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

report 12-7-09

REPORT 12-7-09

Today is my “take it easy day” or my “hangover” day to rest after a busy Sunday. I first experienced how tired I was on Monday when I was bishop but then I had to go to work anyway on Monday. Now I am retired, I can just relax a bit after a busy Sunday. Today I got up, read four chapters in the Book of Mormon, fixed breakfast, read my emails and then the Salt Lake Tribune, the Deseret News, the Daily Sentinel, Cougarfan.com and took out the garbage. I then came home and slept for a couple of hours before lunch and then in the afternoon took a two mile plus walk. Tomorrow it starts again in church work with a missionary conference in the morning and Stake Presidency in the evening Tuesday, a four ward missionary meeting Wednesday night, High Council on Thursday, a trip to Monticello on business Friday and to drive Montezuma Canyon and go to the temple of Saturday.

Here is a report of my activities:

1. Yesterday, Fast Day, was busy as usual. I started at the 7:00 a.m. Church Education Meeting followed by our weekly meeting with the missionaries and then attended Fast Meeting at the Fruita 4^th Ward on the Redlands, traveled to Fruita to set apart a new elder quorum presidency, back to the Stake Center to attend Fast Meeting at the G.J. 2^nd Ward and then interviews at the stake center starting about 2:20 p.m. I interview a couple wanting to be sealed in the temple which will require First Presidency approval, ( gave them a blessing that they would be able to pay tithing) and then interviewed a recently returned missionary followed by two first time temple interviews, one sister who is a convert who will get married to Scott Hart next month and the other a convert of two years that grew up in Moab. That was followed by my own temple preparation instruction. I got home about 7:00 p.m., particularly tired because of the fast.

2. When I went to the temple the first time, no one gave me instructions of what to expect. I had a great experience because I had spiritually prepared but realize that the temple experience would be more meaningful if those who go to the temple for the first time are better prepared because they have been instructed in what will take place. This mini seminar is one of the most satisfying things I do as stake president. I invite parents, spouses, future spouses and escorts to accompany the first time temple attender. Pres. Dean, after he saw what I did, put together a three ring binder that contains the material and pictures to look at while the presentation is given. The presentation is accompanied by the Spirit and a common response I receive from those who have already been to the temple is “I wish I had this instruction before I first went to the temple.” I give those who have already been to the temple a chance to add their feelings and testimony. I find there is a real bonding between those who have been to the temple and those who are going for the first time. I also have the escorts agree to show the first timer their temple clothes before going to the temple. Since we are in the Monticello temple district, everyone has to have their own clothes before they go to the temple. Yesterday, a Sister Watkins, originally from Moab, received the instruction as well as Scott Hart’s fiancé. I will write a separate report for my “Spiritual Book of Remembrance “ about Sister Watkins.

3. At stake conference, I addressed two topics. First, I talked about not offending people in church and keeping politics out of the church. I explained that members of the church do not to be formed and shaped by the same cookie cutter but the church is a large fish net that can hold all kinds of different people who share their testimony in common. I also talked about the history project for the next year:

a. Write your testimony by Christmas and keep it for your own records.

b. Write no more than a three page family history by March 21^st which will be turned into you r ward history representative.

c. Participate in your ward or the stake history if requested.

d. Write your “Spiritual Book of Remembrance” this coming year by recording for your own records your spiritual experience.

4 The response has been satisfying. Bishop Stagg’s 7 year old daughter already has written her testimony. I have commitments from Steve Hoffman and Crystal Hart that they will write special experience they had where I was involved and I promised Bishop McCall that I would write up the Craig Shelley experience for his review. My response to experiences I am told about will now always be, “Is it written down?”

5. I received a call this week from the Waughs who I home teach that I give Jody Waugh a health blessing. I took Bro. White with me. Sister Waugh gave me a very special thank you letter when I home taught last month.

6. I visited member s of the church in their homes with Bishop Trainor in G. J. 4^th Ward and also gave Sister Park a blessing about her present pregnancy. She has been pregnant 15 times and has four children. I also visited members with Bishop Standifird of Fruita 3^rd Ward. I sure have good bishops.

