Life Lessons from the Flakes

How to Anchor Youth in Turbulant Times--Stake Conference Talk

2011-11-14T09:33:00.000-08:00

When Pres. Ricks called me and asked me to speak tonight, I was in a Philadelphia hospital welcoming my 2^nd grandchild into this world-- an uncertain, troubled world that has parents today concerned for the future of their children.

I have the opportunity to teach at Millcreek High School, the alternative high school for our district.

A few weeks ago students were talking in my class and one young lady commented that she was born “high”. Several of us asked what she meant by that. She said that on the way to the hospital her mother was in labor pain and her grandmother rolled a joint for her and her expecting mother smoked it. So yes, as a baby she was born high! That’s nothing, another boy spoke up, I was born in prison. He went on to explain that his mother was incarcerated for a federal offence, and yes she actually delivered him in prison!

Both of these examples are a pretty tough way to start this life. In contrast to being born “high” or in prison most of us were blessed to be ‘born in the covenant’ and our children were lucky enough to be born in the covenant.

Children born to parents who have been sealed in the temple are born in the covenant. These children automatically become part of an eternal family. Children who are not born in the covenant can also become part of an eternal family once their natural or adoptive parents have been sealed to one another in the temple.

I am so blessed to be privileged to work with the outstanding youth and their leaders in our stake. We have magnificent youth, who are flourishing despite the turbulent and even toxic times we live in.

As the Young Women stand and recite their theme each week they state that they will “make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple and enjoy the blessings of exaltation”.

So what are their covenants? Last Sunday I was able to attend the beautiful sacred baptism of three 8 year old boys from our ward. They were prepared and knew all of the answers when quizzed. Most of us have entered the waters of baptism and taken these covenants. Now each Sunday we have the opportunity to renew these covenants as we reflect on our week and resolve to do better. We covenant to “ Always remember him and to keep his commandments.”

We in turn are promised that we MAY always have his spirit to be with us. The key word here is MAY. It does not say we will, but we have the opportunity and if we have the desire for it, and if we live worthy of his spirit. What a blessing this can be in our life to “Always have his spirit to be with us”.

If you’ve ever not had his spirit at a time of contention or sin, you realize what a great blessing it is. One morning last week, I was at school and things just weren’t going well. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Then I realized that I had forgotten to say my morning prayers. I have this little routine that I do every morning, and my routine had gotten thrown off a bit that morning. Having the faith and desire to have the Lord’s help that day, I closed my eyes and offered my morning prayer at my desk. Amazingly enough, my day turned around and I actually had a fabulous day. Yes, I covenant each Sunday that I May always have his spirit to be with me because I know I need his guidance in my life.

On Fast Sunday in my ward, the young people get up and share examples of how the Lord has blessed their lives through prayer. Have we taught our children to pray daily and seek his guidance? I’ll never forget this visual picture I have of my Son Dawson, dressed in his tuxedo and ready for his Prom date and as I walked past his room just before he left, I saw him kneeling and offering a prayer. I didn’t worry about him at all on that date because I knew that he had invited the spirit on that date.

Just as the Lord provided the Liahona to the people of Nephi’s time to guide them; he provides a prophet to guide us. Through modern revelation we can be led to ‘the more fertile parts’ as it states in Nephi 16:16. We will get through this life one way or another; wouldn’t it be better to have the guidance of our leaders to make the trip easier.

I testify that our prophet gives us direction for our times. For example, the Proclamation on the Family, how our world has needed this as of late. The strength of Youth Pamphlet is a blueprint for our youth, we have temples that dot the earth, the Virtue Value was added as the world has lost all manner of Virtue. Yes, our prophets are the Liahona of our time.

I would like to enlist your help to anchor our youth to the hope and strength of the gospel in these turbulent times; Sister Elaine Dalton in the last general conference even went so far as to call them Toxic times. As parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters we must all be on board to help.

Sis. Dalton has asked each young woman to read from the book of Mormon daily. I am attempting to do this as well and have recently started in 1^st Nephi again. Interestingly enough, I had decided to study and record the covenants and promises that the Lord gives in the book of Mormon as I read. I believe that God keeps his word and I am fascinated by the promises that are tied to keeping the commandments and covenants. Promises such as “ye shall prosper” and that “he doth nourish them, and strengthen them and provide means whereby they can accomplish the things which he has commanded them.” I want to have the blessings of these promises in my life. If we do our part, the Lord is bound. When we do what he says, we have his promise. When we start to understand the glory and safety, promised if we keep the commandments and our covenants we should surely be more motivated to do so.

I am so grateful for goodly parents who have taught me faith and shown by their example how these blessings can be realized. When I was young, my parents clung to the prophet’s words to have family scripture study and Family Home Evening knowing that there was a promise to those who did.

In their retired years they have headed the prophet’s call to serve a mission and have since worked in the Logan temple weekly for 12 years. I bear witness that our families have been blessed through their service. Grandparents, there is much you can do to help your grand children through heeding the call to serve a mission, work in the temple and do Family History work. Read and ponder the blessings that are promised to your families when you do. I’m sure that many of you can also testify of this truth.

Invite your teenage grandkids to have lunch with you one on one. Write them a sweet note encouraging them. Tell them the story of how you fell in love with your eternal companion so many years ago. They need to hear your story of dating and romance. Let them know reality isn’t Hollywood vampire romances and Kirdashion love drama.

My kids love to hear Grandma Flake tell the story of how she fell in love with her future husband when she heard him bear his testimony for the first time.

Last Sunday I attended the Meadow Valley YW Night of Excellence. The girls had chosen a scripture and a black and white theme. They taught that you have to avoid the gray areas; there is only black and white, goodness and sin. The divide has grown wider. You cannot sit on the fence or get dangerously close to the line of sin.

So how can we help anchor our Youth in a turbulent world?

1. Parents and Leaders-- have your youth write down their standards. In Sis. Daltons’ talk in the General YW meeting last March she said: Write down your standards and only make those big decisions once.

2. Read the Book of Mormon Daily. Last week a young women at the 7^th ward’s Night of Excellence bore a strong testimony of her experience reading the book of Mormon for her Virtue Value. It was a daunting undertaking at first, a little more than a 10 hour project. But how better to learn about Virtue than by gaining a testimony of the power of God and of feeling his spirit experienced through the reading of the Book of Mormon.

3. Pray to have the spirit for direction as a parent. Don’t start your day without a prayer.

4. Encourage youth to have their own current temple recommend. Many of our youth, including my 17 year old son, go to the temple every Wednesday morning before school to perform baptisms for the dead. Many of our youth have headed Elder Bednar’s advice and are turning their hearts to their fathers by doing indexing and family history.

5 Dress Modestly ALWAYS. Moms, girls model your example so always dress modestly! Be an example. Don’t buy that cute dress for the prom because it is just this once and she looks so cute. Start at an early age by carefully helping your girls choose their clothing.

The 2^nd ward Laurels recently went on a shopping trip to look for and try on Modest Prom dresses. What they found out is, there aren’t very many of them. Even if you wear a jacket with them, many are still too low cut and suggestive. You may have to sew or alter a dress to make it modest. As a mother of several boys; I know how uneasy it is for young men when they are with a date that is not dressed appropriately.

Dad’s this is where you must heed the call to be Guardians of Virtue. Parents get on LDS.org and watch Sis. Daltons talk on Fathers being Guardians of Virtue from the October conference.

I appreciate my father trying to help me years ago in the late 70’s when hot pants and such were in style. He told me on occasion that I couldn’t go out looking like that or that I needed to wear longer shorts and cover myself. “ Oh Dad”, I would say, “that is all there is to buy; it is in style”.

One day I came home and found this sign hanging in my room. My Dad who had probable never picked up a marker in his life, went to the trouble to hand write this quote from Pres. David O. McKay, “ Dress Modestly, Your Heavenly Father is Watching. “ Do you think that I could tell that my father loved me? That he cared and that he was serious. Why do you think that I have saved this for 30 years?

I only wish that he would have gone a step farther and spoken to me about why I needed to dress modestly. I had no idea what immodest dress did to boys and men, what it caused them to think and feel. I just thought I was cute and in fashion.

Many youth today are having sex as casually as we used to hold hands. It is a game of personal selfishness where boys and girls get together and make out or sleep together as a sport. There is absolutely no commitment involved. I am with youth in our community and this is the reality they are in.

Just this week I learned of two more of my students who are now expecting a baby. I spoke with one l young girl on Thursday and asked her if the Young man was still in her life. She answered yes; I was happy to hear that because it is quite rare that young men hang around. Then I asked her how long they had been dating. She replied that had been 10 days!

Everything our youth see portrayed in the media is distorted from real love and relationships. You must teach them in your home about the sacredness of procreation, the importance of relationships, and the difference between lust and love. I attended a class at Education Week and was shocked to hear of the many disciplinary actions because of immorality among our “good kids” attending BYU.

The Strength of Youth Pamphlet does not become obsolete when youth turn 18. It becomes even more needed. When our kids go off and away to college; they are faced with temptations of all kinds in the real world. Do not participate in passionate kissing, do not lay down by one another and watch movies, do not participate in NCMO sessions. (Non committal make out sessions)

Sister Dalton tells fathers, if your daughter doesn’t come home on time, “Go and get her!” I remember my father coming down and pulling me over when I was dragging main in Logan, and telling me to get home. I was mad at him at the time; but again, I knew that he loved me and cared about me.

I love Boyd K. Packer’s recent conference talk, “Counsel to Youth”. He tells of joining the Air Force and being worried about going into war and if he’d come home alive. He received a patriarchal blessing promising him that IF he heeded the promptings of the Holy Ghost and kept the commandments that he would return home again to be united with his loved ones. That was a big IF. We have that same promise given to us, IF we do these things and live worthily, we can return and live with our families and with God again.

In 1 Nephi 18, Nephi sets out to try and build the ship, with no knowledge or experience. (Think about raising your family here) Nephi says, and the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship. (Think General Conference twice a year) Nephi says, “I did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.

This is the key to raising families in today’s turbulent world. We cannot follow the manner of man. We have the scriptures, we have the word of the Living prophets, and if we keep the commandments and the covenants we’ve made, we MAY always have his spirit to be with us. Covenants are a two way promise and if becomes a big IF.

Brothers and sister, I testify that if we read the Book of Mormon daily, step up our efforts in our families and be true Guardians of Virtue, we can return with our families to live with our Heavenly Father again. May you resolve tonight to take something that has spoken to you through the spirit and try a little harder to be a little better; our children’s futures are at stake.

Since I am a teacher, I want to end by giving you a homework assignment.

1. Get your teenagers together on a Sunday night or for Family night and watch Pres. Packer’s “Council to the Youth” talk from October conference. Talk about the big IF.

2. Sit down one on one with your youth and watch Chastity: What are the limits? On YouTube or youth.lds.org. and then have a candid conversation with your kids.

3. Help your kids know the Savior and apply the atonement in their lives.

4. Lastly , Men, watch and listen to Sis. Dalton’s talk about being Guardians of Virtue, She says, “how can a father raise a happy, well-adjusted daughter in today’s increasingly toxic world? The answer has been taught by the Lord’s prophets. …The most important thing a father can do for his daughter is to love her mother.”

