Monday Memory Moment

I received an e-mail of "Texas Facts" from my cousin. It has some pretty interesting information. Read the following and then I'll share a quick mission story.


 Cowboy's Ten Commandments posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in Fairlie , Texas :

(1) Just one God.
(2) Honor yer Ma & Pa.
(3) No telling tales or gossipin'.
(4) Git yourself to Sunday meeting.
(5) Put nothin' before God.
(6) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
(7) No killin'.
(8) Watch yer mouth.
(9) Don't take what ain't yers.
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff.


I did a google search for Cross Trails Church. This is the article I liked the best.


Mission Story:
I was in my last area, Holtom City. We had been working with a young father for about a month. His daughter was friends with a girl in the ward, and the families were growing closer. We were getting reading to share Moroni's promise when the seven-year-old came in. Dad asked if she wanted to read...


Moroni 10:3

 3 Behold, I would exhort ya'll that when ya'll shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ya'll should read them, that ya'll would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ya'll shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts...

Dad corrected her before she got too far...but classic.

Monday Memory Moment

I am getting ready for my trip to Nashville. When I thought about taking Boyd I remembered I haven't put up Sun Valley pictures yet.

This is one of my Co-workers, he wasn't this happy to have Boyd on his shoulder when I first put him there. This picture in in the Sun Valley Lodge Dining Room. I wish I was a really good architecture photographer. My pictures won't do it justice.

 This picture is also in the dining room. You can see the pine trees and the sun coming in. It had been snowing. It was also cold in the room. A small group of us took to setting at the window because that it where the heat came in.

 This picture is from our condo. It had more of a late 60's early 70's feel. It was big enough for the 6 of us. From the point where I was standing I could look down to the TV and fire place. Look across I saw...

a little reading nook. It was a great place to do my early morning scripture studying. The stain glass window on the right was in the room I shared with my assistant. It looked pretty neat at night with the only light coming from behind.

 Do you see Boyd?

Phil Vassar, John Wayne Lyrics

hurray!!! another John Wayne Song!!!


Just another 4 wheels on the 2 lane off to work. Just another lunch box, punch the clock, with my 
name across my shirt.
Radio spills the news. Superman has got the blues.

I guess you just lose touch. When too much aint enough. And all that stuff is going to turn to dust and sand... in the
end.

But a real man, loves his God and Momma. Yes a real man is thirsty for the truth. A real man is faithful to his woman.
Because thats what he saw his Daddy do. In a world where love and heroes fade away I wanna be John Wayne.

After my day is done. I lay down with my only one. Girl there aint no holding back the sun. As I watch her sleeping.
Loves a promise thats worth keeping. And holding it together. By holding on forever. Girl that never ever ever let you go.
That's my code.

Cuz a real man loves his God and Momma. Yes a real man is thirsty for the truth. A real man is faithful to his woman.
Cuz thats what he saw his Daddy do. In a world where love and heroes fade away. I wanna be John Wayne. Woooah, you make
me feel strong, so strong.

And a real man, loves his God and Momma. Yes, a real man is thirsty for the truth. A real man is faithful to his woman.
Cuz thats what he saw his Daddy do. In a world where love and heroes fade away. Woooahh, I wanna ride right in and save
the day. I wanna be John Wayne. I wanna be John Wayne. I wanna be strong. I wanna be John Wayne.

I wanna be John Wayne.

Monday Memory Moment

I know, it has been a while. For these pictures as well. I spent some time scanning in pictures during spring break. These pictures were taken at Eastside Marketplace in Moscow. I am guessing they were taken late in 1998 or early 1999.

I believe I knew Sean (on the sax) and Eric (keyboards) were going to be playing there. I knew Sean through various campus activities and Eric through church. I would try to go listen to them when ever I knew they were performing. 

If I am remembering correctly my sister and family just happened to be there as well. We at dinner in the common area and enjoyed the music. As you can see Munchkin also enjoyed the music. She has always loved to dance. 

The Gift and Power of The Book of Mormon...

originally drafted  13 Nov 2009

I am a Special Education Teacher. How I got here is a story of itself. However, it is not the one I am telling today. Today, is a story of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving to earthly and Heavenly Parents.

