Sundays are my favorite day of the week. Yesterday was spectacular again. After clearing snow from the walks of our church at 7:30 am, I spent the next couple of hours just relaxing; reading the paper, listening to Christmas music, and getting ready for church. Church started at 11 am. The first hour and ten minutes was our Sacrament Meeting. In Sacrament meeting we listen to a couple of speakers, partake of the sacrament, sing hymns and pray. Today we listened to a recently returned missionary, James Scott, tell of the remarkable experiences that he had serving the people in Paraguay for the last 2 years. We then heard from an Apostle of the Lord, Elder Richard G. Scott, an Uncle to James. Both of them gave wonderful messages. The message that I took home from James was to "read, pray and obey". In other words, his mission was very successful because he first studied the Gospel of Jesus Christ; he then prayed about it; and he then was obedient to Christ's teachings. As a result he was able to change his own life for the better, and he was able to share that joy of change with the people of Paraguay. The message that I took home from Elder Richard G. Scott was to appreciate and marvel about the creations of God. He said that we should contemplate the goodness and the greatness of God. Basically, it is incomprehensible for us to completely understand the creations of God; like the creation of our world, of galaxies, of eternity and of the plan of happiness, which is here for us. After Sacrament Meeting, we were taught for about 40 minutes about the apostasy, as prophesied in the New Testament, and about the teachings of the apostasy and of a restoration as recorded in the New Testament. This instruction was given by another of God's servants, Elder John Madsen. I came home with a greater appreciation of the word's of Christ, Paul, Peter, Jude and John from the New Testament, and with a greater appreciation for the great work that the Lord asked Joseph Smith to accomplish, as the one called to restore all things in these days. We then spent another 45 minutes listening to a neighbor, Dana Tangren, teach us about managing our time in a way consistant with the teachings of Christ. He used a talk entitled "Good, Better, Best" by another Apostle of the Lord, Elder Dallin Oaks, as the basis of his instruction. I took away from this lesson the importance of prioritizing the many good things that we can be doing with our time, trying to make sure that we keep a proper order of our many responsibilities and spend the appropriate time on things that are most important, like our families.
After this wonderful three hour block of worship, a few of us cleared the walks around the church again from about another new 4 inches of snow.
We then went home and cleared more snow from our sidewalks and driveways, after which, we spent time with our family, visiting and playing games. It was a wonderful day.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
1961 and Freedom
In 1961 I learned an important lesson about the metamorphosis called freedom. I learned that metamorphosis is a natural process for freedom. I learned that a successful metamorphosis takes time, work, kindness, patience and knowledge. I learned that it is a gift from God.
In 1961 I was eight years old. I lived in Mapleton, Utah. Mapleton is a beautiful little farming community at the base of the mountain called Sierra Bonita in central Utah. Sierra Bonita means Mountain Beautiful in Spanish. This mountain is quite symmetrical. It rises from the valley floor on the north from an elevation of about 4000 feet to an elevation more than 10,000 feet above sea level and then it falls back to the valley floor on the south. The mountain is filled with scrub oaks, pines, maples and aspens. Particularly in the fall, the autumn colors of these trees make this mountain a scenic beauty. When the Spanish Catholic missionary explorer Escalante visited this place in 1776, legend says that he saw that this mountain was so perfectly formed that he called it Sierra Bonita.
The 1960’s were a season of change. A metamorphosis towards freedom was taking place. Freedoms were won and lost. Various styles of government and leadership were being established. Great technological advances took place. Political revolutions, assassinations, racism, the Cold War, teenage rebellion, Woodstock, and technological changes occurred in the interest of individual rights and freedoms.
In 1961 Mapleton had about 1500 citizens. It was a farming community with many farm animals, orchards, hay fields, gardens and a variety of vegetable crops. There were both paved and dirt roads. It was a city with its own government. The citizens were active in making this place a nice place to live. Welby Warren was the Mayor. Clustered in the center of town was a beautiful white Church, a large brown City Building with its own basketball court, swimming pool and dance floor, a beautiful new little league baseball diamond, a small store, Gividen’s auto repair shop, a large two-story School and the volunteer fire station. For an eight year old, life was good. After the chores of feeding chickens, weeding the family garden, washing dishes and spending some time in school, there was plenty of time to explore the town and the nearby mountain canyons.
In September of 1961, school had just started and I had just been baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). I remember being excited for the new school year, for being a member of Christ's Church, and for living in such a beautiful place.
In 1961 I was in third grade. Mrs. Shumway was my third grade teacher. She was young and enthusiastic. This was her first year teaching full-time in Mapleton. She had recently graduated from college and she was inspiring in her efforts to teach us. This enthusiasm encouraged me to try a little harder and to do a little better. I will always be grateful for her efforts.
There were 29 students in my class. The old two-story grade school building that we met in had been built in 1899. A new addition to the school had been added in 1953. Our class was on the main floor of the old section. Mrs. Shumway was a great teacher because she encouraged us to learn both by study and by experience. My experience with the miracle of freedom, which I call a metamorphosis, took place in her class.
Metamorphosis is a principle of change. Mrs. Shumway organized an experiment to teach us about nature and about change.
Have you ever watched a caterpillar go through metamorphosis and become a monarch butterfly? It is fascinating to watch.
Monarch butterflies are one of the most beautiful creatures of nature. Having something so beautiful come from something so odd looking as a caterpillar has always interested me. It is one of the miracles of nature. Mrs. Shumway decided to have our class conduct an experiment about butterflies. She instructed each of us to get a clear glass mason jar and to put a monarch butterfly caterpillar in it. She told us to look on milkweeds throughout our town for these caterpillars. She instructed us further to put part of a milk weed plant in the jar with the caterpillar and to punch holes in the lid of the Mason jar. The caterpillar would feast on the milk weed plant until it was time for it to spin a cocoon. With the holes in the lid the caterpillar would also have air, which was necessary for it to live. Eventually it would change into a beautiful butterfly.
Mapleton had a lot of milkweeds in 1961 and it was easy to find the sleek brownish-orange, white and yellow striped caterpillars. All 29 of us in the class found these caterpillars, put them in mason jars and brought them to school to watch. Over the next couple of weeks the caterpillars all spun cocoons either underneath some of the milkweed leafs or on the lid of the Mason jar. The cocoons were all a bright green color and we anxiously anticipated the day that they would hatch into butterflies.
Every school day we would rush to school anxious to see if anything different had occurred with our cocoons.
One day, about two weeks after the caterpillars had spun their cocoons, one of the cocoons began to turn black. As a class, we were quite concerned. We were worried that something might be wrong. What should we do? Was there something that we could do to help this butterfly out? It looked really bad. We decided to wait another day and see what happened.
The next day the cocoon was even blacker. We were worried. Our teacher, Mrs. Shumway, didn’t know what to do either. Was something wrong with this butterfly? Did we do something wrong? Was there something that we could do to help this butterfly out? We decided to operate. We wanted to help. We felt that we had to do something now. With a razor blade and needles we carefully operated on this cocoon, cutting open the cocoon, trying to help this butterfly out of the cocoon.
We got the butterfly out, but it died. We were devastated. It was disappointing for all of us, especially for the student who had brought this caterpillar to class. As an eight-year-old every moment of every day is exciting and important. To lose this butterfly was very sad.
The next day, another cocoon started turning black. Oh no! What should we do? Should we operate or wait and see what happens next? We waited another day. The next day things looked blacker. We decided to operate again. We again cut in to the cocoon trying to save the monarch butterfly. We got it out, but it too died. As a class, we were devastated, again, to have lost these two butterflies.
Mrs. Shumway said that she would call the biology department at Brigham Young University (BYU) and ask them what we should do. Another one of the cocoons was turning black and this time it was mine. As an eight-year-old, this kind of concern and stress was intense. I didn’t want to lose my butterfly too. I had nurtured it along to this point and I was anxious for a successful metamorphosis to occur.
The next day my cocoon was getting really black. We had not heard back from BYU yet. We wrestled with the decision of whether to operate again or not. We decided to operate one more time on my cocoon. It went better this time. We were able to save the butterfly, but it was never able to fly. We probably touched the wings and disturbed the powdery substances there. Other cocoons were starting to turn black and we were all quite concerned. BYU did get back to us that day and we learned that the cocoons turning black was a natural part of the process before the butterflies hatched from their cocoons. The black color came from light not being able to penetrate the beautiful colors of the wings of the new butterfly. They told us that we needed to let the butterflies naturally fight their own way out of their cocoons. Nature was already set up for them to help themselves out of their own cocoons. If we helped them too soon and touched their wings, they would not be able to fly. They had to do this on their own.
This natural process, the metamorphosis or change that leads to freedom, is a gift from God.
Life often seems to be this way. Quite often, to gain strength and knowledge, we each need to fight our own way to freedom, within nature’s laws. Parents, coaches and teachers help us learn the rules and the laws of nature. They help us gain knowledge. They help us gain freedom. Just like the butterfly, for us to survive, though, we each need to stretch and work to get out of our own cocoons. We are beautiful when we do so. Monarch butterflies are gorgeous. Not that they did anything themselves other than follow nature’s gift from God.
Also, when we have to fight for things, they seem to be of greater worth and we prize them more.
Like the butterflies, we have a world full of food, although we have to work for it. We also have a world of air and light. These are gifts from God. They are just here. There is plenty for all if we follow natural laws to help each other. If we do our best and if we avoid pride, greed and fear, then we have what we need to become beautiful.
As a result of the butterflies successfully fighting for their own freedom, they had the health, strength and confidence that they needed to survive and live beautifully.
I learned from this experience that it is often harder for the one watching and waiting, being patient and kind, while letting a metamorphosis properly occur. Sometimes, when we operate too soon, bad things happen. Knowledge, inspiration and light are the keys in knowing when to operate.
In our lives, food, air and light are given generously. This provides the environment to allow a metamorphosis to take place.
All of the remaining butterflies in our class survived and were able to fly when we let them naturally fight their own ways out of their cocoons. What a miracle. When we let nature take its course and when the butterflies were allowed to fight their own way to freedom from the confinement of their cocoons, they were able to fly and we were able to enjoy their incredible beauty.
The greatest miracles that I witness, the greatest joys that I experience, and the most beautiful things around me are the triumphs over weaknesses. The metamorphosis or change that occurs when we work to overcome entropy, weakness and resistance is miraculous. We celebrate work, effort and doing one’s best. No wonder that we celebrate the Olympians. It is so fun to watch the beauty of their performances. This is a beauty, which can only result from a lot of work and knowledge.
The experiment with butterflies in my 3rd grade class, and the effort that Mrs. Shumway put forth to allow us such a wonderful experience, will always be a treasure for me on my journey through life. It helped me understand a little bit better the principle and the gift that we call freedom.
