Musings of an old man

Growth of the Church.

2011-08-28T21:18:00.003-05:00

I was browsing through a 2010 Church Almanac the other day and was amazed at the growth of the Church in the area of my Mission. For just one example, in my last area I was zone leader in Trujillo, Peru in 1968.

Plaza de Armas, Trujillo

and our zone included Chiclayo also.

Main Square, Chiclayo

If I remember correctly it was 6 missionaries and 2 branches.

From the Almanac I count 5 stakes in Chiclayo and 8 in Trujillo identifiable by name. There is also a mission headquartered in Trujillo. When I was there, there were no stakes in the entire mission (Andes mission including Peru, Ecuador, and Columbia by the time I left.)

There has also been a temple announced for Trujillo, the 2nd in Peru.

Announcement: 13 December 2008

Construction Status

The Trujillo Perú Temple is currently in the planning and approval phase. No groundbreaking date has been announced.

Temple Design

Renderings of the Trujillo Perú Temple and site plan will be released once they are approved and become available.

Temple Site

The Trujillo Perú Temple will be constructed on a large parcel of ground adjacent to the beautiful Campo Eterno cemetery on the highway to Huanchaco. The temple was originally to be constructed on the site of the Trujillo Perú Primavera Stake Center.

Temple Announcement

In its announcement the First Presidency stated, "We are confident that this will be a blessing to the many faithful Saints in this and surrounding areas who have had to travel long distances to enjoy the blessings of the temple. We commend the Saints for their devotion and faithfulness, and are thankful for the blessings that will come to them through the construction of this new temple." The temple will serve more than 88,000 members in the region.1

Peru's only operating temple, which currently serves 115 stakes and districts, was dedicated in Lima by President Gordon B. Hinckley in January 1986. Members in Trujillo currently travel 9–10 hours by bus to attend the temple, which is exceptionally busy on Saturdays. Buses arrive from all over the country full of patrons, who contentedly wait outside the temple—sometimes for hours—for their turn to get inside to participate in sacred ordinance work.2

New Milestone

2010-11-02T07:14:00.002-05:00

I promise I won't bore you with any more blogs about the kitchen until it is finished. We got the vent hood and the hanging rails installed this past week or so. This represents the last of the functional items to install. The rest is cosmetic.

Now all that remains is the decorative tile in the middle of the wall, the toe kick, the crown molding and the side moldings.

Who needs grass?

2010-10-02T14:53:00.010-05:00

OK so I really do want to have a healthy turf but with the drought last year that killed all the grass and being occupied with kitchen this year, didn't happen.

Believe it or not there is little or no grass in this yard, just mowed the weeds.

Speaking of weeds, they grow bigger in Texas. We have tried to get rid of these but gave up this year and just let them grow.

Some of the weed could pass for flowers if they weren't so invasive and persistent

Maybe next year we'll get our yard in shape.

What will they think of next?

2010-06-10T06:05:00.005-05:00

It's amazing to me the gadgets that people come up with using modern technology

Phazzer 3 Megapixel DVR Eyewear Sunglasses-Digital Video Recorder Eyewear - DVR300

For hands free recording use the Camcorder DVR 3 Megapixel Eyewear! These stylish DVR eyewear sunglasses have a built in 3 megapixel camera and DVR with micro switch controls right at your finger tips. This unique camcorder system will view and record what the user sees without wires and hands free. The audio is captured at a limited range, but is excellent for commentation done by the user. The primary use is to record video for winter and summer sports activities, school programs, family events, hunting and fishing and many other life experiences. The video is stored on a 4 GB Micro SD flash memory card. Play back is easy using your PC via USB or Flash Card reader and requires no additional software. SD Flash Memory Card adapter included.

Features
3.0 megapixels pinhole CMOS camera and built in stereo audio microphone.
Allows up to 4 hours of video recording per charge.
Polarized lenses to reduce sunglare.
Uses a 4 GB Micro SD Flash Memory Card
$199.99

EMTSEF

2010-05-08T06:37:00.008-05:00

The ExxonMobil Texas Science and Engineering Fair was held in San Antonio April 9th - 12th. It is the fair affiliated with the most prestigious fair, the Intel-ISEF, which is an international fair and will be held in San Jose, CA this year on May 8th - 15th.

We had 16 students qualify from the Alamo Regional Fair. Of those we had the 2nd grand prize, 2 firsts, one 2nd, one 3rd, two 4th and one honorable mention. They give one of each prize for each category except the grands which are overall. 3 students qualified to go to the INTEL-ISEF.

In addition there is the Siemens competition where we had 1 semi-finalist and the TJSHS (Texas Junior Science and Humanities Symposium) which feeds into the American Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. We had 3 students go to that this year.

In our local science fair at our school we had nearly 800 projects presented and over $100,000 in scholarships awarded. All freshmen and sophomores in the Science and Engineering Academy Magnet School are required to do a science project and all upper class students are required to do a research project of some kind. I will have a much larger role in coordinating that fair next year.

more catch up

2010-05-07T21:28:00.007-05:00

Seventeen of our students qualified from the Alamo Regional Junior Academy of Science Meeting to go to the Texas Junior Academy of Science competition at Texas A&M April 5th-7th in College Station. I was appointed to take them. We went with about 4 or 5 kids from Health Careers and their teacher. There was one from Clark and one from Stevens that qualified also but they elected not to go.

It was interesting trying to keep 17 kids in line by myself for 3 days and 2 nights away from home in a hotel. Unlike most science fairs they do not have a board to display their project but it is an oral presentation. They each have 12 minutes to present and 3 minutes for questions from the judges afterward. The first day is a preliminary judging and the 1st place winners from each category present again the next day for the final judging.

We had 3 first place, 5 second place, 5 third place and 1 honorable mention. (Only one of those pictured is a first place winner) One of our 1st place winners won 3rd grand prize in the final judging the next day.

First place winners qualify to go to the AJAS (American Junior Academy of Science) held in conjunction with the AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) meeting in Washington, D.C. That is not a competition but a good learning opportunity. Grand prize winners are given a cash stipend to help with travel expenses.

ISWEEEP

2010-05-07T20:01:00.008-05:00

Its been a while since I posted. For those, if any, who wonder what I have been up to and exactly what I do for a living these days, this is a part of it.

This is a picture from outside my hotel room in Houston on the 24th floor of the Hyatt Regency downtown. April 14th thru 19th was ISWEEEP, an international science fair sponsored by the Cosmos foundation. They invite kids from all over the world and pay their expenses to come to Houston and present their projects related to Energy, Environment and Engineering. I took 6 kids from our school.

One morning at breakfast I sat with a group from Kyrgyzstan and I complimented a couple of the girls on their mastery of English. They really dis speak well. On the last day out in front of the convention center they came up and handed me this hat and asked if I would like a souvenir of Kyrgyzstan.

They encourage kids to wear traditional costumes from their countries and have a flag show as part of the opening ceremony. One kid from each country brings the flag of his country to the stage. Afterward they had a country singer perform.

Of the 6 from our school, 2 won gold medals ($1000 cash prize), 2 won bronze medals ($250 cash prize if I remember correctly) and one got honorable mention. They also took the kids on field trips to NASA and to the Houston Zoo. One of our students parents who is a bowling coach at Holmes High School arranged for our group to go bowling one night. First time I have been bowling in many years.

If anyone would like more information or pictures or videos they can go to the website.

weeds or flowers?

2010-03-18T19:25:00.002-05:00

One persons weed patch is another's flower bed. Between the drought last summer that killed off all the grass and the copious rain this past winter, we had a bumper crop of weeds in our yard this spring. I was out mowing down some of the weeds the other day and decided I'd better leave these, this being the Texas State Flower and all. There were only a couple of blooms then, but they have really begun to bloom now. I didn't get them all in this shot either.

