Memorial Day

On Saturday, Wendy and I drove to Ogden and visited my parents' graves.  On our way back we went to Wendy's parents' graves.  We walked right to her mother's grave without any trouble.  A year ago it was different.  Afer several minutes of pacing back and forth, Wendy called (in a not so quiet voice), "Mother, where are you?"  There were a lot of incredulous stares.  Fortunately, right at that moment I found the grave.

On Monday quite a few of the Lewis' met at the SF cemetery and put up the little wooden flowers.  Then we went to Emilie's for grilled hamburgers.  The two pics allowed for two different photographers to be in a picture.

Anniversary Trip

Here is what Wendy and I did to celebrate our wedding anniversary.  We did it on Tuesday May 13th, one day late.  We got on Frontrunner at about 9 am at the Provo terminal and rode to Salt Lake Central, then took Trax Blue Line to Temple Square.  We then went to the Temple.  We had lunch in the cafeteria, then did two temple sessions.  Then we backtracked our morning route back to Provo.

Sunday April 26 journaling

1. I attended Steven's and Heidi's campus ward and participated in Derek's blessing.  Nice job, Steven.  And also Heidi.  

One of 4 babies being blessed. And it wasn't even Fast Sunday. 

Attending were Blakes, M Lewises, Soderquists, Steven's parents and Grandpa, Grandpa and Grandma Soderquist and Aunt Greta.  It was fun to see our 6 grandson (visitors) pass the sacrament.

2.  All the way from NC, Danny and Shari Henderson came to dinner this evening, with their daughter Bailie who is here going to school.  We had a great visit and got updates on all our friends in Mt. Zion.

Birthday

We managed to stretch my birthday celebration out over several days.  On Thursday the 24th,we were in the temple all day until after 5 pm.  We then met Alison and Quin for dinner at P F Changs at the University Mall.  On Saturday we had a sort of Open House with home-made ice cream with quite a few visitors, including Nathan & Gloria, the Blakes, Matthew and family, Steven and Heidi with Derek, and Paul and Daniel.  Thanks for all of your calls, best wishes, and gifts.

I received a maze for my birthday developed by Ben.  I wrote him back: 
To Ben:

Thank you for the maze.  I tried it.  First I went straight in but after circling around I ran into a dead end.  So I backed out and when on a diffferent route that was next to the edge.  After  a while I came to a split and went back into the interior but, after several turns, that too ended up blocked.  So I went back to the second split and then continued around the maze next to the edge.  Finally I came to a real skinny place, so I turned sidewise and slipped through and there was the exit.     

Love, Grandpa
Ben thought this was funny, especially about having to turn sidewise.

Hilary and kids move

Wendy’s daughter Hilary and her kids left us last week for a place in Salt Lake.  She has progressed in her life and work with a promotion and getting on top of her obligations where she felt she could start to maintain a place of her own.  The new place is twin home in the Holladay area, quiet, partially wooded, with a view of the city, new carpet and paint, quite an attractive place.  

They were here Thursday evening through Sunday.  They have been here 17 months, but it didn’t seem that long.  They sort of made their space in our downstairs area and weren’t a bit of trouble or concern.   In fact, we will miss having them here.

My Adventures of the Back and Spine

 

#1. While on our mission in North Carolina, I did too much lifting of missionary furniture and developed an awful pain in my back.  I remember a session in the Raleigh temple where I could not even rise to a standing position without feeling an intense stabbing sensation in my lower back.  We heard of an LDS chiropractor in the Raleigh 1st ward, Dr. Hahn, got an appointment, and soon he had me feeling better.  Of course, it wasn’t that easy to quit going to him.  I didn’t know then whether it was peculiar to the way these Drs. operate their practices or that he just liked us a lot.

He was a big, jolly,  man-boy, maybe 6' 3" and 300 lbs, and could sure do a neck adjustment with authority.  And I enjoyed the Irish music always playing over the intercom.

