Spring cleaning

Fam,

I know. With summer ending and fall in full swing, the title of this email sounds like it is several months late, but we all know things often take longer than expected. A year ago we were telling Gma to throw away those boxes of paraphernalia bumping around in her garage for several years now. I would smile to myself when I saw the old things she was keeping…then I helped your mom with a little spring cleaning of our own.

We were straightening up the bedrooms and preparing a craft room upstairs. I carried mattresses, made beds, situated stacking units, and emptied the hallway. We got a lot done. All was going well when your mom reminded me that she had some things I needed to bring up from the basement—destined for DI. “No problem,” I called to her. We were really making headway. I went downstairs to get the junk and carry it upstairs.

When I entered the room where she was working, I found my stereo and speaker system had been placed in the middle of the room.

“We can’t get rid of this,” I said half serious. I had tried in vain to get you children to use this system, and I was seriously thinking I could still convince my youngest. I mean it has an Acoustic Controlled Amplifier AX401 with direct coupled power stages. Admittedly, the Stereo Cassette Deck is not really practical, but even that has a high density head and dual motor transport mechanism. Same thing goes for the Automatic Stereo Turntable system. But let’s not forget that it also includes a Quartz Lock Digital Synthesizer with 30 station preset and FM Stereo/AM-FM radio tuner. Plus, the 5-disc cd player with 4 times oversampling digital filter is really impressive. Your mom just rolled her eyes.

Desperate for someone to understand, I said “At least Emily could use the cd player.” Calmly mom responded “She doesn’t even own cds anymore.” Sheepishly, I carried the components upstairs. The stereo cabinet was a little awkward and heavy, so I asked my Emily to help me lift it into the back of the car. I appreciated being able to share my feelings with someone who could really understand. "When I was young, I would have loved this system," I said. Further, I explained that in my day this was the optimal music equipment. And it seems somebody should still want it. I thought of my brothers and sisters and their children. Looking for sympathy, I continued. “Do you think any of your cousins would like this?” I asked her as we situated this classic piece in the back of mom's car. That's when Emily looked straight at me and somewhat startled pulled out her earbuds and asked “What did you say dad?”

At that moment I thought of my sweet mother-in-law and the boxes in her garage. I realized she was probably keeping those things so she could give them to us and her grandchildren someday. And it’s not that easy for any of us to give up things, even when they are out-of-date and absolutely impractical.

And I wondered how many other little habits or debaucheries we hold on to when we really ought to rid ourselves of these vices and cleanse the inner vessel for good. It can creep up on us. It happens to us all. We are less patient, understanding, and loving than we should be. Our favorite habits and comfortable shortcomings are hard to abandon. Yet we can all be more committed, obedient, kind, and thoughtful. We should rid ourselves of our favorite behaviors that are less than admirable and replace them with upstanding characteristics that mimic our Example.

It makes perfect sense to all of us when we are talking about technology. It should also ring a bell when we are talking about habits.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click the picture.

I love the parable of the Prodigal Son. Sometimes, what is really important and relevant in our lives is pushed to the side in preference to less admirable behaviors, responsibilities, or selfish desires. This parable has application in all our lives today, just as much as when it was originally spoken more than 2000 years ago. I can relate. 

Another favorite scripture story I really enjoy occurs when the crowds surrounding the Savior make him somewhat inaccessible.  Friends of a man stricken with palsy break open the roof into the chamber where Jesus is teaching. Then, my favorite part of the video occurs. After lowering the man from the roof, the men drop the ropes, in effect showing their faith in the Lord's ability to heal this man, which the Lord does. Jesus frees him by first forgiving him and then saying "Arise. Take up the bed, and go thy way into thine house." This small man does something giant with the Lord's help. He stands up on his own, lifts his bed, and carries it away.

Palsy is paralysis, which is accompanied by involuntary tremors. I think I know something about that.   

Many years ago, I too was dropped--this time on the pavement--into a situation from which I could not free myself. But through good doctors, mindful friends, and a beloved family then and today, the Lord raised me up and has given me hope, happiness, and freedom well beyond my own ability. I know of his power because I have experienced it.

Though his words were spoken to men long ago, his message still resonates for all of us.

Regardless of our circumstance, the solution is the same. I know something about that as well.   

Access to the Lord and his gospel can free us from the vices of our day and provide power, help, and forgiveness.