In 1961 I was eight years old. I lived in Mapleton, Utah. Mapleton is a beautiful little farming community at the base of the mountain called Sierra Bonita in central Utah. Sierra Bonita means Mountain Beautiful in Spanish. This mountain is quite symmetrical. It rises from the valley floor on the north from an elevation of about 4000 feet to an elevation more than 10,000 feet above sea level and then it falls back to the valley floor on the south. The mountain is filled with scrub oaks, pines, maples and aspens. Particularly in the fall, the autumn colors of these trees make this mountain a scenic beauty. When the Spanish Catholic missionary explorer Escalante visited this place in 1776, legend says that he saw that this mountain was so perfectly formed that he called it Sierra Bonita.
The 1960’s were a season of change. A metamorphosis towards freedom was taking place. Freedoms were won and lost. Various styles of government and leadership were being established. Great technological advances took place. Political revolutions, assassinations, racism, the Cold War, teenage rebellion, Woodstock, and technological changes occurred in the interest of individual rights and freedoms.
In 1961 Mapleton had about 1500 citizens. It was a farming community with many farm animals, orchards, hay fields, gardens and a variety of vegetable crops. There were both paved and dirt roads. It was a city with its own government. The citizens were active in making this place a nice place to live. Welby Warren was the Mayor. Clustered in the center of town was a beautiful white Church, a large brown City Building with its own basketball court, swimming pool and dance floor, a beautiful new little league baseball diamond, a small store, Gividen’s auto repair shop, a large two-story School and the volunteer fire station. For an eight year old, life was good. After the chores of feeding chickens, weeding the family garden, washing dishes and spending some time in school, there was plenty of time to explore the town and the nearby mountain canyons.
In September of 1961, school had just started and I had just been baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). I remember being excited for the new school year, for being a member of Christ's Church, and for living in such a beautiful place.
In 1961 I was in third grade. Mrs. Shumway was my third grade teacher. She was young and enthusiastic. This was her first year teaching full-time in Mapleton. She had recently graduated from college and she was inspiring in her efforts to teach us. This enthusiasm encouraged me to try a little harder and to do a little better. I will always be grateful for her efforts.
There were 29 students in my class. The old two-story grade school building that we met in had been built in 1899. A new addition to the school had been added in 1953. Our class was on the main floor of the old section. Mrs. Shumway was a great teacher because she encouraged us to learn both by study and by experience. My experience with the miracle of freedom, which I call a metamorphosis, took place in her class.
Metamorphosis is a principle of change. Mrs. Shumway organized an experiment to teach us about nature and about change.
Have you ever watched a caterpillar go through metamorphosis and become a monarch butterfly? It is fascinating to watch.
Monarch butterflies are one of the most beautiful creatures of nature. Having something so beautiful come from something so odd looking as a caterpillar has always interested me. It is one of the miracles of nature. Mrs. Shumway decided to have our class conduct an experiment about butterflies. She instructed each of us to get a clear glass mason jar and to put a monarch butterfly caterpillar in it. She told us to look on milkweeds throughout our town for these caterpillars. She instructed us further to put part of a milk weed plant in the jar with the caterpillar and to punch holes in the lid of the Mason jar. The caterpillar would feast on the milk weed plant until it was time for it to spin a cocoon. With the holes in the lid the caterpillar would also have air, which was necessary for it to live. Eventually it would change into a beautiful butterfly.
Mapleton had a lot of milkweeds in 1961 and it was easy to find the sleek brownish-orange, white and yellow striped caterpillars. All 29 of us in the class found these caterpillars, put them in mason jars and brought them to school to watch. Over the next couple of weeks the caterpillars all spun cocoons either underneath some of the milkweed leafs or on the lid of the Mason jar. The cocoons were all a bright green color and we anxiously anticipated the day that they would hatch into butterflies.
Every school day we would rush to school anxious to see if anything different had occurred with our cocoons.
One day, about two weeks after the caterpillars had spun their cocoons, one of the cocoons began to turn black. As a class, we were quite concerned. We were worried that something might be wrong. What should we do? Was there something that we could do to help this butterfly out? It looked really bad. We decided to wait another day and see what happened.
The next day the cocoon was even blacker. We were worried. Our teacher, Mrs. Shumway, didn’t know what to do either. Was something wrong with this butterfly? Did we do something wrong? Was there something that we could do to help this butterfly out? We decided to operate. We wanted to help. We felt that we had to do something now. With a razor blade and needles we carefully operated on this cocoon, cutting open the cocoon, trying to help this butterfly out of the cocoon.
We got the butterfly out, but it died. We were devastated. It was disappointing for all of us, especially for the student who had brought this caterpillar to class. As an eight-year-old every moment of every day is exciting and important. To lose this butterfly was very sad.
The next day, another cocoon started turning black. Oh no! What should we do? Should we operate or wait and see what happens next? We waited another day. The next day things looked blacker. We decided to operate again. We again cut in to the cocoon trying to save the monarch butterfly. We got it out, but it too died. As a class, we were devastated, again, to have lost these two butterflies.
Mrs. Shumway said that she would call the biology department at Brigham Young University (BYU) and ask them what we should do. Another one of the cocoons was turning black and this time it was mine. As an eight-year-old, this kind of concern and stress was intense. I didn’t want to lose my butterfly too. I had nurtured it along to this point and I was anxious for a successful metamorphosis to occur.
The next day my cocoon was getting really black. We had not heard back from BYU yet. We wrestled with the decision of whether to operate again or not. We decided to operate one more time on my cocoon. It went better this time. We were able to save the butterfly, but it was never able to fly. We probably touched the wings and disturbed the powdery substances there. Other cocoons were starting to turn black and we were all quite concerned. BYU did get back to us that day and we learned that the cocoons turning black was a natural part of the process before the butterflies hatched from their cocoons. The black color came from light not being able to penetrate the beautiful colors of the wings of the new butterfly. They told us that we needed to let the butterflies naturally fight their own way out of their cocoons. Nature was already set up for them to help themselves out of their own cocoons. If we helped them too soon and touched their wings, they would not be able to fly. They had to do this on their own.
This natural process, the metamorphosis or change that leads to freedom, is a gift from God.
Life often seems to be this way. Quite often, to gain strength and knowledge, we each need to fight our own way to freedom, within nature’s laws. Parents, coaches and teachers help us learn the rules and the laws of nature. They help us gain knowledge. They help us gain freedom. Just like the butterfly, for us to survive, though, we each need to stretch and work to get out of our own cocoons. We are beautiful when we do so. Monarch butterflies are gorgeous. Not that they did anything themselves other than follow nature’s gift from God.
Also, when we have to fight for things, they seem to be of greater worth and we prize them more.
Like the butterflies, we have a world full of food, although we have to work for it. We also have a world of air and light. These are gifts from God. They are just here. There is plenty for all if we follow natural laws to help each other. If we do our best and if we avoid pride, greed and fear, then we have what we need to become beautiful.
As a result of the butterflies successfully fighting for their own freedom, they had the health, strength and confidence that they needed to survive and live beautifully.
I learned from this experience that it is often harder for the one watching and waiting, being patient and kind, while letting a metamorphosis properly occur. Sometimes, when we operate too soon, bad things happen. Knowledge, inspiration and light are the keys in knowing when to operate.
In our lives, food, air and light are given generously. This provides the environment to allow a metamorphosis to take place.
All of the remaining butterflies in our class survived and were able to fly when we let them naturally fight their own ways out of their cocoons. What a miracle. When we let nature take its course and when the butterflies were allowed to fight their own way to freedom from the confinement of their cocoons, they were able to fly and we were able to enjoy their incredible beauty.
The greatest miracles that I witness, the greatest joys that I experience, and the most beautiful things around me are the triumphs over weaknesses. The metamorphosis or change that occurs when we work to overcome entropy, weakness and resistance is miraculous. We celebrate work, effort and doing one’s best. No wonder that we celebrate the Olympians. It is so fun to watch the beauty of their performances. This is a beauty, which can only result from a lot of work and knowledge.
The experiment with butterflies in my 3rd grade class, and the effort that Mrs. Shumway put forth to allow us such a wonderful experience, will always be a treasure for me on my journey through life. It helped me understand a little bit better the principle and the gift that we call freedom.
Stay on the trail
At the age of 14 I remember having a lot of confidence in myself and in my abilities to do things. For our summer youth activity that year, my friends and I convinced our religious leaders to take us into the Uinta mountains of Northeastern Utah. We had all been there two years before, when we had completed our first 50 mile backpack trip, going from Mirror Lake to Moon Lake. We had had so much fun and such a wonderful experience, that we wanted to go back.
One of our leaders, Tom James, knew of a place called Cyclone Pass. He was aware of an airplane that had crashed trying to fly over Cyclone Pass. Many of its parts were still there. Cyclone pass was near Four Lake Basin in the Uinta mountains and he wanted to show us how pretty and magnificent this basin and pass were.
Harold Gividen was our advisor. He had been our religious leader and our bishop. He was wise and he was one to make sure that we were well prepared. He was a great leader.
We made our preparations, planned the itinerary for the trip and finally the day came to go.
I remember this trip well. It will be a choice memory forever. But, I learned an important lesson. I learned how important it is to stay on the trail. I also learned that one must be prepared for the consequences if one gets off the trail.
Our leaders had a lot of confidence in us and they let us go at our own paces. We all knew that we were headed for Four Lake Basin. This would be our base camp for the week. We would take side trips from there. Potential side trips would be to go see the airplane wreckage, hike over Cyclone pass and fish for grayling in some of the nearby lakes. A few of us kept up a quick pace and arrived at Four Lake Basin in less than three hours. It is about a 10 mile hike from Mirror Lake (15 miles according to our leaders). We carried our own backpacks, which weighed about 30 pounds each. We packed in our own gear and the leaders were bringing in a few pack horses to treat us with nice meals later in the week.
I was grateful to be one of the first ones to camp, because shortly after we arrived, a monstrous thunderstorm hit and anything that was not covered got drenched. Most of my friends and all of our leaders were still on the trail. They got really wet. They spent the first night of our trip drying out their gear. I had time to set up my camp and my plastic lean-to before the rains hit. Covered by a nice plastic lean-to my gear and I stayed dry. It was fun watching this most spectacular display of Mother Nature's awesome power from a dry and protected location.
The experience I wanted to share with you happened later that week. Our leaders had told us about a lake called Thompson Lake, where the fishing was great. It was off the main trail and it was cradled on two sides by cliffs. To get there, one followed a trail east out of Four Lake Basin, up over Cyclone pass, down the other side and around a valley of boulders and rocks to the lake. A group of us wanted to go there. The leaders said ok and to be careful.
We grabbed our fishing poles, some snacks for the trail, maps of the area and our rain-gear and we headed for Cyclone pass. Cyclone pass has an elevation of about 11,000 feet. It is difficult for small planes to get over it. The one that crashed could not get enough altitude to fly over the pass. Some of the nearby peaks rise to over 13,000 feet. The view from on top of the pass is spectacular. Mother nature is awesome. Man's ability to create such things are just incomparable to the beauty and majesty in nature.