7. I received a call from Mike Perry informing me that he and his wife were on their way to Montrose to see the newly born baby boy that Justin and Suzy Perry has just received for adoption. It is a miracle baby. A non-member social worker in Montrose that knows Justin through his detective work was working on a day she wasn’t originally scheduled to work and was informed of a baby being born in the local hospital that would be available for adoption. She immediately when to the hospital and when she saw the baby, she saw Justin’s face in the baby and knew that Justin and Suzy were to get the baby. They were already approved as adoptive parents through LDS Family Services and the appropriate contacts were made so that now Justin and Suzy can adopt this child.

8. I worked all week on Summers Minerals. I organized Kelly Minerals LLC so I can transfer my interest in Summers Minerals to my children. Jean has her LLC organized and Kathleen is working on hers. It was good to talk to my sisters, Kristi and Bobbie this week. It was good to hear Ann’s positive voice.

9. I had bishop’s meeting this week We are going to have the exhibit, “Reflections of Christ” in our stake this coming year plus a choir from Utah Valley University. I also set apart three new high counselors, Aaron Hart, Larry Benson and Bud Hawley.

10. The last week I have been involved with a lady missionary who is in the MTC in Guatemala who received a “dear Jane” letter from her fiancé. He fiancé was providing part of the support for the missionary. Fortunately, I had met the director of the Guatemala MTC when I was there this August so there has been a high level of trust. I think everything will work out okay and that the missionary will stay and be a great missionary.

11. I have gained five pounds that last couple weeks. I walked two, then three, then four and on Saturday five miles and I have lost the five pounds. My hope is to walk 6.2 miles before Christmas to match the Bolder Boulder distance just to prove to myself that I can do it. We have had a great Indian summer this fall but it has gotten cold his week-one degree on Friday, a new record for the date. I wait until it is in the 20s before I start to walk. I have also used one walking stick which really helps.

K. K. Summers

Check my History

KELLY AND CLARISSA SUMMERS FAMILY

The Kelly and Clarisssa Summers Family was created on August 17, 1966 when Elder LeGrande Richard of the Council of Twelve Apostles, in the presence of family and friends, married Clarissa Gertrude Eames (born June 8, 1939, in Preston, Idaho) and Kenneth Kelly Summers (born August 29, 1941, in Moab, Utah) in the Salt Lake Temple for “time and all eternity.” They had met in September of 1965, at the University Ward, a student and singles ward in Berkeley, California, dated during the school year and were engaged on July 4, 1966, on the grounds of the Oakland Temple. Clarissa had graduated from BYU in 1962, with an elementary education major, moved to the Bay Area to be near her parents who resided in Pleasant Hill, California, lived in Berkeley and taught school in Pleasant Hill and Concord, California. She was ward Relief Society President at the time. Kelly graduated from BYU in the spring of 1965 and started law school in September of that year at the University of California, Boalt School of Law. Their first date was to the temple, a Jewish temple of a Jewish conservative congregation in Oakland, with Jewish friends Kelly had met at law school.

Clarissa‘s father, Henry Thomas Eames, was raised in the small southern Idaho town of Elba of pioneer stock. He met Velma Lorene Maddy at Southern Idaho College of Education (the school no longer exists) in Albion, Idaho. Her family was from central Kansas. Her father brought the family to Idaho working on construction projects during the depression. She joined the Church about a year after their marriage and was a faithful saint and church worker all her life. Three events are pivotal concerning the Eames family and the Church:

1. Henry began saving money to buy a fishing boat with his cousin. Velma realized that if he bought the boat, he could spend Sundays fishing instead of attending church with the family so without his consent, she took the saved up funds and bought a new piano, which Clarissa used to learn to play the piano. Henry did not go fishing on Sunday. Henry, also, took piano lessons with her.

2. Henry smoked. He quit when he found out his oldest child, Clarissa, was hiding his cigarettes so he could not smoke them.

3. During the first 12 years of Clarissa’s life, her parents taught school in various small towns in southern Idaho. Henry took a job near Coos Bay, Oregon and announced to the family that the church would be important and the family would be active in church. That commitment was kept and Henry served as District President for the Southern Oregon District of the Northwestern States Mission where the family met many General Authorities at District Conferences including Elder LeGrande Richards. Henry and Velma were active members the rest of their lives which included many callings and two full time missions, one to the Micronesia Mission in Guam were Henry served in the mission presidency and visited numerous islands in the mission as the supervisor of seminaries for the church in Micronesia and the second mission to the New Mexico Mission assigned to Espanola, New Mexico.

