Brenton Mastering the Boogey....Board, that isThursday, April 8, 2010
April 2010 - Executive Office of Ken Woodward
Dear family,
For you amateurs, specifically Levi, who are participating in the NCAA Tournament Bracket Challenge, note who is in 2nd place as of the date of writing of this historic document.
March has been a good month here at headquarters. Zachari and Joshua are enjoying the annual spring vacation and we also observed, in a low key, their 13th birthday on March 21. Joshua decided he wasn’t ready yet to be a teenager, so for the foreseeable future Zack will be 13 and Josh will be 12-plus.
My friends, Alice and Winston Langlois, will be moving April 3 to Bountiful, Utah where they will be living in an assisted living facility and be nearer to their son Brent and family who live in Kaysville. Winston will be 96 next month. Alice is 86. Winston and I have been close friends for over 50 years. I was one of his counselors in the Arden Ward bishopric from 1959 to 1965. Last month I mentioned that some of the attendees at Dave Whitmer’s funeral looked worse that Dave. Winston falls in that category.
I haven’t heard from my friend Jim Beatty for almost as long as we haven’t heard from Aaron. I’m about to conclude that either Jim’s marriage to that Polynesian beauty has gone sour, or both of them were swept out to sea off Waikiki Beach by the tsunami generated by the Chilian earthquake. I wonder what Aaron’s excuse will be.
John Sidebotham and I have now completed repair of the 50 feet of redwood fence between us which was the victim of an unusually strong windstorm a few months back. Repairing that fence is much like the painting of the Golden Gate Bridge, it’s a continuing process.
The weather in Sacramento makes one want to get out and turn the soil. I’m a pretty good farmer but my talent didn’t rub off on Kevin like I hoped it would. The only things I could ever get him to turn were the bottles of home-made root-beer.
In talking to my sister Ina the other day by phone she asked me how many great grandchildren I now have. Should I have included Rocco?
Love, Dad
For you amateurs, specifically Levi, who are participating in the NCAA Tournament Bracket Challenge, note who is in 2nd place as of the date of writing of this historic document.
March has been a good month here at headquarters. Zachari and Joshua are enjoying the annual spring vacation and we also observed, in a low key, their 13th birthday on March 21. Joshua decided he wasn’t ready yet to be a teenager, so for the foreseeable future Zack will be 13 and Josh will be 12-plus.
My friends, Alice and Winston Langlois, will be moving April 3 to Bountiful, Utah where they will be living in an assisted living facility and be nearer to their son Brent and family who live in Kaysville. Winston will be 96 next month. Alice is 86. Winston and I have been close friends for over 50 years. I was one of his counselors in the Arden Ward bishopric from 1959 to 1965. Last month I mentioned that some of the attendees at Dave Whitmer’s funeral looked worse that Dave. Winston falls in that category.
I haven’t heard from my friend Jim Beatty for almost as long as we haven’t heard from Aaron. I’m about to conclude that either Jim’s marriage to that Polynesian beauty has gone sour, or both of them were swept out to sea off Waikiki Beach by the tsunami generated by the Chilian earthquake. I wonder what Aaron’s excuse will be.
John Sidebotham and I have now completed repair of the 50 feet of redwood fence between us which was the victim of an unusually strong windstorm a few months back. Repairing that fence is much like the painting of the Golden Gate Bridge, it’s a continuing process.
The weather in Sacramento makes one want to get out and turn the soil. I’m a pretty good farmer but my talent didn’t rub off on Kevin like I hoped it would. The only things I could ever get him to turn were the bottles of home-made root-beer.
In talking to my sister Ina the other day by phone she asked me how many great grandchildren I now have. Should I have included Rocco?
Love, Dad
April 2010 - Bos, Rick & Kristy
March has been quite a busy month. During this month Sarah's father, Don Welton, passed away from heart failure. He knew he had a only a few years to live, and he lived about as long as the doctor's gave him. Sarah, Todd, Katelyn, and I traveled to Sacramento for the funeral. It was a nice Mormon funeral where everyone was sad to see him pass, but happy for him, as we all know where he is now.
