and dig into some reading. I have been reading the book Life Lessons From The Book of Mormon and today's chapter is what i needed to learn. I am sure you have had those moments where you know that a lesson was in store for you. Today was such a day for me. The chapter is entitled: Maintaining a Spiritual Pace.

Both the authors teach Institute and have issued previous publications. Their “life lessons” address topics such as Satan’s chains, the faces of pride, changing weaknesses to strengths, dealing with adversity, supporting church leaders and maintaining spiritual pace. Each topic is artfully supported by examples from the Book of Mormon. The subjects speak to the challenges the Lord knew we would face in latter-days.

In true irony, I found myself humbled this weekend as I hurried through the chapter entitled “Maintaining Spiritual Pace” in an attempt to finish the book. With so many things going on I was feeling exhausted from the daily grind, sick, weary of the relentless list of things to do at work. In my haste, I stopped short at this chapter and story, recounted by Bassett the author.

“I am reminded of…an elderly man who rested by the side of a much-traveled path. A much younger man stopped for a minute next to the old gentleman. In the course of conversation the younger man asked, ‘How has life in America changed most?’ The old man replied simply, ‘Speed.’ Pausing for a moment to think, he continued, ‘It’s killing us. You have to make a part of your life in which you slow down. The world won’t do it for you’” (223).

Bassett goes on, “Once again, we can look to the Book of Mormon for evidence of the need for an appropriate spiritual pace to our lives” (223). He then explains in detail the Book of Mormon story of Zeniff and his people. Zeniff introduces himself as “over-zealous” (See Mosiah 9:3) meaning he did not take time to inquire of the Lord or his leaders before gathering a group of Nephites to travel back to the land of Nephi and live adjacent to the Lamanites. This decision brought much bitterness, death and sorrow to his people for several generations.

Bassett continues, “I am convinced that if Satan can’t influence us to sin outright, the next best thing he can do is fill our lives with so much clutter that he becomes our silent partner, so silent that too often we are unaware of his influence in speeding up the pace of our lives and camouflaging our priorities” (221).

Stress, demands of the clock, pressure to compete, worry, fear of failure, academics, and many other things, as mentioned by Bassett, can distance us from recognizing the whisperings of the still, small voice. He reminds those of us who are strong, committed servants of the Lord, that even we can “run too fast in the Kingdom”. Sometimes we run so fast with our church work and other noble endeavors that we don’t realize we have neglected time to respond to or hear the whisperings of the spirit! President McKay said that whisperings come “when we are relaxed and not under pressure of appointments” (221).

I poured over this chapter with great interest and some regret. I felt he was speaking to me – expounding a “life lesson” that was hitting me right between the eyes. “There is a pace to living that allows the Lord to be our guide as we keep the commandments. It is ironic to me that so many of us may be able to answer all the temple recommend questions in a positive way and be worthy to enter the temple, yet the very pace of our lives distances us from the daily companionship of that Spirit we so desire” (219).

The Book of Mormon is meant to warn us of the Adversary’s snares. None of us are completely immune to his tactics. I was grateful to be reminded of a poignant personal weakness, as expressly and familiarly stated in the Book of Mormon.

“And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order” (Mosiah 4:27).

Life Lessons from the Book of Mormon is a hands-on read that melds easily into daily living, a book with real tools that will help us combat the darkness of life and inspire true study within the pages of this ancient record. Personally, I am grateful to Christianson and Bassett for facilitating my own little epiphany, and for the renewed conviction I now have to let the truths of the Book of Mormon bring me ever closer to the Lord.

They are reason why i love tennis...

2010-07-17T13:42:00.001+02:00

Roger...

Andy and Serena...

Venus...

Pride and Song Of The Week

2010-07-17T13:05:00.004+02:00

In the past few years, inspirational sports movies have become a genre of their own. Like a male-oriented romantic comedy, these movies have a very specific underdog formula that, if followed well, makes an exciting film.

However, the key to making a good inspirational sports movie is the sport itself. Football works great. It was pioneered with “Remember the Titans,” but every couple years, there’s one or more good ones to hit the screens. Recent examples include “Invincible,” and “We Are Marshall.”

Hollywood floated a new sport out there for inspirational movies – swimming. Yes, you heard correctly: swimming. I know i am 3 years old with regards to this movie but it is nevertheless relevant.

