Cheaters at the MoTab Christmas Concert.

Earlier this year before I deleted my entire blog I had a post titled cheaters of the church. Well it is a week away from entering for tickets for the Mormon tabernacle Christmas concert so I've decided to revisit this topic with more evidence of how members are getting an easy ticket or cheating at the system to secure their seats. I also want to let you know that even though I am starting this blog a week earlier than when the registration starts I'm not going to post it until the registration period ends. I don't want to decrease my chances of winning because I reminded someone to enter.

For the most part I think the lottery/drawing system the church ticket office has set up is fair. After alot of researching I have also found flaws and questionable integrity of the entire system that makes it unfair let me give you a couple of examples. First of all, all of the members of the Mormon tabernacle choir the orchestra actors maybe the sound and light crew all get tickets for whomever they would like to invite without entering the lottery.  Now this seems fair and I also believe it is fair but it hits a gray area for me. Say you have a member of the MoTab  that's been there for 10 years and gets tickets every year. He or she can't move over and let someone else receive tickets. Or a performer who is on their 3rd year of performing. Can they not move over and let someone else have a seat at the performance?  I think that should be my new ticket office slogan "move over let someone else have a seat"

Here are some evidence I've found on blogs of MoTab and performers receiving tickets without entering the drawing.

So these are actual screenshots of bloggers who have had the opportunity to go to the concert. I wanted to get evidence and ideas on how to increase my chances. Notice the supplier is in the MoTab and how often does she get tickets? Every YEAR! It doesn't really specify how many tickets they are able to acquire 

Again my frustration is not with performers or motab getting tickets it's the fact that they reserve them for them every year.  Can they not move over one year out of 3 and let more people who have tried for years to get tickets receive the opportunity to go.

Another thing that is unfair and is easily fixable is the ability to put multiple entries in for a small group of people who want tickets. For example you can get your aunt's, cousins, third uncle, half brother, 3rd daughters friend to all put in entries for you without any of them going. This happens every drawing. 

So did you catch that? Basically having a big family who have no intention of going is all you need to win.

This person didn't even know she was entered.  She probably hadn't even thought about it.

To help make the process more fair. The ticket office could put a statement on their website encouraging applicants to not enter  to increase another person's chances of winning. Only enter if you plan on attending.  Another idea is to have the persons name who is applying for the tickets on all of the tickets and require that they be in the party and have ID.

Those who work for the church and certain church leaders should not be guaranteed tickets

I have (I should say had) a friend who's dad worked for the church or had a leadership position. He was able to get tickets EVERY YEAR. and my friend was able to go twice because of his dad. He's never put in for the drawing but was still able to get tickets. 

I'm not sure what relationship my friends dad had with the church. I do remember my friend asking me if I wanted him to ask his dad if he could get us tickets. He shouldn't be getting tickets. If there are people out there who have put there names in continuously and have yet to go. All Leaders and workers should put their names in the drawing like everyone else

2 years ago KSL news bragged or talked about their news station receiving tickets. Again without entering a drawing like everyone else, they were able to take someone else's chances who has been waiting 5 years of putting in for the drawing or 29 years if your counting my age to go. I'm not the only one who's complaining either.

You and me both Josh. This will be my 6th year of entering and it's hard to keep losing when you know there are people who go every year. There are those who "cheat" to increase their chances.  Those who work for the church or hold leadership position keep their tickets every year instead of letting someone else have a shot. Keep going Josh you and I will make it there someday.
Unfortunately to Josh and I there are people who are lucky to win tickets almost every year

some people are just lucky. I am a believer in luck. It wasn't until I met a few "lucky" people.  There are those who just have the "lucky bug" but that's a toppic for another post. I congratulate this person for winning but they should move aside and let someone else win. An easy way to help prevent continuous winners is to ask them to wait a year before entering again.  

another example of a continuous winner. This one however cheated to get this result. This post is connected to the above post about having a big family across the country is all you need to win

This didn't make sense to me at first. Notice how she says she goes every year with her family. She also mentioned in a post that it's tradition for her family to go to the concert every year. At first I questioned how is this person getting tickets every year. I looked back four years and it was true. They really did have a tradition to go to the Christmas concert every year. Then I realized something.  Notice how she mentioned the next morning they headed to the concert?  There is one morning where there is a short version of the concert and a music and the spoken word and that's on Sunday.  I'm guessing that Sunday is not a desirable ticket.  You have to wake up early it's cold find a baby sitter.  I think they have found a way to go and that is through stand by on Sunday Morning.  So if you want a better chance of going put in for Sunday or go to stand by on Sunday.  

Does anyone find an Irony in this post.  Her family tradition is to go to the concert and break the Sabbath day? I'm not perfect I just thought that was oxymoronic to have a tradition to feel the Christmas spirit at the concert and go to fill your stomach with food you broke the Sabbath to obtain. 

