Something New

May 19, 2013

Last evening Jean and I went to a meeting on helping our children and grandchildren learn. A panel of fairly willing and very human parents shared their experiences related to an assignment they had been given six weeks ago. Each family was asked to use a program the LDS church began last year for teaching Sunday school and other youth classes. These families were asked to use the same program in their family home evenings. Family home evenings have been around for many years but with more and more activities associated with church, homework, sports, school, dance, drama, it seems like our grandchildren are finding themselves having to make priority decisions on a daily basis. Since all of these are beneficial things the question becomes one of selecting among, “. . . good, better, or best.”

I have been wandering around the education scene virtually all of my life and have come to the certain conclusion that:

1.       We learn in many divergent ways

2.       We learn at vastly different speeds

3.       We do not all learn the same things at the same chronological age

4.       We have areas of study and expertise in which we excel, and those in which we falter

The program the families on the panel used called “Come unto Christ” provides opportunities for each person in a particular learning environment to excel in their area of interest. One example from the panel was a beautiful couple with three boys ranging in age from three to ten, diagnosed with autism. As difficult as it may seem, they dutifully hold their home evenings. After one such home evening, the oldest, came to his mother and, in his labored voice said, “Heavenly Father, and Jesus love me.” More profound words have never been spoken. Another spoke of being the most obnoxious child when he was a teen; yet, he received great blessings from “attending”, if only in body as a teenager. Some panel members spoke of the difficulty of getting wide ranging ages together, while others noted that even the very youngest would participate when music and thoughts were shared with their needs in mind.

While visiting with Teresa and our granddaughter Emma I shared my idea of a perfect way of learning. I shared that we would throw out rote regurtation in which students memorize answers to questions at the first level cognition level; only to spit them back at a bubble sheet, never learning meaning, or consequences. I asked Emma if she would like to start third grade by selecting and reading twenty books on a variety of topics including areas like sports, engineering, science, history, religion; then craft her curriculum based on those topics and whatever level she felt appropriate. She declined the opportunity.

So, Emma, what if we were to use the concept embodied in the Come unto Christ system which would include your participation. You would sit with your mom and dad, prayerfully consider what you want to learn, and where you are in your chronological and academic levels; then, set out to conquer the goals, concepts, and learning levels that you and your parents help you set. Imagine!  No more falling behind because you didn’t understand a building block foundational concept; no more waiting for others to finish a concept which you already knew, or learned quickly. No more sitting through hours of painful repetitive, mind numbing exercises based on their ability to keep you busy and out of the way while others caught up. I think that would be such a great opportunity for outstanding learning.

My mind kept racing back to the times I had experienced awkward and embarrassing moments in my educational pursuits that could have been eliminated and replaced with scenes in which I was given much more opportunity to excel because I had input, God had input, my parents had input, and I was able to learn and flourish without self contempt, and grave personal doubts.

Thanks for your constant input. I truly enjoy hearing from you and learning of your ideas, interests and love.

God bless you as you strive to work through the exciting wonders of life.

Duane Jacobs, Father, grandfather, uncle, cousin, brother, and fond friend

Memorial Day

May 26, 2013

My brother Glenn shared a wonderful Memorial Day tribute. It is one of those that is passed around from time to time but is worth sharing again. I am sending it as a separate note for your enjoyment.

The word memorial, derived from memory means to give thanks, honor, and appreciation to something or someone. Wow! We are so very blessed to have our brains full to the brim with experiences, objects, and especially people to who deserve our respect, honor, and appreciation. I was my thoughts on this writing project I have been chipping away at for over two years. I shared how I had struggled to write in journals. I didn’t mention that I have a bunch of journal books that have great clean sheets in them – just no writing. My point is that we really have no reason or justification to avoid this simple task now. We can sit at the computer and relate the memories we have, or that come to mind at that particular moment. They are all there; it just takes a little digging to flush them out and make things appear on the written page.

For example we were in class talking about Sister Wixom’s encouragement to us all in April 2013 General Conference. “One of the greatest influences a person can have in this world is to influence a child. Children’s beliefs and self-worth are shaped early in their lives.” When I was fourteen I stuttered terribly. One fine youth leader suggested I give a talk in a speech contest. I scoffed at the notion because my self esteem was just about at the same level as my speaking ability – right down in the gutter. After several very courteous attempts to encourage me to do this outrageous thing I finally consented. I remember very little of the content of that speech except that one of the quotes was from the Old Testament about obedience being better than the fat of rams (sacrifice). The notion of completing this talk and actually feeling good about it was the beginning of a swing upward for me. It was good enough that the leaders were actually able to justify sending me on to the next level in the contest. Now I have never seen or heard of a speech contest in the church before or since, so I presume it was all for my personal growth.

