Pappa Hardy's Musings on Life.

Today was a special day for me. We visited Martin’s Cove (actually the Sun Ranch) for a second time. My Great, Great, Great Grandfather, Richard Collings and his family were part of the Martin Handcart Company that suffered such great challenges when crossing the plains in 1856. This handcart company suffered many deaths and much misery, yet my ancestors and many others remained true to the faith. I just pray that I will have similar courage when the challenges mount in my life.

A lot of years ago we lived in student housing at the University of Utah. It was our second encounter with student housing, in a place called the East University Village. While living in that student housing complex we lived in a branch of our church called the University 2nd Branch. It was a branch consisting of primarily graduate students and their families. We were all young, all pretty much in the same boat, and we pretty much were all poor.

Well, approximately 2 months ago I was contacted by a member of that branch about attending a Branch reunion, 30 years after the Branch President, George Pingree, was released. Being the curious sort, I convinced Bonnie we should go. Man, what an experience. First, we were the only ones from the years 1977 to 1978 at the reunion. Second, most of the people who were there were long time members of the branch, us being there only one year.

It was a different experience. We knew no one, and no one knew us. The one thing that was interesting was one lady came up to us, called us friends, and then realized that she never knew us. There was some interesting backpedaling going on. I thought we would know somebody, but we knew no one. This was the first time since we have gone to reunions that we came up with a big zero. It was good seeing our old Branch President (they had no clue who we were) but that was it.

While in Las Vegas recently I saw a very interesting documentary on TV about of all things, how the Mob got involved in making Las Vegas what it is today. We of course all pretty much know how much organized crime contributed to the evolution of the gambling Mecca known as Las Vegas. What I didn’t expect to experience was seeing that in my hotel room in Las Vegas.

One statistic I found incredible is that at one point in the United States, the business created and controlled by the mob was 10% of the GNP (Gross National Product). These secret societies are much larger than most Americans ever expect. For someone as simple minded as me, who believes in the basic goodness of all people, finds that this is a hard concept to accept. Such a small, without principled minority can have such a huge influence and impact on the morality and the politics of this nation.

We cannot remain a truly great nation and allow this kind of thing to be the mainstay of our society. As is indicated in one of my religious faith’s primary scriptural canons, these secret societies will bring about the downfall of this great nation. Of that concept, I truly believe and feel that somehow we must do something about it. I am not quite sure how to make that happen though, as they way are politicians raise money for campaigns seems impossible to correct and remove from the influence of questionable people.

“Beloved Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, dies at 97
SALT LAKE CITY 27 January 2008 President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through twelve years of global expansion, has died at the age of 97.
President Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Church and had served as its president since 12 March 1995.
The Church president died at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from cause’s incident to age. Member of his family were at his bedside. A successor is not expected to be formally chosen by the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles until after President Hinckley’s funeral within the next few days.

This is off of the churches general website.

Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley has passed away
January 27th, 2008 @ 8:00pm
(KSL News) Officials with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced this evening that Church President Gordon B. Hinckley has passed away.

He passed away at his home about 7 o’clock this evening with his family was at his side. President Hinckley was 97 years old. He was the 15th president of the Church.
Born in Salt Lake City on June 23, 1910; he graduated from the University of Utah and served a mission to Great Britain. After he returned, he embarked on a lifetime of service for the Church.
He was employed as the executive secretary of the Church Radio, Publicity, and Literature committee, before he was called to be an Apostle in 1961.

He was later called to serve as a counselor to President Kimball, President Benson and President Hunter.

Since becoming Church President on Mar. 12, 1995, he has directed the most intense temple building program in the history of the Church in an effort to extend temple blessings to more members.

He has exhibited vitality and energy as he has traveled about the world meeting and speaking to members of the Church.

Through television interviews and national press publications, he has increased media attention and improved the public image of the Church. He has counseled Church members to fellowship new converts, befriend members of other faiths, live exemplary lives, and avoid the evils of the world.”

What an ordinary Sabbath day, ending in such an extraordinary way. I loved President Hinckley almost like no other man on the face of the earth. He was such a powerful leader and prophet, and this was so unexpected. I had wondered when this day would come, but even knowing that I was so surprised. He was a wonderful man.