Elder Scott put it this way in April Conference, “Tell your wife how very much you love her. Don’t withhold those natural expressions of love. And it works a lot better if you are holding her close while you tell her.

5. If you are married your assignment is to go home and passionately kiss your wife. ..because you can!

Return and Report

2011-07-05T15:04:00.000-07:00

In John 17 Christ offers the great intercessory prayer. In the first part of his prayer, Jesus described the things he had done toward fulfilling his mission. How might if affect our actions if each night we included in our prayers a report of our efforts to serve him during that day?

The church is really set up on this Return and Report pattern. In the temple we are shown this pattern, in the Priesthood and auxiliary programs it is followed, and we should do the same thing with our prayers. Every morning I check in and kind of give an over view and pray for help and guidance in my days activities. Then at the close of the day, I report in my evening prayer how I did. I try not to forget to give thanks for the help that I am given. Knowing that I need to give this daily report helps me to try my hardest to live a satisfactory life and accomplish my daily goals.

Try the Return and Report method in your prayers and hopefully you'll find greater accomplishment and live closer to our Father's commandments.

Great Examples of Service

2011-07-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

I want to share an experience Dan had on Sunday morning, July 3, 2011.

He was attending a Stake Bishop's training at 6:30 am with all of the eleven ward Bishoprics in our stake. Pres. Topham, our stake president, was speaking to them about how to teach youth to be service oriented. Dad kind of had his head down and was offering a prayer that Andrew would make it home safely from the early morning paper route he has been doing. He leaves at 2:30 every morning and drives down to Mesquite and through the little towns close by helping Sam Fullerton deliver the Las Vegas Review Journal and the Spectrum. He has been substituting for Mac Fullerton who is having surgery.

Andrew would probably be driving home through the gorge at that time. Dad was just finishing his prayer when Pres. Topham said that great examples of young men who willing give service are the Flake boys, Dawson and Andrew! He went on to say what fine young men they are and how they are always serving others so willingly.

That was a very kind complement given to our boys and of course to Dan who has trained them so well. The cool thing is that here Dawson was out at this time serving a full time mission and Andrew was out performing service for his home teaching family. Andrew most likely wouldn't be doing this job if it wasn't for the fact that he is helping out the Fullerton's while Mac has his surgery.

I am so proud of you great young men!

Keep serving with a smile!

You MAY have his spirit to be with you

2011-06-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

I was asked to substitute and give the Gospel Doctrine Lesson in Sunday School. It was a great lesson from John 16 & 17. I love the New Testament. When I had the calling of teaching gospel doctrine, I think 8 years ago, I was able to teach from it. I believe the reason that I like it so much is that it was the first book I studied in 9th Grade Seminary. My awesome teacher, Bro. Sampson, helped my testimony of Jesus Christ to grow.

The other reason that I love it, was that when I was able to participate in the Hill Cumorah Pageant, way back in 1981, I was in the scene where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. It was great to act out the part of sitting at Christ's feet and listening to his beautiful sermon.

Part of the lesson was on Christ giving the apostles the Gift of the Holy Ghost to have as a comforter when he left them. I brought up the point that we are all given the gift but it is up to us to be worthy to have his spirit to be with us. In the Sacrament prayers that are offered each Sunday it says, "that you MAY always have his spirit to be with you." May is a word that says we have to do something in order to qualify for this great blessing. We have to live worthy to have the Holy Ghost's constant companionship.

I hope that I can always remember him and keep his commandments that I MAY always have his spirit to be with me. I challenge you to think of that each Sunday during the Sacrament Prayers. Are you living worthily? If not, what do you need to do to have this great blessing of direction and guidance in your life.

50 Things at 50!

2011-05-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

So I just turned 50 years old and I decided to make a goal to do 50 new things in my 50th year of life. I've been pretty blessed to have some awesome experiences in my life so far, so it may be kind of difficult to come up with 50 New things but I'm willing to give it a try! Here goes:

5. Skippered a boat on Lake Powell
4. Raced in an official Hobie Regatta and took first place in the 3 man division!

3. Attended a Zumba Master Class with the Crazy Socks guy and my new friend Laurie.

2. Hiked to the top of Angels Landing in Zion National Park.

1. Lead the Singing in front of the whole congregation at Church!

The Real You

2011-02-21T13:41:00.000-08:00

The real YOU Took this from my niece, Heather Berger's Blog

Ok, so the other day I caught myself watching Oprah. Which, for the record, I am not ashamed of. I think she has a lot of good points and interesting thoughts. Anyways, I was watching an episode where Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers were singing together. It was great. Very country. Then at the end Oprah was sitting down and talking with the both of them, and she turns to Kenny Rogers and asks him what he likes so much about working with Dolly Parton. He gave a very insightful answer. He said, "Well each person has 3 people who they are. The person you think they are. The person they think they are. And the person who they really are." and then he said, "the closer you can get to being the same for all three of those people the happier you'll be." He then went on to say that Dolly Parton is the most genuine, real person he's ever met, because all 3 of her "selves" match up.
I love that thought! I've been thinking a lot about it, wondering how congruent I am in who I think I am, who people think I am, and who I really am. There are many secrets to happiness, but I think knowing who you are and being that is a great key to contentment in this life.

February 2011

2011-02-19T19:32:00.001-08:00

Bishopric Message

A business leader and teacher of Christianity who is actively working with some 220 different Christian denominations in New York City recently commented upon the effectiveness of the Latter-day Saint Church. He said many wonderful things about our members, about their dedication and the certainty of their beliefs. He reported, “One of the most remarkable characteristics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that you seem to be working together. You are headed the same direction. As one, you concentrate upon doing that which you believe Jesus wants you to do. You all study the same doctrine. You respond to your leaders. You are unified.”

It is unity and oneness that has enabled us to bear our testimony around the globe, bringing forward tens of thousands of missionaries to spread the message of the gospel. It is unity that has enabled the Church, Its wards and stakes, and members to construct temples and chapels all over the world, undertake immense welfare projects in distant lands urgently in need of a helping hand, seek after the dead with the resources of the largest genealogical program in the world. We are certainly unified in our efforts to usher in Gods kingdom here on earth. In 1 John 4; 16 we are taught that “God is Love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” . It is a loving Heavenly Father that wants more than anything that we become unified with him. When faced with challenges, whether spiritual, physical or financial you can have hope in knowing that you are not alone. Jesus said “Come unto me, all ye that labour and our heavy laden, and I will give you rest. “ I know our Father in Heaven does love us and if we will turn to him he will give us the help and understanding we need to enjoy peace and happiness as we live on this earth.

Dan Flake and the Bishopric

Simple Gifts at Christmas Time

2010-12-06T18:19:00.000-08:00

Simple Gifts at Christmas Time

Our recent Relief Society Christmas Program was themed, “Simple Gifts.” As I reflected on our past year at this Christmas season, I recognized many simple gifts in our lives.

These United States: This summer we had a chance to drive to Washington State, where we held the Flake Family reunion, visited Danielle, Steve and grandbaby Alexa, in Portland, then back to St. George. We then continued across the vast United States as we moved Lindsey and her new husband, Carlton Taylor out to Philadelphia, PA where Carlton will be attending Dental School for four years. It is awesome to get an up close and personal look at each state as we drove through. We enjoyed a day trip to NYC to see all the sites and to attend the Manhattan temple. Carlton is from Pleasant Grove, UT and a recent graduate of BYU Hawaii. Carlton and Lindsey both served in the Vancouver, Canada mission. He is a welcome addition to our family.

Missionary Service: Dawson will mark his one year of service in the California, San Jose mission this month. Not only is he growing as he studies and shares the gospel message, but our family receives blessings from his service as well. Danielle serves as a ward missionary in Portland and Carlton and Lindsey have been instrumental in several baptisms in their Philadelphia ward already. Andrew, 16, is fellow shipping a non-member and sets a great example to all.

Temple Blessings: My mom and dad continue to have good health and are able to serve weekly in the Logan temple. Dan’s mother lives across the street from the St. George temple and works there weekly and spends the rest of her time indexing records for the church. (She’s addicted!) We all fight over who gets to do the dishes at her home because you get to stand and look across the road at the temple while you wash them. We were able to help put the lights up on the temple grounds recently and enjoy our monthly ward temple nights on a more regular basis now that Dan is in the ward bishopric. Our ward has been abundantly blessed as we average about 40 people in attendance each month on temple night.

Pay It Forward: We were given free tickets to the recent BYU vs U of U game from friends whom we had provided service for recently. This week I donated money to help needy students at my school have a little Christmas and the same day we were driving down a busy road and Dan spotted a bill on the side of the road. I hesitated to pull over for what was most likely not anything; but it turned out to be a $100. bill… just what I had donated.

Service: I continue to enjoy the joy of serving as compassionate service leader and feel the joy of welcoming new babies, caring for the sick and being blessed by helping to lift a neighbor’s burden. Our family always enjoys our tradition of serving lunch at the Soup Kitchen on Christmas Eve. May you find someone you can lend a hand to this Season of Giving.

Family and Friends: Our greatest gifts are those of our friends and loved ones. Thank you for your examples, goodness, and love and for sharing treasured lifelong memories. We sincerely hope that you will recognize the simple gifts that you are blessed with at this Holiday Season and all year long.

Much love, Dan and Shelly Flake and family (more news and photos at danflakefamily.blogspot.com)

Andrew's Name

2010-11-13T11:49:00.000-08:00

I framed a picture of Andrew's "10 Cross Country Team and needed a place to hang it in his room. When I looked at this picture that has been hanging on the wall for 12 years, I realized that Andrew has grown and maybe it was time to put the picture away. The picture lists the things that the name Andrew stands for. As I read it, I realized that it pretty close to who my Andrew has grown to become:

Andrew

Expression
God is with me
Personality
Righteousness is his attribute
Natural
Talent soars like an Eagle
Instinctive
Not afraid to laugh or cry
Emotional
Has an appreciation of music
Reputation
Continually gives to many
Physical
Great muscle tone--stays in good shape
Mental
Quick at heart and cunning
Goal
To pursue happiness

Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot Story

2010-11-08T20:28:00.001-08:00

Bishopric Message

As the air cools and the leafs begin to change into vibrant colors of red, yellow, and orange, it takes me back to my childhood memories and the joy I found at the change of the seasons. One particular memory, I hold close to me, was when I was a young 12 year old boy. I had only been a deacon for a short time when I found out about the annual Ward Turkey Shoot. I was excited for the opportunity to be able to win my family a turkey.

During this time my family had fallen on hard times financially. My father was in the construction business and in the early 80’s interest rates were in the 20% range causing construction too basically to dry up. My father and mother moved 5 boys into a home that we had build out of leftover lumber. We had no sheetrock on the walls, concrete floors, no hot water heater, and we all slept in one room near the only source of heat we had in our home, a wood burning stove. As boys we felt like we were on one big extended camp out, having to bathe in a large pot of water we heated on the stove, chipping ice out of the toilet in the morning, and living off of our food storage. Being older now, I understand the pressures of providing for a family and can scarcely imagine the fear and uncertainty my parents had to experience during this time. The uncertainty of where the next meal would come from, if we had enough wood to heat through the winter, and all of the other fears that financial doubt brings.