When my children were growing up, I spent way too much time working. I worked at work; then I worked at home; then I worked on second and third jobs; then I worked building houses and businesses. My children blossomed into beautiful members of society with children of their own. I owe them an oversized apology and huge encouragement to focus on blessing the lives of their children every single day. Listen to them. Listen some more. Do something with them. Then do some more. Pray with them. Share with them. Love them. Let them know you love them by word and by deed. Sister Wixom continues in her talk; “Everyone within the sound of my voice has the power to increase a child’s confidence in himself or herself and to increase a child’s faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through the words they speak.

Thank you all for the wonderful memories with which you have blessed my life.

God bless you as you move forward in your earthly ministry of love and compassion.

And God gave us his son, Jesus Christ.

And he gave us so many blessings, we can barely contain them.

He gave us oranges because they are orange, and unlike the sun, or the Son of god, we can look upon them and enjoy their splendor because they have been colored just for us.

We hope you have a wonderful spiritual time during this celebration of the birth of Jesus. Share your lives with those around you. Give thanks to him who gave us life eternal.

 

God bless you all in the things you do and say for others.

Duane and Jean Jacobs

January 9, 2012

This is Nextep University. You can see and participate in this activity by going to the Blog, Nextep Living, on Blogspot.com.

As you can see, it is nothing but hot air right now; however, it can be a mighty force. This is how it works: Someone

• asks a question
• poses a challenge
• has an answer
• sees the question and answer and likes what is said
• sees the answer and determines that they have a better answer
• talks to someone else
• else listens, learns, talks, and takes positive action

Neat things happen because mortals are given opportunities to learn, to grow, and to fulfill their live meaning.

 

Last week the question was very simple. Why should I take the hard path, keep living, keep working on the things God sent me to earth to do?  Shorter version: Should I keep trying to be the kind of person I am told that I can be, or should I OD on drugs and alcohol and say goodby to the pain in life. Probably the most complex question in the universe. Any takers. Remember! Your answer may save a life.

 

Today’s question: What should we do for the rest of our lives. My incredible brother writes that his also incredible daughter Sarah has blessed him with an opportunity to just relax, enjoy life, get his estate in order, and not be saddled with the expectations that come from unfulfilled dreams. In short, he has committed the last decade to helping people in need. He is determined to establish an assisted living home in Eager. Eager town management has resisted him even though he has gone through the bowels of hell to abide their wishes. Sarah says, “Dad, they will never let you open. Question! What would you do? What would you encourage your aging and ill parents to do? What would Heavenly Father have you do? What will you do for the next twenty years?

 

I have attached a copy of some notes I made concerning today’s question. The notes do not make an answer; they simply add more to the puzzle. I look forward to your comments and responses.

PLEASE HAVE SOME FUN AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS. MOST OF US ARE GOING THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE, OR WILL SOMETIME IN OUR LIFE TIME.

 

Duane Jacobs

 

Don Quixote rides again

American Native legend: The end of the trail – when dreams die.

An old friend, Udell Brown, of the San Carlos Apache American Native tribal council once sat with me when I was discouraged about an assignment I had there. He said, this is how you look at your assignment. You determine that when you get to class, you will have one book, instead of twenty, no students, an empty classroom, and patience. You will keep going, track down those who have enrolled, and make a difference in their lives. Then if you get to class and actually find that you have one, or two students ready to learn, you will feel like a complete success.

The story line is the same. I have changed the characters just a bit for the sake of making a point. Don Quixote is myth, but his fame is legend. Was he crazy? Was he misguided? Or, was he really trying to tell the world that certain things need to happen to fulfill life’s purposes?

A young man named Glenn Jacobs was always on the wrong side of the bus. If everyone wanted to turn left, Glenn would naturally want to go right. If proper society said that writing the appropriate title of a pile of manure on a nice fresh stack in the school yard was not polite, he did it anyway. If creating a very politically incorrect essay on his law entry exam would mean certain exile from the ranks of budding law students and lawyers, he would make it happen. If creating an entirely different arena for elementary students by allowing them to have “shelter” for their thoughts while reading, he would do it by providing cardboard boxes they could retire to and read as rewards for good work. He loathed “busy work” and fought valiantly to seek means of assisting students gain wisdom. Not even close to acceptable, his notions were cause for banishment from the ranks of the teaching profession.

He went to war in Vietnam and was severely wounded, hauled to Germany, then back to the United States where he recuperated for months at El Paso, Texas. Never to be outdone, or outwitted, he and his marvelous wife Dorothy (remember! She has always been the strong one) would do insane things like shove him while he was in his full body cast, in the back of their Volkswagen station wagon and go to a drive in movie. He also convinced our father, Glenn Sr. to travel around with him somehow hanging above the seats of the Lincoln Continental he drove, all while adorned in a towel and body cast.

