Pappa Hardy's Musings on Life.

When I was 19 and called on a mission to Taiwan, I was pleased that I was going to learn to speak a language that is spoken by about one in four of everyone that lives on this earth. At the time, China and Taiwan were considered to be second or their level countries. No more. China and Taiwan or now leading out, and it makes me wish that my Mandarin was not a Second Language, and one poorly spoken at that. When I am around Mandarin speakers now (primarily Chinese who have it as their first and primary language) it makes me wish I had followed up on my intentions to study Mandarin and become fluent in its use. Instead, I am just a hack of the language and don’t understand. I wish Mandarin were my first language, or at least I could pretend so.

While recently on my cruise I saw a very interesting meeting. I was walking through one of the buffets when I came upon a meeting that I did not at all expect. We had previously observed a group of orthodox Jewish people on the ship. They had kept to themselves when eating and we noticed that they had a rabbi so they were eating most likely Kosher food, blessed in some way by the Rabbi.

The night in question, a Friday night, I came upon them in the back of the boat, meeting together around some tables in that buffet, chanting and singing. For a moment, I wondered why they were doing what they were doing until I realized that since it was a Friday night, it was the beginning of their Sabbath. I thought it special that they found a unique sanctuary for their service, and could meet even on the high seas in such a busy place as a buffet on the stern end of the Crown Princess. This world is an amazing place, and I am privileged to be here.

One thing that sets apart The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is our building of Temples, and Temple Worship. I had the opportunity tonight to be a part of the dedication of the Draper Temple. It was a wonderful experience. The sacredness of this structure and what happens there is peculiar to our religion, but I believe is beautiful.

Contrast that to a recent episode of Big Love, which portrayed for the whole world something which we consider to be sacred. That portrayal in my opinion was unnecessary to and added nothing to the story that show was trying to tell. It was included because the “Mormons” are considered a peculiar people. I was offended by the insensitivity of the producers of that show. What incredible differences there were from the dedication which was a high light, and a crass portrayal on network TV.

My trip to Wyoming and South Dakota brought back to me a legacy of history that I share in because of my family’s heritage. We visited many sites along the Mormon Trail, including such places as Martin’s Cove and the Mormon Trail. I have wonderful ancestors, who sacrificed everything they had to come to a new land and forge a new life. I don’t think many of us these days would be willing to leave a nice, warm house, and leave behind all of our possessions and risk family, life, and comfort for a new found religion and the promise of Zion. I would hope that I had that courage, but don’t know because I am not sure that I have ever been tested.

This trail, which I have seen, winds through Nebraska, Iowa, Wyoming, and Utah. It is a trail of faith and hardship. It is a trail of the forging of faith. It is a wonderful place. It is a somber place. I pray that I will be equal to my ancestors in the living of my faith.

One of the talks given at the recent Semi-Annual General Conference of my church discussed the idea that “We Don’t Know Everything But We Know Enough”. The idea is, we can push forward even if we don’t have all of the answers. I find that idea mildly comforting when considering our current economic situation. We need to move forward and solve problems, rather than quivering in a mode of indecision because we don’t have all of the answers. Our current problems demand action, some kind of action in order for us to at least start to move forward in solving our problems. Not only can we move forward with regard to our faith in the Lord and his plan, but we also can move forward in solving the problems of our country.

One of the announcements mysteriously missing recently from announcements at the Semi-Annual Conference of the LDS Church was the building of the new Payson Utah Temple. Well, at least that would be the case for a lot of people in Payson. There have been rumors rampant in Payson for the last 9 months that there was going to be a new temple in Payson. Actually, there is a “prophecy”, at least the legend of a prophecy of a local Payson Bishop and Stake President that they had, in vision, seen a temple on the ridge above our home in Payson.

Earlier this year a builder, who wants to build homes on the rocky ridge above our home, had tried to encourage that rumor so he could get approval, without going through the actual process of getting approval, to build a housing development on the ridge. While one wonders why anyone would want to invest money in such a program right now because of the financial crisis in our country, there was still an effort by that builder to paint the Payson City Council and Planning Commission as bad people because we had not fawned over him when he presented the plan to us.

Instead, he has gone to a Stake in our area, and after talking about the “Payson Utah Temple” has painted us as the bad guys and put our name in print as the people who are obstacles to this dream. Maybe someday we will get a temple, and I would have loved to hear that announcement in General Conference, but for right now it doesn’t appear that dream is to be.

As always, the recent General Conference provided timely counsel to the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints regarding the problems we face in the world today. It would be well for the world if they listened what is said from the pulpit in the Conference Center. Every six months we hear timely counsel, and October of 2008 has been no different.

I have the blessing to serve as a counselor to Bishop Wayne Pullan of the Page Ward. I have served as a counselor to two other Bishops, Bishop H.P. “Ted” Cardon of the Southfield Ward in the Bloomfield Hills Michigan Stake and Bishop David G. Ditto, of the Cheyenne 3rd Ward of the Cheyenne Wyoming Stake. I have had the opportunity to watch these Bishops serve and see the impact it has on their lives.

They are truly great men who serve with the interests of their members at heart. They are blessed by the Lord. However, I have also concluded that if you aspire to this office you must be nuts. Why? Bishops have great demands on their time. They sometimes put in 30 hours a week over the time their full time job takes, and I am sure that they are thinking, dreaming, or experiencing the calling the rest of the time. I am told that they receive great blessings for their service and sacrifice and certainly I have been a first hand witness of those blessings. However, I don’t believe that I have the ability to handle the kinds of stress that they experience. They are truly great men. I know the Lord blesses them. I would be nuts to want to take on their responsibilities.

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.

Elder Joseph Wirthlin gave what I consider to be an excellent talk on Adversity. He told us that when we are faced with Adversity, we need to work hard at overcoming the adversity, have faith in the Lord and the Savior, and then leave the rest to the Lord.

Our nation faces much the same type of challenge. We need to do everything that we can to solve the problems, the trust in our Lord and Savior and have faith in him and leave the solutions to him. We have to do that now. We have to make sure that we do our best, and then trust the Lord that the solutions will come.

Our nation is faced with Adversity. It is now time to trust in the Savior.