Kelly’s Dad, Kenneth Shipley Summers, was raised in Cache Valley, Utah in the small town of Paradise and herded sheep for his father. He served a mission from 1927-1929 in the California Mission where he met a fellow missionary who convinced him to move to Monticello, Utah following his mission, to run the L. H. Redd Sheep Company with 22,000 head of sheep. There he met Johanna Elizabeth Summers who was teaching school. She was raised in Iona, Idaho, went to high school in Ogden, Utah, and graduated from Weber College. Ken and Elizabeth were married in the Logan Temple and lived the rest of their lives in Monticello, Utah. Ken was involved in various livestock operations, eventually owning K. S. Summers Livestock Inc. and was very involved in civic duties having served on the draft board, town mayor, school board president and county commissioner. He was bishop of the Monticello Ward for 16 years and in the stake presidency for 9 years. Elizabeth ran the Hyland Hotel for about 40 years and was involved in church and local activities.

Kelly had moved to California with the intent to stay but it didn’t take him a year to realize that there were too many people in California and that he would be more comfortable to move nearer to Monticello were he could be closer to his family and still enjoy the wide open spaces and solitude of the four corners area. Grand Junction was a growing community, could support another attorney, was in the mission field, was relative close to Monticello and had a church organization with opportunities to serve and felt like a good fit so Kelly and Clarissa visited Grand Junction in April of 1968, interview law firms, had a job offer with Golden and Mumby within two weeks, accepted, passed the Colorado Bar Exam and started practicing in Grand Junction on October 1, 1968. They never looked back or doubted their decision to move to Grand Junction but felt that God opened doors for their move and wanted them in Grand Junction. They were needed and were given numerous opportunities to serve in the Kingdom and develop personally-opportunities they may not have received is they had lived in an area where the church was stronger.

They moved into their home on the Redlands in 1972 after its construction on 20 Road and have resided there ever since but the most important blessing was their six children, all born in St. Mary’s Hospital, all graduated from seminary and Fruita Monument High School, all endowed in the temple and all graduates of Brigham Young University, Kate in Business, Carol in History with a teaching credential, Connie in Speech Pathology, Ken in Animal Science, Kim in English with teaching and English as a Second Language credentials and Catherine in Geography with a teaching credential. Kate married Aaron Waters in the Salt Lake Temple, worked for Far West Bank in Provo, Utah, and Intrust Bank in Wichita, Kansas, as a construction loan supervisor, lived in Wichita while Aaron worked as an engineer for Cessna Aircraft Company and the FAA, and moved to Parker, Colorado in 2009, with the FAA. Kate and Aaron’s children are Curtis, Michael, and KariLynn. Carol lives in Aurora, Colorado and teaches History at Falcon Creek Middle School where she is the department chairman and was voted Teacher of the Year in 2008. She previously taught middle school for four years in Gardnerville, Nevada. She obtained a Masters Degree from the University of Colorado in Denver. Connie served in the Oakland California Mission, Spanish Speaking and as a guide at the Oakland Temple. She received her Masters Degree in Speech Pathology from BYU and after four years as a Speech Therapist with the Denver Public Schools, she is in her 5th and final year at the University of Texas in Austin to obtain her PHD degree. Kenny served his mission in the Birmingham Alabama Mission. Kenny graduated from Kansas State University with a Doctor of Veterinarian Science and practices as a veterinarian in Banning, California. While attending school in Kansas he met Johanna Elliott from Russell, Kansas and they were married in the Manti Temple. They now live in Beaumont, California with their four children, Andrew, Ian, Owen and Mya.. Kimberly taught school in Mesa, Arizona in both ESL and English and now is teaching school in Arlington, Virginia, only 10 minutes from the Pentagon. She served her mission in Concepsion, Chile and is now working on her Master’s Decree at George Mason University in Virginia. Catherine teaches Geography at Falcon Middle School and was married in the Denver Temple to Gabriel Olivares from Los Alamos, New Mexico in 2009. He has a B.S. and Master’s Degree from the University of Colorado in business and is now attending law school at the University of Denver. Misty De La Rosa lived with the Summers from time to time and was treated as family. She now lives in Las Vegas with husband Rich. They have 5 children between them.

