Photo of the Day

What are they learning about in Primary?

Baptism Photo Shoot

Final preparations for Alex's baptism continued over the weekend.  His new suit arrived and it was time for a photo shoot.  Only one problem - we don't have a photographer.  Not to worry.  Give me a willing model, some good light, and a few selected areas in our yard.

Capitol Reef - Stand in Holy Places

A few months ago I decided I wasn't going to attend Youth Conference this year.  It was scheduled at a terrible time for me to go.  We had a family vacation scheduled for the day the conference ended and I knew it would be a lot of driving, for a pretty short trip.

Then, I started looking into the hike they were going on in Capitol Reef.  I really wanted to go.  I haven't really hiked much in that part of the state and it looked amazing.  I decided I would attend so I could go on the hike.

Conference started on Thursday and we drove, and drove, and drove.  The Boulder Mountains aren't exactly close to Salt Lake.  Still, it was a fun trip and I got a kick out of listening the Deacons' conversations.  These guys can really get going on all things soccer, school, and Taylor Swift.

On Friday we woke up early and set out for Sulphur Creek.  It was a beautiful walk through the towering red rock.  The hike was about 5 miles, but most of it was pretty flat and after the first mile you were inside the canyon walls.  I had a great time walking and talking with the kids.  You can really learn a lot about someone while on a hike.  It was nice to hear about what's important to our YM/YW.


When we stopped for lunch the fun kicked in.  One of the best parts of Sulphur Creek is some of the waterfalls you encounter along the trail.  We had a great time sliding down the rock into a pool at the bottom.  Of course I couldn't resist and went down a couple of times.  It's what I love about hiking in canyons!

We went back to camp and everyone settled into to fun games and good competitions.  There were some marathon games of Mafia and a few intense card games.  The kids had a great time hanging out with one another.

I think the highlight of the trip was the evening devotional and testimony meeting.  I've been to Youth Conference pretty much every year since I've been married and this testimony meeting took the cake.  Every testimony meeting is special, but this was one of the five most spiritual meetings I've attended in my entire life.  The kids really poured out their souls to one another and to our Heavenly Father.  It was something I'll never forget.

After everything was over the hike was merely an afterthought.  The conference was all about the kids and the great leaders I work with.  I can't say enough about the incredible people in my ward.  In the church we like to use the term ward family and that couldn't fit this group any better.  I may have gone to Youth Conference for a hike in Capitol Reef, but I left with a deeper love for our Youth, our leaders, and the Lord.

Shredding it at Mountain Dell

One of the things I like most about my calling in Young Men's is the fun times we get to have with the kids when we're all together. Once a month we pack up both the Young Men and Young Women for an evening of fun. This month we headed up to Mountain Dell for a little late night sledding.

My favorite part of the night was taking Kennedy with me. She loves hanging around the older kids and, fortunately for us, they like her too.

We had a total blast tonight. The hill was slick and sent us down at some pretty good speeds.
I'm not going to say I kept up with the teenagers, but Kennedy and I managed to hold our own. Even better, no one got hurt - always a plus when you're rocketing across ice on a piece of plastic.

Thanks for being my sled partner Dede!

Kennedy's Baptism

Years ago Kennedy told me that she wanted to get baptized.

Right then.

She was 3 years old.

For the past several years she has patiently waited for her 8th birthday.  When her birthday finally arrived last month, we learned that she would have to wait a little longer for the January Stake baptism. After 5 years of holding on, what's another couple of weeks.  Kennedy used the time to buy her dress and take some photos for the announcements.  They turned out great!

Well, the big day finally arrived.  We invited both of our families, and many of our friends to celebrate Dede's baptism.  It was an amazing event.  We filled the Relief Society room with so many people who love Kennedy and it was very touching to see all the wonderful influences Dede has in her young life.  She is a special girl who touches many hearts.  I know she was pretty emotional when she saw all the people who came because of her.

One of the best moments of the ceremony came when Tara was speaking.  For the past six weeks Tara and her mom have been working on a quilt for Kennedy.  As Tara shared how the Holy Ghost can provide us with comfort she presented Dede with her own special comforter.  It was a great moment and one that I'll remember forever.

The baptism and confirmation went off without a hitch (even though Kennedy threatened to leave her toe out of the water so she'd have to be baptized a second time).  As I laid my hands upon Kennedy's head in the blessing I was impressed with how much our little girl will accomplish in her life.  I know that Heavenly Father loves Kennedy.  She is a choice spirit who will influence many for good.  She is a major part of my life and I hope that I can live up the responsibility of being her dad.

