Goodbye Vernal 12th Branch

After six glorious years serving in the Branch Presidency at the Vernal 12th Branch serving the Split Mountain Youth Center, I was released today.  Actually it was six years, one month and seven days.

The Detention Center has been my spiritual home all of that time.  It is where I worshiped, played, loved and rejoiced.  I partook of the Sacrament there each week in a quiet, intimate meeting that rarely had over six people in attendance.  It is where I met some of the finest servants of the Lord I've ever known.  Four of those years I was Branch President and hadn't a worry in the world about assignments being carried out with love and care.  I would like to thank, Greg, Tamara, Nick, Harley, Jose', Garth, Marie, Carl, Andrea, Berk, Barbara, Dan, Charlene, Don, Raeann, Darwin, Carolee, Curg, Arvid, Les, Julie, Gary, Karen and most of all my companion Dixon for all the wonderful service, lessons and experiences that made our time together there such a joy.  I would like to thank the amazing, professional and loving Center Staff for the wonderful way in which they supported us and for the magnificent and compassionate way in which they serve the precious youth placed in their charge.

I wish I could list the hundreds of precious, terrific, delightful youth who crossed our paths over the course of 73 months.  Every one was a unique child of God.  So easy to love.  So respectful and kind.  We had so much fun laughing together and grew so strong through our tears.

How can I ever adequately express my gratitude to my Heavenly Father for the priceless opportunity it has been to serve there.  I had hoped I'd never be released, but I guess all good things must come to an end.  Those who've been called to take my place are finer servants than I and I take comfort in the knowledge that God's Kingdom is run by inspiration and that these fine stewards will take our little Branch to great new heights.

The blessings I've received and the lessons I've learn from these incredibly gifted youth are far beyond what I deserve.  I am forever changed for having had this blessed experience.

I have the blessing of being able to remain as the facilitator of the 12 Step program, which takes away much of the pain as I'll still get to spend a couple of hours a week serving my fine young friends.

As for the rest of my future; I'll be able to worship once again with my own family.  I'll be able to experience a real Ward for the first time in six years.  I absolutely can not wait to discover what the Lord has in store for me next.  What ever it is I know I will find unspeakable joy, just being in His service.  A privilege I hope I may always have.  If I have leaned anything, serving in the Detention Center it is that God truly loves, even a wretch like me.

The Top-Most Height

This morning's email contained this quote:

Those who, relying upon themselves only, not looking for assistance to anyone besides themselves, it is they who will reach the top-most height.

-- Buddha

Hog wash!  Those who know me know I've studied Buddhism extensively and have learned much from it.  But I don't think Buddha was very enlightened when he made this statement.  Perhaps he, like Yertle the Turtle, had climbed high enough to convince himself there was nothing higher; but he was pitifully mistaken.   Let me repeat, as this quote stands it is utter hogwash!

You might cite examples of rich tycoons who've made it to the top of their game by themselves by stepping on and climbing over everyone and everything that stood in their way.  And they may actually be rich and sit in lofty towers of pride and accomplishment, but these have fallen way short of the top-most height.

The top-most height bears no similarity to the ivory towers of materialism, or the halls of fame of the popular world, or the majestic castles of the politically powerful, or the lofty cathedrals of the sectarianism.

The top-most height is not reachable by a single individual alone.  It is completely unattainable by relying upon one's self.  There is zero competition in the process of experiencing the top-most height.  It is a group project and "all who run may win the prize."  Neither is the top-most height an exclusive vantage point granted to only a few.  It will not be lonely at the top.

So what has this to do with old friends?

Last night I spent some quality time with an old friend.  Our friendship spans 46 years of mortality.  We both would agree that it spanned eons prior to mortality.  It is one of those friendships that can withstand weeks, even months of busily operating in completely separate circles; yet can be taken up immediately, right where we left off.  Our lives have wobbled to and fro, near and far, up and down; but through it all has been a thread, a theme, of lifting, reaching, inspiring one another to loftier heights.  Should I ever reach the top-most height it will be because of this dear friend and a multitude of others.  Each of these friends has pointed me toward reliance upon the greatest old friend of all.

That friend is my elder Brother, Jesus Christ.  If I reach the top-most height it will be upon His merits not my own.  There is no other way.  He is the way.

That is what I always found lacking in Buddhism.  It lacks a Redeemer.  It lacks a way to cross from flawed and filthy humanity to heavenly majestic purity.  It cannot be done alone; even if we were given an infinite number of lifetimes to attempt it.

Glorious Morning

I was up before dawn this morning and, having enjoyed my devotions, went for a walk.  The sunrise this morning was spectacular!  So breath taking in fact, that I wanted to run from door to door in the neighborhood waking everybody up so they wouldn't miss it.  It was one of those heavenly scenes that make you wonder if this is the day.  Is this the moment of Christ's glorious return?  Will He appear in such a magnificent sunrise?