Here is his bio from his website: “Dr. Eric Hahn is a magna cum laude graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic. When he was offered his first chiropractic adjustment his immediate reply was “No thank you, I don’t believe in it”. Later that same day he allowed chiropractic to fundamentally change his life and his perception of healthcare.  After graduating from Eastern Michigan University with a bachelor's degree in chemistry Dr. Eric worked for the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, but now chooses to change the world one life at a time through the chiropractic adjustment. His primary adjusting technique is Tone Chiropractic, which he supplements with Diversified, Thompson, Lumbar Flexion Distraction, Activator, and Sacral Occipital Techniques.  When not practicing Chiropractic Dr. Eric is an accomplished Irish musician and loving husband.”

 
 
#2. While visiting Valerie and Greg, I tweaked my back, trying to make a fix on their trampoline.  When we got home I found, although I was able to function OK during the days, I couldn’t sleep at night–there was a low-grade pain in my left hip, leg and even my foot that didn’t allow me to get comfortable while lying down.  After several weeks, I was driven to find Dr.Hahn’s successor in my life.  (I am discovering that getting a chiropractor in your life is about the next thing in permanence of relationship to getting married.)  Anyway, after a quick internet search, I liked the bio best for Dr. Cook, and it was a good choice I think.  Almost immediately after he started treatment I was able to sleep lying down again and and symptoms of back distress seem to now be gone.   A couple of unanticipated side benefits: I can turn my head to the sides better.  I notice this improvement when I am driving and need to check left or right, or to back up.  Also, someone in the family remarked recently that they thought I was standing up straighter.

I have finished the initial phase of 3-a-weeks and am now tapered off to 2-a-weeks for 2 months, then ???

Here is Dr. Lavoy Cook’s bio: “I was studying sports medicine at BYU and working with the football team. Rehab was my passion and I worked a lot with the athletes to overcome injury, stay healthy and improve performance. Then BYU brought in some sports chiropractors. I was amazed to see the improvement in the athletes that received chiropractic adjustments. So, I started shadowing the doctor. With a grand total of 1 adjustment under my belt I headed off to chiropractic school and have never looked back.”

Dr. Cook studied sports medicine at BYU where he studied the basic sciences such as chemistry, anatomy, and physiology, along with sports medicine courses like injury assessment and rehabilitation. He was able to work with the BYU football team, as well as with a local high school, Springville High, providing medical care and helping with rehabilitation.

After completing his study there, he was accepted at Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, Texas. During his four years at Parker, courses included biochemistry, a major emphasis on anatomy and human physiology, X-ray, diagnosis, chiropractic adjusting techniques and patient care in the Parker College Public Clinic. After graduating in 2002, Dr. Cook returned to Utah county to establish his practice.
 
“We love skeptics,” smiles Dr. Cook. “I understand that chiropractic is new to a lot of people. I remember how different it seemed to me when I was adjusted for the first time. So we make it a point to explain everything in advance, answer all of your questions. Patients appreciate that.”
 
He was also able to obtain an advanced chiropractic degree, Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP). “I love the idea of combining chiropractic with sports medicine. We treat the entire body from the nerves and spine to muscles and ligaments. This is the best approach not only for top competing athletes, but for everyone!”

A little Easter tender mercy

I had an unusual experience in our ward sacrament meeting yesterday.  For Easter, the hymns had all been selected from among the Easter or sacramental hymns from our current hymnal.  The intermediate hymn sung just before the main speaker, was the George Careless setting of an old Eliza R. Snow poem from the sacrament section, “Behold the Great Redeemer Die.”

Our Bishop West has this preference for singing all of the verses of hymns, and he announced that we would sing the full six verses.  He has said that he doesn’t know anything about music, but he thinks we should get the full spiritual benefits of the words of the hymns. 

I was singing away, in my usual manner, doing different parts, and had just finished delivering the bass part on verse four, when we came to verse five:

          He died, and at the awful sight
          The sun in shame withdrew its light!
          Earth trembled, and all nature sighed
          In dread response, “A God had died!”

Suddenly I got a clog in my throat, tears welled up in my eyes, and I could not sing a note.  I just had to sit there dumb and overwhelmed, pondering the enormity of the sacrifice made by our Savior.

When verse six started, I could sing again.
 

