Tin Cowboys and Cliven Coming

Pulitzer-winning photo (w/fence post)  by John Filo which
Wikipedia says is likely subject to fair use because of its fame.

I remember the 1960s. Nuclear drills disguised as earthquake drills (earthquakes seeming more credible since we had a 6.5 in my grade-school years); Blank Panthers and cities burning; endless war in Viet Nam; radical leftists blowing up Post Offices; mass marches and demonstrations. Yep, real scary times.

And I was a secret subversive. I put up a good front as a conservative, but I listened to popular music, even Chicago, singing about the coming revolution. I was hoping it would be for the good and the idealism espoused. But I was cautious.

Davis County Regional Conference, 27 April 2014

(This is for the Church IT guys who linked to my last regional conference blog and apparently monitor Mormon blogs):

This is NOT an official transcript or publication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I post here in no official capacity. These are merely my poor personal notes of ideas and thoughts from Regional Conference that I share with the world to bear my own personal testimony of the Lord, His restored Gospel, and the way I see things.

We went to the Stake Center even though our Stake was requested to go to the Conference Center. This was mainly at my wife's urging and I thought it was fine. We didn't use up gas and pollute the valley, nor did we risk the chance of not getting in like happened at last regional conference.

Utah, We Love Thee (Whatever You Mean)

Look it up. Nobody can explain the origin of the name "Utah." We think it comes from a Native American word but there are all kinds of theories. It could be Navajo or some variation of Ute or Paiute or Shoshone language. It may even be a Spanish term.

My quandary began when I was working through ancestry.com on some relatives I thought I knew pretty well. There is always something more to learn.

Wood Family Cemetery on a rainy Memorial Day

Easter Hymn - Cousin Henry Vaughan

Death and darkness get you packing,
Nothing now to man is lacking;
All your triumphs now are ended,
And what Adam marred is mended,
Graves are beds now for the weary,
Death a nap, to wake more merry;
Youth now, full of pious duty,
Seeks in thee for perfect beauty;
The weak and aged, tired with length
Of days, from thee look for new strength;
And infants with thy pangs contest
As pleasant, as if with the breast.
Then, unto Him, who thus hath thrown,
Even to contempt thy kingdom down,
And by His blood did us advance
Unto His own inheritance,
To Him be glory, power, praise,
From this, unto the last of days!

HENRY VAUGHAN (1622-1695)

Peter Paul Rubens (about 1612)

A Good Friday for Lilacs

The Lilac planted five years ago when my oldest son was married.

Lilacs have always been a favorite with me. The inspiration hit that rather than a fence, I could grow a lilac hedge. It would be prettier, less expensive, and less likely to blow down in a Davis County East Wind. It will take about five years to fill in as a solid hedge. We have the time.

Robert Frost reminds us that "something there is that doesn't love a wall" (or fence). I feel the same. The popular things now are the white, vinyl fences in their plastic shine. But they were the first things to go in the East Wind.

Sick of Crazy Cowboys

No, I don't want them shot! I don't want them to shoot me or my friends either!

The stand-off between the trespassing cowboy and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in southern Nevada makes me sick to my stomach. And I find myself so befuddled by friends who would express support for the cowboys against the enforcement of federal law. I can only imagine it must be the result of those trying to stir this up to serve the god of this world - - money. (If you can't take the hint, I'm referring to FoxNews and other conspiracy theorists. I know many on the left serve the same god too. Oh, and money=property, IMO.)

Sure, my caveats and disclosures still apply. I work for the Department of the Interior which includes the BLM. I know some of the BLM Law Enforcement guys in Nevada. I consider them my friends and men of honor in sustaining and upholding the Constitution of the United States. I don't have that kind of respect for people who rush to a confrontation and aim their guns at federal law enforcement officers who are doing their duty.

The Grandma With No Name and the Disappearing Grandpa

Oh, yes! The digital world has so many things to reveal! Spurred from a hint from a fellow Keepa contributor to go to Utah State Archives on another matter, I was reminded that they already have a lot online. I was skimming Governor Cummings (1858-1861)'s files which maybe I will write up someday as "Bureaucracy Comes to Utah!" The U.S. Treasury Department seemed awfully concerned about the price of nails for the Territorial Penitentiary. I still haven't found that legendary list of the dissident Mormons for whom the Governor pledged protection to get them out of the State Territory. He did report in that the territorial library and court documents seemed to be all intact contrary to rumor.