Then, he did the unthinkable. He was the chief editor, cook, and bottle washer for a weekly newspaper he and Dorothy wrote, edited, generated ads, and distribute for twenty years. Was it conventional? Did it create wealth and fame? Did it assist him in accomplishing his earthly mission? You be the judge.

Glenn was examined by physicians and found to have a real bad tumor, I believe on the frontal lobe right behind his nose. Determination was made to extract the tumor by, as Glenn reports, removing his face, removing the tumor then stitching him back up. The possibilities of paralysis, mental incapacity, and death were very real. In miraculous fashion, just prior to the operation, a brain surgeon came in from Germany and asked additional questions regarding his health history and found that because he had a specific, non-typical male characteristic, the tumor could be maintained and controlled with some kind of non-traditional medicine that could only be found in Germany. The medicine was procured and Glenn has lived these many years through the grace of God and his miracles given to us as mortals.

 

January 9, 2012

This is Nextep University. You can see and participate in this activity by going to the Blog, Nextep Living, on Blogspot.com.

As you can see, it is nothing but hot air right now; however, it can be a mighty force. This is how it works: Someone

• asks a question
• poses a challenge
• has an answer
• sees the question and answer and likes what is said
• sees the answer and determines that they have a better answer
• talks to someone else
• else listens, learns, talks, and takes positive action

Neat things happen because mortals are given opportunities to learn, to grow, and to fulfill their live meaning.

 

Last week the question was very simple. Why should I take the hard path, keep living, keep working on the things God sent me to earth to do?  Shorter version: Should I keep trying to be the kind of person I am told that I can be, or should I OD on drugs and alcohol and say goodby to the pain in life. Probably the most complex question in the universe. Any takers. Remember! Your answer may save a life.

 

Today’s question: What should we do for the rest of our lives. My incredible brother writes that his also incredible daughter Sarah has blessed him with an opportunity to just relax, enjoy life, get his estate in order, and not be saddled with the expectations that come from unfulfilled dreams. In short, he has committed the last decade to helping people in need. He is determined to establish an assisted living home in Eager. Eager town management has resisted him even though he has gone through the bowels of hell to abide their wishes. Sarah says, “Dad, they will never let you open. Question! What would you do? What would you encourage your aging and ill parents to do? What would Heavenly Father have you do? What will you do for the next twenty years?

 

I have attached a copy of some notes I made concerning today’s question. The notes do not make an answer; they simply add more to the puzzle. I look forward to your comments and responses.

PLEASE HAVE SOME FUN AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS. MOST OF US ARE GOING THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE, OR WILL SOMETIME IN OUR LIFE TIME.

 

Duane Jacobs

 

Don Quixote rides again

American Native legend: The end of the trail – when dreams die.

An old friend, Udell Brown, of the San Carlos Apache American Native tribal council once sat with me when I was discouraged about an assignment I had there. He said, this is how you look at your assignment. You determine that when you get to class, you will have one book, instead of twenty, no students, an empty classroom, and patience. You will keep going, track down those who have enrolled, and make a difference in their lives. Then if you get to class and actually find that you have one, or two students ready to learn, you will feel like a complete success.

The story line is the same. I have changed the characters just a bit for the sake of making a point. Don Quixote is myth, but his fame is legend. Was he crazy? Was he misguided? Or, was he really trying to tell the world that certain things need to happen to fulfill life’s purposes?

A young man named Glenn Jacobs was always on the wrong side of the bus. If everyone wanted to turn left, Glenn would naturally want to go right. If proper society said that writing the appropriate title of a pile of manure on a nice fresh stack in the school yard was not polite, he did it anyway. If creating a very politically incorrect essay on his law entry exam would mean certain exile from the ranks of budding law students and lawyers, he would make it happen. If creating an entirely different arena for elementary students by allowing them to have “shelter” for their thoughts while reading, he would do it by providing cardboard boxes they could retire to and read as rewards for good work. He loathed “busy work” and fought valiantly to seek means of assisting students gain wisdom. Not even close to acceptable, his notions were cause for banishment from the ranks of the teaching profession.

He went to war in Vietnam and was severely wounded, hauled to Germany, then back to the United States where he recuperated for months at El Paso, Texas. Never to be outdone, or outwitted, he and his marvelous wife Dorothy (remember! She has always been the strong one) would do insane things like shove him while he was in his full body cast, in the back of their Volkswagen station wagon and go to a drive in movie. He also convinced our father, Glenn Sr. to travel around with him somehow hanging above the seats of the Lincoln Continental he drove, all while adorned in a towel and body cast.