That's all part of the plan.

I love you, dad

Delivery

No. I do not work for Dominos , nor do I deliver pizza—not even close—but I do want to speak about delivery and how it gets done better than even the pizza-delivery-mega-machine Dominos does it. Now this might reach outside your comfort zone and what you believe is the best delivery method, but stay with me, and I think you will agree.

There are 35 million pounds of potatoes grown in the United States every year. That is a lot of fries and potato chips. And when you think about it, we don’t even eat potatoes in their own right. What I mean to say is potatoes are rarely eaten alone. Flavors or butter and sour cream or ketchup are often loaded on the potato to make it more palatable. So why do we grow so many potatoes in this country? There are many reasons, but certainly one of them is taste.

Potato chips are a method of delivering flavor. That’s right. We eat potato chips to enjoy flavors. Barbecue, jalapeño, sour cream and onion, or other delicious tastes are the desired end result. Think about it. We rarely eat a plain potato chip—sour cream & chives, bacon, cheddar cheese, BBQ, or ranch—you name it. Potatoes deliver flavor. And if you’re like me, you may say that you like your fries plain and don’t need the litany of dips, ketchup, or fry sauce available, but even then most people put salt on the tasty tubular morsels… And that is just fine, because the job of a potato is to be a method of delivering wonderful flavors. We can all agree on that. And how is it doing? Is the potato chip succeeding at its job?

According to a report on the Internet, 513.5 million cwt of potatoes were grown in the United States alone in the year 2000 (cwt is a hundredweight or equal to 100 pounds). Another site estimated 42 billion pounds grown in the US. That’s a lot of potatoes per person any way you slice it. The top producer of potatoes is Idaho with 350,000 acres planted in 2012. So if there is so much effort exerted to deliver a positive experience with potatoes and deliver the flavors we crave, how much more should we be focusing on the delivery of something really important—like happiness?

Despite the large number of people interested in potatoes, a lot more are eager to attain happiness in their lives—all of us, in fact. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the method of delivering true happiness. I happen to believe that we spend too much time trying to distinguish between what is public, personal, religious, political, social, and/or ecclesiastical. It is all religious from God’s perspective, and so the answer to all of life’s challenges are found therein. Too broad of a claim? I think not. Read on.

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 (Mosiah 2:41).

I had the opportunity to visit paradise recently. Now if you are thinking I had an out-of-body experience of sorts, I am actually talking about taking a trip to Hawaii, which is frequently referred to as paradise. Why? Admittedly, the Hawaiian Islands are appealing, but why would the Islands be referred to as paradise? That is a pretty lofty claim. Does it hold muster?

Well… I suppose it is a personal opinion, but my answer is in the affirmative. Probably, the warmth, hospitality, and beauty of the Aloha state make it a fine candidate. Flavors of Hawaii come in all sorts. The beautiful landscapes engender in the mind visions of what heaven must be like; yet even then, I have only seen a glimpse of what the islands have to offer.

With Youtube and Flickr and thousands of posts on the Internet, we can have a pretty good idea of its offerings, but even then it is not the same as being there to experience its smells, sounds, and services. They are truly incredible. Still, our lack of time and money prevent us from experiencing it all—and even if we could, we are told that our fondest imagination cannot even fathom the reward in store for those that love and serve God.

So what delivers happiness in this life? I contend that the gospel of Jesus Christ does it here and now.

And our reward lasts into the next life as well—for eternity.

We give everything we have—nothing more, nothing less. And in return, all the Father has can be ours.

Many young men today are fine examples to me. I want to be able to say what Taylor articulates so well in the video below:

“The Savior gave everything to me. He gave his life for me. And when I get back to his kingdom someday, I want to be able to look him in the eye and tell him ‘Man. I gave you everything I had. I really did. Just like you gave me everything you had… and I guess that’s where I find the drive to do those things.”

I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in the gospel of Jesus Christ and share with my family the joy and happiness that comes to those who have joined the feast. I have seen its effectiveness.

We should all strive for the real delivery that matters.

I am a witness that it does really matter.

Watch yourselves

I wish to emphasize the importance of keeping the commandments of God. The great deception of this world is that happiness is a product of what happens to us.

Happiness is a gift to the obedient.

May I begin today with a story…

We have been in our local congregation for 16 years—my how time flies. The majority of our children have graduated from American Fork High School and essentially our family has grown up in this little community.