Thanks to everyone for making Kennedy's baptism such a special day.  It was wonderful to see our little girl growing up and to know that she wants to do what is right.  Tara and I couldn't be prouder as parents than when you see your children making good choices for the right reasons.  We love you Kennedy!

Christmas at the Polar Express

The Ward Christmas Party has been months in planning.  I know, I was part of the committee.  Being involved in Young Men's I have had my hand in a lot of different ward events this year, none was bigger than the yuletide celebration we just experienced.

It was a magical evening for all who attended.  We spend three days decorating the cultural hall and it was transformed into a wonder of lights and sights.  The Youth were all excited for the party as they came dressed like conductors, engineers, and chefs. And then there was me.

I was asked last month to play the part of the conductor from the Polar Express.  No big deal I thought. I've seen the show several times and Tom Hanks character is certainly a big part of Christmas for a lot of people.  There was one little catch.  In order to pull off the part I had to look the part.  That meant shaving off my beard and leaving an old man mustache.  Never let it be said I wouldn't do anything for the kids.

One of my family's favorite parts of the party is the annual visit by the big man himself, Santa Claus.  It was fun to see our favorite Santa and the kids all shared their Christmas wishes.  Seeing these pictures never gets old.

After the party was over it was time to officially welcome Christmas.  We have a great ward and this was a great night.  Let the season begin.

Trek 2012

Pioneer Trek is always an amazing experience.  I've been part of two treks in the past decade so when the chance to go again came up - I jumped on it.  This time I had a little different experience - I was part of the support crew.

Rather than pulling a handcart for mile after mile, I was part of the Stake team.  I hauled gear, cooked treats, gathered garbage, filled water jugs, supplied campsites with wood, and provided general support.  I kind of missed being part of a family like I'd been in the past, but there was something pretty cool about serving the kids and leaders on this trek.



I still got to enjoy all the great moments from trek - I watched the Women's Pull, I hiked through the Cove, I participated in testimony meetings with my adopted family (we actually had a pretty cool fireside song fest as well).   It was a great experience and I am truly glad I got to go again.

PS - My biggest hope is that the next time trek rolls around Tara and I will be able to go as a "Ma and Pa".

One More Step

One of the lessons we try to teach our kids is to "Try Hard Things".  I know the world is full of people who don't live up to this mantra, and truthfully, there are plenty of times in my own life that I have avoided something because it sounded too hard.  When the opportunity arose yesterday to hike Mt. Olympus with the scouts I knew I had to go back and do it again.

I hiked Mt. Olympus 5 or 6 years ago for a similar purpose.  I was working with the Young Men and several of the Priests wanted to scale the peak.  It was a hard hike, I actually cramped several times on the way due to a lack of water and training.  But I made it.  Yesterday I wanted to prove to myself that I could make it again.

I know there are several of you out there for whom hiking Mt. Olympus is a breeze.  A fun little climb to see the valley.  I wish I was part of your world, but for me, Olympus is a beast.  The 4000 foot ascent to the top brought fire to my lungs and made me realize how out of shape I am.  The last 1000 feet to the saddle I was truly gutting it out.  I just kept saying - "One more step.  Just go to that tree." The climb isn't straight up, but it is pretty vertical.

Just when you get to the saddle and you think you've had enough - then it's time for the rock climb up to the summit.  I have to imagine they have been plenty of people who've stopped at the saddle, a feat in and of itself just to get that far.  The challenge is, once you've climbed to 8300 feet, don't you have to go the extra 1000 feet to meet the goal?  I know that's how I was yesterday.  To get that far and not summit,  wasn't an option.  So I cowboyed up and made it to the top.  It was awesome!  There is something special about challenging yourself and rising to meet the bar.

For most the journey to the top is probably the hardest part of any climb.  I don't think that is the case with Olympus.  Going down is just as hard!  Imagine dropping the same 4000 feet in 3 miles.  Your feet are crammed into the toes of your shoes and the decline puts tremendous pressure on your feet.  It didn't help our cause that our journey down was slowed by injury.  It took us a little longer than expected to get back to the parking lot, but it was a welcome sight!

My highlight of the day was having two of my scouts go on the hike.  Daniel and Anthony didn't really want to go yesterday.  They were tired from getting up at 4:30 am to do baptisms for the dead and the thought of spending the day hiking a mountain was pretty rough.  Still, they went.  Daniel actually summited the mountain and I think he learned a lot about himself.  If I thought the hike was hard, I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for him.  But he perserved, and he proved to himself that he can do hard things.  What a great lesson for a 12 year old!  BTW - Anthony was a big time stud as well, but I didn't hike with him as he went down with the first group so he could get down for a party.

