Did I Mention...?

Work is awesome but painful?  We spent all day, read my kind of all day, splitting and stacking wood. I went from 8-8:30PM working and my body is screaming at me. But hey, a 11+ hour workout in aerobic, weight lifting, bending and flexibility. I now have wood warrior pose down flat. Everyone really helped amazing even though I was the only one all day long. But it was a huge family event. Alysia even learned how to split the wood and use the hydraulic splitter. She did that as a personal progress goal. See the pictures and we now have 12 cords of wood. We won't need more until well after Lys graduates. Even the Elders came over after dinner and helped for an hour and a half. They helped split the very last parts as well as clean up the two stump grinding areas in Audrey's yard. So Gavin, we finally finished the job all the way. 

Church was amazing today. We had 5 investigators that were with us today, and some others that had last minute conflicts. The talks were great and Bro. Stevens had a great analogy to the Alamo and drawing a line in the sand. Leading to where do you draw your line that you won't cross. Things you will never do. Or crossing the line with full knowledge of what choice you are making regardless of the circumstances and that you do so willingly. Like wearing the name of the Savior on your chest. 

We went to Harper's for dinner and as always they made great food but tons and tons of it. This time they had baby back ribs that were amazing. Their own home made rub and topped with their own recipe barbecue sauce. Plus tons of other great things. And mom had an amazing cherry chocolate cake for dessert. 

My boss told me again this week that she is planning on working my promotion this coming year, so that will be nice in the way it will provide a bit more income so we can pay off the house faster. We were supposed to have my annual performance discussion but conflict took the time so we have to reschedule a few weeks away since she is traveling until then. I do look forward to it so I can get feedback on where I can improve, what I need to work on, and how I can become better in the future. 

Always keep learning and improving who you are. It will bring you greater success if you constantly strive plus it is the eternal pattern of things. In the end it will always bring you joy if you will humbly accept inputs that can help you be better than you are today. And who is the master teacher?  Christ of course and if we will listen to what He has to teach us we will be better every day. 

I love you forever. You are amazing and I am pleased to be your dad. 

3 John 1:4

#sharegoodness #personalprogress

Hyper-productive and the value of work

I have noticed more and more the influence of the principles of work and self reliance in being fulfilled and feeling aligned with our Father in Heaven. When we work to sustain ourselves and to care for that which we have been entrusted we begin to see the self worth that develops and we see the eternal light that can be in our lives. 

I think more and more the pattern the Gospel sets in welfare matters is a law that if employed in the world would alleviate a significant amount of suffering and sadness. The goal to help each make their own plan to become self reliant, and then supporting them in their plan and helping with temporary support while they work their plan. 

I guess this has come more into focus as we have had our experience over the last handful of years. As the business went further and further south, it became more and more difficult to support our family. We had dropped our income by 75% just to start, and then that became more and more squeezed. In the end we lost all we had worked decades to achieve and had to begin again. But this is all mitigated by the knowledge that I could work, I had skills, and could find more ways to support my family. And while our plans were shot down, we regrouped and have new plans. And through it all we have that eternal principle of work in front of us and the knowledge of a loving God active in our lives. We have seen more now than ever before His hand in our lives. I really have. 

So with this in mind I woke up yesterday and had a hyper productive day. We started in the yard and raked up all the leaves over the entire yard. We then mowed the lawn, trimmed, edged, and blew off the walks. I cleaned off the lower patio and bridge and then cleaned out the clogged gutters around the whole house. I took the blower up on the roof and that helped make it easier by blowing out the gutters. While up there I trimmed back the tree over the roof so it will be better. I cleaned the garage and arranged so we can get a car back in it. We then split wood for quite a while and in the end split about 2 cords of wood. I winterized 4 of the engines so the gas will not gum up the engines. I then edged more on the patios as I discovered the ground cover had encroached over 8 inches. Mom cleaned out the Mountaineer, then we cleaned the bathrooms (I got the main one with the tub since mom likes me to do that), and then I swept all the floors, cracks, under things, and edges. Then back out for more wood splitting until the rain stopped us. I cut the rebar that was stuck out of the tree in front that has bothered me for years (safety) by grinding it off, then used it to repair the anchor on the rose of Sharon by the mailbox. It was a great day. 

Ty was funny as he wanted someone to go to the dance with him. He tried texting a few people but they either were already with people or not going. Then he called Sam and when done exclaimed "I am glad you taught us verbal persuasive skills". He had convinced Sam to go who he found later had just finally convinced his brother he was NOT going and would not ride with him. 

