I was able to make some good progress last night and this morning -- not on Wood Badge tickets, but on important stuff nonetheless.
First up was as the Boy Scout Roundtable Commissioner. I've got calls out to our supporting units for September (late, sorry) and October. I've really been studying the Boy Scout Roundtable Planning Guide and I'm convinced we can do a better job of making this meeting more fun and effective. One thing I'm driving for is moving away from the monolithic lecture format that we've been in since I've been going to Roundtable. For the next two months, I'm shooting for 3-4 presentations/activities led by different leaders and separated by songs or run-ons. I'd like to add a contest or skit at each meeting as well. What kinds of activities do you enjoy at your roundtables?
I also got myself registered for the Commissioner College training this weekend down in Richland, UT. As a new commissioner, I'm feeling a bit unprepared. I sure hope this training will help me figure out what I should be doing and how I should be doing it.
Finally, I've also been working with my OA chapter about an Ordeal in October. It looks like things are coming together. I've contacted the couple of people that had been asking about it.
Now I need to get it (and other scouting activities) onto my google calendar.
8/19/2008
8/18/2008
Blind Walk ... Not So Much
Well, my planned for 'Blind Walk' on our camping/canoeing trip didn't come to pass. Kevin (my co-wood badger and assistant scoutmaster) had also put together a unity building activity, and since it fit in better with the canoeing we went with it. It was nice to run the activity, see the boys reactions to it, and then spend some time in a retrospection/processing phase afterwards.
I also helped my wife work on one of her wood badge tickets this weekend. She's putting together a promotional video, with short interviews of attendees, so I went in front of the camera on Sunday. She's also planning on getting some scouts into the video mix, to help cement the idea that we're going to wood badge as an investment in building better boys.
I also helped my wife work on one of her wood badge tickets this weekend. She's putting together a promotional video, with short interviews of attendees, so I went in front of the camera on Sunday. She's also planning on getting some scouts into the video mix, to help cement the idea that we're going to wood badge as an investment in building better boys.
8/15/2008
Wood Badge Ticket Report Aug 15 2008
I've made some progress on all five of my Wood Badge tickets:
- One ticket is to create and distribute media to help recruit OA Arrowmen at BYU for the Lakota Chapter where my son and I serve. I've got some ideas for flyers and a poster, and have found two people on facebook that are interested in helping out (and have given me great ideas about where I can post things to get the most people seeing them).
- Another ticket is to create a Timberline (NYLT) recruiting presentation for my troop and other troops in my district. Last night at roundtable, I spent some time talking to the district committee member who's putting together a local Timberline session for next year.
- My third ticket is to run some unity building activities at 75% of our campouts over the next year. We're headed out tonight to go camping and canoeing, and I'm planning on helping the boys do a couple of blind walks -- I' better not forget to bring some bandanas.
- My fourth ticket is to complete the requirements for the Personal Fitness merit badge before my next birthday. This week, I've been getting up early each morning to exercise. Monday I'll start the periodic measurements required by the merit badge.
- My fifth ticket is to become a certified Leave No Trainer. I've signed up for the October class the council is doing. So far, three other members of my woodbadge troop have signed up as well. It'll be a reunion of sorts.
8/14/2008
Back from Wood Badge
Well, I'm back from Wood Badge, the second of three scouting activities I'm involved in over the course of three weeks, and I'm really feeling fired up about scouting and my calling to serve as scoutmaster. As part of my Wood Badge experience, I'm working on five tickets (goals to improve myself and benefit the scouts I work with in my various capacities). I won't go into a lot of detail about my tickets now, but I'm sure I'll be posting more about them as time goes by. Hopefully I'll be posting more here about; my experiences as the scoutmaster of troop 37, my continuing Wood Badge experiences, and related topics.
The Wood Badge course was a great experience for me. If you're on the fence about attending one, please hop of the fence and sign up, you won't regret it.
The Wood Badge course was a great experience for me. If you're on the fence about attending one, please hop of the fence and sign up, you won't regret it.
2/25/2008
The Church Historian's Press
This sounds pretty cool. I just saw an announcement that the LDS Church is starting “The Church Historian’s Press”, which will publish “works related to the Church’s origin and growth.” The’re initial project will be the 25-30 volume The Joseph Smith Papers.