Kelly practiced law with the same law firm for almost 40 years. During that time, h e served seven years as a part time judge for the City of Grand Junction, was a part time Deputy District Attorney, a Bankruptcy Court Trustee and was president of the Mesa County Bar Association and President of the Colorado Municipal Judges Association. He started out as a general practitioner but gradually specialized in real estate, commercial law and bankruptcy. He loved to help people and hated billing.

Clarissa’s time was spent raising the children and involved in church callings and activities. She put on pageants and road shows where her organization skills were used to pull everything together. She also was in charge of ward music-few people ever dared to tell her no. Whatever she was called to do, she did well. Her Beehives loved her as she took them all over in the “Beehive Mobile,” the Summers van. She also was President of the Primary in 3rd Ward.

Kelly served in numerous church callings including Bishop of the G. J. 8th Ward and in numerous stake and ward youth callings. His passions were church history and the handcart youth conference. He has walked over Rocky Ridge in Wyoming (14 miles) on the Mormon Trail five times. He felt his greatest achievements were the boys he raised in church (“I only have one son but lots of boys.”) and his efforts in obtaining and developing Ragged Mountain LDS Ranch for youth and families. In 2004, he was called by Elder Eyring, then of the Council of the Twelve, to be stake president of the Grand Junction Colorado West Stake. He previously served as a counselor in three other stake presidencies. He dedicated the LDS Institute Building and Ragged Mountain LDS Ranch. He loved home teaching and serving in the Kingdom. He served a mission in the Northern States Mission located in Chicago.
(10-20-2009)

This I Know

THIS I KNOW

KELLY SUMMERS 10-2009


As a young boy in Monticello, Utah, I believed I was the most blessed person in the world because I was a Mormon, a cowboy and could ride my horse with my father working the cows. My father was my bishop for 16 years and I idolized him. My mother ran the Hyland Hotel and I helped her make the beds and clean the rooms before school. She had great faith. I came from pioneer stock who all crossed the plains in wagons and handcarts for the gospel. I have always been a believer.

Now I am 68 years of age. My father, mother and a sister have passed on. After 40 years, I have retired from practicing law. I have been called to serve in the Church as an 11 year old scout leader, a ward teacher, a home teacher, a Deacon’s Quorum President, a Teacher’s Quorum President, a budget collector, a missionary to the Northern States Mission, an MIA instructor, a home teaching supervisor, an Adult Aaronic Secretary , a seminary teacher, an institute instructor, a supervisor of seminaries on the West Slope of Colorado, a Teacher’s Quorum Advisor, an Elders Quorum President, a Stake Mission President, a Stake Missionary, a High Councilor, a co-chair for a ward history, a counselor in three stake presidencies, a Seventy, a Sunday School teacher, a Priest Quorum Advisor, a Ward Young Men’s President, a bishop, a Stake Young Men’s President and a Stake President. I still believe I am the most blessed person in the world with a dedicated wife and six wonderful and faithful children.

I have never seen an angel. I have never had a vision. But, by the Spirit, this I know:

1. HEAVENLY FATHER IS THE FATHER OF MY SPIRIT, HE LOVES AND CARES FOR ME AND KNOWS MY NAME. I feel very close to my Heavenly Father. The most comforting thing in my world is that he loves me, is concerned about me and that He knows my name. I don’t understand the process where He can know individually all His spirit children, but I know He knows me. This is a very easy proposition for me because I had a loving earthy father that I respected and revered so it is natural for me to feel the same toward Heavenly Father. I have felt His love for me so many times. I have gone to him in prayer numerous times about the problems I have faced and I have felt His love and concern for me and helped me through my immediate situation. We are all equal before our Heavenly Father. I remember the feelings I had when I led Elder Funk, our Area Seventy and I in prayer to Heavenly Father concerning an important matter in my stake. It wasn’t an Area Seventy and a Stake President petitioning Heavenly Father because of our church positions, but it was just two of Heavenly Father’s sons asking for help from a loving Heavenly Father because they were His sons and He loved and was concerned for us.