“Pride” tells the somewhat true story of a swim coach named Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard) who turns a rag-tag group of inner-city punks into a competing swim team in 1970s Philadelphia. Ellis is put in charge of shutting down a public recreation center, and his inspirational swim team not only helped keep its doors open but also gave kids hope for the future. As Ellis molds the ghetto kids into a swim team, the film isn't exactly big on showing you the nuts and bolts of how they learn the butterfly stroke. I would have liked more detail, but where the director, Sunu Gonera, is shrewd is in parsing, from every angle, the emotions of the title. When the P.D.R. crew face off against a privileged white team (their coach is played by a convincingly jerky Tom Arnold), they botch the meet by messing around, and you feel the wounded arrogance of their ill-disciplined antics. By the end, of course, they're oozing self-respect. Bernie Mac, as the rec center's janitor, earns laughs by turning gibes into folk wisdom. Pride doesn't have much surprise, but it's a formula picture of genuine feeling, with Terrence Howard proving once again that he wouldn't know how to keep it less than real.

My current song on repeat on my ipod is the theme song of the movie. Enjoy below...

Up To The Mountain

2010-07-13T19:05:00.003+02:00

Sitting on a stool with her guitar, the song starts slowly and, from the first note, perfectly fit the singer's style. Her raw vocal power is on full display, a soul- and gospel- and folk-tinged vibe that establishes her as a sort of combination of Janis Joplin and Tracy Chapman for the 21st century. Her connection to the lyrics — inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic 1968 "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech — was unmistakable as she sang, "Sometimes I feel like I've been nothing but tired/ And I'll be working till the day I expire."

I am one of those that will buy Lee Dewyze's new cd when it gets released. I am a fan of Lee DeWyze's talented singing abilities, and he made any old or boring genres that AI chose to saddle the contestants with sound great to my ears. Looking back at the entire season of AI, Up To The Mountain has to be my only highlight worth remembering. Enjoy below...

Video For The Day

2010-07-09T12:49:00.001+02:00

Quote For The Day

2010-07-09T10:42:00.002+02:00

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
— Maya Angelou

What The World Cup Has Done For South Africa

2010-07-08T15:30:00.004+02:00

The first finals to be held on African soil have now reached the last-two stage and Blatter believes the doubters have been proved wrong and so do i.

Critics had predicted that fans would be deterred by high travel costs and the high crime rate in the country. But Blatter said: "More than 500,000 fans will have come to South Africa and the figure may be even higher."

Fifa themselves admitted earlier this year that ticket sales had not gone as well as they had hoped - and empty seats have been in evidence at many of the matches. Blatter, though, insisted he is delighted by the attendances, and also by the number of statesmen among the crowds. Former United States President Bill Clinton and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are among those to have attended matches. "The forecast from 'old Europe' was the fans wouldn't come - well here they are," added Blatter.

"I am a very happy president today and I hope I will be happy until the very end of this week. There is a political dimension to football too - how many heads of states have come to visit South Africa, and they all want to make sure they have the pictures taken in the stands. That's the power of football. Football gives emotions in this deranged world. Look at the news and you see the world appears to have suddenly stopped and the TV cameras will after 12 July be used everywhere else in the world. We are giving hope to the world that perhaps through football we can become better human beings."

The World Cup South Africa is a very different country than the one I know. The dramatic infrastructure investment, the refurbished and new airports, the marvelously flag-coloured drive from Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to the city centre, you name it.

What has changed the most, though, is the people. I think what the World Cup did is to get South Africans, for once, to look inside themselves and give, and do something for the world, rather than always brood and asking for groceries from the state. In that sense, the World Cup was for South Africans a conversation about their citizenship, their responsibilities to it, and finally – their identity.

If you haven’t watched the film, “Invictus” (starring Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela, and Matt Damon), then you should. It is about how the 1995 Rugby World Cup here in South Africa allowed the country to take a huge step in racial relations. Rugby was a white sport in this my racially segregated South Africa. Soccer was for blacks.

In the end, what carried the Springboks to victory was that Mandela successfully got the black population to rally passionately behind the national rugby national team. With the Rugby World Cup black South Africa got its first real chance to embrace white South Africa.

And with the World Cup, white South Africa got to embrace black South Africa. But this would not even pretend to the African World Cup if that is all there was to it.

World Cup 2010 is the first time the world has put the fate of a global event of this magnitude in Africa’s hand. And there is a sense, that somewhere in there is a shy reparation for the bleeding veins left by slavery, and the plunder of treasures and cultural humiliation of colonialism.

So, if this is an African World Cup which i believe it is, then it’s because this is the first real sign of a positive shift in the global narrative about Africa, and an acknowledgement of the legitimacy of our memory.

With the World Cup, South Africa had only one shot. If it had botched it (and i was praying that we wont), the stereotype of Africa as a dark continent, a doomed place where even the best like South Africa can’t hold a successful World Cup, would have endured and become embarrassing sporting folklore for the rest of the 21st Century.

It is a great responsibility to ask for, or to put on any shoulder. It says something about this once grumpy, racially divided nation and ill-tempered people that they dug deep, and found the magic to hit the ball out of the park on the first strike.