Its tree-shearing time

With some help and direction from Alison, our fruit trees are now again in shape to produce wonderful peaches and apricots this summer.  For peaches remove all suckers, keep the middle open and cut off 2/3s of the new wood on bearing branches.  Thanks to Heidi for calling her mother down to Utah County, just at the right time for pruning.

Our big apricot tree is full of blossoms and we got it under control for another year.  On our little, new apricot tree, we left one 15 foot limb at Wendy's insistence, to see what might come of all the blossoms it is carrying.

Family overnighter at a yurt at East Canyon reservoir

Thanks to Quin for arranging to rent a Yurt (pus a small cabin) that State Parks has at East Canyon Reservoir for last Friday night.  We had 14 there--Quin and 6 of his boys, Paul, Daniel, Eric, Jonathan, Aaron, Chris, plus Steven, plus a neighbor boy named Anthony.  I brought with me Nathan, plus Ethan and Adam, and also Jack.

The facilities included electricity, a propane grill, enough beds for all, and heat for the two places, not requiring too much "roughing it".   We had barbecued chicken and rice for dinner, and eggs, sausage, oatmeal and more for breakfast.

We tried fishing in open water along the shore without much success.

Kansas City Temple visit

Wendy and I routed ourselves through Kansas City on our return home from Chandler's so that we could attend attend the new Kansas City Temple.  The positioning of the temple is right along a freeway, and has a similar effect as in DC or Boston, where you round a curve and all of a sudden the temple appears in a dramatic way.  The temple interior reminded us of the new Brigham City temple, beautiful, spacious, lots of paintings, in this case focused on prairie and big river scenes.

We had a little time before we needed to return our car, and so made a quick visit to the Liberty Jail, which reminded us of how far the Church has come in this area of the world since the early days of Missouri persecution and hatred.

Sunday snow storm

Sunday’s snow was so odd.  It was like granulated sugar.  It rolled off the roof without sticking and formed piles where it landed especially below the valleys and gutters.

It was perfect for making ICEEs or slushes.  The boys could open the patio door slightly and scoop up a cup of this snow, then poured in fruit punch.  Yum.

It was slippery to walk in,because there was ice underneath.  The temperature was near zero. Church was cancelled and and the kids had another snow day vacation today (Monday).

Three basketball games

.

While in AR, we got to see a basketball game for each of Jamison, Trenton, and Holden.  They all are coming along in their athleticism and their commitment to playing this game well.

Jamison’s team got way behind, and he helped stage a comeback at the end.  With less than a minute to go they were ahead by 1 point and their point guard brought the ball across the backcourt line and passed the ball to Jamison who appeared to have been playing a shooting guard.  Then he took over the game.  He dribbled the ball down in to the corner, and you could hear the coach urging him to get rid of the ball.  Instead he dribbled past two defenders back out in front, then reversed himself and dribble back into the corner.  Now there was only about 15 seconds left, and his defender deliberately fouled him.  He calmly sank two free throws, which put the game out of reach.  He had 10 points for the game, 4 out of 4 free throws and 2 3-pointers.

I thought it was odd that Holden’s coach had him playing had him playing center in their zone defense.  He was shorter than some of his team-mates and the other team had a kid at least 6 inches taller playing in the middle.  Then I saw why he was playing in the middle.  He was a fierce and relentless rebounder.  At every shot, he planted himself in the middle of the floor just in front of the basket and contested for the ball.  He had numerous offensive and defensive rebounds and scored 8 points, all on put-backs from rebounds.  His team won 18-15.

Trenton was disappointed in his game.  They were playing the best and biggest team in their league, and one with a smart and competitive coach. Trenton was playing something like 2-guard, but didn’t see much of the ball.  The opposing team used a full court press and also had his players double team whoever was the dribbler.  Trenton’s team could not generate any offense and lost big, scoring only 7 points.  Trenton had 3 of these, hitting 3 out of 4 free throws.  He was obviously a fast and good dribbler and seemed to be one of the players the other team concentrated their defense upon.