On top of Cyclone pass we took our maps out and determined that there was a short-cut that we could take to Thompson Lake. From the top of Cyclone Pass one can see Four Lake Basin and the area near Mirror Lake to the west and to the east one can see most all of Rock Creek drainage. It is beautiful. We could see that the trail would take us maybe a mile or two out of our way to the east and then north back up to Thompson Lake. It looked much easier and quicker to go straight to the lake. This would be off the trail and across country. Without packs on, we thought we could make it and save both time and energy. We figured that a straight line is the quickest distance between two points. We were wrong.
After about an hour of negotiating cliffs that were between us and Thompson Lake, we determined that we could not get down to the lake without rock-climbing equipment and expertise. We had neither. I was the one who pushed to take the short-cut and I led the way. Now I was embarrassed because I had not only put myself in danger on these cliffs, but many of the young men had followed me into a precarious position among the cliffs. They trusted in me and my confidence. Not only had we put ourselves at risk, but it wasted two hours of our day, since we had to retrace our steps back to the trail. We learned that quite often the trails are the quickest, easiest and most efficient courses to a location. It reminded me of the words of a Spanish Philosopher, George Santayana, who said, "Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them." We would have been much better off if we had stayed on the trail. Those who had gone before us were wise and had left a developed trail for us to follow.
It is exciting, fun, challenging and adventuresome at times to get off the trail. I like adventure and excitement. But I have learned that if you get off the trail, it is wise to either have planned and prepared for the dangers of being off the trail, or go with someone who knows how to be safe and secure while there. That way you can enjoy the wonderful and inspiring powers of nature, and still be safe. I have often pondered about the powers of nature. I believe that these powers are there for our joy, but they can destroy us if used improperly or carelessly. But, I did learn to stay on the trail and good things happen.
One of our leaders, Tom James, knew of a place called Cyclone Pass. He was aware of an airplane that had crashed trying to fly over Cyclone Pass. Many of its parts were still there. Cyclone pass was near Four Lake Basin in the Uinta mountains and he wanted to show us how pretty and magnificent this basin and pass were.
Harold Gividen was our advisor. He had been our religious leader and our bishop. He was wise and he was one to make sure that we were well prepared. He was a great leader.
We made our preparations, planned the itinerary for the trip and finally the day came to go.
I remember this trip well. It will be a choice memory forever. But, I learned an important lesson. I learned how important it is to stay on the trail. I also learned that one must be prepared for the consequences if one gets off the trail.
Our leaders had a lot of confidence in us and they let us go at our own paces. We all knew that we were headed for Four Lake Basin. This would be our base camp for the week. We would take side trips from there. Potential side trips would be to go see the airplane wreckage, hike over Cyclone pass and fish for grayling in some of the nearby lakes. A few of us kept up a quick pace and arrived at Four Lake Basin in less than three hours. It is about a 10 mile hike from Mirror Lake (15 miles according to our leaders). We carried our own backpacks, which weighed about 30 pounds each. We packed in our own gear and the leaders were bringing in a few pack horses to treat us with nice meals later in the week.
I was grateful to be one of the first ones to camp, because shortly after we arrived, a monstrous thunderstorm hit and anything that was not covered got drenched. Most of my friends and all of our leaders were still on the trail. They got really wet. They spent the first night of our trip drying out their gear. I had time to set up my camp and my plastic lean-to before the rains hit. Covered by a nice plastic lean-to my gear and I stayed dry. It was fun watching this most spectacular display of Mother Nature's awesome power from a dry and protected location.
The experience I wanted to share with you happened later that week. Our leaders had told us about a lake called Thompson Lake, where the fishing was great. It was off the main trail and it was cradled on two sides by cliffs. To get there, one followed a trail east out of Four Lake Basin, up over Cyclone pass, down the other side and around a valley of boulders and rocks to the lake. A group of us wanted to go there. The leaders said ok and to be careful.
We grabbed our fishing poles, some snacks for the trail, maps of the area and our rain-gear and we headed for Cyclone pass. Cyclone pass has an elevation of about 11,000 feet. It is difficult for small planes to get over it. The one that crashed could not get enough altitude to fly over the pass. Some of the nearby peaks rise to over 13,000 feet. The view from on top of the pass is spectacular. Mother nature is awesome. Man's ability to create such things are just incomparable to the beauty and majesty in nature.
On top of Cyclone pass we took our maps out and determined that there was a short-cut that we could take to Thompson Lake. From the top of Cyclone Pass one can see Four Lake Basin and the area near Mirror Lake to the west and to the east one can see most all of Rock Creek drainage. It is beautiful. We could see that the trail would take us maybe a mile or two out of our way to the east and then north back up to Thompson Lake. It looked much easier and quicker to go straight to the lake. This would be off the trail and across country. Without packs on, we thought we could make it and save both time and energy. We figured that a straight line is the quickest distance between two points. We were wrong.
After about an hour of negotiating cliffs that were between us and Thompson Lake, we determined that we could not get down to the lake without rock-climbing equipment and expertise. We had neither. I was the one who pushed to take the short-cut and I led the way. Now I was embarrassed because I had not only put myself in danger on these cliffs, but many of the young men had followed me into a precarious position among the cliffs. They trusted in me and my confidence. Not only had we put ourselves at risk, but it wasted two hours of our day, since we had to retrace our steps back to the trail. We learned that quite often the trails are the quickest, easiest and most efficient courses to a location. It reminded me of the words of a Spanish Philosopher, George Santayana, who said, "Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them." We would have been much better off if we had stayed on the trail. Those who had gone before us were wise and had left a developed trail for us to follow.
It is exciting, fun, challenging and adventuresome at times to get off the trail. I like adventure and excitement. But I have learned that if you get off the trail, it is wise to either have planned and prepared for the dangers of being off the trail, or go with someone who knows how to be safe and secure while there. That way you can enjoy the wonderful and inspiring powers of nature, and still be safe. I have often pondered about the powers of nature. I believe that these powers are there for our joy, but they can destroy us if used improperly or carelessly. But, I did learn to stay on the trail and good things happen.
My thoughts about Helen Keller
I will always marvel at the accomplishments of Helen Keller. She was one who was blind and deaf, and yet, through hard work, and because of the light and knowledge given to her by another, she accomplished miraculous things. She wrote some marvelous pieces of literature. One of her pieces was called "Optimism". It is a beautiful piece of literature. A favorite quote from her is, “No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.”
A few years ago, my wife, Pam, and I attended a play at the Pioneer Memorial Theater, in Salt Lake City, Utah, about the early life of Helen Keller. It was called “The Miracle Worker”. The play was well done and it helped me appreciate a message that I had pondered about for some time. I had often questioned and wondered why it was so important to be obedient. I always felt that it was important to be self-sufficient and independent, and to work hard and to do our best. However, I always felt that blind obedience seemed to be in conflict with agency, and with being independent and self-sufficient. What was in common with blind obedience and free agency? After seeing this play, it was very clear to me, that knowledge comes from obedience. Some knowledge is a gift, but some can only be achieved by obedience to those or to principles that can impart knowledge to us. Nature often offers us such opportunities to learn. I learned that by being obedient, we gain light and knowledge and miracles happen.
You might remember the story of Helen Keller. Helen was born June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. At the age of 19 months old she became very ill. Because of this illness, Helen went from being a normal child, physically, to one that was deaf and blind. Her parents were devastated. They loved her and they tried their best to help her, to love her and to work with her. She described her state of being as knowing only "darkness and stillness, without past or future." By the age of 7 she had become savage-like and wild. Her parents, not knowing what to do, loved her by letting her do whatever she wanted. They tolerated her insolence and savage nature because they didn't know how to deal with it or how to solve it. They got to the point where they considered institutionalizing her, feeling hopeless about their ability to deal with her. They questioned her ability to be anything more than a menace to society and others. She was too wild and uncontrollable.
They did not want to institutionalize her, because that would almost certainly be a sentence to disease, abuse and death. The institutions of that day were poor and filthy.
They had read where Charles Dickens had reported about a deaf and blind girl by the name of Laura Bridgmann. This girl had learned to communicate with others. This report gave the family hope and they contacted a school for the blind.
Alexander Bell, inventor of the telephone and a teacher of the deaf, guided them to a young lady by the name of Anne Sullivan. Anne had become blind from filthy living conditions and disease, but she had learned to communicate with others. She had also been blessed through an operation to receive part of her sight back. Anne also knew first hand how horrible the asylums and the institutions for the handicapped could be, as she lived in one and as her younger brother died in one. She ended up in a state poorhouse with her little brother because her alcoholic father had abandoned the family and because her mother had died from tuberculosis. Through determination, courage and the kindness of others, Anne overcame the obstacles in her life and she dedicated her life to helping others overcome their obstacles. Over time, Anne realized that she could not alter the things around her, only herself. As she matured she rebelled less, and she believed that a child learned best through love, patience, and discipline, allowing the child individual freedom. Anne was hired by the family to teach Helen. She began on March 3, 1887. Anne demanded order, respect and obedience. Helen's family gave Anne their trust, faith, and support. Otherwise, they felt that they would have no other choice, but to send Helen to an asylum. Anne taught through repetition, patience, love, order, faith, consequences and a plan of education. Anne taught a love of nature, utilizing cornfields, rivers, barns, etc. in her teaching. Anne taught through the use of touching Helen's hands. Anne would try and get Helen to recognize the letters of the alphabet that Anne would spell into Helen's hands. It was not easy. It took a lot of love, patience, faith and order. The family questioned Anne's abilities and methods. But Anne had experienced this in her own life and she knew how to help Helen. After a lot of work and attention, Helen came to associate water with the letters w-a-t-e-r that Anne spelled into her hand. It opened the world of communication to her. Helen, like her mentor Anne, learned the importance of obedience. In her state of darkness, she could not learn without being obedient to one who knew. She learned how to see in darkness. She understood what it meant to be enlightened by knowledge. The play showed and taught that "obedience is the key that unlocks the understanding of knowledge and truth in the mind." It might be said also that obedience is the key to light. Anne never quit or gave up on Helen. Anne continued to teach Helen with love and patience and order, and by learning obedience Helen went on to gain college degrees and to become a great author, teacher and mentor for the blind and the deaf. Anne and Helen are great examples for all of us. When we are obedient, we can gain knowledge, and good things happen. Light and knowledge can be gained by obedience to laws and principles. The scripture in D&C 130:18-19 is really true that says ..."And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated". The play made mention of another fact, however, that we should always keep in mind. It went something like this: “Obedience without knowledge is another form of blindness.” The history of the world is full of examples of such blindness. It is so important to keep learning and progressing and being obedient to those who have gained knowledge through their own obedience, namely our parents, grandparents, coaches, teachers and leaders. It is also important to never give up. As World War II raged, I believe that Winston Churchill immortalized the words, “Never, never, never give up.”
A favorite quote from President Ronald Reagan about the opposite of optimism went something like this, “Opportunity knocked but the pessimist didn’t answer the door because of all the noise.”
What Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan accomplished is miraculous. By choosing obedience, work, light and knowledge, Helen and Anne overcame their weaknesses, the entropy (disorder) in their lives, and miracles happened.
A few years ago, my wife, Pam, and I attended a play at the Pioneer Memorial Theater, in Salt Lake City, Utah, about the early life of Helen Keller. It was called “The Miracle Worker”. The play was well done and it helped me appreciate a message that I had pondered about for some time. I had often questioned and wondered why it was so important to be obedient. I always felt that it was important to be self-sufficient and independent, and to work hard and to do our best. However, I always felt that blind obedience seemed to be in conflict with agency, and with being independent and self-sufficient. What was in common with blind obedience and free agency? After seeing this play, it was very clear to me, that knowledge comes from obedience. Some knowledge is a gift, but some can only be achieved by obedience to those or to principles that can impart knowledge to us. Nature often offers us such opportunities to learn. I learned that by being obedient, we gain light and knowledge and miracles happen.
You might remember the story of Helen Keller. Helen was born June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. At the age of 19 months old she became very ill. Because of this illness, Helen went from being a normal child, physically, to one that was deaf and blind. Her parents were devastated. They loved her and they tried their best to help her, to love her and to work with her. She described her state of being as knowing only "darkness and stillness, without past or future." By the age of 7 she had become savage-like and wild. Her parents, not knowing what to do, loved her by letting her do whatever she wanted. They tolerated her insolence and savage nature because they didn't know how to deal with it or how to solve it. They got to the point where they considered institutionalizing her, feeling hopeless about their ability to deal with her. They questioned her ability to be anything more than a menace to society and others. She was too wild and uncontrollable.
They did not want to institutionalize her, because that would almost certainly be a sentence to disease, abuse and death. The institutions of that day were poor and filthy.
They had read where Charles Dickens had reported about a deaf and blind girl by the name of Laura Bridgmann. This girl had learned to communicate with others. This report gave the family hope and they contacted a school for the blind.
Alexander Bell, inventor of the telephone and a teacher of the deaf, guided them to a young lady by the name of Anne Sullivan. Anne had become blind from filthy living conditions and disease, but she had learned to communicate with others. She had also been blessed through an operation to receive part of her sight back. Anne also knew first hand how horrible the asylums and the institutions for the handicapped could be, as she lived in one and as her younger brother died in one. She ended up in a state poorhouse with her little brother because her alcoholic father had abandoned the family and because her mother had died from tuberculosis. Through determination, courage and the kindness of others, Anne overcame the obstacles in her life and she dedicated her life to helping others overcome their obstacles. Over time, Anne realized that she could not alter the things around her, only herself. As she matured she rebelled less, and she believed that a child learned best through love, patience, and discipline, allowing the child individual freedom. Anne was hired by the family to teach Helen. She began on March 3, 1887. Anne demanded order, respect and obedience. Helen's family gave Anne their trust, faith, and support. Otherwise, they felt that they would have no other choice, but to send Helen to an asylum. Anne taught through repetition, patience, love, order, faith, consequences and a plan of education. Anne taught a love of nature, utilizing cornfields, rivers, barns, etc. in her teaching. Anne taught through the use of touching Helen's hands. Anne would try and get Helen to recognize the letters of the alphabet that Anne would spell into Helen's hands. It was not easy. It took a lot of love, patience, faith and order. The family questioned Anne's abilities and methods. But Anne had experienced this in her own life and she knew how to help Helen. After a lot of work and attention, Helen came to associate water with the letters w-a-t-e-r that Anne spelled into her hand. It opened the world of communication to her. Helen, like her mentor Anne, learned the importance of obedience. In her state of darkness, she could not learn without being obedient to one who knew. She learned how to see in darkness. She understood what it meant to be enlightened by knowledge. The play showed and taught that "obedience is the key that unlocks the understanding of knowledge and truth in the mind." It might be said also that obedience is the key to light. Anne never quit or gave up on Helen. Anne continued to teach Helen with love and patience and order, and by learning obedience Helen went on to gain college degrees and to become a great author, teacher and mentor for the blind and the deaf. Anne and Helen are great examples for all of us. When we are obedient, we can gain knowledge, and good things happen. Light and knowledge can be gained by obedience to laws and principles. The scripture in D&C 130:18-19 is really true that says ..."And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated". The play made mention of another fact, however, that we should always keep in mind. It went something like this: “Obedience without knowledge is another form of blindness.” The history of the world is full of examples of such blindness. It is so important to keep learning and progressing and being obedient to those who have gained knowledge through their own obedience, namely our parents, grandparents, coaches, teachers and leaders. It is also important to never give up. As World War II raged, I believe that Winston Churchill immortalized the words, “Never, never, never give up.”
A favorite quote from President Ronald Reagan about the opposite of optimism went something like this, “Opportunity knocked but the pessimist didn’t answer the door because of all the noise.”
What Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan accomplished is miraculous. By choosing obedience, work, light and knowledge, Helen and Anne overcame their weaknesses, the entropy (disorder) in their lives, and miracles happened.
My Friend Wendell Johnson
One of my fondest memories as a teenager growing up in the small farming community of Mapleton, Utah was attending church at the side of the bed of a young man just a few years older than myself who became a quadriplegic at the tender age of 16. Because of the paralysis, he was basically a prisoner in his own body. His name was Wendell Johnson. His life was a miracle. Miracles occurred all around Wendell. Many people had special influences on him, and he in turn inspired and influenced the lives of so many others.
His younger brother, Morris, and I were good friends. I remember as a 14 year old going over to the new addition of the Johnson home, which Wendell’s father had built for the care of Wendell. It was one room, maybe 15 feet by 15 feet in size, with a large bathroom and a hospital type bed. Here Wendell spent a good deal of his life. Here he learned anew how to eat. He relearned how to paint. He became renowned in some of his paintings. Here he was loved by family and friends who sought to help and comfort him. Here he taught and influenced many for good. Here we held some of our church services on Sunday, so that Wendell could participate with us. Here I admired the strength and character of Wendell and those who served him.
I remember being in church the day that the Boy Scouts of America awarded a medal of heroism to the friend that saved Wendell’s life. In 1964 at the age of 16, Wendell had been swimming at the flume, a washed-out portion of the irrigation canal that flows above the farms of Mapleton. Wendell and one of his friends had gone to the flume to swim and cool off after a hard day of working on the farms in Mapleton. Wendell told his story of standing on the embankment of the canal, of looking down into the swirling waters of the flume, and of diving in. He expected to make a shallow dive, but for some reason he said that he arched awkwardly in the air. As he dove into the water, he hit the bottom with his head and he broke his neck and spine. He remembers the moment as one in which he thought he might die. He remembered thinking that one’s life does flash before him as one’s life is near its end. He remembered struggling to move his muscles and his body and having nothing work for him. He remembered the feelings of panic and fear as he could not get air or move. Suddenly the friend that was with him raised him out of the water and he remembered how wonderful it was to grasp for air again. He remembered looking down at his body while he was lying still in the middle of the dirt road next to the canal and being unable to make his body move or work for him. He remembered being lifted into the Mapleton ambulance, a blue Edsel, that on the occasion of his accident needed to be pushed to get started. He remembered the blessings and prayers that were offered in his behalf and he remembered how powerful the principle of hope became in his life. He underwent many surgeries and therapy sessions to try and help him recover from this terrible accident. As time went on he was able to develop some movement in his arms. He described how one day he and his therapist noticed a twitch in his arm and how they worked hard on that twitch to develop enough movement that by the aid of braces he could move his arms. Just like when he was a baby he learned again how to do simple things. He relearned how to eat, write and do simple things like turning the pages of a book. He never walked again or had any movement in his legs. Instead of the powerful, strong muscles that he had developed as a teenager working on the farm, he now had a very skinny, motionless body.
I remember him getting very discouraged and despondent. At times it seemed that he just wanted to give up. It was hard for him to just lie there and it was hard for others to see him there. What would he be able to do with his life? His life seemed to be over. He seemed destined to be waited on by others for the rest of his life. He could not stand to have others pity him. He was a proud person. He was ashamed and embarrassed with his condition.
But, Wendell had family, friends and acquaintances that would not mind their own business. One day, a man who taught religion classes for the local seminary, and who had recently moved his family to Mapleton, went to visit Wendell. His name was Brother Howes. Brother Howes and others would not leave Wendell alone. They came over regularly to visit, talk and read with Wendell. I remember Wendell saying that he at times wanted to run away from the embarrassment of his situation, but he couldn’t. He was a captive audience. He couldn’t run away. This was a time when in his self-pity he didn’t want any one around to see him. Wendell was always grateful though for Brother Howes and others who took the time to make Wendell part of their business. These visits gave Wendell hope and inspiration for a better future. It helped him to not give up.
As a result of the hope and inspiration that came into Wendell’s life from the many doctors, therapists, family, friends, neighbors and acquaintances who made Wendell their business, Wendell went on to accomplish incredible things. One of his first accomplishments was to learn how to eat. I remember being at his home when he was relearning how to eat mashed potatoes by himself. With the brace on his left arm holding the spoon for him, he would laboriously get a spoonful of mashed potatoes and try and get them into his mouth. He started with mashed potatoes and peanut butter in relearning how to eat, because it was harder for him to spill them. Early on in this process he often missed getting the food into his mouth as he relearned how to feed himself. How could anyone spill peanut butter or mashed potatoes, but he did. He went on to learn how to feed himself, how to paint and how to write. He painted many beautiful sceneries and pictures, even though it would take him months to do just one painting. The task was still extremely difficult to do with a brace and with the limited movement of his arm muscles, but he persevered and produced many beautiful paintings. He coauthored a book. He taught many church lessons from his bedside. It will always be a cherished memory for me to have 15 to 20 of us surround his bed on a Sunday morning and listen to him teach us about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He had insights because of his condition and experiences that most of us will never have. I still marvel to this day at his courage and character as he taught us, lying crippled in bed, dressed in pajamas, with the braces on his arms and with a blanket over his useless body. With the brace on his arm, propped up in his hospital-style bed, with his books on a podium over his lap, he turned the pages of the instruction manuals as he taught us.
He was a good friend, counselor and confidant for many a young man at this time. I will always be grateful for those who inspired him to give what he could and to do the best that he could. I will also always be grateful for those who were wise enough to give him the opportunity to serve others. He became both the Justice of the Peace and the Mayor of Mapleton. He married a wonderful young woman, Susan Edmonds, who supported and helped him. Together they have a beautiful daughter. At his funeral, at about the age of 45, Wendell’s daughter told a story about his final painting. It is a beautiful painting of our Savior, Jesus Christ. She said that her father had died once before, but he was allowed to return to his feeble body and to finish this final painting. I have a copy of this painting on my bedroom wall. It reminds me daily of the strength and character of one who was paralyzed at an early age of his life, but who was inspired by the caring of others, and who became a magnificent influence in the lives of many. It reminds me of the great example of our Savior Jesus Christ and the miracle of his life and resurrection. Wendell’s life was a miracle. What he accomplished inspired many. I will always be grateful for his friendship and counsel. I believe that I will see him again and I look forward to that reunion. Well done Wendell.
