July 31, 2011

What impact did those wars have on your life? Did you support or oppose those wars?

As I mentioned in the last entry I had a cousin who lost his life in the Viet Nam war and I also had friends who served there and came back with things that have effected their lives ever since with nightmares and horrible dreams. I still supported those wars because of the freedoms that were being fought for in them. I had a very good friend that came from Viet Nam as a refugee from that war who would have been killed had he stayed there after the US pulled out. Khoi Gnoc Vu worked with me at American Television and Signetics. We became very good friend and I really enjoyed his family as well.

July 30, 2011

What wars have been fought during your lifetime?

One major war was ended just days before my birth. The Koren War was ended on July 27, 1953 just before I was born on Aug 13, 1953. I mention this as one of the wars since I have very vivid memories of two Uncles that fought in that war and one of whom lost his legs in it.

The other major wars and I say major because if you were to count all the wars going on in the world during my life there have been hundreds. However the United States has been mostly involved in the Viet Nam war, Iraq and Pakistan wars. These are wars where I have been most effected by either brothers, cousins, or friends that have fought in those wars. One of my cousins was killed in the Viet Nam war. I have been grateful to those who have served and yet thankful that I have not had to be there.

July 29, 2011

What were some other important historical events of your lifetime? What do you recall about them? Where were you when they occurred?

The introduction of the space shuttle program has also been very significant since it was a very important part of the continuing space program. Ships could now go into space and then return, land and go up again. However I was at work at Signetics when the space shuttle Discovery exploded shortly after takeoff and was a setback in the program as they searched for evidence of what went wrong. I was in the Fab 9 area when the front office people came in and told us what had happened, we then went to the offices and watched the news reports of the event.

It was the second major problem for the space program. The Apollo 13 failed mission of 1970 was the first major one to hit the news where the crew had to abort their mission to walk on the moon and only orbited the moon then returned. It was a very major testimony to me that our Heavenly Father is involved in everything that occurs in this life of ours.

Another major event in the last few years was the flying of planes into the Pentagon, and the twin towers in New York. It was on 9/11/2001. I was at work in a cabinet shop and we stopped everything as we listened to the radio reports as the events continued to unfold. I remember the sickening feelings that I had as I thought about the lives being lost not only in the planes but the buildings as well. There was also a fourth place that went down in a Pennsylvania field due to some very selfless men on board who tried to stop the pilots that were trying to fly that plane into the nations capitol building.

Well there been many notable events including Vietnam and Iraq wars, earthquakes and other natural disasters, etc. that have happened during my life and they have been in direct fulfillment of prophesies concerning the latter days.

July 28,2011

Later adulthood 65 to present

Personal reflections.

Since I am not yet 65 this section may not apply however I will answer applicable questions.

What do you consider to be the most important historical event of your lifetime? What do you recall about it? Where were you when it occurred?

I have a hard time answering this one since there have been some major events of historical significance during my short life. President John Kennedy’s assassination in Nov of 1963 was a very major event.

However the moon landing in July of 1969 probably has been the most significant since the space program has been the catalyst for so many of the inventions of these last days. Products of all sorts now used in the home and workplace are a direct result of  the experiments and research that have been done for the space program. We have had significant wars during my life even though I came along after the world wars, which spawned a lot of development in products, but I think the space program has had the most impact. I could be wrong but that is my take on it.

I remember watching the landing and Armstrong walking on the moon and was at home watching it. We talked a lot about it in school as well however and I was a sophomore in high school at the time. 

When Kennedy was assassinated I heard about it as someone threw open the door of our elementary school and shouted to us what had happened. I was playing marbles on the sidewalk of the school at that moment with one of my classmates.

July 27, 2011

Has anyone ever saved your life? Who? What were the circumstances?

Well I am uncertain of any specific times that anyone has specifically saved my life but I can truly testify that my Heavenly Father has always been there and protected me throughout my life when I could have needed someone to save my life had He not been there to assist me and change my course of action. I have been in several auto accidents and been near being in several others but He has always protected me in those times. I also drowned in a swimming pool when I was quite young but He was there to pull me to safety.

July 26, 2011

What memories do you have with your experiences together?