Preparing a young man to be a worthy husband and father

The Proclamation on the Family lists three roles or responsibilities of husbands and fathers.  These are to preside, to provide, and to protect.  One of the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood is to help young men make preparation to effectively fill these responsibilities.  Here are some preparation ideas:

Preparing to Preside:

• Is beginning to know doctrines of the Gospel
• Able to act, and not be acted upon
• Can discipline self
• Can set and achieve goals
• Can recognize the Spirit
• Keeps himself worthy to have the Spirit
• Knows how repentence, forgiveness, and the atonement work
• Can articulate his experiences with the Spirit
• Is developing teaching skills
• Is developing leadership skills (servant leadership)
• Is strong, but uses his strength to benefit others
• Is learning how to help others do right things 

Preparing to Provide

• Is staying in school
• Does his best in school
• Has a beginning plan for a career
• Is developing an enjoyment for learning
• Is a responsible worker
• Can manage his own money
• Is developing some communications skills

Preparing to Protect

• Is respectful of women, girls and children
• Has developed basic courtesies and manners regarding women
• Treats girls as equals
• Girls are safe with him, even foolish ones

[Thanks to Wendy, Greg, and McKay for ideas]

Holden's baptism

It was nice to be in Arkansas for Holden's baptism, which was held on Saturday March 1st, also his birthday.  Greg did the ordinance, but at the last moment had me do the confirming because he had laryngitis.  I also gave a talk o the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Wendy gave a prayer.

Meeting with Sugar Creek ward YM leaders

Greg presented me with an interesting challenge.  He set up a meeting with Varsity Scout and Venturing leaders (the AP advisors for the Teachers and Priests) in his ward, for me to (hopefully) supply some added direction for their uses of these scouting programs.  I met on the Wednesday night I was there with 5 persons and answered questions about ways to organize and develop these programs.  It was quite interesting to be in the position of an expert and try to help these people.

Scouting leadership story #2

Soon after my call as a Seventy and stake missionary, the Church created the Salt Lake Mission and full-time missionaries began to serve in our area.  The mission president and other authorities challenged the stake missionaries to learn to give at least the first discussion in the current teaching plan, so that we could participate in teaching along with the full-time missionaries.

The missionary lessons of that day required memorizing the discussions verbatim.  My thinking was that this was an impossible task.  I reasoned that the learning and retaining of these lessons would require considerable repetition and that individual stake missionaries would never be given enough teaching opportunities to gain mastery of these lessons and be effective teachers.  As a result, for a time I made no effort to work on the lessons.

At a stake conference meeting early in December 1975 I heard the challenge repeated.  And the thought crossed my mind, “Why resist this request by mission and stake authorities?  If they want us to do this, why not make a try?”

I went home and developed a plan.  There were 8 concepts in the first lesson.  I set a goal to myself to memorize one concept a week, so as to complete the memorization of the first lesson in 8 weeks. The first concept was the most challenging because of its length.  It contained major excerpts from the Joseph Smith’s own story as recorded in the Pearl of Great Price. It was difficult but by the end of the first week I could recite this concept by memory.  Through the Christmas holidays and New Years I persisted.  On the last week of January as I was finishing work on the eighth and last concept, I received a phone call from the ward mission leader.  He said that the full-time missionaries had been knocking on doors in our ward that day, and were invited into the home of a couple, the Knudsens.  The husband was a less active member and the wife a non-member.  They asked to be able to receive the missionary discussions.  The ward mission leader asked me if I would be willing to join with one of the elders in teaching this family the gospel.

The result was that I helped teach all the missionary lessons to this couple.  I saw them begin to attend church, Brother Knudsen start to live the word of wisdom, and within a short time Sister Knudsen be baptized.  Within a year or so he qualified for the Melchizedek Priesthood and we had the blessing of being present when they were sealed in the temple.  Not only that but they became wonderful friends.

I was strongly impressed that changing my attitude to follow the full program outlined by my leaders and then making the effort to master the missionary lesson brought huge blessings and made me an effective tool in the work.  The blessings came right on schedule almost like clockwork once I had done my part.  When I stopped grumbling and doubting and trying to impose my wisdom on the program, and made a full commitment to follow the direction of my leaders and master the requirements of the program, the payoff came immediately and with more blessings than I could ever imagine.