His younger brother, Morris, and I were good friends. I remember as a 14 year old going over to the new addition of the Johnson home, which Wendell’s father had built for the care of Wendell. It was one room, maybe 15 feet by 15 feet in size, with a large bathroom and a hospital type bed. Here Wendell spent a good deal of his life. Here he learned anew how to eat. He relearned how to paint. He became renowned in some of his paintings. Here he was loved by family and friends who sought to help and comfort him. Here he taught and influenced many for good. Here we held some of our church services on Sunday, so that Wendell could participate with us. Here I admired the strength and character of Wendell and those who served him.
I remember being in church the day that the Boy Scouts of America awarded a medal of heroism to the friend that saved Wendell’s life. In 1964 at the age of 16, Wendell had been swimming at the flume, a washed-out portion of the irrigation canal that flows above the farms of Mapleton. Wendell and one of his friends had gone to the flume to swim and cool off after a hard day of working on the farms in Mapleton. Wendell told his story of standing on the embankment of the canal, of looking down into the swirling waters of the flume, and of diving in. He expected to make a shallow dive, but for some reason he said that he arched awkwardly in the air. As he dove into the water, he hit the bottom with his head and he broke his neck and spine. He remembers the moment as one in which he thought he might die. He remembered thinking that one’s life does flash before him as one’s life is near its end. He remembered struggling to move his muscles and his body and having nothing work for him. He remembered the feelings of panic and fear as he could not get air or move. Suddenly the friend that was with him raised him out of the water and he remembered how wonderful it was to grasp for air again. He remembered looking down at his body while he was lying still in the middle of the dirt road next to the canal and being unable to make his body move or work for him. He remembered being lifted into the Mapleton ambulance, a blue Edsel, that on the occasion of his accident needed to be pushed to get started. He remembered the blessings and prayers that were offered in his behalf and he remembered how powerful the principle of hope became in his life. He underwent many surgeries and therapy sessions to try and help him recover from this terrible accident. As time went on he was able to develop some movement in his arms. He described how one day he and his therapist noticed a twitch in his arm and how they worked hard on that twitch to develop enough movement that by the aid of braces he could move his arms. Just like when he was a baby he learned again how to do simple things. He relearned how to eat, write and do simple things like turning the pages of a book. He never walked again or had any movement in his legs. Instead of the powerful, strong muscles that he had developed as a teenager working on the farm, he now had a very skinny, motionless body.
I remember him getting very discouraged and despondent. At times it seemed that he just wanted to give up. It was hard for him to just lie there and it was hard for others to see him there. What would he be able to do with his life? His life seemed to be over. He seemed destined to be waited on by others for the rest of his life. He could not stand to have others pity him. He was a proud person. He was ashamed and embarrassed with his condition.
But, Wendell had family, friends and acquaintances that would not mind their own business. One day, a man who taught religion classes for the local seminary, and who had recently moved his family to Mapleton, went to visit Wendell. His name was Brother Howes. Brother Howes and others would not leave Wendell alone. They came over regularly to visit, talk and read with Wendell. I remember Wendell saying that he at times wanted to run away from the embarrassment of his situation, but he couldn’t. He was a captive audience. He couldn’t run away. This was a time when in his self-pity he didn’t want any one around to see him. Wendell was always grateful though for Brother Howes and others who took the time to make Wendell part of their business. These visits gave Wendell hope and inspiration for a better future. It helped him to not give up.
As a result of the hope and inspiration that came into Wendell’s life from the many doctors, therapists, family, friends, neighbors and acquaintances who made Wendell their business, Wendell went on to accomplish incredible things. One of his first accomplishments was to learn how to eat. I remember being at his home when he was relearning how to eat mashed potatoes by himself. With the brace on his left arm holding the spoon for him, he would laboriously get a spoonful of mashed potatoes and try and get them into his mouth. He started with mashed potatoes and peanut butter in relearning how to eat, because it was harder for him to spill them. Early on in this process he often missed getting the food into his mouth as he relearned how to feed himself. How could anyone spill peanut butter or mashed potatoes, but he did. He went on to learn how to feed himself, how to paint and how to write. He painted many beautiful sceneries and pictures, even though it would take him months to do just one painting. The task was still extremely difficult to do with a brace and with the limited movement of his arm muscles, but he persevered and produced many beautiful paintings. He coauthored a book. He taught many church lessons from his bedside. It will always be a cherished memory for me to have 15 to 20 of us surround his bed on a Sunday morning and listen to him teach us about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He had insights because of his condition and experiences that most of us will never have. I still marvel to this day at his courage and character as he taught us, lying crippled in bed, dressed in pajamas, with the braces on his arms and with a blanket over his useless body. With the brace on his arm, propped up in his hospital-style bed, with his books on a podium over his lap, he turned the pages of the instruction manuals as he taught us.
He was a good friend, counselor and confidant for many a young man at this time. I will always be grateful for those who inspired him to give what he could and to do the best that he could. I will also always be grateful for those who were wise enough to give him the opportunity to serve others. He became both the Justice of the Peace and the Mayor of Mapleton. He married a wonderful young woman, Susan Edmonds, who supported and helped him. Together they have a beautiful daughter. At his funeral, at about the age of 45, Wendell’s daughter told a story about his final painting. It is a beautiful painting of our Savior, Jesus Christ. She said that her father had died once before, but he was allowed to return to his feeble body and to finish this final painting. I have a copy of this painting on my bedroom wall. It reminds me daily of the strength and character of one who was paralyzed at an early age of his life, but who was inspired by the caring of others, and who became a magnificent influence in the lives of many. It reminds me of the great example of our Savior Jesus Christ and the miracle of his life and resurrection. Wendell’s life was a miracle. What he accomplished inspired many. I will always be grateful for his friendship and counsel. I believe that I will see him again and I look forward to that reunion. Well done Wendell.
Tabby Mountain
Tabby Mountain is just west of Highway 208 in Duschesne County Utah. It rises to over 10,000 feet in elevation. Efforts are being made to preserve the land adjascent to Highway 208 as winter range for the many deer and elk herds in this area. Yesterday, as I was driving along this 10 mile stretch of highway, which has an elevation of about 6500 feet, I was privileged to see 2 bald eagles near the highway. There was a herd of elk on the west side of the highway, and there were many deer. The snow was about 8 inches deep and the temperature at 2 pm was 13 degrees F. I can see why it would be a nice area to preserve. It was fun to observe such wildlife. Nearby on Highway 40 there was a moose and another bald eagle. What a pretty day.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Jordan Education Foundation
It was a great pleasure for me this week to visit three different grade schools in the Salt Lake Valley to present checks, in the form of mini-grants, to pay for special projects. I have thoroughly enjoyed serving on the board of the Jordan Education Foundation, and it is even more rewarding to see up close and personal the wonderful service the teachers and administrators provide for our children. One class I visited was providing learning opportunities to severely handicapped children. I marveled at the wonderful progress these students were making under the tuteledge of very talented and very dedicated teachers. The second visit was to a faculty meeting where the teachers receiving the mini-grants described their different projects. They had 47 teachers serving over 1100 students in this school. I marveled at the dedication of these teachers and administrators. Finally, I visited a grade-school, where a very dedicated music teacher was leading a band of grade-schoolers in an assembly celebrating the music of the season. It was wonderful. Again, it looked like there must have been 1000 or more students in this school. With such wonderful teachers and administrators in the Jordan School District, I know that good things are going to continue to happen. Thanks to all those that serve in the Jordan School District.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Christian Mormons
As a Christian and as a Mormon, my favorite chapter of scripture is Chapter 25 in the Book of Matthew of the New Testament. Here, just a few days before the Saviour of the World is crucified and is then resurrected, Christ teaches his disciples three important lessons. The first one is to be prepared. The second one is to not be afraid, but to go to work. And the third is to be righteous, which He defines in the parable of the sheep and the goats as doing good to others. At this Christmas time of the year, good things happen as we serve and give to others. I am thankful to live in this great country of America where I have the freedom to practice these principles of divinity; preparation, work and righteousness.
Reagonomics
Which of the Republican presidential candidates would promote Reagonomics? Is Reagonomics the correct course for the future?
I'm not sure. But under President Reagan, even though the budget deficit increased dramatically, some very good things took place:
1. Supply side economics.
a. Budget deficit increased from $700 Million to $3 Trillion.
b. Inflation went from about 11% to about 5%.
c. Income tax rates were decreased significantly; particularly for the rich.
d. Gold went from about $600/oz. to about $400/oz.
e. Oil went from about $30/barrel to about $16/barrel.
f. US stock markets increased about 300%.
g. World stock markets increased about 400%.
h. The US $ strengthened into 1985 and then fell sharply into 1989.
2. Peace through strength.
a. The Berlin Wall came down.
The debates are on.
What are some of the differences this time around that need to be addressed:
1. Is there too much wealth in the hands of too few?
2. How do we pay for social security, medicare and medicaid going forward?
3. How do we deal with rising energy costs?
I'm not sure. But under President Reagan, even though the budget deficit increased dramatically, some very good things took place:
1. Supply side economics.
a. Budget deficit increased from $700 Million to $3 Trillion.
b. Inflation went from about 11% to about 5%.
c. Income tax rates were decreased significantly; particularly for the rich.
d. Gold went from about $600/oz. to about $400/oz.
e. Oil went from about $30/barrel to about $16/barrel.
f. US stock markets increased about 300%.
g. World stock markets increased about 400%.
h. The US $ strengthened into 1985 and then fell sharply into 1989.
2. Peace through strength.
a. The Berlin Wall came down.
The debates are on.
What are some of the differences this time around that need to be addressed:
1. Is there too much wealth in the hands of too few?
2. How do we pay for social security, medicare and medicaid going forward?
3. How do we deal with rising energy costs?
Utah Wildlife Viewing
Yesterday I drove from Salt Lake City to Fruitland and back. It is about a 3 hour drive round trip. The temperature at Salt Lake in the morning was 21 F when I left. It was 5 F at Heber City. It was 15 F at Strawberry Reservoir and it was 9 F in Fruitland. On the return trip in the afternoon, the temperature at Fruitland was 15 F; at Strawberry it was 21 F; at Heber City it was 20; and at Salt Lake it was 27 F. There were many deer on the hillsides along the way. With about 8 inches of snow on average in these mountains, the deer were easy to see. There was a moose between Strawberry Reservoir and Fruitland and there were two bald eagles flying up Daniels Canyon. On other occasions when I have made this trip, I will often see elk herds on the hills just west of Heber City. There are also many deer, eagles, and elk along the highway from Highway 40 to Tabiona in the winter time. There are domesticated elk and buffalo worth seeing along the highway between Tabiona and Duchesne. It's a great place to see Utah Wildlife.