2. JESUS CHRIST IS MY SAVIOR AND FRIEND. HE TOOK UPON HIMSELF MY SINS IF I REPENT. I have felt the forgiving power of Jesus Christ. I know the peace I feel when I know I have confessed my sins and they have been forgiven.. It is a sweet peaceful feeling when I know that my life is acceptable to Christ.. I have felt His friendship and felt him carrying and comforting me in difficult times. I have witnessed so many times the peace and forgiveness members have obtained from Christ in my role as a common judge in Israel when they confess their sins and cast their burdens on the Lord. The peace that Christ brings surpasses any other peace.

3. THE HOLY GHOST TEACHES US, GUIDES US, WARNS US AND DIRECTS OUR LIVES. I have been guided by the Holy Ghost my entire life. It makes life easier when the Holy Ghost directs us. I am a witness that the Spirit of the Lord has told me so many times what to do and people have been blessed because I followed the Spirit. I remember the Spirit telling me to visit a totally inactive sister who was in poor health. Some time after our visit, she told me I had literally saved her life because she was planning to take her own life but was given hope by my visit and the blessing I gave to her. She subsequently changed her life and went to the temple for the first time when she was about 60 years old. This is just one of hundreds of experiences I have had in following the Spirit. I fear for my responsibility when I do not follow the Spirit and I was not there to help someone else. The Spirit also warns me. I didn’t follow the Spirit when it told me not to take a client and this deranged man later threaten to kill me.

4. JOSEPH SMITH WAS A PROPHET OF GOD. I have visited the Sacred Grove. I have been in Nauvoo many times. I am a witness, by the Spirit, that he was a prophet of God and restored the priesthood power and church to the earth. The Spirit has testify this to me numerous times that the church has been restored

5. THERE ARE LIVING PROPHETS ON THE EARTH TODAY. I have personally met Pres. McKay, President Hunter, Pres. Hinckley and many other apostles. The Spirit has witnessed to me in very powerful experiences that they are prophets of God. I have been interviewed by them and know they are men of God. I have been interviewed by a General Authority who knew me by the Spirit and knew what I needed and gave it to me in his blessing. The church is true and led by men of God.

6. GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS. It has been my experience to receive answers to prayers. I have seen miracles occur through fasting and prayers. I know that prayers make a difference. My prayers have been heard.

7. GOD IS IN CONTROL. WE JUST NEED TO FIND OUT THE WILL OF THE FATHER AND FOLLOW HIS WILL. I am amazed how simple our lives would be if we could just learn the will of the Father and then do it. He is in control and we need to find His will. I have called so many people to positions in the ward and stake who knew by the Spirit what the call would be. I have called many bishops to be bishops and they already knew they were being called as bishop and had their counselors already picked.

These things I know by the Spirit. I know that we live forever and that life doesn’t end at death. Families can be forever. The gospel is true.

ELDER FUNK III

September 23, 2009

Dear Elder Funk,

This letter is to thank you and express my appreciation for your service as an Area Seventy in my behalf and in behalf of the Grand Junction Colorado West Stake of Zion. While you did not call me to be the stake president, you have been my teacher, mentor, advisor, confidant and friend. I appreciate your caring about me and always being available for my calls and requests. I really don’t know how you find time to practice law with your busy church schedule. I have also felt that you really made yourself available to us on the Western Slope and made us feel part of the Church in Colorado.

It has been such a joy to attend the Denver meetings and go to the temple with the other stake presidents and their wives. It has given me hope that I can be a good stake president when I observe how the Lord works with the other stake presidents. We are all so different and have a variety of situations in our stakes but I see how each stake president is so special in his calling and how he administers his stake and I take hope that I can also fulfill my callings and responsibilities. I remember sitting around a table in the Littleton Stake center surrounded by an Area Seventy, a temple president, a mission president and about 10 other stake presents. As we sang the opening song, I started to cry because of my gratitude for just being there and thought that a miracle was occurring that a cowboy from a little insignificant town in southern Utah would ever have the opportunity to sit around a table with such giants.