Then, he did the unthinkable. He was the chief editor, cook, and bottle washer for a weekly newspaper he and Dorothy wrote, edited, generated ads, and distribute for twenty years. Was it conventional? Did it create wealth and fame? Did it assist him in accomplishing his earthly mission? You be the judge.

Glenn was examined by physicians and found to have a real bad tumor, I believe on the frontal lobe right behind his nose. Determination was made to extract the tumor by, as Glenn reports, removing his face, removing the tumor then stitching him back up. The possibilities of paralysis, mental incapacity, and death were very real. In miraculous fashion, just prior to the operation, a brain surgeon came in from Germany and asked additional questions regarding his health history and found that because he had a specific, non-typical male characteristic, the tumor could be maintained and controlled with some kind of non-traditional medicine that could only be found in Germany. The medicine was procured and Glenn has lived these many years through the grace of God and his miracles given to us as mortals.

January 9, 2012

This is Nextep University. You can see and participate in this activity by going to the Blog, Nextep Living, on Blogspot.com.

As you can see, it is nothing but hot air right now; however, it can be a mighty force. This is how it works: Someone

• asks a question
• poses a challenge
• has an answer
• sees the question and answer and likes what is said
• sees the answer and determines that they have a better answer
• talks to someone else
• else listens, learns, talks, and takes positive action

Neat things happen because mortals are given opportunities to learn, to grow, and to fulfill their live meaning.

 

Last week the question was very simple. Why should I take the hard path, keep living, keep working on the things God sent me to earth to do?  Shorter version: Should I keep trying to be the kind of person I am told that I can be, or should I OD on drugs and alcohol and say goodby to the pain in life. Probably the most complex question in the universe. Any takers. Remember! Your answer may save a life.

 

Today’s question: What should we do for the rest of our lives. My incredible brother writes that his also incredible daughter Sarah has blessed him with an opportunity to just relax, enjoy life, get his estate in order, and not be saddled with the expectations that come from unfulfilled dreams. In short, he has committed the last decade to helping people in need. He is determined to establish an assisted living home in Eager. Eager town management has resisted him even though he has gone through the bowels of hell to abide their wishes. Sarah says, “Dad, they will never let you open. Question! What would you do? What would you encourage your aging and ill parents to do? What would Heavenly Father have you do? What will you do for the next twenty years?

 

I have attached a copy of some notes I made concerning today’s question. The notes do not make an answer; they simply add more to the puzzle. I look forward to your comments and responses.

PLEASE HAVE SOME FUN AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS. MOST OF US ARE GOING THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE, OR WILL SOMETIME IN OUR LIFE TIME.

 

Duane Jacobs

 

Don Quixote rides again

American Native legend: The end of the trail – when dreams die.

April 6, 2012

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was officially organized 182 years ago today. It continues to grow and flourish because it has eternal value and was provided to us mortals by God as a vehicle through which the Priesthood of God and the remaining covenants, ordinances, and commandments would be available to us as we attempt to endure to the end and return to his presence.

The most compelling question we can ask ourselves is how we can best serve our fellowmen in achieving this goal for our family, for our fellowmen, and by extension, for ourselves. In recent years the Church has added a fourth tenant to the three-fold purpose of the Church; namely, ensuring the needs of the poor and needy. The adage regarding giving someone a fish and it lasting for a day and teaching someone to fish and it lasting a lifetime comes boldly to mind as I review this purpose of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So, the critical question is, how can we serve Heavenly Father’s children through helping administer this principle.

This is what I believe would assist in blessing the lives of many in this country and other parts of the world:

1.       Create a network of like-minded individuals that share a common interest such as

a.       making shoes, clothes, blankets, socks, furniture, caskets;

b.       or remanufacturing cars, bicycles, houses, etc;

c.        or creating food products including, vegetables, fruit, sheep, cows, pigs, chickens, eggs, legumes, wheat, rye, oats,

d.      Or others.

2.       Create one, or more cooperatives with distributive linkages, owned and operated by the members of the network.

3.       Provide

a.       first, for the needs of any and all network members

b.      second, for others who wish to purchase quality products through the cooperative.

c.       Products and services not available through network members purchased through the cooperative, such as paper products, fuels, new vehicles, building products, etc. purchased in bulk and sold to members.

4.       Each network member would provide consigned products to the cooperative to be purchased at market price by other network members or outside vendors, or users.

5.       Each participating network member would be paid for any and all products sold through the cooperative, less ten percent that would remain as a contingency fund in the cooperative for overhead, employees, insurance, etc. Employment in the cooperative could be rotated through members of the network that wished to do so and paid for their services.

6.       Even, services such as insurance, real estate, mortgage brokerage, and stock brokerage could be included in the network and cooperative.

