Nov. 28, 2015 -- Last Sunday I had a special experience that I wanted to write about.  We were sitting in church waiting for Sacrament Meeting to start, when one of our stake high councilors who is also in our ward, grabbed me and asked me to come talk with him.  We went to the back of the chapel in the overflow area.  I was very surprised that he had asked me to talk with him and it all went very quickly.  He indicated that he was extending to me a new calling (assignment), one in which I would work with other leaders in a presidency.  He did not mention who the other presidency members would be.  I was shocked because I had not expected to receive a new calling.  We will likely move to a new city next summer and I was very comfortable in my current calling.  In my current calling, I also am able to be with my son, Benjamin, so I was concerned about his well-being as with this new calling, I wouldn't be with him any longer.  However, with some hesitancy, I accepted the call.  

I was pondering these events as Sacrament Meeting began, still a bit unsure about what had transpired.  After the Sacrament was administered, I watched as a brother stood to give his talk.  As he approached the pulpit, I received a distinct impression that I would serve with this brother and that he would be the leader of our presidency.  I knew that this impression came from the Holy Ghost.  

Fast forward to Thanksgiving Day.  We enjoyed a great Thanksgiving meal with this brother's family and a few other families from our ward.  Before the meal, this brother and I were speaking and he asked me how I felt about my new calling.  Apparently, he thought that I had been told whom I would be serving with.  I told him that I had not been told whom I would be serving with but that the Spirit had told me that he would be the leader of our presidency.  He thought that was a wonderful thing.  

This was a choice and timely experience for me.  It reaffirmed to me God's love for me and for all of us.  I felt so happy that He trusted me enough to communicate with me spirit to spirit and that I had recognized that communication.  Like most of us, I often struggle to know if the Lord is speaking to me, and this message was confirmation that He was speaking to me and that I could recognize His timely messages.  Finally, I gained strength and reassurance for a calling that I felt hesitant to accept.  

It was also reaffirmed to me how important it is to be clean: "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." (Doctrine and Covenants 133:5).  Also, "Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven." (Doctrine and Covenants 121:45).  I believe that we have to be clean, repentant, and seeking for virtue and the Spirit to be ready to receive the Lord's words for us.  

I am so thankful for this experience, one of the most sacred of my life.   

A day in Hiram and Kirtland, Ohio

I enjoyed a beautiful day in Hiram and Kirtland, Ohio, where some of the first members of the LDS church lived from 1831-1837.  This was a fundamental learning period in the earliest days of the church, where 65 sections of the current Doctrine and Covenants were revealed.  A major instigator for the settlement of Kirtland was when Parley P. Pratt and three other missionaries passed through Kirtland to call on Sidney Rigdon.  The missionaries shared the gospel with Sidney Rigdon and he eventually joined the church along with 100 others.  Later, Joseph Smith received the revelation for the Saints to relocate to Ohio, which later became canonized as Section 38.  The Saints were very poor, yet they sacrificed tremendously and completed the first temple of this dispensation in Kirtland in 1836.  It was wonderful to visit these sacred places and I felt great appreciation and a nice spirit as I visited them.  In particular, I felt a special spirit in the School of the Prophets, where many revelations were received, including the Word of Wisdom.  God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith at least four times during the Kirtland period - see https://devotional.byuh.edu/node/160 for details.  

Snow home.  Lorenzo Snow, who became the fifth president of the church was born and raised here.  Near Hiram, Ohio.  Privately owned.

  John and Ezra Johnson home, near Hiram, Ohio.  Many revelations received in this home.  This picture is from the bedroom where Joseph and Emma Smith were sleeping when Joseph and his friend Sidney Rigdon were extracted from the house in the middle of the night by an angry mob. They were subsequently tarred and feathered and received other brutal treatment. Joseph's response to this the following day was to preach an hour long sermon in the same town on forgiving others. Some mob members were in attendance at the sermon.  An incredible example.