Today, the excitement is still about the World Cup itself. It is a bit sad that the euphoria will end in a few days. But one day long after the winner has collected the prize and glory, the football brigades have departed, and the vuvuzelas gone silent, I am sure those with a sense of history will thank South Africa for the honour it has done us all.

30 Part 2

2010-06-20T15:12:00.002+02:00

My good friend shared this video in response to the below post, "30". Thank you!

30

2010-06-19T12:40:00.002+02:00

A few years ago I never thought that I would reach 30. It was an age for old people. Early this year when the realization that I was going to be 30 and alive, I started to really dread the 12 June 2010.

In all honesty, I thought that I would be a family man of about 4 kids by now. The eve of my birthday I took some time and thought of my life. I thought of all the dreams that I had, have and where I am in relation to them. Life is interesting at times. You plan and do all you can but there come curve balls and you have to adjust to what is. Here are some lessons I learned as I realized that life goes on, with or without you:

1. Heavenly Father has a sense of humor BUT He loves me so much!
2. I am single not because I am busy, but I am busy because I am single
3. Truly when life gives you lemons, you make a really tasty lemonade
4. Life goes on with or without you. Enjoy the ride. A good friend counseled
me to live out loud. O how I am working at making a noise,louder than the vuvuzela
5. Being a temple ordinance worker has been one of the best things in my life!
6. Life has given me many challenges but being without a family right now has made my heart so tender toward the youth of the church. I LOVE my seminary students. When I attend sacrament meeting, before I can relax, I check that all my students are around. That is how much I love them.
7. Cherish your struggles. Heavenly Father speak to you through them.
8. Travel and see the world. I can’t wait for my next trip!!
9. Some plans, I have had to put them in the drawer. I have not forgotten about them. They are still a priority BUT I refuse to be depressed about them too much. When they materialize, they will find me jolly.
10. Try new things ; new sports and hobbies. I am a huge yoga addict. My body is learning new postures and it is also a good workout.
11. Single or married, what we are all really searching for is peace. Peace is the feeling that we are doing the best we can with what we have. Peace is the feeling that we could face God, and he would know of the desires of our hearts. Peace is knowing that one day, God will explain the reasons why. To find real peace, we must turn to the prince of peace. Jesus taught, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. Speaking of this scripture, he said,

“I submit to you, that this may be one of the Savior’s commandments that is, even in the hearts of otherwise faithful Latter-day Saints, almost universally disobeyed....I am convinced that none of us can appreciate how deeply it wounds the loving heart of the Savior of the world, when he finds that his people do not feel confident in his care or secure in his hands or trust in his commandments. (“Come Unto Me,” CES Fireside, March 2, 1997.)
12. My life is but a weaving, between my God and me,
I do not choose the colors, He worketh steadily,
Ofttimes He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.

Not till the loom is silent, and shuttles cease to fly,
Will God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful in the skillful Weaver's hand,
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.
("The Weaver," Book of Poetry, ed. Al Bryant, New York: Zondervan Publishing House, 1968.)
13. There are many things in life that on the surface don’t seem to make sense. Sometimes you can do everything you’re supposed to and not receive the desired blessing. Nephi did everything he was supposed to without murmuring and yet received horrible treatment from his brothers. Abinadi died an awful death although he did everything he was asked. And of course, Jesus lived a perfect life and suffered more than man could suffer. Countless other examples could be offered, but it suffices to say, living right does not necessarily mean living easily. Faith has had a new definition for me: faith is moving forward, doing what is right, even though you may not know how things will work out.
14. President Hinckley taught great truth when he said:

There are some who, for reasons unexplainable, do not have the opportunity of marriage. To you I should like to say a word or two. Don't waste your time and wear out your lives wandering about in the wasteland of self-pity. God has given you talents of one kind or another. God has given you the capacity to serve the needs of others and bless their lives with your kindness and concern. Reach out to someone in need. There are so very many out there.
Add knowledge to knowledge. Refine your mind and skills in a chosen field of discipline. Never in the history of the world have women been afforded such opportunities in the professions, in business, in education, and in all of the honorable vocations of life. Do not feel that because you are single God has forsaken you. I repeat his promise quoted earlier, "Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers." [D&C 112:10.]
The world needs you. The Church needs you. So very many people and causes need your strength and wisdom and talents. ("If I Were You, What Would I Do?" BYU 1983-84 Fireside and Devotional Speeches, September 20, 1983, p. 11.) Teachings, pp. 601-602
15. Life is wonderful. And there are so many important things that i can do to bless the lives of others and make the world better because I was here. All in all busy life, I have not forgotten my dream of being a husband and father to twin boys 

Sign of a Victory

2010-06-12T11:31:00.002+02:00

R. Kelly faced his fear of flying and boarded a plane to come here to South Africa to perform at the 2010 FIFA World Cup kick-off ceremonies. The Pied Piper penned “Sign of a Victory,” an inspirational song much like his classic “I Believe I Can Fly.” Declared the official anthem for the World Cup, it features Africa’s Soweto Spiritual Singers.

