Talmage Burleson

Well after not seeing Talmage for a long time, the tall lean machine and I finally got together anddddd played starcraft and sat around and talked. It was good, the guy hasn't changed that much, well he has but certain things are still the same. He has 20+ character passwords which he can memorize with ease, but fails to remember where he put his mail key. He is still way into computers and has this monitor I am typing on right now which is gosh, bigger then my TV. In fact it's one of those TV/moniter things which normally run around $2,500 dollars but he worked for best buy on got the discount so it was "only" $1,200. As always he insisted I stay up all night playing on his screaming fast machine and stay at his house the next day as he and his wife would be gone to work and I could stay here and play all I wanted. His wife is a graphic designer and he is getting about a billion certifications from microsoft to networking to one that only Talmage could acheive - Ability to send a technical message to MSI motherboard in which it ends with 8 greeting, Allah be with you, God bless you, I love you, and how much would could a woodchuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood. Such an easy going funny guy. It's good seeing him again....

Star Wars and the Gospel

For those of you who don't know I am a huge fan of Star Wars. Always have been, probably always will be. I am also a huge fan of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, alas, what really hit me about the new Star Wars movie was a lavish and rich opportunity to draw a comparison to the Preisthood. There are two principals of the preisthood that are very very important to take into account. One, the preisthood's sole purpose is to bless Heavenly Father's children and will only work when the preisthood holder is worthy and the purpose or blessing given is in accordance with the will of God. (loosely quoted as I don't have the source) "When one seeks to use the preisthood to gain power over another, amen to the authority of that Preisthood holder." - (A really good guy) Two, is that holding the preisthood is giving allegiance to God, following him and trusting in his ways. Anakin (Pre-darth) had the force (Preisthood) and he was on the light side. One quote from the movie that can be likened to the power of the light side and the preisthood is when Anakin says "The light side is self-less" You cannot give yourself a blessing, the preisthood exists for the blessing of others. But Anakin had a dark secret that he was hiding, he was married to Padme (Queen Amidala and later Luke and Leia's mother) and Padme was pregnant. Anakin had made a bond there, he had acted outside of the ways of the force. Padme's pregnancy (addiction) forced him to no longer be able to be selfless, he was no longer able to act within the ways of the force. Instead of admitting this and committing to a sort of repentance he was fearful. The big decision began to be made as he started having dreams that Padme would die in labor. Was Padme supposed to die in labor, was it her destiny? Yes, it was. The Jedi Master's advice to him was prepare for the departure of the loved one. But Anakin couldn't handle that. He wanted power. He wasn't selfless now, Padme and HIS CHILDREN were know a major part of who he was. Now he needed more power, a promise made to him by Darth Sidous that if he joined the dark side he would have that power. He wanted an extreme power promised him by Darth Sidous, the power to stop people from dying (Which in no way is a power that Satan can give) He was fighting fate, fighting a decision made by something in charge of everything. This can be likened to fighting God. It is sad though, the light side is the power of healing, the dark side is the power of death. What he really needed was healing, for a path, for knowledge of his purpose, To do good. It was hard to watch as Anakin and Padme were arguing after Anakin's siege at the temple, and as Padme started to realize that what she wanted was no longer there. That Anakin was no longer a Jedi (righteous preisthood holder) but a Sith Lord (John Kerry, lol) If only, in only Anakin had remained true to the truth he could've been there for his wife, instead when she came to him he hurt her.... What Padme really needed was a kind and self-less Jedi (A righteous preisthood holder). Liken that to preisthood holders themselves. There will be times that we are called on to give a blessing or to be a blessing to others. Are we worthy? AT ALL TIMES, are we worthy and ready?

The flip side of the force is darkness. There is a light side and a dark side. There is good and evil. There is a God and a devil. There is the Savior's fold and there is those fooled by Satan. And what reward is given to those who labor for Satan? "for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." 2 Nephi 2:27 How was Anakin rewarded for his obedience to Darth Sidious? Remember the way Darth Sidious told Darth Vader that Darth Vader had killed Padme in his anger. Then as Darth Vader stepped forward and yelled out in anger the way that Darth Sidious sat in the background smiling, probably thinking "yes, yes, give in to your anger, be a slave to your pain."

In the end we must realize in this struggle for out souls that it is us who chooses what fold we are in, who we follow, and what actions we take with the situations presented us.


2 Ne. 2: 27 - Book of Mormon
27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

flipping steak is tooo snnnnnoooorrrreeee

Hard working father

Elder Gray

Elder Gray

YESH!!!!!! finally

mission papers are in. Nuff said. Look at my new profile picture.

Repentant and volunteer flowers

I was longboarding to the gas station to get a drink. (several reasons for this, first I was sick of packing, second there is a hill leading to the gas station so it looked like fun, and third because I just bought a longboard and since my job on the ranch starts on the 30th I got start using it.) Anyway, on my way I saw Mrs. Broadbent outside working in her garden. She has always been a great neighbor and she is so nice, so I stopped to help her. We were working and there were some dead flowers and I asked her if she wanted me to dig them up, and she replied. "I was hoping they would repent, but they just wouldn't come around." Later on she pointed out some plants and told me she didn't know what they were and that they were just volunteer flowers. I wanna be old, they are so funny.