Many of the scouting experiences that I have had include Doug as an integral part of them. We began by being on Hobble Creek District scout leader training for 4 or 5 years. I then was asked to serve on a Timberline Staff with Mark Poulson, a cousin, and Doug was also on staff. We served together on numerous staffs through te years and when he and I were not on the same staff he and I would visit the others course and assist with various presentations or them. We were also asked to serve together on the Council Timberline staff for several years and later he asked me to serve with him on our regional Junior Leader training staff where we would travel to Idaho for meetings with about 7 council staff members for their Junior Leader training. Then I was asked by Ren Smith, who was blind, to be on staff with him at woodbadge and Doug was the senior patrol leader of that course then Doug the following year was the SM and asked me to be the Senior patrol leader.  Since that time I have been less active on those courses due to photographing Silver Beaver recipients but we still try to get together as couples and do things together. I have also photographed each of his children’s weddings and the week before Hayden and Cheyenne’s wedding when Loren was diagnosed with diabetes Doug took over planning the wedding luncheon for us. He has always been there when needed to help us out and is a true friend.

There are hundreds of experiences that I could tell but not room enough to tell them. It was under his leadership however that the Mountain Top experience became a part of Timberline in the Utah National Parks council specifically in the Hobble Creek, Diamond Fork and Palmyra Districts.

July 25, 2011

What do you admire most about that person?

I have always admired his ability to put a gospel spin into the training without it becoming overbearing and intrusive. It has made teaching scouting principles much easier and still useable with a non-lds set of trainees. He has a deep testimony of the gospel and it is reflected in his love for the persons with whom he is working.

July 24, 2011

Which of your good friends have you known the longest?

Other than Marie I would probably have to put Doug Binks next on the list since he and Julie and Marie and I have been good friends for many years now due to scouting. I first started working with him on the district level through scoutmaster training, then later on Timberline staffs and after that on woodbadge staffs.

July 23, 2011

Are there any family heirlooms that have been passed from one generation to another?

I had a lot of cousins and family and there are very few heirlooms that remain. I do have a lot of pictures of old pictures that I have taken through the years and the one heirloom from my father’s side is an old zenith radio that sits in our front porch.

July 22, 2011

Did your grandparents or great-grandparents relate important world events they experienced?

None that I remember. There are accounts of grandpas mission for six months after he had two or three children. He went to the Eastern States Mission and grandma and the girls took care of the farm while he was gone.

July 21, 2011

Did you know your grandparents or great-grandparents? What do you remember about them and their lives?

I knew all four of my grand parents but none of my great-grandparents. However that being said I only have one very vague memory of sitting on Granpa Poulson’s lap when I was three just prior to his death as a result of prostate cancer.

My Grandma Poulson was a very special person and we always called her Nana. I knew her the best since I stayed with her after kindergarten until mom or dad would come to pick me up. She was also with us every Christmas even the day prior to her passing.

Grandma and Grandpa Hansen lived in centerfield a long way away from Duchesne. We would see them about once or twice a year. We loved them very much and their home was a lot of fun to be at especially since there were usually a lot of cousins that would come at the same time. After Grandpa died in 1964 Grandma moved to Orem where we got to see her a little more regularly. I remember grandpa in his coveralls on the farm the best and grandma in the kitchen with her apron on while she was cooking. I also remember her dark black hair that she had her entire life. Grandpa Hansen was also very active in the church and seeing him is a suit was also very much a part of my memories.

July 20, 2011

What do you remember about the death of your parents and your thoughts and feelings at the time?

Dad had his first stroke while Marie and I were watching a movie called Windwalker. I remember thinking how hard it was to be with him and see him in his deteriorating state the nest three month. I was relieved when he was finally able to pass away and couldn’t cry because I knew he was in a far better place. I have cried plentyof times since then however as I have missed having him at events in my childrens life.

Mom passed away sometime during the night. I was called out of a woodbadge staff meeting in Ephraim and given the news. I was so glad that Marie and I had been able to spend several weeks with her over the last few years as we would go to Duchesne for a week to photograph in Al’s Foodtown. We enjoyed being there in the evenings with her and I have many times wished I had taken the time to go visit them when the children were younger. We seemed get out there only about once a year and now that I have grandchildren I realize how much my parents would have loved to see them more often.

July 19, 2011

Middle Adult Years 45 to 60

Loss of loved ones

When and where did your parents die?

My father passed away while in the Roosevelt hospital after a series of several strokes in a 3 month period between Oct of 1977 and Jan 1978. He was 68 years old.

Mother then lived for 23 more years and peacefully passed away sitting on her couch at home in 2001. She was 83 years old.