I'm glad I went back to Olympus.  It tested my endurance and will.  It showed my that I can do hard things.  It was fun to go with several of my neighbors and awesome to challenge my scouts.  I know I'll certainly feel the hike tomorrow, but for now, I can only bask in the glow of accomplishment.  I'll take it!

Stake Olympics

As part of my calling with the Young Men I go to a lot of stuff - meetings, scouting, firesides, service projects.  The list never seems to end.  Today we held the quad-stake olympics at East High.  This event has been part of our stake forever.  With the numbers of youth dwindling, we've expanded to include three of our neighboring stakes and the tradition lives on.

For me the day was spent as  part of the support team.  We went all out for the kids this year.  Many wards bring out donuts and juice for the youth, but not us.  Ryan busted out the six burner stove and we made pancrapes - they were supposed to be crapes, but I think they turned into pancakes.  It was awesome and I spent a few good minutes flipping the jacks.

Our kids that attended had a blast.  I don't think anyone thought we were the greatest athletes in the meet, but we sure had a lot of fun.  The boys and girls ran, threw, pulled, and jumped their hearts out.  It was fun working with the other leaders and a great time to play with the kids.

I think my favorite part of the day was taking Alex.  I always try to include one of the kids in the events I'm asked to attend.  I was a little worried that Alex would get bored, as I knew it would be a long day.  I was totally wrong.  Alex was a trooper and he had a great day.  It didn't hurt that he loves Ryan, the YM's president.  Alex is a fun kid and he was in seventh heaven with all the boys and girls.

Casual Sunday

This is the best way to attend church!

All Fired Up

Our stake is preparing for a pioneer trek at Martin's Cove this summer.  I am currently serving on one of the committees working to get things ready.  One thing I have always felt about my stake is they really do things right.  We have tons of good people on these committees and they have planned some wonderful events to help the kids feel the spirit of trek.

Take tonight's fireside for example.  A few weeks ago we watched the film 17 Miracles as part of our preparation.  Well, tonight we had two of the actors from the movie share their testimonies of the handcart companies and their struggles.  Chantel Flanders played a young woman in the movie who's family endured many hardships.  She spoke of the film, but more importantly, she spoke of the impact that attending a pioneer trek had in her life.  It was a great talk and helped the kids feel the spirit.

The second speaker was the star of 17 Miracles, Jasen Wade.  He played Levi Savage in the film and Jasen had the kids completely engaged as he shared story after story of his experience with this pioneer hero.  Jasen encouraged the Youth to learn who they are and to avoid settling for things that don't match their values.  It was very cool to have Jasen come to our stake and share his testimony with our kids.  Come on, he's Levi Savage - and he came to our stake center to talk to the Youth!  Wow...

I hope the kids are getting excited for trek.  I know I am.  This will be my 3rd trek and each time it becomes more important to strengthening my testimony.  I can't wait for June to get here!

Don't Wear Your Green, Bring It!

Over the weekend we had our YM/YW fundraiser for camps this summer.  Our fundraiser typically consists of a dinner and auction over at the church.  We canvased the neighborhood this year, making sure that every home was invited to attend.  It was fun to take the Youth door-to-door and give them the chance to talk to their neighbors about the dinner.  Even though it was hard for them to talk to strangers, the kids needed to run this for themselves and they came through.

We had a great time at the dinner.  It was a St. Patrick's day theme, with baked potatoes for dinner.  We had some fun activities before the auction.  I think my favorite was the jello eating content.  I was nominated to compete against a few YW leaders and the bishopric.  Now this contest involved "eating" the jello by using a straw.  I tried my best yet came up short.

After the adults the kids had their turn to slurp to their heart's content.  Dede was quick to get involved and she made a valiant effort.  In her round she was the only girl competing and Dede certainly held her own.  Out of six kids Kennedy came in 2nd, but she had a great time and didn't puke!

Once the auction started, things really got going.  Our neighbors have always been very generous and the donations during the fundraiser proved that once again.  There were three tables full of tasty treats for people to bid on, and bid they did.  We had cakes going for $75, brownies for $25, and the list goes on and on.

By the time the event was over our YM and YW had raised a ton of money for camps this summer.  The boys are heading up to Idaho and the girls are going down to Zion.  The money will certainly help as we try to provide the youth with great outdoor experiences.  My only questions is:  I know that everyone was willing to donate their cash, now who's willing to donate their time and come with me to scout camp in July?