Things I hope you will teach my grandchildren

2010-02-15T07:35:00.003-06:00

I have been reading the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. It was free on Kindle. He expressed very well in his philosophy of life a concept that I have always thought if understood and applied would do more to induce people (especially the youth who are more likely to chafe and rebel at being restricted) than almost any other to keep the commandments.

"In this piece it was my design to explain and enforce this doctrine; that vicious actions are not hurtful because they are forbidden, but forbidden because they are hurtful, the nature of man alone considered; that it was, therefore, every one’s interest to be virtuous who wish’d to be happy even in this world; and I should, from this circumstance (there being always in the world a number of rich merchants, nobility, states, and princes, who have need of honest instruments for the management of their affairs, and such being so rare), have endeavored to convince young persons that no qualities were so likely to make a poor man’s fortune as those of probity and integrity.”

It is interesting that the style of writing is reminiscent of the Book of Mormon. The long complex sentences being one of the things that make it difficult to read. This was written in the mid to late 1700s not many years before Joseph Smith was born and the prevailing style of writing was probably very similar in Joseph Smiths day.

Correction

2010-01-30T21:03:00.001-06:00

The portrait artist was Charles Willson Peale (April 15, 1741 – February 22, 1827) an American painter, soldier and naturalist. He is best known for his portraits of George Washington. In January 2005, his full length portrait of "Washington at Princeton" from 1779 sold for $21.3 million dollars, setting a record for the highest price paid for an American portrait, according to Wikipedia.

SAMA part 2

2010-01-29T21:30:00.008-06:00

OK, here's the rest. First a portrait of an Indian (native american) chief. then the Chinese pieces. I'll let them speak for themselves.

SAMA

2010-01-29T20:39:00.014-06:00

In case anyone is still checking my blog after so long a period of inactivity, I will post some pictures of our field trip today. Unfortunately, they only allow photos without flash and I only had my phone to take pictures anyway so they are not of the highest quality. I was helping to chaperone the Latin students on a field trip to the San Antonio Museum of Art to experience some of the Greco-Roman culture. Since they didn't have anything specific for me to do, I pretty much just toured the museum. They have the largest collection of Greco-Roman art in Texas and probably in the Southwestern US. Here are some of the things that caught my attention (mostly not Greco-Roman).

This was in the modern collection

This was in the Southwest collection, I believe.

You would have to see this one in person to get the full effect. It is a huge very ornate carved wooden desk in the Mexican collection. A close up of the top below.

A huge (about 12' tall) very ornate painting of the famous Virgen of Guadalupe also in the Mexican collection.

Another view to try to get the whole thing in one frame. The long candle holders on the sides were at least 6' long.

Unfortunately, this is not a good shot. It is a relative of ours (on both Suzanne's and my lines) from the European collection. A member of the English Royalty or Nobility. I dont remember her name now.
A French desk (Louis IV era) from the European collection.

These two portraits of husband and wife by the same artist (Charles W. Peak) are the most life-like I have ever seen. He even captured the glistening from the moisture around the eyes. Unfortunately you can't see them very well in these photos. The other portraits looked flat and lifeless by comparison.

I will post some from the Chinese collection in another post.

Interesting information on the Hulets

2009-11-18T22:39:00.002-06:00

I found some interesting information in a blog about the Hulets.
This one shows the Native American ancestors which are disputed by others. It also has histories of many of the Hulet ancestors.

Hulet line

This one has a video of the Charles Hulet farm area and the Sylvanus Hulet grave headstone in Ohio. (Click on the First LDS Member
link)

Gardner Blog

How Many of Me?

2009-10-30T19:08:00.002-05:00

Our librarian at work is always sending out links to interesting web sites. This is one she sent today.

www.howmanyofme.com

Did you Know?

There are 2,626,763 people in the U.S. with the first name Richard.
Statistically the 8th most popular first name.
99.77 percent of people with the first name Richard are male.

There are 141,834 people in the U.S. with the last name Lawrence.
Statistically the 219th most popular last name.
Famous people with the last name Lawrence:

There are 1,211 people in the U.S. named Richard Lawrence.

Letter

2009-10-18T15:58:00.008-05:00

It has been quite a while since I posted anything. I started to post an old letter that I found among Grandpa Wilkinson's things from William Wilkinson last week. I am not sure how he is related. I wanted to post a transcript with it but I found that my eyesight is not as good as it used to be and I couldn't get it all transcribed in a reasonable time so I will post it anyway and maybe we can make it a group effort. Anyone who is interested can add to what I have. This is what I have so far.

Old England
Cawthorpe, Novr 15, 1853

My Dear Brother, Sisters, Nephews, and Nieces,

With great pleasure I have again written a few lines to inform you that I received your kind and welcome letter of the 22nd of September and myself and family were very glad to hear of you and yours being thankfully well and we hope this will find you all still in the enjoyment of good health. I feel truly thankful to our Heavenly Father for his preserving care over me and mine to the present moment of time and that through His mercy I am ___________ to say we are all in good health for the present. And I think I shall not be wrong in saying all our relatives are tolerably well. I have not heard anything to the contrary lately. I was over at Birmingham and .........

Living room

2009-08-26T20:44:00.010-05:00

Its been so long since my last post, I thought I would let you all know what has kept me so busy. I have been obsessed with getting the living room done before school started so we could get our furniture off the patio in case it ever rains here again. (Actually we got 1.5 inches at our house last week the day we got the last of the furniture in, thank goodness.) Here are a few pictures of the almost finished product. I still have to put in the trim (stair nosing and transitions to the tile floor in the family room), replace the closet and pocket doors and put the mirror back up.

For those who remember what the living room was like, this is the area were the half-wall was that we removed. (notice the open closet without a door)

This one gives an idea what the ceiling looks like after we scraped the popcorn off and re-textured, thanks to Jenny's technique and Janet's help.

The floor is a bamboo laminate. We decided to go with that rather than the vinyl plank we were planning to use. Finishing up the details on this and the laundry room/downstairs landing will occupy my spare time for the rest of the year. We also need to get an area rug and window curtains/drapes.

New York

2009-06-28T22:01:00.002-05:00

I had a great time in New York last week. Got to visit with Jenny and Nina and some of the in laws and with Spencer, Lila and Miriam. So far I have seen Miriam at yearly intervals. Nina wanted to do everything with Grandpa for the first 3 days or so and then the novelty wore off. She is learning about family relationships and enjoyed telling me that I should tell my daughter things. One of her little friends from the neighborhood stopped by when we were outside and the topic of who I was came up. She said O he's just an old grandpa.

We had fun going to the zoo in Rochester and Stony Brook State Park for a picnic and playing on the playground. It was a welcome break from the heat wave here in San Antonio. For most of the time I was there it was cool and rainy and every thing is very green as opposed to hot dry and brown here. One would think we had moved to Arizona or that Arizona moved here except the humidity is higher. This is our 5th day in a row over 100 for highs and the 11th day over 100 for the month. It's usually not this hot even in July and August. Average high for this time of year is about 10 degrees cooler.

Still Alive

2009-06-26T07:25:00.007-05:00

I haven't posted in a while so I thought I would let everyone know I am still alive. My summer has been busy so far. It's surprising how much time and attention one tree falling in the front yard can occupy. I spent the first week of summer break attending continuing education seminars and hauling off tree limbs. We called the city to estimate how much they would charge to haul away the debris and they wanted about $200. Since I have a broken down old pickup and a little time off, I decided to do it myself. Turns out when I started digging through the pile that the guys we hired to cut it up also left another tree on the curb along with ours. This is the wimpiest of the 8 loads I hauled away to the brush recycling center

and this is the pile of chunks that are bigger than the recycling center will accept (nothing over 6" in diameter). They will remain in our driveway unil it is our turn for brush and large item pick up again (sometime in Sept - Nov). The fine is something like $2000 a day if you leave stuff on the curb when it is not your turn.

The big chunks from the live oak tree that they left along with ours were hauled away by Carolyn's (Suzanne's boss) husband for firewood.