I think of this experience, when I deal with young mens leaders who are not committed to the scouting programs.  I hear things said, such as the kids aren’t interested or they are too busy, the parents aren’t supportive, and so on.  I think that, like my experience as a stake missionary, the programs will never be effective until the leaders make a full commitment to the programs and pay the price to master the requirements and tools.

Scouting leadership story #1

There was a time when, as a young husband and father, I received a phone call asking JoAnn and me to come to an appointment with a member of our stake presidency.  In the interview, I was asked to serve as a Seventy (there were local Seventies in those days) and stake missionary.  The President informed me that there were requirements associated with this calling.  In addition to worthiness, I would be expected to clear my schedule to spend at least two week nights in missionary work, plus some time on Sunday afternoon or evening, in addition to attending required meetings.  I might have to give up some other week night commitments.  After I promised that I would be willing to make this effort and receiving assurance from my wife that she was supportive, the President extended the call.

The manner of this call has served as a template for me for how to make major calls in the Church:
1. Clearly communicating an understanding of the commitment of time and effort that the call would require of me.
2. Verifying that I had family support for the requirements of the calling.
3. Verifying my commitment to these expectations.

Calls to work in the young mens program might be compared to a mission.  They have similar requirements in amount of time and effort, and deserve this same approach by leaders issuing the call.

Sealing group at Draper Temple

I don't know of anything much more wonderful or joyful than being with family members at the temple.  This was last evening's group that did family sealings at the Draper Temple.  The sealer was very capable and considerate and even spent a few minutes with us after we finished doing 40 some sealings in going over some meanings of the couple sealing ceremony.  Do you remember his 4 points?

Letter to a returned missionary

Cleaning out some old files, I found a copy of this letter, which gives expression to some of my thoughts about the Church.  As a Bishop, I composed this letter to a young returned missionary and father who had requested his name be removed from Church membership (sad):

TAYLORSVILLE GARDENS FIRST WARD, TAYLORSVILLE UTAH CENTRAL STAKE
October 2, 2001
Dear _________:
     I acknowledge receipt of your letter requesting to have your name removed from Church membership records.  I have reviewed your request with President ________ and at his direction am initiating the process to accomplish your request.
     In your letter you seem to express an understanding of the major personal consequences of your request being fulfilled, including canceling the effects of your baptism and confirmation into the Church, withdrawing of the priesthood, and revoking temple blessings.  Yet I wonder if you have really comprehended the extent of the negative results that will follow.  I like you and have some feelings like a father might have for a son and hope for your success and happiness.  Yet I expect that this action, if completed, will have profound negative implications on others' lives, such as, children born to _______and you in the future, including the baby she is now carrying, will not be born in the covenant.  This act may likely compromise your ability to bless your family members when they are sick, to perform Church ordinances when they reach the age for things like baptism, and in general to provide spiritual leadership to your family over the years.  Somehow this reminds me of my own growing up in a household with a non-believing father, where I as a teen (whether rightly or wrongly) rejected him and made him non-significant in my life because, as it seemed to me, he had abdicated teaching and leader responsibilities that he should have born in our family.
     For me, attending priesthood as young married man was a very significant and positive influence in helping me to become a more sensitive and responsible husband and a more effective and loving father.  I am concerned that the loss of such influences will detract from your future relationships, joys, and ability to exercise positive influence on those closest to you.
     I fear that you have succumbed to your own worst tendencies, that you have isolated yourself with dark and doubting literature and thoughts, and have crowded out the remembrance or rationalized what you once knew--that faith grows stronger in a context of prayer, scripture study, humility, obedience to God, and service to others.
     Your have drawn some conclusions about the "truth claims" of the Church based on what you say are logical grounds.  Without going into detail, I would say that I too have grappled with these "truth claims" over the course of many years, coming from a somewhat similar position as you, but have arrived at entirely different conclusions.  The comprehensiveness, the logical consistency, the uplifting nature of the doctrines of the Church have great appeal to me. I do not see significant ways in which science and reason contradict the beliefs of the Church and find many confirmations.  I love the position that the Prophet Brigham Young took that all truths, wherever found, are a part of the gospel of Christ.
     I also draw different conclusions about confirming spiritual experiences across various religions. I have had many experiences and associations with various religions.  Their approaches to deciding what to believe seem significantly different to me.  For example, my experience with many Protestants is that they rely primarily on reasoning to justify their beliefs, and unfortunately come up with a multitude of different conclusions.  I have not heard described by members of other religions the full range of spiritual responses that I have personally experienced, although our doctrines are sufficiently broad to encompass their having such experiences.  For me, what I experience of spiritual direction, insight, comfort and joy in the context of our religion is real, seems to have origins external to myself, and is logically consistent with experiences predicted in the scriptures. So, I feel impelled to follow them.
     My wish for you is that you recapture a desire for faith rather than a desire for doubting, in the manner of Alma chapter 32.  I invite you to exercise the option that is always there for you, in order to rekindle a faith and joy that I think you once possessed.
     At this point however, according to your request, the name removal process will proceed forward. It can be rescinded by your sending a written request for such recision with 30 days to the stake president.  If he has not received your request to rescind the removal of your name according to these terms, the action report will be forwarded to the office of the First Presidency to complete the processing of the removal.
     Sincerely,
     Robert E. Lewis, Bishop Taylorsville Gardens 1st Ward