But it all started in Provo, Utah actually. I had just returned from my mission and started attending school at BYU. I lived a few miles off campus at the time with my sister and her little boy. In addition to going to various classes where I met other students, my social interaction was BYU dances. These were way back in the day when live bands played at these events.

Because I was staying off campus, BYU dances on the weekends was a big part of my social life. I was released from my mission just six months prior. I had just finished Dance 180 weeks earlier and enrolled in Dance 280, so I thought I was well-prepared. But looking back, I had no idea what I as getting into. After one night in particular, my life would never be the same.

As I remember, for some reason I arrived at the dance early. Yes. This was basically … in the olden days (when the best dances consisted of live bands), and the group was still setting up their equipment in the Garden Court on campus at the Wilkinson Center. So I was trying in to play it cool.

Meanwhile, a particular young lady prepared for and attended the dance that evening. When I saw her, I asked if she would like to take a turn with me. She told me her name and joined me on the dance floor.

She danced her way into my heart that night and every day since. We have six beautiful children and recently four incredible grandsons. I love being with my wife and family.

Thank you for allowing me to reminisce. Now you know a little bit more about me and your mother. Some of you are just now beginning the trek we started nearly forty years ago, but there is a purpose in my sharing these details with you

Yes. You could say that your mother and I were quite the pair. I want to speak with you today about pairs. There are lots of pairs. They often go well together.

Some are opposites:

Good and bad / Hot and cold / Light and dark / Top and bottom / Health and sickness

And some pairs have similarities:

Lock and key / Mom and dad / Cowboys and Indians / Bed and Breakfast

OK. So what would you come up with to pair with the word obedience? Compliance, agreement, respect. Those are all good options, but when I consider the word obedience, I would pair it with “blessings.”

Have you ever felt that Heavenly Father keeps blessings to himself instead of freely sharing them with all of us? No. In reality, He showers us with all the blessings that He can:

• Beautiful sunshine
• Clean water
• Homes
• Spectacular mountains
• A free country
• Health
• Family
• Loved ones and much, much more.

We live in a wonderful day-and-age with modern conveniences and tons of miracles. What we easily take for granted, many have never seen or even imagined. Every time we go to Costco, I can’t believe that we live in a country where our stores are filled with food and goods and abundance from floor to ceiling. It is amazing.

Next time you struggle to find a place in your fridge to fit the leftovers, think how lucky you are to reside in this country and about the promised blessing found in Malachi chapter 3 verse 10:

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith … if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Blessings, abundance, plenty and to spare—the temple ordinances are the crowning blessings that the Church has to offer.

The blessings of the Temple enable us to live in harmony now and be with our families and loved ones after death back in the presence of our Father in Heaven. We achieve these blessings through obedience.

Listen to our beloved prophet President Russell M Nelson   Thanks Be to God

“Each day, ours is the challenge to access the power of the Atonement so that we can truly change, become more Christ like, and qualify for the gift of exaltation and live eternally with God, Jesus Christ, and our families.”

Those words are from of our dear prophet President Nelson, but they are my sentiments as well.

Jesus Christ has promised blessings to the obedient. Luke recorded “it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over.”  Luke 6:37

Luke lived 2000 years ago.  During that time, people often went to the market to secure grain for bread.

I love that metaphor. Consider with me for a moment that you have gone down to say Costco. Something is five for a dollar. So you examine the possibilities, measure the largest of the choices, pick the best of the bunch, pay and walk away happy. Now imagine you were living in Jerusalem 2000-years-ago, and you’re going to the market for grain. There are many vendors, but you frequent the one that carefully and precisely fills your basket well with good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over.

That is exactly how God blesses us. Your mother joined the Church when she was 15. Even at that young age, she recognized the value of Church membership. At the time, I was living in Utah and interested in football, cars, and girls. Admittedly, at that young age I didn’t fiully appreciate the full importance and value of the commandments and obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. Maybe some of you feel that way as well, but I have a much different perspective now.

The opportunity to receive and obey commandments that we may take for granted can become the ultimate source for joy in our lives today, and I have a pretty good idea that it should continue to be our strategy for eternal joy in the world to come. I still like football, cars, and I love your mother, but I am much wiser now and know beyond a shadow of a doubt from whence my joy comes. But even that is not my primary purpose for why I am obedient today.

