A Genetics Problem Waiting to Happen

So, if you're following my other blog you'll know that I just finished reading Genesis. Now I realize that what I'm about to write about will give you an unfair advantage on my quiz I just posted, but hey . . .  .  followers of both deserve an edge right? (More like I couldn't wait to share this.) 

So as I was reading, I couldn't help but sketch some geneology charts to help me figure out what was going on. And now that I'm looking at it, I wonder why this never came up in my genetics homework. This stuff is just dying to be a genetics problem.

Look at this tree!

So now my question is . . . how inbred are Jacob's sons? Let's pick Joseph for example. So throw Joseph in there and let's start calculating paths.

Path 1: 9 Steps

Path #2: 9 Steps

Path #3: 10 Steps

Path #4 = 10 Steps

Path #5 = 6 steps

Path #6: 6 steps

Alright, now assuming I got all the paths (which might be a faulty conclusion since I got tired of looking for paths and hoped that was good), here's the math:

Ta-da! Okay . . . So I may have got it wrong 'cause it's been a long time since I had genetics . . . but I think I did well. (Obviously if I made a mistake, please tell me so I can learn.) Also there's apparently harder equations to calculate that inbreeding coefficient, but I decided to stick with the easy one I learned in class.

Also, as a side note Heather at Women in the Scriptures re-posted my post on her blog. It's the article up right now . . . so you could check that out, just to see how awesome that is for me! Plus I finally wrote a small bio about myself. *Cheese*

Women in the Scriptures

Yesterday while looking for FHE resources (for newly married couples) I stumbled across something that I feel will change my life. You HAVE to check this website out! Women in the Scriptures
This lady is so inspiring! She has a challenge to read all the standard works and mark down any reference to women, make a list of how many named women and unnamed women there are in the scriptures, and for as many as you can ponder these questions about their life:


1- What is unique about this woman and her story?
2- How does she fit into the time period in which she lived?
3- What Christlike qualities does she exemplify?
4- What would I ask her if I could meet her?
5- How can I relate to her?
6- What can I (or someone else I know) learn from her experiences?

She has a crazy number of women (groups of women) mentioned! Somewhere in the 500's. Explore her site! Here are some gems I've stumbled across!

How Many Women Are There?
The Spiritual Symbolism of Veils
Getting Adam to Partake
The Type of Feminist I Am
Eve's "Curse"?
Why Don't Women Hold the Priesthood?
Mothers and Careers: The Age Old Question

Please tell me someone wants to take the challenge with me? I was so excited I jumped into the New Testament, Old Testament, and Book of Mormon all at once! I'm doing it all online at lds.org so I can keep a notebook with all of my little highlights of every word pertaining to women. I know I would really benefit from having another person to do it with! Is anyone interested in joining me?

So far I've got Eve, Mary, Rachel, and the woman Soleman married after killing her husband and Sariah.

Anyone?

Love you all!

Kenzie

Scriptures: Insight on Joy, Faith, and Science

So today for family scriptures and prayer we were reading in 2 Nephi - good chapter. It's one where Lehi is talking to his sons. And I thought of one of my favorite scriptures: verse 25 -  "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." This is my bad day scripture. Whenever I'm feeling like a sourpuss (which if you ask my family is more often than I'd like to admit), this scripture reminds me that Heavenly Father didn't send us here on earth to be miserable. We're supposed to be happy. It's like a commandment! Anyway, maybe that'll perk your day up too.

Also there was this other verse that got me thinking: verse 13 - "And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away."

This is a common argument in our world right now - there is no God thus I can do whatever I want. But I think they stop with there is no God. Because of science people think they can explain away how the world is made. For me, science builds my testimony. As I learn about all of the complicated workings of the world around me I can't help but think that God is amazing! My God not only understands all of the laws of nature but uses them to build. My God knows more than we know now, can explain things we can't, and understands the intricacies of the things we do. My God uses the laws of nature to create. And to me, this is amazing. Anyway, just my thought. I wish I could say I came up with all of this on my own, but Dad was the one who sparked this thought. However, this really is my testimony. Science is a basic building block of my faith.

Have a good day! Remember, you're here to be happy!