No one wants our tree for firewood because chineese pistache is a relative of poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac and the smoke and fumes from burning it are irritating to those sensitive to the poisonous plants.

Things I hope you will teach my grandchildren

2009-05-03T16:09:00.002-05:00

A new wrinkle on an old scripture. The oft quoted scripture in Moses 1:39 "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." sounds a lot like service. I don't remember who it was for sure, but I think it was Marion G. Romney, Counselor in the First Presidency, who said something like "Service isn't something we endure in this life so that we can have Celestial Life in the eternities, it is what Celestial Life is".

Service is what God does, it is his work and his glory. What little we do here is only practice for Celestial Life, and the attitude we have towards service here is an indication of how far along the path towards that goal we have come. Small wonder then that Christ told his disciples "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant." (New Testament | Matthew 23:11)

Sometimes old isn't so bad

2009-05-03T16:01:00.003-05:00

There are some advantages to being old. This from a Reuters news story.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The new H1N1 flu virus appears to be fairly widespread in the United States and seems to be hitting mostly younger people, with very few cases reported in people over 50, U.S. health officials said on Sunday.

"We think very few of the cases we have confirmed are in people over 50, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Dr Anne Schuchat told reporters in a telephone briefing."

My hypothesis is that the oldsters have been exposed to a virus that is close enough to confer some cross immunity that younger people haven't seen yet.

Big Brother at work?

2009-04-12T08:42:00.002-05:00

OK, I'm old but I consider myself moderately "technosavvy" for my generation. I am blown away by the technology that is available today. I have a friend who works for the Census Bureau. Next year is a census year, by the way. Right now they are sending people out to canvass the entire US house by house to record GPS coordinates for each address. They go to the front door of the house or apartment and record the coordinates on a GPS device then at the end of each day they upload the data from their hand-held computers to the Census office. These data are coordinated with all the people who live at that address. Scary to think what that data could be used for.

I also recently found a free website where anyone can upload address data in excel format and it will give you your data back with columns of GPS coordinates added. It then plots the data on a google-earth map that can be viewed in map mode, satellite mode, or hybrid mode complete with color coding for whatever groups you want to divide it into. The map can also be posted to a web page and the data can be downloaded in several different formats for use in other programs.

From their website "Street level geocoding is available in United States, Canada, and the following European Countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Finland, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), Luxembourg, Netherlands, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Wales, and Italy. Country, State, and City level geocoding is available for Europe, Asia, Central and South America. We expect Yahoo! will continue to expand coverage of their street level data to the rest of the world soon, keep checking back! The name of the coordinate system used is WGS84, this is the decimal degrees version of the coordinate system commonly used in GPS devices. "

They have a paragraph on the technology used for those who are more technosavvy than I am.

The Cowles Family

2009-04-05T06:59:00.000-05:00

There is also a Cowles book online that has Suzanne's ancestors in it.

2009-04-05T06:31:00.000-05:00

A picture of Samuel Bringhurst, father of Wm. Augustus, from the book

History of the Bringhurst Family with Notes on the Clarkson, De Peyster, and Boude Families By Josiah Granville Leach

2009-04-05T05:42:00.000-05:00

A clip about 'Wm. Augustus Bringhurst from the book.

""

and a picture from the book

Another version, perhaps easier to read from the American Library

History of the Bringhurst Family with Notes on the Clarkson, De Peyster, and Boude Families By Josiah Granville Leach

2009-04-05T05:37:00.001-05:00

I found the Bringhurst book online for those who may be interested. It has a history of the Bringhurst family from a couple of generations before they came to America down to when they came to Utah.

laser capsulotomy - Google Video

2009-03-29T08:33:00.000-05:00

laser capsulotomy - Google Video

Yea for YAG Laser Capsulotomy

2009-03-29T08:23:00.000-05:00

After my cataract surgery, my vision deteriorated till it was very annoying. The doctor said that I had posterior capsule clouding, a common complication of cataract surgery. They can never get all the old lens cells out and sometimes some of them start to grow on the back of the lens capsule that is left in place to help hold the new lens. The treatment is to zap the capsule with a laser to basically destroy the back part where the cells are growing. It takes about 2 minutes and is basically painless. They do it in the doctor's office and there is no recovery or drops, etc. In actuality, the eye is irritated because of a contact lens they stick on it with a gel during the procedure,

so it is uncomfortable and waters for some time afterward. Small price to pay for much improved vision. I can now see much better again.

I don't know how to insert a video from YOU-tube or if that is legal or possible but the next post has a link to one that shows the procedure for those interested.

Missionary Service

2009-03-26T20:27:00.001-05:00

I found this information in Grandpa Wilkinson's book of remembrance. I didn't remember hearing about this short-term mission before. It is one of several missions he served for the Church.

Tis is the official Call letter from President Grant

At the time (Nov 16, 1925) Grandpa was about a month away from his 36th birthday. He was married and had 4 children ages 11, 8, 5, and 3 years old. I don't know what his occupation was at the time, but probably some sort of sales.

Elder S.R.W. Wilkinson

Grandpa Wilkinosn

2009-03-08T21:37:00.001-05:00

I don't remember if I posted these already. I went back and looked through the posts briefly and didn't see them. Too bad these are not in color so you could see his red hair. I am told it was very red when he was young though by the time I knew him it was gray.

Its official

2009-03-08T14:40:00.000-05:00

I was sustained and set apart today as High Priest Group Leader with Sandy Norman and Larry Marwedel (for those who know the ward) as assistants

End of an Era

2009-03-01T13:17:00.000-06:00

Well it is officially over now. I was released in Stake Conference today as Stake Clerk. No more 6 am Thursday or Friday presidency meetings and no more Tuesday and Thursday evening meetings. No more driving to the Stake Center 3 or 4 times a week (only once a week for choir practice). After 16 years of stake callings, it will be a change to be back in the ward again. When I have been sustained, I can let you know what my new calling is.

Another choir

2009-02-14T16:00:00.001-06:00

To show that I am not the only old man singing in a ward choir.

A new choir experience

2009-02-14T07:41:00.000-06:00

As I was getting ready to go to Ward Choir practice this morning, I thought about my experience with the stake choir last Sunday. They are putting on an Easter Oratorio complete with Orchestra accompaniment. I have never before seen such organization. As we came in we were directed to a table where we signed up and checked out music in a black binder complete with practice schedule and performance list in the front and a pencil in a baggie for marking the music and a pronunciation guide for the one piece that we are doing in Latin. There was also a list of things to mark in each piece. We also checked out a practice CD with the piano accompaniment and parts played along with some sort of electronic keyboard so we could practice at home. The practice was very professionally run with no wasted time. Should be a neat experience.

The program is:
Prelude - Did Jesus Really Live Again - children's choir
Prelude - I Believe in Christ - solo or ensemble
Prelude - He Sent His Son - solo or ensemble
Prelude - When He Comes Again - solo or ensemble
Prelude - Easter Hosanna - youth choir
Oratorio
Behold the Lamb of God - adult choir and orchestra
Come Unto Christ - solo or ensemble
Oh Savior, What Are These Tears? - solo or ensemble
Did You See Him in the Garden? - adult choir and orchestra
For Me Alone by Sassy DeFord - solo or ensemble
O Divine Redeemer - solo or ensemble
Gethsemane - solo or ensemble
I Stand All Amazed - solo or ensemble
Sheep May Safely Graze - solo or ensemble
Crown Him With Many Crowns - Adult choir and orchestra
How Great is the Miracle - solo or ensemble
Alegria Vida Allelulia - combined youth and children's choir and orchestra
O Magnum Mysterium - Adult choir a capella
This is the Christ - Adult Choir and orchestra
Christ the Lord is Risen Today - Adult choir and orchestra

Things I hope you will teach my grandchildren

2009-02-08T15:59:00.001-06:00

At the end of the year as we were finishing out study of the Book of Mormon, I was thinking about the situation of Moroni, left alone to fend for himself and try to stay away from the Lamanites who would have killed him if he did not deny Christ. We don’t know if he was eventually caught by the Lamanites or translated or died alone in the wilderness. I thought that his situation was in some respects like that of the Willie and Martin handcart companies. They were pushed to the extreme as well. I wondered how I would respond in such a situation. Would I be strong enough to stay faithful? We all can say and hope that we would remain faithful and endure well, but until we are put in that situation how do we know? Our real natures would be revealed only when we are pushed to our limits. I think that all of us will at some point be tried in that way in the pre-earth life, in this life or in the next - not for the Lord’s sake, I think he already knows how we will react – but for our sake, so we will know. Think of the power and confidence that knowledge that we are faithful even when pushed to our limits could give us.