I knew my daughter and grandkids were up in time and headed out to participate in a Kid's Triathlon in Roosevelt.  They would be traveling west at that moment and I prayed that they might turn around a behold the brilliant grandeur of the morning sky.  How thankful I was that we weren't snuggled under the covers, but rather, out here beholding the handiwork of God.

I have a funeral to attend today and later a fireside to address.  I spent my walk contemplating what the Lord would have be express to the bereaved and what He might have me offer as counsel to the Youth of Maeser 1st Ward.  My mind turned to the end of the world.  Will I be here to see it?  Or, will I like Aunt Vera have my own mortal end come before then.  Over the course of my life I've had a number of people ask if it was the end of the world.  After every earth quake or typhoon we experienced in the Philippines, people would approach and ask if we thought it was the end of the world.  After 9/11, the same thing.  After Presidents Clinton and Bush and Obama were elected, the same thing.  Is this the end of the world?  Some times I've been tempted to say, "I hope so."

What some of us fear others of us eagerly anticipate.  I suspect the world has some significant time left, but do we?  Aunt Vera's end of the world came just the other day.  Mine might be tomorrow.  Yours might be thirty years from now.  If we are prepared for it, it may come at any time.

Then it occurred to me that the Second Coming can come any time as well.  We don't have to wait for the end of the world.  We don't even have to wait for death.  The Second Coming happened for Joseph Smith  190 years ago.  For multitudes of others, much more recently than that.  I think of Elder Bruce R. McConkie's wonderful testimony:

"I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears.

But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way."

I can remember watching another sunrise with some anxiety about the pending arrival of the Lord.  Today was different.  Today He was already leading me, guiding me and walking beside me.  And I realized, with joy, that I no longer need to dread that blessed day.

Sitting On Josh's Bench

I stopped by Josh's grave this morning while out for my bike ride.  As you can see, his headstone is a bench.  That is so like he and Toni, always wanting to be of service.  Even in death, Josh invites us to sit a spell and rest our weary bones.  He lived an exemplary life of service.  There is no doubt he is still serving diligently on the other side of the veil.  There is much labor to be performed over there as well and I am certain that he is anxiously engaged in that service.

While I sat ruminating on that bench and watched the sun rising in the east.  I considered my place in the magnificence of creation.  All of this, earth and breath and inspiration come as liberal and beneficial gifts.  None of it belongs to me, I am just granted stewardship over some of it.  Suddenly, I realized that I've been given a great gift, that of being able to write full time.  At the same grateful moment, I realized that this gift is not a possession, but a stewardship.  I, in a remarkable way, have been given time.  Time to focus on what is most important.  Time that is not encumbered by worldly obligation or confined by worldly rules.  I'm exhilarated by this discovery.  Emancipated by it.

On the one hand I have a huge obligation of trust given to me.  I suddenly have a lot of time at my discretion  which I must not waste.  On the other, though, I am liberated by my freedom from ownership.  I don't own this Blog, God does.  I don't own my home, God does.  I don't own my future, God does.  While I am free to decide what I'll do with these gifts, I have no control over how long I'll have them, what will come of them, or how they might or might not yield further blessings.  Based upon the Parable of the Talents, I am obligated to magnify or increase my stewardship for Him, not for myself.  But, the portion the Master offers me in return is entirely at his discretion. I love this because it frees me to receive inspiration and liberates me from the worries of reward, remuneration or reciprocation.

I can do this because I trust Him.  He giveth and He taketh away, He is blessed in either case and so am I.

I don't have to think about doing what I do to draw dollars or to draw patronage.  I can just focus on doing it for Him.  Whether He meets my needs through my readers, or through advertisers, or by some other unfathomable means is entirely up to Him.  That is wonderful, because then I can focus on impressing Him with my efforts rather than impressing you, or someone else.  I believe He is the one who put me up to this.  I have yet to entirely discover why or how it pleases Him to put me to this task and perhaps I never will.  But I don't have to worry about that either

So, from here on in I'm not going to copyright anything I write here.  You are free to pass it on if it impresses you.  You are free to quote it, teach from it, share it, even publish it.  It doesn't belong to me.  I haven't earned it.  I haven't created it.  It is a gift.  One I am willing to share.  Please don't mistake my intent for altruism it is not.  To be altruistic I'd have to have something to give.  Rather, I'd call it consecration.  My willingness to share what I've been given.  A subtle but completely life changing distinction.  These things I write do not belong to me and never did.  I only hope to make use of them as The Owner intends.  I am incredibly weak and have a lot of work to do before I'll do justice to this task, but you may expect that I will earnestly be about it.