Craig and I are continuing the Accounting class, which will be over on April 23rd. Yeah! This endeavor has taken on a life of its own. However, when Craig passes, and he will, he will have just two more classes to finish in time to graduate from UVU this summer. He and I will celebrate extra hard, as this class has been a huge challenge.
I continue to teach at BYU, and this term will be over at the end of April, just in time to begin my Spring and Summer term classes. It is a lot of fun, and not too time consuming. It leaves me time to be Grandma and Mom to whomever needs my help.
Rick just returned from Germany and the Music Messe International Trade Show for his company, XP Audio. It went very well. He has recovered from Jet lag and is back in the saddle with all of the "stuff" a new company requires. I didn't go with him this time because I couldn't miss "my" accounting class.
That's it for this month. (Yes, Dad I am still alive and well.)
Kristy and Rick
Craig and I are continuing the Accounting class, which will be over on April 23rd. Yeah! This endeavor has taken on a life of its own. However, when Craig passes, and he will, he will have just two more classes to finish in time to graduate from UVU this summer. He and I will celebrate extra hard, as this class has been a huge challenge.
I continue to teach at BYU, and this term will be over at the end of April, just in time to begin my Spring and Summer term classes. It is a lot of fun, and not too time consuming. It leaves me time to be Grandma and Mom to whomever needs my help.
Rick just returned from Germany and the Music Messe International Trade Show for his company, XP Audio. It went very well. He has recovered from Jet lag and is back in the saddle with all of the "stuff" a new company requires. I didn't go with him this time because I couldn't miss "my" accounting class.
That's it for this month. (Yes, Dad I am still alive and well.)
Kristy and Rick
April 2010 - Haupt, Levi & Torrie & Family
Greetings from Virginia!
Spring is here. We’ve had some funky weather, tornado warnings down south, pouring rain( there is nothing like east coast rain), and more sunshine. We’re adjusting to the weather and all the Flora which is currently assaulting our systems. Everything here blooms, which is gorgeous but something to get used to.
Emma got a bike this past month since she’s been officially potty-trained. Charlotte is super interested I’m hoping it doesn’t take as long with her. She is also trying so hard to talk more and dress herself, which makes for a humorous morning depending on the schedule and how busy we are.
Levi’s been busy at work with things I couldn’t intelligently talk about even if I knew. Since being so sick Charlotte and I have taken a hiatus from Nursery, we’re looking forward to going back after General Conference.
One of the coolest things I did this month was find an amazing recipe for cupcakes and frosting, too bad all of you live too far away…. They were scrumptious! This next month is Emma’s birthday and she’ll be four. She has requested a dragon cake with sparkly purple eyes we should have quite the post next time.
Until then.
Love,
Charlotte, Emma Torrie and Levi
p.s. we have a peat and repeat in our house. Dad was trying to help Emma do a handstand and Charlotte came running over "meeeeeeee!"
"Peat"
"Re-Peat"
This is Charlotte's attempt to dress herself, we couldn't help but laugh.
Spring is here. We’ve had some funky weather, tornado warnings down south, pouring rain( there is nothing like east coast rain), and more sunshine. We’re adjusting to the weather and all the Flora which is currently assaulting our systems. Everything here blooms, which is gorgeous but something to get used to.
Emma got a bike this past month since she’s been officially potty-trained. Charlotte is super interested I’m hoping it doesn’t take as long with her. She is also trying so hard to talk more and dress herself, which makes for a humorous morning depending on the schedule and how busy we are.
Levi’s been busy at work with things I couldn’t intelligently talk about even if I knew. Since being so sick Charlotte and I have taken a hiatus from Nursery, we’re looking forward to going back after General Conference.
One of the coolest things I did this month was find an amazing recipe for cupcakes and frosting, too bad all of you live too far away…. They were scrumptious! This next month is Emma’s birthday and she’ll be four. She has requested a dragon cake with sparkly purple eyes we should have quite the post next time.
Until then.
Love,
Charlotte, Emma Torrie and Levi
p.s. we have a peat and repeat in our house. Dad was trying to help Emma do a handstand and Charlotte came running over "meeeeeeee!"
"Peat"
"Re-Peat"
This is Charlotte's attempt to dress herself, we couldn't help but laugh.