I believe I understood, in a small way as a 12 year old boy, that our family had needs that my parents were struggling to meet. For this reason I had the delusions of winning the turkey shoot out and bringing home the grand prize, a nice plump, juice turkey, something my family had not enjoyed the year prior. I began to beg my father to buy me some bullets so that I could participate in the turkey shoot. This in my parents mind was an expense that they could not afford. Through my persistence, and the overwhelming love my father had for his sons, he took his chain saw and pawned it so that my brother and I could participate in the turkey shoot. I did not know, at the time, of the great sacrifice he made until much later in life.

I remember the day like it was yesterday, the night before I could barely sleep. I remember praying most of the night asking our Father in Heaven to bless me with the so called “Dead Eye” gift. We arrived at the designated site and got ready. The rules were gone over, the young men ages 12 to 18 would shoot first and then the adults. We would each get 10 clays to shoot at, and the winner would receive a turkey. When my turn came around, I remember my heart beating so hard I thought it would jump right out of my chest. I cracked open my old battered single shot 20 gauge, which immediately fell into two pieces, everyone laughed at my mishap, except me. With huge tears welling up, I struggled to get my gun back together, then I felt my father’s hand on my shoulder and he calmly helped me fix my gun. He then said some words of comfort and encouragement and left me to do my best. I quickly said one last prayer and said, “Pull!” to the man throwing the clays. The clay flew far and straight. I took aim and squeezed the trigger and I hit it. The next nine were thrown to the right and the left, high and low, and when my turn was over I had hit all 10 clays. I watched in great anticipation as the last few young men would hit 8 out of 10 or 9 out of 10 but in the end I was the only one who had hit 10 out of 10.

Words cannot express the joy I felt inside, I was trembling so badly I could hardly hold the turkey that had been awarded to me. But to my surprise they had put together a box of food that would constitute they rest of a fabulous thanksgiving dinner. This box would go to the winner of the shoot out between the youth and adult winners. I went first once again. I said a quick prayer, and began the quest to win my family, not only the turkey, but all the good stuff that goes with such a fine bird. The clays seemed to be moving faster to the right and left and some went so low and fast, if you were not quick enough, they would hit the ground before you even had a chance to shoot. Once again I was able to hit 10 out of 10. My challenger stepped up and was not about to be outdone. He made quick work out of his first 9 clays. As I stood there, praying for a miracle, I saw the last clay fly straight and far. I knew he would hit this one for sure and we would have to move to a shoot out. The problem with this was that I was out of bullets. He took a quick aim and just before he pulled the trigger, it seemed as if something was said to him and he hesitated and he shot just under the clay. With tears in my eyes I not only carried the finest turkey man has ever known, I carried the finest fixings anyone could hope for, home to my family.

I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who hears and answers prayers. I am grateful for parents who taught me the value of sacrifice and a father who taught me importance of providing for your family. I am grateful for the brother, who I am convinced listen to the still small voice, which allowed a young man to provide for his family. I pray that during this season of thanksgiving, we remember those loved ones, who make all the difference in our lives and show our gratitude to them and to our loving Father in Heaven in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Brother Kelly Taysom & the Bishopric

Don't Shoot the Birdies

2010-10-10T19:54:00.000-07:00

Dan conducted the testimony meeting today in church and started by sharing a story about when he was a deacon and had a little Daisy bb gun. He and the boys would get together and go out and shoot things. After growing tired of shooting up beer cans and glass bottles they would occasionally shoot the little birdies.
Dan remembers sitting in their church in Tennessee listening to Gen. conf. They didn't have the big screen TV's only the sound coming in on live broadcast and the quality wasn't very good. But he remembers hearing Pres. Kimball in his little scruffy voice giving a talk and telling the boys not to shoot the little birdies. From that time on, Dan has never shot birds or animals just for fun.
He said that be believed that Pres. Kimball was a true prophet and wanted to follow him. Today he knows that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of the Lord and that we should pay special attention to the words that he tells us. Dan said that he felt a little urgency in their message this time and that we better get with it.
Dan also related a story about being a missionary in Bountiful and he was out walking in the snow when a car came and pulled over and it was a kind general authority (Boyd K. Packer) who gave them a box of chocolates and wished them Merry Christmas. Dan recalled that he was a speaker who always talked about morality and keeping clean. Dad did not mention Packer by name. There has been a controversy this week about the message that he delivered in conf. last week about the fact that gay people are not born that way. "Why would a loving Heavenly Father do that to his children?"
This was Dan's subtle way to show support for Packer without getting involved in the controversy.

The Temple is our Ultimate Target

2010-10-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

Dan was asked to write a message for the first edition of the LV II ward email newsletter....

Bishopric Message

With the deer hunt approaching, and knowing that there are many hunters in our ward boundaries anxious for that opening morning, I thought this story would be appropriate.
You may have heard the story of the hunter who took his wife hunting for her first time. Although reluctant at first the hunter found out after only a few short lessons at the shooting range that his wife was actually a very good shot. She was accurate at long distance and could even hit a target on the run; a regular Annie Oakley.

On opening morning he situated his wife on a ridge overlooking a valley below. His plan was to move down through the valley driving deer in the open where his crack shot wife would shoot the deer. The plan worked well, for it had only been a few moments and he heard the recoil of his wife’s gun.
Quickly, the hunter ran to where he heard the shot. As he got closer to his wife, he heard her screaming: "Get away from my deer!"

Confused, the hunter raced faster towards his screaming wife. And again he heard her yell: "Get away from my deer!"

Now within sight of his wife, the hunter was surprised to see a guy standing there with his hands high in the air. The guy, obviously distraught, said, "Okay, lady, okay!!!! You can have your deer!!! Just let me get my saddle off it!" Obviously a discussion about what the ultimate target should have been was neglected.

Truly a silly story; but how often as we go through the routine of the day or the week, do we forget what our ultimate target is. What are we really living for? I hope that this month’s issue of the Ensign will give each of us an answer to what should be the ultimate target for our family. It is an issue totally devoted to Temples and the importance of them in our lives. Pres. Howard W Hunter explains that “All of our efforts in the church lead to the Holy Temple. All of our effort in proclaiming the gospel, perfecting the Saints, and redeeming the dead lead to the holy temple. This is because the temple ordinances are absolutely crucial; we cannot return to God’s presence without them. Do everything you can to prepare yourselves and your families to enter the temple. “

We encourage all members of our ward family to become “A Temple Motivated People”. Please take the time with your families to study this Ensign Issue, review the council from General Conference, and plan an opportunity this month to go to the temple and experience the spirit of our Heavenly Father that resides there.

Next ward Temple night is October 9th at 7:20pm. Hope to see you there.

-Brother Dan Flake and the Bishopric

General Conference Notes

2010-10-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

I took 12 pages of notes during the Oct. 2010 General Conference this year. It was awesome to be able to attend the Sunday afternoon session live in the conf. center. Martha had 2 extra tickets that she had brought out from TN; but their were 3 of us. I asked an usher outside of the conf. center if he had any advice for us for obtaining another ticket. He told us to go to door #20 and they'd take care of us. Well, they didn't really want to do it, but I smiled and they wrote us a pass and we were in! It is also cool that our stake leaders took up 30 Senior kids to the Saturday afternoon session. Most had never attended conf. live before and they had a great experience.

Fall 2010 General Conference by the Numbers (From the notes mom took during conf.)

Saturday Morning

5 New Temples

1. Hartford, Connecticut

2. Tijuana, Mexico

3. Indianapolis, Indiana

4. Lisbon, Portugal

5. Urdaneta, Philippines

Pres. Monson

· All young men to serve missions

· More older couples to serve

Jeffrey R. Holland

· Green Jello, quilts and funeral potatoes
· Being a helper is just as important as being a leader

Rosemary Wixom:

· Take my hand

· Anchor your children on the path of life

· The world will teach our children if we do not

· Be Intentional in teaching

· Have a victory tunnel at the end of every game

Claudio Costa

We Believe in a Prophet of God

“First: The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.

“Second: The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.

“Third: The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.

“Fourth: The prophet will never lead the Church astray.

“Fifth: The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.

“Sixth: The prophet does not have to say ‘Thus saith the Lord’ to give us scripture.

“Seventh: The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.

“Eighth: The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.

“Ninth: The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.

“Tenth: The prophet may be involved in civic matters.

“Eleventh: The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.

“Twelfth: The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.

“Thirteenth: The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church.

“Fourteenth: [Follow] . . . the living prophet and the First Presidency . . . and be blessed; reject them and suffer.”⁸

David M. Mc Conkie

· Talks to teachers in the church

· Help them discover the truth for themselves

· What matters most is the attitude of the teacher “Attitude is not taught but caught”

· Teach by the spirit

· The handbook has the answers

· You have a sacred trust

D. Todd Christofferson

Five Parts of Consecrated Life:

1. Purity “Spotless before me”

2. Work “Work hard to find wholesome leisure”

3. Respect your body

4. Service

5. Integrity

Pres. Uchtdorf

· Slow down and steady the course

· False: The faster we move the better we are

· It is rather easy to be busy

· Our to do lists are too long

· Good virtue over done can be a “vice”

· Focus on the things that matter most. Better or Best. Forgo others

· “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo De Vinci

· Turn our ways to his ways

· Vince Lombardi’s first day of practice says, “This is a Football” Teaches the basics.

Four Key Relationships

1. God No man cometh to me but through Christ.

2. Family Take time for family.

3. Fellow Men- Be sensitive to the needs of others.

4. Ourselves “some people can’t get along with themselves”

1. No man cometh to me but through Christ. Be still and know that I am God

2. Take time for family. Talk.

3. Sensitive to needs of others.

4. Some people can’t get along with themselves.

Be wise! Rejoice! Refocus on what matters most. Simplify. Be humble!

Saturday Afternoon

Robert D. Hales

Agency: to choose and cat on our own. Choose to come unto Christ

Story of varnishing the floor and painted himself into a corner. Repent, re-sand, re-varnish

Get out of debt. Righteous choices liberate us. Come out of the dark corner through the atonement. Every knee shall bow!

Quintin L. Cook

· Block out evil from our lives. Be in the world, not of the world. Need to greatly increase religion in our homes.

· Wilberforce Witherspoon, together with other leaders, set out to reform public morality. He believed that education and government had to be morally based. “His . . . vision of moral and spiritual enrichment was what he lived for, whether in defending the institution of marriage, attacking the practices of the slave trade or emphatically defending the Sabbath day.” With great energy he helped mobilize the country’s moral and social leaders in a nationwide struggle against vice.

· Integrity, honesty, reform morality, preserve light, home and morality.

Richard Edgely

Peace, protection, Faith, come, knock, choose faith, awake, arise, experiment—action verbs. We are responsible for our own faith. Let us choose. Awake!

Kevin Duncan

Don’t look to the arm of the flesh. Research God’s and the prophet’s words on the internet. My word will be fulfilled.