One last thought.  I watched a few short segments of the concert on YouTube.  It may be just my imagination but does anyone else notice that a majority of the front middle rows of the conference center is of the older generation?  Do they reserve those seats for certain people every year?  Do they include those seats in the drawing or are they automatically reserved. Again something else that seems unfair with the whole ticket distribution

This year I decided I was going to cheat. My goal was 50 entries but I only got 10 people to help me. I've decided not to. I would be oxymoronic if I complained then did exactly what I was complaining about. I have my own entry my 6th one. I really hope I don't get that dumb email offering me a discount to the DVD. I want to see the real thing. For those who have lost know what I mean with the e-mail.

Good luck especially to those who are still waiting. 

Even miracles have restrictions, or do they?

I am one that normally avoids the news when it comes to children being sick or dying. I have a soft heart and sometimes become very emotional when I stumble upon a story.  It's just come to the point where I have decided to avoid some stories
There are stories I'm dragged into because of my wife and her charity work but for the most part I stay away. One particular story caught my eye this week. It's. About a boy who is in hospice waiting to die and it's breaking my heart. What really gets  to me is when a community rallies together to make his final days his best days.
It's during these times I and others rely on our faith to get us through.  We pray for understanding and comfort.
Through a different experience I learned that sometimes part of a persons mission is to strengthen a community toward God. One thing we never see is the miracle we want and that is for this young boy to live. I have never heard a person who is in hospice care who has been told they are going to die especially a young child and pull through and live a normal life.  I would like to see that once in my life. Miracles are not restricted but I/we have yet to experience a miracle like this.


Not my will but thine be done.

You have to be famous to meet famous church leaders....oh..

I once had an friendly argument with a coworker of mine. I was thinking about how we pay tithing and how you could properly pay tithing on your income.  My argument is if I own my own businesses my income would be calculated after all of my expenses and one of those expenses is fuel. I do co own a business and we do not include buying fuel as part of our income.  Our income comes after we pay for fuel and other expenses.  From our bottom line is where we would calculate tithing. My argument is this. If i owned my own business my gas to get to work and back would not be included as income my income comes after I deduct gas. My job should be no different. I need fuel to get to work so I shouldn't pay tithing off my full paycheck. This argument went on for a while until my coworker suggested I should set up an appointment with a general authority and  ask him to which I replied that would never happen.
My dad was set apart as a missionary by a member if the quorum of the 12. He has a special connection to this apostle and has requested him by mail that he perform his kids temple ceilings. I believe he has requested for each one of ours so so far he has requested 7  times.  He does get a response that the apostle is busy at this time to which I am fine with. What bugs me is when I hear stories or read blogs of encounters with "famous" Mormons who talk about their experiences with members of the quorum of the 12.  Wether it's a blessing of a Olympic athlete or a meeting with the tattooed lady. You might even have a famous blog get to meet one of them and they will include you in their talk. I just don't understand how so many of these "famous"Mormons get to meet them by chance but my dad doesn't.  I know they are busy but is it because he's busy or that his office thought my dads request was just to far fetch to even ask him.
There's still 2 more waiting to be married.
there's still a chance but we're not famous.

are restaurants the new addiction.

When I returned to work I got a new customer that I had never heard of. It was a order and eat type of place like your typical McDonald's or burger king.  It was in a new development where other convenient eateries are waiting to take your hard earned money turn it into a donut and coffee and wave you on your way. While i was servicing this place I couldn't help but notice how many loads of bread they have to keep in stock not to mention how much chicken beef or vegetables . I wondered how much of this stuff goes to waste and why this restaurant decided to be here in the first place. During the last 3 years I have seen a spike here in utah in food eateries.  Now I am all for free market to a certain extent but I just couldn't believe how many developments of restaurants and stores utah has had in the last 3 years not to mention all of the apartments townhouse and condos going up everywhere. Then I started thinking about restaurants. Are they the new addiction? Is having more restaurants around doing more damage then good?
In my line of work I have alot of customers who have ALOT of food waste and I'm not talking about the bad kind. I remember seeing a utah based company who specializes in soups salads and sandwiches where everyone thinks is "so good:/" throwthrow away barrels and I mean BARRELS of good 2foot long loaves of bread. I know of another popular restaurant in utah that specializes in made from scratch breads throw at least a barrel full of their popular bread  every 3 days. Gas stations probably throw away at least a third of their grill items and your grocery deli is the worst. You wonder why your macaroni Salad is 5.99 a pound? It's because half of it's THROWN AWAY!
Now i want to share with you why I am bringing this up. First of all I believe we here in utah and America but especially in Utah right now are eating out WAY too much. I've even noticed WOMEN are the worst.  I have been to several of these "popular" Utah based restaurants at lunch time and the majority of the customers are your stay at home moms meeting up with their friends for lunch. We are becoming addicted to their food. Another reason is food prices continuing to go up. Restaurants buy alot of food and turn around and sell it to their customers for profit then we go home buy food at the grocery store but don't end up eating it because we are lazy and don't want to make anything or we don't crave anything but we do crave southwest egg rolls or a ranch and bbq salad or maybe a juicy hamburger so we let our food go to waste while we go to the resturaunts where they produce more waste and more demand on our food supplies which makes the prices go up.
So I guess my point of this blog post is (and I'm getting bored of this posting) is to avoid eating out as much as you can when you have other bills to take care of. Get ahead of everyone. Their food is overpriced anyways. One more thing I thought of. When you buy a menu item do you ever think what goes into the calculation of the food. In short it's probably something like this. Cost of food, energy rent, loans, payroll, insurance, health coverage, taxes
 We are already paying that. Avoid restaurants and Learn how to cook. that is all.

un seen blessings.

