Many Hands

We had the annual church spring cleanup yesterday. I was a bit worried that we would not have people there to help. But many hands make light work. We had a large number from Kettering and Centerville and it looks great. We cleaned up a bunch, weeded an amazing amount of junk from the beds all around including around the trees, and spread mulch from a monster pile. We ran short of mulch though and still have to get more. Then we removed the weeds in the back that were taller than many of the primary kids. It was a great service job by all. 

Last week the AC was out in the building. It turned out to be a bad leg of 3 phase power and DP&L had to replace it. While drilling the new line they broke the water line so we were then also without water on the mutual nights. They got it working but we were still under a boil advisory. This continued through Saturday until the service project was nearly over when the water people gave us the all clear. 

In church we had the 5th Sunday about having a missionary mindset while we go about our normal and natural lives. It's about distinguishing between full time work which is to teach, baptize, etc. and member work which is to live our lives in such a way we hope to share principles that bring us joy, and to extend an invitation to help other further their steps to Christ. In what ever way that step may be. 

I started it off talking about my lapel pin of the Norwegian flag. Why I wear it and what it reminds me of. It really is the most frequent question if get whenever I wear it. So it opens a lot of doors to just simply explain it is where I served my mission. Then some ask more questions, some don't. But at least I get to share. 

I remember in many cities I would play basketball on P-day often, and that always gave us an opening to talk to others why we were there in Norway. It was a great time to play, as well as to open doors of understanding.  

I finished putting the storm door back on the back door so it is all back together again. New door, same storm door. 

I took the opportunity to do an extra fast today. I am really trying hard to be one the Lord can trust in His interviews and I just feel I don't know enough. So I fasted for extra help today as I had many interviews. True to His support today was a wonderful day. Some surprises, some not, but I felt His help as I talked to people about all sorts of different circumstances and was able to guide them to make their own personal choices about how they can move forward. So many times thoughts come to my mind of scriptures, stories, or talks that illustrate a principle that could help them. I know that doesn't come from no where. I have things brought back to my mind at the very moment I need them. He is really good to me. 

Gavin, we love your letters and pictures. It is such a pleasure to read them each week. I am so pleased with your thoughts and desires and attitudes. 

Skjelse, we are happy you found a place to make your home for now. We hope to see more and talk to you soon. 

Kieren and Gavin had friends over for a Saturday movie party down on the patio. I believe they had fun. It was so late and I was so tired I was laying in bed. 

And Alysia helped Kieren teach at the mini-MTC. Ty was at that while mom and I helped with the spring cleanup. 

In Bishopric meeting the spiritual thought was about husbands and wives and how the complete each other, not compete with each other. The hand book says it this way:

The nature of male and female spirits is such that they complete each other. Men and women are intended to progress together toward exaltation.

Sis. Burton the General RS president said it this way after talking of the handbook statement:

Please note that it does not say “compete with each other” but “complete each other”! We are here to help, lift, and rejoice with each other as we try to become our very best selves.

I know mom sure completes me. But she has had to work hard and continues to do so to make me more of who I can be. 

Love you forever,

Dad

3 John 1:4

Getting Old

Getting old is not for the faint of heart.  I have no clue what I did but my knee is killing me the last two days. I have a hard time standing up and walking is a challenge. My life is getting better and better, but my body is not playing along!  

Mom and I spent most of Saturday painting the front and back doors. We had to use a Kilz primer to get over the old, then painted the trim white and doors a color. Check it out!

It doesn't seem like it would take long but it took us quite a while. But nice to get both painted. Especially the back door so we can get the storm door back up. I like the new look since it makes it stand out much more and it gives the house just a small splash of color. 

While we were waiting for some to dry, mom is looking out the window and behold!  Rudolph as his friends out for a spring stroll. It has been a while since I have seen them so close in our yard. 

I tried to spend some time Saturday getting my church stuff organized. I had tons of separate agendas and such with various notes. So I took them all and build a few electronic methods to stay organized. Notes, commitments, action items, and callings plans. It feels good to know I have them all with me with any device I have. I just have to get better at ensuring I follow up on it all. It's amazing to me how much crosses my mind as to what should be done. I am working hard to utilize the full ward resources to get it all accomplished. Including the full time Elders who are wonderful to work on any assignment we give them. I hope you are soliciting assignments from your Bishop Gavin. Bless the ward by seeking assignments and then be sure to return and report. 

It was a pleasure today to see in the Ward some people who have been inactive for some time but they are trying to change their life for the better and they were there today. It's so nice when they come seeking for better and best and work to make changes to enact that in their life. 