April 2010 - Slade, Jeff & Crystal & Family
We are very excited to be on Spring Break right now and to finally be resting a bit. Andrew will be turning 5 this month and we are preparing for lots of fun (with lots of 5 year olds!) However we are most excited to be planning our trip out to California this summer....finally! In July we will be able to spend 9 days out in Ca. with family, which is wonderful because the last time the whole family was out there was for mom's wedding! Next year Jeff will continue with Wal-mart, I will continue with the local school district as a psychologist, but will go back to part-time:) Next year all the kids will be in school...... new stage to our life.......
April 2010 - Westover, Mel & Carol
Well, I think that the weather is having a hard time making up its mind if it is Spring or not. Right now it is raining, but that is okay, because I am on Spring break. Mel and I just got home from Pismo last night. It was raining over there too. March has been busy, especially at school. We gave our final district test to see how our students will do on the STAR test. I am very proud of how well my students did, now let's just hope that they do as well on the STAR.
Mel and I are still doing our ACN business. If anyone needs a cell phone, satellite t.v., ADT security, local long distance, air cards, or our video phone, let me know, we can save you some money. We are now experts at telecommunication.
Great news!! Mel's son, Niel, is now an official member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He will be singing in general conference. We love watching him sing Sunday Mornings.
I will let my kids tell you about their awesome families. However, these grandchildren continue to crack me up. Gotta love it!! Have a great April, for me, I'm on the home stretch for school this year.
Mel and Carol
Mel and I are still doing our ACN business. If anyone needs a cell phone, satellite t.v., ADT security, local long distance, air cards, or our video phone, let me know, we can save you some money. We are now experts at telecommunication.
Great news!! Mel's son, Niel, is now an official member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He will be singing in general conference. We love watching him sing Sunday Mornings.
I will let my kids tell you about their awesome families. However, these grandchildren continue to crack me up. Gotta love it!! Have a great April, for me, I'm on the home stretch for school this year.
Mel and Carol
April 2010 - Wilcox, Todd & Tracy & Family
This last month the Wilcox family was able to go to Hawaii! Specifically Maui, on a last minute trip. We had a lot of fun, as can be expected. Brenton mastered the boogey board, it was so cute! We stayed in a house with our in-laws. And yes we were there for the tsunami... One thing that warning did was teach the locals to prepare! When we went to church many of them bore testimony of the importance to prepare and that they were going to start. Heavenly Father sure knows what he is doing!
Nothing else really this month. Work, school, work. Same old routine as many of you know yourselves. It's been a typical spring here in Utah. Yesterday it was 70 and today it is snowing. Crazy! Hope everyone is doing well!
The Wilcox Family
Nothing else really this month. Work, school, work. Same old routine as many of you know yourselves. It's been a typical spring here in Utah. Yesterday it was 70 and today it is snowing. Crazy! Hope everyone is doing well!
The Wilcox Family
April 2010 - Woodward, Kevin & Tammy & Family
We had an experience this last month which we all have had, or will have, at some point in time: realignment of the boundaries of our ward. In the Colorado Springs North Stake, we created an eleventh ward, realigned the boundaries of seven, renamed four, called three new bishops and a host of bishopric members. It was quite a Sunday afternoon.
As our contribution this month, I'd like to ask if you would indulge me by allowing me to share with you a portion of a message that I had a chance to share with the members of our stake. As I pondered about what to say and put pen to paper, I learned a great deal in this process. You never know, there is always an outside chance another member of our family might find the message helpful.
Introduction
Brothers and sisters, this is an exciting time in which we live here in the Colorado Springs North Stake. We live in a period in which there are "wards and rumors of wards". (Background: Rumors of this realignment had been floating for months.) Yet this is due to the blessing of tremendous growth which we as a stake have enjoyed over a sustained period of time. The purpose of our meeting this afternoon is to present to you, for your sustaining vote, changes in ward boundaries, and in some cases, changes in ward names and leadership that have been approved by the Office of the First Presidency.