More proof that SJ is the same

This morning I was awoken by the knocking of the fat kids from across the street asking to jump on the tramp. I seems audacious to you, but in SJ kids do it all the time it drives me crazy. We honestly believe if they get hurt there parents won't sue us. Then they yell at me to watch the "CHOKE SLAM" and then yell at me to watch it again. I don't care at all, unless you give me the op. to choke slam you off the tramp...

Home in Saint Johns

Getting more was highly relieving. Which was odd since I dreaded being home again. I was afraid of seeing this person and that, I had some apprehensions about the social scene in good ole' SJ. But getting here the first thing I did was hang out with Ben Brown and scramble to make Jordan Rothlisburger hang out with before I got home and all we did was play some basketball, some risk, and sit around and watch the suns game. It was good, it was Saint Johns. The best was seeing Mrs. Broadbent my neighbor and taking her some peas, broccoli, and salad that my mom had made and wanted me to take to her. She and her husband were happy to just have me sit down and talk a while and were so happy for the assistance. (Her husband has had some medical problems lately, they are older) The best feeling was just coming back to where your home, where people greet you with a smile like, "oh Blake, its so good having you home again." It the people that make this ugly town beautiful.
P.S. I found a summer job, working at Orme Summer Camp for kids and teenagers. Though the intrinsic value of is low ($1100 for the summer) the extrinsic benefit are great. I am going to be a mentor to the 5 kids I will be living with that will come and go. I will constantly monitor them and take care of them. It's great because some of the most special moments in my life is when I have felt like, honestly, a father to my nieces and nephews. (I don't know, I say a father because it is a glorified uncle) I'm so excited. You? (Work start may 30 and ends either late July or August)

My last blog at college...

Well thats it. It's all done and said. I'm so home to be ready. But then again, I have to job a find. thats fun no. ): I wonder where my blog will go after this, more imortant what I will be when the years come around and find me here again. Just remember Blake, when times get hard, he's there, the phantom of the opera. (I watched it around 20 times in almost a week.)

ahh sweet serenity.... I'm going home...
Dr. Blake Gray

School year is ending. New rules for summer.

Seeing as I will proly have either a new audience or no audience for my blog (my current audience average is around 2) as soon as summer hits. Here are no rules. No being too serious, no chest thumping orangutang stuff etc. Okey Dokey?

Hey mom!

I need you to go to the website http://www.ormecamp.org/ormecamp.aspx?pgID=879
and click on the references link. Print off three and distribute them to Donna, Otis Connely, and Mrs. Burdick. Thanks mom and the link to the family blog is http://lmgrayfamily.blogspot.com/

A little more on Evan

You know, that last comment made Evan look like a prick. For some reason I feel okay when I say things that makes Brady look bad, but he does them in good fun and Even was dead serious. So I will proceed to get churchy and tell you how Evan taught me humility. You see at the beginning of the year in missionary prep we all had to give a short little talk. I took quotes from each person and even proudly added my own, went home and typed it up and posted it at the foot of my bed. Every night I would look at it and look at how the only thing I could squeeze out of what Evan had to say was "I will go and do." Then I would proudly look at my own well articulated phrase and be proud that I had, I don't know, mastered the art of crafting my religious words so well. But now I'm so embarrassed of that. I'f only we'd all go and do. Evan is putting in his missionary papers now, and I have to wait. What if I had "gone and done" instead of mucky-mucked my snobby way into a little trouble. Sure its all in the past, but really what do the prophets tell us when they are at the pulpit. Simple things to go and do (and not do.) When President Hinckley wakes up in the morning he doesn't start with a heavenly manifestation, he starts by praying and reading his scriptures. Besides in a missionary respect, the best articulator of the gospel is the Holy Ghost and Christ himself. We are magnified a hundred fold if we but "go and say" what the Lord is whispering. Perhaps if my mouth were shut and not babbling on, perhaps I would have heard sooner.

Evan Quotes

"How much do you get for graduation, I guarentee you guys got more then me. ... I only got 2 grand."
- hmmm that means you got more then all of us all right, put together.


"I'm not rich, we don't even make a million dollars"
- His denial at Wendy's when we called him rich

It's been a while

Yes, I know. Sorry. I have been very busy, on top of being Blake Gray, which can be a strain from all the media attention I get, I also have bee nvery busy with finals. Which I am happy to report, have gone extremely well. .... I think, nonetheless I expect about 3 A's and 2 B's or better to come out of this semester, which is okay. I guess. My summer plans are shaping up right now I am applying to work at a summer camp. It should be fun, there is a military one right by where I live but, uh, military. Hmmmm Blake = lazy, Military = intolerant of lazy people like me. I might try to get a job at that one too. Reform a few buggers. School is almost over, its crazy. I'll miss my friends and classmates a lot... especially occasionally seeing girls and being able to fantasize that their wonderful people and have great morals to go with their beauty, which is in no short supply at ASU. Morals? Rare as diamonds, and thats what were looking for. Diamonds. So naturally we got nothing, we'll just go on missions.

Brainstorming

Just wanted to give my fans all a chance to interact in my life.....
Okay so here's the deal gang. We want to play a trick on the girls upstairs but don't want to do something thats been done before. So we need your suggestion, thats right, you can make a difference.