(He listed the 14 Prophet principles again!)

Gerrit Gong:

Temple mirrors of eternity remind us that each human being has “divine nature and destiny”; that “sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally”;and that, growing together in love and faithfulness, we can give children roots and wings!

Neal Anderson

*The Lord Alerts Us to Dangers Ahead.

*The Lord has not left us alone in our quest to return to Him. Listen to His warning words alerting us to the dangers ahead: “Take . . . heed, watch and pray.” “Beware lest ye . . . be deceived. “Be watchful and careful.” Beware lest ye also . . . fall from your own steadfastness.”

*Mighty change of heart. How to be a disciple of Christ. Be not ashamed.

Richard G. Scott:

Righteous character is most valuable. You receive no witness until after the trial by fire. Not always immediate. That is how character is built. Satan cannot take away your testimony or character. God causes your faith to mold your character.

Four Principles that produce strength:

1. Faith in Lord Jesus Christ

2. Repentance

3. Obedience leads to strength of character

4. Unselfish service

Sunday Morning

Henry B. Eyring

Alma: Oh that I were an Angel

Build trust in God and his servants so we will obey.

Trust comes from knowing God. Be still and know that I am God.

Listened to Pres. Benson’s advice and got out of mortgage debt. Might not be possible but would be best.

Boyd K. Packer

· Proclamation to the world

· Satan cannot begat life, He is impotent. He desires everyone else to be miserable.

· Pornography is a plague. It is spiritually fatal.

· Innate tendencies to do evil are not born in us. Why would our father do that?

· Can you vote on the law of Gravity? Moral standards cannot be voted upon.

· We must protect the family.

· Angel’s will coach you and the Priesthood will guide you.

· Repentance is like detergent. Even stubborn stains can be removed.

· Don’t look back like Lott’s wife!

· Repentance will bring peach and happiness.

Jay Jenson The Holy Ghost and Revelation

“President Thomas S. Monson exemplifies this important role of being led to do good. He follows the example of the Savior, “who went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). He has taught the importance of not ignoring a spiritual prompting from the Holy Ghost to visit someone and to minister to him or her and to rescue the one.

But sometimes there is no one like President Monson, no home teacher, no caring sister available to minister in time of need. In those situations I have come to find solace and direction from the Comforter, another role of the Holy Ghost.”

Sister Mary Cook

· We should never do anything that we don’t want our kids to do.

· If our example is confusing then we lose the confidence of our kids. We can’t have one hand on the rod and one on the world.

· Purity through the Savior

· Dress modestly. We respect our bodies as temples of God.

· Chastity in dress and actions

· Model Good media choices and personal priorities

Dallen Oaks

Two lines of Inspiration

1. Priesthood line

2. Personal line

Missionaries are called through the Priesthood but must receive individual inspiration.

Families need both.

President Monson

· Remember to give thanks for blessing

· Attitude of Gratitude

· To live with gratitude is to touch Heaven

· Permeates souls now and forever.

Sunday Morning (We attended live)

L. Tom Perry

The Priesthood of Aaron. 25 years ago to his grandson, not to his Great grandson who is a Deacon. The stories in the scriptures will never grow old. From the story of Daniel I’ve taught my Grandson:

(1) keep his body healthy and clean,

(2) develop his mind and become wise,

(3) be strong and resist temptation in a world filled with it, and

(4) trust in the Lord, especially when you need His protection.

President Ezra Taft Benson once said: “Give me a young man who has kept himself morally clean and has faithfully attended his Church meetings. Give me a young man who has magnified his priesthood and has earned the Duty to God Award and is an Eagle Scout. Give me a young man who is a seminary graduate and has a burning testimony of the Book of Mormon. Give me such a young man, and I will give you a young man who can perform miracles for the Lord in the mission field and throughout his life”

Live worthy of the Priesthood, young men.

David A. Bednar Receive the Holy Ghost. Simple yet significant.

1. Sincerely Desire

2. Appropriately Invite

3. Faithfully Obey

4. Testimony

“If they will follow the Spirit of the Lord they will go right” (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 98).I pray we will sincerely desire and appropriately invite the Holy Ghost into our daily lives.

Larry Lawrence

To the parents of Youth:

There are no easy answers. Be strong and of good courage. We need courageous parents. If a child is on the railroad tracks would you ignore it. No—move them! Don’t worry about your present good will. Alma gave early intervention to Corianton. Parenting is not a popularity contest. Say “I just don’t feel good about it” and that is enough! Recognize the spirit. Be united as parents. Have the courage to support each other. Show respect to your spouse and their feelings. Council kids to put off “being a couple.” When morality is involved we have the right to speak up. Avoid sleepovers. Protect children. Parents need the courage to say yes to leaders.

Do:

1. Prayer

2. Scripture

3. FHE

4. Family Dinner together

5. PPI’s - Council with them in private interviews.

Practice these to create invincible children. Be courageous parents!

Per G. Malm

In downtown Gothenburg, Sweden there is a hollow tree, but is it empty no! The tree was full of waste. The trunk was weakened a little here and there. Through the atonement we can have our lives filled with light. Don’t waste the days of our probation. Lift our vision daily to have a view of eternity. Peace is a gift of God that comes through the spirit. The tree was finally destroyed by fireworks from within. Beware of things that will destroy from the inside out, whether big or small! They can have an explosive effect and cause spiritual death. Peace, I leave with you!

Jairo Mazzagardi

· What is sin? It can enter slowly and sneakily

· Rise early

· Set a curfew

· Great joy comes from making good choices and staying strong

Mervyn B. Arnold

· What have you done with my name?

· We are free to choose but not free to choose the consequences.

· Cow bloated when he ate the wheat on the other side of the fence. Fences protect us.

· Wickedness never was Happiness!

· Would you think it, do it, or say it if the Savior was beside you?

M. Russell Ballard

· Fly fishermen use lures which are a perfect deception. Lucifer tries to ensnare us.

· Drugs can hijack the brain.

· Stay away from what will entrap you. Not one drink or one sniff.

· Avoid gambling, pornography, addiction to video games, texting that relinquish our agency.

· There is a way to escape—Repentance. Pray with all energy of heart.

· Set aside pride and experience a mighty change of heart. Get help!

Pres. Thomas S. Monson

· We live in a troubled world

· Read and reread these messages.

· Endure to the end—we must!

· He will help us. Obey his commandments for peace and safety.

“We live in a troubled world, a world of many challenges. We are here on this earth to deal with our individual challenges to the best of our ability, to learn from them, and to overcome them. Endure to the end we must, for our goal is eternal life in the presence of our Father in Heaven. He loves us and wants nothing more than for us to succeed in this goal. He will help us and bless us as we call upon Him in our prayers, as we study His words, and as we obey His commandments. Therein is found safety; therein is found peace.”

Integrity Lesson

2010-09-17T21:16:00.000-07:00

As I was handing back tests that I had corrected in my Computer Tech class this week, I pointed out to a student that I thought it was interesting that she and the girl that she sits by got the very same score and missed the very same problems on the test. I had a substitute teacher give the test so I had no idea what had gone on during the test.
The student asked me if I was accusing her of cheating. I replied, "I have no way of knowing that; but I just find it interesting that you have the same score." She asked me if I wanted her to take the test over. I replied that I would let her decide that by listening to her conscious. I told her to let me know if she did want to take it over. I continued on passing out tests and monitoring the classroom when before long, she came back to my desk and said that she would like to take the test over because she didn't want me to think that she cheated.
I was very proud of her for letting her integrity shine through and choosing to make it right. She is a very bright girl, and my guess is that the other girl copied her, if there was copying going on. But I had said that even if you allow someone to copy you, you are involved in cheating.
I was proud of this teaching moment and letting the student evaluate her integrity rather than just accusing her of cheating and demanding that she retake the test. I believe that she will learn more from this lesson by listening to her own conscious and evaluating her own integrity.
I've decided that I will give a anonymous student award in our next Awards Assembly and share the story as an example of integrity without embarrassing her in front of others.

Establishing Righteous Family Traditions--Church Talk

2010-08-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, we had Dan’s brother and family staying with us and in the morning his little girl wanted to watch TV. Dan’s brother turned and asked us, “What do you do on Sundays?” Well, thanks to the wonderful talks about the Sabbath day a few weeks ago, I had thought about that subject and I told them what we do, and I didn’t mention watching TV. Of course if they wanted to, it would have been ok, but it made me think about our family traditions. And that is what I’ve been asked to talk about: Establishing righteous family traditions.

President Ezra Taft Benson said, “Foster wonderful family traditions which will bind you together eternally. After all, eternity will be but an extension of righteous family life”.

The righteous family traditions that may come to your mind are that of studying the scriptures together, attending church on Sunday, keeping the Sabbath day holy, having family prayer and holding a regular Family Home evening. Those are the ones we always hear about and for the most part I think that we try to accomplish these with various forms of regularity and commitment. Maybe having pot roast on Sunday is a tradition; but not one necessary for salvation.

Maintaining righteous daily family traditions requires desire and effort. Don’t expect everyday to be perfect. Part of the gospel plan is repentance; we can start anew each day or week. Just as we partook of the sacrament today and promised to keep his commandments and always remember him. His promise in return is to always have his spirit to be with us. Let us do as Pres Kimball admonished to “try a little harder, to be a little better” each day and each week.

In an Ensign article, Bro. Donald Halstrom says: Of all the traditions we should cultivate within ourselves and our families, a “tradition of righteousness” should be preeminent. Hallmarks of this tradition are an unwavering love for God and His Only Begotten Son, respect for prophets and priesthood power, a constant seeking of the Holy Spirit, and the discipline of discipleship which transforms believing into doing. A tradition of righteousness sets a pattern for living which draws children closer to parents, and both closer to God, and elevates obedience from a burden to a blessing.

I would like to talk about some of the less common traditions that came to my mind. Since school just started last week let’s start there. Like many of you did when your children headed out the door for their first day of the new school year, our family has a tradition of taking a photo of the kids. I thought this was cute that my oldest daughter Danielle, carried on this tradition and took a picture of her husband with his backpack on; on his first day of dental school. (even though he was like 25 years old!)

Another tradition that our family has at this time is to have Dan give each of the children a Father’s blessing. Andrew was the only one in line this year; but I always get in line behind the children because I’m going back to school too, even if it is as a teacher. I testify that these father’s blessings are a great comfort and gift to our family each year. If you haven’t taken the time to that or don’t have a priesthood holder in your home to do so; get another family member or your home teacher to assist you.

A father’s blessing is a tradition that brings a tender spirit of unity into many homes at the beginning of each school year, or at other times of change or challenge.

Traditions like these give children a sense of identity and of belonging.

Another righteous tradition is attending the temple. (many last night) We have also built the tradition of visiting temples when we travel and even building vacations around temple open houses. Our children cherish their memories of performing baptisms in proxy in temples such as Hawaii, San Diego and Palmyra. We were able to fit in a temple session on our one day trip to New York City just a few weeks ago. If you haven’t made this a tradition; I’d highly recommend it. You can even schedule temple attendance in with your family reunions. There are temples being built in Brigham City and Payson and we hope to get in on the Philadelphia temple also underway.