(About 45 Minutes Worth of Stake Business)
Closing Remarks
This is a remarkable process. It is unlike any process we would find elsewhere outside of the church. When Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and Elder Carlos A. Godoy where here almost two years ago to reorganize the presidency of this stake, Elder Holland made a similar observation. He made mention of an exceptionally, orderly transition. He said, and I will use his words, “Where else can two yahoos come from out of town, turn a stake on its ear, shake things up, ride off out of town into the sunset, and the stake doesn’t even skip a beat. Everything continues to run ever so smoothly.” Such is what we have witnessed here this afternoon. We started this meeting with ten (10) wards in this stake. We will end this meeting with 11. Over three quarters of us here in the this stake have been impacted by leadership or ward boundary alignment changes. Yet on the Sunday after General Conference, two weeks from now, we will all show up at our appointed times and locations for church. We may have new ward leadership in place, we may or may not have a calling on that day, we may find the absence of a dear friend because they now reside in a neighboring ward, or we may reunite with dear friends of wards of the past. Whatever the case, we will in an “ever so orderly fashion” be prepared to go forward and to serve Him who is our Lord and Savior.
In saying this, I certainly don’t want to minimize the element of sadness we each may feel when change is ushered in. Change of a bishop, or bishopric member, no longer seeing each Sunday dear friends we have known for years, or no longer having that special Primary teacher or youth leader who makes us feel very loved can be very painful experience. May I share with you a personal experience, related to this type of change, that deeply affected me.
Nearly ten years ago, I was released as a bishop in California. I had served almost six years in that capacity. I had also served for four years prior to that as a counselor in that ward bishopric. So for ten years, I had come to know the members of the Ana Verde Ward in a very personal way. Now my term of service was over. The stake president, who is a dear friend of mine, during the course of our meeting, informed me that not only was I going to be released, but the ward for which I had served as bishop was going to be split three different ways. Our family would now be members of a totally different ward. I knew that what was about to happen was the Lord’s will. But it was, nevertheless, painful. I remember sitting at the kitchen table with Tammy and our girls after we had returned home from our first Sunday having attended our new ward. Some of our family members were excited with the new ward and with the new friends that they had made that day. Others were saddened, feeling a sense of loss, and longing for the ward they had always known. In all honesty, I was torn. I knew that looking forward and becoming fully engaged in our new ward was what the Lord would have us do. I knew that doing so we would be happy. But I felt a sense of homesickness for the old ward, and the members I had come to know so well as their bishop.
What I came to realize was that it was okay for me to feel a sense of loss. That’s part of the natural process we go through when we lose something dear to us. It is an indication that we have been experiencing great joy. But what I also found was that by actively serving in our new ward, I was able to work through the feelings of loss, and I emerged feeling a greater sense of appreciation for all of our friends, both old and new. The memories of having served with the members of the Ana Verde Ward were choice. And with time, they have become even more so.
As I mentioned at the beginning of our meeting, the reason we are here today is because of the tremendous growth we have experienced as a stake. We continually hope and pray that many, if not all, will come into the fold, and enjoy the blessings of the restored gospel. And as they come, wards and stakes will multiply and divide. The gospel plan is anything but a program of status quo. It is the greatest vehicle for change, and that includes personal change, that has or ever will exist. As we come together in the days, weeks, months and even years ahead, may we continually look to one another and say, as did Ruth of the Old Testament, “Thy people shall be my people.” After all, Ruth said it even before she saw the people who were going to be “her” people (Ruth 1:16). She was both a widow and a convert and there must have been uncertainty in her heart. But, true to her resolve, she made those people her people, became the wife of Boaz, and was a link in the royal line leading to Christ.
I bear you my witness that this is the very work of our Lord here upon the earth. We are preparing the earth for His coming. That is the cause that must unite us today and tomorrow. What a marvelous stake family we enjoy. In fact, the stake is my ward. How I love each of you. May you continually know of my love and of my witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
As our contribution this month, I'd like to ask if you would indulge me by allowing me to share with you a portion of a message that I had a chance to share with the members of our stake. As I pondered about what to say and put pen to paper, I learned a great deal in this process. You never know, there is always an outside chance another member of our family might find the message helpful.