The Church Historian, Elder Jensen, said that the new imprint and it’s first project “underscore the great value the Church has always placed on its history. This is an invitation for anyone interested in the history of the Church to read the foundational documents related to its beginning and development.”
The announcement also mentions that the Joseph Smith Papers project has been endorsed by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, which is a significant vote of confidence in the project. Professor Harry S. Stout of the project’s advisory board said:
“Receiving this endorsement is important. It conveys the Commission?s conclusion that the staff and procedures of The Joseph Smith Papers meet the NHPRC’s rigorous scholarly standards for transcription and annotation and that the edition will be accurate and professional.”
Sounds like good stuff is happening. I can’t wait to see the fruits of this new endeavor.
12/17/2007
Feeling Chastened
Ok, I’ll admit that at times, I come out of a sacrament meeting or a session of general conference feeling slightly chastened about something I’m not doing as well at as I’d like. This morning, I felt myself feeling the same way, and about a topic I’d never have believed possible. You see, I’ve been pretty bad at keeping up my ‘religious’ blog here at “Elders Journal” and now, blogging is being ecouraged (along with participation in other ‘New Media’) by Elder Ballard. Here are a few of the things he had to say in his address at BYU-Hawaii.
About the reasoning for our involvement:
We are living in a world saturated with all kinds of voices. Perhaps now, more than ever, we have a major responsibility as Latter-day Saints to define ourselves, instead of letting others define us.
His specific invitation/counsel to get involved:
...may I ask that you join the conversation by participating on the Internet, particularly the New Media, to share the gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration.
The value of our contribution:
The audiences for these and other New Media tools may often be small, but the cumulative effect of thousands of such stories can be great. The combined effort is certainly worth the outcome if but a few are influenced by your words of faith and love of God and His son Jesus Christ.
I guess it’s time for me to repent of my idleness and spend some more time here.
UPDATE: Wow! Elder Ballard's comment's have made the front page of www.lds.org.
4/30/2007
Camping with the eleven year olds
Pollyanna is the eleven year old scout leader, I'm the scout master, and Mike is the 'New Scout Troop Guide'. This means that the three of us were all involved in a camping trip and hike last weekend, getting many requirements signed off.
(hmm, this got lost ... but I'll post it anyway.)
2/04/2007
What I liked in 1 Ne 12
1 Ne 12 continues with Nephi's vision/experience from yesterday's reading (1 Ne 11). Some of the things that stood out to me were; vv 1-15, 19-23 — a preview of the proceedings of Nephi's descendents; and the exigetical interlude in vv 16-18 where the angel refers back to Lehi's vision to explain how Nephi's vision fit into it.
What I liked in 1 Ne 11
It's been while since any of us have blogged, so I'm stuck playing catch-up. I really don't want to break the one post per chapter model though, wo hopefully this means a bunch of posts of the next several days.
I'll start with 1 Ne 11. For a long time, I've seen this as sort of a 'temple experience' that Nephi had. He's taught about the Savior in a vision that includes: the tree of life; the birth, baptism, ministry, and crucifiction of the Lord; and the calling and ministry of the twelve apostles.
I'll start with 1 Ne 11. For a long time, I've seen this as sort of a 'temple experience' that Nephi had. He's taught about the Savior in a vision that includes: the tree of life; the birth, baptism, ministry, and crucifiction of the Lord; and the calling and ministry of the twelve apostles.
1/21/2007
A(nother) New Stake Presidency: Part 1
(Yes, I"m behind on my "What I Liked In ..." series. We're reading every night, I've just been slacking about writing. I'll try to catch up this afternoon. I wanted to write this first, though.)
Yesterday (Saturday, Jan 20th), I attended two sessions of Stake Conference. During the first, I sat with a large group from my ward. Our Stake President spoke first, and talked about the importance of training in leadership councils. He also addressed the reorganization of the Presidency, saying:
During the next session, I was sitting on the stand with the choir (my wife and son were there too). We heard from the two councilors in the current presidency both spoke. They were retrospective, and both expressed a desire to stay true to the faith and to continue to serve in whatever positions they might be called to next. Again, I found Elder Workman to be a powerful speaker.