Friday, December 7, 2007
A Christian President
I think that a Christian President would be one who focuses on the attributes espoused in Matthew 25 of the New Testament. Since Mitt Romney referenced these passages in his Faith Speech yesterday, I would say that he is focused on these values. Good Job Mitt.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Mirror Lake to Moon Lake
This past summer I took a week and hiked from Mirror Lake to Moon Lake in the High Uinta Wilderness area of Utah. This is a spectacular hike with Alpine type vistas. This is a great 50 miler for Scouters, as the distance, depending upon which side trails you take, is about 50 to 60 miles.
My pack weighed 42 pounds at the beginning of the hike, including a liter of water. It weighed about 32 pounds at the end of the hike.
The trail head is at Butterfly Lake, about 30 miles north of Kamas, Utah and about 45 miles south of Evanston, Wyoming on scenic Highway 150.
The trail is well marked and easy to hike. There are many trails throughout the Uinta Wilderness area. There are also many great places to camp in this area of the Uintas. It is easy to get separated from your group because of the many trails and because of the expanse of pines. Make sure that everyone has a buddy, map, whistle and is otherwise prepared. There are restrictions on group sizes to 14 or less individuals, but no permits are required. Weather can be unpredictable, so be prepared for about anything. Keep your packs to 35 pounds or less and you will have a more enjoyable experience. Pack it in and pack it out.
Consider camping the first night at Pigeon Milk Springs or Four Lake Basin. You’ll find Grayling in some of these lakes, especially in Allen Lake, just below Four Lake Basin. Consider camping the second night at Uinta, Black or Lightning Lake. My favorite is Uinta Lake because it is a little more off the main trail and the fishing is usually better. Consider camping the third night at Anderson or Phinney Lakes. For some large Cutthroat trout, consider going off trail about ¼ mile to Johnson Lake on your way to Squaw Lake Basin. Camp at Squaw Lake. There are at least two fresh water springs on the north and east side of Squaw Lake. Consider then camping at Kidney or Brown Duck Lakes, before making the final leg of the trail down to Moon Lake. There are many alternatives to this trek; for example, turning down from Squaw Lake and coming out at Upper Stillwater Reservoir on the Rock Creek Drainage. Take your camera for breath taking views.
This year we went during the middle of July. It rained lightly for the first two days, but that made the hiking pleasant. Fishing was the best at Anderson Lake.
My pack weighed 42 pounds at the beginning of the hike, including a liter of water. It weighed about 32 pounds at the end of the hike.
The trail head is at Butterfly Lake, about 30 miles north of Kamas, Utah and about 45 miles south of Evanston, Wyoming on scenic Highway 150.
The trail is well marked and easy to hike. There are many trails throughout the Uinta Wilderness area. There are also many great places to camp in this area of the Uintas. It is easy to get separated from your group because of the many trails and because of the expanse of pines. Make sure that everyone has a buddy, map, whistle and is otherwise prepared. There are restrictions on group sizes to 14 or less individuals, but no permits are required. Weather can be unpredictable, so be prepared for about anything. Keep your packs to 35 pounds or less and you will have a more enjoyable experience. Pack it in and pack it out.
Consider camping the first night at Pigeon Milk Springs or Four Lake Basin. You’ll find Grayling in some of these lakes, especially in Allen Lake, just below Four Lake Basin. Consider camping the second night at Uinta, Black or Lightning Lake. My favorite is Uinta Lake because it is a little more off the main trail and the fishing is usually better. Consider camping the third night at Anderson or Phinney Lakes. For some large Cutthroat trout, consider going off trail about ¼ mile to Johnson Lake on your way to Squaw Lake Basin. Camp at Squaw Lake. There are at least two fresh water springs on the north and east side of Squaw Lake. Consider then camping at Kidney or Brown Duck Lakes, before making the final leg of the trail down to Moon Lake. There are many alternatives to this trek; for example, turning down from Squaw Lake and coming out at Upper Stillwater Reservoir on the Rock Creek Drainage. Take your camera for breath taking views.
This year we went during the middle of July. It rained lightly for the first two days, but that made the hiking pleasant. Fishing was the best at Anderson Lake.
Friday, November 23, 2007
God, Light, and Kings Peak, Utah
One of my goals in life had been to hike to the highest peak in Utah, Kings Peak, and back, in a single day. I had talked with others who had accomplished this goal and decided that I wanted to make the attempt. The round-trip distance from the trail head at Henry’s Fork to the top of Kings Peak and back is 36 miles. One can shorten this distance by 4 miles if one goes up and down the slide which is just below Anderson Pass. Anderson Pass is just below the top of Kings Peak. A friend of mine, Todd Galbraith, said that he wanted to go with me and make the attempt. We figured that at a 3.5 miles per hour walking pace, we could complete the hike in under 11 hours of hiking. If we were on the trail at 8:00 am, we could hike to the top and back by 7 pm, just before dark. On a beautiful fall Saturday morning in October 2001, Todd and I left Salt Lake City by truck at 5:00 am and headed north through Evanston, Wyoming to get to the Henry’s Fork trail head by 8:00 am to start hiking. We were so excited to get out into the beauties of the Uintah Wilderness area. We each had over a liter of water and enough snacks and trail mix to last us through the day. We each had a jacket. I also had a first aid kit, water-purification tablets, a poncho, a flashlight and an emergency blanket (the aluminum foil $1 compact kind). Other than that, we were dressed in light shirts, athletic shorts and hiking shoes. The weather report indicated that it would be a warm, beautiful day, with temperatures in the Uintah Mountains reaching up to about 70 degrees. We were looking forward to hiking in this beautiful mountain paradise. In the fall of the year, the leaves of the many oak, maple and aspen trees turn many shades of orange, yellow, red and brown. This mixture of color with the green pine trees and the reds and grays of the rocks and cliffs of these majestic mountains, is an awe-inspiring sight. It is so pretty to be in this environment in the fall of the year.
Kings Peak is the highest mountain peak in Utah at a height of about 13,500 feet above sea level. The trail head at Henry’s Fork is about 9,500 feet. The first 12 miles or so of hiking is quite easy. The trail is well used and there is a gentle incline for the first 1000 feet of ascent. It is a dirt trail with lots of rocks and roots in it, but it is easy to hike if one is watching for these hazards. At about the 12 mile mark, one can stay on the main trail and continue a fairly slow incline around a ridge to Anderson Pass or one can take the shortcut trail which goes up the slide to Anderson Pass. When we arrived at the 12 mile mark, storm clouds started to form in the distance and we decided to take the shorter route. We wanted to save time and we did not want to get caught in a storm. We also took a moment and knelt in a meadow just below the slide to pray. We thanked God for the beauties around us and we asked for a blessing for ourselves, for our families and for our country, to help us be safe, protected and cared for. I remembered thinking silently how grateful I was for the many blessings that we have in this country. The events of September 11, 2001 were still a very fresh memory and I remembered thinking how fragile life can be, but how wonderful it can be also. I silently asked God to bless us with experiences that day that we ought to have. I felt that this day would be memorable. I felt that we would have experiences that we needed to have. After a moment of prayer and contemplation, Todd and I headed up the slide. It was harder than we thought and as we reached the top of the slide, it started to snow on us. We scurried to a few boulders that appeared to be big enough to offer us some protection from the storm and we hunkered down to see what happened. I have never had an occasion to use my emergency blanket before, but this looked like the right time. I pulled it out and Todd and I covered ourselves to keep the snow off from us. It soon stopped snowing and we decided to try and make the summit before the snow continued.
The clouds had broken somewhat, and even though we could see storms in the distance, it appeared that we had enough time to get to the top and then head back down. Several other people were in the same predicament that we were, and they too decided to head for the top. A few people passed us who had already reached the summit and were headed down. Todd and I achieved the summit at 2:00 pm.
The top of Kings Peak is gorgeous. One can see fifty miles clearly in each direction. It is so pretty. Steep cliffs are to the immediate west of the peak, and one can see the peaks of Baldy and Reed mountains in the distance to the west. The many lakes of the region are visible, and we could see another storm developing to the east, just past Atwood Lake. A second storm was coming up the Henry Fork drainage that we had just come from. It was moving towards us on the west side of the canyons. It was magnificent to watch the storm move in along the mountains and cliffs. With the crack of thunder and lightning in the distance, we decided that it was time to get off the mountain. About eight other people were at the summit with us and we visited briefly with them, ate some lunch, drank some water and headed down the mountain. The storm moved in quite quickly and it was soon snowing again. The rocks that we were hiking over became wet and slippery and we had to be careful as we climbed down. There are no trees above the slide and there is very little protection from the elements. We decided to continue hiking down. It was much easier going down the slide, but by the time we were at the bottom of the slide, the snow had turned to rain. As there was no place to get out of the weather, we decided to keep hiking out. We were wet and we looked like two drowned rats.
My waterproof jacket was not very waterproof, but it was better than what Todd had. After about an hour of hiking in the rain, the storm broke and the rain quit. We stopped to rest, eat some trail mix and granola bars, drink some water, wring out the water in our socks and change some of our clothes. Todd put on my dry jacket, as his jacket was not waterproof at all, and we continued down the trail. We were making pretty good time, but with the wet and muddy trail it was going to take us longer than we expected to get down.
The sky was slightly overcast the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. The rain was gone, but the trail was wet and slick. We took it a little slower than we had planned. As the dark slowly engulfed us, we heard elk bugling in the meadows to our left. We saw a bull moose in a meadow to our right. The full moon tried to shine through the clouds, but it didn‘t provide us with much light. At 8:00 pm we still had about 3 miles to go. Todd had a sore knee and I gave him some Motrin. My muscles were getting sore also. The last three miles of the trail were hard to see in the dark because of the thick timber and oak along this part of the trail. Thankfully I had put a flashlight into the day pack. I pulled it out and it illuminated the trail for us so that we could see the trail, and so that we would not stumble over the obstacles of rocks and roots in the trail. We could no longer see without the light from the flashlight.
It dawned on me at this point that there are times on our journey through life when we need the light of God or others to shine for us. Like the flashlight, the light of God can illuminate the path of life to help us avoid the obstacles that may come our way. I believe that the light is in us, it is in our day pack, and sometimes we just need to turn it on. Sometimes we just need to ask for it. Sometimes our neighbors or friends have a light that they can share with us.
I have often had light illuminate my trail in life. I believe that it is a gift from God. It is all around us. It is in Nature. I am grateful for this light. It is a light I do not completely comprehend, but I know that it is there, because I have seen it. Light is a miracle and it is there to show us the way through life. Sometimes we just have to turn it on. That day, on the trail to Kings Peak, I learned to turn on the light, and good things happened.