I had a fantastic training class at work this week. Two days  learning to better manage myself during "crucial conversations". These are ones where the stakes are high, or there are differing opinions, or there are strong emotions present. It was interesting that a huge premise of theirs is that you cannot change others but you can change the way YOU respond. Sounds just like the Gospel and agency. It was good to see how I can better recognize when the conversation is escalating and some mental tools to use to "check" myself and get more to a position where there can be constructive discussion instead of words that will bring regret. As well they talk about "start from the heart" meaning be sure you have your motives clear and pure so they guide what you really want from the conversation. And to find mutual purpose so it can be a win win situation instead of one getting their way and one just giving in. It was interesting to reflect on myself when they discussed "silence or violence" as the two spectrums most go to when there is a problem. We either give in and say, like "what ever then", or "sure, what ever you want."  That is "silence."  Violence does not mean physical but can be aggressive tones, elevated voice, lack of willingness to discuss etc. If you think about challenging conversations and how you respond I bet you will see those traits. The goal is to recognize that and take action to bring neither into play but to manage yourself so that you can keep you and the others in a constructive discussion. You may not agree on all points but you can still have discussion that can lead to better outcomes. It was a good class that will help at work, home, and church. 

I hope all enjoy Memorial Day. Remember those who have given their last full measure of devotion. 

Love you forever,

Dad

3 John 1:4

God's Love

Another remarkable week.  I got to visit with President Ward this week at work!  He is over the development program and so annually I visit to discuss progress and plans for the next year.  This is the first time with him so that was fun.  It was also enjoyable to catch up on his plans to retire by Bear Lake where we had such a fun summer trip.

I had a few frustrating moments at work also, when people agree to one thing in meetings then you find just a few days later they are doing just the opposite.  I guess life does not change much as that happens throughout life.  I get challenged by it and have to work hard through prayer to just realize everyone is trying their best in their own way.  At home, at church, at work.  

This is like a discussion we had at ward council.  Among all those that are not like us, (everyone is someone else's weirdo!) we have to realize that to God, we don't look so different.  We all have a long way to travel.  Then as we discussed I had a great feeling come over me that built greater love for all those we were discussing like God's love for them.

Then later as I was doing interviews with the youth, I had such a strong feeling of how he loves all, in their various states, but is especially pleased with those that love Him and put Him first in their lives.  It was a remarkably strong impression that those that sacrifice and work through challenges to draw closer to Him, really bring a strong spirit and He is so pleased with their choices.

I finished putting all the trim on the back door and it is looking really good.  Kieren helped me finish the inside and even Alysia helped to cut off the expanding foam I used to seal the cracks.  

We had a great time at Skjelse and Jeff's before they left.  We will miss them.  They made great kabobs and i even had the last few leftover today as mom brought them to me at church so I could eat during the day.  They were delicious.  Well done Jeff and Skjelse.

Ty competed this week at Science Olympiad national tournament.  He is remarkable.  He and partner took first place in WIDI for the entire nation.  WOW!  The Centerville team took 4th overall.  They did so well.  

Mom is so good to me, from making me kjotteboller for Syttende Mai today to loving me enough to just want to be with me at Seminary graduation even though Ty is away.  I love being with her.  Everywhere we go is a great time with her.

I though so much about Norway today. I loved the parades, the graduating class that makes up the main part of the parade, the Bunads on men and women, each with their distinctive designs representing where their heritage is from.   I loved seeing the way the architecture is done with the buildings right along the waterfront.  And especially in Trondheim to be close to the ward members and their families as they had graduating seniors and how we tried to help them prepare their minds to stay close to the Lord as they moved to the next stage of life.  We worked so much with the youth under the direction of the bishop there.  It was a remarkable time to build a program to help the youth find strength in each other and to build upon a foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I wore my flag lapel pin proudly today.

Love you forever,

Dad

3 John 1:4 

Be Patient And Counsel

It has been another week of being tutored in my learning. But a great one. I have really been bothered by a. Along, and have worked it in many angles. Each time I still come up blank. Even when it seems the person is very capable in a common sense approach. So I just kept working it and tried to be patient even though I had a deadline to meet before some training started for that calling. As I kept working it, I continued to counsel with many people. My counsellors, trusted people, and especially my best counselor ever, mom. As I listed to all the inputs I also had the chance to have a PPI with Pres. Valencia and counsel with him also. Then mom gave me more insight and through prayer I took a new approach. Wouldn't you know it, this time it all fell into place and turned out better than I could have imagined. To quote Kieren, it's embarrassing really. Christ always knows best and our job is to not get in the way when He does His work. 