Overall, I really enjoyed the spirit and content of both meetings, and I'm looking forward to the general session tomorrow morning. I'm looking forward to seeing "the priesthood in action."
Yesterday (Saturday, Jan 20th), I attended two sessions of Stake Conference. During the first, I sat with a large group from my ward. Our Stake President spoke first, and talked about the importance of training in leadership councils. He also addressed the reorganization of the Presidency, saying:
"Today and tomorrow we are witnessing a priesthood transition. We are watching the priesthood in action."Following his comments, we heard from the two visiting authorities, Elder Ence and Elder Workmann (who was presiding). I was especially impressed by Elder Workmann's talk, he spoke with a great deal of passion. His presentation of 'the rising generation as a cycle, not a particular group of people was very interesting. I'll try to blog about it later (after I'm caught up). I also enjoyed a quote that Elder Ence used about taking youth groups to Martin's Cove:
"Martin's cove is not too far, but Lagoon is."During the break between meetings, we had a final choir practice before singing two pieces in the final conference session of the day. Not much of a break, but a good setting to ponder what I'd heard so far and to try to prepare myself for what was still to come.
During the next session, I was sitting on the stand with the choir (my wife and son were there too). We heard from the two councilors in the current presidency both spoke. They were retrospective, and both expressed a desire to stay true to the faith and to continue to serve in whatever positions they might be called to next. Again, I found Elder Workman to be a powerful speaker.
Overall, I really enjoyed the spirit and content of both meetings, and I'm looking forward to the general session tomorrow morning. I'm looking forward to seeing "the priesthood in action."
1/19/2007
1 Nephi 7 - Proposing Proposals
1 And now I would that ye might know, that after my father, Lehi, had made an end of prophesying concerning his seed, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto him again, saying that it was not meet for him, Lehi, that he should take his family into the wilderness alone; but that his sons should take daughters to wife, that they might raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of promise.
2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded him that I, Nephi, and my brethren, should again return unto the land of Jerusalem, and bring down Ishmael and his family into the wilderness.
3 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did again, with my brethren, go forth into the wilderness to go up to Jerusalem.
4 And it came to pass that we went up unto the house of Ishmael, and we did gain favor in the sight of Ishmael, insomuch that we did speak unto him the words of the Lord.
5 And it came to pass that the Lord did soften the heart of Ishmael, and also his household, insomuch that they took their journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of our father.
This is NOT the strangest proposal I've ever heard of:
"Four+ guys, escaping the pollution of the city, like long journeys into and out of the wilderness, and like to rough up the youngest of us."
or
Dad's permission + Daughter + Wilderness = Marriage
How realistic is this? Could a formula like this really work in today's world?
If you haven't heard it yet, it's about time you know the story of Patrick's proposal to me.
The first time we saw each other was at a bar. . . okay, it was the breakfast bar at Shari's restaurant near Seattle where I worked graveyard, but the kids fall over into a fit of giggles when we put it this way . . . one of the reasons to have kids is to see everything anew through their eyes.
We were set up soon afterwards to go on a 'blind' triple-date with Pat's parents and the couple who had introduced us. Why the two of us? Because I worked at the same restaurant as the guy who arranged it. Patrick's parents were coming through town (Seattle) from Rhode Island on their way to be stationed in Korea and his friend was an old friend of the family from Patrick's High School days in Kansas. (Instead of a 'translation guide' I should probably include a map, huh?) This friend of Patrick's was in the Seattle area because he was engaged to a girl who lived here and they were to be married in a month, back in Kansas. Patrick's parents offered to take the five of them out to dinner and Patrick declined saying something along the lines of . . . "Why don't the four of you go out and have a good time." His friend responded with, "Well, I know a girl . . ."
I'll leave out the gory details . . . you'll have to ask in person,
but all the way home from the date, the couple kept saying, "He REALLY likes you" and asking, "So, what do YOU think of HIM?"
Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I knew I was safe in NOT marrying him. Here was a non-religious make-up wearing, punk rocker who finished his pack of cigarettes and served pre-dinner coffee at his apartment, before we left for pre-dinner alcoholic beverages at the restaurant. I declined all of these 'hors d'oeuvres' and hoped I didn't embarrass the rest of the group when the matre'de asked to see I.D. and I told them in no uncertain terms that I was well under age.