Bishop Thompson has done a great job with his emphasis on temple attendance and holding monthly interviews with our children. I hope you have witnessed the blessings that these activities have brought into your families.

At Lindsey’ temple wedding this summer; the sealer told them that with their marriage they were now a family. He said it was now their duty to begin righteous family traditions with each other and then carry them on as their children join them in the future.

One tradition that they have started together, is the paying of tithing. All summer they were attending church at various locations and their records didn’t catch up with them until just recently as they moved to Philadelphia. Lindsey had been bothered because they hadn’t had a ward to pay their tithing in. After the mail arrived in St. George this past Monday, I emailed her and asked her if she had paid her tithing yesterday. She wrote back that yes she finally had been able too. She said why you ask? I told her that a refund from BYU had been made that she wasn’t expecting and that she had got a nice wedding gift check from a relative that day in the mail. She replied back that the Lord always keeps his promises.

Brothers and sisters, I testify to you that the Lord is bound to keep his promises. Through our obedience he will bless us, he has too. I’m so glad that my children have learned this principle on their missions. Speaking of which, Missionary service is also a righteous family tradition. I’m grateful for the examples of Grandparents, cousins, and Aunts and Uncles who have served. It does make it easier to go if there is that tradition of missionary service in your family; but that doesn’t mean that you can’t lead the way and start that tradition. As older couples you can serve and set an example for your grandchildren. The new Ensign that just came has a lot of great articles about missionary service. Dan’s mom has a missionary wall…

Service: this is another great Righteous family tradition. When all of our children were home we set the first Monday of the month aside as service FHE night. We ‘d find someone in the ward who had just moved in, or needed their weeds pulled or another kind act of service and help them out. Our favorite acts were the ones that we could do anonymously. Now, service for us comes more impromptu like leaving your chores and Saturday bike ride aside to go and help a scout with his Eagle project or to taking our turn cleaning the church building. Service brings not only blessings but happiness and we forget our own troubles and reach out to lift another. As the ward compassionate service leader I have seen many of you carry out these acts of service and I always appreciate your willingness to accept an opportunity to serve when it comes.

I mentioned FHE and our leaders have recently stressed having dinner together nightly. The blessings of holding these can be very obvious in our family relations. The dynamics of our family and ability to do these regularly change over the years. Poor Andrew is the only one home with us now but we spent an enjoyable time last Monday night on Mormon.org watching the little video segments of members and why they are Mormons. I highly recommend you visit and use this site if you haven’t. You can even put your own profile on there and add your testimony. This would be a really great FHE project for several weeks and would allow your family to look at the blessings of being a member of the church and how they formed their testimonies. There are some great articles in the new Ensign about this too. (EFY DVD’s)

Each of us has traditions in our families. Some of them are material or built around holidays. Some of them have deep meaning. The most important traditions are connected with the way we live our lives and will last beyond us, as our children’s lives are influenced and shaped. In the Book of Mormon, we read of the Lamanites who were deeply affected by the traditions of their fathers. King Benjamin said they were a people who knew nothing about the principles of the gospel “or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the traditions of their fathers, which are not correct” (Mosiah 1:5).

Unwanted traditions are those which lead us away from performing holy ordinances and keeping sacred covenants. Our guide should be the doctrine taught by the scriptures and the prophets. Traditions which devalue marriage and family, degrade women or do not recognize the majesty of their God-given roles, honor temporal success more than spiritual, or teach that reliance upon God is a weakness of character, all lead us away from eternal truths.

What kinds of traditions do you have? Some of them may have come from our fathers, and now we are passing them along to our own children. Are they what we want them to be? Are they based on actions of righteousness and faith? Are they mostly material in nature, or are they eternal? Are we consciously creating righteous traditions, or is life just happening to us? Are our traditions being created in response to the loud voices of the world, or are they influenced by the still, small voice of the Spirit? Are the traditions that we are creating in our families going to make it easier for our children to follow the living prophets, or will they make it difficult for them?

A few weeks ago we packed up are daughter and her new husband and drove them 37 hours straight across the country to Philadelphia where they will be living for 4 years. During that long drive, somewhere in the middle of the night in Colorado, I asked my new son in law how he obtained his testimony. He told me that he was pretty into tennis and was always playing in tournaments and more and more of them were on Sundays. At age 17 his parents gave him a choice to pursue tennis and they would support him or to go on a mission. The decision he made changed the course of his life. By choosing to serve a mission he chose to follow the Lord’s plan and he committed to his testimony and realized that he believed the church to be true. He was able to go on and continue his tennis through a scholarship at BYU Hawaii, not have to play any more on Sundays, and through his mission was blessed to develop good habits and a strong testimony to change his life and a bonus blessing was that he met our daughter, Lindsey, on the mission and together they are off to do great things. In fact they already have a baptismal commitment from a lady that they met and have been teaching. (They make pretty good mission companions now; even though they weren’t able to serve together on their mission!) I testify that the Lord will bless you and watch out for you as your serve him diligently!

I am grateful for wonderful son in laws, who have been obedient and who preside faithfully in their homes. For Daughters who have been blessed through their missionary service and honor their husband’s priesthood. Dawson continues our tradition of missionary service and has been learning humility going his first 8 months in California without a baptism and struggling to learn the Spanish language. It is interesting to me that when Pres. Topham set him apart, that he talked to him at length about humility. The scripture that Dawson chose for his mission plaque is “If men come unto me I will show unto them their weaknesses. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble.” We hope that Dawson has been learning humility and that he and others he teachers will soon be able to reap the blessings of his faithful missionary service. We must all remember that the blessings are promised and will come, but that they do come in the Lord’s time.

Elder Richard L. Evans counseled, “Oh, parents, we would plead, give good and happy memories to your children—not pampering or overindulging, not satisfying everything they take a fancy to—but memories of love, encouragement, of peace and harmony and happiness at home—memories that will bless and lift their lives wherever they are, always and forever

Parents must never lose sight of the spirit in which the activity is conducted. How easily we overshadow the beauty of any special occasion when we allow force, anger, or impatience to intrude. Showing love and respect in the home is the most important family tradition. And the bottom line is that our kids learn more by who we are and what we do not by what we preach to them.

I would invite all of us to take a moment to reflect on the traditions in our lives and how they might be affecting our families. Our traditions of Sabbath day observance, family prayer, family scripture study, service and activity in the Church, as well as patterns of respect and loyalty in the home, will have a great effect on our children and on their future. If our parenting is based on the teachings of the scriptures and of the latter-day prophets, we cannot go wrong.

I testifly that if we are obedient in fostering righteous family traditions we will be able to claim the blessings promised in Mosiah 5: “that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life”

Teaching the Sunbeams

2010-08-20T18:12:00.001-07:00

I had the opportunity to teach the little Sunbeam class in Primary a few weeks ago. The lesson was about learning to say "I'm Sorry." I realized that this is one of their first lessons about repentance and how awesome the church is to teach these principles even to the little kids who can hardly sit still. What a great message to teach these little ones-- to say they are sorry.
I bore my testimony to them at the end about repentance and how this principle will help them in their life. I felt the spirit but I'm not sure that they got anything out of the lesson. But we did practice saying "I'm sorry" a lot!

What Love is

2010-02-28T18:40:00.000-08:00

From a college essay Lindsey wrote:
A year after graduation I learned what love is while living in Quito, Ecuador for three months working in orphanages. One particular experience was a major paradigm shift in my life. It was late one night when another volunteer and I were trying to get ten babies at the orphanage to fall asleep. For one reason or another they were all crying and not sleeping. We were trying all that we could do to calm them down but it was a wild night.
Finally we decided to sing church songs. I knelt down between two cribs holding two small hands in mine and began the song “I see my mother kneeling, with her family each day…” As I sang tears filled my eyes as I realized how blessed I was just to have a family. Then I looked into the faces of those babies and felt so much love for them as I realized that at that moment I was the only person, besides God, who cared or was even thinking about those babies at that time. I felt humbled, and realized the important responsibility it was to care for those children. I learned to appreciate my own family so much more and my hearts capacity to love expanded largely. This experience also instilled a great desire within me to give service where possible and to look for ways to show compassion.

On becoming...

2010-02-28T18:26:00.000-08:00

In Marcus Steed's mission farewell he addressed the action verbs that are part of the Priesthood purpose: Become converted, serve faithfully, prepare to serve, give respect,and become worthy. I love the word becoming. We may not be perfect in this life but we can become better each day!

Dawson Flake Fan Club

2010-02-28T18:16:00.000-08:00

Not many people have an official fan club; but Dawson's friends made a Fan Club page for Dawson on Facebook and he has a lot of fans! It appears to me that Dawson knows how to be a good friend. http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=25650254783&ref=ts

(Marcus in England on his mission)

In his farewell speech today, Marcus Steed, who is heading to England on his mission told two stories about Dawson. In the first one, he told how his friends, Ty and Dawson were talking about what it takes to be a good missionary. Dawson told what he thought and then Ty told Dawson that he already is a good missionary because of the way he acts and treats people.
The next story was about when Marcus and Dawson went to Denny's for one their free breakfast specials. As they pulled in Marcus's car died. They worked on it for a bit and then gave up and went inside and ate. When they came out they tried it again but nothing. They then got in the car and Dawson offered a simple prayer to bless the car so it would start and that they could get back home. Marcus turned the key and it started right up and they made it home. A simple prayer offered by a humble young man with great faith. I'm glad to be the original founding member of the Dawson Flake fan club! Dawson flies out to San Jose to begin his mission in two days...

It is an Honor to be the Mother of my Kids!