The Boy at School

I have a new student. I have been working with him for almost a month now. With a huge sigh of irritation I will tell you he is a handful. He is the youngest of our boys. He is according to assessments very low academically. He is regularly moving. He yells. He threatens. He makes noises. He tries hard. He is creative. He works through the problems with determination.

Yesterday I found myself wanting to cry. I was sitting across a small table. I was reading math problems to him. He struggles with reading. The letters get all mixed up. The words get all out of order. I found myself humbled by his level of effort. Not only his effort, but also his method of elimination, and of trail and error.

We moved on to completing an assignment about himself. Raise your hand if you would think to make a "D" into a bow with an arrow? And then to make the following letter is target? Could you spell "Rootee", "Jorgj", and "Rawde"? His spelling skills indicate a knowledge of basic letter sound correlation. If those English people would only have one spelling pattern for sounds like /aw/ and /ee/. And cast out those unstressed vowel sounds... It is at this point I am all for using Spanish. It is way easier to spell. Add they have a much higher percentage of decodable words.

As I was wanting to cry I remember thinking, "How frustrating it must be to be so stuck in his brain without a way to get it all out."

Additional Insights

A couple of months ago I went to a presentation by Ron. D Davis. He is a gentleman who has struggle with profound dyslexia for his whole life. He told us his story. It was amazing. Apparently it is in a book he wrote, The Gift of Dyslexia. I have been thinking a lot about his presentation and finally requested the audio book from the Library.

I have told people I have a mild dyslexia. I have a friend who wants to tell you it is a visual processing disorder. Those who know more about how computers of the brain works might appreciate this statement more. It is a statement I have made more than once.

If you really thought about the effort it takes to read, you wouldn't do it.

Recently my mom gave me a large zip-lock bag with a hanging file of stuff in it. The papers included some of my early special education paper work. The information may not mean much to those outside to jargon of Special Ed. However... the numbers tell me I had a profound reading disorder. I can say, "Hurray for Special Education!"

The Book of Mormon

More than once, in public and private settings, I have praised the power of The Book of Mormon, and a Bishop. When I was 11 or 12 I met with a young Bishop. He asked mee if I was reading The Book of Mormon. I remember telling him it was too hard and confusing. He challenged mee to pray. Take the matter to the Lord and ask for His help.

I did so. It took mee at least two years the first time, but I made it through. I then participated in challenges in Seminary to read it in various lengths of time. The shortest time frame was one month. I took the challenge. Twenty pages a day. I did it!!

I was struggling through a law class in graduate school. Another church leader talked about a situation he had been in when he was in graduate school. He learned to begin his study session with prayer and reading from The Book of Mormon. It helped mee too.

Today

As I woke up this morning I was thinking of my young man at school. I was trying to decide if I had the energy to work with him. I thought of the frustration he feels not being able to express himself as most of the people around him.

Then, I remembered feeling that way. Feeling like a distant island with a gulf separating mee from everything else going on. Yelling at my parents that they didn't understand mee. Learning to fear any attempt of explaining my thoughts because I couldn't do it fast enough. Or with the ease everyone else had.

Then a thought came to mee: You still would if your Dad hadn't read to you everyday.

This morning I learned my dad was and instrument in the hands of the Lord in developing my ability to read. Yes. I put forth a lot of effort in reading too. I have a basic working knowledge of Learning Disabilities and Reading education. My efforts to read were magnified. They were magnified by the grace of God. They were further in enhanced my having heard The Book of Mormon, many, many times.

I don't recall when it started. I remember it all though middle and high school. My dad read to us from The Book of Mormon every week day. And probably Sundays too.

I wonder...

Tonight, I want to bring you into a world you may not be too familiar with. This world I speak of is one where I find myself. I didn't necessarily plot the course to get here. It is not the place I would like to stay. Nevertheless here I am.

Let mee begin by telling you a couple of stories. Names will be changed to protect the innocent, or the guilty, whatever the case maybe.

Story number one: A day in the mountains.