I never really expected to see Patrick again as I was 'seeing' someone else and Patrick was NOT my type. So 'fate' took a hand and made sure that I would.
That summer was crazy. I was directing my first musical, Peter Pan. (The usual drama related disasters accompanied our production: our prima-donna was always threatening to quit if things didn't go her way; one month before the show, my choreographer asked leave to go to France and be with her husband on an extended business trip, I told her that if I were married, I wouldn't want my husband alone in France, so I said it was ok; two weeks before the show, the set designer quit because his wife was filing for 'divorce' he had only cut out one cannon - leaving me with a second cannon, a large window pane, a canoe that had to move across stage, several boulders and trees for the mermaids and lost boys, and a pirate ship to make; the day before our opening night, the building-manager tried to cancel my reservation, and on the day of performance, some of the parents threatened not to let their children perform in the play because they didn't see eye-to-eye with the make up artists. . . typical theatrical mayhem.) Add to this series of fiascos, my 'boyfriend' from California coming up in the middle of rehearsals on my birthday only to find that I had the chicken pox. You know how difficult it is to run play rehearsals when you are contagious to half your cast? Yes, I was desperate.
While my customers at the restaurant were asking for this or that, I began asking my customers if they could spare time to help cut, paste, paint, etc. Patrick began to come in more often for a bottomless cup of coffee, and of course, being the swell guy that he was, he offered to help out. He would drive about an hour from the military base south of Tacoma where he was stationed and help out most afternoons.
Pat and his buddy from the restaurant would paint and paste sets in the church building where the performances were to be held and then move outside to take a smoke break . . . the questions of concerned church patrons just added to my delimmas. When it came time to take breaks, Patrick always offered to buy me lunch, but not wanting to lead him on, I paid my own way. I specifically remember praying silently over my lunch at the Shari's restaurant and asking, "Please help Patrick know that I do not like him than more than I do, and please help me not fall hopelessly head over heals just because he opens the door for me."
By the end of the summer, my nerves were a wreck and I asked my parents if I could fly down to visit my boyfriend in California after the performances ended. I guess they disapproved of my California 'dream-date' because they said that if I did that I could take my stuff with me and not plan on returning.
Enter the Herculean Tasks - stage right.
I really wanted a break between the last performance and the start of college classes so I asked if I could accompany a stranger I met at the restaurant on his way to Kansas and see one of our mutual friends tie-the-knot. This was a Sunday. Much to my surprise, my Mom said, "Yes, if you can:
#1. Get a driver's license. (Even though I attended driver's ed, I followed it with two major leg operations, one in 11th grade, the other in 12th) My parents had to take care of all 7 kids living at home, I was the oldest; my Mom worked graveyard at the hospital and ran a daycare out of our home (10-13 kids) during the day; my Dad worked at the hospital with over-time and spent his weekends in the Army Reserves; they were understandably tired of running me around. - Patrick drove me to the DMV on Tuesday.
#2. Buy a car. (This shocked me, I didn't know why she included this, unless she thought it wasn't possible). I asked one of my customers, who used to race professionally, if he could take me car shopping. -In retropect, I don't know how this could have happened on Monday, seeing I didn't have a license yet, but I drove home my car the day after my conversation with my mom - my sense of right and wrong was a bit skewed.
#3. Pay someone to clean up after the musical. (My Mom was afraid that since I was a minor, she might be held responsible if I were to just up and leave . . . I don't blame her). You remember the choreographer who left for France? She had just arrived and for $20 said she'd be happy to haul it all to the dump.
It was now Wednesday afternoon, and to make a long story short . . . too late . . . as I was racing home from the last performance and stuffing dirty clothes into a suit case to head to Kansas, my Mom asked me if I had asked my Dad. "Oh, great", I thought, "My dad runs off every boy I've ever met; including high school students, musicians, a recently enlisted military guy, college kids, a chiropractor, etc. It seemed it wasn't age, talent, education, or a career he was concerned with." - looking back it was his daughter. Normally, I'd have to wait until he got home at night, but for some reason he had come home early that day. As I came up the stairs to the living room, there was my dad and my ride out of town shooting the breeze and having a good time. He simply said, "Take care of her son." My mom later told me that from her eavesdropping position in the kitchen, she about dropped the canning jars.