July 18, 2011

What spiritual lessons have you learned from your service to others?
These lessons have all been so tightly tied to church service that all of the lessons on faith and service to God can be grouped into this answer. I have had many special spiritual experiences as I have hiked through the mountains or been on other camps in the beautiful and great outdoors.

July 17, 2011

What volunteer work have you done?

Scouting was mostly a church calling when it was a position in the ward but it became a Community service when I worked on District committees. I have spent over 25 years in some sort of a district, council or region office for the Utah National Parks Council and the Western Region of Scouting. While I was a Varsity coach I was also a Varsity District Chairman and on the council Varsity training staff in Palmyra and Hobble Creek districts. Then when I was a Scoutmaster I also served as Campimg Committee Chairman, Hobble Creek District Scout committee staff and chairman, Timberline staffs, training staffs. Later when not assigned ward postitions I continued to serve in those callings and I was asked to serve on the Council Timberline staff and Western Region Junior Leader Training staff. I was also asked to serve on 3 woodbadge staffs as a coach counselor, Senior patrol leader and Scribe. During Woodbadge in 1998 I was assigned to photograph Silver Beaver recipients for the council which I am still currently doing. I am also an Eagle Scout counselor. Because of such heavy involvement in scouting I have limited my other community service possibilities.

July 16, 2011

Community Service

What community projects have you worked on?

Several Eagle Scout projects and lots of other service directed by scouting for the community including the planting of hundreds of trees on the face of Maple Mountain after the first fire in 1988.

July 15, 2011

What callings have you held in the church? With whom did you serve?

Youth with Bishops Jensen and Peterson

Deacons Quorum sec, counselor, President.

Teachers quorum counselor and President.

Region Youth Conference Committee Member

Region Youth Conference Chairman

Priest Quorum Secretary and 1st assistant

Priesthood Music Chorister

Blazer Leader

Gospel Doctrine Sunday School Teacher

Missionary with Presidents Carlos E Asay, and George Lovell.

Missionary

Trainer in Mission in Garland

District Leader in Stephenville

Co Zone Leader in Midland

District Leader in Pampa

Trainer in Grand Prairie

Mapleton 4^th Ward Elders Quorum with Lester Long

Elders Quorum Second Counselor

Mapleton 4^th ward with Bishop Roylance

8 Year old Primary Teacher

Cubmaster 4th ward

Mapleton 4^th ward with Bishop Jan Wynn

Bishopric Executive Secretary 4th Ward

Bishopric Second Counselor 4th Ward

Varsity Coach 4th Ward

Mapleton 1^st ward with Bishop Anderson

Scoutmaster 1st Ward

Mapleton 1^st ward with Bishop Rod Peterson

Bishopric Second Counselor 1st Ward

Bishopric First Counselor 1st Ward

Mapleton Utah Stake with President Harper

Mapleton Stake High Council

Mapleton 14^th ward with Bishop Paul Creer

Troop Committee Chairman

High Priest Group Instructor

Mapleton 16^th ward with Bishop Jensen

Primary Valiant 10 Teacher

New Scout Patrol Scoutmaster

BYU 166^th Ward with Bishop Jim Lundberg

BYU 166th Bishopric 1st Counselor

BYU 3^rd Stake with Presidents Rowley and Clark Monson

BYU 3rd Stake High Council

Mapleton 14^th Ward with Bishop Blake Peterson

July 24 Ward Coordinator for 14th Ward

July 13, 2011

What are some of your favorite scriptures, quotes, or sayings?

Ether 12:27

“ 27And if men come unto me I will show unto them their ^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them.

Use it up, Wear it out , Make it do, or Do without.

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.

July 14, 2011

What is your creed for living a good life?

Live the gospel as best as you can and pray to your Heavenly Father every day.

July 12, 2011

Why do you have faith in God?

Because of the teachings of the church in my life and the many spiritual experiences and tender mercies of the Lord during my life. I know that my Heavenly Father lives and loves me and that my Savior Jesus Christ also lives and loves me and that the Holy Ghost has confirmed that they love me many times as well.

How have you built your faith in God?

By learning from all of those experiences and through prayer, scripture study and working to have the Spirit of the Lord with me each day.

July 11, 2011

Have you had any special priesthood blessings?

