The Bell Tolls

I feel a little gloomy this morning, a sort of abstract gloom. The fuss over and by Ordain Women’s leader and the bad choices of others closer to home seem to create for a me a sort of dark cloud, a sense of grief.  No matter that they deliberately have chosen a lower road.  I still feel personally diminished in some real sense.

I think about the famous poem by the English poet John Donne, as he reflected on someone’s death:

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

Might not we grieve even more over someone’s spiritual death?

June snow--saving girl's camp

We had the cabin the week starting the Monday after Father's Day, which was on June 16th.  We invited the family to the cabin on Monday night to celebrate this occasion and had quite a few people there and some staying over until the next morning.  Lots of fun!!!

A very cold storm front came through on Tuesday.  We had a good rain at the cabin and at just a little higher elevation there was snow.  Lots of youth groups were camping at higher elevations that got really wet and cold.  We got a phone call from Shannon, Wendy's sister, mid-afternoon.  She was one of the stake ladies help with their stake girls camp.  The were camped somewhere in the vicinity of the Heber Valley Camp in tents.  There had had snow, and their girls were wet and miserable. She asked if they could come down to the cabin.  We agreed and when they arrived several hours later, they sure were a sad-looking bunch.  We came home and left them the use of the cabin. with the hope that something of the camp could be salvaged.

Our mountains around Utah Valley got a fresh blanket of snow from about the 8000 foot level on up.  The pictures are of Spanish Fork  Peak (Maple Mt.) and Mt. Loafer when the sun started to come out again Wednesday evening and of Timp from the Provo temple on Thursday.

We noted that this quick deep storm raised lots of havoc in the midwest and south as it continued across the continent--many destructive tornados, etc.  We are grateful that we only got some snow on our campers.

Heber Valley Sunset

11 Year Old Scout Summar Camp

 Randy R, my Asst, and I took our little 11 year old scout patrol to summer camp, Friday and Saturday June 12-14, at Adventure Park.  This camp is designed especially for this age group is a lot of fun.  It is at the top of the Lefty Fork of Hobble Creek.  It is wooded and fairly primitive.  The weather comfortable.  Every thing worked out well.  We all had a good time.  Scouts are Ryan C, Gavin H., and Matt L.  Pictured are game time, an evening devotional, and Matt having successfully built a camp gadget with poles and lashings.

Amy at the Temple

It was special for us to be able  accompany Amy when she received her endowments at the Bountiful Temple on June 12th.  The night was breezy as you can see.

Jaron is a hard worker

Jaron came to help me work in the yard on Monday, June 9th.  He mowed the lawn and used the weed-whacker on the edges.  He then did a trim job on the hedge on the west side of our property.  He sure worked hard in the hot sun.

I have been having some back troubles, so this was really helpful.

How Green was my Valley

We couldn't help but notice how bright green Heber Valley was.  (Picture taken June 6th.)  We wondered if this is a a little like Ireland looks.