President Hinckley told a story about the Martin Hand cart company ………“Years later, a group in Cedar City were talking about her and others who were in those ill-fated companies. Members of the group spoke critically of the Church and its leaders because the company of converts had been permitted to start so late in the season. I now quote from a manuscript which I have:

“One old man in the corner sat silent and listened as long as he could stand it. Then he arose and said things that no person who heard will ever forget. His face was white with emotion, yet he spoke calmly, deliberately, but with great earnestness and sincerity.

“He said in substance, ‘I ask you to stop this criticism. You are discussing a matter you know nothing about. Cold historic facts mean nothing here for they give no proper interpretation of the questions involved. A mistake to send the handcart company out so late in the season? Yes. But I was in that company and my wife was in it and Sister Nellie Unthank whom you have cited was there too. We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism? Not one of that company ever apostatized or left the Church because every one of us came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with him in our extremities.” (Our Mission of Saving, Ensign, November 1991)

Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me.

9 For I, the Lord, will cause them to bring forth as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 97:8 - 9)

M.J. Stapely and her children

2009-02-07T06:42:00.001-06:00

These two pictures are of Mary Janet Stapely Bringhurst and her children. This one is of her with her sons (l to r) Marias William (will), Charles, Samuel, and Leo.

This one is of her and her daughters (l to r) Arvilla, Vera, and Veda. (Taken about 1926 so Grandma would have been about 38 years old)

The children in order of age were Will, Veda, Samuel, Vera, Leo, Charles and Arvilla. For our children who remember Julia Blake who lived in our ward and her cousin who lived in the North Stake, they are descendents of Leo.

50th Wedding Anniversary

2009-01-28T20:16:00.000-06:00

OK Since I posted a picture of Lynda that she didn't like, I'll post my least favorite picture of me. That was an awkward age. I don't have many fond memories of my early teenage years. As the caption says, this is a picture from my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary celebration. All of their descendants at the time were gathered there. The year was 1962 and they were married December 24 but I'm quite sure it wasn't the anniversary of the actual wedding day that the celebration was held. So Lynda was 18, I was 15, Kathy was 14, Carol Ann was 12 and Barbara was 9. As to the names, I will try to identify all, but may not be correct on some. W&L is wells and Lorraine, W&M is Willard and Marian and W&W is Winifred and Wood. Left to right seated in front Neal (W&L), Jayne (W&M), Janice (W&L), Jeffrey (W&M), Emile (W&L), Douglas (W&W). Seated L to R on the couch Susan (W&M) Grandpa, Lyle (W&W) Grandma, Barbara. Standing next to Susan on left Karen (W&L), on right Marsha (W&L), Standing behind Barbara, David (W&L) and to the right of Barbara in front of Kathy, Kevin (W&W) . Standing across the back L to R, Lynda, Lynne (W&M), Craig (W&M), Carol Ann, Woodrow holding Lorna, Winifred, Willard, Marian, Aubrey, Sibyl, Wells, Lorraine, Steven (W&L) Joanne (W&L), Kathy, Richard. Wells and Lorraine's youngest, Rachel, was not born yet. Feel free to correct if that is incorrect.

Aubrey and Sibyl Lawrence children

2009-01-17T21:40:00.000-06:00

Thought the kids and grand kids might be interested in this one. It is a collage of photos from our family at various ages put together by Grandma.

New Format

2009-01-11T15:23:00.000-06:00

Got tired of the old format, so I decided to change it. Hope you like it.

Clowning around

2009-01-10T23:17:00.000-06:00

One more picture.

This one is of Grandma and some of her brothers, cousins, and friends. L to R, half brother Lorenzo Bringhurst, cousin Clifford Wallace, Heber Naegle, and brother Will. I am not quite sure how Clifford Wallace is related, but she labeled him a cousin.

Children

2009-01-10T22:52:00.000-06:00

This picture is of Henry Bringhurst (half brother of Veda), Veda, and Will (Marias William, Veda's older brother) at ages about 10, 5, and 3. Henry is William Augustus' child by his first wife Selinda. I think it is interesting that Grandma referred to her as Aunt Selinda when labeling the picture.
Tis one is Veda and Will. I am assuming it is at a younger age.

Thanks

2009-01-10T08:33:00.000-06:00

Thanks to all who contributed to the Lowes gift card and to Jocelyn. Combining the two, I got this saw for Christmas. It works great and was a big help cutting the moldings for the family room.

Things I hope you will teach my grandchildren

2008-12-28T07:33:00.001-06:00

I have been pondering lately about relationships, concerned that I fulfill my obligations and act appropriately. Some relationships are covenant relationships involving the Lord and perhaps we have no relationship with another person without involving either the Lord or Satan. I am still pondering that question, but that is another topic. One important relationship is that with our leaders in the Church. Although perhaps it is not a covenant relationship involving the Lord and accompanied by an ordinance in the same sense as a sealing relationship to a spouse, child or parent, it does in some sense involve all of those elements, albeit temporarily. It certainly does involve the Lord and the sustaining vote could be considered an ordinance of sorts. It is without question a vitally important relationship. This applies to local leaders as well as the general authorities. Many have lost their membership in the Church for not correctly understanding and fulfilling the terms of this relationship. My current thoughts on this relationship are summarized in the following.

It is as if the Lord says to us: “I have chosen this man. He is not perfect but I have confidence in him that he will do my will. I will speak through him and I want you to accept what he says as if I had said it. Though his words may not be polished and his grammar may not be perfect, the ideas that he expresses are the ideas that I have revealed to him by my spirit. If you, too, are in tune with that spirit, you will understand what he is trying to say and you will know that it is from me and that it is the truth. Since he is mortal and not perfect and he has his agency, he may fall. If he does, I will remove him from his place so that he will not lead you astray. It is neither your place nor your prerogative to correct him or reject him or try to remove him. I have called him and I will remove him if it becomes necessary or I will release him when he has finished his work. He is a man who is learning and growing like yourself, but I will give him special help while he is in this calling so that he can do what is required of him. It is your duty to follow him and sustain him as long as he remains in this calling.”

Brothers

2008-12-27T21:27:00.001-06:00

This is a picture of my Grandfather Wilkinson and two of his brothers, Percy Newton and Harold Herbert. They are listed on the back in the order of Stephen Robert Wells, Harold Herbert, and Percy Newton so I am assuming that is in left to right order. That matches with their relative ages as well.

Letter

2008-12-26T23:03:00.001-06:00

For those who are interested, I have re-scanned and re-posted the letter from Delbert L. Stapley. You can now click on it and get a legible image. For those interested in the relationship he descended from the 5th child of Charles Stapley Sr, Thomas Stapley and we descended from the 2nd child Charles Stapley Jr. so he and my Grandmother Wilkinson had a common great grandfather. I guess that makes them 2nd cousins.

Things I hope you will teach my grandchildren

2008-12-21T21:28:00.001-06:00

I was asked to substitute in the Valiant B class in primary last week. The lesson was on 3 Nephi chapter 17. One of the points brought out in the lesson was that Christ perceived that the Nephites did not understand all that he had told them so he asked them to go home and “ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow” (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 17:3). The boys were to understand that they should follow the same pattern when they did not understand something in the scriptures. I had to try to explain what ponder meant and that praying without first pondering would not be nearly as effective.