I have had many special priesthood blessings. My father gave me many during my youth and I have had many since then as well. I have received special blessings accompanying each of my calls to serve in the church and have had many promises fulfilled that were given during those times. My greatest Priesthood Blessing however was when I received my Patriarchal Blessing from my Grandfather Patriarch Charles S Hansen. I was 13 and can still feel his hands as they were laid on my head and can still recall his voice as he slowly gave me the blessing pausing long enough for Grandma to write what was spoken and then continuing on until the blessing was finished in like manner. I the sat there as Marsha  received hers. 

July 10, 2011

Have you any faith promoting experiences (receiving answers to prayers, meeting church leaders and so on)?

I have many of them but the two I usually tell comes from Timberline experiences.

The first is about an instruction from the Lord.

At Timberline there are several times during the week when we have activities out in a large clear area. We would play games such as Capture the Flag. It was during one such event that I had the boys all out on the field near the top of Bristlecone Camp ground. It was near the edge of the cliffs that ran along the back side of the camp. I could hear the thunder coming from an approaching storm which couldn’t be seen due to the mountain behind us as well. I was listening to the thunder come closer when I had a distinct impression to move the boys from that clear area of the camp to a tent located a couple hundred yards further away from the cliffs. It was almost as though a voice had spoken it to me to move them to the tent. Well I yelled to the Senior Patrol Leader to move the boys but he didn’t hear me. The voice impression came stronger a second time so I yelled in such a way that he couldn’t help but hear me. We then all ran to the tent and the rain started to come down so I asked him to get the sides of the tent rolled down and the staff then began to drop the sides. I was helping and standing in such a way that the view of where we had just come from was in my side field of vision. We had barely started to drop the sides when lightening hit the field where we had just been playing. I then knew why I had been instructed to get the boys to the tent. I am sure someone could have been hit had I not heeded the warning. My assistant scoutmasters were worried and ran down the hill from camp since they had seen the strike as well and knew we were suppose to be down there. They were so glad to not find us there and knew the same thing that I did that someone would have been hit had we still been there. As I later thought about it I thought about the Bristlecone Pines from which the camp had been named that line those cliffs and how they have been hit many times through their lives. Lightening strikes along that area was a very common thing. I knew the Lord had been watching out for us that day.

The second is about bothering the Lord.

I was again the Scoutmaster at a Timberline course at Bristlecone Scout Camp. It was a week where we had been blessed with a lot of rain on one day. It had rained with such intensity that one of the patrols had been getting their lessons from the counselor in an outhouse by their camp. I can’t imagine how they must have suffered and have often wondered how much they learned from those lessons. It was also so wet that we decided to have a fire building contest just to see if anyone could build a fire when the wet seemed to be all wet. (The winning patrol did it in just under a minute.) It was also Thursday, the day when we traditionally would hold our Mountain Top Experience. So many of the plans had been changed that day due to the rain that I finally started to pray so that the rain would stop for our Mt Top experience and Flag retiring that followed it.

I must have said the prayer in my mind a hundred times even up to the point when we assembled on the flag assembly field to begin the event. I then had the thought “Quit bothering the Lord, He will stop the rain when it is time.” So I quit and began to pay more attention to the event and giving instruction for the evening. We then began to hike to the top of the mountain and it was still raining but a few hundred yards into the hike as we went along side a cliff where we could see down over Price the rain stopped and a most beautiful rainbow then came into view as the sun broke through the clouds which had been raining on us. I then thanked my Heavenly Father for his blessing. We got to the top of the mountain and the wind was now blowing very hard. Duaine Williams began his presentation of the Title of Liberty and the wind was blowing so hard that he was really having to hang onto the flag which he was using  on the flag pole. I then thought “Thank You Heavenly Father for stopping the rain, now if the wind would just stop.” The wind stopped so suddenly and completely that Duaine was shocked and lost his train of thought as he stared at the flag limp against the side of the pole. I then thought “OK Heavenly Father I know who is really in charge of this camp and it isn’t me”. The wind then again with the same intensity as before but I knew the Lord was watching over my camp.

July 9, 2011

As you look back over your experiences in the Church, what lessons have you learned that you would like to pass on to your posterity?

I have learned that the harder you try to fill your callings the greater the blessings you receive from the lord. Here is a simple example from the past week.