So we left for Kansas, he on one side of the car, me on the other, trying not to inhale.
Since Kansas was his old stomping ground, he went and looked up old friends and, with nothing better to do, I tagged along. They would ask about me, and at first we just said we had a mutual friend, then when they would press us we'd say, "Um, yea, we're friends", but after the dozen or so inquiries, it became monotonous, so we started saying boy friend and girl friend just to appease the masses. The wedding and reception came towards the end of the week, by then, everyone in town thought we were an item. I guess the joke was on me though, because I was the only one in the state who didn't believe it. After the wedding, where I think I remember the bride and groom toasting our 'engaged relationship' we were headed home to civilization. After about 20 minutes, when we had reached a popular spot in the mid-west: 'the-middle-of-nowhere,' Patrick pulled over to the side of the road announcing he'd forgotten something. I now know what was on his mind, but all I was thinking was, good thing he remembered the item he'd left behind so soon after we'd left.
So, next to the middle of a corn field, [not quite a wilderness, but close] he told me what he had forgotten,
"I forgot to ask you to marry me."
I had been to BYU, the marriage proposal capital of the world, and including the don't leave for college without marrying me, and the 'I've enlisted, marry me' . . . I'd laughed off half a dozen proposals without even breaking a sweat, I was going to get my college degree and travel the world before I was married.
In the end, I was 'right', I just got them in the wrong order, in the first 18 years of my life I got engaged, 18 years later we traveled around the world, and 18 years from now, I hope to have finished my college degree.
So for my proposal, I guess it worked,
Dad's permission + Daughter + Wilderness = Marriage
What was my reaction to Patrick's proposal? How was the trip home from Kansas? What was everyone's reaction back in Seattle? That's another story. . . Read on.
2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded him that I, Nephi, and my brethren, should again return unto the land of Jerusalem, and bring down Ishmael and his family into the wilderness.
3 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did again, with my brethren, go forth into the wilderness to go up to Jerusalem.
4 And it came to pass that we went up unto the house of Ishmael, and we did gain favor in the sight of Ishmael, insomuch that we did speak unto him the words of the Lord.
5 And it came to pass that the Lord did soften the heart of Ishmael, and also his household, insomuch that they took their journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of our father.
This is NOT the strangest proposal I've ever heard of:
"Four+ guys, escaping the pollution of the city, like long journeys into and out of the wilderness, and like to rough up the youngest of us."
or
Dad's permission + Daughter + Wilderness = Marriage
How realistic is this? Could a formula like this really work in today's world?
If you haven't heard it yet, it's about time you know the story of Patrick's proposal to me.
The first time we saw each other was at a bar. . . okay, it was the breakfast bar at Shari's restaurant near Seattle where I worked graveyard, but the kids fall over into a fit of giggles when we put it this way . . . one of the reasons to have kids is to see everything anew through their eyes.
We were set up soon afterwards to go on a 'blind' triple-date with Pat's parents and the couple who had introduced us. Why the two of us? Because I worked at the same restaurant as the guy who arranged it. Patrick's parents were coming through town (Seattle) from Rhode Island on their way to be stationed in Korea and his friend was an old friend of the family from Patrick's High School days in Kansas. (Instead of a 'translation guide' I should probably include a map, huh?) This friend of Patrick's was in the Seattle area because he was engaged to a girl who lived here and they were to be married in a month, back in Kansas. Patrick's parents offered to take the five of them out to dinner and Patrick declined saying something along the lines of . . . "Why don't the four of you go out and have a good time." His friend responded with, "Well, I know a girl . . ."
I'll leave out the gory details . . . you'll have to ask in person,
but all the way home from the date, the couple kept saying, "He REALLY likes you" and asking, "So, what do YOU think of HIM?"
Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I knew I was safe in NOT marrying him. Here was a non-religious make-up wearing, punk rocker who finished his pack of cigarettes and served pre-dinner coffee at his apartment, before we left for pre-dinner alcoholic beverages at the restaurant. I declined all of these 'hors d'oeuvres' and hoped I didn't embarrass the rest of the group when the matre'de asked to see I.D. and I told them in no uncertain terms that I was well under age.