We have been having a debate in our church about an event next year at Martin’s Cove. Many want to go there because of the spiritual significance that the spot has for the church. I have a personal stake in this event. My great, great, great, great, great grandfather was carried across the plains and was part of the Martin Handcart company. Many died in that ill fated journey, but that family is one of the few that didn’t loose anyone. I have a picture on my fireplace mantel of the ancestors that were part of that family. I have a great respect for those who sacrificed so much to make a new home in the west. I think today we don’t have near the opportunities to sacrifice like they did in those days. I hope someday to be worthy of their respect.

If you had read the Book of Mormon, you might think that I was referring to the sign that Christ was being born in the America’s. Unfortunately, what I am writing about is not quite so dramatic or faith inspiring. Rather, it refers to the day and night before we left for vacation in North Carolina.

It was so busy at work on Friday that I didn’t get a lot done that needed to be done before I left to go on vacation. We then went to the Salmon Supper in Payson, which if you have never gone is a terrific event. The salmon was just wonderful. We had good company too, Gordon and Christie and their number one in utero, Grandpa and Grandma Hardy, then the Hardy’s left at the Hardy Hacienda.

Once we came home, it was time to get packed up and ready for the vacation. You would think that we would know better and have been all prepared. Instead, we had to start from scratch so that meant that I didn’t get all of my packing and preparation done until almost midnight. I had to go back to the office therefore to get the job done and so here I was, sitting in the Payson Branch of Zions Bank at 2am in the morning. Once that was finished, I had to gas up the car and do some other stuff.

3am, I am sitting awake in the computer room of the house, and the question arose, do I go to bed for 90 minutes or do I just stay awake and get ready and go. Well, I didn’t think 90 minutes would help me so I stayed awake, mainly because in order to get to the Salt Lake airport and get on our way we had to leave Payson at 4:15am.

Well, I stayed awake, for the first time in probably 20 years, all night long. I know there have been times when I felt like I was staying up all night long, but most of the time I had at least a few minutes of fitful sleep.

Well, my lack of sleep showed up in the next days activities. We had trouble in going through security at the airport because I had forgotten to pick up the boarding passes, and then we had a little time in Phoenix to change flights, and then the long flight across the US of A to Henderson, North Carolina.

I had heard that North Carolina was beautiful, but I was unprepared for the things that I saw there. It is such a beautiful state. When we arrived, we still had things to do, and by that time I was unprepared for how luppie I was starting to get. I think that I only survived because I was so excited that I was able to survive. It was such a beautiful day and a great way to end “A Day, A Night, and A Day”.

While in Taiwan recently we were sorely tempted about the prospect of becoming a “couple missionary”. We met a couple in Chung Li who were a couple missionary. While they were friendly enough, they weren’t trying to learn the language and become part of the China/Taiwan that we both hold dear.

An hour later, we met the new Mission President, and missionary contemporary of mine who took us to Taipei to meet another old friend for Dinner. He immediately asked us to turn in our papers and become a “couple missionary”. He indicated he could make sure we came to Taiwan. Oh, we were sorely tempted. I think we would love to go back for a year or two, or even three. However, reality has set in since we came home. Will we ever go? I don’t really know.

Here I sit, in Philip Ho’s office room using his computer, looking for the last couple of hours over Tao Yuan before we leave to return to the states.  I am very sad to be doing so.  This has been an excellent experience.  The only bad thing that has happened I heard about this morning.

My good friend Clark DeWaal, had a heart attack on Thursday morning here in Taiwan and has been taken home to our heavenly father.  I am so sad, and wish that I could have been with him when he passed, so he could have had someone here who could have helped.  He was a good friend, particularly as we studied together here in Taiwan as students at National Taiwan University and the Kuo You Re Bau Language Center.  He was such fun, with his wife Lorraine.  I am sad this has happened before we left.  He passed while here in Taiwan on Thursday morning the 10th, while on a business trip.

In any event, I got up this morning, and prepared to leave for church after getting that bad news.  We went to Sacrament Meeting in the Tao Yuan 1st Ward and then Julie and I drove to Chung Li to see if I could find the Elders who said they had information on someone that I had baptized.  They had his address, we got it, and then we returned to Tao Yuan where we are finishing our packing and then we leave for America.  I am so sad.  This has been a wonderful experience.  Well, that is about it for now.