Many times I have sat in priesthood meeting as assignments were passed out to work at the stake farm, cannery, DI or meat packing plant. As a youth and early in my marriage I spent many hours at the church farms hauling hay and weeding beets. However many times I have not been able to fill an assignment due to work. Well a couple of weeks a go the High Priests asked for volunteers to fill meat packing assignments. I knew I was currently unemployed and had the time and even though it really wasn’t on my list of things that I couldn’t wait to do I knew I could do it and so I volunteered for the 6 AM assignment. I found it to be really quite fun and I was home by 9:15 and had my entire day left to do what I needed t do here. Well that day I had four phone calls for new photography jobs. The income I received from them was far more than what I had given in service at the meat packing plant that day. You just cannot get ahead of the Lord. Always be willing to give your time to the Lord even if you don’t always recognize the blessing that I know you will receive.

July 8, 2011

What are your feelings about God?

I love Him. I know he is my Eternal Father and even though I still cannot totally grasp that knowledge I do know He loves me and watches closely over me. My blessings have been so great that I cannot begin to identify all of them but they are a continuing testimony of H is love for me.

July 7, 2011 Marsha's birthday in 1956

When did you receive a testimony of the Savior?

I think my testimony came a little at a time. I have had so many times that I have known for a certainty that He lives and that my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ loves me that I know my testimony has been built by each of those experiences. I was blessed in my youth to have felt their presence many times and it has not been less in my adult life either. My testimony probably came real early in life but has only grown stronger through the years. Does this mean that I have not made mistakes? No, but it does mean that I have felt their love even when I have made those mistakes and grown from them as well.

July 6, 2011

Are there any insights from studying the scriptures or attending conferences you would like to pass on to your children?

I have had a recent experience that I have come to wish that I had done much earlier in my life. For some reason there isn’t a lot of emphasis put on reading the Old Testament. In the mission field we studies the scriptures everyday and had a daily reading schedule that included the New testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. It never included the Old Testament. So for the last few years I have wanted to read the Old Testament from start to finish and finally decided to do it. I now understand why it isn’t pushed but I have enjoyed the experience as it has given me a new perspective on the historical part of the history of the Jews and Israel. It has not been easy since I cannot place many of the places where the history is taking place and it is very hard to understand the relationships of how the prophesies are given and what they mean but in the long run I have gained a greater appreciation for the Bible and those stories that we do hear all the time. I can now place those stories in the Bible and know a little more of the history surrounding them. I am almost done and mat never read it from beginning to end again but am glad that I have done it at least once. I have a greater appreciation now though for latter-day prophets that can give us help just as the ones did in the bible but hopefully we will listen better to our prophets than the children of Israel did to theirs. My insights that have come from reading the Old Testament then is that we have our guidance form prophets just as they did so please use them in your life and follow their teachings.

July 5, 2011

What experiences in the Church do you treasure the most?

There are so many that I cannot begin to think of which I treasure the most except for my marriage. There were the meeting we attended as a family both in my youth and marriage, youth conferences as a youth and an adult, special ordinances like baptism and priesthood ordinations for myself and my children and grandchildren, and the treks and camps. All of these things and many more are experiences that I treasure but cannot place a value of more or less in my memory to be able to say this is what I treasure most. The one that is at the top of the list and will be for an eternity is the day I was married for an eternity to my special love of many of my years as a youth with whom I was able to experience many of the other activities. Due to the eternal nature of that experience it has to be the top.

July 4, 2011 Gertrude Ilean Hansen Poulson's birthday in 1916

When and where were you endowed? What do you remember about your endowment?

Many missionaries can go through the temple after they receive their mission call and attend several times prior to their mission. In my case however I received my call on one Saturday, went to Provo and bought clothes on the next Saturday and then went to Salt lake City the following Saturday to enter the Mission Home. Since we went on Saturday and then to church on Sunday (during which we were able to go into the special room in the Salt Lake Temple and have the a meeting with several of the general authorities) and so on Monday morning we went through the temple at which time I received my endowments. For the first time through of the two we did that morning I was asked to be one of the witnesses. That was a special experience even though I have no idea who the female missionary was that was the other witness. It was all pretty much a blur for me in my memory and that was the last time I was able to go through the temple since there was no temple in my mission and I was not able to attend again until after my mission. 

July 3, 2011

When were you baptized? What do you remember about the event?

Here is my account from my personal history stories.