I find it interesting and helpful to explore the etymology of words, especially when it is obvious that the author has carefully chosen them to convey some nuance of meaning or when they are inspired as in this case. As Janet pointed out some years ago in Gospel ‘Doctrine class, ponder comes from the same root as pound as in weight. It has the connotation of assessing the importance or value of something. It involves critically thinking about and weighing the importance of an idea. I think in today’s society we have too little opportunity for pondering. I like to ponder as I am involved in some activity that does not require my full mental concentration. There used to be many more of those activities in the days when there were not so many labor saving appliances. What few opportunities we have today, we tend to fill with other distractions, like i-pods, etc.

I think it is important to make time for pondering. Instead of listening to the i-pod while mowing the lawn or doing the dishes, or cleaning the house, take time to ponder occasionally. Think of a scripture or a gospel topic you do not fully understand or that interests you and mull it over in your mind (mull from M.E. mullyn "grind to powder, pulverize,", divide it up into small pieces and examine it carefully). Then go back and re-read it and pray about it.

Letter

2008-12-20T06:37:00.000-06:00

Sorry that letter didn't work out very well. I will try to figure out how to make it legible.

Elder Stapley

2008-12-20T06:19:00.001-06:00

Elder Stapley was a member of the Quorum of the 12 from October 1950 till his death in 1978. He was called to the quorum of the 12 by George Albert Smith while in the elevator at the Hotel Utah. He filled the vacancy left by George F. Richards. The vacancy left when he died was filled by Elder James E. Faust. I remember when he came to preside over our stake conference in Grand Junction one time when I was a young kid, and my Dad took me up to meet him after one of the sessions. The following is a letter he wrote to my Grandmother responding to a question she had about genealogy. This is a link to a short biographical sketch which gives the story of his call.

The Aussies

2008-12-20T05:55:00.001-06:00

Our Stapley ancestors came to Utah via Australia. They emigrated from the area around Rolvenden, Kent, England to Australia in search of better opportunities. While there, they were converted through the efforts of William Hyde and other missionaries and eventually emigrated to southern Utah through southern California. Members of the family married into both the Lawrence and Bringhurst families. Mary Janet Stapley was the wife of William Augustus Bringhurst and they are the parents of my grandmother Wilkinson. These top two pictures are of Charles Stapley Jr. and Sarah Parkinson, parents of Mary Janet Stapley and the bottom two are of Charles Stapley Sr. and Sarah Bryant, parents of Charles Stapley Jr. One of their descendents, Delbert L. Stapley, was a member of the Quorum of the 12 in the 50s when I was growing up.

Blue Norther

2008-12-12T06:39:00.000-06:00

For those of you wondering what a blue norther is, it's a Texas term. This link is to the weather notebook with a definition. Maybe this one didn't fully qualify technically but it was close.

White Christmas?

2008-12-10T22:02:00.000-06:00

This is about as close as we're likely to get.
Since Suzanne won't get her own blog started or post on mine, I am posting these on her behalf. These pictures were taken in front of the Distribution Center at about noon today. We had a record high for the date yesterday and then a "blue norther" blew in over night and brought snow to the Hill Country and sleet to far north San Antonio. We got thunderstorms at our house.

Children of SRW & Veda Wilkinson

2008-12-07T22:04:00.001-06:00

These are the children of S.R. and Veda Wilkinson as young adults. Top Wells and Sibyl; Bottom Willard and Winifred

Goodbye glasses

2008-11-25T12:56:00.000-06:00

After nearly 54 years its time to say goodbye to glasses and contacts. It seems rather strange not to be wearing them. Yesterday I had the lens in my right eye replaced with a "restore" lens that is supposed to allow me to focus at all distances without external corrective lenses like the left eye that was done in August. 18 hours later the doctor pronounced it good. The lens is properly positioned and my vision is good for that soon after surgery. Now 2 or 3 weeks of regular eye drops and a week of wearing the shield at night and it will be done. So far the vision at long distances is good but still lacking somewhat at intermediate and short distances. That will improve over time according to their experience with these lenses.

Pioneer ancestors

2008-11-25T12:54:00.001-06:00

Following is a poem written by Eliza R. Snow to Mrs. Eleanor Bietler Bringhurst, wife of Samuel Bringhurst. The poem was recorded in a pioneer diary of Eliza R. Snow Sunday, March 19, 1848.

My heart is full of friendship -- but for thee
It has a holier feeling than that name
Identifies. The recollection of
Thy countenance from the first time
My eyes beheld thee -- whispers something to
My thought and feeling which I never can
Describe. 'Tis undefinable so long
As mind or understanding shall remain
As circumscribed as now. But when I think
Of thee, a thrill of near affinity
O'er spreads my senses and I truly feel
Within my bosom a strong kindred tie
As tho' we'd been associated in
Existence, ere we condescended to
Our present state of being. Lady, yes,
When our small understandings shall expand
And with the recollection of the past
Some knowledge of the future be inspired
We'll find a thousand kindred ties that form
Amalgamation's wreath, and which are twined
And intertwined, combining and combined
Connecting noble spirits here and there
And still extending on from world to world
Unto creation's undefined extent.

Thus let our hearts expand and let our minds
And acts approximate towards the point
Of true perfection, that we may attain
To an association glorified
On planets more exalted and refined --
Among intelligences long since dear,
And let us cultivate the sacred ties
Of love and friendship here that will abide
Time's rugged changes and eternally
Endure.

gg-grandparents

2008-11-25T11:59:00.001-06:00

These are my great-great grandparents, Father and Mother of William Augustus Bringhurst who was the father of my Grandmother Wilkinson. They were the first in their line to join the Church along with his brother William. They were Quakers living near Philadelphia when they joined the Church. They later moved to Nauvoo and then across the plains to Utah. They traveled in the company of John Taylor, with Elvin Hunter as Captain of the hundred, Joseph Horn of the fifty, and Erick C. Bowers of the ten. They arrived in Salt Lake Valley about 6 October 1847. His brother William was later called by Brigham Young to head the company which settled what now is Las Vegas, Nevada.

Things I hope you will teach my grandchildren

2008-11-23T17:49:00.001-06:00

I don’t remember where I first heard it, but someone said in essence Salvation is an individual matter but Exaltation requires a group effort. Personal righteousness is essential but not sufficient for exaltation. We have to take people with us if we are going to be exalted. We can be saved, even in the Celestial Kingdom, individually, but we can be exalted only when sealed to a spouse and to ancestors and descendants. There are other blessings that are only available if we can persuade others to join us or if we can join an appropriate group. As we were talking in Sunday School class today about the end of the Nephite civilization, I thought about those who were yet righteous, including Mormon and Moroni and no doubt some others judging from Mormon’s letter to Moroni about infant baptism. There were apparently a few righteous saints left who were trying to keep the church going and do the right thing. That was not sufficient to preserve the Nephites, however, or to save themselves from being exterminated in mortality. Not that I think Mormon and Moroni and the others who were righteous were responsible for the sins of all their contemporaries. They did all they could. We cannot enjoy the blessings of a Zion society without the society. We have to do our part in brining others along.

Many of the teachings of the gospel are related to our interaction with others. Learning to relate to others is more than half of the battle. We are all interdependent, like it or not. This is difficult for me as I am not a very social being and I don’t enjoy trying to persuade others or explaining my beliefs to them. I’m somewhat of a loner and socially inept. I usually prefer a good book to a good conversation. The ultimate example of our dependence is, of course, the Atonement. Without Christ and his sacrifice we would all be lost. I have committed to try to be more outgoing and more social at church and elsewhere, to try to do my part in promoting the unity necessary to achieve the desired result. Maybe that’s why I was prompted and more or less forced into teaching. Something I need to work on.