2010-02-07T20:45:00.000-08:00

Sis. Lisa Johnson shared in her testimony today the fact that she feels it is an honor to be the mother of such great kids. I feel the same way.
She is going to the funeral tomorrow of the one of the Elders who recently died while on his mission, in Romania by being asphyxiated in his sleep. Being a mother of a son on a mission, my heart has ached for the parents of these two boys this past week. Lisa danced with the mother of the Elder from Logandale, NV while at BYU. She called her this week and got a little more of the story. His sister had left on her mission recently, but had some illness and was sent home to remedy it before she could go. This was a real trial for them but it turned out to be a real tender mercy for their family. The daughter has been a real strength for the family during this death.
The mother said that she has gone through a dark time with this but now realizes that it is a great honor to have had the chance to be the mother of this outstanding young man who was taken while serving the Lord on a mission. Lisa then went on to share her thoughts on what an honor it is to be a mother to her great kids. Dan and I had teared up at this point as she talked about having a son serve a mission and a daughter about to leave and be married. In fact Dan went up to her after and tried to talk to her, but was overcome with emotion as he related so much to her feelings. Dan and I called her tonight and we discussed how honored we all feel to have the opportunity to parent such wonderful children.
I also had to tell her about a tender mercy that Lindsey experienced this week. While in high school, Lindsey had asked a young man, Justin Peterson, to a girl’s choice dance. He was a loner, a stoner, and pretty much a nobody. Everyone wondered why such a cute girl as Lindsey would invite him to the dance. It turned out to be a disaster. He actually had drugs on him and ditched Lindsey at the dance and went off with his stoner friends. I had to call his mother at midnight and tell her that Justin was not with Lindsey so she wouldn’t wonder what was going on if he didn’t show up at home. We hadn’t heard anything about this boy for years.
Well, Lindsey was at the MTC on Friday with her cousin Rebecca. They were volunteering at the TRC, where the missionaries practice giving the discussions to real people. While Lindsey was waiting there, suddenly an Elder walked by that she recognized. It was Justin Peterson from high school! He has been called to Everett, Washington and is leaving in a few days to serve. He would be 22 or 23 years old.
I used to be friends with his mother so I called her tonight to get the story. She said that two years ago he returned to Florida where they used to live, to work and earn money. He become reactivated and decided to serve a mission. He has actually been influential in helping several people already become baptized. His mother is happy with his decision and was thrilled to know that Lindsey has recently returned from her mission and she wants Lindsey and I to come into her restaurant, Benja’s, and have lunch with us. What a tender mercy of the Lord for Lindsey to get a chance to see him and know that her good example years ago, may have played a part in this young man changing his life around.
Now, that is not the only tender mercy that occurred in the MTC that day. The next elder that Lindsey ran into, was her brother, Elder Flake! She only got a minute to say hello and he got a chance to congratulate her on her engagement and then he was encouraged to hurry along by an MTC teacher.
I count my blessings to have the opportunity to parent my amazing children! What an honor it is.

We Have a Loving Heavenly Father

2010-01-10T22:21:00.000-08:00

I had a great experience in Relief Society today. We are starting to study the Gospel Principles book and as we looked at the first Chapter it was only two pages long and we were all kind of wondering what we were going to get out of such a simplified gospel study. Well, it was the best RS lesson I have been to in a long time.

We simple talked about the wonder of this earth and the beauty of it and how there is no way that it could have just happened. I wanted to share my story about God’s manifestation to me while on the beach in Maui that I have included in a previous blog on gratitude. Every time that I am out in nature I am amazed at the beauty and majesty of the earth. I always try and offer a prayer of gratitude to the Lord for this marvelous creation.

Then we went on and talked about the Nature of God and then continued with Coming to Know God. I shared the scripture that I have been pondering all week:
Mosiah 5: 13
“For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?” I expressed that in order to know God, we must serve him. I am personally working on the “intents of my heart”.
(This scripture was brought to mind because a young man that Lindsey is dating had it on his Facebook page as his favorite quote. Now what mother would not want her daughter dating a young man whose focus seems to be to serve others and know God?)

I wanted to make another comment about what Lindsey had experienced on her mission but time didn’t allow. I had sat next to a woman who has been investigating the church for six months but this was her first visit to Relief Society. Dan had been the ward mission leader so we had worked with her for a small time. The current mission leader’s wife sat on the other side of her.

I put my arm around her and asked how she was doing. She expressed that it was hard. Then I told her about Lindsey’s mission experience of the joy of being able to tell someone that there is a God and that they have a loving Heavenly Father who is always there. For many people, they have never known this fact and the feeling and spirit that came when told this simple gospel principal would overcome them. Lindsey wrote home several times telling us about sharing God with people on the street and having them cry with the spirit of knowing it is true and that they are loved; many for the first time.

I choked up and we all three cried as I bore witness to her that if nothing else she knows that Heavenly Father loves her and will always be there for her and that yes there is a God. I felt so much love for her and for our Heavenly Father. This simple two page lesson was perfect. I felt a strong testimony that this manual will be wonderful for our gospel study this year.

Missionary work is so powerful! The only other time that I have felt the love of God so strong was when I was on splits with the sisters and bore witness to a drugy lady in the middle of a huge apartment complex on a Saturday afternoon that her Heavenly Father knows and loves her and wants her to be happy. We prayed, hugged and cried and felt the Lord’s spirit manifest so strongly.
I am so glad for the knowledge that I have a Loving Heavenly Father.

After the Manner of the Lord

2009-12-12T06:33:00.000-08:00

Dan had to give the 5th Sunday lesson in churh on Nov. 29. It just so happened that it was the day of our Homecoming and Farewell so I was home feeding a house full of people and didn't get to hear him. Danielle had helped him create a nice handout and develop his subject of developing strong families and marriages. She shared a scripture reference that she had pondered while on her misison found in the first verses of Mosiah 18:

1 And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship.

2 Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.

3 And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.

4 And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship, according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was good, and that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine; wherefore, they did humble themselves again before the Lord.

He made the connection that in raising our families we should not do it after the manner of men, but after the manner that the Lord has shown us. How do we get those blue prints of parenting? By following the words of the prophets and His word in His holy scriptures.

We are often asked how we have raised such great kids. I believe that the best answer I can give is that we have tried to raise them after the manner of God, not following the ways of the world. We are far from perfect, but we have a strong testimony that if we follow the commandments and promises of the Lord and his mouthpieces upon this latter-day earth, we will be blessed.

Some of our "secrets to raising great kids":

1. Hold daily family prayer
2. Read the scriptures daily as a family and individually
3. Hold regular Family Home Evening
4. Eat dinner as a family every night gathered around the table
5. Get all the education that you can
6. Exercise
7. Serve others
8. Learn from the mistakes of others so you don't have to go through the pain and suffering yourself
9. Go to church and worship every Sunday
10. Attend the temple often
11. Cherish your family roots and history

A few other things that we have done as parents that are different from the ways of men:

We do not have cable TV and watch very little TV (basically just the news occasionally).
We have never owned a gaming system for the TV.
We very seldom go out to the movies because we usually find questionable material.
If we watch movies at home, we do it as a family event.

So what do we do with our time instead? See numbers 1-11 above!

Consider on the blessed and happy...

2009-11-20T06:19:00.000-08:00

I went for an early morning walk around my neighborhood and was pondering the fact that my daughter had just returned from a successful 18 month mission and that my son was preparing to depart on a two year mission and I felt extremely happy and blessed and tears rolled down my eyes. I kept thinking of the words of a scripture "Consider on the blessed and happy state". I couldn't recall how the rest of the scripture went, but I felt such peace as I considered how blessed and happy I was right then at that very moment! Life is good.

Later, I shared that thought with my family at family prayer time and and started to recite it and both Justin and Lindsey our returned missionaries piped right up and finished quoting the scripture and its reference:
Mosiah 2: 41

41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

I am grateful that my children have chosen to keep the commandments. I, in no way, feel so qualified but the blessings promised in this verse are amazing. It certainly makes me want to try a little harder to be a little better. Knowing what great joy that I feel in this moment it makes me desire to have the promised blessing to "dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness!"

Consider...

So Blessed

2009-10-26T21:13:00.000-07:00

In church on Sunday, Dan was conducting in sacrament meeting and was announcing the upcoming ward temple night. He remarked that Dawson would be receiving his own endowment at the next ward temple night and that our daughter, Lindsey, will have just returned from her mission the day before and would be with us. As he said these words I became over come with emotion and gratitude for my family. So blessed to have one child returning and one preparing to serve the Lord! I teared up as I felt the Love of the Lord envelope me with gratitude and joy! Sydne Davies remarked to me later that day that she experienced that same feeling of happiness when Dan spoke those words. She has a daughter serving in Canada as well.

I had told someone that I was glad that we get one month off in December from paying our $400. mission payment. When I considered that later, I realized that it was a priveledge to have a missionary serving and that $400. monthy payment is a small price to pay for the blessings that come from having a missionary serving the Lord.

With Andrew planning a mission in the future (he is age 15), it is joy to parents to have all four children choose to serve the Lord as missionaries.

Danielle Washington DC North and temple visitor center
Lindsey Vancouver Canada
Dawson San Jose California Spanish speaking
Andrew ?

Apryl Flake Troyer Youth Missionary Story

2009-08-31T21:06:00.000-07:00

Apryl,I did not know about your father's passing. Jim told me about your father's illness when we saw each other at Lois Wheeler's funeral, but I had no idea his time to cross the veil would come so soon. I sent your parents a Christmas card last December and your mother wrote back at that time. Please give her my love and best wishes next time you see her. I really thought a lot of your folks, and your father probably taught me as much or more of the gospel as anybody did, including the General Authorities who wrote books that I read.Tell Art I'm jealous that he gets to teach seminary full-time, but it's a good jealous and I'm glad for him.I plan to catch up more later, but for now I'll let you know our address:Ken & Martha Hurst1256 Norman DrLeeds, AL 35094(205) 699-3731We don't travel much, but if we're ever within half a day's drive of you, we'll certainly try to see you guys.Love and thanks,Ken H.---------- Original Message ----------From: Apryl Troyer <ateam8@yahoo.com>To: "kenwhurst@juno.com" <kenwhurst@juno.com>Subject: Re: New Era submissionDate: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:20:01 -0700 (PDT)Ken. . .that is really a neat story, I never knew your side of it. It was so good to hear from you and to learn life has treated you well. Good ole Northwest High wasn't one of my favorite memories but there were some cool things about it. Sounds like you have a neat family and an awesome testimony. I forgot where you said you were living now. We're in St. George Utah, Art teaches Seminary and loves it, I got a Real Estate license at a very bad time to start selling houses. All our crazy kids are grown and married, one of our sons is my Broker so that's kind of fun. My dad passed away in January this year and we have mom out here living next to the Temple where she serves. If you're ever in Utah come visit; winter is the best time, as it sure gets hot here in the summer. Thanks again for sharing your story. Take CareApryl________________________________From: "kenwhurst@juno.com" kenwhurst@juno.comTo: ateam8@yahoo.comSent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 5:59:35 PMSubject: New Era submissionDear Art & Apryl,Here is the text of what I sent to the New Era. (What they print is another matter, of course. I sent a page and a half to the Ensign once, and they accepted 2 hugely edited paragraphs of it.)I plan to send you guys a second e-mail in the near future to catch up on what's gone on since we last saw each other -- when was that? Was that the time we went to SLC together to see President Carter get an award from President Kimball? Gosh, that was 30 years ago!Ken HurstHere's the article text:An Example, An Invitation, and the Book of Mormon “So what do Mormons believe?” Dale asked Apryl. “Do you believe in the Bible?” “Yes,” Apryl answered, “we believe in the Bible and in the Book of Mormon.” What in the world, I wondered, was the Book of Mormon? This was during study hall my junior year of high school. Those of us who took driver's education together during the first semester stayed together at study hall the during same period the second semester. Apryl's family moved into our Tennessee community shortly after second semester began, and Apryl was assigned to our study hall. We driver's education alumni decided to sit at the same table she was sitting at, and quickly absorbed her into our group. There was something different about Apryl, and it was a good difference. We eventually discovered she was Mormon. When Dale asked about believing the Bible and Apryl answered about believing the Bible and the Book of Mormon, I was too shy to ask what the Book of Mormon was. I expected someone else in the group to ask for me, but no one did. A few days later Apryl brought a paperback copy of the Book of Mormon to school with her so that she could mark selected passages for the missionaries. “Wonderful!” I thought. “Now I'll get a chance to learn about this thing.” However, that was the moment a teacher approached me with an errand to to for him. By the time I returned, study hall had ended and lunch had begun. I got my lunch tray and sat down at a vacant table -- vacant except for Apryl's books in a small stack. On top of the stack was the missionary Book of Mormon. I reached over and picked it up. “I'm looking at your book,” I told Apryl when she arrived a few minutes later with her lunch tray. “Okay,” she said, looking a little surprised. School lunch periods are not very long, and I did not get to see much of what was inside the book. I did manage to read the section titled “Origin of the Book of Mormon,” which told of the visitation of the angel Moroni to Joseph Smith, and the translation of the gold Book of Mormon plates. I was fascinated. I believed in God, but I also I considered myself a science-oriented type of person, and I normally would not give much credence to modern angel tales. What I read, however, had a ring of truth to it. It really could have happened. And if it did, then – what? It stirred my soul to think about it. Lunch period ended all too soon. I returned Apryl's book to her and went to my next class. I was excited about the possibilities presented by the Book of Mormon's existence, but I was still too shy to talk to her about it. A few weeks later I was working on homework during study hall. Apryl suddenly appeared beside me, an unusually serious look on her face. “Are you really interested in learning about my religion?” she asked me. I was, and I told her so. “There's going to be a special meeting this Friday that's for people who want to learn about our church,” she said. “I'm taking some of my friends. My father's driving. I wondered if you might want to go.” The special meeting was a presentation by the president of the Kentucky-Tennessee Mission describing the basic teachings of the church. Some issues he raised, such as what happens to infants who die unbaptized, were things I had wondered about before. Others, such as eternal marriage, were completely new to me. All of what he said made seemed to make good sense. I began taking the missionary lessons. On the one hand, what I learned was easy to believe. The apostasy, the need for a restoration of the gospel, and the way the restoration was carried out were all logical. The doctrines felt true, and were consistent with my understanding of the Bible. On the other hand, I was not instantly converted. I was reluctant to make any commitments. It took weeks and months of pondering and study before I was ready to consider leaving my protestant heritage and officially joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It wasn't until after fasting and prayer that I received my testimony and was baptized into the church. Since that time I have served a mission, married in the temple, and served in a variety of callings. For years I have told people that I was brought into the church by a member who was both a good example and who also had the courage to open her mouth and invite me to church. But I see now that there was a third factor: the Book of Mormon. Would I have accepted Apryl's invitation had I not peeked inside her Book of Mormon? I don't know. What I do know is that the story of its divine origin made me want to know if it was really true. When the Lord confirmed the truthfulness of it to me, I knew that I could trust what was written in the Book of Mormon to be the words of the Lord every bit as much as the words in the Bible were, and that they would show me all things that I should do (see 2 Nephi 32:3.) My life is very different from what it would have been had I not embraced the restored gospel, and it's a good difference.