It has been a good week at work also. Lots of support from my boss and the major meeting went very well and we had great discussions that help us move forward. I have a new employee starting in a couple weeks and a summer MBA intern starting a week before him. It will be very busy. But a good busy as it will help to accomplish more with less overall time. 

It was such a treasure to talk to Gavin for so long with everyone else here. It will likely be the last for a long time as Skjelse and Jeff move. We will miss having them so close. 

I am looking forward to getting the motorcycle back and hopefully running well over time. It was a good ride up to the shop and fun to have it on the road. I keep putting new plugs in it and when I found the ground loose, fixed it, and then it started right up. Oh, boy, another parable of life!  You can crank all you want but to really live up to your purpose, or to be able to move forward, or to really get your life running, you need to be grounded in the Gospel of Christ!  I am finding so many parables lately. It kinda fun. 

I sure hope to have all the cars quit breaking soon. I have spent so much time and money working on them as every single one has had issues. Just yesterday I did the motorcycle until it ran, patched the exhaust on Uncle Larry, and replaced the antenna mast that was broken. I also got the new back door in and sealed on the outside and just have to finish the inside and trim. Kieren and I helped mom recover some chairs she got out of the garbage from spring clean up week and amazingly enough she also found a Dyson vacuum. 

It took me all of 5 mins to put a new cord on that I had and wallah, a perfectly working vacuum when ours was really dying a slow death. 

I loved being a dad today as I though so much about how wonderful your mom is. What a treasure to be married to her for eternity. It's pleasing, very pleasing. 

Love you forever, 

Dad

3 John 1:4

What Would I Do Without...

Mom!  Augh. This week was so tough. Mom was in Utah and I just can't keep up without her. She has skills and I can't keep up with what she can do. I really did try hard. I made breakfast some of the day, but one I just couldn't idea it up, so we had the backup cereal. But of course it was mom who had that plan. And she did the menu we followed almost every day. I did go above and beyond and invited the elders over Friday but Kieren basically did all of it as I ran to get Lys from skate world where Gabby and Chandler had their parties. I had totally forgotten. But so had Lys!  

I had a good week at work. We had many key meetings that we have had many days and months of prep for. Each of them actually went very well and we had great progress for work things. It was actually very nice to get to those points in work and begin to move forward anew. It is fun to carpool with Kieren. We talk lots, she sleeps lots:) and generally it's a nice change for me. 

I still am smiling at Jeff's mocking me for being a bachelor and eating toast for dinner and watching HGTV. That was soon after mom left. I admit it, I'm lame when it comes to making my own food. 

This week has been quite unique. I have always known that it takes the whole ward to accomplish His work. I have tried to do my part and know that we all pull together. But I am beginning to see the other side of the coin. I have seen so clearly how much each does that supports the work and how it lifts the load of the bishop. Perhaps because I now have the keys to see all that needs to be done, feel the weight, and see so clearly how the effort of each takes so much off the load. And how each, operating in faith in their callings receive revelation for their callings and when acting upon that, works in perfect harmony with what He has shown to me needs to happen. But we independently come to the same thing. It has been overwhelming this week to see that happen over and over. I am so grateful for the sustaining influence of the spirit that makes it possible to keep going in all the work. 

Gavin asked why children of age are baptized and confirmed the same day, but new members are baptized one day, then confirmed at the next sacrament meeting. I certainly don't k ow all the reasons, but in the handbook of instructions it clearly outlines that it should be done this way. In order to more fully support the new member the confirmation is done in sacrament meeting, in front of all those who will now accept and support them. It is also known that children are recognized as being baptized, but not presented and sustained. The new member is different, they are presented to the ward and the membership is given the opportunity to accept the new member and to welcome them in their new journey. 

This becomes a handoff of sorts. The new member is under the keys of the mission president while they are being taught and prepared. As they are baptized they still are under the keys of the mission president. Then things begin to change. They are now part of the ward where the bishop and his keys now regulate the ordinance. So in a way this handoff moves the member from the mission keys to the Ward keys. 

Gavin also discovered my comments I have been making for years about giving full proof. Indeed it does come from 2 Timothy. I have tried to teach that for a long time, and when we do give full proof, we will find remarkable success and remarkable peace at having done all, being ready to stand at the throne of God with confidence. I have long liked the scripture I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. It's wonderful. But then a number of years ago I read and studied the scriptures around that one. The I discovered give full proof of thy ministry. To me it means to give it your all, to leave no room for doubt. To have such evidence that if in a court of law conviction would be easy, because full proof would be evident. 

I love you forever. 

Dad

3 John 1:4