My favorite recollection is the time I came to Denver and you made time for me to discuss a very important issue that had arisen in my stake concerning hard feelings certain members had toward their bishop. I had tried everything in my power to promote peace, forgiveness and to move on but had failed. You personally stepped forward to help me with the situation since the member was critical of my approach and said “I just didn’t get it.” You talked with them as an intermediator and the matter just finally was dropped by them because they didn’t want to pursue it any more. I will never forget the feelings I had when I knelt with you for prayer in the clerk’s office of your chapel. This was not a stake president and an Area Seventy approaching the Lord because we held high positions in the Church but just two of His sons who had been called by the Lord to serve, petitioning the Lord for help in doing the Lord’s work. It was another testimony to me that Heavenly Father knows my name and cares about me and His children.

I felt like I had been orphaned when your assignment was changed but Elder Brimhall has visited with the Grand Junction West Stake Presidency and visited with me a couple of families in our stake so I know I’m going to be all right. I do want to share my eternal gratitude and appreciation to you for being there for me when I was a new stake president. I will miss my association with you. Thanks for your service and friendship in my behalf and in my stake’s behalf.

Your brother in the gospel,

Kelly Summers

HISTORY OF AL WHITE, FRIEND AND CHURCH WORKER

ALVIN L. WHITE

I started to work in Grand Junction the first day of October 1968 and within a week or so was called to teach early morning seminary to the Juniors and Seniors of Grand Junction High School and Central High School. I was impressed particularly by one of the students in my class, Valerie White. She was so positive and enthusiastic and was a student leader at GJHS- Head Girl-a co-president of the student body. I soon discovered why-she had great parents who were enthusiastic and positive in their outlook-Al and Shelia White.

I learned that Shelia White was raised in the church in Emmett, Idaho and had met and married Al White while she was a nurse for the Navy during World War II and Al was just an enlisted man. Because enlisted men couldn’t date or marry officers, and Shelia was an officer, Shelia had to resign her commission in the Navy to marry Al. He was not a member of the church having been raised north of Denver, in Berthoud. Al would tell me stories about when he was stationed at a naval base in the state of Washington how Shelia would take food from the officer’s mess and smuggle it to Al because officers were served much better food than enlisted sailors. After the war, Al enrolled at the University of Colorado and played on the football team. He taught school and coached football in Sterling and Craig and then bought an ownership interest in Mt. Garfield Plumbing and Heating on Rood Avenue in Grand Junction from his uncle and operated that business for many years. I did some legal work for the business after I came to G. J. to practice law.

Originally, to keep peace in the family, all attended the Presbyterian Church in Grand Junction. When Bishop Sam Kelly called Shelia to be a primary teacher when Primary was held on a weekday after school, the two younger children, Rocky and Valerie, started to attend Primary and loved it. They were eventually baptized and after that , Al and Gaydra, the oldest daughter, attended the Presbyterian Church on Sundays and Shelia attended the LDS Church with Rocky and Valarie.

I learned that Al White had joined the church in April of 1967. I heard him speak as some meetings about his testimony. He was the new gung -ho convert that was on fire since joining the church. He was the example of what could happen to God’s children if we share the gospel and how their lives could be changed by activity in the church and a testimony by the Spirit. The Whites had three children, Gaydra who had been living in Europe with her husband Gary McCalister on duty in the Army, Rocky who was either on a mission or in college, and Valerie that I taught each day in seminary. Rocky had joined the church as a teenager and had baptized his father. When it came time for Rocky to be ordained an Elder, his father had already been ordained an Elder so he ordained Rocky to the office of Elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood. Al White loved repeating this history in his life-baptized by his son and then ordained is son to be an Elder.

When the Grand Junction 5th Ward was created in 1973, Pres. Douglas Cleghorn chose Al White to be the first bishop of this new ward. It seemed an unlikely choice at first because Al White had only been a member for six years, but when Bishop White began to serve there was no doubt why he was called. We all realized that it doesn’t make any difference how long a man has belonged to the church, it is how he serves as bishop that is important. Bishop White was a great bishop because of at least three things:

First, Bishop White loved his members. Everyone knew that and felt his love. He wasn’t a gifted singer, but that didn’t stop him from calling every member of the ward on their birthday and singing Happy Birthday to them over the phone. People loved him, and he changed many lives. His love was evident to everyone. He was so excited to meet people that they felt Al’s love and concern for them .
Secondly, there was no one more enthusiastic about his calling. He was fun to be around because he was so positive. He knew with the Lord’s help that he could accomplish anything. That enthusiasm coupled with his great love made his ward an excellent place to attend and serve. He wanted to get things done now.