 At the Newel and Elizabeth Whitney store (Kirtland), where the Whitneys hosted Joseph and Emma Smith for approx. 1 year.  Shoes did not have left and right specific shoes during this period. 

 Whitney store

 Upper room in the Whitney store, which became known as the room that hosted the School of the Prophets.  The leaders of the church met here for instruction.  With frequent tobacco use in the small room, Joseph Smith inquired to the Lord about whether this was a suitable practice.  Joseph Smith received a revelation that tobacco was not good for the body, which later became codified as Doctrine and Covenants Section 89.  After Joseph told his brethren about the revelation, they all broke their pipes in two and threw them in the fireplace.  

 Another view of the School of the Prophets room.

 Newel and Elizabeth Whitney home.  Joseph and Emma lived here with the Whitneys for approx. two years.  The first patriarchal blessing of this dispensation was given in this room.  Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ also appeared in this home (Doctrine and Covenants Section 76).  

 Painting depicting Jesus Christ appearing to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple, April 3, 1836 (Doctrine and Covenants Section 110).

 Kirtland temple.  Owned by the Community of Christ.  Good relationship between LDS church and Community of Christ.  Temple is in good shape.  Two main floors of temple each have four rows of elevated pulpits on either side of the rooms.  One side of pulpits are designated for the Melchizedek Priesthood.  The other side of pulpits are designated for the Aaronic Priesthood.  Approx. 1000 people crammed into the lower floor for the temple dedication in 1836.   

Morley Farm area, where Joseph and Emma moved following their stay in Kirkland proper of several years.  Joseph continued with translation of the Bible here at the Morley schoolhouse (building no longer exists).  Joseph gave one of most famous quotes at the Morley schoolhouse: "You know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother's lap.  You don't comprehend it...This Church will fill North and South America--it will fill the world."  Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ also made an appearance in this area.    

 Baby birds, above Kirtland visitor center entrance.  

 My tour group for the Johnson home tour.

 Kirtland visitor center entrance.  

Well.  It has been quite a week.  It began in cold Washington DC and has ended in comfortable Guantanamo (GTMO) Bay, Cuba.  Yes, just like the Utah Jazz, I am making my annual pre-Christmas road trip.  This year's edition has taken me to GTMO.  I was really excited to be able to get in the water here for the first time today.  I rented some snorkeling gear, complete with fins.  I walked out on a rocky ledge and hopped in.  The water temperature was comfortable, and I immediately saw some fish.  Most of them were about six inches long.  I noticed that I was swimming right along the coral reef.  I could see well and enjoyed seeing the sea plants gently blowing back and forth.  Occasionally a burst of bubbles would shimmer and usher me along further into the sea.  As I started to explore the underwater reef kingdom, I noticed many more fish swimming and hiding in the corals.  There were some beautiful blue fish, some with fluorescent blue outlines and one that had a vertical dark blue stripe.  Other nice ones were yellow and gray.  I soon identified one that was about 2.5 feet long.  They definitely noticed my presence and wanted to jet away from me.  It was a very peaceful and surreal experience.  I was a bit concerned about getting some scrapes in the shallow coral areas, and something I brushed up against produced a small rash on my arm but all went well in the end. 

Today I also attended church in GTMO.  There were about 30 people there, a few families, a fully bald branch presidency, and some folks who are here deployed away from their families.  We met in the base chapel annex and it was really nice to be there.  I enjoyed hearing the messages about finding the Christmas spirit and that we should remember what others have done for us, rather than remember what we have done for others.  During the last two hours, we studied the Second Coming, which is something I have been thinking about more recently.  I wonder if this superlative event will happen during my lifetime.  I hope it does!  It was interesting to review the prophecies of Zechariah and Malachi about the Second Coming.  No one greeted me or introduced me or others at the branch, which was a bit surprising.  This is something that is so important in the church. 

Other events this week were Arian and my attendance at my Air Force International Affairs Christmas Party in downtown Washington.  This was a nice event that we enjoyed.  We had fun socializing with our good friends the Simmons family, and introducing Arian to some of my colleagues.  I also got to know my new boss and his wife better (I will start in his division after my assignment to GTMO).  He also told me that I should be the U.S. Air Force liaison officer with the French Air Force, which made me very happy. 