Baptism Interview at the County Fair

Rural communities and counties seem to have their own special characteristics. I remember all the years that I was growing up our Duchesne County Fair. I liked going to it when I was young because of the candy and other treats that we were able to buy at the booths set up around the fair grounds. We always had a ferris wheel and a rodeo also. I remember only once going on the ferris wheel but I remember quite a few rodeos. In fact the stories form my father about his days in the rodeo were always a lot of fun to listen to and repeat.  I should probably include my memory of some of them in these stories also. Anyway each August near the time of my birthday we would get the chance to go to the county fair if the hay were in the stack yard and the chores were done. I went to a number of rodeo’s and always enjoyed them but the things that I remember most are the exhibits that were in the old buildings. You could walk from one building after looking at all of the jams and jellies that had been made to the next building with the quilts and handmade throw rugs to dollies made by many grandma’s loving hands.   There were also pressed plant specimens and other forestry  and 4-H exhibits that I would actually have of my own later when I turned 12. There was one year though that I will always remember because my Bishop, Bishop Phillip Moon was a sheep farmer and so the county fair was always a place to exhibit his prize livestock as well. But he was still a Bishop and a busy farmer also so he did his duties where ever and whenever he could. At the county fair that shortly followed my eight birthday I remember Bishop Moon calling and setting an appointment for me to meet him at the fair to have my baptism interview. We held it in his truck and I still can also remember that even though it was in a truck it was conducted with the spirit of the Lord by a very loving Bishop. I don’t really remember the words or what I was asked but I do remember the feeling of climbing out of that truck relieved that I had passed my interview. I must have recited several of the Articles of Faith  perfectly for I had studied and memorized very hard so that I could and I must have remembered some of the primary lessons because I am sure I must have been asked about the gospel and what it meant to me in my life. I can’t remember how long it was either but I remember it was long enough for an 8 year old taking his first big test. Later at the start of September I was baptized by my father just as all 8 year were supposed to be baptized. (At least that is what it seemed like to me at that age. I have since learned otherwise.)  Dad baptized me but the two of us had a hard time getting our act together. The first time he missed a couple of words and the second time my toes came out of the water or maybe it was the other way around but the third time we succeeded. I was baptized in the Duchesne Stake Center font only a few days after the county fair.

July 2, 2011 Alma's Birthday

What religion did your parents and grandparents practice?

My parents were both raised as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that was the religion that we practiced in our home. Marie’s parents were also raised that way and practiced it as well. Both sets of my grandparents were also members of the church and had raised my parents that way. Dad was also raised as a rancher and fell into some bad habits with his brothers of swearing, not attending church regularly and of smoking. My mother however happened to be attracted to him despite the habit and he fell in love with her and was willing to change his ways for her. He still did some swearing through his life but I remember him best from going to church with him to other wards as he visited them due to his High Council assignments and then of having him in the Bishopric during part of my youth years. He was also very involved in scouting for many years and may be part of why I have learned also to love it.

July 1, 2011

If you had it to do all over again, how would you change the way you raised your family?

I am not sure I could change things from what I did. I sometimes think that more family vacations would have been good but there is only so many vacation days from an employer and I would not change the way I used my vacations since I was able to be with my children at Scout and Girl’s camps for the majority of those times. They were so special and the experiences are among those that I treasure most.

June 30, 2011

What advice would you give to your children about being a parent?

The best advice that I can think of for my children is to depend on the Lord and to seek His help every day before starting the day and as you end it to give thanks to Him for that help.  The second thing I would give is to be united as parents and to not be afraid to use discipline as a united effort. Then the last thing is to love them regardless of their decisions and always support them but be sure you support them with the Lord’s guidance because even though they are your children doesn’t always mean they have done things correctly and are not at fault. Gather all the facts and support the truth.

June 29, 2011

What was the most difficult thing about raising a family?

Wow this is a loaded question.

I almost think that the most difficult part of raising a family is that it doesn’t come with any instruction manuals that are current. Each child comes with their own personalities and their own set of challenges for their parents. We do have our own parents examples that we can use for reference materials and we have had classes along the way in learning how to discipline and love each child with their own needs. We have also had specialists to help with repairing injuries and helping with speech therapy. We have had Bishops and other church leaders to give wise council but in the long run the greatest help in raising our family has been a loving Heavenly Father that has blessed us so as difficult challenges come along we have been able to make it through and love the outcome.

June 28, 2011

What did you find most rewarding about raising a family?

On July 11, 2009 we were all seated in the Manti temple as a family. Each child with their own spouse was there as Brittany and Jeffrey became an eternal unit. The fact that they were all able to be there and not all without effort is what is the most rewarding thing that has come from raising a family. There are so many things that are involved in reaching that moment that are rewarding, memorable as well as difficult at times that it is impossible to explain in any other way than that we were all there. 