7.       Since the network and cooperative are 100 percent owned and operated by members, any residual funds at the end of any fiscal year would be returned on a prorate basis to the participating members. Again, a contingency fund would be developed and maintained as a “rainy day” fund.

I have only sent this to you, to my sons Scott and Daniel, and to my friend Mario for right now. I really have no ideas if we could pull off something like this on any workable scale. It just seems like a great idea. Glenn Beck is attempting to put things together that will bless the lives of like-minded people. It might be that we would want to share this with him and see what happens. I am not sure what kind of business licensing we would need. Would we need licensing for individual network members? Would there just be one umbrella license for the cooperative and no other? Would we all go to jail for thwarting the purposes of our Communist leader, Rocky Obama?

Just me thinking again. Can you smell the smoke coming out both ears?

 

Duane Jacobs

IF I WERE KING FOR A DAY

April 18, 2012

The adage regarding giving someone a fish and it lasting for a day and teaching someone to fish and it lasting a lifetime comes boldly to mind as I review the process of attempting to serve the homeless. So, the critical question is, how can we serve those who need a hand up.

This is what I propose:

1.       Create a network of like-minded individuals that share a common interest such as

a.       making shoes, clothes, blankets, socks, furniture, caskets;

b.       or remanufacturing cars, bicycles, houses, etc;

c.        or creating food products including, vegetables, fruit, sheep, cows, pigs, chickens, eggs, legumes, wheat, rye, oats,

d.      Or others.

2.       Create one, or more networks with distributive linkages, owned and operated by the members of the network.

3.       Secure:

a.        A parcel of land that can accommodate up to 120 mobile homes.

b.      This land would need to be close to town for ease of access to all services.

c.       This land could be donated, leased, offered for use as a benefit to the community

d.      It could come from private, state, local, or other

e.      Homes from:

                                                               i.      Donations

                                                             ii.      FEMA stock

                                                            iii.      Pre-1978 homes that can be converted to upgraded codes for electrical, plumbing, insulation, windows, hvac, exterior, and roofing.

                                                           iv.      Other

4.       Each participant would use his/her talents and training to on assigned tasks:

a.       Farming

b.      Accounting

c.       Cooking

d.      Construction

e.      Security

f.        Manufacturing clothing, shoes, and other soft goods

g.       Creating and maintaining computer access, equipment, etc

h.      And many etc’s

5.        Each participating network member would be provided housing, food, and other necessities.

a.       Those with social security, etc would still participate in productive activities and would share 40 percent of their monthly outside benefit with the network(s).

6.       During the time participants reside and work in the cooperative, they would be mentored through RRC and encouraged to participate in TTW employment network, work force Services activities which encourage gravitation into traditional employment and community activities.

7.       We would need to look long and hard at existing law, programs, services, residential codes, limitations on felons associating with other felons, etc, but it could be done

8.       We would need to ensure that our efforts were either “for profit”, so as not to impede, or compete with other for profit businesses; or a under a 501c3 so as to be deemed a non-profit that somehow worked with the employing/business community; thus, ensuring a strong link between the network and the business community.

 

Duane Jacobs

And life goes on

May 27, 2012

Last Thursday I witnessed a young US Marine and his wife being honored for serving our country, the United States of America. He was a fine young man in his dress blues, with his beautiful young bride at his side. The story was told that he had already served one mission in Afghanistan and would be leaving on another in the fall, before their new-born would come into this world. The Vietnam War Veterans, a local auto dealer foundation, and the Wade Family Foundation gave him some nice things including a Grand Cherokee, but the most lasting gift was the gratitude shown this young man for his service. He was about as shy as anyone I have ever known and would have liked to be just about anywhere but in that spotlight, but he stood proudly and accepted the honors bestowed. Howard Shaffer, my USS Hornet buddy, a bunch of Southern Utah citizens, the young Marine’s family and a bunch of us grizzled old veterans got all choked us and tearful as we saw good people doing good things.

We talked about the experiences we have had that brought us to this point in life. We talked about what our lives would have been if we had not taken, “. . . the path less traveled.” I have been humbled to my knees to be part of a family that started back in 1965 when Jean and I married. Most people who had any association with us – family or friends – didn’t give us very good odds at lasting as a couple, much less creating a living legacy which includes six children and their spouses, 26 grand children and who knows what the future holds. For this magnificent blessing I give my temporal and spiritual advisor, my friend, my lover, my source of strength, and eternal companion, 99.5 percent of the credit and I honor her for all she is.