Students

2008-11-23T16:15:00.000-06:00

This is a picture of my Grandfather Wilkinson and two of his friends when he was a student at the Branch Normal School in Cedar. Grandpa is on the right, Jed Fawcett is seated and Fred Fawcett is on the left.

Am I irrelevant or just ancient?

2008-11-09T15:57:00.001-06:00

Did you ever feel irrelevant? The other day I gave my students a quiz over element names and symbols. It was a clever story, that I got a copy of from another teacher, about an old western bandit named the gold dust kid. It had references to things like a platinum blond, filling the bad guy full of lead, a plugged nickel, a tin badge, "Hi Ho Silver!", cobalt steel jail bars, etc in which the elements were given as the symbols and they had to fill in the names,

(Remember this guy? If you do you are probably close to my age.)

I thought it would be easier for them because of the context. Of course most of them had never heard of the Lone Ranger but they also had no idea about any of the other references. They had no concept of the old west or the Western movie genre. It was all totally lost on them. A culturally and generationally biased test in the extreme.

Things I hope you will teach my grandchildren

2008-11-02T16:15:00.001-06:00

Our opening hymn in Sacrament Meeting today was number 89, “The Lord is My Light.” As we came to the words “My weakness in mercy He covers with power”, I felt an overwhelming witness of the Spirit that that has been true and will continue to be true in my life as long as I acknowledge Him. If I have accomplished anything worthwhile, it is because He has made up for my limitations and inadequacies, filled in the gaps, so to speak. As the scriptures tell us, “for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 25:23). I think many times we fail to recognize the influence of the Lord in our lives like the Lamanites who were converted that Jesus talked about when He visited them “even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not” (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 9:20).

This is also brought out in the story of the servant of Elisha the prophet when he saw the army of the King of Syria that came to take Elisha who was accused of being a spy and surrounded the whole city with horses and chariots so that Elisha would not escape. “And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” (Old Testament | 2 Kings 6:15 - 17).

Joseph Smith recorded similar visions that he had of the apostles in the early days of the Church. "I saw the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, who are now upon the earth, who hold the keys of this last ministry, in foreign lands, standing together in a circle, much fatigued, with their clothes tattered and feet swollen, with their eyes cast downward, and Jesus standing in their midst, and they did not behold Him. The Savior looked upon them and wept. ......Also, I saw Elder Brigham Young standing in a strange land, in the far south and west, in a desert place, upon a rock in the midst of about a dozen men of color (Indians), who appeared hostile. He was preaching to them in their own tongue, and the angel of God standing above his head, with a drawn sword in his hand, protecting him, but he did not see it." (History of the Church Vol. II, p. 381.

And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments. (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 59:21)

Sorry, I couldn't resist

2008-11-01T06:32:00.000-05:00

Do you feel a bit overloaded sometimes?

Funny Picture

2008-11-01T06:15:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I wonder why I can't seem to get anywhere in life.

Letter from Pa and Ma

2008-10-31T20:49:00.000-05:00

I thought I would try posting a letter instead of a picture this time. If you click on it to enlarge it, it becomes legible. This one is from Joseph Thomas Wilkinson to his son SRW Wilkinson, my grandfather dated August 13, 1909.

We have arrived

2008-10-31T20:35:00.000-05:00

O.K. its official now. Gas is under $2.00 a gallon. Of course this is not a pay-at-the-pump store so you have to walk in to pay for your gas, but hopefully it is a harbinger of things to come. Suzanne snapped this one on her way out and about today. Looks like you can't actually see the sign without clicking on the picture to enlarge it.

Things I hope you will teach my grandchildren

2008-10-19T22:11:00.001-05:00

Some people say they cannot believe in a God because if there was a God and he was good, he wouldn’t allow all the pain and suffering and hardships to happen to all of us. You have all seen the weights that joggers and walkers attach to their ankles and wrists to give them extra resistance. They are in good enough physical condition that they can’t get enough resistance in the time they have by walking or jogging without them to develop the desired strength and stamina. I think of handicaps and trials that we have in life in somewhat the same terms. The Lord knows our strengths and weaknesses and some of us are too far advanced to be able to develop sufficient spirituality, humility, or whatever other virtues we need without the extra resistance in this life.

The point is we have to have faith that God knows us and loves us enough that he will tailor our mortal experience to our needs so that we have the opportunity for the maximum possible development according to our progress thus far. It is this eternal perspective that the gospel provides that allows us to bear our trials and infirmities with patience and even, as some are able to do, with grace and cheerfulness. I always admire those who, like the sister in our ward who was paralyzed at a young age in an accident, can go through life with a cheerful, upbeat attitude in spite of handicaps and hardships. I wish I was more like that.

Great Grandparents

2008-10-19T21:04:00.001-05:00

This is a wedding picture of my great grandparents (parents of SRW Wilkinson) Joseph Thomas Wilkinson and Jane Sarah Wells in 1881. She was his second wife. The first wife was Elizabeth Emily Wells, her half sister if I remember correctly, but may have been a cousin.

These are pictures of them in their later years.

Good news and bad

2008-10-19T20:16:00.000-05:00

I was at the Wal-Mart on Military Dr. and I-410 yesterday and the gas price was $2.36 per gal. With the 3 cent discount that is $2.33 a gallon, almost reasonable again. I was going to get a picture but I didn't get a chance. Unfortunately the lines were so long waiting to get to the gas pumps that I decided it wasn't worth the wait. Maybe they will still be low on my way to work tomorrow at 7:00 AM and the lines will not be so long.

I know it's necessary but it is still annoying. They cut the access road down from 3 lanes to 1 lane for the construction where we get on I-410 at Bandera. There was such a long line we decided to take another route yesterday. Unfortunately, that is the way I drive to work every day. I can just imagine what it will be like after Thanksgiving when all the Christmas shoppers are trying to get to Ingram Mall.

SRW Wilkinson basketball team

2008-10-12T20:58:00.000-05:00

This is the team my grandfather played on at the Branch Normal School in Cedar City. Harold Herbert Wilkinson #3, his brother who was 6 years older than him, was the coach. The guy in the center, J.W. Barton, was the faculty adviser.

Here is another picture of the team. Don't know which years these were.

Blessed Relief

2008-10-11T14:26:00.000-05:00

O.K. so its not a very good photo but it is nice to see the prices coming down finally. This is the Wal Mart in our area where we generally shop. With the Wal Mart card the price is 3 cents less making it $2.78 a gallon. Just thought you might like to see one of the advantages of living in Texas.

There are disadvantages, of course, like the neighbors that come uninvited and eat up all your groceries. (If you click on the photo below to enlarge it, you can see them more clearly.) This is the parsley in our patio herb garden.

Things I hope you will teach my grandchildren

2008-10-05T21:27:00.001-05:00

Some of the conference talks today alluded to the fact that one of the reasons the early church members could not establish Zion in Jackson County was that they were not united and could not live the law of consecration. I think that is one of the major stumbling blocks in the Church today. I will call it elitism, the attitude that one is somehow better than others, among the elite. There are various flavors of elitism – intellectual elitism, social elitism, financial elitism, fashion elitism, racial elitism, gender elitism, born-in-the-church vs. convert elitism, ancestry elitism, national elitism, and on and on. This is a difficult issue for me and I suspect many others. I find myself criticizing others for various traits that they have that I think are odd, annoying or unpleasant instead of recognizing that they are just people trying to do the best they can with what life has dealt them. We do not know what other people have to deal with. Until we can learn to truly have charity for others and adopt an attitude of caring and helping rather than criticizing and belittling, we will not be able to develop the type of unity that is necessary for a Zion society.

The times that we know about in the scriptures when a Zion society was achieved have been possible because the people achieved a unity and equality that extended to all people and all aspects of their lives. “And the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.” (Pearl of Great Price | Moses 7:18).