School of Life

2009-08-20T20:26:00.000-07:00

The School of Life: Learn to school your toughtest opponent.
I have been using this program in my teacher adisory class at Millcreek High School for several years. It is great, simple advice for all ages. Attached is a news clip about the program featuring myself and several of my colleages commenting abaout the program.

http://www.kcsg.com/news/local/35781284.html?video=YHI&t=a

Tender Mercies from the Lord

2009-08-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

I just received this email from a former student that I had taught last year. I had filled out a referral card with her name on it and given it to the sister missionaries that I had been working with earlier this summer. The timing turned out to be just right as I had forgotten to give it to them a few times. The Lord knows and loves Jamie and her young son Raymond. As I read this email to my family, I choked up and was overcome with the love and tender mercy of the Lord.

hey mys flake its me jamie brinkerhoff.
you might want to sit down for this cause i have some wierd news to tell u that u might be shocked about.
well i got a call from the st george temple 2nite (june 25, 2009) they called and told me u went there and that u thought about me the whole time u were there. well this might sound wierd to you but tuesday night (june 23, 2009) i talked to my parents about wanting to go back to church and going through the temple. so thanx for telling them to call me and getting me signed up for the missionaries. it means alot to me that u did that so thanx. i think this can help me reach my goal.sincerely jamie brinkerhoff :) thanx again love ya

On Becoming a Mother for the First Time

2009-06-10T05:45:00.000-07:00

As I anticipate the birth of my first grandchild, I reflect on my experience of giving birth to Danielle on March 28, 1984. (Dan and I were married on July 28, 1982. I was 21 years old when I got married and 23 years old at the time of her birth. This worked well for us.) The following is what I recorded in my journal after her birth.

“What a beautiful baby! Boy, you sure had a lot of hair, real dark. I kind of knew from the start, that you would be a girl. I even bought your blessing dress before you were born. (Ultra sounds were not common then.)

The day we’d been anticipating for so long, finally arrived. I had a real easy pregnancy—a few bad headaches and a little nausea but nothing compared to a lot of women. I didn’t get real big and people always commented about that. You were a real mover. I told people you’d be a good dancer. I loved it.

When you were born, it was hard to imagine that you had actually been what had been making me fat. How did you ever survive in there and that exhilarating delivery?
No words can describe a mother’s feelings when she gives birth to a living child. It is so special. I feel excited for the next one.

I tried to nurse you for a month, but you weren’t gaining weight like you should have, so we put you on formula. You were a very good baby. You didn’t sleep through the night very good, but Daddy was always really good to take turns getting up with you. We are always so proud of you. I like to take you with me just because I can show you off. I am so glad that you are really pretty. I guess parents always worry about that!”

I’ll try and find what I wrote after each of the other children was born…Good luck Steve and Danielle. You will be great parents!

Remember Gratitude

2009-06-07T16:16:00.000-07:00

January 27, 2008

Offering Gratitude

O Remember, Remember by President Henry B. Eyring

Today’s fourth Sunday Conference talk was given by Cindy Thompson. It was the first talk given by Pres. Eyring after he was named a counselor in the first presidency.
He tells of how he was told in his mind—not in his own voice—these words: “I’m not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down.”

He says, “I went inside. I took out some paper and began to write. And as I did, I understood the message I had heard in my mind. I was supposed to record for my children to read, someday in the future, how I had seen the hand of God blessing our family. And so I wrote it down, so that my children could have the memory someday when they would need it. I wrote down a few lines every day for years. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.

More than gratitude began to grow in my heart.
Testimony grew
I felt more gratitude for the atonement of the Savior
I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance

Cindy Thompson commented that you have to learn to ponder and that it’s fun. Pres. Eyring concludes that it can change our natures as we keep our part of the promise from the Sacrament prayer to always remember Him, keep His commandments and take His name upon us. He says that “it brings me joy to remember Him!” I agree…

I shared a special experience that I had this week in Maui. It is three hours later in Hawaii so I woke early every morning, because I was used to waking up at 6:00 am which was really like 9:00 am and sleeping in there. I would go down to the beach in front of our Condo and walk along the beach to exercise and enjoy the beauty. Some days, Dan and or the children would come along, but on this day, I was alone. I had walked out on the street a few blocks and then was drawn to the beautiful ocean. I took off my walking shoes and enjoyed the feel of the sand in between my toes as I walked along the beach.

I paused and reflected on the beauty of the masterpiece painting before me as I watched the moon set and the reflection of the sun rising to the East. The clouds on the horizon looked like cotton candy with their hues of soft pink and violet against the soft blue sky.
I was overcome with gratitude for the beautiful sight before me. As I stood there, I closed my eyes and said my morning prayer, giving thanks for the beauty of the world.

When I opened my eyes, I was delighted and surprised to see a see lion (sea monk) just a few feet straight ahead of me in the shallow ocean waves having his morning bath. He frolicked in front of me for several minutes, enjoying the beautiful morning with me before swimming back into the sea. The thought ran through my mind that Heavenly Father had heard and acknowledged my prayer of gratitude and simply wanted to send me another moment of pleasure to let me know that he was happy that I enjoyed his beautiful creations.

Because of Pres. Eyring’s talk and Sis. Thompson’s lesson, I’ll record this memory for future reflection.

Please View the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF01BQAcj8E&feature=channel

Service

2009-06-07T15:27:00.000-07:00

Dan has been in the Bishopric of the Little Valley II ward for two months now. As he has had increased opportunities to speak publicly, I am hearing new stories from his life that I have never heard before. When asked to speak about service, he told the story of when he went to work on the Stake Beehive Farm in the Nashville stake as a youth. They had run out of protective clothing but he still wanted to help, so he buttoned up the cuffs and neck of his collared shirt, put a net over his face and went forth to help retrieve the honey from the busy honey bees.
Suddenly he felt and heard a bee frantically buzzing and stinging under the back of his shirt. Instinctively he panicked and tried to free the venomous bee from underneath his shirt. He bent over and grabbed the tails of his shirt and ripped if off his head to avoid further stings from the attacking bee as he ran from the hives toward freedom. What was left when he got far enough away and could no longer hear the buzzing of furious bees were just the tightly secured cuffs from his shirt and a few bee stings!
The moral of this story is make sure that you are prepared with the “whole armor of God” when facing a hive of bees and more importantly it is to always be willing to serve when asked and do so willing and make it fun. We have enjoyed being able to spend many hours thinning and picking peaches and apricots at the Hurricane church fruit farm and helping at the local cannery. We make a game of the situation, enjoy in lively conversation and make new friends as we enjoy the blessings of service. You can throw a few hard unripe apricots at an unsuspecting coworker or share lives experiences as you work side by side and help the hours pass far too quickly. So what if you have to arise before dawn on a Saturday morning or don a hairnet and gloves in high fashion. Service always brings more blessings than the sacrifice offered.

Don't Give Up What You Want Most, for What You Want Now!

2009-06-07T15:26:00.000-07:00

I first found this thought on a sign hanging in my room at the old Millcreek High School in Washington when I first started teaching there. It became my motto as a teacher to share with my students the secret of how to find success and make it to the finish line of high school graduation. It hangs in my current classroom and on the bulletin board in my son’s room.
When asked by a classmate if you want to sluff next period and go get breakfast, think about what you want most. Is getting a sluff and a potential No Grade taking you closer to your goal of graduation? If it is not, be tuff and say no, let’s wait for the lunch break and then go.
When the alarm goes off in the morning and you haven’t had much sleep, overrule the idea of turning off the alarm and going back to sleep with the notion that going to school is going to get you closer to your dream.
When you are tempted to drop out of college and take a job that pays pretty decent money, DON’T! Think of the 40 plus years that you are going to spend in the workforce and increase in salary that you will get if you have a degree on your resume! Put off the temptation to give up and go for the diploma!
When you want to give into satisfying that sweet tooth and indulge in massive calorie intake while dieting, don’t! Remember what you want most is to fit into that summer swimming suit without feeling uncomfortable.
When you are dating that someone special and are tempted to become a little to intimate, Don’t! Remember that goal of being sealed for all time and eternity in the House of the Lord will bring far greater pleasure and happiness.
Remember what you want most and don’t give in to the short term pleasure! The long term goal is worth waiting for.