June 27, 2011

What are some of the blessings you have received from raising your children?


More Children & Grandchildren!!

These are the greatest blessings that I have received and the fact that each child has chosen a wonderful spouse and have been faithful to the gospel. They are also raising their children as we tried to raise ours and that is a blessing that I cannot even try to explain as far as the value of blessings that we have received from raising them. It is fun to watch them try to help each other as they are raising the children.

June 26, 2011

Do you remember anything your children did when they were small that surprised or amazed you?

Children are always amazing. Memory is always fragile. So remembering specifics is almost inconceivable. I think though that children seem to be so much more advanced in their eternal growth prior to being born that they seem to be coming with power and knowledge far beyond that developed by my generation. I am sure it will continue to be that way as each generation comes along. Our grandchildren seem to be advanced even beyond that of their parents at the respective ages as well. We are truly coming closer to the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior because the spirits coming to earth in these latter-days seem so ready to prepare the world for that event.

June 25, 2011

What are some of the funniest moments (things they said or did) you can remember about your children?

Ben, scouting experiences

Ben was a rather short small boy for his age until he decided to grow in his teenage years. However as a 12 or 13 year old scout he wasn’t really very big compared to the other boys. So one time as he stood up to one of the younger boys who was making comments about me his short swing only landed air and the other boys long swing broke Ben’s nose.

Another time he was goofing off around the large open ring campfire pit and stumbled falling right into the glowing coals. It only took me a split second to reach down and pull him out but his jacket carried the holes from the burned areas cause by the hot coals.

Jeff, followed home by angry visitor due to speed of driving on Larsen lane.

Some of these were not too funny at the time especially for the child. Jeff was a soccer coach in his later teen years and one day had forgotten something for practice so in his hurry to come and get it he was traveling fairly fast down Larsen lane (800 West) and one of the neighbors sons decided that since he ignored his signaling to slow down that he would come and have a talk with him. Jeff ran into the house and asked quickly where something was and so I told him and he headed on out to the shed. I couldn’t figure out why he was in such a hurry or why he seemed worried. A few seconds later I found out why though when the fellow knocked on the door asking for my son. I talked to him and he told me about the incident and so I told him that I appreciated the concern and would talk to him about it. It took a few minutes to get him to believe that and he finally left. I don’t know if Jeff drove back to the school on Larsen lane or Main street however.

Hayden, flour all over him.

I got a frantic call from Marie one day asking how to use my camera. It seems that our little toddler had discovered something of interest on the counter and pulled it down spilling the contents of the flour canister all over him.

Tia, ability to make Loren mad

There are a number of memorable experiences of the funny and not so funny nature depending on if you are not Loren or if you are Loren. Tia has always had the ability to get Loren’s scientific mind in a battle of wits with hers. There are several memorable quotes due to this fact that still carry on to this day so it would be wise to pass the  milk when you are at our table in “The Traditional Manner” since Loren would rather not have it passed to him as you would pass a football.

Loren. Speech, crying up the statue of liberty

Loren gave us a lot of concern when he was learning to talk because as we have since come to learn he has a very special mind and a different way of thinking. Due to that fact when he was learning to speak he invented his own vocabulary and used it all the time. We didn’t know that was what was happening until a speech therapist explained it to us as we started the counseling sessions that would teach him the correct use of the language we all spoke in.

Loren’s most memorable experience though was when he was still quite young around 4 or 5. I don’t recall when we went to the National Jamboree exactly but it happened during that trip. We were climbing the stairs up the Statue of Liberty and Loren was petrified. We stood in line to be able to go and the walkway became only big enough for a fat person to walk  in s when he began to cry there was no way that I could carry him back down the stairs. So consequently I swung the video camera over my shoulder and picked him up and carried him to the top. The video was proof that he didn’t stop until we got to the top. It was recording each of the locations of the bolts near the stairs as it swung on my side as I carried him to the top and of course the sound was also recorded as he cried and was telling me all the way up. “I want to go back down!” This was also recorded in his vocabulary which I cannot quote now as I have forgotten most of it. It was mainly made up of “R’s” as I recall.