We met as children barely into our twenties and have grown together over almost half a century. In my recollections, I have come to understand that she has been the most giving, selfless person on the planet and done the most incredible, bizarre things including moving so many times I have lost count (she has all our moves on a little yellow sheet). She gave birth to six children, weathered sickness, job changes, fear and panic, panic, joy, and fulfillment over the experiences of our children, worked as business manager for a number of business ventures we began, enjoyed teaching and nurturing children and adults in everything from “handy lady” classes, to professional day-care, foster children, and religious instruction and testimony building. She has created a visible bond with each member of our family through her quilting art. Each quilt she makes for a child’s birth, baptism, marriage, or other occasion is a genealogical tie that gently says, we are an eternal family.

The one pleasure she prayed for was that we could be closer to her parents and family. We never made it. Both her mother and father passed away within a month of each other in Montrose California. This year she declared that we needed to move to Southern Utah because I would feel better being a lower elevation and not having the pollutants that create breathing burdens. We moved To Toquerville and found legions of incredible people and opportunities to serve. But, wait!! What about our flock of grandchildren that live in Utah County? One more sacrifice for others (me). Her greatest joy is sitting on the floor with these youngsters and coloring, reading, quilting, teaching, and loving. Last week we went to Scott’s and enjoyed some very quality time with Skyler, Aspen, and Brighton. Diane’s family was here yesterday and will come back through tonight and we thoroughly enjoy these activities, but I want to make sure Jean has every opportunity to bless the lives of each of our grandchildren in the way that only she can provide.

My joy is in serving my God, my family, and my country. I have no idea why I have been so blessed, but I do know that it is my duty and my honor to do whatever I need to do to bless the lives of others – especially my Jean. We will reacquaint ourselves with her brothers and their families and do whatever it takes to ensure that Jean can provide her spiritual and temporal love and guidance to all those who need her wisdom and love through our Savior Jesus Christ.

May you all take advantage of every minute to share your love of life and God with others

Duane Jacobs, Grandpa, Popsa, Uncle,brother, cousin, and friend

Rusty hinges

June 3, 2012

Houses and human bodies have one significant thing in common. Namely, our hinges get rusty and it becomes very difficult to change positions. We try to open a door to the basement that hasn’t been touched, much less opened, for months and we get a screeching, gnashing noise that would frighten the dead. A little oil, a few more attempts and we finally get the door so it will open relatively easy. I love old houses like the one we moved into in 1988 on the corner of 800 E and 600 N. for that specific reason. That house allowed me to use all my creative juices, hammer out my frustrations, develop plans in my head and implement them. In short it gave me a purpose to work out the rust in my human hinges –mentally and physically.

Jean and I have been working excitedly on quilts, church jobs, genealogical indexing, feasting on the scriptures, and enjoying friends and family with the express idea in mind that if we work those hinges in our mind, in our bodies (yes, we have actually been tread milling) we oil those parts that have been out of use and help us “endure to the end.” Over the years Jean and I have experienced rough patches in every conceivable part of our human experience that have forced us to make decisions to give up, or oil those hinges and get on with life. We can absolutely testify that we have come out stronger, more knowledgeable, more loving, more in love and in like than one could possibly imagine. Almost half a century ago we married as little children and really had no idea what life had would share with us behind those creaky doors. It has been exciting, panic riddled, and every other adjective one could ascribe. And, it has all been worth the journey.

One thing that has concerned me greatly lately is the lack of enthusiasm, commitment, and passion some I love have expressed or implied through their actions. The following ideas are intended to give anyone interested, an opportunity to crack open those creaky, rusty hinges, and see if they can be renewed, making life not only more interesting, but building those relationships that we believe will go on throughout the eternities.

GOD GAVE US THE GIFT OF LOVE

Each and everything I want to share with anyone interested is clearly laid out for us in the scriptures. Sometimes we get lost in the space and time warp called life so I am going to re-share the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Matthew, Luke, Acts, Moroni,etc

• God has told us to forgive – not seven times, but seven times seventy.

·         God has commanded us to be Christ-like in all our human dealings. Yes with our frailties, faults, and all.

·         God has told us to marry, multiply, and grow in love and appreciation

·         God has told us to love him, love our neighbors (that’s everybody) and love ourselves

Many of you are playing a deadly game of chicken. With most of us it is all about who did something stupid first.  (The “it all happened when he hit me first syndrome). The answer is it doesn’t matter. A personal example of this stupidity is when I used to get so mad at Jean that I would storm out of the house and head for work. When I started through American Fork I would begin feeling really regretful. When I got to Lehi, I felt awful and wanted to do something about it. By the time I hit the point of the mountain, I was calling her and asking her forgiveness and all was better. One time I was so angry I ran out, jumped in the car and as I was backing up, I smashed into our other car right in the driveway. Now how stupid is that.

Most of us just keep smashing into each other and don’t stop to realize what you are losing. In case you have forgotten, when we play this game, we lose the very life we came here to get. Here is how each of us can get out of that creaky door.