“It’s definitely no doubt a humanity song, and I’m hoping that everybody feels the same way when they hear it,” he told the AP. “[I'm] hoping they can be as touched by it as I was when I heard it in my head.”

See video here!

2010 World Cup kicks off!! Feel It! It's Here!!

2010-06-11T09:25:00.003+02:00

The Black Eyed Peas helped get the global party started at the 2010 FIFA World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, last night. Dressed in glitzy, futuristic costumes, Fergie, will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo ran through an energetic set that included “Where Is the Love,” “Boom Boom Pow,” and the electric “I Gotta Feeling.”

“Tonight we can all be in an ‘Empire State of Mind,’” said Alicia Keys before performing her New York anthem in front of 30,000 concertgoers. The singer also sang “No One,” “You Don’t Know My Name,” and “Fallin’.” :)

John Legend treated the crowd to his new single “Wake Up Everybody” from his forthcoming ’60s and ’70s covers album, while Shakira launched into “Hips Don’t Lie” with South African hip-hop artist Tumi Molekane and then delivered the official 2010 FIFA World Cup Song, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).”

Book Review: Mandela's Way - Lessons On Life

2010-06-07T14:21:00.003+02:00

On my way back from a business trip, i was reading on of these inflight magazines and i saw an entry recommending the book, Mandela's Way by Richard Stengel. I do not usually pay attention to such recommendations but this one caught my eye. Two days ago i got a copy to read and i have been mesmorized since.

We long for heroes but have too few. Nelson Mandela is perhaps the last pure hero on the planet. For nearly three years Time magazine editor Richard Stengel collaborated with Mandela on his autobiography and travelled with him everywhere. Eating with him, watching him campaign, hearing him think out loud, Stengel came to know all the different sides of this complex man. He became a cherished friend and colleague. Now he has distilled countless hours of intimate conversation with Mandela into fifteen essential life lessons. In Mandela's Way, he recounts the moments in which 'the grandfather of South Africa' was tested and shares the wisdom he learned: why we should keep our rivals close, why courage is more than the absence of fear, and why the answer is not always either/or but often 'both'. Woven into these life lessons are remarkable stories - of Mandela's childhood as the protege of a tribal king, of his early days as a freedom fighter, of the twenty-seven-year imprisonment that could not break him, and of his new and fulfilling marriage at the age of eighty. This profoundly inspiring book captures the spirit of this extraordinary man - warrior, martyr, husband, statesman, and moral leader - and spurs us to look within ourselves, reconsider the things we take for granted, and contemplate the legacy we'll leave behind.

Bill Clinton said of the book:
"There is no man I admire more than Nelson Mandela. Rick Stengel's wise and moving book captures the Nelson Mandela I have been privileged to know. But reading Mandela's Way gave me new insights and inspiration. I am confident it will give the same gifts to others. I was inspired anew, and I know others will be too." That is the feeling i am getting as i read the book...

Please do yourself a favour and grab a copy!

Soderling Stuns Federer For Semi-Final Berth; Battle For No. 1 Intensifies

2010-06-03T15:10:00.001+02:00

Fifth seed Robin Soderling avenged his 2009 Roland Garros final defeat to World No. 1 Roger Federer on Tuesday, when he snapped a 12-match losing streak for his first victory over the Swiss superstar.

The Swede triumphed 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 in two hours and 30 minutes on Philippe Chatrier Court to bring to an end Federer's record of reaching 23 straight Grand Slam semi-finals dating back six years, when he lost to three-time former titlist and World No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil, in the third round, on the same court.

"They all come to an end at some stage," Federer said of the streak. "You hope they don't happen, but they do. It was a great run. Now I've got the quarter-final streak going, I guess. It's been an amazing run."

Soderling's victory means that Rafael Nadal could regain No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP 2010 ATP Rankings on Monday if he wins his fifth title at Roland Garros. Should Nadal win his fifth singles title in the French capital he would have 8,700 points, while Federer would have 8,390 points.

Sisters Have Something to Smile About

2010-06-03T15:05:00.001+02:00

Serena Williams has reason to celebrate despite her heart-breaking loss in her singles quarterfinal to Samantha Stosur, as her doubles victory later Wednesday alongside sister Venus not only puts them in the final of yet another Grand Slam, but it assures them of rising to No.1 on the doubles rankings for the first time on Monday.

It was far from easy, though, especially compared to their previous matches this fortnight, as the top-seeded Williamses had not lost more than five games in a match before Wednesday, when they had to rally from 3-1 down in the third set of their 26 62 64 defeat of third-seeded Liezel Huber and Anabel Medina Garrigues. In fact, Serena and Venus had only lost one set in their 13 previous matches all year.