Live-Blogging LDS General Conference April 2014 - Sunday PM

So I had about a 20 minute nap frequently interrupted by a grandson asking which of two different colors of pencils he should use for conference bingo. And who taught my nearly 2-year-old grandson to call me "Grampy" because when he says it, it sounds like "Grumpy."

President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of Twelve:
War brings things to [was it focus or clarity or what? He's not looking at all well]
When he went off to WWII he wanted to know testimony.
Things of great worth can't be taught -can only be learned.

Live-Blogging General Conference April 2014 - Sunday AM

Yikes! Just when you are trying to be all positive and spiritual, the Choir ends their program with the Hymn-that-must-not-be-named. Good thing they started when they still had 8 minutes left.

Watch conference live here: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng&cid=HPTU040114644

Pres. Eyring conducting.

"Come Ye That Love the Lord" and "On This Day of Joy and Gladness" from the Choir help a bit.
"Let Us All Press On" even more so.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

Live-Blogging LDS General Conference Spring 2014 - Priesthood Session

Hey, it's on TV. DirecTV, BYU TV Channel 374 in Davis Co. It's also live on LDS.org here: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng&cid=HPTU040114644

I'm at home in my nice easy chair. Nobody is turning out the lights. My boy still isn't home from drumline competition so this should turn out well for him to meet me here. I'm recording it, too. And we'll probably still go out for ice cream.

Did I just hear Young Women's General Presidency announced? OK. Elder Ridd is in the Young Men's General Presidency. Must be my ears.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve:
Religious Freedom [oops, jumping the gun? . . . yep]
Callings in the church - no up or down. Only forward or backward. [hmm.]
Sister Burton said we need a better understanding of the Priesthood.

Live-Blogging LDS General Conference Spring 2014 - Saturday PM

Watch it LIVE here: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng&cid=HPTU040114644

OK. I'm back. Had to get something I remembered on to Family Search/Family Tree. Then a few more groceries came.

Pres. Eyring Conducting and Pres. Uchtdorf is doing the sustainings.

Elder Ted Callister released from Presidency of the Seventy. Lynn Robins sustained. A bunch of 70s called with very few Anglo names. Sunday School General Presidency and Board released.

New Area Seventies. Much variety of names and languages. Ted R. Callister is Pres. of the Sunday School Pres. with Devin G. Durrant as second counselor (is that the basketball player? Son of George? I loved George Durrant.)

"It's a long walk." Every time.

Audits and Stats. 3, 050 Stakes. 83K full-time missionaries, etc.

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve:

Live-Blogging LDS General Conference Spring 2014 - Saturday AM

Here we go! We're just about through all the Mormon movie and book ads.

Watch it LIVE here: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng&cid=HPTU040114644

Pres. Uchtdorf conducting. We have a "Firm Foundation" singing in the choir.

Of course I could always get called away to Saturday chores. I did spend 3 hours in the garden last evening when I got home so I wouldn't feel so guilty sitting here today. I decommissioned the snow blower for the season first trying to drain out the gasoline. Then, reading the instructions "Don't drain the gasoline - Let it run until it stops with all the gas burned out" OK, a little eco-unfriendly, but we killed it off in a bout an hour while I did other Spring gardening chores. I just had this brilliant flash with our fence still down since the great East Wind blow down of a while back that maybe I could plant a hedge of lilacs. The wind can't blow them down! We could have a trestle gate with roses over it. Yeah! OK, prayer . . . .

Political Dreams and Conference Prep

Apologies are due for not posting more political points on the blog. My mind has been occupied with many other things including work challenges. Oh, yeah, and I'll have to update on the medical situation. I'm going my first PT (physical therapy) session on Monday.

The President most everyone loves to hate is to be congratulated for getting the ACA off the ground. Who would have thought that a law to provide more access to private health care would be so controversial? I don't think it actually is. I still think it's more the presidential proponent who is controversial as a symbol for significant change in America most of which, doesn't give me much of a problem.

Also, I caught a news blip somewhere that March 2014 was the first month since 2003 in which there were no US military deaths in Afghanistan or Iraq. Since that was my main reason for supporting the candidacy of Barack Obama, I can say "Dreams fulfilled." Unfortunately, our soldiers are still dying in Texas and not getting the services and treatment they need from our two wars, one of which was absolutely and totally the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time for the wrong reasons, etc.

Rescue of the Handcartless Pioneers

If only that one act alone would guarantee my eternal salvation! But it was just too easy. . . .

My Aunt called when I was coming back down. I told her I may lose cell coverage because I was winding down the Skyline Drive from rescuing some boys who went camping up there and forgot that it was still winter. "You know, they're seventeen and think they know everything." She said she knew.