Love for the Savior

We are not achieving our most important goal until we have established in the hearts of our children and the saints a great and abiding love for the Savior Jesus Christ.

Friends may betray us, spouses may leave us, health may fail, and our possessions burn up. But, Christ, His promises, understanding, and love will never fail us. With some trials and most tragedies, only this can get us through.

When we can take a thankless, demanding calling; give up something we wanted greatly so we can pay our tithing; or help out someone who has badly hurt us… and say, ‘I wouldn’t do this for anyone else, but I will do it for Christ!’ …then the power for good that he can have in our lives is becoming a reality. He must be the foundation of our lives. He stands ready to bless us, today and throughout eternity.

 “The eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

Jesus Christ is the Architect of our happiness in this world and that to come. He marked the path and showed the way, but it is up to us to walk it.

Obedience is the tool that he uses to help us realize the blessings of all his promises.

“Don’t be too critical of the barrier. It’s the only thing keeping you from being devoured.”

The Lord’s commandments are intended for our joy in this life just as much as they are intended for our joy and exaltation in the next.

King Benjamin is someone I think we can unanimously say was well-liked. Why? Because he cared about his people and served them and worked for his own support rather than burdening them with heavy taxes, he was well-loved by all the people.

He chose to rule by setting an example of humility, righteous living, and service; and he strove always to teach his people how to live Heavenly Father’s commandments. Again I ask why?

Let’s defer to King Benjamin’s own words for the answer:

He remarked that he could not explain all the ways to commit sin; for there are so many ways and means that he could not even number them. And then he said…

30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.  Mosiah 4:30

This was their king whom they loved, and he loved them and served them and wisely counseled them to be obedient and flee from sin, so that they could live full and happy lives of abundance here and now and enjoy exaltation in the world to come.

 

You may not have all the things that you hoped for to make you happy, but you will be rich with abundance and your reward here-and-now will be great. Our King has told us that very thing:

29 There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,

30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands…; and in the world to come eternal life.

That is one of my favorite scriptures of all time. It gives me hope and strength when I need it. But there is another scripture that I believe explains well WHY we should keep the commandments of God:

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Rom. 8: 35-39

We are obedient because of our love for the Savior. That is the power for good that he can have in our lives.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God…   Rom. 8: 28

Obedience is truly the key.

A delicious memory

Fam,
We often read about our ancestors, and for good reason. They lived incredible lives and set examples worthy of our emulation. But we also need to learn about those who are right here in our midst. So sit back and enjoy the following memory about--you guessed it--me.

I realize memories are priceless treasures that can be enjoyed over-and-over throughout life. Sometime I am going to tell you about my hitchhiking woes, since I don't think I have shared that with you yet. But this week, I decided to tell about one of my money making ventures as a boy.

If there was one skill we developed in Castle Valley, we learned how to work…throwing hay, hauling logs for firewood, digging hundreds of fence post holes and ditches, taking turns irrigating in the middle-of-the-night and planting 300+ trees on our ten-acre farm and orchard come to mind. Dad insisted that the holes we dug for these trees were 2-feet wide and 2-feet deep. But even with all these everyday jobs, there were ever so many more tasks that needed doing. We heated our home with wood burning stoves, which meant during the summer, we would gather enough wood to burn all through the winter. Now this wasn’t for cozy fires in the fireplace. This was our single source of heat for our home throughout the long, wintry weather. It meant cutting, drying, stacking, and if necessary covering the wood to keep it dry and ready to throw on the fire. For the most part, it worked well and was exceptionally cozy. I still remember standing alongside the warm, wood-burning stove in the cold mornings. The heat radiating from the fire in the stove was mesmerizing, probably because the rest of the house early in the morning was still cold.

I will always have fond memories of saddling up alongside the stove to absorb the warmth from the burning wood. I briefly considered earning money by cutting and selling loads of wood for people in the valley and even down in Moab, but since we had our fill of gathering, cutting, chopping, and stacking our own wood, I decided that wasn’t for me. We did have to earn money, however. And the valley provided, many opportunities, but most people had lots of work and few funds. Nevertheless, we tried our best to make the living we needed, and there wasn’t always hay to throw or opportunities for paid labor, so we needed to think up other interesting and creative ways to earn money.

