February 6, 2011
Dear Rosalynde, Gabrielle, Naomi, Brigham, Rachel, Benjamin, Abraham and Christian!
We have had an eventful week! Eva’s gold project has been very successful. Eva has been very responsible. With Mama’s support and encouragement, Eva has really carried it of very well. She is composed and articulate as she introduced the concert and explained her project. She organized a very fine benefit concert. She recruited the talent and the kids really came through in fine form for the concert. Eva and Mama conceived the decorations and the arrangement of the cultural hall at the church and it was just right. We set it up on Thursday evening. My truck came in handy hauling everything over there. We put up chairs about half-way back in the cultural hall. We tried out the sound system, I put up a screen and set up the projector and computer. I started the three different video discs to make sure it all worked. The next evening for the concert, quite a few people showed up early. The Lottmans saw the article in the paper and decided to come out to the concert. (Gabrielle, Brian is in Austin – but I think you know that.) Anthony Portentino came. People kept on coming in. so we set up more chairs. We were very gratified. The program went relatively smoothly, with only the endearing glitches occurring. The first number went to use Brent Reynolds’ speaker system, but we couldn’t get any sound out of it (the volume knob was not turned up, but it was not labeled so we didn’t know which one it was). Brent was momentarily out of the room – but finally Sam Blasucci came running up and he knew the knob to turn. Eva had picked out slides from the Free Wheel Chair Mission website that I had play on a continuously running loop on a screen set-up in the corner to the left of the stage. The transition from the slides to the DVD the first time did not go smoothly. But I finally got it to work, and by the time we arrived at the third and final DVD – interspersing the slides up on the screen between the videos – I had the transition down very smooth. (A complete dress rehearsal would always be a good thing.) The people who attended gave generously. One wonderful and generous family in the ward - someone younger than I whom I admire greatly – wrote a check for $3,000 for 50 wheel chairs! You will see pictures on our blog.
Eva was also busy Saturday in a YW meeting with Sis. Dalton, but Mama has told you all about it.
Mama and I enjoyed driving to Claremont in my truck and attending the Women’s Lives and Women’s Voices. Aileen Clyde, former 2nd Counselor in the Church Relief Society Presidency, and wife of Hal Clyde, a large well-know Utah contractor when I was growing up in Utah, spoke. She must be in her upper 80s by now. She was very articulate and informative. She told her story, what she did as a woman, her experiences in life, on State Boards (she chaired a commission set up in Utah to study gender bias in the legal system in Utah – the report was issued in 1990 taking institutions – including the church – in Utah to task for the deficiencies the commission found) and in the Relief Society. She told how she and her colleagues in the presidency had planned the Women’s Meeting for general conference in 1995, about the various roles and circumstances of women – single, widowed, divorced, married, working, not working, etc. However, Pres. Hinckley had been contemplating the Proclamation on the Family – which had already been drafted by that time. He decided to use the Women’s Conference to announce the Proclamation. That necessitated a change in the planned conference. She gave more details but she said did not want the details widely shared– she said it three times – half-humorously but also seriously. She could tell from the good natured laughter the first time she said it that people thought she was making a joke, given the public nature of the setting, but there was not the laughter the third time she said it. I think that is Mama’s take on it as well. We’ll have to discuss this in person if you want. During the Q&A, I asked her if Pres. Monson had called her to the RS presidency because of her feminist role in Utah. She replied that if the Church leaders had read the 1990 report first, she would never have been called. In relating these details, of course Sis. Clyde is completely devoted to the Church and she did not mean to impugn the church – she is simply out-spoken.
In the afternoon, I played soccer. I went to the FIS field – it was vacant as I started to stripe the field. But then dads and sons started to arrive –only about 10 boys with their dads. The La Canada Jr. Baseball has the field reserved on Saturdays – and although there was room on the upper field for this small group to use – I did not want to incur any ill-will – or even the appearance of ill-will – by asking them to move. However, I sent someone down to the high school to check the field out. It was empty. I quickly taped a sign to the gate and we all went down to the high school. We had about 42 players! We divided into three teams immediately and played, rotating every 16 minutes and 2 seconds. I am not recruiting, but the game continues to get more popular. I wish I had my own field. We had a good time. In my email to the players, I gave them this puzzle: Can any of you give me the correct answers?