I had a major hard week at work. So many major things going on with not enough time to really go after it the way I am comfortable with. I had to really work carefully on the most important things because I kept leaving early before Gavin left. 

Highlight of the week was being able to have our last days with Gavin and then taking him to the airport. He looks so good and happy. We heard such great comments from Michelle and Grandma Ward as they dropped him at the MTC. Gavin, I hope you will take in the remarkable spirit the MTC has and let it be an experience you will never forget. You will learn things you never have known. 

I love you all eternally. I am grateful for the binding covenants that allow us to be together forever, through our faithfulness. 

Dad

3 John 1:4

Wasted Effort

Have you ever gone to great extents and massive preparation only to have things fall flat or the thing you were preparing for get cancelled last minute?  

I really saw, felt and know this week about the scripture that the hearts of the children will be turned to their fathers ...or the earth would be utterly wasted. How disappointing it would be for our Father if the whole pulse of this earth was wasted?  That of binding families together for eternity. 

We had a marvelous session with Gavin at the temple doing sealings. We witnessed and participated an a remarkable opportunity to seal 6 children to their parents. In the same ordinance. It was for an ancestor of one of the Amish families that was there with us. I really am blessed to have been there and to reflect upon the sealing power of the temple and how it is "based upon our faithfulness". I hope each of you is doing your part. Mom and I try to do our best daily. 

I continue to lean heavily on the covenants and promises that come through the ordinances of the temple. I have been awestruck since the day I first heard them so many years ago. 

Gavin heard it today but I shared my testimony relating how I repeated basketball refereeing class at BYU 4-5 times and enjoyed it and learned more each time. I have been now repeating the temple class for 28 years and I keep learning new things as I go, ponder, and pray. 

One day I really hope to be in the temple with mom and all of you. It will bring great joy that lasts eternally. 

The camping trip was really fun with everyone. Kieren, you were carried in our hearts with us. It was a great final event with Gavin. The views were wonderful and the waterfalls amazing. I loved it. I am not a fan of rain while camping but everyone made it very reasonable and pitched whenever needed. 

It was cute to see Jeff and Skjelse walking down the mountain. Just see the picture. 

Work is very nuts right now. Too many significant deadlines and not enough time. And I have been trying to be home a lot to be with or help Gavin. 

I am so excited for Gavin to be at the MTC this week. It is such an amazing place and experience. I will always remember the things I learned and felt while there. Life changing for the better. 

Do the right things for the right eternal reason and think of the comment from Pres. Monson. "Shall I falter or shall I finish?"

Love you forever. 

Dad

3 John 1:4

#sharegoodness #temples #family

Best Weekend of the Year

I just don't know how to describe it, but I am flabbergasted by how much my love for conference increases each time. I love the leaders and how their messages reach out to me personally and help me to see how I can better myself in personal ways to be more the man I want to be. So that eternally I can pass by the sentinels that would guard the way back to eternal life in the celestial kingdom. 

I really liked Elder Robbins on Saturday, and Elder Kligeberg (spelling wrong) on Sunday. Pres.  Uchtdorf in the priesthood session spoke right to me. Each one teaches me things. 

I also loved that some of the talks were in the persons native language. First time ever. 

No matter the swirling winds around us, I can always anchor myself to the personal testimony of truth I paid the price to obtain and will never release. That is why I continue to feed it daily. I hope you will always do the same. Make a habit to have an inner personal desire to study the gospel and have meaningful prayer daily. When we push through the hard challenges and break past the point, we learn the truth that our Father is there to help us have eternal joy. That lasts forever. 

I helped mom get some new pictures in digital form so we can load them into family search and add to that family history work. 

We all helped Gavin who is helping Audrey next door clean up two huge ash trees that had died. A company took them down and we have cleaned up all but the main trunks now. We have to finish a few large pieces and then take all the branches stacked up in the driveway down to the city public works for shredding. I hope to take the day off and help Gavin do that. 

I am going to write to y'all in the same letter most weeks moving forward now. 

The motorcycle continues to be close to working well but just short. We are waiting for one final small part that shits the bike down when the bad one is in. So we have high hopes. It should come this week. 

I put this picture on Instagram this week, but I thought it was cool to "fly under cover" and be between two layers of clouds. It was really neat. 

That you for the decisions you make that support us being able to be together forever. We all need to do our part to make that possible. 

Love you forever. 

Dad

3 John 1:4

#sharegoodness #ldsconf