Monday night, we attended a wonderful sopranos concert with our good friend Janell Maeger and Kate Thurgood.  They are both very talented and brought great musicianship, fervor, and spirit to the concert.  Janell brings amazing power, depth, and communication to her performances.  My favorites were _Mary, Did You Know?_ and _I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day_.  The lights at the temple were beautiful and we also enjoyed seeing the various crèches (nativity scenes). 

That's a wrap for now - hope you have a great week!

 Arian and I at my work party

Dive-in point, Windmill Beach, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

What a wonderful time we have had in the Palmyra, New York area the past couple of days.  I have always wanted to come here and it's very fulfilling to be here.  I'll tell some of our stories through pictures on this post.  We feel very blessed to be able to be here and are having a wonderful time.   

On Saturday, July 12th, we attended the Hill Cumorah Pageant.  Nearly 850 volunteers spend an intense week preparing to put on this annual spectacle.  The show was magnificent.  The Hill Cumorah is a very steep, high hill lending itself to plenty of room to showcase the pageant.  The spectacle depicted 10 major stories from the Book of Mormon, including Christ's visit to the Americas, and concluded with Moroni visiting Joseph Smith to show him where the Book of Mormon plates were buried.  My favorite scene was seeing Christ descend to visit the Nephites and see the people's wonder at seeing Him.  Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life was also spectacular.  Also memorable was that Rebecca and Michaila Riedler, friends of ours from our Rolling Valley Ward in Virginia, performed in the pageant, and saved us great seats for the show.  The picture is a Pre-pageant shot with Lehi and Sam.

Speaking with the pageant performers was tremendous.  For instance, we met a young woman in her twenties who had traveled from the UK to be in the pageant.  She is a convert of 5 years whose family is part Muslim.  She experienced significant opposition in joining the church.  She expressed such a vibrant testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel.    

From left to right: courtier; Wicked King Noah; his Chief Priest Amulon; Hill Cumorah pageant crowd member

The church was organized on the Peter Whitmer farm, Fayette, NY

The cabin room where approx. 50 people gathered to organize the Church of Jesus Christ on April 6, 1830

Whitmer log cabin home

Top of Hill Cumorah - Angel Moroni monument

Angel Moroni

E.B. Grandin Printing Press, Palmyra, NY.  It was fascinating and uplifting to visit this printing press where the Book of Mormon was originally published.  The printing press is located in the village of Palmyra, NY, a beautiful little hamlet in upstate New York.  At the printing press, approx. 10 people spent 7 months printing the first copies of the Book of Mormon.  The large "pages" seen here include sets of 16 individual pages that were printed, cut, stitched together, and bound to produce the first Books of Mormon.  The time and effort required to print books in that day were monumental.  The original books sold for $1.50, two days wages during that period. 

Showing how the books were stitched.

Mr. E.B. Grandin, owner of the printing press.  Passed away at the tender age of 39.

The Sacred Grove.  We enjoyed an amazing walk in the Sacred Grove right before dusk.  It was very quiet and peaceful.  You could hear the beautiful birds singing.  The mosquitoes were also active.  There were very few people in the grove.  A sweet, peaceful feeling enveloped each of us as we pondered the amazing events that took place here nearly 200 years ago.    

The Sacred Grove has a unique, sweet spirit to it that is beautiful to experience.  

A sacred experience in Gabon

Sunday, December 8th I had the privilege of attending church in the West-Central African country of Gabon.  Few Westerners could place Gabon on a map, and the country is small in population, comprising only 1.5 million people.  Gabon lies on the equator and is a land of rain forests and exotic wildlife.  When I knew that I was coming to Gabon, I asked my US Embassy contacts if they knew of a member of my church that could help me get to church.  Within 5 minutes, Michael Moody emailed me back and told me that he would pick me up for church and invited me for lunch AND dinner after church.  All in 5 minutes…from Gabon!  What a world we live in.  I figured that my church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) had been established in Gabon for some time.