Follow the Prophet?

Earlier today the Primary kids were discussing modern-day prophets during Sharing Time.  As the leader went around the room she asked the children about the Prophet.

Who's our Prophet?

President Monson came the reply.

Are there any other prophets?

President Uchtdorf.

President Eyring.

At this point Alex raises his hand to respond.  When he's finally called on, he stands up and loudly proclaims:

President Obama!

After the laughter dies down one of the primary teachers turns to Tara and says, "Well, you can tell he's Jared's son."

Yep,  that's my boy!

FHE - Temple Square

We decided to mix things up a bit for Family Home Evening this week and took  a road trip downtown.  We've been to Temple Square before to see the Christmas lights, but it's a total mad house and hard to explain the significance of the Temple to the kids.  We wanted to go and let the kids walk through the Visitors Center, learn about the history of the building, and see the Christus.

We had a great time!  The kids held in there as we went from building to building and saw all the various exhibits.  It was pretty cool to take the kids to the upper deck of the Visitors Center and see the giant statue of the Savior.  Dylan kept wanting to go up and talk to Him, so we told Big D that you just have to look at the statue - not touch it.

After we left the Temple grounds we headed across the street to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  Of course the kids wanted to ride the elevator to the very top and look out across the valley.  It was a great view, as you can look east or west at our beautiful city.  I'm glad we headed downtown to see the amazing sites our Church has to offer.  What a fun Family Home Evening!

Klondike Camping

A few months ago I was called to be the Assistant Scoutmaster.  This is a calling I knew I'd love.  Working with the young men, fun activities, playing with toys - what's not to love.  The only thing I was a little worried about was WINTER CAMPING.  Don't get me wrong - I love to camp.  It's just winter camping that I wasn't so gung ho about.  Honestly, I didn't want to force a bunch of 12-year-olds to camp out in the freezing cold.  That being said, we felt that it was important to take our kids to the annual Klondike Derby in Heber last weekend.

It couldn't have turned out better.  The camp is actually at the Heber Valley Girls' Camp, so instead of freezing in a tent all night, we were relaxing in the bunk houses (rough I know).  It was perfect for our younger boys - for three of them this was their first scout camp.

Leading up to the Klondike Ryan got our boys super excited building our sled; they spent three weeks working on it!  It was so cool to see how proud the boys were of their new ride.  They wanted to compete with the other groups and show that they could do anything they set their minds to.  Wow, isn't that the purpose of Scouting, building boys into men.

The Klondike events were very fun.  The boys raced in snowshoes, build winter shelters, navigated obstacles courses, raced the sled, and administered first aid.  In the end our troop finished 3rd overall.  Not bad considering there were 23 troops in attendance.  Our sled time was third fastest and we finished second in the snowshoe relay.  Our boys couldn't have been happier!

In the end, I don't know who had a better time this weekend, the boys or the leaders.  I really love the guys I work with in our Ward and it was a total blast going camping with them.  I can't wait for future outings so I can be a scout again!

BTW - The trip was even better because Coleton and Evan came with their troop!  Fun to watch Coleton compete with his friends...

Take a look at Troop 332 is action!

Great to be 8!

This is one of those moments when you realize how quickly time is passing.  Kennedy was invited to "It's Great To Be 8" our Stake's baptismal preparation program.  Wait a minute.  Kennedy is going to be 8 this year?  Doesn't it seem like we just brought her home from the hospital?

We attended the program and it was lots of fun.  Liam is also turning 8 this year so the cousins were able to go and learn about all the ins and outs getting baptized.  They explored the font, learned where they change their clothes, they found out how their baptismal interview with the bishop will go.  Kennedy even learned about the neat things that happen in Activity days.  She can't wait to turn 8!

A Night with Who?

Our annual Christmas party for the ward had a fun twist this year; it was a party for all the Whos down in Whoville. For our family it gave us the chance to dress up in fun costumes and do crazy things with our hair. I know how stupid I look in this getup. Trust me - I wasn't sure if I should show up dressed this way, but then I figured - who cares?! The party was a blast and we had a great time.

One of my favorite parts of the night was a live rendition of "The Grinch who Stole Christmas." It was replete with a narrator, live acting by the Grinch, a quartet of minstrels, and a multimedia version of the story. It truly stole the show. Everyone loved the party and Tara and I could only marvel at the amazing people we are privileged to live amongst. It was a fun way to celebrate the holiday season and to enjoy our friends and neighbors.