Introduction
Brothers and sisters, this is an exciting time in which we live here in the Colorado Springs North Stake. We live in a period in which there are "wards and rumors of wards". (Background: Rumors of this realignment had been floating for months.) Yet this is due to the blessing of tremendous growth which we as a stake have enjoyed over a sustained period of time. The purpose of our meeting this afternoon is to present to you, for your sustaining vote, changes in ward boundaries, and in some cases, changes in ward names and leadership that have been approved by the Office of the First Presidency.
(About 45 Minutes Worth of Stake Business)
Closing Remarks
This is a remarkable process. It is unlike any process we would find elsewhere outside of the church. When Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and Elder Carlos A. Godoy where here almost two years ago to reorganize the presidency of this stake, Elder Holland made a similar observation. He made mention of an exceptionally, orderly transition. He said, and I will use his words, “Where else can two yahoos come from out of town, turn a stake on its ear, shake things up, ride off out of town into the sunset, and the stake doesn’t even skip a beat. Everything continues to run ever so smoothly.” Such is what we have witnessed here this afternoon. We started this meeting with ten (10) wards in this stake. We will end this meeting with 11. Over three quarters of us here in the this stake have been impacted by leadership or ward boundary alignment changes. Yet on the Sunday after General Conference, two weeks from now, we will all show up at our appointed times and locations for church. We may have new ward leadership in place, we may or may not have a calling on that day, we may find the absence of a dear friend because they now reside in a neighboring ward, or we may reunite with dear friends of wards of the past. Whatever the case, we will in an “ever so orderly fashion” be prepared to go forward and to serve Him who is our Lord and Savior.
In saying this, I certainly don’t want to minimize the element of sadness we each may feel when change is ushered in. Change of a bishop, or bishopric member, no longer seeing each Sunday dear friends we have known for years, or no longer having that special Primary teacher or youth leader who makes us feel very loved can be very painful experience. May I share with you a personal experience, related to this type of change, that deeply affected me.
Nearly ten years ago, I was released as a bishop in California. I had served almost six years in that capacity. I had also served for four years prior to that as a counselor in that ward bishopric. So for ten years, I had come to know the members of the Ana Verde Ward in a very personal way. Now my term of service was over. The stake president, who is a dear friend of mine, during the course of our meeting, informed me that not only was I going to be released, but the ward for which I had served as bishop was going to be split three different ways. Our family would now be members of a totally different ward. I knew that what was about to happen was the Lord’s will. But it was, nevertheless, painful. I remember sitting at the kitchen table with Tammy and our girls after we had returned home from our first Sunday having attended our new ward. Some of our family members were excited with the new ward and with the new friends that they had made that day. Others were saddened, feeling a sense of loss, and longing for the ward they had always known. In all honesty, I was torn. I knew that looking forward and becoming fully engaged in our new ward was what the Lord would have us do. I knew that doing so we would be happy. But I felt a sense of homesickness for the old ward, and the members I had come to know so well as their bishop.
What I came to realize was that it was okay for me to feel a sense of loss. That’s part of the natural process we go through when we lose something dear to us. It is an indication that we have been experiencing great joy. But what I also found was that by actively serving in our new ward, I was able to work through the feelings of loss, and I emerged feeling a greater sense of appreciation for all of our friends, both old and new. The memories of having served with the members of the Ana Verde Ward were choice. And with time, they have become even more so.
As I mentioned at the beginning of our meeting, the reason we are here today is because of the tremendous growth we have experienced as a stake. We continually hope and pray that many, if not all, will come into the fold, and enjoy the blessings of the restored gospel. And as they come, wards and stakes will multiply and divide. The gospel plan is anything but a program of status quo. It is the greatest vehicle for change, and that includes personal change, that has or ever will exist. As we come together in the days, weeks, months and even years ahead, may we continually look to one another and say, as did Ruth of the Old Testament, “Thy people shall be my people.” After all, Ruth said it even before she saw the people who were going to be “her” people (Ruth 1:16). She was both a widow and a convert and there must have been uncertainty in her heart. But, true to her resolve, she made those people her people, became the wife of Boaz, and was a link in the royal line leading to Christ.
I bear you my witness that this is the very work of our Lord here upon the earth. We are preparing the earth for His coming. That is the cause that must unite us today and tomorrow. What a marvelous stake family we enjoy. In fact, the stake is my ward. How I love each of you. May you continually know of my love and of my witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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