For example, one year I needed $30 or $40 for youth conference. I presented my problem to mother and solicited ideas for making that much money in a short time. Someone suggested selling pizzas from door-to-door, kind of like a pizza delivery operation in the valley. This sounded like a pretty good idea, so we made order forms with two or three different kinds of pizza and solicited people in the valley. We told them we would bake the pizza fresh and deliver it to them while still hot, and we got a landslide of takers. We planned the strategy and timing so we could prepare, bake, and deliver freshly-made pizzas all around the valley. And with the help of the family and our old white Chevy pickup truck, we brought this backward farming community into the present by giving them a taste of the 20th century—hot, out of the oven, and delivered to their door. There were no fast food restaurants in Castle Valley and certainly no food delivery services. But for one evening, long ago on the dusty roads of old-time Castle Valley, there was a pizza delivery service that rivaled Dominos and quality pizza that blew people away.

And thanks to mom and dad, I had all the money I needed for youth conference.

 

My admiration and appreciation for all of you knows no bounds for the skilled and talented people you have become and for your beautiful families. No doubt, you are the best work I will ever do!

I love you, dad

Safe hands

This time of year we are preparing for the harvest. I know it sounds strange to discuss the harvest in the Spring, but we must think about and plan now to have delicious fruits and vegetables in the Fall.

Mom’s pickles were the best. She would choose home-grown cucumbers while they were still young and tender then prepare them by placing the cukes in quart bottles with onions, dill, garlic, and long-red peppers, which gave the pickles a punch. They were then covered with vinegar, but the desired result did not happen overnight. The cucumbers marinated in this state for weeks before the flavor of the pickled dills could really be savored. But when finished, the dill pickles were scrumptious. Similarly, when my family moved to Anacortes WA, we enjoyed the fare of the Northwest. For us, the salmon, fresh-water lakes, green everywhere, and beautiful mountain ranges were a new way of life. And this included pickles. Yeah, that’s right. I said pickles. Our special Northwest friends started with baby cucumbers and the skill to extract the tastes into a

famous flavor, such that I still relish that memory today.

Brine, seasonings, and fresh vegetables were key ingredients in the making of these memorable delicacies. We have to follow the very same steps and exhibit similar qualities if we are to achieve the status and end result of the famous Rumpfwiler dills. Patience is also necessary. Weeks of steeping in the brine slowly, but surely makes the product of our efforts realize its distinctive value. Yet even with our best intentions, everything doesn’t always work out like we planned or anticipated. To illustrate, I have an example occurring right outside my window.

Today is the last day of April. Tomorrow is May 1^st, and in my mind the beginning of summer. The next day is my birthday. When I was a child, I enjoyed having a summer birthday. I was able to play with my friends and family and spend time celebrating outside in the warmth. Amazingly, as I look out my window today, snow is coming down in sheets. Big flakes fall and are collecting on the housetops, lawns, and cars that drive by. Winter in May? I thought it strange this year when we had a brief snow two weeks into April, despite the eminent coming of summer. After more than half-century I have been alive, as far as I remember a snow this late in the year has not happened before—at least not where I lived.

So things don’t always work out the way we expect. That is not new.

My son enjoys rock climbing. He has conquered some peaks that I have never even considered climbing, and I’m sure never will. He uses all the right tools: a harness, carabiners, ropes, and climbing shoes, among other things. But he must follow the principles of good climbing to be successful and safe. Cutting corners, ignoring necessities, and recklessly moving forward is not only foolish, it is dangerous, and sometimes deadly. Good climbers know that. Further, he must face the obstacle directly in his path before taking on the challenging hills, cliffs, and precipices further along the way. The goal won’t be realized by those unwilling to seize the moment right in front of them, yet climbers know that the next big challenge is still coming and rather than discouraging them, this propels them on to new heights. Think about that for a minute. The push that drives climbers to overcome the next challenge doesn’t depress or discourage them. Rather than looking beyond the mark, their perspective actually becomes the catalyst that emboldens climbers and inspires them onto to the next summit.

Years of practice, dedication, and strength are all required for those that seek to be the top rock climbers. Often the most successful mountaineers spend a lifetime perfecting their craft. We admire and revere them for having the mettle to hang on to the end and follow the principles that ensure success.

“Priesthood ordinances and sacred covenants are essential in this ongoing process of spiritual rebirth; they also are the means God has appointed whereby we receive His exceeding great and precious promises.