Kings Peak is the highest mountain peak in Utah at a height of about 13,500 feet above sea level. The trail head at Henry’s Fork is about 9,500 feet. The first 12 miles or so of hiking is quite easy. The trail is well used and there is a gentle incline for the first 1000 feet of ascent. It is a dirt trail with lots of rocks and roots in it, but it is easy to hike if one is watching for these hazards. At about the 12 mile mark, one can stay on the main trail and continue a fairly slow incline around a ridge to Anderson Pass or one can take the shortcut trail which goes up the slide to Anderson Pass. When we arrived at the 12 mile mark, storm clouds started to form in the distance and we decided to take the shorter route. We wanted to save time and we did not want to get caught in a storm. We also took a moment and knelt in a meadow just below the slide to pray. We thanked God for the beauties around us and we asked for a blessing for ourselves, for our families and for our country, to help us be safe, protected and cared for. I remembered thinking silently how grateful I was for the many blessings that we have in this country. The events of September 11, 2001 were still a very fresh memory and I remembered thinking how fragile life can be, but how wonderful it can be also. I silently asked God to bless us with experiences that day that we ought to have. I felt that this day would be memorable. I felt that we would have experiences that we needed to have. After a moment of prayer and contemplation, Todd and I headed up the slide. It was harder than we thought and as we reached the top of the slide, it started to snow on us. We scurried to a few boulders that appeared to be big enough to offer us some protection from the storm and we hunkered down to see what happened. I have never had an occasion to use my emergency blanket before, but this looked like the right time. I pulled it out and Todd and I covered ourselves to keep the snow off from us. It soon stopped snowing and we decided to try and make the summit before the snow continued.
The clouds had broken somewhat, and even though we could see storms in the distance, it appeared that we had enough time to get to the top and then head back down. Several other people were in the same predicament that we were, and they too decided to head for the top. A few people passed us who had already reached the summit and were headed down. Todd and I achieved the summit at 2:00 pm.
The top of Kings Peak is gorgeous. One can see fifty miles clearly in each direction. It is so pretty. Steep cliffs are to the immediate west of the peak, and one can see the peaks of Baldy and Reed mountains in the distance to the west. The many lakes of the region are visible, and we could see another storm developing to the east, just past Atwood Lake. A second storm was coming up the Henry Fork drainage that we had just come from. It was moving towards us on the west side of the canyons. It was magnificent to watch the storm move in along the mountains and cliffs. With the crack of thunder and lightning in the distance, we decided that it was time to get off the mountain. About eight other people were at the summit with us and we visited briefly with them, ate some lunch, drank some water and headed down the mountain. The storm moved in quite quickly and it was soon snowing again. The rocks that we were hiking over became wet and slippery and we had to be careful as we climbed down. There are no trees above the slide and there is very little protection from the elements. We decided to continue hiking down. It was much easier going down the slide, but by the time we were at the bottom of the slide, the snow had turned to rain. As there was no place to get out of the weather, we decided to keep hiking out. We were wet and we looked like two drowned rats.
My waterproof jacket was not very waterproof, but it was better than what Todd had. After about an hour of hiking in the rain, the storm broke and the rain quit. We stopped to rest, eat some trail mix and granola bars, drink some water, wring out the water in our socks and change some of our clothes. Todd put on my dry jacket, as his jacket was not waterproof at all, and we continued down the trail. We were making pretty good time, but with the wet and muddy trail it was going to take us longer than we expected to get down.
The sky was slightly overcast the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. The rain was gone, but the trail was wet and slick. We took it a little slower than we had planned. As the dark slowly engulfed us, we heard elk bugling in the meadows to our left. We saw a bull moose in a meadow to our right. The full moon tried to shine through the clouds, but it didn‘t provide us with much light. At 8:00 pm we still had about 3 miles to go. Todd had a sore knee and I gave him some Motrin. My muscles were getting sore also. The last three miles of the trail were hard to see in the dark because of the thick timber and oak along this part of the trail. Thankfully I had put a flashlight into the day pack. I pulled it out and it illuminated the trail for us so that we could see the trail, and so that we would not stumble over the obstacles of rocks and roots in the trail. We could no longer see without the light from the flashlight.
It dawned on me at this point that there are times on our journey through life when we need the light of God or others to shine for us. Like the flashlight, the light of God can illuminate the path of life to help us avoid the obstacles that may come our way. I believe that the light is in us, it is in our day pack, and sometimes we just need to turn it on. Sometimes we just need to ask for it. Sometimes our neighbors or friends have a light that they can share with us.
I have often had light illuminate my trail in life. I believe that it is a gift from God. It is all around us. It is in Nature. I am grateful for this light. It is a light I do not completely comprehend, but I know that it is there, because I have seen it. Light is a miracle and it is there to show us the way through life. Sometimes we just have to turn it on. That day, on the trail to Kings Peak, I learned to turn on the light, and good things happened.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Hutchings and the Pilgrims
Did you know that if you are related to Shepherd Pierce Hutchings, then you have direct ancestors who crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower and landed at Plymouth Rock.
Edward Fuller was born September 4, 1575 in Redenhal, Norfolk, England. He and his wife Ann were among the 120 members of the Mayflower that landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620 searching for religious freedom. Edward, Ann, their young son Samuel and Dr. Samuel Fuller, Edward’s brother, were among the passengers on the Mayflower. Both Edward and his brother Samuel were signers of the Mayflower Compact. They were Puritans who left Leydon, Holland for America, seeking religious freedom. Edward and his wife Ann were among those that died that first winter. Their son Samuel would be raised by his Uncle Samuel. Edward and Ann’s older son Matthew had stayed behind in England. He sailed to Plymouth on October 26, 1640.
And Edward and Ann Fuller begat Matthew Fuller.
And Matthew Fuller begat Samuel Fuller.
And Samuel Fuller begat Abigail Fuller.
And Abigail Fuller begat Israel Stowell.
And Israel Stowell begat Joseph Stowell.
And Joseph Stowell begat Abigail Stowell.
And Abigail Stowell begat Elias Hutchins.
And Elias Hutchins begat Shepherd Pierce Hutchings.
Thomas Hutchins, the emigrant ancestor of Elias and Shepherd Pierce Hutchings, was born on November 15, 1693 in Broadwinsor, Dorset, England. His grandson Asa, the father of Elias, served with a brother named Issac in the revolutionary war. They may have helped capture Fort Ticonderoga from the British in 1775.
Elias Hutchins was born February 20, 1784. He is given credit, along with his Uncle John, of discovering the Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. He married Sally Smith (Cox) on December 29, 1816. They joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on November 17, 1830 near Kirtland, Ohio. Elias served faithfully in Zion’s Camp. He was set apart as a President in the Third Quorum of Seventy in Nauvoo, Illinois. He died in Nauvoo and is buried there. His wife Sally crossed the plains with the pioneers and died September 28, 1863 in Salt Lake City. She is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetary.
Shepherd Pierce Hutchings stood toe to toe with the mobs during the persecutions of the Mormons in Missouri. He witnessed the confirmation of Brigham Young as President of the Church after the death of Joseph Smith. He took his family to Utah, crossing the plains with the pioneers. He served a mission in the east promoting Joseph Smith’s effort to become President of the United States, just before the Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred. He also served a mission to the Indians in Utah and Nevada.
If your name is Hutchings, you are probably related to many people from southern England who were involved with the reformation and with the colonization of America.
Edward Fuller was born September 4, 1575 in Redenhal, Norfolk, England. He and his wife Ann were among the 120 members of the Mayflower that landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620 searching for religious freedom. Edward, Ann, their young son Samuel and Dr. Samuel Fuller, Edward’s brother, were among the passengers on the Mayflower. Both Edward and his brother Samuel were signers of the Mayflower Compact. They were Puritans who left Leydon, Holland for America, seeking religious freedom. Edward and his wife Ann were among those that died that first winter. Their son Samuel would be raised by his Uncle Samuel. Edward and Ann’s older son Matthew had stayed behind in England. He sailed to Plymouth on October 26, 1640.
And Edward and Ann Fuller begat Matthew Fuller.
And Matthew Fuller begat Samuel Fuller.
And Samuel Fuller begat Abigail Fuller.
And Abigail Fuller begat Israel Stowell.
And Israel Stowell begat Joseph Stowell.
And Joseph Stowell begat Abigail Stowell.
And Abigail Stowell begat Elias Hutchins.
And Elias Hutchins begat Shepherd Pierce Hutchings.
Thomas Hutchins, the emigrant ancestor of Elias and Shepherd Pierce Hutchings, was born on November 15, 1693 in Broadwinsor, Dorset, England. His grandson Asa, the father of Elias, served with a brother named Issac in the revolutionary war. They may have helped capture Fort Ticonderoga from the British in 1775.
Elias Hutchins was born February 20, 1784. He is given credit, along with his Uncle John, of discovering the Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. He married Sally Smith (Cox) on December 29, 1816. They joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on November 17, 1830 near Kirtland, Ohio. Elias served faithfully in Zion’s Camp. He was set apart as a President in the Third Quorum of Seventy in Nauvoo, Illinois. He died in Nauvoo and is buried there. His wife Sally crossed the plains with the pioneers and died September 28, 1863 in Salt Lake City. She is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetary.
Shepherd Pierce Hutchings stood toe to toe with the mobs during the persecutions of the Mormons in Missouri. He witnessed the confirmation of Brigham Young as President of the Church after the death of Joseph Smith. He took his family to Utah, crossing the plains with the pioneers. He served a mission in the east promoting Joseph Smith’s effort to become President of the United States, just before the Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred. He also served a mission to the Indians in Utah and Nevada.
If your name is Hutchings, you are probably related to many people from southern England who were involved with the reformation and with the colonization of America.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Thanksgiving
The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. The winter of their arrival aboard the Mayflower was tragic. That first winter 46 of the original 102 pilgrims, who had sailed to America, died.
In the fall of 1621 those who had survived that first winter, along with about 91 Indians, who helped them survive the winter, celebrated the bountiful harvest of 1621 with three days of celebration.
In 1789, reflecting upon the blessings of God in helping the colonies achieve freedom and liberty, George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving.
On October 3, 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation designating the last Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving. In 1863 Thanksgiving fell on November 26, 1863. Abraham Lincoln had been reflecting upon the recent Union victories of the Civil War and he felt that the tide of the war was such that the Union would be saved. He had been reflecting upon the fact that the war was lasting longer than he had hoped and that it was being so tragic.
The week before Thanksgiving in 1863 Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg address. He expressed gratitude to all of those who had given their lives so that we could enjoy the great freedoms and liberties that we have in America. Lincoln had often wondered why the war was lasting so long, but he was convinced that it was for a wise purpose that God knew. He believed that the length and severity of the civil war was possibly a result of the sins of the nation, but he trusted in God that this was God’s will and that it was taking place in God’s time.
Congress officially sanctioned Thanksgiving as a legal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November in 1941.
Isn't it cool that when we are in a spirit of thanksgiving, it is difficult to be angry or afraid.
In the fall of 1621 those who had survived that first winter, along with about 91 Indians, who helped them survive the winter, celebrated the bountiful harvest of 1621 with three days of celebration.
