Blank slate

June 7, 2015

One of the strings that tie my life together is an annual outing held in most wards and stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints commonly called the Fathers and Sons camp out. I went on my first one in Salt Lake New Mexico (well near it, anyway) and have been on many over the past sixty three years since then. For the past two years I have had the great pleasure of attending with my son David and his son Cason. We went for walks, took pictures, and of course ate way more than our apportioned lot. We learned much about nature, rain, mild winters, and the great sound of a stream working its magic as it flows down a hill. If you really want to get your heart rate up and into aerobic levels find some kid who knows how to play the game Abraham was a prophet; Abraham had seven sons. By the time you get through exercising your arms, legs, head/neck, and tongue, you will be ready for the up-coming marathon.

The question of the day: Why are we here? The double-down question of the ages; if we are just going to go around the same little circle, repeating our mistakes, laughing at the same jokes, and never improving, never challenging ourselves, what will become of our lives? The answer will be very predictable and not very rewarding. We will have simply been through the motions and never accomplished anything more than wearing a path in the self same trail around the self same circle. I want more out of life than a worn out circle.

To those of you who have taken the challenge of life by the horns and surged forward in your efforts to bless the lives of those around you; keep up the great work. Watch the people around you and look for ways to cheer up, rise up, encourage, and inspire each person you see. I was recently privy to a circumstance in which a relatively large sum of money was given to bless the lives of a missionary and his family just because they felt inspired to do so. Both of my grandsons on missions for Christ share their regular opportunities to encourage and bless the lives of those in their circle of influence through the teachings of Jesus Christ and in pure service. Sometimes it is through prayer and teaching; however, much of the work they do is in the form of physical labor in assisting the elderly, caring for the poor and for those who are ill.

When my mother was still on this side of the veil, her home teachers came over and asked her to talk into a microphone and tell some of the experiences she found interesting in her life. Of course, she said what we all say, “Well, there is really nothing significant in my life anybody would want to hear.” I knew better and through a little extracting we were able to get some wonderful experiences on the record that gave us (especially future generations) a glimpse into her life. A little later Jean and I were given a personal history journal – blank – and asked to complete them. I am probably mistaken, but I believe they also gave my mother a blank journal too and I believe she actually did what was asked and completed her history. Some of us didn’t do anything and the journals are still collecting dust.

Jean Jacobs, my sweetheart, has compiled a number of picture journals which serve to provide reminders of and to generations past and future sharing why we are here and what our business ought to be about. There is hardly a day that goes by that I don’t ask mom a question about the age of a child when something took place, or where we were when we last saw old what’s-his-face. So here is the challenge:

Prearrange with recorder in hand (now you can just use your telephone) and a series of questions like out of the life history book we received from our children. Don’t wear anybody out. Twenty to thirty minutes is more than sufficient to get some great stuff. You can repeat the exercise if it was fun and productive. You will find thing in the history of loved ones that will encourage and bless you as you try to model your lives after the good things they accomplished or attempted, and avoid the pitfalls they may have encountered as they walked through the minefields of employment, marriage, spiritual growth, and blessing the lives of others.

Thank you for being my wonderful friends and family. You are an inspiration and a joy.

Duane Jacobs, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother, cousin and friend