Family, Your Passionate Father

Family,

Passion: In my youth, the word passion was only thought of in a romantic context.  It was only later that I realized the definition of the word.   One definition, according to Webster, is,

“The state of mind when it is powerfully acted upon and influenced by something external to itself.”

Now, with that definition, I look back and think about my passions.  The first one that comes to my mind is the passion I had with basketball.  In Jr. High and High School that is what I always dreamed about, worked on, and did.  I was always on the school team and enjoyed every bit of it. I gave it all I had.  I was involved in other things like school, church, and other smaller things, but basketball got most of my attention.

After high school, I realized that the NBA wasn’t in my future so I turned to other things I should do.  I thought about a mission and my friend Kirk Cowdin and I convinced ourselves that this was the correct thing to do.  So, before going to college, I went on a mission. I found myself completely involved in doing this great work, which turned out to be the hardest thing I had done so far in my life.  I truly had a passion for the work.

After the mission I went to Weber State University.  I had a passion to complete school.  I met my wife at the institute at Weber and she became my passion.  (Ok, this is the romantic context.)  Marriage was the greatest passion yet.  I keep having passions. My profession is one. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is another.  I even have a little passion of learning about toy trains.  I have a couple of extremely complex smoke-belching locomotive.

I believe we have a wonderful spirit and mind that we can control.  We can choose our passions in life.  We must use our knowledge and resources to make good choices.  Our passions can bring us success and happiness but a passion in the wrong direction will bring unhappiness.  So in your lives, I hope you can pursue passions that you can work hard at and find happiness in.

Love,

Your Passionate Father

Dear Family, Your Determined Mother

Dear Family,

This morning I made my trek back to the gym after our great Thanksgiving feast.   Today’s workout was a tough one.  My trainer gave me heavier weights to lift.  Just when I think I’m doing okay another challenge comes!  The first set of curls was very hard to do.  Surprisingly, the next set was much easier.  By the third and fourth set though, the weights seemed so heavy, I could not make it through the last four reps – it was just too heavy to lift. Luckily, my trainer was right there to give me a hand, and help me lift the load I couldn’t do on my own.

Sometimes I wonder why I go and put myself through this. Then I remember why I am doing it.  It helps me feel better, look better and helps me have the physical strength to serve and do the things I greatly desire to do. As difficult as it seems some days, I know that it is the resistance from the weights that is helping to make me physically and mentally stronger. Do I see results every time I go?  No, but with continual effort, I get glimpses of improvement.   Is it worth the effort?  Absolutely

We have been sent to this earth and given bodies so we can learn and grow and improve so we can live with our Father in Heaven again. That is the goal!  Along the way, there are many challenges. Just when we overcome one thing, we seem to be faced with new challenges.

Sometimes we do not want to face the challenges we have been given.  There are times we definitely cannot do it on our own. The good news is that we have a personal trainer that will guide us, and help us when we can’t do it on our own.  If we will listen, through his still, small voice, this personal trainer will show us all things we need to know and do to reach our potential.

Each one of us has faced challenges, and there will be more yet to come.  The resistance we get with these challenges is what makes us stronger, and helps us to become what we have been sent here to become, and do what our personal mission in life is.  Do we ever question if it is worth it?   Yes, but then we remember the goal.  Will it be worth the effort required of us?  Absolutely

Can we do it?  YES!

Love,

Your Determined Mother

Dear Family, Love Mom

Dear Family,

This weekend Emily and I prepared a calendar to send to Becca for her birthday.  As I have searched through all our old photographs, to find ones to include in the calendar, I have been flooded with memories of so many great moments together.  Where have the years gone?   My great-grandmother, Therissa Clark wrote this in her journal, speaking of the happy years she enjoyed raising her children; ”Would a million dollars buy those … loved children?   No, nor bring the happiness they bring.  Nine were ours and what happy hours of companionship in those years.  …never while life shall last will those hours, days and weeks be forgotten.”  That is exactly how I feel!

As I looked, I found pictures of each of you on your first day of school!  That was always a sad day for me.  I shed many tears as I watched you walk off to school after a summer full of happy times.

Now you are all out on your own.   You come home to visit, then drive off to the adventures you are pursuing.   As you know, I still shed a few tears as you leave.   A mother’s heart is always with her children, hoping and praying that they will choose wisely, be watched over and protected, and come home safely.

As you go out into the world to pursue your life’s goals, your dad and I will always love and support you.   We can’t go with you (although we wish we could) but our love for you will always be strong.   There is One whose love for you is even greater than ours – for His love is Infinite and Divine.  He will always be there to guide, watch over and protect you, until you arrive home safely.

In Matthew 1:23 we learn of the prophecy  Isaiah gave of the Savior’s birth: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”  Then, at the end of Matthew  in  28:20, the risen Lord leaves us with this message: “And lo, I am with you alway…”  In D&C 24:8, He again states it: “Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days.”  And in the Book of Mormon, Nephi lovingly reminds us:  “He numbereth his sheep, and they know him, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture.”

May you never forget my love for you, nor the great love He has for you…until we all return home safely to Him!

Love,

Mom

Hello Family, Love Dad

Hello Family,

I hope this finds everyone well in your work and in serving the Lord each day.

I was reading in the scriptures the other day in the Book of Mormon.   In Ether, I came upon the part where the brother of Jared is constructing the barges to cross the ocean to the promise land.  (Ether 2:17)  “And they were built after a manner that they were exceedingly tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish, and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish, and the sides thereof were tight like unto a dish, and the ends thereof were peaked; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish.”

I would like to think of our family like the dish.  Tight.  We have always been tight together, through thick and thin.  We have played together and we have learned to work together.  We have even camped together!  We also want to be tight against the evils of the world. The brother of Jared had to make sure the barge he was building was tight so the water would not come in.  We must make our lives tight with the Savior so we may be happy.

I’m so excited for the new opportunities that await us this year.

Love to you all,

Dad