I have a garage with three doors, one for each separate compartment o the garage. I also have as prizes Cheryl Cole, a Mazzerati, and a tickets to Manchester United v. Arsenal game. I have placed each of the prizes behind one of the garage doors. Eric wants Cheryl Cole as a prize. I have told Eric that if he correctly guesses the door in front of Cheryl Cole, he may keep her. Eric picks one of the doors. Before I open it, I will open one of the other doors that will reveal either the Mazzerati or the Manchester United Tickets. I will then give Eric the opportunity to change his selection. Eric has chosen Nigel Angold to advise him. Should Nigel advise Eric to switch his choice? Why?
Today we had a fine Testimony Meeting. Several YW bore their testimonies. Sis. Dalton also bore her testimony, since she attended our ward. Mark Goddard gave a sweet and short testimony. Usually they are 10 minutes long and then he stops. Someone must have counseled him. This testimony was three minutes long and he stopped. It was about perfect. Mama also bore a moving testimony about missionaries, including Christian, and about the generosity of ward members, adverting to Eva’s Gold Project.
We had 80 degree weather today. I watered all of the lawns today. I want some more rain. However, it was chilly for La Canada earlier this week. Wednesday morning when I went running, I curled up the garden hose. There was ice on it. I saw several windshields with frost on them! Bu the day-times were wonderful.
Finally, congratulations to Christian, as he finally has been deployed on his mission – the first mission field being the Salt Lake City Mission. He called me Wednesday morning and was very excited. He was going to Salt Lake to begin the next morning. Then Benjamin called with his good news. He just left a message that he had called, but not that he had been accepted. I did not find that out until late that night. I told him that I am not the only one that has recognized his intelligence, diligence and character. He has self-doubts like many of you do. But none of you need to have self-doubt. All you need is humility to go with your brilliance.
That’s all for now.
Love Daddy
Dear Rosalynde, Gabrielle, Naomi, Brigham, Rachel, Benjamin, Abraham and Christian!
We have had an eventful week! Eva’s gold project has been very successful. Eva has been very responsible. With Mama’s support and encouragement, Eva has really carried it of very well. She is composed and articulate as she introduced the concert and explained her project. She organized a very fine benefit concert. She recruited the talent and the kids really came through in fine form for the concert. Eva and Mama conceived the decorations and the arrangement of the cultural hall at the church and it was just right. We set it up on Thursday evening. My truck came in handy hauling everything over there. We put up chairs about half-way back in the cultural hall. We tried out the sound system, I put up a screen and set up the projector and computer. I started the three different video discs to make sure it all worked. The next evening for the concert, quite a few people showed up early. The Lottmans saw the article in the paper and decided to come out to the concert. (Gabrielle, Brian is in Austin – but I think you know that.) Anthony Portentino came. People kept on coming in. so we set up more chairs. We were very gratified. The program went relatively smoothly, with only the endearing glitches occurring. The first number went to use Brent Reynolds’ speaker system, but we couldn’t get any sound out of it (the volume knob was not turned up, but it was not labeled so we didn’t know which one it was). Brent was momentarily out of the room – but finally Sam Blasucci came running up and he knew the knob to turn. Eva had picked out slides from the Free Wheel Chair Mission website that I had play on a continuously running loop on a screen set-up in the corner to the left of the stage. The transition from the slides to the DVD the first time did not go smoothly. But I finally got it to work, and by the time we arrived at the third and final DVD – interspersing the slides up on the screen between the videos – I had the transition down very smooth. (A complete dress rehearsal would always be a good thing.) The people who attended gave generously. One wonderful and generous family in the ward - someone younger than I whom I admire greatly – wrote a check for $3,000 for 50 wheel chairs! You will see pictures on our blog.
Eva was also busy Saturday in a YW meeting with Sis. Dalton, but Mama has told you all about it.