Third, Bishop White was a worker. He sold his business while he was bishop and became a fulltime bishop. I admired the amount of time he had available to serve and how he used his retirement time to serve the Lord. When I retired while serving as stake president, I found the great advantage of serving in a responsible position while retired.

A couple of experiences I remember from when he was bishop and I served in the stake presidency are recounted here. We were interrupted one evening at a stake presidency meeting by Bishop White. He had with him a couple from Vernal who were members of the church, had been married to each other but were now divorced and had with them a Colorado marriage license and wanted to be remarried by a Mormon Bishop. Bishop White knew that the handbook only allowed bishops to marry members of their own ward unless they had permission from the First Presidency. He didn’t want to send them to be married by a judge or a minister from another faith because they were Mormons and wanted to be married by a bishop. The church offices were closed in Salt Lake to get permission, and the couple wanted to be married that night. Pres. Cleghorn agreed that Bishop White should marry them now and he did after rounding up some witnesses. Pres. Cleghorn made the right call as an exception to policy because it was the right thing to do.

Bishop White had one young convert I will just call ”Joe” who had many mental problems and took a lot of Bishop White’s time. The biggest problem was that Joe would call up Bishop White to advise the bishop he was going to commit suicide. Bishop White would have to drop everything and find Joe and talk him out of his intended action-this often would take a couple of hours. This happened often and took a lot of Bishop White’s time and was emotionally draining. He sent Joe for counseling with LDS Social Services to get some help. The counselor told Bishop White to just agree with Joe and not try to talk him out of suicide. Bishop White told me how tough it was the next time Joe called to follow the advice of the counselor by saying:”Okay Joe, where will we find your body? What do you want me to tell your mother? What do you want for your funeral?“etc. By using this approach, Joe would decide on his own not to commit suicide with only about 15 minutes of Bishop White’s time. Joe never did commit suicide and is alive today although he still suffers from depression.

Harold Davis shared with me an experience he had while a youth with Al White that made him feel special. Harold was one of the few youth in the ward that attended Fruita Monument High School-most of the youth attended Grand Junction High School. Harold played football for FMHS. After the high big rivalry game at Stocker Stadium with GJHS which GJHS won, Al White made a point to seek out Harold Davis and congratulate him on playing a good game. Harold never forgot this act of concern and kindness to him when he felt important that Al White was watching him play football.

Bishop White was one of the bishops that in August of 1977 voted unanimously to purchase the land at Ragged Mountain. He was an enthusiastic supporter of Ragged Mountain. We shared that special experience of how President Cleghorn approached the purchase of Ragged Mountain and how united as a stake we were and excited that the purchase of that property was the right thing to do while it was available even though it was out of priority because we needed chapels built.

President Cleghorn was released in about 1982 and President Andrew Christensen was sustained as president. I was selected by President Christensen as his first counselor and Al White as the second counselor. When the Grand Junction West Stake was created, we were the first stake presidency in the new stake. It was a real pleasure to serve with Pres. White. I witnessed that same enthusiasm to work in the kingdom and his dedication to do anything he was asked. I had served with Pres. Cleghorn where we started at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday morning and continued until the work was completed, which may be late afternoon or even that night. This schedule continued under Pres. Christensen. We kidded Pres. White who started to bring a lunch once he found out we went all day without stopping to eat.

President Christensen would fly us to the temple in Manti or to out- of- town church meetings in his plane and it was fun to travel with Pres. White. President Christensen was killed when his plane crashed just before the dedication of the Denver Temple. President White, who was made the first counselor when I was made bishop, gave the opening prayer at the Denver Temple Dedication in place of President Christensen and represented our stake. He guided the stake through that difficult time after President Christensen’s death until Pres. Murri was sustained as president. Al and Shelia were called as temple workers for the Denver Temple, and later Al became the first man in our stake to be called as a Sealer.