·         You commit to say nice things, like I love you; you look nice today;  thank you for being the mother of our children; thank you for the nice home and food you prepare.

·         Your partner commits to saying nice things, like I love you; thank you for working until you are old and beat up to bring home the bacon; what can I do to help you with your wounds and feelings. Thank you for a life-time of memories which will bless our lives forever.

·         Then both of you start doing these little things. Don’t mock each other. That will poison the well and all will be lost.

·         Do something together. I suggest genealogical indexing. I am getting great joy out of it and it is something that you can do a few minutes a day, sharing in decoding the names and dates of those who have preceded us through the veil.

·         Repent and have God-like sorrow for the mortal sins you commit. Yes, all of us commit sins over and over again.

·         Ask for forgiveness from any and all we have trespassed against.

·         Ask God to forgive us; then, as Christ has told us, “go, and sin no more”

·         Begin each day with personal prayer,

o   Plead with Father in Heaven to bless your family and to protect you from personal nightmares.

o   Especially ask for help to avoid even the appearance of evil. I have come to the point where I try to avoid evil television and printed materials like the plague.

o    Even with that said, I still see things on the tube that disturb me and cause me to falter on my promise to repent and sin no more. I saw a commercial on TV last night that made my hormones boil

·         Frequently say something nice to each other and mean it.

·         Frequently eat a meal, read a scripture, say a prayer, or some other meaningful thing together

·         Call or visit frequently during the day just to say hello

·         In other words court your fine young female /male friend again

We all have our agency and can opt out of any and everything in this life. Just as in the war in heaven, we chose the opportunity to come to earth and make our own decisions. We  continue to make those decisions each moment of each day.

It truly burdens my heart to see so many pushing your loved ones away and sparing like two cats with your tails tied together and hung over a clothes line. For the sake of our personal salvation, for an example to our children, and because it is the right thing to do, we all need to put our lives back in God’s hands and go forward with love eternal.

Duane Jacobs, grandpa, brother, father, uncle, cousin, and friend

 

Anchors

June 10, 2012

In February 1962 I went aboard the USS Hornet CVS 12 with orders to serve. I had been through Boot camp in San Diego, California, then specialty training at the Great Lakes Naval station in Illinois and was now ready to serve as a Machinist Mate. Protocol called for each seaman apprentice to serve for three months as kitchen police, aka KP duty, or deck hands assisting the deck crews. I drew the lot of being on deck and doing the things the regular service crews called on us to do. Ninety nine and ninety nine one hundreds of the activity we were called on to perform was paint chipping and painting. Rust is a constant problem, so we were assigned on a daily basis to selected portions of the hull. We would lower ourselves down to the designated place and chip away.

On one occasion I was assigned to chip and preserve one of the anchors. Looking at the anchors from shore, or even over the side, they do not look like they would weigh in at around 44,000 pounds and be the size of a car, but when you are lowered down on a boatswain’s chair dangling 40 feet above the Pacific Ocean the perspective that this is one humongus toy. With chain links roughly the size of large water melons and gear that easily moves these goodies to the ocean floor they stabilize and secure the ship in exactly the designated spot. The design, manufacture, installation, and implementation allowed the Hornet to anchor in the middle of the Hong Kong bay and many other places without incident because it was the correct tool for the designated job.

Last night we had a wind pass through Toquerville that put everyone on watch for flying garbage cans, trampolines and other goodies. Because it gets quite warm in Southern Utah I put up some shade over my garden to keep it from frying. It worked quite well until we had a lighter wind come through about a week ago and blow off one of the sheets of OSB (Plywood, for the old timers). I put it back up yesterday with a promise to Jean that I would “anchor” it with some ropes and wire so nothing would damage my crops. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, the anchors didn’t get positioned, and my covering went with the rest of the unanchored goodies in Toquerville. Jean shared her Relief Society lesson with me about one family forgetting that their trampoline had been moved and the anchors removed left off. The winds blew, the stuff flew, and about eleven last night their trampoline flew over two houses and landed in the ravine below. Her lesson was about our life anchors.

Many times in my life I have been caught with my anchors unused, unprepared, unrepaired, and unworthy of the job associated with keeping me steady in a world of difficult experiences. I refer, of course to my relationship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. When I feast on the scriptures I find great joy in personal revelation and inspiration for my family and for myself. It doesn’t take long to prepare to understand the guidance of the Holy Ghost by purposefully praying and asking for the blessings of heaven on those with whom we associate. The most difficult segment is keeping our anchors repaired by asking for forgiveness through repentance and “Christ like” sorrow. Because we are human, because we stumble, because we frequently wander off the strait and narrow path, our “natural man” tells us that we have failed and are therefore, unworthy of the blessings of heaven. God will forgive us. Jesus Christ has atoned for our sins and we can be blessed by the direction of God through the Holy Ghost, ministering angels, and the marvelous friends, family, and teachings with which we adhere.