When Brother Moody and his family picked me up Sunday morning, I learned that I would be attending the only congregation of the church in Gabon.  I learned that the church had only existed in Gabon for about a year, and that Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles had dedicated Gabon in November 2013 for the preaching of the gospel.  The Moody's showed me where the dedication took place, in a beautiful arboretum by a tall tree over 200 years old - article about the dedication here:

http://www.lds.org/church/news/gabon-country-dedication-in-ancient-forest?lang=eng&country=afe

Front side of the church

The scene as I entered the Primary room.  The little boy is on the back row, second from the right.

The newness of the gospel here gave me goosebumps and I was so excited to attend church.  As I walked into the nice building that the Libreville Gabon branch used, I walked past a room of several children who were sitting so peacefully and quietly that you could hear a pin drop.  I had not planned to sit in class with the children - in fact, as I am a Primary teacher of 6 year olds in my ward in N. Virginia, this would have been an opportunity to "get a break from the kids."  However, as I looked upon these sweet, reverent spirits, I felt drawn to them.  I quietly took my place at the back of the classroom.  There was one little boy, the smallest boy in the class, that I was particularly drawn to.  He walked, but was probably less than 2 years old.  I beckoned to him and he came and sat in my lap.  That was a sweet experience.  Sister Moody soon arrived to lead the meeting.  She is a mother of 5 and a great gal.  Having learned French on her own, she beautifully led the children through their study of the Articles of Faith and through song practice for next week's primary program.  Though it was pretty hot and humid, it was great to be with these children who are so reverent and Christlike.  They surely have little in terms of possessions, but they possess the light of Christ.

I was honored to pass the Sacrament during the branch's Sacrament Meeting (the little boy wanted to take many pieces of bread, not just one (-: ).  Following a nice meeting, I got to visit with several of the Gabonese Saints.  They were very friendly and welcoming.  How grateful I was that I could speak their French language!  What a blessing that has been in my life.  I learned that very few of them have been able to go to the temple, and very few have been baptized.  Their branch is currently searching their city of Libreville (means "Free City") for a suitable pool to conduct baptisms.  They could baptize folks in the Atlantic Ocean, but there is some pollution in the water.  I feel spoiled to have easily had the spiritual opportunities that they have not had.  But the church is growing rapidly in Africa, and there is a great power and spirit accompanying that growth.  And today was the 1-year anniversary of this first Gabonese Branch!

1-year anniversary picture of the Libreville, Gabon branch

Little ones picking little mushrooms after church.

Following church, I got to know Elder and Sister Michael Moody Sr.  Elder and Sister Moody are the first LDS missionaries in Gabon.  They have served several missions in "austere" locations…Haiti, Tahiti, etc.  I was amazed to learn that A. Harold Goodman, Arian's grandfather, called Elder Moody to serve on the Church Music Department and that they were good friends.  Elder Moody led the creation of the 1985 church hymnbook and has composed many popular church hymns, including "This is the Christ," "Faith," etc.  The Moody's are completely devoted to the Lord and His work, and it was wonderful to be with them - they are fine examples to me.  We discussed the fact that instead of purchasing a timeshare for retirement, that their timeshare is serving missions.  It was great to get to know Brother and Sister Michael Moody, Jr. as well.  Brother Moody serves in the US Embassy in Libreville, Gabon.

From left to right: Brother and Sister Michael Moody, Jr., Yours Truly, Elder and Sister Michael Moody.

I am so thankful that I was able to share in these experiences and I look forward to many more here in Africa!

The Gabon Atlantic Ocean coastline

A day with the Amish (well sort of)

We ventured out to Amish country in Southern Pennsylvania on Saturday, October 12, 2013.  We had a delightful visit, accentuated by the fact that we avoided the incessant rain that had pelted the region during the past 2 days (6 inches in 2 days).  However, first things first.  At 0000 hours (midnight), Sat. October 12, my boys and I made a pre-trip sacred pilgrammage to a place called Gamestop, where we joined 50 other southern Pennsylvanians anxiously awaiting the release of something called Pokémon X and Y.  Surprisingly, my kids were the only people in the store under 16 (maybe that has something to do with my parenting skills).