One day when there was a break in our stake presidency duties, I asked Pres . White for his story on how things transpired that he joined the church. He related to me that Shelia had back surgery and complications developed wherein her spinal fluid was leaking out of the suture holes. Dr. Hall, the orthopedic surgeon, talked to Al and told him that if the leaking didn’t stop, Shelia would die. Dr. Hall was going to operate again to see if he could repair the problem but was concerned about how he could repair a suture hole by making more suture holes. Al talked with Shelia about her serious medical condition and Shelia asked that Al call her brother Mark, who was a bishop ,and have the family fast for her the day the surgery was to be performed. Al called Mark and related Shelia’s request that the family join in a fast for her. Mark asked Al if he was going to fast with the family, but Al responded that he was not a member of the LDS faith and wouldn’t join the fast-it wasn’t his religion. Mark responded that if Al was not willing to fast and pray that his own wife’s life would be spared, he wasn’t willing to call the family to join in a fast. Al couldn’t go back to Shelia and tell her there was no fast because Al wouldn’t join that fast, so he had no alternative but to agree with Mark that he would join in the prayers and the fasting for his wife. Al did that and reported to me that for the first time in his life he felt the Spirit of the Lord. He had lived his whole life without the knowledge that there was a Holy Ghost that can comfort, direct, warn and answer prayer. It was that newly discovered knowledge about the Holy Ghost that caused him to investigate the church and eventually join.

Al White was a living example of repentance and conversion. Bishop Gary McCalister, who married Al’s and Shelia’s oldest daughter Gaydra, told me that when he left for Germany for his army service, Al’s last advise to him was to never join the Mormon Church. When Bishop McCalister returned two years later, Al was a member and a completely different man. He was completely changed by his conversion. I asked him if the stories were true that he refused to stop smoking in the family car on trips even though he was making family members sick and did he really go to his basement when the home teachers visited and blow cigar smoke into the vents so the smoke would move upstairs and bother the home teachers. I know these things happened because his family confirmed these events, but Al White repentance was so complete that he remembered his sins no more. He responded that he had been told he did these things but he didn’t believe he did because he couldn’t remember it.

Al and Shelia served a mission in Vermont and their love and dedication had a major impact on the small branch where they served. Shelia died in 2000 and Al sold his home and rotates his residence among his three children. When Bishop Doug Rock was sustained as bishop of the 5th Ward in May of 2009, I invited all six former bishops of the ward to sit on the stand and be recognized. Al was so proud to be recognized as the first bishop of the ward and be joined by Wilford Moses, Dennis Ficklin, Hugh Mortensen, Brad Swenson and Tim Sherman. Many of his family came for the meeting. Roy Grossman was also recognized for serving as ward clerk to every single bishop in the ward.

Al White was been my friend for 40 years, and I have felt his love during that period of time. He has always been an example to me and I love him. He is proof of the parable of the laborers-it doesn’t make any difference when we start, it’s how we work that counts. The reward is still the same.

Kelly Summers 6-4-09

CLARISSSA TURNS AGE 70

CLARISSA TURNS AGE 70

JUNE 8, 2009

Today, Clarissa turned age 70. We celebrated her birthday according to her wishes-a dinner at the Vinery Restaurant in downtown Grand Junction, her favorite eating place. We have been going there for over 30 years. She invited Tom and Joanne Mingus and Dean and Mary White as our guests. She didn’t want a big party but a private celebration with good friends.

It was a good occasion. Clarissa was very happy and satisfied that she had reach age 70. She said she was ready to live another 15 years. The last year has been a good year for her since she has now lost 70 pounds. It has made her a new woman. She has a lot more energy and she doesn’t hurt so much. She is doing a lot more activities. Her health is better both physically and mentally. She is proud for what she has accomplished.

We sat at opposite ends of the table with the Mingus couple on one side and the White couple on the other. As I looked at her, Clarissa just shined. She was so beautiful and pretty. I realized how gorgeous she was and how lucky and fortunate I was to have her as my wife and eternal companion. I recognized a long time ago that I am able to function as a stake president only because of her. She is so supportive of my calling and makes it possible for me to serve. Regardless of how she feels, she is always available to support me and accomplish the duties of a stake president’s wife. I am even dependent on her for transportation out of town. There is nothing she will not do for her kids.

When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease I had my counselors and staff gives me a blessing about my calling. Pres. Dean didn’t promise me I would complete a normal nine year term but told me I should listen to my wife and get her advice about my health. She takes good care of me and watches over me. I know my dependency of her will increase. I am grateful to God for her.