There Is No Time - Let Me Sum Up

Funny thing about being gone for a whole month - things pile up & wait for your return.

We had a great time visiting family and friends during the month of March. I had planned to blog as we went, but I don't know where the time went. I'll try to get some more specifics out now that we have had a week to get on top of some things. But in the meantime, here is a smattering of what we did last month. We didn't get nearly as many pictures as I had planned, but we did come away with some pretty good ones.

I'll begin with our drive to UT on February 28. It was cold! And on the salt flats, windy. Here's the happy couple at our favorite photo op just east of Wendover.

After a brief stop in UT where we met Nathan's folks, very nice folks, we hopped a plane to IN. Here are some really happy (not to mention cute) girls.
Although there was no snow while we were there, it was plenty cold, so we had fun with the snow toys anyway. As you can see, it was windy there also - a lot. But we got outside anyway and had loads of fun.
Going to the park was one of our favorite things to do. Here is KL with her omnipresent bear. She loves to swing.
And here are the other two of our park party.
We did a lot of things in IN, which will have to wait for a future post to detail. The food was incredible and the company delightful. But all too soon it was time to fly back to UT. We were there for just a few days before driving down to AZ, but we got our money's worth. Everywhere we went we shopped for those things (mostly clothes) that we will need to go in June. So we are about shopped out. But I must say that we couldn't have done it without the great assistance of our daughters. They were all incredible, and believe it or not, we saw all four of them within a week around the middle of the month. Especially nice was Saramarie coming down to help shop for things for the upcoming nuptials. I haven't seen the results of that excursion (except in the financial records), but I understand it went very well. One of the great things we did in UT was attend the induction of M into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society at BYU. Nice meal, great company. Here are a couple of photos from the evening.

We also did a lot of visiting while there. The press for time meant that we had to split up for some of the visits. I visited Mac & Patty & family, Birkenshaws, Jacque & Byron, Uncle Mike, and Thain & Sonia. This last visit was really nice as Sonia was born in El Salvador. Although she left as a child, she was able to talk a bit about things she had heard from relatives about the country. And as everyone always mentions "pupusa" when we say we are going to El Salvador, she was actually able to let me know where in Provo I could get one. So on the way out of town I stopped off on Center Street and picked up one. It was good! We also were able to visit the Garners and this lovely lady pictured below, Aunt Lois. What a kind and generous hostess she is. We wish we could have stayed longer, especially because Doug Flegal was there, and it was nice to visit briefly with him too.

One last word . . . at the food court in the Wilkinson Center at BYU they sell what they term "extreme doughnuts". I was intrigued by one particular item, so I bought it and devoured it. Yes, that is a bacon-topped maple bar. It may not look like much to you, but I found it delicious.

One Sunday we went to Church early with N & M, then hit the road for AZ in hopes that we would miss the storm predicted for the next day. It was an interesting drive. I think the highest point (literally) of the trip was the pass between Beaver and Panguitch. I believe it is close to 10,000' in elevation. We did see lots of snow, but not after Flagstaff. We did have some interesting events on the way - details later. As we approached our destination it got warmer and warmer, which was okay. But that first week in AZ I was still cold . . . I was alone in that feeling however. By the second we were there it was plenty warm, but still cooled down nicely at night, making sleeping a pleasure, especially with the windows open. With a bonus that with the window open I could hear the coyotes howl every night. Now that's living. And speaking of living, here are some photos of the "living end" in grandkids.

Not much that TV does escapes ME.

The Tucson Zoo - a pretty nice place. I like that they have it laid out by continent. Here is what appeared to be an albino peacock.
Closer to home is a Safari Park made up of bronze animals that, depending upon the time of year and time of day can be touched without getting burned. Here TV is checking out the Hippo.
We did a return engagement at Old Tucson Studios. Great place. The little ones loved the train, the merry-go-round, the cars, and the horse. Of course TV got thrown in the pokey for being a desperado (or is that "little bedlamite"?).
Well, that's all for now. There is obviously lots more to tell, but I need to move on for now. Hope this gives you an overview and whets your appetite for more. I'll sign off for now with a photo of ME saying, "Adios pardner".