“The gospel is so much more than a routine checklist of discrete tasks to be performed; rather, it is a magnificent tapestry of truth ‘fitly framed’ and woven together, designed to help us become like our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, even partakers of the divine nature. Truly, we are blinded ‘by looking beyond the mark’ when this overarching spiritual reality is overshadowed by the cares, concerns, and casualness of the world” confirms Elder David A. Bednar.

This principle is again very much like rock climbing and the belay anchor system. "Of course, you recognize your limits in climbing by falling off the rock," says Alan Czenkusch [leader of Whistepig Climbing School of Del Norte, Colorado]. "However, you're safe because you're on belay." The belay anchor system is the crux of climbing. And interestingly, that also directly applies to the point of this article. We are safe when we are on the Lord’s side. When we put the Savior first in our lives, all other matters take care of themselves, and we need not worry. We are on belay. He is our anchor.

So while you probably never thought that pickles, rock climbing, and religion really had anything substantial in common, they actually have many more similarities than first expected, including at least the following important characteristics:

•          Dedication
•          Hard work
•          Adherence to guidelines
•          Persistence and enduring to the end
•          Rewards now and in the future
•          Faith

Sport climbers do it for love of climbing, excitement, and the challenge before them. I once climbed Angels Landing with my sweetheart. She had summited the climb before my attempt and insisted that we do it together. After making the necessary arrangements, we scheduled the date for the hike. Please don’t misunderstand me, this is nothing like the mountains my son climbs—not in height, difficulty, or complexity—but Angels Landing was plenty a challenge for us: dozens of switchbacks, steep, challenging trails, slick rock, and sheer drop-offs. We persisted and my sweet wife was patient as I followed her to the top, but that is the point of sharing this anecdote with you—we made it to the top. Even though it was at times strenuous—by applying the proper rules and guidelines of mountaineering—hiking that trail, working hard, and persisting to the end, we made it to the top. And you can, too. That is the realization of a lifetime. We can surmount our challenges if we apply the principles that will safely get us to our destination—rules for the road, the trail, and for our lives.

In your life, whichever mountains you are currently climbing, applying the principles I have mentioned, which are found in abundance in the gospel of Jesus Christ, will ensure you are successful, as well.

Surrounding ourselves with people, places, and principles that motivate and help us to reach our destination does not just apply for trips, hikes, and trails. The ultimate goal of our lives is similarly achieved as we obey the rules, surround ourselves with good, and remain in the Light of the Gospel.

When we stand in holy places, these surroundings lead us to do justly, influence us for good, and give us momentum—making us more capable and even better than we thought we could be.

The honorable with which we frame ourselves draws out the best that is in us.

Just like those pickles.

Strength beyond my own

Think about the greatest challenge of your life. At one point it was certainly my mission: trying my hardest every day with no success, loneliness, learning a foreign language, frequently coming up short, studying every moment possible, and trying to get past our shortcomings was a daily occurrence.

My recollection is that my companion and I came together on Sundays to plan for the coming week. We scheduled every 15 minutes of each day during the coming week. With the Lord’s help, we got things done every 15 minutes. Imagine being that productive.

I learned something then that has stayed with me all these many years later.

Could it be that there is a theme that runs through our lives connecting generations and families together forever? Absolutely. Every experience has purpose, and all our efforts have meaning, even when they feel pointless. Life is not supposed to be easy. Worthwhile things never are.

The inspiring story of John Rowe Moyle tells about a Mormon pioneer famous for walking the 22 miles from Alpine to Salt Lake City every week to help build the Salt Lake Temple. Now, a group of his descendants gather at Moyle Park in Alpine, Utah regularly to share in his legacy.

Temple dedications are really an opportunity for the saints to rededicate themselves to the work of the Lord and service in the temple.

This also helps me recognize the benefits of following the commandments and heeding the Spirit's promptings, which affects the rest of our lives and that of our posterity. As my own experience as a youth turned out and the lessons learned in my own hometown so long ago, I am reminded of God's ability to turn all things to the good of them that love and serve Him.                                                     Romans 8:28

Writing about experiences in our lives will strengthen, help, and bless us now and our families for ions to come. Is that hard to believe? I have no doubt, because I have seen and experienced this already. We live in faith during this life, but we also come to know things through personal experience. For example, there was a time that perhaps living the Word of Wisdom took a great deal of trust, but I know of its many benefits now. I don’t just believe this principle. I have experienced its promises in my life. The medical profession finally confirms what we have known for decades.