In 1789, reflecting upon the blessings of God in helping the colonies achieve freedom and liberty, George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving.
On October 3, 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation designating the last Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving. In 1863 Thanksgiving fell on November 26, 1863. Abraham Lincoln had been reflecting upon the recent Union victories of the Civil War and he felt that the tide of the war was such that the Union would be saved. He had been reflecting upon the fact that the war was lasting longer than he had hoped and that it was being so tragic.
The week before Thanksgiving in 1863 Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg address. He expressed gratitude to all of those who had given their lives so that we could enjoy the great freedoms and liberties that we have in America. Lincoln had often wondered why the war was lasting so long, but he was convinced that it was for a wise purpose that God knew. He believed that the length and severity of the civil war was possibly a result of the sins of the nation, but he trusted in God that this was God’s will and that it was taking place in God’s time.
Congress officially sanctioned Thanksgiving as a legal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November in 1941.
Isn't it cool that when we are in a spirit of thanksgiving, it is difficult to be angry or afraid.
Dear Dr. Bernanke:
It seems to me that there is more economic volatility than is necessary as our current cycles play out. I'd like to propose the question: Is it possible for us to have less wealth volatility, and more stable asset inflation, if we were to target inflation at 1-2%, Treaury Bills at 3.5%, and Ten year Treasuries at 5.5%? Would this help strengthen and stabilize the dollar? Would this help decrease asset inflation and help stabilize wealth valuations? It seems to me that the dollar volatility contributes significantly to the uncertainty of asset valuations, and therefore, of economic decision making.
Bells Canyon Hike
Just south of Salt Lake City, Utah there is a trail that will take you along beautiful granite mountains to the Lower and Upper Bells Canyon Reservoirs. There are two trail heads available for this hike. One is on Wasatch Blvd. at about 10245 South and the other one is just north of this location between Wasatch Blvd. and the Y junction at the beginning of Little Cottonwood Canyon. The Lower reservoir is only about 1/2 mile up the trail. The Upper Reservoir is about 4 miles up the trail at about 9,400 feet in elevation. The elevation increase to the upper reservoir is about 4,100 feet. This morning the temperature started out at about 28 F. At about the 3 1/2 mile mark, the water in my bottle froze, so it was definitely cold. We've had very little snow so far this year, but there was some snow and ice on the trail, which my running shoes began to slip and slide on. So, I decided to head back. Round trip today was 3 hours. There was some ice on the stream and the waterfalls were christened with white ice. It's a beautiful hike. This morning, there were about 10 hikers on the trail.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Mount Olympus
There are several really nice hiking trails on the face of the Wasatch Mountains, just east of Salt Lake City, Utah. One of my favorites is at about 5400 South, just east of I-215 on Wasatch Blvd. It is the trail head for Mount Olympus. This morning I hiked up about 1 1/2 miles. Up and back it took me about 1 hour. The temperature was about 35 F and the sky was mostly cloudy. It is such a beautiful view of the Salt Lake Valley from the face of Mount Olympus. Last year on September 9Th, I hiked Mt. Olympus to the summit. In September the many oak, aspen other leaves are in bright fall colors. Fall is my favorite time to make this hike. The trail head is at about 5000 feet elevation and the peak is at about 9000 feet elevation. It took me 2 hours and 25 minutes to reach the top and another 1 hour and 20 minutes to get back down. I used 2 bottles of water, 1 bottle of Gatorade, a banana and a power bar. This was about right for me. The distance round trip is about 7 1/2 miles. The last part is steep, rocky and a bit scary to hike, but it was worth it to me. Just below this steep part is a nice saddle to have a snack, visit with friends and just enjoy the beauties of the area.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Vasey's Paradise, Grand Canyon National Park
This is a hike that I have done many times. I love the natural beauties of the area, the challenge, the adventure and the fishing. This is a very difficult hike and should be attempted only by those well prepared for this adventure. This hike can be dangerous, especially if weather conditions are bad. The trails are rocky and very steep in places. But rock climbing equipment is not required. I do recommend wearing gloves, however. There are at least two trails that will take you to Vasey’s Paradise; a place where the river comes out of a rock wall in the Grand Canyon. Neither trail is real easy to find or stay on. Both trails begin on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. The first one is 6 miles away from Vasey’s Paradise and the other is about three miles from Vasey’s Paradise. If you are backpacking in to stay a few nights, they will both take you about 3 hours or more, one way, to get in. The change in elevation will be about 2500 feet. The GPS coordinates for the longer of the two trailheads is about 36 degrees 28.45 seconds north and 111 degrees 55.73 seconds west. The GPS coordinates for the second trailhead is about 36 degrees 30.56 seconds north and 111 degrees 52.47 seconds west. Dirt roads will take you to these two locations. The dirt roads begin from the highway about 20 miles northwest of Lee's Ferry. Guides that have been on these trails before are highly recommended. Permits are required, as you will be hiking in South Canyon of the Grand Canyon National Park; the portion called Marble Canyon. Enjoy seeing Stanton’s Cave, which once housed large-eared bats, Indian ruins along with pieces of pottery, a mine, ring-tailed cats (they'll steal your food if you're not careful), mountain goats, eagles, vultures, and a lot of other natural beauties. A few camping spots on the beach are available. There is a large pool in this area so that you can swim in the ice cold waters of the Colorado River. Nearby is a view of the Redwall Cavern, where many river runners used to spend the night. Pick up a fishing license at Fredonia or Lee's Ferry. Most of the fish these days are only about 12 inches long. But every now and then you'll land one that is 5 lbs or more. The fishing is good, but the hike is the best. Be careful and enjoy. I like to go down between Oct. and March.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Catherine of Aragon
I have been reading a book titled "Catherine of Aragon" by Garrett Mattingly. The publisher is Little, Brown and Company and the copyright is dated 1941. What has captured my interest with this book is the dynamics of the different individuals around the year 1500 who impacted what we call the reformation. The political maneuverings of the different leaders, many of which were relatives, opened the door for the reformation. As important as the dynamics were between relatives, economic interests, religious tendancies, human desires, and geographic barriers, there were also the natural events of disease, weather, and what I will call entropy; the tendancy in this world for things to wear out. Columbus, William Tyndale, Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII, Martin Luther, Charles V, Francis I, the Popes, the Cardinals, the aristocracies of nations, the wealthy, the artists, the scientists, and the working class all contributed to a great reformation of learning, exploration and economic advancement. Today we have a global economic change taking place. The poor of the world are becoming better off. What will the next 500 years look like? We have come a long way in the past 500 years. I am curious as to what you think our world will look like in the year 2500.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Hiking Flagstaff Peak from Alta
From the large parking lot above Alta Lodge up Little Cottonwood Canyon east of Salt Lake City, Utah, right where the road is blocked off this time of year, there is a trail that heads up the hill, due north. About a mile up this trail (which for this first mile looks like a 4-wheel drive road) the trail actually turns right and winds its way up to the pass overlooking the Mill D South Fork trail and drainage into Big Cottonwood Canyon. I missed the right hand turn at that 1 mile point and went up the chute through some old mining activity. Copper on the rocks was frequently observed. It was actually easier up the chute than on the trail at this time of year because of a crusty layer of snow that was on parts of the trail. The scenery was spectacular. Alpine peaks surround the area. Snow was only in the shady areas and on the north slopes. It took me exactly 2 hours round trip and the distance is about 3.5 miles. You will climb about 1900 feet to an elevation of about 10,500 feet. It's an easy hike until right at the end where an old mine has been wired shut.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Astronomy - Asteroids
Last night at 6:50 pm, MST, there was a very bright light flash across the sky north of Park City, Utah. Did anyone else see it? As no stars were visible at that time, it was so bright that it appeared to be rather close to the earth. It was headed in a northerly direction. I have also been fascinated the past few days with the linear line-up of Venus, Saturn, the Moon and Mars in the early morning hours. How often does this occur each year? Thanks for any input.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Utah Vouchers
It has been interesting to me to see who has been in support of vouchers in Utah and why. In particular, Governor Huntsman, Richard Eyre, Sharlene Hawkes and George Will are all campaigning in support of vouchers. Here are the three reasons why I am still planning to vote against vouchers. If someone can convince me that I am wrong on these three issues, I am more than happy to change my vote.
1. It is a tax increase.
a. Even though the money will come out of the general state tax revenues, according to the impartial analysis, the total tax increase over 13 years, depending on certain assumptions, would equate to between $400 Million and $500 Million.
2. It promotes class distinctions.
a. The disadvantaged will still have a propensity to use the lowest cost education available to them, which for them will be public education. The elite willl still have an advantage, especially those with good parental support, whether it is in the public school system or in a private system.
3. It allows for the combination of church and state.
a. Personally, I would like to see prayer back in the classroom. But vouchers would allow any and all kinds of doctrination to be promoted in a private setting.
1. It is a tax increase.
a. Even though the money will come out of the general state tax revenues, according to the impartial analysis, the total tax increase over 13 years, depending on certain assumptions, would equate to between $400 Million and $500 Million.
2. It promotes class distinctions.
a. The disadvantaged will still have a propensity to use the lowest cost education available to them, which for them will be public education. The elite willl still have an advantage, especially those with good parental support, whether it is in the public school system or in a private system.
3. It allows for the combination of church and state.
a. Personally, I would like to see prayer back in the classroom. But vouchers would allow any and all kinds of doctrination to be promoted in a private setting.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Grandeur Peak - Millcreek Canyon
The trailhead for Grandeur Peak above Millcreek Canyon is at the Church Fork picnic area. It is just east of Highway I-215 at about 30th South in Salt Lake City. There are signs in the area directing you to Millcreek Canyon. The Church Fork picnic area is 3 miles up the canyon on the North side of the road. Park along the side of the main road and begin a spectacular 3 mile hike from an elevation of about 5600 feet above sea level, to the summit at about 8300 feet above sea level. Today there were about 25 people on various parts of the trail. Most all of the maple, oak and aspen leaves were on the ground, but it made a beautiful carpet to walk on. The temperature was about 50 degrees; delightful to hike in. A few clouds meandered up the canyons and over the peaks. It took me 1 hour and 25 minutes to reach the summit. Roundtrip took 2 and 1/2 hours. There was a little snow hiding on the north slopes and in some of the pines, but the trail was clear. Today, the half-moon lingered over the summit. It was a beautiful day. This is a great half or full day excursion.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Vouchers in Utah
With the elections next week, the issue of vouchers in Utah has heated up. Several debates are scheduled for this week. Very talented individuals have taken stands on each side of the issue, making one wonder, which side is correct. Maybe they both are to some extent. That means to me that the issue ought to voted against until a better bill is drafted. One issue that I think the majority would favor is the support of vouchers for those children who suffer from autism. Specialized schooling for these children is expensive, and I don't believe that current insurance programs cover the expenses. Vote no for Referendum 1 next week, and vote yes when it is redone to address specialized needs, such as autism.
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