“And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, . . . . .neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of –ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God. (Book of Mormon | 4 Nephi 1:15 - 17)

New Thread

2008-10-05T21:03:00.000-05:00

I have decided to start a new thread that I will call "Things I hope you will teach my grandchildren". I have delayed doing this because I don't want to sound too preachy or too heavy but today's conference talks tipped me over the edge. I will post on an irregular basis my thoughts that I feel are worthwhile passing on to future generations. You can ignore them if you please.

Dad and Mom

2008-10-05T20:23:00.001-05:00

These are not very good pictures but they are among the few that I have of dad and mom when they were young.

Veda and her Father

2008-10-05T20:07:00.001-05:00

This is a picture of my grandmother Veda Bringhurst Wilkinson in her later years, as I remember her, and her father William Augustus Bringhurst.

Michael Ballam

2008-09-28T14:01:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we attended a benefit concert by Michael Ballam on Friday night and a Fireside by him on Sunday night. I know our children are not Michael Ballam fans but maybe some of the other readers will be interested.

This is a picture at one of his son's weddings.

On Friday night it was a benefit for the Opera by Children program that he is involved in and some local people are trying to get going in the schools here. It was a rather intimate setting at the home of our Stake President with about 25-35 people. They had food before and a meet and greet afterward. He mostly told of how he wanted to be an opera singer when he was a child and how he became one, interspersed with some of his favorite show tunes and why he liked them.

On Sunday night the highlight for me was the story he told about an old Jewish Rabi he met while doing a study abroad in Israel. He was one of the few who still know how to chant the Torah the way it used to be done. The Torah was never read but sung and the older versions have the musical accompaniment written along with the text. He sang a couple of the opening lines for us and said that on the occasion mentioned in the scriptures when Jesus read from the scriptures it was not actually reading but singing. He said that this old Rabi once visited the US and chanted some of the Torah in a meeting out in the west somewhere near a Navajo Indian reservation. There were some Navajos present who immediately recognized the tune and got very excited. They asked him where he got that music. It was the same tune as that handed down through their culture for centuries.

He also told the story of how he was approached by President Hinckley, then an apostle, about his role in the temple film. He was told he would have to take 6 months off to do it and could not tell anyone, even his wife, what he was doing. At the end he bore his testimony including his testimony of how real Satan is strengthed by his experience playing that role.

Veda and Friends

2008-09-28T13:01:00.000-05:00

Since I didn't post a picture last week, I'll put another one in this week. This my grandmother Veda Bringhurst and two of her friends Belle Hammond and Anna Laura Klienman (L to R). Don't Know what ages but appears to be late teens to early 20s.

Sisters

2008-09-28T12:39:00.000-05:00

All of these are daughters of W.A. Bringhurst listed from left to right:
Anna Augusta Bringhurst Naegle daughter of Susan A.S. Bringhurst 2nd wife
Lara Selinda Bringhurst daughter of Susan A.S. Bringhurst
Elleanor (Ella) Bringhurst daughter of Susan A.S. Bringhurst
Veda (with sore eyes) Bringhurst daughter of Mary J.S. Bringhurst 3rd wife
Vera (center) Bringhurst, daughter of Mary J.S. Bringhurst
Mary Eleanor (Nellie) Bringhurst daughter of Selinda D.P. Bringhurst, 1st wife

It appears to have been a strain to hold still long enough for the picture to be taken. I'm told that is why people are seldom smiling in these old pictures. They didn't have fast film in those days.

Changing times

2008-09-21T15:23:00.000-05:00

O.K. for those of you who get squeamish or just plain bored looking at the inside of an automobile, you can skip this one. I had made a commitment to myself to get the oil changed in our new Hyundai Sonata yesterday since it had been driven to Utah and back this past summer, about 3000 miles, and I had not changed the oil since then. I was debating whether to do it myself, or pay $29.95 at a local garage we have been patronizing, since I was busy and not looking forward with anticipation to crawling under a car. I decided to go out a see how hard it would be to get the oil filter off. I could not find the oil filter anywhere, so I figured it wasn't going to be easy and just drove to the garage. After they got my car in the bay, the repairman came in to the waiting area to inform me that it would be about $6 extra since my vehicle has an internal oil filter. I decided to to go out to see what an internal oil filter is. I found this picture on line but it doesn't show how it goes in and I don't want to go out and have to replace the O rings to take one so I will attempt a description.

They had removed the top cover off the engine and there was about a 7" round cylinder molded into the engine block on the top side near the fuel injectors. He had removed the cover of that cylinder with an oil filter wrench. Attached to the top was a long cylindrical projection with large rectangular openings in the sides all around. Over that slides a filter element similar to an air filter element. There is a large O ring at the top where the cover contacts the engine block and a small one at the bottom where the end of the thing seals. Both O rings have to be replaced each time the filter is changed. It's a good thing I decided to be lazy and have someone else do it. I would have searched forever for that oil filter, probably after having drained the oil. Maybe I will try it next time.

Still a Prophet

2008-09-21T15:08:00.001-05:00

After Church today a young mother came up to me and asked if her son, about 2 years old, had been making eyes at me during Sacrament Meeting. They were sitting across the aisle and about 3 rows ahead of us. I said yes he was. She said that he had told them that he saw our Prophet sitting just over there. This is not the first time I have been mistaken for a Prophet. Several other children have also said the same thing. We thought it was because of some slight resemblance to President Hinckley - both bald, both gray fringe, both wearing glasses, etc. This one is too young to remember President Hinckley, however. It's nice to be thought of in such illustrious company, but a bit daunting to make sure I don't damage their reputation in some child's estimation.

Mary Janet Stapley Bringhurst

2008-09-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

My great grandmother (mother's mother's mother) at 3 different ages. The top one on the left is 19 years old, the others unknown. The hair style at 19 is quite unique.

38 Years

2008-09-13T08:15:00.000-05:00

Perhaps its appropriate that we have a hurricane threat as we celebrate our 38th anniversary. I remember being awakened by an earthquake in LA on our wedding day. We marked the occasion by going out to Pericos (a popular Mexican restaurant in town) for dinner and taking a break from the diet, then coming home and falling asleep watching a movie. Well, Suzanne fell asleep anyway. We have seen our share of bumps along the way but all in all its been a good journey. In 2 years we will be celebrating 40. Any ideas on what to do to celebrate? If it's anything like this year, a trip to the coast is probably out.

Hurricane!

2008-09-13T07:48:00.000-05:00

It's ironic that our relatives in Indiana and New York will probably see much more effect from Ike than we will. We are on the dry side and so far have seen a little breeze and nothing else. It's forecast path takes it up through Indiana and NY. There is not much accurate information about the damage in the Houston and Galveston area yet as the hurricane is still passing and still a category 2 hours after making landfall.

Wedding picture

2008-09-07T16:17:00.000-05:00

My mother's wedding picture (8 Sept 1943)

Social Event

2008-09-07T16:05:00.000-05:00

I am assuming this is some sort of party or social gathering. The list of names is cut off at the top unfortunately so the first 2 on the left are unidentified. The rest from left to right are:
Lawrence Kleinman
Rhea Higbee
William Bringhurst (brother of Veda)
Lavine (?) Sylvester
Walter Bringhurst (nephew of Veda)
Veda Bringhurst

Team Picture

2008-08-31T15:29:00.000-05:00

One of the basket ball teams coached by my Grandfather Wilkinson.