Brittany, Tia’s first stave

For Brittany the most memorable and an event that started a new hobby for me, occurred at Tia’s first or second year at Girl’s Camp. Marie had gone with Tia to camp and so I went up in the motorhome that David Nemelka had given to us and set up camp outside of Bennion Creek where the girls were camping. I would then take Loren and Brittany with me to camp after we had breakfast and played around the motorhome camp site for a few hours. I would go in and help the leaders teach the girls skills that I knew from scouting such as starting fires and use of  a compass. Well britt and Loren would just play and britt found out that Tia had a “secret sister” who became no secret shortly after that. Tia was so upset with me for bringing her to camp that I spent the next day carfing anf woodburning a new stave for her. She used the stave for several years at camp and I began going to camp every year after that as a priesthood advisor and carved a lot of staves for young women leaders over those years. 

June 24, 2011

Why did you give them the names you did?

I really don’t remember why the names were chosen other tan that Marie wanted Ben not Benjamin. I misspelled Jerfrey and spelled  it Jeffery.

Hayden was named after a Hayden whom I had taught in the missionfield but couldn’t baptize due to an alcoholic mother that would not give permission. Tia was named by the boys as I recently explained. I just liked the name Loren and after he was named later realized that I had an Uncle Loren in my mother’s family. Brittany was a favorite name that Marie had and wanted to name her that but since it was so long we didn’t give her a middle name.

June 23, 2011

I don't know if I am going to ever catch up on these questions.

Were there any unique circumstances surrounding their births?

Ben

Since he was our first and not due for three more weeks it was a bit unusual to have to go to the hospital at around 4 AM to see what was wrong. Well nothing was wrong and the nurse said to Marie as we were wheeling her down the hall in a wheelchair that “You will be laughing at the doctor in a little while. This baby wants to come now.” (or sometning to that effect.)  Anyway he was born soon there after and after being with Marie for a couple of hours I had to go to work and drive to fix TV’s. I got some time off later to be able to stay home with her for a few days but the boss needed me that particular day pretty bad or so he said.

Jeff

Jeff was due around the around the 17^th or so of Oct. So Marie and I went to a movie, Windwalker, on a Saturday evening since she didn’t appear to be getting close to having the baby. When we got home we were called again by Clair and told that dad had gone to the hospital that night with a stroke. So the next morning we headed to Roosevelt to visit  dad and when we got to the hospital the nurses wanted to get a wheelchair for Marie and we had to explain that we were not there to have a baby delivered but rather to visit dad. He had been scheduled to came and stay with Ben while Marie and I went to the hospital to have the baby. (Note: I refer to them as “baby” since back then we had no idea of the gender until they are born.) Jeff was later born on Halloween and dad was unable to come since he was still in the hospital.

Hayden

The most unusual part of his birth was the fact that Marie was sure she was going to have a girl since everything during the pregnancy was so different from the first two. Needless to say she was a bit surprised when it was a boy.

Tia

Marie was pretty well set on the fact that we would just have all boys and so when Nadine suggested we do the ring test and it said girl she wasn’t ready to believe it. Well the ring test was correct and she had our first very cute baby girl. Since the boys were old enough to help pick a name and we had been watching “Escape to Witch Mountain” they wanted to name her the same as the girl in the movie “Tia”. We did and then later found out that in Spanish it means “Aunt” . Now all of her nieces and nephews can call her “Tia Tia.”

Loren

The most unusual part of Loren’s birth was the fact that he was also overdue and while Marie was in the labor room , which was actually a room just for her, she had a dream that we had lost him during delivery. Well complications began to arise and the nurses said that we had to get him out now since she had been in delivery for almost 14 hours by then. As they wheeled to bed to the delivery room she frantically looked at me and said, “Don’t let us loose this baby.” He was born soon after that and weighed 10 lbs. But he was healthy and we were so glad to have him here.

Brittany

For her the unusual circumstances were in the fact that Marie started to bleed and she almost miscarried at around four or so months. Marie then stopped working so hard and slowed down and was able to then carry her full term. However there was one other thing that happened around her birth and that was that Grandma Behrmann passed away from a stroke on March 17^th just a little over a month before Brittany was born. Then a year later in May of 1988 the wards were divided and we were put into the first ward so that Marie’s  best friend at that time was still in the 4^th ward. We were able to still remain friends with the Averett’s but for Marie she lost a year because she has always thought that those dramatic events all happened within a two month period. Interesting that Brittany would marry the baby (Jeffrey) that Joan had just several months the wards were divided.

Latest Events

Go to ww.mytreasuredphoto.blogspot.com for images from Cheyenne's birthday party and Roy and Tiffany's wedding reception in Duchesne, Grotto Hike.