Robert E. Lewis Scouting Bio

Family: Father of eight children including four sons, all of whom are eagle scouts. Thirty-eight grandchildren, with eight eagles and counting.

Professional: Doctorate in the field of social work with specialties in child welfare, particularly family-based programs to prevent child maltreatment, child welfare management information systems, manpower and staff utilization, program effectiveness evaluation.

Employment history: Retired, formerly manager in state child welfare agency, adjunct professor appointment at university, consultant.

LDS youth-related service: Currently Counselor in Stake YM Presidency, with special assignment to upgrade Venturing in the stake; also Stake Venturing Officer’s Association (VOA) Advisor; also ward 11 year old scout leader.  Formerly Bishop, Ward Young Mens President/Priests and Venturing Crew Advisor, Varsity Coach; Scoutmaster; Troop, Team, Crew, and Post Committee chair and member; Stake Young Mens President and Counselor; Regional Exploring Training Coordinator, member of YM General Board Task Force on the Activity Programs for 14-18 year old Aaronic Priesthood holders. 

Scouting District/Council: Currently Assistant District Venturing Round Table Commissioner.  Formerly Teen Leaders Council (TLC) Advisor and member of Utah National Parks Council Venturing Activities Committee, District Exploring and Venturing Round Table Commissioner; District Venturing Leader Specific Trainer; Explorer Training Chairman; District Vice-Chairman for Exploring; District Varsity Committee; Course Director for advanced junior Explorer/Venturer leader courses, Unit Commissioner. 

Scout Leader Training: Basic training for Scouts, Varsity Scouts, Exploring, Venturing, and Commissioner; Wood Badge (Varsity); Explorer Leadership Institute. 

Recognitions: Scouter's Training Award; Scouter's Key (Varsity); Scoutmaster's Award of Merit; Adult Varsity Letter; Adult On My Honor; District Explorer Leader of the Year; District Award of Merit; Silver Beaver, Venturing Leadership Award.

R Lewis--bird photgrapher

Mourning dove in maple tree near pine cone with peanut butter

Robin scratching looking for ??? and kicking dirt on the sidewalk

Same robin--what a nuisance

Ice fishing at Deer Creek

Our spot on the ice above 30 feet of water

The fish Chris caught

Olivia, Chris, Jack, and a buoy

At the last minute, as the weather cooperated, we got a small Ice fishing party together on Saturday, Feb 1.  Wendy and I had Hilary, Olivia and Jack with us at the cabin, and Quin, Jonathan, and Chris joined us.

There was at least 8 inches of ice.  It was pleasant for a while but then a cold east wind arose and so did we, and went back to the cabin for a sandwich and hot chocolate.

Together we caught one fish, a fat 13 or 14 incher, which was credited to Chris.