REPORT 12-14-09

REPORT 12-14-09

This week had one common theme—cold, cold, more cold and snow. On Tuesday, we were blessed with nine inches of snow. That is a really big snow storm for us. It really hurt my back to shovel the snow off the walks and the drive way but I had no choice-if I don’t remove the snow it will freeze, turn to ice and then be a problem all winter. I did get enough snow removed so we could get out of the house and out of the garage and down to E 7/8 Road which was finally graded a day to two later by the county road department. The other problem was the cold that lasted all week. We had day after day where the temperature was 10 degrees below zero at night and would only get up to 10 or so during the day. The advantage was the snow couldn’t turn to ice because the snow didn’t melt. Today it will get above 32 degrees and the sun is shining so things will start to melt and the roads will clear.

Here is my weekly report of activities:

1. The cold stopped my walking-I just will not walk unless it gets in the 20s. Last week I only walked one day and that was only for a mile because of the cold. Today I walked 2.5 miles and it sure felt good. I get stiff when I don’t walk. I have to earn good days by walking. It really helps my Parkinsons.
2. Kenny’s birthday was this week. He is a good son. I remember when Clarissa was in labor with him that I prayed he wouldn’t be born on Pearl Harbor Day-my pray was answered and he was born about 10 minutes after midnight. We are excited to have the Summers family come for a visit this weekend. I hope the deer, particularly the three bucks are around when they come. One two point buck only has antlers on the left side, the four point buck is large but the five point buck really rules-everyone obeys him-he is magnificent.
3. This week the missionaries had a western slope Christmas conference. The mission president gave them:
1. A hand knitted black stocking cap to keep their head and ears warm-these were knitted by the mission staff including the mission president and his wife.
2. A Christmas card from the First Presidency.
3. A consecrated small bottle of olive oil from olive oil the Christisons had purchased in Israel.

The Christisons gave Clarissa and I a beautiful book titled “How Americans view Mormonism-Seven Steps to Improve Our Image.” It is written by Gary Lawrence, a member of the church with a PHD from Stanford. I’m excited to read it. I have had a very special relationship with both mission presidents since I have been stake president. Pres. Wright was an attorney from Idaho Falls and his son and family live in our ward so we had a lot in common. When I became stake president, I started a practice of praying for our mission president and his wife in our stake meetings. He credited our prayers in saving he and his wife’s life when they were hit by a drunk driver from behind going 70 miles per hour on the interstate in G. J. He is now serving another mission as an attorney for the church is Australia so we keep in touch through his son. I met Pres. Christison in the stake center as he came to church the first day of his mission as he was travelling to Denver to take over and we have been close ever since. I get invited to all the zone conferences and the mission conferences at Ragged Mt. and I am always invited to speak. I have become close to Mason Christison, their son, who is waiting for his mission call. He comes to almost all the conferences. The Christisons are great teachers and they bless my life. I expect him to be made an Area Seventy.

4. I was very proud this week to read the report of Bro. Brent Jones, our high counselor over missionary work who was raised in Blanding. He reported that one of our Ward Mission Leaders observed that a newer missionary with some special problems was struggling when he taught a lesson. Rather than ask that the missionary be transferred out of the ward and be a problem for some other congregation, the ward mission leader developed a training program for the missionary to teach him how to give a lesson, practicing first on his own family. I requested that this missionary not be transferred this week so he could continue his training in this ward and with this ward mission leader and Pres. Christison agreed. I’m so proud of this ward mission leader.
5. We had tithing settlement Sunday. The bishop, as is his practice, gave Clarissa and me each a Bishop’s blessing to help us individually and with our church callings. He is very concerned with his members.
6. I home taught the Whites and the Waughs last night and gave them each a jar of Clarissa’s homemade Boysenberry jam. I have home taught these families so long I can’t remember when I started. I love to home teach.
7. Saturday I traveled by myself to Monticello to attend the temple. Originally I planned on going Friday, visiting at the courthouse on business, driving down Montezuma Creek and then staying the night with 12^th Ward at the Hyland Hotel-BUT, Jean and Dean were not home because Dean had fainted and had been to the doctor in St. George (he is okay), my car alternator went out and dumped me Thursday night so Clarissa and I had to share a car this weekend (It is now fixed) and it wasn’t wise to go down Montezuma Creek when Monticello had two feet of snow. I left Saturday morning before sunrise and got back in time for the famous Larry De Goyler Christmas party Saturday night-it was also his 70^th birthday. I love driving thru Dry Valley and seeing the red and white rocks. I love the temple and the Horsehead on the mountain looking over the community. We had lots of G.J. temple workers there and I saw Cooper Jones, Doyle and Marilyn Rowley and others. Elder Brimhall, our Area Seventy said all stake presidents are to become veil workers so I picked up an application for that assignment. It was a very satisfying day and in spite of a new snow storm, the roads were great.
8. This week we had a very successful mission meeting for all four Fruita Wards and I did four bishop PPIs. My bishops are such loving men. Yesterday I attended Fruita 2^nd and G.J. 2^nd Wards besides temple interviews and a special meeting with a lady who withdrew from the church about 30 years ago which feels the need to come home. She reminds me of our cattle and sheep, when they couldn’t be found and were left in Dry Valley in the spring. They would start up the highway on their own striving to get to the Colorado mountains, sometimes 100 miles away. They knew where they were supposed to be and were acting on that knowledge and would start on their own. I also have started reading about 150 patriarchical blessing given by Bro. White. It is my responsibilities to review his blessing before they are submitted to Salt Lake.
9. We had a first this week-after 37 years living at 585 20 Road, our water pipes froze when it was 14 below zero. I called Ute Water and they examined the situation and informed me that my pipes were frozen in the furnace room because there was too much frigid air circulating near the floor from the big vent we installed a long time ago to provide only cold outside air to the furnace and hot water heater. The workers covered up the outside vent and told me the pipes would thaw in an hour and just like they said, the water started flowing in one hour. There were no breaks in any water line. I now let a faucet drip at night if it gets that cold.

K. K. Summers