16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for everything which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Moroni 7:15-17

Furthermore, Alma discusses faith being like unto a seed. He suggests that just as we see a seed grow, in the same way we can nourish faith until it grows into knowledge. The whole chapter is fantastic.

33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.

34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Alma 32:33-34

That is the very reason temples are erected and countless serve within their walls to unite families on earth and in heaven for eternity. Seeds if you will are planted now so that we can see their growth and full realization of blessings in a future day. Nobody questions that.

The Great Plan of Happiness instigated by the Savior himself fulfills his work and glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. The temple is part of that plan.

President Monson shared three steps regarding taking full advantage of the blessings of the temple:

1. Love the temple and commune with God to receive instruction and come to know Him better
   
   
2. Appreciate the blessings that come to us and our families through the temple and feel its joy
   
   
3. Attend the temple to partake of these blessings and unite our families for eternity

When I need a lift to confront obstacles in my path or direction in life, I often find the balm of Gilead in the temple. In our day, dozens of temples bring happiness in fulfillment of the prophesied blessings.

Our Heavenly Father’s works are endless. His magnanimous influence for good penetrates every realm and touches all his creations.

Today is a special day. I am writing these lines the occasion that we celebrate the life of Thomas S Monson. 30,000+ will attend his funeral services in the Conference Center. Thousands more will watch and listen to the proceedings through mass media. Dozens have honored him with books, articles, video programs, and shared memories of his life and example. Millions have been influenced for good. Once again he has lead the way and prepared the route for us to follow to return to our heavenly home. He does not take honor unto himself but always directs the praise to the Savior for whom President Monson was a special witness. We know the nature of God the Father because of His Son.

I was getting a haircut a few years ago, when I had an experience that I have never forgotten. As I was sitting in the waiting room prior to my appointment, I noticed on a table a number of periodicals provided for the clients. But what caught my eye was the Life magazine, which showed a picture of Christ with the caption “Who was he?” That topic spurred my interest, so I began to read the article. The author had asked representatives from many different religions around the world to provide their opinions of Jesus Christ. They were all good. As I remember, the point of view gleaned from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came from a BYU professor, I believe.              

It was only a few years later that the Church released The Living Christ, so no one would question our true understanding and perspective of the Savior Jesus Christ.                      

Let's just say that I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some might ask "Why?"

Without sugar-coating it, the teachings and plan provided to us include the full range of blessings available in one's life. Like all the keys on a piano, every chord, stanza, and concert or performance lies within the scope of our lives. Though the extent of my possibilities may not be initially realized in me alone or in my life at this very moment, I can see my ultimate potential in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know if I follow him, it is only a matter of time until the full range of joy he has promised is a part of my life. If your life's melody is not yet the piece you had hoped for and the scope of blessings has not been realized, chin up, it is coming. The symphony of eternal happiness has been reserved for the hereafter.

Maybe that is one of the reasons we like listening to piano recitals so much, because we enjoy experiencing the accomplishments of others, and in the back of our mind we acknowledge that over time and with God’s help, we too can attain that level of competence. But for the time being, we can just enjoy the skills and talents of others knowing we have an eternity to develop ourselves. And that goes for being a better son or daughter, a better father or mother, and a better husband or wife as well. In fact, we have the full range of keys available to us to achieve our fondest dreams and realize the piece we are destined to become. And to the piano are added strings and woodwinds and still that is only the beginning until the melody of our lives is a symphony, because we have an eternity to rehearse. The sky is the limit actually sounds too reticent. For with divine help, our real potential has no limits. 

That is the Jesus Christ we believe in. Hallelujah!       

                                                      

My Favorite Music Video

Perhaps my favorite music video ever isn’t what you would expect. Yes, I know. How can one choose just one video as the favorite from the millions available?

When I was in high school, I was interested in business and technical subjects. But that was back in the 20th century. The most-advanced technology for us then was electronic typewriters, which were amazing, at least at the time. But we only had a few electric typewriters at our school. Most were manual, so a select number of students were daily granted the amazing machines.