Never give up. Our job is simple. Endure to the end. Build your anchors so you and your family are able to use them daily, they are prepared for your regular use, they are repaired from things we might have done to deter them, and that each of us are worthy to accept the gift of Jesus Christ.

God bless you in your worthy desires

Duane Jacobs, Grandpa, popsa, uncle, cousin, brother, and friend

WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE

June 8, 2012

Sister Jacobs has just shared a sketch of our lives together. What a blessing she has been.  We would like to share our testimonies and our questions and answers regarding our assigned topic in the same way we have lived our lives – as a team.

First, we were asked to share our feelings regarding the blessings of being fathers.

Sister Jacobs, would you share your understanding of what fathers do and how they bless our lives. Perhaps you could share some of the beautiful ways your father blessed the lives of your family in younger days and anything else you are inspired to tell.

Next, we have been asked to talk about a question that has been considered by billions of humans over human existence.

Two questions: Why do bad things happen to good people?

                                Why do blessings come to people like me that are too incomprehensible for the frail                                      human mind to begin to understand?

Moroni 6:7 – 10

Moroni 7:11, 12

Moroni 7:31 – 36

Moroni 9:25, 26

Moroni 10:32 – 33

1 Nephi  7:15 – 21 the power of God, the blessing of forgiveness and repentance

Luke 23:23 – 26

Why was Abel killed by his brother Cain?

Why have the traditions of man stirred up the hearts of millions to plunder, maim and kill in the name of some difference in interpretations spawned by man?

• Crusades
• Protestants and Catholics in Ireland
• Muslem/Islam dedication to forge ahead to the last days
• Death and starvation in most of the world’s population
• Cancer and heart diseases take the lives of millions
• Bubonic plague killed millions
• Influenza killed millions in the 1915 – 30 era
• Countries and rulers maiming, enslaving, and killing their own all over the world

We in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are blessed with the “fullness of the Gospel” which provides us with resolution. It would be a gray day in our lives if we did not have scriptural and prophetic understanding and direction. For example:

• When a child dies, we know that they have a place in the Celestial kingdom. How blessed we are to understand the nature of eternal life. These children can be part of our eternal family. The hard part is up to us. We must live and work and play according to the Gospel plan. We must remain on the strait and narrow path, holding ever fast to the Iron Rod (or the word of God)
• When someone is born with special needs such as a Down’s syndrome child, they become the teachers – we the learners. We were visiting the Gary and Kathrine Kunz family recently. Their wonderful son, Karl, was born with Down’s syndrome. He is one of the most amazing young men I have ever known. He can tell you all the temples he has gone through for baptisms for the dead, how many temples are currently active, and many, many more testimony building things which bless the Kunz family. While we were there he went to his room and brought back a true masterpiece of art. He had drawn the Denmark Temple and labeled it such at the bottom. Anyone that thinks that being in Karl’s presence is anything other than a glimpse of eternal life and exaltation is simply missing the point of life.
• When someone suffers from the big C, or croaks prematurely with a heart attack, or is killed by a drunk driver, or is slaughtered in some far away country through mindless acts of war, pestilence, or disease, we know that their lives are part of God’s great plan. We will eventually be able to assist them through temple covenants by providing what they were not able to get while in their earthly tabernacle. The blessings of the temple alone, provide us with more answers than all the historians, scriptoriums, and philosophers in history combined.
• When someone becomes unable to speak, or use their body functions through the ageing process, the ravages of Alzheimer’s, strokes, or other impairments, we ponder and pray for them and for ourselves, with the ever-constant prayer in our hearts that we can “endure to the end.” How sweet it is to know that our loved ones will reunite through the veil. One of the most amazing examples of eternal love is that of Jean’s parents. Jean, will you share this wonderful story with us.
• Health and sickness; pleasure and pain; goodness and evil; God and Satan. Sister Vanderlaan spoke of the many illnesses and life challenging experiences in our beloved Toquerville Second Ward. We have witnessed mighty miracles in your midst in the few months we have been here.
• We have seen neighbors helping neighbors. Loving acts of kindness through everything from simple smiles, handshakes, and acknowledgement; to heavy labor, spiritual guidance, Priesthood blessings, and opportunities to serve.
• We have witnessed people willing to share their time and knowledge in assisting us and others in finding better ways to serve the Lord through:
• Spiritually uplifting sacrament meeting talks
• Wonderfully spiritual sacrament time from the priesthood
• Well organized and spiritually/factually correct Sunday school lessons
• Opportunities to serve and learn in priesthood and relief society activities

Block parties aimed at friendship and love in each