I never really expected to see Patrick again as I was 'seeing' someone else and Patrick was NOT my type. So 'fate' took a hand and made sure that I would.
That summer was crazy. I was directing my first musical, Peter Pan. (The usual drama related disasters accompanied our production: our prima-donna was always threatening to quit if things didn't go her way; one month before the show, my choreographer asked leave to go to France and be with her husband on an extended business trip, I told her that if I were married, I wouldn't want my husband alone in France, so I said it was ok; two weeks before the show, the set designer quit because his wife was filing for 'divorce' he had only cut out one cannon - leaving me with a second cannon, a large window pane, a canoe that had to move across stage, several boulders and trees for the mermaids and lost boys, and a pirate ship to make; the day before our opening night, the building-manager tried to cancel my reservation, and on the day of performance, some of the parents threatened not to let their children perform in the play because they didn't see eye-to-eye with the make up artists. . . typical theatrical mayhem.) Add to this series of fiascos, my 'boyfriend' from California coming up in the middle of rehearsals on my birthday only to find that I had the chicken pox. You know how difficult it is to run play rehearsals when you are contagious to half your cast? Yes, I was desperate.
While my customers at the restaurant were asking for this or that, I began asking my customers if they could spare time to help cut, paste, paint, etc. Patrick began to come in more often for a bottomless cup of coffee, and of course, being the swell guy that he was, he offered to help out. He would drive about an hour from the military base south of Tacoma where he was stationed and help out most afternoons.
Pat and his buddy from the restaurant would paint and paste sets in the church building where the performances were to be held and then move outside to take a smoke break . . . the questions of concerned church patrons just added to my delimmas. When it came time to take breaks, Patrick always offered to buy me lunch, but not wanting to lead him on, I paid my own way. I specifically remember praying silently over my lunch at the Shari's restaurant and asking, "Please help Patrick know that I do not like him than more than I do, and please help me not fall hopelessly head over heals just because he opens the door for me."
By the end of the summer, my nerves were a wreck and I asked my parents if I could fly down to visit my boyfriend in California after the performances ended. I guess they disapproved of my California 'dream-date' because they said that if I did that I could take my stuff with me and not plan on returning.
Enter the Herculean Tasks - stage right.
I really wanted a break between the last performance and the start of college classes so I asked if I could accompany a stranger I met at the restaurant on his way to Kansas and see one of our mutual friends tie-the-knot. This was a Sunday. Much to my surprise, my Mom said, "Yes, if you can:
#1. Get a driver's license. (Even though I attended driver's ed, I followed it with two major leg operations, one in 11th grade, the other in 12th) My parents had to take care of all 7 kids living at home, I was the oldest; my Mom worked graveyard at the hospital and ran a daycare out of our home (10-13 kids) during the day; my Dad worked at the hospital with over-time and spent his weekends in the Army Reserves; they were understandably tired of running me around. - Patrick drove me to the DMV on Tuesday.
#2. Buy a car. (This shocked me, I didn't know why she included this, unless she thought it wasn't possible). I asked one of my customers, who used to race professionally, if he could take me car shopping. -In retropect, I don't know how this could have happened on Monday, seeing I didn't have a license yet, but I drove home my car the day after my conversation with my mom - my sense of right and wrong was a bit skewed.
#3. Pay someone to clean up after the musical. (My Mom was afraid that since I was a minor, she might be held responsible if I were to just up and leave . . . I don't blame her). You remember the choreographer who left for France? She had just arrived and for $20 said she'd be happy to haul it all to the dump.
It was now Wednesday afternoon, and to make a long story short . . . too late . . . as I was racing home from the last performance and stuffing dirty clothes into a suit case to head to Kansas, my Mom asked me if I had asked my Dad. "Oh, great", I thought, "My dad runs off every boy I've ever met; including high school students, musicians, a recently enlisted military guy, college kids, a chiropractor, etc. It seemed it wasn't age, talent, education, or a career he was concerned with." - looking back it was his daughter. Normally, I'd have to wait until he got home at night, but for some reason he had come home early that day. As I came up the stairs to the living room, there was my dad and my ride out of town shooting the breeze and having a good time. He simply said, "Take care of her son." My mom later told me that from her eavesdropping position in the kitchen, she about dropped the canning jars.