They had been announcing in church the stake would be having a service day. We were responsible for fixing up a camp ground north of us. We were to meet at the stake center and go on up as a group.

When I got to the stake center I was expecting to see families. All I say where men.  

“Did I miss that this was a priesthood responsibility?”

“Oh no, we are glad to have you help.”

I thought about backing out. But, it was free ride to spend the day in the Sawtooths.

I enjoyed the solitude, the fresh air, and manual labor. Solitude? You ask. Yes, there were a number of men there. They were all married or teenagers.

I wonder…

• How uncomfortable or cautious should I feel when talking to married men?
• How long can I just sit and chat with them? At work? At church?
• Do I need to keep it work/church related?
• Is anything personal allowed?
• How do you make friends with others who are in a different world i.e., women married with children?

Story number two: A chance meeting.

It was actually a planned meeting. It was random happenstance that I was there. I had been asked to go only 10 hours before hand. I was excited to go; we were to be talking about Girls’ Camp.

Before we broke up into our separate groups the stake presidency was to give us some instruction. I don’t think I have ever been this fond of a stake presidency. In the past I might have recognized a name, or face of one or all three. I often enjoyed listening to them teach. With my current stake presidency I feel that I can approach each one of them with anything. I looked forward to hearing what they have to say.

The Higher Priesthood, what a blessing it is. It seems the topic has come up a lot. When it does I have a hard time keeping my emotions inside. As President Z talked I doodled. I was trying so hard to not let it bother mee. I agreed with everything said. I would gladly be a member of the choir.

I wonder…

• If home teachers of single sisters know how much they are needed?
• How important it is we feel comfortable enough to call you when we are sick in body or heart?
• How frustrating it is when you feel like you have called half the brethren in the ward to find someone?

Next we are talking about the youth.

***I didn't record the event, so these are not direct quotes***

Question: “What does a young women have to have before going to the temple?”
Responder A: “A testimony”
Questioner: “Yes… what else does she need?”
Responder B: “A worthy man to take her to the temple.”
Questioner: “Yes!” He moves on…
Responder A: “Do we really want our young women believing they have to be getting married to go to the temple?”
I believe there was a side comment.
Questioner: “Or a mission call.”…again moving on…
Responder A: “I went through the temple two years before my mission.” (It was actually three…)

This is an example of a myth which continues to be perpetuated. “Marry a return missionary in the temple and all will be well.”

I wonder…

• Have you ever thought about living on a concrete slab?

I am an idealist. 100% believe being married in the temple is the way to go. It is the way to start. Come along for a quick analogy. YM/YW is a preparation stage. Plans are made, skills are learned and refined. Marriage in the temple is a very solid foundation for a great life. The home still needs to be built.

• Can we talk more about the sweat, the tears?
• What about the frustration with warped boards and imperfect timing?
• Is there fear that if the hard times are talked about they will want to back away?
• What about the possibility of not getting married in this life?
• Do we get to learn how to be single?

I was Responder A. The biggest thing that kept mee from walking out was the two sisters sitting between mee and the isle. I decided later a reason I was so upset. Earlier that same day I had a thought…”I am not married, so what is my purpose in life, what am I suppose to be doing?” And there I had it confirmed. I was supposed to get married.

To be fair, I know President X responded to my statements. It was reported to mee that he validated everything I had said. I however, missed it. My focus was on trying to keep the tears inside. I failed miserably. President C (he he, get it Presidency, President C) stopped mee later to thank mee for my comments.

  

Now what? Only God knows, and I will leave it in his hands. I will also continue to pester HIM. And, continue to do those things which will insure blessings.

I wonder...

• Will I remember to recognize my trails as blessings?
• That each day is another opportunity to become more prepared to return to the home I long for?

Sincerely,

Your Single Adult Awareness Activist

I was some what hesitant about posting this on a public blog. I am a sociologist. I know the manner in which I was raised has an enormous impact on the thoughts I have, and expectations for life. I am also not worried about revealing the truth. For anyone who may want to respond to this with; “See, I knew those Mormons were all {insert negative adjective here}. Know this, I know for myself The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the Lord’s only true and living church on the earth.