Courage In A World That Continues To Decline Around Us

Although the moral standards of this world are declining more and more, many people today don't intend on being your enemy, especially when you use kind words.

I remember, almost two years ago, I had multiple experiences with people that I had never known before. I was going to The 2010 National Scout Jamboree. On this trip, there were many people with standards that were not my own, and many people that did not share the understanding of the importance I felt my standards held.

I feel kind of lame saying this, but it was the first time I had gone "all offense" on what I consider to be destructive. You see, my fellow scouts had problems with their language, moral standards and habits, and code of conduct. Honestly, I wondered how they thought they could maintain the title of "Scout".

The first day of the trip was the worst. The profanity was near unbearable and I couldn't take another day of it, not to mention my younger brother, my cousin, and my uncle were all there with me, having their ears corrupted as well.

When I woke up the next day, I said my prayers, asking my Father in Heaven to help me have the courage to say what needed to be said for their hearts to be softened.

For the next... two hours?? (I think it was about that length of time.) I was contemplating how and what I would say, when I realized that all I needed to do was open my mouth and God would take care of the rest.

I walked up to a group of four of the thirty or so youth that had come with us and said, "Hey guys, you all know my little brother is here. I've been trying to set as good of an example for him as possible. Do you think you could help me?" a chorus of "Of course! What do you need us to do?' went up, and I stood there knowing that I could finish the rest myself, because I had been given what I needed to bring up the issue without putting them on the defensive about it.



To my suprise, those four young men went through the rest of the camp and asked everyone to watch their language and behave reverently while we were on this adventure.

Throughout the rest of those two weeks, I and my family stood out as examples and ended up becoming very good friends with each of those thirty-odd boys.

I know that sometimes you may feel it hard to stand up for what you believe in, but others watch you and judge you (even though they shouldn't) by what you say you believe in and your actions.

"He does not believe that does not live according to his belief." ~Thomas Fowler



People will judge your character off whether or not you live your belief.



I hope we all stand for something, for if we don't, we will surely be brought down with the majority, for it is man's nature to be selfish, reactive, and carnal, and we must rise above our nature and become better, if not for religious reasons, then just because the world will be a better place.



I believe we are all courageous enough, we just need to know that we have our own courage and strength and that it is improved by our faith and our willingness to do what is right.



Your friend and brother,
Dallin H.

The Wonder of Wondering

I sit here typing this, wondering who will read it, wondering who I will inspire, wondering how I will inspire them.

I have a mild case of insomnia. Some people would consider insmonia a horrible thing, I know I do at times. Right now though, I consider it a blessing. I have received many different thoughts and promptings tonight.

I love the guitar. I spent a good three hours playing, writing, and goofing around on it, and I will tell you, it is one of the most fun instruments I have ever played. (And I've played quite a few)

When I sit awake at night, I wonder what other people think about when they can't sleep. I find it depressing that I already know the answer to that. Most cases of insomnia are caused by emotional/relationship stress. I went through something similar, so I know how that feels.


 I wish there was some way I could influence every single person in this world. I'm so sick of all the depression, anger, Etc. that rules the world.


I'm sure whoever is reading this will know or already knows I'm a musician. My biggest dream as an artist is to praise Him in every way that I can, and maybe, just maybe, have the honor and privilige of Him saying to me, that it was good, that I helped Him help others.

In the night, around three-four-ish I receive some of the most profound lyrics for my songs, and I have no doubt that the lyrics were intended for that song.

Finding the right lyrics for a song is like putting together a puzzle, but not really. It's had to describe. Somehow you think something might work somewhere in a phrase and it turns out you use it in a song you were working on two weeks ago, and you bring the phrase from the song you just re-wrote into what you are working on now and the pieces fit so well together that you know you had help.

I never used to consider myself a creative person. Always I was logical. Always I would stick to the course of events, never changing a thing, but here I am now, opening up to a mindset that was never really my own and yet, it was. Another part of my personality entirely. I knew I had a creative side, but next to that of my father's or my sister's, I didn't consider myself very creative. In the past short while, I've come to realize several things, the first of which being "The only person that can keep you in a box is yourself". People who are afraid to get up and dance because they are afraid people will see them and judge them because they weren't "good" enough set their own limits on themselves that don't allow them to express or open up. This is how I was with my creativity. I was afraid they would think (because their creative works were better than mine) I had little potential because my first steps were small.

Now though, I have taken those steps. I have begun to walk the path of a creator who is unashamed at his "... one-thousand ways not to make a lightbulb", and I will stay on that path.



Your friend and brother,
Dallin Hughes

The Power of Harmony

I wish I could express to you the power music has in our lives. I know you all feel it, but there is a distinct difference between feeling the amplifications that are created through music and understanding them.

So many people in this world today use music for very different reasons. Some use it to express, some to open anothers' eyes to beauty, while others are just using it for enjoyment.

Music has the power to amplify any emotion or understanding to it's highest possible elation. Sadness can sink to serious depression, happiness to a point of incandescence, or anger to rage. It can be either creative or destructive.

Unfortunatly and fortunatly, most people use it to express, but most people aren't perfect, so they tend to express the hard times they're going through, emotionally or physically. Most people can relate to what they feel, or so they think. What they are actually doing to themselves is destructive. Bringing ourselves back to places where we didn't enjoy being in the first place also brings back our feelings and stops us in our progression to what would be happiness.

On the upper hand though, when expressed with a smile and sweet melody, it brings inspiration, allows for room to think, and opens us up to things we may have never thought about otherwise.

If you don't mind, I would like to define the word "artist" through my own words.

I believe an artist is an individual who uses his/her abilities to create a possitive perspective on life and the many things therein for others in the world around him/her.

I would encourage you all to take care of yourselves and listen to uplifting music.


A mind can only output what it has input.


Until my next post,
your friend and brother,
Dallin H.