So we left for Kansas, he on one side of the car, me on the other, trying not to inhale.
Since Kansas was his old stomping ground, he went and looked up old friends and, with nothing better to do, I tagged along. They would ask about me, and at first we just said we had a mutual friend, then when they would press us we'd say, "Um, yea, we're friends", but after the dozen or so inquiries, it became monotonous, so we started saying boy friend and girl friend just to appease the masses. The wedding and reception came towards the end of the week, by then, everyone in town thought we were an item. I guess the joke was on me though, because I was the only one in the state who didn't believe it. After the wedding, where I think I remember the bride and groom toasting our 'engaged relationship' we were headed home to civilization. After about 20 minutes, when we had reached a popular spot in the mid-west: 'the-middle-of-nowhere,' Patrick pulled over to the side of the road announcing he'd forgotten something. I now know what was on his mind, but all I was thinking was, good thing he remembered the item he'd left behind so soon after we'd left.
So, next to the middle of a corn field, [not quite a wilderness, but close] he told me what he had forgotten,
"I forgot to ask you to marry me."
I had been to BYU, the marriage proposal capital of the world, and including the don't leave for college without marrying me, and the 'I've enlisted, marry me' . . . I'd laughed off half a dozen proposals without even breaking a sweat, I was going to get my college degree and travel the world before I was married.
In the end, I was 'right', I just got them in the wrong order, in the first 18 years of my life I got engaged, 18 years later we traveled around the world, and 18 years from now, I hope to have finished my college degree.
So for my proposal, I guess it worked,
Dad's permission + Daughter + Wilderness = Marriage
What was my reaction to Patrick's proposal? How was the trip home from Kansas? What was everyone's reaction back in Seattle? That's another story. . . Read on.
1/18/2007
1 Nephi 6 - Need I Say More?
"3 ... I desire the room that I may write of the things of God.
4 For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to bcome unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.
5 Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world.
6 Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men."
Need I say more?
4 For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to bcome unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.
5 Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world.
6 Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men."
Need I say more?
A(nother) New Stake Presidency: Part 0
Some time ago, I wrote a series of posts about getting a new Stake Presidency in the Kent, Washington Stake. Now, about two years later, We're living in the Oak Hills, Provo, Utah Stake and we're again in the middle of the reorganization of a Stake Presidency.
I don't know the brethren presiding here as well as I did the men in Kent. I've felt their spirit though, and believe them to been called of God to the positions they hold. They've served for a long time and (by all accounts) have been wonderful leaders.
As our conference approaches, I've been reflecting on my experiences in Kent. I hope to receive a strong witness of the calling and authority of our new presidency. I've also been encouraging my family and the young men in the Deacons quorum (with whom I work) to prepare for, seek, and expect that witness as well.
I don't know the brethren presiding here as well as I did the men in Kent. I've felt their spirit though, and believe them to been called of God to the positions they hold. They've served for a long time and (by all accounts) have been wonderful leaders.
As our conference approaches, I've been reflecting on my experiences in Kent. I hope to receive a strong witness of the calling and authority of our new presidency. I've also been encouraging my family and the young men in the Deacons quorum (with whom I work) to prepare for, seek, and expect that witness as well.
1/17/2007
What I liked in 1 Ne 10
I noticed several things in 1 Ne 10 as we read it tonight:
- 1 Ne 10:2-11 — Lehi prophecies of the fall of Judah, the coming of the Messiah, and of John the Baptist.
- 1 Ne 10:12-14 — Lehi compares mankind to an olive tree, prefiguring Jacob 5 (which makes me think that Jacob was probably exposed to it through his father's reading of the Brass Plates, I'm very interested in how parents language and teachings affect their children's language and teachings in the scriptures).
- 1 Ne 10:16 — Another reference to Lehi dwelling in a tent. Hmm, maybe these bookend something, time to go back and look again.
- 1 Ne 10:17-19 — Nephi desires to know for himself and teaches about God's willingness to share knowledge with His children.
What I liked in 1 Ne 9
1 Ne 9 is a short chapter with an important message — the Lord knows why He asks us to do something, even if we don't. If He knows, then we should probably go ahead and do it.