Called to Serve

Earlier today we received a large white envelope from the Office of the First Presidency (haven't received one of those for years). It contained our call to serve as missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are assigned to the El Salvador San Salvador East Mission. Our primary assignment is to labor in the El Salvador Perpetual Education Fund Country Office. We will report to the Provo MTC on Monday, June 6, 2011 and will serve for 23 months.

We are very grateful for this opportunity to serve, and are extremely excited to be working in the great Perpetual Education Fund program.

The Dog Park Eagle Project

Here's another way I've been spending my time these days. One of my Priests is finishing up his Eagle requirements, meaning his Eagle Project. He is a great young man who came up with this project on his own, and has done a tremendous amount of work to pull it off. It is, in my opinion, a true and worthy example of an Eagle Project. He contacted the local non-profit that operates a dog park in Yuba City and suggested some improvements to their site, leased from Caltrans. The project is to install two dog wash decks, one for the small dog area and one in the large dog area, and to install seven permanent benches. A small group of us did some prep work a couple of Saturdays ago, then last Saturday was the main work day. I did not do an exact count, but estimate at least a dozen people out there for four hours. The prospective Eagle did just what he was supposed to do, lead the workers. He did marvelously as can be seen in these first two photos where he was dealing with problems and making decisions.

Actually, in this one he was congratulating the workers on a job well done. Look kinda like a chain gang don't they?

These two workers pitched right in as soon as they showed up and got the one deck completed.

This was my contribution to the cause. Having watched, and helped, Brother Thompson, the on-site expert, mostly put in the other deck, I used the youth-power available to put in the other deck. Here we (they) are clearing the ground in preparation for laying the cement foundation stones and the supporting cross timbers. My crew consisted of three Young Women, three Young Men, and a couple of youth advisors.

This is Uncle Peter's contribution - a really nice generator to operate the power tools we used to cut the decking and screw them to the cross pieces. Note the pizza boxes on the 1/2 completed deck. The non-profit was nice enough to feed us.

Another shot of the deck, close to completed.

A bunch of the youth taking a well-deserved break with pizza.

Greg, Amy, Paige, Deborah, John, & Brigham.

Follow the Prophets

A couple of weeks ago we participated in the biennial stake conference broadcast along with all of the rest of Northern California. It was, as one would always anticipate, great. We were counseled with love and inspiration by Elder Rasband, Sister Wixom, President Packer, and President Eyring.

My understanding of the purpose of President Eyring's remarks was to increase our faith in the teachings and priesthood authority of the living prophet. This obviously resonated with me, as following the prophets has been a guiding star in my life since my conversion in 1970. Revelation, the kinds spoken of by Elder Oaks in this last general conference, has always been the foundation of my testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I have often cited that commercial from the 1960's that proclaimed that, "those who do not read have no advantage over those who cannot read", and related it to the living prophet. Thus, those who do not listen to and follow the living prophet have no advantage over those who have no idea that there is a living prophet of the Creator on the earth at this time. So although we should be cautious about quoting the brethren when they speak in stake conference, I think I got this one right, so here goes:

The most striking thing I got from his talk was that, "Our happiness is dependent upon our willingness and ability to follow the living prophet." Although he did not expressly articulate it, I am sure he meant both temporary happiness in mortality and our eternal happiness. This, I know from my own experience, is true. Recently in fact, I have been reflecting upon my life and found that my willingness to follow the prophet over the years (sometimes related to seemingly "little" things) has resulted in an increased ability to follow the prophet (in some major things) in the immediate present. I suppose that it is obvious that one's ability to do anything is enhanced by one's willingness to do it. But what I am expressing is more the concept that willingness to follow the living prophet, exercised independent of any other effort, over time yields dividends at crucial times that are unexpected and gratefully received.

The other point that hit home with me was President Eyring's discussion of what it means that a living prophet signs the assignment letter sent to each full time missionary called to serve. We still have nothing to report on that front, but when we do, I am certain that we will take some time to reflect upon the blessing it is that "there are prophets again in the land."

Valentine's Day Thought

SONNET 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.