Take Time to Live Your Life

2009-06-07T15:24:00.000-07:00

Probably no other complaint is voiced more often than not having enough time.
“I don’t have time to pursue my dreams or to even know what my dreams are. I don’t have time for me, for my family and friends. Basically, I don’t have time to live my life.”

Passion is the ultimate time management tool for two reasons. First, when you are doing what you love, who cares about time? When you are with someone special, or listening to a great piece of music, or painting or volunteering, doesn’t time just fly by? Second, when you are doing what you love it often gets done faster.

The way we spend our time is the way we spend our lives. Can you slow down enough to get “in synch” with life, nature, and most importantly, yourself? Tune in to your rhythm and natural pulse. Take off your watch and give yourself a day off. Eat when you’re hungry and sleep when you’re tired so you can discover who you are, what you need and what works best for you.

Make a date with yourself, every day if possible. Even if for only a half hour, carving out time for you is a great act of generosity. Your work can usually wait a half hour, but your soul can’t.

Whether we like it or not, the clock keeps ticking so live fully, every single second of every single day. Learn the true joy of doing less and having more as you experience each day as priceless. Fill your life with as many precious moments and experiences of joy and passion as you humanly can.

(An excerpt from Dreams Are Whispers from the Soul)

Lesson from The Can Lady

2009-06-07T15:23:00.000-07:00

When I was in high school there wasn’t that much to do for excitement if you didn’t drink, get high, or break the law. I’m talking living on the edge excitement. Well, one thing that we found to do, I am not very proud of. In the Logan area in 1977-79 ish, there was a homeless lady that everyone called ‘the can lady.’ You would see her around the area with a big sack that she used to collect cans in. I’m sure that she turned these in to the recycling place for cash so she could have a little money to sustain herself with.
Well, on nights when we were bored with dragging main and wanted to do something else exciting, we would go in search of ‘the can lady’ and try to sneak up close to her and snap a picture of her. It is not like we thought that she might hurt us, it was just the adrenaline rush of getting into someone’s private space and stealing a picture.
She could usually be found in a park or public street looking for those inestimable cans. We’d take our little Kodak 110 $20.00 cameras and proceed with our investigative photography. We’d sneak close, snap a picture and then take off. We found that when we got close to her and saw her face that she resembled a deer. Obviously she had been in some kind of an accident and had somehow had her face deformed by fire or other life changing event. She always wore a scarf around her head so it was very difficult to see her deformed face. Thus the excitement of the mission.
We probably had five or six successful missions over a two year time frame. This was just a random Friday or Saturday night past time. On one particular evening, my view of the ‘can lady’ changed as I snuck up close on my prey, secured my picture, and proceeded to make my departure. It was when I was close enough to catch the view of a small watery glimmer running down her face, below her eye, that I realized that she had a tear on her face. She was a human being, not an animal to be stalked! Here I was a Young Woman of Excellence who Stands for Truth and Righteousness, a Child of God; torturing another of our Heavenly Father’s creations. I took a giant step backward! I was slapped in the face with my unkindly acts. How could I be so demeaning and cruel?
I ran back to the waiting getaway car, reported my findings and immediately felt repentant. How could I possibly make up for my actions? My only thought for the moment was to go and give her something and ask for forgiveness. I took the few dollars that I had for my late night slurpee run and took the long, uneasy walk back to my fellow ‘sister’, the can lady. I spoke to her back and told her that I was sorry and dropped my small token of penance and left a changed person, never to harass a less fortunate person again.
Last night I attended the movie “The Soloist.” It is the true story of a homeless man in downtown LA. He was a gifted musician who happened to be plagued with mental illness. The movie was very powerful and again reminded me that all these people are children of God.
The lesson to be learned is to never judge another human being. Reach out with a lifting hand to all. Yes, they may take your small donation and go buy liquor or they may be able to buy a hot sandwich off the value menu and receive a small sustenance that will help them face another lonely day.

A Mission Changes Your Perception of Yourself

2009-06-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

One thing I remember about my mission was how it gave me a perspective on myself. You can learn a lot from other missionaries that you can try to incorporate in your life to help you improve. Quite often you can see others mistakes and avoid making them yourself. It helps to make you a better missionary and prepares you for your future life. It will help you to make good decisions in the future that will lead you to achieve your goals. A lot of growth comes from the experiences of your mission.
The most valuable lessons often come at a high price. Sometimes you have to be very patient to learn patience, or you may have to be very humbled to learn humility. Many of the great attributes that we know the Savior has must be experienced to become your strength as well. A mission is a great controlled environment to give you these opportunities for growth that will define you for the rest of your life. You may never get this kind of training again. It’s like a one on one training relationship with the Savior in an environment where he can give you the most attention.
It’s like in the movie Karate Kid where Daniel is painting Mr. Miyagi’s fences and sanding his decks and washing his car so that he can learn Karate from the Master Miyagi. All the time he is doing this waiting for Mr. Miyagi’s great lessons, he doesn’t realize he is already being taught. While you are experiencing some really great lessons and also some trying lessons you are being prepared for the even greater lessons that are to come in an environment that the Savior can best teach you in. You are in his loving care, and he is very mindful of you and how he is preparing you for many great things to come. You will learn so much.
Enjoy your training as you learn from the greatest master teacher you can have while in the exact place he wants you to be doing exactly what he wants you to do. I love you and know that some of the lessons you learn are difficult, but I have confidence in you and I know how tough you are. YOU WILL BE GREAT.
Love, Dad
(Dan’s advice to Lindsey while serving in the Vancouver, BC, Canada Mission, 2008)

To a Child, Love is Spelled T-I-M-E

2009-06-07T15:16:00.000-07:00

In the faint light of the attic, an old man, tall and stooped, bent his great frame and made his way to a stack of boxes that sat near one of the little half-windows. Brushing aside a wisp of cobwebs, he tilted the top box toward the light and began to carefully lift out one old photograph album after another. Eyes once bright but now dim searched longingly for the source that had drawn him here.
It began with the fond recollection of the love of his life, long gone, and somewhere in these albums was a photo of her he hoped to rediscover. Silent as a mouse, he patiently opened the long buried treasures and soon was lost in a sea of memories. Although his world had not stopped spinning when his wife left it, the past was more alive in his heart than his present aloneness.
Setting aside one of the dusty albums, he pulled from the box what appeared to be a journal from his grown son's childhood. He could not recall ever having seen it before, or that his son had ever kept a journal. Why did Elizabeth always save the children's old junk? he wondered, shaking his white head.
Opening the yellowed pages, he glanced over a short reading, and his lips curved in an unconscious smile. Even his eyes brightened as he read the words that spoke clear and sweet to his soul. It was the voice of the little boy who had grown up far too fast in this very house, and whose voice had grown fainter and fainter over the years. In the utter silence of the attic, the words of a guileless six-year-old worked their magic and carried the old man back to a time almost totally forgotten.
Entry after entry stirred a sentimental hunger in his heart like the longing a gardener feels in the winter for the fragrance of spring flowers. But it was accompanied by the painful memory that his son's simple recollections of those days were far different from his own. But how different?
Reminded that he had kept a daily journal of his business activities over the years, he closed his son's journal and turned to leave, having forgotten the cherished photo that originally triggered his search. Hunched over to keep from bumping his head on the rafters, the old man stepped to the wooden stairway and made his descent, then headed down a carpeted stairway that led to the den.
Opening a glass cabinet door, he reached in and pulled out an old business journal. Turning, he sat down at his desk and placed the two journals beside each other. His was leather-bound and engraved neatly with his name in gold, while his son's was tattered and the name "Jimmy" had been nearly scuffed from its surface. He ran a long skinny finger over the letters, as though he could restore what had been worn away with time and use.
As he opened his journal, the old man's eyes fell upon an inscription that stood out because it was so brief in comparison to other days. In his own neat handwriting were these words:
Wasted the whole day fishing with Jimmy. Didn't catch a thing.
With a deep sigh and a shaking hand, he took Jimmy's journal and found the boy's entry for the same day, June 4. Large scrawling letters, pressed deeply into the paper, read:
Went fishing with my dad. Best day of my life.

Life's Little Annoyances Can be Great Blessings

2009-05-05T16:49:00.000-07:00

Christmas just passed and the new year is almost here. I hope nobody stressed too much and that you are all relaxed from celebrating this most beautiful, wondrous time of the year. And that you are ready to welcome 2007 with all of its promises. If you're the teeniest bit stressed, I'd like you to stop for a few minutes and contemplate the points in the following message that one of my daughters received from her mother in law who'd received it from someone else. The original sender has been lost on the electron highway.
"The head of a company survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten. Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts. A woman was late for work at the twin towers because her alarm clock didn't go off on time. One person was late because an auto accident closed the New Jersey Turnpike. Another missed his bus.
"One spilled food on her clothes and took time to change. Another's car wouldn't start.
"Another went back to answer the telephone. One couldn't get a taxi, another had a child that dawdled.
"One man put on a new pair of shoes which gave him blisters, so before he arrived for work at the Pentagon, he stopped to buy a Band-Aid.
"Now, when I'm stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephone, all the little things that annoy me, I think to myself, 'this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment.'
"The next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow at getting dressed, you can't find the car keys, you hit every red light, don't get mad or frustrated; God is at work watching over you. May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things and may you remember their possible purpose."
I think this message about the little annoyances in our lives, especially as we begin a new year, should remind us that our reactions to whatever happens to us are the key to feeling God's love.

The Meaning of Life

2009-05-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

Everyone needs to have meaning in life—a reason to get out of bed. As a generally optimistic person this comes fairly easy to me. But the times that I feel that I have no meaning or purpose, I get a small glimmer of what it is like to be depressed and otherwise in wonder of what the meaning of life is.
I have just completed reading Viktor E. Frankl’s book, “Man’s Search for Meaning”. I have wanted to read it for years after hearing it quoted from on many occasions. I finally bought it while killing time at the UVSC bookstore while waiting around for Lindsey’s Miss UVSC practice. It was a great bargain for $6.99.
Viktor tells the story of his experience while in the concentration camps during the Holocaust. As a psychotherapist he states that “it is a peculiarity of man that he can only live by looking to the future. And this is his salvation in the most difficult moments of his existence, although he sometimes has to force his mind to the task”.
He also quotes Nietzsche, “He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how. This could be the guiding motto for all psychotherapeutic efforts.”
‘Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.’ Therefore, tasks give purpose, and purpose gives us a will to live and get out of bed the next day.
Sometimes this will is from just looking forward to the next meal, or a craving for something. It often comes to me as I look toward the weekend, or a special event. Thus, we need to place items in our lives that we can look forward to: a trip in the future, a get together with friends or loved ones, or a chance to sit down and read a book or do something that we enjoy.
Latter day saints have a built in goal to look forward to and that is eternal life to be spent with loved ones in a celestial world with a promise of a painless existence with a perfected body. On a whole, we should be optimistic with this hope at all times, but after a big event, I tend to get that let down feeling. I’ve accomplished something, completed a trip, finished up a major project and now what. I can lie in bed and feel lazy and wonder what I should get up and do. I’m glad that this feeling doesn’t come around too often. May we always find meaning and purpose in life.