Mama and I enjoyed driving to Claremont in my truck and attending the Women’s Lives and Women’s Voices. Aileen Clyde, former 2nd Counselor in the Church Relief Society Presidency, and wife of Hal Clyde, a large well-know Utah contractor when I was growing up in Utah, spoke. She must be in her upper 80s by now. She was very articulate and informative. She told her story, what she did as a woman, her experiences in life, on State Boards (she chaired a commission set up in Utah to study gender bias in the legal system in Utah – the report was issued in 1990 taking institutions – including the church – in Utah to task for the deficiencies the commission found) and in the Relief Society. She told how she and her colleagues in the presidency had planned the Women’s Meeting for general conference in 1995, about the various roles and circumstances of women – single, widowed, divorced, married, working, not working, etc. However, Pres. Hinckley had been contemplating the Proclamation on the Family – which had already been drafted by that time. He decided to use the Women’s Conference to announce the Proclamation. That necessitated a change in the planned conference. She gave more details but she said did not want the details widely shared– she said it three times – half-humorously but also seriously. She could tell from the good natured laughter the first time she said it that people thought she was making a joke, given the public nature of the setting, but there was not the laughter the third time she said it. I think that is Mama’s take on it as well. We’ll have to discuss this in person if you want. During the Q&A, I asked her if Pres. Monson had called her to the RS presidency because of her feminist role in Utah. She replied that if the Church leaders had read the 1990 report first, she would never have been called. In relating these details, of course Sis. Clyde is completely devoted to the Church and she did not mean to impugn the church – she is simply out-spoken.
In the afternoon, I played soccer. I went to the FIS field – it was vacant as I started to stripe the field. But then dads and sons started to arrive –only about 10 boys with their dads. The La Canada Jr. Baseball has the field reserved on Saturdays – and although there was room on the upper field for this small group to use – I did not want to incur any ill-will – or even the appearance of ill-will – by asking them to move. However, I sent someone down to the high school to check the field out. It was empty. I quickly taped a sign to the gate and we all went down to the high school. We had about 42 players! We divided into three teams immediately and played, rotating every 16 minutes and 2 seconds. I am not recruiting, but the game continues to get more popular. I wish I had my own field. We had a good time. In my email to the players, I gave them this puzzle: Can any of you give me the correct answers?
I have a garage with three doors, one for each separate compartment o the garage. I also have as prizes Cheryl Cole, a Mazzerati, and a tickets to Manchester United v. Arsenal game. I have placed each of the prizes behind one of the garage doors. Eric wants Cheryl Cole as a prize. I have told Eric that if he correctly guesses the door in front of Cheryl Cole, he may keep her. Eric picks one of the doors. Before I open it, I will open one of the other doors that will reveal either the Mazzerati or the Manchester United Tickets. I will then give Eric the opportunity to change his selection. Eric has chosen Nigel Angold to advise him. Should Nigel advise Eric to switch his choice? Why?
Today we had a fine Testimony Meeting. Several YW bore their testimonies. Sis. Dalton also bore her testimony, since she attended our ward. Mark Goddard gave a sweet and short testimony. Usually they are 10 minutes long and then he stops. Someone must have counseled him. This testimony was three minutes long and he stopped. It was about perfect. Mama also bore a moving testimony about missionaries, including Christian, and about the generosity of ward members, adverting to Eva’s Gold Project.
We had 80 degree weather today. I watered all of the lawns today. I want some more rain. However, it was chilly for La Canada earlier this week. Wednesday morning when I went running, I curled up the garden hose. There was ice on it. I saw several windshields with frost on them! Bu the day-times were wonderful.
Finally, congratulations to Christian, as he finally has been deployed on his mission – the first mission field being the Salt Lake City Mission. He called me Wednesday morning and was very excited. He was going to Salt Lake to begin the next morning. Then Benjamin called with his good news. He just left a message that he had called, but not that he had been accepted. I did not find that out until late that night. I told him that I am not the only one that has recognized his intelligence, diligence and character. He has self-doubts like many of you do. But none of you need to have self-doubt. All you need is humility to go with your brilliance.
That’s all for now.
Love Daddy