What I Liked in 1 Ne 8
Every time we read 1 Ne 8 I get caught up in the imagery. Some of the things that stood out to me this time were:
- 1 Ne 8:7-8 — Lehi traveling through the dark and dreary waste. I like both the metaphor of life without the gospel and his prayer that the Lord would show him mercy according to His great and tender mercies (shades of Elder Bednar's talk).
- 1 Ne 8:10-16 — Lehi partakes of the fruit, then wants to share it with his family.
- 1 Ne 8:21-28 — The great and spacious building, it was interesting to read this and then hear President Packer talking about it in his devotional at BYU.
- 1 Ne 8:36-37 — Lehi's feelings for his children.
1/16/2007
What I liked in 1 Ne 7
On Sunday, we read 1 Ne 7, and with this entry I'll be caught up. (We don't read as a family on Monday nights, holding Family Home Evening instead.) This chapter is about a second trip back to Jerusalem (the first was covered in 1 Ne 3-4).
It impresses me that in the first trip, Nephi and his brothers collect the Plates of Brass (or, the scriptures), establishing a spiritual foundation for themselves. Then in the second trip, they go back to find wives with whom to establish families. What a great model for building successful families — it makes me think one of the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood: "Prepare to become a worthy husband and father." In the Aaronic Priesthood program, we're trying to help the young men follow the same pattern that Nephi followed.
A number of sections of this chapter stood out to me as I read:
It impresses me that in the first trip, Nephi and his brothers collect the Plates of Brass (or, the scriptures), establishing a spiritual foundation for themselves. Then in the second trip, they go back to find wives with whom to establish families. What a great model for building successful families — it makes me think one of the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood: "Prepare to become a worthy husband and father." In the Aaronic Priesthood program, we're trying to help the young men follow the same pattern that Nephi followed.
A number of sections of this chapter stood out to me as I read:
- 1 Ne 7:8-12 — Nephi preaching to his rebellious brothers.
- 1 Ne 7:17-18 — Nephi praying for a miracle. This remindes me that when we're faithful, and turn to the Lord, He will give us the means to accomplish His work (see also Ether 12:27).
- 1 Ne 7:21 &mdah; After all that they do to him, Nephi still "frankly forgives" his brothers.
What I liked in 1 Ne 6
Okay, I'm behind in my posting again. but that doesn't mean there weren't good things to read in 1 Ne 6. In this chapter Nephi writes about
- His purpose in writing (and the purpose of scriptures in general) in 1 Ne 6:4. "For the fulness of mine intent is that I may apersuade men to bcome unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved."
- His approach in writing (which should be our approach in teaching, and living, the gospel) in 1 Ne 6:5. "Wherefore, the things which are apleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world."
"Some of our good people read many of the books that are published today, popular fiction so-called but they haven’t time to read the Word of the Lord. Many of these books are beautiful, but often many ideas are expressed which are only pretty words, well-connected sentences or sentiments that are like flowers blooming on the stem without root. Real truth you can gain from books that have been adopted as standard works of the Church. I see too many of our people who are very much better read in the things that are written by some of the popular authors of books than they are in the things of God. They don’t know one thing about the real essence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they don’t know or comprehend one thing about the rites of the Priesthood and the principles of government that God has revealed to the children of men to maintain the kingdom of God in the earth. They know more about novels than they do about the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants—yes, far more."
1/11/2007
day5
So today I got to choose how we read the Book of Mormon (everyone does, it goes from youngest to oldest). I said that we would change when the reader would could call some one else (they could only read for 2 verses at a time). Then they would have to read it was very fun
What I liked in 1 Nephi 5
Hey, I'm caught up again, yay!
Tonight as we read 1 Ne 5, I was struck by a couple of things:
Tonight as we read 1 Ne 5, I was struck by a couple of things:
- In 1 Ne 5:8, Sariah has just finished complaining, and then realizing how much she and her family have been blessed. In her praise, she makes it very clear that because of the trials she's just been through that her testimony is stronger — now, she knows of a surety.
- In 1 Ne 5:10, Lehi takes the time to 'search [the plates] from the beginning'. To me this is important for two reasons. First, even though they're travelling through the wilderness, it's important to Lehi to study the scriptures. Second, he doesn't just read them, he searches them from the beginning.
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