Eran of Arcadia

Okay, don't get me wrong, I like the new books. I like Star Wars too. What I don't think I like is that in a universe that has been established to be enormous, all the same few characters do everything. Okay, so Hoid is a given, has been since the second book was written. That I don't mind. But all these cameos from characters in other books feel too much like fanservice to me. Of course we're going to see certain characters here that we've seen before. Just like how everyone ends up on Tatooine. I had hoped to be able to recommend TotES to people like my wife who don't care for traditional fantasy, but it feels too intertwined with the rest of the Cosmere to work as a standalone. I understand that the Cosmere as a whole is meant to be linked, but I worry that as it goes on it will do so in a way that feels kind of superficial. Any thoughts?

To put the announcement of 18 temples in perspective: when I was born, more than 150 years after the Church was restored, there were a total of 20 temples.

DOOO IIIIT

I'm baptizing my daughter today!

"Eran" is very crude Elvish for something like "lone wanderer," Arcadia is the city in California where I served my LDS mission, and I got the idea to put the two together from the show "Joan of Arcadia." Which I've never seen. Nonetheless, I've been using this name all over the internet since 2004.

We just had a great visit from the elders, who ostensibly were there to share a message but really one of them had heard me mention Brandon Sanderson in my talk and wanted to talk about the Cosmere. Meanwhile my wife was rolling her eyes and his companion just looked confused. I told him about the secret novels and The Lost Metal, which will be out before he returns. Journey before Destination.

No, but I was sealed in the DC temple.

I used the phrase "Lord Ruler" in the talk.

I don't know how many of you have seen the "how has being religious impacted you" thread here, but I mentioned the post I had made there in the talk I gave this morning. I also used the term "Lord Ruler," just because.

All the talk about spiritual momentum is really what I needed to hear.

"So here's an analogy that every man, woman, and child will understand . . ."

I am one of the LDS posters, although I don't post very much so I doubt you've heard of me. But religion impacts my life extensively, in so many ways big and small I can't even identify them. And since I've always been a practicing Latter-day Saint, I don't know what sort of person I'd be if I weren't. To start with, my username, which I use all over the internet - Arcadia, California, was where I was assigned when I was a missionary. And I also learned Spanish as a missionary, which I still use occasionally to do this day. I met my wife at church, and all of my friends. There are random things people take for granted (like drinking coffee at work) that I just don't do. When I was in college, at a university run by another faith, Sunday mornings would find me waiting for my ride to church while the entire rest of the campus slept off their hangovers. As someone who sometimes likes and sometimes hates being different from those around me (but different I am, always) these things stand out. But the most important thing my faith gives me is hope. I believe that each person, everyone who has lived on the earth, is a beloved child of God. My religion teaches that everyone, no matter how they feel they have fallen, still carries the potential for divinity, and that everyone (well, there are a few exceptions but that's getting into deep theology) will continue for eternity in at least some degree of eternal glory. Every person I met will experience joy beyond any earthly understanding, no matter how difficult it is for me to get along with them today. And if that applies to everyone, it applies to me. Plus, on a somewhat less serious but still important note, I am fascinated by history and the "historical" sciences - astronomy, paleontology, and so on. So while scientists are frustrated that they will never be able to tease out from limited evidence who the Sea Peoples were, or what color the skin of the Platybelodon was, but someday I'll know.

Meanwhile, since I had seen the musical and my Primary co-teacher/wife had not, when I taught the lesson on Sunday I kept bursting into snippets of song.

Oh no, you're going to miss the Year of Sanderson! Just remember that sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven . . .

I don't mind so much being called "Mormon," but when I hear someone refer to "the Mormon Church" it's particularly aggravating. Especially if it's something like a major media source that really should know to refer to people by their actual name.

Yeah, as someone with a history degree I understand the importance of listening to different perspectives on historical events, but on the other hand too often when I hear outsiders talk about the church they make demonstrably, objectively incorrect statements (like . . . the name of the Church.)

The whole point of being a Brando Sando fan is not having to wait too long for a sequel, what even is this? On the other hand, one of the academies seems to be a shout out to my alma mater so that's cool.

One of the ones from Warbreaker about God being a drunk monkey.

Yeah, I always wonder what we could do to convince people we're really Christian. Maybe rename the church so Jesus' name is in it? Or come up with a numbered set of beliefs that puts "believing in Jesus" as the first point? Or have scripture that affirms the divinity and atonement of Christ? Oh wait . . . People get hung up on the Trinity, which didn't even exist as a doctrine for the first 3 centuries of Christendom.

So I just finished re-reading Elantris. And I have to say, of all the LDS references in the Cosmere, the one character who is most obviously informed by Brando's experiences as a member is Hrathen of all people. Minus the whole "I have to convert everyone in 3 months Or Else" bit, and the use of magic and whatnot, his experiences as a missionary seemed familiar.

Pretty well! Man, 20 minutes is not a long time to teach a class.

Tomorrow our ward returns to 2 hour, in-person church, and my wife and I finally get to co-teach the senior primary class we were called to teach almost a year ago.

Yeah, I missed seeing the last 2 LotR movies in the theater because I was on my mission. But sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.

So is anyone tracking the LDS references in the Cosmere? I know Brando has said that Nohadon is based on Benjamin, and that the whole idea of humans becoming gods fascinates him because of what we believe. I don't know if other things like keteks being similar to chiasmus or all the secret societies on Roshar being inspired by secret combinations are references or just coincidences.

We did our first full ward sacrament meeting last week. It was really weird. Also, my kids forgot how to be reverent, and they do sacrament last, so my son spent all of testimony meeting loudly asking when he was going to get his bread.