My second daughter has been to the hospital twice in her life. Both times RSV was the culprit.  She has always worried me when it comes to her being sick because she doesn't know how to handle it. She used to hit me because she was so uncomfortable. That was a very trying time in my life that I'd rather not talk about at this time. Things have changed in how she acts and her strengths against sickness. One weekend sometime after these trials my mom had told me that she had put my daughter's name in the temple where they pray for you and I have no doubt that that is a contributing reason why she is handling herself so well. She also used to have growth issues but is now growing.
She just woke up dry heaving. I had flashbacks of her doing this while I stayed up all night with her. I remember how her heart would beat. Seemed like it was beating so fast and I couldn't get her to calm down.  I later found it was because she was getting little oxygen and her heart was racing to make up for that. I also had a thought that maybe I was punished for my post last night. I quickly turned away from that thought. Kids get sick. My daughter handled it so well. I'm being blessed and I do see those blessings.  I know I have other issues but that does not block my true core testimony that God loves us and wants what's best for us.

I'm trying to soften my heart

Before I begin this post I want everyone to know that even though I have strong feelings about certain things I talk about especially things related to the church like the Bishops Storehouse I actually have a strong testimony of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints.  I know it may seem weird that a commandment like tithes and offerings that I struggle to understand is not leading me away from my church. There are experiences in my life that I will not deny that have strengthened my testimony.  I'm not going to dig deeper than that at this time. Maybe in a future post I will.
Today is conference and I wanted to share a few feelings I still have after listening to the talks. I did feel like two of the talks were directed at me they were about fast offerings. Again if you haven't seen my other post fast offerings pay for things to help those who are poor and needy like clothes food shelter and bills. I'm going to shorten this maybe at a later date I will dig deeper with these two talks. The first talk said without quoting word for word we need to dig deeper and give more based upon what are financial circumstance can give and that even though some people's hardships were caused by themselves we should not judge but rely on faith that the lord will bless us if we pay a generous fast offerings.  The second talk talked about bishops responsability to distribute the fast offerings to help the temporal (and emphasized temporal) needs of families who need assistance. I still have some difficulty with this. I know of people who have put themselves on church welfare through there own actions.  I know of families that don't intend on getting a job soon and they been on "temporal" church welfare for over 6 months. I read blogs where families have been on church welfare for up to 10 months. One family that had a blog was on it for 10 months and not once they couldn't lower there standards to go deliver pizzas instead they would go to the temple and wait for the lord to drop a job in their lap? This particular family went to Disneyland six flags (had season passes I believe) went to a work convention and flew all 7 from California to Alabama round trip while on assistance.  10 months is temporal?
 I do need to soften my heart.  I want to help the needy I want to feel that I am doing something right when I donate my fast offerings but I'm not. I know I need my heart softened but how do you soften it when those who have more than you also need your donations?  That's how I feel right now. Am I going to try to at least listen and act upon the council of this subject? Yes I will try and I hope the lord blesses me because I really do need it.

awww Disneyland. Thy secrets are out

So I went to Disneyland recently and I wanted to share a couple of feelings and ideas I have about that place. I'll admit it I have a love hate relationship with Disneyland and I think it will stay that way until I go there and feel like I've gotten value for the money I spend but until then I will share a few mistakes I made to help you make your time more enjoyable.  First make sure you're financially stable to go to Disneyland.  I would even suggest not to have debt with the exception of a mortgage and student loans and here's why. You will remove financial worries that will help when your bill is 95 bucks a meal for your whole family or 300 for the entire day. It's not worth it to go to Disneyland when you NEED to have other financial obligations to take care of. Could you imagine if everyone at Disneyland actually listened to that rule. I have no doubt that 60%+ would not be there and Disney ticket prices would be cheaper. Almost everyone at Disneyland has debt and they are going further into debt by going there.
Pack a cooler and drinks. One thing that ate my money while at Disneyland was buying my coke. I tried to save a little by buying at the convenient  store but I might as well bought it in the park because I only saved 50 cents. Later I found that my own hotel had coke for 1.50. I don't think Disneyland allows a cooler inside but if you can figure out how to cool your drink within a bag you could save alot.
Prices differ in Disneyland and luckily we now have an app that reveals prices. For example a 20 oz coke can cost 3.15 at the entrance but changes to 3 by it's a small world.  I highly recommend  Rancho Del in adventure land. It's the only place I feel like I am getting close to my money's worth plus they have free refills.
Just get in line. Your probably wasting more time talking about the ride than getting in line. If you want to go on a ride get in line.
Lastly, go without the kids. I know this is the hardest but if you were able to go without the kids you would minus a stroller bathroom breaks aches pains headaches and time.