When I first began to write full time I determined that it would be a full time job and that, though I was home, I'd be unavailable for anything else from 8 to 5 every work day.  I would have to keep my nose to the grind stone if I were to support my family by this means.  My epiphany on Josh's bench this morning changed that.  Writing isn't the only task to which I've been entrusted.  The Master called me to another assignment this afternoon.  One of greater and more pressing importance.  Had my writing been about money, I'd have had a difficult time switching gears, adjusting priorities.  Money is about me.  It's about reward.  Its about feeling deserving, like I'd somehow merited more gifts because I had been given these.  It's like sitting under the Christmas tree and thinking that the mere act opening a present entitled me to another, and another...  But, today I concluded that its not about money.  Its about using God's gifts under His direction and for His purposes rather than my own.  So I gladly put down my writing instruments and exchanged them for a vacuum cleaner for the afternoon.  Would that every muscle that contracts in my body did so in the Service of He who gave that gift.  That every breath I breathe could do the same.  But I can't even succeed in attempting that distant goal without the benefit of His grace.

Did you notice the little box on Josh's bench?  It has an inscription on it, a quote from Isaiah:

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.

I've been trying to do that today.  I've been trying to make that the theme and content of my life.  I have a long way to go, but at least I've started on that journey.

Thank you Josh and Toni, for a fine example of trust and for nice spot to sit and think about it.  This day you've served me well.

Flowers on Main Street and Troubled Families

My morning stroll took me along Main Street this morning. The flowers were so beautiful. Our little town in renown for it's summer petunias which grow in planters the full length of Main Street and then some. I love them! They put such a welcoming face on our community. They show us for who we are. Their presence and freshness every year represent dedication to our values and commitment to our standards. They welcome residents and visitors alike to our special part of the world.

Sweetie and I have traveled extensively across the US and Canada and have never seen anything to rival this. We've driven down a lot of main streets in cities much more affluent that ours and never seen Vernal's equal. Many have more natural beauty, more magnificent architecture, more appealing attractions than Vernal, Utah, but none of them put out the welcome mat like we do. I think everyone reads that message loud and clear as they witness the floral abundance that is our greeting card.

As I walked today I had to resolve an issue in my mind. I struggled with it. I prayed about it. And I feel I got my answer. You see, I've complained about the flowers on Main Street. While I love them, I've been concerned about another issue, whose priority exceeds the need for our floral show piece.

Last year, due to severe budget constrictions, The State of Utah discontinued funding for the local Shelter and Receiving Center. This facility had been located in, but not part of, the youth detention facility where I have been a volunteer for the past seven years. During the years the Shelter was open I volunteered there as well. There I found young people who were being lovingly cared for after their parents had been arrested. There were others who were struggling with a foster care situation and needed a breather from that new, stressful and unfamiliar environment. There were kids who'd had a blow up with their own folks and both child and parent needed a "time out" and some counselling. These kids weren't criminals. They and their parents just needed some help. The Shelter provided that help in a safe, loving and productive environment.

Now, we have no Shelter in our Uintah Basin Communities. The need remains acute, but the service is gone. Too many of these sweet children are now winding up in Detention where they don't belong. Officials and parents, foster parents and others, too often, have no other recourse. They can't be left to run, unsupervised, unparented, alone.

As I prayed this morning I was struggling with this issue. Every time I see the flowers on Main Street I am reminded of these precious children, who, through no fault of their own, have been neglected, left untended, or have even been uprooted. My prayer was answered in a note on Facebook. A good friend called my attention to a local Pepsi Refresh Project candidate. My friend Joslin Batty and some others from the local youth corrections facility have proposed the creation of a Shelter and are in the running for $250,000.00 gift from Pepsi to help establish that dream. Here is their video:

Watch the video.

I am so pleased to make this discovery and so thrilled to have the chance to lend them my encouragement. Their efforts and this timely discovery are truly an answer to my prayers. Please help with this worthy project by going to Pepsi Refresh and voting for this dream, so it can become a reality!

I have watched Joslin and Patrick and Teri and many others and know of their deep love and concern for these wonderful children. Won't you please get behind them and help them help those is such desperate need?

As I said, I love the flowers on Main Street. I hope we never neglect them. I love our children even more and hope we don't neglect them either. They are too precious to be ignored. I hope and pray they are given their Pepsi grant. But, make no mistake, while $250K will take them a long way toward their goal, it won't be an on going resource. I've never quite understood why Juvenile Justice and the Detention Center are State agencies, while the Jail is operated by the County. I'm sure it wont be easy for our cash strapped communities to allocate the much need resources that will be required to sustain the Shelter. I'm sure it will be a temptation for them to say, that's somebody else's responsibility. Well, nobody else is stepping up to the plate. So, I am calling upon our City, County, religious and civic leaders as well as philanthropists and corporations to stand up and take hold of this most pressing need. These are our children, they belong to our community. Let's help them to bloom where they are planted!


The Flowers On Main Street represent how we are.  The Children In Our Homes reflect how we are.  Let's not let the flowers be a mere facade concealing a lie.