My favorite typewriter consisted of a circular type head. As one pressed the keys, the ball would spin rapidly and tap the ribbon at the appropriate spot on the sphere, which in turn pressed the ribbon against the paper to print the desired text. This was the epitome of technology at the time and much more sophisticated than the simple type bars that would strike the paper when the respective key was pressed. (see IBM Selectric typewriter and Hansen Writing Ball)

When I began college in 1984, I took an information management class that introduced me to computers. Again, these were cutting edge at the time using 5.25-inch floppies and later 3.5-inch disks, instead of the old cassette tape formats my brother used with his Radio Shack computer. We all tolerated monochrome monitors back then (amber or green), because we didn’t know any better.

Needless-to-say, typewriters are relics and early computers antiques now. Though computer technology increased in speed and capacity greatly, the new generation has migrated to laptops and mobile devices such as smart phones, which give them access, efficiency, mobility, and…wait for it…music.

Audio media seems to drive a lot of what we do. Radios, CDs, iPod, iPhones, and Androids all have at least one thing in common, and that is music. There is a fun quote I really like. It goes something like this:

One of the tragedies of real life is that there is no background music.

Unfortunately, I do not know who to attribute this phrase to. It has been repeated so frequently that the original source has been obscured. But the person who coined the expression definitely did so before YouTube, Vemo, ListenonRepeat, Reverbnation et al. The digital technologies airways are filled with music everywhere you turn, so background music isn’t absent, in many cases, it’s ubiquitous. So with so many catchy tunes available everywhere, anytime, how can one really determine a favorite?

I like the One Voice Children’s Choir rendition of Glorious perhaps even better than David Archuleta’s original performance for a number of reasons.

The performers have surprising talent. I hear their voices and see the performer, and I often think “How does that voice come from that person?” I love to see the talents that were previously hidden from me. This performance is not what I expect from certain people in the choir. This group is made up of many beautiful voices. Some are highlighted. All play a part.

Contributions of each vocalist add to the excellent delivery. The beautiful voices revealed in this rendition are a pleasure to hear and experience. Their delivery is refreshing. Each one is unique and suggest qualities an characteristics that were not initially obvious.

The personalities and passion of the choir members—whether delivering a solo performance or contributing to the background music—is significant and an important part of the whole. Each choir member adds unique qualities to the excellence of the performance. Even the small children in the front row are learning from their colleagues. Teachers and tutors mentor them along. Their part may be small, but they are involved and play an important role.

The rendition is moving, powerful, and brilliant. The song is touching; the music, inspiring; the message, uplifting.

I never get tired of this song and rendition. Did you catch the message? The lyrics articulate well the meaning, which is captured in the last stanza of the song “And there are melodies in each one of us. Oh, it’s glorious.”

That’s not just the message of this song. That is ultimately message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And when we do family history work, we apply these same characteristics to our work. The symphony of life and love is revealed before us, one name at-a-time.

Each one of us plays an important part in completing a portion of the overall picture, even though we may feel deficient. Our families and communities would not be the same without all the characters in the cast. We are all still learning the music and technologies constantly change. When I was young, I could keep up with them. Now they whiz by before I realize what is happening. 

But that is OK. I often think of the scripture counsel “It is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.” Whatever we can do is a start. Our efficiency will develop as we progress.

 27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

1. Contributions – All of the contributors make a difference. Perspective is refreshing. The wealth of information and knowledge is available to and benefits us all.
2. Personalities and passion – We are surrounded by interesting and worthwhile people. The gospel of Jesus Christ makes us and our families the best we can be. Our potential is magnified and realized beyond our fondest dreams through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We see evidence of that in our lives and have hope in the promises of eternity.
3. Mentors – Jesus said except ye become as small children in the front row are learning from their colleagues—teachers and tutors help them along.
4. Moving, powerful, and brilliant – The song is touching. The music, inspiring. The message, uplifting.
5. Meaning – Did you catch the message? The lyrics articulate well the meaning, which is captured in the last phrase of the song “In each one of us, oh, it’s glorious.”

To read more of Walter’s articles, click the picture.

Family history is like a symphony. Each one contributes by playing his part, which when combined together with others produces a beautiful composition and tells a story—the story of your roots—and why you are who you are today.

I admire those with beautiful voices and melody with the ability to sing the descant with power, passion, and perfection. Likewise, sometimes witnessing their delivery and participating in the joy that comes from their message is… (participation in family history saves lives)

The Message of the Restoration

Invitation to Know the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The Meaning of Maturity

“Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3