One item of note was when an enormous man walked into the store wearing a t-shirt proclaiming "Walking Dead Survivor."  Something to consider, for sure.  He seemed a gentle giant, though, as he calmly took his place in Group 6 of the small throng amassed to pay exorbitant prices for children's entertainment.  It is also intriguing to note the niche of the GameStop employee - a group of friendly, able, unquestionably dedicated personnel to their pursuit of all things gaming.  They carry a certain spirit about them that certainly lends itself to gaming.  They were pleased to welcome the presence of the boys and quickly assured us that our Virginia Gamestop store would reimburse us the $5 that we paid for pre-ordering these games in VA.

Arriving at revered Gamestop at a bewitching hour

The transfer of property

On to the Amish...our first stop in the small but crowded village of Bird-in-Hand turned out to be a lively Amish market store.  Here we found many sweets and other precious goods to tickle our fancy, including 2 gigantic pumpkins costing only $5 each.  It was also notable that the boys were "of a pleasant demeanor" during this stop for one of the only times during our séjour this day.  We also dabbed into the neighboring hamlet of Intercourse, which is a thriving Amish tourist community in spite of being the butt of countless jokes.

Making apple cider doughnuts

It appears difficult to actually be with the Amish, rather than find the tourist perspective of the Amish, but we gave it the old college try.  What I can conclude is that the Amish are dedicated people, talented farmers, and fairly reserved folk.  It was fun to see several buggies sharing the traffic lanes with the cars and we did see lots of Amish people.  One of the coolest things we saw was a bike/scooter combination being utilized by teenage boys - the young men would "scooter along" as there was a foot rest for scootering, though the contraption looked like it could be ridden as a bike as well.  

The Deluxe Buggy

Been waiting to see this sign my whole life

It was fun to taste this homegrown root beer, unlike any that I have tried before.  The root beer was not too sweet, but had plenty of soul.  I enjoyed it more and more after each Dixie cup refill.  Next, we went on a buggy ride led by John, a retired Amish farmer who now leads tourists on buggy rides.  I enjoyed his distinct Penn Amish dialect (I didn't understand about 10% of what he said), and he gave a good overview of Amish life.  Amish children attend school in a 1-room schoolhouse from 1st-8th grade (all together), classes are often taught by teenagers.  After 8th grade, students do 1 day a week of vocational training, but that is the end of their formal education.  Men farm corn, soybeans, etc. while women make clothing, do house chores, etc.  A simple life that the Amish seem content with.  As part of the tenets of their religion, the Amish do not use electricity, but instead use natural gas and solar heating, surely in more prosperous and efficient ways than the rest of us use electricity.

Don't know how we conned this boy into smiling for this picture on board this buggy

John, our Amish buggy leader, sharing his tales with the pack

A true Amish gentleman and a true tourist

Finally, as the boys were waring down, I toured America's first pretzel bakery, Julius Sturgis, in Lititz, PA.  It was fun molding my first pretzel dough and learning how the Sturgis family pounded the dough, heated the dough in 550 degree ovens to make soft pretzels, and later put the soft pretzels in hot rooms for hardening.  As a sidenote, do not pass up the opportunity to eat a few of Sturgis's Jalapeño pretzels -  a beautiful creation.

Truer words were never spoken than "Oregon Dairy is More than Just Milk."  What it is a pleasureable world of a large corn maze, a highly respectable playground replete with a horse swing (see pictures below), a fine general store, and a delightful restaurant.  We enjoyed PA specialties at the buffet including chicken pot pie and stuffed ham.  A great conclusion to a very fun day.  

Horse swing

A pumpkin whoopie pie sundae, a taste of whoopie pie heaven here on earth, and a fine precursor to "Fast Sunday."