Grandpa Wilkinson is standing at the rear. The players are:
Front row - unidentified, Wood Urie, Vernon Lunt
Back row - Tom Thornley, Darwin Nelson, unidentified, Dan Webster

For those of you who know Ned Lunt, Vernon Lunt was an uncle of his, if I remember correctly what he told me. I don't know which school this was. Grandpa was a school teacher before he decided that it didn't pay enough and went into other things. I think he coached some at the BAC in Cedar City also. The school was established in 1897 as a branch of the state teacher training school, then became the following

1897-1913	Branch Normal School
1913-1953	Branch Agricultural College
1953-1969	College of Southern Utah
1969-1990	Southern Utah State College
1991-present	Southern Utah University

Grandpa Wilkinson and I believe Grandma Lawrence both graduated from there before becoming teachers. An interesting side note for our immediate family, our bishop in the Madison 1st Ward in Wisconsin, Steven D. Bennion, was president there from 1997-2006

Joseph Thomas Wilkinson Family

2008-08-31T15:18:00.000-05:00

This is the Joseph Thomas Wilkinson family

Unfortunately, not all the people are identified. The only label is
Standing Elisabeth Emily Wells Wilkinson
Seated in center: Joseph Thomas Wilkinson

The picture has a stamp on the back with the following
Jim Booth,
Photographer
St. George,
Southern Utah
North America

Labor Day Weekend

2008-08-31T15:12:00.000-05:00

Holidays are always times to get things done that were put off during the press of daily life. I finally got the ice maker fixed in our refrigerator, just in time for fall and winter. Oh well, hopefully it will still be working for next summer. Now for Monday I have to work on finishing touches for the bathroom, cleaning up the construction mess, and miscellaneous errands.

At my last follow-up for cataract surgery, we talked about scheduling the other eye. For some reason the insurance will now pay for the other eye. Friday the 8th is available, but i don't want to take time off from school so soon after the start of the year, so I will probably schedule it during Thanksgiving break. He is doing surgery that Monday and Tuesday is available for the 24 hr follow-up visit.

Family Pictures V

2008-08-24T21:41:00.001-05:00

This is the home of William Augustus Bringhurst, my Great Grandfather, and his wife Mary Janet Stapely. He was the bishop of the Toquerville ward for over 30 years until his death. The people in the picture (listed by Veda Bringhurst Wilkinson, his daughter) are, from left to right:
1. my brother Samuel Bringhurst
2. my brother Charlie Bringhurst
3. My sister Arvilla Bringhurst
4. My sister Vera Bringhurst
5. my cousin Velma Stapley
6. my cousin Vivian Stapley
7. my brother Will Bringhurst
8. my brother Leo Bringhurst

The picture was taken in 1903

Stake Conference

2008-08-17T19:23:00.000-05:00

This weekend was our Stake Conference. Elders Nelson of the 12 and Pearson of the 70 were the visiting authorities. It is unusual to have a member of the 12, even for reorganization of the stake presidency, and to have a member of the 70 also is even more unusual. Elder Pearson is a new general authority and this was part of his training. I was impressed by his talks. He is fresh from 3 years as a mission president and in his early 40's. He is a member of the 1st quorum and one to watch for the future. It was interesting to see the choosing of a new presidency from the perspective of Stake Clerk.

Elder Nelson told about his experiences in Czechoslovakia and trying to get the Church recognized under the old communist regime. He also spent about an hour on the Abrahamic Covenant in the Priesthood Leadership Session.

Family Pictures IV

2008-08-13T22:12:00.000-05:00

Mother and Daughter:
Mary Janet Stapley Bringhurst and her daughter Veda Bringhurst, taken 1905. Mary Janet was 40 and Veda was 16. Veda is my grandmother, wife of SRW Wilkinson in the previous post

Family Pictures III

2008-08-12T22:23:00.000-05:00

Left to Right: Sibyl, Wells, Winifred, Willard

Family Pictures II

2008-08-10T06:38:00.000-05:00

S.R.W. Wilkinson Family

Left to right Willard, Winifred, Veda, Wells, S.R., Sibyl, (date unknown, estimated about 1928). Sibyl is my mother. S.R. is the son of Jane Sarah Wells Wilkinson in the previous post.

Correction

2008-08-09T21:42:00.000-05:00

I did some more research on Mary E. Wells Whitehead, the fourth woman in the picture. In the New Family Search, she is listed as an older sister of the other three. I did not have a record of her or two of the other children in my PAF file. She was the oldest of a family of 11 according to one source. Another source lists her as a half sister, from another wife, Mary Ann Lowe. Most sources list 8 children, so she is probably a half sister. There were 6 sisters but two of them died young. Interestingly, my great grandmother, Jane Sarah Wells died the year before I was born.

Family pictures I

2008-08-09T09:04:00.000-05:00

I decided to use this blog to post pictures from Grandma and Grandpa Wilkinson's books of remembrance for those who would like to download them. You can click on the image to view it in a bigger format and right click on it if you want to save it.

This one is of Anna Eliza Wells McAllister and Stephney Wells Davies on the back row left to right and Jane Sarah Wells Wilkinson and Mary Wells Whitehead on the front row left to right. Anna or Annie Eliza, Stephney, and Jane Sarah are sisters, daughters of Stephen Robert Wells and Annie Thorne. Jane Sarah is my great grandmother, wife of Joseph Thomas Wilkinson. Anna Eliza was married to John D.T. McAllister, a person of some prominence in the early church. I am not quite sure who Mary is. There was another sister named Edith Ann Wells, but I don't see how that translates to Mary, unless my grandmother labeled it wrong.

I will try to post at least 1 picture per week.

Surgery Update

2008-08-09T08:47:00.000-05:00

If you have to have surgery, this is a good one. I was out of the surgery center by 9:30 (surgery was scheduled for 8:00, I don't know exactly what time they started). The rest of the day I had to put in eye drops every 2 hours and wear a shield. Otherwise I could be out and about, but no strenuous activity and no lifting over 14 lbs. There is virtually no pain. The next day I went in for a follow up visit. I had 20/30 vision in the operated eye which the doctor said is very good for so soon after surgery. Pressure was good, etc. and I could remove the shield except at night. Had to continue the drops every 2 hours for 2 more days. They are now down to 4 times per day. I am not supposed to overdo reading for a few days. I have been out and about working on misc. things around the house, reformatting Suzanne's computer, etc. Have to wear the shield at night and continue the drops for abt 2 weeks.

They marked an L on my forehead just above the eyebrow with a permanent marker to show which eye was being operated on and they took the lens out of my glasses on that side, so I have been going about town with an L painted on and one lens missing. Also, I cannot shower or shave or wash my hair for 3 or 4 days, so I must have been a pretty weird sight shopping around town for stuff. The frame of my glasses also broke the night before the surgery, so I have to use an old pair. Since I don't want to spend much on glasses I won't be using for long, I will get the lens for the other eye replaced and a blank lens put in for the operated eye for the old frames till I get the second eye done.

Here I am at last

2008-08-03T13:57:00.000-05:00

Well, this is my entry into the blogging world. I feel like somewhat of an anachronism. This past week I attended a Summer Institute on teaching pre-AP chemistry. I was the only one there not familiar with the TI graphing calculators commonly used in High School Chemistry. When I went to college we used slide rules and I graduated directly to the computer. It was good to review some of the concepts taught there, such as thermodynamics and electrochemisty, that I haven't thought about for 40 years or so, and was never really comfortable with when I did learn them.

My schedule for the fall has been changed. I will have 3 sections of regular John Jay HS pre-AP chem and 3 of Science Academy (magnet school) pre-AP chem. It will be nice to have only one prep again and students who are more motivated to learn.

This summer I have been working on some home improvement projects. The downstairs half bathroom is almost finished and the family room floor a little over half done. Those of you familiar with the previous state of the bathroom will recognize an improvement, I hope. The half concrete wall is done in the same tile as the floor with added accents.

The wall before and after

All that remains is for Janet and Suzanne to paint the other two walls with their special technique that they want to use. The laundry room floor is also done, but not the painting, yet.

Two views of the bathroom at present

I am procrastinating doing the stairs because I am expecting a difficult time getting them done right.

I will be taking a forced break this week for my cataract surgery on Wednesday. Can't do anything strenuous for a couple of days afterward. Hopefully I will be able to read again, comfortably. I was asked to read a scripture in Sunday School today and had a hard time of it.